When we see well, we do not think about our eyes very often. It is only when we cannot see perfectly that we realize how important our eyes are.
People who are near-sighted can only see things that are very close to their eyes. Everything else seems blurry. Many people who do a lot of work, such as writing, reading and sewing become near-sighted. People who are far-sighted suffer from just the opposite problem. They can see things that are far away, but they have difficulty in reading a book unless they hold it at arm’s length. If they want to do much reading, they must get glasses, too.
Other people do not see clearly because their eyes are not exactly the right shape. They have what is called astigmatism (散光). This, too, can be corrected by glasses. Some people’s eyes become cloudy because of cataracts (白内障). Long ago these people often became blind. Now, however, it is possible to operate on the cataracts and remove them.
Having two good eyes is important for judging distances. Each eye sees things from a slightly different angle. To prove this to yourself, look at an object out of one eye; then look at the same object out of your other eye. You will find the object’s relation to the background and other things around it has changed. The difference between these two different eye views helps us to judge how far away an object is. People who have only one eye cannot judge distances as people with two eyes.We should take good care of our eyes________. .
| A．only when we can see well |
| B．only when we cannot see perfectly |
| C．even if we can see wel |
| D．only when we realize how important our eyes are |
When things far away seem indistinct(模糊不清) , one is probably________. .
| A．near-sighted | B．far-sighted |
| C．astigmatic | D．suffering from cataracts |
The underlined word blurry in the second paragraph probably means_______.
| A．obvious | B．possible | C．clear | D．unclear |
Having two eyes instead of one is particularly useful for_______
| A．seeing at night | B．seeing objects far away |
| C．looking over a wide area | D．judging distances |
As we enjoy the summer ocean waves along the beaches, we may think nervously about Steven Spielberg's Jaws and the great fear that sharks inspire in us. Yet we are happy to see global efforts to protect the declining number of sharks. The world has realized that we need the species, like sharks, to keep a balanced ecosystem.
Sharks, in particular, are “in” these days. Thanks to good public policy and famous stars such as Jackie Chan and Ang Lee, killing sharks for fin soup is no longer cool.
The demand for shark fins has been rising for decades, threatening sharks with extinction -- up to 100 million sharks are killed each year just for their fins. But we have started to reverse the trend, particularly in many areas of the United States and overseas where restaurants once proudly provided delicious shark fins on the menu.
In California, a ban on the sale and possession of shark fin soup has gone into effect this year through the efforts of Wild Aid and other organizations.
Overseas marketing and public efforts featuring posters on public transportation systems and TV ads have been underway for the past few years. These efforts all show signs of success, on both the supply side and the demand side of trade in shark fins.
Actually, stopping the killing of sharks is part of a broader movement to stop the killing of wild animals and the buying and selling of wildlife products. These products come from hunting elephants, tigers and rhinos, besides killing marine life.
Whether it is shark fin soup or ivory piano keys, killing animals is big business. The hunting of elephants in search of ivory tusks for luxury（奢侈的）goods has become a full-scale war. The decrease of African elephant populations is alarming. Together with international partners, the United States is leading the worldwide effort to reduce demand for high-end products that rely on killing animals. The underlined word “reverse” in Paragraph 3 probably means _______.
| A．follow | B．keep | C．change | D．show |
From the passage, we know _______.
| A．a lot of wild animals have been killed for products |
| B．Jackie Chan and Ang Lee make fin soup popular |
| C．Steven Spielberg's Jaws inspires us to protect sharks |
| D．the number of African elephants has been increased |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．People have kicked the habit of having shark fin soup. |
| B．Shark fins will not be available any more in restaurants. |
| C．Global efforts have succeeded in stopping killing wild animals. |
| D．More animals for high-end products will be saved. |
Many peoplerush into the commitment of bringing home a four-legged family member, only to find out that they are not ready for a pet. This often results in the dog being turned over to a shelter where it may not find another home. This can be avoided if potential pet owners take the time to figure out if they are truly ready for the responsibilities of pet ownership.
Being a responsible pet owner involves a financial commitment that goes beyond buying dog food. There are also parasite (寄生虫) prevention, boarding costs while traveling and the cost to care for the pet should it become ill or injured. That is not to say that one must be rich in order to have a dog, but it is important to be prepared for the expenses that come with being a pet owner.
Another consideration is the time commitment. An owner away from home for 14 hours every day is not an ideal situation for a dog. A potential dog owner must also consider the time it takes to care for his or her pet, the time it takes to feed, walk, play with, bathe and clean up. Also, dogs require attention. Be prepared to spend time each day petting and playing with it.
Dogs are dogs, and will act like dogs. This includes barking, digging, having accidents in the house and, possibly, destroying some of the owner’s prized possessions, such as furniture, shoes and cell phones. If the above would cause an owner to want to get rid of the dog, then he or she is not yet ready to be a pet owner. Many wonderful pets end up in shelters simply because they acted like dogs!Who might be qualified to be a dog owner, according to the text?
| A．Jim, who has a daughter sensitive to dog’s smell. |
| B．Dick, a jobless teenager who can hardly pay his rent. |
| C．Kari, a teacher who works eight hours a day. |
| D．Steven, a business man who travels a lot on business. |
To be a responsible dog owner you need to do all the following EXCEPT _________.
| A．finding a shelter for it when you are bored with it |
| B．buying dog food and feeding it |
| C．taking it to hospital when necessary |
| D．spending time each day playing with it |
What does the underlined part in the first paragraph probably mean?
| A．Rush to adopt a dog formally. |
| B．Decide to be a pet owner without thinking about it carefully. |
| C．Run into a pet shelter and take one home so quickly. |
| D．Commit to buy a dog and take it home. |
What might be the best title for the text?
| A．Dogs Are Dogs | B．Pets Are Family Members |
| C．Have Time for a Dog? | D．Ready for a Pet? |
I will never forget the day--- September 10th 2009, when my class went on a field trip to the beach and I had so much fun. When we returned to school, my teacher told me to go to the headmaster’s office. When I got into the office, I saw a police officer. Suddenly, I realized something was wrong. The police officer told me what had happened and we went to pick my sister up. After that, we went to the hospital and waited. Time went slowly. Finally, we got to see our mother. It was terrible.
On the next day, the headmaster came and told my two teachers what had happened. I was taking a test that day. I knew it had something to do with my mother. I kept thinking that she either died or had gotten better. How I wished that she had gotten better. When my teacher took me outside, my sister ran up to me. She started crying, “She’s gone, Terresa, mommy’s gone. She’s dead.” I couldn’t believe it. We jumped into the car and drove straight to the hospital. Most of my family were there. The silence was terrible. I knew I had to say goodbye.
Today when I look back, I still miss my mother very much, but I know that I will live. My mother was a strong mother, who had the biggest heart. She was an angel walking on the earth. I will always remember her as a living. When someone is asked who their hero is, they usually say someone famous, like Michael Jordan or Britney Spears. When someone asks me who my hero is, I tell them, my mother. My mother lives everyday. That is what makes her a true hero.Where was the writer when she learned her mother was sick?
| A．On the beach. | B．At the hospital. |
| C．At school. | D．At home. |
Who brought the writer the bad news that her mother was ill?
| A．Her sister. | B．The headmaster. |
| C．The police officer | D．Her teacher. |
What did the headmaster tell the two teachers on the next day?
| A．Her father had been very ill. |
| B．Her mother had gotten better. |
| C．Her mother came to see her. |
| D．Her mother had been dead. |
From the last paragraph of the passage we know that _____________.
| A．the writer is afraid of her mother. |
| B．the writer feels sad about her mother. |
| C．the writer feels sorry for her mother. |
| D．the writer is proud of her mother. |
Spring is coming. and it is time for those about to graduate to look for jobs. Competition is tough, so job seekers must carefully consider their personal choices. Whatever we are wearing，our family and friends may accept us, but the workplace may not.
A high school newspaper editor said it is unfair for companies to discourage visible tattoos (纹身),nose rings, or certain dress styles. It is true you can’t judge a book by its cover, yet people do “cover” themselves in order to convey (传递)certain messages. What we wear, including tattoos and nose rings, is an expression of who we are. Just as people convey messages about themselves with their appearances, so do companies. Dress standards exist in the business world for a number of reasons, but the main concern is often about what customers accept.
Others may say how to dress is a matter of personal freedom, but for businesses it is more about whether to make or lose money. Most employers do care about the personal appearances of their employees (雇员),because those people represent the companies to their customers.
As a hiring manager I am paid to choose the people who would make the best impression on our customers. There are plenty of well-qualified candidates, so it is not wrong to reject someone who might disappoint my customers. Even though I am open-minded, I can’t expect all our customers are.
There is nobody to blame but yourself if your set of choices does not match that of your preferred employer. No company should have to change to satisfy a candidate simply because he or she is unwilling to respect its standards, as long as its standards are legal.Which of the following is the newspaper editor’s opinion according to Paragraph 2?
| A．People’s appearances carry messages about themselves. |
| B．Candidates with tattoos or nose rings should be fairly treated. |
| C．Customers’ choices influence dress standards in companies. |
| D．Strange dress styles should not be encouraged in the workplace. |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．Candidates have to wear what companies prefer for an interview. |
| B．Hiring managers make the best impression on their candidates. |
| C．What to wear is not a matter of personal choice for companies. |
| D．Companies sometimes have to change to respect their candidates. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the text?
| A．Hiring Managers Matter | B．Personal Choices Matter |
| C．Employees Matter | D．Appearances Matter |
The author’s attitude towards strange dress styles in the workplace may best be described as _________.
| A．enthusiastic | B．positive |
| C．negative | D．sympathetic |
What looks like an angry old man and lives at the bottom of the ocean? It’s the world’s ugliest animal---the blobfish(水滴鱼).
Its strange skin is shaped by its habitat. It lives 800 meters below the ocean’s surface, a depth where very few other creatures can survive.
Most fishes have a swim bladder(鱼鳔), which is filled with gas and helps them stay afloat. At the depth that the blobfish live, water pressure is 80 times higher than that at higher sea levels and any swim bladder wouldn’t be able to serve its purpose.
The blobfish don’t have a swim bladder because their skin works the same way. It helps them stay afloat without having to use any energy.
The blobfish have a pretty relaxed attitude towards eating. All they do is stay and wait for crabs or lobsters to come by.
Since the blobfish like to eat crabs and lobsters, they often get caught in nets that are used to catch lobsters or crabs and end up dying or being killed. They are not suitable for eating so they are useless for fishermen.
There’s a purpose behind the blobfish’s new title; it has become the new mascot for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, an organization whose purpose is to preserve endangered ugly animals.
“We’ve needed an ugly face for endangered ugly animals for a long time and I’ve been amazed by the public reaction,” said the Society’s Simon Watt. “For too long cute animals have taken the limelight(风头) but now the blobfish will be a voice for those who always get forgotten.”They hope this new face will help the world know that we need to help preserve the populations of ugly animals too.The biggest difference between the blobfish and most other fishes is that the blobfish_____ .
| A．cannot be eaten by people |
| B．don’t have a swim bladder |
| C．only live at high sea levels |
| D．aren’t active in catching food |
What makes the blobfish stay afloat?
| A．Their skin. | B．Their tail. |
| C．Their mouth. | D．Their swim bladder. |
We can learn from what Simon Watt said that _____ .
| A．most ugly animals are in danger |
| B．the population of the blobfish is increasing |
| C．the blobfish have attracted the public’s attention |
| D．people knew nothing about the blobfish in the past |
What is the purpose of the passage?
| A．To discuss the importance of preserving animals. |
| B．To give the reason for starting an organization. |
| C．To present the results of a survey. |
| D．To introduce a special animal. |