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, claims (声称) as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species are welcome. Your house is your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away. If so, you have actually frightened 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.
1.Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually ________.
A.an expression of happiness B. a way of warning
B.an expression of anger D. a way of greeting
2.What is a bird’s “territory”?
A．A place where families of other species are not accepted.
B．A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice.
C．An area for which birds fight against each other.
D．An area which a bird considers to be its own.
3.Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?
A．Because they want to invite more friends.
B．Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away.
C．Because they want to find outsiders around.
D．Because their singing helps get rid of their fears.
4.How does the writer explain birds’ singing?
A．By comparing birds with human beings. B．By reporting experiment results.
C．By describing birds’ daily life. D．By telling a bird’s story.
5.What does the underline word “screaming” in paragraph 4 mean?
A．哭喊声 B．令人惊愕的 C．尖叫声 D．尖叫的
Helen Keller was born in America in June, 1880. Everything was all right when she was born. But when she was 19 months old, an attack of fever left her blind and deaf for the rest of her life. She was so young when she became blind that as she grew older she did not remember being able to see; and she became deaf before she had any idea of the importance of human speech. She lived in darkness and silence.
As she grew older, she, too, wanted to express her ideas and feelings. But she realized she was cut off from others. Her parents were greatly worried. How could anyone make touch with Helen’s mind and intelligence in darkness and silence without speech? Helen was nearly seven before a teacher was found. Her name was Miss Sullivan.
Miss Sullivan had a lot of difficulties in teaching Helen Keller. As the child could neither see nor hear, she had to use manual alphabet. But Helen’s energy and intelligence and strong spirit as well as Miss Sullivan’s skill and patience, overcame all the difficulties. As Helen grew up, she became an able student, passed examination and finally took a university degree in English literature. She then devoted all herself to helping the blind and the deaf. Her personal success, together with the work she had done for others, made her one of the greatest women in modern times. She wrote many books and “The Story of My Life”is a wonderful one.
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A．Helen Keller was born blind and deaf.
B．She first became blind and then deaf.
C．She became blind and deaf in 1880.
D．She became blind and deaf sometime about January 1882.
2.Which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
A．Helen became blind and deaf because she suffered from a high fever.
B．Helen became blind before she could see anything.
C．Helen became deaf before she realized how important it was to be able to hear and speak.
D．Helen, too, wanted to touch with others with speech.
3.Helen was finally successful mainly because of______.
A．her parents’ help
B．the manual alphabet Miss Sullivan used in teaching her
C．the help she got when she was studying for a university degree
D．her hard work, cleverness and will-power as well as Sullivan’s great efforts
4.Helen Keller finally became______.
A．an able student
B．a writer
C．the greatest woman in modern times
D．a student who took a university degree in English literature
5.Helen Keller’s parents were greatly worried because___.
A．She was growing older
B．She was cut off from others
C．she, too, wanted to express her ideas and feelings but she could not
D．she was almost seven years old and yet they were not sure whether they could find a suitable teacher for her
The Internet has become part of young people’s life. 1. report shows that 38% of students often use the Internet . Most of them get 2. (use) information on the Internet3. use the Internet to help in their studies. But many students don’t use it _4. a good way. Some play games too much, some visit websites5. shouldn’t look at. So bad things may happen __6._ students spend too much time on the Internet.
_7._is important for students to use the Internet properly. Now we have a textbook, _8. uses many examples to teach students some good ways to use the Internet. It gives useful advice.
Some students also make __9._(friend) on the Internet. But if you want to have a face-to-face __10._ (meet) with your online friends, let your parents know and meet in a proper place.
One day while sitting in the boat fishing, I noticed a field mouse on the river bank. He ran out of his 21 , ran around a bit and then ran back. I thought of the 22 of this mouse. His life is spent running around, 23 , following his nose. He runs here, runs there, turns in circles, but never really sees much beyond his 24 . He is trying to 25 his way to successful living, which is finding a little 26 , so that he can carry on for the rest of his life, frightened.
A few minutes later I looked up and noticed an osprey (鱼鹰) 27 high in the sky. This keen-eyed hunter with a 28 view of the river was simply waiting for the best time to catch his food. The 29 creature flew up toward a nest at the top of one of the tallest trees.
It is the osprey not the field mouse that 30 our human potential (潜能). I don’t know about you, but it is 31 for me to decide which creature I want to learn from. I want to 32, to see the big picture, to climb higher, go farther, dive deeper, and 33 more. I want my soul enlarged and my heart inspired. I want to 34 running about following my nose and instead I want to find new strength, fresh 35 , clear vision and courage. I want to be more like the osprey and less like the field mouse, for to live like the field mouse is to ruin my potential.
1. A．boat B．hole C．yard D．box
2. A．friend B．appearance C．food D．existence
3. A．frightened B．excited C．surprised D．pleased
4. A．eyes B．nose C．head D．legs
5. A．lose B．find C．smell D．give
6. A．time B．room C．treasure D．food
7. A．hanging B．running C．flying D．staying
8. A．short B．full C．different D．first
9. A．interesting B．frightening C．boring D．amazing
10. A．needs B．models C．follows D．strikes
11. A．difficult B．strange C．easy D．special
12. A．play B．rest C．relax D．explore
13. A．get B．experience C．forget D．control
14. A．continue B．stop C．enjoy D．practise
15. A．thinking B．air C．news D．water
Rather than ___ on a crowded bus, he always prefers _____ a bicycle.
A．ride; to ride B．riding; ride C．ride; ride D．to ride; riding
All agreed to his suggestion that a bridge across the river__________.
A．built B．be built C．would build D．should build
