A recent study of ancient and modern elephants has come up with the unexpected conclusion that the African elephant is divided into two distinct (不同的) species
The discovery was made by researchers at York and Harvard universities when they were examining the genetic relationship between the ancient woolly mammoth and mastodon to modern elephants—the Asian elephant, African forest elephant and African savanna elephant
Once they obtained DNA sequences (序列) from two fossils (化石)，mammoths and mastodons the team compared them with DNA from modern elephants. They found to their amazement that modern forest and savanna elephants are as distinct from each other as Asian elephants and mammoths.
The scientists used detailed genetic analysis to prove that the African savanna elephants and the African forest elephants have been distinct species for several million years. The divergence of the two species took place around the time of the divergence of Asian elephants and woolly mammoths. This result amazed all the scientists.
There has long been debate in the scientific community that the two might be separate species but this is the most convincing scientific evidence so far that they are indeed different species.
Previously, many naturalists believed that African savanna elephants and African forest elephants were two populations of the same species despite the elephants’ significant size differences. The savanna elephant has an average shoulder height of 3.5metres while the forest elephant has an average shoulder height of 2.5metres. The savanna elephant weighs between six and seven tons, roughly double the weight of the forest elephant. But the fact that they look so different does not necessarily mean they are different species. However, the proof lay in the analysis of the DNA.
Alfred Roca, assistant professor in the department of Animal Sciences at the University of Minois, said, “We now have to treat the forest and savanna elephants as two different units for conservation purpose. Since 1950 all African elephants have been conserved as one species. Now that we know the forest and savanna elephants are two very distinct animals, the forest elephant should become a bigger priority (优先)for conservation purpose .”One of the fossils studied by the researchers is that of ________.
| A．the Asian elephant | B．the forest elephant |
| C．the savanna elephant | D．the mastodon elephant |
The underlined word “divergence” in paragraph 4means “________”
| A．evolution | B．exhibition | C．separation | D．examination |
The researcher’s conclusion was based on a study of the African elephant’s ____________
| A．DNA | B．height | C．weight | D．population |
What were Alfred Roca’s words mainly about?
| A．The conversation of African elephants. |
| B．The purpose of studying African elephants |
| C．The way to divide African elephants into two units |
| D．The reason for the distinction of African elephants |
Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Naturalist’s Belief about Elephants. |
| B．Amazing Experiment about Elephants |
| C．An Unexpected Finding about Elephants |
| D．A Long scientific Debate about Elephants |
According to the United States government, people are classified as homeless if they have no place to stay and no expectation of finding a place for the next thirty days. Although technically accurate, that is an impersonal assessment of an enormous and very human problem.
The homeless population represents all of us Americans. It includes men and women, the elderly, children, and infants. Its members are from all ethnic groups. What they have in common is poverty.
Currently in the U.S., thirty-nine million people live in poverty. When money is really tight, paying the rent or buying food often becomes a choice. Government assistance in the form of food stamps does help but, as one homeless man explains, you can’t pay the rent with food stamps.
With no money for rent, the streets and homeless shelters become the alternative.
Although men make up the largest group within the homeless population, homeless women with children are rapidly joining them. In fact, one quarter of the homeless people in the U.S. are teenagers and young children.
People may become homeless for numerous reasons. However, there are certain factors that many of these individuals have in common. They include a lack of adequate education and job skills. A majority of the teenagers and adults have n
ot completed high school.
The abuse of alcohol and drugs is also a common factor. One third of the adult homeless population abuses alcohol, while one quarter of the same group uses drugs.
Some members of this population suffer mental health problems. Within the past several years many institutions for the mentally ill have been closed and their patients sent “home”. Unfortunately, a number of those people have no home to go to and they are unable to adequately look after themselves.
Job loss in today’s economy has also become a real factor in the loss of people’s homes. The breakup of families through abandonment and divorce is also contributing factors, particularly when there are children involved. The parent who is left to care for the kids with inadequate income may be forced to depend on the homeless shelters to put a roof over their heads.The writer thinks that the U.S. government’s d
efinition for the homeless shows _________.
| A．an insincere attitude toward the homeless |
| B．an unbearable attitude toward the homeless |
| C．an uncivilized attitude toward the homeless |
| D．an unsympathetic attitude toward the homeless |
The U.S. government helps the homeless by _________.
| A．giving them homeless allowance | B．giving them food stamps |
| C．finding jobs for them | D．finding residence (a place to live) for them |
People become homeless for all the following reasons EXCEPT _________.
| A．the lack of adequate education |
| B．the abuse of alcohol and drugs |
| C．the closure of institutions for the mentally ill |
| D．the poor performance of economy |
The breakup of families is likely to lead to homelessness because a parent with kids may _________.
| A．lose his or her job in today’s economy |
| B．be unable to look after the kids |
| C．not have enough income |
| D．find residence at a homeless shelter |
What will we be eating in the future? Here are the top factors that will be affecting the food that ends up on our tables in the new century.
Genetically engineered food Many crops are already genetically engineered, often to produce more food, fight against pests or improve nutrition. But concern is growing over the lasting effects of changing nature. While existing research has found little harm in genetic engineering, a recent study found the flower powder of a genetically engin
eered corn can kill the normal butterfly. This finding made many people nervous and brought attention to the topic.
Dining out Americans are increasingly eating meals away from home, both in sit-down restaurants and in fast food outlets. In the last decade alone there was a 14 percent decrease in the number of meals eaten at home. At the same time, restaurants are just beginning to really open their doors on the Internet. Websites exist to make restaurant reservations (预约), view menus, and get tips from your favorite chefs. The dining out trend and the demand for high-quality, chef-prepared food have encouraged chefs to spend time out of the kitchen — teaching classes, appearing on TV, and writing cookbooks.
Eating in Eating in doesn’t always mean cooking. Ready-made meals and froz
en food sold in supermarkets taste better all the time. Restaurants are offering neatly packaged “food to go”, and meals can be ordered over the Internet. Cooking is not as much as a necessity, as it is a hobby or a special treat.
Agriculture Although American farmers have been hit hard recently by bad weather, low prices and decreasing government help, they can increase grain production not using old farming methods.Which of the following is the main reason for genetically engineered crops?
| A．To lead to more food and better nutrition. | B．To kill the normal butterfly. |
| C．To reduce the harm done by insects. | D．To change the nature of the crops. |
From the passage, we learn that _________.
| A．eating out is not popular among the old people in USA |
| B．it is now easier for people to get information about eating out |
| C．it is popular for restaurants to send out information on the Internet |
| D．the trend of eating out is causing many chefs to give up their jobs |
In the future, cooking at home will probably _________.
| A．still be the job of most housewives |
| B．take up most of people’s free time |
| C．bring much joy to more people |
| D．lead to many restaurants closing down |
According to the passage, farmers should _________ to get a higher grain production.
| A．turn to better farming methods | B．ask for the support of the government |
| C．raise the prices of crops | D．not care about the effects of bad weather |
It happened to me recently that I was telling someone how much I had enjoyed reading Barack Obama’s Dreams from My Father and how it had changed my views of the current US president. The person I was talking to agreed with me that it was, in his words, “a wonderfully written book”. However, he then proceeded to talk about Mr. Obama in a way that suggested he had no idea of his background at all. I sensed that I was talking to a book liar.
And it seems that he is not the only one. Clearly two thirds of people have lied about reading a book which they haven’t. In the World Book Day survey, Dreams from My Father is at number 9. The survey lists top ten books, and various authors, which people have lied about reading. As I’m not one to lie too often, I’ll admit here and now that I haven’t read the entire ten books. But I am pleased to say that I have read the book at number one, George Orwell’s 1984. I think it’s absolutely outstanding.
Asked why they lied, the most common reason was to impress someone they were speaking to. This could be difficult if the conversation became more in depth!
The World Book Day survey also has some other interesting information in it. It shows that many people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen, the Bronte sisters, Charles Dickens and so on. But when asked which authors they actually enjoy, they named J.K. Rowling, Jilly Cooper, and Stephen King (ah, the big sellers, in other words). Forty-one percent of people asked admitted they turned to the back of the book to read the end before finishing the story.
So which books have you lied about reading — if any — and which is your favourite?
1．The main reason why people lie about reading is to _________.
A. make fun of the listener B. impress the listener
C. please the listener D. interest the listener
2．The underlined word “proceeded” in the passage probably means “_________”.
A. wanted B. happened C. continued D. stopped
3．What does the World Book Day survey show?
A. Nearly half of the people su
rveyed didn’t read through a whole classical book.
B. People don’t like Dreams from My Father and George Orwell’s 1984.
C. Few people lie about having read classical works by Jane Austen.
D. People usually enjoy reading books by Charles Dickens.
4．What is the best title for the passage?
A. Are You a Book Liar? B. Readers Are All Liars
C. World Book Day D. Dreams from My Father
Running like the wind, roaring like thunder, tigers have long been feared and respected as a king of the animal world．But last week a report said that there are no more than 30 wild tigers left in south China．
This was the conclusion of a team of scientists from China's State Forestry Administration and the World Nature Fund．
The South China tiger, also known as the Chinese tiger, is native to southern China．In the 1950's, there were over 4000 tigers found in mountain forests in the country．But due to the destruction of their natural habitat and uncontrolled hunting, it has been pushed on to the list of the world's top ten most endangered species．
Sixty-six of the big cats can be found in the cages of a dozen zoos around China．But they are nothing like their wild cousins．They have lost their natural skills such as hunting and killing．If they were set free they could not look after themselves．
"Breeding has damaged the quality of the species", said Pei Enle, deputy director of the Shanghai Zoo．
To reintroduce the species into the wild, the country started a programme to send five to ten young tigers to South Africa．Four of them have already arrived．Progress has been made as two elder tigers have recovered some of their instincts（本能）and can hunt wild animals by themselves at the African base．
" South Africans are very experienced in reintroducing big animals to the wild．The country has very good natural conditions for the tigers to learn in", said Lu Jun, office director of the National Wildlife Research and Development Center．" We tried in Fujian Province, but it was not successful as there was not a complete eco-chain（生物链） and there was a lack of space．"
The tigers should return to China in 2007 when the reservations in Fujian are ready．
1．What is the main reason for the South China tiger becoming one of the world's top ten most endangered species?
A．Because it has lost its n
atural instincts． B．Because there is not a complete eco-chain．
C．Because there is no space for it． D．Because uncontrolled hunting has destroyed its natural living conditions．
2．How is the programme of sending several tigers to South Africa getting on?
A．Its effect still remains to be seen．
B．Two tigers can already compete with their wild cousins．
C．Some of the tigers are already on the road to recovering their natural skills．
D．The tigers should be able to recover their instincts completely by 2007．
3．By saying " but they are nothing like their wild cousins", the writer means that ______．
A．they are no longer feared by other wild animals
B．they don't know how to hunt or kill
C．a complete change has resulted in the species because of breeding
D．to reintroduce them into the wild has become an urgent task
4．What is the purpose of sending young tigers to South Africa?
A．To help the tigers recover their ability to live in the wild．
B．To provide them with a better environment．
C．To get the tigers to go on a tour．
D．To find a complete eco-chain for them．
5．Which one is not the reason for South Africa being chosen as the training place?
A．Because the tigers can hunt wild animals by themselves at the African base．
B．Because South Africans are skilled at dealing with the tigers．
C．Because there is a complete eco-chain and enough space there．
D．Because the country has good natural conditions for the tigers to learn in．
I found the imagination of becoming a grandmother somewhat discouraging. I wasyounger than I thought a grandmother should be when I got the news that I was goingto become one myself. I admit, it was not a role that I was emotionally ready toaccept. I had been a young mother, and had certainly hoped my daughter would notface that same challenge. I remarried when she was a teenager, and then had two morec
hildren. On getting the news that she was expecting, I remember thinking “What do Iknow about being a grandmother? —I haven’t even finished raising my own kids yet!”I don’t like to be unprepared, so I read a few books about grandparenting. That gaveme a little help, but I was still uncertain. I thought about other grandmothers I knew,and got a few ideas I liked and a few more that I didn't. But I couldn't quite figure outwhat kind of grandmother I wanted to be. Then I thought about my own grandmother,Granny, as she’s known by most people, and I knew I had the answer.
I didn’t realize it until that moment, but my own grandmother 
was the examplefor the kind of grandmother I wanted to be. I am fortunate that I got to spend a lot oftime with my grandparents when I was a little kid. Here's what I learned from myGranny：
Grandmothers always have a cookie jar. For my entire life, Granny always had acookie jar full of cookies. When I was a little tiny girl, just at eye level with thecounter, Granny would get the cookie jar down for me. When I was a little older Ilearned how to pull the chair over so I could reach. As I got taller, if I really stretched,I could reach the cookie jar with my finger tips and move it close enough to get it downoff the counter to find out what kind of treat was inside. Always the first thing I didwhen I went to Granny 's house was check the cookie jarand there were alwayscookies in it. Many years later, I’ll drive my own children to Granny’s house and thefirst thing Pd do is get us all a cookie.
So grandmothers must have a cookie jar and on my granddaughte’ s firs
tChristmas, my daughter bought me my own cookie jar. She said when they came to seeme, her daughter would find the treat the way she did and I did.The writer thought it was a little discouraging to be a grandmother because________.
| A．she was not old enough to be one |
| B．she was not emotionally ready to be one |
| C．she thought her daughter was too young to be a mother |
| D．grandmother should be older than she was |
Theunderlined phrase “that same challenge ” in the first paragraph refers to”________”
| A．taking care of a grandchild | B．taking care of a baby |
| C．being a young grandmother | D．being a young mother |
It can be inferred from the last paragraph that________.
| A．the writer has many happy memories of her grandmother’s cookie jar |
| B．the writer always wanted to know what was inside her grandmother’s cookie jar |
| C．the writer often drove her grandchildren to see her grandmother’s cookie jar |
| D．women of the writer ‘s age all have a cookie jar for their grandchildren |
What kind of grandmother did the writer want to be?
| A．One who has a jar filled with many kinds of cookies for children and herself. |
| B．One who grows up with her grandmother's cookie jar with all kinds of cookies. |
| C．One who is like her own grandmother with a cookie jar to treat hergrandchildren. |
| D．One who always makes different kinds of cookies to treat her grandchildren. |
Which of the following can be the best title of this text?
| A．Grandmother’s Cookie Jar | B．Grandmother’s Treat for Children |
| C．Grandmothers and Grandchildren | D．Happy Memories of Cookies |