4 . The mystery of how groups of fire ants survive floods has puzzled biologists for many years. But now scientists have worked out how the ants stick together in order to build a kind of raft (筏) that helps them to float easily for days.
The fire ant lives in the rainforests of Brazil, where heavy rainfall can cause flooding twice daily. In order to stick together as a colony (群体) during these floods, the fire ants hook (钩) their legs and mouths together to create a living and breathing material that floats for hours, or even weeks, if necessary, until floods go down.
These so-called fire-ant rafts contain nearly 200 bodies per square inch; they can grow to be as large as garbage bin lids (盖) in the case of large colonies, but more often, they grow to the size of small plates. The ants gather themselves quickly in response to an emergency, and can organize thousands of bodies in less than two minutes, according to study researcher David Hu. “They are all acting together, and there are so many of them that they are really becoming a single material.” said Professor Hu.
They found that living fire ants within a raft always changed their positions in response to forces, such as the push of a stick or a drop of rain in nature. “This responsiveness allows the fire ants to deal with small rocks or bursts of waves while floating.” Hu said.
The raft is also self-healing, so that if one ant is removed from the raft, others move in to fill the space.
When in danger of drowning, a colony of the tiny creatures-thousands of them-will save themselves by joining forces and forming a raft. Though insects do insect things, we human beings could learn a thing or two about teamwork from the awesome fire ant.
1. What is the main idea of the passage?| A．Tiny creatures can survive disasters. |
| B．Fire ants work together to survive floods. |
| C．Teamwork is important for human. |
| D．Rafts help fire ants live in nature. |
| A．By joining a colony. | B．By floating for a long time. |
| C．By hooking parts of their bodies. | D．By living and breathing together. |
| A．They can be formed in a short time. |
| B．They are usually the size of garbage bin lids. |
| C．They will be separated in case of forces. |
| D．They move to some spaces when in danger. |
| A．A news report. | B．A brochure. |
| C．A story book. | D．A magazine. |
5 . Eating chocolate every day as part of your job sounds unreal, but it is a reality for chocolate tasters across the world. However, the job is full of challenges. Chocolate tasters work under pressure. If you are a chocolate lover and have thought about trying to be a chocolate taster in the future, you may want to think twice before you make the decision.
Chocolate tasting may involve lots of traveling. If you work for a chocolate seller, you will visit factories and attend chocolate tasting events to try new flavors (味道). If you work for a producer, you will visit raw (未经加工的) material suppliers to check on the quality of the raw products and to test different ingredients. Traveling will separate you from your friends and loved ones for long periods of time, which can create an emotional distance. Long trips may leave you feeling empty and lonely, which can affect the quality of your life.
Chocolate tasting requires that you take a lot of sugar and calories into your body, which can do harm to your health. Chocolate is also rich in saturated fats (饱和脂肪) and lacks vital vitamins and minerals that our bodies require daily. A career in chocolate tasting demands that you watch your diet; thus, you may have to limit or give up your intake of other calorie-rich foods. A chocolate taster who doesn’t take good care of his personal health can develop diseases such as diabetes, tooth cavities, and so on.
Chocolate tasters must love chocolate and have a broad understanding of various chocolate flavors. While tasting, you are to take a bite and chew it for a few seconds, letting it slowly melt in your mouth and spread to all parts of your tongue to evaluate (评价) its flavors. You must pay attention to details and learn to identify flavors and quality quickly. You also have to taste some kinds of chocolate that you may not like. Besides, understanding customer preferences is very important. You will spend time studying customer-based research findings to try to determine the flavors that will meet their demands.
1. In order to take good care of themselves, chocolate tasters may have to ________.| A．give up foods that contain fat |
| B．take pills to ensure their intake of vitamins |
| C．stop eating any food that tastes sweet |
| D．limit foods that are high in calories |
| A．chocolate tasting is not a real job |
| B．one had better think carefully about becoming a chocolate taster |
| C．chocolate tasters live a special and interesting life |
| D．one has to know everything to become a chocolate taster |
| A．One can be a good chocolate taster as long as he/she knows much about the flavors of different chocolates. |
| B．While tasting, the taster chews the chocolate to assess its recipe (食谱). |
| C．The chocolate taster has the right to select the chocolate he/she prefers. |
| D．The chocolate taster has to spend time studying customer preferences. |
| A．How To Be a Chocolate Taster | B．A Popular and Funny Career |
| C．Chocolate Tasting Is No Sweet Job | D．Earn a Living by Eating |
1. 晚会7:00p. m. 开始，9:00p. m. 结束；地点：学校会议厅
2. 表演内容：各种各样（唱歌、跳舞、戏剧表演等等）
3. 邀请Tom参加并表演节目
注意：1. 词数100左右；2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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You might hear about Cinco de Mayo parties. But even though celebrations of Cinco de Mayo,
So what does Cinco de Mayo celebrate? On the morning of May 5, 1862,6,000 French soldiers
Now the people of Puebla, Mexico, observe the holiday Cinco de Mayo to celebrate this victory. The holiday is also widely celebrated in the United States. Americans use the celebration to honor the battle as well
In the United States, people attend
9 . The wind is cold and raindrops fall. Bill Porter pays little attention to the bad weather. He’s a door-to-door salesman. With heavy steps, he stops at the first house. He rings the bell. A young woman comes to the door. “Hello.” “No, thank you.” She shuts the door. Porter’s expression never changes. People might not buy now. Next time. Maybe.
He makes his way up and down the hills. His bag is heavy. His hand hurts. His brain was damaged when he was born, which caused a disorder to his nervous system that affected his speech, hands and walk.
He walks on. He knocks on a door. A man walks out from the back yard where he’s gardening. He often buys, but not today, he says, as he walks away. Then Porter is on his way. No sale. No sale. No sale.
Finally, a middle-aged woman invites Porter inside. They chat easily about what has recently happened in the neighborhood. After a few minutes, Porter takes off his hat and raincoat and sets them on a chair. Out come the glasses and the brochures.
“We have a new kind of pepper (甜椒).” “No.” “Hot spices (调味香料)?” “No.” “All natural, pure pasta toppings (意面浇料).” He looks at the customer. She’s teetering and just needs a push.
“Sure would make a nice gift.” He studies her face, searching for clues as to what she needs to hear. “Nothing man-made.” “Really? How much is a set?” she asks. “$22.99, and they go a long way.” “OK, I’ll give it a try.”
Porter removes his glasses and places everything in his bag. He pulls on his coat and hat and follows the woman to the front door. He turns to her and says, “And I thank you.”
He arrives home after 7 p. m. Today was not profitable. He tells himself not to worry. Four days left in the week. He eats at the kitchen table and listens to the radio. He hears the rain pound on the street. He must dress warmly tomorrow. Soon he’s sleepy with great care he climbs the stairs (楼梯) to his bedroom. In time, the lights go off. Morning will be here soon.
1. In what way is Porter different from other salesmen?| A．He has physical disabilities. | B．He sells products to the disabled. |
| C．He has received excellent training. | D．He is fully trusted by his customers. |
| A．He makes a sale. | B．They make small talk. |
| C．He visits a man’s backyard. | D．They walk around the neighborhood |
| A．Unhappy with the result | B．Unable to make up one’s mind. |
| C．Having little patience to wait longer. | D．Showing little confidence in oneself |
| A．Brave and generous. | B．Honest and patient. |
| C．Polite and positive. | D．Clever and caring. |
10 . Spring Break Camps for Kids
Treasure Trunk TheatreAges: 3-6
Tel: 718-210-1720
This year Treasure Trunk Theatre is holding several Outdoor Lion King spring break camps for kids. Kids will get the chance to learn choreography (编舞艺术), act out stories, work on art projects, and more. Everything will be inspired by the Disney classic movie. This camp will help kids build confidence and get them excited about theatre.
Aviator SportAges: 5-14
Tel: 718-758-7510
Aviator Sports has created a safe space where kids can take part in small group activities that will keep them active all day long. Their activities include soccer, tennis, kickball, and other team-building exercises. It’s a chance for your kids to enjoy sports and activities without worrying about their performance, so instead they can just focus on having fun.
Ant LabAges: 6-12
Tel: 718-447-8667
Your kids can practice their painting and other art skills here at Art Lab. It helps kids study some of the most influential artists, and gets them inspired to create their own work. It is offering courses both online and in person so kids can increase their art skills from anywhere.
The Brooklyn StrategistAges: 6-15
Tel: 718-576-3035
The Brooklyn Strategist has created a board game (棋类游戏) camp for kids to enjoy during their time off. Your kids will get the opportunity to play some of their favorite classics, learn new games, and even start creating their own. Playing these board games with other kids will help your kids increase their social skills and work through basic problem solving. It’s a unique camp that kids will remember for along time.
1. Which number should a parent call if his kid is interested in physical activities?| A．718-210-1720. | B．718-758-7510. | C．718-447-8667. | D．718-576-3035. |
| A．It offers online courses. | B．It connects kids to nature. |
| C．It is run-by influential artists. | D．It helps kids improve their social skills |
| A．Enter the world of Disney movies. | B．Create non-competitive activities. |
| C．Develop their thinking skills. | D．Learn the basics of painting. |
