In 1985, a lionfish was caught off the coast of Florida. Now they can be found not only in the Atlantic Ocean but also in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. And they are continuing to move south. Lionfish are native to the Indian and western Pacific Oceans. So how did they end up in the Atlantic? Scientists believe some pet owners abandoned their unwanted lionfish and poured them into the sea. Little did they know the trouble their actions would cause.
The Atlantic Ocean turned out to be a comfortable home for lionfish. Their venomous spines (毒刺) protect them from sharks and other fish. Female lionfish can spawn (产卵) every few days, producing as many as 2 million eggs per year. Other big fish would have competed with lionfish for food. But overfishing has removed many of these large fish. As a result, the fish have eaten so much that they have grown to be more than three times the size of their cousins in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. “They eat mostly fish,” says Stephanie Green, a scientist at Oregon State University.
All that eating has caused great changes. Scientists have found that when lionfish are present somewhere, many other fish, which are small enough for them to eat, disappear. Some of the fish they eat are greatly missed in their habitats. For example, parrotfish eat certain plants off corals (珊瑚), which allows corals to grow better. But they are now disappearing due to lionfish.
Scientists say lionfish are here to stay. But there are ways to deal with the problem. The key, says Green, is to keep lionfish numbers in check. In Florida, divers can now go through a special training program and get certified (授予合格证书) to catch lionfish in areas where fishing is not usually allowed. And a number of restaurants have added the fish to the menu. “It’s going to be a long-term battle, but the missing sea species will come back someday,” says Green.
1.What can we learn about lionfish?
A. Its population is growing very quickly.
B. All of them are almost the same size.
C. They eat other big fish and even sharks.
D. Most of them have gathered in the Atlantic.
2.Parrotfish were mentioned to show lionfish’s _____.
A. loneliness B. carelessness
C. weakness D. harmfulness
3.What is Stephanie Green’s attitude towards the battle against lionfish?
A. She doubts it.
B. She is hopeful of it.
C. She is worried about it.
D. She thinks it is against the law.
There are a lot of products out there that make your life easier. Some, however, are a little sillier than others — so much that they seem like joke products. Here are a few products that sound crazy, but actually rule.
Sleep Phones
It’s hard to imagine something sillier than a music-playing headband you wear while you sleep, but they exist — and are quite popular. Sleep Phones won’t give you the highest quality sound in the world, but if you prefer to fall asleep to music, they’re far more comfortable than normal headphones. While they’re a bit expensive, they might be perfect for you. There’s also a wireless version (版本) if you prefer.
Onion Goggles
If cutting onion brings on the waterworks no matter what you try, it’s time for desperate measures. We tested a bunch of methods for avoiding onion tears, and found the best solutions came down to cutting the onion under a vent (通风孔), or wearing these stylish and awesome goggles.
Lock Laces
There’re some great ways to tie your shoes better, but if you long for the laceless shoes of your childhood days, Lock Laces are a pretty good choice. They’re basically elastic (有弹性的) laces that remove the need to tie your shoes. Sure, people will make fun of you, but you can make fun of them after they trip over their own untied laces. Or you can make your own slip-on shoes with elastic tubing.
2D-Glasses
Hate 3D-movies, but have to go to one? The difference between 2D-glasses and 3D-glasses lies in their lenses (镜片). Each lens of 2D-glasses blocks the same picture, so each eye gets the same picture, while each lens of 3D-glasses blocks a different picture, so each eye gets a different picture which the brain interprets as 3D. Now you have a pair of glasses that can save you from the headache caused by wearing 3D-glasses which are popular in our movie theaters. You can buy them or make a pair for yourself.
1.What do we know about Sleep Phones?
A. There are two versions.
B. They’re comfortable but unhealthy.
C. They give you the best quality sound.
D. They’re cheaper than other headphones.
2.The underlined part “brings on the waterworks” in the text probably means _____.
A. makes your eyes water
B. makes your fingers hurt
C. destroys your water pipes
D. adds to your washing work
3.What is the advantage of Lock Laces?
A. They are strong and lasting.
B. They help you walk comfortably.
C. They are stylish and eco-friendly.
D. They save you from tying your shoes.
4.Compared with 3D-glasses, 2D-glasses _____.
A. are cheaper and thinner
B. won’t give you a headache
C. let you see a different picture
D. are more popular in movie theaters
Many great basketball players had clever nicknames (绰号), usually describing the player’s overall style on the court (球场). Below are some of the colorful nicknames among popular NBA players.
“Tiny”
Nate Archibald, at six feet one inch tall, was small for a basketball player. Still, Archibald used speed and his brains to control the court in the 14 seasons that he played in the NBA. Interestingly, his nickname originated off the court: he was named after his father, “Big Tiny”.
“Magic”
Earvin Johnson was called “Magic” by a sportswriter who saw him playing basketball in one high school game. Johnson was a skillful player, often doing the unexpected, to the chagrin of his competitors and the delight of the audience. He also won a gold medal as part of the U.S. “Dream Team” in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain.
“The Mailman”
Karl Malone earned his nickname because on the court he delivered consistently. Malone spent most of his career with the Utah Jazz, gaining a reputation as one of the best power forwards of all time. He also won two Olympic gold medals, as part of the U.S. “Dream Team” in the 1992 Summer Olympics in Barcelona, Spain and in the 1996 Summer Olympics in Atlanta, Georgia.
“The Iceman”
George Gervin made the most difficult shots look easy. He was also famous for keeping his cool in every game, playing in a relaxed way under pressure. Gervin, who played most of his 14 years in the NBA with the San Antonio Spurs, was unequalled in many ways as a shooting guard.
1.Whose nickname has nothing to do with basketball?
A. Nate Archibald’s. B. Earvin Johnson’s.
C. Karl Malone’s. D. George Gervin’s.
2.The underlined word “chagrin” in Paragraph 3 probably means “_____”.
A. amazement B. annoyance
C. enthusiasm D. impatience
3.Why was George Gervin called “The Iceman”?
A. He was always as cold as ice.
B. He had a glass of iced beer every day.
C. He didn’t get along well with his teammates.
D. He was always able to keep calm on the court.
4.The author’s purpose in writing the text is to _____.
A. uncover the secrets of NBA players’ success
B. talk about how to give others a lovely nickname
C. introduce some NBA players and their nicknames
D. show how to become an excellent basketball player
读后续写
阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。
One day, my brother and I were alone in our apartment. The reason was that my parents had both gone for a ball party and had left me in charge of everything. I was doing my homework while my younger brother was watching television. Suddenly, the doorbell rang. Ding-Dong! Ding-Dong! My younger brother had rushed to the door before I decided to answer the door. We both thought that our parents had come home. As a result, he unlocked the door and opened it.
Outside of the house stood a man who wore a black raincoat and black rubber boots. He looked no different from other people and he said that he was a salesman and asked politely if our mother or father was at home so he could talk with them.
Without any thinking, my brother said, “No.” He asked if we would like to buy some comic books, which he was selling. I quickly explained to him that we were not supposed to buy anything without our parents’ permission. However, it seemed that he was not willing to follow my advice and he had an intention to enter our house.
Then I realized something terrible would happen. As I was about to close the door, he forced his way into our house. He took out a knife and forced me to tie up my brother’s hands with some rope which he took out from his pocket. I tied up his hands but I tied in a special way so my brother could untie himself as we often did. The man then tied my hands up and locked both of us in the kitchen.
Soon he went upstairs to search the bedroom for something valuable. I managed to teach my brother to untie the rope on his hands. He then untied me. I rushed to the telephone to call the police, but the line was dead.
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
The doors were all locked from the outside and what’s worse, I did not have the keys. __________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
Just at the same time our parents came back home. ________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
应用文写作
假定你是Jane，你的笔友李华最近因为考试密集、学业繁重，身体感到不适，严重影响了学习。因此，他发e-mail给你，寻求你的建议和帮助。请你根据以下要点提示予以回复。
写作要点：1. 合理的饮食； 2. 适度的锻炼；3. ......
注意：1. 词数80左右
2. 开头和结尾部分已写好，不计入总词数。
3. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Li Hua,
I’m sorry to hear that you are feeling ill these days. ________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes!
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
“What are you busy with yourself, Mother?” The girl of less than six years old asked her mother _1. (curiosity). “ __ 2._ (make) dinner for the neighbor’s aunt.”
“ Why?” “ 3. the other day the aunt 4. (lose) her daughter and is so sad now. We must take good care of her these days.”“ Why need our care?” “ Because _ 5. then on the aunt can’t do 6. they like to along with her daughter. She is very pitiful. In her distress, making dinners and doing chores are also becoming so difficult. My dear, can you help Mother hit an idea to help the aunt in other ways?” At her mother’s proposal, the girl thought for a long while. All of 7. sudden, she went to the neighbor and knocked at the door.
The neighbor with a look of 8. (tired) opened the door. “What can I do for you?” asked the neighbor. “I 9. (hear) my mother say you’re very distressed for losing your daughter...” The girl timidly handed the band-aid tightly 10. (hold) in her hand to the neighbor.
The neighbor suddenly choked with sobs, her tears gushing from her eyes. She hugged the girl and said, “ Thank you. This band-aid will cure my wound.”
