Some of the planet’s most precious animals and plants are disappearing, according to the World Conservation Union (IUCN). The group, based in Switzerland, works with governments and experts to protect threatened species. On September 12, the IUCN released its Red List, a list of species at greatest risk of extinction.
The list includes 41,415 animals and plants. The IUCN says that habitat destruction, hunting and other causes threaten one in four mammals, one in eight birds and one in three amphibians(两栖动物).
Who is to blame?
Scientists believe that 99 percent of threatened species are at risk because of human activity. “We are losing animals and plants at a high rate,” says Julia Marton-LefEevre, director general of the IUCN. “We need to change our behavior.” Warmer oceans and over-fishing are changing sea life. This year for the first time corals(珊瑚) made their appearance on the list. The gharial, a crocodile living in India and Nepal, has lost almost 60 percent of its population in the last 10 years. It is a victim（受害者）of habitat destruction.
Still, the news is not all bad. Thanks to efforts made to protect it, the Mauritius echo parakeet, a bird once endangered, has seen an increase in its population. “This shows that protection methods can work,” says Marton-LefEevre. “That’s the message we want to send to young people.”
In China the new reserve（保护区）itself is part of green efforts that have seen more than 2,400 nature reserves of various kinds being set up, covering more than 15 percent of the nation's land area, official figures showed.
"The country's natural resources(资源) have benefited from conservation," said Lei Guangchun, director of the nature reserve department of Beijing Forestry University. "It is a big increase nowadays compared with other countries." Lei said.
The total areas of China’s natural reserves have covered 1.38 million km2, which accounts for 15.4% of China’s area, higher than both the world average（平均水平） of 11% and the rate in most developed countries.
Li Zhong, an official in charge of the nature reserves office with the State Forestry Administration, thought it was important to increase investment（投资） in such reserves at all levels.
1.What do we know about the IUCN?
A. A union for listing animals and plants on the earth
B. A group of volunteers who are interested in wildlife
C. An organization concerning the protection of rare species' survival
D. A government made up officials, scientists and experts
2.What can be concluded from the passage?
A. All the protection methods can’t work.
B. The IUCN does most of the protection.
C. The efforts China makes has paid off.
D. Enough is done in wildlife protection.
3. Which of the following is not the cause of the disappearance of the animals?
A. Bad weather B. Over-hunting C. Warmer oceans D. Habitat destruction
4.Which of the sentence is NOT true?
A. China has been paying great attention to protecting the natural resources.
B. China has set up a lot of natural reserves.
C. The natural reserves in China cover more than 15 percent of the nation's land area.
D. The rate of China's natural reserves is lower than the average of the world.
A friend of mine named Paul received an expensive car from his brother as a Christmas present. On Christmas Eve when Paul came out of his office, a street urchin （顽童） was walking around the shining car. “Is this your car, Paul?” he asked.
Paul answered, “Yes, my brother gave it to me for Christmas.” The boy was surprised. “You mean your brother gave it to you and it cost you nothing? Boy, I wish…” He hesitated.
Of course Paul knew what he was going to wish for. He wished he had a brother like that. But what the boy said surprised Paul greatly.
“I wish,” the boy went on, “that I could be a brother like that.” Paul looked at the boy in surprise, and then he said again, “Would you like to take a ride in my car?”
“Oh yes, I’d love that.”
After a short ride, the boy turned and with his eyes shining, said, “Paul, would you mind driving in front of my house?”
Paul smiled a little. He thought he knew what the boy wanted. He wanted to show his neighbors that he could ride home in a big car. But Paul was wrong again．“Will you stop where those two steps are?” the boy asked.
He ran up to the steps. Then in a short while Paul heard him coming back, but he was not coming fast. He was carrying his little crippled （残疾） brother. He sat him down on the step and pointed to the car.
“There she is, Buddy, just like I told you upstairs. His brother gave it to him for Christmas and it didn’t cost him a cent. And some day I’m going to give you one just like it… Then you can see for yourself all the nice things in the Christmas window that I’ve been trying to tell you about.”
Paul got out and lifted the boy to the front seat of his car. The shining-eyed older brother climbed in and the three of them began an unforgettable holiday ride.
1.The street urchin was very surprised when __________.
A．he saw the shining car B．Paul told him about the car
C．he was walking around the car D．Paul received an expensive car
2.From the story we know that the urchin __________.
A．wished to give his brother a car
B．wished Paul’s brother to give him a car
C．wished Paul could be a brother like that
D．wished he could have a brother like Paul’s
3.The urchin asked Paul to stop his car in front of his house ______.
A．to show he had a rich friend B．to show his neighbors the car
C．to let his brother ride in the car D．to tell his brother about his wish
4. We can infer from the story that __________.
A．Paul couldn’t understand the urchin
B．the urchin’s wish came true in the end
C．the urchin wished to have a rich brother
D．the urchin had a deep love for his brother
Everybody knows that words can carry messages. People communicate with words. Books, magazines, TV, radio and films all help us to communicate with others. They all help us to know what is going on in the world and what other people are thinking about.
Do you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face shows you are happy or friendly. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad. When you put up your hand in class, the teacher knows you want to say something or ask a question. You shake your head, and people know you are saying “No”. You nod and people know you are saying “Yes”.
Other things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the bus stop helps you to know which bus to take. A sign on the wall of your school helps you to find the library. Signs with arrows on doors tell you where to go in or out. Have you ever noticed that there are a lot of signs around you and that you receive messages from them all the time?
People can communicate in many ways without words. For example, an artist can use his drawings to tell about beautiful mountains, about the sea and many other things.
1.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. It is a most popular way for man to communicate with words.
B. Words are the only way for man to communicate.
C. Using radio is one of the ways for man to communicate.
D. TV can help people to know the world better.
2.Besides words, which can also be used to express oneself?
A. Sign language. B. Smile. C. Head shaking. D. Nodding.
3.Which of the following signs is usually used to show you the direction?
A. Picture. B. A number. C. A kind of color. D. An arrow.
4.According to the passage, how does an artist often express himself?
A. He writes articles. B. He gives reports. C. He sings songs. D. He draws pictures.
阅读下面的材料，掌握其大意，然后在26 ~ 40各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。
Once a man came to a wise man’s house and said, “ I have many bad habits. Which one of them should I give up first?” The wise man said, “Never tell lies __1__ always speak the truth.” The man _2_ to do so and went home.
At night the man was about to go out to steal. Before setting out, he _3__ for a moment about the promise he made to the wise man. “If he asks me where I have been, what shall I say? Shall I say I went out _4_? No, I cannot say that. But nor can I __5__. If I tell the truth, everyone will start _6__ me and call me a thief. I would be _7__ for stealing.” So the man __8__ not to steal that night, and gave up this bad habit.
Next day, he wanted to drink wine. When he was about to do so, he said to himself. “What shall I say to the wise man __9__ he asks me what I did during the day? I cannot tell a lie.” And so he gave up the _10__ of drinking wine.
In this __11__, whenever the man thought of doing something bad, he __12__ his promise to tell the truth at all times. One by one, he gave up all his bad habits and became a very __13__ person.
Telling the truth is a very good _14__. If you always tell the truth, you can save yourself from a lot of __15__ and become a person whom everyone likes and favors.
Make a promise: I shall always speak the truth.
1.A. so B. for C. and D. or
2.A. promised B. happened C. settled D. began
3.A. played B. drank C. thought D. slept
4.A. walking B. stealing C. studying D. climbing
5.A. move B. say C. lie D. help
6.A. hating B. catching C. killing D. believing
7.A. expected B. hurt C. ignored D. punished
8.A. decided B. forgot C. asked D. pretended
9.A. before B. since C. if D. as
10.A. idea B. word C. power D. use
11.A. base B. way C. place D. wine
12.A. recognized B. planned C. broke D. remembered
13. A. good B. strong C. rich D. calm
14. A. custom B. habit C. game D. hobby
15.A. tests B. hopes C. pleasure D. trouble
--- I was wondering if we could go skiing on the weekend.
--- ______ good.
A. Sound B. Sounded C. Sounding D. Sounds
Not until he left his home ______ to know how important the family was for him.
A. did he begin B. had he begun C. he began D. he had begun
