How can a creature weighing over 5 tons and normally taking 150 kilograms of food and 120 liters of water per day survive in a desert environment?
In the southwest African country of Namibia, and the Sahara lands of Mali further north, the desert elephant does just that.
Although not regarded as a separate species from the African elephant, the desert cousin differs in many ways. Their bodies are smaller, to absorb less heat, and their feet are larger for easier walking across sandy surfaces, they are taller, to reach higher branches. They have shorter tusks（象牙）, and most importantly, longer trunks to dig for water in riverbeds.
Desert elephants can travel over 70 kilometers in search for feeding grounds and waterholes, and have a larger group of families. They drink only every 3 –4 days, and can store water in a “bag” at the back of their throat, which is only used when badly needed. Desert elephants are careful feeders – they seldom root up trees and break fewer branches, and thus maintain what little food sources are available. Young elephants may even eat the dung（粪便）of the female leader of a group when facing food shortage.
During drought they are unlikely to give birth to their young but with good rains the birthrate will increase greatly. Desert elephants have sand baths, sometimes adding their own urine（尿液）to make them muddy!
As we continue to overheat our weak planet, it can only be hoped that other animal species will adapt as extraordinarily well to change as the desert elephant.The underlined part in Paragraph 2 means “ ”.
| A．remains in the African countries | B．drinks 120 liters of water a day |
| C．manages to live in desert areas | D．eats 150 kilograms of food daily |
Desert elephants are called careful feeders because they _________.
| A．rarely ruin trees | B．drink only every 3-4 days |
| C．search for food in large groups | D．protect food sources for their young |
The author answers the question raised in the first paragraph with __________.
| A．stories and explanation | B．facts and descriptions |
| C．examples and conclusion | D．evidence and argument |
What can be inferred from the last sentence in the passage?
| A．Overheating the earth can be stopped. |
| B．Not all animal species are so adaptable. |
| C．The planet will become hotter and hotter. |
| D．Not all animals are as smart as desert elephants. |
As computers become all the more popular in China, Chinese people are increasingly relying on computer keyboards to input Chinese characters. But if they use the computer too much, they may end up forgetting the exact strokes of each Chinese character when writing on paper. Experts suggest people, especially students, write by hand more.
Do you write by hand more or type more? In Beijing, students start using a computer as early as primary school. And computer dependence is more widespread among university students. Almost all their assignments and essays are typed on a computer.
All the students interviewed say they usually use a computer.
It’s faster and easier to correct if using a computer. And that’s why computers are being applied more and more often to modern education. But when people are taking stock in computers increasingly, problems appear.
“When I’m writing with a pen, I find I often can’t remember how to write a character, though I feel I’m familiar with it.”
“I’m not in the mood to write when faced with a pen and paper.”
Many students don’t feel this is something to worry about. Now that it’s more convenient and efficient to write on a computer, why bother to handwrite?
Many educators think differently. Shi Liwei, the headmaster of a famous primary school in the capital said, “Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic (审美的) value. But those characters typed with computer keyboards only maintain their practical value. All the artistic beauty of the characters is lost. And handwriting contains the writer’s emotion. Through one’s handwriting, people can get to know one’s thinking and personality. Beautiful writing will give people a better first impression of them.”
To encourage students to handwrite more, many primary schools in Beijing have made writing classes compulsory(必修的) and in universities, some professors are asking students to turn in their homework and essays written by hand. Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?
| A．The Importance of Handwriting and Typing. |
| B．To type or to Handwrite. |
| C．Writing by Computer will Replace Writing by Hand. |
| D．Practical and Aesthetic Value of Chinese Characters. |
Which of the following statements is NOT the advantage of handwriting?
| A．Handwriting contains the writer’s emotion. |
| B．The writer’s thinking and personality are shown in his or her handwriting. |
| C．Handwriting can impress people well and build one’s self-confidence. |
| D．Chinese characters enjoy both practical and aesthetic value. |
The underlined expression “taking stock in” probably means ___________.
| A．getting bored with | B．getting dependent on |
| C．becoming curious about | D．getting curious about |
We can draw the conclusion from the passage that ___________.
| A．more and more students will give up writing on a computer. |
| B．writing by hand will give way to typing by computer one day. |
| C．more and more students will pay attention to handwriting. |
| D．the typing article better expresses one’s emotion and quality. |
As for visiting Walt Disney World. People usually have trouble in arranging. The following will give you some practical suggestions on paying a valuable visit to the famous park.
When to go?
While it’s always busy, Disney World is slightly slower between mid-January and March. It’s summer when the visitors , combined with the heat and humidity(潮湿)， are crowded. Your best choice is either early in the morning or late in the day--- often you can enjoy more rides in the first or last two hours of the day than you can the entire rest of the day combined.
Where to stay?
The question: to stay on Disney World Resort property or not. Disney World offers three resort pricing: Deluxe(豪华的), Moderate, and Value, with good facilities and in-hotel attractions. That said, they all offer “Extra Magic Hours”(early access to the theme parks), guaranteed entry when the parks are over-crowded, and frequent shuttle service to the many attractions. Off-property hotels will have shuttle transfers, but often at less regular intervals(间歇)，wasting more time in transport. You’ll also need a rental car, which adds to the expense, making up for saving in the hotel rate. The “Magic Your Way Package” is a good value if you have a large family.
What to do?
Make use of the “Fast Pass” , which , for no extra cost, allow you to insert your entrance ticket into a particular machine at the attraction and receive a schedule ride time a little later on. For example, use your Fast Pass ticket at a ride just before getting lunch. Once you’re done eating, you can return to the ride and jump right on during the busiest time of day. At the Animal Kingdom, the animals are most active either early or late in the day, so plan accordingly. Thankfully this is fit for the least busy times of day in the park. Study the map of the park the night before to plan your visit. You’ll save time by knowing where things are and where you’re headed. Visitors who use Fast Pass tickets ________
| A．can get discounts on tickets |
| B．will have a well-planned ride time |
| C．will often be checked at the exit |
| D．have to pay more for their tickets |
If you have referred to the map of the park, you ________
| A．are sure to save time |
| B．will get the lowest-priced tickets |
| C．can learn the park’s location |
| D．may have your lost tickets replaced |
The underlined word “this” in the text probably refers to the fact that ________
| A．there are more visitors at that time |
| B．animals are active at that time |
| C．the Animal Kingdom attracts fewer visitors |
| D．Fast Pass benefits visitors a lot |
It can be learned from Part 2 that _________
| A．every visitor will have a rental car for free |
| B．all the shuttle transfers are convenient for visitors. |
| C．three typed of resort pricing are offered by Disney World |
| D．Young couples are advised to take the Magic Your Way Package |
"Get out of the plane!" Justin shouted. Teddy and he dropped to the ground…
When Kathy and Victor reached the edge of the meadow, flames of the fire were shooting more than five meters into the air．
Kathy couldn't believe what she was seeing．One glance told her they needed medical attention immediately．She questioned Victor, "Are you able to find someone nearby for help?"
"There are no farmers, nor villagers nearby," he replied．
"I'm a distance runner, and I'll go for help．" Looking at the seriously injured men, Kathy said to Victor, "It may take me several hours to get out．" She started out．
When she was 23, Kathy set a women's record in a Marathon of 42 kilometers．But now she was running the race of life. She had nearly 30 kilometers of hard wilderness to cover to get help．
Kathy had been running for two hours．This was far back into the wilderness．The country path was growing vague．She stopped to take a quick compass reading．Yes, she had run almost for more than 20 kilometers．Her heart fell, her muscle aching．And finally she saw her car in the distance．
She jumped into the car and sped away．She reached a holiday house and called the police．
During the wait, she walked around, relaxing her legs and drinking water. It took almost two hours for a police helicopter to reach her at the trail end．They needed her for one more task．Who actually had the airplane accident?
| A．Justin and Teddy | B．Kathy and Victor |
| C．Justin himself | D．Kathy herself |
The underlined part "Now, she was running the race of life" means that ____．
| A．Kathy would set up a new record |
| B．Kathy would run a race alone |
| C．Kathy was running for the lives of others |
| D．Kathy couldn't rely on Victor this time |
Kathy stopped to have a look at her compass because ____．
| A．she wasn't sure of her own memory |
| B．she had completely lost her way |
| C．the country path was getting vague |
| D．there was only the wilderness |
What do you think Kathy's final task would be?
| A．Giving the injured food and drinks． | B．Showing the police the crash site． |
| C．Going back to put out the big fire． | D．Taking the injured to the hospital． |
For some kids, old photos and baby pictures are embarrassing. For others, they are cherished keepsakes (纪念品). But for thousands of children living in orphanages (孤儿院) worldwide, these records of the past simply don't exist. Either the kids' parents weren't around to snap photos, or the pictures have been lost. Whatever the reason is, the Memory Project is giving orphans a lasting document of their youth.
Over the last two years, the Memory Project has provided hand-painted portraits to more than 4,000 children living in orphanages in poor countries. Ben Schumaker, 24, got the idea when he was visiting an orphanage in Guatemala in Central America. But he's not creating the portraits(肖像) alone. Students in hundreds of high school art classes across the U.S. paint them using photos sent from the orphanages.
Schumaker believes that the artists benefit from the project as much as the orphans do.“There are two purposes of the Memory Project,” he said. “One is to offer a special gift to the child abroad. The other is to help open the eyes of the student who is painting.”Staring into the eyes of another person, Schumaker believes, it creates a real connection. This connection raises awareness in U.S. schools about the needs of the world's poor children.“It's about planting a seed,” he said.
Schumaker is also working on Books of Hope, a project in which students of all ages put together homemade books for children in Uganda and India. He hopes that one day children in Uganda and India. He hopes that one day children in Uganda and India will send books to the U.S. “It's important to me to have it be a two-way exchange,” Schmnaker says.Old photos and baby pictures are clearly unavailable to _ _ .
| A．the kids in rich families | B．the kids in common families |
| C．the kids in expanded families | D．the kids without parents |
How can the orphans in Guatemala get a continuing record of their youth?
| A．By hand-painted portraits that Ben Schumaker painted. |
| B．By the photos the orphanage taken for them. |
| C．By the photos taken by the U.S. students in high schools. |
| D．By the Memory Project started by Ben Schumaker. |
What does the third paragraph mainly tell us?
| A．The special gifts that the world's poor children received. |
| B．The benefits that the Memory Project brings. |
| C．The need of the US schools. |
| D．How to help the orphans. |
According to the passage, Schumaker helps the kids in .
| A．two countries | B．three countries |
| C．four countries | D．five countries |
A volcanic eruption in Iceland has sent ash across northern Europe. Airlines have stopped or changed the flights across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving hundreds of passengers stuck in airports.
Grimsvotn is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Europe. What makes
Grimsvotn different is that it lies under a huge glacier（冰川）of ice up to 12 metres thick. The hot volcano heats up the ice above it, which then forms a layer(层)
of water between glacier and the volcano, keeping it stable. As the water flows out from under the glacier, the pressure lifts. The lava(岩浆) from the volcano then comes up to the surface. This is exactly what is happening today.
Now airlines have to make changes to their flights so as not to fly through the clouds of volcanic ash. According to KLM, one of Europe’s biggest airlines, airplanes cannot go under the cloud or over it. Going through the cloud can result in ash getting stuck in the airplane’s engines, causing damage to the plane.
The eruption has also caused problems for animals in Iceland. The volcano left ash and sharp, glass-like rocks all over the countryside. Farmers are keeping their animals inside to stop them eating ash-covered grass or the sharp objects.What makes Grimsvotn different from other volcanoes?
| A．It is under the sea. | B．Its lava affects the airlines. |
| C．It is the largest volcano. | D．It is below ice. |
What keeps Grimsvotn still?
| A．The slow flow of water.. | B．The thick glacier. |
| C．The water pressure. | D．The low water temperature. |
Which of the following is the result of the volcano eruption?
| A．It becomes dangerous for animals to eat outside. |
| B．Famers have lost many of their animals. |
| C．Airlines suffer from the loss of planes. |
| D．People stop traveling in Europe. |
how many passengers were forced to stay in the airport?
| A．thousands of passengers | B．hundreds of passengers |
| C．ten thousands of passengers | D．20000 of passengers |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号