You may think that light pollution isn’t something extraordinarily important. You may believe that every other type of pollution has a larger impact on the environment than light pollution does. But light pollution is serious.
Light pollution, or “sky glow”, is the glow（亮光） you can see at night above cities and towns. Light pollution is a problem that has been accompanying man ever since he started his first fire some 15,000 years ago. Light pollution is the light（散射光） that comes from streetlights, buildings, parking lots and any other source of light that is reflected or directed into the atmosphere.
Urban light pollution means that one-fifth of the world’s population can no longer see the Milky Way(银河) with the naked eye(肉眼). Many city kids, even if they did look through the orange smog above their heads, would probably see only a handful of stars. We have lost our view of the stars, and we have mucked up our night-time environment as well. Astronomers are calling for the dark places on Earth to be preserved as national parks.
Lots of people find the ever-brightening night annoying, and animals that are programmed to prefer the dark may avoid a brightened habitat. Sea turtles can get lost searching for a beach to lay eggs, and their hatchlings(孵化的幼仔)may confuse over-lit beachfront resorts(度假胜地) for the ocean horizon, wasting precious energy needed to find the sea and escape predators(食肉动物). Because their necks aren’t yet long enough to see things far away, baby turtles rely on the mirror image of the moon to guide them to the sea, to begin their new life. A car may even hit a particular turtle, which was thinking the light from a nearby city was moonlight reflecting off the ocean waves. Birds that live in and around cities can die because of sky glow, too. The bright lights can blind them, leading to countless collisions with buildings and other tall structures.
Reducing light pollution is not difficult.Light pollution is the easiest type of pollution to end. people can help reduce much sky glow by using lighting only when necessary. The stars above us are priceless heritage— for not only for astronomers but for all humans. More of our children should be able to look up at night and see the Milk Way is not just a candy bar.The underlined part “mucked up” probably means_________ .
| A．ruined | B．protected |
| C．affected | D．blamed |
All the following statements are false EXCEPT_________.
| A．Light pollution does not have as large an import on the earth as other types of pollution do |
| B．Light pollution exists everywhere on the eafth |
| C．People in some parts of the world cannot see the Milky Way with their naked eyes as a result of light pollution |
| D．Loght pollution came into existence with modem technology |
Beacuse of light pollution,the sea turtles hatchlings may___
| A．find the sea easily |
| B．cscape predaton |
| C．be misled by bright lights from beachfront resorts |
| D．find the way to the sea with the help of bright lights |
The author mentions the Milk Way in the last paragraph to show that_________.
| A．we should take action to reduce light pollution |
| B．light pollution isn’t something important |
| C．most kids are looking forward to seeing the Milk Way |
| D．the Milk Way can’t be seen with naked eye |
Tom was a clever boy, but his parents were poor, so he had to work in his spare time and during his holidays to pay for his education. In spite of this, he managed to get to the university, but it was so expensive to study there that during the holiday he found it necessary to get two jobs at the same time so as to make enough money to pay for his studies.
One summer he managed to get a job in a butcher’s shop(肉店)during the day-time, and another in a hospital at night. In the shop, he learnt to cut meat quite nicely, so the butcher often left him to do all the serving （服务）while he went to the back room to do the accounts(账目). In the hospital , on the other hand, he was , of course , allowed （允许）to do the simplest jobs, like helping to lift people and to carry them from one part of the hospital to another. Both at the butcher’s shop and at the hospital, Tom had to wear white clothes.
One evening at the hospital, Tom had to carry a woman from her bed to the place where she was to have an operation. The woman was already feeling frightened at the thought of the operation before he came to get her, but when she saw Tom, that finished her.
“No! No!” she cried． “Not my butcher! I won’t be operated on by my butcher!” and fainted away(昏厥).Tom made enough money by ________.
| A．studying in the university |
| B．working in a butcher’s shop |
| C．doing two jobs |
| D．cutting meat well |
Tom was a student, but at the same time he was__________.
| A．a butcher and a doctor |
| B．a manager and a doctor |
| C．an assistant（助手） |
| D．a manager |
The woman patient recognized Tom because ____________.
| A．he was wearing white clothes |
| B．he had sold meat to her |
| C．he was now working in the hospital |
| D．he was going to operate on her |
When she saw Tom, that finished her, the sight of Tom _________.
| A．plunged her into deep sorrow |
| B．made her decide not to have an operation |
| C．broke her heart |
| D．took all her strength and courage away |
In a great many cities, hundreds of people ride bikes to work every day． In New York, some bike riders have even formed a group called Bike for a Better City． They declare that if more people rode bikes to work, there would be fewer automobiles in the downtown part of the city and so less dirty air from car engines．
For several years, this group had been trying to get the city government to help bike riders． For example, they want the city to draw special lanes(车道) for bikes on some of the main streets, because when bike riders must use the same lanes as cars there are accidents． Bike for a Better City feels that if there were special lanes, more people would use bikes．
But no bike lanes have been drawn． Not everyone thinks it is a good idea—they say it will slow traffic． Some store owners on the main streets don’t like the idea—they say that if there is less traffic, they will have less business．
The city government has not yet decided what to do． It wants to keep everyone happy． On weekends, Central Park—the largest place open ground in New York— is closed to cars, and the roads may be used by bikes only．In New York, a group of bike riders__________．
| A．are keeping practicing for health |
| B．have no cars of their own |
| C．are complaining there are not enough buses |
| D．are trying to settle the problem of air pollution |
The bike riders suggest that __________．
| A．bikes should be used instead of cars |
| B．bike lanes should be drawn |
| C．fewer buses or cars should be used |
| D．the number of special lanes should be decreased |
The advantage of the special lanes is that__________．
| A．they will make cars and buses run slowly |
| B．they will make it easier for bike riders to go to parks |
| C．they will make the city more beautiful |
| D．they will prevent accidents |
Before you make friends, you have to decide who you want to be your friends. Most people like to have friends who like to do the same kind of things they do.
The quickest way to make a friend is to smile. When you smile, people think you are friendly and easy to talk to. It may not be easy at first to smile, but remember most people will stay away from a scared or angry looking face.
One easy way to start a conversation with someone is to say something nice about him. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn’t it make you want to keep talking to that person?
Ask your new friends questions about themselves. Who’s their favorite singer, where do they live, what do they do after school are all good questions to start a conversation. Make sure you have something to add to the conversation, too. When someone asks you a question, do have an answer for them. There’s nothing that will stop a conversation quicker than a shrug (耸肩) for an answer.
Kids who show an interest in other kids and who are kind and friendly make good friends. Remember, everyone wants to be around people who like to do similar things and people who are nice to them.This passage gives us some advice on _________.
| A．how to make friends |
| B．what kind of person you can make friends with |
| C．how to start a conversation |
| D．the importance of smile |
Most people like to make friends with those______.
| A．who are sad every day. |
| B．who share the same interest |
| C．who are fond of talking |
| D．who say bad things to them |
According to the third paragraph, most people enjoy talking to one _______.
| A．who is always smiling |
| B．who seems to be friendly |
| C．who praises them |
| D．who points out their shortcomings. |
The underlined (划线的)part in this passage means “_______”.
| A．being very proud | B．making no answer |
| C．knowing nothing | D．not hoping to answer |
Medical drugs sometimes cause more damage than they cure. One solution to this problem is to put the drugs inside a capsule, protecting them from the body—and the body from them—until they can be released at just the right spot. There are lots of ways to trigger(引发) this release, including changing temperature, acidity, and so on. But triggers can come with their own risks—burns, for example. Now, researchers in California have designed what could be a harmless trigger to date: shining near-infrared light (NIR,近红外线) on the drug in the capsule.
The idea of using light to liberate the drug in the capsule isn't new. Researchers around the globe have developed polymers (聚合物) and other materials that begin to break down when they absorb either ultraviolet (UV,紫外线) or visible light. But tissues also readily absorb UV and visible light, which means the drug release can be triggered only near the skin, where the light can reach the capsule. NIR light largely passes through tissues, so researchers have tried to use it as a trigger. But few compounds(化合物) absorb NIR well and go through chemical changes.
That changed last year when Adah Almutairi, a chemist at the University of California, San Diego, reported that she and her colleagues had designed a polymer that breaks down when it absorbs NIR light. Their polymer used a commercially available NIR-absorbing group called o-nitrobenzyl (ONB). When they catch the light, ONB groups fall off the polymer, leading to its breakdown. But ONB is only a so-so NIR absorber, and it could be poisonous to cells when it separates from the polymer.
So Almutairi and her colleagues reported creating a new material for capsules that's even better. This one consists of a long chain of compounds called cresol groups linked in a polymer. Cresol contains reactive(易反应的) components that make it highly unstable in its polymeric form, a feature Almutairi and her colleagues use to their advantage. After polymerizing the cresols, they cap each reactive component with a light-absorbing compound called Bhc. When the Bhcs absorb NIR light, the reactive groups are exposed and break the long polymer into two short chains. Shining additional light continues this breakdown, potentially releasing any drugs in the capsule. What's more, Almutairi says, Bhc is 10 times better at absorbing NIR than is ONB and is not poisonous to cells.According to the passage, which of the following could be the best trigger?
| A．Temperature change. | B．NIR light. | C．Acidity change. | D．UV light. |
Why in ONB unsatisfactory?
| A． It breaks down when it absorbs NIR light. |
| B． It falls off the polymer and triggers drug release. |
| C． It has not come onto the market up till now. |
| D． It is not effective enough and could be poisonous. |
Which word can be used to complete the following process of changes?
| A．protected | B．formed | C．exposed | D．combined |
Honey(蜂蜜)from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious. Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees' nest(巢)and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for honey have a strange and unexpected helper一a little bird called a honey guide.
The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax (蜂蜡) in the beehives (蜂房). The little bird cannot reach this wax, which is deep inside the bees’ nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or people as it leads them to the nest. When they
finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.
Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lit.Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?
| A．It's small in size. | B．It's hidden in trees. |
| C．It's covered with wax. | D．It's hard to recognize. |
What do the words "the follower" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
| A．A bee. | B．A bird. | C．A honey seeker. | D．A beekeeper. |
The honey guide is special in the way________.
| A．it gets its food | B．it goes to church |
| C．it sings in the forest | D．it reaches into bees' nests |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Wild Bees | B．Wax and Honey |
| C．Beekeeping in Africa | D．Honey-Lover's Helper |