Now let's look ourselves as a species in relation to ecosystem balance.Modern scientists believe that humankind, like other animals, evolved(进化) through millions of years of changes and adaptations to the environment and that our most direct evolutionary ancestor was probably an earlier species of the primate(monkey, ape) group. Despite this similarity with other creatures, however, the evolution of humankind differs from that of other species in one important and unique way.
In other species, evolution has led to specialization, both in the species abilities and in its place within the environmental structure. For example, the giraffe is much adapted to feeding on treetops, but it is also specialized and thus limited to feeding on trees and shrubs. Only with great difficulty can it bend down to graze on the ground. Similarly, the anteater is extremely well adapted to eating ants but is unable to catch or eat other animals. The same is true for countless other species.
For humankind it is opposite. Our evolution had led to a very generalized ability. Our highly developed intelligence and ability to make and handle tools mean that we can do almost anything. Humans evolved in such a way that we are able to move into every environment on Earth and even into space. No natural competitor offers great resistance, and other natural enemies such as disease have been controlled.
Said another way, we see in humankind a great imbalance between biological potential and environmental resistance. The result is the rapidly increasing world population, frequently referred to as the population explosion. Further, to support our growing population, natural ecosystems are being increasingly displaced by human habitations, agriculture, and other human supporting activities.From the passage we can infer that in the course of evolution _______.
| A．humankind is very important to earlier species, such as the primate group |
| B．human beings are limited by the environment while animals are not |
| C．human beings become more and more different from each other |
| D．humankind has experienced a generalization rather than specialization in ability |
According to the passage, primate includes such animals as _______.
| A．monkeys and anteaters | B．tigers and apes |
| C．apes and monkeys | D．monkeys and giraffes |
According to the passage, evolution has made it possible for humans to _______.
| A．increase the population |
| B．resist natural offers |
| C．go to the moon |
| D．cure all diseases |
According to the author, imbalance between biological potential and environ mental resistance has resulted in _______.
| A．the population explosion |
| B．the destruction of human habitations |
| C．the growth of natural ecosystem |
| D．the specialization of humans |
You are watching a film in which two men are having a fight. They hit one another hard. At the start they only fight with their fists. But soon they begin hitting one another over the heads with chairs. And so it goes on until one of the men crashes through a window and falls thirty feet to the ground below. He is dead!Of course he isn't really dead. With any luck he isn't even hurt. Why? Because the men who fall out of high windows or jump from fast moving trains are professionals. They do this for a living. These men are called stuntmen. That is to say, they perform tricks. There are two sides to their work. They actually do most of the things you see on the screen. For example, they fall from a high building. However, they do not fall on to hard ground but on to empty cardboard boxes covered with a mattress (床垫). Again, when they hit one another with chairs, the chairs are made of soft wood and when they crash through windows, the glass is made of sugar! But although their work depends on trick of this sort, it also requires a high degree of skill and training. Often a stuntman' s success depends on careful timing. For example, when he is "blown up" in a battle scene, he has to jump out of the way of the explosion just at the right moment.
Naturally stuntmen are well paid for their work, but they lead dangerous lives. They often get seriously injured, and sometimes killed. A Norwegian stuntman, for example, skied over the edge of a cliff (悬崖) a thousand feet high. His parachute failed to open, and he was killed. In spite of all the risks, this is no longer a profession for men only. Men no longer dress up as women when actresses have to perform some dangerous action. For nowadays there are stuntgirls too.Stuntmen are those who ______.
| A．often dress up as actors |
| B．prefer to lead dangerous lives |
| C．often perform seemingly dangerous actions |
| D．often fight each other for their lives |
Stuntmen earn their living by ______.
| A．playing their dirty tricks |
| B．selling their special skills |
| C．jumping out of high windows |
| D．jumping from fast moving trains |
Which of the following is the main factor of a successful performance?
| A．Strength. | B．Speed. |
| C．Exactness. | D．Carefulness. |
What can be inferred from the authors example of the Norwegian stuntman?
| A．Sometimes an accident can occur to a stuntman. |
| B．The percentage of serious accidents is high. |
| C．Parachutes must be of good quality. |
| D．The cliff is too high. |
February has long been a month of romance. With the sweet smell of roses in the air, romantic films hit cinemas and love stories fill newspapers and magazines.
On the 14th day, it is a custom for a boy to take his girlfriend out to dinner, buy her flowers and chocolates, write poems, sing to her or even spell out her name with rose petals! This is what you see on Valentines Day, a day named after Valentine who was a priest in the third century Rome. When the emperor decided that single men could become better soldiers than those with wives, he didnt allow marriage.
But Valentine continued to perform marriage ceremonies for young lovers secretly. When his actions were discovered, the emperor sentenced him to death. While in prison, it is said that Valentine fell in love with the daughter of his prison guard. Before his death, he wrote her a letter, which he signed From your Valentine, an expression that is still in use today. Valentine died for what he believed in and so he was made a Saint (圣徒), as well as becoming one of history’s most romantic characters.
Nowadays, Valentine’s Day is also popular among Chinese young people. Some students are planning to make Valentine’s cards for parents, teachers and friends. Others want to hold parties at which they will exchange small gifts and eat heart-shaped cakes. The idea is to have fun and encourage people to share in the spirit of St. Valentine.On the 14th day, a boy will do the following things for his girlfriend but not _________.
| A．marry her. |
| B．buy her flowers and chocolates. |
| C．write poems, sing to her or even spelling out her name with rose petals |
| D．take her out to dinner. |
Why did the emperor in Rome not allow marriage in his country?
| A．Because he thought men without wives could be better soldiers |
| B．Because there were few women in his country at that time. |
| C．Because there wasnt enough food for so many people. |
| D．Because he wanted to control the birth rate. |
Valentine was put into prison because ______.
| A．he killed one of the soldiers |
| B．he stole a lot of food |
| C．he didnt obey the emperors order |
| D．he didnt want to be a soldier |
The last paragraph mainly tells us ______.
| A．students in China send cards to their teachers |
| B．it is a good idea to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
| C．it is interesting to celebrate Valentine’s Day in China |
| D．Valentine’s Day is also popular in China now |
The kings of ancient Egypt built strong tombs to keep their bodies safe after death and to hold their treasures. The Great Pyramid was built thousands of years ago for a king called Khufu. It is located on the west bank of Nile River not far from Cairo. In fact all the pyramids along the Nile are on its west bank. The ancient Egyptians compared the rising of the sun to the beginning of life and the setting of the sun to the end of life. This is why their dead bodies were buried on the west bank of the Nile. The people of Mexico also built pyramids. They did not build the pyramids for tombs. They used to build a pyramid and then a temple on top of it. The pyramids of Mexico are not as high as the pyramids of Egypt, but they are big. Each of the pyramids has a wide stairway that goes from the bottom to the top.
The biggest pyramid in Mexico is almost 2000 years old. Scientists think it took 10,000 men more than ten yeas to build it. On the top they build a temple of the sun. The temple is no longer there but people still called it the Pyramid of the Sun.Near it is another huge pyramid, the Pyramid
of the Moon.In ancient Egypt pyramids were built __________.
| A．for visitors to see | B．for kings to live in |
| C．for king Khufu | D．as the kings’ tombs |
All the pyramids along the Nile are on its west bank, because in ancient Egypt people thought __________.
| A．they died in the west |
| B．the sun sets in the west |
| C．the end of their lives was like the setting of the sun |
| D．they would go to the west after death |
The Pyramid of the Sun was built_________.
A. in 100 B. in the second century
C. 100 years B.C D. before the first centuryWhich of the following is wrong?
| A．The kings of ancient Egypt built strong tombs only to hold treasures. |
| B．The ancient Egyptians compared the rising of the sun to the beginning of life and the setting of the sun to the end of life. |
| C．The biggest pyramid in Mexico is nearly 2000 years old. |
| D．Near the Pyramid of the Sun, there is the Pyramid of the Moon. |
B
Good afternoon, and welcome to England. We hope that your visit here will be a pleasant one. Today, I would draw your attention to a few of our laws.
The first one is drinking. Now, you may not buy wine in this country if you are under 18 years of age, nor may your friends buy it for you.
Secondly, noise. Enjoy yourselves by all means, but please don’t make unnecessary noise, particularly at night. We ask you to respect other people who may wish to be quiet.
Thirdly, crossing the road. Be careful, the traffic moves on the left side of the road in this country. Use pedestrian crossing and don’t take any chance when crossing the road.
My next point is about rubbish. It isn’t lawful to drop rubbish in the street. When you have something to throw away, please put it in your pocket and take it home, or put it in a dustbin.
Finally, as regards smoking, it is against law to buy cigarettes or tobacco if you are under 16 years of age.
Ilike to finish by saying that if you require any sort of help or assistance, you should contact the police, who will be pleased to help you. You can call, write or directly go to ask any policeman.Who do you think is most likely to make the speech?
| A．A teacher | B．A person who makes the law |
| C．A guide | D．An English officer |
How many laws are there discussed in the speech?
| A．Three | B．Four | C．Five | D．Six |
The main purpose of this speech is to _________ .
| A．tell people those above 18 can smoke and drink there |
| B．give advice to travelers to the country |
| C．declare the different laws of England |
| D．warn people against going to the country |
From the speech we have learnt that _________.
| A．in the country, if you are 18 years of age, you may not buy wine, but your friends can buy it for you |
| B．you may not buy cigarettes or tobacco unless you are above 16 years of age |
| C．because the traffic moves on the left side of the road, you must use pedestrian when crossing the road |
| D．you can’t make a noise except at night |
Mary Allen was my best friend- like the sister I ever had. We did everything together : piano lessons, movies, swimming, and horseback riding.
When I was 13, my family moved away. Mary and I kept in touch through letters and we saw each other on special occasions- like my wedding and Mary’s. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back stamped “Address Unknown”.
Over the years, I thought of Mary often. I wanted to share stories of my children and then grandchildren. And I needed to share my sorrow when my brother and then mother died. There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Mary could fill.
One day I was reading the newspaper when I noticed a photo of a young woman who looked a lot like Mary and whose last name was Wagman- Mary’s married name. “There must be thousands of Wagman. ”I thought, but I wrote to her anyway.
She called as soon as she got my letter. “Mrs Tobin!”she said excitedly. “Mary Allen Wagman ”is my mother. Minutes later I heard a voice that was recognized instantly, even after 40 years. We laughed and cried and caught up on each others lives.
Now the empty place in my heart is filled. And theres one thing that Mary and I know for sure: We don’t lose each other again.I want to find Mary ______________ .
| A．to share my stories |
| B．to share my sorrow |
| C．to fill the empty in my heart |
| D．all of the above |
The writers married name is __________ .
| A．Wagman | B．Allen |
| C．Tobin | D．we dont know |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．We never see each other again when I moved away when I was 13 |
| B．I find my friend in the newspaper |
| C．It is 40 years since we last saw each other |
| D．My friends husband is Mr. Tobin |
The best title of the passage is ________
| A．My Good Friend | B．Friend Again- Forever |
| C．An Important Friend | D．Friends Like the brother |
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