A recent study of ancient and modern elephants has come up with the unexpected conclusion that the African elephant is divided into two distinct(不同的) species.
The discovery was made by researchers at York and Harvard Universities when they were examining the genetic relationship between the ancient woolly mammoth and mastodon to modern elephants — the Asian elephant, African forest elephant, and African savanna elephant.
Once they obtained DNA sequences(序列) from two fossils(化石), mammoths，and mastodons the team compared them with DNA from modern elephants. They found to their amazement that modern forest and savanna elephants are as distinct from each other as Asian elephants and mammoths.
The scientists used detailed genetic analysis to prove that the African savanna elephant and the African forest elephant have been distinct species for several million years. The divergence of the two species took place around the time of the divergence of Asian elephants and woolly mammoths. This result amazed all the scientists. There has long been debate in the scientific community that the two might be separate species, but this is the most convincing scientific evidence so far that they are indeed different species.
Previously, many naturalists believed that African savanna elephants and African forest elephants were two populations of the same species, despite the elephants’ significant size differences. The savanna elephant has an average shoulder height of 3.5 metres while the forest elephant has an average shoulder height of 2.5 metres. The savanna elephant weighs between six and seven tons, roughly double the weight of the forest elephant. But the fact that they look so different does not necessarily mean they are different species. However the proof lay in the analysis of the DNA.
Alfred Roca, assistant professor in the Department of Animal Sciences at the University of Illinois, said, “We now have to treat the forest and savanna elephants as two different units for conservation purposes. Since 1950，all African elephants have been conserved as one species. Now that we know the forest and savanna elephants are two very distinctive animals, the forest elephant should become a bigger priority(优先) for conservation purposes.”One of the fossils studied by the researchers is that of _____.
| A．the Asian elephant | B．the forest elephant |
| C．the savanna elephant | D．the mastodon elephant |
The researchers’ conclusion was based on a study of the African elephant’s _____.
| A．DNA | B．height |
| C．weight | D．population |
What are Alfred Roca’s words mainly about?
| A．The conservation of African elephants. |
| B．The purpose of studying African elephants. |
| C．The way to divide African elephants into two units. |
| D．The reason for the distinction of African elephants. |
Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Naturalists’ Beliefs about Elephants |
| B．Amazing Experiments about Elephants |
| C．An Unexpected Finding about Elephants |
| D．A Long Scientific Debate about Elephants |
Actually we have known a lot of examples and meaningful words to support the fact that we should try our best to ease the bad impression of others. Just like the old saying goes, we should give a better assumption to the one than we think he was. But many of us always fail to do this.
Take the situation of my class for example. Right at the beginning of the first semester when we were freshmen we all showed great favor to each other. And when there was an activity that needed some people to join, we would be willing to attend whether it was interesting or not. And we were really like brothers and sisters, and our class was just like a family, a warm family. But now, I feel tired of those meaningless activities not only because of the boring activities themselves but also the cool response of our classmates.
I think the reasons why the passion of most classmates is so low may be as follows:
To start with, many of us take part in more than one organization, which will certainly make us tired. Also, in the study fields, many of us may find that our courses are sometimes difficult to understand or comprehend, especially the specialized subjects. Moreover, “history” teaches us that if one does not study hard, it is possible to fail in the exams. So it is a big and good excuse to say that “I do really want to attend, but I have a lot of homework to do, so...”
Last but not least, some people believe that some of our leaders should not be regarded as a leader, maybe I should say we, as leaders, lost the reputation, support and trust of yours. At least I am the warm-hearted one, although I cannot promise you that your advice will be adopted surely, at least I will spare no effort to “give” you the right to be heard, and to serve you.
Be active to show your talents and abilities and to create a better image of our class. Most important of all, work painstakingly for a better condition that we should have reached.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Students’ passion for activities was high at first but disappeared gradually. |
| B．Students’ passion for activities grew gradually because they were interesting. |
| C．Students were too busy to take part in activities after their classes. |
| D．Students were unwilling to participate in activities because of their leaders. |
We can infer from the passage that the writer must be ______.
| A．a supporter of activities | B．a responsible teacher |
| C．a top student in class | D．a devoted class leader |
The writer hopes that all the members of the class will ______.
| A．develop better talents and skills | B．improve their abilities and creativity |
| C．work together to make a better class | D．adopt others’ advice patiently |
It’s not just women who wear skirts. In Scotland, men wear a kind of skirt called kilt. The kilt is their national dress and an important part of their tradition.
A kilt is a colored skirt reaching down to the knees. It has checks（格子）on it with different colors, like red and blue.There are many stories about it. One story is that kilt was invented in the 1720s by an English factory owner, Thomas Rawlinson.
Thomas Rawlinson had a number of Scottish workers in his factory and he thought their clothing got in the way of their work.
Today, most Scotsmen look the kilt as formal dress. They usually only wear them at wedding or big dinner.
| A．Each family in Scotland has it’s own colors. |
| B．There are only a few men who still wear a kilt every day. |
| C．How did the Scots start to wear skirts ? |
| D．It was important for Scots to wear skirts at any time. |
E.So he cut their long clothes into shorter skirts.
F.Wearing skirts is very beautiful for women.
G.Men can wear them, too.
Miss Gogers taught physics in a New York school. Last month she explained to one of her classes about sound, and she decided to test them to see how successful she had been in her explanation. She said to them, “Now I have a brother in Los Angeles. If I was calling him on the phone and at the same time you were 75 feet away, listening to me from across the street, which of you would hear what I said earlier, my brother or you and for what reason?”
Tom at once answered, “Your brother. Because electricity travels faster than sound waves.” “That's every good,” Miss Gogers answered; but then one of the girls raised her hand, and Miss Gogers said. “Yes, Kate.”
“I disagree,” Kate said. “Your brother would hear you earlier because when it's 11 o'clock here it's only 8 o'clock in Los Angeles.” Miss Gogers was teaching her class_________.
| A．how to telephone | B．about electricity |
| C．about time zone(时区) | D．about sound |
Miss Gogers raised this question because she wanted to know whether______.
| A．it was easy to phone to Los Angeles | B．her student could hear her from 75 feet away |
| C．her students had grasped（理解）her lesson. | D．sound waves were slower than electricity |
Tom thought that electricity was _________.
| A．slower than sound waves | B．faster than sound waves |
| C．not so fast as sound waves | D．as fast as sound waves |
Kate thought Tom was wrong because _______.
| A．clocks in Los Angeles showed a different time from those in New York |
| B．electricity was slower than sound waves |
| C．Tom was not good at physics at all |
| D．Tom's answer had nothing to do with sound waves |
Whose answer do you think is correct according to the law of physics?
| A．Tom's | B．Kate's | C．Bath A and B | D．Neither A nor B |
I want to let you know about an event that changed my life many years ago. We were living in College Station, Texas and my wife and I were on our way home from Houston, Texas one Sunday morning. We decided to stop at a local gas station to get something to eat since we had enough time.
When we finished, we got back into our car and before I started it, we noticed a homeless man standing in front of the building. His clothes were worn and it looked as if he didn’t have any money. It was cold and I was sure he wanted something to drink. However, it was not this that moved(感动) me.
A dog was also walking up to the front of the building. Being a dog lover, I noticed that the dog was a mother and that she had just had some puppies(小狗). She was hungry and weak and I felt so bad for her. I knew if she didn’t eat soon, she and her puppies would not live on.
People walking by didn’t even notice her. She might not have been as pretty and clean as most, but she still deserved(值得) better. But we still did not do anything, someone else did. The homeless man, who I thought could not afford anything to eat, went back into a store and bought dog food with all the money he had.
I know that this story isn’t as inspirational as most stories, but it plays a great part in our lives. You see, that was Mother’s Day weekend. And a lot of people forget that some animals are parents too.From the passage we can know that______.
| A．the author didn’t like dogs |
| B．the dog was not pretty enough to be loved |
| C．the author wanted to help the dog but he was unable to |
| D．the dog and her puppies were in danger of dying of hunger |
Which of the following moved the author?
| A．Most people walking by the dog didn’t notice her |
| B．The homeless man wore worn clothes on the cold day |
| C．The homeless man bought food for the dog with all of his money |
| D．The homeless man had not any money to buy any food for himself |
The author did the following except that he_______.
| A．had pity on the dog that was in danger |
| B．bought dog food with all the money he had |
| C．was a person who treasured dogs very much |
| D．went home from Houston one Sunday morning |
According to the passage, we know that the homeless man was _______.
| A．kind and helpful | B．brave and kind |
| C．clever and helpful | D．clever and brave |
The best title for this passage would be_______.
| A．My Memory | B．My wife and I |
| C．Animals Are Parents Too | D．A Mother Dog and Her Puppies |
In order to know a foreign language thoroughly(完全地), four things are necessary. First, we must understand the language when we hear it spoken. Secondly, we must be able to speak it ourselves, correctly with confidence(自信) and without hesitation(犹豫). Thirdly, we must be able to write it. We must be able to make sentences that are correct in grammar.
There is no short way to succeed in language learning. A good memory(记忆) is a great help, but it is not enough only to memorize the rules from a grammar book. It is no much use learning by heart long lists(一览表) of words and their meanings, studying the dictionary and so on. We must learn by using the language. If we are pleased with a few rules we have memorized, we are not really learning the language. We must “Learn through use”. Practice is important. We must practise speaking and writing the language whenever(无论何时) we can.The most important things to learn a foreign language are_______.
| A．understanding and speaking |
| B．hearing, speaking, reading and writing |
| C．writing and understanding |
| D．memorizing and listening |
Someone hears and writes English very well, but he speaks it very badly. This is because____.
| A．he doesn’t understand the language when he hears it spoken |
| B．he doesn’t have a good memory |
| C．he always remember lists of words and their meanings |
| D．he often hesitates to practise speaking it |
One can never learn a foreign language well only by_______.
| A．much practice | B．studying the dictionary |
| C．learning through use | D．using the language |
Which of the following is the most important in learning a foreign language?
| A．A good memory. | B．Speaking and writing. |
| C．Practice. | D．Writing. |
“Learn through use” means_______.
| A．we use a language in order to learn it |
| B．we learn a foreign language in order to use it |
| C．we can learn a language well while we are using it |
| D．both B and C |