California condors are North America’s largest birds, with wing-length of up to 3 meters. In the 1980s, electrical lines and lead poisoning (铅中毒) nearly drove them to dying out. Now, electric shock training and medical treatment are helping to save these big birds.
In the late 1980s, the last few condors were taken from the wild to be bred (繁殖). Since 1992, there have been multiple reintroductions to the wild, and there are now more than 150 flying over California and nearby Arizona, Utah and Baja in Mexico.
Electrical lines have been killing them off. “As they go in to rest for the night, they just don’t see the power lines,” says Bruce Rideout of San Diego Zoo. Their wings can bridge the gap between lines, resulting in electrocution (电死) if they touch two lines at once.
So scientists have come up with a shocking idea. Tall poles, placed in large training areas, teach the birds to stay clear of electrical lines by giving them a painful but undeadly electric shock. Before the training was introduced, 66% of set-free birds died of electrocution. This has now dropped to 18%.
Lead poisoning has proved more difficult to deal with. When condors eat dead bodies of other animals containing lead, they take in large quantities of lead. This affects their nervous systems and ability to produce baby birds, and can lead to kidney (肾) failures and death. So condors with high levels of lead are sent to Los Angeles Zoo, where they are treated with calcium EDTA, a chemical that removes lead from the blood over several days. This work is starting to pay off. The annual death rate for adult condors has dropped from 38% in 2000 to 5.4% in 2011.
Rideout’s team thinks that the California condors’ average survival time in the wild is now just under eight years. “Although these measures are not effective forever, they are important for now,” he says. “They are truly good birds that are worth every effort we put into recovering them.”
1.California condors attract researchers’ interest because they ______.
A.are active at night
B.had to be bred in the wild
C.are found on in California
D.almost died out in the 1980s
2.Researchers have found electrical lines are ______.
A.giving condors’ journey home
B.big killers of Califorbnia condoras
C.rest places for condors at night
D.used to keep condors away
3.According to Paragraph 5, lead poisoning ______.
A.makes condors too nervous to fly
B.has little effect on condors’ kidneys
C.can hardly be gotten rid of from condors’ blood
D.makes it difficult for condors to produce baby birds
4.The passage shows that ______.
A.the average survival time of condors is satisfactory
B.Rideout’s research interest lies in electric engineering
C.the efforts to protect condors have brought good results
D.researchers have found the final answers to the problem
5.What could be the best title for the passage?
A.California Condor’s Shocking Recovery
B.Dangers California Condors Face
C.How to Protect California Condor
D.California Condors’ Future Life
Benjamin West, the father of American painting, showed his talent for art when he was only six years of age. But he did not know about brushes before a visitor told him he needed one. In those days, a brush was made from camel’s hair. There were no camels nearby. Benjamin decided that cat hair would work instead. He cut some fur from the family cat to make a brush.
The brush did not last long. Soon Benjamin needed more fur. Before long, the cat began to look ragged (蓬乱). His father said that the cat must be sick. Benjamin was forced to admit what he had been doing.
The cat’s lot was about to improve. That year, one of Benjamin’s cousins, Mr. Pennington, came to visit. He was impressed with Benjamin’s drawings. When he went home, he sent Benjamin a box of paint and some brushes. He also sent six engravings (版画) by an artist. These were the first pictures and first real paint and brushes Benjamin had ever seen.
In 1747, when Benjamin was nine years old, Mr. Pennington returned for another visit. He was amazed at what Benjamin had done with his gift. He asked Benjamin’s parents if he might take the boy back to Philadelphia for a visit.
In the city, Mr. Pennington gave Benjamin materials for creating oil paintings. The boy began a landscape (风景) painting. William Williams, a well-known painter, came to see him work. Williams was impressed with Benjamin and gave him two classic books on painting to take home. The books were long and dull. Benjamin could read only a little, having been a poor student. But he later said, “Those two books were my companions by day, and under my pillow at night.” While it is likely that he understood very little of the books, they were his introduction to classical paintings. The nine-year-old boy decided then that he would be an artist.
1.How did Benjamin get the brushes at first?
A.He cut a camel’s air. B.He cut some fur from a cat.
C.He asked his father to buy them. D.An artist offered a hand to him.
2.What does the underlined sentence in paragraph 3 suggest?
A.The cat would be closely watched.
B.Benjamin would leave his home shortly.
C.Benjamin would have real brushes soon.
D.The cat would get some medical care.
3.What did Pennington do to help Benjamin develop his talent?
A.He took him to see painting exhibitions.
B.He sent him to a school in Philadelphia.
C.He provided him with painting materials.
D.He taught him how to make engravings.
4.Williams’ two books helped Benjamin to ______.
A.make up his mind to be a painter
B.appreciate landscape paintings
C.get to know other painters
D.master the use of paints
5.What is the passage mainly about?
A.The friendship between Benjamin and Pennington.
B.The beginning of Benjamin’s life as an artist.
C.Williams’ influence on Benjamin.
D.Benjamin’s visit to Philadelphia.
Greek Festival and Roman Festival
You will be sent to a group.
As a member of the group, you will take part in at least ONE of the following activities.
1. Compete in an Olympic event.
Sign up with your English teacher, and remember space is limited for each event, so don’t delay. See the list under “Olympic Events” below.
2. Make Greek or Roman food.
Mrs. Jones has a list of recipes (食谱) from ancient Greece and Rome. You may make American food, but be sure to give it a Greek or Roman name. For example, call your chocolate cake “Zeus’s Delight.” This is a great way to practice your skills in the kitchen.
3. Create a work of art for the museum.
Be sure your artwork reflects (反映) ancient Greek or Roman culture. Artwork may include sculptures, paintings, drawings, or models. The museum is a great place to show off your artistic talent.
4. Perform an original opera, song, or dance for the talent show.
Rewrite your favorite Greek myth (神话) using modern language, or change the words of a popular song to tell a Greek or Roman tale. To try out, you must perform for a group of teachers. This audition (试演) helps the teachers choose the BEST performance groups for the talent show.
5. OLYMPIC EVENTS:
Hercules Throw — Throw a football through a hoop (铁箍) 20 feet away.
Three-Headed Race — Three people line up with touching legs tied. Then they run the distance of the gym.
6. This schedule will clear up confusion and help groups know where to go.
Group Number | 1:00-1:25 | 1:30-1:55 | 2:00-2:25 | 2:30-3:30 |
I | Olympics/Gym | Museum/Library | Food Court/ Cafeteria |
Talent Show/Auditorium (礼堂) All teams Hurry! No seats reserved. |
II | Food Court/ Cafeteria | Olympics/Gym | Museum/Library | |
III | Museum/Library | Food Court/ Cafeteria | Olympics/Gym |
1.What can we learn about the food activity from Section 2?
A.Greek or Roman names must be used.
B.American foods are not allowed.
C.Food sharing is not allowed.
D.New recipes must be created.
2.Which piece of art would be shown in the museum?
A.A drawing of an ancient Indian city.
B.A model of ancient Egyptian furniture.
C.sculpture of ancient German buildings.
D.A painting of the ancient Olympic games.
3.What can we learn from Section 5?
A.Different physical competitions are offered.
B.Skills in throwing are needed in these games.
C.Partners are required for activity participation.
D.Runners will be good candidates for winning.
4.Where does Group I go after observing the artwork according to Section 6,?
A.To practice dance steps.
B.To taste the food items.
C.To watch the talent show.
D.To compete in Olympic events.
5.What is the main purpose of this passage?
A.To train students in clothing design.
B.To inform students of their choices.
C.To persuade students to write songs.
D.To show the students’ talents.
Dario and his mother loved their new apartment. The living room was large enough for their piano. That night, they played jazz music to _______ their new home. The loud music filled the room and made them feel very happy.
The next morning, _______, their happiness disappeared. Someone had left a _______ under their door during the night. One of their neighbors had written to _______ about the sound of the piano. Dario suggested that they write a letter to their neighbors and _______ for their playing.
“Maybe we could go and visit everyone _______.” his mother said.
“What if we invited them to come here for a _______ instead?” Dario asked.
They both loved the idea. Over the next few days, they _______ invitations and prepared desserts for their guests. Finally, the day of the party arrived. Some guests brought presents. Others brought flowers. Some even brought desserts to share. One woman, Mrs. Gilbert, _______Dario’s mother with a book of piano music by Chopin.
“I heard you playing the other night,” she said. “The sounds woke me out of bed. I ________ that you might play like this every night. So I wrote a short note.”
Dario’s mother smiled at Mrs. Gilbert. “I think maybe we owe (欠) you an apology.” she said. “I didn’t ________ how late it was when we were playing. Maybe we should play some quieter music at night.
Mrs. Gilbert said. “I like what you play! Just not so ________ at night.” She pointed to the book she had given them. “These songs are not such loud music.”
“These songs are beautiful music.” Dario’s mother said. “We will be ________ to play them in the evening.”
“And we won’t play so loud or late!” Dario said. He was already looking forward to ________ the new music. More than that, however, he was happy to see the big ________ on his mother’s face. It gave him a feeling of warmth and made him feel that they were home at last.
1.A.find B.provide C.improve D.celebrate
2.A.therefore B.however C.otherwise D.moreover
3.A.poster B.bill C.note D.notice
4.A.argue B.discuss C.inform D.complain
5.A.apologize B.punish C.fight D.praise
6.A.at will B.above average C.in person D.on time
7.A.play B.show C.concert D.party
8.A.took up B.sent out C.turned down D.asked for
9.A.presented B.treated C.helped D.served
10.A.admitted B.agreed C.worried D.promised
11.A.realize B.understand C.remember D.accept
12.A.sweet B.loud C.funny D.strange
13.A.proud B.curious C.cautious D.happy
14.A.changing B.recording C.practicing D.writing
15.A.smile B.surprise C.victory D.pain
Cathy someone, so I nodded to her and went away.
A.phoned B.had phoned C.has phoned D.was phoning
I’m glad to see the sea air has to his health and he is at work now.
A.made a move B.made a difference
C.took a step D.took a walk
