初中英语说明文试题

Can dolphins talk? Maybe they can’t talk with words, but they talk with sounds. They show their feelings with sounds.
Dolphins travel in a group. We call a group of fish“a school(一群)。” They don’t study, but they travel together. Dolphins are mammals(哺乳动物)，not fish, but they swim together like fish in a school.
Dolphins talk to the other dolphins in the school. They give information. They tell when they are happy or sad or afraid. They say” welcome” when a dolphin comes back to the school. They talk when they play.
They make a few sounds above water. They make many more sounds under water. People cannot hear these sounds because they are very, very high. Scientists make tapes of the sounds and study them.
Sometimes people catch a dolphin for a large aquarium(水族馆). People can watch the dolphins in a show. Dolphins don’t like to be away from their school in an aquarium. They are sad and lonely.
There are many stories about dolphins. They help people. Sometimes they save somebody’s life. Dolphins’ meat is good, but people don’t like to kill them. They say that dolphins bring good luck. Many people believe this.
The word“school”means      .

A．a place for students to study

B．a special kind of animals

C．a group of fish traveling together

D．a place for training dolphins

A dolphin makes a sound to        .

A．show other dolphins they are happy

B．tell other dolphins they are sad

C．let people know they are afraid

D．give information to other dolphins

People can’t hear dolphins’ sounds under the water      .

A．because they are very, very low

B．because they are very, very high

C．because they only make a few sounds

D．because they want to keep it as a secret

Dolphins would like to       .

A．study at schools	B．be away from their schools
C．stay with other dolphins	D．be in shows

The best title for this passage is      .

A．The Dolphin	B．Schools of Dolphins
C．Dolphin’s Talk	D．Man’s Friend

The city of Yangzhou came into being at the Spring and Autumn Period ( about 500 AC ).As the key transportation link at joint (连接处) place of the Great Canal（运河）( Beijing-Hangzhou) and Changjiang (Yangtze River), Yangzhou has been from the Sui Dynasty (600 AD.) an economically rich city, and then reached its top in the Tang Dynasty. At that time, Yangzhou was a famous port and one of few biggest cities in East Asia.
With the improvement of the local economy and easy transportation way, there happened in the history a special local culture, which has an important place in Chinese culture. Many famous men of letters, poets, artists, scholars (学者), statesmen, scientists and national heroes in the history were born in, lived in or had connection with Yangzhou. Li Bai, one of the greatest Chinese poets visited and stayed in Yangzhou several times in his life and one of his famous poems about Yangzhou has been so popular that Chinese of all ages can sing it and has become a symbol of Yangzhou . Zheng Banqiao, a famous Chinese painting painter in the Qing Dynasty heading a group called “Eight Eccentrics”, had strongly influenced Chinese paintings. Wang Zhong and Yuan Yuan and some other scholars formed school of Yangzhou Scholars and achieved great success in the study of classic Chinese and writing. Zhu Ziqing, one of most famous modern Chinese writers and scholars, had always been proud of himself as a native of Yangzhou and thanked the city for being nourished (养育) by its rich culture. Quite a few other names you may come across frequently (频繁地) in the study of Chinese culture and history have connection with Yangzhou. Yangzhou was so attractive and important that many Chinese emperors in history had come specially to visit or check the city. Emperor Suiyang, who ordered to cut the Great Canal so that he could come more easily and quickly, died on his last trip to the city and buried (埋葬) here. Emperor Qianlong had come all the way from the north and visited the city nine times.
Which of following sentences is NOT right according to this passage?

A．Yangzhou joined the Great Canal (Beijing-Hangzhou) and Changjiang (Yangtze River).

B．In the Tang Dynasty Yangzhou was a famous port and one of few biggest cities in Asia.

C．Emperor Suiyang was buried in Yangzhou.

D．Emperor Qianlong visited Yangzhou nine times.

We can infer（推断）the poem mentioned in this passage by Li Bai is _______.

A．《黄鹤楼送孟浩然之广陵》	B．《望庐山瀑布》
C．《静夜思》	D．《赠汪伦》

Who influenced Chinese paintings a lot according to this passage?

A．Zheng Banqiao	B．Zhu Ziqing
C．Wang Zhong	D．Li Bai

What’s the best title of the passage?

A．Yangzhou：An Economically Rich City

B．Yangzhou：An Easy Transportation City

C．Yangzhou：A Historical Culture City

D．Yangzhou：A Famous Tour City

We have always been interested in the moon.2000 years ago people already knew it moved around the earth and where it would be in the sky at different times of the year.At that time, everything about the moon was learned by watching it carefully in the sky.
When scientists could use telescopes to study the moon more closely, their ideas began to change.They could see the moon was made of rocks.Most scientists thought moon rocks would be different from those on Earth.This was because they believed the moon had once been a planet that had been caught in the earth's gravity (引力) millions of years earlier.
In 1969 moon rocks were finally brought to the earth and studied.Much to their surprise, scientists found that, except for water, the moon and the earth were made of the same things.Once again new ideas were needed for this new information.
After years of study, most scientists now think that the moon was once part of Earth.They believe very early in its history, maybe 4 million years ago, something about the size of Mars hit Earth.This sent billions of rocks into space around our planet.These rocks slowly joined together and after many years became the moon.
In the future, even though our ideas about the moon may change again, we will still be interested in it.
Now, we’re sure ________________

A．Moon rocks are quite different from those on Earth.

B．Moon was once a part of Earth.

C．Moon moves around Earth and it’s the only satellite of Earth.

D．Moon was once a planet caught in Earth’s gravity.

In 1969 there is a big event, that is __________.

A．humans Found no water in Moon rocks

B．scientists made out a modern spaceship

C．scientists invented an advanced telescope

D．humans left their footprints on Moon

What does the writer want to tell us in the passage?

A．Why people are interested in the moon.

B．How ideas about the moon have changed over time.

C．Where the moon came from in the past.

D．That people have finally learned the truth about the moon.

Before 1969 most scientists thought the moon was ________.

A．part of the earth billions of years earlier

B．older than the earth

C．a planet caught by the earth's gravity

D．made of the same things as the earth

From this passage we can learn that ________.

A．scientists in the past were not clever

B．the earth was once part of the moon

C．new information brings new ideas

D．we now know everything about the moon

There are four seasons in China.March, April and May make the spring.June, July and August make the summer season.September, October and November make the autumn season.The rest（剩下）of months make the winter season.
The Australia seasons are the opposite（相反的）of ours.When it’s spring in China, it is autumn in Australia.
Australia is in the south（南方）of the earth.June, July and August are the winter months.The summer is in December, January and February.It’s very hot there, too.
Near the North Pole（北极）there are two seasons.The winter nights are long.For more than two months you can’t see the sun, even at noon.The summer days are long.For more that two months, the sun never sets（落下）, and there’s no night.
＿＿＿make the winter season in China.

A．October, November and December

B．November, December and January

C．December, January and February

D．January, February and March

When it’s summer in China, it is＿＿＿in Australia.

A．winter

B．autumn

C．spring

D．summer

Near the North Pole there are two seasons: ＿＿＿.

A．spring and summer	B．summer and winter
C．summer and autumn	D．spring and winter

Near the North Pole, there’s no night in summer for more than＿＿＿months.

A．one

B．two

C．three

D．four

＿＿＿in winter near the North Pole.

A．The days are longer than the nights

B．The days are as long as the nights

C．The days are shorter than the nights

D．The nights are shorter than the days

Algae(水藻) are very simple plants. They grow in fresh water or salty water. Seaweed is algae that grow in salty water. Seaweed is red or brown in color. The Japanese people use these plants from the sea in many ways. From it, they make a food called Kombu. Kombu is seaweed that has been dried, cooked and pressed together. Then it is dried again and cut into long pieces. The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu and like it very much.
Japanese farmers often use seaweed as fertilizer. It makes their plants grow better. Many farmers also find seaweed makes a fine food for their animals.
From seaweed the Japanese also get iodine(碘), which they sell to other countries. Iodine is used in many ways all over the world. It is used in making medicine. It is added to the salt we use at the table. Scientists even use one form of iodine to "seed clouds" when they want rain to fall.
Kombu is a kind of ____ according to the text.

A．plant

B．medicine

C．food

D．fertilizer

In the last sentence of the text, "seed clouds" means ____.

A．clouds spreading like seeds

B．the seeds like clouds

C．to make rain fall with human power

D．dropping seeds by clouds

The main idea of the story is that ____.

A．The Japanese eat seaweed when they want rain to fall.

B．Kombu is made into medicine for farmers.

C．The Japanese use seaweed in many ways.

D．The Japanese eat a lot of Kombu.

No matter where the dads and their children go, that location immediately becomes a tourist destination. This has become a pattern for Hunan TV’s reality show Where Are We Going, Dad? And last week the show was heading overseas for a special international episode. The entry has taken place in New Zealand, which was expected to become a popular travel destination for Chinese fans of the show. If you don’t know much about New Zealand but would like to explore it, check out our travel guide to see what kinds of activities might interest you.
Nature and wildlife encounter
New Zealand was the last country on Earth to be settled by humans. As such, it’s a paradise for exotic birds. You’re also able to watch dolphins and whales on boat tours.
Possible itinerary (旅行指南)
1.Auckland: fly in and visit Tiritiri Matangi conservation project (bellbirds spotting); 2.Waipoua Forest: huge kauri trees; 3.Kaikoura: whale watching by boat or air seal watching, hike the Kaikoura Peninsula Walkway, join a dolphin encounter tour; 4.Wellington (Matiu/Somes Island): red-crowned parakeet, blue penguins, weta, skinks and tuatara; 5.Stewart Island: kiwi bird spotting; 6.Te Anau: takahe and kea; 7. Queenstown: fly to Auckland and finally ___43___.
Landscape lover
Landscape lovers may have heard that New Zealand is brimming with natural wonders like active volcanoes (火山), snowy mountaintops, glaciers perched near beaches and caves infested with glowworms. Indeed, you can’t see many of these wonders anywhere else in the world.
Possible itinerary
1.Auckland: fly in; 2.Whangamata: beach resorts and The Coromandel Forest Park (short walks, mountain bike trails); 3.Waitomo: underground caves and glowworm caverns; 4.Rotorua: geothermal areas; 5.Abel Tasman: golden sand beaches (taking water taxi, sea kayaking, hiking, and snorkeling); 6.Fox Glacier and Franz Josef: biggest glaciers in the country (hiking and guided glacier walks); 7.Queenstown: crystal clear Lake Wakatipu (bungee jumping, sky diving, horse trekking and cycling); 8. Milford Sound: fjord (boat cruises, sea kayaking, diving and flightseeing); 9.Christchurch: fly back.
New Zealand is ____ for Chinese fans after the show Where Are We Going, Dad?

A．more beautiful	B．more famous
C． more popular	D．cleaner

Which is the best expression to fill in the blank (空白处) in the passage?

A．have dinner	B．fly back
C．go sightseeing	D．ride horses

How is the passage organized? (Par = Paragraph)

A．Par 1→Pars 2~4→Par 5 ~9

B．Pars 1~3→Par 4 ~7 →Pars 8~9

C．Par 1→Pars 2~5→Pars 6~9

D．Pars 1~3→Pars 3~4→Par 5 ~ 9

From the passage, we know that New Zealand is a travel destination for ______.

A．landscape lovers	B．nature lovers
C．wildlife lovers	D．different kinds of travel lover

Books which give instructions on how to do things are very popular in the United States today. Thousands of these “How to” books are available; in fact, there are about four thousand books with titles that begin with the words "How to". One book may tell you how to earn more money, another may tell you how to save or spend it, and another may explain how to give your money away. Many “How to” books give advice on careers (职业). They tell you how to choose a career and how to succeed at it. If you fail, however, you can buy a book called "How to Turn Failure into Success". If you would like to become very rich, you can buy the book "How to Make a Million". If you never make any money at all, you may need a book called "How to Live on Nothing?"
One of the most popular types of books is one that helps you with personal problems. If you want to have a better love of life, you can read "How to Succeed at Love Every Minute of Your Life?". If you are tired of books on happiness, you may prefer a book called "How to Make Yourself miserable?".
Many of these books help people use their time better. Some people want books which will give them useful information about sports, hobbies, and travel.  Other people use their free time to make repairs and improvements on their homes. They prefer books which give step by step instruction on how to repair things like plumbing (卫生管道工程) and electrical wiring, or on how to redecorate (重新装饰) or enlarge a house.
Why have "How to" books become so popular? Probably because life has become so complex. Today people have far more free time to use, more choices to make, and more problems to solve. "How to" books help people deal with modem life.
“How to” books are welcomed in the United States today because___________.

A．these books are cheap

B．Americans love the writers of these books

C．the readers can get them without paying anything

D．these books can help the Americans deal with their problems in modern life

These “How to” books are written to__________.

A．tell people to love their life

B．earn money

C．give people some good advice on how to

D．say something about America

Before someone wants to find a good job, he          .

A．buy a book on "How to Make a Million?

B．read a book on how to choose a career

C．beg bosses or managers for it

D．use his free time to look for it

If people will not succeed in what he is doing, a book called___________ can give help.

A．“How to” Turn Failure into Success

B．“How to” Make a Million

C．“How to” Succeed at Love Every Minute of Your Life

D．“How to” Make Yourself Miserable

Which headline of the following is the best for this passage?

A．“ How to”Books in America.

B．“How to” Books Are Ordinary in America.

C．Thousands of “How to” Books.

D．Books with Title That Begin with the Words “How to”.

  For some people, music is no fun at all. About 4% of the population is what scientists call “amusic”. People who are amusic are born without the ability to enjoy musical notes. Amusic people often cannot tell the differences between two songs.
As a result, songs sound like noise to an amusic. Many amuics compare the sound of music to pieces of metal hitting each other. Life can be hard for amusics. In fact, most people cannot understand what it feel like be amusic. Just going to a restaurant or a shopping center can be uncomfortable or even painful. That is why many amusics have to stay away from places where there is music. However, this can result in social loneliness. “I used to hate parties,” says Margaret, a seventy-year-old woman who only recently discovered that she was amusic. By studying people like Margaret, scientists are finally learning how to identify(辨别) this unusual condition.
Scientists say that the brains of amusics are different for those of people who can enjoy music. The difference is complex(复杂的), and it is not connected with poor hearing. Amusics can understand other non-musical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding common speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can’t see certain colors.
Many amusics are happy when their condition is finally diagnosed(诊断). For years, Margaret felt embarrassed about her problem music. Now she knows that she is not alone. That makes it easier for her to explain. “When people invite me to a concert, I just say ”No, thanks. I’m amusic.’” says Margret.
Amusics are the people who _________.

A．like music	B．have poor listening
C．don’t like music	D．are born unable to enjoy music

Life is hard for amusics mainly because _________.

A．music seems noise for them.

B．people don’t understand amusics

C．amusics try to stay at places full of music

D．amusics hate parties, restaurants or shopping center.

Scientists identify amusics by _________.

A．studying different kinds of music

B．going to parties regularly

C．studying amusic people

D．comparing music to colors

What causes amusics different from most people according to scientists?

A．Their brains.

B．Their poor hearing.

C．Their lack of colors.

D．Their problems with speech.

What is the main idea of the passage?

A．Amusics’ strange behaviors.

B．Musical ability.

C．Some people’s inability to enjoy music.

D．Identification and treatment of amusic.

李霞要参加一次西式商务餐，但她对餐具的正确使用不清楚，所以她从网上下载了以下这份资料，从A-E选择与1-4对应的物品，并回答第5题。

A．Water

B．Wine

C．Dessert

D．Soup E. Bread and butter

Which column can Li Xiang get the above information?

A．Sports

B．Health

C．Etiquette

D．Music

The seasons in Australia are not like ours.  When it is winter in China, it is summer there.  Australia is in the south of the world. June, July and August are the winter months; September., October and November are spring; summer is in December, January and February; and March, April and May are the autumn months. The north of the country is hotter than the south.
A very large part of the country has no rain at all. The east coast (海岸）has rain all the year round. There are no dry months there. The southeast winds bring rain from the sea. There is not much rain on the west side. The southeast part of Australia has summer rain from the southeast winds. They only blow here in summer.
The southwest part of Australia also has winter rain. The west winds blow over the southwest in winter only. In summer, the southwest of the country has no rain. In the north of Australia there is no rain in winter. The rain comes in summer. The northwest winds bring it.
What season is it in Australiawhen it is summer in China ? (No more than 1 word)
________________________________________________.
Which months are autumn in Australia ? (No more than 4 words)
___________________________________________________.
Which part of Australia has the most of rain? (No more than 3 words)
_____________________________________________.
Is there summer rain in the southeast of Australia ? (No more than 3 words)
____________________________________________.
What bring rain to the north of Australia in summer? (No more than 3 words)
_______________________________________________.

The air plant has wonderful and amazing features. It takes in moisture(水汽)from the air through its leaves．Although it is seen growing on another object or plant to support itself.
To prevent the roots from being too wet，avoid(避免) planting it in soil. Keep the roots in a well—ventilated(通风良好的)environment. Air plants can grow well hanging from fishing lines. They can also be hung from seashells, teacups or even on wood.
Water the air plant once in a while. Simply let the water fall from the roots. The roots will take in the water for the air plant. The air plant can live between 0℃° and 51 ℃. It does not need to be in the light all the time. However, sunlight(morning and evening only)helps it to reproduce(繁殖)faster. When it flowers，it turns a colorful pink, red or orange．At most 8 young plants can grow from the air plant．When these grow to half the size of the parent plant, simply pull them away gently from the parent plant and plant them in another place．
The lifespan of an air plant depends on the care it gets and the environment it is placed in. Generally, all air plant can live for many years.
Because they are so beautiful and easy to take care of, air plants are excellent as birthday gifts or housewarming gifts.
The air plant takes in moisture from ______.

A．other plants	B．the air
C．the roots	D．other objects

An air plant must NOT be placed in _______.

A．soil

B．seashells

C．teacups

D．wood

Morning sunlight can help the air plant _________.

A．become drier

B．produce young plants faster

C．turn into different colors

D．become half the size of the parent plant

The underlined word “depend on” most probably means _______.

A．支持

B．继续

C．取决于

D．应付

The air plant is easy to take care of because it ______.

A．is a famous plant

B．needs little water and sunlight

C．grows on other plants and objects

D．makes the garden beautiful

No Car Day was first started by 34 cities in France on September 22, 1998. It was started to protect the environment. By now, more than 1,000 cities around the world have had a No Car Day.
The first No Car Day in China was in Chengdu in 2001. Other cities, including Taipai, Shanghai and Wuhan, also support the day.
In Beijing, more and more people are joining the campaign. It asks drivers to leave their cars at home for one day each month and walk or ride a bike to work. It also calls on Beijingers not to use cars on June 5(World Environment Day). The slogan for the day is, “If we drive for one less day, we can have one more nice day.”
So far, more than 200,000 drivers have shown their support. “We can’t control(控制) the weather, but we can choose not to drive,” said Wu Zonghua, a car club chairman. Beijing is trying to have 238 blue sky days this year. In the first quarter of 2012, Beijing only had 52 blue sky days. This was 11 days less than the number for the same period the year before. Much of the dust comes from the desert, but cars cause most of the air pollution. We must do more for No Car Day.
The first No Car Day fell on _______.

A．February 2^nd	B．June 5^th
C．July 5^th	D．September 22^nd

_______ was the first city to have No Car Day in China.

A．Beijing

B．Chengdu

C．Shanghai

D．Wuhan

What does the underlined word “slogan” in Paragraph 3 mean?

A．目的

B．原因

C．意义

D．口号

How many blue sky days did Beijing have in the first quarter of 2011?

A．63.

B．52.

C．41.

D．238.

Which of the following statements is True?

A．China is the first country to start No Car Day.

B．No Car Day is World Environment Day.

C．No Car Day has been supported by over 1,000 cities around the world so far.

D．Much of the dust in the air comes from cars.

Height is just one of the thousands of features that your genes (基因) decide. In fact, because you have two parents, your genes provide you a height that usually lands somewhere between the height of each parent. If both your parents are tall, then maybe you will be tall, too, but if you have questions about how tall you’re going to be, ask your doctor if he or she can help you find it out.
But genes don’t decide everything. For example, eating an unhealthy diet can keep you from growing to your full potential (潜力). Getting enough sleep and enough exercise will help you grow to the right height.
Maybe you’re wondering how fast you should grow. There’s no right answer. Kids grow about 2 inches (5 centimeters) a year between age 3 and the time they start puberty（青春期） .
Your doctor will know how your growth (生长) has been going over the years. Two centimeters here and 2 inches there are not nearly as important as the height you’re at now, how you’ve been growing up to this point, and what other changes your body may be going through.
Don’t be worried if you have grown a lot in a very short time. Everyone has a very quick growth during puberty. The age for starting puberty is about 10 for girls and about 11 for boys. But it can be earlier or later —between 7 and 13 for girls, 9 and 15 for boys.
You’ll usually begin to find that you’re growing faster about a year after your body starts to show the first changes of puberty.
If you want to know how fast and how tall you should grow, _______.

A．you should have enough exercise

B．you can ask doctors for help

C．you should protect the environment

D．you can record your growth during puberty

This passage is mainly about _______.

A．how the genes work in your body

B．when the time you grow fast is

C．why you look like your parents

D．how you grow to a certain (某一) height

After reading this passage, we can explain (解释) _______.

A．how good it is to be a doctor

B．how much sleep we need

C．why genes can’t decide everything

D．what an unhealthy diet is

The 4 Smallest Countries In The World

Nauru – 21 km² Located east of Australia， Nauru is the smallest island country in the world. It is also a country with the most overweight people in the world， with 97% of its men and 93% of women being overweight.

Tuvalu – 26 km² Located in the Pacific Ocean， west of Australia. There are about 10，000 people， with 8 km of roads， and only 1 hospital on the main island. Since it’s a difficult place to get to， in 2010， only about 2，000 visitors came to Tuvalu.

Vatican – 0.44 km² The world’s smallest country is the Vatican， also known as the Holy See. This country fits within the Italian capital city of Rome. It is also home to the biggest church in the world – St. Peter’s Basilica， and holds some of the most important art works.

Monaco – 2 km² Located on the French Riviera， Monaco is home to the largest number of rich people per capital in the world. With a population of over 36，000， Monaco is the world’s most densely (密集地) populated country. People there are mostly French-speaking. The most popular event is the Formula 1 race， held there every year.

Which is the smallest island country?

A．Nauru.

B．Tuvalu.

C．Vatican.

D．Monaco.

What’s the area of Vatican?

A．21 km².

B．26 km².

C．0.44 km².

D．2 km².

Which of the following about Monaco is TRUE?

A．It’s the world’s smallest country.

B．It’s the most difficult place to get to.

C．It has the most overweight people in the world.

D．It’s the world’s most densely populated country.

阅读表达 （共5小题，计5分）
Tanzania(坦桑尼亚) has _________ animals, such as lions, elephants, giraffes, crocodiles and so on(等等). Every year, many people in the world travel to this African country to watch the animals closely. But do you know how they travel?
By bus --This is the most common way. When people get on a bus, they'll find that the bus is a little strange(奇怪). It is different from the buses we often see. There are no big windows（窗户） at all, but some small windows. And it looks like a cage. What are they used for? Oh, people can use it to watch animals and take photos.
By boat --We can often see many people are in a boat, enjoying the beautiful things along a river or a lake, and they can also enjoy the hippos(河马) and crocodiles from a nearer distance.
By hot balloon(热气球) --In the early morning, when the sun is beginning to rise, a large hot balloon is also starting its tour. Taking a hot balloon makes most of the tourists excited. After some time, the balloon will land in a certain place, and the waiters will give people delicious and special breakfast. But the cost of taking a hot balloon is also very high. A person should pay 400 dollars for an hour's trip
“such as ” 的汉语意思是__________________________________________________
How many ways of transportation(交通方式) are mentioned in the passage?
__________________________________
Put the underlined sentence into Chinese.（写出划线句子的汉语意思）
_______________________________________________________________________
在文中空白处填上适当的单词。（不多于3个）______________________________.
___________________________ is the most common way of traveling in Tanzania.