题目内容

When a leafy plant is under attack ,it doesn’t sit quietly. Back in 1983,two scientists,Jack Schultz and Ian Baldwin,reported that young maple trees getting bitten by insects send out a particular smell that neighboring plants can get. These chemicals come from the injured parts of the plant and seem to be an alarm.What the plants pump through the air is a mixture of chemicals known as volatile organic compounds,VOCs for short.

Scientists have found that all kinds of plants give out VOCs when being attacked .It’s a plant’s way of crying out.But is anyone listening?Apparently.Because we can watch the neighbours react.

Some plants pump out smelly chemicals to keep insects away.But others do double duty .They pump out perfumes designed to attract different insects who are natural enemies to the attackers.Once they arrive,the tables are turned .The attacker who was lunching now becomes lunch.

In study after study,it appears that these chemical conversations help the neighbors .The damage is usually more serious on the first plant,but the neighbors ,relatively speaking ,stay safer because they heard the alarm and knew what to do.

Does this mean that plants talk to each other? Scientists don’t know. Maybe the first plant just made a cry of pain or was sending a message to its own branches, and so, in effect, was talking to itself. Perhaps the neighbors just happened to “overhear” the cry. So information was exchanged, but it wasn’t a true, intentional back and forth.

Charles Darwin, over 150 years ago, imagined a world far busier, noisier and more intimate(亲密的) than the world we can see and hear. Our senses are weak. There’s a whole lot going on.

1.What does a plant do when it is under attack?

A. It makes noises. B. It gets help from other plants.

C. It stands quietly D. It sends out certain chemicals.

2.What does the author mean by “the tables are turned” in paragraph 3?

A. The attackers get attacked.

B. The insects gather under the table.

C. The plants get ready to fight back.

D. The perfumes attract natural enemies.

3.Scientists find from their studies that plants can .

A. predict natural disasters B. protect themselves against insects

C. talk to one another intentionally D. help their neighbors when necessary

4.what can we infer from the last paragraph?

A. The word is changing faster than ever.

B. People have stronger senses than before

C. The world is more complex than it seems

D. People in Darwin’s time were more imaginative.

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Two men were sitting together in a plane. They were on a long journey. One of the men was a businessman. The other was a farmer. They sat without talking for a while, then the farmer said, “Let’s do something to pass the time.”

“What do you want to do?” the businessman asked. “We can ask each other riddles.” The farmer said, “You start.” “Let’s make the rules first,” the businessman said. “That’s not fair. You are a businessman with much knowledge. You know more things than I do. I am just a farmer.”

“That’s true.” The businessman said. “What do you want we should do?” “If you don’t know the answer to a riddle, you pay me $100. And if I don’t know the answer, I’ll pay you $50.” The farmer said. The businessman thought about this, then he said, “OK. That’s fair. Who will go first?”

“I will,” The farmer said. “Here is my riddle. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?” The business man repeated the riddle, “What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies? Mm, that’s a good one. I’m afraid I don’t know the answer.” He gave the farmer $100, then said, “Tell me the answer. What has three legs when it walks, but only two legs when it flies?” “I don’t know.” The farmer said and gave him $50.

1.The story happened ____________.

A. on a farm B. in a shop

C. before a long plane journey D. between two passengers

2.What does the word “riddle” mean in this story?

A. A difficult question to find the answer to.

B. Something to help to make rules.

C. Something to win money.

D. a kind of game in doing business.

3.Why did the businessman agree to give more money if he lost?

A. He made much more money than the farmer.

B. He thought he knew more than the farmer.

C. He was interested in making riddles.

D. He was better at playing riddle games.

4.The farmer _________.

A. enjoyed himself on his long journey.

B. didn’t want to pay even one dollar

C. spent all his money on the plane ticket.

D. won fifty dollars by playing the riddle game

5.Which of the following is NOT true?

A. The two men made rules for their riddle.

B. The farmer was much cleverer than the businessman.

C. The two men made their riddle game more interesting by paying it for money.

D. The businessman knew the answer to his riddle.

Two years ago, Dubuque, Iowa, started its first annual "Back to School Bash" program. It offered needy families an opportunity to learn about free in the community. Holmes decided to by providing help to kids. He was two jobs at the time, one of which was working as a barber. Saturday was his day, but he chose to his time and gave free haircuts to lower class kids on condition that the kids should their free haircut by having to read a book to him.

The idea was so that he continued it for the next two years. Many kids would a favorite book, settle into the barber chair, and read aloud Holmes was doing their hair. After the haircut, they'd review the book, from the and vocabulary to the themes—just like in school, only more fun.

Holmes, who is married two sons, recognizes that not every parent has the time to with their kids. So he hopes to offer some in this way. And he admits he, , benefits from doing that.

There was a seven-year-old kid who stuttered(结巴) over words while reading. He had the boy take the book home and . When the child came back a few days later, he read it with no problems. That Holmes to do more.

Holmes and his family have recently moved to a Chicago suburb. When they get , he plans to restart his as the Storybook Barber. "Today’s world is full of guns and violence," he says, "The barbershop is a place for the kids to come and read books."

1.A. materials B. resourcesC. methodsD. connections

2.A. participate B. performC. developD. withdraw

3.A. faced with B. caught inC. presented with D. engaged in

4.A. happiest B. worst C. busiest D. best

5.A. spend B. waste C. save D. donate

6.A. receive B. earn C. demandD. request

7.A. popular B. ordinaryC. complexD. rigid

8.A. put away B. take overC. pick upD. give out

9.A. before B. after C. while D. until

10.A. kidsB. heroinesC. barbersD. characters

11.A. withB. to C. for D. about

12.A. stayB. read C. talk D. learn

13.A. guidance B. judgmentC. assistanceD. insurance

14.A. again B. still C. then D. too

15.A. usually B. hardly C. merely D. necessarily[来

16.A. write B. practiceC. remark D. reflect

17.A. surprised B. excitedC. inspiredD. impressed

18.A. settled B. relaxedC. pleasedD. refreshed

19.A. ownership B. hobby C. promiseD. role

20.A. secret B. safe C. rough D. crowded

Opening in 1934, the Brookfield Zoo quickly received a worldwide reputation for its special displays and unique exhibits.

Address: 1st Avenue between Ogden Avenue and 31st Street, Brookfield, Illinois

Phone: 708-688-8000

Getting to the Brookfield Zoo by Public Transportation:

The Metra Rail Burlington Northern line runs from Union Station downtown to the “Zoo Stop”

Driving from Downtown:

Drive along the Eisenhower Expressway west to First Avenue exit and follow the signs to the zoo entrance.

The Brookfield Zoo Tickets:

Adults(aged12-64):$13.50; Seniors(aged65+):$9.50; Children(aged3-11):$7.50; (under3, free)

The Brookfield Zoo Featured Exhibits:

Tropic World; Wolf Woods; Living Coast; Seven Seas; Fragile Kingdom;

About the Brookfield Zoo:

The Brookfield Zoo is located just 14 miles west of downtown Chicago. It’s home to a variety of animal species, and its use of natural barriers(屏障) and moats(壕沟) is so much more relaxing and enjoyable than watching a lion walking in a cage(笼子).

For more information about the Brookfield Zoo, click here.

1.Where can you read this passage?

A. in a newspaper B. in a magazine

C. in a textbook D. on the Internet

2.Where is the entrance to the Brookfield Zoo?

A. At 31st Street. B. At Ogden Avenue.

C. At First Avenue. D. At the Eisenhower Station.

3.How much should a middle-aged couple and their 5-year-old twins pay if they visit the zoo?

A. $21 B. $28.5 C. $42 D. $46

4.What make(s) the Brookfield Zoo more attractive and enjoyable?

A. Its cheap tickets. B. Its cage-less displays.

C. Its various activities. D. Its worldwide reputation

Lakshmi grew up in India in the first half of the twentieth century, seeing many people around her who did not get enough food, were often sick and died young.

In the 1960s, was asked to help manage a program to improve nutrition in her country. At that time, most advice on nutrition came from North American and European countries. Nutritionists suggested foods that were common and worked well for people who lived in these nations.

For example, they told poor Indian women to eat more meal and eggs and drink more orange juice. But Lakshmi knew this advice was useless in a country like India. People there didn’t eat such foods. They weren’t easy to find. And for the poor, such foods were too expensive.

Lakshmi knew that for the program to work, it had to fit Indian culture. So she decided to adjust the nutrition program. She first found out what healthy middle-class people in India ate. She took note of the nutrients (营养物)available in those foods. Then she looked for cheap, easy-to-find foods that would provide the same nutrients.

She created a balanced diet of locally grown fruits, vegetables, and grains. These foods were cheap and could be cooked with simple equipment. Her ideas were thought unusual in the 1960s. For example, she insisted that a diet without meal could provide all major nutrients. Now we know she was right. But it took her continuous efforts to get others to finally accept her diet about 50 years ago. Because of Lakshmi’s program, Indian children almost doubled their food intake. And many children who would have been hungry and ill grew healthy and strong.

1.Why did Lakshmi think European nutritionists’ advice was useless?

A. It worked well for European people.

B. It suggested too many foods for Indians.

C. It was not practical in India at that time.

D. It included foods that didn’t exist in India.

2.Lakshmi studied healthy middle-class people’s diet in order to .

A. know about their eating habits B. learn about Indian culture

C. find out nutrients in their food D. write a report on food nutrients

3.Lakshmi’s balanced diet was considered unusual because people thought .

A. those foods were too cheap B. it should include some meat

C. it provided all major nutrients D. it enabled kids to grow healthy

4.What can we infer about Lakshmi?

A. She came from a rich family.

B. She disliked middle-class people.

C. She worked with European nutritionists.

D. She was a determined scientist.

In a certain store where they sell puddings, a number of these delicious things are laid out in a row during the Christmas season. Here you may select the one which is most to your taste, and you are even allowed to sample them before coming to a decision.

I have often wondered whether some people, who had no intention of making a purchase, would take advantage of this privilege. One day I asked this question of the shop girl, and I learned it was indeed the case.

“Now there’s one old gentleman, for instance,” she told me, “he comes here almost every week and samples each one of the puddings, though he never buys anything, and I suspect he never will. I remember him from last year and the year before that, too. Well, let him come if he wants it, and he is welcome to it. And what’s more, I hope there are a lot more stores where he can go and get his share. He looks as if he needed it all right, and I suppose they can afford it.”

She was still speaking when an elderly gentleman walked up to the counter and began looking closely at the row of puddings with great interest.

“Well, that’s the very gentleman I’ve been telling you about, ”whispered the shop girl. “Just watch him now.” And then turning to him, “Would you like to sample them, sir? Here’s the spoon for you to use.”

The elderly gentleman, who was poorly but neatly dressed, accepted the spoon and began eagerly to sample one after another of the puddings, only stopping occasionally to wipe his red eyes with a large torn handkerchief.

“This is quite good.”

“This is not bad either, but a little too heavy.”

All the time it was quite obvious that he sincerely believed that he might eventually buy one of these puddings, and I am positive that he did not for a moment feel that he was in any way cheating the store. Poor old man! Probably he had come down in the world and this sampling was all that was left to him from the time when he could afford to come and select his favorite pudding.

Amidst the crowd of happy, rich?looking Christmas shoppers, the little black figure of the old man seemed pitiful and out of place, and in a burst of benevolence, I went up to him and said, “Pardon me, sir, will you do me a favor? Let me purchase you one of these puddings. It would give me such pleasure.”

He jumped back as if he had been stung, and the blood rushed into his wrinkled face.

“Excuse me,” he said, with more dignity than I would have thought possible considering his appearance, “I do not believe I have the pleasure of knowing you. Undoubtedly you have mistaken me for someone else.” And with a quick decision he turned to the shop girl and said in a loud voice, “Kindly pack me up this one here. I will take it with me.” He pointed at one of the largest and most expensive puddings.

The girl took down the pudding from its stand and started to make a parcel of it, while he pulled out a worn little black pocketbook and began counting out shillings and pennies on to the counter. To save his “honor” he had been forced into a purchase which he could not possibly afford. How I longed for the power to unsay my tactless words! It was too late though, and I felt that the kindest thing I could do now would be walk away.

“You pay at the desk,” the shop girl was telling him, but he did not seem to understand and kept trying to put the coins into her hand. And that was the last I saw or heard of the old man. Now he can never go there to sample puddings any more.

1.By saying “it was indeed the case” in Paragraph 2, the author meant that ________.

A. many shoppers would sample puddings before buying them

B. the Christmas season was the time to promote pudding sales

C. some people just sampled puddings but didn’t buy them

D. the store’s allowing people to sample puddings was a privilege

2.From her words, we know that the shop girl ________.

A. looked down upon the old man

B. felt pity for the old man

C. thought poorly of sampling puddings

D. was good at pretending to be friendly

3.The underlined word “benevolence” in Paragraph 10 is closest in meaning to “________”.

A. curiosity B. appreciation

C. meanness D. kindness

4.The old man finally bought a pudding because ________.

A. he had intended to buy the pudding

B. he was annoyed by the author’s offer

C. he didn’t want others to help him

D. he decided not to cheat the store any more

5.After saying the words to the old man, the author wanted to walk away because he ________.

A. found himself in a rather awkward situation

B. felt upset that the old man refused his offer

C. decided to pay the money for the pudding

D. failed to express himself to the old man

6.What can we learn from the author’s experience?

A. Never judge a book by its cover.

B. Old people are mentally weak.

C. Helping others involves respect.

D. Don’t take advantage of stores.

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