When scientists accidentally killed what turned out to be the world’s oldest living creature, it was bad enough. Now, their mistake has been worsened after further research found it was even older – at 507 years.
The ocean quahog, a type of deep-sea clam, was dredged (捕捞) alive from the bottom of the North Atlantic near Iceland in 2006 by researchers. They then put it in a fridge-freezer, as is normal practice, unaware of its age. It was only when it was taken to a laboratory that scientists from Bangor University studied it and concluded it was 400 years old.
The discovery made it into the Guinness Book of World Records. However, by this time, it was too late for Ming the Mollusc(软体动物), named after the Chinese dynasty when its life began. Unfortunately researchers who calculated Ming’s age killed it instantly by opening its shell.
The researchers opened the ancient clam up to judge its age by counting growth rings inside. But the rings were so close together that scientists ended up having to count the rings on the outside to be accurate, leading CBS journalists to point out that if scientists had just started there, Ming could have lived on. Now, after examining the quahog more closely, using more advanced methods, the researchers have found the animal was actually 100 years older than they first thought.
Dr Paul Butler, from the University’s School of Ocean Sciences, said: “We got it wrong the first time and maybe we were a bit hasty publishing our findings back then. But we are absolutely certain that we’ve got the right age now.” The mollusc was born in 1499 – just seven years after Columbus discovered America and before Henry VIII had even married his first wife, Catherine of Aragon in 1509.
A quahog’s shell grows by a layer every year, in the summer when the water is warmer and food is plentiful. It means that when its shell is cut in half, scientists can count the lines in a similar way that trees can be dated by rings in their trunks.
Jan Heinemeier, associate professor at the University of Denmark, who helped date Ming, told Science Nordic: “The fact that we got our hands on a 507-year-old animal is incredibly fascinating, but the really exciting thing is of course everything we can learn from studying the mollusk.”At first, the scientists found that _____________.
| A．The ocean quahog got a deadly disease |
| B．The growth rings inside were so close together |
| C．it was accurate to count the growth rings outside |
| D．The ocean quahog was 400 years old |
Why did the scientists open the ancient clam up?
| A．To count the growth rings outside of the clam. |
| B．To study how old the clam was. |
| C．To see the structure of it. |
| D．To give an immediate operation on it. |
The sixth paragraph is mainly about_____________.
| A．How to calculate the age of a tree |
| B．Why a quahog’s shell grows by a layer each year |
| C．How to calculate the age of a quahog |
| D．Why a quahog likes it when the water is warmer |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The researchers have got the right age of the ocean quahog. |
| B．The mollusc was born after Columbus discovered America. |
| C．The ocean quahog was named after the Chinese dynasty. |
| D．A quahog’s shell grows by a layer every season. |
Where does the text probably come from?
| A．A magazine of marine life. | B．A travel brochure. |
| C．A biography. | D．A science fiction. |
Botswana lies immediately to the north of South Africa. It is bordered on the north and west by Namibia, on the north and east by Zimbabwe, and is connected by a narrow strip of land on the northern border to Zambia. Its territory consists almost entirely of a broad, flat, arid subtropical plateau(高原), though there are hills in the eastern part of the country.
In the northwest, the Okavango River empties into the Kalahari sands, creating the largest inland river delta in the world. While the Okavango Delta is home to relatively few large animals in comparison to other areas of Botswana, its clear waters and countless small islands are home to a variety of birds, plants, and smaller species of animals.
Nearby is Chobe National Park, a beautiful grassland reserve(保护区) that has gained international fame for its large elephant population. Southeast of Chobe are Botswana's large Makgadikgadi salt pans, home to numbers of blue wildebeest, several antelope species, and those international lovers of salt pans, flamingos(a kind of birds).
Almost the entire remaining portion of the country is covered by the Kalahari Desert--a varied environment of sand and grassland. Although this area of Botswana is where few people live, it is one of the richest wildlife areas in all of Africa.
Botswana's two largest parks, the Central Kalahari Game reserve and Gemsbok National Park, are found in this region.
Botswana's climate can get rather cool, particularly during the dry winter months of June to August when night occasionally brings frost. The rainy summer months (December through March) are best avoided for those interested in enjoying the best game viewing conditions.
72.South Africa is to the______of Botswana.
A.east B.north C.south D.west
73.In the Okavango Delta we can find______.
A.a lot of large animals B.many small islands
C.salt pans D.polluted waters
74.If we want to see flamingo, we should go to_______ .
A.salt pans B.Chobe National Park
C.Kalahari Desert D.Gemsbok National Park
75.It is suggested that tourists visit Botswana in______.
A.December B.March C.January D.July
76.What is the passage mainly about Botswana?
A.Location, geography and climate. B.Living conditions, politics and salt pans.
C.Parks, animals and population. D.Animals, races and sightseeing places.
|
C
69.After the 2008 Olympic Games is over, which stadium will be used by local residents?
A.Beijing Shooting Range Hall. B.National Indoor Stadium.
C.National Aquatics Centre. D.Olympic Sports Centre Gymnasium
70.If we go to National Indoor Stadium, we can watch______.
A.Athletics and Handball B.Swimming and Diving
C.Trampolines and Football D.Artistic Gymnastics and Handball
71.Which is the correct time order of the groundbreaking date?
①National Stadium
②National Indoor Stadium
③Beijing Shooting Range Hall
④Beijing Olympic Basketball Gymnasium
⑤Olympic Sports Center Gymnasium
A.④②③⑤① B.①④③②⑤ C.①③④②⑤ D.③④②①⑤
The secret of happiness is to spend around ￡2.50 every day on somebody else.
To give a couple of pounds each day rather than to spend it on treats and fashion for yourself is the key to happiness, according to a new study.
Dr Elizabeth Dunn and her colleagues who did a national survey of 630 people in the United States found that people report greater happiness if they spend money more socially. That means spending on gifts for others or on charitable(慈善的) donations rather than spending on themselves.
"We wanted to test our theory that how people spend their money is at least as important as how much money they earn," says Dunn, who reports the work in Science.
The results from all three lines of research are quite the same.
"Regardless of how much income each person made," says Dunn, "those who spent money on others reported greater happiness, while those who spent more on themselves did not."
"Making a modest donation is enough to increase people's happiness" the researchers conclude.
"These findings suggest that a very small change in spending, as little as ￡2.50, may be enough to produce real gains in happiness on a given day," says Dr Dunn.
The researchers call on governments to encourage people to spend more on others to help translate increased national wealth into increased national happiness.
Surveys have also shown that happiness levels have remained almost flat within developed countries even as incomes have increased in recent decades.
65.According to the survey, what kind of people have greater happiness?
A.People who can make enough money.
B.People who can buy whatever they want.
C.People who spend money on treats and fashion for themselves.
D.People who spend a modest amount of money every day on others.
66.The underlined word "flat" probably means______.
A.smooth B.dull C.same D.interesting
67.Which of the following statements is true?
A.Researchers pay no attention to spending on others.
B.The government did much in helping others.
C."Science" in Paragraph 4 is probably a magazine.
D.The survey is very successful.
68.The purpose of the writer is to tell us______.
A.the secret of happiness. B.money spent on friends.
C.link between money and happiness. D.difference between national wealth and happiness.
第三部分：阅读理解（共20小题；每小题2分,满分40分）
Big things were happening in my life the summer I turned 13. In the middle of that summer, my parents shook my entire world and turned it upside down when they told me they were getting a divorce. I couldn't believe that our family was going to break up. Though I always knew my parents weren't very happy and they often fought, I still wanted my family to stay the same.
My life changed completely after the divorce.My mother and I moved into a small apartment across town,while my father and brother,Bill, stayed in our house.I now became a visitor whenever I went to see my dad and Bill on the weekends. And immediately I had my soon-to-be stepfather,Dan,whom I showed no interest in.I was clearly depressed, especially after Dan and my mother married and I realized that there was no way that things could change back to the way they had been.
Even though I resisted all Dan's attempts to get to know me and wasn't very nice to him, he never gave up on me. Gradually, I began to trust him. I realized that we actually had some things in common, especially when it came to movies and TV shows. We spent a lot of time together hanging out watching TV. That gave us a chance to talk and get to know each other.
Better still, Dan showed an interest in me that I had never experienced from my own father. Dan was always around when I needed advice on school or friends. Once I began to warm up to Dan, the three of us began spending a lot of time together. We often went out to eat and took short trips. Eventually, I discovered that I finally had the happy family that I had always wanted.
I now realize my parents were right about getting the divorce. Their breakup was the best thing to happen for all of us. My father also found happiness－ he remarried and had another child, my half-sister, Michelle.
At 13, I learned an important truth－change is not always the worst thing that can happen. Sometimes, it is just what we need the most.
61.According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?
A.Their parents didn't love each other any longer. B.The writer didn't want his parents to divorce.
C.Their parents' divorce hurt the writer much. D.The writer was in low spirits all the time.
62.The writer and Dan have the same interests EXCEPT______.
A.seeing movies B.surfing the internet C.having talks D.watching TV
63.What does the author think of his stepfather?
A.Trustful. B.Interesting. C.Helpful. D.Boring.
64.Which of the following is the best title for this passage?
A.Divorce Is Not Always the Worst. B.A Devoted Stepfather.
C.There Is a Change in My Life. D.A True Story.
What causes traffic jams? Too many cars, right? No! Some Brits are now saying that traffic lights are to blame for much of the congestion（交通拥挤）. They suggest that traffic lights be removed at busy roads. They believe people are a better judge of when it’s safe to go, not a traffic light programmed by an absent regulator.
A report from the Institute of Economic Affairs, a UK think tank（智囊团）, argues that abolishing traffic signals would decrease congestion, reduce exhaust emissions（废气排放）and improve safety.
The report said that removing lights should also prevent other bad behavior caused by signals, such as speeding up to catch a green light. It would also avoid the wasted time when drivers have to sit at a red light even if no one is using the green.
The idea may sound strange, but it’s not new. Seven cities and regions in Europe are experimenting with no-lights roads.
Drachten in the Netherlands has got rid of 16 of its traffic light crossings and changed the other two to roundabouts under a “shared space” scheme. At crossings, cyclists dutifully raise their arm when they want to make a turn, and drivers follow a first-arrived, first-through approach and communicate by hand signs, nods and waving.
The result? Typical journey time has been cut in half, and accidents and congestion have mostly disappeared.
There have been small collisions but no problem, said Hans Monderman, creator of the scheme. “We want small accidents, in order to prevent serious ones. It works well because it’s dangerous. The driver has to be responsible for his or her own risk.
“The many rules take away the ability to be considerate,” Monderman added. “We’re losing our responsibility for socially responsible behavior.”
So far, Drachten’s locals have called the experiment a success. “I am used to it now,” said Helena Spaanstra, 24. “You drive more slowly and carefully, but somehow you seem to get around town quicker.”
Tony Ooostward, 70, was equally enthusiastic. “I am a walker and now you are the boss at the crossroads, everyone waits for you. But at the same time walkers wait until there are a number of people wanting to cross at the same time.”
Owen Paterson, UK’s Shadow Transport Minister, visited Drachten. He said Britain should learn from the model. “The idea is to create space where there is mild anxiety among everyone so they all behave cautiously. No one drives fast along a busy street thinking that they have right of way.”
60.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Don’t Count On Traffic Lights B. New Traffic Systems Needed
C. Turn Those Traffic Lights Off D. Let People Have More Say In Traffic
61.According to the report from the Institute of Economic Affairs, abolishing traffic lights would NOT lead to ____.
A. more time being saved B. reduction of traffic jams
C. improvement of the environment D. right of way being taken for granted
62.The underlined word “collision” in Paragraph 7 means closest to ____.
A. jam B. accident C. trouble D. congestion
63.From the passage we can see that the experiment in Drachten worked well because ____.
A. walkers have become the boss of the crossroads
B. cyclists, walkers and drivers each have specially designed routes
C. everyone finds that they have to do their share in regulating traffic
D. drivers are more careful and wait for eyclists or walkers to pass first
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