Sure, human dads can play catch and help with homework, but can they give birth? Daddy sea horses can! This Father’s Day, while you’re showing respect to your dad, remember some of the best dads in the world can also be found in the animal kingdom.
Sea Horses: The "Mr. Moms" of the marine world, male sea horses, carry up to 2,000 fertilized eggs in pouches in their stomachs until they hatch. Even after the babies are born, they stay inside the pouch until they are ready to venture out on their own.
Microhylid Frogs: Buy these dads a "Baby on Board" sign to put on their backs! These froggy fathers from New Guinea play piggyback once their babies hatch from their eggs. One by one, the dad lets as many as 24 froglets climb onto his back for a family road trip. He hops about 50 feet each night, and one by one, his kids jump off along the way to begin new lives of their own.
Darwin's Rheas: Thought your dad was overprotective? Darwin's rhea, also known as South American ostriches(鸵鸟), are so protective of their children that they routinely rush cowboys on horseback and have even been known to attack small airplanes on the ground if they get too close to their brood!
Marmosets: These little monkeys do everything but Lamaze class(心理助产课)! Dedicated dads assist during labor by biting off the umbilical cord(脐带)and cleaning up the afterbirth. They also let Mom get some R&R(rest & recreation)by taking care of the kids when they're not nursing. Sand Grouse: Talk about sponging off Dad! These pigeon-like birds live in areas where water is sparse, so fathers fly as many as 50 miles to get water for their kids. After they soak up the water in their breast feathers, they fly home and let their chicks suckle the moisture from their bodies.
Fathers of the animal kingdom are not that different from our own beloved dads. This Father's Day, when you are honoring your dad, honor animal dads, too, by practicing kindness and compassion toward all animals.
1.The passage is mainly written to __________.
A.introduce to us some unusual animals
B.distinguish between human and animal dads
C.raise our awareness of animal protection
D.praise animal dads for their sacrifices
2.Among these animal dads, which have the ability to fly?
A.Microhylid Frogs. B.Sea Horses C.Darwin’s Rheas. D.Sand Grouses.
3.What these animals have in common is that_____________.
A.they carry their young to wherever they please
B.they’re all devoted to their children
C.they’re overprotective of their children
D.they help their wives clean up the afterbirth
4.When Microhylid Frogs play piggyback, they___________.
A.let their kids ride on their back
B.attack cowboys with their back
C.carry their babies inside a pouch
D.help their wife during the labor
For years Tom Anderson’s life was withered up(枯萎) by the memory of his part in a fraternity(友爱,互助会) adventure that resulted in the death of one of his classmates. He and his wife separated after six years of marriage. Then the news about Tom changed. His wife Betty came back; he earned a fine position. One day he told me what had changed his life. “I used to think, ‘Nothing can undo what I have done.’ The thought of my guilt would stop me in the middle of a smile or a handshake. It put a wall between my wife and me.”
“Then I had an unexpected visit from the person I was most afraid to see — the mother of the college classmate who died. ‘Years ago’, she said, ‘I found it in my heart, through prayer, to forgive you. Betty forgave you. So did your friends and employers.’ She paused, and then said seriously, ‘You are the one person who hasn’t forgiven Tom Anderson. Who do you think you are to stand out against the people of this town and the Lord Almighty?’ I looked into her eyes and found there a kind of permission to be the person I might have been if her boy had lived. For the first time in my adult life I felt worthy to love and be loved.”
It is only through forgiveness of our mistakes that we gain the freedom to learn from experience. But forgiving our shortcomings doesn’t mean denying that they exist. On the contrary, it means facing them honestly, realistically.
Can a person be all-forgiving and still be human? A scientist I know spent four years as a slave laborer in Germany. His parents were killed by Nazi street bullies; his younger sister and older brother were sent to the gas chambers. This is a man who has every reason to hate. Yet he is filled with a love of life that he conveys to everyone who knows him. He explained it to me the other day: “In the beginning I was filled with hatred. Then I realized that in hating I had become my own enemy. Unless you forgive, you cannot love. And without love, life has no meaning.” Forgiveness is truly the saving grace.
67. Tom Anderson and his wife separated after six years of marriage probably because ______.
A. he had killed one of his classmates
B. he had cared more for his adventure than for his wife
C. his wife looked down upon his poor position
D. his life had been made in a great mess by his deep guilt
68. The key reason for which Tom’s life changed back to normal may be that ______.
A. his wife Betty came back to him
B. the mother of his college classmate asked Betty to forgive him for his guilt
C. he eventually learned to face his guilt honestly, realistically and forgave himself
D. he earned a fine position and finally made a lot of money
69. The underlined part in the second paragraph means that ______.
A. the mother of my college classmate permitted me to be a real person
B. even my college classmate would permit me to be what I used to be
C. I wouldn’t be a person unless my college classmate permitted me to
D. I might have been a successful person if my college classmate had lived
70. The best title for this passage could be ______.
A. Forgiveness: the saving grace B. Hatred: unrealistic way of living
C. Love: a meaningful worthy life D. Guilt: unforgivable mistake
A Low-Carbon Economy (LCE) or Low-Fossil-Fuel Economy (LFFE) is an economy which has a smallest output of greenhouse gas (GHG) release into the atmosphere, but specifically refers to the greenhouse gas CO2. Recently, most of scientific and public opinion has come to the conclusion that there is such an accumulation of GHG (especially CO2) in the atmosphere due to human-related activities that the climate is changing. The over-concentration of these gases is producing global warming that affects long-term climate, with negative impacts on humanity in the foreseeable future. Globally performed LCEs therefore, are proposed as a means to avoid catastrophic climate change, and as a forerunner to the more advanced, zero-carbon society and renewable-energy economy.
Some nations are low-carbon societies which are not heavily industrialized or populated. In order to avoid climate change at any point in the future, all nations considered carbon-thick societies and societies which are heavily populated, should become zero-carbon societies and economies. Several of these countries have promised to become ‘low carbon’ but not entirely zero carbon, and claim that release will be cut by 100% by offsetting release rather than stopping all release. In other words, some release will continue which will be offset, so they are not low-release.
Nations seek to become low-carbon economies as part of a national global warming reduction strategy. A comprehensive strategy to manage global warming is carbon neutrality, geoengineering and adaptation to global warming.
Nuclear power, or, the proposed strategies of carbon collection and storage (CCS) have been proposed as the primary means to achieve a LCE while continuing to exploit non-renewable resources; there is concern, however, with the matter of spent-nuclear-fuel storage, security and the uncertainty of costs and time needed to successfully carry out CCS worldwide and with guarantees that the stored release will not leak into the atmosphere. Alternatively, many have proposed renewable energy should be the main basis of a LCE, but, they have their associated problems of high-cost and inefficiency; this is changing, however, since investment and production have been growing significantly in recent times. Furthermore, regardless of the effect to the atmosphere by GHG releases, the growing issue of peak oil may also be reason enough for a change to a LCE.
63. Low-carbon economy is encouraged for the following reasons except that ______.
A. too much greenhouse gas CO2 is released
B. the over-concentration of greenhouse gases is producing global warming
C. it can avoid catastrophic climate change
D. low carbon and zero carbon nations and societies claim for it
64. The underlined word in the first paragraph probably means ______.
A. warning B. pioneer C. symbol D. guide
65. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. Nuclear power could act as one of the primary means to achieve a LCE.
B. There’s worry about spent-nuclear-fuel storage, security and the uncertainty of costs.
C. The stored release will be likely to leak into the atmosphere.
D. Renewable energy tends to become the only means to achieve a LCE.
66. From the last paragraph, we can infer that the writer’s attitude toward the proposal of adapting renewable energy is ______.
A. negative B. positive C. self-confident D. doubtful
Here’s an idyllic(田园风光的) scene: a small village where the sun always shines, crops always grow and your friends drop by to sweep your yard to the sound of guitar music. Animals do what they are told, there is no disease, and lending folks a helping hand makes you richer and wiser. Welcome to FarmVille — current population 69m and rising fast.
“It reminds me of my childhood,” says one player, Lia Curran, 37, a chemist from London. “Right now I’m growing wheat and poinsettia, I’ve got a small orchard, and I’m keeping some chickens and some cows. I like having the animals. It’s comfortable.”
Curran’s young animals, however, are nothing more than a collection of computer-controlled cartoons. FarmVille is an online computer game built into the social networking site Facebook and is described by its players as “addictive”. Launched last June by Zynga Game Network, FarmVille now has more players than Twiter’s entire user base — or more than the population of the UK. The players are largely women over the age of 35.
Jenny Glyn, 33, a London housewife, started playing in September. “I had a look at a friend’s farm and was hooked,” she says. “My first motivation was to overtake her, but I did that pretty quickly. Now there’s something satisfying about growing crops.”
FarmVille intellectually unites the worlds of social networking and gaming. Players are given a patch of ground with six fields, “cash”, a few seeds and a plough and have to build up wealth, skills and neighbors to create bigger, better, richer farms.
Inviting your online friends to play means you earn more and get free gifts; you rise rapidly through the first levels but, once hooked, have to work harder and harder with no final level or goal in sight.
“It’s very moreish,” says Curran. She hasn’t yet paid real-world money to advance in the game, but her friends do. One buys extra virtual currency at the exchange rate of $240 (£145) in FarmVille for $40 (£24) in the real world.
“I’d expanded on FarmVille as much as I could, but I just wanted a pond and some bushes and trees around it,” says the woman, who is too embarrassed to be named. “I didn’t tell my husband I’d paid real money because he’d think I’m mad. But then he did keep me waiting in the car outside our house while he harvested his raspberries.”
Brian Dudley, chief executive at Broadway Lodge, an addiction treatment centre, warns that this sort of obsessive(令人着魔的) play can lead to an addiction as severe as gambling.
59. What does Curran do in the passage?
A. She is a player. B. She is a farmer who grows wheat and poinsettia.
C. She is a chemist. D. She is a housewife who raises chickens and cows.
60. By FarmVille, the writer means ______.
A. an addictive farm on which live 69 million farmers
B. a London housewife’s farm
C. an online computer game built into the social networking site
D. a farm on which people grow real crops and play as well
61. In the last but one paragraph, the husband kept the woman waiting outside ______.
A. because he was angry at his wife’s being mad about the farm
B. because he himself was busy with his farm
C. in order to punish his wife for her having paid real money
D. so that his wife would wake up from her addiction to the farm
62. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. The population of the UK is less than 69 million.
B. This sort of obsessive play can cause very severe addiction.
C. Once hooked, one has to make greater efforts to reach a higher level.
D. Up till now, nobody has yet paid real-world money to advance in the play.
Arrive Early
Plan your trip so that you’re at the venue(place) well before the scheduled start of the event. Gates open one to two hours before the start of competition at city and Whistler venues. Gates open four hours prior to the start of the Opening Ceremony, three hours prior to the start of the Closing Ceremony and two hours prior to the start of the Victory Ceremonies.
Travelling To Venues
In Metro Vancouver, public transit is the best way to go. If you’re heading to Whistler, options include commercial motorcoach and rideshare/carpool. Parking for spectators is at the Whistler Paralympic Park spectator(person who watches) parking lots.
Dress Appropriately
Dress for cold and wet weather — warmly, in layers and in waterproof clothing. Remember to wear suitable footwear as you may have to walk on uneven, snowy or icy surfaces.
Have Your Tickets Ready
Be sure to have your tickets with you as you must have a valid ticket to enter a venue. Treat your tickets like cash; lost or stolen tickets will not be replaced or refunded.
Prepare For The Security Screening
Avoid taking large bags to the venues. If you are unsure of what you can and cannot bring with you, check the prohibited and restricted items list.
Your Payment Options
Visa cards and cash are the only methods of payment accepted at Paralympic venues.
Accessibility
All venues have been reviewed for accessibility. If you have a specific need, see the nearest staff member for assistance.
Be Informed
At the venue, look for way-finding signage (招牌), listen to announcements and read the message boards — this will provide you with the information you need to make the most of your experience. Is there still something you need to know? Don’t hesitate to visit our information booths located at each venue.
56. This passage is most probably written ______.
A. to attract more and more spectators B. for spectators to know clearly about dos and don'ts
C. to remind players what to do D. for spectators to get to the venues more conveniently
57. If you go to watch the games, you’d better not ______.
A. take a bus B. wear warm and waterproof clothes
C. take large bags to the venue D. use your visa cards or cash for the payment
58. Spectators must enter a venue ______.
A. with valid tickets B. with visa cards
C. with refunded tickets D. with cash
Force other than damaging winds are also at work inside tornadoes. Sometimes, as the turning, jumping funnel(漏斗) passes over a house, the walls and ceiling burst apart as if a bomb had gone off inside. This explosion(爆炸) is caused by the low air pressure at the center of a tornado.
The pressure at the center of a tornado is usually 13 pounds per square inch. However, inside the house the air pressure is normal, about 15 pounds per square inch. The difference of 2 pounds per square inch between the inside and outside pressure may not seem like much. But suppose a tornado funnel passes over a small building that measures 20 by 10 by 10 feet. On each square inch of the building, there is 2 pounds of pressure from the inside that is not balanced by air pressure outside the building. On the ceiling, that adds up to an unbalanced pressure of 57,600 pounds. The pressure on the four walls adds up to 172,800 pounds.
If windows are open in the building, some of the inside air will rush out through them. This will balance the pressure inside and outside the building. But if the windows are shut tightly, the great inside pressure may cause the building to burst.
Unfortunately, heavy rain happens in thunderstorms that later produce tornadoes. So, people often shut all windows to protect their property. This may cause far worse damage later.
63. Which of the following is the main topic of the passage?
A. Where tornadoes are formed. B. When tornadoes usually occur.
C. How tornadoes can be prevented. D. Why tornadoes cause so much damage.
64. According to the passage, tornadoes can destroy building because the _____.
A. force of a tornado increases the air pressure in a building
B. air pressure at the center of a tornado is over 172,000 pounds
C. weight of a tornado can crush a building’s roof when it passes overhead
D. air pressure inside a tornado is less than the air pressure inside a building
65. According to the passage, the pressure on a building during a tornado can be reduced by _____.
A. closing the windows B. opening the windows
C. using an electric fan D. making the roof and walls stronger