Oscar the cat seems to have an unnatural ability for predicting when nursing home patients are going to die, by curling up (蜷伏) next to them during their final hours. His accuracy, observed in 25 cases, has led the staff to call family members once he has chosen someone. It usually means the patient has less than four hours to live. "Many family members take some comfort from it. They appreciate the companionship that the cat provides for their dying loved one," said Dosa, a doctor and assistant professor of medicine at Brown University.
The 2-year-old cat was adopted as a kitten and grew up in a third-floor dementia (痴呆) unit at the Steere House Nursing and Rehabilitation Center, where the facility treats people with Alzheimer's, Parkinson's disease and other illnesses. After about six months, the staff noticed Oscar would make his own rounds, just like the doctors and nurses. He'd smell and observe patients, then sit beside people who would end up dying in a few hours. Dosa said Oscar seems to take his work seriously. "This is not a cat that's friendly to people," he said.
"Oscar is better at predicting death than the people who work here," said Dr. Joan Teno of Brown University, who treats patients at the nursing home and is an expert on care for the terminally ill. She was convinced of Oscar's talent when he made his 13th correct call. While observing one patient, Teno said she noticed the woman wasn't eating, was breathing with difficulty and that her legs had a bluish color, signs that often mean death is near. Oscar wouldn't stay inside the room, though, so Teno thought bis streak was broken. Instead, it turned out the doctor's prediction was roughly 10 hours too early. Sure enough, during the patient's final two hours, nurses told Teno that Oscar joined the woman at her bedside.
Doctors say most of the people who get a visit from the sweet-faced, gray-and-white cat are so ill that they probably don't know he's there, so patients aren't aware he's a predictor of death. Most families are grateful for the advance warning, although one wanted Oscar out of the room while a family member died. When Oscar is put outside, he paces and meows his displeasure.
No one's certain if Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant or points to a cause. Teno wonders if the cat senses mysterious scents or reads something into the behavior of the nurses who raised him. Nursing home staff aren't concerned with explaining Oscar, so long as he gives families a better chance at saying goodbye to the dying. The staff recently gave Oscar a wall sign publicly praising his "sympathetic care."What makes Oscar the cat so special?
| A．He observes the cases of dying patients. |
| B．He curls up next to the patients. |
| C．He calls family members to the hospital. |
| D．He senses when patients are to die. |
The passage tells us Oscar_____.
| A．would go round and observe patients |
| B．may sometimes fail to predict death |
| C．is friendly and liked by every nurse |
| D．was born and grew up in the hospital |
The underlined words "his streak was broken" probably mean ____.
| A．his bones were severely injured |
| B．his magic power stopped working |
| C．his devotion to work got changed |
| D．his friendship with patients ended |
From the passage, we learn that_____.
| A．Oscar's behavior is scientifically significant |
| B．Oscar can read something of the nurses' behavior |
| C．Oscar might like to stay with the dying patients |
| D．Oscar is sympathetic to the dying patients |
The best title for this passage is "____".
| A．Cats Can Be Used for Looking After Patients |
| B．Oscar, the Sweet-Faced, Gray-and-White Cat |
| C．As Death Comes Calling, So Does Oscar the Cat |
| D．Oscar the Cat, the Best Helper of Our Hospital |
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 |
| BORDER CROSSINGS While there are no restrictions on the amount of money that you can bring across the border, you must report to both the US and Canadian border services amounts equal to or greater than $10, 000． PERSONAL EXEMPTIONS（免税）ON PURCHASES AMERICANS RETURNING TO THE US Less than 48 hours: $ 200 US 48 hours or more: $ 800 US duty-free personal exemption． next $ 1．000 US at 3% Including up to 100 cigars and 100 cigarettes． CANADIANS RETURNING TO CANADA Less than 24 hours: $ 50 CAN 48 hours or more: $ 400 CAN Including up to 100 cigars and 200 cigarettes． 7 days or more: $ 750 CAN Including up to 100 cigars and 200 cigarettes． DOCUMENTATION NEEDED FOR BORDER CROSSING LAND OR SEA TO THE US（INCLUDING FERRIES） A valid passport or passport card, or a NEXUS card． （A NEXUS card is a Trusted Traveler Program that provides quick travel for pre-approved, low risk travelers through special lanes．） A recent Washington State, New York or BC driver’s license． Note: Children 15 years of age and younger require only a birth certificate or copy．（Certified copies are not required but are advised．） AIR TRAVEL TO THE US A valid passport, an Air NEXUS card, or a U. S. Coast Guard Merchant Marine Document． |
If a Canadian who is on a 7-day trip to New York buys $ 800 CAN worth of goods, how much should he pay tax on when returning home?
| A．$ 800 CAN. | B．$750 CAN. | C．$ 400 CAN. | D．$ 50 CAN. |
For an American citizen on a 2-day tour of Canada, how much tax does he have to pay on $ 1, 600 US worth of purchases when returning to the US?
| A．$ 24 US. | B．$ 48 US. | C．$52 US. | D．$ 200 US. |
What documentation should a couple with a 7-year-old child carry when they drive a car from Canada to America?
| A．A BC driver’s license, an Air NEXUS card, and a birth certificate． |
B．An Air NE XUS card, a U．S．Coast Guard Merchant Marine Document, and a birth certificate． |
| C．Two valid passport cards and a certified copy of a birth certificate． |
| D．A NEXUS card, a U．S．Coast Guard Merchant Marine Document．,and a certified copy of a birth certificate． |
Usually, when your teacher asks a question, there is only one correct answer．But there is one question that has millions of current answers．That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct．
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents．Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used．Some parents choose the name of a well-known person．A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones．
Some people give their children names that mean good things．Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”．
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names．A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near a brook；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road．The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest．
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations．The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals．In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village．Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter — a person who made pots and pans．
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village．The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture．
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities．When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray．Or the John was very tall could call himself John Tallman．John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer．
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name．English-speaking people added–s or–son．The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert．Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O．Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell．Which of the following aspects do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?
| A．Places where people lived． | B．People’s characters． |
| C．Talents that people possessed． | D．People’s occupations． |
According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably ________．
| A．owned or drove a cart | B．made things with metals |
| C．made kitchen tools or containers | D．built houses and furniture |
Suppose an English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named ________．
| A．Beatrice Smith | B．Leonard Carter | C．George Longstreet | D．Donald Greenwood |
The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s ________．
| A．later generations | B．friends and relatives |
| C．colleagues and partners | D．later sponsors |
Christopher Thomas, 27, was a writer by night and a teacher by day when he noticed he was always tired and was losing weight fast．Diagnosed with diabetes（糖尿病）, Thomas would need to inject himself with insulin（胰岛素） three times a day for the rest of his life or risk nerve damage, blindness, and even death．And if that weren't bad enough, he had no health insurance．
After a month of feeling upset, Thomas decided he'd better find a way to fight back．He left Canton, Michigan for New York, got a job waiting tables, nicknamed himself the Diabetic Rockstar, and created diabeticrockstar.com, a free online community for diabetics and their loved ones — a place where over 1,100 people share personal stories, information, and resources．
Jason Swencki’s son, Kody, was diagnosed with type diabetes at six．Father and son visit the online children's forums（论坛） together most evenings．"Kody gets so excited, writing to kids from all over," says Swencki, one of the site's volunteers. “They know what he's going through, so he doesn't feel alone.”
Kody is anything but alone: Diabetes is now the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, with 24 million diagnosed cases．And more people are being diagnosed at younger ages．
These days, Thomas's main focus is his charity, Fight It, which provides medicines and supplies to people — 225 to date — who can't afford a diabetic's huge expenses．Fight-it．org has raised about $23,000 — in products and in cash．In May, Thomas will hold the first annual Diabetic Rockstar Festival in the Caribbean．
Even with a staff of 22 volunteers, Thomas often devotes up to 50 hours a week to his cause, while still doing his full-time job waiting tables．"Of the diabetes charities out there, most are putting money into finding a cure," says Bentley Gubar, one of Rockstar's original members. “But Christopher is the only person I know saying people need help now.”Which of the following is true of Christopher Thomas?
| A．He needs to go to the doctor every day． |
| B．He studies the leading cause of diabetes. |
| C．He has a positive attitude to this disease． |
| D．He encourages diabetics by writing articles． |
Diabeticrockstar.com was created for ________．
| A．diabetics to communicate | B．volunteers to find jobs |
| C．children to amuse themselves | D．rock stars to share resources． |
According to the text, Kody ________．
| A．feel lonely because of his illness | B．benefits from diabeticrockstar.com |
| C．helps create the online kid’s forums | D．writes children’s stories online |
What can we learn about Fight It?
| A．It helps the diabetics in financial difficulties． |
| B．It organizes parties for volunteer once a year． |
| C．It offers less expensive medicine to diabetics． |
| D．It owns a well-known medical website． |
The last paragraph suggests that Thomas ________．
| A．works full-time in a diabetes charity | B．employs 22 people for his website |
| C．helps diabetics in his own way | D．tries to find a cure for diabetes |
任务型阅读（共10小题；每小题1分，满分10分）
It all began with ...
Orlando Bloom was not a “good” student in school. Because of dyslexia, a reading and writing disorder (障碍), he struggled in many courses.
But Bloom says the dyslexia gave him the encouragement to overcome (克服) his difficulties.
In an interview with the Telegraph, the 32-year-old said the condition turned him into an ambitious person. “Because of the dyslexia, I always thought I had to work twice as hard as everyone else just to go the same distance,” he said. “That gave me a real kick as a kid and a lot of encouragement later on. In one sense, I guess that I'm grateful (感激的).”
Bloom is always preparing it thoroughly(充分地) when it comes to an audition (试镜) for a part. Perhaps this is what won him his role in the Lord of the Rings, a highly successful film trilogy (三部曲). “I really prepared it thoroughly for the audition and it's paid off,” he said.
It was the beginning of a fame that led to even greater success as a movie actor. But unlike some young people who aim for fame and fortune, Bloom believed an acting career “has been fulfilling (实现) his childhood fantasies”.
“Aged 9, I had this girlfriend and we used to have running races in the park to see who would be her boyfriend for the day. I wanted to be like Superman and fly in and rescue her. Once I realized Superman was an actor, I thought, ‘That's for me''.”
Bloom has always played special characters, like a knight (骑士) and a prince. It's difficult to picture him in everyman roles.
In October, Bloom was named Goodwill Ambassador (亲善大使) for the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). His first task will be to film a documentary about the importance of clean water supplies.
In fact, Bloom started work for the UNICEF in 2007. On his first visit to Nepal, he was asked by students to take a small part in a play they were performing on local radio.
| Personal record of Orlando Bloom |
|
| When he was nine years old |
He wanted to be like Superman and fly in and _____ (1) his girlfriend. That's why he became an _____ (2). |
| When he was a student at school |
_____ (3) of dyslexia, Bloom _____ (4) in many courses, which _____ (5) him to work twice as hard as everyone else. In a sense, dyslexia _____ (6) him overcome his difficulties. |
| When he chose to be an actor |
Bloom is always well _____ (7) for auditions. Perhaps this is _____ (8) won him his role in the Lord of the Rings. |
| In 2007 |
Bloom started work for the UNICEF. |
| In this October |
Bloom was _____ (9) Goodwill Ambassador for UNICEF. His first task will be to _____ (10) a documentary about the importance of clean water supplies. |