The blue tits(山雀) have been inspecting the nest-box again this year. The male is the house-hunter but the female will make the final choice. He lands at the hole and turns his head to expose his white cheeks as a signal to attract the female from where she has been feeding.
Among many birds that nest in holes, the male has a light-coloured patch on its plumage(鸟羽) which acts as signal for drawing the female’s attention to a suitable nesting-place. Unlike the blue tit, the redstart(红尾鸲) may be only the male that strikingly coloured and the female is not beautiful.
A few years ago I was lucky enough to spot a pair of redstarts in action in a Walsh wood. The male was leading an interested female to holes that he had previously(先前) checked out. He sat at the entrance of each hole and put his head on to show off his white forehead, or his head in to reveal(显露) his tail.
If the female failed to react to his visual signals, the male sometimes sang for extra effect, while gliding towards her on spread wings and tail. Once the female accepts by following the male through the hole the displays stop, you must be at the right place at the right time to watch them. How do the blue tits choose their nest?
| A．They choose their nest together. | B．The male chooses their nest. |
| C．The house-hunter chooses their nest. | D．The female chooses their nest. |
The writer was lucky to see ________.
| A．how the male made his tricks |
| B．how an interested female played with the male happily |
| C．what the male displayed and won the female |
| D．that the male tried his best but failed to attract the female |
You can spot a pair of redstarts in a Walsh wood ________.
| A．at any time | B．regularly | C．in April | D．occasionally |
The writer is probably ________.
| A．a bird expert | B．a bird-hunter | C．a bird raiser | D．a scientist |
The temperature is rising again in the Arctic. The sea ice area has dropped to one of the lowest levels on record， climate scientists reported last week.
“The new Arctic Report Card tells a story of widespread and continued effects of a warming Arctic，” said Jackie Richter-Menge of the US’s Cold Regions Research and Engineering Laboratory.
“This isn’t just a climatological (气候学的) effect. It impacts the people that live there，” she added.
Scientists concerned about global warming focus on the Arctic because that is a region where the effects are expected to be felt first， and that has been the case in recent years.
There was a slowdown in Arctic warming in 2009， but in the first half of 2010 warming was near a record pace. The monthly readings were over 4 degrees Celsius above normal in northern Canada， according to the report card. The report card was prepared by 69 researchers in eight countries.
Researchers said last winter’s big snow storms that struck some Northern countries were tied to higher Arctic temperatures.
“Normally the cold air is bottled up in the Arctic，” said Jim Overland of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. “But last December and February， winds that normally blow west to east across the Arctic were instead bringing the colder air south，” he said.
“As we lose more sea ice... warming in the atmosphere can create more of these winter storms，” Overland said.
There is a powerful connection between ice cover and air temperatures， Richter-Menge explained. When temperatures warm， ice melts. When ice melts it shows darker surfaces underneath ， which absorb more heat. “That， in turn， causes more melting and on the cycle goes，” she said.
In September the Arctic sea ice extent was the third smallest in the last 30 years， added Don Perovich of the US Army Laboratory. He said the three smallest ice covers have occurred in the last four years. Scientists care so much about the warming in the Arctic region because .
| A．the climate in the Arctic doesn’t change much |
| B．global warming effects are most serious in the Arctic region |
| C．there has been a major decrease of Arctic warming in recent years |
| D．by studying the region they can make predictions about the future impact of global warming |
. Which of the following shows that the Arctic is getting warmer？
A. The surface of the sea ice in Arctic is getting darker and darker.
B. The Arctic sea ice extent has disappeared over the last 30 years.
C. The sea ice extent has increased to one of the highest levels on record.
What does the underlined word “cycle” refer to？
| A．Ice giving off heat when it melts. |
| B．Higher temperatures bringing more storms. |
| C．The cause and the result of the melting. |
| D．The life of the people living in the Arctic getting worse. |
According to researchers what led to big snow storms attacking some Northern countries last winter？
| A．Higher Arctic temperatures. |
| B．The melting ice. |
| C．The cold wind blowing west to east. |
| D．Cold air bottled up in the Arctic. |
What is the main point of the article？
| A．Last winter’s big snow-storms. |
| B．Winds in the Arctic region. |
| C．Arctic warming and its possible effects. |
| D．Changes to the life of people living in the Arctic. |
Healthy eating begins with learning how to “eat smart”. It’s not just what you eat，. how you eat. Pay attention to what you eat and choosing foods that are both nourishing
enjoyable helps support an overall healthy diet.
Take time to chew your food： Chew your food slowly， savoring every bite. We tend to rush through our meals， forgetting to actually taste the flavors and feel the textures(质地) of is in our mouths. Reconnect with
joy of eating.
Avoid stress while eating： Avoid eating while working， driving， arguing， or watching TV. Try taking some deep breaths before beginning your meal， or light candles and play soothing music to create a relaxing atmosphere.
Listen to your body： Ask if you are really hungry. You may really be thirsty， so try drinking a glass of water first. During a meal， stop eating before you feel full. It actually takes a few minutes
your brain to tell your body that it has had
food， so eat slowly.
Eat early： Starting your day a healthy breakfast can jumpstart your metabolism(新陈代谢)， and eating early in the day gives your body time to work those calories off.
Sitting on the peaceful coast of Galapagos Islands. Ecuador, watching the sun move quietly into the sea, you shouldn’t forget that Charles Darwin (1809-1882) arrived here in 1835. He stayed on the islands for five weeks, observing various animals. This finally inspired (启发) his famous work, On the Origin of Species. You can certainly follow Darwin’s footsteps and enjoy a trip from four to seven days to the islands.
The islands are certainly a paradise (天堂) for wildlife, as there are no natural killers on the islands and the number of boats and visitors is under government control. Though you cannot walk freely as Darwin did about 200 years ago, each day is as impressive as it could be.
The most well-known animals of the Galapagos is the giant tortoise(巨型海龟), which can be seen moving slowly around the highlands of Sanra Cruz, the second largest island in the archipelago(群岛). Some of these creatures are so old that they might have been seen in their youth by Darwin himself.
Despite strict control over activities and timing, your stay on the Galapagos will be remembered as a chain of incomparable pictures: diving with sea lions that swim and play within inches of you; feeling small sharks touch your feet as you swim; and, most magically, seeing a whale and her baby surface with a great breath of air.
Travelling between the islands and observing the wildlife that so inspired Darwin, you will feel as though you are getting a special view of an untouched world. At night you will sleep on board the ship, leaving the wildlife in complete occupation of the islands, which are as undisturbed now as they have been since the beginning of time. What do we know about Darwin’s visit to the islands?
| A．He studied different creatures on the islands |
| B．He completed his famous book on the islands |
| C．He was touched by the geography of the islands |
| D．He was attracted by well-known animals of the islands |
Your stay on the islands will be most impressive mainly because of .
| A．The beautiful sea views | B．Darwin’s inspiring trip |
| C．a closer view of animals | D．various daring activities |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A Unique Attraction for wildlife Lovers |
| B．Calapagos as a Paradise for Adventures |
| C．Charles Darwin as a symbol of Galapagos |
| D．A successful Example of wildlife protection |
First Frenchman: I once heard someone shout, "Look out," I put my head out of a window and a basin of water fell on me. It seems that "Look out" may mean "don‘t look out."
Second Frenchman: Once I was on a ship and heard the captain shout, "All hands on deck," I put my hands on the deck and someone walked on them.
Third Frenchman: I once visited an English friend early in the morning and the maid who came to the door and said, "He’s not up yet. Come back in half an hour," When I went again for him, she said, "He‘s not down yet."
"If he’s not up and he’s not down, where is he?" I asked.
She said, "He’s still in bed. When I say ‘He’s not up ’ I mean ‘he has not yet got up’. When I say ‘He’s not down ’ I mean ‘he has not yet come downstairs,’" "All hands on deck" means “ _______ ”.
| A．All the sailors gather on deck | B．Give your hands to me |
| C．Put your right hand and left hand on deck | D．Shake your hands with me |
When the maid said, “He’s not up yet.” She meant that _______ .
| A．he has not grown up yet | B．he has not yet got up |
| C．he has not woke up yet | D．he has not yet come upstairs |
When the third Frenchman went back, the English friend _______ .
| A．was washing his face | B．was having his breakfast |
| C．was still in an upstairs room | D．was reading a newspaper |
Which do you think is the best title for this article?
| A．Three Frenchmen and their English Friends |
| B．The English Language |
| C．Three French Stories |
| D．What a Language! |
Americans eat breakfast and lunch quickly unless it is a social business or family occasion. The evening meal is usually longer and a time for families to gather together. Rushing through daytime meals is part of the fast pace in America. Another reason for rushing through daytime meals is that many people eat in restaurant that are usually crowded with people waiting for a place so that they can be served and return to work at the proper time. So each one hurried to make room for the next person. As there are busy people everywhere, there is a real difference with meals that are eaten in a hurry and those that can be enjoyed slowly with friends.What is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．What time Americans eat dinner. |
| B．Where Americans eat. |
| C．Why Americans eat in a hurry. |
| D．Which do meat Americans eat the most slowly. |
Americans hurry at meals because
| A．they want to eat dinner slowly. | B．they don’t like eating in restaurants. |
| C．they are very busy. | D．they don’t like to eat. |
According to the passage, the least busy time to eat in a restaurant would probably be .
| A．during the busy time | B．at lunch |
| C．at dinner | D．at either breakfast or lunch |