The German shepherd runs off and noses around in the grass of Kenya’s Laikipia Plateau. “OK, Oakley,” the dog’s handler orders, “Find it!”
Oakley sniffs (嗅) until he comes to a bush, then stops, sits, and looks up at his handler. She bends to see what he has found: the waste of an endangered African wild dog. “Good dog!” she praises. The handler pulls a tennis ball from her pocket. Oakley jumps for his reward.
“He doesn’t actually want the waste,” says Aimee Hurt, a founding member of the U.S.-based group Working Dogs for Conservation. Hurt is in Kenya to train both Oakley and his handler. “He finds it so he can play with his ball. We’re the ones who want the waste.”
Detection dogs are sometimes taught to locate actual animals. Black-footed ferrets (雪貂) have been studied with their help. But more often the dogs learn to locate the waste of creatures such as bears, wolves and mountain lions.
What the dogs find provides scientists with data about a species. Scientists can use the DNA collected from animal waste to identify individuals, sex, and population sizes — all without ever seeing the animal itself. “It can take years to gather this kind of information if you have to trap animals,” Hurt explains.
Waste analysis might make a huge difference when wild species are accused of attacking domestic livestock (家畜). Hurt says, “A good detection dog will find the waste so we can see what the animal is actually eating.” This may help reduce problems between people and wildlife. The underlined word “She” in Paragraph 2 refers to “_____”.
A.the German shepherd | B.an African wild dog |
C.Aimee Hurt | D.the handler |
Oakley is interested in finding the waste because _____.
A.he wants to study endangered animals |
B.he can get a tennis ball to play with |
C.he wants to eat it |
D.he wants to play with it |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Trapping animals is not difficult. |
B.People are making efforts to protect the environment. |
C.Detection dogs attack domestic livestock frequently. |
D.Collecting animal waste is a good way to gather information. |
What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Detection dogs can help scientists study wildlife. |
B.Detection dogs can defend wildlife. |
C.Detection dogs can help the police catch the criminals. |
D.Detection dogs can help local people defend domestic livestock. |
Below is adapted from an English dictionary
figure/fīg ə / noun, verb ●noun 1. [C, often pl.] a number representing particular amount, especially one given in official information: the trade /sales figures 2. [C] a symbol rather than a word representing one of the numbers between 0 and 9: a six-figure salary 3. [pl] (informal) the area of mathematics that deals with adding, multiplying, etc 4. a person of the type mentioned: Gandhi was both a political and a religious figure in Indian history. 5. the shape of a person seen from a distance or not clearly 6. a person or an animal as shown in art or a story: a wall with five carved figures in it 7. [C] the human shape, considered from the point of view of being attractively thin: doing exercise to improve one’s figure 8. [C] a pattern or series of movements performed on ice: figure-skating [IDM] be/become a figure of fun: be/become sb. that others laugh at cut a…figure: (of a person) to have a particular appearance He cut a striking figure in his dinner jacket. put a figure on sth.: to say the exact price or number of sth. |
a fine figure of man/woman: a tall, strong-looking and well-shaped person figure of speech: a word or phrase used in a different way from its usual meanings in order to create a particular mental image or effect figurehead: someone who is the head or chief in name only (with no real power or authority) ●verb 1. to think or decide that sth. will happen or is true: I figured that if I took the night train, I could be in Scotland by morning. 2. to be part of a process, situation, etc. especially an important part: My opinion of the matter didn’t seem to figure at all. 3. to calculate an amount or the cost of sth.: We figured that attendance at 150,000. [PHRV] 1. figure in: to include (in a sum): Have you figured in the cost of hotel? 2. figure on: to plan on; to expect sth. to happen: I haven’t figured on his getting home too late. 3. figure out: to work out; understand by thinking: Have you figured out how much the trip will cost? [IDM] It/That figures! (informal): That seems reasonable, logical and what I expect. |
I didn’t really mean my partner is a snake; it was just a ______.
A.figure of eight | B.figure head | C.figure of speech | D.a fine figure |
—She was coming late again.
—______! That’s typical of her.
A.It figures her out | B.It figures | C.It cuts a poor figure | D.She is a figure of fun |
What does “watch my figure” in the sentence “Don’t tempt me with chocolate; I am watching my figure.” mean?
A.add the numbers | B.have sports | C.try not to get fat | D.watch games |
No one can figure out the reasons for the Poland president plane crash in 2010. Here figure out means:_________
A.watch out | B.work out | C.understand well | D.break out |
—Promise you don’t wear this kind of clothes? People will play a joke on you.
—I don’t care whether I am________. I just want to keep warm.
A.a figure of fun | B.a healthy figure | C.a figure head | D.a bad figure |
Internet dating has become one of the biggest and most successful business ventures on the Internet.Basically,Internet dating is a way to meet people for either friendship or dating without actually having to meet them in person first.
The first thing to do if you decide to try Internet dating is to build your profile(简介)which can include your hobbies,hopes for the future,and So on.A photograph is optional,but many sites claim that a photograph increases the number of people who look at your profile. Many Internet dating sites will charge a one-time registration fee to use their services.
Internet dating makes it possible to meet people from all over the world. You can even narrow the search down to your area by zip code.Another advantage is that you can communicate by email before you meet in person.Thousands of people have met,fallen in love,and married through Internet dating.It is an excellent way for shy people to meet.It is also a way for people with busy lives to connect with others,and an easy way to meet people who share your interests.
Just as in conventional dating and love,there are some pitfalls to be aware of in Internet dating.The person you have been talking to on the net may not be someone who he says that he is very aware that there are some people who misrepresent(歪曲)their appearance or private details,such as marital(婚姻的) status,income,and so on,for their own reasons.It would not be the first time that someone has been taken in , and talk shows are full of cheating partners who have been caught dating over the Internet in their spare time.Nevertheless,taking a few simple precautions should help ensure that your Internet dating experience is fun.The purpose of writing the passage is to.
A.persuade readers to go dating on the Internet |
B.inform us how to date on the Internet |
C.warn readers against web love |
D.introduce Internet dating to US |
Which of the following is a must to make an Internet dating possible?
A.A photo. | B.A profile. |
C.Registration fee. | D.Business experience. |
One advantage of Internet dating is that.
A.you can avoid a face-to-face meeting in the beginning |
B.you’re sure to find a partner with the same interests |
C.you’ll find absolutely reliable information of others |
D.you’11 gain fame and money overnight |
The underlined word “pitfalls” in Paragraph 4 most probably means.
A.rules | B.trends | C.problems | D.skills |
What is probably talked about following the last paragraph?
A.Traditional dating. | B.Hidden advantages. |
C.Safety measures. | D.Romantic love. |
Archaeology as a profession faces two major problems. It is the poorest of the poor. Only small sums are available for excavating(挖掘)and even less is available
for publishing the results and preserving the sites once excavated. Yet archaeologists deal with priceless objects every day. Besides, there is the problem of unlawful excavation, resulting in museum-quality pieces being sold to businessmen at the highest price..
I would like to make a suggestion that would at once provide money for archaeology and reduce the amount of diggings against law. You might say that professionals excavate to get knowledge, not money. Moreover, ancient artifacts(古器
物) are part of our global cultural heritage(遗产), which should be there for all to appreciate, not sold at the highest price. I agree. Sell nothing that has scientific value. But, you might reply, everything that comes out of the ground has scientific value. Here,
we disagree. In theory, you may be correct in saying that every artifact has hidden scientific value.
People can not help appreciate every unearthed treasure but there is not enough money even to put the finds in good order; as a result, they cannot be found again and become as inaccessible as if they had never been discovered. Indeed, with the help of the Internet, sold artifacts could be more reachable than are the pieces stored in museum basements. Before sale, each could be photographed and the list of the purchasers could be maintained on the computer. A purchaser could even be required to agree to return the piece if it should become needed for scientific purposes. What’s the problems that archaeology as a profession has to face?
A.Money and unlawful excavation | B.Effectively duplicates. |
C.Scientific purposes. | D.Excavation law. |
To let most people enjoy ancient artifacts, the practical way could be_______.
A.putting them in the museum | B.having sold artifacts returned |
C.making use of the Internet | D.solving the money problem |
Which of the following four suggestions about archaeology is from the author?
A.No selling of any unearthed ancient artifacts. |
B.Some money should be raised for the purpose. |
C.Selling some unearthed ancient artifacts and having them returned when needed. |
D.Ancient artifacts, our global cultural heritage, should be evenly shared by us all. |
New York Times---( DINITIA SMITH )Tomorrow is the 433d anniversary of Shakespeare’s birth. A recent survey shows that more people are watching him, reading him and studying him than ever before.
Consider the recent yearly conference of the Shakespeare Association of America in Washington, where more than 600 people who study or admire Shakespeare from 18 countries took in topics like ‘‘Whither Attribution Studies,’’ ‘‘Unpopular Shakespeare’’ and ‘‘Sex Me Here,’’ a talk on breast-feeding and Lady Macbeth.
‘‘The national media is saying that fewer students’ taking Shakespeare,’’ Barbara Mowat, the editor of The Shakespeare Quarterly, observed in a speech at the conference. ‘‘But Shakespeare is thriving.’’ The association’s membership has increased by a third since 1990.
The Shakespeare business is so good these days that W. W. Norton is introducing a huge new collections of the plays into the already crowded field just in time for tomorrow’s birthday anniversary. Priced at $44.95, ‘‘The Norton Shakespeare: Based on the Oxford Edition’’ runs for 3,420 pages, offering introductions, illustrations and notes and three versions(版本) of ‘‘King Lear.’’
Today, movies and videos have made the plays even more accessible. Last year, ‘‘William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet’’ was No. 1 at the box office when it opened, and it grossed nearly $50 million. In New York in January, crowds lined up in the freezing cold to see Kenneth Branagh’s four-hour ‘‘Hamlet.’’ The students select a scene and then have a violent discussion about it.’’ Influenced by films, professors are increasingly teaching students by having them perform the plays. Why people from 18 countries came to Washington this year?
A.To celebrate Shakespeare’s 433d birth day only. |
B.To watch some plays by Shakespeare as planned. |
C.To celebrate Shakespeare’s birthday and study his works. |
D.To discuss how to teach students using Shakespeare’s plays. |
What does the underlined word “ field” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A. Washington D.C. B. Shakespeare Association.
C. The birthday anniversary. D. The Shakespeare business.Which of the many plays by Shakespeare was most popular the year before?
A.King Lear. | B.Hamlet. |
C.Macbeth. | D.Romeo and Juliet. |
What does the author want to prove by using so many examples about Shakespeare?
A. More and more people are becoming interested in Shakespeare.
B. Shakespeare business is being run well in America nowadays.
C. Plays by Shakespeare can be used at school for more studies.
D. Shakespeare belongs not only to Britain but also to the USA.
Did you ever wonder how some of your favorite foods, products or toys came about? Believe it or not, they may have been an accident, or a failure of some other intention. Below, we found three mistakes we’re thankful for turned out to be what they are.
1. Most historians hold that the Chinese invented fireworks in the 9th century when they
discovered how to make gunpowder. Story has it that a Chinese cook accidentally mixed together what were then considered common kitchen items and noticed they burnt. When put tightly in a bamboo tube and lit, it blew up.
2. In May of 1886, a law led John Pemberton, a pharmacist(药剂师), to rewrite the formula(配方) for "Pemberton’s French Wine Coca,” his popular headache treatment. Containing sugar instead of wine as a sweetener, the outcome became something for Coke, which was later mixed with carbonated water. His bookkeeper suggested the name Coca-Cola because he thought the two C’s would look good together, which is how what we call Coca-Cola, a world –wide drink came into being.
3. During World War II, scientists at the University of Birmingham invented the magnetron—an important heat-producing part of the microwave oven(微波炉). While working for Raytheon Corporation after the war, the American engineer Percy Spencer was testing the magnetron when a chocolate bar in his pocket melted. He went on to test other foods including popcorn kernels, and found it to be a much more efficient way to cook. In 1947 Raytheon came out with the first restaurant microwave oven, which was six feet tall and weighed 750 lbs.The right time order of the three inventions, according to the passage, should be_________.
A.fireworks, the microwave and Coca-Cola |
B.fireworks ,Coca-Cola and the microwave |
C.Coca-Cola , fireworks and the microwave |
D.the microwave, Coca-Cola and fireworks |
Percy Spencer found the microwave efficient in cooking when he was _______.
A.looking for a way to melt his chocolate |
B.trying to know how a magnetron could cook |
C.working to know how the magnetron works |
D.asked to invent a restaurant microwave oven |
What can we learn from the above invention stories?
A.Experiments make great inventors of our time. |
B.Nothing is impossible if one tries each day. |
C.Inventors come out of hard work at any time. |
D.A small incident may lead to a great invention. |
What’s the best title for the passage?
A.What great inventions they are! | B.Inventions from Three Countries. |
C.Stories of Accidental Inventions. | D.The Human Inventions of time. |