Why do you think people who live in some hot countries eat very spicy(辛辣的)food? Is it because the spices make the food taste better? Is it just because their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents liked hot food，or is there some connection between spices and healthy food? Researchers from Cornell University think that it is because spice plants have some important chemicals. These chemicals can kill bacteria(细菌)which spoil(变质)food.
“Most common spices can kill 75 to 100 percent of the bacteria in food,” explains one of the scientists. The bacteria grow more easily and spoil food more quickly at higher temperatures. For this reason, it is more difficult to keep food from spoiling in hot climates.
Do you like your food spicy? Your answer probably tells something about the country you come from. If you like spicy food, it is possible that hundreds of years ago, when there were no fridges, people in your country started using spices to keep the food from spoiling. The traditional spicy dishes helped those people to live longer, healthier lives. Today, in a time of fridges, the spices just make the food taste good.
1.The chemicals in spices keep food from spoiling by ．
A. making food taste better
B. making food hotter
C. preventing bacteria getting into food
D. killing bacteria in food
2.Food goes bad more quickly in hot climates because ．
A. cold temperature makes bacteria
B. bacteria get used to hot food
C. high temperature helps bacteria grow faster
D. bacteria spoil food only at high temperature
3.According to the passage，spices are useful in the following things except ．
A. helping you to live longer
B. helping to keep you healthier
C. making your food taste better
D. taking the place of fridges
Do you know Australia? Australia is the largest island in the world. It is a little smaller than China. It is in the south of earth. When China is in autumn, it’s spring in Australia. Australia is big, but its population is not large. The population of Australia is nearly as large as that of Shanghai.
The government has made enough laws to fight pollution. The sky is blue and the water is clean. You can clearly see fish swimming in the rivers. Plants grow very well.
Last month we visited Perth, the biggest city in western Australia, and went to a wild flowers exhibition. There we saw a large number of wild flowers we had never seen before. We had a wonderful time. Perth is famous for its beautiful wild flowers. In spring every year Perth has the wild flowers exhibition. After visiting Perth, we spent the day in the countryside. We sat down and had a rest near a path at the foot of a hill. It was quiet and we enjoyed ourselves. Suddenly we heard bells ringing at the top of the hill. What we saw made us pick up all our things and run back to the car as quickly as we could. There were about three hundred sheep coming towards us down the path.
Australia is famous for its sheep and kangaroos. After a short drive from the town, you will find yourself in the middle of white sheep. Sheep, sheep everywhere.
1.What do you know about Australia according to the passage?
A. It’s the largest country in the world.
B. It’s as large as Shanghai.
C. It’s not as large as China.
D. It’s the largest island in the west of the earth.
2.In Perth you may visit a wild flowers show when China is in .
A. October B. January C. April D. June
3.Which of the following is true?
A. Australia is famous for its sheep, kangaroos and wild flowers.
B. We ran back to the car because we were in the middle of the white sheep.
C. Three hundred sheep came towards us because they saw us.
D. If you go to the countryside in Australia, you will see a large number of kangaroos.
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的四个选项中，选出一个最佳选项。
Barefoot (赤脚的) and dirty, the girl just sat there and watched the people go by. She never tried to speak. She never said a word. Many people , but never did one person stop.
The next day, I decided to go back to the park, being curious if the little girl would still be there. Right in the very spot as she was the day before, she sat, with the look on her face.
As I began walking towards her, I could see the back of the little girl’s dress showed a deformity (畸形的). As I got closer, the little girl slightly her eyes to avoid (避开) my stare.
I sat down beside her and opened with a simple . The little girl stammered (结结巴巴地说) a
hi. I smiled and she shyly smiled back. We talked darkness fell and the park was completely empty.
“Why are you so sad?”
She replied slowly, “Because I’m .”
“Little girl,” I said in a soft voice, “You me of an angel because of your difference.”
She stood to her feet excitedly, “Really?”
“Yes, that’s the thing. You’re like a little angel sent to watch over all those people walking by.”
She nodded her head and smiled, “ I am. And since you think of someone except yourself, my job here is done.”
What a big ! I stood quickly, “Wait, so why did no one stop to help an angel?”
She bloomed(绽放) a big smile, “You’re the one who could see me, because you care for others.” With those words, she spread her wings and flew away from my sight.
From then on, I believe I am not all I have, for there is an angel always with me. She is always watching over those who do good things for others.
1.A. passed B. looked C. asked D. helped
2.A. angriest B. coldest C. happiest D. saddest
3.A. lowered B. closed C. rose D. opened
4.A. smile B. hello C. question D. word
5.A. before B. after C. till D. when
6.A. different B. foolish C. beautiful D. poor
7.A. force B. treat C. turn D. remind
8.A. Indeed B. Happily C. Perhaps D. Luckily
9.A. excitement B. present C. surprise D. happiness
10.A. clever B. great C. lucky D. only
The machine I have looked after for twenty years is still working well.
A. who B. where C. when D. which
—Lucy, I hear the new TV tower is fantastic. Do you know ?
—Sure! Take the No.8 bus, and you’ll find it.
A. how far it is
B. where is it
C. how I can get there
D. which bus should I take
—Why is Daniel absent from school?
— he fell from the bike and hurt his leg badly.
A. For B. Since C. As D. Because
