Where we live,on the eastern shore of Maryland,the gentle waters run in and out like fingers slimming at the tips.
The Canada geese know this place,as do the white swans and the ducks. In autumn,they come home for the winter. Once or twice each year,snow and frozen rain move into the area. When this happens,if the river is at its narrowest,there is a freeze which hardens the water to ice.
One morning,a friend of mine set the breakfast table beside the huge window,which overlooked the Tred Avon River. Suddenly she leaned forward and cried out,“There is a goose out there.”
We saw the figure of a large Canada goose,very still,its wings folded tight to its sides,its feet frozen into the ice.
Then from the dark skies,she saw a line of swans. They floated from the top of the sky downward and at last landed on the ice. My friend was on her feet now,with one hand against her mouth,unbelieving. As the swans surrounded the frozen goose,she feared that life it still had might be pecked(啄) out by those great swan bills.
Instead,those bills began to work on the ice. The long necks were lifted and curved down,again and again. It went on for a long time. At last,the goose’s head was lifted. Its body was pulled. Then the goose was free and stood on the ice. And the swans stood in the air watching. Then,as if it had cried,“I cannot fly.” Four of the swans came down around it. Their powerful beaks chipped off the ice held in the feathers. Slowly,the goose spread its wings as far as they would go,and moved slowly into the sky.
This is a true story. I just think of it in the bad moment,and from it comes only one hopeful question:If so for birds,why not for man?Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Why Not for Man? | B.Graceful Swans |
C.Swans’ Brave Act | D.I Just Couldn’t Believe It! |
What happened to the Canada goose?
A.It was deserted by other geese. |
B.It was stuck in the ice. |
C.It was wounded and couldn’t fly. |
D.It was lost in the water. |
At first the author’s friend was worried that________.
A.the swans would not help the Canada goose |
B.she didn’t care about this matter any more |
C.the swans wouldn’t identify with the Canada goose |
D.the swans would peck the Canada goose to death |
What did the swans do when they saw the Canada goose couldn’t fly?
A.They chipped off the ice held in its feathers. |
B.They waited patiently for the ice held in its feathers to melt. |
C.They came down and lifted it up to the sky together. |
D.They stayed with it and protected it. |
Over time, the custom of kissing developed as a way for adults to express their love and affection for one another. The roots of this form of affection can be traced back to primitive times, when mothers fondled their children, much as mothers do today.
Much later, in the sixth century, society apparently accepted the custom of kissing between adults as an expression of their affection. Not surprisingly, France first accepted kissing in courtship (求爱). There, figure dancing was popular, and each dance was sealed with a kiss.
The custom of kissing swept from France through Europe to Russia, where Russian nobility loved to imitate the French. Eventually, the kiss was incorporated into marriage ceremonies, and today lip locks couples into sweet matrimony.
The custom of kissing today, as well as in ancient times, serves to pay homage to another. Early Romans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another in a manner they thought to be dignified. One Roman emperor even ranked a person's importance by the body part he was allowed to kiss. He allowed important nobles to kiss his lips, less important ones to kiss his hands, and the least important ones to kiss his feet.
In Russia, the highest sign of recognition from the Crown meant a kiss from the Tsar himself. Today, natives of many African tribes pay homage to their Chief by kissing the ground over which he has walked.What’s mainly talked about in the passage?
A.The way to express love and respect. | B.The expression of affection. |
C.The custom of kissing. | D.The function of kissing. |
Which of the following can best explain the underlined word “homage” in the 4th paragraph?
A.recognition | B.respect | C.importance | D.loyalty |
It can be learned from the passage that ___________.
A.kissing is a widely accepted way to show love and affection |
B.kissing used to be a proper way to show love on the wedding ceremony |
C.kissing is a widely accepted way of greeting in the world |
D.kissing from the Tsar is only sign of being accepted from the Crown |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.It was France that made the custom of kissing go to the whole world. |
B.Early Africans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another. |
C.One Roman emperor allowed important nobles to kiss his nose. |
D.Russian nobility followed the custom of kissing from the French. |
We can infer from the passage that __________.
A.mothers created the custom of kissing |
B.kissing means differently on different occasions |
C.figure dancing was usually sealed with a kiss in Russia |
D.society found it hard to accept kissing in public in the sixth century |
Conservationists have unveiled plans to preserve and protect the world's most important species of coral, in a response to increasing threats that they say will lead to "functional extinction" within decades.
Led by scientists at the Zoological Society of London, the Edge Coral Reefs project has identified 10 coral species in most urgent risk of becoming extinct.The scientists say that reefs are under pressure from a variety of threats including rising sea temperatures due to climatic instability, increased acidity(酸性), overfishing and pollution.
The Edge plan, which focuses on the most evolutionarily distinct and globally endangered species , will take a regional approach to conservation.This means focusing on the "coral triangle" around the Philippines, the West Indian Ocean around the Mozambique channel, and in the Caribbean channel.
"Coral reefs are threatened with functional extinction in the next 20-50 years, due predominantly to global climatic instability," said Catherine Head, coordinator of the reefs project."In these regions, we'll be supporting and training in-country conservationists to carry out research and implement targeted conservation actions," she said."Their projects will last initially for two years.We provide them with a whole host of tools to carry out their projects including funding and intensive training." She added.
Coral reefs are the planet's most diverse marine ecosystem(生态系统), known as the rainforests of the oceans.Despite taking up under 0.2% of the ocean floor, they provide food and shelter for almost a third of all sea life.If we lose the ecosystems, we lose not only the biodiversity (生物多样性), but we also lose the capability of people to obtain income and food from coral reefs.
Climatic instability, which leads to rising sea temperatures, causes corals to bleach.Bleaching occurs when sea temperatures rise and this causes the coral tissue to expel their symbiotic algae called zooxanthellae - these are what give the coral their colour.Bleached corals often die if the stress continues.Among the 10 species chosen to start the Edge project are the pearl bubble coral, a food source for the hawksbill(玳瑁)turtle, and the Mushroom coral, which supports at least 15 brightly colored fish.What does the first paragraph mean in the passage ?
A.Conservationists planned to preserve and protect some extinct corals years ago. |
B.Conservationists have banned plans to protect endangered corals for years. |
C.Conservationists are going to protect corals that are dying out in several ten years. |
D.Conservationists have made plans to protect corals from being extinct in ten years. |
What will probably happen to coral species with the increasing threats?
A.Decrease. | B.Losing functions |
C.Disappearance. | D.Existence |
Which of the following statements about the Edge Plan is TRUE?
A.The Edge Coral Reefs project was carried out by American scientists. |
B.The plan concentrates on the channels to protect the endangered species. |
C.The Conservationists have carried out the Edge plan for many years to protect the corals. |
D.Ten coral species chosen by the project are at the greatest risk of becoming extinct. |
Which of the following will be the consequence of coral extinction in the passage?
A.We will keep the balance of the marine ecosystems. |
B.About one third of the marine species can't survive. |
C.Man can benefit more from corals. |
D.We will lose the rainforests on our earth. |
What is the best title of the passage?
A.Climatic Instability and Coral Extinction |
B.Reasons for Coral Functional Extinction. |
C.A Plan to Save Coral from Extinction |
D.A Research about Endangered Coral Reefs. |
Back in the fifteenth century, in a tiny village near Nuremberg, lived a family with eighteen children.In spite of the hopeless condition, two of the children, Albrecht Durer and Albert, had a dream.They both wanted to pursue their talent for art.After many long discussions, the two boys finally worked out an agreement.They would toss a coin.The loser would go down into the nearby mines and, with his earnings, support his brother who attended the academy.Then, when that brother who won the toss completed his studies, in four years, he would support the other brother at the academy.
Tossing a coin, Albrecht Durer won and went off to Nuremberg.Albert went down into the dangerous mines and, for the next four years, supported his brother, whose work at the academy was almost an immediate sensation(轰动).By the time he graduated, he had earned considerable fees for his outstanding works.
When the young artist returned to his village, the Durer family held a festive dinner to celebrate Albrecht’s triumphant(胜利的)homecoming.Albrecht drank a toast to his beloved brother for the years of sacrifice that had enabled him to complete his dream.“And now, Albert, blessed brother of mine, now it is your turn.Now you can go to Nuremberg to look for your dream, and I will take care of you.”
Tears streaming down his pale face, Albert sobbed, “No...no...It is too late for me.Look...look at what four years in the mines have done to my hands!The bones in every finger have been broken at least once, and lately I have been suffering from arthritis(关节炎)so badly in my right hand that I cannot even hold a glass to return your toast, much less draw delicate lines with a pen or a brush.”
To show thanks to Albert for all that he had sacrificed, Albrecht Durer painstakingly drew his brother’s injured hands with palms together and thin fingers stretched skyward.He called his powerful drawing simply “Hands”, but the entire world almost immediately opened their hearts to his great masterpiece and renamed it “The Praying Hands”.The next time you see a copy of that touching creation, let it be your reminder—no one ever makes any success alone!Why did the two brothers work out the agreement?
A.They were so curious as to make a joke. |
B.Their family couldn’t afford the academy. |
C.One of the brothers was supposed to go into mines. |
D.They wanted to support the other sisters and brothers. |
The underlined word “whose” in Para.2 refers to _____.
A.the Durer family’s | B.the miners |
C.Albert’s | D.Albrecht’s |
Which of the following statements is NOT true about Albrecht Durer?
A.He began to earn his living after graduation |
B.He did perfectly well at the academy |
C.He wanted his brother to go to the academy |
D.He created great masterpieces |
Which of the following is the correct order of the story?
a.Albrecht went to Nuremberg
b.Albert supported his brother
c.The Durer family held a festive dinner
d.Albrecht drew his brother’s injured hands
e.The brothers tossed a coin.
A.b, a, c, d, e | B.a, e, c, d, b |
C.e, a, c, b, d | D.e, a, b, c, d |
What can we learn from the story?
A.One can achieve success simply on his own |
B.Any success requires the help of others. |
C.It’s other people who contribute to one’s success |
D.Nobody could succeed without good guidance |
It's really true what people say about English politeness: it's everywhere. When squeezing past someone in a narrow passage, people say "sorry". When getting off a bus, English passengers say "thank you" rather than the driver. In Germany, people would never dream of doing these things. After all, squeezing past others is sometimes unavoidable, and the bus driver is only doing his job. I used to think the same way, without questioning it, until I started traveling to the British Isles, and here are some more polite ways of interacting (交往) with people in UK.
People thank each other everywhere in England, all the time. When people buy something in a shop, customers and retail assistants in most cases thank each other twice or more. In Germany, it would be exceptional to hear more than one thank you in such a conversation. British students thank their lecturers when leaving the room. English employers thank their employees for doing their jobs, as opposite to Germans, who would normally think that paying their workers money is already enough.
Another thing I observed during my stay was that English people rarely criticize others. Even when I was working and mistakes were pointed out to me, my employers emphasized several times but none of their explanations were intended as criticism. It has been my impression that by avoiding criticism, English people are making an effort to make others feel comfortable. This also is showed in other ways. British men still open doors for women, and British men are more likely to treat women to a meal than German men. However, I do need to point out here that this applies to English men a bit more than it would to Scottish men! Yes, the latter are a bit tightfisted.What is the author's attitude towards English politeness?
A.He thinks it is artificial. | B.He thinks little of it. |
C.He appreciates it very much. | D.He thinks it goes too far. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A.The author think it's unnecessary to say "thank you" to the bus driver. |
B.In Germany, employers often say "thank you" to employees for their job. |
C.German men never treat a woman to dinner. |
D.Germans think it is unnecessary to thank workers because payment is enough. |
We can learn from the last paragraph that Scottish men _______.
A.are more likely to be involved in a fighting |
B.are as generous as English men |
C.treat women in a polite way |
D.are unwilling to spend money for women |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A.English drivers often say "thank you" to passengers when they get off the bus. |
B.In Germany, passengers sometimes say "thank you" to bus drivers. |
C.English people try to avoid criticizing others in the daily life. |
D.Germans are more considerate and polite than Englishmen. |
The author develops the text through the method of
A.making comparisons | B.telling stories |
C.giving comments | D.giving reasons/examples |
Dear Michelle,
Why can't my daughter manage her life better? She is 17 and an honor student, but she seems to be wasting her life away with a boyfriend who is holding her back.
He consumes every waking minute of her precious time and smooth-talks her as well.
His goal is to get her to agree to go to the college of his choice, not her choice, and because his grades are lower, his choice will be limited.
I feel like I want to rescue her, but she pushes me away and shuts me out. She has only brought us pride and joy; and now this! Help!
A worried mother
Dear Mother of a 17-year-old Girl,
Hmmmmm. What's the matter with kids today? Remember that song from "Bye Bye Birdie"?
Well if you do not, let me fill you in about teenagers and their life-management skills. Do not expect too much too soon because at the ripe age of 17, life-management is not within their reach, nor should it be.
Life experience creates both the conditions and the skills for management, and if management went before experience, there would be little of it.
Your daughter is an honor student for good reasons. She is smart, studies with intelligence and you have given her good values.
When the time comes for her to apply for college, and she visits the ones that are specifically designed for students at the top of their grade, she will most likely break away from her boyfriend's influence.
It is rare for an honor student to change the path of their academic career for puppy love. That being said, there might be some adolescent wisdom in her behavior after all.
Perhaps she is choosing to worry you, her parents, for unconscious reasons. Being such a good girl and being a steady source of joy might have become a bit too much for her.
Let your daughter have her own private moment of 11th grade rebellion. She deserves a break from perfection.
MichelleFrom the mother's letter we can learn that her daughter .
A.is being fooled by the boy |
B.has fallen behind in her studies |
C.doesn't talk much with her mother |
D.has chosen which college to attend |
According to Michelle, 17-year-old teenagers.
A.are too young to manage their life |
B.are old enough to live their own life |
C.should have management before experience |
D.have reached the age of an adult |
The underlined word "puppy-love" refer to .
A.false love | B.foolish love |
C.pure love | D.adolescent love |
Michelle seems to believe that the daughter will finally.
A.come up with the right decision |
B.follow her boyfriend's advice |
C.worry her parents for unconscious reasons |
D.influence her boyfriend's behavior |
The best title for the passage would be .
A.College of kids' own choice |
B.How can I help my girl? |
C.How to manage teenagers' life? |
D.A 17-year-old girl and her mother |