What looks like an angry old man and lives at the bottom of the ocean? It’s the world’s ugliest animal---the blobfish(水滴鱼).
Its strange skin is shaped by its habitat. It lives 800 meters below the ocean’s surface, a depth where very few other creatures can survive.
Most fishes have a swim bladder(鱼鳔), which is filled with gas and helps them stay afloat. At the depth that the blobfish live, water pressure is 80 times higher than that at higher sea levels and any swim bladder wouldn’t be able to serve its purpose.
The blobfish don’t have a swim bladder because their skin works the same way. It helps them stay afloat without having to use any energy.
The blobfish have a pretty relaxed attitude towards eating. All they do is stay and wait for crabs or lobsters to come by.
Since the blobfish like to eat crabs and lobsters, they often get caught in nets that are used to catch lobsters or crabs and end up dying or being killed. They are not suitable for eating so they are useless for fishermen.
There’s a purpose behind the blobfish’s new title; it has become the new mascot for the Ugly Animal Preservation Society, an organization whose purpose is to preserve endangered ugly animals.
“We’ve needed an ugly face for endangered ugly animals for a long time and I’ve been amazed by the public reaction,” said the Society’s Simon Watt. “For too long cute animals have taken the limelight(风头) but now the blobfish will be a voice for those who always get forgotten.”They hope this new face will help the world know that we need to help preserve the populations of ugly animals too.The biggest difference between the blobfish and most other fishes is that the blobfish_____ .
| A．cannot be eaten by people |
| B．don’t have a swim bladder |
| C．only live at high sea levels |
| D．aren’t active in catching food |
What makes the blobfish stay afloat?
| A．Their skin. | B．Their tail. |
| C．Their mouth. | D．Their swim bladder. |
We can learn from what Simon Watt said that _____ .
| A．most ugly animals are in danger |
| B．the population of the blobfish is increasing |
| C．the blobfish have attracted the public’s attention |
| D．people knew nothing about the blobfish in the past |
What is the purpose of the passage?
| A．To discuss the importance of preserving animals. |
| B．To give the reason for starting an organization. |
| C．To present the results of a survey. |
| D．To introduce a special animal. |
The Yale Peabody Museum is open：
Monday through Saturday 10：00 a. m. to 5：00 p. M.
Sunday Noon to 5：00 p. m.
The Museum is closed on New Year’s Day, Easter Sunday, Independence Day, Thanksgiving Day, Christmas Eve, and Christmas Day.
Admission Fees：
$9.00 Adults
$8.00 Senior citizens 65 years and over
$5.00 Children ages 3 through 18, and college students with ID
$4.00 Group admission
To receive this reduced admission, groups must make a reservation at least 2 weekdays in advance. Group admission is only available with a written confirmation brought to the Museum at the time of the visit.
More attention：
Some halls may be closed to the public on weekday mornings during the academic year for school group programs, so we recommend visiting after 1 p.m. on weekdays or at any time on the weekends.
There is no cafeteria or lunchroom at the Peabody. Information on local eating places is available through our Restaurant Guide or at the Admission Desk in the lobby. Visitors are welcome to picnic on the lawns around the Museum.
Photography with handheld cameras is permitted in exhibition halls for personal use only; photography of The Age of Mammals is prohibited at all times. All other uses require the advance written permission of the Yale Peabody Museum.
Highlights Tours of the Museum are offered at no extra charge every Saturday and Sunday at 12: 30 and 1: 30 p.m. These 45minute tours of the Yale Peabody Museum’s exhibition halls are led by one of our specially trained volunteer guides.
The Museum offers free individual admission on Thursday afternoons from 2: 00 to 5: 00 p.m. during the months of September to June.
Admission is free to any individual with a valid Yale ID. Check out a Peabody Museum pass at your local library. A Museum pass will give you $5 off each admission for up to 4 people. Ask for it at your local library.To visit the museum, a 12yearold six grader should pay________.
| A．4 dollars | B．5 dollars |
| C．8 dollars | D．9 dollars. |
Visitors are allowed to have lunch ________.
| A．outside the museum |
| B．in any hall of the museum |
| C．in the cafeteria of the museum |
| D．in the lunchroom of the museum |
According to the passage, The Age of Mammals is most probably in the museum.
| A．a book | B．a magazine |
| C．a video | D．an exhibition hall |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Admission for Yale students to visit the Museum is free. |
| B．Extra money is supposed to be paid for guides while visiting the Museum. |
| C．Some exhibition halls are not open Monday through Friday. |
| D．Photography is not allowed in exhibition halls for commercial use. |
The passage is written to ________.
| A．attract more visitors to the Yale Peabody Museum |
| B．introduce the exhibits in the Yale Peabody Museum |
| C．give instructions about visiting the Yale Peabody Museum |
| D．remind visitors how to get their admission to the Yale Peabody Museum |
Life on earth depends on water, and there is no substitute for it. The current assumption is that our basic needs for water — whether for drinking, agriculture, industry or the raising of fish will always have to be met. Given that premise（前提）, there are two basic routes we can go: more access to water or more engineering solutions (more dams, for instance).
Looking at the engineering solution first, a lot of my research concentrates on what happens to wetlands when you build dams in river basins, particularly in Africa. The ecology of such areas is almost entirely driven by the seasonal regime of the river, or rather, the pulse of the water. And the fact is that if you build a dam, you generally spoil the downstream ecology. In the past, such problems have been hidden by a lack of information. But in the next century, governments will have no excuse for their ignorance. The engineers ability to control water flows has created new kinds of unpredictability. Dams in Africa have meant fewer fish, less grazing and less agriculture — none of which were expected.
The challenge for the next century is to find new means of controlling water. Although GM technology will allow us to breed better dry-land crops, there is no market stimulation for companies to develop crops suitable for the micro-climates of the Sahel and elsewhere in Africa. Who is going to pay for research on locally appropriate crops in the Third World?
This brings us to the key issue in any discussion of water: money. In the next century, just consider the problems of water supply in Mexico City or Delhi. If you’re rich, you drink mineral water and may even have a swimming pool — yet millions in such cities can’t get safe drinking water. People talk about the coming water crisis. I believe we have one now. It is a water crisis for the poor.
In October 2010, I left my hometown and family in Virginia and moved to Iowa so I could be coached by Liang Chow. I’d been dreaming of an Olympic gold medal since I was eight—— but gradually, that dream seemed like a million miles away.
On January 2, 2012, while Mom was visiting me in Iowa, I told her, “I don’t like gymnastics anymore. I want to try dancing, or become a singer. I can get a job in Virginia. I just want to come home.”
Mom’s eyes narrowed and her expression turned to stone. “You’re breaking my heart Brie.” She said. “you’ve been doing gymnastics for ten years, and now you want to quit? Have you lost your mind?”
I hadn’t lost my mind, but I had lost my fire. It’s an entirely different thing to push toward that dream when you feel alone.
“I’m not trying to break your heart, Mom,” I said. “I just don’t want to do it anymore.”
“I know you miss home. But you’ve signed a contract that says you will represent your country to the best of your ability. You’ve got a responsibility to your teammates. And now you just want to walk away? I will not let you be dishonorable. If you don’t like gymnastics, then at the very least, you will finish the season.”
The next afternoon as I dragged myself into Chow’s gym. I thought of the efforts Mom had made in order to pay for my training. I thought of my two sisters: Arielle, who gave up ballroom dancing, and Joyelle, who stopped ice skating so that our single mom could afford to keep me in gymnastics.
For now, here’s what you need to know: Exactly 210 days before I ever attempted my first vault（跳跃）in the London Summer Olympics, my leap of faith came this close to ending in a crash of disaster.
| A．she thought she loved music more |
| B．she was overcome with homesickness |
| C．an Olympic gold was beyond her reach |
| D．the training for the Olympics was too hard |
| A．Heart-broken. | B．Sympathetic. |
| C．Helpless. | D．Calm. |
| A．was born into an athletic family |
| B．realized her Olympic dream |
| C．changed her mind in the end |
| D．had a bad childhood |
| A．A Dream Come True | B．My Leap of Faith |
| C．My Mother | D．A Quitter |
| A．A medical student who will graduate from university. |
| B．A healthcare professional who will give a lecture on cancer. |
| C．A marketing professional who is looking for customers. |
| D．A gymnastic player who wants to give up competition. |
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Intermediate（中级）Spoken English: Sun. 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Standard Spoken English: Sat. 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Basic Business English: Sun. 8:00-10:00 a.m.
Intermediate Business English: Sun. 7:00-9:00 p.m.
TOEFL Super Studies: Sun. 7:30-9:30 p.m.
Children’s Weekend: Sat. &. Sun. 8:00 a.m.-5:00 p.m.
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Tel:86668888-8807
Part Ⅱ: ENGLISH SALON
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You will have free talks, famous English films and songs appreciation, English lectures and games; all are for you to improve yourself in English in the special, full-of-fun Salon.
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| A．To raise the interest of readers. |
| B．To show the structure of the passage. |
| C．To list the function of fluent English. |
| D．To give a clue of the advertisement. |
| A．We have all the languages you want! |
| B．Enjoy English, enjoy your beautiful life! |
| C．Want to be an English teacher, follow me! |
| D．Top English City, your smart choice! |
| A．Standard Spoken English and Basic Studies. |
| B．Basic Business English and Intermediate Spoken English. |
| C．TOEFL Super Studies and Standard Spoken English. |
| D．TOEFL Super Studies and Intermediate Business English. |
| A．Requirements. | B．Knowledge. |
| C．Vocabulary. | D．Learning skills. |
| A．Sports section. | B．Family section. |
| C．Advertisement section. | D．Entertainment section. |
For centuries, the body’s blood has been linked closely with the emotions. People who show no human emotions or feelings, are said to be cold-blooded killer. For example, the police are searching for a cold-blooded killer. He seems to kill for no reason, and no emotion, as if taking someone’s life as nothing.
Cold can affect other parts of the body. The expression “get cold feet” has nothing to do with cold or your feet. The expression means being afraid to do something you have decided to do. For example, you agree to be president of an organization. But then you learn that all the other officers have resigned, and all the work of the organizations will be your responsibility. You are likely to get cold feet about being president when you understand the situation.
The expression“give someone the cold shoulder”probably comes from the physical act of turning your back toward someone instead of speaking to him face to face. You may give a cold shoulder to a friend who has not kept a promise he made to you. Or, to someone who has lied about you to others.
A cold fish is not a fish. It is a person. But it is a person who is unfriendly, unemotional and shows no love or warmth. A cold fish does not offer much of himself to anyone. Someone who is a cold fish could be cold-hearted. Now a cold-hearted person is someone who has no sympathy. Several popular songs in recent years were about cold-hearted men or cold-hearted women who, without feelings, broke the hearts of their lovers.
“Out in the cold”means not getting something that everybody else got. A person might say that everybody but him got a pay raise —— he was left out in the cold. And it is not a pleasant place to be.
| A．3 | B．4 | C．6 | D．7 |
| A．I give him the cold shoulder |
| B．I think he is a cold-blooded man |
| C．I think he is a cold fish |
| D．I’m likely to get cold feet |
| A．she is a cold-blooded killer |
| B．she gets cold feet |
| C．she is a cold fish |
| D．she is out in the cold |
| A．cold-blooded | B．cold shoulder |
| C．cold feet | D．cold-hearted |
| A．the relationship between cold and our body |
| B．some expressions about friendship |
| C．some expressions connected with cold |
| D．how cold weather comes into being |
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