The koala(考拉) is possibly one of the best known Australian animals, and is found in four states: Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia. The word “koala” comes from an Australian aboriginal word meaning “no drink”.
Sometimes people call them “koala bears” but koala is not a bear. It belongs to a special group of Australian mammals, called marsupial(有袋类). Female marsupials have a pouch where the baby animals live after they are born.
Koalas have soft, thick, grey or brown fur on their backs. The fur on the stomach is white. Koala that live in the south have thicker fur than those in the north because of the cold winters, whereas the koalas in the northern part of the country live in warm to hot weather most of the year so have thinner fur. A koala has a large hairless nose and round ears. Koalas don’t have tails. Adult koalas measure between 7 and 14 kilograms.
Koalas spend nearly all their time in the trees using their sharp, curved claws and long toes to climb about and to hold on to the tree branches. They sleep most of the day, and feed and move from tree to tree mainly at night.
The reason koala sleep for much of the day is because their food eucalyptus(桉树) leaves are very tough so they use a lot of energy to digest. Sleeping saves energy. Eucalyptus leaves are poisonous to almost every other animal. Koalas rarely drink water; they get water from the leaves they eat.
Each koala has a home range made up of several trees that they visit regularly. They normally do not visit another koala’s home trees except that a male is looking for a female to mate with.Which of the following statements is NOT true about the name “koala bear”?
| A．The name was given by the native in Australia |
| B．The word “koala” is an original English word |
| C．The name describes one of its living habits |
| D．The name is partly false |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word “punch”？
| A．House | B．Cave | C．Pocket | D．Nest |
Why do the koalas live in the south have thicker fur than those in the north?
| A．The thicker fur can protect them from the colder weather |
| B．It’s always hot in summer in the north |
| C．It’s always cold in the winter in the south |
| D．They have to move to the north in the winter |
Why do koalas sleep much in the day?
| A．Their foods are poisonous |
| B．They want to save energy for the activities at night |
| C．They can’t get enough energy from their tough foods |
| D．They can’t get enough water from their leaves |
The nose is used in many popular expressions. Some people are able to lead other people by the nose. For example, if a wife leads her husband by the nose, she makes him do whatever she wants him to do. Some people are said to be hard-nosed. They will not change their opinions or positions on anything.
It is always helpful when people keep their nose out of other people’s business. They do not interfere (干涉). The opposite of this is someone who noses around all the time. Such people are interested in other people’s private matters. They’re considered nosy. Someone who keeps his nose to the grindstone (磨石) works very hard. This can help a worker keep his nose clean or stay out of trouble.
One unusual expression is that is no skin off my nose. This means that a situation doesn’t affect or concern me. We also say that sometimes a person cuts off his nose to spite his face. That is, he makes a situation bad for himself by doing something foolish because he is angry.
More problems can develop if a person looks down his nose at someone or something. The person acts as if something is unimportant or worthless. This person might also turn up his nose at something that he considers not good enough. This person thinks he is better than everyone else. He has his nose in the air.
In school, some students thumb their nose at their teacher. They refuse to obey orders or do any work. Maybe the students do not know the correct answers. My mother always told me when I was a student, “If you study hard, the answers should be right under your nose or easily seen.”If we say a wife leads her husband by the nose, we probably mean she _____.
| A．loves her husband very much |
| B．controls her husband’s actions |
| C．gets on well with her husband |
| D．does whatever her husband wants her to do |
Which of the following expressions could be used to tell someone to stay away from your private affairs?
| A．Don’t keep your nose to the grindstone. |
| B．Keep your nose out of my business. |
| C．Please keep your nose clean. |
| D．You are really hard-nosed. |
We can use the expression “has his/her nose in the air” to describe someone _____.
| A．who is too proud of himself/herself |
| B．who is very angry about something |
| C．who often makes a situation bad |
| D．who doesn’t care about anything |
If a student thumbs his/her nose at his/her teacher, the teacher would most probably feel _____.
| A．happy | B．excited | C．angry | D．relaxed |
“I can’t concentrate.” “My mind wanders when I try to study.” Lack of concentration is one of the most common complaints heard at school.
We all have the ability to concentrate. Think of the times when you were attracted to a super novel or the times when you were playing your guitar or piano. But at other times your mind races from one thing to another. Here are some tips.
Rest from time to time. Remember to take short breaks. Lectures are usually 50 minutes long, and that’s about the length of time most people can direct their attention to one task. But that’s just an average. Your concentration time might be shorter (20-35 minutes) or longer (perhaps 90 minutes).When you take a break, you get more oxygen to your brain! When we sit for long periods, blood tends to be pooled in our lower body and legs. Get up and walk around the room for a couple of minutes. As a result, more oxygen is carried to the brain and you can concentrate better.
_______________If you study one subject for a long time, you may find it hard to concentrate. Many students improve their concentration by changing one subject to another every one to two hours. In this way you can pay more attention to something that’s different.
Reward yourself. Give yourself a reward when you’ve completed a task. The task might be small, such as staying with a difficult paper until you’ve finished. But giving yourself a reward can help you be more interested in doing other tasks.
Increase your activity level. Your concentration wanders more easily if you just read an article straight through. Instead, take the heading for each part and turn it into a question. For this part, that would be, “How can I increase my activity level while studying?” Then study that part to answer that question. Do this routinely. The questions give us a focus for each part and increase our involvement(参与).According to Paragraph 3, what’s the purpose of walking around?
| A．To help us stay fit. |
| B．To benefit our lower body. |
| C．To provide the brain with more oxygen. |
| D．To increase our concentration time to 90 minutes. |
What’s the best title for Paragraph 4?
| A．Study for one hour each time. |
| B．Do something difficult. |
| C．Study in different ways. |
| D．Change subjects. |
In the last paragraph, the writer suggests that______.
| A．we just read the heading of some articles |
| B．we do our best to read an article straight through |
| C．we ask ourselves questions about what we are reading |
| D．we ask other people questions about the article we are reading |
The writer wrote the passage to______.
| A．encourage us to try to concentrate |
| B．teach us how to concentrate while studying |
| C．give us the reasons for a lack of concentration |
| D．list the benefits we can get from concentration |
You might notice something new in the next few years as you watch Disney programs: Starting in 2015, there won’t be any candy, sugary cereal or fast-food commercials aimed at kids.
The Walt Disney Company has become the first major media company to ban ads for junk food on its TV channels, radio stations and websites. It hopes this will stop kids from making poor food choices.
First Lady Michelle Obama called it a “game changer” that is sure to send a message to the rest of the children’s entertainment industry. “Just a few years ago, if you had told me or any other mom or dad in America that our kids wouldn’t see a single ad for junk food while they watched their favorite cartoons on a major TV network, we wouldn't have believed you,” said the First Lady, who heads a campaign to help stop child obesity.
The ban would apply to Disney-owned ABC stations as well as Radio Disney and Disney-owned websites aimed at families with young children. In addition, Disney plans to make changes to its kids’ menus at theme parks and resorts(度假胜地). Fast-food options will be replaced with healthier choices, such as smoothies(果汁), apples, vegetables and yogurt.
In addition to candy bars and fast-food meals, other foods that don’t meet Disney’s nutritional standards will be banned from the company’s kid-targeted media. Any cereal with 10 grams or more of sugar per serving will be off the air. There will be no ads for full meals of more than 600 calories. Juices with high levels of sugar and foods with too much salt will also be pulled.
Leslie Goodman, Disney’s senior vice-president of Corporate Citizenship, said a company that wants to advertise will need to show that it offers a range of healthy options.
Disney isn’t the only one pushing away unhealthy foods. Last week, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg suggested a ban on drinks over 16 ounces sold in movie theaters, restaurants and convenience stores in the Big Apple. He says large, sugary drinks are partly to blame for obesity.What will the Walt Disney Company do from 2015?
| A．Produce more and better cartoons for young kids. |
| B．Stop broadcasting advertisements for junk food on TV. |
| C．Help kids develop healthy lifestyle in the program. |
| D．Provide healthier food for kids while they are watching programs. |
What Michelle Obama said suggests that while watching cartoons _________.
| A．kids didn’t believe what the commercials said |
| B．kids don’t enjoy eating candy, sugary cereal or junk food |
| C．kids would see a lot of fast-food commercials on TV |
| D．kids find pleasure in watching fast-food commercials |
The underlined phrase “be off the air” in Paragraph 5 probably means “________”.
| A．not be broadcast | B．be in need |
| C．become popular | D．be praised |
According to Michael Bloomberg, to fight child obesity, kids should ____________.
| A．watch fewer cartoons | B．drink less sugary drinks |
| C．not go to movie theaters | D．take more physical exercise |
After living in the United States for quite a long time, I do not think about the cultural differences any more. Last month, my parents came to visit me. Their observations (观察) on the American lifestyle reminded me that cultural differences between living in China and America are actually everywhere.
When my parents came to America, they praised my house. Everyone had his/her own bedroom; there was a front yard, a backyard and a garage; there were many bathrooms – all convenient and comfortable. However, they were not used to the glass doors at the first floor. My mom, from southern China, was worried that someone would break open the glass doors. Though I said that nobody would do that, she was still worried about it.
When I brought them to eat in fast food restaurants, whether it was in McDonald’s or KFC, they saw that refilling drinks was for free. This concept (观念) of free refill was so new to them.
A Chinese friend told me a story. He and his American girlfriend ate at a restaurant. His girlfriend wanted to drink English tea. He was curious, so he tried some and found that it didn’t taste bad with milk and sugar in it. Adding more water to tea is free of course, so he drank more cups. His girlfriend found it embarrassing and explained to him that what he was doing was not exactly fair. If he wanted to drink more tea, he should buy another cup. My friend thought that Americans could take advantage of the free refills, but only a few of them did that. After staying in America for some time, he changed his habit.We can infer that the writer _____.
| A．doesn’t like American culture |
| B．has got used to her life in America |
| C．received an American education as a child |
| D．thinks American and Chinese cultures are the same |
What made the writer’s parents worried?
| A．That someone would break into the house. |
| B．That someone would be hurt by the glass doors. |
| C．That they wouldn’t have a bedroom of their own. |
| D．That they wouldn’t live comfortably in the house. |
When eating at McDonald’s for the first time in America, the writer’s parents were probably surprised that _____.
| A．there were so many choices |
| B．the prices for food were so low |
| C．they could refill drinks for free |
| D．they could get extra food for free |
The American girl mentioned in the last paragraph thought that _____.
| A．Americans like taking advantage of other people |
| B．her boyfriend wouldn’t like traditional English tea |
| C．drinking too much English tea harmed people’s health |
| D．her boyfriend shouldn’t take advantage of the free refills |
Mr. Hungerton, her father, really was absolutely centered upon his own silly self. If anything could have driven me from Gladys, it would have been the thought of such a father-in-law. I am convinced that he really believed in his heart that I came round to the Chestnuts three days a week for the pleasure of his company, and very especially to hear his views upon bimetallism (金银双币制).
For an hour or more that evening I listened to his tiring talk about bad money driving out good, and the true standards of exchange.
“Suppose,” he cried, “that all the debts in the world were called up at once, and immediate payment insisted upon,—what under our present conditions would happen then?”
I gave the self-evident answer that I should be a ruined man, upon which he jumped from his chair, scolding me for my thoughtless quickness, which made it impossible for him to discuss any reasonable subject in my presence.
At last I was alone with Gladys, and the moment of Fate had come! She sat with that proud, delicate figure of hers outlined against the red curtain. How beautiful she was! Gladys was full of every womanly quality.
I was about to break the long and uneasy silence, when two critical, dark eyes looked round at me, and the proud head was shaken disapprovingly. “I have a feeling that you are going to propose, Ned. I do wish you wouldn’t; for things are so much nicer as they are.”
I drew my chair a little nearer. “Now, how did you know that I was going to propose?” I asked in wonder.
“Don’t women always know? Do you suppose any woman in the world was ever taken unawares? But—oh, Ned, our friendship has been so good and so pleasant! What a pity to spoil it! Don’t you feel how splendid it is that a young man and a young woman should be able to talk face to face as we have talked?”
She had sprung from her chair, as she saw signs that I proposed to announce some of my wants. “You’ve spoiled everything, Ned,” she said. “It’s all so beautiful and natural until this kind of thing comes in! It is such a pity! Why can't you control yourself?”
“But why can’t you love me, Gladys? Is it my appearance, or what?”
“No, it isn’t that.”
“My character?”
She nodded severely.
“What can I do to mend it?”
She looked at me with a wondering distrust which was much more to my mind than her whole-hearted confidence.
“Now tell me what’s amiss with me?”
“I’m in love with somebody else,” said she.
It was my turn to jump out of my chair.
“It’s nobody in particular,” she explained, laughing at the expression of my face: “only an ideal. I’ve never met the kind of man I mean.”
“Tell me about him. What does he look like?”
“Oh, he might look very much like you.”
“How dear of you to say that! Well, what is it that he does that I don’t do? I’ll have a try at it, Gladys, if you will only give me an idea what would please you.”
“Well, it is never a man that I should love, but always the glories he had won; for they would be reflected upon me. Think of Richard Burton! When I read his wife’s life of him I could so understand her love! And Lady Stanley! Did you ever read the wonderful last chapter of that book about her husband? These are the sort of men that a woman could worship with all her soul, and yet be the greater, not the less, on account of her love, honored by all the world as the inspirer of noble deeds.”
“And if I do——”
Her dear hand rested upon my lips. “Not another word, Sir! You should have been at the office for evening duty half an hour ago; only I hadn’t the heart to remind you. Some day, perhaps, when you have won your place in the world, we shall talk it over again.”Why did the writer often come round to the Chestnuts?
| A．To learn Mr. Hungertong’s standards of exchange. |
| B．To hear Mr. Hungerton’s views upon bimetallism. |
| C．To find the opportunity of staying with Gladys. |
| D．To discuss the present economy with Gladys |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．It was difficult for Gladys to choose an ideal husband from her friends. |
| B．It took great patience and courage for the writer to propose to Gladys. |
| C．Mr. Hungerton tried to stop the writer from proposing to his daughter. |
| D．It was impossible for the writer to have any chance to marry Gladys. |
Why did Gladys refuse the writer’s proposal?
| A．The writer didn’t live up to her standard at the moment. |
| B．Richard Burton and Stanly occupied all her heart. |
| C．The writer did not seem to be a promising young man. |
| D．She was now in love with one of their friends. |
Which of the following words can best describe Gladys?
| A．Simple-minded, active and attractive. |
| B．Unfriendly, cold and self-centred. |
| C．Careful, choosy and stubborn. |
| D．Lovely, confident, and idealistic. |
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