1 . Did you know that birds could be “property owners”, too? In spring, the male robin (知更鸟) looks for a place to build a nest. A tree near a green lawn (草坪)th at has many worms (虫子) suits him best. When he finds the right place, he sings loudly. He tells other birds that this place is his property.
At the same time, other birds are choosing places for their nests. A robin does not mind if swallows nest nearby because swallows eat insects. They leave his worms alone. But other robins are different. They would eat the worm supply he needs for his own family.
When another male robin comes near, the robin owner sings to warn him away. The property owner looks cross and fierce (凶猛的).He raises his head feathers and holds his tail high. If the owner cannot frighten away the new robin, he attacks. The two fight until one is the winner. The new bird often gives up and flies away. So the first bird has defended his property. He now has the right to build a nest in the place.
1. The male robin looks for a place to build a nest ________.| A．near swallows | B．near other male robins |
| C．near a lawn with worms | D．in the woods |
| A．drive away all the other birds | B．do not care where they build their nests |
| C．are careful when choosing a place to nest | D．are not afraid of other birds |
| A．what robins eat | B．robins finding a nesting place |
| C．robins finding friends | D．how robins live with swallows |
2 . Dolphins (海豚) are not fish, but warm-blooded animals. They live in groups, and speak to each other in their own language. In this way they are like other animals, such as bees and birds. But dolphins are very different from almost all land animals. Their brain is nearly the same size as our own, and they live a long time — at least twenty or thirty years.
Like some animals, dolphins use sound to help them find their way around. They also make these sounds to talk to each other and to help them find food. We now know they do not use their ears to receive these sounds, but the lower part of the mouth, called the jaw.
Strangely, dolphins seem to like man, and for thousands of years there have been stories about the dolphin and its friendship with people.
There is a story about sailors in the 19th century. In a dangerous part of the sea off the coast of New Zealand, they learnt to look for a dolphin called Jack. From 1871 to 1903 Jack met every boat in the area and showed it the way. Then in 1903 a passenger on a boat called The Penguin shot and wounded Jack. He recovered (恢复) and for nine years more continued to guide all ships through the area — except for The Penguin.
Today, some people continue to kill dolphins, but many countries of the world now protect them and in these places it is against the law to kill them.
1. Dolphins are different from many other land animals in that they ________.| A．live in groups | B．have large brains |
| C．are warm-blooded | D．have their own language |
| A．He was lonely and liked to be with people. |
| B．They enjoyed playing with him. |
| C．He was seriously wounded. |
| D．They wanted his help. |
| A．dolphins are friendly and clever |
| B．people are cruel to animals |
| C．Jack is different from other dolphins |
| D．dolphins should be protected by law |
| A．Dolphins are endangered. |
| B．Dolphins are different from other animals. |
| C．Man should protect dolphins. |
| D．Some countries passed laws to protect dolphins. |
3 . Computers are very important to our life now.Many people think that in the future computers will be in lots of everyday life.We won’t have to go shopping because we can get most things on the Internet.There will be no more books because we can get the texts from computers.Some people think that one day we will not read paper books.Instead,we will buy and read books using computers.The computers can keep many different kinds of books in them at the same time.And we won’t need to turn lots of pages and we will save paper.We can play games,see films and buy food.We can even make telephone calls by computers.
Some people are glad about these new ways of shopping and communication.But others do not think that computers will replace(代替)our old ways because they think Internet shopping is not such a pleasure as going to the shop.They think it is a pleasure to go into shops and look at things you want to buy.And they also think paper books will perhaps be more friendly.
1. From Paragraph 1,we know that people will use computer for ________ .| A．playing games,shopping,and making telephone calls |
| B．playing games,seeing films,and having meals |
| C．shopping,making telephone calls and going for holidays |
| D．playing games,making telephone calls and seeing doctors |
| A．the paper books will be more expensive |
| B．there will be more kinds of paper books |
| C．the paper books will be more friendly |
| D．we can read passages from computers． |
| A．it’s a pleasure |
| B．we can get most things on the Internet |
| C．they can buy everything they want |
| D．it’s quick |
| A．computers will replace shops and books |
| B．computers are important in the future |
| C．computers will do everything for man |
| D．computers will be used in everyday life |
4 . The over 48,000 orange trees in Seville, Spain, not only fill the city’s air with the pleasant smell of orange blossoms in spring, but they also produce over 16,500 tons of fruit every winter. Though that makes the capital of southern Spain’s Andalusia region Europe’s top orange-producing city, the fruit is too sour to be consumed fresh. While some of the produce is used to make orange jam and an alcoholic drink, most of it ends up in Seville’s landfills (填埋场). However, that may change soon thanks to a clever idea to use the oranges to produce clean energy.
The trial programme is being launched by the city’s council and park department in cooperation with Emasesa, Seville’s water supply and sanitation (卫生) division. Juice from 38.6 tons of oranges will be left to ferment (发酵) in a specialised facility. The methane (甲烷) released from the fermented liquid will be captured and used to drive a generator to produce clean power. The officials estimate the test run will produce about 1,500 kWh of energy – enough to run one of Emasesa’s water purification plants. To ensure there is no waste, the orange skins, peels, and flesh will be used as fertiliser.
“It’s not just about saving money. The oranges are a problem for the city, and we’re producing added value from waste,” said Benigno Lopez, head of Emasesa’s environmental department.
If successful, by 2023, the city hopes to recycle all the oranges and add the electricity produced back into its power transmission network. In trial runs, one ton of oranges produced 50 kWh of clean energy – enough to cover the daily electricity needs of five homes. The project team estimates that if all the fruit is recycled, it will produce enough energy to power as many as 73,000 residences.
“This project will help us to reach our targets for reducing emissions, energy self-sufficiency, and the circular economy,” Juan Espadas Cejas, mayor of Seville, said in the press conference announcing the trial scheme.
1. What do we know about oranges in Seville?| A．They are usually picked in spring. |
| B．They are not recommended to be eaten fresh. |
| C．They are mostly used to make jams and juice. |
| D．They make Seville the world’s top orange-producing city. |
| A．Different uses of Seville oranges. |
| B．Ways to produce power from juice. |
| C．An introduction to the trial programme. |
| D．Reasons for launching the trial programme. |
| A．The energy produced will be used to purify water. |
| B．Seville hasn’t carried out the trial programme yet. |
| C．The electricity produced will go to Seville’s power plants. |
| D．14,600 tons of recycled oranges are needed to power 73,000 homes. |
| A．Seville Is Developing New Energy | B．Seville Is Turning Waste into Wealth |
| C．Seville Is Seeking Market for Oranges | D．Seville Is Contributing to Energy Saving |
5 . In many ways, learning a foreign language has never been easier – online language apps and courses have flooded the market in the last decade.
Of course, different people have different goals for learning a new language. While someone may want to learn basic conversational skills in Japanese to be able to communicate during a vacation to Tokyo, someone else might strive for fluency to communicate real-world business deals overseas. Your level of existing language skills and learning style can also be factors in determining which language app is best for you.
Whatever your goals or purposes for wanting to learn a new language, we compiled our list of recommendations with three things in mind: price point, user experience, and proficiency goals. After reviewing the features, value, and customer success stories, we believe Rosetta Stone is the best overall for most people.
Manufacturer | Rosetta Stone |
Price | $11.99 |
Specs | Number of languages: 25 IOS app: Yes Android app: Yes Free version available: No, but they offer a free trial. |
Pros | Very good selection of languages The immersive method will have you speaking the language right away. Live videos, helpful cultural highlights, and stories help you practice. |
Cons | Since the lessons aren’t in English, the grammar is unclear at times. |
How to work | They introduce new words and phrases in a spaced-out process that helps you remember them. As you progress, you will use the vocabulary you’ve already acquired in order to learn new words and phrases. The key to their process is being able to recognise speech patterns in a new language. They incorporate speech recognition and repetition into short daily lessons. |
| A．Motivation of learning. | B．Styles of learning. |
| C．Levels of existing language skills. | D．Popularity of the app. |
| A．It teaches lessons in English. | B．It offers free version for users. |
| C．It provides a repetition process. | D．It is the cheapest language app. |
| A．To tell users how to learn a new language. |
| B．To recommend people to use Rosetta Stone. |
| C．To teach people how to use e-learning resources. |
| D．To give instructions on how to use Rosetta Stone. |
6 . In 2010, my mother-in-law gave me her rather simple but graceful, antique “secretary desk”. The desk easily fit into the tiny room at the top of the stairs. I felt so secure, and confident when I sat down and began each writing session. Despite the desk’s appeal, its limited storage capacity meant that I often put file folders and books on the small floor space around me. After each writing session, I painstakingly gathered the tools of the trade and placed them on a nearby shelf until the next session.
A few years into my writing journey, we moved into a bigger home and I acquired my own office. My husband, Bill offered on more than one occasion to buy me a new desk for my office, but I ignored his offer.
One day, we stopped at the local office supply store. Bill found what he thought was the perfect desk for me. “I want to buy this for you, sweetie. My writer needs a bigger desk. ”He hugged me.
“Thanks, but I don’t want a bigger desk!” I said.
“Why don’t you want a bigger desk?” he said. “You must be afraid of something.”
“I’m not afraid of anything,” I said. “Like I said, I really like my little desk. So don’t ask me again.”
He didn’t.
A few weeks later, while working in my new office. I looked around at the folders, books and papers lying all over my office floor but couldn’t find what needed to meet a contest deadline. My heart raced. I looked around my office. The room basically swallowed the tiny desk, making it look slightly out of place. Maybe I did need a bigger desk. Was Bill right? Was I afraid of something?
Unable to write, I pulled c. JoyBell C.’s book of poetry, All Things Dance Like Dragonflies (蜻蜓), from the bookshelf. I flipped through its pages, and her words about faith jumped off the page into my heart. She talked about how she had trained herself to love the feeling of not knowing where she was going, and just trusting that as she opened up her wings and flew off in an unknown direction, things would work out.
At that moment, I recognized that a bigger desk symbolized bigger possibilities, stepping out in faith, and leaving my comfort zone.
1. What was the limitation of the “secretary desk”?| A．It was too old to be functional. |
| B．It competed with the shelf for room. |
| C．It prevented the author focusing on writing. |
| D．It was a bit small in size. |
| A．After she was stuck in a mess. |
| B．When she finished writing a book. |
| C．When she moved into a bigger house. |
| D．After she missed an important contest. |
| A．Unemployment. | B．Loss of inspiration. |
| C．Uncertainty. | D．Lack of trust. |
| A．My Writing Journey | B．On the Wings of Change |
| C．My Lifelong Faith | D．On the Desk of Fate |
7 . Accents are an important part of our identity. An accent gives clues about who we are, and the community we belong to or wish to belong to.
What is the difference between accents and pronunciation?
Accents are about localized ways of speaking a language. A French person may speak English flawlessly (完美无瑕地), just with a French accent.
If you think back historically people were much more localized with generation after generation of families living in the same small villages and few people traveled out of that area during their lifetimes. So over many generations differences in accent emerged and became very distinct to particular areas. Mountainous villages that are not easily accessible often develop very strong and distinctive accents.
How important is it to get an accent right?
If you’re moving to a certain part of a country, you might want to integrate better with your new community.
How to improve your accent?
| A．Where do accents and pronunciation emerge? |
| B．They’re also important for those learning a new language. |
| C．Try to adapt your speech to sound more like the locals’ speech. |
| D．The best way is to learn the specific accent of that region. |
| E．Where do different types of accents come from? |
| F．That’s fine because there is no wrong or right with an accent. |
| G．Learners should first think about which sounds don’t exist in your native language. |
8 . There are many ways to help improve your health like eating healthy food. Taking exercise and getting medical help. But the easiest and cheapest way to improve your health is just to sleep eight hours or more every night. The general sleeping rule is that the younger you are, the longer sleep you need. But regardless of（不管）age,some people need to sleep more while for some a few hours is enough.
The problem with sleep is that more and more people in the world are not sleeping enough. According to the World Health Organization over half the people in the world may be sleep-deprived. Having less sleep not only makes people feel tired but also causes accidents. In the United States alone, sleepy drivers cause at least 100,000 traffic accidents a year. Also sleep problems can cause medical problems such as high blood pressure （血压）.
Why are so many people sleep-deprived? Part of the reasons may be cultural. In the American culture, people put a higher value on work than on sleep. In fact, people who sleep a lot are usually seen as "lazy". Also, you can sometimes hear some people say proudly that they don't have much time to sleep. They only sleep four or five hours a night. It seems that the less you sleep,the more work you'll do.
How do we teach these people to learn the value of sleep? Perhaps they may listen to the advice of Dr. James Maas an expert in sleep. He says, " Sleep is like a credit （信用卡）card. When you sleep less,you are only borrowing time. You always have to pay it back. The more hours you don't sleep, the more hours you should sleep to 'pay back ' the hours on your 'sleep credit card.' "
For those who value work more than sleep, they should listen to what a famous person once said. "Don't think you will be doing less work because you sleep during the night. That is a foolish idea which is held by people who have no imagination. You will be able to do more."
1. According to the writer, the easiest and cheapest way to improve health is to______ .| A．eat healthy food every day | B．take exercise as much as possible |
| C．get medical help whenever necessary | D．sleep eight hours or more every night |
| A．Having a good sleep. | B．Excited about sleep. |
| C．Having less sleep. | D．Interested in sleep. |
| A．An hour. | B．A report. |
| C．A credit card. | D．A piece of paper. |
| A．The Value of Sleep | B．The Value of Study |
| C．The Ways of Eating Less | D．The Ways of Making Money |
9 . Children have their own rules in playing games. They seldom need a referee and rarely trouble to keep scores. They don't care much about who wins or loses, and it doesn't seem to worry them if the game is not finished. Yet, they like games that depend a lot on luck, so that their personal abilities cannot be directly compared. They also enjoy games that move in stages, in which each stage, the choosing of leaders, the picking-up of sides, or the determining of which side shall start, is almost a game in itself.
Grown-ups can hardly find children's games exciting, and they often feel puzzled at why their kids play such simple games again and again. However, it is found that a child plays games for very important reasons. He can be a good player without having to think whether he is a popular person, and he can find himself being a useful partner to someone of whom he is ordinarily afraid. He becomes a leader when it comes to his turn. He can be confident, too, in particular games, that it is his place to give orders, to pretend to be dead, to throw a ball actually at someone, or to kiss someone he has caught.
It appears to us that when children play a game they imagine a situation under their control. Everyone knows the rules, and more importantly, everyone plays according to the rules. Those rules may be childish, but they make sure that every child has a chance to win.
1. What is true about children when they play games?| A．They can stop playing any time they like. |
| B．They can test their personal abilities. |
| C．They want to pick up a better team. |
| D．They don't need rules. |
| A．play well | B．wait for his turn |
| C．be confident in himself | D．be popular among his playmates |
| A．They are not interested in games. |
| B．They find children's games too easy. |
| C．They don't need a reason to play games. |
| D．They don't understand children's games. |
| A．Because he can be someone other than himself. |
| B．Because he can become popular among friends. |
| C．Because he finds he is always lucky in games. |
| D．Because he likes the place where he plays a game. |
10 . If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they become weak; when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows this, and nobody would think of questioning this fact.
If a friend complains that his arms are weak, we know that it is his own fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame, or that he is just unlucky, and few of us realize that it is just as much his own fault as if it was his arms or legs that were weak.
Have you ever noticed that people who cannot read or write usually have better memories than those who can?
| A．What do you think of it? |
| B．Yet many people do not seem to know that the memory works in the same way. |
| C．Not all of us can become extremely strong or extremely clever. |
| D．So if you want a good memory, practice remembering. |
| E．Someone else says that he is poor in health. |
| F．Why is this? |
| G．The position is exactly the same as that of two people. |
