1 . Why Do Mockingbirds Copy?
Mockingbirds live in North and South America. They are good copycats. They imitate other birds. But they can also imitate other animals. They can even make sounds like a piano or car alarm. Mockingbirds learn to sing many songs. Some learn more than 200 different songs. They can often trick people! But mockingbirds can’t trick other birds. If they can’t trick other birds, why do they copy sounds? They do it to attract and avoid other birds!
Males are loud singers, and they sing many songs. They always sing when they want to meet females. A male bird can sing most of the day and night. The singing attracts females. But it also keeps away other males. The longer a mockingbird lives, the more songs it knows. To show this characteristic, the male mockingbird sings all the songs it knows. A female mockingbird is attracted to a male who has lived a long time.
Mockingbirds usually sing short songs. They sing each sound several times. Then they move to the next sound. Female mockingbirds sing softly and less often than males. They usually sing at their nests in the winter to keep away other birds. When another bird comes near, the mockingbird makes a loud noise to frighten it. It’s amazing that the mockingbird can copy so many songs of other birds. Some songs are not easy to learn. The mockingbird must listen well to imitate the sounds. But a mockingbird also has good eyes and a good memory. When a person comes near its nest, the mockingbird remembers that person. It knows that person’s face after many years!
1. Mockingbirds are special because they can .| A．create songs | B．copy sounds |
| C．remember other birds | D．understand human’s words |
| A．size | B．eyesight | C．memory | D．voice |
| A．To recommend a course on birdlife. | B．To call on people to protect birds. |
| C．To give advice on feeding birds. | D．To introduce an interesting bird. |
| A．A forest fire. | B．A terrible rainstorm. | C．Some lovely pet animals. |
3 . Stephen Warren, study leader at the University of Washington — has been on the case of the green icebergs for more than 30 years. He first took samples from one of these green hunks of ice in 1988, near the Amery Ice Shelf, East Antarctic. Most glacial ice occurs in shades of white to brilliant blue. The bluer the ice, the older it is. Typically, compression (压缩) from accumulating layers of snow pushes air bubbles out of the ice, reducing the scattering of white light. The compressed ice absorbs most of the light except for blue — creating the blue color seen in the hearts of icebergs and glaciers.
The green ice was similarly bubble-free, and yet it looked green instead of blue. Warren and his team soon found that the green ice came not from glaciers, but from marine ice. That’s the ice from the undersides of floating ice shelves.
At first, the team thought that organic material in the marine ice was causing the green color. But further research showed that the green marine ice didn’t have a higher-than-usual amount of organic impurities. Now, a new study finds that a different sort of impurity may be the root cause of the green ice. Warren and his colleagues report that the marine ice at the bottom of the Amery Ice Shell has 500 times more iron than the glacial ice above.
This iron comes from the rocks under the Antarctic Ice Sheet, which are turned into fine powder as glaciers move over them. The icebound iron oxidizes (氧化) as it contacts seawater. The resulting iron oxide particles take on a green color when light scatters through them. When icebergs break off the larger ice shelf, they carry this iron-rich ice with them. It’s like taking a package to the post office. The iceberg can deliver this iron into the ocean far away, and then melt and deliver it to other living things that can use it as a nutrient.
1. What’s special about the iceberg found by Warren?| A．The iceberg was old. | B．The iceberg absorbed blue light. |
| C．The iceberg’s heart was pure white. | D．The iceberg was bubble-free and green. |
| A．Iron dust from marine ice. | B．Impurities of marine ice. |
| C．Reflection of green plants. | D．Compression from layers of snow. |
| A．Deliver the package. | B．Oxidize the seawater. |
| C．Bring marine life nutrients. | D．Break off the large ice shelf. |
| A．A study about Antarctic. | B．The colors of icebergs. |
| C．The movement of icebergs. | D．The mystery of green icebergs. |
4 . While Ellard Hunting and fellow researchers were out studying the weather at a field station in England, they noticed something unexpected on their instruments. Though there was no storm coming, the scientists’ electric field monitors recorded a strange increase in atmospheric electric charge(电荷) .
Nearby, honeybees that lived in on-site hives were swarming (蜂拥) as they tried to find a new home. When the team took a closer look at their data, they discovered that the swarming honeybees had created an atmospheric electric charge. The researchers shared more details about their findings in the journal Science.
“This is the first report of biology as a source of space charge.” says Hunting, a biophysicist at the University of Bristol in England. Scientists had known that individual bees carry a small charge while flying through the air, caused by the friction of their body parts against the air and each other. It’s similar to how rubbing a balloon on a piece of cloth creates static electricity (静电). Scientists believe a bee’s charge helps pollen (花粉) stick to it and signals to other bees which flowers have already been visited. But until now, researchers had never recorded such a high voltage (电压) among swarming honeybees.
In terms of electricity generation, a bees warm’s charge isn’t so impressive：It would take about 50 billion bees to power an LED light. But compared to the charges produced by common weather events, the bees’ charge density was six times greater than an electrified dust storm and eight times greater than a thunderstorm cloud.
Scientists hope to continue exploring how biology influences physics and are curious to know if something similar is happening with other wildlife, such as birds and bats.
1. What were the researchers doing when something unexpected on their instruments happened?| A．Studying weather events. | B．Testing their instruments. |
| C．Recording insects’ behavior. | D．Looking for honeybees’ new home. |
| A．To help the bee fly fast. | B．To signal to other bees. |
| C．To find pollen more easily. | D．To avoid losing their way. |
| A．The wide application of biology. | B．Measures to protect birds and bats. |
| C．The influences of dust storms on wildlife. | D．Whether other wildlife can produce electric charge. |
| A．A novel. | B．A fiction. | C．A magazine. | D．A leaflet. |
In a faraway place, lived a brave boy named Jack. Jack was only seven years old, but he was very aware
One day, Jack decided to do something about it. He began to recycle as much as he could. He didn’t want to contribute
However, Jack knew that he needed to do more. He was stuck on
His letters were very
1. Where is Mountain Kilimanjaro located?
| A．In America. | B．In Africa. | C．In Asia. |
| A．It is part of a mountain range. |
| B．It is the greatest nature wonder in the world. |
| C．It attracts people to see the glacier-covered (冰川覆盖的) peaks. |
| A．In 1889. | B．In 1973. | C．In 1987. |
| A．Nobody tries to climb it because of worse weather. |
| B．Disappearance of snow may be reducing the income of tourism. |
| C．Changing climate makes it disappear gradually. |
7 . Here are some fantastic parks in San Antonio.
Brackenridge Park
The park was first established in 1899 and has been popular with both locals and visitors ever since. Towering trees and peaceful riverbanks will greet guests along the park’s paths, and the facilities include playgrounds, museums, a miniature train, a Japanese tea garden, and one of the oldest golf courses in the city.
Friedrich Wilderness Park
In the park, you’ll find about 10 miles of paved(铺过的)and unpaved trails(路线), with a little something for everyone. From rocky climbs to deep canyons, and enchanting forests to open views, there’s no shortage of natural beauty. The area is nationally famous for birdwatching.
San Antonio Missions National Historical Park
The park is the state’s only one on the list of UNESCO World Heritage Site. It covers quite a large area, so it’s best to make it a full-day or at least a half-day trip so you can be sure to cover everything. While the Alamo is a separate attraction, you will get to enjoy the architectural wonders of Mission Concepcion, Mission San Jose, Mission San Juan, and Mission Espada. They’re all connected by a hike and bike trail, with plenty of stops along the way to picnic, climb trees, and refill water. Admission is free!
Eisenhower Park
Just a 20-to 30-minute drive from the city center, the park puts the best landscapes in the Texas Hill Country on full display, holding 6 miles of hiking trails, both paved and unpaved. Explore dried creek beds, look out over plunging canyons, and enjoy full views of San Antonio down below. You can also find playgrounds for the little ones, picnic tables, and barbecue facilities.
1. What is Friedrich Wilderness Park well-known for?| A．Birdwatching. | B．Ancient buildings. |
| C．A Japanese tea garden. | D．Unpaved hiking paths. |
| A．Brackenridge Park. |
| B．Friedrich Wilderness Park. |
| C．San Antonio Missions National Historical Park. |
| D．Eisenhower Park. |
| A．Golf courses and bicycle trails. |
| B．Museums and no entrance fee. |
| C．Birdwatching and playgrounds. |
| D．Hiking trails and barbecue facilities. |
8 . I was a young newspaper reporter, and I wanted to succeed. My first job was in Latin America. It was almost my last job.
I had not planned to stay in the village of Zacate, but it had been raining hard for a whole day. So I had to stay there.
I found people there full of fear. This village was at the foot of a volcano. It was becoming more active. Men, women and children came to the square. A few helped each other and went out of town to get as far away from the volcano as possible, with large and full packs in their hands. Suddenly, I felt a strong earthquake. The villagers in the square ran away as soon as they felt the earthquake.
Suddenly, I saw black smoke rolling down the side of the mountain towards the village. Trees and grass burned up in a second. The volcano eruption(喷发) was coming so fast that in less than a minute the roads to the village were cut off. All I could do was watch and wait. Suddenly, my landlord(房东) cried out, “Look!” He pointed to a small hill, which was near to us. The lava(岩浆) was not coming over it but flowing on each side of the village, leaving the village centre undamaged. For a time, at least, we were safe, unless the lava grew much bigger.
My landlord gave me a wet blanket to cover myself to avoid the heat and we poured water over our heads to cool ourselves. We could hardly breathe because of the heat and the smoke of the burning houses. Thanks to my landlord, I survived the volcano.
1. The reporter stayed in Zacate because of ______.| A．his busy job | B．bad weather | C．an accident | D．an adventure |
| A．The news report. | B．The journalist. |
| C．The active volcano. | D．Their strict landlord. |
| A．The lava. | B．The thick smoke. |
| C．The village. | D．The small hill. |
| A．The landlord is very experienced. | B．The small village was flooded. |
| C．The lava killed a lot of people. | D．The rescuers saved the reporter. |
9 . After years of heated debate, gray wolves were reintroduced to Yellowstone National Park. Fourteen wolves were caught in Canada and transported to the park. By last year, the Yellowstone wolf population had grown to more than 170 wolves.
Gray wolves once were seen here and there in the Yellowstone area and much of the continental United States, but they were gradually displaced by human development. By the 1920s, wolves had practically disappeared from the Yellowstone area. They went farther north into the deep forests of Canada, where there were fewer humans around.
The disappearance of the wolves had many unexpected results. Deer and elk populations — major food sources (来源) for the wolf — grew rapidly. These animals consumed large amounts of vegetation (植被), which reduced plant diversity in the park. In the absence of wolves, coyote populations also grew quickly. The coyotes killed a large percentage of the park’s red foxes, and completely drove away the park’s beavers.
As early as 1966, biologists asked the government to consider reintroducing wolves to Yellowstone Park. They hoped that wolves would be able to control the elk and coyote problems. Many farmers opposed the plan because they feared that wolves would kill their farm animals or pets.
The government spent nearly 30 years coming up with a plan to reintroduce the wolvers. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service carefully monitors and manages the wolf packs in Yellowstone. Today, the debate continues over how well the gray wolf is fitting in at Yellowstone. Elk, deer, and coyote populations are down, while beavers and red foxes have made a comeback. The Yellowstone wolf project has been a valuable experiment to help biologists decide whether to reintroduce wolves to other parts of the country as well.
1. What is the text mainly about?| A．Wildlife research in the United States. |
| B．Plant diversity in the Yellowstone area. |
| C．The conflict between farmers and gray wolves. |
| D．The reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone Park. |
| A．Damage to local ecology. |
| B．Preservation of vegetation. |
| C．A decline in the park’s income. |
| D．An increase in the variety of animals. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Uncaring. | C．Positive. | D．Disapproving. |
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How to Live a Green Life
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