500 years ago in Britain, the burning of coal (煤) was increasing in cities like London. Coal was used in factories and also used to heat homes. Coal, when burnt makes a lot of smoke, which makes the air very dirty.
About 200 years ago, the Industrial Revolution (工业革命) began in Britain. Factories were built, and even more coal was burnt. Air pollution was becoming a really big problem.
Smoke and fog together make smog (烟雾). Smog was a big problem in London's winter. Because of the cold weather, more coal was burnt to warm houses and this made more smoke.
When smog stayed over a city, it became really hard to breathe and see clearly. In 1952, the Great London Smog happened and more than 4,000 people died because of the smog.
New laws (法律) were made in 1956 and 1968 to stop such sad things from happening again. These laws were called the Clean Air Acts.
These laws were made so that air would become cleaner. The laws encouraged people to use less coal or switch to other fuels such as gas. Factories started using tall chimneys (烟囱) so that the smoke would go high up in the sky and no longer cover cities, and new factories were built in the countryside. Smog appeared less often and the air became cleaner.From the passage, we learn that smog was a big problem in ______ in London.
A.spring | B.summer | C.autumn | D.winter |
The underlined words "switch to" mean "______" in Chinese.
A.发明 | B.换用 | C.拒绝 | D.节省 |
Which was NOT a way people in Britain used to make the air cleaner, according to the passage?
A.Factories built higher chimneys. |
B.People began to use less coal. |
C.More People began to ride bikes. |
D.New factories were built outside cities. |
Which is the best title for the passage?
A.Air Pollution in Britain in the Past. |
B.How to Make the Air Cleaner. |
C.Smog Is Bad for the Environment. |
D.New Laws to Stop Air Pollution. |
Everybody has a brain,but not many people know how the brain works.Some people believe that the brain is like the hard disk of a computer.We use it to store files 一 pictures,language (words,texts,sounds) and so on.Others compare the brain to a huge cupboard with lots of shelves and boxes in it.We put information into these boxes and hope to find it again later.
The brain is not a computer disk,and it isn't a cupboard.Look at the picture here.It looks a hit like weeds(杂草)in a garden,doesn't it?The picture actually shows a child's neocortex— a part of the brain that controls sight and hearing.You can guess what happens 一 more "weeds" grow as the child gets older.Scientists call these neuronal(神经元的)networks.The networks grow around our neurons.What makes them grow?"Learning!Learning is brain change, "says Professor James Zull from Case Western University in Cleveland,Ohio,USA. "Without learning,nothing changes in the brain.For every new word you learn in your English lesson,every problem you solve in maths,every new song you learn to sing,a neuronal network grows in your brain and the brain changes."
The more neuronal networks we grow,the better we can think and the better we remember.You may wonder if there is anything you can do to make the networks in your brain grow better.Professor Zull says yes,there is.He says that brain change is strongest when a) you are interested in and like what you are learning,b) you are in control of what you learn and c) you get challenging tasks that make you think hard.Understanding a challenging task makes you feel good and develops your brain.
(1)What's the main idea of the first paragraph?
A.The brain — a fantastic computer.
B.What people believe about the brain.
C.How to make your brain stronger.
D.Our brain 一 a growing system.
(2)What can we learn from the passage?
A.Learning makes our neuronal networks grow.
B.Seeing a challenging task develops our brain.
C We remember better when things are easy.
D.There's nothing we can do to make us smarter.
(3)What's the best title for the passage?
A.Interest is the best teacher.
B.Meeting life's challenges.
C.Never too late to learn.
D.Learning is brain change.
Resting my head on Helen's shoulder,I put my arms round her waist(腰).She drew me to her,and we rested in silence.
We had not sat long before another person came in.Some heavy clouds,swept from the sky by a rising wind,had left the moon bright;and her light,coming in through a window near,shone full both on us and on the coming person,Miss Temple. "I came on purpose to find you,Jane Eyre, " said she. "I want you in my room,and as Helen Burs is with you,she may come too. "
We followed Miss Temple to her apartment.It had a good fire,and looked cheerful.Miss Temple told Helen Burns to be seated in a low arm﹣chair on one side of the fire place,and herself asking another,she called me to her side.
"Is it all over?" she asked,looking down at my face. "Have you cried your sadness away?"
"I am afraid I never shall do that. "
"Why?"
"Because I have been wrongly accused(指责),and you and everybody else,will think me a bad girl. "
"We shall think you what you prove yourself to be,my child.Continue to act as a good girl,and you will satisfy us. "
"Shall I,Miss Temple?"
"You will. "said Miss Temple, "You have been accused of lying when you were little.Tell us the truth,but add nothing and exaggerate(夸大)nothing. "
I made up my mind that I would be most modest and most core.Having thought for a few minutes about where to start,I told her all the story of my sad childhood.
(1)Which of the following words best describes Miss Temple in the passage?
A.Dishonest.
B.Impatient.
C.Caring.
D.Humorous.
(2)What does the underlined paragraph imply(暗示)?
A.Miss Temple was going to punish Jane.
B.Helen would rather leave Jane alone.
C.Nothing could make Jane happy again.
D.Jane's luck might change for the better.
(3)According to the passage,which of the following is true about Jane?
A.She chose to trust Miss Temple.
B.She didn't mind being accused.
C.She made up her childhood story.
D.She once behaved as a bad girl.
Chinese is mainly divided into 13 dialects(方言)and these dialects can be further divided into many kinds of local dialects.Putonghua (or Mandarin) the predominant dialect,is spoken by over 70% of the population and is one of the 6 official languages of the United Nations.Within these large dialect groups,there are small groups,many of which are difficult to understand.In Fujian,for example,people living 10 kilometres away from one another can be speaking different Min dialects.
Putonghua.It is the mother dialect of Chinese living in northern China and Sichuan Province.It is called Guoyu in some parts of China,like Hong Kong,Macao(澳门)and Taiwan.It is known in English as Mandarin Chinese,or Standard Chinese.
Wu.Spoken in Shanghai,most of Zhejiang and the southern parts of Jiangsu and Anhui.Wu is made up of hundreds of different of spoken forms.
Hakka/Kejia.Hakka is widely spoken in Fujian.Taiwan,and some countries in Southeast Asia.
Min.It is spoken in Fujian,Taiwan,and Southeast Asia.Min group is the most diverse(多样的),with many different spoken forms used in neighbouring countries.
Yue.It is spoken in Guangdong,Hong Kong,Macao,Taiwan,all over Southeast Asia and by many Chinese living abroad.
(1)What does the underlined word "predominant" mean?
A.More beautiful.
B.More special.
C.More interesting.
D.More common.
(2)What do you know about Putonghua after reading this passage?
A.It is used by a small group of people in China.
B.It is spoken only by people in Mainland China.
C.It is included in the official languages of the United Nations.
D.It is the mother dialect of people living in southern China.
(3)Based on he passage,which of the following is true?
A.Most people in Anhui speak Kejia.
B.Wu is the local dialect of Shanghai.
C.Yue has the most different spoken forms.
D.Most people in Hong Kong speak Min.
On the bottom of most plastic packaging(包装),there's a small triangle (三角)with a letter or a number written inside.These little symbols are not easy to be noticed,but are really important.They tell you what kind of plastic it is and whether it can be recycled or not.
Can it be recycled? |
Types of Plastic |
√ |
This is the plastic that you often see on supermarket shelves!It's used to make plastic water bottles and biscuit boxes. |
√ |
HDPE is a stronger type of plastic.It is what milk bottles are made of. |
× |
LDPE is a very soft plastic which is not easily broken.It is what shopping bags are made of. |
× |
This plastic is often seen in our daily life.You'll probably have seen it as those cheap white cups you get hot drinks in,or as takeaway food packaging. |
(1)Which is a stronger type of plastic?
A.PET.
B.HDPE.
C.LDPE.
D.PS.
(2)Which of the following uses PET plastic?
A.Milk bottles.
B.Hot drink white cups.
C.Drinking water bottles.
D.Takeaway food packaging.
(3)What is the purpose of this article?
A.To introduce types of plastic.
B.To display reusable items.
C.To explain recycling methods.
D.To recommend shopping bags.
Protecting the Habitats of Chimpanzees
Chimpanzees are not only social animals living in communities and work together,but they are smart in many different ways.For over 40 years,people have been studying chimps both in the wild and in captivity.One thing they have learned is that chimpanzees and their natural habitats﹣or where they live in the wild﹣need to be protected.
In 1960,a researcher named Jane Goodall began to live with and study wild chimpanzees in Africa.She learned that they are highly intelligent animals that communicate with gestures and physical contact.They make tools to find food,they possess innate decision﹣making skills,and they make choices about which groups to join and what foods to eat.Chimps cooperate to hunt and often share the food they have caught.In captivity,where they live in zoos and science centres,they can be taught American Sign Language so that they can communicate with their hands.There have even been experiments which show that a few chimpanzees have learned to use computers and to play games!Some scientists argue that chimpanzees can show emotions such as happiness or sadness.
Although chimpanzees are impressive and intelligent animals,their safety is in danger every day.In the wild they can be found in 21 different African countries,living in forests.Chimpanzees are able to adapt(适应) to changes in their environment.They can move to a new place,make new nests,and find new foods.Yet people are destroying their natural habitats.By cutting down trees for firewood and using the space to build houses,humans leave chimpanzees with smaller areas to live in.
Chimpanzees are in danger,and all eyes should be on them. Fortunately many organizations and researchers have started to take steps to protect them.Everyone should be aware of their work and it is important to help these amazing animals.
(1)According to the passage,why should people help chimpanzees?
(2)How do chimpanzees communicate in their natural habitats?
(3)How do chimpanzees adapt to changes in their environment?
(4)What does the writer want to tell us by saying "all eyes should be on them"?
(5)What can you do for chimpanzees?(请自拟一句话作答)