The kiwi bird
The kiwi bird is a flightless bird,about the size of a chicken. It sleeps during the day and is active at nighttime. It has a long beak that is onethird the length of its body, and its beak actually has nostrils (鼻孔) at the end. The kiwi is the only bird with this feature. Another unique feature of the kiwi is that it has no tail. It has thick brown hairlike feathers. This bird has many physical features unlike any other bird on earth.
Kiwi birds have been called a genetic leftover. Their characteristics seem very odd to us probably due to the fact that they haven't evolved much at all. They are suspected to be about 8 million years old. That's 7 million years older than humans. Due to New Zealand's isolated environment, it has been safe from predators(食肉动物) and hasn't needed to do much adapting. They just hang around.
With its long beak, the kiwi digs up and chows down on worms. A kiwi is almost blind; it can see about six feet at night and around two feet during the day,so when it comes to hunting the kiwi is not well equipped.It uses the nostrils on its beak to find its food and then picks up the worms with its beak.
The kiwi bird is native of New Zealand.It is the island country's national bird, and is rare anywhere but here and a few Pacific island neighbors. Of course,it is available for viewing at certain zoos.It has stayed in its native land due to the facts that it is an isolated island and that kiwis can't fly.
Kiwi birds are extremely unique in the bird world. Though they are the size of chickens, they lay eggs the size of ostrich eggs, weighing around a pound each.Their enormous eggs are the largest in the bird world, compared to their bodies. These birds were named after their distinctive shrill cry “keewee keewee”.
Which of the following is NOT the distinctive feature of the kiwi bird?
A.It has no tail at all. |
B.It has a long beak. |
C.Its feathers are thick and brown. |
D.There are nostrils at the end of its beak. |
Kiwi birds haven't evolved much over the past 8 million years probably because ________.
A.the climate is mild |
B.they have no enemy |
C.something is wrong with their genes |
D.they have adapted to living on the island |
What plays a key role in looking for food?
A.Its long beak. | B.Its eyes. |
C.The nostrils. | D.Its tail |
What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about?
A.The kiwi bird's habitat. |
B.The kiwi bird is New Zealand's national bird. |
C.The kiwi bird can not fly. |
D.The kiwi bird is available at zoos. |
Kiwi birds got their name from ________.
A.the large size of their eggs |
B.the food they feed on |
C.their appearance |
D.their unique cry |
Norway—Ten Chinese college students arrived at the country’s Arctic research base, the Yellow River Station, on Friday.
On Saturday,the students are expected to witness the end of four months of darkness in the area, as the sun makes a rare appearance.
During their four-day stay at the station,the students will meet and learn from some of China’s leading polar researchers.They were welcomed at the station yesterday by its director,He Jianfeng, who is an expert on marine micro-ecosystems.
The students will also visit the German and Norwegian stations and meet researchers there.
As for entertainment, the visitors will get the chance to play ice hockey at the world’s most northerly stadium.
Among the visitors is Zheng Li,a student majoring in telecommunications at Dalian Maritime University.
“It is so exciting to see how the Chinese researchers work in the world’s most northerly laboratory,”she said.
“This opportunity is precious.Most people will never get the chance to travel so far from home and visit such an amazing place.It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing.”
Wu Jinyou,head of the Polar Research Institute of China,and the group’s leader,said,“I hope the students have not only a field trip to the Yellow River station,but are also touched by the devotion and spirit of the Chinese researchers here. I also expect in the future,some of them will choose to devote themselves to polar research and maybe even work with us.”
The students have been in Norway since February 28,and were given Arctic training before moving to the station.
The Arctic expedition is one of the several international cooperation and exchange activities forming the China Program for International Polar Year(2007-08).It was launched last March.
Which of the following is true about Wu Jinyou?
A.He is a graduate from Dalian Maritime University. |
B.He is the leading polar researcher working at the research station. |
C.He is sure that all the ten students will make good polar researchers. |
D.He thinks highly of the devotion and spirit of the Chinese researchers. |
What does Zheng Li mean by saying“It’s a once-in-a-lifetime thing”?
A.It’s exciting to see the sun rise in Arctic area. |
B.The trip to the research station is extremely exciting. |
C.Playing ice hockey in Arctic area is really a life-long memory. |
D.People are only allowed to visit the station once in their lifetime. |
Which word can most probably replace the underlined word “launched”?
A.ended | B.stopped | C.started | D.performed |
What could be the best title of the news report?
A.Chinese Students Arrive at Arctic Station. |
B.Chinese Students Do Research in Norway. |
C.Chinese Students Play Ice Hockey at Arctic Station. |
D.Chinese Students Receive Training at Arctic Station. |
It was reported last week that developers could take photos from Apple mobile and Google Android devices without the phone owners knowing that the images were being taken. In Apple’s case, developers can also obtain the location information for each photo.
Senator(参议员) Charles Schumer said in a telephone interview that his office had spoken with officials at both Apple and Google on Monday.
“We asked them if they could find a way on their own to prevent Apple from having access to private information,” Mr. Schumer said. “They were friendly and open to the idea that this ought to be changed.”
On Sunday, Mr. Schumer said that he planned to send a letter to the Federal Trade Commission asking the agency to investigate Apple and Google after the privacy concerns came to light. Claudia Bourne Farrell, an F.T.C. spokeswoman, said the agency had received the letter but she could not comment further.
“It worries people to think that one’s personal photos, address book, and who knows what else can be obtained and even posted online without permission,” Mr. Schumer wrote in his letter to the F.T.C. “If the technology exists to open the door to this kind of privacy invasion, then surely technology exists to close it, and that’s exactly what must happen.”
Mr. Schumer said if Apple and Google could not come to an agreement to fix the problem, then he would be forced to take the issue further.
He said other companies had been willing to work with his office to fix issues. “I’m optimistic that we can get this changed without any regulation,” he said. “If it’s not changed, then we’ll turn to the F.T.C., and if that doesn’t work then we’ll consider legislative approach.”
The F.T.C. has warned companies to try to be more vigilant(警醒的) in their efforts to protect consumers when it comes to privacy.
The senators spoke with officials at both Apple and Google___________.
A.to urge them not to invade consumers’ privacy |
B.to discuss whether it is illegal to have access to private information |
C.to stop them from developing the technology of taking photos |
D.to keep them from obtaining the location information for each photo |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Privacy invasion from Apple has existed for a long time. |
B.Mr. Schumer takes the privacy concerns caused by Apple and Google seriously. |
C.Privacy invasion from Google has existed for a long time. |
D.Apple and Google have decided to make a change. |
Mr. Schumer’s letter to the F.T.C. mainly shows that the technology to open the door to privacy invasion___________.
A. causes privacy invasion to happen frequently
B. can be used if permitted
C. causes people to worry about the safety of their personal information
D. causes personal information to be posted online without permission
If the privacy concerns can’t be solved with the help of the F.T.C., ___________.
A. The senators will force the companies not to invade privacy
B. The companies will be closed
C. The companies will be fined
D. The senators will turn to legislation
Where can we read about the passage?
A.In a newspaper. | B.In a travel brochure. |
C.In a science report. | D.In a textbook. |
Some young Cambodians are learning a new sport — skateboarding. The country’s first skateboard park is located on the grounds of a local charity group at the edge of Phnom Penh, the capital.
Sports like Khmer boxing and soccer are wildly popular in Cambodia. But Chea ,who has been skating for 6 months ,says skating has already become his favorite sport.
The skaters are learning tricks like launching off a jump or half-pipe and flying through the air on their narrow wooden boards.
A non-governmental organization called Skateistan Cambodia organizes weekly programs at the park. Skateistan started its work in Afghanistan years ago. Rory Burke is working with the group which expanded to Cambodia last year.
Rory Burke points out, “Yeah, it’s definitely not a typical Cambodian pastime (消遣).And I think the idea of ‘why skateboarding’is that it’s not been done before here. We want to use skateboarding as something saying, ‘Hey,this is new ,this is something different.,And that kind of itself becomes a little bit of hook. People see it and they think and they say, ‘Wow, what is that?,and they want to get involved. ”
Skateistan partners with local groups that work with young people. The park is on the grounds of the group known as PSE, where children attend school and learn a trade. There are almost one hundred twenty participants. They all come from troubled lives.
Seventeen-year-old Sang Rotha is a student at PSE. “Sometimes I don’t do well on subjects like math,”he says, “I feel bad when I find it hard to keep up with my lessons. So that is why I skateboard -to improve my bad feelings. ’,
He says he began skateboarding more than a year ago. Before he started training, it seemed very easy. But it was very difficult to learn tricks, and he got hurt a lot from falling off.
Rory Burke says learning to deal with the difficulties is part of the lesson for these young skateboarders.
According to the passage, PSE is a group ______.
A. that works with Cambodian students |
B. for young Cambodians to learn a trade |
C. for young Cambodians in troubled lives |
D. for young Cambodians taking skateboarding |
What is said about skateboarding in the passage?
A. It is easy for young Cambodians to learn. |
B. It is a good sport to help regain good feeling. |
C. It originated in Afghanistan years ago. |
D. It is as popular as Khmer boxing in Cambodia. |
The underlined part a little bit of hook probably means ______.
A. something strange | B.something quite new |
C. something different | D.something attractive |
It can be inferred from the passage that skateboarding is becoming ______.
A. a sport liked by most young Cambodians |
B. an increasingly popular sport in Cambodia |
C. a sport used to better young Cambodians’ life |
D. a good way to train young Cambodians’ learning skills |
An eighteen-year-old high school student from Utah won the top prize in the Intel Science Talent Search in the United States. The winner received a computer and a scholarship for a college education.
More than 1,500students from across the country entered projects in the competition this year. Their research included chemistry, medicine, physics, mathematics, engineering, and computer science-almost every area of science.
Forty students were invited to Washington, D.C. for the final judging. A group of scientists judged them on their research abilities, critical thinking skills and creativity. The judges also questioned the students about scientific problems before deciding on the winners.
The top winner received 100,000 dollars for college. Shannon Babb of American Fork High School studied the water quality of tile Spanish Fork River in Utah for six years. She found that people have a harmful effect on the river through human activity, including agriculture. And she suggested ways to improve the water quality in the future. These include educating the public not to put household chemicals down the drains(下水道), which lead to the river eventually.
Seventeen-year-old Yi Sun of the Hanker School in San Jose, California, earned the second place. He won a 75,000-dollar scholarship for new discoveries about a mathematical theory known as random walks. His work could help computer scientists and chemists. Yi Sun was born in China.
The third-place winner was also seventeen and born in China. Yuan “Chelsea” Zhang of Montgomery Blair High School in Rockville, Maryland, won a 50,000-dollar scholarship. She researched the molecular genetics(分子遗传学)of heart disease. Her findings could aid the development of new medicines.
The Intel Science Talent Search is the oldest science competition for high school students in the United States. It is 65 years old this year. Past winners have gone on to receive six Nobel prizes and other top honors in science and math.
What do we know about the talent search project?
A.Most of its winners have received Nobel prizes. |
B.The project includes researches in every area of science. |
C.Only a small part of the students can attend the final judging. |
D.Most of the winners come from Asian countries. |
According to the text, .
A.water quality in Utah will be better than that in the other states |
B.the river was polluted only by those living near it |
C.Shannon Babb suggested more than one way to improve the water quality |
D.household chemicals should be kept in the drains forever |
Which of the following about the girl from Maryland is NOT true?
A.The scholarship she received was half as many as Shannon Babb. |
B.Her discovery is of great help to Chinese medicine. |
C.Her research will contribute to the cure of heart disease. |
D.She and the second-place winner Yi Sun have something in common. |
What is the text mainly about?
A.Three winners' contributions to science and math. |
B.Three Chinese students won the Science Talent Search. |
C.Great rewards were given to winners in the competition. |
D.Winners of the Intel Science Talent Search in the US. |
Where are you most likely to find this text?
A.In a newspaper. | B.In a handbook. | C.In a textbook. | D.In a medical magazine. |
You have probably heard of the Mozart effect. It’s the idea that if children or even babies listen to music composed by Mozart, they will become more intelligent. A quick Internet search reveals plenty of products to assist you in the task. Whatever your age there are CDs and books to help you taste the power of Mozart’s music, but when it comes to scientific evidence that it can make you more clever, the picture is more mixed.
The phrase “the Mozart effect” was made up in 1991, but it was a study described two years later in the journal Nature that sparked real media and public interest about the idea that listening to classical music somehow improves the brain. It is one of those ideas that sound reasonable. Mozart was undoubtedly a genius himself; his music is complex and there is a hope that if we listen to enough of it ,we’ll become more intelligent.
The idea took off, with thousands of parents playing Mozart to their children, and in 1998 Zell Miller, the Governor of the state of Georgia in the US, even asked for money to be set aside in the state budget so that every newborn baby could be sent a CD of classical music. It was not just babies and children who were exposed to Mozart’s music on purpose, even an Italian farmer proudly explained that the cows were played Mozart three times a day to help them to produce better milk.
I’ll leave the debate on the impact on milk yield to farmers, but what about the evidence that listening to Mozart makes people more intelligent? More research was carried out but an analysis of sixteen different studies confirmed that listening to music does lead to a temporary improvement in the ability to handle shapes mentally, but the benefits are short-lived and it doesn’t make us more intelligent.
What can we learn from paragraph 1?
A.Mozart composed many musical pieces for children. |
B.Children listening to Mozart will be more intelligent. |
C.There are few products on the Internet about Mozart’s music. |
D.There is little scientific evidence to support Mozart effect. |
Why did many people believe in the idea of Mozart Effect?
A.Because a study described it in the journal Nature. |
B.Because Mozart himself was a genius. |
C.Because Mozart’s music is enjoyable. |
D.Because Mozart’s music makes people relaxed. |
The underlined sentence in paragraph3 suggests that .
A.people were strongly against the idea |
B.the idea was accepted by many people |
C.Mozart played an important part in people’s life |
D.the US government helped promote the idea |
What is the author’s attitude towards the Mozart effect?
A.Favorable | B.Objective | C.Doubtful | D.Positive |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Listening to Mozart , necessary? | B.What music is beneficial? |
C.What is the Mozart effect? | D.To be or not to be? |
Debra Veal is a very brave woman. She took part in a race to row across the Atlantic,a journey for about 3, 360 kilometers. She was in one of the 36 small rowing boats that set off on October 7th, 2001 from Tenerife. Each small boat was the same with food for the journey. She arrived in Barbados on January 26th , 2002 after rowing across the Atlantic for three-and-a-half months.
Debra began the journey with her husband in a small boat called Troika Transatlantic. But after 14 days he became very afraid, so he was taken off the small rowing boat. This did not make Debra give up. For the next hundred days, she rowed her small boat against the waves and the wind.
When she at last arrived at the end of her journey, she was reluctant ( 不情愿的 ) to leave her boat though her husband and family were there to welcome her. The boat had carried her safely to the end of the journey. She said, "I just want to toast(给……敬酒)this lady, this very special lady. I am full of sadness that I will have to leave her. She has protected me through many storms. "
Debra Veal's husband gave up because_________.
A.he had to look after their child | B.it was a dangerous journey |
C.there was no food for the journey | D.he was fed up with the journey |
"this lady" refers to_________.
A.her mother | B.her boat | C.herself | D.the journey |
Which of the following is right?
A.The journey lasted 100 days. |
B.Each boat was different. |
C.Debra Veal wanted to leave her boat as soon as the race ended. |
D.It was hard to get to the end of the journey. |
LONDON (Reuters) Ecotourism is causing a lot of damage to wildlife and may be endangering the survival of the very animals people are flocking to see, according to researchers.
Biologists and conservationists are worried because polar bears, dolphins, penguins and other creatures are getting stressed and losing weight and some are dying.
"Evidence is growing that many animals do not react well to tourists in their backyard,” New Scientist magazine said.
The immediate effects "researchers have noticed are changes in behavior, heart rates. or stress hormone levels but they fear it could get much worse and over the long term “ could endanger the survival of the very wildlife they want to see. ”
Although money produced through ecotourism, which has been growing at about 10-30 percent a year, has major benefits for poor countries and people living in rural areas, the Swiss-based World Conservation Union (IUCN) and some governments fear not all projects are audited(审计) and based on environmentally friendly policies,according to the magazine.
Transmission of disease to wildlife,or small changes to wildlife health through disturbance of daily life or increased stress levels, while not obvious to the casual observer, may translate to lower survival and breeding,” said Philip Seddon , of the University of Otago in Dunedin, New Zealand.
Scientists have noticed that bottleneck dolphins along the northeastern coast of New Zealand become nervously excited when tourist boats arrive. Similar changes in behavior have been observed in polar bears and yellow-eyed penguins in areas visited by colorists are producing smaller babies.
Conservationists are now calling for more research into the effect of ecotourism on animals and say the industry must be developed carefully. They also want studies done before new ecotourism projects are started.
“The animals’ welfare should be very important because without them there will be no ecotourism,” said Rochelle Constantine of the University of Auckland in New Zealand
Which is not discovered to have changed in animals disturbed by tourists?
A.behavior | B.birth rate | C.hormone levels | D.heart rates |
We may learn from the text that _____.
A.ecotourism must be developed properly |
B.polar bears are losing weight without enough food |
C.all the poor countries have stopped ecotourism |
D.money produced through ecotourism should be spent on wildlife |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the text?
A.Many animals do not react well in their backyard |
B.Studies should be done before new ecotourism projects are started |
C.Ecotourism has been growing at about 10—30 percent a year. |
D.polar bears in areas visited by ecotourists are producing smaller babies. |
What Rochelle Constantine said in the last paragraph implies that _____.
A.if people want to get high income, they must develop ecotourism |
B.animals have rights to live their own life |
C.animals are people's good friends |
D.people should take good care of wildlife |
A 16-year-old boy finds himself on a boat in the Pacific Ocean after escaping a shipwreck(海难). Even worse, he is left with a huge tiger for company. But he manages to survive after 227 days of fighting against all the hardships of the sea.
Pi, the lead character in Oscar-winning Ang Lee’s new movie Life of Pi, went through an inspiring journey of growth and self-discovery. So did 19-year-old Suraj Sharma, the Indian actor who plays him.
But it was a lucky chance that opened up the opportunity for the new star. Sharma was a regular student who lived with his mathematician parents in Delhi, India. As the director traveled to Mumbai to find his Pi, the teenager went along with his younger brother, who had acted in a couple of movies, to audition(试镜). But little did Sharma know that he would end up winning the role from 3, 000 hopefuls.
Lee said he saw Pi in Sharma: “Not only does he have a compelling and wise look. He has this rare talent.” The director said that in the final round, Sharma gave one of the “most compelling readings we had. In the end, he was in tears.” Understandably, Sharma didn’t want to let Lee down. “He (Lee) had given me this opportunity. I had to give it my best,” Sharma told the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Sharma swam for four or five hours a day until he was completely comfortable with the water. He also worked on his body because he had to first gain weight and then quickly lose weight as the story developed. He even had rats run all over him to prepare for his role. Lee was impressed by the teenager, especially his endurance and patience in staying in a water tank for many hours each day. Sharma was only 16 when Lee signed him. After three years of shooting, Sharma said he had matured with Pi’s journey.
What is the function of the first paragraph?
A.To introduce the topic of the passage. |
B.To appeal to readers to watch a movie. |
C.To attract readers to continue reading. |
D.To suggest the theme of this passage. |
We can know from the passage that ________.
A.Sharma wanted to become a mathematician |
B.Sharma had acted in a couple of movies |
C.Sharma was sure to win in the audition |
D.Many teenagers wanted to act the role Pi |
What does the phrase “to let somebody down” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A.To make somebody disappointed. |
B.To seat somebody down. |
C.To reject somebody’s requirement. |
D.To take down somebody’s information. |
Which of the following words can be used to describe Sharma?
A.Confident and passionate. |
B.Talented and diligent. |
C.Strong and courageous. |
D.Endurable and easily-excited. |
The passage is intended to introduce ________.
A.the thrilling escape from a shipwreck |
B.how an Oscar-winning movie attracts audience |
C.a young actor became matured when acting in a movie |
D.the difficulty in winning a role in a movie |
China's top labor official said the country is planning to push back the age at which workers can retire.
Yin Weimin, minister of human resources and social security, demonstrated that we did not put a timetable on the move when he spoke about it during a forum at the weekend.
"Delaying the retirement age is a very complicated issue and we will study it according to the situations of population and employment and consider different groups of people," Yin said.
He noted that hikes in the retirement age have been brought in by many countries and can be a good way to deal with an aging population and ensure the healthy and stable development of social security.
The life expectancy of Chinese people is now 73 years and is expected to rise to 74 during the next five years, he said.
Nearly three out of 10 Chinese people will be older than 60 by 2040, according to a United Nations forecast.
The retirement age in China currently is 60 for men and 55 for female civil servants and 50 for female workers.
The idea of delaying the retirement age is being widely supported by government officials, while many laborers and non-government employees were less enthusiastic about the prospect of working for longer. Currently, they have to pay into their pension plans for at least 15 years before they can retire.
Chen Xianlian, a female worker at a motorcycle parts manufacturer in Chongqing municipality is among those who would like to see the retirement age left as it is. “I have to do lots of tough and repetitive work every day and I feel very tired after my working day,” the 41-year-old said. “All my colleagues are discussing the government's possible move to lift the retirement age. None of us wants to work any extra years.”
University graduates also fear that any rise in the retirement age could limit their employment opportunities.
We can learn from the passage that ________.
A.China is not planning to push back the age at which workers can retire |
B.China is discussing the problem of delaying the retirement age now |
C.China is probably going to delay the retirement age |
D.China has pushed back the age at which workers can retire |
The underlined word “hikes” in Paragraph 4 means ________.
A.increasing | B. marching | C. pushing | D. discussing |
According to the current policy, Chen Xianlian has to work ________ more years from now before her retirement
A.14 | B. 9 | C. 19 | D. 15 |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A.All the Chinese people support the new policy. |
B.The life expectancy of Chinese people is expected to rise to 73 during the next five years. |
C.The retirement age in China will be 60 for men and 55 for female civil servants and 50 for female workers. |
D.The government did not set a fixed timetable on the new policy. |
It can be inferred from the text that ________.
A.Chen Xianlian is a civil servant. |
B.Delaying the retirement age is a very complicated issue. |
C.Many countries have begun to delay the retirement age. |
D.It may be harder for the university graduate to find a job in the future. |
The illegal ivory trade has been a major problem in Africa for decades. Poachers(偷猎者) and hunters have killed off hundreds of thousands of elephants to obtain this precious material. Now, affected areas are taking action. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced on Wednesday that key states where poaching takes place have promised to stop the ivory trade and protect Africa’s elephants.
In the 1980s, as many as 1 million elephants across Africa were killed for their ivory tusks. This continued until 1989, when the Convention on International Trade in Species (CITES) voted to ban all trade in ivory. With trade choked off, demand for ivory fell. Elephant populations slowly began to increase. However, this progress was short-lived.
According to the IUCN, 2011 saw the highest levels of poaching and illegal ivory trading in at least 16 years. Around 25,000 elephants were killed in Africa that year. Preliminary data from the IUCN shows even higher levels of illegal trade may have been reached in 2013. “With about 22,000 elephants illegally killed in 2012, we continue to face a critical situation,” said John E. Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General. “Current elephant poaching in Africa remains far too high, and could soon lead to local extinctions if the present killing rate continues.”
At the African Elephant Summit, key African states where elephants make their home agreed to develop a “zero-tolerance attitude” towards poaching. The deal calls for maximum sentences for poachers and hunters, and increased cooperation between affected states. Officials are determined to classifying wildlife trading as a serious crime — and to making sure that the people who commit it are punished. All participants at the conference agreed to sign the deal. With these states coming together, there may yet be hope for elephants. (293 words)
What’s the best title for this passage?
A.New Hope for Elephants. | B. Elephants are dying. |
C.Elephants are valuable. | D. How to protect elephants |
The underlined phrase “choked off” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “________”.
A. appreciated | B. prevented | C. admitted | D. explored |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A.The CITES has helped to improve elephants’ situation ever since 1989. |
B.Around one million elephants across Africa were killed for their ivory tusks in the 1980s. |
C.The poaching and illegal ivory trading in 2011 were very serious. |
D.The situation of elephants in 2012 was still terrible. |
All of the following measures will be taken to protect elephants EXCEPT ________.
A.to identify wildlife trading a serious crime |
B.to punish those who buy or sell wildlife belongings |
C.to sentence all wildlife poachers and hunters to death |
D.to work together to fight against wildlife hunting |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
A.The illegal ivory trade has been a major problem in Africa. |
B.Elephants in Africa may die out because of the illegal poaching. |
C.Hunting elephants will be recognized as a very serious crime. |
D.A new agreement aims to develop a “zero-tolerance attitude” towards poaching. |
Mona Lisa, the mysterious woman in Leonardo da Vinci's 16th century masterpiece, had just given birth to her second son when she sat for the painting, a French art expert said on Tuesday. The discovery was made by a team of Canadian scientists who used special infrared(红外线) and three-dimensional(三维的)technology to study the paint layers on the work, which now sits in the Louvre museum in Paris.
Bruno Mottin of the French Museums' Center for Research and Restoration said that on very close examination of the painting it became clear that the Mona Lisa's dress was covered in a thin transparent gauze veil.(透明面纱)
"This type of gauze dress was typical of the kind worn in early 16th century Italy by women who were pregnant or who had just given birth. This is something that had never been seen up to now because the painting was always judged to be dark and difficult to examine," he told a news conference.
"We can now say that this painting by Leonardo da Vinci was painted in memory of the birth of the second son of Mona Lisa, which helps us to date it more precisely to around 1503."The young woman with the ambiguous half smile has been identified as Lisa Gherardini, wife of Florentine merchant Francesco de Giocondo. She had five children.
"People always wrote that Mona Lisa had allowed her hair to hang freely over her shoulders. This greatly surprised historians because letting your hair hang freely during the Renaissance was typical of young girls and women of poor virtue (美德)," he said.
The team had hoped to discover more details about Leonardo’s painting techniques, which the artist used to create a hazy (朦胧的) effect. But scientist John Taylor said the team had been disappointed by the lack of brush stroke(笔触)detail on the painting.
According to the latest research, Mona Lisa was __________.
A.a woman of poor virtue | B.da Vinci’s second wife |
C.a woman who was pregnant | D.the wife of Florentine merchant |
We can infer from the test that ___________.
A.The research has been carried out in France |
B.Mona Lisa was painted in 1503 at the latest |
C.In da Vinci’s time women could only wear short hair |
D.the most difficulty is to identify the paint layers |
What is probably the best title for the test?
A.Mona Lisa ,the Mysterious Woman |
B.Mona Lisa was a New Mother |
C.Great Discovery in Painting |
D.Leonardo’s Painting Technique |
The information reported in the text was first got from _______________.
A.a newspaper | B.the Internet |
C.a news conference | D.the museum |
There are one billion homeless people living in our world today . The Homeless World Cup exists to end this , so we all have a home , a basic human need .
The Homeless World Cup is an annual , international football tournament(锦标赛) , uniting teams of people who are homeless to take a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country and change their lives forever . It has inspired and supported over 50 grass roots(基层的) football projects around the world working with homeless people throughout the year .
The first tournament took place in Graz 2003 uniting 17 national teams. At the 5th Homeless World Cup in Copenhagen in 2004, 48 nations, 500 players were united for a once in a lifetime opportunity to represent their country. 25,000 players were involved in pre-tournament training and trials around the world. Melbourne is the host city for the next tournament from 1-7 December 2008.
The Homeless World Cup is full of players with courage , spirit and determination . Research shows that 73% of the players change their lives for the better after the international tournament by coming off drugs and alcohol , moving into jobs , education , homes , training , reuniting with families and even going on to become players and coaches for professional or semi-professional football teams . David Duke (Scotland) played in 2004 , came off alcohol , passed his coaching qualifications(资格) . He became assistant coach for Scotland 2005, coach in 2006 and now owns his own home . The best goal scorer in 2004 Yevgen Adamenko(Ukraine) went on to play in a professional club in Ukraine .
The Homeless World Cup supporters include Nike , UN , Manchester United , Real Madrid and international footballers Didier Drogba and Rio Ferdinand .
Which of the following statements is true about the Copenhagen Homeless World Cup ?
A.It took place in early December . |
B.25,000 players entered the tournament . |
C.Nearly 50 teams competed in the tournament . |
D.David Duke won the best goal scorer in 2004 . |
Why does the writer give the examples of Yevgen Adamenko and David Duke in Paragraph
4 ?
A.To attract people to join the Homeless World Cup . |
B.To show the influence of the Homeless World Cup . |
C.To show the popularity of the Homeless World Cup . |
D.To inspire people to support the Homeless World Cup . |
The underlined words “ coming off ” in Paragraph 4 can be replaced by “ ”.
A.giving up | B.falling in | C.cutting off | D.looking down |
The purpose of the Homeless World Cup is to .
A.find a home for homeless people |
B.collect money for homeless people |
C.help the homeless kick bad habits |
D.help the homeless start a new life |
For their nick-of-time acts, Toby, a 2-year-old dog, and Winnie, a cute cat, were named Dog and Cat of the Year by the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.
As Amy Paul choked(哽住) on a piece of apple at her home, her dog jumped up, landing hard on her chest and forcing the piece in her throat out. When the Keesling family of Indiana was about to be killed by carbon monoxide, their cat clawed at the wife Cathy’s hair until she woke up and called for help.
No one could explain their timely heroics.
Both pets were rescued by their owners in infancy—Toby as a 4-week-old thrown into a garbage bin to die, and Winnie as a week-old orphan hiding under a barn, so helpless that Cathy’s husband, Eric, had to feed her milk with an eyedropper.
As the Keeslings recalled it, a gas-driven pump being used broke down, spreading carbon monoxide through the house. By the time Winnie went to rescue, the couple’s 14-year-old son was already unconscious. “Winnie jumped on the bed and was clawing at me, with a kind of angry sound,” Cathy Keesling said. The state police responding to her 911 call said the family was only minutes from death, judging by the amount of poisonous gas in the house.
Amy Paul’s husband was at his job when she took a midday break from making jewelry and bit into an apple. “Normally I peel them, but I read in Good Housekeeping Magazine that the skin has all the nutrients, so I ate the skin, and that’s what caused me to choke,” she recalled. “I couldn’t breathe and I was in panic when Toby jumped on me. He never does that, but he did, and saved my life.”
Both Toby and Winnie accompanied their owners to the awards luncheon.
Why did Amy Paul choke on a piece of apple?
A.She was too young to care for herself. |
B.She had a big bite. |
C.The apple was too hard. |
D.She didn’t peel the skin as usual. |
Winnie saved the lives of its owner’s whole family in an accident by ________.
A.jumping onto its owner | B.calling for help |
C.clawing at Cathy’s hair | D.making some strange noises |
Which of the following has the similar meaning to the underlined word “infancy” in Paragraph 4?
A.middle age | B.youth | C.babyhood | D.agedness |
What would be the suitable title for the passage?
A.So Smart Animals Are |
B.Dog and Cat Honored for Saving Their Masters |
C.Unforgettable Experiences |
D.Great Honors for Cat and Dog |
The National Geographic Channel has unearthed a time capsule (时光宝盒) buried by late Apple chairman and co-founder Steve Jobs thirty years ago.
The time capsule was buried in Aspen .Colorado .in 1983, shortly after Jobs attended the International Design Conference being held in that city. Organizers called the device the Aspen Time Tube and contributed items like Rubik's cubes(魔方) and some iconic music. Jobs added his own items to the capsule ,including the " Lisa" ( also known as an "Apple" )"mouse he used for his presentation at the conference. '
Younger readers may not recognize the name but the Lisa Apple mouse was one of the first commercial mice released to consumers. The mouse was specially designed for the Apple Lisa computer. It's also the first personal computer to offer users a graphical user interface(图形用户界面)
Initially ,the plan was to dig up the time capsule in the year2000,but organizers forgot its exact location. Recently .they brought in researchers working with the National Geographic Channel show Diggers to find the device. Eventually they came across the 13-foot-long.1. 5-foot-diameter tube. inside they found a lot of 1980s artifacts(人工制品)that are still being catalogued.
“When the end came off .literally things just poured out .”noted Diggers host Tim Saylor "There must be literally thousands of things in there.”
“They had the foresight to put a bunch of stuff in plastic bags." Saylor said .“I could see at least a dozen plastic bags and other items. But I know for sure there got to be photographs in there. People had hand-written things on the back of the photographs ,so there will be some really interesting things inside.”
Among the artifacts researchers expect to discover inside :a Steve Jobs speech in which the Apple visionary outlines his predictions for future technologies. We should know more about the researchers ,discoveries once the Diggers program airs this fall.
Which of the following is true about the Lisa mouse?
A.The mouse was the first commercial one for consumers |
B.The mouse was created only for the Apple Lisa computer |
C.The mouse was buried in Aspen ,Colotado for two decades. |
D.The mouse was invented after the International Design Conference |
Why wasn't the time capsule dug up in 2000?
A.Because it was not the time set by Steve Jobs. |
B.Because it could not be accurately located. |
C.Because organizers forgot its precise shape . |
D.Because the local government didn't approve. |
From the passage we can infer that_______.
A.there were some special photographs found-inside the time capsule |
B.a Steve Jobs speech with future predictions was found inside the cap |
C.Steve Jobs predictions for future technologies have come true |
D.more about the capsule will be discovered in the Diggers program |
The best title for the passage might be _______.
A.The "Lost" Steve Jobs Time Capsule |
B.The Mystery of Steve Jobs Speech Solved |
C.Steve Jobs' 1983 Time Capsule Recovered |
D.Co-founder & Former Apple CEO Steve Jobs |
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