Some plants get so hungry they eat flies, and small frogs. What’s more amazing is that these plants occur naturally (in special environments) in every state. In fact, they’re found on every continent except Antarctica.
You’ve probably seen a Venus’ flytrap. It’s often sold in museum gift stores, department stores, and even supermarkets. A small plant, it grows 6 to 8 inches tall in a container. At the end of its stalks(茎)are leaves that act like traps. Inside each trap is a lining of tiny hairs. When an insect lands on them, the traps suddenly shut. Over the course of a week or so, the plant feeds on its catch.
The Venus’ flytrap is just one of more than 500 species of meat-eating plants, says Barry Meyers-Rice, the editor of the International Carnivorous Plant Society’s Newsletter. He states despite any science-fiction stories you might have read, no meat-eating plant does any danger to humans.
Dr. Meyers-Rice says a plant is meat-eating, only if it does all four of the following: “attract, kill, digest, and absorb” some form of insects. Meat-eating plants look and act like other green plants—well, most of the time.
All green plants make sugar to produce food. What makes meat-eating plants different is their special leaves, which need insects for one reason: nitrogen(氮). Nitrogen is a nutrient(营养物质) that they can’t obtain any other way. Why?
Almost all green plants on our planet get nitrogen from the soil. Meat-eating plants can’t. They live in places where nutrients are hard or almost impossible to get from the soil because of its acidity .So they’ve come to rely on getting nitrogen from insects and small animals. In fact, nutrient-rich soil is poisonous to meat-eating plants. Never fertilize(施肥) them! But don’t worry, either, if they never seem to catch any insects. They can survive, but they’ll grow very slowly.According to the passage, Venus flytrap .
| A.is a small plant which grows in a container |
| B.is a kind of plant which gets hungry easily |
| C.can trap and feed on some form of insects |
| D.grows 6-8 inches tall |
From the passage, we can infer that .
| A.meat-eating plants are found nowhere else except Antarctica |
| B.All green plants get nitrogen from the soil |
| C.meat-eating plants endanger humans in science-fiction stories |
| D.The nutrient-poor soil is beneficial to meat-eating plants |
Meat-eating plants grow very slowly, .
| A.so you’d better fertilize them |
| B.probably because the supply of nitrogen is cut off |
| C.simply because they can’t absorb nitrogen from the soil |
| D.and then they will die slowly |
Which of the following is true?
| A.Meat-eating plants look and act like other green plants. |
| B.It’ hard to get nutrients in the soil when acidity is high. |
| C.Venus flytrap eats flies to get nutrient from them. |
| D.Green plants make sugar at night. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项。
When I was having a walk through the park today, I met a friend I hadn’t seen for ages. She stared at me curiously. “You have kept this umbrella for years; it's old and out of date. I wonder why you keep it and take it wherever you go.” I smiled, “it means a great deal to me.” I simply gave her my shortest answer. Honestly speaking, I, either, could not understand the reason why I kept it.
Then all of a sudden, fallen leaves darkened my eyes with a strong wind. I grabbed the umbrella instinctively. The rain poured down. Thanks to my umbrella, I didn’t get wet at all.
“Why have I kept it for so long?” I asked myself, staring at my umbrella. I couldn’t remember when and where I bought it, for I’m always tired and lazy to answer questions. It could protect me from the heavy rain, I told myself eventually. Looking at the people rushing through the street, I felt safe. This might be another reason.
It is always so. We know a thunderstorm comes unexpectedly and goes without a warning. The sky cleared up. The sun shone brightly. Just as usual, I seized the umbrella with my left hand. Still there’s water dropping down. I walked among the noisy crowd and listened to what they were murmuring in their heart. “Today I will ask for a rise, or I'll leave this company.” Good luck to you, I smiled to him. “I’ll manage to make you live forever.” A little boy held a pet dog close to him. “She’ll be all right, because she is blessed.” I heard angels singing in this city.
The moment my fingertips touched the umbrella, I felt it’s dry, and it’s warm. Soon it became hot. I held it up to avoid harmful sunshine. Do I need a reason to explain why? Maybe I should think about it. I need my umbrella when it is sunny as well as when it is rainy.Which of the following words best describes the author?
| A.Watchful. | B.Hard-working. | C.Clever | D.Strange |
From the author's feelings with people among the noisy crowd, we can see that _____.
| A.he is sensible enough to understand others’ murmur |
| B.he is sorry for people who can’t foresee their difficulties |
| C.he is warm-hearted even to care for unfamiliar people |
| D.he is kind enough to hope everyone will plan their life well |
What’s the most suitable title for the passage?
| A.Try to notice every passer-by. |
| B.Umbrellas are important. |
| C.Always be prepared. |
| D.Weather changes unexpectedly. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Should we allow modern buildings to be built next to older buildings in a historic area of a city? In order to answer this question, we must first examine whether people really want to preserve the historic feel of an area. Not all historical buildings are attractive. However, there may be other reasons—for example, economic(经济的) reasons—why they should be preserved. So, let us assume that historical buildings are both attractive and important to the majority of people. What should we do then if a new building is needed?
In my view, new architectural styles can exist perfectly well alongside an older style. Indeed, there are many examples in my own hometown of Tours where modern designs have been placed very successfully next to old buildings. As long as the building in question is pleasing and does not dominate(影响) its surroundings too much, it often improves the attractiveness of the area.
It is true that there are examples of new buildings which have spoilt(破坏) the area they are in, but the same can be said of some old buildings too. Yet people still speak against new buildings in historic areas. I think this is simply because people are naturally conservative(保守的) and do not like change.
Although we have to respect people's feelings as fellow users of the buildings, I believe that it is the duty of the architect and planner to move things forward. If we always reproduced what was there before, we would all still be living in caves. Thus, I would argue against copying previous architectural styles and choose something fresh and different, even though that might be the more risky choice.What does the author say about historical buildings in the first paragraph?
| A.Some of them are not attractive. |
| B.Most of them are too expensive to preserve. |
| C.They are more pleasing than modern buildings. |
| D.They have nothing to do with the historic feel of an area. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the author?
| A.We should reproduce the same old buildings. |
| B.Buildings should not dominate their surroundings. |
| C.No one understands why people speak against new buildings. |
| D.Some old buildings have spoilt the area they are in. |
By “move things forward”in the last paragraph, the author probably means “_________”.
| A.destroy old buildings |
| B.choose new architectural style |
| C.put things in a different place |
| D.respect people's feelings for historical buildings |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
| A.To explain why people dislike change. |
| B.To warn that we could end up living in caves. |
| C.To argue that modern buildings can be built in historic areas. |
| D.To admit how new buildings have ruined their surroundings. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Filmmaker Jennifer Nelson had to pay $1,500 to have “Happy Birthday to You” sung in the movie she’s making. The money went to Warner Music Group, a company that claims to own the copyright on the song. A copyright is the legal right to use or sell a creative product such as a song, a TV show, a book, or a work of art. Warner has claimed the copyright for “Happy Birthday to You” since 1988.
“I never thought the song was owned by anyone,” Nelson said in an e-mail to The New York Times. “I thought it belonged to everyone.”
Nelson’s movie is a documentary(纪录片)— a film that uses pictures and/or interviews with people to create a factual report of real-life events — and is actually about the history of the “Happy Birthday” song itself.
Two sisters named Mildred and Patty Hill wrote a song called “Good Morning to All” in 1893. Over a short period of time, people began to sing the words “happy birthday to you” in place of the original lyrics to the tune of the Hill sisters’ song.
A number of history experts say that there is no record of who actually wrote the “Happy Birthday to You” lyrics(歌词). Historians also say there is no way to know when the general public began singing the “Happy Birthday” song, but they believe it was being sung by the public long before it was printed and owned by a company.
Nelson’s lawyers say this piece of music’s history proves that “Happy Birthday to You” belongs to everyone in the general public. That would mean Warner Music Group has no right to charge anyone a fee to sing the song in any setting.
Experts estimate that Warner/ Chappell, the publishing division of the Warner Music Group, has made about $2 million a year from licensing fees for “Happy Birthday to You.”
Nelson’s lawyers are asking a court in New York City to order Warner/Chappell to return fees they have collected over the past four years for use of the “Happy Birthday” song. Jennifer Nelson had to pay Warner Music Group to ___________ .
| A.own the copyright on a song |
| B.have it write a song for her movie |
| C.have it play a song in her movie |
| D.have a song sung in her movie |
The history experts’ statement can prove that the “Happy Birthday” song ____________.
| A.does not belong to Warner Music Group |
| B.has more than 200 years’ history |
| C.was initially owned by another company |
| D.has always been very popular |
According to Nelson’s lawyers, to sing the “Happy Birthday” song, people ____________.
| A.should pay the Hill sisters |
| B.should pay Warner Music Group |
| C.need not pay for any purpose |
| D.need not pay except for commercial use |
If the court supports Nelson’s lawyers’ claim, ___________.
| A.she can obtain the copyright on the song |
| B.Warner will return about $8 million |
| C.Warner will have to pay her for her damages |
| D.she only needs to pay a little money to use the song |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
No trip to Chicago is complete without a visit to the Art Institute, which is the second largest art museum in the nation.
Opening hours:
Mon - Wed & Fri - Sun, 10:30 am - 5 pm; Thu, 10:30 am- 8 pm; closed on New Year’s Day, Thanksgiving, and Christmas Day.
Highlights:
● The Modern Wing contains contemporary(当代的)masterpieces by Dali, Matisse, Miro, Picasso, Pollock, and Warhol.
● View one of the world’s finest Impressionist collections, including masterpieces by Monet, Degas, Renoir, Seurat, Gauguin, and Van Gogh.
● Thorne Miniature Rooms offer a detailed view of European homes from the 16th century through the 1930s and American homes from the 17th century to 1940.
● The past returns as over 550 works from 4,000 years of art come together in Of Gods and Glamour, located in the beautiful new Mary and Michael Jaharis Galleries of Greek, Roman, and Byzantine Art.
Advice for visitors:
● Free guided tours are available daily at noon.
● Free art-making activities are available for children each weekend from 11 am to 2 pm.
● Visit the Family Room in the Ryan Education Center, open daily from 10:30 am – 5 pm, and introduce your child to the museum’s collections with a variety of hands-on activities. Assemble (组装) puzzles based on masterpieces you’ll see in the galleries, build architectural wonders with colorful blocks, and learn about art through stories and games at Curious Corner.
● Check out the Lion’s Trial tour for children ages 5-10. This tour is especially designed for the young people in your group! Don’t miss it!
Getting there:
You can take the follow buses: 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 14, 26, 28, 126, 143.The Art Institute of Chicago can be visited on ____________.
| A.Christmas Day | B.New Year’s Day |
| C.Independence Day | D.Thanksgiving Day |
Whose works can you see in the Impressionist collections?
| A.Picasso’s | B.Monet’s |
| C.Pollock’s | D.Warhol’s |
At Curious Corner, children can ___________.
| A.take part in many hands-on activities |
| B.join the Lion’s Trail tour |
| C.enjoy free art-making activities |
| D.get free guidance |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
People all need friends because nobody wants to be lonely and a friend can help you in good and bad times. You’ve made friends since childhood,but you still don’t know who your true friends are. Here are some signs to tell you if your friend is a true friend.
Always honest
Honesty is important to keep a relationship alive. A true friend always tells you the truth. It may be hard sometimes but lying can destroy a friendship. It is important that your friend speaks honestly and never makes up stories.
There are always periods in your life when you have problems or difficulties. A true friend will always have time to listen to your problems and give you advice. It may not be able to offer a solution to your problems but the fact that your friend makes time to listen is a sign he/she cares for you. Your friend is not a true friend if he/she can never make time for you when you are in trouble. You also need to be reasonable and accept that your friend also has other things to do so he/she can’t always listen immediately to your problems.
Always respectful
A true friend will always respect your opinion no matter whether he/she agrees or not. Your true friend may disagree but never insists that he/she is correct.
Always understanding
It is possible that some problems will arise between you and your friend. A true friend will always be forgiving and understanding,even if it isn’t his/her fault. We are all different people and we all make mistakes. A true friend is always forgiving and understanding because he/she doesn’t want to take the risk of losing his/her best friend.What’s the best title for the third paragraph?
| A.Keep your secrets | B.Always there for you |
| C.Always happy for you | D.Remember your important days |
According to the passage,a true friend will always ____________.
| A.follow your advice |
| B.offer a solution to your problems |
| C.respect your opinion even if he/she disagrees with it |
| D.listen immediately to your problems |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A.Never tell lies to friends. |
| B.Making time for friends. |
| C.Paying attention to a friend’s opinion. |
| D.Sharing fun with friends. |
What’s the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
| A.To tell us how to find out if a friend is a true friend. |
| B.To find out how long a friendship can last. |
| C.To introduce his experience in making friends. |
| D.To teach us how to make true friends. |