Everybody hates rats(老鼠). But in the earthquake capitals of the world—Japan, Los Angeles, Turkey—rats will soon be man’s new best friends.
What happens after an earthquake? We send in rescue dogs. Why? Because they can smell people. They help rescuers to find living people. But dogs are big and they can’t get into small spaces. So now a new research project is using a smaller animal to save lives: the rat.
How does it work? First, the rat is trained to smell people. When this happens, the rat’s brain gives a signal(信号). This is sent to a small radio on its back and then the rescuers follow the radio signals. When rat’s brain activity jumps, the rescuers know that someone is alive. The rat has smelled that person.
Although there are already robots which can do this job, rats are better. Christian Linster at Cornell University, New York, says, “Robots’ noses don’t work well when there are other smells around. Rats are good at that. ” Rats can also see in the dark. They are cheaper and quicker to train than dogs, and unlike robots, they don’t need electricity!
The “rat project” is not finished, but Julie Ryan of International Rescue Corps in Scotland says, “It would be fantastic. A rat could get into spaces we couldn’t get to, and a rat would get out if it wasn’t safe. ” Perhaps for the first time in history, people will be happy to see a rat in a building, but only after an earthquake, of course. In the world earthquake capitals, rats will become man’s best friends because they can ______.
| A．take the place of man’s rescue jobs |
| B．find the position of people alive who are trapped in buildings |
| C．serve as food for people alive who are trapped in buildings |
| D．get into small spaces |
From the third paragraph we know the rescuers can judge a person is alive by ______.
| A．the noise made by the rat |
| B．the rat’s unusual behavior |
| C．the signal sent by the radio on the rat’s back |
| D．the smell given off by the person |
In doing rescue jobs, ______.
| A．rats smell better than dogs |
| B．dogs don’t need to be trained to smell people |
| C．robots’ sense of smell can be affected by other smells around |
| D．rats can see in the dark and they are smaller than robots |
Rats have all the following advantages EXCEPT that ______.
| A．they are more fantastic than other animals |
| B．they are less expensive to train than dogs |
| C．they don’t need electricity |
| D．they are small and can get into small places |
Before I started school, people felt that 1 was not going to be successful．At the age of four I started speech lessons because basically I could not speak well enough for anyone to understand me．The story goes downhill from here．
The first grade was a struggle．I not only had difficulty speaking, but also felt nervous about the fact that I was expected to learn to read and I just couldn't do it．The second grade was not much better．I still struggled with the inability to read．It was in the third grade that the school district built a new school close to my home．I remember going there with my parents and helping to get the school ready so that we could move to the new one．However, things were still not much better as far as my schooling was concerned and did not get better for the next two years．
It was in the fifth grade．Mrs．Wakefield was my teacher, and if ever there was a teacher that deserved a gold star, it was her．She did not make me feel defeated．On the contrary, she did her best to let me know that I could be whatever I wanted to be．And that is just what I did．
For the past 22 years, I have been a fifth grade teacher．Because of Mrs．Wakefield's influence on my life, I am now encouraging students who have had difficulties in their lives to believe that they can overcome any difficulty and become someone．I have won numerous awards up to now, such as Teacher of the Year．I owe it all to one fifth grade teacher who believed in me and challenged me to be all that I could be．The writer ______ when he was in the third grade．
| A．did better in reading | B．began speech lessons |
| C．went to a new school | D．received a high award |
We can learn from the passage that the writer ______．
| A．is a very successful teacher now |
| B．thinks teaching is a challenging job |
| C．has solved problems with his own effort |
| D．works in the same school with Mrs．Wakefield |
What is the writer's purpose in writing the passage?
| A．To express his devotion to his work． |
| B．To show his respect to a special teacher． |
| C．To share his teaching experience with us． |
| D．To tell us his story of overcoming difficulties． |
If you’re like most students, you may find it challenging to learn a foreign language. However, there are a few tips you can use in order to earn a top grade —— as well as actually use the skills you’ve learned.
One of the most important and basic lessons in dealing with a foreign language is to learn and understand each concept and lesson before moving on to the next one. If you don’t understand one concept but move on to the next chapter anyway, you’re less likely to understand the new material.
Learning a new language is not only an academic tool, but can help you in your everyday life as well. Being good at another language can help you communicate with other people, and help you when traveling to foreign countries, and even make your resume look better.
And it is important to learn correct pronunciation as soon as possible for poor pronunciation can be hard to break. Native speakers of the language as well as others fluent in the language you are learning will appreciate your efforts to learn correct pronunciation.
Gather outside materials such as books, study guides, books on tape, and travel books to aid you in learning the language. Your textbooks can’t possibly teach you everything you need to know, so seeking outside sources is generally a good rule of thumb to keep in mind.
A significant motivator in learning a foreign language is traveling to the country where the language is spoken. That way, you can see firsthand how the language is used, learn the culture, and meet native speakers of the language. Native speakers appreciate sincere attempts of others who take the time to learn their language.
Seek out native speakers of your new language in your school or neighborhood. They can help you with many skills, including pronunciation, and they can provide immediate feedback on your progress.This passage is written to .
| A．explain why learning a foreign language is challenging |
| B．tell us the importance of learning foreign languages |
| C．tell us some ways of earning a top grade |
| D．give us some tips on learning foreign languages |
Which of the following can best summarize the main idea of Paragraph 3?
| A．Think beyond academics. |
| B．Learn each concept. |
| C．Plan a trip to use your skills. |
| D．Consider a language as a tool. |
We can learn from the passage that .
| A．textbooks are not good for us when learning a foreign language |
| B．learning pronunciation well from the very beginning is very important |
| C．poor pronunciation can be easy to break with the help of native speakers |
| D．seeking too many outside sources will be more harmful than beneficial |
What is suggested doing in the last paragraph?
| A．Going on a trip abroad. |
| B．Practicing with native speakers. |
| C．Asking for feedback from our teachers. |
| D．Finding a motivator in learning language. |
In which part of a website would this text probably appear?
| A．Entertainment. | B．History. | C．Education. | D．Nature. |
When building houses, people used to think about not only the climate of the areas but also the building materials and the fashions for their houses. However, since electricity became more and more expensive, people began to pay much more attention to the energy they could get for their houses and the new ways they could find to protect their houses from both cold and heat.
Now, houses of an old yet new type have been widely built. In some parts of the world, people share their houses with their livestock. During cold weather, they gather their cows, goats, or other animals and keep them on the first floor of their houses. The reasons are that the animals can be protected from the cold and that they can help to heat the houses as well. The body heat given off by the animals rises to the second floor of the houses, where people live. By sharing their houses with their livestock, people gain a source of heat.
People who live in or near cities do not usually keep livestock. However, home builders use the fact that heat rises. This natural law can be used in building houses in these areas. Instead of keeping livestock on the first floor, builders fill it with large rocks. As they are open to the sun’s rays during cold weather, these rocks take in heat. They also give off the heat, and, of course, the warm air rises into the living areas of the houses. So these houses are energy-saving.
House building becomes a great challenge to building designers and energy engineers. They try to meet this challenge by learning from old traditions and by using modern technology. And someday in the future, people will be able to live in more energy-saving houses.What did people begin to consider as electricity was no longer cheap?
| A．The climate of their areas |
| B．The building materials for their houses |
| C．The fashions for their houses |
| D．The energy for their houses |
People in some areas gain a source of heat by _________.
| A．keeping their livestock downstairs |
| B．protecting their livestock from the cold |
| C．sharing their houses only with their cows |
| D．living on the second floor with their livestock |
The underlined words “natural law” in the third paragraph refer to the fact that ________.
| A．heat raises the temperature in the houses |
| B．heat goes in the upward direction |
| C．heat goes up if temperature is raised |
| D．heat increases the temperature of rocks |
From the passage, we can conclude that _______ .
| A．people will no longer consider building materials in the future |
| B．almost all people will move into the houses heated by large rocks |
| C．energy-saving buildings will become more popular in the future |
| D．energy engineers will devote themselves only to modern technology |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Energy-saving house building |
| B．House building is a great challenge |
| C．How to live in energy-saving houses |
| D．Energy-saving houses’ bright future |
Today, I felt terrible. My head was full of problems, burdens and confusion. I decided to take a walk even though I didn’t know where I would go.
The most extraordinarything happened when I was out on this walk. I saw an old man sitting on a chair. He was a seller of second-hand shoes. He looked at least 70 years old. He seemed so tired and nobody bought his shoes. I wanted to give him something but I had not brought anything with me.
Then, a little girl came toward him. I heard the child say, “Grandpa, may I polish your shoes?” That old man took pity on her and he gave her a shoe to polish. The girl said, “I polish the shoe because I need money to buy my brother a new school uniform.”
I heard this and tears filled my eyes. The old man answered, “Oh, little girl. Just stop doing this. Come with me and I will buy you a uniform.” Then they walked to a market and I followed close behind them. There he bought her a uniform. The girl said, “Thank you so much for doing this. May God bless you.” Then she left, leaving the old man smiling.
The old man walked away from the market, but I stopped him. I whispered in his ear, “You are a hero! Thank you for your kindness!” As I walked away, I glanced back and I could see him still smiling.
My own sadness had disappeared, chased away by the light of this kind act. I began realizing that I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope, some day, I can show my appreciation of what I have by following the example of the old man who only had a little, but shared it happily with someone who had nothing.The author decided to take a walk in order to.
| A．build himself up |
| B．lighten his mood |
| C．enjoy the scenery nearby |
| D．find out something special |
When seeing the old shoe seller, the author felt.
| A．happy | B．sympathetic | C．regretful | D．disappointed |
Why did the girl offer to polish shoes for the old man?
| A．She took pity on him. |
| B．She intended to take care of him. |
| C．She meant to be friendly to him. |
| D．She wanted to earn some money. |
By sharing the story, the author conveys a message that.
| A．a kind act can cheer us up |
| B．old men often set us examples |
| C．people value what they don’t have |
| D．helping others means helping ourselves |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A clever little girl | B．A pair of old shoes |
| C．A kind shoe seller | D．A girl’s new uniform |
Last December, I performed 30 shows in 11 days. I knew it would be a tiring tour before I set off, but I just wanted to be there to support our men and women.
From the minute I walked onstage the afternoon I arrived at the army, the soldiers were cheering, singing along at the top of their voices. I had done hundreds of concerts, but it was my first time to perform for troops. Looking at the smiling faces of these soldiers --- some of them only teenagers --- I felt great joy moving through me. They were the loveliest fans I had ever met. Then, from out of nowhere, words came into my head. “I want to play you something new … a song just came in my head minutes ago. It’s called Here with Me,” I told them. Cheers rang out. As I sang, I could see the tears in some of soldiers’ eyes. I finished to thunderous applause.
At the autograph(亲笔签名)part afterward, one of the soldiers took out a picture of a high school student. “This is my girl. You know, I miss her so much,” he said. “That new song you sang … it meant so much to me. Those were the words I’ve always wanted to tell her.
I realized that the song wasn’t about me and that it was, in fact, a gift for these men and women. I played it in every concert after that, always with the same unbelievable reaction.
On the long plane ride home I kept thinking about the soldiers I’d met. They risked their lives every day to defend our country, yet they were grateful for a simple concert. I decided to record the new song to thank our men and women in uniform(制服).Which of the following words can best take the place of the word “troops” in the second paragraph?
| A．officials | B．teenagers | C．soldiers | D．students |
When the author performed on the stage, he felt _____.
| A．pleased | B．nervous | C．confident | D．worried |
What might be the topic of the new song?
| A．The tiring army life |
| B．The danger of being a soldier |
| C．The excitement of going to a concert |
| D．The family one misses |
From the text, we can infer that the author _____.
| A．served in the army before |
| B．received many gifts during shows |
| C．was impressed by the soldiers |
| D．always cared for the soldiers |
The passage is most probably written by a(n) _____.
| A．dancer | B．teacher | C．singer | D．official leader |