Five times in the earth’s history, some three-quarters of all living species disappeared forever-and within a short period of time. Those species losses stand for a major change in the planet’s ecology(生态学). Clues to these changes can be seen in the fossils(化石)and rock layers.
Today, human activities are driving species to die out at a rate never seen before. And this loss of species really does matter, said Anita Narwani. She works at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor. That’s because the diversity(多样性)of species in an ecosystem provides people with all types of services we can’t do without.
Trees provide oxygen for us to breathe. At the same time, they remove carbon from the air which is a cause of global warming. Plants help clean air and water. Animals move seeds from one area to another. A broad range of living resources also provides people with food, shelter and medicine.
Narwani wanted to find out how important the diversity of species is for people. So she teamed up with other ecologists to review more than 1,700 studies. They found that more diverse parts of the earth tend to do well in things like removing carbon and providing us with wood and other natural resources. They were also better at keeping fisheries large and healthy so that they could feed many people.
Unfortunately, the diversity of species is in steep drop. It is too soon to say that the earth is undergoing a sixth mass extinction, Narwani said. She said a mass extinction means the loss of 75 percent of species over 2 million years or less. We haven’t lost that many – at least not yet. But according to her, if species losses continue so fast, such a mass extinction could occur in just 300 years.
The new findings highlight the potential for humans to use up many of the resources on which we now depend. As people learn more, however, they can take steps to lessen those risks. People should protect ecosystems so that they can continue to provide us with their services.What’s the writer’s purpose in giving the examples in Paragraph 3?
| A．To tell us how we get our food and resources. |
| B．To show the importance of the diversity of species. |
| C．To tell us the use of each species. |
| D．To show the writer is very learned. |
The underlined word “They ” in Paragraph 4 refers to .
| A．humans |
| B．Narwani and her team |
| C．natural resources |
| D．various species |
Narwani and her team found that .
| A．many people know the importance of protecting wildlife |
| B．many species die out because of human activities |
| C．making good use of natural resources benefits people |
| D．rich diversity of species greatly benefits people |
We can learn from Paragraph 5 that .
| A．the world’s species are dying out in a very fast rate |
| B．we’ll lose 75 percent of species on the earth |
| C．the earth is undergoing a sixth mass extinction |
| D．a mass extinction of species will occur in 300 years |
From July to October every year, about a quarter of the world’s blue whales feed in the Pacific Ocean off the coast of California. But the whales currently face a major threat in their favorite feeding area. Ships carrying cargo (货物）sail in the same area at the same time. All too often, the whales’ paths and the ships’ travel lines overlap (重叠)，and a ship will hit a whale.
According to a new study, these ship strikes have become a serious threat to the overall population of the world’s blue whales. Only about 10,000 of the creatures still exist worldwide. Blue whales are the largest known animals ever to live on Earth. Even so, if hit by a container ship, a blue whale will likely die from its injuries.
In 2007 alone, large ships killed five blue whales in the waters off San Francisco and Los Angeles, California. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) says that because there are so few whales already, losing three to five from the California whale population every year is a significant loss. “The estimated population of blue whales in this part of the Pacific is 2,500”, says Sean Hastings, a NOAA analyst. “So every whale counts toward this species moving off the endangered-species list.”
Now, marine scientists must figure out how to protect the whales from the giant container ships. One very simple program is already under way in the Santa Barbara Channel, a waterway that separates mainland California from the nearby Channel Islands.
The Channel Islands National Marine Sanctuary has asked large container ships passing through the area to voluntarily slow down. Sailing slower will allow the ships’ crew (船员）more time to change course before hitting a whale.
Several of the world’s largest shipping lines are set to participate in the new program. For every ship that passes through the Santa Barbara Channel at or below the reduced speed of 12 knots (海里 / 小时），the company that owns the ship will be paid $2,500.
From Paragraph 1, we can know that_____.
| A．people intend to illegally hunt blue whales for money |
| B．large ships often carrying goods may pollute the sea |
| C．there is fewer fish in blue whales’ favorite feeding area |
| D．the container ships may hit the blue whales frequently |
Why is the death of several whales regarded as significant loss to the world's blue whales?
| A．Because other blue whales will be scared away. |
| B．Because the number of the blue whales is so small. |
| C．Because blue whales are the largest animals in the world. |
| D．Because many blue whales get killed throughout the year. |
According to Sean Hastings，it’s inferred that .
| A．the blue whales are still on the endangered-species list. |
| B．the number of the blue whales is decreasing sharply. |
| C．most of the world’s blue whales live in the Pacific Ocean. |
| D．blue whales are often disturbed by other endangered creatures. |
What are the last three paragraphs mainly about?
| A．The basic responsibility of a sailor. |
| B．The world’s largest shipping lines. |
| C．Measures to protect the blue whales. |
| D．Ways to slow down the speed of the ships. |
Singles' Day ---- the Chinese opposite of Valentine’s Day has turned into a massive online shopping event. It is a day when single people are supposed to buy themselves presents. But there are sociological reasons behind China's “celebration” of single life. And the imbalance could have big consequences for the country.
There were 34 million more men than women in China in 2011. Part of that is natural – usually there are 105 boys born for every 100 girls. But the Chinese gender ratio (性别比例) at birth is much more obvious. It was 116 boys to 100 girls in 2012. The one child policy is largely to blame. Brought in to limit population expansion, the policy allows only one child per family. But because male children are seen as more valuable, as well as more likely to support their parents in old age, some parents choose to have a son over a daughter. The result is that large numbers of men will likely never get married. In fact, one study has predicted that by 2030, 1 in 5 Chinese men in their 30s will never have married, while another states that 94% of unmarried people in China are men.
Traditionally, China has seen high levels of marriage, usually among the young. Besides, the increased education and career opportunities for women have meant that marriages are happening later. It is also traditional that women often marry men of a higher socioeconomic status than themselves. So women at the top and men at the bottom find themselves alone. One study has even suggested a link between an imbalanced gender ratio and growth in violent crime in the country.
Singles ' Day can’t solve all the problems China’s singles face. Indeed, it is possible that it is causing even more problems, as men resort to increasingly risky lines of work to increase their chances of gaining money and thus a wife. I am worried that as money starts to overcome romance, there is evidence that China ' s marriage market is increasingly materialistic.
In 2012, if 50 girls were born, how many boys were probably born?
| A．50. | B．52. | C．58. | D．60. |
What made women in China get married late?
| A．Their support of the government’s late marriage policy. |
| B．Their higher education level and more work chances. |
| C．That they expect to enjoy their single time when young. |
| D．That there are too many excellent young men to choose from. |
What’s the writer’s attitude to the imbalance gender ratio in China?
| A．Optimistic | B．Concerned |
| C．Indifferent | D．Unknown |
We can learn from the passage that .
| A．Singles' Day is celebrated all over the world. |
| B．by 2030, 1 in 5 Chinese women in their 30s will be out of marriage. |
| C．an imbalanced gender ratio is related to the growth in violent crime. |
| D．Singles' Day will solve all the problems China’s singles face. |
The world's first hamburger doesn't come from where you think it comes from. It wasn't invented in the United States, and it didn't originate in Germany. No, the world's first hamburger comes from China.
If you're scratching your head right now, you're not alone. But Chinese hamburgers are very real and they definitely predate the hamburgers we call our own in the U.S. Known as rou jia mo, which translates to "meat burger" or "meat sandwich", they consist of chopped meat inside a pita-like bun, and they've been around since the Qin Dynasty, from about 221 BC to 207 BC. Despite the differences between this Chinese street food and our American-style burgers, the rou jia mo has been called the world's first hamburger.
The rou jia mo originated in the Shanxi Province of China, and is now eaten all over the country. It's typically prepared and eaten on the street. The dough for the bun, or mo, consists of a simple mixture of wheat flour, water and maybe yeast. Of course recipes may vary, but this basic equation makes for a chewy and subtle pillow for the delicious filling. While the mo is traditionally baked in a clay oven, today it's often fried in a pan. They may look a little like Chinese steamed buns or baozi, but the dough for those are, of course, steamed, not baked or fried.
The meat filling might consist of chopped pork, beef, lamb or chicken that has been stewed with a variety of spices, like ginger, cloves, coriander and star anise. You might also find herbs like cilantro or greens like lettuce garnishing the sandwich.What does the underlined word mean?
| A．noodle | B．food | C．bread | D．beverage |
Which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The mo people eat today is baked in a clay oven. |
| B．The world's first hamburger which was originated in the Shanxi Province of China is popular around the world. |
| C．The rou jia mo has a history of more than 2200 years. |
| D．The rou jia mo and American-style burgers share a similar cooking process. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Delicious hamburger |
| B．How to cook hamburger |
| C．Chinese invented hamburger |
| D．History of hamburger |
Waiting anxiously to be reunited with the son he had not seen for 13 years, Phil Baker took a walk along the beach with his wife Lyn to relax himself. His boy Benji, 21, was finally back to Australia after living most of his life in the UK, half a world away from his dad.
As he looked out at the ocean, wondering how his son might have changed over the years, Phil saw some people on the kayaks (小艇) in trouble on the water. Without hesitation, he dived into the sea to help. And as he carried a stricken young man trembling and semi-conscious to the shore, he realized the young man was his long-lost son.
“I looked at his face, and something occurred to me,” says Phil. “Those brown eyes were very familiar.” Although Phil had seen just a few photos of his son since the boy was eight years old, he recognized him at once.
It would be reasonable to suppose it was a father’s instinct that incited Phil to help ---- but at the moment he dived into the water to go to the aid of the struggling group, he only thought he was helping a stranger in trouble.
He said, “Two people were desperately paddling on one of the kayaks and it seemed like someone fell into the water. I told Lyn, ‘Something is not right; I’m going to help.’ ”
“l took off my T-shirt and threw my keys on the sand. Diving into the water, I saw there were two instructors on board and a man lying in the water. He was shaking violently. Linking arms with one instructor, I helped to carry the man out of the water. He was drifting in and out of consciousness and his hands and feet were blue.”
Then Phil looked into the boy's eyes and wept as he realized the stricken stranger was his own son. Phil recalled, “I asked the instructor, ‘what’s his name?' ” He replied, ‘Benji’. In an instant, I knew that stranger was my boy. I checked his breathing and pulse and said, “It's me, your dad. You're going to be OK.”
Benji tells how it felt to be saved by his long-lost dad. “All I remember was waking up on the beach and seeing my dad there,” he says, “And I recognized his face straight away.”What can we know about the Bakers?
| A．Phil and his wife lived in Australia. |
| B．Phil knew he was going to save his son. |
| C．Benji was going to see off his son on the beach. |
| D．Benji and Phil were separated because of Benji’s education. |
In Paragraph 4, the underlined word” incited" can be replaced by"__________"
| A．caused | B．reminded |
| C．forced | D．advised |
From the passage, it can be inferred that ____________.
| A．Phil is willing to help people in need |
| B．Benji drowned because he could not swim |
| C．Benji had the same brown eyes as his father |
| D．the instructors told Phil that Benji was his son |
Which of the following shows the right order of the story?
a. Phil and his wife waited for their son on the beach.
b. Benji left his father at the age of eight.
c. Phil saved a boy and recognized he was his own son.
d. Benji recognized his father Phil.
e. Phil saw some people were in trouble and decided to help.
| A．a, b, c, e, d | B．b, a, e, c, d |
| C．a, b, e, d, c | D．b, e, a, d, c |
If you could leave a farewell (告别) video for your loved ones that they’d see only if you died, would you do it? I think I would.
I read about an app (应用程序) that helps people create a video to be published on a social-networking site only after death. Of course you don’t need an app since it’s easy to make your own video with smartphones, laptops and computers. But how many people do you know who would actually go ahead and leave “If I die” footage (镜头)?
My father died unexpectedly on Christmas Eve three years ago and I’ve since longed for one more time to talk to him and hear his voice. Imagine if he had left such a video. I would see him again, hear his laughter and benefit from his parting words and advice.
I don’t think people, unless they have a terminal illness, go through life thinking they’d better leave a video in case of an untimely death. But it is an opportunity to say all the things you want to say before it’s too late.
Still, some say that such a video robs loved ones of their own memories of you. Any special images they have would be superimposed (叠加) by the video image you’ve created. Others think it’s scaring and might be tempting fate.
I expect my video would consist of reminders to my children: Be safe; be mindful of your surroundings; exercise good judgment; speak up; it never hurts to ask; don’t waste time and “call when you get there”. And in addition, I would repeat what I always tell them: I need to know where you are, every-step-of-the-way. That would make them laugh.
Readers, would you find comfort in knowing you’ve said your farewells and left something concrete for your loved ones? What messages would you leave for family and friends?
The writer mentions the app to show .
| A．the app is out of date now |
| B．smartphones are better tools to make videos |
| C．it is not convenient to make a video with the app |
| D．how he was inspired to get the idea of creating a video before death |
Some people against such a video argue that the image in the video .
| A．will be different from that of the real person |
| B．cannot convey the real intention of the dead |
| C．will replace our loved ones’ own memories of us |
| D．will stop the loved ones from missing the dead |
The purpose of mentioning his father’s unexpected death is to .
| A．show his deep love for his father |
| B．show the importance of keeping healthy |
| C．show thanks for the benefits he got from his father |
| D．show that it is necessary to leave a farewell video |
The underlined word “untimely” in Paragraph 4 probably means .
| A．happening at a suitable moment |
| B．happening too soon or sooner than expected |
| C．continuing to happen or exist without stopping |
| D．having a value that is not limited to a particular period |
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