Bamboo (竹子) is one of nature’s most surprising plants. Many people call this plant a tree, but it is a kind of grass.

Like other kinds of grass, a bamboo plant may be cut very low to the ground, but it will grow back very quickly. A Japanese scientist reported one bamboo plant which grew 1.5 meters in 24 hours! Bamboo grows almost everywhere in the world except Europe. There are more than 1, 000 kinds of bamboo.

Not all bamboo looks the same. Some bamboo plants are very thin. They may only grow to be a few centimeters wide while others may grow to more than 30 centimeters across. This plant also comes in different colors, from yellow to black to green.

Bamboo has been used to make many things such as hats and kitchen tools. Because it is strong, bamboo is also used to build buildings.

Many Asian countries have used bamboo for hundreds of years. They often use bamboo for buildings and supporting new buildings and bridges while they are being built.

In Africa, poor farmers are taught how to find water using bamboo. These African countries need cheap way to find water because they have no money, and their fields often die from no rain and no water. Bamboo pipes (管子) help poor farmers bring water to their thirsty fields without spending a lot of money.

How is bamboo like grass?

A. It grows quickly.                            B. It’s wood.

C. It is easy to cut.                           D. It is very thin.

Though you can see bamboo everywhere, it doesn’t grow __________.

A. in China                             B. in Europe

C. on mountains                         D. in Africa

Why is bamboo used by African poor farmers?

A. It is cheap.                             B. It has different colors.

C. It is strong.                                D. It has been used by Asians.

In Asia, bamboo has been used for __________.

A. a short time                             B. about 100 years

C. many hundreds of years                       D. many thousands of year

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EARTH WEEK－A DIARY OF THE PLANET

　　Enduring Storms

　　Several more rounds of severe storms, tornadoes and flash flooding struck many parts of the American Midwest and Northeast as bad weather continued across the US for a second month.

　　Monsoon Storms

　　A south-west monsoon has caused havoc in parts of SriLanka. Government meteorologists said that unexpected monsoonal winds blew directly across the country from the Southern Hemisphere at about 100 km/h, producing several rounds of stormy weather. Nearly 250 houses in the capital Colombo were damaged.

For the week ending 3 July 1998

　　Mt. Etna Erupts

　　Sicily’s Mount Etna volcano erupted shortly after midnight on July 1, shooting“bombs”of lava nearly 1.5 metres in diameter on the eastern side of the mountain. The 30-minute eruption could be seen for several miles, but did not threaten any nearby villages.

　　Hurricane

　　Hurricane Blas lost strength as it moved over cooler waters in the Pacific Ocean to the west of Mexico. Blasformed off southwest Mexico during the previous week, but squalls on the outer fringes of the storm lashed western Michoacan State, killing four people when their wood and cardboard home collapsed.

　　Monkey Repellent

　　After years of unsuccessful attempts to keep crop-eating monkeys out of Japanese fields, a Tokyo research team believes that it may have finally found a way to prevent the damage caused by the monkeys. Animal raids on crops were successfully prevented by shooting chilli powder into the air, irritating the eyes and noses of monkeys that passed in front of carefully-placed warning sensors.“We’ve tried…all kinds of preventive measures, but the monkeys are smart enough to outwit the tricks,”said Toshiaki Wada, Director of the Tokyo Forestry Experiment Station in western Tokyo.

1．The monsoon is Sri Lanka ________.

[　　]

A．was of average strength

B．destroyed more property than previous monsoons

C．was not typical for that time of the year

D．affected only the outer areas of the nation

2．What aspect of Hurricane Blas does the map show?

[　　]

3．According to the information, which of the following statements is TRUE?

[　　]

A．The eruption of Mt. Etna lasted thirty days.

B．Hurricane Blas was formed off the coast of Italy.

C．The American Midwest had fine weather throughout July 1998.

D．The eruption of Mt. Etna did not destroy local villages.

4．According to the information, the monkeys in the Japanese fields ________.

[　　]

A．destroy crops

B．kill unsuspecting humans

C．spread eye diseases to humans

D．stop farmers from working

5．Toshiaki Wada, Director of the Tokyo Forestry Experiment Station, would describe the monkeys as ________.

[　　]

Language-learners who say they never or hardly ever use dictionaries often speak English well but usually write poorly, because they make many mistakes.
The students who use dictionaries most do not learn especially well either. The ones who look up every new word do not read fast. So they do not have time to read much. Those who use small two-language dictionaries have the worst problems. Their dictionaries often give only one or two words as translations (翻译) of English. But one English word often has many translations in a foreign language and one foreign word has many translations in English.
The most successful students are those who use large college edition dictionaries with about 100,000 words but do not use them too often. When they are reading, these students first try to get the general idea and understand new words from the context. Then they reread and use the dictionary to look up only key words that they still do not understand. They use dictionaries more for writing. If they are not sure how to spell a word, or divide it into syllables (音节), they always use a dictionary. Also, if they think a noun might have an unusual plural form, they check these in a dictionary.
【小题1】Students who never use dictionary speak well but write poor, because_______

A．They can’t remember words.

B．They may make mistakes.

C．They are not interested in writing.

D．They are afraid of writing.

【小题2】According to the passage, which of the following is right?

A．Students who never use dictionary can speak well and write well.

B．Whatever new words you meet while reading, just look them up in the dictionary.

C．Small two-language dictionaries are bad for learning English.

D．An English word only has one translation.

【小题3】When does the writer advise students to use a good dictionary in reading?

A．At the beginning of the reading

B．At the end of the reading

C．During the first reading

D．After the first reading

【小题4】This passage mainly tells us        .

A．that students shouldn’t use small two-language dictionaries

B．what were the defects (缺点) of small two-language dictionaries

C．why students should use large college edition dictionaries

D．what dictionary students should choose and how to use it

【小题5】Which is not mentioned in this passage?

A．How to make good use of a dictionary.

B．When to use a dictionary.

C．How to improve spoken English.

D．How to practice reading fast.

The number of the people invited to the meeting ____ about 100, but a number of them ____ late because of the heavy snow.

A．were; was         B．were; were        C．was; were         D．was; was

 

If you want to be a success, study at the University of Waikato is right for you. The university is internationally recognised for its excellence and achievements. It will help you develop advanced research skills. As a university student you can get first-class research facilities (设施) with trained teachers to help, support and advise you in your study. We pride ourselves on our high standards, our research success and our international recognition. For further information: inf@waikato.ac.nz.

Degree

We offer a wide choice of bachelor’s degrees (学位) for international students, which includes: Arts, Communication Studies, Social Sciences, etc. Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education are only for New Zealand citizens, for further information: deg@waikato.ac.nz. 

Tuition Fees (学费)

Tuition fees are different from department to department, generally from $5,000 to $6,000 a year. For further information: tui@waikato.ac.nz. 

Accommodation (住宿)

You can have a room in a 4-bedroom flat, which will cost about $100 a month with other regular living costs of about $150 a month for one person. For further information: acc@waikato. ac.nz

Health

The Student Health Service provides excellent medical services for students. The Medical Centre is open five days a week, including student holidays with four doctor's and nurses to meet your medical needs. For further information: heal@waikato.ac.nz.

Sports

The Centre is a great place to have sports activities. Trained exercise teachers can help you work out a training plan and keep you active. The sports hall has volleyball, basketball and indoor football courts and a swimming pool as well. There are also a large number of sports clubs at Waikato. For further information: sport@ waikato.ac.nz

68. If you want to get more information about arts, you can write to ______.

A. sport@waikato.ac.nz                      B. heal@waikato.ac.nz

C. deg@waikato.ac.nz                       D. inf@waikato.ac.nz

69. You have to pay at least ______ a year if you study at the University of Waikato.

A. $5,250           B. $8,000             C. $9,000           D. $11,000

70. According to the text, what will you do if you are ill during Christmas holidays?

A. Go to a hospital nearby.                  B. Buy some medicine in a drug store.

C. See a doctor at the school medical centre.    D. Try to get help from your classmates.