The world’s population continues to grow. There are about five billion of us on earth now. It could reach six billion in 10 years’ time, and eleven billion in another 75 years. Experts have long been concerned about such growth. Where will we find the food, water, jobs, houses, schools and health care for all these people?
A major new study shows that situation may be changing. A large and rapid drop in the world’s birth rate has taken place during the past 10 years. Families generally are smaller now than they were a few years ago. This is happening in both developing and industrial nations. Scientists said they found a number of reasons for this. More men and women are waiting longer to get married. More women are going to school or working at jobs away from their home instead of having children. And more governments, especially in developing nations, now support family planning programs to reduce population growth.
China is one of the nations that have made great progress in reducing its population growth by about one half since 1970. China now urges each family to have no more than one child. And it hopes to reach zero population growth before long, that is, the number of birth equaling the number of death.
Several nations in Europe already have fewer births than deaths. Experts said that these nations could face a serious shortage of workers in the future.
1. In the sentence “Experts have long been concerned about such growth”, the phrase “concerned about” is similar in meaning to_____.
A. worried about B. related to C. busy working on D. made a study of
2. “Family planning programs” means______.
A. economic policy in a country B. economic policy in a family
C. TV programs for a family D. birth control in a country
3. The world’s birth rate has dropped because_____.
A. people marry at a much later time
B. women would rather go to study or work than have children
C. some countries are carrying out the family planning programs
D. all the above
4. We hope that soon the number of birth and the number of death in China will_____.
A. be greatly different B. be equal to each other
C. drop in great deal D. become much larger
We know that many animals do not stay in one place. Birds, fish and other animals move from one place to another at a certain time. They move for different reasons: most of them move to find food more easily, but others move to get away from places that are too crowded.
When cold weather comes, many birds move to warmer places to find food. Some fishes give birth in warm water and move to cold water to feed. The most famous migration(迁移) is probably the migration of the fish, which is called the “salmon”. This fish is born in fresh water but it travels many miles to salt water. There it spends most of its life. When it is old, it returns to its birthplace in fresh water. Then it gives birth and dies there. In northern Europe, there is a kind of mice that leave their mountain homes when they become too crowded. They move down to the low land. Sometimes they move all the way to the seaside, and many of them are killed by falling into the sea.
Recently, scientists have studied the migration of a kind of lobsters(龙虾). Every year, when the season of bad weather arrives, lobsters get into a long line and start to walk across the floor of the ocean. Nobody knows why they do this, and nobody knows where they go.
So, sometimes we know why humans and animals move from one place to another, but at other times we don’t. Maybe living things just like to travel.
1. Most animals move from one place to another at a certain time to ____.
A give birth B enjoy a warm climate
C find food more easily D find beautiful places
2. The fish called “salmon” spends most of its time in ____.
A salt water B rivers C fresh water D its birthplace
3. A kind of mice in northern Europe move when ____.
A they give birth B the weather becomes bad
C there are too many of them in one place D they haven’t enough food
4. What is the main idea of the passage?
A Animals move in order to find food more easily
B The migration of the fish called “salmon” is the most famous migration
C Living things move from one place to another because they like to travel
D Sometimes we know why and how living things move from one place to another, but sometimes we don’t.
第二节. 完形填空(共20小题，每小题1.5分，满分30分)
I ran into a stranger as he passed by, and I at once apologized to him. We were
both very 31 , the stranger and I. Then we went 32 our way after saying good-bye.
But at home a 33 story is told. Later that day, when I 34 supper in the kitchen, my daughter suddenly stood behind me very 35 . When I turned back, I 36 knocked her down. “Don’t be in my 37 !” I shouted angrily. She walked away with her little heart 38 . On the kitchen floor later, I found some flowers by the door.
That night, while I lay 39 in bed, a voice in my deep heart said, “While 40 with a stranger, you are so polite, but with the children you love, you are so easily 41 . Why are there some flowers by the door? Those are the flowers she brought for you. She 42 them herself, pink, yellow and your favorite blue. She stood quietly in order to give you a 43 , and you never saw the 44 in her eyes.”
By this time, I felt very 45 and now my tears began to fall. I quietly went and knelt (跪下) by her 46 , “Wake up, little girl, wake up,” I said, “Are these the flowers you picked for me?” She smiled, “Yes, because I knew you’d like them, especially the 47 .” I said, “Daughter, I’m sorry for the way I acted today; I 48 have shouted at you that way.”
She said, “Oh, Mom, that’s okay. I love you 49 .” I hugged her and said, “Daughter, I love you too, and I do like the flowers.”
Through this 50 , I realize what FAMILY means:
FAMILY="(F)ATHER" (A)ND (M)OTHER, (I) (L)OVE (Y)OU
36. A. rude B. polite C. educated D. happy
37. A. in B. to C. on D. for
38. A. different B. funny C. moving D. terrible
39. A. had B. ate C. prepared D. took
40. A. quickly B. quietly C. noisily D. seriously
41. A. nearly B. hardly C. already D. even
42. A. kitchen B. room C. place D. way
43. A. beaten B. missing C. broken D. hit
44. A. alive B. asleep C. awake D. afraid
45. A. talking B. dealing C. working D. meeting
46. A. worried B. nervous C. excited D. disappointed
47. A. grew B. picked C. bought D. planted
48. A. gift B. flower C. kiss D. surprise
49. A. expression B. tears C. happiness D. joy
50. A. small B. proud C. weak D. hurt
51. A. table B. desk C. bed D. knees
52. A. pink B. blue C. yellow D. green
53. A. couldn’t B. mustn’t C. shouldn’t D. needn’t
54. A. however B. truly C. though D. anyway
55. A. accident B. experience C. question D. problem
It was the news ____ the movie star would come to our school ____ let us understand the meaning of the word “fanaticism(狂热)”.
|
A．that; which |
B．when; that |
C．what; so |
D．that; that |
. ____ I am concerned, we should be brave and we will reach the top of the hill at last ____ we try our best to climb the hill.
|
A．So long as; as long as |
B．As far as; as longer as |
|
C．So long as; as far as |
D．As far as; as long as |
Jack’s business is not as good as before, so he has to __________ the expenses(开销) of his company.
|
A．cut off |
B．cut away |
C．cut up |
D．cut down |
