There are about 80,000,000 mines* under the ground in more . than 60 countries. It is difficult and dangerous to clear these rnines, About 50 people including many children were’ killed ‘or htirt each iay. In 2003, APOPO, a Dutch research com pan y that uains the an imals, came up with the-idea of s\ng rats to search for the mines.
The animal trainers ‘found that a kind of rats from Africa were clever and had.a sharp* sense of smell. The rats were about 75 cm long and.weighed about l.35 kg, light enough to run across a minefield without setting off the mines.
In January 2004, the APOPO started this project. First, the trainers let the 4-week-old baby rats get familiar with humans. A few weeks later, the rats were no Ionger afraid of people and ‘the things around them. Then they were trained to connect a click* sound with food. After the rats had leamed that, the trainers then taught them to tell the difference between the smell of mines and other smells. When the rats could do it, the click was sounded and they were given a bit of banana. The method was called clicker training. “The training isn’t easy, said trainer Abdullah Mchomvu. “You have to be patient. Sometimes I get angry, but then again, I tell myself these are animals.”
After nine months’ training, the rats were taken to a minefiel山 They’ran across the minefield, stopped, sat and scratched the ground to tell the deminers* that they smelt out’a mine. Then the mine was cleared. It had taken two ‘deminers a day to clear a 200㎡ . minefield, but with the help of two rats ‘they could finish it in two hours.
The rats and ~he deminers saved thousands of lives, “The rats did this job much better than we expected. So far they have helped to make almost 2,000,000㎡ of land safe. They are heroes,” said Bart Weeqens, the head of the APOPO.
1. The APOPO trained the rats to search for .
A. children B. animals C. mines D. bananas
2. While training the rats, the trainers have to be
A. patient B. clever C. brave D. serious
3. How long did the training last?
A. Two hours. B. One day. C. Four weeks. D. Nine months.
4.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
A. Each day about 200 people were killed or hurt by mines,
B.The APOPO started to train the rats in January 2004.
C. The trainers gave the rats food after they smelt out a mine.
D.The rats and the deminers saved thousands of lives.
Canberra is the capital of Austrlia. It is a modern and lively city with a pupulation of over 345,000.
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History Canberra is the eighth largest city in Australia It is 238 km from Sydney and 507 km from Melboume. Melbourne was once the capital of Australia. Sydney people also wanted to make their city the capital. It was difficult for the govement to make the decision. Then n 1911, the government chose a pl.ace to build the new apital. It w.as between Sydney and Melbourne, the two Argest cities in Australia. Jt took more than 14 years to build the city, In 1927, the city was set up.It became the apital and was named Canberra. “Canberra” means “a place for friends to get together”. |
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Cutture Canberra is a beautiful city with trees and flowers everywhere. There’s a Flower Festival in Septem ber each year. People can enjoy aii kinds of beautiful flowers and welcome the spring to amve. A man-made lake –Lake Burley Griffin is in the centerof the city, It’s about 25 km fong. People like to ride bikes, walk or run around the lake. In Canberra, there’re many famous universities like the Australian Nationa/ University and the University of Canberra. The National Library and the National Museum of Australia are also famous places that people like to visit. |
1. How far is Canberra from Sydneyt?
A. 25 knL B. 238 km. C. 345 km. .D. 507 km.
2.Tboword “Canbena means ______.
A. the largest city B. beautiful man-made lake
C. the old capital city D. a place for friends to get together
3. Canberra Flower Festival is a festival to .
A. ride bikes B. visit universities
C. welcome the spring D. walk around the lake .
It snowed again. My seventh Christmas was round the corner. I dreamed of getting the present from Father Christmas until my elder sister dropped the bomb, “There is no Father Christmas.”
I ran to my grandmother’s house, for she always told the truth. Grandma was at home. I told __11___ everything. “No Father Christmas?” she was a little ___12____. “Don’t believe it. Put on your coat, and let’s go.”
“Go? Where, Grandma?” I asked.
“Kerby’s Store.”
As we walked through its doors, Grandma handed me ten dollars and said, “Take the __13___ and buy something for someone who needs it. I’ll wait for in the car.” Then she turned and walked out of the Kerby’s.
For a few seconds I just stood there, holding the money, wondering ___14___ to buy, and who to buy it for.
I thought of ___15___ I knew: my family, my friends, my neighbors … I suddenly thought of Bobbie Decker, a __16___ with bad and messy hair. He sat right behind me ___17____ Mrs. Pollack’s class.
Bobbie ___18___ went to any party during the winter. His mother always wrote a note, telling the teacher that he had a cough, ___19____ we all knew that he didn’t have a cough, and he didn’t have a coat. I decided to buy Bobbie a red warm coat ___20____ he would like.
That evening, Grandma helped me wrap the coat in Christmas paper and ribbons, and ___21___ “To Bobbie, From Father Christmas” on it. Grandma told me Father Christmas never let people know that he ___22___ them. Then she drove me over to Bobbie’s house, telling that I was helping Father Christmas ____23___ the presents.
Grandma parked the car along the street, and we hid behind the trees near Bobbie’s house. Then Grandma said to me, “All right, Father Christmas, get going.”
I took a deep breath, rushed to his front door, put the present down. ____24___ the door, rang the doorbell and flew back to the safety of the ____25_____ and Grandma. We waited breathlessly in the dark for the front door to open. Finally it did, and there stood Bobbie.
That night, I realized that Father Christmas was alive and well, and we were on his team.
1.A. him B. her C. them D. you
2.A. angry B. happy C. tired D. afraid
3.A. book B. coat C. present D. money
4.A. what B. when C. where D. how
5.A. everybody B. nobody C. somebody D. anybody
6.A. girl B. boy C. man D. woman
7.A. for B. on C. in D. with
8.A. always B. often C. sometime D never
9.A. so B. if C. but D. and
10.A. where B. that C. who D. why
11.A. read B. say C. write D. spell
12.A. helped B. believe C. taught D. made
13.A. give up B. give away C. put up D. put off
14.A. on B. behind C. outside D. over
15.A. shop B. cars C. door D. trees
--I’m going to Hainan on vacation next week.-- _.
A. Have a good time B. Not at all
C. Thank you D. I have no idea
--Jack, could you tell me ____?
--Sure. In the post office on Green Road.
A. where you bought the stamps B. where did you buy the stamps
C. when you bought the stamps D. when did you buy the stamps
We have to ____ ourselves when we are away from home.
A. look at B. look for C. look up D. look after
