My wife Laura and I were on the beach, with three of our children, taking pictures of shore birds near our home in Alaska when we spotted a bear. The bear was thin and small, moving aimlessly.
Just a few minutes later, I heard my daughter shouting, “Dad! The bear is right behind us!”An aggressive bear will usually rush forward to frighten away its enemy but would suddenly stop at the last minute. This one was silent and its ears pinned back—the sign (迹象) of an animal that is going in for the kill. And it was a cold April day. The bear behaved abnormally, probably because of hunger.
I held my camera tripod (三脚架) in both hands to form a barrier as the bear rushed into me. Its huge head was level with my chest and shoulders, and the tripod stuck across its mouth. It bit down and I found myself supporting its weight. I knew I would not be able to hold it for long.
Even so, this was a fight I had to win: I was all that stood between the bear and my family, who would stand little chance of running faster than a brown bear.
The bear hit at the camera, cutting it off the tripod. I raised my left arm to protect my face; the beast held tightly on the tripod and pressed it into my side. My arm could not move, and I sensed that my bones were going to break.
Drawing back my free hand, I struck the bear as hard as I could for five to six times. The bear opened its mouth and I grasped its fur, trying to push it away. I was actually wrestling (扭打) with the bear at this point. Then, as suddenly as it had begun, the fight ended. The bear moved back toward the forest, before returning for another attack— the first time I felt panic.
Apparently satisfied that we caused no further threat, the bear moved off, destroying a fence as it went. My arm was injured, but the outcome for us could hardly have been better. I’m proud that my family remained clear-headed when panic could have led to a very different outcome.The brown bear approached the family in order to _______________.
A.catch shore birds |
B.start an attack |
C.protect the children |
D.set up a barrier for itself |
The bear finally went away after it _______________.
A.felt safe | B.got injured |
C.found some food | D.took away the camera |
The writer and his family survived mainly due to their _______________.
A.pride | B.patience |
C.calmness | D.cautiousness |
.
第三部分:阅读理解(共13小题;每小题2分,共26分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项,将正确答案的选项字母标号写在答题纸上相对应的题号后。
One day last winter we received our first huge snowfall. An hour later I decided to let my dog out. That was when I got the shock! My sidewalk was cleaned and my path too. I had no idea who did this good deed. I looked over to my neighbor's driveway where the husband stood,open-mouthed and surprised. His sidewalk was also cleared. I asked him who did it. He just shook his head and let me know that he had no idea.
A week later we had another snowfall and I promised to pay attention this time just in case we had another visit from our snow angel. It was a good plan, but I got busy inside and forgot to keep a look out. Sure enough when I remembered to look out the snow had once again been cleared away.
Now I became determined to find my guardian(保护人) of the snow. Some three weeks went by when the snow started to fall again. I went to get a book and sat at the window just as the snow tapered off and my reading was interrupted by the sound of a shovel(铲子). I got to my feet to look out and was so choked up that I just stood there. My snow angel was an eight-year-old boy who lived a few houses away from me.
A month after the snows, I called him over and asked him if he knew of anybody who shoveled for me. He said, " I guess it was someone who likes you." So without taking credit for his good deed, he turned and left,
37. When the author saw her sidewalk was cleaned, she felt _________________.
A. excited B. surprised C. discouraged D. satisfied
38. The second time the author failed to check who cleaned the snow. because she___________.
A. was busy cooking inside B. was not at home then
C. was too busy to pay attention D. stood too far to see anything
39. From the boy's answer "I guess it was someone who likes you", we can infer that the boy_____.
A. wanted to keep the truth a secret B, might be a relative of the author's
C. wanted to make a good impression D. wanted to make friends with the author
40. What can we learn from the passage?
A. It snowed every week where the author lived.
B. The author intended to praise the boy.
C. The author didn't like to clean snow,
D. No one knew who helped clean the snow at last.
Long ago, near the village of Hedley, there lived a strange and playful trickster(骗子), known as the Hedley Kow. Sometimes it looked like an ordinary object. Sometimes it looked like a donkey or a goat.
One evening, as an old woman went along the path, she saw an old iron pot lying in the ditch. “Fancy that.”she said. “Nobody seems to want this old pot. I will take it home and plant pretty flowers in it.”
When she tried to lift it, she saw that it was full of gold pieces. “Well, now, if that doesn’t beat all,” she said. “I’m rich! I can buy a fine house and fancy cloths.”
The pot was heavy, so she tied her shawl around it and began to drag it home. After a while, she stopped to rest. When she looked in the pot, she was amazed to see that it was full of silver pieces!
“Oh, my!” she said. “Aren’t I the lucky one! If it were gold, thieves would have been after me. My friends might have been jealous. But I can hide these silver pieces, take out a few at a time, and live like a queen.”
On she went, pulling the pot after her. She was nearing home now. At her gate, she looked into the pot. What a surprise! The silver had changed into a lump(块)of iron. “Iron,” she said. “Well, now! No one will be jealous or want to steal this from me. I can use this iron to prop open my door and let in fresh air and sunlight. Lucky me!”
As soon as she said that, the pot began to grow and later it became a goat. Then it jumped up and ran off down the road laughing.
“Fancy that!” said the old woman. “I believe I have seen the Hedley kow! Not many folks can say that, and that’s a fact. I’ll just sit up by my fire tonight thinking about how lucky. I was to see it for myself. I truly must be the luckiest person in the world!”
73.Which of the following sayings can best describe this story?
A.All good things come to an end.B.The early bird catches the worm.
C.Content is better than riches. D.All bad luck goes away.
74.What does “seeing the Hedley kow for herself” stand for in the eyes of the old woman?
A.Glory B.Honor C.Misfortune D.Luck
75.Readers may sense the old woman is _________.
A.optimistic B.pessimistic C.strange D.mindless
Honeybees are disappearing for unknown reasons around the United States. Last winter, bees disappeared from 23 percent of American beekeeping businesses. Causes of the phenomenon, however, have remained a mystery.
Now, scientists from several universities and the United States Department of Agriculture say they have a possible explanation for the bee decline(数量下降). It is a little known virus called Israeli acute--paralysis virus (IAPV) .The virus kills bees. Researchers in Israel first described it in 2004 , but until now, bee experts hadn’t paid much attention to it.
When trying to find out why the bees were disappearing, a research team at Columbia University studied bee colonies ( 群体), some with and the others without decline. The research turned up large numbers of two types of fungi (真菌) once suspected of causing the bee decline. The research results, however, showed that the fungi were almost as common in colonies without a decline as they were in colonies with a decline. The researchers concluded that the two fungi probably weren’t the cause.
Studies of the presence of IAPV, however, showed more interesting information. In those studies, done by a team at Pennsylvania State University in University Park, the virus showed up in 83 percent of samples from colonies with symptoms (症状). Only five percent of samples from symptomless colonies had it.
Scientists still don’t know whether IAPIV can single--handedly cause the bee decline. They believe that even if the virus is making colonies sick , it could have a partner in crime. It’s possible, for instance, that insects or chemicals in the environment weaken bees, making them more likely to catch IAPV.
Scientists are still trying to figure out how IAPV came to the United States. The United States currently allows bee products to be imported from Canada, Australia, and New Zealand. If it turns out that this trade is spreading disease, the rules might eventually change.
68. According to the passage ,IAPV is a virus that ______.
A. hasn’t attracted much attention
B. well-known to doctors and scientist
C. was first found by Austrian researchers
D. is dangerous to animals and human beings
69. The underlined sentence in the fifth paragraph probably means______.
A. the virus could also cause other damages
B. there must be something that is the real cause
C. IAPV is not the only cause for the bee decline
D. the virus may be caused by the polluted environment
70. From the third and fourth paragraphs, we know researchers draw their conclusions by means of _______.
A. calculating B. comparing C. examining D. investigating
71. What still remains unknown to American scientists according to the passage?
A. How and why to kill IAPV.
B. How IAPV came to America.
C. Whether bee products should be imported.
D. How to change the rules of the bee products trade.
72. The best title for this passage would be _____.
A. Bee Disease B. How to Kill IAPV
C. A Virus—IAPV D. Two Types of Fungi
.
Learn a New Language in only 10 days
Learn like a spy! Pass for a native.
Pimsleur courses help people who need to speak another language quickly. Our courses took 40 years to develop and are now used by the FBI, CIA, and business professionals everywhere . They are so effective, you have nothing to lose!
You will get everything you need to speak in 10 days:
·Language instruction that is proved effective
·No boring repetition, charts or meaning-less formulas
·8 fluency-oriented ( 注重流利性的)lessons on 4 audio CDs
·Audio instruction with a 25—year history of success
·Full 30—day money—back guarantee ( just in case)
·Special Offers on our more advanced course
There are so many reasons to learn a new language with the Pimsleur Approach
·Speak without an accent so you sound like a native. Don’t blow your cover.
·Form new sentences that sound right and make sense. Practise what’s natural to you in English.
·Feel safe and confident. You will know how to deal with and situation.
·Protect your busy life. 30—minute lessons are perfect for your daily commute (上下班路程) ,lunch, break , or workout.
·Remember without trying. Material is scientifically arranged so you learn without pain.
·Join 25 million people who have graduated with success since 1980.
The entire Pimsleur Approach is what language learning should be : quick, fun and easy! Each lesson is the foundation for the next. You will keep building on what you’ve learned.
64. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Pimsleur courses are not used very widely.
B. Pimsleur courses came into being in 1960s.
C. Pimsleur courses have been used in the FBI for 40 years.
D. You can take Pimsleur courses to learn your native language.
65. According to Pimsleur courses, to improve oral ability, learners should _________.
A. gain fluency training
B. pay special attention to pronunciation
C. repeat again and again
D. recite different rules
66. Which of the following is Not the reason you choose Pimsleur Approach?
A. Covering your accent.
B. Building your confidence.
C. Learning a language easily
D. Getting your money back if failing.
67. Which of the following is TRUE of Pimsleur courses?
A. The first students graduated in 1980.
B. Lessons needn’t be learned in order.
C. Each audio CD has one fluency-oriented lesson.
D. Learners have to learn the course at the fixed time.
.
Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house.
He flew into the water , not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, an alligator (鳄鱼) was swimming toward the shore. His mother in the house was looking out the window and saw the two as they got closer and closer together . She ran toward the water , shouting to her son as loudly as he could
Hearing her voice , the littler boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother. It was too late. Just as he reached her, the alligator reached him.
From the dock, the mother grabber her little boy by the arms just as the alligator snatched his legs. That began an incredible tug-of –war between the two. The alligator was much stronger that the mother , but the mother was much too passionate to let go . A farmer happened to drive by, heard her screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the alligator.
Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived. His legs were extremely scarred by the vicious attack of the animal and, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother’s fingernails dug in to his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved.
The newspaper reporter who interviewed the boy after the trauma (创伤), asked if he would show him his scars. The boy lifted his pant legs. And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, “ But look at my arms. I have great scars on my arms, too. I have them because my mum wouldn’t let go。“
Sometimes we foolishly wade into dangerous situation. The swimming hole of life is filled with peril (危险)and we forget that the enemy is waiting to attack. When the tug-of –war begins and if you have the scars of his love on your arms, be very, very grateful. He did not —and will not—let you go.
60. What was coming when the boy flew into the river?
A. Happiness. B. A fish C. Danger D. Mother
61. The underlined word “ passionate” in paragraph 4 means“ __________”
A. anxious B . eager C. curious D. full of emotion
62.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The scars on his arms are great.
B. The boy is sad because of his scars.
C. His mother is stronger that the alligator.
D. The scars on the boy were caused by the alligator.
63. Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage?
A. Save a boy.B. Scars of love
C. Fight with an Alligator D.A brave boy