Do you know why you sleep? You may think it’s because you’re tired. Or perhaps you’ve been told sleep is good for you. Yet no one knows exactly why or how people sleep.
Until the early 1950s, most scientists thought the body and brain rested during sleep. Then a scientist watched people sleep. He noticed that during periods of between 5 and 30 minutes each, sleepers’ eyes made rapid movements, as if they were watching something. He called these periods REM sleep, for Rapid Eye Movement. Periods when sleepers’ eyes did not move he called non-REM sleep.
Whenever the scientist woke people during REM sleep, they were having vivid dreams. Measurements showed that sleepers’ pulses(脉搏)went up quickly during REM sleep. Their breathing, heartbeat, and the blood going to the brain also increased. Far from being a time of rest, REM sleep is a time when the body is hard at work. Scientists still don’t know the reason for this. Some believe REM sleep makes learning easier. Babies spend a lot of time in REM sleep. Because of this, some scientists believe that REM sleep helps the brain grow. Others think REM sleep is a time for the brain to empty the day’s garbage.
One thing all the scientists agree on is that sleep is necessary. Without enough sleep, people make mistakes. Most major car accidents happen during the early morning hours, when people are sleepiest.During REM sleep, a person’s breathing and heartbeat ________.
A.stop | B.increase | C.decrease | D.stay the same |
Which word in paragraph(段落)3 means “colorful and lively”?
A.easier | B.empty | C.vivid | D.quickly |
Which paragraph tells what happens when people don’t get enough sleep?
A.1 | B.2 | C.3 | D.4 |
What is the main idea of the article?
A.REM sleep helps the brain grow. |
B.REM sleep has been watched and recorded by scientists. |
C.REM sleep is a time to empty the day’s garbage. |
D.REM sleep is an active time when the body is hard at work. |
You can decide from the article that REM sleep ________.
A.has a restful effect on people |
B.can be avoided with lots of sleep |
C.is something that all people experience |
D.is something that all scientists agree on |
The panda is one of the animals most in danger. Three are about 1,000 pandas living in nature reserves today. Zoos and research centers look after about 160 pandas. Scientists are studying how they live and more baby pandas are born in the zoos.
Pandas live in the forests and mountains of Southern China. They mainly live on bamboo, and each pandas needs to eat a lot of bamboo every day. The area of bamboo is becoming smaller for many different reasons, so pandas have less and less land to live on. Pandas don’t have many babies, and baby panda often dies. The situation is becoming very serious.
Our government is working hard to save pandas. There are more than 30 nature reserves to protect pandas but these are not enough. The government has made a new plan to help pandas. The nature reserves will be bigger and the bamboo will grow better. Then the pandas will have enough food and enough places to live in. Pandas born in the zoos may go back to live in the nature reserves.
Most people love pandas. The panda is one of the best-known animals in the world. It is the symbol for the World Wide Fund for Nature. The WWF works to protect all animals in danger, so the panda has become the symbol of all animals in danger. There is still a long way to save the panda. Think of other animals in danger. There is still a long way to go to save the panda. Think of other animals in danger such as tigers, whales, turtles and elephants—and we need to save them, too. There are about ___ pandas living in the nature reserves today.
A.30 | B.160 | C.300 | D.1,000 |
Paragraph 2 is mainly about ___.
A.why pandas are in danger | B.why baby pandas often die |
C.how to protect all animals | D.how to plant more bamboo |
The government is trying ___ to help the pandas.
A.to build more zoos |
B.to send more scientists |
C.to make bigger nature reserves |
D.to ask the WWF to work in China |
___ is the symbol for the World Wide Fund for Nature.
A.The Tiger | B.The panda | C.The elephant | D.The Whale |
Dictionaries say that “spring fever” is a lazy or restless feeling . People usually have the feeling on the first warm day of spring. Everyone has probably felt it at one time or another . people have talked about it for years.
Recently, scientists have taken a good look at spring fever. What they found is quite surprising.
In many places we live in , the winter months often seem dark and dreary. When spring comes late March , the world becomes colorful . The number of daylight hours grows with each passing day. According to many scientists, all the sunlight sets off chemicals in the brain (大脑). The chemicals make our feeling change and bring on spring fever.How do people who have spring fever feel ?
A.active | B.awake | C.energetic | D.restless . |
Scientists think that _________ cause(s) spring fever .
A.colors | B.sunlight | C.dark | D.illness |
According to the passage ,the underlined word “dreary ”means“______” in Chinese.
A.沉闷的 | B.暖和的 | C.晴朗的 | D.明亮的 |
The best title for the passage is ______________ .
A.How to Get Over Spring Fever | B.Spring Fever |
C.Darkness in winter | D.Spring and winter |
What makes 15,000 men and women run for hours, and what makes them run through the streets on a cold day without coats? I was one of those runners. The race is called marathon (马拉松).
I had never run more than eight miles before, and here I was training. Since the race is in April, I had to run throughout the winter, and in Boston, winters are cold. For most people, just putting on their shirts, sweaters, jackets, and hats is exercise enough. I found myself out on the dark streets, running along ice sidewalks (人行道). Even in gloves, my fingers got so cold that they looked like red carrots. My nose didn’t get warm until lunchtime !
Finally, the big day arrived. The weather was cold, with ice and rain. Bang! The gun sounded, and we started. I didn’t go anywhere at first because I was standing behind so many people. I had to wait for them to move.
At first, the running was easy. The other runners just seemed to pull me along. Somewhere around the 20-mile mark I even said to myself, "This is nothing, why did I train so hard?"
Then I hit "the wall". "The wall" is what marathon runners call the special point. I knew my body reached the point and I thought I couldn’t go any more. I was out of breath and my legs turned into pieces of wood. I was almost falling down. I can’t remember anything about the last five miles of the race.
I kept running though. At last, I heard a voice at the finishing line.
"You look good," my friend Ted said. "How did it feel?"
"Wonderful !" I replied.
For everything, if you devote yourself into it, there will be a way. I finished the race, at least, in my heart, I was the winner.Which one best describes the weather on the race day?
A.Cold and rainy. | B.Cold and sunny. | C.Dry and cloudy. | D.Wet and foggy. |
How did the writer feel about the race during the first 20 miles?
A.Difficult. | B.Boring. | C.Easy. | D.Interesting. |
According to the article, what must someone do to prepare for a marathon?
A.One must eat certain food and get plenty of sleep. |
B.One must be willing to eat, sleep, and train twenty-four hours a day. |
C.One must run along ice sidewalks every day. |
D.One must be willing to train a lot and doesn’t give up easily. |
Then I hit "the wall". What do you think "hit the wall" means here?
A.撞击墙壁 | B.到达极限 | C.抵达终点 | D.中途加速 |
Our nearest neighbor is the moon. In the sky, the moon and the sun seem to be of the same size because the moon is much nearer.
The moon makes the tides—the changes in the level of the sea. The moon and the sun together pull the sea. In some parts of the world, the difference between * high tide’ (when the sea is very near to the land) and ’ low tide’ (when the sea is far away from the land) is very big. This is very important for ships.
The moon is very different from the Earth. Gravity on the moon is six times weaker than that on the Earth. There isn’t any air. During the day, it is very, very hot but at night it is very, very cold. Nothing can live on the moon.
If the moon goes between the Earth and the sun, we have an eclipse of the sun(日食) . The moon stops the light from the sun and we have night in the day.
If the Earth goes between the moon and the sun, we have an eclipse of the moon. The moon goes into the shadow( 影子) of the Earth and it disappears for a few minutes.When the moon goes between the Earth and the sun, we have night in the day, we call it the eclipse of
A.the moon | B.the sun | C.the stars | D.the Earth |
Which of the following happens when we have an eclipse of the moon?
A.The Earth goes between the moon and the sun. |
B.The moon goes into the shadow of the sun. |
C.The moon goes into the shadow of its own. |
D.The sun disappears for a few minutes. |
Which of the following statements are TRUE?
a. The moon and the sun are of the same size.
b. Gravity on the Earth is 6 times stronger than that on the moon.
c. The changes in the level of the sea are called tides.
d. The moon itself pulls the sea and makes the tides.
e. When the sea is near to the land, a high tide may happen.
f. It is much hotter in the day but much colder at night on the moon.
A.a. b. c. f. | B.b. c. d. e | C.a. d. e. f | D.b. c. e. f |
Scientists are placing robotic dogs in the homes of lonely old people to test whether they can improve the quality of life for humans. Alan Beck, an expert(专家) in human-animal relationship, and Nancy Edwards, a professor of nursing, are leading the animal-assisted study on the effect of robotic dogs on old people’s depression (沮丧) , physical activity, and life satisfaction.
In the study, the robot, called AIBO, is placed for six weeks in the houses of some old people who live alone. Before placing AIBO in the home, scientists will collect baseline data(数据) for six weeks. These old people will keep a diary to note their feelings and activity before and after AIBO. Then, the scientists will review the data to test if it has produced any changes in the life of its owner.
“I talk to him all the time, and he responds to my voice,” says a seventy-year-old lady. “When I’m watching TV, he’ll stay in my arms until he wants down. He has his own mind.”
The AIBOs respond to certain orders. The scientists say they have some advantages over live dogs, especially for old people. Often the elderly are disabled and cannot care for an animal by walking it or playing with it. A robotic dog removes exercise and feeding concerns.
“At the beginning, it was believed that no one would relate(与……相关) to the robotic dog, because it was metal and not furry.” Beck says. “Hopefully, down the road, these robotic pets could become a more-valuable health helper. They will record their masters’ blood pressure, oxygen levels or heart rhythms(心律). AIBOs may even one day have games that can help stimulate(刺激) older people’s minds.”The purpose of Beck and Edwards’ study is to _____________.
A.understand human-animal relationship |
B.make lonely old people’s life better |
C.find the causes of old people’s loneliness |
D.improve the animal-assisted research |
In the research, the old people are asked to _____________.
A.note the activities of AIBOs |
B.keep AIBOs at home for 12 weeks |
C.record their feelings and activity |
D.study the collected information |
What does the underlined word “removes” mean?
A.moves again | B.is movable | C.doesn’t need | D.need |
What is the better point of AIBO than live dogs?
A.It is easier to keep at home. |
B.It can help the disabled people. |
C.It responds to all the human orders. |
D.It can watch TV with its owner. |
The writer seems to suggest that the future robotic dogs may__________.
A.cure certain diseases | B.keep old people active |
C.change people’s ideas | D.look more like real dogs |
Do you know why different animals or pests (昆虫) have their special colors? Colors in them seem to be used mainly to protect themselves.
Some birds like eating locusts (蝗虫), but birds cannot easily catch them. Why? It is because locusts change their colors together with the change of the colors of crops(庄稼). When crops are green, locusts look green. But as the harvest time comes, locusts change to the same brown color as crops have. Some other pests with different colors from plants are easily found and eaten by others. So they have to hide themselves for lives and appear only at night.
If you study the animal life, you’ll find the main use of coloring is to protect themselves. Bears, lions and other animals move quietly through forests. They cannot be easily seen by hunters (猎人). This is because they have the colors much like the trees.
Have you ever noticed an even stranger act? A kind of fish in the sea can send out a kind of very black liquid (液体)when it faces danger. While the liquid spreads over (散开), its enemies (敌人)cannot find it. And it immediately swims away. So it has lived up to now though it is not strong at all.From the passage we learn that locusts________.
A.are small animals | B.are easily found by birds |
C.are dangerous to their enemies | D.change their colors to protect themselves |
How can pests with different colors from plants keep out of danger?
A.They run away quickly. | B.They have the colors much like their enemies. |
C.They hide themselves by day and appear at night. | D.They have to move quietly. |
Bears and lions can keep safe because _________.
A.they have the colors much like the trees | B.they move quietly |
C.they like brown and gray colors | D.they live in forests |
Why can the kind of fish live up to now?
A.Because it is very and strong. |
B.Because the liquid it sends out can help it escape from its enemies. |
C.Because the liquid it sends out can kill its enemies. |
D.Because it swims faster than any other fish. |
Which is the best title for this passage?
A.The Change of Colors for Animals and Pests | B.Colors of Different Animals and Pests |
C.The Main Use of Colors for Animals and Pests | D.Some Animals and Pests |
Whenever the sun dropped and the blue sky came up, my father and I used to climb the mountain near my house. Walking together, my father and I used to have a lot of conversations through which I learned lessons from his experiences. He always told me, “You should have goals like climbing the mountain.” Without the mountain-climbing that we both enjoyed, we couldn’t have enough time to spend together because my father was very busy. I really got a lot from the mountain-climbing. It gave me time to talk with my father and to be in deep thought as well as develop my patience.
Once we climbed a very high mountain. It was so challenging for me because I was only ten years old. During the first few hours of climbing, I enjoyed the flowers and trees, and the birds’ singing. But as time passed, I got a pain in both of my legs. I wanted to quit climbing, but my father said to me, “You can always see a beautiful sky at the top of the mountain, but you can’t see it before you reach the top. Only there can you see all of the nice things, which is just like your life.”
At that time, I was too young to understand his words. But later after that, I got to know the meaning of hope in life. I found myself standing at the top of the mountain, and the sky was as clear as crystal.The passage tells us that mountain-climbing was ______ for the father and the son.
A.hard | B.enjoyable | C.painful | D.comfortable |
The underlined word “crystal” in the passage means _______.
A.岩石 | B.火焰 | C.水晶 | D.寒冰 |
Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the father’s words in the second paragraph?
A.You will get all you need at the top of the mountain. |
B.The sky is always as clear as crystal. |
C.You can find life is full of nice things. |
D.Never give up half-way. |
We can infer(推断) from the last paragraph that ______.
A.the writer was very successful in his life |
B.the writer reached the top of the mountain |
C.though the writer was young, he could understand his father |
D.the writer used to stop half-way when he climbed the mountain |
The best title for the passage is ______.
A.Reaching the Top of the Mountain | B.Standing at the Top of the Mountain |
C.Conversations between Father and Son | D.How to Get to the Top of the Mountain |
Plant scientists consider them as fruit. Most other people think of them as vegetables. Whatever you call tomatoes, there are many different kinds of this popular and healthy food.
There are two groups of the plants. Small tomato plants grow to about one meter. They can be planted rather close together. Some short kinds do not require special care and are often gotten crop by machines. Large tomato plants can grow over two meters tall. They also produce larger fruits.
People who grow only a few plants can place wire cages around each one. The cage can be made of wire fence material. The cage helps the plant grow taller and produce a better crop.
Tomatoes often need extra calcium (Ca), or the fruits may be ruined. Add lime to the soil can solve this problem. Dry lands may also ruin the fruits. Tomatoes need water regularly. The soil should never dry out completely. Dried grass or leaves placed around the plant can help hold water in the soil and stop the growth of unwanted plants.
Tomatoes are native to South America. The tomato is a member of the potato family. The leaves of the plant are poisonous, like the leaves of its relatives. Before the 18th century, people grew tomatoes only as pretty plants. They called the bright red fruit a “love apple”, but would not eat it.Which of the following is right about the small tomato plants?
A. They can grow to about 2 meters.
B. They can’t be planted close together.
C. Some of them don’t require special care.People place wire cages around the plant in order to ___________.
A. protect the plant from being taken by others.
B. help the plant grow taller and produce a better crop
C. keep the plant from being eaten by animalsThe underlined word “ruin” probably means “___________”.
A. grow B. destroy C. stop People often give tomatoes extra calcium by ___________.
A. adding lime to the soil B. watering the plant regularly
C. putting dried grass around the plant What can we learn from the passage?
A. Tomatoes are native to North America.
B. The leaves of the plant can also be eaten.
C. Americans began to eat tomatoes from the 18th century.
There are some easy things you can do to protect the environment and the earth. Choose ideas from the list or come up with a few of your own.
·Plant flowers, grass or trees.
·Whenever you visit a park or beach, take away what you bring there—keep rubbish in a bag until you can put it in a dustbin.
·Turn off the lights and TV sets when you leave the room. This can save a lot of electricity.
·Turn off the tap when you brush your teeth. You can save some water by not letting it run. Also, use a glass cup instead of a paper cup because this saves paper.
·Keep the doors and windows closed in winter to keep warm air in.
·Give your old books and magazines to a library instead of throwing them away.
·Give your old clothes to poor children you know instead of throwing them away.
·Use both sides of paper.
·Stop pouring dirty water into the rivers or lakes nearby.
·Encourage all your friends to do the same things you do to help protect the earth. You don’t have to wait until Earth Day to do these things. Make every day Earth Day. If everyone makes a contribution to protecting the environment, the world will become much more beautiful.From the above, we know that this is .
A. a sign B. a proposal (倡议书) C. an ad(advertisement)The writer tells us .
A. that we can’t do all these things until Earth Day
B. to pour dirty water into the rivers
C. to save water by not letting it run while brushing our teeth We can to save paper.
A. use a paper cup B. use both sides of paper C. give new books to a libraryWhich of the following is wrong according to the writer?
A. Turn off the lights when you leave the room.
B. Close the doors and windows in winter.
C. Use a paper cup when you brush your teeth. What’s the best title of the passage?
A. Protect the Earth B. Save Money C. Make Better Use of Old Things
Germs(细菌) are everywhere. You can’t see them, but they are on your desk, on your computer, and even in the air!
Like people, germs move around the world. They fly with us on planes. When food, clothes, and other things travel around the world, germs travel, too. Some germs are safe, but some are dangerous. Germs cause illnesses like colds and the flu.
Warmer Weather Brings Germs
The world’s weather is changing. Cooler countries are getting warmer, so insects from hot countries can move there. Some of these insects, like mosquitoes, carry dangerous germs. These germs cause headaches, fever, and can even kill people.
Under Your Skin
Your skin protects you from germs. It stops some germs, but not all. They can enter your body when you eat, or when you have a cut. Germs are on your hands, too. They enter your body when you touch your eyes, nose, or mouth.
Fighting Germs
Your immune system(免疫系统) protects you, too. When germs get inside your body, your immune system finds and kills them. Special cells(细胞) move around your body and fight germs. They help you stay healthy. Other cells make antibodies. Antibodies help your body find and stop germs.
What can you do to fight germs? You should wash your hands with soap and water. Soap kills many germs, and water washes them away. According to the text, insects ______.
A.kill germs | B.carry germs | C.protect germs | D.love germs |
The underlined word “there” refers to ______.
A.cooler countries | B.hot countries | C.everywhere | D.the world |
Which of the following is right according to the text?
A.All germs are dangerous. | B.There are more germs in cold places. |
C.Soap can kill all germs. | D.Germs can get into your body. |
What do antibodies do?
A.They kill germs and wash them away. | B.They find and develop germs. |
C.They help protect us from germs. | D.They carry dangerous germs. |
Which can be the best title for this text?
A.Germs Are Everywhere | B.Weather Is Changing |
C.Skin Stops Germs | D.Germs Are Developed |
The population of the Earth is growing faster. It is important that we look after the Earth. We need it! The Earth gives us a lot of things. We also give the Earth a lot, but some of the things are not good.
In nature, when something dies, other animals and plants get food from it. Every animal or plant gives food for other animals or plants. However, animals can’t get food from many of the things that we ‘give’ the Earth. Animals and plants can’t eat metal, plastic and glass. These things will stay in the ground for many, many years.
Some rubbish is very dangerous for plants and animals. In some places, many animals live together. One animal makes food for many more animals. If we put rubbish and chemicals in the water, the plankton(浮游生物) can die. If there isn’t any plankton, many animals have nothing to eat.
So what can we do? Don’t leave any rubbish in the countryside! Don’t make so much rubbish!The Earth gives us ___________.
A.food | B.rubbish | C.chemicals | D.pollution |
When something dies in nature, _________.
A.water and grass are polluted | B.plastic and wood become food |
C.other animals and plants get food | D.metal and glass stay in the ground |
We must _______ to look after the Earth.
A.put metal in the ground | B.use more wood |
C.keep frogs in the water | D.make less rubbish |
Scientists are very interested in the Universe,and they always want to know more about it. Years ago they knew many things about the moon. They knew how big it is and how far away it is from the earth. But they wanted to know more about it. They thought the best way was to send men to the moon. The moon is about 384,000 kilometers away from the earth. A plane cannot fly to the moon because the air reaches only 240 kilometers away from the earth. But something can fly even when there is no air. That is a rocket(火箭)
How does a rocket fly? There is gas(气体) in the rocket. When the gas is made very hot inside the rocket, it will rush out of the end of the rocket, so it can make the rocket fly up into the sky. Rockets can fly out into space. Rockets with men in them have been to the moon. Several rockets without men in them have flown to another planet(行星) much farther away than the moon. One day, rockets may be able to go to any place in space.Scientists knew ____________ the moon is.
A: how far B: how big C: how old D: both A and BThe earth is about 384,000 kilometers away from the _____.
A: space B: universe C: sun D: moonA plane cannot fly to the moon because ___________
A: there is no air above 240 kilometers away from the earth.
B: there is no gas in the plane
C: the plane is not strong enough
D: the plane can not fly a long wayThe hot gas in the rocket is used for___________
A: keeping the air in the rocket fresh(新鲜的)
B: Keeping the men in the rocket warm
C: making the rocket fly up.
D: cooking food for the menWhat is the writer’s attitude(态度) to the universe’s future.
A: Realistic(现实的) B: Imaginative(幻想的)
C: Confident(有信心的) D: Sad
Dear Earthmen(地球人),
I enjoy my stay on your interesting planet(星球).
I think I know the life on Earth now and I would like to tell you my ideas.
First of all you live in boxes. Every morning you leave your boxes and get into smaller boxes on wheels(轮子). All these small boxes run around and around, and finally stop to rest. You leave these boxes on wheels and go to very large tall boxes.
After resting all day, you get back in your little boxes. There you sit and look at very small glowing boxes with moving pictures in them.
There is only one thing I don’t know. Some angry boys fought for a little round (圆的) ball. Everyone shouted(大声喊) but they kept fighting. They were angry, because they had to stay in boxes all day, I think.
Thank you for this chance(机会) to get to know you.
Yours,
The man from Mars(火星)How many kinds of “boxes” does the man from Mars tell us?
A.Two | B.Three | C.Four | D.Five |
What do the boxes on wheels refer to(指的是)?
A.Houses | B.Buildings | C.Cars | D.TVs |
What does the word “glowing” mean in Chinese?
A.发光的 | B.开心的 | C.漂亮的 | D.黑暗的 |
What’s the main(主要的) idea of the letter?
A.To say goodbye to the Earthmen |
B.To tell the Earthmen what the Earth is like. |
C.To tell the Earthmen he doesn’t like the Earth. |
D.To tell the Earthmen he is leaving the Earth soon. |
The giant panda is one of the most popular animals in the world. A giant panda can grow up to 1.5 meters long and weigh up to 160kg. People think the giant panda is very lovely. ①So it is not surprising that the World Wide Fund for Nature chose the giant panda as its symbol.The WWF tells people about animals that they are in danger and raises money to save them.
The giant panda only lives in the wild in China. In the early 1980s, were only 1,000 left in the wild. The main reason why pandas are endangered is that the area where pandas can live has become smaller.
The WWF works to help giant pandas in the wild in many ways. One of the ways that helps them is to increase the size of panda reserves(自然保护区). Some reserves need to be joined together by planting bamboo between them to make “corridors”. These are paths that lead from one reserve to another. No one may harm the pandas in these areas. The corridors let pandas move from one habitat (栖息地) to another to look for food. ②People are working very hard to make sure the giant panda does not die out. How long and heavy can a giant panda grow to be?
_____________________________________________________________________________ 将文中划线的句子①改为被动句。
So it is not surprising that _____________________by the World Wide Fund for Nature.Why are the giant pandas endangered?
_____________________________________________________________________________ Give a way to help the giant pandas in the wild, please.
_____________________________________________________________________________ 将文中划线的句子②翻译成中文。
____________________________________________________________________________