Wind , water, fire and ice-these powerful natural forces have shaped the land of America in the past. They are still changing it today.

The Colorado River slowly cut down through stone to make the Grand Canyon(大峡谷).

Long ago, ice sheets cut Yosemite Valley and the Great Lakes, and glaciers(冰川) are still on the move in Alaska.

Wind and rain storm hit the land from time to time. Fires sometimes burn down forests and destroy the homes of wild animals. This happened in Yellowstone Park in 1988.

Dead volcanic mountains such as Haleakala on Maui and Carter Lakein Oregon are beautiful to look at. But there are several active volcanoes in the US, especially along the Pacific Coast. There are also many earthquakes in this area. Scientists can do nothing to control earthquakes or volcanoes. This was shown clearly on May 18, 1980. At 8:32 that morning, Mount St Helens in Washington state broke out. The top of the mountain was blown off.

Over 60 people –campers, scientists, journalists, forest workers—were killed. Hundreds of square miles of forests were knocked down. In towns over 100 miles away, day suddenly became night. An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours. Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash.

Scientists knew that Mt St Helens might erupt(爆发) soon. But no one could say when. And no one expected the terrible strength of the eruption. Many people were surprised and unready. Harry R. Truman, 84, owned a small hotel in Mt St Helens. Scientists had asked people to move away because the volcano was becoming dangerous.

But Harry Truman would not leave his home. Now it is covered with many feet of dirty ash. A small cross stands above the place where Harry probably died. Perhaps it is better that he did not see the destruction of Mt St Helens, the once beautiful lake, and the forests.

But slowly, life is returning to the dead area around the mountain. Grass and small plants are beginning to grow again. Deer and birds have been seen. The land will never be the same as it once was. Perhaps Mt St Helens will erupt again. But this is all part of nature’s pattern of change, and man has little power to control it.

1.Choose the best title for this passage.

2.After the eruption of volcano, what makes the sky turn dark?

3.The underlined word “it” means______.

4.We can infer from this article that ______.

Can Apes Really Learn To “Talk”

Who are Sarah, Washoe, Koko, and Sherman? They are chimpanzees or gorillas who some scientists claim have learned how to “talk” to humans. In the past several years people have been astonished by reports that they communicate with humans. For example, Koko, a female gorilla, is said to understand and use hundreds of words. Koko, says her trainer, Francine Patterson, can carry on conversations in sign language about her feelings and plans.

Researcher Talks Back

Recently a Columbia University scientist caused an argument by challenging the conclusion that apes can in fact use language. The scientist, Dr. Herbert Terrace, thinks that the animals do not use language the way humans do. Dr. Terrace has caused such strong feelings among scientists studying ape language. Here let’s listen to an imaginary conversation between Washoe, the first chimp to learn sign language, and Koko, the gorilla.

Apes Are Talking

Koko: Did you hear what Dr. Terrace said about us? He claims we cannot create our own sentences. Instead, he says, we react to clues accidentally given by our trainer. He says we are like the famous horse Clever Hans. Hans was supposed to be able to solve arithmetic problems and then stamp out the answers with his hoof(蹄子).

If the horse was asked what two plus two was, he would stamp four times. Although the trainer did not realized it, says Dr. Terrace, the horse was picking up clues from the trainer as to when to stop stamping.

Washoe: I disagree with Dr. Terrace. My trainer, Dr. R. Allen Gardner and his wife, Beatrice, have seen me talking in sign language to other chimps.

Koko: I heard that Dr. Terrace became unimpressed with ape language after studying a chimp named Nim. Dr. Terrace found that Nim usually made signs only after being prompted (提示) by his trainer. Yet when children learn a language, they start using many words on their own. Nim usually did not do this. Even when Nim did use additional signs, he did not add any new information. The signs (words) were repeated over and over again.

Washoe: My trainer says that Nim wasn’t given much of a chance to act on his own. He had so many different trainers, he became confused. That is not the best way to get chimps to communicate.

Koko: I’ll never understand humans. But the big question is: Can we really use language?

Koko and Washoe (together): We’ll never tell.

How do scientists who study ape language respond to Dr.  Herbert  Terrace’ idea according to the 2nd part?

A. Enthusiastic.             B. Confused.                C. Angry.                      D. Sympathetic.  

Which of the following is a match according to the passage?

A. Dr. Herbert Terrace and Koko.                  B. Dr. R. Allen Garners and Washoe.

C. Clever Hans and Sherman.                           D. Francine Patterson and Nim.

Dr. Herbert Terrace suspects that _________.

A. Nim added new information while using additional signs

B. Clever Hans picked up clues accidentally given by its trainer

C. Washoe didn’t pick up any clues from its trainer when talking

D. when a child learns a language, he starts using many words on his own

Which of the following is a fact according to the passage?

A. Nim had more than one trainer.                   

B. Apes can’t create their own language.

C. The apes are supposed to form sentences.      

D. Clever Hans is supposed to solve math problems.

单词拼写（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
根据题中所给的中文提示或首字母写出符合句意的单词的正确形式。
【小题1】.A large q__________ of air-conditioners has been sold since the temperature is high.
【小题2】.It rained yesterday and as a c__________ the match was cancelled.
【小题3】.The prices of the dolls r__________ from $ 5 to $ 100.
【小题4】.We were really a__________ about you. You shouldn’t have left home without a word.
【小题5】.I could hardly express my a__________ of your help.
【小题6】The police __________(射击) at him, but he escaped.
【小题7】What he said did not __________(惹恼) me , for I knew he did not mean it.
【小题8】.If Paul __________(辞职), who will get the job ?
【小题9】.He owes his success to his teacher’s __________(鼓励).
【小题10】.It is our duty to help the __________(残疾).

Wind , water, fire and ice-these powerful natural forces have shaped the land of America in the past. They are still changing it today.
The Colorado River slowly cut down through stone to make the Grand Canyon(大峡谷).
Long ago, ice sheets cut Yosemite Valley and the Great Lakes, and glaciers(冰川) are still on the move in Alaska.
Wind and rain storm hit the land from time to time. Fires sometimes burn down forests and destroy the homes of wild animals. This happened in Yellowstone Park in 1988.
Dead volcanic mountains such as Haleakala on Maui and Carter Lakein Oregon are beautiful to look at. But there are several active volcanoes in the US, especially along the Pacific Coast. There are also many earthquakes in this area. Scientists can do nothing to control earthquakes or volcanoes. This was shown clearly on May 18, 1980. At 8:32 that morning, Mount St Helens in Washington state broke out. The top of the mountain was blown off.
Over 60 people –campers, scientists, journalists, forest workers—were killed. Hundreds of square miles of forests were knocked down. In towns over 100 miles away, day suddenly became night. An ash cloud hid the sun for many hours. Towns and fields in Washington, Oregon, and Idaho were covered with dirty gray ash.
Scientists knew that Mt St Helens might erupt(爆发) soon. But no one could say when. And no one expected the terrible strength of the eruption. Many people were surprised and unready. Harry R. Truman, 84, owned a small hotel in Mt St Helens. Scientists had asked people to move away because the volcano was becoming dangerous.
But Harry Truman would not leave his home. Now it is covered with many feet of dirty ash. A small cross stands above the place where Harry probably died. Perhaps it is better that he did not see the destruction of Mt St Helens, the once beautiful lake, and the forests.
But slowly, life is returning to the dead area around the mountain. Grass and small plants are beginning to grow again. Deer and birds have been seen. The land will never be the same as it once was. Perhaps Mt St Helens will erupt again. But this is all part of nature’s pattern of change, and man has little power to control it.
【小题1】Choose the best title for this passage.

单词拼写（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）

根据题中所给的中文提示或首字母写出符合句意的单词的正确形式。

.A large q__________ of air-conditioners has been sold since the temperature is high.

.It rained yesterday and as a c__________ the match was cancelled.

.The prices of the dolls r__________ from $ 5 to $ 100.

.We were really a__________ about you. You shouldn’t have left home without a word.

.I could hardly express my a__________ of your help.

The police __________(射击) at him, but he escaped.

What he said did not __________(惹恼) me , for I knew he did not mean it.

.If Paul __________(辞职), who will get the job ?

.He owes his success to his teacher’s __________(鼓励).

.It is our duty to help the __________(残疾).