According to some predictions, human beings will die out in 2012. Nearly all people think it’s impossible, but there are some more earthquakes in recent years.
Animals can predict the weather or other natural events. It may sound strange, but farmers living in the countryside think so. For hundreds of years , they have observed animals.
“Animals ’ behavior can be connected to future weather conditions or events.” They say. For example, if cows lie down, a rainstorm is coming. There are many traditional stories connecting animals and natural events. Many people think that these stories don’t have scientific evidence( 根据 ) at all. Scientists, however, are beginning to take another look at some of these ideas.
A Japanese earthquake researcher named Kiyoshi Shimamura noticed an increase in dog bites a short time before earthquake hit. Then he did research on twelve public health centers in Kobe, Japan. These health centers treated people after the 1995 earthquake . He got some interesting information about the month before the big earthquake:  treatment for animals’ bites had increased . In fact, aggressive(侵略的)behavior in dogs, such as biting and barking loudly , jumped 60 percent.
There are also other changes in animals’ behavior before the earthquake. For example, fish began swimming together in large groups , but only in the middle of the water and not near the edges. Birds flew away from their nests for many days, leaving their eggs unprotected . These animals’ behavior suggests that animals may be able to predict natural events better than people.
【小题1】What would cows behave before a rainstorm?

--- What do you think of the talk show?

?? ---- _________. They’re too boring.

A. I love them????? B. Pretty good??????? C. I don’t mind them?? D. I can’t stand them.

Germs(细菌) are everywhere. You can’t see them, but they are on your desk, on your computer, and even in the air!
Like people, germs move around the world. They fly with us on planes. When food, clothes, and other things travel around the world, germs travel, too. Some germs are safe, but some are dangerous. Germs cause illnesses like colds and the flu.
Warmer Weather Brings Germs
The world’s weather is changing. Cooler countries are getting warmer, so insects from hot countries can move there. Some of these insects, like mosquitoes, carry dangerous germs. These germs cause headaches, fever, and can even kill people.
Under Your Skin
Your skin protects you from germs. It stops some germs, but not all. They can enter your body when you eat, or when you have a cut. Germs are on your hands, too. They enter your body when you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
Fighting Germs
Your immune system(免疫系统) protects you, too. When germs get inside your body, your immune system finds and kills them. Special cells(细胞) move around your body and fight germs. They help you stay healthy. Other cells make antibodies. Antibodies help your body find and stop germs.
What can you do to fight germs? You should wash your hands with soap and water. Soap kills many germs, and water washes them away.
【小题1】According to the text, insects ______.

Many scientists find that colors can change people’s feelings. It’s very interesting. Some colors can make people feel relaxed, and some colors can make people feel nervous. Now，this kind of knowledge is being used in many places. For example，school walls are always painted green because green makes students feel relaxed. It is also good for the students’ eyes. Some bookings they’ve learned from scientific studies. The color red makes people hungry. Many fast food restaurants have red furniture or walls. Soft colors like pink and light blue make people feel relaxed，so they spend more time eating. Loud music may be nices are also green or light blue for the same reason. Restaurant owners not only have to know how to make food，but also have to know how to make  money. Here are some   thi at first，but it soon makes people want to leave. Hard seats also make customers want to eat quickly and leave. Many restaurants，especially fast food restaurants, use this knowledge to make customers eat faster.
【小题1】How does the color green make the students feel?

When I was a teenager growing up in Russia, I wanted to leave school and have my own life. The only way I could do this was to work in the local brick factory in my town, or get married. I was nervous when I told my father I wanted to leave school. I thought he would say, “No! You are going to college.” He took me by surprise when he said, “OK. We’ll go to the brick factory.”
Two days later, he took me to the factory. I had a very romantic idea of working in a factory. I had imagined everyone to be friends working together and having fun. I even imagined there would be music and singing. I guess I had watched too many movies as a teenager.
When we arrived at the factory gate, my father spoke to the guard and one minute later we were inside. My father said, “Take your time. Look around.” I walked around the factory looking at the building, the workers, and listening to the noise. It was horrible. I ran back to my father and said, “I want to go home.”
He asked me, “What do you think of the factory?”
“It’s terrible,” I replied.
“And marriage is even worse!” he said.
I went back to school the next day thinking about studying hard so I could get into a good college. I enjoyed studying English so I decided to major in languages at college. Thanks to my father and our trip to the brick factory, I now work at the United Nations and my father is very proud of me. I married a very good man and my life is much better than it would have been working in the factory!
【小题1】The writer lived in       when she was a teenager.
A. Russia       B. Japan        C. China
【小题2】At first she thought life in the factory would be       than in school.
A. more careful     B. more colorful       C. more beautiful
【小题3】When she told her father that she wanted to leave school, he expressed his disagreement       .
A. by doing nothing    B. in a special way     C. by saying nothing
【小题4】After they visited the factory, the girl       .
A. decided to work there     B. decided to get married    C. changed her mind
【小题5】The underlined work “horrible” means “    ” in Chinese.
A. 糟糕的       B. 紧张的       C. 浪漫的