The Peppered Moth, a kind of insect, is found in England. It is light brown in color and likes to settle on trees which are also light brown. This makes the moth difficult to be seen and birds are less likely to notice and eat it.
But with the development of industry, smoke from factories began to reach the trees where the moth settled. It made the trees blacker. Then something very strange took place: in industrial areas, the Peppered Moth began to change color. It became darker as well. Although the change took several years, some scientists soon noticed that newly-born moths were a little darker than usual.
A scientist called Kettle Well decided to make a careful study of this. He marked some of the light moths and some of the darker ones, and set them free in the woods near Birmingham, an industrial city. Later he retarget as many the marked moths as possible ( The result was given in the chart ).
Kettle Well’s research was done in the early 1950s. Soon afterwards Britain introduced new laws to reduce smoke and factory pollution.
Can you imagine what would happen to the Peppered Moth as the air became cleaner again?
|
light moths |
darker moths |
Moths set free |
201 |
601 |
Moths recaught |
34 ( 16%) |
206 ( 34%) |
1. The trees where the Peppered Moth settled changed their color because _____________________________.
A. the Peppered Moth changed its color
B. the Peppered Moth couldn’t be easily found on them
C. industry in England developed quickly
D. the smoke from factories polluted them
2. The Peppered Moth began to change its color in industrial areas because _____________________________.
A. it changed its color all the time
B. it was fond of the color of its living place
C. it had to protect itself by doing so
D. it was a special sort of insect
3. From the results of Kettle Well’s research, we can see that _________________.
A. many more of the light moths were killed or eaten
B. more than one-fifth of the light moths escaped being killed
C. three times as many dark moths were kept safe as light ones
D. more dark moths were killed in industrial areas
4. Kettle Well’s work gives us a good example of _________________________.
A. Air Pollution B. Choice of Color C. Laws of Nature D. Changing Insects
5. As the air became cleaner, _________________________.
A. the number of the light moths increased
B. the total number of the light moths remained unchanged
C. more of the darker moths would be recaught
D. the darker moths changed into the light ones before long
Teens don’t understand the big fuss(小题大做).As the first generation to grow up in a wired world,they hardly know a time when computers weren’t around,and they eagerly catch the chance to spend hours online,chatting with friends.So what?
But researchers nationwide are increasingly worried that teens are becoming isolated(孤寂),less skillful at person-to-person relationships,and perhaps numb(麻木) to the cheatings that are so much a part of the e-mail world.“And a teen’s sense of self and values may be changed in a world where personal connections can be limitless,”said Sherry Turkle.
Another researcher,Robert Kraut,said he’s worried about the “opportunity costs”(机会成本) of so much online time for youths.He found that teens who used computers,even just a few hours a week,showed increased signs of loneliness and social isolation.“Chatting online may be better than watching television,but it’s worse than hanging out(闲逛) with real friends,”he said.
Today’s teens,however,don’t see anything strange in the fact that the computer takes up a central place in their social lives.“School is busy and full of pressure.There’s almost no time to just hang out,”said Parker Rice,17.“Talking online is just catch-up time.”
Teens say they feel good about what they say online or taking the time to think about a reply.Some teens admit that asking someone for a date,or breaking up,can be easier in message form,though they don’t want to do so.But they insist there’s no harm.The researchers argue that______.
A.teens may develop a different sense of values |
B.nothing is wrong with teens’ chatting online |
C.teens can manage their social connections |
D.spending hours online does much good to teens |
Teens think that talking online can help them______.
A.use computers properly |
B.improve their school work |
C.develop an interest in social skills |
D.reduce their mental pressures |
The text mainly deals with______.
A.teens’ pleasant online experience |
B.teens’ computer skills and school work |
C.the effects of the computer world on teens |
D.different opinions on teens’ chatting online |
The purpose of the text is to______.
A.describe computer research results |
B.draw attention to teens’ computer habits |
C.suggest ways to deal with problem teens |
D.discuss problems teens have at school |
When former American President Bill Clinton travelled to South Korea to visit President Kim Young Sam,he repeatedly referred to the Korean president’s wife as Mrs.Kim.By mistake, President Clinton’s advisers thought that Koreans have the same naming customs as the Japanese. Clinton had not been told that,in Korea,wives keep their family names.President Kim Young Sam’s wife was named Sohn Myong Suk.Therefore,she should be addressed(称谓) as Mrs.Sohn.
President Clinton arrived in Korea directly after leaving Japan and had not changed his culture gears.His failure to follow Korean customs gave the impression that Korea was not as important to him as Japan.
In addition to Koreans,some Asian husbands and wives do not share the same family names.This practice often puzzles(使困惑) English-speaking teachers when talking with a pupil’s parents.They become puzzled about the student’s correct last name.Placing the family name first is common among a number of Asian cultures.
Mexican naming customs are different as well.When a woman marries,she keeps her family name and adds her husband’s name after the word de(of).This affects(影响) how they fill in forms in the United States.When requested to fill in a middle name,they generally write the father’s family name.But Mexicans are addressed by the family name of the mother.This often causes puzzlement.
Here are a few ways to deal with such difficult situations:don’t always think that a married woman uses her husband’s last name.Remember that in many Asian cultures,the order of first and last names is reversed(颠倒).Ask which name a person would prefer to use.If the name is difficult to pronounce,admit it,and ask the person to help you say it correctly.The story of Bill Clinton is used to______.
A.improve US-Korean relations |
B.introduce the topic of the text |
C.describe his visit to Korea |
D.tell us how to address a person |
The word “gears” in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to______.
A.action plans | B.naming customs |
C.travel maps | D.thinking patterns |
When a woman marries in Korea,she______.
A.continues to use her family name |
B.uses her husband’s given name |
C.shares her husband’s family name |
D.adds her husband’s given name to hers |
To address a married woman properly,you’d better______.
A.use her middle name |
B.use her husband’s first name |
C.ask her which name she likes |
D.change the order of her names |
When people want to know about the weather,they usually go to their radios,TVs, newspapers,or to the Internet.However,you can also find many weather signs among wildlife, because of their highly developed senses.Drops in air pressure(压力) produce an effect on small animals in many ways.Mice and deer are good weather indicators.People who spend a lot of time outdoors have observed that,before a storm,field mice come out of their holes and run around.Deer leave high ground and come down from the mountains.
Birds are especially good weather indicators because they also show the effect of a pressure drop in many ways.For example,some birds become irritable(急躁的) and quarrelsome and will fight over a piece of bread.Other birds chirp(叽叽喳喳) and sing just before a storm.It seems they know they won’t get another chance for an hour or two.Birds also seek safe places before a storm.You will sometimes see birds settling in trees or gathering together on a wire close to a building.Pre-storm low pressure makes the air so thin that birds have difficulty flying.
It is unusual to see many birds flying overhead in the summertime,rather than during the periods in the spring or autumn.Watch for other weather signs if you see this.If they fly in the wrong direction,they may be flying ahead of a storm.
By paying closer attention to some important signs in nature,we can become better prepared for any kind of weather.The word “indicators” in Paragraph 1 probably means______.
A.maps | B.services |
C.signs | D.stations |
There will be a storm if birds______.
A.make more noise than usual |
B.fly in different directions |
C.come down from tall trees |
D.share a piece of bread |
How can birds sense the coming of a storm?
A.By feeling a drop in air temperature. |
B.By noticing the change of wind directions. |
C.By feeling a drop in air pressure. |
D.By noticing the movements of other animals. |
The best title for the text would be______.
A.Signs of a Storm |
B.Drops in Air Pressure |
C.Animals’ Sharp Senses |
D.Nature’s Weather Signs |
Louis Armstrong had two famous nicknames(绰号).Some people called him Bagamo.They said his mouth looked like a large bag.Musicians often called him Pops,as a sign of respect for his influence(影响) on the world of music.
Born in 1901 in New Orleans,he grew up poor,but lived among great musicians.Jazz was invented in the city a few years before his birth.Armstrong often said,“Jazz and I grew up together.”
Armstrong showed a great talent(天赋) for music when he was taught to play the cornet(短号) at a boy’s home.In his late teens,Armstrong began to live the life of a musician.He played in parades,clubs,and on the steamboats that travelled on the Mississippi River.At that time,New Orleans was famous for the new music of jazz and was home to many great musicians.Armstrong learned from the older musicians and soon became respected as their equal.
In 1922 he went to Chicago.There,the tale of Louis Armstrong begins.From then until the end of his life,Armstrong was celebrated and loved wherever he went.Armstrong had no equal when it came to playing the American popular song.
His cornet playing had a deep humanity(仁爱) and warmth that caused many listeners to say,“Listening to Pops just makes you feel good all over.”He was the father of the jazz style(风格) and also one of the best-known and most-admired people in the world.His death,on July 6,1971,was headline news around the world.Armstrong was called Pops because he______.
A.looked like a musician |
B.was a musician of much influence |
C.showed an interest in music |
D.travelled to play modern music |
The third paragraph is developed______.
A.by space | B.by examples |
C.by time | D.by comparison |
Which statement about Armstrong is true?
A.His tale begins in New Orleans. |
B.He was born before jazz was invented. |
C.His music was popular with his listeners. |
D.He learned popular music at a boy’s home. |
Which would be the best title for the text?
A.The Invention of the Jazz Music |
B.The Father of the Jazz Style |
C.The Making of a Musician |
D.The Spread of Popular Music |
The literal meaning of philosophy is “love of wisdom”.But this meaning does not tell us very much.Unlike the other disciplines(学科),philosophy cannot be defined by what you study,because it is actually unlimited.Anything can be the subject matter of philosophy: art, history, law,language,literature,mathematics,medicine,psychology,religion,science,and values.Philosophy is one of the world’s oldest subjects of study,and in fact,the other academic disciplines are directly related to philosophy.For this reason you get a Doctorate(博士学位) of Philosophy(Ph.D.) in biochemistry,or computer science,or psychology.
Two broad sub-fields of philosophy are logic and the history of philosophy.Logic is the science of argument and critical thinking.It provides sound methods for distinguishing good from bad reasoning.The history of philosophy involves the study of major philosophers and period in development of philosophy.
Of what use is philosophy?First it is useful in educational advancement.It is necessary for understanding other disciplines.Only philosophy questions the nature of the concepts used in a discipline,and its relation to other disciplines.And through the study of philosophy,one develops sound methods of research and analysis that can be applied to any field.
There are a number of general uses of philosophy.It strengthens one’s ability to solve problems,to communicate,to organize ideas and issues,to persuade,and to take what is the most important from a large quantity of data .These general uses are of great benefit in the career field,not necessarily for obtaining one’s first job after graduation,but for preparing for positions of responsibility,management and leadership later on.It is very short-sighted after all,to take a course of studies only for the purpose of getting one’s first job.The useful skills developed through the study of philosophy have significant long-term benefits in career advancement.No other discipline systematically follows the ideals of wisdom,leadership,and capacity to resolve human conflict.According to Paragraph 1,philosophy can best be described as the study of______.
A.social sciences |
B.natural sciences |
C.both social and natural sciences |
D.the subject matter of politics |
With the study of philosophy,you can_______.
A.become a great leader |
B.succeed in everything |
C.find a good job soon after graduation |
D.make progress in your career development |
According to the passage,which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Philosophy is an independent discipline. |
B.Logic helps you to become a better thinker. |
C.The study of philosophy brings you immediate benefits. |
D.The meaning of philosophy is too limited to define. |
From the passage,we can conclude______.
A.not all the subjects have to do with philosophy
B.a person will get a Ph.D.if he/she studies philosophy
C.philosophy can be helpful for the study of any other subjects
D.philosophy is the only solution to all the problems to the world