C
A blow-fly was looking for an ideal place like rotting meat to lay her eggs so that when her little babies were born, they could feed on the meat.
As she turned a corner in the grassland, she smelt something that smells like rotten meat in the air! With a great joy she landed on it and laid her eggs. She was happy that her children would have enough food to eat.
But the fly did not know she had made a great mistake. What she had sat upon was not meat but a flower, which smells badly. It is called a carrion flower. So, when the blow-fly’s eggs hatched and the little maggots(蛆)came out, they had nothing to eat. They died of starvation.
The carrion flower is one of the many flowers which send out dirty smells to attract flies. The Rafflesia stinks like rotting meat, while the tropical Lords and Ladies flower gives out a smell like rotting fish.
They do it for a special reason. These plants cannot move from their place. But it is important for the male cell of one plant to get in touch with the female cell of another plant. Once that is done, the seed of the plant will bloom and give birth to another plant.
The plant uses its stink to attract flies. As soon as the blow-fly sits on the follower, it is captured by the flower with strong hair. When the hair falls, the fly is free to fly- but it takes some pollen(花粉) with it. And goes and sits on another plant. The male cell of one plant meets the female cell of the other. The seed gets new life.
64. Why did the fly land on something smelly?
A. She was too careless before her bearing. B. She liked the particular smell very much
C. She hoped to find some food for her babies. D. She couldn’t find a better place for delivery.
65. The little maggots finally died because_________.
A. they were born too weak B. they lacked food available
C. carrion flower were poisonous D. their mother didn’t take care of them
66. Flowers like carrion flower and Rafflesia naturally smell terrible so that_________.
A. they need insects to spread their pollen B. they succeed in producing more seeds
C. their seeds can be carried to other places D. they can manage to absorb more nutrients
67. What is the best title of the text?
A. Dirty Tricks B. Smelly Plants C. A strange Flower D. Secrets of Nature.
It was a winter morning, just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005. While most people were warming up their cars, Trevor, my husband, had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work. On arrival, he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does. After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike, a black Kona 18 speed, was our only transport. Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family. And the bike was also used to get groceries(食品杂货),saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I was so sad that someone would steal our bike that I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our area offered to help. One wonderful stranger even bought a bike, then called my husband to pick it up. Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job. It really is an honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so. This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity(人性)as a whole. And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we, too, can share with others. No matter how big or how small, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting. Why was the bike so important to the couple?
A.The man’s job was bike racing. |
B.It was their only possession. |
C.It was a nice Kona 18 speed. |
D.They used it for work and daily life. |
We can infer from the text that ____________.
A.the couple worked 60 hours a week. |
B.people were busy before Christmas |
C.the stranger return the bike |
D.life was hard for the young family. |
How did people get to know the couple’s problem?
A.From radio broadcasts. | B.From a newspaper. |
C.From TV news. | D.From a stranger. |
What do the couple learn from their experience?
A.Strangers are usually of little help. |
B.One should take care of their bike. |
C.News reports make people famous. |
D.An act of kindness can mean a lot. |
A surprising new research suggests it can actually be good to feel bad at work, and that feeling good in the workplace can lead to negative outcomes.
The study of emotions in the workplace, edited by University of Liverpool researchers Dr. Lindebaum and Peter Jordan, is the topic of a Special Issue of the journal ‘Human Relations’. They found that the common belief that being positive in the workplace produces positive outcomes, while negative emotions lead to negative outcomes, may be in need for reconsideration. This is partly due to this belief failing to take into account the differences in working environment which affect outcomes.
For instance, anger does not always lead to negative outcomes and in some cases, anger can be considered a force for good through acting upon injustices. An employee, for example, could express anger constructively after a manager has treated a fellow worker unfairly. In such cases, anger can be useful. Likewise, being too positive in the workplace, rather than resulting in greater performance and productivity, can lead to self-satisfaction and being too shallow in one’s personality.
One article within the issue also finds that, within team work situation, negativity can have a good effect, leading to fewer consensuses (共识) but a further discussion or debate on an important issue among workers, which improve team effect.
Lindebaum said, “The findings of the study published in this Special Issue challenge the common belief that in the workplace positive emotions bring about a positive outcome, and vice versa(反之亦然).”
He added, “This Special Issue adds to our knowledge and understanding of how the positive and negative dynamics (动态) affect the working environment and is certain to have practical application in the workplace for the years to come.” Why did researchers of the study of emotions find that the common belief needs to be considered again?
A.Because different people hold different attitudes towards it. |
B.Because it doesn’t consider the differences in real working environment. |
C.Because it has been proved to be totally wrong in real working environment. |
D.Because it doesn’t tell the truth. |
What does the underlined word “Likewise” in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.Similarly | B.Differently |
C.Extremely | D.Occasionally |
It can be inferred from what Lindebaum said in the last paragraph that ____.
A.the findings of the study will completely change people’s belief in the end |
B.the findings of the study will not have any influence on the workplace |
C.the findings of the study won’t be just a theory published in the journal |
D.the findings of the study will make us work negatively in the future |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.To Be Positive About Your Work |
B.To Be Negative About Your Work |
C.Negativity at Work Probably Bringing About Good Things |
D.People Challenging the Commonly-held Belief |
Many facts suggest that children are overweight and the situation is getting worse, according to the doctors. I feel there are a number of reasons for this.
Some people blame the fact that we are surrounded by shops selling unhealthy, fatty foods, such as fried chicken and ice cream, at low prices. This has turned out a whole generation of grown-ups who seldom cook a meal for themselves. If there were fewer of these restaurants, then probably children would buy less take-away food.
There is another argument that blames parents for allowing their children to become overweight. I agree with this, because good eating habits begin early in life, long before children start to visit fast food shops. If children are given fried chicken and chocolate rather than healthy food, or are always allowed to choose what they eat, they will go for sweet and salty foods every time, and this will carry on throughout their lives.
There is a third reason for this situation. Children these days take very little exercise. They do not walk to school. When they get home, they sit in front of the television or their computers and play computer games. Not only is this an unhealthy pastime(消遣), it also gives them time to eat more unhealthy food.What they need is to go outside and play active games or sports.
The above are the main reasons for this problem, and therefore we have to encourage young people to be more active, as well as steering them away from fast food shops and bad eating habits.According to the text, what kind of children may eat more unhealthy food?
A.Those who often take exercise. |
B.Those who often watch television. |
C.Those who often have meals at home. |
D.Those who often walk to school. |
The author thinks that children are becoming overweight because________.
A.their parents often cook meals for them |
B.they are too busy to go out and play |
C.they can' t choose what to eat |
D.there are too many fast food shops around |
The word "steering" underlined in the last sentence most probably means _______.
A.forcing | B.guiding |
C.driving | D.moving |
The main purpose of the text is to _________.
A.tell a story | B.provide facts |
C.give advice | D.compare opinions |
Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?
The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils.
People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies' reactions toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomach aches.
Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites(食欲). Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.
Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.
The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully.Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their .
A.cultural values |
B.commercial purposes |
C.personal experiences |
D.physical reactions to the color |
Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?
A.To relax people physically. |
B.To increase people’s appetites. |
C.To encourage people to make a purchase. |
D.To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise. |
What color might help lose weight according to the text?
Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?
A.Colors and Human Beings |
B.The Cultural Meaning of Color |
C.Colors and Personal Experiences |
D.The Meaning and Function of Color |
A businessman walks into a bank in San Francisco and asks for the loan officer. He says he is going to Europe on business for two weeks and needs to borrow $5,000.The bank officer says the bank will need some kind of security for such a loan. So the businessman hands over the keys to a Rolls Royce parking on the street in front of the bank. Everything checks out, and the bank agrees to accept the car as collateral for the loan. An employee drives the Rolls into the bank’s underground garage and parks it there.
Two weeks later, the businessman returns, and repays the $5,000 and the interest, which comes to $15.41.
The loan officer says, “We are very happy to have had your business, and this transaction has worked out very nicely, but we are a little puzzled. While you were away, we checked you out and found that you are a multimillionaire. What puzzles us is why would you bother to borrow $5,000?”
Laughing, the businessman replies, “Where else in San Francisco can I park my car for two weeks for $15?”The businessman walks into the bank with the true purpose of _________.
A.borrowing $5,000 |
B.meeting the loan officer |
C.finding a place to park his car |
D.showing how rich he is |
The loan officer is puzzled because _________.
A.he never thought he could meet a multimillionaire in his bank |
B.he thinks the businessman is crazy to leave his car in the bank |
C.he never thought the businessman could drive a Rolls Royce |
D.he thinks $5,000 is so small a sum of money to the businessman |
The underlined word “collateral” in Paragraph 1 most probably means “_________”.
A.security | B.payment |
C.reward | D.deal |
Which of the following words can best describe the businessman according to the story?
A.Honest. | B.Clever. | C.Rich. | D.Kind. |