One of our biggest fears nowadays is that our kids might have spent too much time with electronic devices rather than experiencing the natural world. Fear-producing TV and computer games are leading to a serious disconnect between kids and the great outdoors, which will change the wild places of the world, its creatures and human health for the worse, unless adults get working on child’s play.
Each of us had a place in nature we go sometimes, even if it was torn down. We cannot be the last generation to have that place. At this rate, kids who miss the sense of wonder outdoors will not grow up to be protectors of natural landscapes. “If the decline in parks use continues across North America, who will defend parks against encroachment（蚕食）?” asks Richard Louv , author of Last Child in the Woods.
Without having a nature experience, kids can turn out just fine, but they are missing out a huge enrichment of their lives. That applies to everything from their physical health and mental health, to stress levels, creativity and cognitive（认知的）skills. Experts predict modern kids will have poorer health than their parents---and they say a lack of outside play is surely part of it; research suggests that kids do better academically in schools with a nature component and that play in nature fosters（培养）leadership. Even a tiny outdoor experience can create wonder in a child , The three-year-old turning over his first rock realizes he is not alone in the world. A clump(丛) of trees on the roadside can be the whole universe in his eyes. We really need to value that more.
Kids are not to blame. They are over-protected and frightened. It is dangerous out there from time to time, but repetitive stress from computers is replacing breaking an arm as a childhood rite（仪式）of passage.
Everyone from developers to schools and outdoorsy citizens, should help regain for our kids some of the freedom and joy of exploring, taking friendship in fields and woods that strengthen love, respect and need for the landscape. As parents, we should devote some of our energies to taking our kids into nature. This could yet be our greatest cause.According to Paragraph 2, the writer thinks that_____.
| A．we are the last generation to experience nature. |
| B．Richard Louv does’t defend parks against encroachment |
| C．without a nature experience, kids are missing lots of fun |
| D．children should grow up to be protectors of nature |
Which of the following is not listed as a reason for children being disconnected with nature?
| A．The wild has been more dangerous than ever. |
| B．Parents are too protective of their children. |
| C．TV plays sometimes inspire fear into children’s heart. |
| D．Many children are lost in the world of technology. |
According to the passage, children without experiencing nature will __________.
| A．keep a high sense of wonder |
| B．be over-protected by their parents |
| C．be less healthy both physically and mentally |
| D．change wild places and creatures for the better |
According to the author, children’s breaking an arm is __________.
| A．the fault on the part of their parents |
| B．the natural experience in their growing up |
| C．the result of their own carelessness in play |
| D．the effect of their repetitive stress from computers |
In writing this passage, the author mainly intends to __________.
| A．blame children for getting lost in computer games |
| B．encourage children to protect parks from encroachment |
| C．show his concern about children’s lack of experience in nature |
| D．inspire children to keep the sense of wonder about things around |
Well before the 15th century, an Anglo-Saxon custom required that a prospective bridegroom break some highly valued personal belonging. Half of the broken token was held by the father of the bride and the other half by the groom. A wealthy man was expected to split a piece of gold or silver.
The earliest engagement rings were also used as wedding rings, serving to seal an act of sale which transformed o
wnership of a daughter from father to husband. Such rings were usually of solid gold to prove the groom’s worth.
For Roman Catholics, the engagement ring became a required statement of Nuptial intent（结婚意向）, as decreed by Pope Nicholas I in 860 A.D. The engagement ring was to be of valued metal, preferably gold, which for the husband-to-be represented a financial sacrifice.
Signifying enduring love, and chosen for its durability, the diamond was chosen for the engagement ring. The diamond’s fire is also associated with “love’s clear flame,” given by Medieval Italians because of their belief that the diamond was created from the flames of love.
The Venetians were the first to discover that the diamond is one of the hardest, most enduring substances in nature, and fine cutting and polishing releases the brilliance. Rarity and cost limited their rapid proliferation（急增） throughout Europe but their intrinsic（内在的） appeal guaranteed them a future. By the 17th century, the diamond ring had become the most sought after statement of European engagement.
1. Who kept the two halves of the engagement rings before marriage?
A. The bride’s father and the bridegroom’s mother.
B. The bride’s mother and the bridegroom.
C. The bride and the bridegroom.
D. The bridegroom and the bride’s father,
2. What’s TRUE about the early Anglo-Saxon custom before the 15th century ?
A. A will-be bridegroom should beat all his valuable belongings.
B. Every will-be bride should split a piece of gold.
C. The engagement rings were also used to prove the groom’s worth.
D. A rich bride should break one of her most valuable personal belongs.
3. Pope Nicholas made the engagement ring a required statement of nuptial intent ______.
A. in t
he 15th century B. over 1,000 years ago
C .in the 1860s D. by the 17th century
4. What kind of engagement ring has been the most popular one in Europe ?
A. Rings made of goldB. Rings made of silver
C. Rings made of diamond D. Rings made of an unknown substance in nature.
Fear and its companion pain are two of the most useful things that man and animals possess if they are used. If fire didn’t hurt when it burned, children would play with it until their hands were burned away. Similarly, if pain existed but fear didn’t, a child could burn itself again and again because fear would not warn it to keep away from the fire that had burnt it before. A really fearless soldier—and some do exist—is not a good soldier because he is soon killed; and a dead soldier is of no use to his army. Fear and pain are therefore two guards without which man and animals might soon die out.
In our first sentence we suggested that fear ought to be properly used. If, for example, you never go out of your house because of the danger of being knocked down and killed in the street by a car, you are letting fear rule you too much. The important thing is not to let fear rule you, but instead, to use f
ear as your servant and guide. Fear will warn you
of dangers; then you have to decide what action to take.
In many cases, you can take quick and successful action to avoid the danger. For example, you see a car coming straight towards you; fear warns you, you jump out of the way, and all is well.
In some cases, however, you decide that there is nothing that you can do to avoid the danger. For example, you cannot prevent an airplane crashing into your house, and you may not want to go and live in a desert where there are no airplanes. In this case, fear has given you its warning, you have examined it and decided on your course of action, so fear of the particular danger is no longer of any use to you, and you have to try to overcome it.
1. Children would play with fire until their hands are burnt away if _________.
A. they were not well educated at school B. they had never played with fire before
C. they had no sense of pain D. they were fearful of pain
2. People sometimes succeed in timely avoiding danger because _________.
A. they have gained experience B. they are warned of the danger and take quick action
C. they jump out of the way in time D. they are calm in face of danger
3. What is implied but not stated in the passage?
A. Too much fear is harmful B. Fear is always something helpful
C .Fear is something that can be avoided
D. Fear ought to be used as our guide in our life
4.The best title for this passage should be __________.
A. No Pains, No Gains B. Pain and Actions
C. The Value of Fear D .The Reason Why People Fear
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分，满分40分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
This August has seen athletes doing their sweaty part in the "Good Luck Beijing" sports events. Some foreign athletes have commented on the passion of Chinese spectators（观众）.
Not all the spectators, however, came out looking exactly good. Girls holding umbrellas on beach volleyball stands. Spectators crying sharply during the hockey matches. These can be unintended disturb. To avoid them, we'd keep in mind some special manners:
Beach volleyball
1. Dress down for beach volleyball. It's also a good time to show off y
our colorful top and sexy shorts.
2. Use protective cream for your skin. Wear sunglasses and bring something to drink. But don't carry something that blocks others' view.
3. Look all you want at the body shapes around you, but save some attention for the players' skills.
Archery & shooting
1. Sit at the back or on either side of the field. For safety's sake, do not risk out of there.
2. Above all, keep quiet during the match. Put your cellphone on vibrate or turn it off.
3. Do not use the flash on your camera, bec
ause it can disturb the athletes.
4. When the athletes are aiming at the target, keep your voice down.
Baseball, basketball & football
1. Drinks in glass bottles or cans are not allowed.
2. Don't bring a whistle. Referees use them and you can puzzle the players.
3. Players can be tense when taking a shot. Keep the cheering down at critical moments. Do not use the camera flash.
4. If you easily get nervous, bring some snacks. Keep your mouth moving to calm you down.
Cycling & marathon
1. Spectators should keep off the track. Control your pets.
2. Cyclists or runners might look tired, sweaty and thirsty, but, do not hand them a bottle of water, a cool towel or anything else. Any help from spectators can disqualify（剥夺资格）an athlete.
3. Again, if a cyclist or runner falls, do not rush over to help. The best thing to do is to co
ntact medical personnel.
1. When watching beach volleyball matches, you should not __________.
A. bring anything to drink B. use an umbrella on stands
C. wear sunglasses D. look at the body shapes
2. You’d better not _________.
A. eat anything when watching matches B. use camera flash when watching cycling
C. shout loudly when watching archery D. stay where you sit when watching shooting
3. If you go to watch marathon, you can not ________.
A. bring your pets B. give athletes something to drink
C. cry sharply D. ask medical personnel to help athletes
4. The passage mainly tells us ___________.
A. how spectators disturb athletes B. how spectators help athletes
C. dos and don’ts while watching matches D. some rules for sports events
About 70 scientists were working on a very busy project. All of them felt really desperate due to the pressure of work and the demands of their boss but everyone was loyal to him and did not think of quitting their job.
One day, one scientist came to his boss and told him, “Sir, I’ve promised to take my children to the exhibition going on in our township so I want to leave at 5:30 p. m.” His boss replied, “OK. You’re permitted to leave the office early today.”
The scientist started working. He continued his work after lunch. As usual, he got involved to such an extent that he looked at his watch only when he felt he was close to completion. The time was 8:30 p. m. Suddenly he remembered his promise to the children. He looked for his boss but he was not there. Having told him in the morning himself, he closed everything and left for home. Deep within himself, he was feeling guilty for having disappointed his children. He reached home. The children were not there. His wife alone was sitting in the hall and reading magazines. The situation was explosive; any talk would boomerang on him. His wife asked him, “Would you like to have coffee or shall I straight away serve dinner if you are hungry?” The man replied, “If you would like to have coffee, I too will have but what about the children?” His wife replied, “You don’t know? Your boss came here at 5:15 p. m. and has taken them to the exhibition.”
What had really happened was the boss who gave him permission was observing him working seriously at 5:00 p. m. He thought to himself: this person will not leave the work, but he’s promised to take his children to the exhibition. So he took the lead in taking them there. The boss does not have to do it every time. But once it’s done, loyalty is established.
That is why all the scientists at Thumba continued to work under their boss even though the stress was extraordinarily huge. By the way ,can you boldly guess who the boss was? He was none other that the mastermind behind India’s successful nuclear weapons program, Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam, former president of India.
1．The scientist asked for an early leave because______.
A．he felt increasingly desperate about his work
B．he meant to accompany his wife at dinner
C.the task at hand was close to completion
D．he’d promised to take his kids to a show
2．The underlined sentence implies that the scientist thought his wife was _____.
A．dissatisfied with his coming home late
B．ready to serve dinner for him
C.grateful to his kind-hearted boss
D．delighted to see him back home
3．The boss took children to the exhibition_________.
A．when it was too late for the scientist to do so
B．because the scientist was absorbed in his work
C.because he also wanted to see what was on show
D．when the man’s wife asked him to do so
4．All the scientists stayed loyal to their boss__________.
A．out of gratefulness for his thoughtfulness
B．because he had power over them
C.to learn how to live under pressure
D．every time he took the children to the show
Sure, human dads can play catch and help with homework, but can they give birth? Daddy sea horses can! This Father’s Day, while you’re showing respect to your dad, remember some of the best dads in the world can also be found in the animal kingdom.
Sea Horses: The "Mr. Moms" of the marine world, male sea horses, carry up to 2,000 fertilized eggs in pouches in their stomachs until they hatch. Even after the babies are born, they stay inside the pouch until they are ready to venture out on their own.
Microhylid Frogs: Buy these dads a "Baby on Board" sign to put on their backs! These froggy fathers from New Guinea play piggyback once their babies hatch from their eggs. One by one, the dad lets as many as 24 froglets climb onto his back for a family road trip. He hops about 50 feet each night, and one by one, his kids jump off along the way to begin new lives of their own.
Darwin's Rheas: Thought your dad was overprotective? Darwin's rhea, also known as South American ostriches（鸵鸟）, are so protective of their children that they routinely rush cowboys on horseback and have even been known to attack small airplanes on the ground if they get too close to their brood!
Marmosets: These little monkeys do everything but Lamaze class（心理助产课）! Dedicated dads assist during labor by biting off the umbilical cord（脐带）and cleaning up the afterbirth. They also let Mom get some R&R（rest & recreation）by taking care of the kids when they're not nursing. Sand Grouse: Talk about sponging off Dad! These pigeon-like birds live in areas where water is sparse, so fathers fly as many as 50 miles to get water for their kids. After they soak up the water in their breast feathers, they fly home and let their chicks suckle the moisture from their bodies.
Fathers of the animal kingdom are not that different from our own beloved dads. This Father's Day, when you are honoring your dad, honor animal dads, too, by practicing kindness and compassion toward all animals.
1．The passage is mainly written to __________.
A．introduce to us some unusual animals
B．distinguish between human and animal dads
C.raise our awareness of animal protection
D．praise animal dads for their sacrifices
2．Among these animal dads, which have the ability to fly?
A．Microhylid Frogs. B．Sea Horses C.Darwin’s Rheas. D．Sand Grouses.
3．What these animals have in common is that_____________.
A．they carry their young to wherever they please
B．they’re all devoted to their children
C.they’re overprotective of their children
D．they help their wives clean up the afterbirth
4．When Microhylid Frogs play piggyback, they___________.
A．let their kids ride on their back
B．attack cowboys with their back
C.carry their babies inside a pouch
D．help their wife during the labor