How can a creature weighing over 5 tons and normally taking 150 kilograms of food and 120 liters of water per day survive in a desert environment?
In the southwest African country of Namibia, and the Sahara lands of Mali further north, the desert elephant does just that.
Although not regarded as a separate species from the African elephant, the desert cousin differs in many ways. Their bodies are smaller, to absorb less heat, and their feet are larger for easier walking across sandy surfaces, They are taller, to reach higher branches. They have shorter tusks（象牙）, and most importantly, longer trunks to dig for water in riverbeds.
Desert elephants can travel over 70 kilometers in search for feeding grounds and waterholes, and have a larger group of families. They drink only every 3 –4 days, and can store water in a “bag” at the back of their throat, which is only used when badly needed. Desert elephants are careful feeders – they seldom root up trees and break fewer branches, and thus maintain what little food sources are available. Young elephants may even eat the dung（粪便）of the female leader of a group when facing food shortage.
During drought they are unlikely to give birth to their young but with good rains the birthrate will increase greatly. Desert elephants have sand baths, sometimes adding their own urine（尿液）to make them muddy!
As we continue to overheat our weak planet, it can only be hoped that other animal species will adapt as extraordinarily well to change as the desert elephant.The underlined part in Paragraph 2 means “ ”.
| A．remains in the African countries |
| B．drinks 120 liters of water a day |
| C．manages to live in desert areas |
| D．eats 150 kilograms of food daily |
Desert elephants are called careful feeders because they _________.
| A．rarely ruin trees |
| B．drink only every 3-4 days |
| C．search for food in large groups |
| D．protect food sources for their young |
The author answers the question raised in the first paragraph with __________.
| A．stories and explanation |
| B．facts and descriptions |
| C．examples and conclusion |
| D．evidence and argument |
What can be inferred from the last sentence in the passage?
| A．Overheating the earth can be stopped. |
| B．Not all animal species are so adaptable. |
| C．The planet will become hotter and hotter. |
| D．Not all animals are as smart as desert elephants. |
That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco. There I was, walking home at one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theatre. With opening night only a week ago, I was still learning my lines. I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at the same time. As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco. City life had become too much for me.
As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold. I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away from any possible robbers (抢劫犯). Very few people were still out except a few sad-looking homeless people under blankets.
About a block from my apartment (公寓房间), I heard a sound behind me. I turned quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had made me nervous, so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I realize what the noise had been. It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk.
Suddenly I wasn’t cold or tired anymore. I ran out of the door and back to where I’d heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.
Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck (垃圾车) pull up to the sidewalk next to me. When a voice called from the inside, “Alisa Camacho?” I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know my name? The door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eye. “Is this what you’re looking for?” he asked, holding up a small square shape.
It was nearly 3 A.M. by the time I got into bed. I wouldn’t get much sleep that night, but I had gotten my wallet back. I also had gotten back some enjoyment of city life. I realized that the city couldn’t be a bad place as long as people were welling to help each other.How did the writer feel when she was walking home after work?
| A．Cold and sick. |
| B．Fortunate and helpful. |
| C．Satisfied and cheerful. |
| D．Disappointed and helpless. |
From the first paragraph, we learn that the writer was busy ______.
| A．solving her problem at the bank |
| B．taking part in various city activities |
| C．learning acting in a n evening school |
| D．preparing for the first night show |
On her way home the writer ______.
| A．lost her wallet unknowingly |
| B．was stopped by a garbage truck driver |
| C．was robbed of her wallet by an armed man |
| D．found some homeless people following her |
In the fifth paragraph, why did the writer say she was dreaming?
| A．Someone offered to take her back home. |
| B．A red-haired man came to see her. |
| C．She heard someone call her name. |
| D．Her wallet was found in a garbage truck. |
From the text, we can infer that the writer ______.
| A．would stop working at night |
| B．would stay on in San Francisco |
| C．would make friends with cleaners |
| D．would give up her job at the bank |
“Drink your milk. It’s good for you!” You’ve probably heard that many times, and it’s true. Milk contains calcium, which is a necessary nutrient for keeping bones and teeth healthy and strong. The U.S. government even requires milk as part of the National School Lunch Program, saying that students should drink one cup of fat-free or low-fat milk at each meal.
Last Thursday, however, a group of doctors asked the government to remove milk from the lunch program. The Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine (PCRM) says, “Milk is high in sugar, high in fat and high in animal protein, all of which have negative effects on health.” “One of the only reasons people talk about dairy, or promote it, is that it is going to help build strong bones.” says Dr. Neal Barnard, president of the PCRM. There are better and healthier ways to get calcium such as eating beans, broccoli, cereals and tofu. Orange juice and soymilk that have calcium added to them also supply the nutrient.
Of course, calcium is important for healthy bones and teeth, but your genes, how much vitamin D you take in and getting an hour’s worth of exercise every day all play a part.
Some nutritionists disagree with the idea that milk isn’t important. Keri Gans, a dietitian, says, “I think it’s irresponsible to take away this beverage that children enjoy, especially among those who are unable to meet their nutrient needs for the day, and remove it from the lunch line.”
The U.S. government is studying the request of the PCRM, but a decision may be a long way off. Meanwhile, Marion Nestle, a professor at New York University, puts it best: “Milk has nutrients. Other foods have the same nutrients. It’s just a food. Like other foods, too much might be a problem.”Why does the US government ask students to drink one cup of milk at lunch time?
| A．They have been told many times. |
| B．They have taken the PCRM’s advice. |
| C．Fat-free or low-fat milk is less expensive. |
| D．Milk helps build students’ strong bones. |
Which of the following opinions does the PCRM support?
| A．Milk is harmful to students’ health. |
| B．Students should drink more milk each day. |
| C．Orange juice is higher in calcium than milk. |
| D．Milk is the best way to get calcium. |
The underlined word “beverage” in Paragraph 4 most probably means ______.
| A．gene | B．idea | C．Milk | D．Lunch |
What can we learn from Marion Nestle’s words?
| A．Milk has more nutrients than other food. |
| B．Milk is just a kind of common food. |
| C．Other food also contains much calcium. |
| D．Too much nutrient lies in other food. |
What does the above text mainly talk about?
| A．The best way to get the most calcium. |
| B．The connection between milk and health. |
| C．Different opinion about the important of milk. |
| D．Whether to take milk off the school-lunch menu. |
When first entered, Vanak Restaurant does not look like much of a restaurant, but once the pleasant smells of kabob（烤肉串）hit the senses, you are incapable of calling it anything less.
Owned by a local couple, this Persian restaurant has an inviting, homelike atmosphere that many restaurants lack.
The space is small with only a few dining tables and nearly no decoration, but the environment is truly charming.
Lying in a hardly noticeable street corner, the restaurant still attracts all customers, especially those experienced in the delights of Middle Eastern cooking.
A common sight is that of old Persian men sitting in the corner talking loudly about world topics, watching news events on TV, drinking a black tea known as Persian chai, an reading local Persian newspapers all the while trying to finish off their plates piled with food.
The variety of food at the restaurant is limited, but the amount of each dish is fairly large. Most of the meals can serve two people and are under $10, so not only is it affordable but practical as well.
The food, especially appeals to health-conscious eaters because each dish is very healthy, made with limited fat and oil and served straight off the grill （烤肉架）.
The main dish that the restaurant is popular for is its kabobs, which are different style of grilled meat. One delicious and extremely healthy dish is the Joojeh Kabob, which is made of grille chicken pieces served with either rice or bread. Another great kabob is the Cbelo Kabob, kabob consisting of grilled beef.
Although the restaurant is small, the atmosphere and the food is delicious. It is a place that should not be overlooked.When first entering the restaurant, one can find that it ______.
| A．is splendidly decorated |
| B．has pleasant smells of kabobs |
| C．is crowded with dining tables |
| D．looks like a common restaurant |
What activity is also mentioned apart from dining in the restaurant?
| A．Watching news events on TV. |
| B．Drinking a kind of black coffee. |
| C．Reading local English newspapers. |
| D．Discussing world topics in low voices. |
The food of the restaurant ______.
| A．is served in small amounts | B．is rather expensive |
| C．is rich in variety | D．is very healthy |
What is the dish Joojeh Kabob mainly made of?
| A．Rice | B．Chicken | C．Bread | D．Beef |
It can be inferred from the passage that the restaurant ________.
| A．occupies a large space |
| B．owns a favorable location |
| C．is popular for its special food |
| D．has a quiet environment inside |
We know the famous ones--the Thomas Edisons and the Alexander Graham Bells --but what about the less famous inventors? What about the people who invented the traffic light and the windshield wiper (雨刮器) ? Shouldn' t we know who they are?
Joan Mclean thinks so. In fact, Mclean, a professor of physics at Mountain University in Range, feels so strongly about this matter that she' s developed a course on the topic. In addition to learning "who" invented "what" , however, Mclean also likes her students to learn the answers to the "why" and "how" questions. According to Mclean, "When students learn the answers to these questions, they are better prepared to recognize opportunities for inventing and more motivated to give inventing a try. "
Her students agree. One young man with a patent（专利）for an unbreakable umbrella is walking proof of McLean's statement. "If I had not heard the story of the windshield wiper' s invention," said Tommy Lee, a senior physics major. "I never would have dreamed of turning my bad experience during a rain storm into something so constructive. " Lee is currently negotiating to sell his patent to an umbrella producer.
So, just what is the story behind the windshield wiper? Well, Mary Anderson came up with the idea in 1902 after a visit to New York City. The day was cold and stormy, but Anderson still wanted to see the sights, so she jumped aboard a streetcar. Noticing that the driver was struggling to see through the snow covering the windshield, she found herself wondering why there couldn' t be a built - in device for cleaning the window. Still wondering about this when she returned home to Birmingham, Alabama, Anderson started drafting out solutions. One of her ideas, a lever (操作杆) on the inside of a vehicle that would control an arm on the outside, became the first windshield wiper.
Today we benefit from countless inventions and innovations. It' s hard to imagine driving without Garrett A. Morgan' s traffic light. It' s equally impossible to picture a world without Katherine J. Blodgett' s innovation that makes glass invisible. Can you picture life without clear windows and eyeglasses? By mentioning "traffic light" and "windshield wiper”, the author indicates that countless inventions are_______.
| A．beneficial, because their inventors are famous |
| B．beneficial, though their inventors are less famous |
| C．not useful, because their inventors are less famous |
| D．not useful, though their inventors are famous |
Professor Joan McLean' s course aims to _____.
| A．add color and variety to students' campus life |
| B．inform students of the windshield wiper' s invention |
| C．carry out the requirements by Mountain University |
| D．prepare students to try their own invention |
Tommy Lee' s invention of the unbreakable umbrella was _____
| A．not eventually accepted by the umbrella producer |
| B．inspired by the story behind the windshield wiper |
| C．due to his dream of being caught in a rainstorm |
| D．not related to Professor Joan McLean' s lectures |
Which of the following can best serve as the title of this passage?
| A．How to Help Students to Sell Their Inventions to Producers? |
| B．How to Design a Built -in Device for Cleaning the Window? |
| C．Shouldn't We Know Who Invented the Windshield Wiper? |
| D．Shouldn' t We Develop Invention Courses in Universities? |
Two of the hardest things to accomplish in this world are to acquire wealth by honest effort and, having gained it, to learn how to use it properly. Recently I walked into the locker room(衣帽间) of a rather well known golf club after finishing a round. It was in the late afternoon and most of the members had left for their homes. But a half - dozen or so men past middle age were still seated at tables talking aimlessly and drinking more than was good for them. These same men can be found there day after day, and, strangely enough, each one of these men had been a man of affairs and wealth, successful in business and respected in the community if material prosperity were the chief necessity for happiness, then each one should have been happy. Yet, it seemed to me, something very important was missing, else-there would not have been the constant effort to escape the realities of life through scotch（苏格兰威士忌） and soda. They knew, each one of them, that their productivity had ceased(停止). When a fruit tree ceases to bear its fruit, it is dying. And it is even so with man.
What is the answer to a long and happy existence in this world of ours? I think I found it long ago in a passage from the book of Genesis which caught my eye while I was looking through my Bible. The words were few, but they became memorably impressed on my mind. " In the sweat of the face shall you eat the bread. "
To me, that has been a challenge from my earliest recollections ( memories). In fact, the battle of life, of existence, is a challenge to everyone. The immortal words of St. Paul, too, have been and always will be a great inspiration to me. At the end of the road I want to be able to feel that I have fought a good fight, I have finished the course, I have kept the faith.Which of the following is indicated in the first paragraph?
| A．Wealth results from honest effort. |
| B．The men seated at tables in the locker room are lost in the significance of life. |
| C．For some people, no way can be found to escape the realities of life other than scotch and soda. |
| D．The men acquire wealth by planting fruit trees. |
The underlined sentence "In the sweat of the face shall you eat the bread " means "_______
| A．Bread tastes delicious when sweat pours off your face |
| B．No pains, no gains |
| C．Failure is the mother of success |
| D．Bread comes from the sweat on your face |
45.We learn from the passage that the author_______ .
| A．was a wealthy person in the community |
| B．held a positive attitude towards an active life |
| C．was fond of associating with celebrities (名人) |
| D．kept a secret of the reason why he was so impressed |
What is implied in the passage by the writer?
| A．To use wealth properly, eat, drink and be merry. |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C．As life is but like a dream, a man is like a fruit tree. |
| D．If you cease to struggle, you cease to live. |