It was a Sunday and the heavy storm had lasted all night.The morning after the storm, though, was beautiful: blue skies, warm air and a calm, inviting sea touching the shore gently.
My father realised it was a good day for fishing and invited my sister and me to go with him.I was only 14 and fishing had never been my thing, but I decided to go all the same.I' m so glad I did.
On the way to the harbour we could see the terrible destruction on the coast, but the harbour itself was in fairly good shape.After all, it was protected by the arms of a bay that had only one tiny channel to the sea.As we got on board, we noticed two big humps (脊背) in the distance.
On approaching them, we saw it was a mother whale with her baby.We couldn't believe it — there aren't any whales along the coast here.The storm must have driven them across the ocean into the bay, in which the still water was so badly polluted that nothing could survive.
The little baby whale —actually as big as our boat — was obviously stuck and could not move.The mother dived under the water and came up suddenly, making big whirlpools (漩涡) and waves."She's trying to help her baby, but on the wrong side," my father said.At this point, my father moved our boat in a semicircle to the other side and, heading the boat towards the baby whale, pushed it gently.With our several gentle pushes the big hump turned over and disappeared under water.Then it swam up right beside its mum.They struggled in their desperate attempts to escape but missed the exit and started heading in the wrong direction.We hurried up to the whales and tried to lead them towards the bay channel.Slowly, they let us lead them, sometimes rising from the water right beside us to breathe -- and to give us a trusting look with those huge eyes.Once they hit their first part of clean water flowing straight from the sea, the mum gave us a wave with her tail and off they swam into the distance.
In the excitement it had felt like only a few minutes, but we had been with those wonderful animals for almost an hour and a half.That was the simple and lasting beauty of the day.Nearly four decades later, I still look back fondly to that golden day at sea.The author says "I' m so glad I did." ( in Para.2) because _________.
A.he witnessed the whole process of fishing |
B.he enjoyed the beauty of the calm sea |
C.he experienced the rescue of the whales |
D.he spent the weekend with his family |
The mother whale failed to help her baby because __________.
A.she had stayed in the polluted water for too long |
B.the whirlpools she had made were not big enough |
C.she had no other whales around to turn to for help |
D.the waves pushed her baby in the wrong direction |
What is the theme of the story?
A.Saving lives brings people a sense of happiness. |
B.Fishing provides excitement for children. |
C.It's necessary to live in harmony with animals. |
D.It's vital to protect the whale in the ocean. |
Beaches are not only great for lying on and doing water sports, and in fact one of the best ways of enjoying them is a classic beach walk. Here at iWantSun. Co. Uk, we’ve been searching the globe to find you the world’s best and most glorious beach walks, and here’s our pick of the top.
The Footpath of the Gods, Amalfi Coast, Italy
The name says it all really and you truly do feel up there to walking along this wonderful mountain coastal path, which offers some of the most striking views on the planet. The path begins at town of Bomerano to charming Positano along the UNESCO World Heritage area of the Amalfi Coast. The whole walk will take you approximately four and a half hours to complete and pass over narrow rocky paths, past sheer cliffs and shining blue bays.
Sydney’s Great Coastal Walk, Australia
Sydney’s coastline is one of the most beautiful and diverse in the world. Here you have national parks, historic sites, steep cliffs, sparkling beaches and quiet bays all in one place. Sydney’s Great Walk runs all the way from Barrenjoey in the north to Royal National Park in the south and takes an incredible seven days to complete. However, if you’re not up to doing the full walk, then there are many different parts of the walk that you can do right in the city. Walking from the city’s famous Bondi Beach to the sweeping curve of Bronte Beach takes just an hour, which takes in some top scenery.
Great Ocean Walk, Australia
The Great Ocean Walk stretches 104 km along Victoria’s famous Great Ocean Road, located on the southern coast of Australia, from the resort town Apollo Bay to the magnificent Twelve Apostles. The Twelve Apostles are the area’s famous stone landmarks which stand out like giants from the sea. The walk passes through a range of landscapes and sights, from national parks, famous surfing spots and deserted beaches, to wild coastlines, cascading waterfalls, lush forests, historic lighthouses and ghostly shipwrecks. Day walks and shorter three-hour walks such as the Wreck Beach Walk or the Lighthouse Cemetery and Lookout Walk can also be enjoyed.
So next time when you’re looking for a beach holiday don’t just think about the resorts and the sand, but consider a more active sun holiday, discovering some of the best beaches in the world.The author intends to tell us ____________.
A.the world’s best places for beach walks |
B.the wonderful beaches in the world |
C.the ideal tourism resort for health |
D.the beautiful beaches in Australia |
When you arrive at the Amalfi Coast _______________.
A.you must be fed up with the footpath |
B.you will be fascinated by the scenery |
C.you can start walking from Positano |
D.you may be trapped in narrow rocky paths |
What is special about Sydney’s Great Coastal Walk?
A.It takes about more than five hours to complete. |
B.It starts from Royal National Park in the south. |
C.It provides visitors a variety of great landscapes. |
D.It really has the longest coastline in the world. |
According to the fourth paragraph we can know that __________________.
A.Apollo Bay is at the end of the Great Ocean Walk |
B.the Twelve Apostles exists below the surface of the sea |
C.the Wreck Beach Walk can also give visitors pleasure |
D.most visitors can finish the 104 km walk in three hours |
October sixteenth is World Food Day.This day is also the anniversary of the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization(F.A.O.).The UN agency leads international efforts to defeat world hunger.It was created in 1945.
The F.A.O.says more than one hundred fifty countries are to hold special events to celebrate World Food Day.At F.A.O.headquarters in Rome,for example,runners will compete in a five-kilometer race through the city’s historical area.Events in other countries include discussions among experts,press conferences and musical programs.
The message of this year’s World Food Day is “investing in agriculture for food security”.The F.A.O.says,“During the early 1990s,the foreign aid for agriculture was nine thousand million dollars each year.But now, it has declined to less than five thousand million dollars a year.”Yet, the F.A.O.estimates that more than eight hundred and fifty million people around the world do not get enough food.
The UN agency notes that seventy percent of the world’s hungry lies in the farmers who grow small amount of food.Many also face problems of feeding themselves.The F.A.O.says agricultural aid could help small farmers make a profit from their crops.Farmers would also be able to feed their families throughout the year and re-invest in their farms.They could buy better seeds,equipment and chemical fertilizers to help their crops grow.
Muhammad Yunis.the winner of the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to improve the lives of poor people,as well as his Bangladesh microfinance organization,the Grameen Bank,has lent small amount of money to poor people who are unable to get traditional loans,especially women.Minister Yunis says that he plans to give his share of the one million three hundred thousand dollars Nobel award to good causes.He says he wants to establish an eye hospital and start a project to produce low-cost food for the poor.To celebrate the World Food Day, how many kinds of activities are mentioned in the passage?
A.Two. | B.Three. | C.Four. | D.Five. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.The F.A.O.is established to invest in agriculture for food security.
B.The foreign aid for agriculture has reduced by nearly 50%in recent decades.
C.The Grameen Bank has provided large amount of loans for poor farmers.
D.Yunis will donate his entire Nobel award to help solve the hunger for the poor.With agricultural aid,farmers can_________________.
A.promote the production of crops |
B.produce low-cost food |
C.invest money in other fields |
D.buy better food |
The writer wrote the passage mainly to____________.
A.give an introduction of the F.A.O.
B.inform us of the situations of the world food
C.appeal for more investment in agriculture
D.show how to deal with the world’s hunger
One cold morning in winter, I went alone to a hillside to do some hunting. I sat there waiting for about an hour. Suddenly, a big beautiful deer appeared less than 20 feet away from me. There was no cover near him. Surely I could shoot him.
To my surprise, he came toward me! He was curious, I suppose, or maybe he was stupid. For this was not a youngster, but a fully grown-up one. He must have known about men and their guns. But this deer came closer, and I still waited. His big eyes never moved away from my face. His wonderful head with a set of antlers (鹿角) was clear in sight.
I was getting a bit nervous as he walked closer. A big deer can do a lot of damage. Well, he walked right up to where I was sitting. Then he stopped and looked at me.
What happened next was hard to believe. But it all seemed quite natural. I held out my hands and scratched his head right between the antlers. And he liked it. The big, wild, beautiful deer bent his head.
I scratched and touched his head and body. His nose touched my shoulder. I fed him with my last sandwich.
Well, he finally went his way, down the hill. Shoot him? Not me. You wouldn’t, either. Not after that. I just watched him go, a strong deer carrying a proud head.
I picked up my gun, and started walking back. Suddenly, I heard two shots, one after another. If you have hunted much, you will know what two shots mean. They mean a kill. I had forgotten that there were other hunters around.
You will now understand why I gave up hunting from that day on.How the deer behaved toward the writer shows that______.
A.it pretended to be friendly to the writer |
B.it wanted to attack the writer |
C.it was too scared to run away |
D.it was quite friendly to the writer |
You can infer from the passage that ______.
A.a grown-up deer usually will not get close to men with guns |
B.the writer was a little nervous at first as he had been attacked by a big deer before |
C.the writer felt afraid to kill the deer the moment the deer walked up to him |
D.the writer had waited for more than an hour before the deer appeared |
After reading the whole passage, we can know that the passage is written in a(n)______tone.
A.worried | B.excited | C.sad | D.happy |
“I can’t live without my mobile phone!” is what I often hear people say as they talk about how mobiles have become an essential part of their lives.
The all so common sight of heads bent, eyes staring at mobile screens and fingers busy tapping away repeats itself across major cities around the world. Whenever there is a moment to spare while on the train, taxi or waiting in a queue, people busy themselves with their mobile phones.
Some people believe our unhealthy obsession(着迷) with mobile phones is destroying how we appreciate the little things in life or miss the moments that matter. The truth is that technology overall should be seen as just a tool to improve our lives.
Mobile phones have certainly had a great influence on our lives, but I truly believe it is for the better.
It’s changed the way we communicate, whether for work or play. We are now less constrained(限制)by time and geographical location. With my mobile phone, I can dial into conference calls while stuck in a traffic jam, or reply to urgent e-mails while on the go. I can send a text message or share photos and videos with friends who aren’t living in the same country. My phone calendar keeps my life organized, and even Facebook, Twitter, and instant messaging are now accessible from mobile phones!
The mobile revolution isn’t just changing the lives of urbanities (都市人) like myself. I know of a young Bangladeshi woman named Shompa Akhter who is crazy about fashion and design. She dreamt about starting her own business and she did just that, opening a shop in Kushtia featuring her own creations. Dealing with supplies in different towns was a problem for Shompa --- purchase orders had to either be hand delivered or mailed out to supplies. Shompa also found it tough publicizing her business to potential customers outside her town. But once she learnt to operate the mobile phone, she was addicted. The 25-year-old businesswoman now stays in touch easily with her suppliers. Mobile e-mail is a blessing in her life.
Who would have thought that mobility could bring about such enormous change? It shouldn’t really be a surprise though.In the first two paragraphs, the author wants to show ____.
A.mobile phones make people communicate less |
B.mobile phones make people’s life more enjoyable |
C.people’s health is greatly affected by mobile phones |
D.people become addicted to mobile phones in daily life |
What’s the author’s attitude towards mobile phones?
A.Doubtful | B.Supportive | C.Critical | D.Uninterested |
Paragraph 5 is mainly about__________.
A.New functions of mobile phones |
B.New changes in Information Age |
C.The advantages of mobile phones |
D.The author’s personal experiences |
How is the text mainly developed?
A.By inferring. |
B.By analysing causes. |
C.By giving examples. |
D.By comparing different ideas. |
If you are interested in animals, you probably heard about the tragedy at Seaworld Orlando. On February 24, Tillicum, a six-ton orca(虎鲸),was performing with his trainer, Dawn Brancheau, who stood on a platform by his pool.
They had done the same show together many times before, without incident. This time, though, events took a terrible turn. Without warning, Tillicum leaped from the water, took hold of Branchcheau by her hair, and dragged her deep below the water’s surface. Before other trainers could react, Brancheau drowned.
Although known as killer whales, orcas are the largest member of the dolphin family. They are easy to train, and performances like Tillicum’s have been done safely thousands of times. Yet Dawn Brancheau’s death was a shocking reminder of what can happen when human being act together with wild animals. People began to ask, “Should orcas be kept in captivity(囚禁)”
Yes
Worldwide, only 42 orcas are being kept by humans. Scientists know very little about these huge sea animals, which are difficult to study in the wild. However, they do know that orcas are easily harmed by pollution. As our oceans become ever more damaged by human activity, observing orcas up close helps us understand them and do a better job of protecting them in nature.
“I think that some dangerous animals, such as killer whales, should be kept in captivity because it raises awareness about them and educates people about wild animals,” says Lauren, 12, a 6-grader from Colorado. “Keeping some in captivity will help protect their species.”
No
Enclosed habitats can be painful to wild animals, and make them act in unpredictable even harmful ways.
“It is wrong to keep these animals in captivity”, says Prathm, 12 The 7th grader from New Jersey, adds, “They should live in their own habitats, not be used as entertainment slaves.”
Richard Ellis, a marine conservationist in New York, agrees. “It is part of human nature to keep wild animals in small spaces and train them to do tricks,” he says. “I’m against it because I think it humiliates the animals.”Why does the author tell the tragedy of Dawn Brancheau ?
A.To introduce the topic. |
B.To express his sympathy. |
C.To describe the human animal relationship. |
D.To warn people of the danger of keeping animals. |
What can we infer from the text?
A.It is hard to train orcas. |
B.Orcas are rare sea animals. |
C.Orcas’ habitat is being destroyed. |
D.Many orcas are hunted each year. |
The underlined word ”humiliates” in the last paragraph most probably means “ _____”.
A.makes somebody less intelligent |
B.makes somebody feel ashamed |
C.makes somebody physically weak |
D.makes somebody feel threatened |
The text is mainly about_______.
A.how to help animals live a better life |
B.how to develop friendship with animals |
C.whether killer whales should be protected |
D.whether animals should be kept in captivity |