If we are driving a car or crossing a street, we will stop when the traffic lights turn red. Why do we use red rather than other colors?
As we know, scattering (散射) happens when light goes through the air. For the same media, if the wavelength (波长) is long, the scattering will be short. If the wavelength is short, then the scattering will be long.
Of all light we can see red has the longest wavelength, so the scattering is the weakest. That means the red light travels far. In fact, it travels farther on rainy days.
Using the red light can help drivers in farther areas see the lights. It helps drivers slow down or stop in time. If drivers don’t see the red light until they are close, they may not be able to stop the car in time. An accident may happen. Red can also excite people. We can act more quickly when we see the color red.
In a word, red light helps drivers stop in time and help prevent accidents.
【小题1】______ has the longest wavelength of all light we can see.

A．Red

B．Green

C．Yellow

D．Black

【小题2】Red light travels farther on ______ days.

A．windy

B．sunny

C．rainy

D．cloudy

【小题3】Red can make people act more quickly because ____________.

A．red can make people happier	B．the scattering of red is very short
C．the scattering of red is very long	D．red can make people more excited

【小题4】The underlined word “prevent” means ______ in Chinese.

A．逃避

B．防止

C．处理

D．检查

【小题5】The passage mainly tells us ____________.

A．why accidents happen	B．how the red light travels
C．why we use red traffic lights	D．how to stop in time at traffic lights

If you are cycling in foreign countries, you will need to know what these traffic signs and signals mean.

1		A sign like this one means that there is a bike lane(车道). If there is such a sign，you are required to use the bike lane. If there is not such a sign, you should ride with traffic as far to the right side of the road as possible.
2		This signal means you can cross the street along with pedestrians(行人). It has a green picture of a oerson walking instead of using the word“walk”.
3		This signal is the “don’t walk”sign. It is a picture of a red hand, meaning you should stop. You should wait to cross the street until the green picture of the person walking is showing.
4		Car drivers and bikers must come to a complete stop at“STOP” signs.
5		A“YIELD”sign means to slow down and be ready to stop. If there are pedestrians or vehicles in or near the crossroad, you must stop. If there is no traffic in or near the crossroad and it is safe, you may go through.
6		This signal means you are coming to a zebra crossing. Car drivers and bikers must stop to allow people in the zebra crossing to cross the street.
7		When people are working on the roads, parts of the road are often dug up or rough(不平整的). Be careful when yon are cycling. Rough roads could make you fall off your bike. If you must move into the road to go around a work area，you should stop and look carefully to be sure there is no traffic coming.
8		A detour is a way of getting around a roadway that is closed. Roads are usually closed because of road work or dangerous conditions. If you must take a detour, be careful about the roads you aren’t used to.

 
【小题1】What are cyclists required to do when they see the sign?

A．To ride against traffic.

B．To ride on the left side of the road.

C．To ride on the bike lane.

D．To ride on the right side of the road

【小题2】Which of the following signs has the same meaning as the sign?


【小题3】What should cyclists do when they see the sign?

A．They should be careful when they cycle on the rough road.

B．They should take the rough road and fall off their bikes.

C．They should move into the road to go around a work area.

D．They should take another route instead of the closed roadway.

       When I was seven years old, my family made me an ant farm. First, we put clean sand in a thin glass box. Then we waited for the ants to arrive.
After the ants were in the glass farm, they started to make tunnels（地道）. I was amazed that each one knew exactly what to do. Each had its own job.
On the fifth day a tragedy（悲剧）happened. I put my face so close to the glass farm that I knocked it over. All the tunnels fell down. Although the ants remained alive after their earthquake, one by one they began to die. I was scared as I watched them give up building their tunnels to carry the bodies to a corner of the farm.
My mother said that the ants were dying of sadness. They simply could not stand that their tunnels were gone.
Although much time has passed, I still think of that ant farm. Mom had hoped it would teach me about the natural world, but it taught me much more.
Over the years, I came to realize the importance of teamwork. Working together, the ants were able to make an amazing world for themselves. I also learned that they should be admired（钦佩）for their hard work.
But there was an even larger lesson that I did not realize until recently: Adversity（逆境）is a natural part of life, and must be accepted. Unlike the ants, we cannot give up when we are sad. We have to realize that if a tunnel is gone, we must build another.
Giving up, I say, is not a good choice.
【小题1】 What did the writer’s family do for him when he was seven?

A．They built a farm of ants.	B．They bought a few ants.
C．They caught a lot of ants.	D．They found an ant city.

【小题2】Which statement is WRONG according to the passage?

A．The writer knocked the glass box over because he put his face so close to the glass farm.

B．The ants didn’t die one by one after the tunnels were destroyed.

C．Like people, teamwork is very important for the ants.

D．Giving up isn’t a good way when we meet trouble.

【小题3】Among the following events, which one happened first?

A．All the tunnels fell down.	B．The ants died one by one.
C．The ants got into the glass box.	D．The ants began making tunnels.

【小题4】What did the writer learn from the ant tragedy a few years later?

A．Working together is useless.	B．Teamwork is important.
C．He can’t accept adversity.	D．Working alone is amazing.

【小题5】What is the best title for the passage?

A．Ants Fear Adversity	B．My Family and Ants
C．Giving Up in Adversity	D．Don’t give up anytime

       When I was seven years old, my family made me an ant farm. First, we put clean sand in a thin glass box. Then we waited for the ants to arrive.
After the ants were in the glass farm, they started to make tunnels（地道）. I was amazed that each one knew exactly what to do. Each had its own job.
On the fifth day a tragedy（悲剧）happened. I put my face so close to the glass farm that I knocked it over. All the tunnels fell down. Although the ants remained alive after their earthquake, one by one they began to die. I was scared as I watched them give up building their tunnels to carry the bodies to a corner of the farm.
My mother said that the ants were dying of sadness. They simply could not stand that their tunnels were gone.
Although much time has passed, I still think of that ant farm. Mom had hoped it would teach me about the natural world, but it taught me much more.
Over the years, I came to realize the importance of teamwork. Working together, the ants were able to make an amazing world for themselves. I also learned that they should be admired（钦佩）for their hard work.
But there was an even larger lesson that I did not realize until recently: Adversity（逆境）is a natural part of life, and must be accepted. Unlike the ants, we cannot give up when we are sad. We have to realize that if a tunnel is gone, we must build another.
Giving up, I say, is not a good choice.
【小题1】 What did the writer’s family do for him when he was seven?

A．They built a farm of ants.	B．They bought a few ants.
C．They caught a lot of ants.	D．They found an ant city.

【小题2】Which statement is WRONG according to the passage?

A．The writer knocked the glass box over because he put his face so close to the glass farm.

B．The ants didn’t die one by one after the tunnels were destroyed.

C．Like people, teamwork is very important for the ants.

D．Giving up isn’t a good way when we meet trouble.

【小题3】Among the following events, which one happened first?

A．All the tunnels fell down.	B．The ants died one by one.
C．The ants got into the glass box.	D．The ants began making tunnels.

【小题4】What did the writer learn from the ant tragedy a few years later?

A．Working together is useless.	B．Teamwork is important.
C．He can’t accept adversity.	D．Working alone is amazing.

【小题5】What is the best title for the passage?

A．Ants Fear Adversity	B．My Family and Ants
C．Giving Up in Adversity	D．Don’t give up anytime

Because earthquakes happen without warning, it’s important to take steps now to prepare. Because you don’t know where you will be when an earthquake happens, prepare some supplies for your home, workplace, and car.
1. Water.
A person needs at least 1/2 gallon of water daily just for drinking. Store at least 1 gallon of water per person per day and be prepared for a 72-hour period. It is suggested that you buy bottled water. Keep bottled water in its original container and do not open it until you need to use it. Also, do check the “use by” date.
2. Food.
It’s always a practical idea to keep a supply of non-perishable(不易腐烂的) food on hand. Have an enough supply of canned food, powdered milk, dried fruits, non-salted nuts and canned juices for at least 72 hours.
3. Flashlights(手电筒) and spare batteries.
Keep a flashlight beside your bed, at your place of work, and in your car. Do not use matches or candles after an earthquake until you are sure that no gas leaks.
Prepare a battery-powered radio and spare batteries. Most telephones will be out of order, so radios will be your best source of information.
4. Clothes.
If you live in a cold place, you must think about warmth. You might not have heat after an earthquake. Think about your clothing and bedding supplies.
【小题1】 Why should people prepare themselves for an earthquake?

A．Because earthquakes can be known before they happen.

B．Because earthquakes take place without warning.

C．Because earthquakes usually take place in the neighborhood.

D．Because it’s people’s daily work to prepare the earthquakes.

【小题2】 About the prepared water, which description is RIGHT?

A．A person should prepare 0.5 gallon of water for one day.

B．You’d better use your own containers to keep water.

C．You’d better open the bottled water when you buy it.

D．You shouldn’t open the bottled water until you need it.

【小题3】 You should prepare all of the following except ______.

A．powdered milk	B．fresh vegetables
C．dried fruits	D．canned juices

【小题4】According to the article we know that ______.

A．we need to prepare some supplies only at home

B．a telephone is the most important prepared thing

C．flashlights but not matches are first used after earthquakes

D．clothes are used to protect your head

【小题5】 If you live in a cold place, you should prepare _______.

A．some warm clothes and bedding supplies	B．some hot water
C．some batteries	D．some flashlights