Pretoria, South Africa – Hundreds of swimmers play in the water along a South Africa beach. Suddenly a huge shark appears off shore and heads for the bathers. Before it can get close to the swimmers, the shark, for some mysterious reason, starts swimming parallel to the beach. Then it turns away from the shore and heads out to sea, leaving the swimmers untouched.
Such a scene will soon become common along shark-in-fasted (鲨鱼成群的) shores. An electrical engineer from the University of Pretoria has developed an electrical system that repels (击退) sharks by controlling their movements. Confused by this action, the sharks end up turning away from the beach.
In this unusual shark-repellent method, an insulated (绝缘的) cable is buried on the bottom of the sea around a beach where people swim. When an electric current is sent through the cable, an electric field is produced in the water above the cable.
When shark swims into the electric field, nerve cells just below the shark' s skin will sense the field. The electricity produces a reflex (反射作用) action in the shark' s muscles, causing the dangerous animal to swim parallel to the cable. Confused by increasing loss of control of its muscles, the shark suddenly changes its direction and heads seaward, away from the electric field.
In a test of the invisible new shark-repellent system, a cable was placed around a beach in St. Lucia, an island around the beach a long time ago to keep sharks away from swimmers, and a net was left in place during the experiment.
When the electric field was left on for more than a year and a half, no sharks were found in the net. However, when the power was turned off,89 sharks ended up in the net.
Using the electric-wall method instead of net to protect bathers would avoid the needless death of many sharks, said biologists. Currently, thousands of sharks die each year when they become trapped in protective nets that surround holiday resorts in Africa and Australia. About 10 to 15 humans are killed by sharks annually.
1．Why doesn' t the shark attack the swimmers according to the passage?
A．Because there are so many swimmers in the water.
B．Because the shark isn’t so hungry as to eat the swimmers.
C．Because of some mysterious power from the heaven.
D．Because there is an invisible electric field confusing the shark.
2．An electrical engineer from the University of Pretoria has developed __ .
A．a protective net
B．a new shark-repellent system
C．the electric field
D．an insulated cable
3．An electric field is produced in the water above the cable .
A．only when a shark swims into the electric field
B．only when an insulated cable is buried on the bottom of the sea around a beach where people swim
C．only when an electric current is sent through the cable
D．only when the sharks are trapped in protective nets
4．Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A．Protective nets had been fixed earlier than the new shark-repellent system.
B．The new shark – repellent system will probably replace the protective nets.
C．Thousands of sharks have died each year since this new system was put into use.
D．Using the electric-wall instead of nets would avoid the needless death of many sharks.
You will pay _______ if you want to stay in the English club for half a year.
| A．300 yuan | B．600 yuan | C．1200 yuan | D．2400 yuan |
You can visit Ocean Museum _______ .
| A．on Saturday | B．on Wednesday | C．on Monday | D．anytime |
One can get free examinations in Health Centre if he is _______ .
| A．9 | B．17 | C．67 | D．73 |
If you are interested in the life of fish, you should go to ______ .
| A．Health Centre | B．Ocean Museum |
| C．Sunny English Club | D．16 Yong Le Street |
Many of the world’s pollution problems have been caused by the crowding of large groups of people into the cities. Supply for the needs of the people leads to further pollution by industry. If the rapid increase of world population in countries continues at the present rate, there may be much greater harm to human beings. Some scientists speak of the increase in numbers of people as “population pollution.”
About 2,000 years ago, the world population was probably about 250 million. It reached a billion in 1850. By 1930 the population was two billion. It is now three and a half billion. It is expected to double by the year 2,000. If the population continues to grow at the same rate, there will be 25 billion in the world a hundred years from now.
Man has been using the earth’s resources more and more rapidly over the past years. Some of them are almost used up. Now many people believe that man’s greatest problem is how to control the growth of the population. The material supplies in the world will be far from enough to support the human population in time to come, if the present rate of increase continues. Already there is overcrowding in many cities and starvation in some countries. Should man’s population keep on growing so rapidly as before? Many people believe that human survival in the future depends on the answer to this question.The rapid increase in population is considered to be __________.
| A．the increase of resources | B．population pollution |
| C．the development of mankind | D．the present rate |
If the present rate of increase continue, ________________.
| A．the world is going to end |
| B．the earth won’t be able to support the growing population in the future |
| C．pollution has nothing to do with the rapidly increasing population |
| D．there would be four billion in the world a hundred years from now |
Which of the following is Wrong according to the passage?
| A．In 1850 the world population reached a billion. |
| B．Man must fight a battle against population pollution. |
| C．The world’s population is increasing with years. |
| D．All of the earth’s resources are gone now. |
Macao is only forty miles from Hong Kong and it is easy to reach. You can get there by sea. It is an interesting place and it had a long history. Macao is part of China and most people living there are Chinese.
The first Europeans to go to Macao came from Portugal. More than four hundred years ago the Portuguese went there to trade with China. Some settled and made their homes there. They built strong forts to guard the city and the harbor. They also built churches, schools, hospitals and other places. Slowly the city grew. People from many countries came to live and work in Macao.
Today many people visit Macao. Some only go there to watch dog-racing or motor-racing or to gamble with their money. But Macao is a quiet and peaceful place. It is pleasant just to walk around and look at old buildings and forts. You feel you are back in the old days. Of course, some of the buildings are now in ruins. The Church of St. Paul has only the front wall with many steps leading up to it. But it is still interesting to see.
When you are hot and tired, there are small cool gardens to rest in. when you are hungry, there are good restaurants with many kinds of food. Nearby there are some islands, which are also nice and are easy to get to. There is certainly a lot to do in Macao. Macao is easy to get to because_________.
| A．it is part of China and most people there are Chinese |
| B．it is an interesting place |
| C．it is very fast and cheap by sea |
| D．it is not far away from Hong Kong |
You feel in Macao you are back in the old days because_________.
| A．most of the buildings are now in ruins |
| B．you can watch dog-racing or motor-racing |
| C．you can go about to see the old buildings and forts |
| D．it is a peaceful place |
Where will you have a break when you feel worn out?
| A．In good restaurants. | B．In small cool gardens. |
| C．On some islands. | D．In beautiful parks. |
The writer’ s idea seems to be that_________.
| A．people from many countries came to live and work in Macao |
| B．Portuguese were willing to do business in China |
| C．people in Macao serve good food |
| D．Macao is a quiet and peaceful place with a lot to see and to do |
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
In so many ways, cyberspace (网络空间) mirrors the real world. Some people ask for information, play games, and share hobby tips. 71 Still others look for friendship, or even love.
Unlike the real world, however, your knowledge about a person is limited to words on a computer screen. Identity (身份) and appearance mean very little in cyberspace. 72 So even the shyest person can become a chat-room star.
Usually, this “faceless” communication doesn’t create problems. Identity doesn’t really matter when you’re in a chat room discussing politics or hobbies. In fact, this emphasis on the ideas themselves makes the Internet a great place for exciting conversation (对话). 73
But some Internet users want more than just someone to chat with. 74 Is cyberspace a good place to find love? That answer depends on whom you ask.
75 Others fail miserably.
| A．Instead, a person’s thoughts or at least the thoughts they type are what really matters. |
| B．Others buy and sell products. |
| C．They’re looking for serious love relationships. |
| D．But cyberspace is different from the real world in some aspects (方面). |
E. Some of these relationships actually succeed.
F. Where else can so many people come together to chat?
G. Chatting online isn’t always reliable (可靠的).
Throughout our childhood our parents taught us to say “thank you” and it has become a habit — something we say automatically (自动地), along with “please”. And because of this we have forgotten just how important gratitude is and how essential it is in leading fulfilled (感到满足的) lives.
Just for a minute, think of all the things you are grateful for, such as loving friends, good health, great holidays as well as everyday items such as a comfortable home, TV, and clean water. The list, in fact, could go on and on.
Now focus on events that have made you angry — it’s raining, the car won’t start, and a colleague (同事) makes you annoyed. You start to feel unhappy, and that is something that certainly does not make you feel good！
In fact, we have the ability to choose how we feel — it’s just our perception (认识) of how things are. But for most of us, it just doesn’t seem easy.
Let me give you an example: it’s a rainy day, and immediately most people will start to complain, telling everyone who will listen what a miserable day it is, with the result that they end up feeling miserable themselves. But look at it another way and despite wet clothes and hair, both will dry perfectly well and no lasting harm has been done. And in addition to this, because of rain, we not only live in a green and beautiful landscape, we are also able to grow a lot of fruit and vegetables.
There really is no obvious reason for feeling miserable — in fact there is a great deal to be grateful for. It all depends on what we think about things.
Realize what a difference having gratitude can make to your life. That’s why gratitude is so special — use it to feel good!What do we usually do automatically according to the author?
| A．Focus on good things. | B．Prefer to feel good. |
| C．Express thanks orally. | D．Take many things for granted. |
By the example in the fifth paragraph, the author advises us to _____.
| A．see things in a different way | B．refuse the unchangeable things |
| C．ignore the harm bad weather does | D．listen to others’ complaints patiently |
By writing the passage, the author mainly wants to tell us _____.
| A．to think twice before we act |
| B．to be grateful for what we have |
| C．it is no use making complaints |
| D．saying “thank you” has many disadvantages |
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