What do you think of black cats? Are they unluckier than cats of other colors? Many people in Western countries think so. Scientists at the University of California, Berkeley (UC Berkeley), did a study on cat colours and people’s understandings of cat personalities.
The study found that people do judge(判断) cat personalities by color. Scientists did a survey(调查) on the Internet. There were 49 statements (描述) matching five cat colorings with 10 personalities. People think orange and bi-coloured (双色的) cats are friendly, tri-coloured (三色的) cats are not generous, and white cats are calm, lazy and shy. As for black cats, people think they don’t have special personalities.
But why do so many people dislike keeping black cats as pets? People think black cats have less special personalities, which might be because of their bad reputation (口碑). They think black cats may bring bad luck, especially at Halloween. Movies and television shows also make people believe that.
Although people have these ideas, UC Berkeley scientists give another reason: people don’t think black cats are pretty enough. After all, nothing can show black cats are unluckier than other cats. “You can’t judge a cat by its colour, because it’s the personality of the cat, not the colour, that will let you know if the cat is right for you,” Cathy Marden, a scientist said.Many people in Western countries may think black cats are ______.
| A．lovely animals | B．a sign of bad luck |
| C．a sign of good luck | D．unfriendly animals |
The main idea of paragraph 2 is that ______.
| A．people often complain(抱怨) about black cats on the Internet |
| B．people think cats of different colours have different personalities |
| C．black cats are less popular than other cats |
| D．the study is a great success |
According to the study, people think that______.
| A．black cats have special personalities | B．orange and bi-coloured cats are generous |
| C．cats with three colours are friendly | D．white cats are calm, lazy and shy |
. People don’t like black cats for the following reasons EXCEPT ______.
| A．black cats often appear in TV shows |
| B．black cats bring bad luck to people |
| C．black cats have bad reputations |
| D．they don’t think black cats are beautiful |
The passage mainly talks about ______.
| A．why black cats are popular in movies |
| B．why people are not willing to keep black cats as pets |
| C．different colour cats have different personalities |
| D．different people have different ideas on black cats |
When you visit Taiwan，Green Island is a wonderful place not to be missed.
Green Island，with clear blue water around it，is an island in the Pacific Ocean,33 kilometers east of Taitung. The old name for Green Island was Huoshandao，meaning “fireburning island”. The island got its name because people on the island used to set up fires at night to help people who went fishing home. Another story goes that in the Qing Dynasty there was a fire and most of the island’s trees and grass died. The coastline(海岸) of the island is only 20 kilometers long，the tallest mountain is only 281 meters high and the island is only 15 km2，but it is attracting(吸引) a growing number of tourists.
Green Island has a lot of interests that make it a place where people like to go：seaside，a clean white beach，green grasslands，seawater，hot springs，beautiful undersea sights，and a great many plants and animals. Another thing of Green Island that people are interested in is its rocks in different shapes. “Sleeping Beauty” and “Pekinese Dog” are the two most strangely shaped ones. There are also other interests which one cannot miss. The green hills，blue sea，clear sky，and ocean gentle winds make a “must” for you.From the article we know Green Island is ________.
| A．very large | B．281 meters long |
| C．in the Indian Ocean | D．33 kilometers from Taitung |
According to the two stories，people on Green Island used to ________.
| A．meet a lot of visitors | B．set fires to get warm |
| C．make a living by fishing | D．cut down too many trees and grass |
The sight “Pekinese Dog” is ________ on Green Island.
| A．a cute living dog | B．a rock like a dog |
| C．a dogshaped plant | D．a dog of “Sleeping Beauty” |
The last passage is mainly about the ________ of Green Island.
| A．sights | B．history | C．people | D．culture |
Sailing
Welcome to our TV show On the Go. Today we are going to talk about an exciting sport—sailing. First let’s talk to Sue，an 18yearold girl who loves sailing.
Host: When did you start sailing，Sue?
Sue: I started sailing when I was 15 years old.
Host: Is it a difficult sport to learn?
Sue: Yes，it is more difficult than any other sport. For example，you need to learn about the wind directions(方向) and how to move the sails in the right way.
Host: How often do you go sailing?
Sue: I go sailing with my father every weekend.
Host: How far do you go sailing?
Sue: It depends on the wind.
Host：OK. Thank you，Sue. Good luck with your sailing.
Are you interested in sailing after hearing the interview?
If you want to learn sailing，here is a chance for you .The Water Sports Center will organize sailing lessons. Each lesson will cost you ￥20 and there are 5 lessons altogether(总共)．What does Sue think of learning sailing?
| A．Easy. | B．Boring. | C．Difficult. | D．Dangerous. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Sue always sails very far. |
| B．Sue goes sailing every weekend. |
| C．Sue goes sailing with her friends. |
| D．Sue started sailing at the age of 18. |
If you want to learn sailing at the Water Sports Center，how much will you pay?
| A．￥15. | B．￥20. | C．￥50. | D．￥100. |
Shopping is not as simple as you may think! Much has to be done for the producers before putting the products on the shelf.
Color, for example, changes a lot according to what the producers are trying to sell. Health foods are packed in greens, yellows or browns because we think of these as healthy colors.
When some kind of medicine was brought out recently, researchers found that the color of the package(包装) caused the shoppers to lose interest because they made the product look ineffective(无效的). At last, it came on the market in dark blue and white—blue because we think of it as safe, and white as calm.
The size of a package can also attract(吸引) a shopper, although quite often a bottle doesn’t hold as much as it appears to.
It is said that the better-known companies spend about 40 percent of the cost of the product itself on packaging!
The most successful producers know that it’s not enough to have a good product. The head of Pears Soap, who for 25 years has used pretty little girls to sell their goods, came to the conclusion: “Any fool can make soap, but it takes a talent to sell it.” Health foods are usually packed in colors Except ________.
| A．green | B．black | C．yellow | D．brown |
Why did the shoppers lose interest in the medicine?
| A．Because of the size of the product. | B．Because of the color of the product. |
| C．Because of the color of the package. | D．Because of the cost of the product. |
If a new product costs $ 60, how much money may be spent on packaging?
| A．$ 24 | B．$ 36 | C．$ 40 | D．$ 60 |
Which of the following is the key to the success in product sales?
| A．The way to sell goods. | B．A good product. |
| C．The one who makes a product. | D．A nice color. |
The passage is mainly about ___________on shopping.
| A．advantages of products | B．the importance of packaging |
| C．choices of products | D．the cost of packaging |
Learn a second language
There was once a young mouse that lived in a hole in a wall. One day, the young mouse woke up from his sleep and looked out of the hole. As he looked out, a fantastic smell came to his nose. “Cheese!” the mouse said happily to himself. “I’ll go and get it now and have it for breakfast.”
But then he remembered his parents’ words. His parents were very clever mice and often said to their son, “Always wait before you go for a piece of cheese.”
So the young mouse waited quietly. Then he heard a quiet “Miaow” and he knew the cat was there. He stayed in the hole and said to himself, “I’m glad I listened to my parents and learned to wait.”
The next day, he looked out again. He put his nose out of the hole, and the beautiful smell of cheese came to his nose again. He could see the cheese. It was only a few centimetres away. But he sat still and waited quietly. This time he did not hear any cat noises. Instead he heard a very quiet “Woof, woof.”
“It’s a dog!” he thought. “If the dog is there, the cat won’t be there. I expect the dog has chased the cat away, so I’m safe.” The mouse ran out of the hole and started eating the cheese. He did not see the cat, which caught him and ate him.
When the cat finished her meal, she said to herself, “I’m glad I listened to my parents and learned a second language.”Who told the mouse to wait before going for a piece of cheese?
| A．The cat. | B．The dog. |
| C．The cat’s parents. | D．The mouse’s parents. |
How did the young mouse know the cat was there?
| A．He heard the cat. | B．He saw the cat. |
| C．He smelt the cat. | D．He knew the cat. |
What was the cat’s meal?
| A．The mouse’s parents. | B．The cheese. |
| C．The young mouse. | D．The fish. |
Which language did the cat learn as a second language?
| A．English. | B．Chinese. | C．Dog language. | D．Mouse language. |
Which of the following sentences is Not True according to the passage?
| A．The young mouse lived in a hole in a wall. |
| B．The next day the mouse didn’t hear any cat noises. |
| C．The cat pretended to be a dog by making the noise “woof”. |
| D．The mouse’s parents told their daughter to wait before going for a piece of cheese. |
Here is the bulletin board in Class 2. Some of the notes can be seen every day. Here are some notes before a holiday. Please read them and answer the following questions.
| We want to say thanks to Miss Wang, our dear teacher. We couldn’t have a wonderful English class without you. Class 2 |
I am thankful to Annie for lending me the pen. I’ll remember to bring mine next time. Mary |
| The class meeting will be held this Thursday. The topic is “Thanks a lot.” Please get ready. Class 2 |
A thousand thanks to John . He always helps me clean the windows when I am busy. Julia |
| Many thanks to Jack for helping with my Chinese homework. Tom |
I’m thankful to know that I have so many kind students. I love you all. Miss Wang |
The meaning of “bulletin board” is _________.
| A．广告栏 | B．寻物启事 | C．公告栏 | D．意见箱 |
When Julia was busy, what did John help her do?
| A．To do Chinese homework. | B．To clean the windows. |
| C．To do English homework. | D．To lend her a pen. |
What is Miss Wang?
| A．A Chinese teacher of Class 2. | B．An English teacher of Class 2. |
| C．A Chinese teacher of Class 3. | D．An English teacher of Class 3. |
Why did Annie lend the pen to Mary?
| A．Ann had too many pens. |
| B．Mary lost her pen. |
| C．Miss Wang asked her to do so. |
| D．Mary forgot to bring her pen to school. |
What holiday might be coming according to the notes on the bulletin board?
| A．Thanksgiving Day | B．Teachers’ Day |
| C．New Year’s Day | D．Christmas |