New research shows sheep are clever
People often make jokes about how dull sheep are, but new research shows they may be cleverer than we think. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that Welsh mountain sheep have brainpower that equals rodents (啮齿动物). Tests found that the sheep can map the area they live in, and some may even be able to plan ahead.
Young fish prefer noisy neighbors
A new study has shown that young fish like to live on reefs with noisy neighbors! Researchers from the universities of Auckland and Bristol found that young fish looking for a home choose areas where other noisy fish live. The scientists produced all kinds of sounds which had been recorded in different natural environments. The young fish seemed to prefer the sounds of natural reefs, complete with noisy animals! The scientists compared the choice to a music fan wandering around at a music festival, choosing to set up a tent closest to the music they like best!
Butterflies are disappearing
A new study has shown that 17 species (物种) of butterfly found in Europe have dropped by 70% in the last 20 years. The information collected from 3,000 sites across 15 countries shows it may be caused by the loss (减少) of grasslands covered with flowers. You can encourage butterflies to come into your garden by planting flowers.
【小题1】What is the passage mainly about?

A．Some new studies about animals.

B．People’s wrong ideas about animals.

C．Why the number of animals has dropped.

D．The importance of protecting animals.

【小题2】 According to the first paragraph, we may infer that sheep _____.

A．are less clever than rodents	B．can find their home
C．can read maps	D．are good planners

【小题3】 Which seems to have to do with the number of butterflies?

A．The species of grass in grasslands.

B．The species of trees in grasslands.

C．The number of flowers in grasslands.

D．The number of animals in grasslands.

【小题4】In which part of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?

A．Geography.

B．Culture.

C．Travel.

D．Nature.

     
Pollution is reducing the fragrance（芬芳） of plants and thus preventing bees from pollinating(授粉) them—endangering one of the most essential cycles of nature, a new study suggests.
The potentially hugely significant research, funded by US National Science Foundation, has found that gases mainly formed from the emissions（排放） of cars prevent flowers from attracting bees and other insects to pollinate them. And the scientists who have conducted the study fear that insects’ abilities to drive away enemies and attract mates may also be disturbed.
Professor Jose Fuentes, who led the study, said, “Scent molecules(香味分子) produced by flowers in a less polluted environment could travel for roughly 1,000 to 1,200 meters. But today they may travel only 200 to 300 meters. This makes it increasingly difficult for bees and other insects to locate the flowers.”
The researchers, who worked on the molecules of snapdragons(金鱼草),found that the molecules are volatile(易挥发的) and quickly bond with pollutants, mainly formed from vehicle(车辆)emissions. This chemically changes the molecules so that they no longer smell like flowers. A harmful cycle is therefore set up where insects struggle to get enough food and the plants do not get pollinated enough to multiply.
Already bees, which pollinate most of the world’s crops, are in such a great decline that has never been known before in Britain and across much of the globe. At least a quarter of America’s 2.5 million honey bee colonies have been mysteriously wiped out by colony collapse disorder(CCD),where hives are found suddenly deserted.
The crisis(危机) has now spread to Europe. Politicians insist that CCD has not yet been found in Britain, but considering the present number of bees, the agriculture minister Lord Rooker has sent the warning, “The honey bee population could be wiped out in 10 years.”
Although the researchers are not certain whether this is the real cause of CCD, they say that pollution is making life more difficult for bees and other insects in many ways.
【小题1】 In what way does pollution prevent flowers from attracting bees?

A．By shortening the distance traveled by the scent molecules of flowers.

B．By disturbing the bees’ ability to attract mates.

C．By weakening the bees’ ability to fight against enemies.

D．By stopping flowers from giving off fragrance.

【小题2】 From the passage we can know that      .

A．Europe is affected greatly by CCD

B．CCD has destroyed most of the honey bee colonies in Europe

C．no honey bees will be found all over the world in the near future

D．European officials have paid much attention to CCD

【小题3】 What would be the best title for the passage?

A．Traffic Pollution Puts Bees in Danger

B．Traffic Pollution is to Blame for CCD

C．Pollution Makes Flowers Lose Their Scent

D．Pollution Causes the Decrease in Flowers

Death Valley is a land of beautiful yet dangerous extremes. Death Valley can be dangerously cold during the winter months. Storms in the mountains can produce sudden flooding on the floor of the Valley.
The air temperature during the summer has been as high as fifty- seven degrees Celsius. The sun can heat the ground so that the temperature of the rocks and soil can be as high as seventy -four degrees Celsius.
Death Valley contains evidence of several ancient volcanoes that caused huge explosions. Evidence of one of these explosions is called Ubehebe Crater. The explosion left a huge hole in the ground almost a kilometer and a half wide. In many areas of Death Valley it is easy to see where the ground has been pushed up violently by movement deep in the Earth. This movement has created unusual and beautiful rock formations. Some are red. Others are dark brown, gray, yellow or black.
The area was named by a woman in 1849. Thousands of people from other parts of the ountry traveled to the gold mining areas in California. They were in a hurry to get there before other people did. One group trying to reach California decided to take a path called the Old Spanish Trail. By December they had reached Death Valley.  They did not have to survive the terrible heat of summer, but there was still an extreme lack of water. There were few plants for their work animals to eat.
The people could not find a pass through the tall mountains to the west of the Valley, Slowly, they began co suffer from a lack of food. To survive, they killed their work animals for food and began to walk out of the Valley. As they left, one woman looked back and said, "Good -bye, death valley. ” The name has never been changed.
Almost everyone who visits Death Valley visits a huge house called Scotty' s Castle. The building design is Spanish, with high thick walls to provide protection from the fierce heat.
The castle is named for Walter Scott , called Scotty. by his friends. He was a gold miner. He told everyone that he built the house with money he made from his gold mine. Many people believed him. But it was not really the truth.
【小题1】 The first two paragraphs discuss Death Valley' s ________.

A．geography

B．climate

C．location

D．size

【小题2】The volcanoes mentioned in the third paragraph proved ________.

A．a valley that is formed by explosions	B．a place where volcanoes are still active
C．a good example of the violence of nature	D．a symbol of rock formations in history

【小题3】The woman who named Death Valley intended to ________.

A．explore the mystery of the valley	B．find an area with plants for animals
C．experience the terrible heat of summer	D．look for gold in California

【小题4】If the passage continues, it will be about ________.

A．the truth about Scotty's Castle	B．why Spanish built the castle
C．when the castle was built	D．where the castle lies in

【小题5】The main idea of the passage is about ________.

A．the interesting place in Death Valley	B．the facts about Death Valley
C．the origin of Death Valley	D．the route to visit Death Valley

When you get in your car, you reach for it. When you're at work, you take a break to have a moment alone with it. When you get into a lift, you play with it.
Cigarette? Cup of coffee? No, it's the third most addictive thing in modem life, the cell phone. And experts say it is becoming more difficult for many people to curb their longing to hug it more tightly than most of their personal relationships.
The costs are becoming more and more evident, and I don't mean just the monthly bill. Dr. Chris Knippers, a counselor at the Betty ford Center in Southern California, reports that the overuse of cell phones has become a social problem not much different from other harmful addictions: a barrier to one-on-one personal contact, and an escape from reality. Sounds extreme, but we' ve all witnessed the evidence: The person at a restaurant who talks on the phone through an entire meal, ignoring his kids around the table; the woman who talks on the phone in the car, ignoring her husband; the teen who texts messages all the way home from school, avoiding contact with kids all around him. Jim Williams, an industrial sociologist based in Massachusetts, notes that cell - phone addiction is part of a set of symptoms in a widening gulf of personal separation. He points to a study by Duke University researchers that found one-quarter of Americans say they have no one to discuss their most important personal business with. Despite the growing use of phones, e - mail and instant messaging, in other words, Williams says studies show that we don't have as many friends as our parents.  " Just as more information has led to less wisdom, more acquaintances via the Internet and cell phones have produced fewer friends," he says.
If the cell phone has truly had these effects, it's because it has become very widespread. Consider that in 1987, there were only l million cell phones in use.  Today, something like 300 million Americans carry them. They far outnumber wired phones in the United States.
【小题1】 From the first two paragraphs, we can know________.

A．cell phones have become as addictive as cigarettes

B．cell phone addiction is good for building personal relationships

C．people are longing to have their own cell phones

D．cell phones are the same as cigarettes

【小题2】Cell phone addiction has caused the following effects EXCEPT________  .

A．a barrier to personal contact	B．fewer friends
C．an escape from reality	D．a serious illness

【小题3】 The underlined word "curb" in Paragraph 2 means “________. ”

A．ignore

B．control

C．develop

D．rescue

【小题4】The example of a woman talking on the phone in the car supports the idea that________  .

A．women Use cell phones more often than men

B．talking on the phone while driving is dangerous

C．cell phones do not necessarily bring people together

D．cell phones make one - on - one personal contact easy

【小题5】Which of the following is the best title for the passage?

A．Cell phones Are the New Cigarettes

B．Cell phones Are Harmful to the Society

C．The New Report about the Cell phone

D．The Disadvantages of the Cell phone

Not long ago the movie 2012 came into screen. The people were threatened by those scenes of destroying flood, severe earthquake, terrifying hurricane and constructions representing human civilization being destroyed and even swallowed by disaster.  Luckily, they are just the director' s imagination, but the present situation is not heading a positive direction, either.
Take my own experience in Alaska as an example. Once I took a trip to the glacier. Along the way there stood signposts marking the snow lines of different years.  They started from the foot of the mountain, but it was at the top when I finally saw melting glaciers(融化的冰川). My heart ached seeing the beautiful blue ice melting at every second.
Sad but true, they are the effects of global warming and the result of our human impact. Furthermore, each year the rising sea level will kill 56 million people, and that’s about the population of the entire Italy. According to studies, if the temperature keeps on rising like this, by the year 2050, some islands and coastal cities including New York, Shanghai, Tokyo and Sydney will be drowned in water.
Our fortune is in our own hands. It depends on us to shape our future, to reduce future human impact and find ways to form a peaceful relationship with our environment. Therefore, it's time for actions to be taken right now. Contribute a little to energy saving by using more efficient light bulbs and less hot water. Let recycle become our habit by thinking twice before throwing something away. Let us take public transportation as our first choice when going to a certain place. It might cost more time for now, but it' s to the benefit of a permanent future. Take care of every tree and grass around us by watering them or simply just avoid destroying them.
In a word, small drops of water make a big ocean. The earth does not belong to us. On the contrary, we belong to the earth. Please bear in mind that the earth is our home. It is our responsibility to build a brighter and better future of our planet and prevent what happened in the movie 2012 from becoming reality.
【小题1】 Why does the author talk about the movie 2012 in the passage ?

A．To give example.	B．To lead into the topic.
C．To make prediction.	D．To provide the evidence.

【小题2】How did the author feel when he took a trip to the glacier?

A．Worried.

B．Puzzled.

C．Scared.

D．Bored.

【小题3】It can be inferred from the third paragraph that________  .

A．56 million people in Italy have been killed owing to the rising sea level

B．Some islands and coastal cities will be drowned in water by the year of 2050

C．Human being will be in danger if we don't take actions to prevent the global warming

D．It is certain that what happened in the movie 2012 will come into reality

【小题4】According to the passage, you are advised to ________.

A．drive our own private cars instead of taking buses to some place

B．recycle everything that is used

C．go to see the movie 2012 at once

D．work together to take good care of our planet

【小题5】 What does the author mean by saying "small drops of water make a big ocean"?

A．Think twice before taking action.

B．It's our duty to protect the ocean.

C．Everyone together can make a difference.

D．It's important to save every drop of water.

When we look at the sky and see a bright light moving quickly across it or coming towards the earth, we talk about seeing a “shooting star” or a “falling star”. These moving lights are not, in fact, stars at all. They are small pieces of matter from outer space, which burn up as they enter the Earth’s atmosphere. The correct name of them is meteoroids. Any pieces that make it to the Earth’s surface without completely burning up are known as meteorites. A meteor is actually the name given to the light we see when a meteoroid is burning up.
When a meteorite hits the Earth at speeds between 11 and 72 kilometers a second, it can do amazing damage. A very large meteorite could knock the earth out of its orbit. If this happened, all life on Earth would probably become extinct（灭绝）. The path we follow around the Sun would change and as a result the Earth would become either much hotter or much colder. This change in temperature would affect sea levels and the amount of water in rivers. There would either be huge floods, which would cover most of the land with water, or the oceans would dry up and there would be a drought, which means a long period of time without rain. Either way, nothing could survive. If a large meteorite landed in the sea it would almost certainly cause tsunamis, which would race towards the land, destroying everything in their paths.
Although it is unlikely the Earth will be struck by a meteorite large enough to do that kind of damage, there is evidence of fairly large meteorites hitting the Earth in the past. In 1908 a large area of forest in Tunguska, Siberia was destroyed by a meteorite that came apart just before it hit the ground. The moon, however, has about three billion craters陨石坑caused by meteorites impacting影响 its surface. The reason more meteorites have reached the surface of the moon than the surface of the Earth is that the moon does not have enough atmosphere for the meteorites to burn up in. some of the meteorites that have reached the Earth’s surface have done considerable damage. Some scientists believe it was a change of climate caused by meteorites hitting the Earth that resulted in the extinction of the dinosaurs and other large prehistoric animals.
Scientists are especially interested in meteorites because they contain information about the solar system. It is widely believed by scientists that most meteorites are produced by collisions（碰撞） between asteroids (small planets). These collisions probably happened many billions of years ago. This means the physical and chemical structure of a meteorite can give scientists information about the early days of the universe.
【小题1】          The story is about ___.     

A．floods caused by meteors

B．matter from outer space

C．life on Earth millions of years ago

D．meteorites that have damaged the moon

【小题2】          The Earth has ___.                    

A．three billion craters

B．fewer craters than the moon

C．more craters than the moon

D．a thinner atmosphere than the moon

【小题3】          Some scientists believe the dinosaurs became extinct because ___.     

A．they were hit by meteors

B．meteorites landed on their nests

C．meteorites landed and changed the climate

D．they could no longer breathe the atmosphere

【小题4】          Meteors are ___.                                         

A．small planets

B．the same as asteroids

C．from broken parts of asteroids

D．the light we see when meteoroids hit our atmosphere

Rhinos(犀牛) are big and can be dangerous. They are also shy and seldom seen. Once there were hundreds of rhino species, but today there are only five. One ancient rhino called Indricotherium was the largest land mammal that ever lived. It was 5m high at the shoulders, and 8.5m long— twice the size of today’s biggest elephant! The living rhinos are still big, averaging 2-3m long and weighing up to 3,600kg.
To see all five species of living rhino you would need to do a bit of exploring. First you might visit Africa for a look at the white rhino and the black rhino. They live in Africa’s dry woodlands and grasslands. Then you could head to India and Nepal for a look at the Indian rhino. It lives in the high grasslands near rivers, where you have to ride an elephant to find one. Finally you might travel to the rainforests on the islands of Indonesia to see the Sumatran and Javan rhinos. These are the smallest and rarest rhinos in the world and extremely difficult to find.
Most rhinos are gentle and timid (胆小的).They have a bad reputation for being very aggressive, but that may be partly because they get frightened easily. Also, they have poor eyesight. They rely on their strong sense of smell to tell them a stranger is approaching, but if the wind is blowing the wrong way, they may not know someone is there until it’s too late.
Rhinos can be found only in their habitats, which is why habitat destruction has caused rhino populations to decline. As they disappear from certain places, their absence leads to many changes to the landscape. For example, black rhinos in Africa only eat shrubs (灌木) and small trees, pruning (修剪) the plants and limiting their growth. Many other species benefit from this, and as rhinos disappear, so do many other animals sharing their habitat. Bushes and trees take over the land and force species like the antelope to leave in search of food. In a short time the whole habitat has changed.
【小题1】          From the text we learn that ______.

A．rhinos are all big and dangerous

B．rhino numbers have declined greatly

C．rhinos are twice as large as elephants

D．Indricotherium is the world’s biggest living animal now

【小题2】          The white rhino can be found in______.

A．Indonesia’s island

B．Nepal’s high grasslands

C．Africa’s dry woodlands and grasslands

D．India’s high grasslands near rivers

【小题3】          What can we conclude from Paragraph 2?

A．Most rhinos live alone.

B．Rhinos are disappearing from their habitats.

C．The five rhino species are all different in colour.

D．Rhinos’ habitat ranges from rainforests to grasslands.

【小题4】          The underlined word “aggressive” in Paragraph 3 can be replaced by_____.

A．energetic

B．attractive

C．useless

D．fierce

【小题5】          The example of the black rhinos in the last paragraph is mainly to show that_____.

A．rhinos only eat plants

B．all rhinos are endangered

C．all the habitat of rhinos has been damaged

D．the disappearance of rhinos has led to habitat change

Sea lions and seals may swim in cold ocean water, but even they get chilly sometimes. Seeing an injured seal wrapped in a blanket at a marine(海的) mammal center gave Haley Humes and Hayley Jeffries an idea for a special Girl Scout project. They decided to make blankets to keep injured animals warm. They would give these blankets to the Pacific Marine Mammal Center in Laguna Beach, California.
“We knew we wanted to help animals,” Haley said. “We went to the center to ask questions about what they needed. They don’t have a heated floor, and all the babies crowded together to stay warm.”
Friends since kindergarten, Haley and Hayley made 12 blankets to keep the Marine Mammal Center’s seals and sea lions warm. Using fun images like Winnie-the-Pooh, the girls took two hours to make each blanket. The first sea lion to test out a blanket looked pretty in pink.
“It was a sick baby and really liked it,” Haley said. “It curled up in it right away.”
“The blankets are beautiful and the animals love them!” said the Mammal Center’s Michele Hunter. “It’s nice to see children taking pride in their work and doing something to help animals.”
During the project, the girls took dozens of pictures for the PowerPoint presentations they gave to Girl Scout leaders. Those presentations helped Haley and Hayley raise $250 to buy additional supplies the center needed.
This was the first project the girls ever worked on and took months to plan and carry out.
“I learned that in order to make something happen, you have to take it slowly and step by step,” Hayley said. Just as important, the girls discovered that two people really can make a difference. “Knowing you’re making a difference……with these animals is amazing,” Haley said. “It was like the animals became my new friends.”
The Pacific Marine Mammal Center cares for sea lions and seals, as well as for other marine mammals. Since opening in 1971,the center has saved more than 5,000 injured marine mammals.
【小题1】          What does the underlined word“ chilly” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Sick.

B．Cold.

C．Afraid.

D．Bored.

【小题2】          When Haley and Hayley saw an injured seal wrapped in a blanket, they_____.

A．decided to help animals	B．asked Girl Scout for help
C．went to the animal center to work.	D．called on others to protect animals

【小题3】          What can we learn about Haley and Hayley from the text?

A．They raised $2,500 for the Mammal Center.

B．They made 120 blankets by themselves.

C．It took them an hour to make a blanket.

D．They felt great about what they did.

【小题4】          Which of the following words can best describe the work of Haley and Hayley?

A．Difficult.

B．Successful.

C．Experimental.

D．Dangerous.

【小题5】          According to the text, the Mammal Center_____.

A．has a history of about 40 years

B．has an advanced heating system

C．has saved ten thousand animals so far

D．protects both land and marine mammals

The blue tits(山雀) have been inspecting the nest-box again this year. The male is the house-hunter but the female will make the final choice. He lands at the hole and turns his head to expose his white cheeks as a signal to attract the female from where she has been feeding.
Among many birds that nest in holes, the male has a light-coloured patch on its plumage(鸟羽) which acts as signal for drawing the female’s attention to a suitable nesting-place. Unlike the blue tit, the redstart(红尾鸲) may be only the male that strikingly coloured and the female is not beautiful.
A few years ago I was lucky enough to spot a pair of redstarts in action in a Walsh wood. The male was leading an interested female to holes that he had previously(先前) checked out. He sat at the entrance of each hole and put his head on to show off his white forehead, or his head in to reveal(显露) his tail.
If the female failed to react to his visual signals, the male sometimes sang for extra effect, while gliding towards her on spread wings and tail. Once the female accepts by following the male through the hole the displays stop, you must be at the right place at the right time to watch them.
【小题1】How do the blue tits choose their nest?

A．They choose their nest together.	B．The male chooses their nest.
C．The house-hunter chooses their nest.	D．The female chooses their nest.

【小题2】The writer was lucky to see ________.

A．how the male made his tricks

B．how an interested female played with the male happily

C．what the male displayed and won the female

D．that the male tried his best but failed to attract the female

【小题3】You can spot a pair of redstarts in a Walsh wood ________.

A．at any time

B．regularly

C．in April

D．occasionally

【小题4】The writer is probably ________.

A．a bird expert

B．a bird-hunter

C．a bird raiser

D．a scientist

Northern Europeans spend a lot of time in their cold and cloudy winters planning their summer holidays. They are proud of their healthy color when they return home after the holiday. But they also know that a certain amount of sunshine is good for their bodies and general health.
In ancient Greece people knew about the healing(治疗) powers of the sun, but this knowledge was lost. At the end of the nineteenth century a Danish doctor, Niels Finsen, began to study the effect of sunlight on certain diseases, especially diseases of the skin. He was interested not only in natural sunlight but also in artificially (人造地) produced rays. Sunlight began to play a more important part in curing sick people.
A Swiss doctor, Auguste Rollier, made full use of the sun in his hospital at Lysine. Lysine is a small village high up in the Alps. The position is important: the rays of the sun with the greatest healing power are the infra-red (红外线的) and ultra-violet (紫外线的) rays; but ultra-violet rays are too easily lost in fog and the polluted air near industrial towns. Dr. Roller found that sunlight, fresh air and good food cure a great many diseases. He was particularly successful in curing certain forms of tuberculosis with his “sun-cure”.
There were a large number of children in Dr. Roller’s hospital. He decided to start a school where sick children could be cured and at the same time continue to learn. It was not long before his school was full.
In winter, wearing only shorts, socks and boots, the children put on their skis after breakfast and left the hospital. They carried small desks and chairs as well as their school books. Their teacher led them over the snow until they reached a slope which faced the sun and was free from cold winds. There they set out their desks and chairs, and school began.
Although they wore hardly any clothes, Roller’s pupils were very seldom cold. That was because their bodies were full of energy which they got from the sun. But the doctor knew that sunshine can also be dangerous. If, for example, tuberculosis is attacking the lungs, unwise sunbathing may do great harm.
Today there is not just one school in the sun. There are several in Switzerland, and since Switzerland is not the only country which has the right conditions, there are similar schools in other places.
【小题1】According to the passage, when did sunlight begin to play a more important part in the treatment of disease?

A．From ancient times.	B．At the end of the nineteenth century.
C．Not until this century.	D．Only very recently.

【小题2】Why are a Danish doctor and a Swiss doctor mentioned in the second and third paragraphs?

A．Because they both made use of sunlight to treat illness.

B．Because they were the first people who used sunlight for treatment.

C．Because they were both famous European doctors.

D．Because they used sunlight in very different ways.

【小题3】Dr Roller set up a “sun-cure” school probably for the reason that _______.

A．most children could stay in his hospital

B．children could study while being treated

C．the school was expected to be full of pupils

D．the school was high up in the mountains

【小题4】What can be inferred from the last paragraph of the passage?

A．“Sun-cure” schools are becoming popular everywhere.

B．Switzerland is the only country where “sun-cure” schools are popular.

C．Proper conditions are necessary for the running of a “sun-cure” school.

D．“Sun-cure” schools are found in countries where there is a lot of sunshine.