I’d planned to spend my weekend in the sun, enjoying flowers outdoors. But that was ____ the pair of disgusting crows (乌鸦) arrived. Out of nowhere, they had set up their base ____ in our backyard.
We first ______ our feathered enemies on Friday morning. It was early, and the sound the birds made ______ through our neighborhood. I figured they’d ______ soon. But, no. They were getting louder and probably ______ my neighbors nearly as much as us with the noise. I admit I got a little ______.
Then, on Sunday afternoon, I saw our dog Quatchi staring at something on the ground. I went to ______ and found a small coal-black bird in the grass. Its eyes were milky, and it stayed perfectly ______ as my dog walked towards it. Only when Quatchi ______ his nose to its head did it walk away. I ______ the dog inside and came back with my camera.
It never occurred to me that the young would be hanging out on the ground, growing and gaining ______ as its parents guarded it from above. The second I saw this little creature I ____ the crows.
To be honest, I’ve never been much of a bird person. And I wish they’d chosen another backyard. But I’m also ______ that I got to see this little bit of nature unfold up close. It’s pretty amazing.
The experience has also ______ my desire to create a beautiful backyard garden that attracts lots of bees, butterflies, and yes, birds. They are welcome here.
1.A.after B.when C.until D.before
2.A.organization B.camp C.business D.trap
3.A.accepted B.drove C.discovered D.invited
4.A.traveled B.flew C.ran D.flowed
5.A.sing B.fight C.fall down D.quiet down
6.A.attracting B.annoying C.frightening D.amusing
7.A.excited B.amazed C.curious D.desperate
8.A.prevent B.defend C.explore D.assist
9.A.cold B.enthusiastic C.still D.friendly
10.A.touched B.threw C.pointed D.connected
11.A.awarded B.locked C.praised D.fed
12.A.strength B.pity C.advantage D.freedom
13.A.hated B.respected C.admired D.forgave
14.A.pitiful B.grateful C.painful D.careful
15.A.discouraged B.ensured C.strengthened D.proved
Some high school students think it useless to receive higher education. 1. If you’re one of them, think again. Here are some reasons why you should go to college and receive a good education there.
2. We take that knowledge later on to build our careers after graduation. More knowledge will be gained after you start working, but without education, that job will not be within easy reach. Knowledge leads to knowledge.
While limited within the walls of the educational places, we openly explore other cultures of the world! 3. Other cultures have valuable things to share, enriching our own. Education also makes us want to travel and exchange with various cultures, getting more experience.
When there’s a recession (衰退) in the economy, those who attended college will be more likely to find a new job than those who only finished high school and have a limited skill set. The more education you have, the more chances you will get to improve the quality of your life as you have a better job and earn a higher salary.
When you’re skillful and knowledgeable, you gain access to people of similar backgrounds and tastes. 4. Good networking can benefit you a lot in your later life.
5. You can talk about ideas and events instead of just other people and what’s on sale in stores. An educated person doesn’t gossip (说闲话), having a preference to discuss ideas and listen to what other people have to say.
A. Therefore, they choose not to go to college.
B. We come to know that ours is not the only culture.
C. There is a negative side to earning a good education too.
D. A good education makes you a more interesting person.
E. It means a good education leads to excellent networking.
F. Schools and universities are the first places to get knowledge.
G. It has long been understood that an education can lead to long-term financial success.
The biggest challenge faced by travelers especially those who like to have a hiking trip is how to ensure a steady supply of clean clothes. Now, thanks to a great invention called Scrubba Wash Pack, that worry may be a thing of the past.
The portable washing machine was invented by Ash Newland in 2010, while planning to climb Mt. Kilimanjaro. Struck by the limited packing space, he got inspiration from traditional washboards to create a bag that could be used to clean clothes. Then he gave up his career as a lawyer and focused on perfecting the bag’s design. By 2012, the bag was ready for the public. It weighed only 180 grams and required very little storage space, making it perfect for anyone wishing to travel light.
Not surprisingly, the bag worth 55 dollars was an instant hit with travelers, university students and even passengers. However, Newland was not satisfied. He still saw a disadvantage with his invention – dirty clothes had to be carried around in a separate bag! The recently introduced Scrubba Wash Pack solves that problem.
In order to make the pack active, dirty clothes are placed inside the bag along with two to three liters of water. The bag is then shut tightly to ensure all air is squeezed out and the clothes are massaged (揉搓) for a few minutes. After a quick wash, they are clean and ready to be dried. According to Newland, the pack can clean anything from jeans to smelly socks! What’s even
more amazing is that with a capacity to hold 13 liters of water, it can be used to wash more clothes at a time.
The best part is that the 99-dollar pack that will be available for sale later this year, only weighs 300 grams and is completely foldable, making it easy to store when it’s not in use. With the Scrubba Wash Pack, wandering through foreign cities searching for a washing shop, or paying for washing machines may soon be a thing of the past!
1.What aroused Ash Newland’s desire to create the Scrubba Wash Bag?
A.Travelers’ requirements. B.His own experience.
C.His dream of invention. D.A traditional washboard.
2.Why wasn’t Ash Newland satisfied with his former invention?
A.The bag was not convenient enough.
B.The bag was not popular with travelers.
C.The bag couldn’t wash more clothes at a time.
D.The bag couldn’t be folded up.
3.Which word can best replace the underlined word in paragraph4?
A.Blown. B.Pushed
C.Figured. D.Run.
4.It can be inferred that the improved Wash Pack ______.
A.will lighten the burden on housewives
B.will replace the traditional washing machines
C.will be widely used by more travelers in the future
D.can encourage more people to travel a long distance
Scientists say a huge percentage of bird species are in danger because their habitats, or homelands, are disappearing.
Traditional migration paths take birds through countries that are not protecting the places for birds to stop, rest and feed. The scientists studied the migration or flight paths of almost 1,500 species. They decided that 91 percent of them passed through dangerous areas.
The major danger for migratory birds is development. Buildings and pavements have covered the places where birds stop and feed as they move from one part of the world to another. One of the scientists who worked on the study says “Many of these important places have been lost to land reclamation (开垦) because of urban, industrial and agricultural land expansion”.
The problem, according to scientists, is that many of these small birds die along their migration paths because they don’t have a safe place to feed and rest. There is no place to restore their energy for the next part of their journey. Countries in North Africa, Central Asia and those along the coasts of East Asia are having the most difficult time in protecting land. The scientists say these countries do not have enough areas that are safe for birds. One species that doesn’t exist now is the Eskimo curlew. “Our world gets poorer every time we lose a species,” one of the scientists says.
The researchers say countries need to work together and come up with safe stopping areas for birds that pass through their boundaries. For example, one country might have preserved safe zones for migrating birds. But a neighbor country might not. A bird might die.
One scientist who is not connected with the report tells Los Angeles Times that while some habitats are changing, more work can be done to make urban areas safe for birds.
He says small changes, like planting more native plants or keeping cats out of the areas birds would be likely to use, could make a big difference.
1.What mainly caused the disappearing of birds’ habitats ?
A.The decrease of awareness to protect birds. B.Natural disasters.
C.Overuse of land by human beings. D.The rising sea level.
2.What may be the main reason for many birds’ death on the way of migration?
A.Exhaustion and hunger. B.Beast attack on the ground.
C.Hunting of humans. D.The long journey.
3.According to the last two paragraphs, how should we protect the migrating birds?
A.By keeping fewer cats or dogs.
B.By restoring their destroyed habitats.
C.By helping change the birds’ migration paths.
D.By preserving the ecological environments on their migration paths.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A.To tell us a huge percentage of bird species are in danger.
B.To analyze the reasons for disappearing of birds’ habitats.
C.To offer some solutions to the problem of birds’ habitats.
D.To call on people to protect the birds’ habitats.
At the age of 14, James Harrison had a major chest operation and he required 13 units (3.4 gallons) of blood afterwards. The blood donations saved his life, and he decided that once he turned 18, he would begin donating blood as regularly as he could.
More than 60 years and almost 1,200 donations later, Harrison, whose blood contains an antibody (抗体) that has saved the lives of 2.4 million babies from miscarriages (流产), retired as a blood donor on May 11. Harrison’s blood is valuable because he naturally produces Rh-negative blood, which contains Rh-positive antibodies. His blood has been used to create anti-D in Australia since 1967.
“Every bottle of anti-D ever made in Australia has James in it,” Robyn Barlow, the Rh program director told the Sydney Morning Herald. “It’s an amazing thing. He has saved millions of babies. I cry just thinking about it.” Since then, Harrison has donated between 500 and 800 milliliters of blood almost every week. “I’d keep going if they let me,” Harrison told the Herald. His doctors said it was time to stop the donations. They had already extended the age limit for blood donations for him, and they’re cutting him off now to protect his health.
Harrison’s retirement is a blow to the Rh treatment program in Australia. Only 160 donors support the program, and finding new donors has proven to be difficult. But Harrison’s retirement from giving blood doesn’t mean he’s completely out of the game. Scientists are collecting and cataloging his DNA to create a library of antibodies and white blood cells that could be the future of the anti-D program in Australia.
1.Why did James Harrison decide to donate blood as regularly as he could?
A.Because he wanted to be a celebrity.
B.Because he was saved by the blood donations when he was young.
C.Because his blood is valuable.
D.Because the Rh treatment program in Australia need him.
2.What can we learn from the underlined sentence in paragraph 3?
A.Robyn Barlow was sad because millions of babies suffer from blood disease.
B.Robyn Barlow was worried because Harrison may die of losing too much blood.
C.Robyn Barlow was moved by Harrison’s donations.
D.Robyn Barlow was frightened by Harrison’s crazy behavior.
3.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.Harrison’s retirement will not affect the Rh program.
B.After Harrison’s retirement, the Rh program will fail.
C.Harrison’s influence to the Rh program will still exist after his retirement.
D.A library has been built for the study of Harrison’s DNA .
4.Which word can best describe Harrison?
A.Patient. B.Diligent.
C.Talented. D.Devoted.
The Young Scholars Program
The University of Maryland’s Young Scholars Program is a perfect summer camp for academically talented teenagers who want to earn college credits, pursue academic interests or discover college life at the University of Maryland. The program is challenging and rewarding. Students have the opportunity to show that they can be successful in a university environment.
The Activities
During three weeks of exploration, teens preview the university experience, study with students who share similar interests and communicate with the best teachers of the University of Maryland in a dynamic and challenging classroom environment. Students can have trips to nearby Washington, DC and enjoy movie nights and activities at the student union. Workshops and seminars featuring speakers in academic fields further enrich the learning experience.
The Courses
The Young Scholars Program offers college courses that are at the cutting edge of theory, thought and technology. Classes generally meet every day from Monday to Friday. The program is a great introduction to the University of Maryland. Participants can benefit from the University of Maryland’s vast resources, including libraries, computers and instructional labs.
The Rewards
Upon program completion, teens will go home with better preparations for the college experience-both academically and socially. In addition, students earn three college credits that post to the University of Maryland transcript (成绩单).
The Application
The application process includes submission (提交) of the application, high school transcript and a letter of recommendation.
Ages: 14-18
Mailing address: The University of Maryland College Park
For more information, call 3014057762.
1.Which is NOT true about the program according to paragraph1?
A.It is intended for college students.
B.It can offer college credits for teens.
C.It’s worth participating.
D.It can let teens experience college life in advance.
2.What can teens do during three weeks of the program?
A.They can learn from the best students of the University of Maryland
B.They can join the student union of the University of Maryland.
C.They can attend a meeting for academic discussion.
D.They can attend classes every day.
3.If you want to apply for the program, you need ______.
A.preview the university environment ahead of time
B.take a part time job in the university’s library
C.submit high school transcript
D.call 3014057762 to contact the university first.
