Running like the wind, roaring （咆哮） like thunder, tigers have long been feared and respected as a king of the animal world．But last week a report said that there are no more than 30 wild tigers left in south China．
This was the conclusion of a team of scientists from China's State Forestry Administration and the World Nature Fund．
The South China tiger, also known as the Chinese tiger, is native to southern China．In the 1950's, there were over 4000 tigers found in mountain forests in the country．But due to the destruction of their natural habitat （栖息地） and uncontrolled hunting, it has been pushed on to the list of the world's top ten most endangered species．
Sixty-six of the big cats can be found in the cages of a dozen zoos around China．But they are nothing like their wild cousins．They have lost their natural skills such as hunting and killing．If they were set free they could not look after themselves．
"Breeding has damaged the quality of the species", said Pei Enle, deputy director of the Shanghai Zoo．
To reintroduce the species into the wild, the country started a programme to send five to ten young tigers to South Africa．Four of them have already arrived．Progress has been made as two elder tigers have recovered some of their instincts（本能） and can hunt wild animals by themselves at the African base．
" South Africans are very experienced in reintroducing big animals to the wild．The country has very good natural conditions for the tigers to learn in", said Lu Jun, office director of the National Wildlife Research and Development Center．" We tried in Fujian Province, but it was not successful as there was not a complete eco-chain（生物链） and there was a lack of space．"
The tigers should return to China in 2007 when the reservations in Fujian are ready．What is the main reason for the South China tiger becoming one of the world's top ten most endangered species?
| A．Because it has lost its natural instincts． |
| B．Because there is not a complete eco-chain． |
| C．Because there is no space for it． |
| D．Because uncontrolled hunting has destroyed its natural living conditions． |
How is the programme of sending several tigers to South Africa getting on?
| A．Its effect still remains to be seen． |
| B．Two tigers can already compete with their wild cousins． |
| C．Some of the tigers are already on the road to recovering their natural skills． |
| D．The tigers should be able to recover their instincts completely by 2007． |
By saying " but they are nothing like their wild cousins", the writer means that ______．
| A．they are no longer feared by other wild animals |
| B．they don't know how to hunt or kill |
| C．a complete change has resulted in the species because of breeding |
| D．to reintroduce them into the wild has become an urgent task |
What is the purpose of sending young tigers to South Africa?
| A．To help the tigers recover their ability to live in the wild． |
| B．To provide them with a better environment． |
| C．To get the tigers to go on a tour． |
| D．To find a complete eco-chain for them． |
Which one is not the reason for South Africa being chosen as the training place?
| A．Because the tigers can hunt wild animals by themselves at the African base． |
| B．Because South Africans are skilled at dealing with the tigers． |
| C．Because there is a complete eco-chain and enough space there． |
| D．Because the country has good natural conditions for the tigers to learn in． |
Most Americans believe that someone isn’t grown-up until the age of 26 and they should complete their education, have a full-time job, have a family to support and be financially independent. They also believe that becoming a real grown-up is a process which begins at about the age of 20 and takes about five years, according to the report from the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center.
The findings are based on a representative sample of 1,398 people over the age of 18 who were surveyed in person. The survey found that people expect the transitions to grown-up status to be completed at the following ages: age 20.9 self-supporting; age 21.1 no longer living with parents; age 21.2 having a full-time job; age 22.3 education completed; age 24.5 being able to support a family financially; age 25.7 getting married; and age 26.2 having a child.
“There is a large degree of agreement across social groups on the relative importance of the seven transitions,” said Tom Smith, director of the survey. The only obvious pattern of differences is on views about supporting a family, having children and getting married. Older adults consider these more important than younger adults do. This probably shows in large part a change in values across generations away from traditional family values. The most valued step toward reaching adulthood, the survey found, is completing education, followed by full-time employment, supporting a family, financial independence, living independently, and marriage. According to the first paragraph, someone is a grown-up when he _______.
| A．has found a full-time job |
| B．has finished his study in university |
| C．can make money and support himself after completing his education |
| D．can support a family and be financially independent after graduation |
A young man of 24 may be busy ________.
| A．finding a job | B．finding a girl friend |
| C．making money | D．preparing for his wedding |
The underlined word “status” in the second paragraph probably means “________”.
| A．position | B．rank | C．level | D．situation |
From the passage, we learn that _________.
| A．being grown-up is just a matter of age |
| B．being grown-up is a process which takes some time |
| C．all people think completing education means being grown-up |
| D．the survey found everyone had a different view about being grown-up |
The best title for the passage should be “________”
| A．It takes a long time to grown up. |
| B．Are we grown-up yet? |
| C．Getting married means being grown-up. |
| D．Completing education means being grown-up. |
Hank Viscardi was 26 years old when he put on his first pair of long trousers and his first pair of shoes. For the first time he saw himself as he had always wanted to be a full five feet eight inches tall.
Hank had been born without legs. Until he was seven, his world was a world of repeated operations. At last he had not legs, but stumps（残肢）that could be fitted with a kind of special boots.
Out of the hospital, Hank often found people staring at him with cruel interest. Children laughed at him and called him “Ape Man” because his arms dragged（拖）on the ground.
He went to school like other boys. His grades were good and he needed only eight years instead of the usual twelve.
After graduation, Hank worked his way through college. He swept floors, waited on table, or worked in one of the college offices. During all this busy life, Hank had been moving around on his stumps. But one day the doctor told him even the stumps were not going to last much longer. Hank would soon have to use a wheel chair.
Hank felt himself go cold all over. However, the doctor said there was a chance that he could be fitted with artificial（人造的）legs.
Finally a leg maker was found and the day came when Hank stood up before the mirror and saw himself for the first time, five feet eight inches tall.
But this was not the end yet. He had to learn to use his new legs. Again and again he marched the length of the room, and marched back again. There were times when he fell down on the floor, but he pulled himself up and went back to the endless marching. He went out on the street. He climbed the stairs and learned to dance. He built a boat and learned to sail it.
When World War Ⅱ came, he talked the Red Cross into giving him a job. He took the regular training. He marched and drilled along with the other soldiers. Few knew that he was legless. This was the true story of Hank Viscardi, the man without legs.It can be inferred from the story that five feet eight inches tall is .
| A．an average height for an adult（成人） |
| B．too tall for an average person |
| C．too short for an average person |
| D．none of the above |
Children laughed at Hank and called him “Ape Man” because .
| A．he didn’t talk to them |
| B．he kept away from them |
| C．when he moved his arms touched the ground |
| D．his arms were too long |
The writer implies in the story that .
| A．the Red Cross was only too glad to give him a job |
| B．the Red Cross gave him a job because he was a good soldier. |
| C．the Red Cross gave him a job after he talked to somebody he knew in the organization |
| D．the Red Cross was not willing to give him a job at first |
When Hank marched and drilled along with the other soldiers .
| A．he did everything the other soldiers did |
| B．he did most of the things the other soldiers did |
| C．he did some of the things the other soldiers did |
| D．he took some special training |
The writer suggests that Hank Viscardi .
| A．had no friends at all |
| B．was a man with a strong will |
| C．had lost his legs in an accident |
| D．was not satisfied with his artificial legs |
A thief entered the bedroom of the 30th President of the United States, who met him and helped him escape punishment．
The event happened in the early morning hours in one of the first days when Calvin Coolidge came into power, late in August, 1923．He and his family were living in the same third-floor suite (套房) at the Willard Hotel in Washington that they had occupied several years before．The former President’s wife was still living in the White House．
Coolidge awoke to see a stranger go through his clothes, remove a wallet and a watch chain．
Coolidge spoke, “I wish you wouldn’t take that．”
The thief, gaining his voice, said, “Why?”
“I don’t mean the watch and chain, only the charm (表坠)．Take it near the window and read what is impressed on its back, “ the President said．
The thief read, “Presented to Calvin Coolidge．”
“Are you President Coolidge ? “ he asked．
The President answered, “Yes, and the House of Representatives (众议院) gave me that watch charm．I’m fond of it．It would do you no good．You want money．Let’s talk this over．”
Holding up the wallet, the young man said in a low voice, “I’ll take this and leave everything else．”
Coolidge, knowing there was ＄80 in it, persuaded the young man to sit down and talk．He told the President he and his college roommate had overspent during their holiday and did not have enough money to pay their hotel bill．
Coolidge added up the roommate and two rail tickets back to the college．Then he counted out ＄32 said it was a loan (借款)．
He then told the young man, “There is a guard in the corridor．” The young man nodded and left through the same window as he had entered．What caused the thief to meet the President?
| A．He knew the President had lots of money． |
| B．He knew the President lived in the suite． |
| C．He wanted to be a rich businessman． |
| D．He wanted to steal some money． |
Why did Calvin Coolidge live at the Willard Hotel in those days?
| A．Because the former President was still living in the White House． |
| B．Because the former First Lady hadn’t left the White House． |
| C．Because the First Lady liked to live there． |
| D．Because he liked there． |
Coolidge counted out ＄32 ______．
| A．in order not to be killed by the thief |
| B．in order to be out of danger |
| C．so as to help the young student overcome his difficulty |
| D．because he had no more money |
The young man’s roommate went back to the college ______．
| A．by air | B．by water | C．by bus | D．by train |
Which of the following might happen afterwards?
| A．The young student repaid the＄32． |
| B．The thief was put into prison． |
| C．The President told many reporters the thief’s name． |
| D．The President ordered the young man to repay the money． |
It was a party. I was 18 and it was fresher(大一新生) week. I was at the beginning of a course in English Literature and full of enthusiasm for my subject. She was also 18 and enrolled in a course in physics.
“Your major is of no use to society. What will you do with it when you graduate, other than teach? Plus, you’re going to be poor your whole life,” she said. “You have no soul and your degree is boring. I don’t care how much money you’re going to earn. I’d rather be poor and don’t mind being a teacher. If I love my work I’ll have something far more meaningful than a big bank account!” came the reply.
And so it went, back and forth, neither of us giving the other an inch, each of us stubbornly committed to our prejudice. We were both ignorant, but our ignorance was also society’s ignorance. It had always been that way. Scientists mocked(嘲笑) humanists; humanists laughed at scientists. Back in the 1960s, the physicist-turned novelist C. P. Snow labeled the sciences-humanities divide “a problem of ‘the two cultures’” . He said it was bad for society. The modern world needed well-rounded people.
I think I know better now, but it would have helped if we had been encouraged to think a little more outside our science and arts “boxes”.
That’s why I believe it is healthy that China is beginning a debate on whether it’s wise for young people to have to choose which direction their careers – and lives – will take at such an early age. At the moment, in their second year of high school, students must choose either the sciences or the humanities. After making the choice, they focus their energies on passing the appropriate college entrance exam.
But now, people in China are asking: Is this forced, early decision good for young people or society? Young people need time to explore, to discover where their real talents and interests lie. There are more than just a few middle-aged people out there, stuck in jobs they hate because they made the wrong choice at the wrong time.
And from the point of view of society, isn’t it better for students to delay a while before they decide what to study? Scientists can benefit from learning to develop the critical skills associated with the humanities; students in the humanities, surely, only stand to gain by finding out a little more about science and technology, which are so important to the future of a developing country like China.
With any luck, in the future young people fresh to college will be better informed about the possibilities of education than people of my generation. The author describes what happened at a fresher party to ________.
| A．show that he was ready to defend the subject he enjoyed |
| B．lead up his argument that the sciences-humanities divide is harmful |
| C．prove that doing something meaningful is better than having a lot of money |
| D．describe how fierce students of different majors can be when arguing with each other |
What was C. P. Snow’s attitude towards the sciences-humanities divide?
A. Indifferent. B. Unce
rtain. C. Positive. D. Negative.In the sixth paragraph, an example mentioning middle-aged people is used to show that ________.
| A．students should not make decisions too early |
| B．not all people have a talent for or are interested in the sciences |
| C．these people did not have the chance to make a choice earlier in life |
| D．the earlier young people make a decision, the better it will be for them |
According to the text, it is safe to say that ________.
A. sciences are more practical in the modern world
B. C. P. Snow was a novelist who became a physicist
C. future generations will be able to get more out of education
D. a command of both th
e sciences and humanities is important to societyWhat’s the best ti
tle for the article?
| A．The sciences or the humanities, which to choose? |
| B．High school education in China |
| C．Isn’t it better to delay the choice of the career direction? |
| D．A better time to decide what to study |
CANYOUIMAGINEHOWHARDITWOULDBETOREADSENTENCESLIKETHIS? The ancient Greeks wrote this way. The lack of punctuation marks(标点符号) probably didn’t bother good readers, though. As they read, they just put pauses where they fit best. Also at this time, sentences switched directions. A sentence read from left to right. The next one read right to left, and then left to right again, etc.
The ancient Romans sometimes punctuated like this: They·put·a·point·between·each·word·in·a·sentence. The word punctuation actually comes from this idea and the Latin word punctum, which means a prick(刺).
When the 5th century arrived, there were just two punctuation marks: spaces and points. The space separated words and while the points showed pauses in reading. Then in the 13th century, a printer named Aldus Manutius tried to standardize punctuation. He always used a period for a complete stop at the end of a sentence. He used a slash (/) to indicate a short pause. Over time, that slash was shortened and curled, and it became the modern comma.
Since that time, other marks have enlarged the punctuation family. The exclamation mark comes form the Latin word xt. It was originally formed by putting an upper-case(大写字母) I on the lower-case xt. The Latin word xt means “exclamation of joy.” The question mark originally started out as the Latin word question, meaning question. Eventually, scholars put it at the end of a sentence to show a question. Over time, it became a symbol formed by putting a lower-case q on an o.
Punctuation is still changing today. New marks are coming into existence, and old punctuation marks are used in new ways. Take for example, the “interrobang.” This 1962 invention combines the question mark and exclamation mark for times when writers want both. For e
xample, “She did what‽” or “How much did you pay for that dress‽” Obviously, the interrobang is not widely used or recognized – yet. But its invention shows that English is not yet finished with its punctuation.Which of the following is a comma?
| A．, | B．: | C． ; | D．! |
What’s the first paragraph mainly about?
| A．The history of punctuation. |
| B．The introduction of punctuation. |
| C．The very beginning of punctuation. |
D．The ancient Greek way of writing witho ut punctuation. |
Please put the following events in the order they happened.
a. The exclamation mark and question mark came into the punctuation family.
b. Comma came into existence.
c. Romans put a dot between words to separate words.
d. A period was used to end a sentence.
e. The “interrobang” was invented.
| A．cbdae | B．dcbae | C．dbcea | D．cdbae |
What is the most possible situation for “She did what‽”?
| A．You are told she gave her baby boy a good beat. |
| B．You are wondering what she did to save the poor boy. |
| C．You want to know what she did for a living after fleeing to a foreign country. |
| D．You demand someone else tell you what in the world happened to her. |
According to the article, we learn ________.
| A．punctuation didn’t come into being until the 5th century. |
| B．no one can really tell what new marks we may have in the future. |
| C．the invention of “interrobang” is a failure since it is not widely used. |
| D．both the exclamation mark and the question mark come from Greek words. |
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