Everyone makes mistakes in life, but for whales and dolphins, the “mistake” of landing on the shore costs the highest price---their lives.
People living along the coast of Australia and New Zealand have been shocked and saddened by the number of whales and dolphins that they have found on their beaches recently. Since November 28th, 96 whales and dolphins have died in Australia and 53 whales died in New Zealand. Although 20 whales were saved, some of these were not expected to live, as they were too weak to swim with the others back to sea.
Bob Brown, leader of Australia’s Green party, said the mass beaching was caused by the recent “sound bombing” of the ocean floor between the two countries. This is a method of testing for oil and gas reserves (储藏量).
But mass beaching of whales has long puzzled scientists. Typically most members of the stranded (搁浅) group will appear to be perfectly healthy. “Some researchers believe that close relationship within the group causes the problem, if one gets into trouble, the others will not leave” said Shery Gibney, a leading biologist in New Zealand. “Some will come in and try and assist it; if they get trapped on the beach, then more will come.”
Another common theory is that the whales’ navigation (导航) system are thought to break down in some way. It has been said that whales follow electromagnetic (电磁的) patterns in the sea-bed. The whales can get confused because these patterns sometimes change. That would be a bit like a new roundabout (环状交叉路) being built on a road you were used to driving on. You might be confused for a minute when you come to it for the first time, and you might even take a wrong turning before getting back on your route.
A different idea is that when whales chase fish for food they end up in shallow waters because 
they are not paying attention to where they are going.
And yet, from time to time a group will swim on purpose into shallow waters and end up on the beach, where they die. If returned to the sea, some whales often show great determination in restraining themselves.
67. ________ whales and dolphins would probably die in this mass beaching along the coast of Australia and New Zealand.
A. Less than 100 B. Less than 150 C. More than 150 D. 149
68. Which of the following can be used to explain the term “sound bombing”?
A. The terrible sound that is caused in the war between two countries.
B. Human activities that aim to explore the ocean floor.
C. The loud sound that whales and dolphins make.
D. The earthquakes that happen on the ocean floor.
69. Which of the following couldn’t probably lead to the mass beaching of whales?
A. A change in the electromagnetic patterns t
hat whales follow.
B. New roundabout being built on a road.
C.
Their full attention to the search for food.
D. Exploiting natural resources in oceans.
70. The passage is mainly about _______.
A. that whales and dolphins may make mistakes as well as human beings
B. how scientists have found the reasons for the mass beaching of whales
C. how human beings make use of the ocean resources
D. why the mass beaching of whales happens
Boys need friends, suffer when they don't believe they have any, and worry over the ups and downs of relationships. Many adults believe that somehow boys need friends less than girls do, in truth, though, no boy is an island; boys value their friends throughout childhood and adolescence and are happier and healthier when they have solid relationships with peers(同龄人)．
Despite the common belief that girls are better at relationships, most boys consider their friends a very important part of their lives, and boys may actually be better at keeping friendships than girls are. A recent study of 10 to 15yearold boys and girls found that girls' friendships are actually more fragile. Girls tend to say and do hurtful things to each other more frequently than boys, and girls are more hurt by the end of a friendship.
Boys are the living definition of the phrase “peer group”； they love games with rules, competition, and doing things together. Boys seem to enjoy, even need the opportunity to test themselves against others, and many lasting friendships begin in karate(空手道) class or on the basketball court. Competence and skill are widely respected; being picked last for a team or left out altogether is an experience that can haunt(萦绕心头) a boy for years.
As boys mature（成熟）, the friendship becomes even more important, and it frequently widens to include girls. During the teen years, friends can become the most important part of a boy's life—and a part in which his parents are not included. The confusion of being a teenager leads boys to form close bonds（关系） with friends. There is the sense for many boys that a friend is someone who is “always there for me”， someone he can trust. They may be partners in crime or partners in study, but the friendship of adolescent boys can run surprisingly deep.The common belief of adults is that boys________.
| A．don't care about others as much as girls |
| B．don't value friendship as much as girls |
| C．have the same friendship as girls |
| D．have healthier friendship than girls |
According to the text, boys' friendship________.
| A．is usually built around active play |
| B．tends to be in small groups |
| C．can bear mutual hurt between friends |
| D．doesn't suffer from failure |
The author mentions the study in the second paragraph to prove ________.
| A．many people believe girls are better at relationships |
| B．most boys consider their friends very important |
| C．boys may be better at keeping friendships than girls |
| D．boys may be more active in a friendship |
As a boy gets older, he tends to________.
| A．widen his circle of friends to include different kinds of people |
| B．shift his focus from his friends to himself |
| C．leave his parents out of his friendship |
| D．be confused about what a friendship is |
What's the best title for the text?
| A．Friendships between Boys and Girls |
| B．Boys and Their Friendship |
| C．Childhood and Adolescent Friendship |
| D．Tips on Making Friends with Boys |
Today, people all over the world are moving out of small villages in the country to go and live in big, noisy cities. They are moving from the peaceful hills, mountains, fields, rivers and streams of the countryside to the busy world of streets, buildings, traffic and crowds. This movement from rural areas to urban areas has been going on for over two hundred years.
In many countries, the main reason people come to live in towns and cities is work. After one or two large factories have been built in or near a town, people come to find work, and soon an industrial area begins to grow. There is usually a residential area nearby, too. The families of these workers need schools, hospitals and shops, so many people come to live in the area to provide these services and a city grows.
In every major city in the world, there is a business district where the big companies have their main offices. In the United States, this area is usually in the city center downtown. It is here that you can see many huge skyscrapers and office blocks. The people who work here often travel a long way to work each day. Many of them live in the suburbs of the city, far away from the industrial area and the city center. Some suburbs are very pleasant, with nice houses and big gardens. There are usually parks for children to play in and large department stores where you can buy all you need.
But what is the future of the big cities? Will they continue to get bigger and bigger? Perhaps not. Some major cities have actually become smaller in the last ten years, and it is quite possible that one day we will see people moving out of the major cities and back into smaller towns and villages.The underlined phrase “a residential area” means an area________.
| A．where people can buy things |
| B．which is suitable for living in |
| C．where people can do business |
| D．which is near a city center |
Why do people move to live in cities or towns?
| A．Because they like noisy life better than peaceful life. |
| B．Because they can live more comfortably there. |
| C．Because they mainly want to find work there. |
| D．Because they are sure of having a better life there. |
Which of the following statement is NOT true about the business district?
| A．Big companies usually have their main offices in the business district. |
| B．A business district usually lies in the city center downtown. |
| C．People usually work and live in the business district. |
| D．Nearly every major city has its own business district. |
In the United States, many people work in the center of a big city________.
| A．and live there |
| B．but live in the suburbs of the city |
| C．and live in another city |
| D．but live in rural areas |
We can infer that this movement from rural to urban areas ________.
| A．has been going on for more than 2,000 years |
| B．will surely continue in the future |
| C．may not continue in the future |
| D．has now stopped already |
BEIJING — China’s education authority will tighten the widely criticized policy of “extra credits” for the national college entrance examination to ensure a fairer chance for all exam-takers.
Under the policy, high school students who win awards in national Olympic competitions could get ‘‘extra credits’ up to 20 points for the national college entrance exam. Students with talent in sports and students who are from ethnic groups can also benefit from this policy. The extra credits have increased these students’ chances of being admitted by famous universities. Some parents were found to have helped their children fabricate(伪造)award experiences or falsify qualifications to get extra credits.
“It has harmed education equality，” the ministry said.
Xiong Bingqi, vice-chief of the 21st Century Education Research Institute, said the policy is designed to help students who have special talents but may be weak in academic performance to have a chance to receive higher education. uIt will still be needed but it is time to make the rules fairer," he said.
The ministry said it will reduce the range of competitions whose winners can get extra credits, and limit the winners, privileges(优先权).
The new policy will apply to students who begin high school in 2011, it said.
Chen Lei, a mother of a 10-year-old girl, said she welcomed the ministry's policy adjustment as she does not want her daughter to become an Olympic competition geek.
But not all the Chinese parents welcomed the new policy. “It is like a thunderbolt for me. My - 13-year-old son has spent so much time studying Olympic math，and participated in so many technological competitions during vacations. It is useless now,” said Dong Wen, a 43-year-old mother.
A student said, “Many students have changed the current study plan, and they can abandon the competition. I will be interested in learning the courses which can improve my abilities.”
Yuan Guiren, minister of education, told China Daily that the reform is an attempt to consider the overall quality of an applicant. “But the country will not stop the national college entrance examination as it is still the most objective way to evaluate talent in China，” lie said.It can be inferred from the passage that_____.
| A．high school students with talent in sports are weak in academic performance |
| B．students who win awards in Olympic competitions can’t get extra credits in 2011 |
| C．the number of competitions whose winners can get extra credits will be smaller |
| D．the extra credits have reduced students' chances of being admitted by famous colleges |
What does the underlined word “geek” probably mean?
| A．a winner | B．a smart learner | C．a competitor | D．a dull student |
Which person in the passage was strongly against the new policy?
| A．Xiong Bingqi | B．Chen Lei | C．Dong Wen | D．Yuan Guiren |
What might be the best title for the text?
| A．“Extra credits policy in China to be adjusted |
| B．Promotion of national Olympic competitions |
| C．Advice on the national college entrance exam |
| D．Chinese government to push education reform |
The koala(考拉) is possibly one of the best known Australian animals, and is found in four states: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The word “koala” comes from an Australian aboriginal word meaning “no drink”.
Sometimes people call them “koala bears” but koala is not a bear. It belongs to a special group of Australian mammals, called marsupial(有袋类). Female marsupials have a pouch where the baby animals live after they are born.
Koalas have soft, thick, grey or brown fur on their backs. The fur on the stomach is white. Koala that live in the south have thicker fur than those in the north because of the cold winters, whereas the koalas in the northern part of the country live in warm to hot weather most of the year so have thinner fur. A koala has a large hairless nose and round ears. Koalas don’t have tails. Adult koalas measure between 7 and 14 kilograms.
Koalas spend nearly all their time in the trees using their sharp, curved claws and long toes to climb about and to hold on to the tree branches. They sleep most of the day, and feed and move from tree to tree mainly at night.
The reason koala sleep for much of the day is because their food eucalyptus(桉树) leaves are very tough so they use a lot of energy to digest. Sleeping saves energy. Eucalyptus leaves are poisonous to almost every other animal. Koalas rarely drink water; they get water from the leaves they eat.
Each koala has a home range made up of several trees that they visit regularly. They normally do not visit another koala’s home trees except that a male is looking for a female to mate with.Which of the following statements is NOT true about the name “koala bear”?
| A．The name was given by the native in Australia |
| B．The word “koala” is an original English word |
| C．The name describes one of its living habits |
| D．The name is partly false |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “punch”？
| A．House | B．Cave | C．Pocket | D．Nest |
Why do the koalas live in the south have thicker fur than those in the north?
| A．The thicker fur can protect them from the colder weather |
| B．It’s always hot in summer in the north |
| C．It’s always cold in the winter in the south |
| D．They have to move to the north in the winter |
Why do koalas sleep much in the day?
| A．Their foods are poisonous |
| B．They want to save energy for the activities at night |
| C．They can’t get enough energy from their tough foods |
| D．They can’t get enough water from their leaves |
Now, there is a growing movement to pay the students in American schools---in some cases, even just for coming to class.
Students at one school in New Mexico can earn up to three hundred dollars a year for good attendance. In Baltimore, Maryland, high scores in state graduation tests can be worth more than one hundred dollars. And a New Jersey school system plans to pay students fifty dollars a week to attend after---school tutoring programs.
Schools that pay students can be found in more than one---fourth of the fifty states. Other schools pay students with food or other rewards.
Robert Schaefer is a public education director. He says paying students may improve performance in the short term, but students develop false expectations for the future. He sees a lack of long term planning in these programs because of the pressure on schools to raise test scores.
Public schools need to show improvement under the education reform law. Low---performing schools may lose their federal money; teachers and administrators(行政人员) may lose their jobs. Often these schools are in poor neighborhoods where getting students to go to school can be a continual problem.
Critics(评论家) say paying students sends a message that money is the only valuable reward. But some students say it makes school more exciting. And some teachers have reported getting more requests for extra help.
In two thousand four, the city schools in Coshocton, Ohio, launched a program. They wanted to see if paying elementary school students as much as one hundred dollars would help in passing the state exams.
Now, Eric Bettinger of Case Western Reserve University (EUCWRU) has reported mixed results. Math scores increased, but only white students were able to get paid. And there was no evidence of higher scores in reading, social studies and science. Official will decide later this year whether to continue the program.Paying students who show improvement in tests __________.
| A．has been done in most American schools |
| B．is becoming a growing practice in the USA |
| C．is not very popular with teachers |
| D．only aims at high scores at school |
According to the text, Robert Schaefer _____________.
| A．is a very excellent teacher |
| B．thinks highly of paying students |
| C．thinks students will show improvement in study in the future |
| D．thinks people should make a careful plan for the paying program |
From the last paragraph we can see __________.
| A．EBCWRU has got great success in its paying program |
| B．not all the students in EUCWRU have made progress in all subjects |
| C．only students who study math can get paid |
| D．EBCWRU will go on with the paying program |
The text is mainly written to _____________.
| A．persuade teachers to give students more prizes |
| B．tell people how to become an excellent student |
| C．introduce something about American paying students program |
| D．explain the advantages of American paying students program |