At the beginning of the 20th century there were more than a million lions worldwide. Today there are less than 30,000 in the wild. The remaining lions are increasingly threatened by habitat loss, hunting and activities to protect farms and cattle.
For generations, Masai tribesmen on the large African plains in southeastern Kenya have hunted lions — to protect their farms and cattle. Today they celebrate the lions’ life.
Noah is an elder in the Masai community. “We have decided as a community of the Masai to lay down our spears, and there will be no more killing of lions in our community.” He is part of a group of Masai visiting the United States promoting (推广) the Predator Compensation Program.
Conservation International’s Frank Hawkins explains, “The Masai have been living with wildlife for many generations and it has been a conflicting ( 有冲突的) relationship in many ways. They compete with the animals for food as lions eat their cattle. We’re trying to find ways in which the wildlife will become something useful to them.” They had the Predator Compensation Fund founded in 2003. After much discussion, a group of Masai farmers agreed to protect lions. In turn, if lions or other predators kill their cattle, the Masai owner will be paid market value for the dead animals from the fund.
One man said that in the past, when a lion killed cattle, they killed it immediately. And now, after the start of the program, the Masai see the lion population growing. Since 2003, only four lions have been killed here.What is the aim of the Predator Compensation Program?
| A．To protect people in the wild. | B．To protect Masai’s farms. |
| C．To protect lions only. | D．To protect the wildlife. |
According to the passage, why haven’t Masai tribesmen killed many lions since 2003?
| A．Because lions don’t eat their cattle any more. |
| B．Because they will be fined if they kill lions there. |
| C．Because the fund will pay for dead animals killed by lions |
| D．Because there are less than 30,000 lions in the wild now. |
What do you think of the Masai ?
| A．Wise. | B．Mean. | C．Generous. | D．Stupid. |
An old friend from California called from the airport to tell me that he had arrived. I was not able to leave the office, but I had made plans for his arrival. After explaining where my new house was, I told him that I had left the key under the doormat (门垫). Since I knew it would be pretty late before I could get home, I suggested that he make himself at home and help himself to anything that was in the refrigerator.
Two hours later my friend phoned me from the house. At the moment, he said, he was listening to some of my records after having had a delicious meal. Now, he said, he was drinking a glass of orange juice. When I asked him if he had had any difficulty finding the house, he answered that the only problem was that he had not been able to find the key under the doormat, but luckily, the living room window by the apple tree had been left open and he had climbed in through the window. I listened to all this in great surprise. There is no apple tree outside my window, but there is one by the living room window of my next door neighbor's house!An old friend of mine called ______.
| A．to tell me to meet him at the airport |
| B．to tell me about his arrival |
| C．to ask me to leave the office |
| D．to ask me to make plans for his arrival |
My friend climbed into the room because ______ .
| A．there was an apple tree outside |
| B．the living room window was left open |
| C．he had difficulty opening the door |
| D．he hadn't found the key |
My friend telephoned me two hours later ______ .
| A．from my home |
| B．at the airport |
| C．in his office |
| D．from my neighbor's house |
Walt Disney and Shanghai government have formally agreed to open up a Disney theme park in China's commercial capital.
Just days after the World Expo was closed, they agreed on plans for a joint venture(合资企业)to manage the project, expected to cover nearly eight square miles for the entire resort(度假胜地), the city government said in a statement. The cost is reportedly estimated at 25 billion yuan.
Plans call for the theme park to be a “strong international tourism resort” with a pleasant, low-carbon environment, the city said.A joint venture between local companies and Disney will be responsible for construction, management and operation of the Disney theme park，it said.
Some villagers were long ago moved off farmland in Chuansha, a part of Pudong district near the city's main international airport，to make way for the park.
Disney issued a statement confirming its discussions with the Shanghai government, saying, “We can confirm the statement from the Shanghai government that we have taken another step forward in the approval process.”
But the company said it was still awaiting final approval of the joint venture by the central government and completion of necessary procedures.
The sixmonthlong World Expo，which ended on Sunday，drew a record of 72 million visitors，mostly Chinese tourists.That event made it necessary for the city to build nearly a dozen new subway lines，new highways，airport upgrades and other modern facilities.
With the Disneyland project due to start，the city appears likely to continue its building boom(激增)．
The agreement on Friday came exactly a year after China's national planning agency approved the plans for the parka major step toward getting the project started.
The park will give Shanghai，the mainland's main financial and commercial centre，a new showcase.While the city is one of China's most modern and wealthy cities，it has relatively few big historic landmarks compared with ancient capitals like Beijing and Xi'an.
Disney has said the Shanghai resort will include a “MagicKingdomstyle theme park with characteristics tailored to the Shanghai region.”
Disney has been expanding its presence in mainland China after opening a theme park in Hong Kong in 2005.That venue, which has suffered from disappointing attendance，is in the midst of Disney’s expansion as it intends to compete with the future theme park in Shanghai.What do we know about the Disneyland project to be built in Shanghai?
| A．The cost is more than 25 billion yuan. |
| B．The design is environmentally friendly. |
| C．It will be built by Walt Disney Company. |
| D．It is as large as the World Expo Garden in area. |
What can we learn from Disney's statement?
| A．The construction of the theme park is in process. |
| B．They need approval from the central government. |
| C．The joint venture has completed necessary procedures. |
| D．Disney didn't think their discussions with the Shanghai government was helpful. |
We can infer from the last paragraph that________.
| A．visitors often go to Hong Kong Disneyland these days because of its expansion |
| B．the Shanghai theme park should learn from Hong Kong's |
| C．Hong Kong Disneyland will face more challenges |
| D．Hong Kong Disneyland is well managed |
Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage
Pinnawella is an orphanage for baby elephants that have been found abandoned in the wild.There are 60 small elephants on the site and they are fed, trained and cared for by the orphanage. If you visit Pinnawella during feeding time, you may be given the opportunity to bottle-feed an elephant during your Sri Lanka holiday. Bathing time is also popular with visitors and accompanying a baby elephant to a nearby river is a wonderful experience.
Colombo Zoo
After seeing an elephant in the wild, seeing one in the zoo may seem a little uninspiring; however this is one for the children.The Colombo Zoo is famous for its elephant shows，where six Indian elephants do all kinds of tricks，from playing the music instruments to shooting basketballs with their trunks.
Wasgamuwa National Park
Wasgamuwa National Park is located in the town of Mahiyangana, an ancient city and important site in the Buddhist religion.It is one of the best places to see wild elephants in their natural habitats(栖息地)and is closest to six other national parks.The park and nearby area also provide ample bird watching opportunities.
Yala National Park
Yala is the largest national park in Sri Lanka and home to the majority of the islands wildlife，including Indian elephants and rare leopards.Arranging a tour here is the best way to spot an elephant，and if you're particularly lucky you may also spy a leopard lying lazily around on an overhanging tree branch.
Maduruoya National Park
This Park has a huge reservoir and if you get up before sunrise，you may spot some elephants playing about in the large expanse of water. You can also ride an elephant through the dense forests, which is perhaps one of the strangest forms of transportation to use on your Sri Lanka holidays.Which place should visitors go to if they want to have closer contact with elephants?
| A．Maduruoya National Park |
| B．Wasgamuwa National Park |
| C．Colombo Zoo |
| D．Pinnawella Elephant Orphanage |
According to the author，Colombo Zoo________.
| A．actually causes harm to elephants |
| B．can bring pleasure to children |
| C．has a good way to protect elephants |
| D．is not inspiring at all |
It can be inferred from the passage that________.
| A．Wasgamuwa National Park is the best place to watch birds |
| B．Yala National Park has nothing special to watch |
| C．visitors can watch birds in Yala National Park |
| D．a leopard can climb up trees and stay there |
What may cause the tourists' curiosity in Maduruoya National Park?
| A．The huge reservoir which has a large expanse of water. |
| B．The beautiful and charming scene of sunrise. |
| C．Riding elephants through the dense forests. |
| D．A group of elephants playing in the water. |
Perhaps the most challenging material you read at school is poetry. Though the message of some poems may be very simple, the way poets put words together often makes this message elusive. When you read a poem, you should begin by trying to understand what the poet is saying on the surface, then examine the way the poet expresses this content, and finally decide how the poem's meaning is created. Here are some steps to read a poem.
First, read the poem once slowly aloud without writing or marking anything. Don't stop until you finish the poem, even if you don't know the meaning or pronunciation of a word. When you've finished, think it over for a moment on any words, images, and characters that caught your attention. Then read the poem again silently. When you come to a word you don't know, look it up in the dictionary.
Understand the meaning of figurative (比喻的)language. Figurative language doesn't mean exactly what it says; instead, it suggests meanings. For example, in the line “Love, all alike, no season knows”, the poet doesn't mean love is unfamiliar with four seasons. Love cannot know anything at all; only people can know something. Thus, the poet is personifying(拟人化) love, giving it human qualities.
Examine and think about the poet's use of language. Why, for example, did the poet choose to compare his love to a red rose instead of a tree or a bird? We can use associations: we usually associate roses with beauty and love, but we also know a rose bush has thorns (刺). All of these associations may not be right for a particular poem, but many of them probably will.
Finally, read the poem one more time aloud.Practice using pauses and stress to make the poem's meaning come alive.The underlined word “elusive” in Paragraph 1 probably means “________”．
| A．easy | B．interesting |
| C．difficult | D．boring |
What should we put on the first place when reading a poem?
| A．The form of the poem. |
| B．The content of the poem. |
| C．The meaning of the poem. |
| D．The language of the poem. |
When reading a poem for the first time, we should________．
| A．try to understand new words |
| B．examine the poem's language |
| C．try to understand its meaning well |
| D．avoid being stopped by new words |
We can learn from the passage that figurative language________．
| A．is useful in expressing love |
| B．helps us understand new ideas |
| C．is easy for most readers to understand |
| D．should be repeated while reading a poem |
Nothing is as precious as one's freedom. Dreams, aspirations and ideals mean nothing if one does not have the freedom to pursue them.
A lot has been done in the name of freedom. A lot has been said and written about freedom. In the past six months, the world witnessed Tunisian uprising, Egyptian revolution and Libyan civil war. Thousands of people fought for freedom; hundreds of people lost their lives (for freedom); people are craving for freedom. But, what exactly is freedom? We are fighting for it, we are ready to die for it, we are craving for it, but, can we really define it?
Albert Camus thinks freedom is a chance to be better. Abraham Lincoln calls it best hope of Earth. Epictetus says it's the right to live as we wish. For Moshe Dayan it's oxygen for soul. According to Urban Dictionary it's everything. And going by Oxford Dictionaries, it's power of self determination attributed to the will.
Everyone has different views about freedom. But somehow I am still not convinced because we can't really be fighting for a chance or hope. And the concept of everything is full of uncertainties. I don't think we are fighting for power of self-determination either. And as for the right to live as we wish, if we have the right to fight, then, how can we be denied the right to live as per our wish?
But the question still remains unanswered, what is freedom?
For me, freedom has a deeper and greater meaning. I think freedom is much more than just a right. It's a responsibility of doing what you think is good, not only for you but even for society. It is a state when one realizes their duties and starts respecting others' freedom.
Freedom is when we realize that we can do absolutely anything except force another person to follow us in our madness or our desire for life. Freedom is when we are no longer slaves to our desires, society, its expectations, luxury or slaves to a life we did not choose.
Freedom is when we have the courage to speak out what we know is true, do what we feel is right, and fight for what we think is unfair. One shouldn't really fight for freedom; rather, they should try to achieve it.How many famous people’s definitions of freedom are mentioned in the passage?
| A．4 | B．5 | C．6 | D．7 |
Paragraph 3 mainly tells us that _____________.
| A．Everyone longs for freedom |
| B．Everyone is fighting for freedom |
| C．People have different views about freedom |
| D．Famous people have a deeper understanding of freedom |
Which of the following will the author agree with?
| A．Freedom is a chance to live better. |
| B．Freedom is our best hope in the world. |
| C．Freedom is the right to live as we wish. |
| D．Freedom is a responsibility of doing what is good. |
What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To show different views about freedom. |
| B．To express his understanding of freedom. |
| C．To encourage us to pursue our dreams and aspirations. |
| D．To argue against some famous people’s understanding of freedom. |