The southwest of Australia has been named as one of 25”hot spots” for future species extinction(灭绝)because of global warming.A new study says global warming will become a top cause of extinction across the world,with thousands of species of plantsand animals likely to be wiped out in the coming decades.
According to the study,global warming ranks among the most serious threats to the planet’s biodiversity and,under some conditions,may be more than that due to deforestation.This study provides even stronger scientific evidence that global warming will result in catastrophic(灾难性的)species losses across the planet.Last month,a UN study said humans were responsible for the worst extinction and urged extra efforts to reach a UN target of slowing the rate of losses by 2010.
Scientists disagree about how far global warming is to blame compared with other human threats such as deforestation,pollution and the introduction of some species to new habitats.But the new study looks at the 25 “hot spots”—areas that contain a big concentration of plants and animals—and predicts that 11.6 percent of all species,with a range from 1 to 43 percent,could be driven to extinction if levels of heat trapping gases in the atmosphere were to keep rising in the next 100 years.
The range would mean the loss of thousands of species.The study gave a wide range because of uncertainties, for instance, about the ability of animals or plants to move towards the poles if the climate warmed. Rare plants,tortoises or birds found only on the southern tip of Africa cannot move south because the nearest land is thousands of miles away in Antarctica. According to the passage,which of the following about Australia is TRUE?
| A．Australia possesses the richest species in the world. |
| B．Australia is the country with the highest rate of extinction. |
| C．The species in the southwest of Australia will be easily affected by global warming. |
| D．Australia will have the highest temperature in the world. |
According to the passage,all the 25”hot spots”-------- .
| A．are rich in plants and animals |
| B．are lacking in natural resources |
| C．lost most of their plants in 2010 |
| D．will be much hotter than the rest of the world |
We can infer if the climate warms,the animals in Australia will most probably move to the ______ .
| A．north | B．east | C．west | D．south |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Australia Named as Extinction”Hot Spot” |
| B．Global Warming and Species Extinction |
| C．Global Warming is Number One Killer |
| D．Australia on the Edge of Extinction |
Three Boys and a Dad
Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home tovisit her mother. Expecting a whole day to relax, hewas thinking whether to read the newspaper or watchhis favorite TV talk show on his first day off inmonths. "This will be like a walk in the park," he'dtold his wife. "I'll look after the kids, and you can go to visit your mom."
Things started well, but just after eight o'clock,his three little "good kids"-Mike, Randy, and Alex — came down the stairs in their night clothes andshouted "breakfast, Daddy." When food had notappeared within thirty seconds, Randy began using hisspoon on Alex's head as if it were a drum. Alexstarted to shout loudly in time to the beat (节拍).Mike chanted "Where's my toast, where's my toast"in the background. Brad realised his newspaper wouldhave to wait for a few seconds.
Life became worse after breakfast. Mike woreRandy's underwear on his head. Randy locked himselfin the bathroom,while Alex shouted again because hewas going to wet his pants. Nobody could find cleansocks, although they were before their very eyes.Someone named "Not Me" had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes. Bradknew the talk show had already started.
By ten o'clock, things were out of control. Alexwas wondering why the fish in the jar refused hisbread and butter. Mike was trying to show off histalent by decorating the kitchen wall with his colourpencils. Randy, thankfully, appeared to be readingquietly in the family room, but closer examinationshowed that he was eating apple jam straight fromthe bottle with his hands. Brad realised that the talkshow was over and reading would be impossible.
At exactly 11:17, Brad called the daycare centre(日托所). "I suddenly have to go into work and mywife's away. Can I bring the boys over in a fewminutes?" The answer was obviously "yes" becauseBrad was smiling.When his wife left home, Brad expected to _________.
| A．go out for a walk in the park |
| B．watch his favorite TV talk show with his children |
| C．enjoy his first day off work |
| D．read the newspaper to his children |
Which of the following did Randy do?
| A．Drawing on the wall. |
| B．Eating apple jam. |
| C．Feeding the fish. |
| D．Reading in a room. |
Why did Brad ask the daycare centre for help?
| A．Because he wanted to clean up his house. |
| B．Because he suddenly had to go to his office. |
| C．Because he found it hard to manage his boys. |
| D．Because he had to take his wife back home. |
This text is developed ________
| A．by space |
| B．by comparison |
| C．by process |
| D．by time |
The massive polar bear moved slowly along therocky shoreline, just a yard or so from the stormywaters of the Arctic Ocean. Occasionally it raised itshead to sniff the Arctic air, hoping perhaps to find aneasy meal of an exhausted seal. It was late July, and inthis uninhabited area of the Norwegian archipelago,much of the drift ice had melted. This made hunting for seals — a polar bear's favorite meal — nearlyimpossible.
With a westerly wind at its back, the male bearcontinued to patrol the shore. Then, perhaps catchingthe smell of something unusual, it stopped dead in itstracks. Following its nose, it can smell a decayingwhale from 20 miles away, and the bear suddenlyturned downwind and inland. It was closing in on itsprey.
It was to be the adventure of a lifetime. For almost two years, longtime friends Sebastian PlurNilssen and LudvigFjeld, both 22, had been trainingfor this two-month-long expedition. Hoping to followin the footsteps of other Norwegian explorers such asRoald Amundsen and Thor Heyerdahl, the two wereattempting to become the first to paddle around theentire Svalbard islands, a trip of more than l,100miles through one of the world's most remoteregions.
To keep fit, they had worn dry suits and travelled through the ice-filled rivers near their hometowns outside Oslo, pulled heavy kayaks overglaciers, and jumped into the freezing waters to toughen themselves.
They spent much time practicing shooting. Asmany Arctic experts had told them,if they needed todefend themselves from a polar bear, they'd have little time to think. Each carried a gun in awaterproof bag lashed to their kayaks. Holdingsteady, controlling their breathing, aiming, and thenshooting: It all had to be second nature. What made the polar bear's hunting for seals difficult?
| A．The rocky shoreline. |
| B．The melting of the ice. |
| C．The uninhabited area. |
| D．The extreme cold. |
The reason why the bear stopped its patrol suddenly was that _____
| A．the westerly wind blew heavily at its back |
| B．it caught the smell of the decaying whale |
| C．it felt so worn-out and hungry |
| D．it was eager to get close to its prey |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Sebastian PlurNilssen and LudvigFjeld are both nearly thirty years old. |
| B．Roald Amundsen and Thor Heyerdahl were trying to paddle around the Svalbard islands. |
| C．The shooting skill is important for the explorers to defend themselves from the bear. |
| D．Sebastian PlurNilssen and LudvigFjeld have succeeded in paddling around the Svalbard islands. |
The underlined word in the passage probably means"_______".
| A．encourage |
| B．strengthen |
| C．enjoy |
| D．entertain |
As Sam slowly woke, he got a funny feeling in his stomach. He knew he would have to do something that he had been afraid to do for a long time.
The school bus came on time, and he sat with his friend, Billy. They chatted about baseball. It was a great way to get his mind off what he had to do later. As they got close to the school, he could feel his heart beating. His hands were starting to sweat. He hated this！
He entered Mrs Owens' class. She was smiling and saying hello to all her students as she did every morning.
"Hi, Sam!" she said as he walked in.
"Hi," he said and quickly sat in his seat. Then the class began to take their spelling test. He looked at the clock. The time was near. He hoped he was not first！Mrs Owens said it was time to begin their special day.
"Sam, you'll be first." Mrs Owens said to the class, "Sam has worked very hard on his report on Hawaii, and I know it is very interesting."
Sam nervously greeted his class. Then, he thought about the fun things he had read about surfing, volcanoes, and pineapples in Hawaii, and he started to talk. He talked in front of the whole class, and it was fun. The class clapped as he finished and Mrs Owens was smiling. It wasn't terrible at all and he knew he would do better the next time. How did Sam feel after he woke?
| A．Excited. |
| B．Nervous. |
| C．Happy. |
| D．Hungry. |
What did Sam have to do that day?
| A．To have a baseball match. |
| B．To take a reading test. |
| C．To go to a new class. |
| D．To do something special. |
What does the underlined word "sweat" probably mean?
| A．触摸 |
| B．鼓掌 |
| C．出汗 |
| D．指点 |
Which could be inferred (推断) from this passage?
| A．Sam hated chatting about baseball. |
| B．Sam learned about Hawaii by travelling. |
| C．Mrs Owens is unfriendly to her students. |
| D．The class enjoyed Sam's talk very much. |
Which is the best title for this passage?
| A．A Special Day |
| B．An Interesting Lesson |
| C．A Nice Teacher |
| D．A Professional Report |
Being successful in high school comes with a lotof patience as well as motivation. Unfortunately thereare so many distractions coming your way, andsometimes it becomes hard to say no. However,if youwant to become a successful student, then you have tostart learning how to say no to these distractions.
It may be hard during the school year, and alsotiring,but the hard work always pays off at the end.When you graduate, you want to graduate withhonors,and you want to also be remembered as adiligent school worker. So remember, become asuccessful student, for that will determine your successin the future.
Getting involved in a romantic relationship is purely optional. You should never feel a need to hookup with someone just because everyone else does. Youstill have so many years ahead of you, so why notmake good use of your high school years to focus on schoolwork and then get into a good college?However,don't be afraid of dating either — a steadyboyfriend or girlfriend can be one of the best antidepressants there is!
Stay away from the drama and gossip. You havefar too much more important stuff to worry aboutthat.
Learn to befriend your teachers. This willdefinitely make things easier for you in the future,when you are applying to colleges and needrecommendations.
If you're struggling to keep up with yourhomework load, tell your teachers. Don't be afraid toask for an extension or extra help before/afterschool, or during lunch or a free period. They arethere to help you. Besides, the worst they can do issay no.
Even if you are a shy person,try to make at leasta couple of friends, so you have someone to talk toand someone who will have your back in a toughsituation. It helps to join clubs that interest you andyou can demonstrate those hobbies that make youshine. You will be surprised at how you will attractpeople like a magnet.What will decide our future success?
| A．A lot of patience and motivation. |
| B．Saying no to the distractions. |
| C．Becoming a successful student. |
| D．Working harder than others. |
The author holds the idea that_________.
| A．it is necessary to associate with someone just because everyone else does |
| B．the students should focus their attention and time on dating with a boyfriend or girlfriend |
| C．we mustn't date with a boyfriend or girlfriend because it wastes too much time |
| D．a steady boyfriend or girlfriend can help the students fight with the depression |
We can learn from the passage that_________.
| A．the students should keep their teachers at a distance and look up to them |
| B．the students should inform their teachers of their struggle in finishing the homework |
| C．them teachers will say no to their students' any request |
| D．the shy persons won't be able to make any friends even if they try their best |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．How to Be a Successful Student |
| B．Ideas on How to Gain Higher Grades |
| C．Ways to Be a Success in the Future |
| D．How to Communicate with Others |
Now it's time for college students to enjoy theirthree months of freedom. But students shouldn'tcompletely ignore their college responsibilities if theywant to stay on track for next year. To make asmooth transition back to campus in the fall, here areseveral things every college student should do this summer.
Stay on top of deadlines. Professors and studentsmay have the summer off, but it's still business asusual for the university. Faust, a rising senior, advisesstudents to stay on top of all time-sensitive financial oradministrative obligations necessary for next semester.
"In summer time, there are often severaldeadlines regarding financial aid, housing, tuition andclass registration," says Faust." If you don't keepcollege on your radar, you could miss out on some seriously important stuff."
Gain industry experience. Students fortunateenough to land an expected internship, should takethe opportunity to build professional contacts, andexperience working in an industry and an officesetting. Interns should be eager to help out and helpwith projects that will translate onto a resume.
Save for upcoming semester. Travel and goingout with friends are big money drainers, and ifstudents don't carefully budget and save, they mayfind themselves strapped during the school year.
Suzanna de Baca, vice president of wealthstrategies at Ameriprise Financial advises studentswith federal loans to create a post-graduation savingsaccount to help make payments or even start payingdown loans while still in school.
Take a week off. It's also important for studentsto take time this summer to relax and recharge.Experts say students will be more productive if theytake the time for themselves.
"I am ending my summer internship a weekbefore school starts so that I have a whole week toget my ducks in a row before the semester begins,"says Faust. "In that time I will be finalizing myschedules, organizing my planner, buying any necessarysupplies, reorganizing my hard drive and so on."The college students are to pay attention to the college duties so that ______.
| A．they can hunt a satisfactory job |
| B．they can be on the right track next year |
| C．they can get high marks in the next year |
| D．they won't be rejected by the campus |
In order not to miss some vital information, the college students should _______.
| A．realize the deadline of financial aid and tuition |
| B．keep them informed of the time-sensitive obligations |
| C．have the summer off as other students or professors |
| D．keep their summer holiday and college life on the radar |
The underlined word probably means _________.
| A．being lacking in money |
| B．being trapped in difficulty |
| C．dropping out of college |
| D．meeting with trouble |
What's the main idea of the passage?
| A．How to adapt to the college life for the students. |
| B．Some ideas on how to spend the summer holiday. |
| C．Several things college students should do this summer. |
| D．Ways for the college students to enjoy themselvesin summer. |