The 115m Christmas Bird Count is officially underway. The count is an annual investigation of local and migratory(迁徙的)birds and it's organized by the National Audubon Society. From December 14 to January 5, volunteers will gather in more than 2,000 locations in North, Central and South America to count the birds in their area.
Each count takes place in a circle about 24 kilometers wide. The volunteers follow specific routes within the circle and record the number of individual birds and the different species they see there in a single day. The results are sent to the National Audubon Society and later published on Audubon's Christmas Bird Count website. The data collected during the bird count is a key source Of information for ornithologists, scientists who study birds.
This information is used to develop conservation programs to protect bird habitats and the environment /n general. Data from the bird count was also used to determine that three species-the Western screech owl, the rusty blackbird and the Newfoundland red crossbill - should be added to Canada's list of species at risk.
The annual bird count was created to protest another Christmas tradition at the very beginning .in the United States in the 19th century, people would often hold "side hunts" on Christmas Day.
Teams of hunters would compete to see who could kill the most birds or other animals that day. In December 1900, Frank Chapman, an American ornithologist, suggested that instead of hunting birds, people should count them.
Twenty-seven people in 25 locations joined in the first Christmas bird count Last year, more than 70,000 volunteers took part. This year, counts are scheduled to take place in 17 countries, ranging from the Arctic to the Antarctic, with most located in Canada and the United States .instead of taking place only on Christmas day, counts are now held on different days for different areas. How long will the 115th Christmas Bird Count last?
| A．About 3 weeks. | B．A single day. |
| C．About a month. | D．About 2 weeks. |
What can we know about the Christmas Bird Count from the passage?
| A．It was organized monthly by the National Audubon Society. |
| B．It was launched by Frank Chapman, a Canadian ornithologist. |
| C．Its results can be seen on Audubon's Christmas Bird Count website. |
| D．Only 25 people in 27 locations took part in the first Christmas Bird Count. |
Why was the Christmas Bird Count established at first?
A. To help the scientists who study birds carry out their study.
B To protest the Christmas tradition "side hunts" on Christmas Day.
C. To determine whether the rusty blackbirds are endangered animals.
D To protect bird habitats and the environment from being destroyedWhat is mainly talked about in Paragraph 5?
| A．The brief introduction to the Christmas Bird Count |
| B．The origin of the Christmas Bird Count. |
| C．The purpose of the Christmas Bird Count. |
| D．The rapid development of the Christmas Bird Count. |
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题，满分40分）
Many Chinese students who have learnt English for more than ten years are still unable to speak English very well when they meet a foreigner. They seem to have mastered the basic language structure, but a conversation in English will make them feel uneasy. They are afraid that other people might find out their mistakes.
It's unusual that many students who are bad speakers of English can write English perfectly. This proves that they are unable to organize their idea in English. The center of the problem is that they lack practice and confidence.
Why should you be afraid? Do you fear those foreigners with whom you are speaking? Don't be shy, they will not laugh at you just for a little mistake you make. The best way to get rid of trouble is to learn to speak by speaking more. I am sure that constant(经常的) practice will help you succeed.
56. What's the best title for the passage?
A. How to Speak to Foreigners B. How to Study English Well
C. How to Organize the Idea in English D. Practise Speaking English All the Time
57. Many Chinese students can write English very well, but they cannot speak English fluently because ________
A. they seldom meet foreigners B. they seldom practise speaking English
C. they had no chance to speak English
D. they think it's enough to master the basic language structure only
58. So many Chinese students are afraid of speaking to foreigners because _____.
A. they are afraid they can't understand foreigners
B. they don't think their English is poor
C. they worry about making mistakes in their speaking
D. they didn't like speaking to foreigners
59. According to the passage, which of the following is NOT true?
A. We can speak English fluently by doing more speaking.
B. If you can write English perfectly, you are able to organize your idea in English.
C. If you can write good English composition, you can speak English very well.
D. Any Chinese students can't speak English fluently because they are afraid of making mistakes.
60. In the last paragraph, the expression "get rid of" means_______.
A. throw away B. free oneself from C. give up D. do with
Most young people enjoy some physical activities. It may be walking, cycling or swimming, or in winter, skating or skiing. It may be a game of some kind, such as football, hockey, golf or tennis. It may be mountaineering.
Those who enjoy climbing high and difficult mountains are often looked upon with astonishment. Why are men and women willing to suffer cold and hardship, and to take risks on high mountains? This astonishment is caused probably by the difference between mountaineering and other forms of activity to which men give their leisure.
Mountaineering is a sport and not a game. There are no man-made rules, such as golf and football. There are, of course, rules of a different kind which it would be too dangerous to ignore, but this freedom from man-made rules makes mountaineering attractive to many people. Those who climb mountains are free to use their own methods.
If we compare mountaineering and other more familiar sports, we might think that one big difference is that mountaineering is not a “team game”. Perhaps we should be mistaken in this. There are, it is true, no “matches” between teams of climbers, but when climbers are climbing on a rock by a rope ,there is obviously team work. The mountain climber knows that he may have to fight forces that are stronger and more powerful than man. He has to fight the forces of nature. His sport requires high mental and physical qualities. So we can also call it a “team sport”
A mountain climber continues to improve in skill year after year. A skier is probably past his best by the age of thirty, and most international tennis champions are in their early twenties. But it is not unusual for a man of fifty or sixty to climb the highest mountains in the Alps. They may take more time than younger men, but they probably climb with more skill and less waste of effort, and they certainly experience equal enjoyment.
72. Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A. Differences between Golf and Mountaineering.
B. Sports and Games.
C. Mountaineering.
D. Why are so many people crazy about mountaineering?
73. The mountaineering can also be called a team sport because ____.
A. mountain climbers usually compete in groups
B. mountaineers depend on each other while climbing
C. mountaineering climbers are free to use their won rules to climb
D. mountaineering is a sport not a game
74. The biggest difference between golf /football and mountaineering lies in ____.
A. team game B. enjoyment C. age D. rules
75. In the author’s opinion, one of the most important reason why so many people enjoy mountaineering is that ____.
A. there are no man-made rules for mountaineers and people can join in at different ages.
B. mountaineering is a sport and not a game
C. it is one of the most dangerous sports
D. mountaineering brings us more enjoyment than other sports
Celebrities (Famous people) have joined college students around China in the latest government activities to protect the environment. The Great Wall was the focus of attention, with a clean-up of the surrounding area, and tree planting. The volunteers hope their actions can raise public awareness about environmental protection.
Lots of famous people take part in the activities. Familiar faces including film star Jackie Chan and TV host Yang Lan from Hong Kong were at the Great Wall. Over 200 college students joined them. They’re all volunteers for a government sponsored (主办) environmental protection program.
A latest government report warns, China’s fragile (易脆的) environment and limited resources could hardly support economic development in the next five to ten years. However, Chinese citizens have long neglected environmental protection. Organizers hope these young people will influence people around.
Pan Yue, vice minister of State Environmental Protection Administration，said, “The government can only make policy. But environmental protection also depends on public participation (参与). Public figures, ordinary people and the government should all join hands, thus we can make a beautiful and friendly environment.”
Around the country, over 10,000 college students joined their peers in Beijing ---- planting trees, raising awareness about water protection and cleaning rubbish from rivers.
From CCTV. com 13-28-2004 09:41
68.The underlined word “focus” in the first paragraph means ______.
A. the places of interestingB. old wall
C. activityD. meeting or centre point of light or others
69. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Recycling B. Water conservation
C. Planting trees D. Government officers
70. Which of the following statements is right?
A. College students get paid in planting trees.
B. Environmental protection depends on public participation.
C. Chinese citizens pay much attention to environmental protection.
D. China’s environment is in good condition
71. Which is the best title of the passage?
A. How to plant treesB. College students work at the Great Wall
C. Environmental protectionD. Volunteers protect environment
I never got along well with Dad. But when he was dying, I set off for Nebraska to be with him and my family. I stopped for the night at a hotel with a pool, hoping a swim would relax me.
The pool area was empty as I walked into the still water. A man in a bathing suit appeared. He sat on the edge of the pool with his legs moving up and down in the water. He had dark hair and deep brown eyes and smiled. ‘Where are you going?’ he asked. When I told him something about my father, he asked how we got along. I tried to change the subject, but then for some reason, I told him everything.
Finally the man said, ‘Even with all the trouble, remember, your father still loves you.’ All at once, warm and clear childhood memories came flooding back: Dad running alongside my wobbling (摇摆的) bicycle, the proud hug he gave me at my high school graduation, his laugh when I caught him off guard with a tickle(挠痒). ‘Yes, I know he does love me,’ I heard myself say. And for the first time these years I believed it. The man left, leaving me alone with my comforting thoughts.
Back in my room, as I went to bed, I decided it was time to forgive（原谅） my father. Then I wished he’d forgiven me too. The phone bell woke me up at 3 a.m. My sister’s voice sent a shock (寒战) through me: Dad had just died. I had wanted to see him and make peace. But as my sadness grew, I remembered that the man by the pool had already brought Dad and me together.
64. From the passage we learn that the author __________.
A. didn’t know his father was seriously ill B. always thought highly of his father
C. lived in Nebraska far away from his familyD. was going to see his father
65. When the author was in the swimming pool, __________.
A. many other people were there, too
B. he talked a lot with the man by the pool
C. he greeted the man by the pool first
D. the man by the pool told him everything about his family
66. What made the author change his original（原始的）idea about his father?
A. That he was made to think of the fact that his father loved him.
B. That the man by the pool mentioned(提及) his interesting childhood.
C. That he remembered his father had taught him to ride a bike.
D. That he knew his father would leave him forever.
67. In the last paragraph, the author was sad that he __________.
A. hadn’t accepted the kind stranger’s advice
B. had no chance to make peace with his father
C. hadn’t respected his father when he was young
D. hadn’t stayed with his father before.
Adventure in Africa
by Connie Lee Berry
Ages 7-9 85 pages Kid's Fun Press December 2007
Adventure in Africa is written for children aged between 7 and 9 and may just be my favorite book in the Incredible Journey Series. In this book the two main characters Max and Sam are taken to an African Safari camp. Even with all the care taken by the staff to ensure the safety and comfort of the camp, things do go wrong and the two brothers find themselves rescuing an elephant and their tour guide, while braving the native wildlife and habitat of Africa.
Adventure in Africa is one of four books in this series of fluent readers’ paperback travel adventure books by Connie Lee Berry. The font(字体) is quite large and there are roughly a dozen maps, images and pictures in the book, which will attract younger readers. As an extra attraction, the back cover of the book lists some activities for children to do.
The animal photos were exciting, especially when the boys were able to ride an elephant! The pictures on the cover look like regular photos of family vacations. A large, interactive （互动的） companion website (www.ijbooks.com) allows readers to join in activities, contests and a club.
The price of the book is only ＄3.95 (US) now,＄1 lower than before, and Adventure in Africa is a bargain. Hurry up to order one.
60. The book Adventure in Africa is written for _________.
A. all the readers B. young parents C. young kids D. high school students
61. From the first paragraph we get to know _________ of the book.
A. the general idea B. the design C. the author D. the price
62. The last word in the passage ‘bargain’ probably means ‘something _________.
A. cheap B. expensive C. useful D. priceless
63. The purpose of the writer is _________.
A. to tell readers something about Africa B. to ask readers to join in contests
C. to introduce the book D. to attract young readers to buy it