Special Bridges Help Animals Cross the Road
—Reported by Sheila Carrick
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear (灰熊) and mountain lion can cross the road.
“Millions of animals die each year on U.S. roads,” the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S. today. The main reason? Roadkill.
“Ecopassages ” may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. “These ecopassages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid road accidents,” said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society.
But do animals actually use the ecopassages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an ecopassage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage.
Builders of ecopassages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders (火蜥蜴) and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.
The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal overpass!The writer uses the example of “ocelots” to show that _______.
A.wild animals have become more dangerous |
B.the driving conditions have improved greatly |
C.the measure for protecting wildlife fails to work |
D.an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents |
From the news story, we know an ecopassage is ________.
A.an underground path for cars |
B.a fence built for the safety of the area |
C.a bridge for animals to get over a river |
D.a path for animals to cross the road |
When the writer says that animals seem “to be catching on”, he means ________.
A.animals begin to realize the dangers on the road |
B.animals begin to learn to use ecopassages |
C.animals are crossing the road in groups |
D.animals are increasing in number |
The writer asks visitors and drivers to look around when traveling because ________.
A.wild animals may attack cars |
B.wild animals may block the road |
C.they may see wild animals in the park |
D.they may see wild animals on ecopassages |
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature .However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
64. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?
A. Cycling around a lake. B. Motor racing in the desert.
C. Playing basketball in a gym.D. Swimming in a sports center.
65. What do we know about golf from the passage?
A. It is popular in Portugal and Spain.
B. It causes water shortages around the world.
C. It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes.
D. It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green.
66. The author uses power walking as an example mainly because______.
A. it is an outdoor sport B. it improves our health
C. it uses fewer resources D. it is recommended by experts
67. The author writes the passage to_______.
A. show us the function of major sports
B. encourage us to go in for green sports
C. discuss the major influence of popular sports
D. introduce different types of environment-friendly sports
How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes(糖尿病). Believing my career(职业生涯) was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success-you can’t follow a career in any field without being well—organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological(心理的) tool”
60. What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?
A. Difficulties influenced his career. B. Specialists offered him medical advice.
C. Training helped him defeat his disease. D. He overcame the shadow of illness to win.
61. What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?
A. Her training schedule. B. Her daily happenings.
C. Her achievements. D. Her sports career.
62.What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to?
A. Ways that help one to focus. B. Words that help one to feel less tense.
C. Activities that turn one's attention away. D. Habits that make it hard for one to relax.
63. According to the passage ,what do the three people have in common?
A. Courage. B. Devotion. C. Hard work .D. Self-confidence.
四、阅读理解选出最佳选项(共40分)
I was waiting for a phone call from my agent. He had left a message the night before, telling me that my show was to be cancelled(取消). I called him several times, but each time his secretary told me that he was in a meeting and that he would call me later. So I waited and waited, but there was still no call. Three hours passing by, I became more and more impatient. I was certain that my agent didn’t care about my work, and he didn’t care about me. I was overcome with that thought. I started to shout at the phone, “Let me wait, will you? Who do you think you are?”
At that time I didn’t realize my wife was looking on. Without showing her surprise, she rushed in, seized the phone, tore off the wires, and shouted at the phone, “Yeah! Who do you think you are? Bad telephone! Bad telephone! ” And she swept it into the wastebasket.
I stood watching her, speechless .What on earth…?
She stepped to the doorway and shouted at the rest of the house, “Now hear this! All objects in this room—if you do anything to upset my husband , out you go!”
Then she turned to me, kissed me, and said calmly, “Honey, you just have to learn how to take control.” With that, she left the room.
After watching a crazy woman rushing in and out, shouting at everything in sight, I noticed that something in my mood(情绪)had changed. I was laughing. How could I have trouble with that phone? Her antics helped me realize I had been driven crazy by small things. Twenty minutes later my agent did call. I was able to listen to him and talk to him calmly.
56. Why did the author shout at the telephone?
A. He was mad at the telephone. B. He was angry with his agent.
C. He was anxious about his wife. D. He was impatient with the secretary.
57. What did the author’s wife do after she heard his shouting?
A. She said nothing. B. She shouted at him.
C. She called the agent. D. She threw the phone away.
58. What made the author laugh?
A. His own behavior. B. His wife’s suggestion.
C. His changeable feelings. D. His wife’s sweet kiss.
59. What does the underlined word “antics” refer to?
A. Smart words. B. Unusual actions. C. Surprising looks. D. Anxious feelings.
Want to lose weight? Try eating. That’s one of the ways being developed by scientists experimenting with foods that trick the body into feeling full.
At he Institute of Food Research in Norwich, England, food expert Peter Wilde and his colleagues are developing foods that slow down the digestive system, which then sends a signal to the brain that stops appetite. “That fools you into thinking you’ve eaten far too much when you really haven’t,” said Wilde. From his studies on fat digestion, he said it should be possible to make foods, from bread to yoghurt, that make it easier to diet. While the research is still in its early stages, Wilde’s approach to controlling appetite is one that some doctors say could be a key to solving the problem of obesity.
“Being able to switch off appetite would be a big help for people having trouble losing weight,” said Steve Bloom, a professor of investigative medicine at London’s Imperial College, who is not connected to Wilde’s research. Bloom said that regulating appetite through foods is theoretically possible. But Bloom warned that controlling appetite may be very challenging. “The body has lots of things to prevent its regulatory systems from being tricked,” he said.
Wilde’s research makes use of the body’s ways of digesting fat. Fat normally gets broken down in the first part of the small intestines (肠道). When you eat a high-fat meal, however, the body can only digest the fat entirely further down in the intestines, which then causes the body to produce a kind of chemical to stop the appetite.
Wilde’s approach copies what happens with a high-fat meal. He coats fat droplets (滴) in foods with modified proteins from plants, so it takes longer for the chemical that breaks down fat to reach it. That means that the fat isn’t digested until it hits the far reaches of the intestines. At that point, intestinal cells send a signal telling the brain it’s full. Even though the body hasn’t had a high-fat meal, it stops the appetite as if it has. If the fat had been digested earlier in the intestines, no such signal would be sent.
51. According to Wilde’s research, what could people do if they want to lose weight?
A. Eat more bread and yoghurt. B. Trick the body by eating nothing.
C. Have foods with fat droplets coated. D. Control their digestive system strictly.
52. The underlined word “obesity” in Para. 2 most probably means “________”.
A. being too fat B. eating too much food
C. stopping appetite D. being unhealthy
53. What can be inferred about Professor Bloom’s opinion towards Wilde’s approach?
A. It won’t work since the body’s regulatory systems will never be tricked.
B. It is sure to switch off the appetite of people with a weight problem.
C. It sounds terrible because regulating appetite through foods is not practical at all.
D. It’s no that easy to trick the body so more research should be done.
54. Which of the following is TRUE about Wilde’s approach?
A. A kind of chemical is added to make a high-fat meal less fatty.
B. Fat is digested earlier and the body sends a signal telling the brain it’s full.
C. Fat won’t get broken down in the first part of the small intestines.
D. The chemical that breaks down fat will not reach the fat.
55. The passage is written to ________.
A. give advice on how to stop eating high-fat meals
B. introduce a research on controlling appetite
C. discuss the argument between two professors
D. show different ways to trick the body
It’s not just adults who have a thing or two to discuss with other people, babies too have their own social lives and enjoy group interaction, according to a world-first study.
The breakthrough study conducted by psychologist Professor Ben Bradley, at Charles Sturt University, could completely transform the way child-care centres are set up. In their study, the researchers examined groups of nine-month-old babies in new South Wales and Britain.
And they came across astounding (令人吃惊的) results – it was found that infants had “social brains” and focused not just on their mothers but on social life in groups as well.
“They communicate with more than one baby at once, and show jealousy and generousness,” said Professor Bradley.
He added, “They develop their own meanings through group interaction, they notice if a group member is behaving differently and they take on roles, such as leaders and followers.”
“A baby who has a depressed mother tends to be withdrawn (内向的), but put that same baby in a group of its peers (同龄人)and they behave and interact like any other baby.”
It was the first all-baby group study ever to be conducted. “Most studies of babies concentrate on the infant-mother relationship, assuming that is the single foundation for mental health, but babies are constantly involved with groups of people other than their mothers: fathers, siblings, grandparents and those taking care. Therefore, the ‘mother-baby approach’ needs to be combined with a ‘group approach’,” said Bradley.
Phoebe Christison, a child-care worker at Camperdown Sunshine Bubs in Sydney’s inner west, said she often noticed what appeared to be emotional attachments developed between toddlers.
She said, “Joel (10 months) and Isabella (11 months) always like to hold hands when they sit in their high chairs and eat. And babies definitely show jealousy. They push and touch each other, and copy what the other is doing.”
46. Which of the following statements about the study is TRUE?
A. It’s the first study to look at all-baby groups.
B. It divides babies according to their personalities.
C. Its aim is to change the way of child care.
D. Its results are unbelievable.
47. A baby who has a depressed mother _________.
A. tends to be a follower B. also enjoys group interaction
C. has poor social ability D. pays more attention to its mother
48. What can be inferred from the result of this study?
A. Babies are affected by groups more than by their mothers.
B. There’s no need of child-care centers at all.
C. Adults should include babies when having social activities.
D. The normal infant-mother bond alone isn’t enough for the good mental health for babies.
49. The underlined word “toddlers” in Para. 8 can be replaced by “_________”.
A. adults B. infants C. peers D. groups
50. The example given in the last paragraph proves that a baby ________.
A. is born to be friendly to other babies
B. has interest in peers as well as in its mother
C. may have emotional attachments to another baby
D. shows jealousy and generousness as an adult