Looking back on my childhood, I believe that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were all brought up in the same way, my brothers and my sisters soon gave up their flowers and insects. Unlike them, I had no ear for music and languages. I was not an early reader and I could not do maths well.
Before World War I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys. Nor do I remember clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a crystal clear memory of the dogs, farm animals, local birds, and above all, insects.
I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love for the natural world and my passion has led me into varied explorations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil reading about other people’s observations and discoveries. Then something brings these observations together in my mind. This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books.
But curiosity, a keen （敏锐的）eye, a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist. A scientist, up to a point, can be made. A naturalist is born. If you can combine the two, you get the best of both worlds.The first paragraph tells us the writer .
| A．was interested in flowers and insects in his childhood |
| B．lost his hearing when he was a child |
| C．didn’t like his brothers and sisters |
| D．was born into a naturalist’s family |
The writer can’t clearly remember his relatives probably because .
| A．he didn’t live very long with them |
| B．the family was very large |
| C．he was too young when he lived with them |
| D．he devoted himself to observing nature |
It can be inferred from the passage that the writer was .
| A．a scientist as well as a naturalist |
| B．not a naturalist but a scientist |
| C．only a born naturalist |
| D．first of all a scientist |
According to the writer, a born naturalist should first of all be .
| A．good at maths | B．full of passion |
| C．knowledgeable | D．self-controlled |
Why does the Leaning Tower of Pisa in Italy lean? It leans because of a mistake. It has leaned almost since the day the tower was built.
In 1173, the people of Pisa, Italy, wanted to build a bell tower. They wanted the tower to be the most beautiful bell tower in all of Italy. The city also needed a bell tower because the church did not have one.
However, there was a problem. As soon as the first floor of the building was finished, the tower started to lean. Builders tried to make the building straight again as they added more floors, but they couldn’t figure out how to make it stop leaning.
It took almost 180 years to finish the tower. Since then, the tower has leaned by another millimeter every year. Today, the Leaning Tower has eight floors and is 54.5 meters tall. By 1990, it was leaning by about 4 meters to one side. It was also slowly sinking into the ground. Many people became worried that it would soon fall apart.
In 1998, repair works began on the tower, and by the end of 2001, it had been moved back by 45 centimeters. The tower will still lean, however, so it will need to be repaired again---in another 200 years.why did the people of Pisa want to build the tower?
| A．They needed a new church | B．They wanted to build the tallest tower in Tower | C．They needed a bell tower. | D． They wanted to build a leaning tower. |
When did the tower begin to lean?
| A．from the first day it was built | B．after the first floor was built |
| C．after the last floor was built | D．180 years after it was built |
When was the tower finished?
| A．in 1173 | B．in 1180 | C．in 1353 | D．in 1474 |
Before being repaired,, the tower leaned every year by another _______
| A．1 millimeter | B．45 centimeters | C．54.5 millimeters | D．4 meters |
Which of the following is NOT true about the tower?
| A．It was sinking into the ground |
| B．People were worried it might fall apart |
| C．It was repaired between 1990 and 1998. |
| D．It will need to be repaired again in 200 years. |
Why should mankind explore space? Why should money, time and effort be spent exploring and researching something with so few apparent benefits? Why should resources be spent on space rather than on conditions and people on Earth? These are questions that, understandably, are very often asked.
Perhaps the best answer lies in our genetic makeup(基因构成) as human beings. What drove our ancestors to move from the trees into the plains, and on into all possible areas and environments? The wider the spread of a species, the better its chance of survival. Perhaps the best reason for exploring space is this genetic tendency to expand wherever possible.
Nearly every successful civilization has explored, because by doing so, any dangers in surrounding areas can be identified and prepared for. Without knowledge, we may be completely destroyed by the danger. With knowledge, we can lessen its effects.
Exploration also allows minerals and other potential (潜在的) resources to be found. Even if we have no immediate need of them, they will perhaps be useful later. Resources may be more than physical possessions. Knowledge or techniques have been acquired through exploration. The techniques may have medical applications which can improve the length or quality of our lives. We have already benefited from other spin-offs including improvements in earthquake prediction, in satellites for weather forecasting and in communications systems. Even non-stick pans and mirrored sunglasses are by-products (副产品) of technological developments in the space.
While many resources are spent on what seems a small return, the exploration of s
pace allows creative, brave and intelligent members of our species to focus on what may serve to save us. While space may hold many wonders and explanations of how the universe was formed or how it works, it also holds dangers. The danger exists, but knowledge can help human being to survive. Without the ability to reach out across space, the chance to save ourselves might not exist.
While Earth is the only planet known to support life, surely the adaptive ability of humans would allow us to live on other planets. It is true that the lifestyle would be different, but human life and cultures have adapted in the past and surely could in the future.Why does the author mention the questions in Paragraph 1?
| A．To express his doubts. | B．To compare different ideas. |
| C．To introduce points for discussion. | D．To describe the conditions on Earth. |
What is the reason for exploring space based on Paragraph 2?
| A．Humans are nature-born to do so. |
| B．Humans have the tendency to fight. |
| C．Humans may find new sources of food. |
| D．Humans don’t like to stay in the same place. |
The underlined word “spin-offs” in Paragraph 4 probably refers to______.
| A．survival chances | B．unexpected benefits |
| C．potential resources | D．physical possessions |
What makes it possible for humans to live on other planets?
| A．The adaptive ability of humans. | B．Resources on the earth.. |
| C．Our genetic makeup. | D．By-products in space exploration. |
Which of the statements can best sum up the passage?
| A．Space exploration has created many wonders. |
| B．Space exploration provided the best value for money. |
| C．Space exploration can benefit science and technology. |
| D．Space exploration may help us avoid potential problems on Earth. |
An idea that started in Seattle's public library has spread throughout America and beyond. The concept is simple: help to build a sense of community in a city by getting everyone to read the same book at the same time.
In addition to encouraging reading as a pursuit(追求) to be enjoyed by all, the program allows strangers to communicate by discussing the book on the bus, as well as promoting reading as an experience to be shared in families and schools. The idea came from Seattle librarian Nancy Pearl who launched(发起) the "If All of Seattle Read the Same Book " project in 1998. Her original program used author visits, study guides and book discussion groups to bring people together with a book, but the idea has since expanded to many other American cities, and even to Hong Kong.
In Chicago, the mayor(市长) appeared on television to announce the choice of To Kill a Mocking
bird as the first book in the "One Book, One Chicago" program. As a result, reading clubs and neighborhood groups sprang up around the city. Across the US, stories emerged of parents and children reading to each other at night and strangers chatting away on the bus about plot and character.
The only problem arose in New York, where local readers could not decide on one book to represent the huge and diverse population. This may show that the idea works best in medium-sized cities or large towns, where a greater sense of unity can be achieved. Or it may show that New Yorkers rather missed the point, putting all their energy and passion into the choice of the book rather than discussion about a book itself.
Ultimately, as Nancy points out, the level of success is not measured by how many people read a book, but by how many people are enriched by the process, or have enjoyed speaking to someone with whom they would not otherwise have shared a word.What is the purpose of the project launched by Nancy?
| A．To invite authors to guide readers. |
| B．To encourage people to read and share. |
| C．To involve people in community service. |
| D．To promote the friendship between cities. |
Why was it difficult for New Yorkers to carry out the project?
| A．They had little interest in reading. |
| B．They were too busy to read a book. |
| C．They came from many different backgrounds. |
| D．They lacked support from the local government. |
According to the passage, where would the project be more easily carried out?
| A．In large communities with little sense of unity. |
| B．In large cities where libraries are far from home. |
| C．In medium-sized cities with a diverse population. |
| D．In large towns where agreement can be quickly reached. |
The underlined words “shared a word” in Paragraph 5 probably mean .
| A．exchanged ideas with each other |
| B．discussed the meaning of a word |
| C．gained life experience |
| D．used the same language |
According to Nancy, the degree of students of the project is judged by .
| A．the careful selection of a proper book |
| B．the growing popularity of the writers |
| C．the number of people who benefit from reading |
| D．the number of books that each person reads |
As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was almost unheard of for a woman to do that. I got a taste of that dream in 2001, when my husband arranged for me to ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday. But the experience turned out to be very dull. Around that time, I told my husband that I wanted to skydive. So when our retirement community announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream.
In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Brush Sr. did it at age 80. Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health. A year went by and I heard nothing. But then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners. I just couldn’t believe it. Inspired by this, I decided to realize my dream, even though some of my family members and my doctor were against it.
On June 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I would land while I
headed up in the airplane. My instructor, Jay, guided me through the experience. The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn’t frightened—I was really just looking forward to the experience. When we reached 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out of the plane. When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe. For a second I thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” But then everything got calmer. We were in a free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute（降落伞）, then we just floated downward for about five minutes. Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I have ever felt—much better than the hot air balloon. I was just enjoying it.
Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life. I hope other people will look at me and realize that you don’t stop living just because you are 84 years old. If there’s something you want to experience, look into it. If it’s something that is possible, make it happen.What happened to the author in 2001?
A. She flew an airplane.
B. She entered a competition.
C. She went on a hot air balloon ride.The author mentioned George Bush Sr. in her essay to .
| A．make her argument persuasive |
| B．show her admiration for him |
| C．compare their health condition |
| D．build up her own reputation |
How did the author feel immediately after she jumped out of the plane?
| A．Excited. | B．Regretful. | C．Nervous. | D．Scared. |
What did the author enjoy most when she was skydiving?
| A．The beautiful clouds. | B．The wonderful view. |
| C．The company of Jay. | D．The one-minute free fall. |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Impossible is nothing. | B．A dream made come true. |
| C．An unforgettable skydiving. | D．I Went Skydiving at 84! |
When milk arrived on the doorstep
When I was a boy growing up in New Jersey in the 1960s, we had a milkman delivering milk to our doorstep. His name was Mr. Basille. He wore a white cap and drove a white truck. As a 5-year-old boy, I couldn’t take my eyes off the coin changer fixed to his belt. He noticed this one day during a delivery and gave me a quarter out of his coin changer.
Of course, he delivered more than milk. There was cheese, eggs and so on. If we needed to change our order, my mother would pen a note----“Please add a bottle of buttermilk next delivery”----and place it in the box along with the empty bottles. And then, the buttermilk would magically appear.
All of this was about more than convenience. There existed a close relationship between families and their milkmen. Mr. Basille even had a key to our house, for those times when it was so cold outside that we put the box indoors, so that the milk wouldn’t freeze. And I remember Mr. Basille from time to time taking a break at our kitchen table, having a cup of tea and telling stories about his delivery.
There is sadly no home milk delivery today. Big companies allowed the production of cheaper milk, thus making it difficult for milkmen to compete. Besides, milk is for sale everywhere, and it may just not have been practical to have a delivery service.
Recently, I saw an old milk box in the countryside. I took it home and planted it on the back porch （门廊）. Every so often my son’s friends will ask what it is. So I start telling stories of my boyhood, and of the milkman who brought us friendship along with his milk.Mr. Basille gave the boy a quarter out of his coin changer____.
| A．to show his magical power |
| B．to pay for the delivery |
| C．to satisfy his curiosity |
| D．to please his mother |
What does “this” in the third paragraph refer to?
| A．The milkman’s magic power |
| B．The milkman’s kindness to me |
| C．The note to change an order |
| D．The home delivery service |
What can be inferred from the fact that the milkman had the key to the boy’s house?
| A．He wanted to have tea there. |
| B．He was a respectable person. |
| C．He was treated as a family member. |
| D．He was fully trusted by the family. |
Why does home milk delivery no longer exist?
| A．Nobody wants to be a milkman now. |
| B．It has been driven out of the market. |
| C．Its service is getting poor. |
| D．It is forbidden by law. |
Why did the author bring back home an old milk box?
| A．He missed the good old days. |
| B．He wanted to tell interesting stories. |
| C．He missed it for his milk bottles. |
| D．He planted flowers in it. |
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