Hi guys! I’m Lucy the ladybird and while I’m very much of a lady, I’m not actually a bird but a glowing red bettle(甲虫)with decorative black spots.
I’m a friendly little bug, to be honest, and simply like to be close with my pals as long as they handle me very gently. I don’t bite humans but I do sink my teeth into aphids (蚜虫) which, unlike me, are very harmful to all the plants. I milk the aphids just like people do with cows and I milk them dry of all the sap (汁) they have got from your poor plants. I’m a real gardeners’ friend and love helping out around the place by pollinating (授粉) flowers, tidying up plants’ fallen leaves and helping to turn them into nice rich fertilizer to feed everything both above and below the soil, and naturally, being so attractive to look at, we are perfect living garden decorations.
One thing I can not tolerate is all that poisonous pollution from vehicles, garbage burning and other environmentally unfriendly acts that occur in the cities every single minute of the day and night. Pollution of any kind really chokes me to death, so these days, I only live in clean countryside areas, particularly cool ones where it rains and everything grows fresh and green from spring right through to autumn. In winter, when the weather is too cold for me to bear, then I find a nice place to sleep until the snow has gone and I can come back out to play.
Oh! I almost forgot to tell you that although I am not a bird I do have wings and can fly for short distances. So if you pick me up and let me run up and down your hands and arms, then please don’t frighten me by screaming if I suddenly decide to take off!
【小题1】What makes Lucy the Ladybird suffer most?

A.Heavy rains.B.Cold weather.
C.Air pollution.D.Aphids.
【小题2】 Which aspects about the ladybird are talked about in the passage?
a. its appearance               b. its influence on plantsw8G
c. its habitat                  d. its food
e. the origin of its name
A.a; cB.a; b; cC.a; b; d; eD.a; b; c; d
【小题3】What do we know about the ladybird?
A.It belongs to the insect family.
B.It does harm to all growing plants.
C.It lives on the liquid of plants.
D.It can fly a long distance.
【小题4】 This passage is probably _______.
A.a self –introduction by a lady named Lucy
B.description of a ladybird’life
C.letter of praise for a gardener
D.a speech made by a woman on ladybirds

Scientists have not come close to understanding all the different kinds of life on the planet, but US researcher Craig Venter is already working on creating the first artificial life.
Venter and his researchers made a breakthrough this August. They successfully moved the DNA of one type of bacteria(细菌) to a yeast(酵母) cell, changed it, then put it into another bacterial cell.
“Bacteria have systems that protect them from foreign DNA,” Venter explained to the BBC. In the experiment, the team managed to block this system.
The experiment was performed on a simple type of bacteria called Mycoplasma mycoides. The team took the bacteria’s genes and put them into a yeast cell.
Putting the DNA in a yeast cell allowed the team to change the genes----in this case, taking out a gene that was not necessary for the bacteria to live.
They then put the gene into a host bacteria cell. The cell went on to divide normally, producing new healthy bacteria.
In January, the team created artificial genes of a new type of bacteria. Their next goal is to put the artificial DNA into a host cell to create a new species, according to a report in Science magazine.
“If we don’t make any errors, I think it should work and we should have the first artificial species by the end of the year,” Venter said in the report.
The first artificial life from is likely to be a simple man-made bacteria, to prove that the technology can work. But that form will be followed by more complex bacteria that turn coal into cleaner natural gas, or algae that can take in carbon dioxide and change it into fuel.
Many scientists think it’s good news to have this artificial life, but others are worried that the technology to create new organisms might end up in the wrong hands, with dangerous results.
【小题1】Craig Venter and his team are working to ______.

A.create a new animal
B.clone a new species
C.produce the first artificial bacteria
D.develop a new system
【小题2】Which of the following is the right order of the experiment?
a. A gene was removed and put into a host bacteria cell.
b. The genes were put into a yeast cell.
c. The cell produced new healthy bacteria.
d. The genes were changed.
e. Some genes were taken out of Mycoplasma mycoides.
A.d-e-a-c-bB.e-b-d-a-c
C.a-d-e-c-bD.b-e-d-c-a
【小题3】According to the passage, complex artificial bacteria, which will follow the first simple man-made bacteria, are intended to ______.
A.cure deadly diseases
B.prepare the Earth for natural disasters
C.prove that the technology can work
D.improve the earth’s environment
【小题4】We can learn from the passage that ______.
A.Venter and his team are the only scientists trying to create artificial life
B.The experiment was based on research into different kinds of life on Earth
C.A new type of bacteria was created in January
D.All scientists are not in favor of the research

My grandparents were married for over half a century, and played their own special game the time they had met each other. The goal of their game was to write the word “shmily” in a surprise place for the other to find. They took turns leaving “shmily” around the house, and as soon as one of them discovered it, it was their turn to hide it once more. They dragged “shmily” with their fingers through the sugar and flour containers to await whoever was preparing the next meal. “Shmily” was written in the steam left on the mirror after a hot shower, where it would reappear bath after bath. There was no end to the places where “shmily” would pop up. Little notes with “shmily” were found on car seats, or taped to steering wheels. The notes were put inside shoes and left under pillows. “Shmily” was written in the dust upon the mantel(壁炉架)and traced in the ashes of the fireplace. This mysterious word was as much a part of my grandparents’ house as the furniture.
It took me a long time before I was able to fully appreciate my grandparents’ game. Skepticism has kept me from believing in true love --- one that is pure and enduring (持久的). However, I never doubted my grandparents’ relationship. It was based on passionate(热情的)affection which not everyone is lucky enough to experience.
But there was a dark cloud in my grandparents’ life: my grandmother had breast cancer. The disease had first appeared ten years earlier. As always, Grandpa was with her every step of the way. He comforted her in their yellow room, painted that way so that she could always be surrounded by sunshine, even when she was too sick to go outside. But my grandmother grew steadily weaker until, finally, she could not leave the house anymore. Then one day, what we all dreaded finally happened. Grandma was gone.
“Shmily.” It was written in yellow on the pink ribbons of my grandmother’s funeral bouquet (花束). As the crowd thinned and the last mourners turned to leave, Grandpa stepped up to my grandmother’s coffin and, taking a shaky breath, he began to sing to her. Through his tears and grief, the song came: S-h-m-i-l-y: See How Much I Love You

  1. 1.

    According to the passage, where may the word “shmily” be found?
    a.in the flour containers
    b.on the mirror
    c.on the sheet of toilet paper
    d.on pillows
    e.on the furniture

    1. A.
      a, b
    2. B.
      b, c
    3. C.
      a, d
    4. D.
      b, e
  2. 2.

    The first paragraph is mainly about ________

    1. A.
      what the word “shmily” means
    2. B.
      how the author’s grandparents played their special game
    3. C.
      how the author appreciated her grandparents’ game
    4. D.
      how the author’s grandparents cared for each other
  3. 3.

    The underlined phrase “pop up” in Paragraph 1 means ________

    1. A.
      appear
    2. B.
      change
    3. C.
      survive
    4. D.
      work
  4. 4.

    According to the passage, the author _________

    1. A.
      thought the game was meaningless
    2. B.
      believes everyone can experience true love
    3. C.
      doubted the existence of true love at first
    4. D.
      sometimes left “shmily” around the house
  5. 5.

    Grandpa tried to make Grandma comfortable by _______

    1. A.
      singing songs to her every day
    2. B.
      painting the room yellow
    3. C.
      encouraging her to go outside
    4. D.
      helping her take a hot shower every day

Scientists have not come close to understanding all the different kinds of life on the planet, but US researcher Craig Venter is already working on creating the first artificial life.
Venter and his researchers made a breakthrough this August. They successfully moved the DNA of one type of bacteria(细菌) to a yeast(酵母) cell, changed it, then put it into another bacterial cell.
“Bacteria have systems that protect them from foreign DNA,” Venter explained to the BBC. In the experiment, the team managed to block this system.
The experiment was performed on a simple type of bacteria called Mycoplasma mycoides. The team took the bacteria’s genes and put them into a yeast cell.
Putting the DNA in a yeast cell allowed the team to change the genes----in this case, taking out a gene that was not necessary for the bacteria to live.
They then put the gene into a host bacteria cell. The cell went on to divide normally, producing new healthy bacteria.
In January, the team created artificial genes of a new type of bacteria. Their next goal is to put the artificial DNA into a host cell to create a new species, according to a report in Science magazine.
“If we don’t make any errors, I think it should work and we should have the first artificial species by the end of the year,” Venter said in the report.
The first artificial life from is likely to be a simple man-made bacteria, to prove that the technology can work. But that form will be followed by more complex bacteria that turn coal into cleaner natural gas, or algae that can take in carbon dioxide and change it into fuel.
Many scientists think it’s good news to have this artificial life, but others are worried that the technology to create new organisms might end up in the wrong hands, with dangerous results

  1. 1.

    Craig Venter and his team are working to______.

    1. A.
      create a new animal
    2. B.
      clone a new species
    3. C.
      produce the first artificial bacteria
    4. D.
      develop a new system
  2. 2.

    Which of the following is the right order of the experiment?
    a. A gene was removed and put into a host bacteria cell.
    b. The genes were put into a yeast cell.
    c. The cell produced new healthy bacteria.
    d. The genes were changed.
    e. Some genes were taken out of Mycoplasma mycoides

    1. A.
      d-e-a-c-b
    2. B.
      e-b-d-a-c
    3. C.
      a-d-e-c-b
    4. D.
      b-e-d-c-a
  3. 3.

    According to the passage, complex artificial bacteria, which will follow the first simple man-made bacteria, are intended to ______.

    1. A.
      cure deadly diseases
    2. B.
      prepare the Earth for natural disasters
    3. C.
      prove that the technology can work
    4. D.
      improve the earth’s environment
  4. 4.

    We can learn from the passage that______.

    1. A.
      Venter and his team are the only scientists trying to create artificial life
    2. B.
      The experiment was based on research into different kinds of life on Earth
    3. C.
      A new type of bacteria was created in January
    4. D.
      All scientists are not in favor of the research

FRANCE has destroyed the hopes of those who had planned to take refuge(避难)in one of the few places on Earth which some believe will be spared when the world ends on December 21 .Local officials banned access to the Pic de Bugarach,a mountain in the southwest where rumor has it that the hilltop will open on the last day and aliens will appear with spaceships to save nearby humans.
Eric Freysselinard,the state’s top representative in the area,said he was blocking access to the mountain for public safety reasons to avoid a rush of New Age fanatics(盲信者),sight-seers and media crews. Believers say the world will end on December 21,2012,the end date of the ancient Mayan calendar,and they see Bugarach as one of a few sacred mountains sheltered from the cataclysm(大灾难).
Mr Freysselinard said the 100 police and firefighters will also control approaches to the tiny village of the same name at the foot of the mountain,and if too many people turn up,they will block access there too.“We are expecting a few people who believe in this end of the world,but in extremely limited numbers,” he said in the. nearby city of Carcassonne.“We are expecting greater numbers of people who are just curious,but in numbers we cannot determine. Above all,we are expecting lots of journalists,”he said.
Films,documentaries and websites have promoted the idea that the ancient Mayan calendar predicts that doomsday is on December 21.The culture ministry in Guatemala-where half the population are of Mayan descent-is hosting a massive event in the capital just in case the world actually does end,while tour groups are promoting doomsday-themed getaways

  1. 1.

    Many people plan to go to Pic de Bugarach mainly because      

    1. A.
      they want to take refuge on December 21,2012
    2. B.
      they want to meet aliens with spaceships to save humans
    3. C.
      they want to visit the scenery of the mountain
    4. D.
      they want to make profits by attracting tourists
  2. 2.

    Eric Freysselinard was blocking access to the mountain for      

    1. A.
      forbidding the rumour spreading
    2. B.
      improving environmental protection
    3. C.
      protecting public safety
    4. D.
      avoiding destroying natural sources
  3. 3.

    What kinds of people would come to Pic de Bugarach?
    a. Tourists. b. Journalists. c. Local officials. d. Visionaries. e. The Mayans

    1. A.
      a. b. e
    2. B.
      a. b. c
    3. C.
      a. b. d
    4. D.
      b. d. e
  4. 4.

    Which of the following would be the best title for the text?

    1. A.
      The World Ends on December 21
    2. B.
      The Ancient Mayan Calendar Ends
    3. C.
      A Massive Event in The Capital
    4. D.
      French Say‘No’to The Refugee

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