Save the Sharks!
Many have heard of shark fin soup. This famous and expensive dish is especially popular in southern China. But do you realize that you’re killing a whole shark each time you enjoy a bowl of shark fin soup?
When people catch sharks, they cut off their fins and throw the sharks back into the ocean. This is not only cruel, but also harmful to the environment. Without a fin, a shark can no longer swim and slowly dies. Sharks are at the top of the food chain in the ocean’s ecosystem. If their numbers drop too low, it will bring danger to all ocean life. Many believe that sharks can never be endangered because they are the strongest in their food chain. But in fact, around 70 million sharks are caught and traded in this industry every year. The numbers of some kinds of sharks have fallen by over 90 percent in the last 20 to 30 years.
Environmental protection groups around the world, such as Wild Aid and the WWF, are teaching the public about “finning”. They have even asked governments to develop laws to stop the sale of shark fins. So far, no scientific studies have shown that shark fins are good for health, so why eat them? Help save the sharks!
1.The general introduction of the passage: ____________________________
2.The place where shark fin soup is popular: ___________________________________
3.The number of sharks caught and traded every year: ________________________
4.Two environmental groups against “finning”: ___________________________
5.The thing that governments can do: ________________________
Aron Ralston is an American man 1. is interested in mountain climbing. As a mountain climber, Aron is used to 2.（take）risks. This is one of the 3. (excite) things about doing dangerous sports. 4. April 26, 2003, Aron’s arm 5. (catch) under a 360-kilo rock. The rock 6. (fall) on him when he climbed by himself in the mountains. He could not free his arm. He used his knife to cut off half his arm. After that he climbed down the mountain to find help. Later he wrote a book called Between a Rock and a Hard Place. In his book, Aron tells of the 7. (important) of making good decisions. Do we have 8. same spirit as Aron? Let’s think about it before we find 9. (our) “between a rock and a hard place”, and before we have to make a decision that could mean life or 10. (die).
A proverb (谚语) is a short, well known saying that expresses a common truth or belief. Proverbs are found in most cultures and are often very old.
In American history, Benjamin Franklin was a scientist, inventor and writer as well as a leader of the American Revolution. 1.
Franklin wrote a book called “Poor Richard’s Almanac”. 2. Some of them are still used today, like this one, “Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise.”
Franklin is also remembered for other proverbs like, “A penny saved is a penny earned.” 3.
Here are other examples of proverbs that Americans use. The first ones are about love. Some people say, “All is fair in love and war.” They mean that anything you do in a relationship or in battle is acceptable.
4. In other words, when you are in love with someone, you may refuse to see anything bad about that person.
Here is another popular saying about love, “The way to a man’s heart is through his stomach.” Some people believe that a woman can win a man’s love if she prepares his favorite food.
“5.” This proverb is true in love and war or other situations. It means that what you do is more important than what you say.
We have to stop here, so we must say, “All good things must come to an end.”
A.Actions speak louder than words.
B.Another proverb says “Love is blind.”
C.He was also famous for his proverbs.
D.You can spend your money on anything that you like.
E.He included many proverbs that he had heard or created.
F.Love can make us friends as well as angels.
G.This means that money should not be wasted.
People already know a lot about animals. However, there are still some things about animals that may surprise you. Here are some facts about animals you probably didn’t know.
Cows do have best friends and feel stressed when they are separated. Scientists have found that cows are very social animals and a cow always makes friends with other cows. When a cow is with its friends, it feels relaxed, compared with when it is alone.
During breeding (繁殖) season, a male (雄性的) penguin (企鹅) will offer a small stone to a female (雌性的) penguin as a gift. If she takes it, they will become partners. When the female penguin lays an egg, she and her partner may carry it on their feet, because some penguins don’t build nests.
Crocodiles (鳄鱼) swallow (吞) stones. Crocodiles always swallow their food instead of eating it like other animals. They swallow stones which break the food into very small pieces in their stomachs. These stones may stay in their stomachs all their lives.
Elephants use plants to treat pain or other illness. Scientists once found a pregnant (怀孕的) elephant in Africa who ate a kind of plant which was not part of her normal food. Four days later, she gave birth to a baby elephant. The same plant was used by the local pregnant women.
1.A cow hates making friends with other cows._________
2.All the male penguins will build nests if the female penguins lay eggs._______
3.Crocodiles swallow stones to help with digestion (消化)._________
4.Elephants eat plants only when they are hungry.__________
What’s it like to have a foreign friend eating, watching football matches and hanging out with you? The answer is – absolutely (绝对的) fantastic!
It all began in April. His name is Jean, a boy of my age from France. My family prepared a welcome party to surprise him and make him feel at home. We all were excited about living with a foreign boy and hoped to make his stay as interesting as possible. The first thing I noticed about him was his politeness. When we were eating together, he always said “thanks” when my parents cooked food for him.
As I got to know him better, I found out we had a common interest – football. His love for football impressed me. He told me that he likes PSG, a French football club, so we watched the Europe Champion League together. When PSG lost a point, he hit the sofa and sighed. When the team scored a goal, he cheered and shared his happiness with me.
Also, both of us like spending time outdoors. Later that day, we went on a trip to Shuangshan Island, where we rode horses and enjoyed ourselves. He said that he liked the trees there very much and seeing them reminded him of trees back in France.
Happy days always go by too quickly. I felt happy to have the chance to share such unforgettable memories with my new French friend.
1.What do we know about the French boy?
A.He is good at cooking. B.He is very polite.
C.He likes Chinese food. D.He studies in China.
2.The author (作者) and the French boy both like __________.
A.making friends B.football C.watching movies D.spending time indoors
3.What word would the author use to describe this experience?
A.Necessary B.Strange C.Unpleasant D.Interesting
I had a dream once. My classmates and I were enjoying our day on the playground. Some of us were playing basketball and running, while others were simply talking and having fun. We were happy without any pressure of schoolwork.
Suddenly, my alarm woke me up, and it was time to get up. A new day was starting. For a boy in Grade 9, preparing for the coming senior high school entrance examination takes up most of my time.
My real dream is a simple one. I wish I could have a little time for myself each day. I want to have a short break and dream about what I want to be when I grow up. It is just like seeing an island after a long, tiring journey at sea. I don’t want to become a dull boy, studying all the time without any time to play.
Luckily, my teachers and parents are starting to understand. After working hard for a long time, our teachers will let us go outside and breathe the fresh air. My parents will sometimes take me out for a meal or to enjoy the seaside. It’s so sweet. It’s like a bird flying home to its nest.
It is also a good reward. I am starting to find my own study pace (节奏) and I am becoming one of the top students in my class. I have to say, enjoying your free time will make you better.
1.What grade is the author (作者) in?
A.Grade Six B.Grade Seven C.Grade Eight. D.Grade Nine
2.What is the author’s real dream?
A.To have a little time for himself each day. B.To have no homework every day.
C.To see an island every day. D.To study all the time without playing.
3.What does the author think of his parents and teachers?
A.They don’t allow him to have a break.
B.They understand him.
C.They help him to improve his subjects.
D.They don’t care about him at all.
