How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments-mostly for entertainment purposes-is fair and respectful?
Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain “collections” of interesting “things” rather than protective habitats(栖息地). Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.
Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species(物种), but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals’ natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species’ name, diet, and natural range(分布区). The animals’ normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don’t usually take care of the animals’ natural needs.
The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusually and self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.
Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered.Captive breeding(圈养繁殖) of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild.Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven’t we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals’ natural habitats.
In the state of zoochosis, animals _________.
A.remain in cages | B.attack other animals |
C.behave strangely | D.enjoy moving around |
What does the author try to argue in the passage?
A.Zoos fail in their attempt to save animal |
B.Zoos are not worth the public support. |
C.Zoos should treat animals as human beings. |
D.Zoos use animals as a means of entertainment. |
The author tries to persuade readers to accept his argument mainly by _________.
A.using evidence he has collected at zoos |
B.pointing out the faults in what zoos do |
C.questioning the way animals are protected |
D.discussing the advantages of natural habitats |
Although he argues against zoos, the author would still agree that __________.
A.zoos have to keep animals in small cages |
B.most animals in zoos are endangered species |
C.it’s acceptable to keep animals away from their habitats |
D.some endangered animals are reproduced in zoos |
第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题;每小题2分,满分40分)
Perhaps the most amazing building put up in the 19th century was the Crystal(水晶的)Palace which was built in Hyde Park for the Great Exhibition of 1851. The Crystal Palace was different from all the other buildings in the world, for it was made of iron and glass. It was one of the biggest buildings of all the time and a lot of people from many countries came to see it. Plenty of good
s were sent to the exhibition from all parts of the world. There was also a great deal of machinery on show. Though in those days, travelling was not as easy as it is today, steamboats carried thousands of visitors across the Channel from Europe. On arriving in England, they were taken to the Crystal Palace by train. There were six million visitors in all, and the money from the exhibition was used to build museums and colleges. Later, the Crystal Palace was moved to the South London. It remained one of the most famous buildings in the world until it caught a fire and was destroyed in 1936.
56. People from many countries came to the Crystal Palace mainly to _________________.
A. go shopping B. visit an exhibition
C. pay a visit to the queen D. enjoy the Crystal Palace itself
57. The Crystal Palace was unusual because ____________________.
A. it was the biggest building in the world then B. so many visitors had been there
C. it was built with iron and glass D. it was burnt down at last
58. The money from the exhibition in the Crystal Palace was contributed to _________________.
A. decorating the Crystal Palace B. building museums and colleges
C. buying steamboats to carry visitors D. building highways to the Crystal Palace
59. According to the passage, the Crystal Palace ______________in 1936.
A. was burned down in a terrible fire B. was damaged in a snowstorm
C. was moved away to the south of London D. was destroyed in an earthquake
60. We can infer from the passage that the writer ________________________.
A. believes that the Crystal Palace is very useful
B. thinks that the Crystal Palace is pretty wonderful
C. expects the splendid Crystal Palace to be rebuilt this year
D. considers that the rebuilding of Crystal Palace is a waste of money
The manager and staff are happy to welcome you and will do all they can to make your stay an enjoyable one.
MEAL TIMES
Our overnight charge includes a continental-type breakfast.
Breakfast: 7:30—9:30 a.m.
Lunch: 12:00—2:00 p.m.
Afternoon tea: 4:00—5:30 p.m.
Dinner: 7:00—9:15 p.m.
Meals can be served in rooms at a small extra charge. We regret that meals can not be served outside these times.
Light refreshments(茶点) including tea, coffee, biscuits and sandwiches can be served in rooms between 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 p.m. except during the meal times listed above. Cold drinks are available in the room refrigerator.
ROOM CLEANING
Please hang the sign on your door handle if you do not wish to be disturbed. It will be easier for the maids if you can leave the room temporarily(暂时地) at any time between 9:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m.
VALUABLES
We are not responsible for the loss of money, jewels, or other valuables unless they are kept in the safe and signed for by the manager.
DEPARTURES
Please inform receptionists(接待员) of your intended leaving before 9:30 a.m. of the day concerned and leave the room by noon to allow for its preparation for incoming guests. If necessary, luggage can be left in the charge of the hall porter(搬运工人).
A SPECIAL REQUEST
We would respectfully suggest that in consideration of the comfort of other guests, the volume of radios and televisions should be turned down after 11:00 p.m. .
72.Meals can be served __________ .
A. in rooms at 9:00 p.m.
B. in the dining room from 7:30 a.m. to 9:15 p.m.
C. in the dining room at 6:00 p.m.
D. outside the room at 3:00 p.m.
73.If you intend to leave the room tomorrow, you may leave at any of the following hours EXCEPT _________. .
A. 10:00 a.m. B. 12:00 a.m. C. 3:00 p.m. D. 11:00 a.m.
74.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. Cold drinks can be found in the room refrigerator.
B. Guests are requested to turn down their radios and televisions after 11:00 p.m.
C. The sign that can be hung on the door handle shows that the room needs to be cleaned.
D. Your luggage can be kept by the hall porter.
75.Where is this notice most likely to be found?
A. In hotels B. In the newspapers
C. At restaurants D. In shops
A peer is a person who is about the same age as you. Peers affect your life, whether you know it or not, just by spending time with you.
Peers can have a good effect on one another. Maybe another student in your science class taught you an easy way to remember the planets in solar system. Maybe you got others excited about your new favorite book and now everyone’s reading it.
However, sometimes peers affect one another in another way. For example, one kid in school might try to get another to cut class with him, your soccer friend might try to persuade you to be mean to another player and never pass her the ball, or a kid in the neighborhood might want you to shoplift with him. Some kids give in to peer pressure because they want to be liked, to fit in, or because they worry that other kids may make fun of them if they don’t go along with the group. Others may go along because they are curious to try something new that others are doing. The idea that “everyone’s doing it” may influence some kids to leave their better judgments or their common senses behind.
Peer pressure can be extremely strong and hard to get rid of. Experiments have shown how peer pressure can influence someone to change her/ his mind from what she/ he knows for sure is a correct answer to the incorrect answer-just because everyone else gives the incorrect answer! That holds true for people of any age in peer pressure situations.
It can be hard to walk away from peer pressure, but it can be done. Paying attention to your own feelings and beliefs about what is right and wrong can help you know the right thing to do. Inner strength and self-confidence can help you stand firm, walk away and resist doing something when you know better.
68. What is the best title for this passage?
A. Peers have a good effect B. Children give in to peer pressure
C. Peer pressure is hard to resist D. Peer pressure
69. The underlined word “shoplift” in Paragraph 3 probably means “________”.
A. do some shopping B. carry goods for shops
C. steal in shops D. take the lift upstairs in shops
70. The writer will NOT agree that ________.
A. only children change their correct answers to incorrect ones because of peer pressure
B. peers have an effect on one another
C. peer pressure can be got rid of
D. peers will believe in themselves if there are other peers who agree with them
71. By writing the passage the writer intends to ________.
A. tell people to follow other’s opinions
B. warn people to stay away from their peers
C. tell it is hard to walk away from pressure
D. persuade people to do the right thing regardless of peer pressure
Pingyao, in the center of Shanxi Province, is a famous historic cultural city of China and a world cultural heritage site (世界文化遗址). It’s 90 kilometers south of Taiyuan on the Fen River.
People lived in Pingyao during the New Stone Age. Its long period as a country government seat has left Pingyao with lots of historic buildings and sites, with a 2,700-year history. Ninety-nine of them are under government protection, including Zhengguo Temple, Shuanglin Temple and Pingyao Ancient City.
During the Ming and Qing Dynasties, businessmen organized commercial (商业的) groups that did business nationwide. Shanxi Province had some of the most important ones and Pingyao was their center. In 1823, a store, known as Rishengchang(Sunrise Prosperity), traded in bank checks rather than in silver or gold coins. It was the beginning of modern Chinese banking. Branch banks were soon set up in major cities in China and other parts of Asia, leading to great development in Pingyao. Its Lacquer ware (漆器) became well known.
In Pingyao Ancient City are many traditional houses and commercial buildings, 3,797 of which are protected and more than 400 of which are in good condition. Not only do the houses in Pingyao show Shanxi’s history and culture, but this large number is valuable for studying its history, customs, and ancient buildings and art. Most of these houses are still used as homes and shops of local people.
In 1997, Ancient Pingyao City was listed in World Heritage List as “World Culture Heritage Site”.
64. What does the underlined word “them” (in the 2nd paragraph) refer to?
A. Historic buildings and sites B. The three temples
C. The country government seats D. The 2,700-year history
65. Which of the following about Pingyao is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Its location B. Its tourism
C. Its business D. Its history
66. During the Ming and Qing dynasties, Pingyao was a leading center in __________.
A. agriculture B. raising cattle
C. commercial trade D. making gold coins
67. If you want to know about the history of banking in China, you’ll visit __________.
A. Sunrise Prosperity B. Zhengguo Temple
C. A lacquer ware store D. A commercial house
With only about 1, 000 pandas left in the world, China is desperately trying to clone(克隆) the animal and save the endangered species. That’s a move similar to what Texas A & M University researchers have been undertaking for the past five years in a project called “Noah’s Ark”.
Noah’s Ark is aimed at collecting eggs, embryos(胚胎), semen and DNA of endangered animals and storing them in liquid nitrogen(氮). If certain species should become extinct, Dr. Duane Kraemer, a professor in Texas A & M’s College of Veterinary Medicine, says there would be enough of the basic building blocks to reintroduce the species in the future.
It is estimated that as many as 2, 000 species of mammals, birds, reptiles will become extinct in over 100 years. The panda, native only to China, is in danger of becoming extinct in the next 25 years.
This week, Chinese scientists said they grew an embryo by introducing cells from a dead female panda into the egg cells of a Japanese white rabbit. They are now trying to implant the embryo into a host animal.
The entire procedure could take from three to five years to complete.
“The nuclear transfer(核子移植) of one species to another is not easy, and the lack of available(capable of being used) panda eggs could be a major problem,” Kraemer believes. “They will probably have to do several hundred transfers to result in one pregnancy (having a baby). It takes a long time and it’s difficult, but this could be groundbreaking science if it works. They are certainly not putting any live pandas at risk, so it is worth the effort,” adds Kraemer, who is one of the leaders of the Project at Texas A& M, the first-ever attempt at cloning a dog.
“They are trying to do something that’s never been done, and this is very similar to our work in Noah’s Ark. We’re both trying to save animals that face extinction. I certainly appreciate their effort and there’s a lot we can learn from what they are attempting to do. It’s a research that is very much needed.”
60. The aim of “Noah’s Ark” project is to _______.
A. make efforts to clone the endangered pandas
B. save endangered animals from dying out
C. collect DNA of endangered animals to study
D. transfer the nuclear of one animal to another
61. According to Professor Kraemer, the major problem in cloning pandas would be the lack of _______.
A. available panda eggs B. host animals
C. qualified researchers D. enough money
62. The best title for the passage may be _______.
A. China’s Success in Pandas Cloning
B. The First Cloned Panda in the World
C. Exploring the Possibility to Clone Pandas
D. China —the Native Place of Pandas Forever
63. From the passage we know that _______.
A. Kraemer and his team have succeeded in cloning a dog
B. scientists try to implant a panda’s egg into a rabbit
C. Kraemer will work with Chinese scientists in clone researches
D. about two thousand of species will probably die out in a century