.
Birds in cities are damaging their health by trying to sing above the noise of urban life．
New research shows that male birds are trying to compete against traffic and city sounds．They are now singing louder and at higher frequencies，which could harm their vocal cords．Some birds are choosing to sing at night instead of dudng the day．This makes them more open to attack and also creates stress and exhanstion．
“The difference between urban and rural birdsong is becoming so big that the two groups could now be unable to communicate．This could lead to inbreeding and a weak gene pool．”said Dr Sue Anne Zollinger of the University of St Andrews．
According to Zollingar,a bird group with a small geae pool might adapt less quickly to new diseases and could be wiped out．
A study of the dawn chorus found that birds in Berlin sang up to 14 decibels(分贝)louder than those in the forest．The birds sang loudest on weekday momings．
“By trying to sing over the sound of the city,birds are rising vocal injury,”said Zollinger．“All this puts the sarne strain on a bird’s vocal cords as when ahuman need to shout to be heard—except the birds are doing it all day,every day,”she said．
“Singing under such pressure means birds have less control over the sound they produce． Their songs may lose quality and become more rough—sounding．”said Zollinger．This could make them appear less attractive to female birds．
Mark Constantine，author of The Sound Approach to Birding，said：“Birdsong is important for our quality of life and has been proved to reduce our blood pressure．When we live in the centre of large，urban areas，we get stressed and it's extremely good to have birdsong around us．The impact on humans of birdsong is massive．It harms us，as well as the birds，if their songs become louder and simpler
53．Some birds in cities now choose to sing at night time because_______．
A．they want to attract more birds of opposite sex
B．they are more likely to be discovered by their family
C．they can’t adapt to the loud noises during the daytime
D．they have to frighten their enemy away
54．According to the passage，urban and rural birds might not be able to_______．
A．recognize each other
B communicate with each other
C live with each other
D．compete against each other
55．It requires greatest efforts for birds in cities to sing o_______．
A．Monday nights B．Wednesday afternoons
C．Saturday Evenings D．Friday momings
56．According to Dr Sue Anne Zollinger,birds singing louder might eventually lead to_______．
A．the harm done to man’s health
B the dying out of a species
C．the serious damage to the bird’s vocal cords
D．the decrease ofthe birth rate ofa bird group
In most parts of the world, many students help their schools make less pollution. They join “environment clubs”. In an environment club, people work together to make our environment clean.
Here are some things students often do.
No-garbage (垃圾) lunches. How much do you throw away after lunch? Environment clubs ask students to bring their lunches in bags that can be used again. Every week they will choose the classes that make the least garbage and report them to the whole school.
No-car day. On a no-car day, nobody comes to school in a car. Not the students and not the teachers! Cars give pollution to our air, so remember: work jump, bike and run. Use your legs! It’s lots of fun..
Turn off the water! Did you know that some toilets can waste twenty to forty cubic(立方) meters of water an hour? In a year, that would fill a small river! In environment clubs, students mend those broken toilets. We love our environment. Let’s work together to make it clean.Environment clubs ask students __________.
| A．to run to school every day |
| B．to take exercise every day |
| C．not to forget to take cars |
| D．to use lunch bags |
From the passage we know the students usually have lunch_________.
| A．at school | B．in shops |
| C．in chubs | D．at home |
After students mend toilets, they save__________.
| A．a small river | B．a club |
| C．water in cubic meters | D．a toilet |
The writer wrote the passage to ask the students to___________.
| A．clean school | B．make less pollution |
| C．join clubs | D．help teachers |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．On No-car day, only the teachers can go to school in their cars. |
| B．In the clubs, students usually work together to make the earth less polluted. |
| C．The water in the toilet can fill a river. |
| D．Students can take their lunch in paper, so they can throw it after lunch. |
Once I came to the city near my hometown to find a job. I met all kinds of and so I used up all my money soon.
One day, I a bus quietly at dusk when most people got off work. Suddenly, a cried loudly, “Someone has my money!” I felt , because his money was in my hand. Some people suggested the bus be driven to the police station, but some were against it because they were in a hurry to go back home. The whole bus was very . The driver then the bus by the road and turned on the lights to search for the money. At that time, one passenger said, “Turn off the lights and give the thief a chance to take out the money.” Then the bus got . When I was still struggling in mind whether to take out the money or not, the lights were on again. There was no on the floor. Someone said again, “Give him one more chance.” Then the lights were off again. My heart kept beating fast. The lights were on again but they got the same . The passengers were in heated discussion again. At that time, someone said again, “Give him the last chance!” Suddenly I felt awakened and took out all the money when the lights were off again.
For many years I have felt grateful to the one who gave me three chances to my mistake.
When the first and second opportunities come, you may not be prepared well or don’t have enough to act. When the third opportunity comes you should know clearly what you should do.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
College visits are important．Before you commit years of your life and money to a school, be sure you're choosing a place," that is a good match for your personality and interests．You can’t get the "feel' of a school from any guidebook, so be sure to visit the campus．Below are a few tips for getting the most out of your college visit．
1.Explore on your own
Of course you should take the official campus tour, but be sure to allow time to hang around on your own． The trained tour guides will show you a school's selling points．But the 1dest and prettiest buildings don't give you the entire picture of a college．Try to walk the extra mile and get the complete picture of the campus．
2.Read the Bulletin Boards
When you visit the student center, academic buildings and residence hall, take a few minutes to read the bulletin boards．They provide an easy way to see what's happening on campus．The ads for lectures, clubs and plays can tell you what's going on outside the classrooms．
3.Eat in the Dining Hall
You can get a good feel for student life by eating in the dining hall．Try to sit with students if you can．Do the students seem happy or stressed? Also, is the food good? Are there adequate healthy options? Many admission offices will give prospective students coupons（优惠券）for free meals in the dining halls．
4.Visit a Class in Your Major
If you know what you want to study, a class visit makes a lot of sense．You'll get to observe other students in your field and see how involved they are in classroom discussion．Try to stay after class for a few minutes and chat with the students to get their impressions of their professors and major．Be sure to call in advance to schedule a classroom visit—most colleges don't allow visitors to drop in on class unannounced．
5．Talk to Lots of Students
Your campus tour guide has been trained to market the sch001．Try to talk to students who aren't getting paid to impress you．These important conversations can often provide you with information about co1lege life that isn't part of the admission script．Few university officials wi11 tell you if their students spend all weekend drinking or studying, but a group of random(随机的，随意的) students might.
For more tips，please go to collegeapps．about．com．The best way to know about a college in an official campus tour is____．
| A．to walk around the campus alone |
| B．to take pictures of the campus |
| C．to visit the oldest and prettiest buildings |
| D．to hire a tour guide |
Reading the bulletin boards can help you___________.
| A．decide the major you want to study |
| B．find out the after-class activities on campus |
| C．get free coupons from the admission offices |
| D．find out the options of healthy food |
If you plan to attend a class on campus,___________.
| A．drop in on a class in your major |
| B．have talks with the students in the class |
| C．make an appointment in advance |
| D．ask how the students like their teachers and majors |
To get a real idea of the college during a visit, it's best to talk to______.
| A．famous professors | B．campus tour guides |
| C．admission officers | D．random students |
Where does the passage probably come from?
| A．A news report | B．A tourist poster． |
| C．An educational journal． | D．A geographical magazine． |
The nation's largest group of pediatricians(小儿科医生) on Monday urged its members to “firmly oppose boxing for any child or adolescent.”
In a statement, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said thousands of boys and girls take part in the sport in North America, despite risks of serious brain and facial injuries. The group’s position was approved by some experts.
“There is very little one can do in order to increase the chance of having a healthy brain when you get old,” said Dr. Hans Forstl, who has studied boxing injuries.
“ One of the best things you can do is avoid boxing.” He said.
According to the new statement, published in the journal Pediatrics, information from Canada shows a rise in boxing injuries over the past decade.
Pat Russo, a retired police officer who runs a boxing gym in Brooklyn, New York, said injuries are rare in amateur boxing. After 26 years and training thousands of kids, he has seen just one split lip among his students.
“ If the gym is run properly, injuries are at an absolute minimum,” Russo said. “Football is ten times more dangerous. While tennis or football might also help kids gain confidence, boxing holds a special attraction for children in poor neighborhoods, because it allows them to act tough while in trouble.”
Dr. Robert Cantu, a surgeon (外科医生) at Emerson Hospital in Concord, Massachusetts, said AAP’s attitude makes sense for upper-class and middle-class kids.
“ Clearly boxing is safer today than it was 20 or 30 years ago, but it is still a very risky activity,” he said.
“For kids in poor areas, however, the situation is different,” said Cantu. “ The most dangerous thing for the majority of people in boxing is just where they live. They are far safer in the ring (拳击场), even taking blows to the head, than they are out in the neighborhood.”The statement released by AAP was ___________.
| A．approved by Pat Russo |
| B．focused on professional boxing |
| C．based on Dr. Hans Forstl’s research |
| D．strongly against boxing for children |
What is Dr. Hans Forstl’s attitude towards boxing for children?
| A．Unconcerned | B．Supportive |
| C．Opposed | D．Neutral |
Pat Russo believes that boxing injuries are____________.
| A．still on the rise today |
| B．not a serious problem in his gym |
| C．not common in poor neighborhood |
| D．more dangerous than football injuries |
In the text, Dr. Robert Cantu expressed his concern about __________.
| A．brain injuries occurring in boxing matches |
| B．the development of boxing among children |
| C．the attitude of upper-class kids toward boxing |
| D．children’s security in poor neighborhood |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．The development of boxing gyms |
| B．Children’s risk of injury in boxing |
| C．The disadvantage of doing boxing |
| D．Measures to improve boxing safety |
Some time ago, I discovered that one of my chairs had a broken leg. I didn’t think there would be any difficulty in getting it mended, as there are a whole lot of antique shops near my home. So I left home one morning carrying the chair with me. I went into the first shop expecting a friendly reception. I was quite wrong. The man wouldn't even look at my chair.
The second shop, though slightly more polite, was just the same, and the third and the fourth —so I decided that my approach must be wrong.
I went into the fifth shop with a plan in my mind. I placed the chair on the floor and said to the shopkeeper, “Would you like to buy a chair?” He looked it over carefully and said, “Yes, not a bad chair. How much do you want for it, sir?” “Twenty pounds,” I said. “OK,” he said, “I’ll give you twenty pounds.” “It’s got a slightly broken leg,” I said. “Yes, I saw that; it's nothing.”
Everything was going according to plan and I was getting excited. “What will you do with it?” I asked. “Oh, it will be easy to sell once the repair is done.” “I'll buy it,” I said. “What do you mean？You’ve just sold it to me,” he said. “Yes, I know but I’ve changed my mind. I'm sorry; I'll give you twenty-seven pounds for it. ” “You must be crazy,” he said. Then, suddenly the penny dropped. “I know what you want. You want me to repair your chair. ” “You’re right,” I said. “And what would you have done if I had walked in and said, ‘Would you mend this chair for me?’” “I wouldn't have agreed to do it,” he said. “We don’t do repairs, not enough money in it and too much trouble. But I’ll mend this for you; shall we say for a fiver?” He was a very nice man and was greatly amusedby the whole thing.
We can learn from the text that in the first shop the writer ________.
| A．was rather impolite |
| B．was warmly received |
| C．asked the shopkeeper to buy his chair |
| D．asked the shopkeeper to repair his chair |
The underlined word “approach” in the second paragraph means _____________.
| A．plan for dealing with thing |
| B．decision to sell things |
| C．idea of repairing things by himself |
| D．way of doing things |
The expression “ the penny dropped” in the last paragraph means the shopkeeper __________.
| A．changed his mind |
| B．accepted the offer |
| C．saw the writer’s purpose |
| D．decided to help the writer |
How much did the writer pay?
| A．£5 | B．£6 | C．£20 | D．£27 |
From the text, we can learn that the writer was____________.
| A．honest | B．careful |
| C．smart | D．funny |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号