Christmas bird – watching is popular in the U.S.A. When the holiday season comes, some Americans are likely to watch and count birds in the sky with great interest every day. This activity began in the early part of the last century. It has a one-hundred-year history. At that time, there was a so-called “holiday hunting” custom. In order to celebrate the holiday, the hunters went out to kill birds and beasts. By 1900, there were 27 bird lovers who decided to count birds instead of killing birds. Since then, Christmas bird-watching was held every year. It has been continued to the present.
There were 42000 people who took part in the bird-watching last Christmas, from December 16 the year before to January 3 next year. They were in the United States and Canada, central America, south America and the Caribbean, watching and counting birds in the sky. The whole viewing area was divided into 1600 points. Each birdwatcher was responsible for 25 meters, and was required to write down the types and quantities of birds within 24 hours.
A birdwatcher described what he had watched vividly in his diary—“ When I looked up, I saw a beautiful ‘landscape’ in the sky: Red-crowned cranes(丹顶鹤) were driving up in cunning wedges that split the air. They were so neatly arranged, coordinating their movements. I was excited and breathtaking. Interestingly, the “human” shape(人字行) always maintains 110° ” .
“Why do red-crowned cranes choose to use ‘human’ shape when flying in formation?” He continued, “In my opinion, there are four reasons: first, the ‘human’ shape can make red-crowned cranes use increasing air which is produced by each other’s wings when they are swinging in the sky. It can increase the glide time and save physical ability. Second, the ‘human’ shape will enhance communication among the birds. The orders and the relevant information issued by the lead bird can be conveyed to each member in this migratory group unimpeded, accurately, rapidly and conveniently. Third, such a formation will help to find the birds left behind because of feeling run down as fast as possible, so that the young, the weak, the sick birds can get everyone’s help and encouragement. Finally, the ‘human’ shape shows not only beauty but also unity. It can give enemies a deterrent.They will be terrified and did not dare to attack the birds.The migration security of the birds will be ensured.”
Environmental experts admired and evaluated Christmas bird-watching highly. They pointed out that it made perfect sense. On the one hand it could enhance the human awareness of environmental protection. On the other hand it could provide first-hand information on birds.
1.When did Christmas bird – watching begin?
A．Sometime during Christmas holiday. B．At the beginning of 20th century.
C．In the early 19 th century. D．Since there was Christmas Day
2.What do bird – watchers do when they are bird – watching?
A．They kill birds and beasts. B．They watch birds and beasts.
C．They watch and count birds. D．They look at the sky and write diaries.
3.The following are all reasons for red – crowned cranes flying in “human” shape except .
A．they can help each other and ensure their safety
B．they can communicate with each other in order to reduce tiredness.
C．they can make use of the air produced by each other’s wings.
D．they can look stronger in case they come across enemies
4.This passage consists of five paragraphs. Please arrange the five main ideas of the paragraphs in order of their appearance in the passage.
a. How the bird – watchers divided their watching task and what was done.
b. How Christmas bird – watching came into being.
c. Christmas bird – watching is of great importance environmentally and scientifically.
d. A Christmas bird – watcher watched and was amazed by red – crowned cranes.
e. Red – crowned cranes fly in “human” formation for quite good reasons.
A．a – b – c – d – e B．b – c – e – d – a C．b- a – d – e – c D．b – d – e – a – c
That little “a” with a circle curling around it that is found in E – mail addresses is most commonly referred to as the “at” symbol.
Surprisingly though, there is no official, universal name for this sign. There are dozens of strange terms to describe the "@" symbol.
Before it became the standard symbol for electronic mail, the "@" symbol was used to represent the cost of something or how heavy something is. For instance, if you purchased 6 apples, you might write it as 6 apples "@" $1.10 each.
With the introduction of e-mail came the popularity of the "@" symbol. The "@" symbol or the "at sign" separates a person's online user name from his mail server(服务器) address. For instance, joe@uselessknowledge.com. Its widespread use on the Internet made it necessary to put this symbol on keyboards in other countries that have never seen or used the symbol before. As a result, there is really no official name for this symbol.
The actual origin of the symbol remains a mystery. History tells us that the @ symbol came from the tired hands of the Middle Ages. During the Middle Ages before the invention of printing machines, every letter of a word had to be copied with great efforts by hand for each copy of a published book. The monks that performed these long, boring copying duties looked for ways to reduce the number of individual strokes (笔画) per word for common words. Although the word “at” is quite short to begin with, it was a common enough word in text and documents so that those monks thought it would be quicker and easier to shorten the word “at” even more. As a result, the monks changed the shape of “t” into a circle to surround “a”, thus leaving out two strokes in the spelling “t”.
1.Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A．How “at” developed into @. B．How @ came into being.
C．How monks invented @. D．How people wrote the cost of something.
2.Who knows the origin of @?
A．Nobody B．Monks C．Apple buyers D．Internet users
3.Which is NOT the reason for the monks to spell “at” as @?
A．Though “at” is short, it was used very often.
B．The monks wanted to be quicker and easier with their copying.
C．The monks wanted to invent a new word.
D．Copying work was long and boring for them.
4.According to the paragraph , which is TRUE about the symbol of @ today?
A．When you are online, you must use the @ symbol.
B．Kittly 163.com@is an email address.
C．In countries where @ is used, governments have given it an official name.
D．It is likely to find the @ symbol on computer keyboards worldwide.
Wind is the great maker of waves. There are exceptions, such as the tidal waves, sometimes produces by earthquakes under the sea. But the waves most of us know are produced by winds blowing over the sea.Now before constructing an imaginary life history of a typical wave, we need to know certain physical things about it. A wave has height, from trough (low point)to crest (high point),and it has length—the distance from this crest to that of the following wave. The period of the wave means the time it takes for succeeding crests to pass a fixed point. None of these things stays the same— for all depend upon the depth of the water and many other matters.
The water that makes up a wave does not advance with it across the sea. Each drop of water turns around in a little circle with the passing of the wave, but returns very nearly to its original position. And it is fortunate that this is so, for if the huge masses of water that make up a wave actually moved across the sea, sailing would be impossible.
If we want to find the speed of a wave, we may use the following way:
Speeding=Wavelength×Frequency
Here, wavelength is the distance between two high points (crests), frequency means the number of cycles per second.
1.What causes waves according to the passage?
A. Earthquakes and nothing else. B. Wind and volcanos.
C. Wind and earthquakes. D. Wind and water.
2.Which of the following is true according to the text?
A. The water of a wave moves away across the sea.
B. The water of a wave remains almost in the same place.
C. The water of a wave goes with the passing of the wave.
D. The length of a wave means the distance between crest and trough.
3.The underlined word “succeeding” means__________.
A. reaching an aim B. doing well C. following after D. taking place
4.If the speed of wave 1 is 100 cm/s, and its frequency 10;and the frequency of wave 2 is 300,while its speed is twice that of wave 1.Which of the following is true?
A. The wave-lengths of the two are equal.
B. The wave-length of wave 1 is 10 times longer than that of Wave 2.
C. The wave-length of wave 2 is longer than that of wave 1.
D. The wave-length of wave 1 is longer than that of wave 2.
阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Tired and hungry, two boys walked painfully and difficultly into a big city on October 16, on their feet that had just carried them 300 kilometers.
For nine days they lived like old-fashioned travelers, 1somewhere new to sleep every night as they walked from one place to another. The boys slept in tents and 2a six-yuan daily plan. “I learned more in those nine days than I had in the last nine years,” said 17-year-old Li Zhao 3. Li and 15-year-old Li Xuemeng 4their journey on October 7, with three teachers from an Educational Motivation Research & Service Center. The purpose of the 5was for the two troubled boys to develop a (an) 6attitude to school and life.
With two 7and some instant noodles for the first day, the five 8mainly along the Highway 107. On the way to the big city, 9of them visited schools and interviewed 10people from different walks of life. Both were asked to write about what they 11during the walk.
“ The two boys need to know about 12life and learn to get rid of difficulties, so we 13this program,” explained Du Junpeng. 14they had tents, they didn’t just 15anywhere at night. “We had to 16on people’s kindness for shelter,” said Li Zhao, who admits he used to be self-centered and at first was 17against the idea of the trip. But the challenge of getting rid of the 18on the journey has changed him.
“I’m more 19than before. And now I also believe failure is the mother of 20,” he said.
1.A. finding B. hunting C. searching D. inventing
2.A. lived on B. worked on C. carried out D. went on
3.A. anxiously B. luckily C. excitedly D. tiredly
4.A. developed B. separated C. controlled D. started
5.A. study B. trip C. task D. job
6.A. passive B. popular C. different D. active
7.A. tents B. lights C. drinks D. tools
8.A. ran B. drove C. walked D. marched
9.A. both B. none C. either D. some
10.A. famous B. brave C. different D. strange
11.A. covered B. learned C. heard D. recognized
12.A. interesting B. real C. hard D. meaningful
13.A. carried on B. cared about C. took over D. worked out
14.A. Although B. If only C. As though D. Since
15.A. sleep B. adventure C. move D. tour
16.A. get B. depend C. take D. turn
17.A. hardly B. heavily C. strongly D. secretly
18.A. wrongs B. problems C. difficulties D. fears
19.A. sociable B. particular C. common D. formal
20.A. success B. victory C. hope D. aim
The Pyramid, which ________ thousands of years ago, ______ Egypt.
A. dates from; is belonging to B. dates back to; belongs to
C. dated from; is belonged to D. dated back to; belongs to
Many peasants in the north go to the south _____ much money.
A. make an attempt at making B. in attempts to make
C. making an attempt to making D. attempt to make
