Scientists （科学家） are trying to make the deserts （沙漠） into good land again. They want to bring water to the deserts, so people can live and grow food. They are learning a lot about the deserts. But more and more of the earth is becoming deserts all the time. Scientists may not be able to change the deserts. Scientists think that people make deserts. People are doing bad things to the earth.

Some places on the earth don’t get much rain. But they still don’t become deserts. This is because some green plants are growing there. Small green plants and grass are very helpful to dry (干旱的)places. Plants don’t let the hot sun make the earth even drier. Plants don’t let the wind blow the earth away. When a little bit of rain falls, the plants hold the water. Without plants, the land can become deserts much more easily.

1.Why can the land become deserts?

A. Some places don’t get much rain.

B. Plants don’t let the hot sun make the earth even drier.

C. People don’t keep the earth well.

D. Scientists haven’t learnt enough about the deserts.

2.Scientists are???????? to make the deserts into good land again.

A. carrying water? B. growing food? C. doing nothing????????????? D. studying a lot

3.Which is NOT true?

A. The land never stops becoming deserts.

B. Scientists ask people to live in the deserts and grow food there.

C. People do bad things to the earth.

D. Scientists may not be able to change the deserts.

4.Why are green plants and grass helpful?

A. They can hold the water.?

B. They can keep the earth wet.

C. They can stop the wind from blowing the earth away.

D. All the above.

5.Which is the best title（题目）for the passage?

A. The Desert Problem?????????

B. People Make Deserts

C. Green Plants and Grass???????

D. The Deserts, the Tree and the Water

Linda and David have traveled by air from London to Sydney, Australia． Linda has promised（答应）her mother that she will ring her to let her know that they have arrived safely． This is something she had done ever since she was a child． David thinks it is not a good idea to ring so far, to spend too much ,and to say so little．

"If there were an accident．" He says, “they’d know soon enough ． Bad news travels fast．”

But Linda has promised that she would ring ． "However," she says, "it doesn’t cost much when you just think that it′s the other side of the world．It’s only six pence per second (每秒六便士)。"

　"If you′re on that telephone for less than one minute, I’ll eat my hat, David says," And one minute’s nearly four pounds(英镑)．"

　"That‘s no more than you’d pay for a new hat," Linda answers．

　She has asked the man at the hotel (旅馆) desk to get her the number ． The telephone rings．Linda picks it up．

　"Hello, Mum ．Is that you ?" She says．

　"Six pence per second ," David reminds(提醒) her．

　“Hello, love．” It is Mrs Lee, Linda’s mother, speaking from London． "I can hear you very clearly just like you are in the next room ．It′s a better line than when you called me from your office． Do you remember? I shouted at that time ,and still you couldn’t hear me sometimes．"

　"Yes ,Mum ．"Linda puts in．． "I just wanted to ring to ……．"

　"I remember how you rang when you went to Betty‘s house to eat , when you were a little girl．And then when you …" Mrs Lee is a great talker

　"Nearly four pounds．" says David．

　Linda tries to tell her mother that it is time to say goodbye．

　"Yes, all right, "says Mrs Lee ," But you will write, won′t you, as you did when you were at work …"

Once again, Mrs Lee talks about the pass．and there is no stopping her．

“Four pounds fifty,”says David．

　At last, Linda cuts her mother short, promises to write, and rings off．

"There! That wasn′t long, was it ?"
　　" Four pounds, ninety pence．" David answers． " And you didn’t even say that we′ve arrived．"

1．Linda is telephoning home to ________．

A．tell her mother some bad news

B．say that she and David have arrived safely

C．report an accident to her mother

D．say that she and David have left London

2．Linda does not think it expensive to ring , because _____．

A．it only costs four pounds and ninety pence

B．it is even more expensive to buy a new hat

C．she had telephoned home since she was a child

D．she will speak from one side of the word to the other

3．David says, “Nearly four pounds , ”because ______．

A．he wants to remind Linda of the cost of the cost of the call

B．he wants to buy himself a new hat

C．Linda has not told her mother they have arrived

D．he wants Mrs Lee to know how much the call costs

4．Mrs Lee goes on talking for so long because _______．

A．she likes to hear all about the past ．

B．she likes talking

C．Linda had not told her that she has arrived

D．she is going to pay for the telephone call

5．Linda tries to stop her mother by ________．

A．telling her how much the call is costing

B．writing a letter as she has promised to do

C．telling her that they have arrived safely

D．promising to write, and ringing off

　　But Linda has promised that she would ring. “However,”she says,“it doesn't cost much when you just think that it's the other side of the world. It's only six pence per second（每秒六便士）.”

　“If you're on that telephone for less than one minute, I'll eat my hat,”David says, “And one minute's nearly four pounds（英镑）.”

　“That's no more than you'd pay for a new hat. ”Linda answers.

　　She has asked the man at the hotel（旅馆）desk to get her the number. The telephone rings. Linda picks it up.

　“Hello, Mom. Is that you?”She says.

　“Six pence per second , ”David reminds（提醒）her.

　“Hello, honey. ”It is Mrs. Lee, Linda's mother, speaking in London. “I can hear you very clearly just like you are in the next room. It's a better line than when you called me from your office. Do you remember? I shouted at that time, and still you couldn't hear me sometimes.”

　“Yes, Mom. ”Linda puts in. “I just wanted to ring to...”

　“I remember how you rang when you went to Betty's house to eat, when you were a little girl. And then when you…” Mrs. Lee is a great talker.

　“Nearly four pounds. ”says David.

　  Linda tries to tell her mother that it is time to say goodbye.

　“Yes, all right,”says Mrs. Lee,“But you will write, won't you, as you did when you were at work...”

　　Once again, Mrs. Lee talks about the past, and there is no stopping for her.

　“Four pounds fifty, ”says David.

　  At last, Linda cuts her mother short, promises to write, and rings off.

　“There! That wasn't long, was it?”

　“Four pounds, ninety pence. ”David answers,“And you didn't even say that we've arrived.”

（　）1. Linda is telephoning home to ________.

A. tell her mother some bad news　　

B. say that she and David have arrived safely

C. report an accident to her mother  

D. say that she and David have left London

（　）2. Linda does not think it expensive to ring, because ________.

A. it only costs four pounds and ninety pence

B. it is even more expensive to buy a new hat

C. she had telephoned home since she was a child

D. she will speak from one side of the word to the other

（　）3. David says,“Nearly four pounds”, because ________ .

A. he wants to remind Linda of the cost of the call

B. he wants to buy himself a new hat

C. Linda has not told her mother they have arrived

D. he wants Mrs. Lee to know how much the call costs

（　）4. Mrs. Lee goes on talking for so long because ________.

A. she likes to hear all about the past

B. she likes talking

C. Linda has not told her that she has arrived

D. she is going to pay for the telephone call

（　）5. Linda tries to stop her mother by ________.

A. telling her how much the call is costing

B. writing a letter as she has promised to do

C. telling her that they have arrived safely

D. promising to write, and then rings off