B
Yes. It’s really happening. This is the last weekend that Washington D.C.’s beloved giant panda, Tai Shan (aka Butterstick), has resided at the National Zoo. Born in Washtington D.C. four and a half years ago, Tai Shan is leaving for China on February 4 to become part of a breeding(培育) program that will help support panda populations in the wild. We’ve known it was coming: He’s the property of China and his departure was part of an agreement made long before he stole our hearts. And while acknowledging that he will be helping the breed (there are only about 1,600 giant pandas left in the wild), we can’t help but be sad to see him go. He’s been an international concern from the moment he was born on July 9, 2005, thanks in part to the popularity of the PandaCam, which cameraed his every roly-poly(不倒翁似的) move.
The National Zoo is hosting a huge send-off celebration this Saturday from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. to say goodbye to Tai Shan, gathering their team of vets, nutritionists, reproduction specialists, and other scientists to share their knowledge about pandas. The Chinese Embassy will present dance and music presentations, kids will be able to write cards for Tai Shan, and in the most brilliant display we’ve seen in a while, Land O’Lakes will host a photo gallery of favorite images of Tai Shan from the past few years. “When Tai Shan was born,” the Zoo explains in its press release, “...he was about the size of a stick of butter. This earned him the affectionate nickname ‘Butterstick.’” .
Happily, Tai Shan will be departing in style. According to the Washington Post, FedEx has offered to donate the transportation and he’ll be leaving in a 777 FedEx aircraft next week that’s fitted with his own logo on the side. There’ll be “only eight people on board, including a doctor, as well as a panda member of the opposite sex...and more than 50 pounds of his favorite food available on demand,” says the Post. Not a bad way to travel 8,642 miles, even if it is in a crate(板条箱).
So goodbye, Butterstick, safe travels, and may you lead a long and fruitful life in China!
46. We can infer from the passage that the author most probably is ________.
A. an American B. a Chinese C. a foreign tourist D. a young writer
47. Why must the National Zoo send Tai Shan to China on February 4?
A. Because he’s the property of China.
B. Because his mother was stolen from China.
C. Because it’s the first part of a breeding program.
D. Because it’s bound and required by the agreement.
48. By saying “long before he stole our hearts” (in paragraph 1), the author means “long before______”.
A. he made us heartbroken B. he made us lose heart
C. we fell in love with him D. we felt disappointed with him
49. The send-off celebration will include the following activities except ______.
A. sharing knowledge about pandas B. dance and music presentations
C. a photo gallery of images of Tai Shan D. collecting nicknames for Tai Shan
50. Which of the following statements is True?
A. The number of pandas in the world is now sharply decreasing.
B. FedEx will fly Tai Shan to China in a Boeing 777 aircraft for free.
C. Washington Post is a branch company of FedEx’s in the US.
D. Tai Shan is to be accompanied on board only by eight people.
What Theresa Loe is doing proves that a large farm isn’t prerequisite for a modern grow-your-own lifestyle. On a mere 1/10 of an acre in Los Angeles, Loe and her family grow, can（装罐）and preserve much of the food they consume.
Loe is a master food preserver, gardener and canning expert. She also operates a website, where she shares her tips and recipes, with the goal of demonstrating that every has the ability to control what’s on their plate.
Loe initially went to school to become an engineer, but she quickly learned that her enthusiasm was mainly about growing and preparing her own food. “I got into cooking my own food and started growing my own herbs (香草) and foods for that fresh flavor,”she said. Engineer by day, Loe learned cooking at night school. She ultimately purchased a small piece of land with her husband and began growing their own foods.
“I teach people how to live farm-fresh without a farm,” Loe said. Through her website Loe emphasizes that “anybody can do this anywhere.” Got an apartment with a balcony （阳台）? Plant some herbs. A window? Perfect spot for growing. Start with herbs, she recommends, because “they’re very forgiving.” Just a little of the herbs “can take your regular cooking to a whole new level,” she added. “I think it’s a great place to start.” “Then? Try growing something from a seed, she said, like a tomato or some tea.”
Canning is a natural extension of the planting she does. With every planted food. Loe noted, there’s a moment when it’s bursting with its absolute peak flavor. “I try and keep it in a time capsule in a canning jar,” Loe said. “Canning for me is about knowing what’s in your food, knowing where it comes from.”
In addition to being more in touch with the food she’s eating, another joy comes from passing this knowledge and this desire for good food to her children: “Influencing them and telling them your opinion on not only being careful what we eat but understanding the bigger picture,” she said, “that if we don’t take care of the earth, no will.”
The underlined word “prerequisite” (Pare. 1) is closest in meaning to “______”.
| A．recipe | B．substitute |
| C．requirement | D．challenge |
Why does Loe suggest starting with herbs?
| A．They are used daily. |
| B．They are easy to grow. |
| C．They can grow very tall |
| D．They can be eaten uncooked |
According to Loe, what is the benefit of canning her planted foods?
| A．It can preserve their best flavor |
| B．It can promote her online sales |
| C．It can better her cooking skills |
| D．It can improve their nutrition |
What is the“the bigger picture” (Para. 6) that Loe wishes her children to understand?
| A．The knowledge about good food |
| B．The way to live a grow-our-own life |
| C．The joy of getting in touch with foods |
| D．The responsibility to protect our earth |
Language is a major problem for the European Union (EU) . The Treaty (条约) of Rome ,which created the organization that finally became the EU, stated that each country’s language must be treated equally. The original six countries had only three languages between them: French, German and Dutch/Flemish. However, there are now 15 countries in the EU, with a total of 12 languages. EU documents must be translated into all these languages, and at official meetings the speeches must be translated into all the languages by interpreters.
All this translating is very expensive and time-consuming. It is said that nearly half of all employees of the EU are engaged in translating documents and speeches and nearly half of the EU’s administrative (管理方面的) costs are spent on this task. In the near future it is probable that several more countries, most of them having their own languages, will join the EU, thus making the situation even worse.
The problem is just cost; there are practical difficulties as well. With 12 languages, there are 132 possible “translation situations” that might be needed. It is often difficult to find people in the right place at the right time who can translate from, for example, Danish into Greek, or Dutch into Portuguese, at a high professional standard.
In practice the problem has been less serious by the use of English in many contacts between EU officials , since almost all of them speak some English. However, any move to reduce the number of official languages (perhaps to four or five) would be a blow to the pride of the smaller countries. Another commonly suggested solution is to make English the official language for all EU business. However, this is strongly resisted by powerful member countries like France and Germany .
The organization that finally became the EU _______.
| A．included 132 languages |
| B．was set up by the Treaty of Rome . |
| C．started with three countries . |
| D．was started by France and Germany . |
What’s the main purpose of this passage?
| A．To show that the problem cannot be solved . |
| B．To criticize the European Union for inefficiency . |
| C．To find out a problem and show how serious it is. |
| D．To give a solution to a problem . |
The writer mentions “Danish into Greek” as an example of _______.
| A．a situation that occurs often. |
| B．a situation that might be difficult to deal with . |
| C．languages easily being interpreted. |
| D．one of the 12 situations that requires an interpreter |
The writer suggests that if the number of official languages was reduced, _______.
| A．Only languages which are easy to translate would be used officially. |
| B．The smaller member countries would be pleased . |
| C．the EU would not know which official languages to choose . |
| D．Countries whose languages were not used officially would be unhappy . |
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TV Ears helps you _____.
| A．improve your sleeping quality |
| B．listen to TV without disturbing others |
| C．change TV channels without difficulty |
| D．become interested in ballgame programs |
What makes TV Ears different from other headsets?
| A．It can easily set TV on mute. |
| B．Its headset volume is adjustable. |
| C．It has a new noise reduction car tip. |
| D．It applies special wireless technology. |
This advertisement is made more believable by _____.
| A．using recommendations |
| B．offering reasons for this invention |
| C．providing statistics. |
| D．showing the results of experiments. |
Hidden in our subconsciousness (潜意识) is a perfect mental picture. We see ourselves on a long trip that goes across the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we think in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle feeding on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, or row upon row of corn and wheat, of flat lands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw（拼图玩具） puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles(通道), condemning the minutes for loitering --waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.
“When we reach the station, that will be it!” we cry. “When I’m 38.” “When I buy a new 450SL Mercdes Benz!” “When I put the last kid through college.” “When I have paid off the loan!” “When I get a promotion.” “When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after! ”
Sooner or later, we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
“Relish(appreciate) the moment” is a good motto, actually it isn’t the burdens of today that drive man mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.
So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough.Why does the author describe the mental picture?
| A．To lead us into a perfect world. |
| B．To let people enjoy the scenery. |
| C．To introduce an actual trip of his. |
| D．To compare it to our life’s journey. |
How do people feel when they’re on their trip?
| A．Puzzled. | B．Happy. | C．Relaxed. | D．Impatient. |
What does the author mean by “Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today” in Line 2 Paragraph 5?
| A．Regret and fear are responsible for the loss of today. |
| B．We must be careful of the two thieves: regret and fear. |
| C．regret and fear stop us from enjoying our present life. |
| D．We’re frequently challenged by the two : regret and fear. |
Why does the author write the passage?
| A．To teach us a good lesson. |
| B．To tell us the right attitude to life. |
| C．To advice us to forget our worries. |
| D．To stop us wandering along the aisles. |
When my friend put out the idea of homeschooling to her parents, the first reaction they gave was, “You are cutting the child off the world.” Did the child really get cut off or did the child socialize better?
The moment we hear of homeschooling, we think the child will have no opportunities to interact with peers. However, in my friend’s opinion, we forget that when attending a regular school, the child is not into socializing all the while. The child is confined to so many other activities. Studies take a major role in a child’s life. The child hardly has the time to interact at school.
The child might be meeting and studying along with many peers; however, how many kids interact with all the kids in a class? But in homeschooling system, as my friend mentioned, the kid has all the time and can plan his day accordingly. During the day the child studies just like other school-going kids but with no burden of homework and project work, the child has so much free time in the evening as to effectively interact and play with peers. The quality time the child spends in education is really impressive.
Homeschooled kids have the opportunity to socialize more often as they have a lot of time in their hands. They can also make socializing a regular habit. Just as my friend said, her child goes to a neighboring park almost every day and has a set of friends who go there daily. Other children get back home to finish off homework and project work whereas her child who is already through with studies gets the opportunity to spend time with family members.
When I heard this, I really felt how lucky the child was. Definitely the child had a better opportunity to socialize when compares with my kids. However, I might not consider homeschooling for my kid, as I am so used to the traditional schooling system and feel regular schooling the safest bet.What is the author’s attitude towards his friend’s idea of homeschooling?
| A．Surprised. | B．Interested. |
| C．Negative. | D．Confident. |
The author’s purpose in writing the passage is to _________.
| A．explain what homeschooling is. |
| B．express his views on homeschooling. |
| C．share his ways of teaching his children. |
| D．promote homeschooling. |
The underlined word “confined” in the Para.2 can be replaced by _______.
| A．free | B．restricted |
| C．devoted | D．accustomed |
According to the author what is the biggest advantage of homeschooling children?
| A．They can be better at socializing. |
| B．They can be more popular. |
| C．They will become braver. |
| D．They can study better. |
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