The illegal ivory(象牙) trade has been a major problem in Africa for decades. Poachers have killed hundreds of thousands of elephants to obtain ivory. Now, affected areas are taking action. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) announced on Wednesday key African states where poaching takes place have promised to stop the ivory trade to protect elephants.
Over the past few days, top officials and experts from 30 states met at the African Elephant Summit. The conference, organized by the IUCN and the government of Botswana, was held in Gaborone, Botswana.
Conservation efforts will include China and Thailand, where much of the ivory is sent. “Now is the time for Africa and Asia to join forces to protect this universally valued species,” said Botswana President Ian Khama.
In the 1980s, as many as 1 million elephants across Africa were killed for their ivory. The ivory was used to make jewelry and other items. This continued until 1989, when the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES) voted to ban all the trade in ivory. As a result, demand for ivory fell. Governments cracked down on poachers. Elephant populations slowly began to increase. However , this progress was short-lived.
According to the IUCN, 2011 saw the highest levels of poaching and illegal ivory trading in at least 16 years. Around 25,000 elephants were killed in Africa that year. Data from the IUCN show even higher levels of illegal trade may have been reached in 2013. “With an estimated 22,000 elephants illegally killed in 2012, we continue to face a critical situation,” said John E. Scanlon, CITES Secretary-General. “Current elephant poaching in Africa remains far too high, and could soon lead to local extinction if the present killing rate continues.
At the African Elephant Summit , key African states where elephants make their home agreed to develop a “zerotolerance approach” to poaching. The deal calls for maximum sentences for poachers and hunters, and increased cooperation between affected states. Officials are committed to classifying wildlife trafficking (交易) as a serious crime --- and to making sure that the people who commit it are punished. All participants at the conference agreed to sign the deal. With these states working together, there may yet be hope for elephants.The purpose of holding the African Elephant Summit is to _________.
| A．make new laws to punish poachers. |
| B．prevent elephants from being poached. |
| C．collect money for elephants’ protection |
| D．call for African countries to save elephants. |
Why are China and Thailand mentioned in the text?
| A．The ivory is illegally sold in these two countries. |
| B．Elephants need protecting in these two countries. |
| C．They know how to protect wildlife like elephants. |
| D．They prefer jewelry and other items made of ivory. |
What can we learn from Paragraph 5 ?
| A．The governments do nothing to protect animals. |
| B．Elephant poaching in Africa is out of control. |
| C．A large number of elephants have been killed. |
| D．Illegal ivory trading is to blame for the elephants’ extinction. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Wild Animals Are at Risk | B．New Hope for Elephants |
| C．Elephants Need Our Help | D．Wildlife Protection in Africa |
Andy rode slowly on his way to school，day-dreaming about the fishing trip that his father had promised him．He was so busy dreaming about all the fish he would catch that he was unaware of everything else around him．
He rode along until a strange sound drew him to the present．He came to a stop and looked curiously up to the heavens．What he saw shocked and terrified him．A huge swarm of bees filled the sky like a black cloud and the buzzing mass seemed to be heading angrily towards him．
With no time to waste，Andy sped off in the opposite direction，riding furiously—but without knowing how to escape the swarm．With a rapidly beating heart and his legs pumping furiously，he sped down the rough road．As the bees came closer，his panic increased．Andy knew that he was sensitive to bee stings(蜇)．The last sting had landed him in hospital—and that was only one bee sting! He had been forced to stay in bed for two whole days．Suddenly．his father's words came to him．“When you are in a tight situation，don’t panic．Use your brain and think your way out of it．’’
On a nearby hill，he could see smoke waving slowly skywards from the chimney of the Nelson family home．“Bees don’t like smoke，” he thought．“They couldn’t get into the house．’’Andy raced towards the Nelson house，but the bees were gaining ground．Andy knew he could not reach the house in time．He estimated that the bees would catch up with him soon．
Suddenly，out of the corner of his eyes，he spotted a small dam used by Mr. Nelson to irrigate his vegetable garden．Off his bike and into the cool water he dived，disappearing below the surface and away from the savage insects．After holding his breath for as long as he could，Andy came up for air and noticed the bees had gone．Dragging himself out of the dam，he struggled up the hilly slope and rang the doorbell．Mrs. Nelson took him inside and rang his mother．
“You’ll really need that fishing break to help you recover，’’ laughed his mother with relief．“Thank goodness you didn’t panic!” But Andy did not hear her．He was dreaming once again of the fish he would catch tomorrow．Why did Andy fail to notice the swarm of bees earlier?
| A．He was riding to schoo1． | B．He was listening to a strange sound． |
| C．He was going fishing with his father． | D．He was lost in the thought of the fishing trip． |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the swarm of bees in the passage?
| A．They crowded like a black cloud． | B．They shocked and terrified Andy． |
| C．They tried to attack Andy in a mass． | D．They made Andy stay in hospital for two days． |
How did Andy avoid the bees in the end?
| A．He asked Mr. Nelson for help． | B．He hid himself under the water． |
| C．He rushed into the Nelson house． | D．He rode off in the opposite direction． |
Which of the following can best describe Andy’s escape from the bees?
| A．No pains，no gains． | B．Once bitten，twice shy． |
| C．Where there is a will, there is a way． | D．In time of danger，one’s mind works fast． |
“If there is one thing I’m sure about，it is that in a hundred years from now we will still be reading newspapers．It is not that newspapers are a necessity．Even now some people get most of their news from television or radio．Many buy a paper only on Saturday or Sunday．But for most people reading a newspaper has become a habit passed down from generation to generation．
The nature of what is news may change．What basically makes news is what affects our lives—the big political stories, the coverage of the wars, earthquakes and other disasters，will continue much the same．I think there will be more coverage of scientific research，though．It’s already happening in areas that may directly affect our lives，like genetic (基因) engineering．In the future，I think there will be more coverage of scientific explanations of why we feel as we do—as we develop a better understanding of how the brain operates and what our feelings really are．
It’s quite possible that in the next century newspapers will be transmitted electronically from Fleet Street and printed out in our own home．In fact，I’m pretty sure that how it will happen in the future．You will probably be able to choose from a menu，making up your own newspaper by picking out the things you want to read——sports and international news，etc．
I think people have got it wrong when they talk about competition between the different media(媒体)．They actually feed off each other．Some people once foresaw that television would kill off newspapers, but that hasn’t happened．What is read on the printed page lasts longer than pictures on a screen or sound lost in the air．And as for the Internet，it’s never really pleasant to read something just on a screen．What is the best title for the passage?
| A．The Best Way to Get News | B．The Changes of Media |
| C．Make Your Own Newspaper | D．The Future of Newspaper |
What will probably be on in the newspaper made by yourself?
| A．Sports and political news． | B．A menu of important news． |
| C．The most important news． | D．What you are interested in． |
From the passage，we can infer ________．
| A．newspapers will win the competition among the different media |
| B．newspapers will stay with us together with other media |
| C．television will take the place of newspaper |
| D．the writer believe some media will die out |
The underlined phrase “feed off” in the last paragraph means _________
| A．depend on | B．compete with | C．fight with | D．kill off |
It doesn’t matter when or how much a person sleeps, but everyone needs some rest to stay alive. That’s what all doctors thought, until they heard about Al Herpin. Al Herpin, it was said, never slept. Could this be true? The doctors decided to see this strange man themselves.
Al Herpin was 90 years old when the doctors came to his home in New Jersey. They thought for sure that he got some sleep of some kind. So they stayed with him and watched every movement he made. But they were surprised. Though they watched him hour after hour and day after day, they never saw Herpin sleeping. In fact, he did not even own a bed. He never needed one.
The only rest that Herpin sometimes got was sitting in a comfortable chair and reading newspapers. The doctors were puzzled by his strange continuous sleeplessness. They asked him a lot of questions, hoping to find an answer. They found only one answer that might explain this question. Herpin remembered some talk about his mother having been injured several days before he was born. But that was all. Was this the real reason? No one could be sure.
Herpin died at the age of 94.The doctors came to Herpin’s home in order to __________.
| A．treat him for his illness |
| B．find the reason why some old people didn’t need any sleep. |
| C．get some proof to show his sleeplessness was not really true. |
| D．help him to have a rest in some day. |
After watching him closely, the doctors came to believe that Al Herpin ________.
| A．needed some kind of sleep. |
| B．needed no sleep at all. |
| C．was too old to need any sleep. |
| D．often slept in a chair. |
Al Herpin’s condition could be regarded as ___________.
| A．an unusual one | B．a common one |
| C．very healthy | D．very funny |
The main idea of this passage is that ____________.
| A．large numbers of people do not need sleep |
| B．everyone needs some sleep to stay alive |
| C．people can live longer by trying not to sleep at all |
| D．a person was found who actually didn’t need any sleep |
After we meet people, it is up to us to make them our friends．Let us stop a moment and consider what really makes a friend. The major qualities like faithfulness, devotion, friendliness，flash through our minds. But it is the large number of very small particular qualities that make up one’s whole character, such as cheerfulness, friendliness and punctuality. After all, “to make a friend, be a friend” is not such a big and difficult order. There are particular favorable qualities, which attract others to us, and some fundamental psychological do’s and don’ts．
If you are in the presence of a shy person, talking and asking casual questions may bring him out of his shell. Think of what would be most acceptable to the other person for you to talk, or to listen. Either way, the goal is to make yourself pleasant．
Always remember to listen, but listen intelligently. To have anyone “hang on our words” is the most unnoticeably clever way in the world to please somebody．For a few extremely happy seconds we are the center of attraction，but when it is our turn to be audience，let us remember how we felt as the actor，and let’s be genuinely interested in what the other fellow is saying．
Other people will like us, if we like them. If you want friends, keep your mind and heart open to friendship. Be alive to the other person’s world．This passage is mainly about________.
| A．the way of talking to a shy person |
| B．some favorable qualities to be a psychologist |
| C．how to make yourself attractive to listeners |
| D．how to make a friend and be a friend |
The underlined part “bring him out of his shell” in the second paragraph most probably means________.
| A．make him become active | B．make him feel more nervous |
| C．help him understand the question better | D．help him listen intelligently |
According to the passage，an important way in making friends is to________.
| A．attract them | B．be attracted | C．listen attentively | D．talk widely |
Of the qualities in a friend，which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Faithfulness. | B．Devotion． | C．Punctuality. | D．Unselfishness. |
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. |
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