Thousands of dead red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky in an Arkansas town on New Year’s Eve after massive injuries, tests by Arkansas officials concluded on Monday. Some 5,000 birds mysteriously fell from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas after dark on New Year’s Eve. “The birds suffered from acute physical injuries leading to internal hemorrhage（大量出血） and death. There was no sign of infectious disease,” the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said in a statement. The birds were otherwise healthy, it said.

One theory is that birds were frightened by New Year's fireworks and flew into buildings or other objects. “Loud noises were reported shortly before the birds began to fall from the sky,” the statement said, adding that blackbirds have poor night vision and seldom fly at night.

　　Another theory was that severe weather such as lightning accounted for the loud noises but this was discounted because the violent weather had already left the area. “We’re leaning more toward a stress event," said Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesman Keith Stephens.

The commission also is trying to determine what caused the deaths of up to 100,000 fish over a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River near a dam in Ozark, 125 miles west of Beebe. The fish were discovered on December 30. Stephens said the commission expected results on the fish tests in probably a month. Since almost all the fish were one species -- bottom-feeding drum, Stephens said, the test was very important. Stephens also said: “The events do not appear related.” Both that section of the river and the air at the site of the bird deaths were tested for toxins(毒素). Beebe is a town of about 4,500 people located 30 miles northeast of the state capital.

1.What is NOT the probable reason why the dead red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky?

A. Internal hemorrhage                  B. Fireworks

C. Lightning weather                            D. Murder

2.In the third paragraph, the underlined word discounted probably mean________.

A. not to reduce cost                            B. not to believe

C. to make up a part                            D. to explain mystery

3.According to Stephens, we can infer the probable cause of the dead fish is _________.[来

A. cold weather                                   B. poor management  

C. disease                                    D. lack of food

4.The passage is mainly developed by __________.

A. analyzing causes                             B. making comparisons

C. examining differences              D. following the time order

 

Thousands of dead red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky in an Arkansas town on New Year’s Eve after massive injuries, tests by Arkansas officials concluded on Monday. Some 5,000 birds mysteriously fell from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas after dark on New Year’s Eve. “The birds suffered from acute physical injuries leading to internal hemorrhage（大量出血） and death. There was no sign of infectious disease,” the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said in a statement. The birds were otherwise healthy, it said.
One theory is that birds were frightened by New Year's fireworks and flew into buildings or other objects. “Loud noises were reported shortly before the birds began to fall from the sky,” the statement said, adding that blackbirds have poor night vision and seldom fly at night.
　　Another theory was that severe weather such as lightning accounted for the loud noises but this was discounted because the violent weather had already left the area. “We’re leaning more toward a stress event," said Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesman Keith Stephens.
The commission also is trying to determine what caused the deaths of up to 100,000 fish over a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River near a dam in Ozark, 125 miles west of Beebe. The fish were discovered on December 30. Stephens said the commission expected results on the fish tests in probably a month. Since almost all the fish were one species -- bottom-feeding drum, Stephens said, the test was very important. Stephens also said: “The events do not appear related.” Both that section of the river and the air at the site of the bird deaths were tested for toxins(毒素). Beebe is a town of about 4,500 people located 30 miles northeast of the state capital.
【小题1】What is NOT the probable reason why the dead red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky?

A．Internal hemorrhage	B．Fireworks
C．Lightning weather	D．Murder

【小题2】In the third paragraph, the underlined word discounted probably mean________.

A．not to reduce cost	B．not to believe
C．to make up a part	D．to explain mystery

【小题3】According to Stephens, we can infer the probable cause of the dead fish is _________.[来

A．cold weather	B．poor management
C．disease	D．lack of food

【小题4】The passage is mainly developed by __________.

A．analyzing causes	B．making comparisons
C．examining differences	D．following the time order

A severe heatwave sweeping India, with temperatures of almost 44ºC, the highest in 52 years, has killed at least 80 people this month, officials said on Sunday. The hot weather, which officials say would continue over northern, north-western and central India in the next 48 hours, also may have some impact on wheat production, exporters and flour-mill associations said.

　　New Delhi recorded a maximum temperature of 43.7ºC on Saturday, indicating a hot summer in the next two months in the nation's capital and other parts of northern and eastern India. The highest temperature in the past 24 hours was 47ºC at Ganganagar city, in Rajasthan state. Summer temperatures have been 4ºC-6ºC above normal over most parts of northern and central India since March, weather officials said.

　　In the eastern state of Orissa, authorities have decided to shut down schools from next Tuesday, advancing the annual summer holiday. Authorities said they were investigating reports of 53 deaths from various parts of the state.

　　"District collectors have been asked to investigate and submit reports on other deaths," Bhimsen Gochhayat, a government official said. Other deaths were reported from northern state of Uttar Pradesh and central Madhya Pradesh states.

　　India is expected to produce about 82 million tons of wheat in 2009-2010, but there could be a shortage of 1-1.5 million tons due to the heatwave, said Veena Sharma, Secretary General of the Roller Flour Millers Federation of India. "Most of the harvesting is over, but there definitely will be a slight shortage of 1-1.5 million tons due to the extreme weather conditions," she told Reuters.

India is relying on an abundant wheat crop to make up for a 14.2% drop in rice output, the major summer-sown food grain, marred by the worst monsoon （季风）in 37 years last year. Weather officials say with summer temperatures in India set to remain above average, there were hopes of heavy rains at the start of the monsoon season that will help early sowing of rice, soybeans and lentils. 

1. The purpose of the passage is ____________.

A. to tell a piece of news of a heatwave        B. to record the highest temperature in India

C. to report the deaths in the heatwave     D. to inform people of a drop of rice output

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. The highest temperature in the history of India was 44ºC.

B. Schools were closed because of the hot weather throughout India.

C. India is expected to produce about 82 million tons of rice in 2009-2010.

D. India has a good harvest of wheat while the rice output is decreasing.

3. The underlined word “marred” in the last paragraph probably means “___________”.

A. reduced          B. damaged      C. blown            D. followed

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

A. A severe heatwave would continue over India.

B. At least 80% people were killed in the disaster this month.

C. A severe heatwave swept India with a great loss.

D. A slight shortage of 1-1.5 million tons is due to the heatwave.