It’s a popular belief that a fish’s memory lasts for only seven seconds. It may seem sad to think that they don’t remember what they’ve eaten or where they’ve been, and they don’t identify you or any of their friends -- every moment in their life would be like seeing the world for the first time.
But don’t be so quick to feel sorry for them. A new study has found that fish have a much better memory than we used to think. In fact, certain species of fish can even remember events from as long as 12 days ago. In the study, researchers from Mac Ewan University in Canada trained a kind of fish called African cichlids to go to a certain area of their tank to get food. They then waited for 12 days before putting them back in the tank again. Researchers used computer software to monitor the fish’s movements. They found that after such a long break the fish still went to the same place where they first got food. This suggested that they could remember their past experiences.
In fact, scientists had been thinking for a long time that African cichlids might have a good memory. An earlier study showed that they behaved aggressively（挑衅地）in front of certain fish, perhaps because they remembered their past “fights”. But until the latest findings, there was no clear evidence.
Just as a good memory can make our lives easier, it also plays an important part when a fish is trying to survive in the wild. “If fish are able to remember that a certain area contains safe food, they will be able to go back to that area without putting their lives at risks,” lead researcher Trevor Hamilton told Live Science.
For a long time, fish were placed far below chimpanzees, dolphins and mice on the list of smart animals. But this study has given scientists a new understanding of their intelligence.
1.According to the article, people commonly believe that _______.
A.fish can only remember part of their past experiences
B.fish can remember things that happened long time ago
C.a fish’s memory lasts for only seven minutes
D.fish don’t recognize any of their friends
2.How can fish benefit most from a good memory? They can remember _______.
A.where to get food and survive
B.their enemies and fight
C.where to escape to when in danger
D.their friends and help each other
3.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.African cichlids always treat other fish aggressively.
B.African cichlids can remember things for 12 days.
C.African cichlids don’t belong to the list of smart animals.
D.Only African cichlids have a good memory.
4.What is the article mainly about?
A.Fish having very bad memories.
B.Fish being smarter than we thought.
C.How fish improve their memory.
D.What we can learn from fish.
On a February morning 13 years ago we pulled into the driveway, excited and proud, and lined up our kids for photos. It was a big day, but back then we had no idea how it would shape our lives.
That van (旅行拖车) is linked to so many great memories - soccer games, camping trips, and a 24-hour journey to Florida to visit grandparents and one three-week holiday to the east coast, full of long conversations and classic rock played on cassette tapes. In that van, I laughed my head off while going out with friends, and cried my eyes out at the death of a loved one. I've dreamed and planned and moved homes while traveling on those four trusty wheels.
There were days when it drove me nuts, too. On cold winter mornings, the sliding doors would freeze shut. Anyone who wanted to sit in the backseats had to climb in through the front. Still, we've held on to our van for as long as possible. It never ever let us down, even as the repair bills got a little bigger each year and we faithfully fixed whatever was needed to keep it on the road safely.
Yesterday we finally made the decision. It was time to find a newer, smaller, more energy-efficient (高效节能的) replacement. The van was telling us it was time.
Saying goodbye is never easy. As we close the minivan chapter（篇章）of our lives, my heart sinks -- not just for the much-loved metal box on wheels that we've driven for more than a decade, but for the days, months and years that passed by so quickly. The story of our minivan is the story of our family.
1.Why does the author mention their journeys to Florida and the east coast?
A.To share the fun they had with their van.
B.To prove that the van is convenient for travel.
C.To show how much her family loved traveling.
D.To stress the importance of keeping cars in good condition.
2.The underlined phrase “drive someone nuts” probably means .
A.make someone excited
B.make someone crazy
C.make someone confused
D.make someone amazed
3.How did the author feel when they decided to buy a new car?
A.Relieved B.Happy
C.Disappointed D.Sad
4.What could be the best title?
A.Our Trips on the Road
B.Our Much-loved Minivan
C.Memories of Our Family
D.Nothing Stays Forever
The Best Way to See Singapore. See More for Less! |
City Sightseeing $33/A, $23/C, FREE/T 24 hours of Unlimited Touring — 9 am to 6 pm Duration: 1 Day (unlimited rides) Attractions: Civic District, Orchard Road, Botanic Gardens, Little India, Chinatown & more along the City & Heritage routes It is easy to enjoy Singapore with the City Sightseeing open-top touring system. Spot an interesting place or sight? Simply hop off and walk around and you can continue the tour later by hopping on the next bus. With 1 bus arriving every 20 minutes, the City Sightseeing system links you to major sights, attractions and hotels! * Guests Helpline: 6338-6877 |
Coaster $33/A, $23/C, $2/T Daily: 9:30 am — 5:30 pm Duration: 60 minutes Ride the original Coaster! Hop on this craft for a sightseeing tour which covers both land and sea! * Free bus transfer; most popular tour; 1st and original Coaster; unique land & sea adventure * For More Information, call 6338-6859 |
Night Safari(旅行) $49/A, $33/C, FREE/T Tour Time: 6:00 pm — 10:00 pm Duration: 4 hours Observe the night activities of the 1,000 over nocturnal(夜行的) animals in the Night Safari – the world’s first wildlife night park, for an adventure you’ll never forget. * Free & Easy with 2-way bus transfer * For More Information, call 6338-6826 |
Flyer $53/A, $37/C, FREE/T Open Hours: Daily 9:00 am — 9:00 pm Duration: 30 minutes Feast your eyes on Singapore’s magnificent cityscape from a height of 165m on the world’s largest observation wheel. Get your cameras ready as you experience a 360-degree panoramic view of the city and the Marina Bay area. * Free bus transfer; free river transfer * For More Information, call 6338-3311 |
☆ A — adult, C — children (3-12), T — toddler (2 & below) |
1.Which way is most suitable for Mary, who has one day to travel around Singapore?
A.Night Safari. B.Coaster.
C.City Sightseeing. D.Flyer.
2.If David and his 9-year-old son are both animal lovers, they had better dial ___________ for more information before their tour.
A.6338-6826 B.6338-6859
C.6338-3311 D.6338-6877
3.Mr. Smith is going to take his wife, his 13-year-old daughter and his 1-year-old son to Flyer, he should get at least ___________ ready.
A.$131 B.$90
C.$159 D.$143
4.Where is the material probably from?
A.Health magazine B.Scientific report
C.Education journal D.Travel guide
It was summer, and my dad wanted to treat me to a vacation like never before. He decided to take me on a trip to the Wild West.
We took a plane to Albuquerque, a big city in the state of New Mexico. We reached Albuquerque in the late afternoon. Uncle Paul, my dad’s friend, picked us up from the airport and drove us up to his farm in Pecos.
His wife Tina cooked us a delicious dinner and we got to know his sons Ryan and Kyle. My dad and I spent the night in the guestroom of the farm house listening to the frogs and water rolling down the river nearby. Very early in the morning, Uncle Paul woke us up to have breakfast. "The day starts at dawn on my farm," he said. After breakfast, I went to help Aunt Tina feed the chickens, while my dad went with Uncle Paul to take the sheep out to graze(吃草). I was impressed to see my dad and Uncle Paul riding horses. They looked really cool.
In the afternoon, I asked Uncle Paul if I could take a horse ride, and he said yes, as long as my dad went with me. I wasn’t going to take a horse ride by myself anyway. So, my dad and I put on our new cowboy hats, got on our horses, and headed slowly towards the mountains. "Don’t be late for supper," Uncle Paul cried, "and keep to the track so that you don’t get lost!" "OK! " my dad cried back. After a while Uncle Paul and his farm house were out of sight. It was so peaceful and quiet and the colors of the brown rocks, the deep green pine trees, and the late afternoon sun mixed to create a magic scene. It looked like a beautiful woven(编织的) blanket spread out upon the ground just for us.
Suddenly a little rabbit jumped out in front of my horse.
注意：
（1）所续写短文的词数应为l50左右；
（2）至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语：
（3）续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
（4）续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1: Suddenly a little rabbit jumped out in front of my horse. ____________
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Paragraph 2: We had no idea where we were and it was getting dark. _____________
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书面表达
假如你是李华，你的加拿大笔友Harry上周写信询问你的体育爱好。请根据以下要点给他写一封回信，内容包括：
1. 你喜欢的运动项目及原因, 如有益于身心健康 (physical and mental health)，增强自信等。
2. 何时喜欢上这项运动, 现在参加该运动的情况如何。
3. 询问对方的体育爱好。
注意：1. 词数：100左右。（信的开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数。）
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Harry,
I am glad to receive your letter.
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_____________________________________________________________________________
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Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
How to achieve a healthy lifestyle
We all know that it is good to live a healthy life. 1.（live）a healthy life means we should eat healthy food. Yet for many of us keeping a healthy lifestyle is very difficult. Part of this is because we are creatures of habit.
So if you want 2.（live）a healthy life，you have to change your habits that are not so healthy. In order to feel less tired，you have to replace your habit of sleeping only 4 hours a day with sleeping at least 6 hours a day.
Now when most people decide to live a more healthy life，they try to deal with all of their habits all at once. Take losing weight 3. example. They go on 4. quite strict diet, and yes, they do lose weight sometimes a lot of weight in a short period. But they do not really change their eating habits. So these people often notice they will gain the weight 5. and more even, once they stop the diet.
And the same holds true for these people. They start exercising in order to lose weight or to overcome a physical problem. Once the weight has been lost or the problem has been overcome, many stop 6. (exercise). It has not become a habit.
In fact, a lot of people don't look forward to 7. (create) these habits, such as eating breakfast, regular physical exercise and enough sleep. People complain these habits are so 8. (bore) and difficult to achieve that they have 9. (little) time to spend on things they like to do. So people should change their attitudes first. What if you thought of chocolate as a kind of boring food? What if you thought of physical exercise as something 10. (relax)?
