This is VOA. The National Cryptologic Museum is on Fort George G. Meade, a military base near Washington, DC. The method of hiding exact meanings is called coding. People have used secret codes throughout history to protect important information. The National Cryptologic Museum celebrated 60 years of cryptologic excellence in 2012. One event there marked the sixtieth anniversary of the National Security Agency. Two former NSA workers shared their memories of operating a code machine called Sigaba.
In 1940, an American woman named Genevieve Grotjan found some information being repeated in Japanese coded messages. Her discovery helped the United States understand secret Japanese diplomatic messages. After the United States understood the code, it was possible to study messages from the Japanese ambassador to Germany and to his supervisors in Japan.
Understanding these messages helped the United States prepare for a possible war in the Pacific with Japan. After the attack on Pearl Harbor. the American naval commander in the Pacific Ocean was Chester Nimitz. His forces were much smaller than the Japanese Naval forces. And the Japanese had been winning many victories. Joseph Rochefort had worked for several months to read the secret Japanese Naval code called JN-25. If he could understand enough of the code, he would be able to give Admiral Nimitz very valuable information.
From the beginning of 1942, the Japanese code discussed a place called "AF." Joseph Rochefort felt the Japanese were planning an important battle aimed at "AF." After several weeks, he and other naval experts told Admiral Nimitz that their best idea was that the "AF" in the Japanese code was the American-held island of Midway. Admiral Nimitz said he must have more information to prepare for such an attack.
The Navy experts decided to trick Japan. They told the American military force on Midway to broadcast a false message. The message would say the island was having problems with its water-processing equipment. The message asked that fresh water be sent to the island immediately. This message was not sent in code.
Several days later, a Japanese radio broadcast in the JN-25 code said that "AF" had little water. Joseph Rochefort had the evidence he needed. "AF" was now known to be the island of Midway. He also told Admiral Nimitz the Japanese would attack Midway on June 13.The battle that followed was a huge American victory. That victory was possible because Joseph Rochefort learned to read enough of the Japanese code to discover the meaning of the letters "AF."
One American code has never been broken. Perhaps it never will. It was used in the Pacific during World War Two. For many years the government would not discuss this secret code. Listen for a moment to this very unusual code. Then you may understand why the Japanese military forces were never able to understand any of it.
The code is in the voice of a Native American. The man you just heard is singing a simple song in the Navajo language. Very few people outside the Navajo nation are able to speak any of their very difficult language.
At the beginning of World War Two, the United States Marine Corps asked members of the Navajo tribe to train as Code Talkers.
The Cryptologic Museum says the Marine Corps Code Talkers could take a sentence in English and change it into their language in about 20 seconds. A code machine needed about 30 minutes to do the same work.
The Navajo Code Talkers took part in every battle the Marines entered in the Pacific during World War Two. The Japanese were very skilled at breaking codes. But they were never able to understand any of what they called "The Marine Code."
The Cryptologic Museum has many pieces of mechanical and electric equipment used to change words into code. It also has almost as many examples of machines used to try to change code back into useful words.The NSA was founded__________.
| A．in 1940 | B．1942 |
| C．in 1952 | D．in 2012 |
According to the passage, which one is not right?
| A．“Cryptologic’’ implies containing some hidden information |
| B．The US decoded “AF” and won the victory in Midway Islands |
| C．Both Rchefort and Nimitz were American navy commanders |
| D．The US Marine Corps was fallen for in Midway Islands battle |
The Americans used the Navajo language in their coding system during the Second World War for the reason that .
| A． unusual language was successfully used for codes |
| B．it was commonly used in coding system worldwide |
| C．the United States Marine Corps invented it then |
| D．it was the most beautiful language in the world |
This passage is probably adapted from ____________.
| A．an evening paper |
| B．a science fiction |
| C．a broadcasting program |
| D．a travel guidebook |
Newspapers in Great Britain vary greatly in their ways of carrying the news. There are serious papers for those who want to know about important happenings everywhere, both at home and abroad. There are popular newspapers for those who prefer entertainment to information.
The London newspaper that is best known outside Great Britain is probably the Times. It began in 1785, and has a high reputation for believable news and serious opinions on the news. It calls itself an independent paper, which means that it does not give its support to a particular political party. Its leading articles give the opinions of the editors, not those of the owners of the paper.
Letters to the editor are printed in the newspaper. These parts of the Times are always interesting. Most of the letters are serious subjects. But from time to time there will be long letters on the subject which is not at all serious, perhaps on a new fashion of dress, or the bad manners of the young people, compared with manners of thirty years ago.If you want to get pleasure, please buy yourself .
| A．a serious newspaper |
| B．foreign newspaper |
| C．any independent paper |
| D．a popular newspaper |
The Times has been famous to outside Great Britain for years.
| A．19 | B．85 | C．221 | D．229 |
The Times is an independent paper because .
| A．it supports no political parties |
| B．it is not controlled by the British Government |
| C．it gives special support to all the political parties. |
| D．the editor’s opinions are not examined by the owners of the paper |
The writer tells us in this passage.
| A．all kinds of newspapers in Britain |
| B．all kinds of news in English papers |
| C．how Times is liked by people |
| D．why Times is well-known |
NEWS BRIEF
●Prime Minister Tony Blair faced new allegations (指控) on Thursday that he misled Parliament and the public in making the case for the war in Iraq after he disclosed his chief legal adviser's written opinion raising questions about the legality (合法) of the war.
●US Forest Service officials are reminding people to stay off Forest Service roads that are closed. The fine for disobeying the rule of road closures is a maximum of $ 5, 000 fine and/or six months in prison. Those who enter the area and cause road damage may also be required to pay for repairs.
●In a second study presented at the meeting, scientists from the UK and Denmark showed that even a few days of high temperatures can severely reduce production of crops such as wheat, soybeans, rice and groundnuts, if it occurs when the plants are flowering.
●A bomb exploded in Thailand's mainly Muslin south on Sunday, killing two policemen and wounding three others, a day after Thailand' s queen condemned those behind a 15-month wave of violence (暴力).
●Mechanicsburg 3, West York l: Ken Stamper and Rusty Bowman had seven kills each, and Ryan Warfield had six to lead the Wildcats past the Bulldogs, 25-11, 25-15, 15-25, 25-23, in a non-league match.The news brief covers ____.
| A．war, law, violence, culture and agriculture |
| B．sports, war, violence, politics and climate |
| C．politics, culture, violence, climate and sports |
| D．violence, sports, politics, law and agriculture |
From the news brief, we can learn that ____.
| A．the Bulldogs defeated the Wildcats by 3-1 in a non-league match |
| B．Forest Service roads are closed for repairs before they are opened again |
| C．quite a few violent accidents happened in Thailand before the latest one |
| D．the British people think the decision made by Blair about the war is of legality |
According to the U. S. Forest Service officials, those who enter the area and damage the closed roads ____.
| A．shall have to pay a $ 5,000 fine for the repairs to them |
| B．shall be fined or put in prison, and may pay for the repairs |
| C．shall be fined $ 5,000 and kept in prison for six months |
| D．shall pay a fine and repair the roads as a punishment |
The study of the scientists from the UK and Denmark is about ____.
| A．the importance of climate and the growth of crops |
| B．the damage caused by high temperatures to some crops |
| C．the relationship between crops flowering and high temperatures |
| D．the effect of high temperatures on the production of some crops |
A 400-pound adult male gorilla (大猩猩) escaped from his cage at the Buffalo Zoo on Monday. He bit a female zookeeper before being caught. The 24-year-old gorilla came out of his living quarters through an unlocked door on Monday morning. He ran into the space which was used by zoo workers but closed to the public.
A keeper who has cared for Koga since he arrived in 2007 was bitten on her hand and leg. Zoo officials said it was an act of excitement. “He was probably just as surprised coming face to face with her as she was with him,” Buffalo Zoo President Donna Fernandes said.
The keeper took refuge (庇护) inside the habitat of a female gorilla and her newborn baby. The keeper’s decision to lock herself inside the separate habitat likely kept her from being further harmed. The keeper had a good relationship with the mother who, like Koga, is a west lowland gorilla, native to West Africa and the Congo River Basin, according to Fernandes.
Several locked doors prevented Koga from running wildly through the zoo and beyond. The police sent in a team to make sure the area was safe while a vet (兽医) used a pipe to sedate (给……服镇静剂) Koga. The gorilla was dragged by the zoo staff back to his cage once the drugs took hold.
Visitors to the zoo were moved indoors and stayed there for about 45 minutes while the team was trying to catch the gorilla and send it back to his cage. “That was the scariest thing I’ve ever done in my career,” said the team’s captain Mark Maraschiello. “It’s a 400-pound gorilla. Nobody knew what harm he could do to us. He could have bitten my arm off easily,” Maraschiello added.What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．A zoo keeper was injured while working at the zoo. |
| B．A zoo keeper forgot to lock the door of a gorilla’s cage. |
| C．A 400-pound gorilla ran wildly in the zoo after breaking his cage. |
| D．A 400-pound gorilla bit a zoo keeper after escaping from his cage. |
According to Donna Fernandes, the gorilla bit the zoo keeper because .
| A．he was too angry to see the zoo keeper |
| B．he was too excited to see the zoo keeper |
| C．he didn’t want to be sent back to the cage |
| D．he wanted to find some delicious food |
What did the zoo keeper do after being bitten by the gorilla?
| A．She asked another gorilla to protect her. |
| B．She tried her best to comfort him. |
| C．She locked herself in a cage of another gorilla. |
| D．She called the police and asked them to rescue her. |
According to the last paragraph, how did Mark Maraschiello feel when he was trying to catch the gorilla?
| A．Excited. | B．Calm. |
| C．Angry. | D．Frightened. |
My heart was pounding faster while the drums were beating. It was my third year in the running. “And our winner…Miss Red Cliff 2008 is Number 183!”
I stood there, frozen. My mom brought me back to reality: “That’s you, Mariah!” As I walked to the speaker, the former Miss Red Cliff took the crown(花冠) from her head, and placed it on mine. My family surrounded me, taking pictures and congratulating me. Then my family and I danced around the arena(竞技场) with our heads held high. People came up to shake my hand and gave me flowers, kisses and hugs. Finally, with determination I had reached my goal—to travel on the pow-wow(a meeting of native Americans) trail in honor of my community.
Before I became Miss Red Cliff, I had to get to know someone well before I became sociable, but later I wasn’t like that anymore. That year I traveled to many pow-wows in Michigan, Canada and many other places. People told me that I was a respectful and responsible young lady. I felt very confident that I was doing a good job.
Being Miss Red Cliff was one of the best times in my teenage years. I hope one day I will watch my daughters or granddaughters dance behind the flag holders as they hold the Miss Red Cliff title.
| A．She couldn’t believe the fact that she had won the Miss Red Cliff title. |
| B．She didn’t remember her number. |
| C．She didn’t like the former Miss Red Cliff. |
| D．She thought someone had made a mistake. |
| A．represent her community to attend the pow-wows |
| B．dance around the arena with her families and friends |
| C．receive flowers, kisses and hugs from people |
| D．sing an honor song with the crown on the head |
| A．She loved to travel around. |
| B．She felt proud to be Miss Red Cliff 2008. |
| C．She was a sociable and responsible young lady. |
| D．She had tried to win this competition for years. |
| A．Mariah couldn’t believe it when she failed in the competition. |
| B．Mariah hoped to see more people in her family become Miss Red Cliffs. |
| C．Mariah’s success was all due to her families’ caring and encouragement. |
| D．It was a rewarding and unforgettable experience to become Miss Red Cliff. |
CHICAGO(Reuters)-Smoking not only can wrinkle(皱纹)the face and turn it yellow—it can do the same to the whole body, researchers reported on Monday.
The study, published in the Archives of Dermatology, shows that smoking affects the skin all over the body-even skin protected from the sun.
“We examined non-facial skin that was protected from the sun, and found that the total number of packs, of cigarette smoked per day and the total years a person has smoked were linked with the amount of skin damage a person experienced, ”Dr. Yolanda, who led the study, said in a statement.
“In participants older than 65 years, smokers had significantly more fine wrinkling than nonsmokers. Similar findings were seen in participants aged 45 to 65 years. ” Yolanda’s team added in their report.
The researchers tested 82 people, smokers and nonsmokers, taking pictures of the inner right arms. They ranged, in age from 22 to 91 and half were smokers. In dependent judges decided how wrinkled each person’s skin was.
When skin is exposed to sunlight, especially the face, it becomes coarse(粗糙的). Wrinkled and discolored with a pale yellow tint, Yolanda's team wrote.
Several previous studies have found that cigarette smoking led to premature(过早的)skin aging as measured by facial wrinkles, the study said, but little has been done to measure the aging of skin not exposed to light.
The report did not discuss die mechanism involved but previous research has found that cigarette smoke, among other things, causes blood vessels(血管)beneath the skin to constrict(紧缩), reducing blood supply to the skin.
Smoking can also damage the connective tissue(组织)that supports both die skin and the internal organs.The best title for this passage would be ______________.
| A．The danger of smoking |
| B．Smoking causes skin aging |
| C．Quit smoking for health |
| D．A survey of smokers |
According to the passage, how wrinkled a person’s skin is doesn’t relate to ___________.
| A．the number of cigarettes a person smokes |
| B．the kind and characteristics of skin |
| C．how long a person smokes |
| D．how long skin is under sunlight |
From the passage smoking results in skin aging mainly because ____________.
| A．it will lower blood supply to skin |
| B．it can make you feel tired |
| C．it can make skin come off |
| D．it can make blood run faster |
The main purpose of the passage is to ____________.
| A．inform people about the study of skin |
| B．advise people how to protect skin |
| C．warn people not to smoke again |
| D．introduce a new way of avoid skin aging |
（Published March 30, 2011）Albert Einstein’s Theory of Relativity might have a few mistakes—and Jake Barnett has set out to prove it. Between attending college classes at Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis (IUPUI) and tutoring his fellow students, Jake is also working on a new theory about the creation of the universe. He happens to be 12 years old.
From an early age, Jake showed an extraordinary interest in stars. When he was 3, his parents took him to a space observatory. He tried to learn as much as he could about astronomy. Jake’s IQ measured remarkably high at 170.
As a baby, Jake was found out with Asperser’s syndrome, a form of autism (孤独症). Autism causes difficulties in communication and social abilities. People with autism may also have strong interests—like Jake’s interest in the stars at a young age.
The symptoms of autism can range from mild to extremely severe. Asperser’s is one of the milder forms of autism. Sometimes people with Asperser’s, like Jake, develop extremely advanced skills in science, music or art.
When Jake was in elementary school, his parents worried that the effects of his Asperser’s were worsening. He became quiet. And he was withdrawing from people. So a doctor recommended that Jake’s parents let him study more advanced subjects, like math and physics.
Jake’s mother asked an astronomy professor to let Jake sit in on his class. Now, Jake studies advanced sciences like electromagnetic physics at IUPUI.
But Jake thinks it’s important to have a normal life too. He likes to play Guitar Hero with his friends and watch science fiction movies. He also enjoys playing classical music on the piano.But for Jake, studying physics is the most important thing. Jake’s professor, John Ross, is working on getting a large sum of money for him to do research at the university.
Doctors have said Jake’s autism symptoms have lessened over time. Still, Jake proudly refers to himself as an “Aspy”, or someone with Asperser’s. In an interview with his university student newspaper, he said, “I think the autism is the reason I’m even at IUPUI.”What did Jake want to do at IUPUI?
| A．Get a degree in astronomy. |
| B．Put forward his own theory in physics. |
| C．Become an Albert Einstein in the future. |
| D．Teach his fellow students Theory of Relativity. |
Which of the following is the correct order of the events that happened to Jake?
a. He set out to disprove Einstein’s theory.
b. He was interested in astronomy.
c. He began to study math and physics.
d. He was found out with a mild form of autism.
| A．b-d-c-a | B．d-b-c-a | C．b-a-c-d | D．d-c-b-a |
The underlined sentence in the passage means ______.
| A．he was unable to help others |
| B．he was impolite to other people |
| C．he was afraid of seeing other people |
| D．he was only concerned about learning |
In the eyes of Jake, autism is something ______.
| A．not worth worrying about |
| B．annoying |
| C．not necessary to know about |
| D．embarrassing |
QINGDAO—Water and power supplies have been restored in the East Chinese city of Qingdao, the site of an oil pipeline explosion on Friday, the local government said on Monday.
Crude oil began leaking(泄漏)from the pipeline at 3：00 a．m. Friday in Qingdao in Shandong province. The valves(阀门)of the Huangdao oil warehouse were shut about 15 minutes later.The oil spill(泄漏的石油)then flowed into the city's rainwater pipe network, which empties into Jiaozhou Bay. Explosions occurred at two locations around 10：30 a．m. Friday when workers were clearing the spill.
According to the local government, about 85 percent of public heating and 90 percent of the gas supply were also brought back to normal as of Monday.
Residents who have been taken to the temporary settlements are receiving bottled water and bread.
Many schools and kindergartens have reopened classes after Friday's oil pipeline explosion. No injuries and deaths of students or teachers have been reported following the explosions at an underground pipeline operated by Sinopec. The school buildings of one middle school in the district were seriously damaged during the explosions. Education authorities have arranged psychological help for students and teaching staff. All other 18 schools and kindergartens in the district reopened classes on Monday.
As of Monday noon, the death toll from the explosion had risen to 55, with 9 people still missing and 136 hospitalized. According to local police, 49 bodies have been identified so far, and 42 of them were male victims. As of Monday morning, the blood supply in Qingdao was enough for the injured after more than 950 people in the city donated more than 340,000 ml of blood in the wake of the incident.The underlined word “restored” in the first paragraph probably means “________”．
| A．cut | B．recovered |
| C．destroyed | D．repaired |
We can learn that by Monday noon the deaths in the explosion reached at least ________.
| A．64 | B．49 |
| C．42 | D．55 |
We can learn from the passage that ________.
| A．everything was brought back to normal right after the explosion |
| B．no measures were taken to help the suffering people out of trouble |
| C．all the 19 schools in the district were affected by the explosion |
| D．no more dead body was found after Monday noon |
A 8.2-magnitude（震级）earthquake struck off the coast of northern Chile late on Tuesday, cutting power and leading to small landslides and a tsunami (海啸). Four men and one woman died —two who suffered heart attacks and three who were crushed（压死). About 300 prisoners escaped from the northern port city of Iquique in the immediate aftershock (余震).
The quake struck at about 8:46 p.m. local time, some 60 miles northwest of Iquique. It had a depth of 12.5 miles. Chile’s National Emergency Office asked coastal residents to leave for safe places. “The fact is, we will know the extent of the damage as time goes by and when we inspect the areas in the light of day,” Chile’s President Michelle Bachelet said early on Wednesday. “The country has faced these first emergency hours very well.”
Residents in the port city of Antofagasta walked calmly through the streets to higher ground as traffic became heavy in some places. “Many people are fearful after experiencing the powerful earthquake in 2010, so they immediately rushed to higher ground when they heard the tsunami warning,” said a government official.”There have been lots of aftershocks and communications have been cut off in many of the affected areas. So people are waiting in the dark hills, not knowing what is to come, and hoping they will be able to return to their homes safely.”
The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center sent our several tsunami warnings, but called off all of them by early Wednesday.
Tsunami waves of more than six feet caused by the earthquake washed ashore on the coast of Pisagua. Iquique, with a population of more than 200,000, saw seven-foot waves.The earthquake resulted in _____.
| A．300 prisoners being trapped |
| B．five people being crushed |
| C．many cars being damaged |
| D．some other natural disasters happening |
How did the whole country respond to the earthquake when it happened?
| A．They were so fearful that they were in a panic. |
| B．They went into the streets immediately. |
| C．They acted very calmly. |
| D．They drove to higher ground after hearing the warning. |
What difficulty did people in the hills face?
| A．The weather was terrible. |
| B．The communications were cut off. |
| C．They got lost in the hills. |
| D．Their houses were destroyed. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true, according to the passage?
| A．The government had estimated（估计）the damage of the earthquake by early Wednesday. |
| B．The tsunami waves in Pisagua were more than six feet high. |
| C．Several tsunami warnings had been called off by early Wednesday. |
| D．The earthquake happened in the evening and it had a depth of 12.5 miles. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Chile Deals with Emergency Well. |
| B．Tsunamis Caused by Aftershocks in Chile. |
| C．A Powerful Earthquake Strikes off the Coast of Chile. |
| D．Tsunami Warnings Work Well in Chile.. |
First lady Michelle Obama has some advice for some Tennessee High School graduates: Strike your own path in college and life and work to overcome(克服) difficulties with determination and courage.
The first lady told the 170 graduates that she spent too much of her own time in college focusing on academic achievements. While her success in college and law school led to a good job, she said, she ended up leaving to focus on public service.
“My message to all of you today is this: Do not waste a minute living someone else’s dream.” she said. “It takes a lot of real work to discover what brings you joy… and you won’t find what you love simply by checking boxes or padding your GPA(夸大成绩).”
She said the school reminded her of her own high school experience in Chicago. “My No. 1 goal was to go to a high school that would push me and challenge me.” she said. “I wanted to go somewhere that would celebrate achievement, a place where academic success wouldn’t make me a target(目标) of laughing at or bullying, but instead would be a badge of honour(荣誉的象征).” But Mrs. Obama said pitifully that not all students have the same opportunities. “Unfortunately, schools like this don’t exist for every kid,” she said. “You are lucky.”
The first lady told graduates that failure may be a part of their college lives and careers, and that how they respond to any difficulties will define them. “That’s when you find out what you’re really made of in those hard times.” she said. “But you only do that if you’re willing to put yourself in a position where you might fall.”
Overcoming difficulties has been the hallmark(特征) of many great people, she said. “There’s this guy Barack Obama… he lost his first race for Congress, and now he gets to call himself my husband.” The first lady joked: “I could spend a whole afternoon talking about his failures.”
What’s the purpose(目的) of Michelle’s visit to Tennessee High School?
| A．To give a speech to the graduates. | B．To help Obama win respect. |
| C．To welcome new students. | D．To give the graduates some advice. |
According to Michelle, _________.
| A．it’s enough for the students to study well at school |
| B．she was a target of laughing at or bullying when studying at school |
| C．it’s lucky for the students to study at Tennessee High School |
| D．most great people met with difficulties on their way to success including Obama |
Why did Michelle mention Obama in the last paragraph?
| A．To make the students know more about Obama. |
| B．To offer an example of overcoming difficulties. |
| C．To give advice on how to be a great man. |
| D．To talk about his failures. |
The majority of astronauts from America have been men. At the start of the space program there was strong resistance from some people against having women in space. However, some women were very keen to become astronauts and in the end they were successful. In 1978, NASA began the first training program for women astronauts.
Judy Resnick and Christa McAuliffe were both astronauts and they were both women, but in many other ways they were very different. Both of them were on Flight STS-5L-L. Judy Resnick was born in 1949 and studied engineering at university and went on to obtain a PhD in 1977. She was a member of the first group of women selected for astronaut training in 1978, and in 1984, she became the second woman in space. During that flight, she helped to launch three new satellites and she carried out a program of research. She was, in many ways, a professional astronaut whose whole life was devoted to space travel.
Christa McAuliffe was born in 1948 and she was an astronaut almost by accident. In 1984, NASA decided to find a teacher who could accompany astronauts into space. They hoped that she would be able to communicate with students from space and encourage every one of them to be interested in space travel. Christa was a secondary teacher in history and social studies. She was a gifted teacher and she was selected from over 11,000 applicants to go on flight STS-51-L. She was also a very good communicator and she immediately established a very good relationship with the news media(radio, television and newspapers）. It was partly because of this that there was a great deal of interest and excitement about the flight. Thousands of students in schools and universities all around the country were looking forward to communicating with Christa in space. Millions of people were watching her flight with great interest. It is partly because of the excitement over McAuliffe's place in the flight that the disaster in 1986 had such an effect on people.We can learn from the first two paragraphs that ___________.
| A．Judy was against the idea of having women in space at first |
| B．Judy was the first woman selected for astronaut training |
| C．Judy helped to launch three new satellites at the age of 35 |
| D．Judy carried out a program during her second space travel |
Christa McAuliffe was chosen for training because _______.
| A．she was popular with the news media |
| B．she expected to give history lessons in space |
| C．she was an excellent teacher and communicator |
| D．she made the students in space very excited |
The reason why there was great interest in Flight STS-51-L is that ________.
| A．both Christa and Judy got PhD degrees in the same year |
| B．a young secondary school teacher was on the flight |
| C．students were going to learn more about space travel |
| D．it was the first time for women to travel in space |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Two Astronauts | B．Flight STS-51-L |
| C．Travelling in Space | D．The Training Program |
When elephants retire, many head for the Elephant Sanctuary in Hohenwald, Tenn. They arrive one by one, but they tend to live out their lives two-by-two. "Every elephant that comes here searches out someone that she then spends most all of her time with," says sanctuary co-founder Carol Buckley. It's likely having a best girlfriend, Buckley says - "Somebody they can relate to, they have something in common with."
Debbie has Ronnie. Misty can't live without Dulary. Those are pachyderm-pachyderm pairs. But perhaps the closest friends of all are Tarra and Bella. Tarra, an 8,700 pound Asian elephant; Bella, a stray dog, are closest friends.
Bella is one of more than a dozen stray dogs that have found a home at the sanctuary. Most want nothing to do with the elephants and vice versa. But not this odd couple. "Bella knows she's not an elephant. Tarra knows she's not a dog," Buckley adds. "But that's not a problem for them." "When it's time to eat they both eat together. They drink together. They sleep together. They play together," Buckley says.
Tarra and Bella have been close for years — but no one really knew how close they were until recently. A few months ago Bella suffered a spinal cord injury. She couldn't move her legs, couldn't even wag her tail. For three weeks the dog lay motionless up in the sanctuary office. And for three weeks the elephant held vigil: 2,700 acres to roam free, and Tarra just stood in the corner, beside a gate, right outside that sanctuary office. "She just stood outside the balcony - just stood there and waited," says Buckley. "She was concerned about her friend." Then one day, sanctuary co-founder Scott Blais carried Bella onto the balcony so she and Tarra could at least see each other.
"Bella's tail started wagging. And we had no choice but to bring Bella down to see Tarra," Blais says.
They visited like that every day until Bella could walk. Today, their love — and trust — is stronger than ever. Bella even lets Tarra pet her tummy - with the bottom of her enormous foot. They harbor no fears, no secrets, no prejudices. Just two living creatures who somehow managed to look past their immense differences.
Take a good look at this couple, human beings. Take a good look at the world. If they can do it — what's our excuse?The underlined part “Those are pachyderm-pachyderm pairs.” in Para. 2 means ______.
| A．both of the pairs are elephants. |
| B．both of the pairs look strange. |
| C．animals there have different kinds of friends. |
| D．they are friends of the same kind. |
The last paragraph infers that _____________.
| A．different animals can become closest friends. |
| B．people should learn something from each other. |
| C．people all over the world should cooperate. |
| D．People all over the world should become the closest friends. |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Unlikely friends. | B．Lasting friendship. |
| C．Unselfish love. | D．Magic nature. |
Gunman Adam Lanza shot and killed 20 children in two classes of Grade One in Sandy Hook Elementary School. The only survivor(幸存者) is a six-year-old girl. She escaped by lying on the floor pretending to be killed.
After the accident , she ran out of the school building covered from head to feet with blood (血). The first thing she said to her mother was, “ Mommy, I was OK, but all my friends were dead,” Pasrtor(牧师) Jim Solomon told the ABC news’s Lara Spencer this weekend , “I thought it was impossible for her to escape from being killed without others’ help. She could behave so calmly in such a dangerous and frightening situation. She has wisdom beyond her age, for sure.”
The girl, whose name is not being written out for special reasons, was the first student to run out of the accident place at Sandy Hook, Solomon said. He said the young girl described the gunman to her mother in a way that only a young child could. “Well, she saw someone who she felt was angry, and someone who she felt was mad,” Solomon said. “Somehow, at that moment, thank God, she was able to act as if she were already dead and saved herself. And that is very unusual and admirable (令人钦佩的) for so young a girl.” she said.
There were 20 students killed on Friday in Sandy Hook Elementary School, eight boys and 12 girls. Six teachers were also killed. “Her parents told me that they couldn’t stand the feeling of a survivor’s guilt（ 负罪）, because so many of their friends no longer have their children but they have theirs.” Solomon said.
“I think you can understand their feelings as well,” he said how the girl’s mother and father were feeling about the disaster. “I don’t know whether I would have the kind of feeling that they have if the same thing happened to me.”How did the six-year-old girl escape from being killed?
| A．By fighting against the killer |
| B．By pretending to be killed |
| C．By running away quickly |
| D．By getting protection from teachers |
According to the passage, which word can best show the quality of the girl?
| A．Strong | B．Friendly |
| C．Wise | D．Curious |
From the passage, we can know that___________________.
| A．all students in Sandy Hook were killed |
| B．Solomon didn’t remember the name of the girl |
| C．eight other children escaped the accident |
| D．people didn’t know the six-year-old girl’s name |
Why did the girl’s parents feel guilty?
| A．Because they had some relationship with the gunman. |
| B．Because they didn’t tell the skills of escaping to other children. |
| C．Because their daughter survived while their friends didn’t. |
| D．Because they didn’t report the terrible accident ahead of time. |
What happens inside the skull of a soccer player who repeatedly heads a soccer ball? That question motivated a challenging new study of the brains of experienced players that has caused discussion and debate among soccer players, and some anxiety among those of us with soccer-playing children.
For the study, researchers at the Albert Einstein College of Medicine in New York selected 34 adults, men and women. All of the volunteers had played soccer since childhood and now competed year-round in adult soccer leagues. Each filled out a detailed questionnaire developed especially for this study to determine how many times they had headed a soccer ball in the previous year, as well as whether they had experienced any known concussions (脑震荡) in the past.
Then the players completed computerized tests of their memory and other learning skills and had their brains scanned, using a complicated new M.R.I. technique which can find structural changes in the brain that can’t be seen during most scans.
According to the data they presented at a Radiological Society of North America meeting last month, the researchers found that the players who had headed the ball more than about 1,100 times in the previous 12 months showed significant loss of white matter in parts of their brains involved with memory, attention and the processing of visual information, compared with players who had headed the ball fewer times.
This pattern of white matter loss is “similar to those seen in traumatic (外伤的) brain injury”, like that after a serious concussion, the researchers reported, even though only one of these players was reported to have ever experienced a concussion.
The players who had headed the ball about 1,100 times or more in the past year were also generally worse at recalling lists of words read to them, forgetting or fumbling the words far more often than players who had headed the ball less.The passage is most probably a______.
| A．news report |
| B．research report |
| C．story for soccer players |
| D．text for doctors |
In which way can we find the structural changes in the brain?
| A．Computerized test. | B．Questionnaire.. |
| C．Scanning. | D．M.R.I. technique. |
From the passage we can conclude that frequent heading may have_____.
| A．significant effect on brain |
| B．little effect on one’s brain |
| C．nothing to do with the brain injury |
| D．one’s memory improved |
The underlined word "fumbling" is closest in meaning to______.
| A．remembering | B．misunderstanding |
| C．recalling | D．missing |
LONDON－Scientists have found an unusual way to prevent our planet from overheating: move it to a cooler spot. All you have to do is send a few comets (彗星) in the direction of Earth, and its orbit will be changed too. Our world will then be sent spinning into a safer, colder part of the solar system.
This idea for improving our climate comes from a group of U. S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) engineers and American astronomers. They say their plan could add another six billion years to the useful lifetime of our planet－effectively doubling its working life.
The plan put forward by Dr. Laughlin, and his colleagues Don Korycansky and Fred Adams, needs carefully directing a comet or asteroid so that it passes close by our planet and sends some of its gravitational energy to Earth.
“Earth’s orbital speed would increase as a result and we would move to a higher orbit away from the Sun,” Laughlin said.
Engineers would then direct their comet so that it passed close to Jupiter or Saturn. The comet would pick up energy from one of these giant planets. Later its orbit would bring it back to Earth, and the process would be repeated.
In the short term, the plan provides an ideal way to global warming, although the team was actually concerned with a much greater danger. The Sun is certain to heat up in about a billion years and so “seriously compromise” our biosphere (生物圈) －by cooking us.
That’s why the group decided to try to save Earth.
The plan has one or two worrying aspects, however. For a start, space engineers would have to be very careful about how they directed their asteroid or comet towards Earth. The smallest miscalculation (误算) in orbit could fire it straight at Earth--with deadly consequences.
There is also the question of the Moon. As the current issue of Scientific American magazine points out, if Earth was pushed out of its current position, it is “most likely the Moon would be stripped away from Earth”. This would greatly change our planet’s climate.
What makes the scientists plan to move Earth?
| A．A few comets are moving to the direction of Earth. |
| B．Earth’s working life is coming to an end soon. |
| C．Earth will become too hot for mankind to keep alive. |
| D．The moon is moving farther and farther away from Earth. |
If the plan is successful, Earth will have a working life of years.
| A．12 billion | B．6 billion |
| C．18 billion | D．24 billion |
What serious problems might the plan cause according to the passage?
| A．The comet might hit Earth and man might lose the Moon. |
| B．Earth might be moved too far away and man might be frozen to death. |
| C．The comet might hit Jupiter or Saturn and never return to Earth. |
| D．Earth’s working life might be greatly shortened. |
What does the underlined word “compromise” mean?
| A．Provide. | B．Recover |
| C．Share. | D．Endanger. |
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