Researchers who helped discover a new species of Mexican butterfly are offering to sell the naming rights to raise money to fund more research. Co-discoverer Andrew Warren is hoping to raise at least $50,000 by auctioning(拍卖) off the rights to name the 4-inch “owl eye” butterfly, which lives in Sonora, a Mexican state bordering Arizona.
“That would support at least two years of research for our team down in Mexico,” Warren said. “Money goes a long way down here in Mexico.”
According to the scientific tradition, discoverers of a new species have the say in naming it. In recent years, some discoverers have auctioned off their naming rights to raise money.
Warren said the amount being sought for the butterfly is not out of the question, noting that naming rights for a new monkey species brought in $650,000 two years ago. A group of 10 new fish species that went on the naming auction block at the same time earlier this year brought in a total of $2 million.
The butterfly discovered by Warren and researcher George Austin ranges as far north as Mexico.
The butterfly was actually in a collection, misidentified as an example of another new species, at the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the Florida Museum of National History in Gainesville, said Warren. They soon began the hard process of determining that it was indeed a “new” model of butterfly.
After checking photos and comparing it with other known species, they determined it was a separate species.Where did the researchers discover the new species of butterflies?
| A．In Sonora. | B．In Mexico state. |
| C．In a place in US. | D．Near the US-Mexico border. |
Why will the researchers sell the naming rights of the butterfly?
| A．To raise money for wildlife protection. |
| B．To raise money for more research. |
| C．To cause people’s attention to the new discovery. |
| D．To cover the cost of the research. |
When the butterfly was first discovered, people thought ______.
| A．it was a new species at once |
| B．it wasn’t a species of American butterfly |
| C．it belonged to the monarch branches |
| D．it belonged to a new species |
We can infer from the passage that ______.
| A．the new species of butterfly live both in the US and Mexico |
| B．it took the researchers a lot of efforts to determine the new species of butterfly |
| C．the researchers are not sure whether they can get the money they want from the auction |
| D．it is the first time that the new species of butterfly has been found |
Can feeling of nostalgia (怀旧) be good for you? or is it unhealthy to have a strong love for the past?
For years, medical experts have studied nostalgia and the reasons for it. Many experts warn that too much nostalgia is harmful. They say linger (徘徊) in the past shows that a person is unhappy with his present life. These feelings keep the person from living his life to its fullest.
Dr. Louise Kaplan has written several books about nostalgia. She says these feelings often begin when a young person is between 13 and 19 years old.
"This is the time when you must face the loss of your childhood, " Kaplan says. "You see your new life is easily destroyed. But you think romantically about a golden
past. You remember your childhood as a time when life was perfect."
These feelings continue as a person gets older, Kaplan adds. She says many grown persons have a hard time keeping up with changes in the modem world, so they think back to their younger years. At that time the world seemed simple and more harmless.
Kaplan says these feelings are not always actually existing. The good old days weren't always good. However, she says nostalgia can be helpful, if used properly.
"Feelings of nostalgia can cause you to remember a time when you had high hopes and dreams, " Kaplan says. "It might give you the strong wish to catch those dreams today, in your present life." She adds that nostalgia can prevent you from "cutting yourself off from your aim."
"At its best, " Kaplan says, "nostalgia has the ideas for the future."According to the passage, feelings of nostalgia _____.
| A．can cause you to think of your past which was full of hopes and dreams |
| B．can make you succeed in life |
| C．fill one with hopes for the future |
| D．bring about a love for the past and a hope for the future |
The reason for grown persons to think back to their past is that _____.
| A．they can hardly keep up with changes in today's world |
| B．times are hard, so they can not keep up with changes |
| C．many grown persons have little time keeping up with changes in the modem world |
| D．they lived in the past, of which they are always proud |
Which of the following is not talked about in the passage?
| A．Too much nostalgia is harmful. |
| B．Nostalgia shows that a person is not satisfied with his present life. |
| C．Only women have feelings of nostalgia. |
| D．A little nostalgia can make a person's life more colorful. |
According to Kaplan's idea, _____.
| A．nostalgia is sure to be harmful |
| B．nostalgia can be helpful |
| C．nostalgia is always very good |
| D．nostalgia is bad indeed |
We may also use _____ as the topic of the article.
| A．Thoughts on Nostalgia |
| B．The reasons for Nostalgia |
| C．Why Do They Think Back to the Past |
| D．Nostalgia, Good or Bad |
For many years, Hawaii has been a magic name to people who like to travel. People on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, in Japan and in America, dream of seeing these beautiful islands in the middle of the ocean. Their dreams always include at least one scene of a sunset over the ocean. In the tropical(热带的) lands, the sun drops, like a ball of golden fire, into the sea, and it droops so quickly that you can almost see it move. The sun leaves behind a glow that lights the skies and shines in the quiet water.
People often have a quiet, peaceful time ---perfect for a leisurely(悠闲的) walk along the water. This scene is not too different from the dramatic(令人神往的) beauty that greeted the first strangers to these islands centuries ago. They were Polynesian people who came from Tahiti in canoes not much bigger than small boats.
They found the beautiful white sand beaches and the waving palm trees, but there were no giant hotels like the ones we see nowadays. The first people came to Hawaii nearly two thousand years ago, but skyscraper hotels were only built in the last 25 years. Now jet planes make it possible to fly to for a weekend from Tokyo. Wherever the people come from, they really want to see the original beauty of Hawaii. They want to see the lovely beaches and the mountain called Diamond Head which is almost hidden by the tall hotels.Hawaii is a name _____.
| A．given by people who like to travel |
| B．attracting a lot of travelers |
| C．with a magic story behind it |
| D．liked by both the Japanese and Americans |
On these beautiful islands, one thing that every traveler won't miss is_____.
| A．to swim in the quiet water |
| B．to see the tropical plants |
| C．to see the sunset |
| D．a leisurely walk along the beach |
Which of the following does not belong to "the original beauty of Hawaii"?
| A．White sand beaches. |
| B．Waving palm trees. |
| C．Tall hotels. |
| D．The Diamond Head Mountain. |
The last paragraph suggests_______
| A．the scenery nowadays is not too different from the original beauty. |
| B．it's not quite easy to see the original beauty, because some of the scenery is almost hidden by tall hotels. |
| C．it is easy to see the original beauty, but only by taking jet airplanes. |
| D．it is not easy to see the original beauty because things have completely changed in the last 25 years. |
The best title of the passage is _______
| A．Islands Scenery. |
| B．Hawaii A Magic Name. |
| C．Traveling In Hawaii. |
| D．The Dramatic Beauty. |
Amy and Mark Blaubach were very excited about adopting a child from an orphanage (孤儿院). They thought they would adopt a baby girl. After waiting one and a half years, the social worker asked them to consider adopting a six-year-old boy named Jerry.
After the adoption papers were signed, Amy asked if Jerry had a good friend at the orphanage. Jerry said his best friend was Zack. That was the first time that Amy heard about Zack.
Then Jerry went to his new home with Amy and Mark, where he lived happily and adjusted very well. However, Jerry kept talking about his best friend that he had left behind at the orphanage. So Amy became determined to try and find out more about Zack.
She came across a database specifically for families who had adopted children from the orphanage where she met Jerry. The database allowed parents to enter their child’s name and his or her adoption information. As Amy looked through the database, she found what appeared to be a possible match of her son’s best friend. After sending a new e-mails back and forth, Amy was sure to have the right Zack. He had adopted by Rae and Bruce Hostetler two weeks before. To her surprise, the two families were living in the same city. Then she decided to give these two friends a special reunion (重逢)
On a sunny Sunday, the two boys finally met each other again. When Jerry asked Zack, “Do you remember me?” Zack quickly answered, “Yes! Let’s go and play!” That led to hours of laughter and play. Rae and Amy were excited to see how well their sons got along, and what an amazing bond(联系) they had. Thanks to both families, that special bond between Zack and Jerry can continue for the rest of their lives.What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?
| A．Amy and Mark thought they would adopt a baby boy. |
| B．Amy and Mark were unwilling to adopt Jerry. |
| C．Amy had met Zack before he left the orphanage |
| D．Amy knew that Zack and Jerry were good friends. |
After Jerry left the orphanage ________.
| A．he wasn’t happy in his new home |
| B．he couldn’t adapt to his new environment |
| C．he missed his friend very much |
| D．he left guilty about leaving his friend behind |
What can we learn about Zack from the fourth paragraph?
| A．He was found at the orphanage by Amy. |
| B．He was living in the same city as Jerry. |
| C．He would be adopted by Amy and Mark. |
| D．The boy named Zack in the database wasn’t Jerry’s friend. |
Which of the following is TURE according to the last paragraph?
| A．The boys met again at Amy’s home. |
| B．The boys couldn’t get along with each other any longer. |
| C．When they met again, the boys didn’t recognize each other at first. |
| D．The boys can keep in touch with each other for the rest of their lives. |
What is the best title for this text?
| A．How to Adopt a Child |
| B．Amy and Her Adopted Child |
| C．A Story in an Orphanage |
| D．A Very Special Reunion |
Most people agree that it’s important to have a sense of humour. Having the ability to laugh can help one overcome anxiety, and make better decisions in difficult situations. People with a well-developed sense of humour appear to be happier, and some are healthier as well. This suggests that having a sense of humour is good for you. Humourless people may find themselves being treated as a fool, and become anxious and upset.
A sense of humour also plays an important role in human relationships. However, not everyone has a sense of humour. People with developmental disabilities (发展性能力丧失) can sometimes have no sense of humour, or have a very strange one.
A number of factors affect a person’s sense of humour, with the age probably being the main one. Young children are often highly amused by simple jokes or shows, while teenagers prefer to enjoy the ironic (讽刺的) events. Educational level, culture, and religious faith also affect one’s sense of humour. While Christians, for example, may have a deep appreciation of jokes about the Bible, others may find them disrespectful.
Many people believe that a sense of humour is something that develops on its own, and that you cannot teach someone to understand why jokes, certain comments, situations or events are funny. However, things can be done to enhance one’s sense of humour. Children, for example, benefit from being told jokes and encouraged to laugh, although some children’s jokes might seem rather strange to adults. If you have children, try to encourage them to tell jokes and think about what makes things funny. And it will help them develop a sense of humour.The purpose of the passage is to _______.
| A．explain what influences a person’s sense of humour |
| B．tell readers the importance of being healthy |
| C．explain how to make better decisions |
| D．tell readers how to understand jokes |
What does the underlined word in Paragraph 4 "enhance" probably mean?
| A．Enjoy. | B．Reduce. | C．Improve. | D．Prevent. |
According to the passage, which of the following doesn’t influence one’s sense of humour?
| A．Culture. | B．Age. |
| C．Educational level. | D．Family backgrounds. |
Universal Studios Hollywood, a park for fun, entertainment, and even learning, is taking its first steps in a 25-year plan to expand itself. The plan is to expand the amusement facilities (设施) and develop a residential (住宅的) neighborhood in the area. "I’m really excited about what’s happening here," one visitor said.
Originally known as Universal City, Universal Studios Hollywood was founded in 1915 by Carl Laemmle. It was the first studio offering tours during which people could watch films in production. Since then, Universal Studios Hollywood has grown to include theme parks, restaurants, hotels, shopping malls, and etc. This park proved to be so popular that Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990.
With such past success and growth, it’s no wonder that Universal Studios Hollywood is excited about its latest plans for expansion. The original plans had to be changed because of environmental regulations (规章), but now they are ready to move ahead at full speed.
While many new attractions are in the works for the new expansion, Universal Studios Hollywood will keep some of its old attractions, such as the Bates Mansion from the film Psychoand the Shark from Jaws. These attractions offer a look at the historical development of the film industry, and show the advances in film-production techniques over the years. But while preserving the past, plenty of new high-tech sound stages, rides, and theaters are in the works. In May, Citywalk, a shopping, dining, and entertainment facility, began undergoing renovations (整修), and spring also saw the opening of Sky Venture Hollywood, an attraction where visitors can float 40 feet into the air on 125 mph winds.As a result of the popularity of Universal Studios Hollywood, ______.
| A．other parks were opened |
| B．homeowners lost their houses |
| C．Carl Laemmle decided to produce films |
| D．more environmental regulations have been made |
The visitor in the first paragraph holds a(n) _________ attitude towards the expansion.
| A．supportive | B．doubtful | C．objective | D．Negative |
Why will Universal Studios Hollywood preserve some old attractions?
| A．They’re too costly to replace. |
| B．They show the history of the film industry. |
| C．They’re more popular than others. |
| D．They are more beautiful than the new ones. |
From the passage we learn that Universal Studios Hollywood ____.
| A．was built as a theme park at first |
| B．was not allowed to expand at first |
| C．has finished its changes already |
| D．has been in Florida for 30 years |