It's very early in the morning and I'm sitting outside. It's also very cold and dark. With me is Jim Nightingale, and he is the reason I'm up so early. He passes me a hot cup of coffee. "Not long to wait now," he says. I hope he's right.
After a few minutes there is a very weak light in the east, and then I hear a bird singing. It sings very loud and very clear. "That's the robin(知更鸟)," says Jim. A few more birds start singing with the robin and Jim knows the names of them too. Half an hour later, there are more and more birds singing, and it's very loud! Suddenly, all around us the air is full of the sound of birdsong. This is the dawn chorus(晨鸣), and it's beautiful.
"Wow, this is amazing!" I tell Jim, who is smiling. "Is there a dawn chorus every morning?"
"Birds can sing any time of the year but the best time is the end of winter and during the spring. This is when the birds sing most."
"Really? So, why do they sing?" I ask.
"Well, there are two reasons," explains Jim. "Most of the songbirds who sing are males. They want to find a female(雌性)so they sing to show how strong they are. The females listen and choose the best singer! The birds also sing to tell other males to go away. They need their own area; they don't like sharing with another male."
I listen to the birds; the songs seem too much to me. "Do the birds sing a special song in the morning?"
"That's a good question," replied Jim. "The successful birds have many kinds of calls and songs. Sometimes they copy the songs of other birds. This makes it sound like there are many birds in that place already and other males stay away. Also the female likes songs with different notes. Some birds, for example the European wren, have songs that contain over 700 different notes per minute!"
So, how does Jim know so much about birds? Well, he works as a volunteer for the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds. He is trying to help the birds live in the modern world. "More and more of the birds' habitat disappears every year. The sparrow, for example, was a very common bird in the UK, now it's in danger."
By now the sun is up and the birds are quiet. It's light so they can start looking for food, they need a big breakfast after all that singing.Why does the writer get up early in the morning?
| A．To visit her friend. | B．To drink hot coffee. |
| C．To see different birds. | D．To hear birds sing. |
A bird sings early in the morning mainly_______.
| A．to call a female's attention | B．to fight with other males |
| C．to find a place to live in | D．to start looking for food |
According to the text, which of the following statements is true?
| A．At first the writer is happy to be up so early in the morning. |
| B．Male birds have their own ways of fooling other birds. |
| C．It's easier for the birds to find food early in the morning. |
| D．Jim has a job with the Royal Society for the Proteciton of Birds. |
The text is mainly about_______.
| A．the robin's songs | B．the birds' habitat |
| C．why birds sing | D．how to protect birds |
Have you ever heard someone use the phrase “once in a blue moon”？ People use this expression to describe something that they do not do very often. For example, someone might say that he tries to avoid eating sweets because they are unhealthy, but will eat chocolate “once in a blue moon”. Or someone who does not usually like to go to the beach might say “I visit the shore once in a moon.” While many people use this phrase, not everyone knows the meaning behind it.
The first thing to know is that the moon itself is never really blue. This is just an expression. In fact, the phrase “blue moon” has to do with the shape of the moon, not the color.
As the moon travels around the earth, it appears to change shape. We associate names with certain shapes of the moon. For example, when we can see a small part of the moon, it is called a crescent moon. A crescent is a shape that looks like the tip of a fingernail. When we cannot see the moon at all, it is called a new moon. When we can see the whole moon, it is called a full moon. Usually, there is only one full moon every month. Sometimes, however, there will be two full moons in one month. When this happens, the second full moon is called a “blue moon”．
Over the next 20 years, there will only be 15 blue moons. As you can see, a blue moon is a very rare event. This_fact has led people to use the expression “once in a blue moon” to other very rare events in their lives. Which of the following would be a good example of using the phrase “once in a blue moon”？
| A．Simon often tells jokes. Simon tells jokes once in a blue moon. |
| B．Tom rarely remembers to do exercise. Tom does exercise once in a blue moon. |
| C．Mary likes to go shopping every weekend. Mary goes shopping once in a blue moon. |
| D．Cindy hates to stay up, but she stays up every day. Cindy stays up once in a blue moon. |
When does a blue moon happen in nature?
| A．When the moon has a blue moon. |
| B．When we cannot see the moon at all. |
| C．When there are two full moons in one month. |
| D．When we can only see a small part of the moon. |
Which of the following is another example of something that has a crescent shape?
| A．The letter “O”. | B．The letter “M”． |
| C．The letter “H”. | D．The letter “C”． |
How often will a blue moon happen over the next twenty years?
| A．Once a year. | B．Less than once a year. |
| C．More than once a year. | D．At least twice a year. |
What does the underlined part “This fact” in the last paragraph refer to(所指)?
| A．A blue moon is a very rare event. |
| B．The moon appears to change shape. |
| C．The moon itself is never really blue. |
| D．A blue moon has to do with the shape of the moon. |
In our lives, we may meet person with different personalities . What is your personality type? Read about the following and find out!
A Dreamer thinks there is a “right” way to do things. This person wants to live in the “perfect world”. Many are good listeners and like to help others. Many Dreamers work as teachers, and often lead others. Famous Dreamers: Mohandas Gandhi, Angelina Jolie.
A Partner wants to be in a group. For this person, rules are important. They consider tradition to be of great value. Partners are often serious, careful people. Many do well as teachers, managers and police officers. Famous Partners: Queen ElizabethⅡ，Mother Teresa.
For Thinkers, understanding things is very important. They like to deal with problems and make new things. Thinkers can also be active. They like to win. They have very strong opinions. Many Thinkers work as scientists, inventors and engineers. Famous Thinkers: Bill Gates, Stephen Hawking.
Artists want to be free. They don't want to follow the rules all the time. They also like trying new things. Like Thinkers, many Artists have strong opinions. They are creative and do well as musicians and actors. Famous Artists: Cristiano Ronaldo, Madonna. How many personality types are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Three. | B．Four. |
| C．Five. | D．Six. |
According to the passage, when you need help, ________ may give you a hand.
| A．Dreamers | B．Partners |
| C．Thinkers | D．Artists |
You may choose a job as ________， if you are careful and serious.
| A．a player | B．an actor |
| C．a police officer | D．a scientist |
If you are active and like to win, maybe you are similar to ________.
| A．Gandhi | B．Mother Teresa |
| C．Bill Gates | D．Madonna |
Which could be the best title for the passage?
| A．Famous People | B．Personality Types |
| C．Perfect World | D．Job Choices |
Ask any student which subject he or she hates most. 9 out of 10 students will answer “math”. No matter which country you visit, no matter which grade you are in, you may not learn art, geography, chemistry or Chinese, but you always learn math. Why is this so? How come so many students hate math, and yet cannot avoid learning it in school?
Jenny Sanders, a high school student in California, asks, “What good do we get from learning math? We can use computers to compute numbers, and we can use computers to store information. I think learning math at school is a waste of time.”
However, there is much more to math than just learning to add and subtract (减) numbers. In fact, math is not so much about calculation (计算) as it is about learning to think logically (逻辑地) and solving problems. Of course, Jenny was right that we can use computers to do calculations, but how would we even know how to use the computer if we can't think logically? In short, computers are only tools when solving problems.
For example, imagine you are a cook and must serve dinner to 100 guests. How should you divide your resources so that you can get the job done most efficiently (高效地)? In situations like this, the ability to think logically will get you to a reasonable answer and solve your problem.
According to the passage, which subject do students always learn in different grades at school?
| A．Chinese. | B．Math. |
| C．Geography. | D．Art. |
What does Jenny Sanders think of learning math?
| A．Interesting. | B．Boring. |
| C．Useless. | D．Difficult. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．90% of the students hate learning math. |
| B．Students can learn math well with computers. |
| C．Math can do calculations and store information. |
| D．Math helps students learn all the other subjects well. |
What does the underlined word “resources” mean in the passage?
| A．科目 | B．效率 | C．信息 | D．资源 |
What does the writer want to tell us?
| A．Math is just learning to add and subtract numbers. |
| B．Math can be good for both our body and our mind. |
| C．Math helps us think logically and solve problems. |
| D．Math can help students find a good job in the future. |
| Take a look at the following ads! You may find some useful information you need here! |
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Guitar lessons Experienced musician from Australia. Good at teaching kids for 5 years! For more information, please visit Larry’s website: www.music.com.au |
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Lost dog Medium size, with brown spots and white short hair. Answer you when you call it David. Many thanks for sending it back. Call Susan at 7328059 |
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Taxi driver wanted Full time or part time. Experience and a good knowledge of the city are necessary. English is also a must. Under 45 years old. Call Mr. White at 5132683. |
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Apartment for sale Two bedrooms, a kitchen and a bathroom. Hot water 8:00-18:00. Beautiful sights out of the windows. E-mail: sdgt@yahoo.cn. |
If you want to have a guitar lesson, you may ________ .
| A．call Susan at 7328059 |
| B．surf the website:www.music.com.au |
| C．telephone Mr. White at 5132683 |
| D．e-mail sdgt@yahoo.cn |
Who is the owner of the lost dog?
| A．Mr. White | B．Larry |
| C．Susan | D．David |
If you want the job as a taxi driver, you should ________.
| A．master at least three languages |
| B．know the city very well |
| C．be an experienced driver |
| D．both B and C |
Which information about the apartment is NOT mentioned in the table?
| A．It has a beautiful view. |
| B．It has hot water in the daytime. |
| C．It has three floors. |
| D．It has a kitchen. |
How can you contact the owner of the apartment for more information?
| A．By sending an e-mail. |
| B．By going to visit it. |
| C．By making a phone call. |
| D．By sending a fax (传真). |
Linda, Tony, Harry, David 和Lucy都非常喜欢读书，请仔细阅读题中的个人情况说明和A—F六本书的介绍，选出符合各自要求的最佳选项。 Linda is a 11-year-old girl. She likes nature. In spring, she enjoys going out. In summer, she likes swimming. She also loves to read something about nature, especially books about animals.
Tony is 20. His dream is to be a doctor. Besides medicine books, she likes to read some stories about famous people.
Harry is 35 years old. He works in a middle school. He does a part-time job as a translator. He likes to translate some English short stories into Chinese. He often reads many English magazines and books. Now he wants to translate an English novel.
David is 64 years old. His job is a manager. But he is overweight. With too much work to do, his health is poor. To keep fit, he does more sports every day. What’s more, he wants to read some books about health in the evening.
Lucy is young and beautiful. She likes fashion. She always reads fashion books. Besides these, she has a big dream. She wants to be good at handwriting, so she needs a book about handwriting.
| A． Introduction: - Context: An English novel about a war. It hasn’t had a Chinese edition(版本)yet. If you are good at translating, you can have a try. - Price: $5 |
| B． Introduction: - Context: It writes some funny stories about the sea. It shows how the sea animals live. Nature lovers can read the book. - Price: $1 |
| C． Introduction: - Context: A book about handwriting. You can practice your handwriting according to this book. - Price: $1.5 |
| D． Introduction: - Context: You can read something about health. If you want to keep fit, the book is a good choice for you. |
- Price: $2
E. Introduction: - Context: You can get some knowledge about stamps. It will bring you a wonderful world.
- Price: $2.5
F. Introduction: - Context: Helen Keller is a famous educator. If you want to know her life, this book is for you.
- Price: $3