What Is Happening at Yellowstone?

  When we smell smoke, we think “fire”, and fire is a scary thing. Fire can harm things, but it can also help nature.

  In 1988, Yellowstone Park had some very bad fires. They burned all summer. Firefighters worked hard to put them out, but the fires were too big. They moved too fast. The fires burned until fall, when snow finally put them out.

  Because many trees and much grass burned, the fires changed the land. Soil washed away, and some animals were killed.

  But now, good things are happening at Yellowstone. There are more things for the animals to eat. Flowers, berries and grass grow where the fires burned the trees. The deer and elk like the good grass, bears like the berries, and dead trees make good homes for bugs and birds. Also, new trees are growing.

  Yellowstone is not like it was in1988. But it is still a good place for animals to live.

(    )51. The main idea of the whole story is that _______

A .the fires changed Yellowstone Park.  B. The trees in Yellowstone Park are gone

C .There are more bears in Yellowstone Park

(    )52. In 1998 Yellowstone had big ________.

A.  floods      B. flowers     C. fires    D. rains

(    )53. The story says, “Fire can harm things, but it can also help nature.” This means________

A. sometimes , fire is not a scary thing  B. We cannot avoid fire happening in nature

C. though fire is harmful, sometimes it can also help the grass and plants grow new

 (    )54. What put the fires out?

A .Rain put the fires out.

B. The fires burned until fall, when snow finally put them out.

C. Firefighters put the fires out.

 (    )55.Which of the following does the story lead you to believe?

A. All the animals left and never came back.

B. Animals like Yellowstone Park now.

C. The firefighters didn’t know how to put out fires.

Many of us feel uneasy when someone stands too close to us, talks to us too loudly or makes eye contact(接触) with us for too long. But have you ever wondered why those things make you uncomfortable?

     It’s all about personal peace, which means not only an imaginary space around the body, but also the space around all the senses. People feel that their space is being violated(侵犯) when they meet with an unwelcome sound, smell or look. This is probably why a man on a crowded bus shouting into his mobile phone or a woman next to you putting on strong perfume(香水) makes you feel angry.

     Whether people have had a stronger wish to protect their personal space in recent times is hard to say. Yet studies of airlines show that people have a strong desire(渴望) to have space to themselves. In a survey by TripAdvisor, a travel website, people said that if they had to pay more for some extra service, they would rather have larger seats than extra food.

     Although people may need their personal space, some hardly realize it. For example, people on a bus who hold newspapers in front of their faces to read in fact keep a distance from strangers.

     Go and watch a library table. You will notice that one of the corner seats will usually be taken first, because they are the farthest way. What if someone sits opposite to you? Maybe you will pile up books as if to make a wall.

     Preference(偏好) for personal space are different from culture to culture. Scientists have found that Americans generally prefer more personal space than people from other cultures. In Latin(拉丁人的) cultures, however, people are more comfortable standing close to each other.

1.The writer mainly _________ in this article.

A. tells us how to achieve personal space

B. explains why people need personal space

C. introduces some knowledge about personal space

D. argues for the importance of keeping personal space

2.Who might feel his personal space is safe according to the passage?

A. A person who has to sit next to a lady putting on strong perfume.

B. A person who has been watched by a stranger for a long time.

C. A person who hears strange noises when reading at home.

D. A Latin boy who is chatting with a friend sitting close to him.

3.What can we know from the survey by TripAdvisor?

A. People need a smaller personal space in recent times than before.

B. People have a strong desire for personal space in recent times.

C. There are not enough seats on the plane to meet people’s needs.

D. Food service is better provided than seats on the plane.

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

A. The space around the body is more needed than that around all the senses.

B. If you hold newspapers on the bus, your personal space won’t be violated.

C. People usually choose the corner seats first in a library for personal space.

D. Different cultures share the same preferences for personal space.