Nothing could stop Dad. After he was put on disability for a bad back, he bought a small farm in the country, just enough to grow food for the family. He planted vegetables, fruit trees and even kept bees for honey.
And every week he cleaned Old Man McColgin's chicken house in exchange for manure(肥料). The smell really burned the inside of your nose. When we complained about the terrible smell, Dad said the stronger the manure, the healthier the crops, and he was right.
For example, just one of his cantaloupes filled the entire house with its sweet smell, and the taste was even sweeter.
As the vegetables started coming in, Dad threw himself into cooking. One day, armed with a basket of vegetables, he announced he was going to make stew(炖菜).Dad pulled out a pressure cooker and filled it up with cabbages, eggplants, potatoes, corns, onions and carrots. For about half an hour. The pressure built and the vegetables cooked. Finally, Dad turned off the stove, the pot began to cool and the pressure relief valve sprayed out a cloud of steam. If we thought Dad's pile of chicken manure was bad, this was 10 times worse. When Dad took off the lid, the smell nearly knocked us out.
Dad carried the pot out and we opened doors and windows to air out the house. Just how bad was it? The neighbors came out of their houses to see if we had a gas leak!
Determined, Dad filled our plates with steaming stew and passed them around. It didn’t look that bad, and after the first wave had shut down my ability to smell, it didn’t offend the nose so much, either. I took a taste. It would never win a prize in a cooking competition, but it was surprisingly edible, and we drank up every last drop of soup.Why did Dad clean Old Man MoColgin’s chicken house regularly?
A.To earn some money for the family. |
B.To collect manure for his crops. |
C.To get rid of the terrible smell. |
D.To set a good example to us. |
What can we infer about Dad’s stew?
A.It is popular among the neighbors. |
B.It contains honey and vegetables. |
C.It looks very wonderful. |
D.It tastes quite delicious. |
What does the underlined word “offend” in the last paragraph mean?
A.To attract. |
B.To upset. |
C.To air. |
D.To shut |
What can we learn about Dad form the text?
A.He is an experienced cook. |
B.He is a troublesome father. |
C.He has a positive attitude to life. |
D.He suffers a lot from his disability. |
As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential( 必要的 ) for a healthy mind and body.
Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing as it is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital (有必要的) to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.
The amount of stress a person can stand depends very much on the person himself. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously important for managerial responsibilities. Others lose heart at the first signs of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever from, we react both chemically and physically.In fact we make choice between “fight or fight” and in more unlikely to be so extreme, but how little the stress is, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes endangered conditions as high blood pressure and heart diseases have diseases have established links with stress. Since we cannot remove stress from our lives ( it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.
6. People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because ________ .
A. they do not know how to enjoy themselves
B. they do not believe that relaxation is important for health
C. they are traveling fast all the time
D. they are becoming busier with their work
7. Accoding to the writer, the most important character for a good manager is his _______ .
A. not fearing stress B. knowing the art of relaxation
C. high sense of responsibilities D. having control over performance
8. Which of the following statement is true ?
A. We can find some ways to avoid stress.
B. Stress is always harmful to people.
C. It is easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work.
D. Different people can withstand different amount of stress.
9. The underlined words “such a reaction” refer back to_________ .
A. asking a choice between”fight of fight”
B. “reaction to stress both chemically and physically”
C. “responding to crises quickly”
D. “losing heart at the signs of difficulties”
10. In the last sentence of the passage “do so” refers to________ .
A. “expose ourselves to stress”
B. “find ways to deal with stress”
C. “remove stress from our lives”
D. “establish links between diseases and stress”
七.阅读理解 (20分)
At first, the earth’s surface layer (层 ) was made up of huge blocks of hard, solid rocks.There slowly, the rocks broke up into smaller and smaller pieces. Finally stones, pebble(卵石) and grains of sand were formed. Many sorts of plants and animals lived and died on the surface of the earth. Their remain mixed up with the stones, pebbles and formed soil. The outmost layer of the earth is soil.
There are many ways in which large pieces of rock break into smaller ones. Wind, water, heat and cold help to break up rocks. When winds blow grains of sand against a large rock for a long time, the softer layer of the rock are slowly worn away. These leave holes and crack(裂缝) in the rock, which become bigger and finally the rock breaks up into smaller pieces.
The moving water of streams and rivers also help to break up rocks. As the water moves along, it carries with it small pieces of rock. These rub the larger ones, Thus, the larger rocks are worn down to smaller pieces.
The heat of the sun also help to breaking up rocks. When the sun shines, the rocks become very hot. If these rocks are suddenly cooled, they may crack. Ice also plays a part in making soil. Water in the cracks can turn into ice in cold weather. As this happens, it becomes bigger and cracks become wider, and finally break into smaller pieces.
1. According to the passage, soil _________ .
A. forms very slowly
B. is a mixture of stones, pebbles and sand
C. make up the layer of the earth
D. is becoming smaller and smaller
2. How many factors are mentioned in helping the forming of soil ?
A. Three B. Four C. Five D.More than five
3. Which of the following speeds up the breaks of rocks most ?
A. Hot weather B. Cold water
C. Sharp changs in temperature D. More dead plants in the cracks
4. Which of the following is NOT true ?
A.The remains of many plants of animals formed soil.
B. If a large rock never moves, it will never break up.
C.Even if a large rock never moves, it will break up.
D. Ice in the cracks helps to break up rocks.
5. The best titl for this passage should be ________ .
A. Soil from Rocks B. Ways to Break Rocks
C. Soil on the Earth D. Soil, Outmost Layer of the Earth
Some people believe that international sport creates goodwill between the nations and that if countries play games together they will learn to live together. Others say that the opposite is true: that international contests encourage false national pride and lead to misunderstanding and hatred. There is probably some truth in both arguments, but in recent years the Olympic Games have done little to support the view that sports encourage international brotherhood. Not only was there the incident of tragedy involving murder of athletes, but the Games were also ruined by lesser incidents caused principally by minor national contests.
One country received its second-place medals with visible anger after the hockey final. There had been noisy scenes at the end of the hockey match, the losers objecting to the final decisions. They were convinced that one of their goals should not have been disallowed and that their opponents’ victory was unfair. Their manager was in a rage when he said; “This isn’t hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished.” The president of the Federation said later that such behavior could result in the suspension of the team for at least three years.
The American basketball team announced that they would not yield first place to Russia, after a disputable end to their contest. The game had ended in disorder. It was thought at first that the United States had won by a single point, but it was announced that there were three seconds still to play. A Russian player then threw the ball from one end of the court to the other, and another player popped it into the basket. It was the first time the US had ever lost an Olympic basketball match. An appeal jury (评审委员会) debated the matter for four and a half hours before announcing that the result would stand. The American players then voted not to receive the silver medals.
Incidents of this kind will continue as long as sport is played competitively rather than for the love of the game. The suggestion that athletes should compete as individuals or in non-national teams, might be too much to hope for. But in present organization of Olympics there is far too much that encourages aggressive patriotism (爱国主义).
51. The author thinks that in recent years Olympic Games have _____.
A. showed little international friendship
B. greatly encouraged international brotherhood
C. created goodwill between the nations
D. created only misunderstanding and hatred
52. What did the manager mean by saying “This isn’t hockey. Hockey and the International Hockey Federation are finished”?
A. This is not a standard hockey match.
B. The federation would not exist any longer after this match was over.
C. His team would not enter the game in three years.
D. The unfair decision ruined both hockey and the Federation.
53. The basketball match showed that _____.
A. aggressive patriotism was displayed in the incident
B. the Russian team should not have taken advantage of the last three seconds
C. the appeal jury was too inefficient in making a decision
D. the American team should have taken the first place
54. The author gives two examples in the 2nd and the 3rd paragraphs in order to show that _____.
A. contests often end in disorder
B. no contests are fair in Olympic Games
C. competition discourages international friendship
D. unfair decisions are common in sports
55. Which statement best summarizes this passage?
A. Athletes should compete as individuals.
B. The organization of the Olympic Games must be improved.
C. Any team that has disrespectful behavior should be suspended.
D. Different teams often have disputes when fighting for the first place.
Did you ever wonder why leaves change colors in autumn, or how it happens? Here’s a quick explanation.
First of all, you’ve probably noticed that not all trees lose their leaves. There are two major types of trees: deciduous trees and evergreens. Evergreens keep their leaves and stay green all year long. The deciduous trees are the ones that lose their leaves each year.
In autumn, the days begin to get shorter. The sun is also lower in the sky at noon, which causes temperatures to be cooler. The combination of less sunshine and lower temperatures is what causes the deciduous trees to drop their leaves. In winter, deciduous trees “go to sleep”, sort of like a bear goes into hibernation.
Leaves are the food factories for a plant. Unlike animals,plants make their own food by taking energy directly from the sun. Plants do this by using a chemical in their leaves called chlorophyll.
Chlorophyll is green. During the spring and summer the leaves of a deciduous tree look green because there is a lot of chlorophyll there. In autumn, however, the sunshine becomes more scarce and the leaves on the trees stop making new chlorophyll. As the old chlorophyll starts to break down, the green color of the leaf begins to go away.
You’ve probably also noticed that the leaves of different kinds of trees change different colors. The leaves of some trees turn yellow or orange, while the leaves of other trees turn bright red or purple. The different colors are caused by the different chemical reactions that are happening in the leaves.
For example, the leaves of some trees turn yellow when the chlorophyll breaks down. When the green chlorophyll goes away, a yellow pigment in the leaf becomes visible. The yellow pigment, called cartenoid, was already there during the summer, but is was not easily seen because there was too much green chlorophyll.
In other trees where the leaves turn red or purple a different chemical reaction takes place. In those leaves the chlorophyll also breaks down, but another chemical reaction takes place at the same time. Chemicals in the leaves, called starches, begin to change into chemicals called anthocyanins, which give the leaves their red and purple colors.
So next time you see the beautiful colors of autumn you will also know the science behind that beauty.
46. What is the correct term for trees that lose their leaves in the autumn?
A. Evergreens B. Deciduous C. Cartenoids D. Anthocyanins
47. Which of the following is NOT mentioned as a cause of trees dropping their leaves?
A. A change in temperature B. The amount of daylight available
C. Extra chlorophyll D. Chemical changes in the leaves
48. If there are 50 evergreens and 10 deciduous trees in a forest, in autumn what color are most of the leaves in the forest likely to be?
A. Green B. Red and purple
C. Yellow D. not enough information to determine the answer
49. Which of the following is only present in leaves during the autumn?
A. Chlorophyll B. Starch C. Cartenoids D. Anthocyanins
50. Where would such an article mostly likely be published?
A. In a book B. In a primary school science text book
C. In a magazine for young people D. All are equally likely
Ⅲ 阅读 (共两节,满分40分)
第一节阅读理解 (共15小题;每小题2分,满分30分)
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C和D项中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
Marie Curie was a Polish physicist and chemist who lived between 1867-1934. Together with her husband, Pierre, she discovered two new elements (radium and polonium, two radioactive elements that they extracted chemically from pitchblende ore) and studied the x-rays they emitted. She found that the harmful properties of x-rays were able to kill tumors. By the end of World War I, Marie Curie was probably the most famous woman in the world. She had made a conscious decision, however, not to patent methods of processing radium or its medical applications.
Marie Curie was born November 7, 1867 in Poland and died on July 4, 1934. Her co-discovery with her husband Pierre Curie of the radioactive elements radium and polonium represents one of the best known stories in modern science for which they were recognized in 1901 with the Nobel Prize in Physics. In 1911, Marie Curie was honored with a second Nobel prize, this time in chemistry, to honor her for successfully isolating pure radium and determining radium's atomic weight.
As a child, Marie Curie amazed people with her great memory. She learned to read when she was only four years old. Her father was a professor of science and the instruments that he kept in a glass case fascinated Marie. She dreamed of becoming a scientist, but that would not be easy. Her family became very poor, and at the age of 18, Marie became a governess. She helped pay for her sister to study in Paris. Later, her sister helped Marie with her education. In 1891, Marie attended the Sorbonne University in Paris where she met and married Pierre Curie, a well-known physicist.
Marie Curie contributed greatly to our understanding of radioactivity and the effects of x-rays. She received two Nobel prizes for her brilliant work, but died of leukemia, caused by her repeated exposure to radioactive material.
41. What is the main idea of the passage?
A. To give us a general introduction to Madame Curie.
B. To show us how Madame Curie discovered radium.
C. To tell us how Madame Curie developed as a scientist.
D. To tell us how Madame Curie received two Nobel Prizes.
42. Madame Curie was given the Nobel Prize in chemistry because_________.
A. she discovered radium
B. she separated pure radium and calculated its atomic weight
C. she discovered polonium
D. she didn’t patent methods of processing radium
43. Which of the following statements about Madame Curie is Not True?
A. Madame Curie made great contributions to medical science.
B. Madame Curie was very smart and ambitious when she was a child.
C. Madame Curie received two Nobel Prizes in physics.
D. Madame Curie’s husband helped her a lot in her research.
44. We can infer from the third paragraph that_________.
①Madame Curie got married when she was at college.
②Madam Curie had a great ambition when she was young.
③Madame Curie loved teaching more than anything else.
④Madam Curie must have met a lot of difficulties to get high education.
⑤Her father had a great influence on Madam Curie’s future career.
⑥Madam Curie was very smart when she was a child
A. ①②④⑤⑥ B.②④⑤⑥ C. ②③④⑤⑥ D. ①②③④⑤
45. Which is the right order about Madam Curie according to the passage?
a. married Pierre b. attended University c. discovered radium
d. determined radium’s atomic weight e. won the Nobel Prize in physics
A. b, c, a, d, e B. b, a, c, d, e C. b, a, c, e, d D. b, c, a, e, d