Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probably sing when you are happy.
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However, they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.
Do you know what a “territory” is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male animal, considers as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species(物种) are welcome. Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and frighten you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.
If so, you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting(筑巢) season. So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.
Birds sing loudest in spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs.
You can see that birds have a language of their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.
1.Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually _____________.
A. an expression of happiness B. a way of warning
C. an expression of anger D. a way of greeting
2.What does the underlined word “territory” mean?
A. An area which a bird considers to be its own.
B. An area for which birds fight against each other.
C. A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice.
D. A place where families of other species are not welcome.
3.Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?
A. Because they want to invite more friends.
B. Because they want to find outsiders around.
C. Because they want to express their happiness.
D. Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away.
4.How does the writer explain birds’ singing?
A. By telling a bird’s story.
B. By describing birds’ daily life.
C. By reporting experiment results.
D. By comparing birds with human beings.
Lucy and her classmates are discussing about creating a homepage for their class.
Lucy: What should we put on our class homepage?
Jane: I think our class homepage should have daily or weekly news of class activities.
Mathew: What kind of class activities?
Jane: Something like spring outings, class meetings, a school singing competition, etc.
Mathew: We will go for a spring outing next week, won’t we? I can write something about it.
Lucy: Great! What else should our class homepage have?
Mathew: Um… How about photos of students’ artwork, presentations, and outdoor activities?
Lucy: Good idea! But who will take the photos?
Mathew: As I am a fan of photography, I can take the photos.
Jane: I’ve got an idea. As parents always want to know what assignments their kids do in
and after class, we can also post our weekly agenda(计划表), including in-class assignments and homework assignments, on the homepage.
Lucy: And I think I can create a “reading corner” on the class homepage, too. As I am
a bookworm, I can recommend good books to our classmates.
Jane: Great! Let’s get down to work!
1. _____ is interested in taking photos.
A. Jane B. Lucy C. Mathew D. No one
2._____ can recommend good books to the classmates.
A. Lucy B. Mathew
C. Jane D. No one
For foreigners in China, food isn’t simply a meal. It’s sometimes a . I often fail to order the right food and use chopsticks correctly when I sit down in a restaurant.
Because not every dish has a picture on the menu, food becomes a guessing game. My father and I often what kind of vegetables or meat we’re eating. In one of our favourite Sichuan restaurants, it took three waiters 15 minutes to take our order for . I simply wanted water, but my father wanted to try one of the fresh juices listed on the menu. There were two , however. There were neither pictures nor English on the menu. Finally, he just ordered a Coca Cola.
One of our most embarrassing(令人尴尬的) experiences was at a famous restaurant. It was always , so we thought it might be a good restaurant to visit. We had the most difficult time ordering our meal, since there were so many choices. Luckily, the waiter was very and successfully understood us. During the dinner, noodles slipped(滑落) through my chopsticks onto the table lots of times. Once, I tried to pick up a dumpling for my father, but I it on his shorts. We both looked at it as it fell to the floor. I looked behind me and people were about my chopsticks skills.
No matter how difficult it is for us to understand the menu, the waiters are always very understanding of our . They always give us good service, even when they realize they have to clean up the noodles that have slipped through my chopsticks.
1.A. surprise B. challenge C. prize D. mistake
2.A. cooking B. selling C. sending D. ordering
3.A. fear B. report C. explain D. guess
4.A. dessert B. fruit C. drinks D. vegetables
5.A. problems B. inventions C. chances D. directions
6. A. noisy B. peaceful C. crowded D. empty
7.A. honest B. patient C. proud D. brave
8.A. ate B. dropped C. prepared D. got
9.A. laughing B. thinking C. arguing D. learning
10.A. culture B. habit C. conversation D. Situation
– What a heavy rain! I’m afraid it will last long.
– ________ We’re getting into the rainy season now.
A. That’s possible. B. I’m afraid not.
C. That’s important. D. I’m not sure.
– Could you tell me ________?
– It’s twenty minutes by underground.
A. how can I get to your school
B. how much it costs to get to your school
C. how far it is from your home to your school
D. how long does it take me to get to your school
Many trees and flowers ________ in our school last year and they made our school a beautiful garden.
A. have planted B. are planted
C. were planted D. will be planted
