Thousands of hungry birds left the countryside of Britain in the bitter winter to find food and warmth in urban gardens. The move included species such as the redwing and the fieldfare, almost unknown outside rural areas
The hard situation of farmland birds has been revealed in the latest survey of bird populations from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds released today.
The redwing has an obvious stripe over the eye and a red flash on the flanks (侧翼), while the fieldfare has a grey head, a peach underbelly, and a distinctive dark band on the tail.
Graham Madge, the society's spokesman, says, “For many urban birdwatchers the sight of these striking species is a real treat. Many people have never imagined there being such an amazing chance.”
“Frozen ground prevented them from getting food in the countryside and they have been saved from starvation in towns，” he added.
He says the unusual sight this year somewhat tempered the frustration felt at the suffering of small garden birds such as robins and wrens. These birds are sensitive to cold and must eat almost continuously to stay alive. Data from people who took part in the society's Big Garden Birdwatch recorded sightings in 280，000 gardens during the last weekend of January, with the goldcrest down 75 percent, the longtailed tit down 27 percent, and the coal tit down 20 percent. The study highlighted the need for food to be left out for birds during winter.
The redwing and the fieldfare are relatively unknown outside the eastern part of the country. The research shows, however, that they moved to the other side of the country where the climate is generally mild in winter and that many for the first time have reached Cornwall and Isles of Scilly. The number of redwing sightings was up 185 percent, those of the fieldfare 73, and of the yellowhammer 68.
Another surprise garden “guest” this year was the blackcap. This robinsized, silvergrey bird was rare in Britain 50 years ago, but increasing numbers now arrive each year from Germany and Austria.
How did the urban birdwatchers probably feel when seeing the hungry birds?
| A．Excited. | B．Worried. |
| C．Annoyed. | D．Motivated. |
Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “tempered”？
| A．Prevented. | B．Relieved. |
| C．Explained. | D．Increased. |
According to the passage, Cornwall is perhaps ________.
| A．a village in eastern Britain |
| B．a city in western Britain |
| C．a village in western Britain |
| D．a city in eastern Britain |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．The tough living conditions of some British birds. |
| B．The various species of Britain's garden birds. |
| C．The changes of some bird's population in Britain. |
| D．Unusual bird visitors in Britain's urban gardens. |
The Doll and the White Rose
I was walking around in a mall, when I saw a cashier hand this little boy some money back．The cashier said, "I'm sorry, but you don't have enough money to buy this doll．”The little boy seemed very disappointed．
I walked toward him and asked him who he wished to give this doll to. "It's the doll that my sister wanted so much for Christmas．She was sure that Santa Claus would bring it to her. But Santa Claus can't bring it to her where she is now. I have to give the doll to my mommy so that she can give it to my sister when she goes there．"His eyes were so sad．"My sister has gone to be with God．Daddy says that Mommy is going to see God very soon too, so I thought that she could take the doll with her to give it to my sister."
My heart nearly stopped．The little boy looked up at me and continued, "I told Daddy to tell Mommy not to go yet. I need her to wait until I come back from the mall."
I quickly reached for my wallet and said," Suppose we check again, just in case you do have enough money for the doll．"
"OK, I hope I do have enough," he said．I put some of my money with his without him seeing and we started to count it. There was enough for the doll and even some spare money．
Surprisingly, the little boy cried, "Thank you God for giving me enough money!" Then he looked at me and added, "I asked last night before I went to sleep for God to make sure I had enough money to buy this doll, so that Mommy could give it to my sister. He heard me! I also wanted to have enough money to buy a white rose for my mommy, but I didn't dare to ask God for too much．But he gave me enough to buy the doll and a white rose ! "
Then I remembered two days before a local newspaper reported an accident in which a woman and a little girl were badly injured．The little girl died right away, and the mother was left in a critical state．Was this the family of the little boy?
Two days after I met the little boy, I read in the newspaper that the woman had passed away．I couldn't stop myself from going to the funeral. Teary-eyed, I felt that my life had been changed forever．The boy wanted to buy the doll because____________．
| A．he had always been eager for such a doll |
| B．Santa Claus didn't give him any Christmas gift |
| C．he would give it to his mother as a birthday surprise |
| D．he wanted to turn his sister's Christmas wish into reality |
We can learn from the story that__________．
| A．the boy's sister died after staying in hospital for two weeks |
| B．the boy's family were all seriously injured in a car accident |
| C．the author gave the boy some extra money without his notice |
| D．the boy's mother always wished to receive a white rose on Christmas |
The story most probably conveys the message that ．
| A．a kind act can bring joy and hope to others |
| B．a gift is a perfect way to express love for others |
| C．losing a family member is a heavy blow to children |
| D．a religiou s belief can help one solve problems in his life |
When Geoff Marcy was 14, his parents bought him a telescope. Every night, he would go onto the roof outside his window to see the wonders of the sky.
“What excited me most was whether there were planets in other solar systems where life might exist,” he says. “I decided to try to find planets orbiting other stars like our Sun.”
And he did. “My fellow researcher, Paul Butler, and I found our first planet in 1995,” Dr. Marcy says. “We worked for ten years without finding anything! But we stuck with it and our patience paid off.”
Since then, the two scientists have discovered 65 of the more than 100 planets found orbiting other stars. Dr. Marcy and Dr. Butler also spotted the first “family” of three planets. In June 2002 they announced another discovery: a Jupiter-like planet orbiting star 55Cancri.
At first, the two researchers found only planets that orbit close to stars. Recently, the scientists found planets farther out. The planet orbiting 55Cancri is a major breakthrough: it is the first sighting of a large gas planet about same distance from the star as Jupiter is from the Sun.
Why is this important ? Scientists think that life on Earth may exist because of two special features in our solar system. The first is Jupiter.
“Because it’s so big, Jupiter pulls comets and asteroids(小行星), or they all come and hit the Earth.” Dr. Marcy explains. “Without Jupiter , life on Earth would likely have been destroyed.”
A second feature is that Earth is a rocky planet where liquid water, which is necessary for life , can exist. Unlike gas planets, rocky planets like Earth have surfaces where water can gather in pools and seas, which may support life. A huge space exists between the Jupiter-like planet and two other planets that lie close to 55Cancri. Is there an Earth-like planet in the space, too small for us to notice? If so, says Dr. Marcy, “We would have two striking similarities to our solar system: a Jupiter-like planet and an Earth-like planet. And there may be life!”What can we learn about Dr. Marcy from the passage?
| A．He is fond of watching Jupiter. |
| B．He is from a scientist family. |
| C．He dislikes working with Paul Butler. |
| D．He is interested in finding life in outer space. |
Which of the following is true of the recent discovery?
| A．The planet is not as protective as Jupiter. |
| B．The planet is close to star 55Cancri. |
| C．The planet proves to be a gas planet. |
| D．The planet is as large as Jupiter. |
Dr. Marcy and Dr. Butler began to find new planets in ____.
| A．1995 | B．1985 | C．2002 | D．1981 |
Dr. Marcy thinks that life may exist in the 55Cancri system because ____.
| A．he has found the system similar to the solar system. |
| B．he has discovered an Earth-like planet there. |
| C．he has discovered a rocky planet there. |
| D．he has found signs of life in the system |
“But we stuck with it”( in Paragraph 3) means ____.
| A．they felt discouraged | B．they carried on with it |
| C．they failed in their attempt | D．they made some progress |
The quality of drinking water in Shanghai will meet European Union standard by 2010 and, a decade later, citizens in Shanghai will drink the best water in the world.
These were the goals set out by the Shanghai Water Authority. With the city’s population expected to increase only slightly and the economy to boom by 2020, Chen Yin, and official with the water authority, said Shanghai’s water consumption will not increase from its present amount.
Zhang Yue, director of the Urban Construction Division under the Ministry of Construction, said, “Shanghai is the first city in the country to publicize these ambitions. They will not be easy to achieve.”
He said water saving will help keep the sustainable development of China’s economy.
Saving one cubic meter of water means saving the city’s infrastructure（基础设施）costs by 10,000 Yuan. Last year, Shanghai saved 300 million cubic meters of water either from readjustment of industrial structure or the employment of new technology.
“The aim is to arouse public awareness of the seriousness of water shortages,” Chen said. “The abundant surface water and amount of rain of the city are so misleading that they result in improper use of water.”
Shanghai lacks drinkable water. The Huangpu River, which supplies 80 percent of the city’s drinkable water, is nearing exhaustion.
The city, therefore, has been exploring new sources from the Yangtze River and growing forests along it to conserve quality water.
Besides penning regulations, the authority is popularizing technology among the public to efficiently cut the amount of water used.
At present, the city has 600，000 family toilets, each using 13 liters of water per flush. These are to be renovated（整修）to use only 9 liters of water per flush.
The authority is renovating the first 200 toilets for households – at a cost of 40 Yuan each.
In three years, all the toilets will be renovated, which saves the city nearly 15 million Yuan every year in water conservation.
Another task the city is engaged in is the treatment of sewage（污水）to improve the water environment.
At present the city can only treat 44 percent of its daily 5.04 million tons of waste water. To meet the total demand, 27 more sewage treatment factories are to be established with an estimated investment of 18 billion Yuan.People in Shanghai get their daily water mainly from now.
| A．the underground | B．the rain |
| C．the Yangtze River | D．the Huangpu River |
According to the passage, some people have the wrong opinion of using water because .
| A．the renovating of family toilets will save plenty of water |
| B．about half of waste water has been treated already |
| C．advanced technology makes people use water as much as possible |
| D．there is plenty surface water and large amount of rain at present |
The authority is renovating the first 200 toilets for households to .
| A．make people’s living more convenient |
| B．improve people’s living standards |
| C．ease employment pressure |
| D．meet the total demand of water |
Which group of measures are all mentioned in the passage to save water?
a．improve drinking water quality b．change some industrial structure
c．introduce or use some new technology
d．speed the economic development of Shanghai
e．renovate some family toilets f．build more sewage treatment factories
| A．a, b, c, d | B．b, c, e, f | C．b, c, d, e | D．a, b, e, f |
We can infer from the passage that .
| A．the boom of economy will need a larger amount of water in the future |
| B．citizens today in Shanghai drink the best quality of water in the world |
| C．not everyone today in Shanghai is aware of water shortage |
| D．all the family toilets will be renovated to save water within 3 years |
Statistically, air travel is by far the safest way to travel, and you can make flying even safer, just by following these simple rules. As your chances of being involved in an air accident are practically nil (零), many of these tips concern what you should and shouldn't do to make your journey safer when you are airborne (升空的).
Fly on non-stop routes
Most accidents occur during the takeoff, climb, descent and landing phases of a flight, so flying non-stop reduces your exposure to these complex procedures.
Choose larger aircraft.
Although small aircrafts have very good safety records, those with more than 30 passenger seats are designed to comply (遵守) with much stricter regulations and are tested more regularly to make sure they still comply. Also, in the unlikely event of a serious accident, larger aircraft provide a better opportunity for passenger survival.
Pay attention to the pre-flight safety briefing
The information may seem repetitious (重复的), but it's worth listening to the flight attendants. And even if you've flown before, it doesn't mean you know everything about the aircraft you're on, such as the location of the closest emergency exit.
Store things safely
Never put very heavy articles in the overhead storage bins. They may fall out when someone opens the bin and cause injury. Also, the bin may not be able to hold heavier objects during turbulence (气流).
Keep our seat belt fastened while you are seated
Cabin crew always tell you this, but it's important. You would be seriously injured if the plane hits unexpected turbulence. Always fasten your seat belt if you are told to. The general rule of flying is this: If you are told to do something, do it first and ask questions later.
Let the flight attendant pour your hot drinks
Flight attendants are trained to handle hot drinks like coffee or tea in a crowded aisle on a moving aircraft, so allow them to pour the drink and hand it to you. Never ask to take a coffee pot from one of them.What is the overall reason for these air safety tips?
| A．What to do in the event of a crash. |
| B．How to avoid turbulence. |
| C．How to improve safety while you are flying. |
| D．How to avoid injury. |
The underlined word "those" in the second tip refers to _______.
| A．smaller planes | B．passengers |
| C．larger aircraft | D．safety records |
The underlined phrase "The general rule" in the fifth tip refers to _______.
| A．anything the flight staff tell you to do | B．general safety advice |
| C．walking around the plane | D．pouring hot drinks |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Larger planes have more safety checks and are safer in an accident. |
| B．Take-offs are safer on non-stop flights than landings. |
| C．Every aircraft is different, so the safety procedures may be different. |
| D．Seat belts should be worn to protect against turbulence. |
The best title of the passage should be _______.
| A．The Safest Way to Travel | B．Air Safety Tips |
| C．Non-stop Routes | D．How to Fly a Plane |
Over time, the custom of kissing developed as a way for adults to express their love and affection for one another. The roots of this form of affection can be traced back to primitive times, when mothers fondled their children, much as mothers do today.
Much later, in the sixth century, society apparently accepted the custom of kissing between adults as an expression of their affection. Not surprisingly, France first accepted kissing in courtship (求爱). There, figure dancing was popular, and each dance was sealed with a kiss.
The custom of kissing swept from France through Europe to Russia, where Russian nobility loved to imitate the French. Eventually, the kiss was incorporated into marriage ceremonies, and today lip locks couples into sweet matrimony.
The custom of kissing today, as well as in ancient times, serves to pay homage to another. Early Romans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another in a manner they thought to be dignified. One Roman emperor even ranked a person's importance by the body part he was allowed to kiss. He allowed important nobles to kiss his lips, less important ones to kiss his hands, and the least important ones to kiss his feet.
In Russia, the highest sign of recognition from the Crown meant a kiss from the Tsar himself. Today, natives of many African tribes pay homage to their Chief by kissing the ground over which he has walked.What’s mainly talked about in the passage?
| A．The way to express love and respect. | B．The expression of affection. |
| C．The custom of kissing. | D．The function of kissing. |
Which of the following can best explain the underlined word “homage” in the 4th paragraph？
| A．recognition | B．respect | C．importance | D．loyalty |
It can be learned from the passage that ___________.
| A．kissing is a widely accepted way to show love and affection |
| B．kissing used to be a proper way to show love on the wedding ceremony |
| C．kissing is a widely accepted way of greeting in the world |
| D．kissing from the Tsar is only sign of being accepted from the Crown |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．It was France that made the custom of kissing go to the whole world. |
| B．Early Africans kissed each other on the mouth or on the eyes to greet one another. |
| C．One Roman emperor allowed important nobles to kiss his nose. |
| D．Russian nobility followed the custom of kissing from the French. |
We can infer from the passage that __________.
| A．mothers created the custom of kissing |
| B．kissing means differently on different occasions |
| C．figure dancing was usually sealed with a kiss in Russia |
| D．society found it hard to accept kissing in public in the sixth century |
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