All plant cells are able to take up water. Even dead ones do to a certain degree. Absorption of water by dead cell walls makes wood swell(肿胀). In common land plants, the living cells of roots take up most of the water. Land plants without roots do exist, however. Those greenish-yellow lichens(苔藓)you see on tree trunks and on rocks in the high mountains have no roots. Half a billion years ago, when water plant started to invade the land, the first primitive land plants did not have roots; they were marsh (沼泽) plants.
Even among the flowering plants, one finds rootless forms. These flowering plants are the so-called higher plants because they evolved more recently and are thus considered higher on the evolutionary scale. In the Peruvian desert, there grows one of these rootless higher plants, a bromeliad. It is a relative of the pineapple. Even if this plant had roots, they would be of no use, because where the plant grows, it never rains. The plant gets its water exclusively from the dew it collects at night, when its leaves cool off. Such rootless plants, of course, can be moved with ease, but they will only grow when they are placed out in the open. If they are placed too near a house, the radiation from the heat of the house prevents the leaves from cooling and so prevents dew from forming, and the plant dies. In the southern United States and in Puerto Rico, one sees bromeliads growing high above the streets on the insulation of electric wires. These plants get their water from rain, and the only soil they ever come in contact with is the dust that may blow on their leaves.Wood swells because of _______.
| A．the dead cell walls | B．tiny drops of water entering the dead cell |
| C．the growth of the cell | D．the death of the cell |
From the passage we know that the evolutionary scale is arranged according to ______.
| A．evolutionary cycles | B．heights and depths |
| C．time | D．kinds |
The bromeliad is a plant that _______.
| A．has useless roots | B．is a pineapple |
| C．can grow anywhere | D．takes up water through its leaves |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Water plants existed before land plants. |
| B．Only living plant cells take up water. |
| C．The greenish-yellow lichens are uncommon land plants. |
| D．The living cells of roots absorb more water than the rest of the plant. |
The most suitable title for this passage is ______.
| A．water intake by cells | B．rootless plants | C．plant in the desert | D．higher plants |
London has a new magazine. But it’s not printed on paper. Everyone who has a television can receive it because it is on TV.
In order to read this magazine you have to have a decoder. Each page of it is numbered, so you only have to dial the number to choose which subject you want to read about. There’s a wide choice--- everything is included from cooking to the latest sports news.
If you want to read the news, the first thing you have to do is to turn to the index page which has an easy-to-remember page number, 100 for example. Then you start choosing what you want to read. The news is on pages 101 to 109, so you push out the numbers and the news appears written across your screen. Perhaps you want to go out in the afternoon, so you press 181, and a brightly colored weather map appears on the screen. But the weather is terrible so you decide to go shopping and dial 162 for a list of the week’s best bargains. But should you drive or take the train ? To answer the question you only have to press 189 for the traffic report. It’s very simple to use. But probably the best thing about the service is that it’s being updated all the time. Journalists type new material directly onto the screen and whole pages of the magazine can be replaced in minutes.
London has already had three services. One, transmitted（传输）by ITV, is called ORACLE, while the other two, on BBC, are called CEEFAX, because they let you see facts. Although CEEFAX and ORACLE have been operating for some time, they 
have not been well publicized. BBC engineers do not think that their idea will ever replace books and newspapers because they can be taken with you everywhere. But many people agree that this is a breakthrough as great as the invention of printing, which could change not just our reading habits but our whole way of life.What is unusual about the mew magazine in London?
| A．You can find any subject you want in it. |
| B．No paper is used to print the magazine. |
| C．There 1,000 page numbers in the index. |
| D．The speed of transmitting is astonishing. |
It’s clearly seen from the passage that ________.
A．it takes long for the service of the magazine to be updated |
B．most of the postmen will be out of work someday |
| C．the readers can get all kinds of information without leaving home |
| D．everyone can read the magazine if there is a television at hand |
According to the passage, the “decoder” is used to help people to ________.
| A．read the information transmitted by TV signals |
| B．broadcast special TV programs at home and abroad |
C．dial the number to choose which subject you want to read a bout |
| D．find the exact page in which you can get information you need |
The passage is mainly about .
| A．a new magazine printed in London | B．a popular TV program with three services |
| C．a great breakthrough in printing | D．an up-to-date way of keeping up to date |
Eight – year – old Jesse Abrogate was playing in the sea late one evening in July 2001 when a 7-foot bull shark attacked him and tore off his arm. Jesse’s uncle jumped into the sea and dragged the boy to shore. The boy was not breathing. His aunt gave him mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (人工呼吸) while his uncle rang the emergency services. Pretty soon, a helicopter arrived and flew the boy to hospital. It was a much quicker journey than the journey by road.
Jesse’s uncle, Vance Folsenzier, ran back into to the sea and found the shark that had attacked his nephew. He picked the shark up and threw it onto the beach. A coastguard shot the fish four times and although this did not kill it, the shark’s jaws relaxed so that they could open them, and reach down into its stomach, and pull out the boy’s arm.
At the Baptist Hospital in Pensacola, Dr. Ian Rogers spent elev
en hours reattaching Jesse’s arm. “It was a complicated operation,” he said, “but we were lucky. If the arm hadn’t been recovered in time, we wouldn’t have been able to do the operation at all. What I mean is that if they hadn’t found the shark, well then we wouldn’t have had a chance.’
According to local park ranger Jack Tomosvic, shark attacks are not that common. “Jesse was just unlucky,” he says, “evening is the shark’s feeding time. And Jesse was in area without lifeguards. This would never have happened if he had been in area where swimming is allowed.’
When reporters asked Jesse’s uncle how he had had the courage to fight a shark, he replied, “I was mad and you do some strange things when you’re mad.”What was the boy doing when the accident happened?
| A．Feeding a hungry shark. | B．Jumping into the rough sea. |
| C．Dragging a boy to the shore. | D．Swimming in a dangerous area. |
In which way did the boy’s uncle help with the operation?
| A．By finding his lost arm. | B．By shooting the fish. |
| C．By flying him to hospital. | D．By blowing into his mouth. |
How was his uncle in time of danger?
| A．Careful. | B．Brave. | C．Optimistic. | D．Patient. |
Which of the following statements can be infe
rred from the passage?
| A．Jesse’s uncle was mad. |
| B．Jesse was playing in area where swimming is allowed. |
| C．It was very difficult for the doctor to reattach Jesse’s arm. |
| D．Evening is the shark’s feeding time. |
More perhaps than any other European nation, the Swiss have got used to looking after foreign travelers. As early as the 18th century, wealthy French, Germans and Italians were treating the country as an amusement center while, in the 19th century, it became the major holiday playground for the British nobles. Today, it attracts visitors from all over the world.
The Swiss are clear about the importance of tourism to their economy, which makes up about eight percent of the Gross Domestic Product, and helps industry greatly. Managers of hotels from all over the world go to Switzerland to learn how to do the job, and a high standard can be expected from the great majority of the country’s hotels, most of which are small and pride themselves on personalized service. Public transport is the best in Europe. Both the Swiss Federal railways and the private railwa
ys are fully electric-powered, and the total network consists of about 5,000 kilometers of track.
Under the Fly Baggage system passengers can check luggage in at 116 railway stations and have it automatically transferred to their flight. The national highway system is equally well planned, and the mountain roads offer views of some of the country’s most breathtaking scenery. Also serving the mountains is an effective system of railways and cable ways, while more than 160 passenger c
ars cross the lakes and rivers. Hiking in the mountains is equally popular with Swiss nationals and foreign visitors. For those who want to view the country from a great height without having to climb the mountain themselves, it is always possible to take in the view from a balloon. Compared with other European countries, Switzerland ________.
| A．places more importance on entertainment |
| B．thinks more about foreign travelers |
| C．has more convenient public transport |
| D．has more five-star hotels |
According to the passage, Switzerland is now visited by ________.
| A．wealthy French people | B．rich Germans and Italians |
| C．British nobles | D．people from various countries |
According to the passage we learn that ________.
| A．most of the hotels in Switzerland are big |
| B．all the hotels in Switzerland offer exactly the same service |
| C．most of the hotels in Switzerland offer first class service |
| D．the hotels in Switzerland are accustomed to learning from the rest of the world |
The Fly Rail Baggage system is a service to transport your luggage between the railway station and ________.
A．the airpor t |
B．the hotel | C．the motorway station | D．the cable ways |
The passage mainly tells us about ________.
| A．scenery in Switzerland | B．the life in Switzerland |
| C．tourism in Switzerland | D．the transportation in Switzerland |
Burns can be caused by fire, the sun, chemicals, heated objects or fluids, and electricity. They can be minor problems or life-threatening emergencies. Distinguishing a minor burn from a more serious burn involves determining the degree of damage to the tissues of the body. If you are not sure how serious the burn is, seek emergency medical help.
First-degree burns are those in which only the outer layer of skin is burned. The skin is usually red and some swelling (肿大) and pain may occur. Unless the burn involves large portions of the body, it can be treated at home.
Second-degree burns are those in which the first layer of skin has been burned through and the second layer of skin is also burned. In these burns, the skin reddens intensely and blisters (水泡) develop. Severe pain and swelling also occur. Second-degree burns require medical treatment.
Third-degree burns are the most serious and involve all layers of skin. Fat, nerves, muscles, and even bones may be affected. Areas may be charred black or appear a dry white. If nerve damage is substantial, there may be no pain at all. These burns require emergency medical attention.
Follow these steps when treating minor burns at home:
1) If the skin is not broken, run cool water over the burn for several minutes.
2) Cover the burn with a sterile (消过毒的) bandage or clean cloth.
3) Take aspirin to relieve any swelling or pain.
Seek emergency treatment immediately for major burns. Before an emergency unit arrives, follow these steps:
1) Remove the person from the source of the burn (fire, electrical current, etc.).
2) If the person is not breathing, begin mouth-to-mouth resuscitation (人工呼吸) immediately.
3) Remove all clothing to stop further burning. If the clothing is stuck to the burn, do not attempt to remove it.
4) Cover the burned area with a cool, moist, sterile banda
ge or clean cloth. Do not place any creams, ointments (药膏) or ice on the burned area or break blisters.
5) Monitor the patient for signs of shock, and treat accordingly. The underlined sentence in the first paragraph probably means “______”.
A. They can be dangerous if you don’t treat them seriously
Ｂ. They range from slight burns to deadly ones
C. They seldom cause deaths even if not treated properly
D. They usually cause deaths if not treated properlyBurns are divided into different degrees according to _______.
| A．what kind of treatment they need |
| B．what kind of tissue of the body is damaged |
| C．whether there is pain and what degree of pain there is |
| D．which layer of skin is burned |
From the passage we learn that ___
____.
| A．if there is severe pain, then you need medical treatment |
| B．first-degree burns don’t require medical treatment |
| C．burns without pains can be treated at home |
| D．the larger the swelling is, the more serious it is |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______
.
| A．you shouldn’t cover the burn with a bandage or cloth if it is severe |
| B．you shouldn’t move the person unless you know how to do first aid |
| C．you shouldn’t run cool water over the burn if the skin is broken |
| D．you shouldn’t place any wet towels on the burned area |
where do you probably find the passage?
| A．a fashion magazine | B．a guide book |
| C．a book on first aid | D．a section about culture in the newspaper |
Many of us already know about several American superstitions（迷信）. Having a black cat cross your path, walking under a ladder, and breaking a mirror are all bad luck. In addition, there are many other superstitions that are worth knowing. Understanding them will keep you safe from evil spirits —if you believe in such things —and impress your American friends when you mention them.
Like the superstitions in other cultures, American superstitions often involve the things important in daily life, such as health, numbers, and marriage. For example, have you ever had a cough that would not go away? According to one Amer
ican superstit
ion, you should take a piece of your hair and put it between two slices of buttered bread. Next, feed this hair sandwich to a dog and say, “Eat well, you hound, may you be sick and I be sound.” This will trick the evil spirits and help your cough. It will also raise some eyebrows if you try it.
In American superstitions, the number three is very important. Often, Americas will say, “All things come in threes.” Three is lucky because it represents the traditional family: mother, father, and child. Therefore, gifts, letters, and guests will often arrive at your home in groups of three. However, it is also possible for bad events, like accidents and funerals, to come in threes as well.
Another time peopl
e pay attention to superstitions is when they get married. During a wedding, brides must wear or carry “something old, something new, something borrowed, and something blue”. The old and borrowed things will bring luck to the person who gives them to the bride. The new and blue things wi
ll bring good fortune to the bride herself. The next time someone you know is getting married, be sure to recite this phrase.
As it would be unlucky to discuss one more superstition, we will wind things up here. Keep your fingers crossed, and stay lucky!The passage is most probably entitled .
| A．American’s Bad Luck | B．Cross-culture and Superstitions |
| C．American Superstitions | D．Daily Life in Superstitions |
The underlined sentence in the second paragraph “It will also raise some eyebrows if you try it.” means .
| A．when you try it, the dog will raise its eyebrows. |
| B．you will make people surprised when you try this trick |
| C．only if you raise your eyebrows can the trick work |
| D．you will believe in the trick after you try it |
In American’s view, the number three is a(n) number.
| A．lucky | B．unlucky | C．special | D．ordinary |
On the wedding, the bride often uses old and borrowed things so as to .
| A．save some money for the wedding |
| B．bring good luck to the people who give them to the bride |
| C．give the good luck to the bride herself |
| D．pass the bad luck to others |
After reading the passage, we may feel it is written in a tone.
| A．formal | B．serious | C．humorous | D．critical |
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