Which animal has the fastest snapping jaw (颚)? If you're guessing a shark or perhaps a larger animal, you'll have to think smaller. The trapjaw ant, which lives in Central and South America, moves its mouth parts at 35 to 63 meters per second. Another way to think about this is that the ant's jaws close at 125 to 233 kilometers per hour. That's 2, 300 times faster than the blink of an eye.
Scientists were able to measure the amazing jaw speed using highspeed video techniques. Sheila Patek, a biologist, says the key is that the jaws have a springy (有弹性的) system, which is critical in getting explosive (爆发性的) speeds.
Consider a bow and arrow. If you try to throw an arrow with your arm, it won't go very far. If you use a bow, elastic energy stored in the bow is released almost instantly when you release the arrow with your finger or a latch. The combination of the springy bow and latch mechanism is what makes the arrow zoom through the air.
Maybe even more amazing than how fast these ants grab food or even enemies is how they use this same energy to move. As the ant closes its jaws, it uses them to push off the ground—all faster than the eye can see without slow motion video. A snap of the jaw can send an ant up to 8.3 centimeters into the air. That's like someone who is 1.7 meters jumping 13 meters high! Not only can they quickly escape from enemies, but often a group of ants will start jumping all at once. It would be hard for their enemies to grab just one.
People have suspected the ants used their jaws to jump for over a century, but could only prove it with today's modern video equipment.The fast speed of the trapjaw ant's jaw lies in ________.
| A．its light body |
| B．its springy system |
| C．its living environment |
| D．the length of its jaw |
The passage uses “a bow and arrow” as an example to show ________.
| A．how an arrow gets so much energy to fly |
| B．why the trapjaw ants have springy system |
| C．why the trapjaw ants jaws move so fast |
| D．how a bow and arrow works |
Which of the following may amaze the scientists most?
| A．How high the ants can leap by using their jaws. |
| B．How quickly the trapjaw ants can move on the ground. |
| C．How wonderfully the springy system in the trapjaw ants' jaws works. |
| D．How quickly the trapjaw ants can grab food or enemies. |
According to the passage, the trapjaw ants' jaws keep them safe because ________.
| A．they can catch their enemies easily with their jaws |
| B．their jaws make them difficult to recognize |
| C．their jaws help them find food easily |
| D．their jaws help them escape from their enemies |
At present time, roller skating (滑旱冰) is easy and fun. But many years ago, it wasn’t easy at all. Before 1750, people never tried skating on wheels. That changed because of a man named Joseph Merlin. Merlin’s work was making instruments (工具). In his free time he liked to play the violin. Merlin was a man with many ideas and many dreams. People called him a dreamer.
One day Merlin received an invitation to go to an important party. He was very pleased and a little excited. As the day of the party came near, Merlin began to think. He wanted to find a way to make a wonderful entrance at the party. Merlin had an idea. He thought that he would attract a lot of attention if he could skate into the room.
Merlin tried different ways to make himself roll (滚动). Finally, he decided to put two wheels under each shoe. These were the first roller skate shoes. Merlin was very proud of them. He dreamed of arriving at the party and skating into the room while playing the violin. He was sure that everyone would be very surprised.
On the night of the party Merlin rolled into the room, playing his violin. Everyone was really surprised to see him. There was just one problem. Merlin had no way to stop his roller skating. He rolled on, playing the violin. Then, with all eyes on him, Merlin hit into a huge mirror on the wall. The mirror broke into many pieces with a very loud noise.
Nobody forgot Merlin’s wonderful entrance after that.The first paragraph tells us that people began to skate on wheels from 1750 because _______.
| A．it is very easy | B．it is very exciting |
| C．Joseph Merlin’s instruments | D．it is very popular |
People called Merlin a dreamer because ___________. .
| A．he slept and dreamed a lot |
| B．he was full of different ideas and dreams |
| C．he invented the first roller skates |
| D．he always made people’s dreams come true |
___________ made Merlin think of skating on wheels.
| A．Merlin’s work | B．Merlin’s violin |
| C．A huge mirror | D．An important party |
What was Merlin’s problem after he rolled into the room?
| A．He couldn’t stop his roller-skating. |
| B．He couldn’t attract a lot of attention. |
| C．Everyone was surprised at him. |
| D．He couldn’t play the violin while rolling. |
What’s the best title for the passage?
| A．Joseph Merlin’s Story |
| B．How Roller Skating Was Invented |
| C．A Surprising Entrance to the Party |
| D．Violin and roller skating |
When he was a boy, Tim was much influenced（影响） by the books about the sea, but in fact by the age of fifteen he had decided to become a doctor rather than a sailor. His father was a dentist and as a result, Tim had the opportunity of meeting many doctors either at home or elsewhere. When he was fourteen he was already hanging around the clinic (诊所) of a local doctor where he was supposed to help to wrap up medicine bottles, but was actually trying to listen to the conversations taking place between the doctor and his patients in the next room.
During the war Tim served in the Navy (海军) as a surgeon (外科医生). “That was the happiest time of my life. I was dealing with very real suffering and on the whole making a success of it.” In California he taught the country people simple facts about medicine. He saw himself as a life-saver. He had proved his skills to himself and his ability to take decisions. Thus, while he was able to tell them what to do, he could feel he was saving them. After the war, he got married and chose to be a doctor in the countryside, working under an old doctor who was popular in the area, but who hated the sight of blood and believed that the secret of medicine was faith. This gave the young man many opportunities to go on working as a life-saver.Tim decided to be a doctor when he was________.
| A．fourteen | B．fifteen |
| C．serving in the Navy | D．working in clinic |
Tim decided to become a doctor mainly because________
| A．his father wanted him to be so. |
| B．his father was a surgeon. |
| C．he had read many books about medicine. |
| D．he had chances to know many doctors and know about what doctors did. |
Which of the following is not true?
| A．during the war, Tim was a surgeon in the Navy. |
| B．he taught the country people simple facts about medicine in California. |
| C．after the war, he married the old doctors’ daughter. |
| D．Tim worked as a life-saver after war. |
From the passage we can infer(推出) that Tim_________.
| A．was sent to Europe during the war. |
| B．was not afraid of blood. |
| C．decided to give up his doctor career. |
| D．regarded himself as a life-saver. |
The passage is mainly about________
| A．Tim’s life story | B．Tim’ dreams | C．Tim’s marriage | D．Tim’s patients |
Maybe ten-year-old Elizabeth put it best when she said to her father,“But,Dad,you can’t be healthy if you’re dead?”
Dad,in a hurry to get home before dark so he could go for a run,had forgotten to wear his safety belt——a mistake 75% of the US population make every day.The big question is why.
There have been many myths about safety belts ever since their first appearance in cars some forty years ago.The following are three of the most common.
Myth Number One:It’s best to be“thrown clear”of a serious accident.
Truth:Sorry,but any accident serious enough to “throw you clear”is also going to be serious enough to give you a very bad landing.And chances are you’ll have traveled through a windshield(挡风玻璃)or door to do it.Studies show that chances of dying after a car accident are twenty-five times greater in cases where people are“thrown clear.”
Myth Number Two:Safety belts“trap”people in cars that are burning or sinking in water.
Truth:Sorry again,but studies show that people knocked unconscious(昏迷)due to not wearing safety belts have a greater chance of dying in these accidents,People wearing safety belts are usually protected to the point of having a clear head to free themselves from such dangerous situations,not to be trapped in them.
Myth Number Three:Safety belts aren’t needed at speeds of less than 30 miles per hour(mph).
Truth:When two cars traveling at 30 mph hit each other,an unbelted driver would meet the windshield with a force equal to diving headfirst into the ground from a height of 10 meters.Why did Elizabeth say to her father,“But Dad,you can’t be healthy if you’re dead”?
| A．He didn’t have his safety belt on. |
| B．He was running across the street. |
| C．He was driving at great speed |
| D．He didn’t take his medicine on time. |
The reason Father was in a hurry to get home was that he____.
| A．wasn’t feeling very well |
| B．wanted to take some exereise |
| C．hated to drive in the dark |
| D．didn’t want to be caught by the police |
According to the text,to be “thrown clear”of a serious accident is very dangerous
because you_____.
| A．may be knocked down by other cars |
| B．may get caught in the car door |
| C．may find it impossible to get away from the seat |
| D．may get seriously hurt being thrown out of the car |
Some people prefer to drive without wearing a safety belt because they believe__.
| A．they will be unable to think clearly in an accident |
| B．the belt prevents them from escaping in an accident |
| C．they will be caught when help comes |
| D．cars catch fire easily |
What is the advice given in the text?
| A．Never drive faster than 30 miles an hour. |
| B．Never forget to wear the safety belt while driving. |
| C．Try your best to save yourself in a car accident. |
| D．Drive slowly while you’re not wearing a safety belt. |
Suppose you work in a big firm and find English very important for your job because you often deal with foreign businessmen.Now you are looking for a place where you can improve your English,espeually your spoken English.
Here are some information you need about English Language training.
Global English Centre
| *General English in all four skills listening,speaking,reading and writing *3-month(700 yuan),6-month(1,200 yuan)and one-year(2,000 yuan) courses *Choice of morning or evening classes,3 hours per day,Mon-Fri *Experienced college English teachers. *Close to city centre and bus stops. Tel:67605272 Add:105 Zhongshan Road,100082 |
| Modern Language School *Special courses in English for business,travel,banking,hotel management and office skills. *Small classes(12-16 students)on Sat,& Sun,from 2:00-5:00pm. *Native English teachers from Canada and USA. *Language lab and computers supplied. *3-month course:1,050 yuan;6-month course:1,850 yuan. Write or phone:Modern Language School,675 Park Road 100056 Tel:67353019 |
| The 2lst Century English Training Centre *We specialize in effective teaching at all levels. *We offer morning or afternoon classes,both of which last three months and a half at a cost of 800 yuan. *We also have a six-week TOEFL preparation class during winter and summer holidays. *Entrance exams:June 1 and Dec 1 *Only 15-minute walk from city centre. Call 67801642 for more information |
| The International House of English *Three/Six-month English courses for students of all levels at very cost:60 yuan for 12 hours per week;convenient class hours:9:00-12:00am and 2:00-5:00pm. *A four-month evening programme for developing speaking skills(same cost as day classes) *Well-trained Chinese and foreign teachers experienced in teaching English as a second/foreign language. *Free sightseeing and social activities(活动) *Very close to the Central Park. For further information call 67432308 |
You work from 9:00am to 4:30pm every day which schools will you choose?
| A．Global English Centred and the International House. |
| B．Global English Centre and Modern Language School. |
| C．Modern Language School and the 21st Century. |
| D．The 21st Century and the International House |
The 21st Century is different from the other three schools in that____.
| A．its teaching quality is better |
| B．it is nearest to the city centre |
| C．it requires an entrance examination |
| D．its courses are more advanced |
You will probably prefer to go to the International House because it____.
| A．offers free sightseeing and social activities |
| B．costs less than the other schools |
| C．has a special course in spoken English |
| D．has native English teachers |
If you take the evening programme at the International House,you will pay about___
| A．60 yuan | B．240 yuan | C．730 yuan | D．1000 yuan |
The passage is most probably taken from_____.
| A．travel book | B．a library guide |
| C．advertisements from newspapers | D．a project handbook |
An idea that started in Seattle’s public library has spread throughout America and beyond.The concept is simple:help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time.
In addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit(追求) to be enjoyed by all,the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus,as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools.The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched the “If All of Seattle Read the Same Book” project in 1998.Her original program used author visits,study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book,but the idea has since expanded to many other American cities,and even to Hong Kong.
In Chicago,the mayor appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mockingbird as the first book in the “One Book,One Chicago”program.As a result,reading clubs and neighborhood groups sprang up around the city.Across the US,stories emerged of parents and children reading to each other at night and strangers chatting away on the bus about plot and character.
The only problem came up in New York,where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse population.This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns,where a greater sense of unity can be achieved.Or it may show that New Yorkers missed the point,putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself.
Ultimately,as Nancy points out,the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book ,but by how many people are enriched by the process,or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared a word.What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?
| A．To invite authors to guide readers. |
| B．To encourage people to read and share. |
| C．To involve people in community service. |
| D．To promote the friendship between cities. |
Why was it difficult for New Yorkers to carry out the project?
| A．They were too busy to read a book. |
| B．They came from many different backgrounds. |
| C．They had little interest in reading. |
| D．They lacked support from the local government. |
According to the passage,where would the project be more easily carried out?
| A．In large communities with little sense of unity. |
| B．In large cities where libraries are far from home. |
| C．In large towns where agreement can be quickly reached. |
| D．In medium-sized cities with a diverse population. |
The underlined words “shared a word”in Paragraph 5 probably mean______.
| A．discussed the meaning of a word |
| B．exchanged ideas with each other |
| C．gained life experience |
| D．used the same language |
According to Nancy,the degree of success of the project is judged by____.
| A．the number of people who benefit from reading |
| B．the careful selection of a proper book |
| C．the growing popularity of the writers |
| D．the number of books that each person reads |