Honey(蜂蜜)from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious. Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees' nest(巢)and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for honey have a strange and unexpected helper一a little bird called a honey guide.
The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax (蜂蜡) in the beehives (蜂房). The little bird cannot reach this wax, which is deep inside the bees’ nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.
Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit.Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?
| A．It's small in size. | B．It's hard to recognize. |
| C．It's covered with wax. | D．It's hidden in trees. |
What do the words "the follower" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．A bee. | B．A bird. | C．A beekeeper. | D．A honey seeker. |
The honey guide is special in the way____________。
| A．it gets its food | B．it goes to church |
| C．it sings in the forest | D．it reaches into bees' nests |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Wild Bees | B．Wax and Honey |
| C．Honey-Lover's Helper | D．Beekeeping in Africa |
A 17-year-old boy, caught sending text messages in class, was recently sent to the vice principal's office at Millwood High School in Halifax, Nova Scotia.
The vice principal, Steve Gallagher, told the boy he needed to focus on the teacher, not his cellphone. The boy listened politely and nodded, and that's when Mr. Gallagher noticed the student's fingers moving on his lap. He was texting while being scolded for texting!
"It was a subconscious act," said Mr. Gallagher, who took the phone away. "Yong people today are connected socially from the moment they open their eyes in the morning until they close their eyes at night. It's addictive. They can’t simply stop doing that."
Because so many people in their teens and early 20s are in this constant whir of socializing -- accessible to each other every minute of the day via cellphone, instant messaging and social-networking Web sites -- there are a host of new questions that need to be addressed in schools, in the workplace and at home. Chief among them: How much work can "hyper-socializing" students or employees really accomplish if they are holding multiple conversations with friends via text-messaging, or are obsessively checking Facebook? Almost a quarter of today's teens check Facebook more than 10 times a day, according to a 2009 survey by Common Sense Media, a non-profit group that monitors media's impact on families.
Will these young people get rid of this habit once they enter the work force, or will employers come to see texting and "social-network checking" as accepted parts of the workday?
"In past generations, students got in trouble for passing notes in class. Now students are adept at texting with their phones still in their pockets," said 40-year-old Mr. Gallagher, "and they're able to communicate with someone one floor down and three rows over. Students are just fundamentally different today. They will take suspensions rather than give up their phones."When the boy was scolded for texting, _________________.
| A．he was polite and regretful |
| B．he was trying sending another message |
| C．his fingers shouldn’t be put on his lap |
| D．he listened carefully and nodded |
What does the underlined word “subconscious” mean?
| A．dangerous | B．purposeless | C．popular | D．impolite |
What can we learn about the students in their teens and early 20s?
| A．All of them are addicted to using cellphones. |
| B．They will get rid of the habit once they go to work. |
| C．They are greatly different from the past generations. |
| D．Most of them check Facebook more than 10 times a day. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The employers will accept texting at workday. |
| B．The students will give up their phones one day. |
| C．It’s convenient for students to communicate with others with cellphones. |
| D．Facebook is a kind of book students need to read at school. |
I don't want to upset you, but nobody can ever find out what day is going to be the last. And so it’s better to live each day of your life as if it is the last. I'm not telling you to quit your job and spend all your money on traveling. But you can live your life to its fullest by adding some simple things to each day. It doesn't matter what is going on, but it does matter how you feel about it. Here is my recipe for the best day on Earth!
A Handful of Happiness
Where can you find it? Take a look inside of yourself! Happiness doesn't come from the outside, it is within you. Each moment your life gives you a lot of opportunities to be happy. If you want to see them, you will. If you don’t, it's up to you.
A Handful of Love
Love is the harmony of your soul. A little love can make a big difference to the whole world. We are one. Everyone and everything deserve your love as well as you do.
A Handful of Dreams
Feel free to dream big dreams and make small steps towards them. You are the creator of your life. Every time you are doing something to achieve your goals you are growing.
A Handful of Creativity
Try to be creative in everything you do. Try to do your best every time you are doing something. Do not be afraid to use your imagination. It's such a pleasure to do something new. Feel the joy of creation!
A Handful of Magic
Do you believe in magic? Well, you should. Life is full of miracles. In fact, life itself is a big miracle. There are so many things that are beyond our understanding. "There are two ways to live: you can live as if nothing is a miracle; you can live as if everything is a miracle." — Albert Einstein
Celebrate every day of your life! Let the spirit of holiday fill each corner of your heart. Why not? You live your life to its fullest and move towards your dreams! What does the author advise people to do?
| A．Spend all your money on traveling. |
| B．Find happiness inside yourself. |
| C．Love others more than yourself. |
| D．Do not use much imagination. |
It can be concluded that to realize your big dreams, you need ____________.
| A．to keep trying step by step | B．to grow up |
| C．to feel free | D．to create your life |
What can we learn from the underlined sentence?
| A．There are two ways to live a happy life. |
| B．Nothing is a miracle in your life. |
| C．Not everything is a miracle. |
| D．It’s up to you to choose the way to live. |
Which can be the best title of the passage?
| A．How to know your last day? |
| B．How to live a best day? |
| C．How to make your life miracle? |
| D．How to realize your dreams? |
After two classes, I started to recognize several of the faces in each class. There was always someone braver than the others who would introduce themselves and ask me questions about how I was liking Forks. I tried to be diplomatic, so mostly I just lied a lot to appear to be skilled at dealing with people. At least I never needed the map.
One girl sat next to me in both Trig and Spanish, and she walked with me to the cafeteria for lunch. She was tiny, several inches shorter than my five feet four inches, but her wildly curly dark hair made up a lot of the difference between our heights. I couldn't remember her name, so I smiled and nodded as she gossiped about teachers and classes. I didn't try to keep up.
We sat at the end of a full table with several of her friends, who she introduced to me. I forgot all their names as soon as she spoke them. They seemed impressed by her bravery in speaking to me. The boy from English, Eric, waved at me from across the room.
It was there, sitting in the lunchroom, trying to make conversation with seven curious strangers, that I first saw them.
They were sitting in the corner of the cafeteria, as far away from where I sat as possible in the long room. There were five of them. They weren't talking, and they weren't eating, though they each had a tray of untouched food in front of them. They weren't staring at me, unlike most of the other students, so it was safe to stare at them without fear of meeting an over interested pair of eyes. But it was none of these things that caught and held my attention.
I stared because their faces, so different, so similar, were all extremely, inhumanly beautiful. They were faces you never expected to see except perhaps on the airbrushed pages of a fashion magazine, or painted by an old master as the face of an angel. It was hard to decide who was the most beautiful -- maybe the perfect blond girl, or the bronze-haired boy.What does the underlined word “diplomatic” mean?
| A．smooth | B．clever | C．honest | D．delight |
From the passage, we can infer that _______________.
| A．“I” was really liking the new place. |
| B．“I” was not interested in what the girl said. |
| C．“I” had a bad memory, so it’s hard to remember names. |
| D．“I” was good at making friends. |
According to the last two paragraphs, why did “they” catch “my” attention?
| A．Because “they” weren’t talking. |
| B．Because “they” sat in the corner. |
| C．Because “they” didn’t eat the food. |
| D．Because “they” looked incredibly beautiful. |
According to the passage, which statement is NOT true?
| A．The girl walked with “me” was a little short. |
| B．“I” saw the five students for the first time. |
| C．Those students sitting in the corner had finished their food. |
| D．“I” probably wanted to know more about those five students. |
Dogs can be worried and pessimistic just like people, researchers report in a new study in Current Biology. And they aren’t talking about basset hounds (短脚猎狗): those dogs just look as if they expect the worst.
What the scientists say is that dogs that exhibit anxiety when left home alone by their owners may have bigger problems — they may be in a permanent bad mood.
This pessimistic outlook may not otherwise be easily apparent in a dog’s other characteristics, like running speed or learning ability, the study reports.
Dogs are similar to humans in the role that emotional state plays in decision making, said Michael Mendel, a veterinary scientist at the University of Bristol and the study’s lead author. The study’s researchers looked at 24 dogs in shelters in Britain.
They placed the dogs in isolated settings and observed their reactions — many barked, jumped on furniture and scratched at the door.
Then they placed bowls in two rooms. One bowl contained food, while another was empty. After training the dogs to understand that bowls can sometimes be empty, and sometimes full, they began to place bowls in ambiguous locations.
Dogs that quickly raced to the locations were more optimistic, and in search of food. Those that did not were deemed pessimistic.
The more separation anxiety a dog expressed while in isolation, the more likely the dog was to have a pessimistic reaction, the researchers found.
The study carries an important message for dog owners, Dr. Mendel said.
Dogs that express serious anxiety when alone may need treatment, as it could be a sign of unhappiness and instability.This passage can be classified as _________.
| A．an advertisement | B．a feature story |
| C．a news report | D．a book review |
In the study, many dogs barked, jumped and scratched because __________.
| A．they couldn’t find the bowl with food in it |
| B．they were left alone |
| C．they needed to be treated |
| D．they wanted to be active and optimistic |
According to Dr. Mendel, which statement is true?
| A．Like humans, dogs are good at decision making. |
| B．Dog owners should train dogs to find food. |
| C．Emotional state works sometimes when humans make decision. |
| D．Dogs can always find the bowl with food quickly. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Dogs will be optimistic as long as they are left alone. |
| B．Dogs must be in a permanent bad mood when their owners left. |
| C．Dogs that express anxiety don’t need treatment. |
| D．Dogs may easily show their pessimistic outlook in learning ability. |
Some of the best-known names in the entertainment industry have taken part in an unprecedented telethon to help victims of the terrorist attacks in the United States.
The benefit(义演), called “America: a Tribute to Heroes,” was sponsored by all four major U.S television networks, ABC, CBS, FOIX and NBC. It was broadcast by three-dozen television, cable and radio networks across the country and aired live to more than a hundred countries around the world.
Hollywood stars joined music entertainers in asking listeners and viewers to pledge cash donations to charities helping the victims of the September 11th attacks.
Actors, including Tom Hanks, Julia Roberts, Tom Cruise and Clint Eastwood, told stories of heroic acts by people who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon. Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali made a rare public appearance in show of support.
The appeals alternated with performances by such popular entertainers as Bruce Springsteen, Mariah Carey, Steve Wonder, Paul Simon and the rock band U—2.
They appeared on stages in New York, Los Angeles and London, decorated with hundreds of burning candles.
Singer Billy Joel sang “ New York State of Mind” with a New York City firefighter’s hat on his piano. Sting dedicated his song “ Gragile” to a friend who died in the World Trade Center. Stevie Wonder condemned(指责) hatred in the name of religion before singing his song “ Love’s in Need of Love today”. Pledge phones were manned by dozens of other celebrities, including Jack Nicholson, Meg Ryan, Whoopic Goldberg, Cindy Crawford, Al Pacino and Sylvester Stallone.
Organizers say the two-hour telethon raised millions of dollars. All participants, from stars to stagehands, worked without pay. Those who appeared on stages were ______.
| A．some best-known names in the USA |
B．some famous singer, film stars and other music entertainers |
C．People who tried to save others from the burning World trade Center and the Pentagon. |
D．Former heavyweight champion Muhammad Ali and Hollywood stars |
The underlined word “ telethon” most probably means ______.
| A．a performance to raise money |
B．a concert held by some television networks |
C．a television program which lasts a long time |
D．a television program for entertainment |
Which of the following statements is True?
| A．Four major U.S. television networks broadcast the benefit |
| B．The former heavy weight champion Muhammad Ali sang a song to show his support |
| C．Billy Joel, wearing a firefighter’s hat, played the piano for the listeners and viewers |
| D．The organizers, stars and people who worked for the benefit didn’t get any money for themselves. |
The best title for the news report is ______.
| A．U.S Telethon Raises Money for Attack Victims |
| B．Best-known names Pledge Donations |
| C．Seeking More Support |
| D．A Tribute to Heroes |