题目内容
Originally from tropical South America, the red fire ant gained entry to the United States through the port of Mobile, Alabama in the late 1930s on cargo ships, but the first colony of the red ants was not found until 1942 by a 13-year-old boy in his backyard.
It immediately began to thrive in the new land and colonies spread quickly throughout the southeastern states. By 1975 the red imported fire ant had colonized over 52 million hectares of the United States. Now, it has infested more than 275 million hectares in the country.
Red imported fire ants build mounds in any type of soil. They also make mounds indoors. Each nest used to have but one queen, but now many mounds are often found with multiple queens. With multiple queens at work, its population increases rapidly. It’s common to find a nest with over 25,000 workers.
Red imported fire ants can cause a number of problems. They construct their colonies on precious farmland, invading crops while searching for insects underground. They also like to make their mounds in sunny areas, heavily infesting lawns and pastures. They can quickly strip fruit trees of their fruit. Small birds such as baby quails are fair game to the expanding colony. They appear to be attracted to electromagnetic fields and attack electrical insulation or wire connections. They can cause electrical shorts, fires, and other damage to electrical equipment. Worst of all, their stings can be deadly to livestock and humans.
53. When was the first nest of the red ant found in the United States?
(A) In 1930s. (B) In 1942. (C) In 1975. (D) After 1975.
54. Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?
(A) Each nest of the red ant has one queen.
(B) The red ant was originally found in North America.
(C) The red ant can reproduce young ants very quickly.
(D) The red ant does not build mounds inside the house.
55. What kinds of problems can the red ant cause?
(A) Health, social, and agricultural. (B) Health, social, and environmental.
(C) Social, environmental, and agricultural. (D) Health, agricultural, and environmental.
56. What is the purpose of the article?
(A) To ask for help to kill the red ant.
(B) To urge people to protect the red ant.
(C) To provide information about the red ant.
(D) To seek help from the government to control the red ant.
【小题1】B
【小题2】C
【小题3】D
【小题4】C
The football match, originally due to be held last Sunday, was finally _______ because of the bad weather.
A.broken off | B.called off | C.set off | D.worn off |
The Barbie doll first appeared at the toy fair in New York in 1959. Its creator was Ruth Handler, an American businesswoman. She and her husband Elliott along with Harold Matt Matson started the toy company Mattel. She based the design of the new doll on a German doll named Bild Lilli and named her after their daughter Barbara.
The first Barbie wore a black and white swimsuit and had her hair in a ponytail(马尾辫). She looked very grown-up. But any concerns that parents would not want to buy it for little girls were soon proved wrong.
Mattel sold 300,000 Barbie dolls in the first year at a price of three dollars. Today, a fifty-year-old Barbie in good condition might cost more than 27,000 dollars.
Barbie dolls have represented 50 different nationalities and are sold in 150 countries. Mattel says 90% of girls in the United States between the ages of three and ten own at least one Barbie doll. It says girls between the ages of three and six own an average of about 12.
Barbie also faced her share of critics. A well-known example was when women’s education groups objected to a talking Barbie doll that declared, among other things, “Math class is tough!” Mattel agreed to change it. Saudi Arabia has banned Barbie dolls. And a lawmaker in the American state of West Virginia would like to do the same. Last month, he proposed banning sales of Barbie and other dolls that influence girls to put too much importance on physical beauty.
Some people say Barbie is an unhealthy role model for young girls. Robin Gerber disagrees. She wrote a book about Barbie. She points out dolls like scientist Barbie and race car driver Barbie. She says people who criticize Barbie should tell girls the story of the businesswoman who created her. She says Ruth Handler wanted the dolls to help girls think about what they wanted to do with their lives.
【小题1】The first Barbie doll might not be popular among little girls because _______.
A.her hairstyle was out of fashion |
B.her appearance looked much too mature |
C.her way of dressing was against the tradition |
D.physical beauty wasn’t thought to be important |
A.is one of the world’s largest toy companies |
B.is the director of an American toy company |
C.was the woman who originally created Barbie |
D.was a salesman who was good at selling Barbie dolls |
A.pay too much attention to their physical beauty |
B.neglect their schoolwork and inner beauty |
C.prefer physical beauty to inner beauty |
D.waste too much time and money on clothes |
A.shows Barbie dolls have a negative influence on girls |
B.praises a successful person who sells Barbie dolls |
C.expresses her own favorable opinion about Barbie |
D.argues for banning the sales of Barbie dolls |