The Asian elephant has been respected for centuries and is still used today for ceremonies and religious purposes. It is respected, not only because it plays a role in Asian culture and religion, but also because it is a key biological species in the tropical forests of Asia.
The Asian elephant is the largest land mammal in Asian. It is smaller than the African elephant, with relatively smaller ears. Asian elephants have a single “finger” on the upper lip of the long trunk, while African elephants have a second on the lower tip. A number of adult male Asian elephants have no tooth, and the percentage of males carrying ivory(象牙)is different from only about 5% in Sri Lanka to 90% in south India. Asian elephants keep their ears in constant motion in order to free the heat they produce. The species is reported to have well-developed hearing, vision, and smell , and they are also fine swimmers.
Asian elephants prefer to convey something to form groups surrounding 6 to 7 related females that are led by the oldest female. Like African elephants, these groups occasionally join others to form herds, although these associations are relatively temporary.
More than two thirds of the day may be spent feeding on grasses, but large amounts of tree bark, roots, leaves and small stems are also eaten. Crops such as bananas, rice and sugar plants are favored foods. Besides, they need to drink at least twice a day so the source of water is quite important.
The Asian elephant used to live from modern Irap and Syria to the Yellow River in China at first, but it is now found only from India to Vietnam, with a tiny population in the extreme southwest of China’s Yunnan Province. More than 100,000 Asian elephants may have existed at the start of the 20th century. The population is estimated to have fallen by at least 50% over the last 60-75 years.What can we learn from Paragraph2?
A.The Asian male elephant is the largest animal in the world. |
B.The population of Asian male elephants with ivory varies by district. |
C.The Asian elephant has two “fingers” on the lips of the long trunk. |
D.Asian elephants continuously move their ears to warm themselves. |
The Asian elephants are most likely to fed themselves______.
A.in a very large forest |
B.in the field with leaves and stems |
C.close to a river with grasses and leaves |
D.on the hillsides with grasses and trees |
What makes the author worried in the last paragraph?
A.That there are fewer and fewer Asian elephants. |
B.That Asian elephants originally ranged more widely. |
C.That Asian elephants may suffer some diseases. |
D.That there was too much killing in the last century. |
The passage introduces Asian elephants mainly in the aspects of ______.
a.the diet habit
b. the social structure
c. the life circle
d. the physical description
e. the skin color
f. the population and distribution
g. the cultural status
A.b-c-d-e-f | B.c-d-e-f-g |
C.a-b-c-d-f | D.g-d-b-a-f |
When I was about 12,1 had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings.
Week by week her list grew: I was very thin; I wasn't a good student; I talked too much; I was too proud and so on.I came very angry.1 ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, then he asked, "Are the things she said true or not? Jane, didn't you ever wonder what you're really like? Well, you now have that girl's opinion.Go and make a list of everything she said.and mark the points that are true.Pay no attention to the other things she said."
I did as he told me.To my great surprise, I discovered that about half of the things were true.Some of them I couldn't change (like being very thin), but a good number I co-aid and suddenly I wanted to change.For the first time I got a fairly clear picture of myself.
I brought the list back to Daddy.He refused to take it."That's just for you," he said."You know better than anyone else, the truth about yourself.But you have to learn to listen, not just closing your ears in anger and feeling hurt.When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of help to you.Don't shut your ears.Listen to other people's opinions, but hear the tmth and do what you know is the right 'thing to do."
Daddy's advice has returned to me at many important moments.In my life, I've
never had a better piece of advice.Which do you think would be the best title for this passage?
A.Not an Enemy, but a Best Friend |
B.The Best Advice I've Ever Had |
C.My Father |
D.My Childhood |
What does "Week by week her list grew" mean?
A.Week by week, my shortcomings grew more serious. |
B.She had written down a list of my shortcomings arid kept on adding new ones to it, |
C.I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on. |
D.Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and pointed them out. |
Why did her father listen to her quietly?
A.Because he believed that what her daughter's enemy said was mostly true. |
B.Because he had teen so angry with his daughter's shortcomings that he wanted to show this by keeping silent for a while. |
C.Because he knew; that his daughter would not listen to him at that moment. |
D.Because he wasn’t quite sure which girl was telling the truth. |
What did the father:.do after he heard his daughter's complaint?
A.He told her not.to.pay any attention to what her "enemy" had said. |
B.He criticized (批评)her and told her to overcome her shortcomings. |
C.He told her to write down all that her "enemy" had said about her and pay attention only to the things that were true. |
D.He refused to take-the list and have a look at it. |
How Long Can People Live?
She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121at birthday.
When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s record holder. She lived to the ripe old age of 122. So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span(寿命)? If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150 or beyond?
Researchers don’t entirely agree on the answers. “Calment lived to 122, so it”
wouldn’t surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135," says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas.
Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees."People can live much longer than we think," he says."Experts used to say that humans couldn't live past 110.When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120.So why can't we go higher? "
The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it's all just guessing."Anyone can make up a number," says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan."Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine."
Won't new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries? Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120.Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most.So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller, "adding another 50 percent would get you to 120."
So what can.we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers? That life span is flexible, but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington."We can get flies to live 50 percent longer," he says."But a fly's never going to live 150 years." Of course, if you became a new species, one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story, he adds.
Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve (进化) their way to longer life? "It's pretty cool to think about," he says with.a smile.What does the story of Jeanne Calment prove to us?
A.People can live to 122. |
B.Old people are creative,, |
C.Women are sporty at 85. |
D.Women live longer than men. |
According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, _____.
A.the average human life span could be 110 |
B.scientists cannot find ways to slow aging |
C.few people can expect to live to over 150 |
D.researchers are not sure how long people can live |
Who would agree that a scientist, will become famous if he makes the wildest guess at longevity?
A.Jerry Shay. | B.Steve Austad | C.Rich Miler | D.George Martin |
What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?
A.Most of us could be good at sports even at 150.
B.The average human life span cannot be doubled
C.Scientists believe mice are aging at a slower speed than before.
D.New techniques could be used to change flies into a new species
If you walk slowly though downtown Helsinki(赫尔辛基)during the day, taking in the splendid 19th century buildings, white boats and noise of passing trams(有轨电车), you will start to understand why it is called a city of two colors: white and blue.
The sea is always present in Helsinki. When you take a walk over the great open space of the central square, you will hear seabirds creaming. When over the great open space of the central square, you will hear seabirds creaming. When you take the tram, suddenly and unexpectedly, you are faced with a calm, shining blue sea. You may notice that people in Helsinki do not rush about as in other cities. Instead, they walk along the roads, politely letting other people by.
A usual way to see Helsinki for the first time is to start out by the boats. You will walk by the elderly women selling fish and vegetables in the market square and find yourself in front of a beautiful park. You may enjoy a pleasant walk in the park for a few hours and then take the tram. Trams are the perfect way to get around in Helsinki. Watching the old houses, parks, theatres, churches, shops, restaurants and people in the streets, you may have a slightly sad film feeling to it.
The pale summer nights are another wonder in the city. Following the waterfront (滨水区)of the city after sunset, you couldn’t help stopping and listening to the sweet silence, interrupted only by the screaming seabirds and leaving fishing boats.
However, in some way. Helsinki is also the most modern city in northern Europe. You will surely want to visit the white Glass Palace, the modern art museum, and all those extremely popular cafes and design stores.Helsinki is called a city of two colors mainly because of the colors of its,
A.19th century buildings, boats and parks |
B.19th century buildings, boats and seabirds |
C.old houses, parks and trams |
D.old buildings, boats and the sea |
The best way to see most of Helsinki is to go.
A.by boat | B.by bus | C.by tram | D.on foot |
The 19th century buildings, the white Glass Palace, popular cafes and design shops in Helsinki all show that Helsinki is.
A.both splendid and dull | B.both quiet and noisy |
C.both historical and modern | D.both old and new |
This passage is most likely to be found in.
A.a story-book | B.a geography textbook |
C.a research report | D.a travel magazine |
Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. Form the beginning, people may send the wrong signal(信号). Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize (强调) the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries -- like the UK or France -- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or caf6s rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment (多元文化环境) will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to _______.
A.develop closer relations | B.share the same culture |
C.get to know each other | D.keep each other company |
The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that _________.
A.the English prefer to make long speeches |
B.too many words are of no use |
C.people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature |
D.even talk and silence can be culturally different |
According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?
A.By sharing different ways of life. |
B.By accepting different habits. |
C.By recognizing different values. |
D.By speaking each other’ s languages. |
What would be the best title for the text?
A.Multicultural Environment. | B.Cross-Cultural Differences. |
C.How to Understand Each Other. | D.How to Build Up a Relationship. |
Puling heavy suitcases all day in the summer is hard work, especially when you’re a thin 14-year-old. That was me in 1940-the youngest and smallest baggage boy at New York City’s Pennsylvania Railway Station.
After just a few days on the job, I began noticing that the other fellows were overcharging passengers. I’d like to join them, thinking, “Everyone else is doing it”.
When I got home that night, I told my dad what I wanted to do. “You give an honest day’s work,” he said, looking at me straight in the eye. “They’re paying you. If they want to do that, you let them do that.”
I followed my dad’s advice for the rest of that summer and have lived by his words ever since.
Of all the jobs I’ve had, it was my experience at Pennsylvania Railway Station that has stuck with me. Now I teach my players to have respect for other people and their possessions. Being a member of a team is a totally shared experience. If one person steals, it destroys trust and hurts everyone. I can put up with many things, but not with people who steal. If one of my players were caught stealing, he’d gone.
Whether you’re on a sports team, in an office or a member of a family, if you can’t trust one another, there’s going to be trouble.What can be inferred about the baggage boys?
A.They could earn much, but they had to work hard. |
B.Many of them earned mon![]() |
C.They were all from poor families. |
D.They were all thin, young boys. |
What does the father’s advice imply?
A.It is wrong to give more pay to the passengers. |
B.Don’t believe them if they are paying you more. |
C.Don’t follow others to overcharge the passengers. |
D.It is difficu![]() |
The writer can’t put up with stealing because he thinks that.
A.it is a totally shared experience |
B.it is considered as the most dangerous |
C.it does great harm to human relationship |
D.it may lead to the loss of his sports team |
It can be concluded from the text that.
A.his father’s advice helped him to decide which job to take up |
B.working in the sports team was his most important experience |
C.he learnt much from his shared experience with his team members |
D.his experience s a baggage boy had a great influence on his later life |