Boys and girls love to watch TV. Some children spend six hours a day in school and four to six in front of the TV set. Some children even watch TV for eight or more hours on Saturday. TV programmes are like books and films. A child can learn bad things from some of them and good things from others. Some programmes help children know the news from the other parts of the world. Some programmes show people and places from other countries or other times（时代）in history. With TV, a child doesn’t need to go to the zoo to see animals or to the sea to see a ship. Boys and girls can see a film, a play or a basketball match at home. Some programmes can teach children how to cook or how to use tools. It’s interesting to watch TV, but it is also interesting to read a book or to visit friends.
【小题1】Children can learn ________ from TV programmes.

You've probably heard of working dogs that help police officers. Or horses that help farmers. Did you know that carrier pigeons can be trained to help people too? Here are some examples.

Mailman

    Carrier pigeons can be trained to carry messages to people. The note is placed into a small can. The can is tied to the pigeon's leg. Then the pigeon flies off with the note.

Lifeguard

    From high up in the sky, specially trained pigeons can spot orange life jackets in the ocean. Sometimes it is difficult for humans to spot people lost at sea, especially when the weather is bad. However, pigeons can fly quickly over a large area of water to look for people.

Spy

    Many years ago, carrier pigeons were used to help our country during wars. "Spy pigeons" had small cameras that were tied to their feet. As a pigeon flew over enemy land, the camera took photos of the land below. This would allow our soldiers to see where the enemies were and what they were doing.

    So next time you see a pigeon, stop and watch it closely. What might look like an ordinary bird to most people might actually be helpful.

46. What kind of people can the carrier pigeons find?

    A. The people in orange life jackets at sea.

    B. The people in red jackets in the boats.

    C. The people swimming in the ocean.

    D. The people lost in the mountains.

47. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

    A. A pigeon could predict what the weather would be like.

    B. A pigeon was tied with a small camera around its leg.

    C. A pigeon could help us to know the number of the enemy.

    D. A pigeon carried the camera to take photos of the enemy land.

48. What is the purpose of writing this article?

    A. To make readers like pigeons more.

    B. To teach readers about the lives of wild pigeons.

    C. To tell readers about real jobs held by carrier pigeons.

    D. To share science fictions about pigeons helping people.