Even after centuries of exploration(探险), the ocean still holds its mysteries. Although we know more today about the world’s oceans and creatures living in them than ever before, every once in a while the sea brings up something so strange, so unexpected, that makes the world wonder what it could be.
Such was the case when the currents (水流) of the Mediterranean Ocean recently washed a 13-foot-long, smelly body onto the shores of the village of Villaricos in Andalusia, Spain. An early report in the Spanish publication Lavante described the strange, horned (带角的) body as what might seem like a big fish, but it was already in pieces. Locals joked that it was some kind of Loch Ness Monster.
The media jumped right on the creature, of course. Some sites called it a horned sea monster. The popular newspaper Boing Boing called it a dragon. Some people guessed that it might be an oarfish(皇带鱼), which is actually a rarely seen kind of big fish that can grow up to 55 feet long.
But now the experts have weighed in and we’re sorry to report that it’s not a dragon, a Loch Ness Monster, or even an oarfish. “That is actually a shark skeleton (骨架),” Professor Grubbs from Florida State University told NBC News. “The parts toward the back were confusing me, but those are the lower caudal fin (尾鳍) supports. The “horns” are the scapulocoracoids which support the pectoral fins(胸鳍).” Scapulocoracoids are backbones common to many animals.
So there we go, another mystery solved. Well, the ancient maps that once described areas of the ocean as places of dragons have yet to be proven true. But it’s good to know that the ocean still has a few surprises for us, even in cases where they’re just dead, smelly bodies.The creature mentioned in the text _____.
| A．was about 15 feet long with a horn |
| B．could probably grow up to 55 feet long |
| C．was already in pieces but it was still alive |
| D．was found on the shores of a village in Spain |
What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 2 really refer to?
| A．A dragon. | B．A shark skeleton. |
| C．An oarfish. | D．A horned sea monster. |
The third paragraph is mainly about _____.
| A．how the creature was found |
| B．the characteristics of an oarfish |
| C．people’s guesses about the creature |
| D．Boing Boing’s opinion of the creature |
The main purpose of the text is to _____.
| A．show the mystery of the ocean |
| B．ask people to protect sea animals |
| C．introduce a rarely seen kind of fish |
| D．show how to find surprises in the sea |
In some parts of the United States, farming is easy. But farming has always been difficult in the northeastern corner of the country, which is called New England.
New England has many trees and thin, rocky soil. Anyone who has wanted to start a new farm there has had to work very hard. The first job has been cutting down the trees. The new job has been digging out the roots of the trees. Then the farmer has had the difficult job of removing stones from his land. This work of removing stones never really ends, because every winter more stones appear. They come up through the thin soil from the rocks below. Farmers have to keep removing stones from the fields. Even today, farms which have been worked on for two hundred years still keep producing more stones. That is why stone walls are used instead of fences (篱笆) in New England fields. The stone walls are not high and a man can easily climb over them. However, they keep the farmer’s cows from joining those of his neighbor’s.Where is New England?
| A．In England. | B．In North America. |
| C．In South America. | D．In Australia. |
Why do stones keep appearing?
| A．Because the farmers keep digging them out. |
| B．Because there are rocks below the soil and the soil is too thin. |
| C．Because there are no trees at all. |
| D．Because the wind keeps blowing. |
Why do the farmers build stone walls instead of fences?
A. Because the stone walls are not high and a person can easily climb over them.
B. Because the stone walls can stop the cows from joining their neighbor’s.
C. Because there are too many stones.
D. Both A and B.Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．There are almost no trees in New England. |
| B．Farming is difficult in New England. |
| C．It’s difficult for farmers to remove stones from the fields. |
| D．The stone walls in New England are not high. |
In the past ten years, many scientists have studied the differences between men and women. And they all got the same answer: The sexes(性别) are different, because their brains are different. And this, the scientists say, makes men and women see the world in different ways.
Boys, for example, generally are better than girls at mathematical ideas. Boys also generally are better than girls at the kind of hand and eye movements necessary for ball sports. Girls, on the other hand generally start speaking earlier than boys. And they generally see better in the dark than boys and are better at learning foreign languages.
What makes men and women better at one thing or another? The answer is the brain. The brain has two sides connected by nerve(神经) tracks. The left side generally is used for mathematics, speech and writing. The right side is used for artistic creation(创造) and the expression for emotions(情感). In men and women, different areas in each side of the brain develop differently. In boys, for example, it’s the area used for mathematics. In girls, it is the area used for language skills. Another interesting difference is that the two sides of a man’s brain are connected by a smaller number of nerves than the two sides of a woman’s brain are.Which of the following is the best title of the article?
| A．Research on the Brain |
| B．Men and Women are Different in Brain |
| C．People’s Different Brains |
| D．Who Are Better, Boys or Girls |
__________ men and women think differently.
| A．The different brains make |
| B．Sex makes |
| C．The different experiences make |
| D．The influences(影响) of society make |
According to the article, girls are generally better than boys at __________ in your school.
| A．mathematics | B．physics | C．English | D．chemistry |
Which of the following is true?
| A．The left side of brain in boys generally develops better than that in girls. |
| B．The left side of brain in girls generally develops better than that in boys. |
| C．Men are better than women in all things. |
| D．The area in girls used for language skills develops better. |
60. The number of nerves connecting the two sides of the brain in men __________.
| A．is the same as women’s |
| B．is different from women’s |
| C．is larger than women’s |
| D．is twice as large as women’s |
You know Australia is a big country, but you may not know how easy it is to get around. The untouched beaches that go for miles and deserts that touch the horizon are just there, waiting to be reached and explored. The following are the different ways you can explore our vast country.
Getting around Australia:
Air
Flying is the best way to cover a long distance in a short time. Moreover, competition among airlines makes great flying fees available for you.
Drive
Australia has a vast network of well-maintained roads and some of the most beautiful touring routes in the world. It’s easy for you to find car rental companies at major airports, central city locations, suburbs and attractions.
Bus
Bus travel in Australia is comfortable, easy and economical. Buses generally have air conditioning, reading lights, adjustable seats and videos. Services are frequent, affordable and efficient.
Rail
Train travel is the cheapest and gives you an insight into Australia’s size and variety. Scheduled services are a great way to get quickly between our cities and regional centers.
Ferry
The Spirit of Tasmania runs a passenger and vehicle ferry service between Melbourne and Tasmania nightly. Extra services are running during summer rush hours. Ferries connect suburbs in our capital cities.
Walk
With easy on the feet pedestrian streets, walking is a great way to get around our cities.
Besides all the above, you can also experience some of the longest tracks and trails in the world in central Australia—impressive journeys of a thousand kilometers or more that can take several weeks to complete.The underlined word “untouched” in the 1st paragraph means __________.
| A．unmoved | B．special | C．natural | D．unconnected |
Which of the following is TRUE about travelling in Australia?
| A．More travelers make the flying fees among airlines higher than before. |
| B．You can easily rent a car to explore its most beautiful touring routes. |
| C．Taking a bus tour is the most comfortable, economical and efficient way. |
| D．Train services can offer you more comfort than any other means of transport. |
Ferry service between Melbourne and Tasmania usually runs __________.
| A．only at night hours | B．only during rush hours |
| C．several times a day | D．between different cities |
Where does the article come from?
| A．Scientific journal | B．Magazine | C．Travel Guide | D．Text Book |
If you have only 5 days and want to visit Australia’s famous attractions that are far away from each other, which way of travelling best suits you?
| A．By air. | B．By car. | C．By bus. | D．On foot. |
People in the United States honor their parents with two special days: Mother’s Day, on the second Sunday in May, and Father’s Day, on the third Sunday in June.
Mother’s Day was proclaimed（宣告）a day for national observance by President Woodrow Wilson in 1915. Ann Jarvis from Grafton, West Virginia, had started the idea to have a day to honor mothers. She was the one who chose the second Sunday in May and also began the custom of wearing a carnation（康乃馨）.
In 1909, Mrs. Dodd from Spokane, Washington, thought of the idea of a day to honor fathers. She wanted to honor her own father, William Smart. After her mother died, he had the responsibility of raising a family of five sons and a daughter. In 1910, the first Father’s Day was observed（庆祝）in Spokane. Senator Margaret Chase Smith helped to establish Father’s Day as a national commemorative day, in 1972.
These days are set aside to show love to parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother’s Day people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It is also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery（墓地）. On these days families get together at home, as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.According to the passage, which of the following about the second Sunday in May is not true?
| A．It is a day to show love to mothers. |
| B．It is a day to wear carnations. |
| C．It is a day for people to visit the cemetery. |
| D．It is a day for many people to attend religious services. |
Choose the right time order of the following events.
a. The first Father’s Day was observed.
b. Mother’s Day was proclaimed a day for national observance.
c. Father’s Day became a day for national observance.
d. The idea of honoring fathers was put forward.
| A．a b c d | B．d a b c | C．b a c d | D．d a c b |
Who plays the most important role in Father’s Day becoming a national commemorative day?
| A．Margaret Chase Smith | B．Mrs. Dodd |
| C．Ann Jarvis | D．Woodrow Wilson |
From the passage, we know in the U.S. __________.
| A．one should wear a red carnation if one’s mother passed away |
| B．on Mother’s Day, families often go out to have barbecues |
| C．on Father’s Day, people often stay at home to celebrate the special day |
| D．the purpose to have these two special days is to show love to parents |
The author’s purpose of writing this passage is to __________.
| A．call on people to love and respect their parents |
| B．introduce Mother’s Day and Father’s Day |
| C．tell the difference between Mother’s Day and Father’s Day |
| D．show how important fathers and mothers are |
“Mom, I have cancer.” These four words catapulted my son and me on a journey that lasted two years. On that day I felt a wave of paralyzing fear.
Scott was the oldest of my four children. He was 33 years old and a successful assistant principal at SamRayburn Hifht School in Pasadena, Texas. He and his wife Carolyn were busy raising four active children. Scott was 6’2’’, weighed 200 pounds and had never been sick a day in his life.
A few month earlier a mole（痣）on his neck had changed color. “Dr.Warner called,” Scott said that spring morning. “It’s melanoma.（黑素瘤）” I tried to comfort him, naming all the people I knew who had survived skin cancer. Yet, I felt small tentacles of fear begin to wrap around my chest.
Our next stop was MDAnderson, the famous cancer hospital in Houston. Scott had surgery at the end of May and was scheduled for radiation treatments over the summer recess. “There is an 80 percent chance it won’t reoccur,” the doctors said. At the end of summer, all his tests came back negative and Scott was back at school in the fall. However, in December, Scott discovered a lump on his neck. It was examined and the result came back “malignant.（恶性的）” We now realized that Scott fell into the 20 percent category. I could feel the tentacles tightening around my chest. He entered the hospital for an aggressive treatment, a combination of interferon and interleukin.
After five months of treatment, he had radical surgery on his neck. The test results were encouraging, only three of the 33 lymph nodes（淋巴结） removed were malignant. We were very hopeful.
For the next six months, Scott’s follow-up visits went well. Then in October, X-ray revealed a spot on his lung. The spot was removed during surgery and the doctors tried to be optimistic. It was a daily battle to control the fear and panic each setback brought.
In January, he was diagnosed as having had a “disease explosion.” The cancer had spread to his lungs, spine and liver and he was given three to six months to live. There were times during this period when I felt like I was having a heart attack. The bands constricting my chest made breathing difficult.
When you watch your child battle cancer, you experience a roller coaster of emotions. There are moments of hope and optimism but a bad test result or even an unusual pain can bring on dread and panic.
Scott was readmitted to the hospital for one last try with chemotherapy. He died, quite suddenly, just six weeks after his last diagnosis. I was completely destroyed. I had counted on those last few months.
The next morning I was busy notifying people and making funeral arrangements. I remember having this nagging feeling that something was physically wrong with me. It took a moment to realize that the crushing sensation in my chest was gone. The thing every parent fears the most had happened. My son was gone. Of course, the fear had been replaced by unbearable sorrow.
After you lose a child, it is so difficult to go on. The most minimal tasks, combing your hair or taking a shower, becoming monumental. For months I just sat and stared into space. That spring, the trees began to bloom; flowers began to pop up in my garden. Friendswood was coming back to life but I was dead inside.
During those last weeks, Scott and I often spoke about life and death. Fragments of those conversations kept playing over and over in my mind.
“Don’t let this ruin your life, Mom.”
“Make sure Dad re models his workshop.”
“Please, take care of my family.”
I remember wishing I could have just one more conversation with him. I knew what I would say, but what would Scott say? “I know how much you love me, Mom. So just sit on the couch and cry.” No, I knew him better than that. Scott loved life and knew how precious it is. I could almost hear his voice saying, “Get up Mom, Get on with your life. It’s too valuable to waste.”
That was the day I began to move forward. I signed up for a cake decorating class. Soon I was making cakes for holidays and birthdays. My daughter-in-law told me about a writing class in Houston. I hadn’t written in years, but since I was retired I decided it be time to start again. The local college advertised a Life Story Writing class that I joined. There I met women who had also lost their children. The Poet Laureate of Texas was scheduled to speak at our local Barnes and Noble. I attended and joined our local poetry society. I never dreamed that writing essays and poems about Scott could be so therapeutic. Several of those poems have ever been published. In addition, each group brought more and more people into my life..
I don’t believe you ever recover from the loss of a child. Scott is in my heart and mind every day. However, I do believe you can survive.
Scott fought so bravery to live and he never gave up. He taught me that life is a gift that should be cherished, not wasted. It has taken years to become the person I am today. The journey has been a difficult, painful process but certainly worth the effort and I know that my son would be proud.How old was Scott probably when he died?
| A．33 | B．35 | C．37 | D．40 |
What does the underlined sentence “ The bands constricting my chest made breathing difficult” probably imply?
| A．It implies that Scott’s mother was likely to have a heart attack. |
| B．It implies that there was something wrong with Scott’s mother’s chest. |
| C．It implies that Scott’s mother was very upset and panic because of Scott’s severe illness. |
| D．It implies that the cancer had spread to her chest just like her son. |
Which of the following statements best shows the author’s feeling about Scott’s death?
| A．It was a daily battle to control the fear and panic each setback brought. |
| B．She felt a wave of fear. |
| C．She felt a feeling of fear begin to wrap around her chest. |
| D．The fear had been replaced by unbearable sorrow. |
From Scott and his mother’s conversation, we can know that Scott is ________.
| A．considerable | B．humorous | C．determined | D．sensitive |
The author intends to tell us that___________.
| A．it takes a long time to make a person recover from the shock of losing a child |
| B．Scott is proud of his mother |
| C．life is full of happiness and sorrow. |
| D．We’d better make our life count instead of counting your days. |
What might be the best title of the passage ?
| A．Life is valuable | B．Grieving and Recovery |
| C．Love and sorrow | D．Alive or dead |