Last spring, members of Alaska’s Troop 34, based in Fairbanks, trudged (跋涉) out into the snowy wilderness to take part in their state’s Take a Kid Trapping program. In many parts of the state, beavers （海狸）are pests and need to be controlled.
The 10－to－12－year－old girls found out where beavers lived, set traps, and skinned the two animals they caught. The girls hope to catch ten more beavers so that the entire troop can make mittens and hats with the fur. They also want to cook beaver meat.
Troop leaders and members say the Scouts are doing a good deed by helping control the state’s beaver population. But animal－rights activists say trapping is cruel. They want the Girl Scouts to stop in their tracks.
Beavers aren’t only causing a problem in Alaska. Residents in Sampson County, N.C., have turned to a local committee to help them battle the growing beaver population there.
County landowners are frustrated after the county spent more than $ 50,000 in eight years trying to reduce the beaver population through a government program. The joint state and federal program included paying money to trappers for every beaver carcass they trapped.
Many local residents say that the program didn’t work because there were too few trappers. That’s why the county set up its own committee to investigate other ways to control the area’s beaver population.
The county will rely on its own beaver－trapping program. It has hired a trapper to set traps in various areas. The county will pay $10 for every beaver carcass.
Why do many people say that beavers are a nuisance? For beavers to survive, they need lots of water. Water provides the large rodent （啮齿动物）with a place to hide from meat – eating animals. Beavers also store food underwater for the winter. When there’s not enough water in a particular area, beavers get busy building dams.
Beaver dams can cause major flooding and damage to the surrounding countryside as the animals cut down trees to use in their construction projects. Beavers build canals to transport heavy objects.
【小题1】What is Alaska’s Troop 34?

第二节完形填空(共20小题；每小题l 5分，满分30分)
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Recently，I flew to Las Vegas to attend a meeting. As we were about to arrive，the pilot announced with apology that there would be a slight 2l     before setting down. High desert winds had   22   the airport to close all but one runway. He said that we would be   23   L the city for a few minutes waiting t0  24    We were also told to remain in our seats meanwhile with our seat belts fastened  25   there might be a few bumps(颠簸)．We11，that few minutes turned into about  four—five minutes，including a ride that would make a roller coaster(过山车)  26  by comparison
The movement was so fierce that several passengers felt  27   and had to use airsickness bags. As you might guess，that’s not good thing to have happen in a(n) 28    space because it only 29    to increase the discomfort of the situation.
About twenty minutes into the adventure，the entire airplane became very 30 .
There was now a sense of anxiety and fear that could be 31   noticed．Every passenger simply held on for dear life …except one. A  32  was having a good time! With each bump of the33!he would let out a giggle(咯咯的笑)of delight As I observed this，I 34     that he didn’t know he was supposed to be afraid and worried about his    35 He neither thought about the past nor about the future Those are what we grown—ups have learned from  36   .He was 37  the ride  because had not yet been taught to fear it. Having  understood this，I took a deep breath and   38  back into my seat，pretending I was   39   on a roller coaster. I smiled for the rest of the flight. I even  40    to  giggle once or twice ,much to the chagrin(随恼)of the man sitting next to me holding the airsickness bag.
21. A. mistake      B. delay       C. change         D. wind
22. A. forced       B. warned     C. swept           D. reminded
23. A. watching     B. visiting     C. circling          D. crossing
24. A. arrive       B. enter        C. stop           D. land
25. A. if           B. though      C. because         D. while
26. A. light        B. pale         C. easy           D. quick
27. A. sick         B. nervous     C. angry          D. afraid
28. A. empty       B. narrow      C. secret          D. open
29. A. happens      B. continues    C. fails           D. serves
30. A. quiet        B. hot          C.  dirty         D.  crowded
31. A. partly        B.  gradually   C. shortly         D. clearly
32. A. pilot         B. baby        C.  guard         D.  man
33. A. seats        B.  passengers    C. flight          D. airplane
34. A. realized      B.  hoped      C.  agreed        D.  insisted
35. A. health       B. safety        C.joy             D. future
36. A. teachers      B. books       C.  experience     D.  practice
37. A. learning     B.  taking      C.  missing       D.  enjoying
38. A. sat         B. lay          C. went            D. rode
39. A. nearly      B.  finally      C.  really          D.  suddenly
40. A. attempted    B.  managed     C.  wanted       D.  decided

In January 1986 I saw a show about cartooning called “Funny Business” on TV. I had always wanted to be a __36__but never knew how. So I wrote to the host of the_37_, cartoonist Jack Cassady, asking for advice on entering the profession(职业).
Two weeks later I got a (n) __38__letter from Jack, answering my questions about materials and process(过程). He also __39__ me not to get discouraged if I was refused__40__. He said the cartoon samples（样本） I sent him were good and worthy of publication（出版）.
I got very __41__, finally understanding how the whole process__42__. I sent my best cartoons to Playboy and New Yorker, ___43___ the magazines rejected（拒绝）me immediately. Discouraged, I put my art supplies in the box and__44__to forget all about cartooning.
To my__45__, in June 1987 I got another letter from Jack, although I hadn’t even__46__ him for the former advice. Here’s what he said:
Dear Scott,
I was reviewing my “Funny Business” mail file when I again came__47__ your letter and your cartoons. I remember answering you letter.
I’m writing to encourage you to submit(提交) your ideas to various publications again. I hope you have __48__ done so and are making progress and having some__49__ too. Sometimes encouragement in the funny business is hard to come by. That’s__50__ I am encouraging you to hang in there and keep drawing.
I wish you good luck.
Sincerely,
Jack
I was deeply__51__because Jack had nothing to gain—including my thanks. I acted on his__52__, took out my art supplies and inked the sample strips(漫画连载) that__53__ became Dilbert.
I feel__54__that I wouldn’t have tried cartooning again if Jack hadn’t sent the second letter. As Dilbert became more successful I came to __55__ Jack’s simple act of kindness.