Sharks have lived in the oceans for over 450 million years, long before dinosaurs appeared. There are now about 360 of sharks, whose size, behavior, and other characteristics differ widely.
Every year, we catch and kill over 100 million sharks, for food and for their fins. Dried shark fins are used to make shark fin soup, which sells for as much as $50 a bowl in fine Hong Kong . Other sharks are killed for sport and out of fear. Sharks are vulnerable(脆弱的) to overfishing because it most species 10 to 15 years to begin reproducing and they produce only a few offspring.
by movies and popular novels, most people see sharks as people-eating monsters. This is far from the . Every year, a few types of shark injure about 100 people worldwide and kill about 25. Most are by great white sharks, which often feed on sea lions and other marine mammals. They sometimes mistake human swimmers for their normal prey, if they are wearing black wet suits.
If you are a typical ocean-goer, your of being killed by an unprovoked （无缘无故的）attack by a shark are about 1 in 100 million. You are more to be killed by a pig than a shark and thousands of times more likely to get killed when you drive a car.
Sharks help human lives. In addition to providing people with food, they are helping us learn how to cancer, bacteria, and viruses. Sharks are very healthy and have aging processes similar to ours. Their highly effective immune system wounds to heal quickly without becoming infected, and their blood is being studied in connection with AIDS research.
Sharks are among the few animals in the world that almost get cancer and eye cataracts. Understanding why can help us improve human . Chemicals extracted from shark cartilage have killed cancerous tumors in laboratory animals.
A．species B．classes C．groups D．names
A．greatly B．popularly C．widely D．mostly
A．supermarkets B．restaurants C．offices D．companies
A．spends B．takes C．costs D．uses
A．Impressed B．Moved C．Changed D．Influenced
A．story B．truth C．movie D．problem
A．injuries B．deaths C．attacks D．causes
A．specially B．especially C．mainly D．usually
A．chances B．fears C．lives D．percentages
A．likely B．frequent C．possible D．lucky
A．avoid B．save C．keep D．prevent
A．damage B．destroy C．fight D．ruin
A．advises B．allows C．forces D．forbids
A．never B．seldom C．often D．usually
A．analysis B．research C．study D．health
My father left for our native place on Thursday. In fact, he had never traveled by ____ before, so I just took this opportunity to let him ____ his first flight. ____ being asked to book a ticket by train, I got him a ticket on Jet Airways. The moment I handed over the ticket to him, he was surprised. The ____ was very apparent on his face as we waited for the time of the ____. Just like a schoolboy, he was ____ himself on that day, using the trolley (手推车) for his luggage and asking for a window seat. He was ____ enjoying himself and I, too, watching him experience all these things with ____. As he was about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and ____ me. He became very ____ for what I had done meant a great deal to him. I told him there was no need to thank me.
Later, I ____ my life. As a child, how many dreams had our parents made come true? Without ____ the financial situation, we asked for dresses, toys, outings, etc. They tried to ____ all our needs. Did we ever say thanks for all they had done for us? Today ____ it comes to our children, we always think we should give them the best. But we tend to ____ that our parents have sacrificed a lot to see us happy, so it is our ____ to make sure their dreams are realized.
Old age is like a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same ____ needs to be given to our parents. I want to say sorry for making my father ____ so long for this small dream to be realized.
Just the fact that they are old does not mean that they will have to ____ everything and keep sacrificing. They have ____, too.
Take care of your parents. They are precious.
A．bus B．train C．ship D．air
A．catch B．miss C．experience D．change
A．In spite of B．Because of C．In case of D．Instead of
A．pride B．excitement C．admiration D．ambition
A．appointment B．dream C．travel D．show
A．encouraging B．warning C．teaching D．preparing
A．thoroughly B．slowly C．immediately D．suddenly
A．anger B．joy C．shyness D．curiosity
A．helped B．patted C．thanked D．praised
A．honest B．childish C．nervous D．emotional
A．looked for B．looked down upon C．looked into D．looked back on
A．understanding B．describing C．solving D．improving
A．avoid B．meet C．record D．check
A．unless B．because C．when D．though
A．learn B．express C．promise D．forget
A．ability B．responsibility C．freedom D．fortune
A．song B．advice C．attention D．thing
A．struggle B．wait C．rest D．stand
A．hand in B．pick up C．pay off D．give up
A．wishes B．jobs C．plans D．suggestions
At the airport, I looked closely at the face of my son, Daniel, his backpack by his side. We were saying good-bye. In a few hours he would be flying to France to a different life. It was a transitional（过渡期的）time in Daniel’s life. I wanted to leave him some words of . But nothing came from my and this was not the first time I had let such a moment .
When Daniel was five, I took him to the school-bus stop on his first day of kindergarten. He looked at me -- as he did now. “What is it going to be like, Dad? Will I be okay?” And then he walked up the of the bus and disappeared inside. And the bus . And I had said nothing.
A decade or so later, a similar played itself out. I drove him to college. I tried to think of something to say to give him and confidence as he started this new life. Again, words me.
Now, as I stood before him, I thought of those opportunities. How many times have we all let such moments pass?
My father and I loved each other. Yet, I always never hearing him put his into words and never having the memory of that moment. Now, I could feel my palms（手掌） and my throat tighten. Why is it so to tell a son something from the heart?
My mouth turned dry, and I knew I would be able to get out only a few words . “Daniel," I said, "if I could have picked, I would have picked you." That’s all I could say. I wasn’t sure he understood what I . Then he came toward me and threw his arms around me. For a moment, the world and all its people vanished（消失）, and there was just Daniel and me. He was saying something, my eyes misted（视线模糊）over, and I couldn’t understand what he was saying. All I was of was the stubble（胡子茬）on his chin as his face pressed mine. And then, the moment ended. What I had said to Daniel was clumsy. It was nothing. And yet, it was .
A．experience B．spend C．enjoy D．shape
A．consultation B．significance C．necessity D．difference
A．head B．lips C．thoughts D．mind
A．fly B．remain C．pass D．last
A．windows B．chairs C．handles D．steps
A．pulled up B．pulled down C．drove away D．drove up
A．sign B．scene C．scenery D．sight
A．interest B．opinion C．courage D．influence
A．failed B．discouraged C．struck D．troubled
A．valuable B．embarrassing C．obvious D．lost
A．wondered B．regretted C．tried D．minded
A．feelings B．views C．actions D．attitudes
A．freeze B．hurt C．sweat D．burn
A．important B．essential C．complex D．hard
A．approximately B．obviously C．clearly D．carefully
A．counted B．meant C．valued D．care
A．but B．and C．instead D．so
A．sensitive B．convinced C．aware D．tired
A．by B．against C．on D．with
A．none B．all C．anything D．everything
Mardy, a special education teacher, wanted to build a playground for kids with disabilities. She knew it wouldn’t long to arouse（引起）interest in the project. But she expected that a third of the town would their sleeves to bring her vision to life!
“A lot of learning comes through play,” said Mardy, “But my students (with special needs) are too often left out because playgrounds will stop wheelchairs dead in their tracks.”
The city committee to mark out a piece of land for the playground.
The Kiwanis Club came through with $7,000 and that’s the grassroots movement really got started. Soon small businesses were giving some money. The local Pieper Foundation to donate half of the remaining $170,000 balance.
Finally Mardy a considerable sum of money that could the construction materials. And what Mardy was 500 volunteers work six 12-hour days.
On the first day of the construction, a lot of people came. Two women heard about the on the way to work and took the day to help. A couple drove the tool truck. Families brought pieces of wood for the fence and bricks for walkways.
“It was truly a(n) week, you know,” said Mardy very proudly. with construction experience became organizers. Those who could power tools formed a separate group. One team served donated from local churches, and another organized activities for children of volunteers.
Today the playground is one of most 3 destination in the area. There’s a rocking ship, a climbing wall, high and low rings, and monkey bars. All children play shoulder to shoulder on the same playground having whether they are able-bodied or disabled. It’s what Mardy imagined. You’ll love it.
A．release B．update C．take D．spare
A．always B．never C．even D．still
A．roll up B．bring up C．keep off D．cut off
A．dishonest B．disabled C．unpleasant D．unknown
A．reasonable B．convenient C．suitable D．traditional
A．failed B．agreed C．demanded D．expected
A．why B．where C．what D．when
A．refused B．demanded C．offered D．required
A．spent B．made C．raised D．saved
A．distribute B．cover C．import D．cost
A．needed B．predicted C．implied D．committed
A．business B．discussion C．experience D．project
A．away B．out C．off D．down
A．interesting B．attracting C．inviting D．amazing
A．Youths B．Children C．Volunteers D．Students
A．afford B．operate C．carry D．donate
A．meals B．fruits C．coffee D．water
A．complex B．casual C．permanent D．popular
A．fun B．money C．materials D．tracks
A．exactly B．accurately C．properly D．barely
One day I was talking to a stranger on the bus; he told me he had a good in Chicago and he wondered if I to know him. For a moment, I thought he might be , but I could tell from the expression on his face that he was . I felt like saying that it was ridiculous to think that all the millions of people in Chicago I could possibly have ever bumped into his friend. But, , I just smiled and reminded him that Chicago was a big city. He nodded, and I thought he was going to be content to the subject and talk about something else. But he was silent for a few minutes, and then began to tell me all about his friend.
His friend's main in life seemed to be tennis, and he had his own tennis court. A lot of people have swimming pools, yet only two people have private tennis court and his friend in Chicago was one of . I told him that I knew several people like that, my brother, a doctor in California. He that maybe there were more private courts in the country he realized, Then he asked me my brother lived in California. When I said Sacramento, he said that was a coincidence his Chicago friend spent the summer in Sacramento last year and he lived next door to a who had a tennis court in his backyard. I said that really was a coincidence (巧合) because my next-door neighbour had gone to Sacramento last summer and had the house next to my brother's house.
“Would your friend’s name happen to be Roland Kirkwood?” I asked finally. He and said,“Yes. Would your brother's name happen to be Dr Rey Hunter?” It was my to laugh.“Yes,” I replied.
A．brother B．friend C．neighbour D．teacher
A．managed B．tried C．happened D．wanted
A．expecting B．lying C．talking D．joking
A．funny B．serious C．careful D．disappointed
A．against B．out of C．beyond D．far from
A．instead B．actually C．indeed D．exactly
A．so B．too C．very D．such
A．begin B．reject C．refuse D．drop
A．problem B．choice C．interest D．work
A．just B．even C．ever D．surely
A．those B．them C．that D．whom
A．included B．including C．includes D．to include
A．admitted B．argued C．advised D．announced
A．as B．that C．than D．when
A．how B．whether C．where D．when
A．if B．because C．then D．though
A．friend B．doctor C．neighbour D．player
A．hired B．visited C．designed D．sold
A．smiled B．nodded C．cried D．laughed
A．chance B．turn C．time D．pleasure
Time spent together with family members is always a reminder of happiness. Never will I forget the days with my grandparents. Meals in their dining room, where stood a grandfather clock, were a for four generations to become one. The was always spread with delicious food containing as the main ingredient. That grandfather clock always stood like a family friend, our happiness.
The clock began to me in my childhood. I watched and listened to it during meals, how, at different times of the day, that clock would with a wonderful sound. Year after year, the clock struck a part of my , a part of my heart.
More wonderful was what my grandfather did each day. He wound that clock with a special and magic key, which the clock ticking and striking. He never let that clock wind down and . When we grandkids got a little older, he us how to wind it.
To our great sorrow, my grandfather passed away suddenly one night. Several days after his death, I entered the dining room, with tears flowing . The clock stood desertedly , seeming smaller. I couldn’t to look at it.
Years later, my grandmother gave me the key. Entering the old quiet house one morning, I opened the clock door with my shaking hand. Then and reverently（虔诚地）, I entered the key and wound the clock. It sprang to . Tick – tock, tick – tock, life was into the dining room and into my . With the hands moving, my grandfather seemed to live again. How beautiful the feeling was!
Dear friends, let’s the beautiful time being spent together with our family members!
A．party B．time C．place D．occasion
A．room B．clock C．table D．key
A．thrill B．surprise C．care D．love
A．sharing B．meeting C．ignoring D．responding
A．excite B．encourage C．interest D．inspire
A．questioning B．remembering C．doubting D．wondering
A．strike B．hit C．beat D．tap
A．comments B．opinions C．memories D．brains
A．strangely B．carefully C．eagerly D．usually
A．got B．kept C．made D．let
A．break B．fall C．stop D．move
A．showed B．provided C．demanded D．said
A．joyfully B．gently C．difficultly D．freely
A．ticking B．moving C．noisy D．quiet
A．help B．bear C．enjoy D．resist
A．slowly B．quickly C．violently D．naturally
A．feeling B．feet C．sense D．life
A．breathed B．blown C．taken D．appeared
A．study B．bedroom C．heart D．head
A．use B．treasure C．find D．search