You may have seen a talking parrot on a TV show, in a movie, or even in someone’s home. The parrot has learned to copy sounds that people make. Birds are not the only animals that can copy the noises they hear. Dolphins, bats, and some apes also copy sounds. Now we can add elephants to this list of copycats.
Dr. Joyce Poole is a zoologist. She studies the sounds of elephants. While she was in Kenya, she would hear strange noises made by Mlaika after sunset. Mlaika was a 10-year-old African elephant.
Mlaika lived near a highway. Dr. Poole says, “I could not tell the difference between Mlaika’s call and the distant truck noise.” She and other scientists studied Mlaika’s sounds. It turned out that Mlaika was copying the sounds of the trucks driving by. Why would Mlaika copy trucks that she heard going by on the highway? Animals that are able to copy sounds may enjoy practicing new sounds. When they are kept outside of their natural environment, they may copy unusual sounds. That may be why an elephant would copy the sound of a truck.
“Mlaika was not the only copycat elephant,” Dr. Poole says. Calimero is a 23-year-old male African elephant. He spent 18 years with two female Asian elephants. Asian elephants make chirping sounds (sounds made by birds) to talk with one another. African elephants usually do not make chirping sounds. But Calimero now does. He is copying his Asian elephant friends. Dr. Poole says that elephants need to form bonds with their family and friends. She says, “They make sounds to communicate with each other. When they are separated, they use sounds to keep in contact.”
Parrots, dolphins, humans, and elephants show that being a copycat is one way that animals and people make new friends and keep old ones.According to the passage, what does Mlaika copy?
| A．The sound of people. | B．The sound of trucks. |
| C．The sound of Calimero. | D．The sound of birds. |
From paragraph 4, we can know________.
| A．how long it takes for an elephant to learn a new sound |
| B．why the African elephant can make chirping sounds |
| C．why the Asian elephants make noises after sunset |
| D．how Asian and African elephants are alike |
According to the passage, why do some animals like to be copycats?
| A．To keep in touch with nature. |
| B．To please people and other animals. |
| C．To make new friends and keep old ones. |
| D．To avoid the danger from the outside world. |
When I was growing up, I had an old neighbor named Dr. Gibbs. He didn’t look like any doctor I’d ever known. He never yelled at us for playing in his yard. I remember him as someone who was a lot nicer than most of the adults in our community.
When Dr. Gibbs wasn’t saving lives, he was planting trees. His house sat on ten acres, and his life’s goal was to make it a forest.
The good doctor had some interesting theories concerning plant care and growth. He never watered his new trees, which flew in the face of conventional wisdom. Once I asked why. He said that watering plants spoiled them so that each successive tree generation would grow weaker and weaker. So you have to make things rough for them and weed out(淘汰) the weaker trees early on. He talked about how watering trees made for shallow roots, and how trees that weren’t watered had to grow deep roots in search of moisture. I took him to mean that deep roots were to be treasured.
So he never watered his trees. He planted an oak and, instead of watering it every morning, he beat it with a rolled-up newspaper. Smack! Slap! Pow! I asked him why he did that, and he said it was to get the tree’s attention.
Dr. Gibbs passed away a couple of years after I left home. Every now and again, I walked by his house and looked at the trees that I’d watched him plant some twenty-five years ago. They’re extremely tall, big and robust since they have deep roots now. However, the trees in my garden trembled in a cold wind although I had watered them for several years.
It seems that adversity(逆境) and suffering benefit these trees in ways comfort and ease never could. I stood there deep in thought.
Every night before I go to bed, I check on my two sons. I stand over them and watch their little bodies, the rising and falling of life within. I often pray for them. Mostly I pray that their lives will be easy. But I think that it’s time to change my prayer(祷词) because now I know my children are going to encounter hardship.According to Dr. Gibbs’ theories, trees will become weaker if they _________.
| A．are lack of care | B．are watered | C．are weeded out | D．are beaten |
According to Para.3 and Para.4, we can infer that Dr. Gibbs’ motto(座右铭) may be .
| A．“Seeing is believing” | B．“Put everything in proper use” |
| C．“Practice makes perfect” | D．“No pain, no gain” |
The underlined word robust in Para.5 most probably means _________.
| A．strong | B．strange | C．deep | D．old |
Which of the following may be the author’s best prayer for his two sons now?
| A．I wish them strong wings, with which they can fly higher and touch the sky. |
| B．I wish them nice fortune so that they can meet people like Dr. Gibbs in the future. |
| C．I wish them deep roots into the earth since the rains fall and the winds blow often. |
| D．I wish them great shades under the tree since the sunlight is always sharp and bitter. |
Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
| A．A Nice Doctor | B．The Deep Roots | C．Adversity and Suffering | D．My Childhood Memory |
Would you like to be a king or queen? To have people waiting on you hand and foot? Many Americans experience this royal treatment every day. How? By being customers. The American idea of customer service is to make each customer the center of attention. Need proof? Just listen to the commercials. Most of them sound like the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you.” Actually, not all stores in America roll out the red carpet for their customers. But wherever you go, good customer service means making customers feel special.
People going shopping in America can expect to be treated with respect from the very beginning. Most places don’t have a “furniture street” or a “computer road” which allow you to compare prices easily. Instead, people often “let their fingers do the walking” through the store hot lines. From the first “hello”, customers receive a satisfying response to their questions. This initial contact can help them decide where to shop.
When customers get to the store, they are treated as honored guests. Customers don’t usually find store clerks sitting around watching TV or playing cards. Instead, the clerks greet them warmly and offer to help them find what they want. In most stores, the clear signs that label each department make shopping a breeze. Customers usually don’t have to ask how much items cost, since prices are clearly marked. And unless they’re at a flea market or a yard sale, they don’t bother trying to bargain.
When customers are ready to check out, they find the nearest and shortest checkout lane. But as Murphy’s Law would have it, whichever lane they get in, all the other lanes will move faster. Good stores open new checkout lanes when the lanes get too long. Some even offer express lanes for customers with 10 items or less. After they pay for their purchases, customers receive a smile and a warm “thank you” from the clerk. Many stores even allow customers to take their shopping carts out to the parking lot. That way, they don’t have to carry heavy bags out to the car. By quoting (引用) the McDonald’s ad: “We do it all for you”, the author intends to_______.
A．suggest that customers believe what commercials say deeply |
| B．show readers the American idea on good customer service |
| C．express all the stores pay much attention to the customers |
| D．persuade readers to choose the stores with ads correctly |
In the USA, what may you do at first if you want to do some shopping?
| A．To visit a professional street with lots of similar stores. |
| B．To compare prices in many shops in the same street. |
| C．To make phone calls and get better shopping choices. |
| D．To receive other customers’ answers to the questions. |
The underlined words “a breeze” in Para.3 most probably means _________.
| A．an easy job | B．a trouble | C．a funny thing | D．a boring task |
Which of the followings shows American stores offer convenience to customers in this passage?
| A．The store clerks don’t usually sit around watching TV or playing cards. |
| B．Some stores offer price bargain to the customers like a yard sale. |
| C．The clerks give customers a smile and a warm “thank you” after paying. |
| D．Some stores open new checkout lanes when the lanes are crowded. |
Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
| A．Customer Service in America | B．Excellent Stores in America |
| C．Shopping Rules in America | D．Being King or Queen in America |
“Any time! Any where! Decades ago there was no such thing” – “Communication”.
Then, September 7th
1987, the global system for mobile communication or GSM was born. And international agreements that laid out the standards, regulations and practices gave rise to a global mobile phone industry.
To be honest, the world’s first mobiles were not so attractive and the range of effectiveness wasn’t very good. But they became a must-have among those wealthy people who could afford that. However, by advantage of GSM which has many different elements to it, we can all enjoy the ability to go around the world in 217 countries, land in that country and know that a phone would work.
There are other cell phone systems using different technology in the world. The majority of the United States and parts of South America have been using something called CDMA which is very rare in Europe. In some Asian countries like China, GSM and CDMA both exist at the same time. But the GSM Association claims 85% of the global mobile phone market. They estimated there are now about 2.5 billion different users who make more than 7 trillion minutes of calls everyday, and that’s not all.
20 years later, the mobile phone is so much more than just a phone. You can use it to send text messages, take pictures, show video, even surf the internet.
“The phone itself is involved from just being a communication tool, to be a tool for round-the-clock connectivity, you can not live without it even in a minute.” Mobile consultant Nick Lane also points out with so many customized styles and features, your mobile phone will become a symbol of you.
Where will the global mobile phone industry be in another 20 years? Certainly, there will be more connections than better coverage. As for where else technology will take us, one can only imagine.According the passage, we can know that GSM is ____________.
| A．a global-used mobile phone | B．a global mobile phone industry |
| C．a global mobile phone association | D．a global mobile communication system |
It's most difficult to find a CDMA mobile phone in ____________.
| A．the United States | B．South America | C．Europe | D．China |
From this passage, we can infer that ____________.
| A．as soon as the first mobiles appeared, they became popular and many people have one |
| B．with a GSM mobile phone, you can make a phone call in most parts of the USA |
| C．there are only two cell phone systems in the whole world: GSM and CDMA |
| D．most of the mobile phone users in the world now are using the GSM mobile phone |
By pointing out “your mobile phone will become a symbol of you”, what does Nick Lane want to tell us about the mobile phone in the future?
| A．You can have a mobile phone with the unique look and functions as you like. |
| B．Others can find us without any difficulties if we carry our mobile phone. |
| C．The mobile phone can be used as a permit when you enter some places. |
| D．The mobile phone we carry can show others how wealthy we are. |
What does the writer feel about the GSM development in the following 20 years?
| A．Satisfied. | B．Worried. | C．Confident. | D．Confused. |
China Daily Oct. 11----The ministry of Health has called for more awareness from the public on the mental health of the young, as part of efforts to make World Mental Health Day which fell on Friday.
More than 15 percent of Chinese youths have been found with mental problems, and about 30 million young people under 17 are suffering from depression, the Shang-based Wenhui Daily reported. The World Health Organization estimates that before 2020, the rate of children with mental problems will increase to 50 percent, and mental problems will become a major factor behind deaths and illness in the young worldwide.
Deng Xiaohong, the spokesperson for the Beijing Municipal Health Bureau, said rapid changes are one of the reasons behind the rising number of youngsters with psychological problems. If these mental diseases are not addressed on time, occurrence of crimes, drug-taking and other dangerous behavior are expected to rise. Experts said mental diseases could be caused by many factors, such as the inability to handle interpersonal relations well, unstable emotions and pressures from an overload of studies. A number of experts have also said the one-child policy is another reason leading to poor mental health in the young. Children are said to be too “ spoiled” and “selfish” in a one-child family.
It’s reported schools in many cities are rolling out measures to help students maintain their mental well-being. Yin Jingmiao, a teacher of the Beijing No.105 Middle School, told China Daily that the school invites psychologists to provide counseling to students three times a month.” Students can be arranged to have 40-minute counseling sessions,” Yin said. The school also gives lectures on mental health to senior grade students before they take the national college entrance exams to help ease any anxiety arising from the tests.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．Efforts to Mark World Mental Health Day |
| B．Seriousness of Youngsters’ Mental Health Problems |
| C．How to Maintain Mental Well-being |
| D．Public Awareness on Youngsters’ Mental Disease Expected |
The writer intends to tell us in the second paragraph that________
| A．mental health problems of the young are becoming a popular problem. |
| B．only young people are suffering from mental health problems. |
| C．mental problems will become as serious as deaths and illness. |
| D．the rate of children with mental problems will increase to 50 percent. |
Which could be the consequence if the problem is left untreated?
| A．Inability to handle interpersonal relations. | B．Unstable emotions |
| C．Drug-taking and other dangerous behavior | D．Rapid social changes |
Why is the Beijing No.105 Middle School mentioned in the passage?
| A．To provide the students with counseling sessions. |
| B．To give an example showing how mental problems are dealt with. |
| C．To help ease the anxiety arising from the national college entrance exams |
| D．To call on other schools to learn from the No.105 Middle School |
This is the place for you to come to share stories with other real kids who are trying hard to improve their bodies and minds! Did you score a goal in your soccer game? Have you got rid of a bad habit? Are you working to reduce your stress in life? Tell the world what makes your body and mind healthy!
Posted by Dp, Ohio
I have been working on a fitness equipment to exercise for over four months. I have completed my goal of losing weight and I am very proud of myself. That is so cool!
Posted by MK, Missouri
I was always tired at school, because I used to stay up late watching TV. I even fell asleep one day in my history class, and when I woke up, the teacher was looking at me and laughing! I decided that minute to start going to bed on time. It’s kind of a drag missing the shows I like, but I can tell my body loves it – I feel so much better!
Posted by SP, Georgia
Last year, I didn’t make the soccer team at school. I didn’t want to try out again this year, but a few weeks before tryouts(选拔赛), I started kicking the ball around and practicing. When tryout day came, I decided to give it another shot. Guess what? I made the team!
Posted by JS, New York
I’m deaf, so I’ve had more trouble playing sports than other people. But who wants to sit at home all the time? I like to play basketball with guys in my neighborhood. I can’t hear the ball bounce(弹起) or listen to the guys call plays, but I’ve taught them to use some sign language, and so far, we’ve been unstoppable! The kids mentioned in the text came here _________.
| A．to make new friends |
| B．to learn to tell stories |
| C．to talk about their efforts to keep fit |
| D．to share weight-losing experiences |
The achievement that SP, Georgia has made is that ________.
| A．he was admitted to the school soccer team |
| B．he scored a goal in an important soccer match |
| C．his soccer skills have improved a lot this year |
| D．he helped the school soccer team win an important match |
Who taught other kids sign language?
| A． DP, Ohio | B． JS, New York |
| C． SP, Georgia | D． MK, Missouri |
The underlined part “a drag” in the text probably refers to something that is ____.
| A． satisfying | B． rewarding | C． puzzling | D． annoying |