1 . How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments, mostly for entertainment purposes, is fair and respectful?
Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.
Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range. The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don’t usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.
The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusually and self-destructive behavior called zoo-chosis(圈禁性精神病). A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.
Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding(圈养繁殖) of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?
Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.
1. How would the author describe the animals’ life in zoos?| A．Easy | B．Unhealthy |
| C．Unhappy | D．Dangerous. |
| A．remain in cages | B．behave strangely |
| C．attack other animals | D．enjoy moving around |
| A．Zoos are not worth the public support. |
| B．Zoos fail in their attempt to save animals. |
| C．Zoos should treat animals as human beings. |
| D．Zoos use animals as a means of entertainment. |
| A．It’s acceptable to keep animals away from their habitats |
| B．Visitors can learn a lot about animals after visiting the zoo |
| C．Zoos often pay much attention to the animals’ natural lifestyle |
| D．Zoos can earn some money from their captive breeding programs |
A Rainy Day in Liverpool
Dark clouds appear over the River Mersey and a cold wind is blowing. A few rain drops are beginning to fall. We’re in the famous city of Liverpool and we’re going to spend this rainy day in the Williamson Tunnels.
An Interesting Life Story
Joseph Williamson was born into a poor family in 1769，but left home and went to work for a tobacco company aged 11. He began at the bottom, and finally became head of the business.
An Unsolved Mystery
Nobody knows why Williamson dug tunnels under most of Liverpool, but many think it was to create jobs. Perhaps half of Liverpool’s population worked for him. The industry of war had made enormous amounts of money, but now Liverpool was in a terrible financial situation.
The King of Edge Hill
I went on a guided tour starting close to where his empire began in Edge Hill. In the tunnels, the steps leading from rooms below ground to those buildings, which no longer exist, seem particularly ghostly.
Incredible Engineering
We go into the Double Tunnel. It’s just been discovered that it’s actually a triple tunnel - but nobody knows why the three tunnels were built on top of each other.
We finish the tour and decide we’ll have a coffee in the Williamson Tunnels Cafe Bar. There, I notice lots of flyers for bands and theater groups that are coming to play there.
Why Liverpool?
Apart from the obvious attractions like the football clubs, or anything to do with the Beatles, Liverpool has a lot to offer. Princes Park and Croxteth Park were royal hunting grounds and the trees are 200 years old. Renshaw Street displays are an unusual mix of architecture styles. The nightlife is exciting. If you want to experience a part of the British Isles with a character entirely different from London, you should definitely come to Liverpool.
1. Which of the following is TRUE about Joseph Williamson?| A．He was born in the early 1700s. |
| B．He left home when he turned 18. |
| C．He worked for a tobacco company when he was young. |
| D．He started his business by himself but ended up broke. |
| A．Princes Park. | B．Edge Hill. |
| C．Croxteth Park. | D．Renshaw Street. |
a. Join football clubs.
b. Enjoy Beatles music.
c. Visit famous tourist spots.
d. Enjoy the beautiful beach.
| A．abd | B．bcd |
| C．acd | D．abc |
3 . One of America’s best-known artist colonies, the MacDowell Colony, will turn 110 next year. It is a place where artists of all types can sweep away distractions (令人分心的事物) and just create.
MacDowell’s operations are funded by foundations, corporations and individuals. Writers, composers, photographers, filmmakers and sculptors — both famous and unknown —compete for the 32 free studios at the place. Once accepted, an artist can stay for as little as a couple of weeks, or as long as a couple of months.
When they arrive, artists find a kind of isolation (隔绝) hard to find in our world. There’s no phone. No fax. No friends. No family. It’s just a cabin in the snowy woods.
Writer Emily Raboteau lives in New York City. She came to MacDowell to work on a novel. She received a desk, chairs, pencil and paper — and ice grippers. The walk from one isolated, one-room studio to another is icy, so colony residents (居住的人) fasten the ice grippers to the bottom of their shoes.
Another colony resident, Belfast composer Elaine Agnew, plays a piece called “To a Wild Rose,” written by Edward MacDowell. She says it’s so famous that every pianist in the world has played the tune. A hundred years ago, Macdowell owned the land where the colony now sits. He liked its isolation and his ability to get work done there. After his death, his wife, Marion, encouraged other artists to come.
And for the last century, artists have accepted the invitation, coming to step outside of their daily lives for a short time. Privacy is respected, but cooperation and discussion is common.
Screenwriter Kit Carson — who wrote Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 and the film adaptation of Sam Shepherd’s play Paris, Texas — has visited MacDowell twice. He says that the interdisciplinary (学科间的) discussion there is valuable.
“You sit around at dinner, talking, and then somebody runs off and brings you back some stuff and shows it to you,” he says. “That, I didn’t realize, was part of the magic here, because people are really open to showing their opinions here.”
1. What do the colony residents have in common?| A．They find it hard to survive the loneliness. |
| B．They usually stay in the colony for months. |
| C．They are already famous in their own field. |
| D．They are nearly cut off from the outside world. |
| A．To show the wide range of the residents. |
| B．To introduce the origin of the colony. |
| C．To admire her great musical talent. |
| D．To show respect for MacDowell. |
| A．It has a homely feel. | B．It values work-play balance. |
| C．It encourages privacy greatly. | D．It has an idea-sharing atmosphere. |
| A．Wonderland for artists | B．Creativity at work |
| C．Happy birthday! | D．Power of silence |
There was great excitement on the planet of Venus this week. For the first time Venusian scientists managed to land a satellite on the planet Earth, and it has been sending back signals as well as photographs ever since.
The satellite was directed into an area known as Manhattan(named after the great Venusian astronomer Prof. Manhattan, who first discovered it with his telescope 20,000 light years ago). Because of excellent weather conditions and extremely strong signals, Venusian scientists were able to get valuable information as to the feasibility(可行性)of a manned flying saucer(飞碟)landing on Earth. A press conference was held at the Venus Institute of Technology.
“We have come to the conclusion, based on last week’s satellite landing,” Pro. Zog said, “that there is no life on the Earth.”
“How do you know this?” the science reporter of the Venus Evening Star asked.
“For on thing, Earth’s surface in the area of Manhattan is composed of solid concrete and nothing can grow there. For another, the atmosphere is filled with carbon monoxide and other deadly gases and nobody could possibly breathe this air and survive.”
“What does this mean as far as our flying saucer program is concerned?”
“We shall have to take our own oxygen with us, which means heavier flying saucer than we originally planned.”
“Are there any other risks that you discovered in your studies?”
“Take a look at his photo. You see this dark black cloud floating over the surface of Earth?” We call this the Consolidated Edison Belt. We don’t know what it is made of, but it could give us a lot of trouble and we shall have to make further tests before we send a Venus Being there.”
“If what you say is true, won’t this set back the flying saucer program several years?”
“Yes, but we shall proceed as soon as the Grubstart gives us the added funds.”
“Pro. Zog, why are we spending billions and billions of zilches to land a flying saucer on Earth when there is no life there?
“Because if we Venusians can learn to breathe in an Earth atmosphere, then. We can live anywhere.”
1. The Venusians were excited this week because they __________.| A．landed a satellite with Venus astronauts on Earth |
| B．made a first-rate flying saucer |
| C．got an Earth Being to Venus |
| D．directed a satellite into Earth |
| A．Because they need it on their way to the planet of Earth |
| B．Because the Earth’s atmosphere is filled with deadly gases |
| C．Because deadly gases is far from enough on Earth |
| D．Because there is no air on the planet of Earth |
| A．the polluted air floating over the surface of Earth |
| B．the mass of tiny drops of water floating above Earth |
| C．the concrete that is unknown to everywhere |
| D．the dark clouds gathering before a storm breaks |
| A．to arouse the awareness of protecting the earth |
| B．to introduce a Venusians’ science program |
| C．to tell us the serious pollution of the Venus |
| D．to tell us an exciting Venusians’ exploration |
5 . Lions are opportunists. They prefer to eat without having to do too much work. When resting in the shade, they are also watching the sky to see what is flying by, and even in the heat of the day they will
suddenly start up and run a mile across the plains to find out what is going on. If another animal has made a kill, they will drive it off and take the dill for themselves. A grown lion can easily eat 60 pounds of meat at a single feeding. Often they eat until it seems painful for them to lie down.
The lionesses (母狮) , being thinner and faster, are better hunters (猎手) than the males (雄狮). But the males don’t mind. After the kill they move in and take the test share.
Most kills are made at night or just before daybreak. We have seen many, many daylight attempts but only ten kills. Roughly, it’s about twenty daytime attempts for one kill.
When lions are hiding for an attack by a water hole, they wait patiently and can charge at any second. The kill is the exciting moment in the day-to-day life of the lion, since these great animals spend most of their time, about 20 hours a day, sleeping and resting.
Lions are social cats, and when they are having a rest, they love to touch each other. After drinking at a water hole, a lioness rests her head on another’s back. When walking, young lions often touch faces with older ones, an act of close ties among members of the group.
1. By describing lions as “opportunists” in the first paragraph, the author means to say that lions _______.| A．are cruel animals |
| B．are clever animals |
| C．like to take advantage of other animals |
| D．like to take every chance to eat |
| A．Lions make most kills in the daytime. |
| B．Males care more about eating than active killing. |
| C．Lions are curious about things happening around them. |
| D．It doesn’t take lions too much time to make a kill. |
| A．They depend on each other. |
| B．They look after each other well. |
| C．They readily share what they have. |
| D．They enjoy each other’s company. |
| A．Powerful Lions |
| B．Lions at Work and Play |
| C．Lions, Social Cats |
| D．Lions, Skilled Hunters |
Tsunamis (海啸) are a series of huge waves created by an underground movement such as an earthquake or a volcanic eruption (火山喷发) . A tsunami can travel hundreds of miles per hour in the open ocean and hit the land with huge waves.
From the area where the tsunamis come, waves travel in all directions. Once the waves approach the coast, they will become more than 100 feet in height. The topography (地形) of the coastline and the ocean floor will influence the size of the wave. There may be more than one wave and the latter one may be larger than the one before. That is why a small tsunami at one beach can be a huge wave a few miles away.
All tsunamis are dangerous, even if they may not damage every coastline they strike. A tsunami can strike anywhere along most of the US coastline. Many harmful tsunamis have occurred along the coasts of California, Oregon, Washington, Alaska and Hawaii.
A movement of the ocean floor, caused by earthquakes, most often causes tsunamis. If a tsunami occurs close to a coast, the first wave could reach the beach in a few minutes, even before a warning is given. Areas are at greater risk if they are less than 25 feet above sea level and within a mile of the coastline. Drowning is the most common cause of death during a tsunami. Tsunami waves are very harmful to buildings. Other dangers include floods, pollution of drinking water, and fires from gas lines.
An accurate prediction (预报) system will allow authorities (官方) to issue timely warnings and save lives in the event of a shore-bound tsunami. But forecasting tsunamis accurately is very difficult because the ocean is usually calm before they strike land.
1. What can cause tsunamis according to the passage? ( 回答词数不超过6个 )2. What harm can a tsunami bring besides killing people and damaging buildings? ( 回答词数不超过15个 )
3. Why is it very difficult to forecast tsunami accurately ? ( 回答词数不超过9个 )
7 . A new report says plastics are responsible for $13 billion in damage to the oceans and the undersea environment. The findings were announced recently at a United Nations conference.
Plastic thrown away carelessly makes its way into rivers and other waterways.
The report also calls on companies to improve methods for using plastics.
| A．Then, fish may eat the plastics. |
| B．But people can make a big difference. |
| C．Plastics should be gathered together and reused. |
| D．It is convenient to use plastic bags in everyday life. |
| E．It asks for them to better measure and control plastic use. |
| F．The plastic eventually reaches coastal areas and ocean waters. |
| G．The report tells about harm to sea life and what might be done to improve the situation. |
8 . Deserts are found where there is little rainfall or where rain for a whole year falls in only a few weeks time. Then inches of rain may be enough for many plants to survive if the rain is spread throughout the year. If it falls within one or two months and the rest of the year is dry, those plants may die and a desert may form.
Sand begins as tiny pieces of rock that get smaller and smaller as wind and weather wear them down. Sand dunes (沙丘) are formed as winds move the sand across the desert. Bit by bit, the dunes grow over the years, always moving with the winds and changing the shape. Most of them are only a few feet tall, but they can grow to be several hundred feet high.
There is, however, much more to a desert than sand. In the deserts of the Southwestern United States, cliffs (悬崖) and deep valleys were formed from thick mud that once lay beneath a sea more than millions of years ago. Over the centuries, the water dried up. Wind, sand, rain, heat and cold all wore away at the remaining rocks. The faces of the desert mountains are always changing — very, very slowly — as these forces of nature continue to work on the rock.
Most deserts have a surprising variety of life. There are plants, animals and insects that have adapted to life in the desert. During the heat of the day, a visitor may see very few signs of living things, but as the air begins to cool in the evening, the desert comes to life. As the sun begins to rise again in the sky, the desert once again becomes quiet and lonely.
1. Many plants may survive in deserts when ________.| A．the rain is spread out in a year |
| B．the rain falls only in a few weeks |
| C．there is little rain in a year |
| D．it is dry all the year round |
| A．sand piles up gradually |
| B．there is plenty of rain in a year |
| C．the sea has dried up over the years |
| D．pieces of rock get smaller |
| A．too much sand |
| B．more sand than before |
| C．nothing except sand |
| D．something else besides sand |
| A．there is no rainfall throughout the year |
| B．life exists in rough conditions |
| C．all sand dunes are a few feet high |
| D．rocks are worn away only by wind and heat |
