It is reported that conservation groups in North America have been arguing about the benefits and dangers of wolves.Some groups believe wolves should be killed.Other people believe wolves must be protected so that they will not disappear from the wilderness.
For Killing Wolves
In Alaska,the wolf almost disappeared a few years ago,because hunters were killing hundreds of them for sport.However, 1aws were established to protect the wolves from sportsmen and people who catch the animals for their fur.So the wolf population has greatly increased.Now there are so many wolves that they are destroying their own food supply.
A wolf naturally eats animals in the deer family .People in the wilderness also hunt deer for food.Many of the animals have been destroyed by the very cold winters recently and by changes in the wilderness plant life.When the deer can’t find enough food,they die.
If the wolves continue to kill large numbers of deer,their prey(猎物)will disappear some day.And the wolves will.too.So we must change the cycle of life in the wilderness to balance the ecology.If we killed more wolves,we would save them and their prey from dying out.We’d also save some farm animals.
In another northern state,wolves attack cows and chickens for food.Farmers want the government to send biologists to study the problem.They believe it necessary to kill wolves in some areas and to protect them in places where there is a small wolf population.
Against Killing Wolves
If you had lived long ago,you would have heard many different stories about the dangerous wolf.According to most stories,hungry wolves often kill people for food.Even today,the stories of the “big bad wolf'"will not disappear.
But the fact is wolves are afraid of people.and they seldom travel in areas where there is a human smell.When wolves eat other animals,they usually kill the very young, or the sick and injured.The strongest survive.No kind of animal would have survived through the centuries if the weak members had lived.That has always been a law of nature.
Although some people say it is good sense to kill wolves,we say it is nonsense! Researchers have found wolves and their prey living in balance, the wolves keep the deer population from becoming too large, and that keeps a balance in the wilderness plant life.
The real problem is that the areas where wolves can live are being used by people.Even if wilderness land is not used directly for human needs, the wolves can’t always find enough food.So they travel to the nearest source, which is often a farm.Then there is danger.The “big bad wolf” has arrived! And everyone knows what happens next.According to the passage,some people in North America favor killing wolves for all the following reasons EXCET that ________.
A.there are too many wolves | B.they kill large numbers deer |
C.they attack cows and chickens for food | D.they destroy the wilderness plant life |
Some people are against killing wolves because ________.
A.wolves help to keep the ecological balance in the wideness |
B.there is too small a wolf population in the wilderness |
C.there are too many deer in the wilderness |
D.wolves are afraid of people and never attack people |
According to those against killing wolves,when wolves eat other animals,________.
A.they never eat strong and healthy ones |
B.they always go against the law of nature |
C.they might help this kind of animals survive in nature |
D.they disturb the ecological balance in the wilderness |
The last sentence “And everyone knows what happens next” implies that in such cases ________.
A.farm animals will be in danger and have to be shipped away |
B.wolves will kill people and people will in turn kill them |
C.wolves will find enough food sources on farms |
D.people will leave the areas where wolves can live |
The International Space Station,one of the most ambitious space projects ever and a key launching board for exploration of the solar system,turns l0 years old Thursday.
On Nov.20,1998,the first part of the space station was launched by the Russians from Kazakhstan.NASA followed up two weeks later with Piece No 2 carried up by a space shuttle.
The space station has grown into a giant outpost(前哨)355 km up,home to three people at any given time—soon to be six.
Thanks to the newly arrived shuttle Endeavour,the space station now has five sleep stations,two baths,two kitchens and two mini—gyms.Ahogether,there are nine rooms,three of which are full scale labs.
The United States has financed the main part of the project,estimated to cost some 100 billion dollars.Fifteen other countries have also contributed,including Russia,Japan,Canada,Brazil anti eleven nations belonging to theEuropean Space Agency.
Fhe space station has traveled 2.1 billion km,orbited Earth more than 57,300 times,hosted 167 people from 15 countries,and served up more than l 9,000 meals
“The ISS is the largest ever expenment in international technological cooperation,” said John Logsdon。a historian at the National Air and Space Museum in US.
“1 think it’s a necessary stepping stone to long—term human activities in new Areas of operations,”Logsdon said.The station is“off the planet and it’s the first Step outward—not all end in itself,but a step along the way.”The passage is mainly about.
A the construction of the International Space Station
B.the history of the International Space Station.
C the tenth anniversary of the International Space Station.
D.the eountries that help establish the International Space Station.Piece No 2 of the ISS was put into orbit oil
A.Nov.6,1998 | B.Nov.24,1998 |
C.Dec.8,1998 | D.Dec.9,1998 |
Which of the following is true about Endeav our according to the passage?
A.Endeavour is a newly built shuttle |
B.Endeavour is part of the space station |
C.Endeavour didn’t get close to the space station |
D.Endeavour carried a lot of equipment for the apace station |
Which of the following country has not made a contribution to the eonstruction of the International space station according to the passage?
A.USA. B.Japan. C.Korea. D.Spain
In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition . Some value it highly , believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity . Others say that competition is bad ; that it sets one person against another ; that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people .
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied (依赖)on how well they performed at tennis and other skills . For them, playing well and winning are often life-and-death affairs. In their single-minded pursuit ( 追求)of success , the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten .
However ,while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed , others take an opposite attitude .In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players , they strongly blame competition . Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society . Teaching these young people . I often observe in them a desire to fail . They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success . By not trying , they always have an excuse : “I may have lost . but it doesn’t matter because I really didn’t try . “What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot . Such a loss would be a measure of their worth . Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves . Both are based on the mistaken belief that one’s self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others . Both are afraid of not being valued . Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve (缓解) can we discover a new meaning in competition .What does this passage mainly talk about ?
A.Competition helps to set up self-respect . |
B.Opinions about competition are different among people |
C.Competition is harmful to personal quality development . |
D.Failures are necessary experiences in competition |
Why do some people favor competition according to the passage ?
A.It pushes society forward . | B.It builds up a sense of duty . |
C.It improves personal abilities . | D.It encourages individual efforts |
The underlined phrase “the most vocal” in Paragraph 3 means.
A.those who try their best to win |
B.those who value competition most highly |
C.those who are against competition most strongly |
D.those who rely on others most for success |
Which point of view may the author agree to ?
A.Every effort should be paid back . |
B.Competition should be encouraged . |
C.Winning should be a life-and-death matter . |
D.Fear of failure should be removed in competition |
LONDON—Archaeologists have discovered a smaller prehistoric(史前) site near Britain’s famous circle of standing stones at Stonehenge.
Researchers have named the site “Bluehenge” after the color of the 27 Welsh stones that were laid to make up a path. The stones have disappeared, but the path of holes remains.
The new circle, unearthed over the summer by researchers from Sheffield University, represents an important find, researchers said Saturday. The site is about a mile away from Stonehenge.
Bluehenge, about 80 miles southwest of London, is believed to date back to about the time Stonehenge was built, about 5,000 years ago.
Mike Parker Pearson of Sheffield University said he believed the path and stonehenge itself were linked to rituals(仪式) of life and death.
Mike Parker suggested that the ancient funerary rituals began at a different circle site known as “Wood-henge”, which represented the world of the living. The bodies of the dead were then brought down the River Avon to Bluehenge, which represented death, and were finally carried along a ceremonial route known as the Avenue to Stonehenge.
Bournemouth University Professor Tim Darvill, an expert on Stonehenge, told Britain’s Dail Mail that Bluehenge “adds to the richness” of the ancient site’s story.
“This henge is very important because it forms part of the picture of ceremonial monuments in the area and puts Stonehenge into context,” Darvill was quoted(引述) as saying. “It’s no longer Stonehenge standing alone, but it has to be seen in context with the landscape.”How many henges are mentioned in this passage?
A.Two | B.Three | C.Four | D.Five |
Who believed the Stonehenge is related to ancient ritual of death?
A.Archaeologists from London | B.Welsh researchers |
C.Mike Parker Pearson | D.Professor Tim Darvill |
What does the underlined sentence “It’s no longer Stonehenge standing alone, but it has to be seen in context with the landscape.” in the last paragraph mean?
A.Stonehenge has noting to do with Bluehenge |
B.Woodhenge represented the world of living in ancient times. |
C.Bluehenge represented death |
D.Stonehenge, Woodhenge and Bluehenge should be studied together |
From the passage we can learn that ______.
A.researchers have named the site “Bluehenge,” because they have found blue huge stones there |
B.funerary rituals were carried out along the path starting from Woodhenge, River Avon to Bluehenge, finally Stonehenge. |
C.Bluehenge is 1 mile away from London |
D.Bluehenge dates back to 2000 BC |
As far back as he could remember,Larry had longed to go to Hollywood and become a film star.The young man’s hopes for success were broken again and again,however.Hollywood just did not seem interesting.When he first came to California,Larry had decided never to give up and return home without success.Therefore,he kept on trying.Someday,he told himself,his big opportunity would come.
Larry found a job parking cars for one of Hollywood’s big restaurants.His pay was elementary,but since the guests were kind enough to give him more money,he managed to make a living.One day he recognized an important film director driving into the parking lot (停车场) and getting out of his car.Larry had recently heard that the man was ready to make a new picture.
Larry got into the car and prepared to drive it on into the lot and park it.Then he stopped,jumped out,and ran over to the director.“Excuse me,sir,but I think it’s only fair to tell you that it’s now or never if you want me in your next picture.A lot of big companies are after me.”
Instead of pushing away the boy,the director laughed,then wrote something on a card and handed it to the young man.“Come and see me tomorrow.”
Larry got a small part in the director’s next film.He was on his way!Which of the following was Larry interested in?
A.Working as a waiter. | B.Becoming a film star. |
C.Parking cars for film stars. | D.Owing a big company. |
Why did Larry find a job parking cars?
A.Because he liked the job. |
B.Because the parking lot was near Hollywood. |
C.To make a living and wait for the opportunity. |
D.To see a lot of film stars and work for them. |
After reading the story what can we infer (推断) about the film director ?
A.He wanted to laugh at Larry. |
B.He recognized Larry at first sight. |
C.He was kind and gave Larry a try. |
D.He thought Larry would become a star. |
what does the word “elementary” mean in this passage?
A.基本的 | B.充足的 | C.较高的 | D.不达标的 |
“He was on his way”refers to the fact that ________.
A.he gave up and returned home |
B.he began to work towards success |
C.he took a journey to Hollywood |
D.he had difficulty in playing the small part |
"Hey, don't read in the hallway. Your eyesight will be damaged." You must have heard such warnings many times. Don’t read in dim (暗的)light! This is one of the “pearls of wisdom” that are supposed to help us live a healthy life. Such common beliefs, however, lack scientific basis, according to a paper published recently in the British Medical Journal.
Do you believe in the following everyday wisdom?
Reading in dim light ruins your eyesight.
In dim light, you might blink (眨眼) more, feel discomfort from drying and have trouble focusing. But the majority of eye experts believe it is unlikely to do any permanent damage.
We must drink at least eight glasses of water a day
In 1945, the Nutrition Council in US suggested that people need to consume 2.5 litres of water a day. But the water contained in food, particularly fruit and vegetables, as well as in milk, juice and soft drinks, also counts towards the total.
We only use 10 percent of our brains.
This myth arose as early as 1907. People have long argued about our power of self-improvement and our brains’ potential abilities. But detailed imaging shows that no area of the brain is silent or inactive.
Shaving your legs causes hair to grow black faster and thicker.
This theory is also illusion. Shaving has no effect on the thickness or rate of hair growth,
studies say. Just over time, the edge of hair gets worn away and thus the edge of long hair becomes finer (更细). So hair that is newly grown gives the impression of darkness.What does the paper say about some common beliefs?
A.They are pearls of wisdom | B.They help us live in healthy ways |
C.They are well-known theories. | D.They do not have scientific basis. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage ?
A.Reading in dim light does harm to one’s eyes. |
B.People need a total of 2.5 litres of water a day |
C.People use 90 percent of their brains. |
D.Shaving your legs will give you thicker hair. |
This passage is most likely to be found in __________ ?
A.a newspaper | B.a science fiction |
C.a biology textbook | D.a medical book |