Now scientists believe that global warming affects hibernating animals, causing them to wake up earlier. While this may seem a little concern, it is in fact a serious environmental problem. The shortened hibernation period could actually lead to significant decreases in the population of several species.
Some of the first evidence of the problem came from Colorado, where researchers at the Rocky Mountain Biological Lab have been observing marmot (旱獭) hibernation behavior since the 1970s. In the early days of their studies, marmots generally hibernated several weeks into the month of May. Nowadays, however, temperatures in the area have risen by 2.5 degrees Fahrenheit, and the marmots wake up about a month earlier.
At least the marmots are still hibernating. Several other animals have not been hibernating at all recently. Brown bears in the Spanish Cantabrian Mountains did not hibernate last year. Chipmunks (花鼠) in the US and some snakes in Australia also skipped the hibernation period. The bears seem to have survived without losing many individuals. The chipmunks and snakes, however, were not so lucky. Many of the animals died of starvation during the winter.
The problem with animals waking up early, or skipping hibernation altogether, lies with the creatures' metabolism (新陈代谢). When the animals hibernate, their metabolism drops significantly. The animals' heart rate slows, and they require very little energy to live. When the animals awake in the spring, their metabolism returns to normal.
But while their metabolism may be as active as it was before hibernation, food sources aren't as available as they were before. A marmot may wake up when temperatures get warmer, thinking it's spring, but plants will not have got the amount of sun they need to grow. So until the plants grow, the marmots have no reliable food source.
Many scientists believe the problem will continue to get worse. For many biologists, that's a scary prospect. Terry Root, an animal expert at Stanford University, said, “I do think what we will be facing is the extinction of many species.”
1.What is the viewpoint of the writer?
A. Global warming will continue to get worse as time goes on.
B. Waking up early in spring may lead to the extinction of some animals.
C. Shortened hibernation will definitely decrease the population of animals.
D. Animals which do not hibernate die of starvation.
2.The writer sets the example of the marmot in order to .
A. indicate that global warming influences animals' hibernation
B. explain that the weather gets warmer and warmer now
C. show that the weather in the United States is quite different
D. say some animals do not hibernate now due to warm weather
3.Judging from recent observation, which of the following animals suffered the LEAST from shortened hibernation?
A. Brown bears.
B. Marmots.
C. Some snakes in Australia.
D. Chipmunks in the US.
4.Why can't marmots find enough food when they wake up?
A. Because there are too many marmots in the wild now.
B. Because more and more animal species skip hibernation now.
C. Because winter days end much earlier than before.
D. Because plants haven't received enough sunlight for spring growth.
Around every Lunar New Year holiday, China becomes a country on the move. The holiday crush (客流量) this year is estimated to be even heavier than before.
Government officials suggest that Chinese people will take to the air, roads and railways 3.62 billion times over a 40-day period around the nation's most important holiday this year as people push their way home for family gatherings or to satisfy their new-found passion for travel.
Getting tickets to all those would-be travelers is a discounting challenge that tries your patience annually. And the pressure for the railway system is always the greatest. Railways are the transport of choice for low-cost long-distance travel, and that's where the ticketing system regularly falls down.
Much of the criticism has focused on the railway's online purchasing system, which has been unable to keep pace with the huge demand and also failed to stop scalpers (票贩子) from easily getting many of the hard-to-find tickets.
Railway officials believed that online sales were the fairest way to get tickets for travelers, and told reporters that the public need to be patient. While by now the railway service is far from satisfying, efforts are being made to provide online identity checks that would reduce the ticket scalping problems, and the situation is expected to get better in a few years. Meanwhile, for those traveling by car, good news is that the country's extremely expensive highway tolls (通行费) will be removed for the period of the official holiday.
1.Which of the following words can replace the underlined word "discounting" in Paragraph 3?
A. Pleasing. B. Rewarding.
C. Promising. D. Discouraging.
2.According to the text, getting tickets_____ around the official holiday.
A. is convenient for travelers
B. costs more money
C. requires great patience
D. is just a piece of cake
3.We can learn from the text that around the New Year holiday, _______ .
A. there will be 3.62 billion people going home
B. many people have to buy railway tickets from scalpers
C. the railway system will break down as usual
D. not railways but cars are the best choices for traveling
4.Which of the following can best describe the author's attitude to the railway service?
A. Optimistic. B. Doubtful.
C. Satisfied. D. Worried.
WE NEED FOREIGN TEACHERS ALL OVER CHINA
Ad No. 90374
Posted: Mar 12,2016 13:27 by Amanda Expire Date: Apr 12, 2016
Tag: Beijing Language Teaching Part Time
We are looking for teachers, whose native language is English, willing to teach in China. Most schools are in South of China.
The benefit package for foreign teachers includes:
One-year Contract: 1st September 2016 to 31st August 2017
Salary: 4,000RMB to 5,000RMB/Month
Teaching load & schedule: 20 teaching hours per week
A rent-free apartment with a living room, bedroom, kitchen and bathroom with full furniture
Kitchen facilities provided, other electric appliances will be supplied, water, heater, microwave, etc.
If you are interested, please read the information above and kindly send your application to attach the following documents (in .doc or JPEG format). The subject to be mentioned, as “teach in China”.
1. CV/Resume (简历)
2. A copy of academic degree/diploma/certificate/or college transcript
3. A photocopy of the data page of valid passport
4. A recent color photo
5. A letter of recommendation or release letter from your previous Chinese school (Only if you worked in China previously)
6. Any other related information that you think might help your application
1.This advertisement is about_______.
A. introducing a school
B. taking on foreign students
C. looking for English teachers
D. seeking a teaching position
2.What is NOT needed to apply for the job if you come to work in China for the first time?
A. Your resume. B. Your personal passport data.
C. Your photo. D. A recommendation letter.
3.If you are employed, you will_______.
A. work full time
B. not have to prepare the furniture
C. pay for apartment rent
D. work four months for two years
I could still remember that hot afternoon when my mother ordered me to walk to the public library, and borrow at least one book for the summer. In this way, she hoped to defeat my strange problem — inability to read.
In the library, I found my way into the “Children's Room.” I sat down on the floor and pulled a few books off the shelf. The cover of a book caught my eye. It presented a picture of a beagle. I had recently had a beagle, the first and only animal friend I ever had as a child. He was my secret sharer, but one morning, he was gone, given away to someone who had the space and the money to care for him. I never forgot my beagle.
There on the book's cover was a beagle which looked similar to my dog. I ran my fingers over the picture of the dog on the cover. My eyes ran across the title, Amos, the Beagle with a Plan. Unknowingly, I had read the title. Without opening the book, I borrowed it from the library for the summer.
Under the shade of a bush, I started to read about Amos. I read very, very slowly with difficulty. Though pages were turned slowly, I got the main idea of the story about a dog who, like mine, had been separated from his family and who finally found his way back home. That dog was my dog, and I was the little boy in the book. At the end of the story, my mind continued the final scene of reunion, on and on, until my own lost dog and I were, in my mind, running together.
My mother's call returned me to the real world. I suddenly realized something: I had read a book, and I had loved reading that book. Everyone knew I could not read. But I had read it. Books could be so wonderful. I was going to read them.
I never told my mother about my wonderful experience that summer, but she saw a slow but remarkable improvement in my classroom performance during the next year. And years later, she was proud that her son had read thousands of books, was awarded a PhD in the literature, and published his own books, articles, poetry and fiction. The power of the words has held.
1.The author's mother told him to borrow a book in order to ___________.
A. help cure him of his reading problem
B. encourage him to do more walking
C. let him spend a meaningful summer
D. make him learn more about animals
2.The author managed to read the book through because .
A. he was forced by his mother to read it
B. the book told the story of his pet dog
C. the book reminded him of his own story with his dog
D. the happy ending of the story attracted him
3.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A. The author's mother read the same book.
B. The author has become a successful writer.
C. The author has had happy summers ever since.
D. The author's mother rewarded him with books.
4.Which one can be the best title of the passage?
A. The Charm of a Book B. Mum's Strict Order
C. Reunion with My Beagle D. My Passion for Reading
完形填空
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A，B，C和D）中选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
It was December 2013, and I decided to return to India after spending five years in the US studying.
I was in the process of _________ and among the items I put up for sale was an old computer. A student agreed to take it for $ 20. I decided to wipe it clean _________ handing it over , but while doing so, a tiny spring (弹簧) _________ and disappeared somewhere on the floor.
I put the _________ off for a week and found a small downtown repair shop. The repairman there, a tall gentleman, was kind and helpful. “It’s a _________ job,” he said, examining the computer. “We only _________ a small fee.”
When I returned the next day, I noticed that the spring had been _________ and that the computer was in working order. But I was served a bill for $ 50! I tried to _________ my troubles to the store manager, who although _________ , was unmoved. “Sorry,” he said to me, “I can’t break the rules.”
However, he did suggest a (n) _________ . “We can undo what the repairman has done,” he said. “That way you can take back the computer without having to pay our _________ .” I agreed, somehow feeling both _________ and disappointment. The repairman removed the spring, then handed the computer back to me.
I tucked (裹起) it under my arm and hurried towards my _________ , eager to forget the whole thing. Just then, in the deserted parking lot, I felt a_________ tap on my shoulder. I turned around to find the tall repairman standing behind me with a_________ .
“Hey man, take it easy,” he told me. “_________ a spring isn’t that difficult. You can do it yourself.” He then walked back to the store after having _________ two tiny computer springs into my palm.
I guess he gave me two pieces _________ I broke or lost the first one while trying to fix it myself. I really wanted to go back to the store to _________ him, but I didn’t know what to say or how to say it without getting him in _________ with his employer.
1.A. counting B. relaxing C. packing D. gathering
2.A. before B. since C. after D. while
3.A. turned up B. came off C.tried out D. broke down
4.A. repairman B. flight C. graduation D. buyer
5.A. simple B. tight C. precious D. diverse
6.A. pay B. owe C. charge D. spend
7.A. cleaned B. replaced C. furnished D. removed
8.A. reflect B. argue C. share D. explain
9.A. sympathetic B. cruel C. selfish D. marvelous
10.A. favor B. wish C. alternative D. example
11.A. offer B. bill C. effort D. work
12.A. anxiety B. excitement C. anger D. relief
13.A. car B. college C. company D. neighborhood
14.A. constant B. rough C. heavy D. gentle
15.A. book B. spring C. smile D. computer
16.A. fixing B. buying C. finding D. making
17.A. pushed B. slipped C. kept D. held
18.A. even if B. now that C. in case D. as though
19.A. praise B. greet C. comfort D. thank
20.A. touch B. trouble C. agreement D. Harmony
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Out of sight, out of mind. An apple a day keeps the doctor away. Don’t put all your eggs in one basket. 1. . Each of the phrases mentioned above teaches a common truth. But what exactly is a proverb? It’s a short statement that contains a general truth. It is popularly known and often repeated.
Every culture has proverbs. 2. .For example, many cultures value old people for their wisdom and experience. This idea can be found in proverbs. A Chinese proverb says, “An old horse will never get lost.” And a Portuguese proverb states, “An old pan is the one that makes good food.” 3. . The English say, “Good and quickly seldom meet.” The Chinese say, “Think three times before you act.” A Russian proverb exclaims, “Take your thoughts to bed with you, for the morning is wiser.”
There is a saying: To truly know a people, learn their proverbs. Proverbs contain a culture’s values and morals. 4. . People in Saudi Arabia value books and learning. One of their proverbs says, “A book is a garden carried in the pocket.” The French say, “There is no pillow so soft as a clear conscience.” So that culture thinks that being honest is important. Egyptians know the value of friendship. One of their proverbs say, “Friendship doubles joy and halves grief.”
In Africa, many proverbs also use images familiar to Africans. For example, “The best way to eat an elephant in your path is to cut him up into little pieces.” 5. . Or “A roaring lion kills no game.” This means that one cannot achieve anything by sitting around and talking about it. One must get out and strive for it.
Learning proverbs in another language is fun. You can make a good impression with your language ability. But remember, proverbs are usually used in spoken language. They are rarely used in writing. If you use a lot of proverbs when you write, people will think you don’t have original thoughts.
A. What is your favorite proverb?
B. Have you heard any of these proverbs before?
C. Many cultures also agree that acting in a hurry is not a good idea.
D. And while some are special for one culture, there are common themes.
E. In other words, the best way to solve a problem is to work on it bit by bit.
F. Proverbs are short and easy to remember.
G. So you can learn what is valued in different cultures through their proverbs.
