Getting into university is hard enough at the best of times—but when your chosen institution is a work of fiction you’re really up against. And that’s why this young joker’s Universities and Colleges Admissions Service (UCAS) application to Hogwarts University was unsuccessful.

But the admissions services’ response to the young man is still funny.

The unnamed A-Level student wrote a handwritten note to UCAS asking for a place studying ‘Wandology’ at the Harry Potter school.

In the application, he was proud of his skills in “wearing a pointy hat” and “Watching Paul Daniels TV Specials”.

UCAS replied, “We regret to inform you that your application to the stated university cannot be processed at this time for the fact that it does not exist.

“After consultation with our mystic (神秘学的) advisors we have also determined that even if it did exist, the course ‘Wandology’ would be highly in demand and thus require at least two As and a B in any of the following subjects:

Advanced Spellcrafting

Mystimatics

Defence Against the Dark Arts

History of the Mysticism

Shaft Design

“Your handwritten grade sheet claiming top marks in ‘Waving a stick about’, ‘Wearing a pointy hat’ and ‘Watching Paul Daniels TV Specials’ sadly is not suitable for admission, however, by applying through clearing you may be suitable for a selection of Liberal Arts courses.”

“Or, you may wish to resubmit next year by tying your letter to an owl (猫头鹰) and hoping for the best.

“On behalf of UCAS I wish you every success.”

1.What do we know about the underlined word “Wandology” according to the passage?

A. It is a course that is highly in demand in universities.

B. It is a course that does not exist now in real life.

C. It is a course that can be applied by anyone.

D. It is a course that is forbidden by UCAS.

2.What can be inferred in the UCAS’s reply?

A. Applying for a university is the hardest thing even in the best times.

B. The young student will probably start to raise an owl for the next year.

C. UCAS may approve the young student’s application for Liberal Arts courses.

D. In the end the young student succeeded in applying for Hogwarts University.

3.Where may this passage be found?

A. In a magic magazine. B. In a history book.

C. In a science fiction. D. In a newspaper.

Dolphins(海豚) live in a dark underwater world. It’s often impossible to see each other or anything else around them, so sound plays an important role in their survival. To communicate with each other, dolphins produce all kinds of sounds.

Only other dolphins understand what the sounds mean. Scientists haven’t uncovered their secret communication, except for one kind of whistle. It might last less than a second, but this whistle is a big deal. Why? Because these whistles are actually names of dolphins - and every dolphin has one. Scientists call these sounds a “signature whistle.” When other dolphins hear the whistle, they know which dolphin is calling.

Dolphins often hunt by themselves but still need to stay connected to the group. Since they can’t always see each other, dolphins use their signature whistles to check in with other dolphins hundreds of yards away. “In coastal areas, dolphins exchange whistles even when they’re a third of a mile apart,” says Greg Campbell, who studies animals. That means dolphins shout out to group members that might be nearly five football fields away.

What’s amazing is who names the baby dolphin. Not the mother. Not an auntie dolphin or another group member. Scientists believe the baby dolphin itself comes up with the signature whistle. Like human babies, a baby dolphin plays with sounds throughout its first year. While testing its sound skills, a baby dolphin is doing something amazing. It’s creating or figuring out its signature whistle. How or why it chooses its signature whistle is not clear. Studies show that most of the time the signature whistle is nothing like its mother’s or group members’ whistles.

When the baby dolphin is about a year old, its signature whistle is set. It repeats it of ten so the other dolphins learn to recognize it.

Deciphering(破译) dolphin names is just the beginning of figuring out what dolphins communicate about. Do they chat about sharks? Discuss the tides? Maybe they even have a name for people. Someday scientists to decipher the rest of dolphins’ communication.

1.Sound is important for dolphins because of ______.

A.their poor sense of direction

B.their living environment

C.their strong enemies

D.their big groups

2.The dolphin’s signature whistle ______.

A.lasts along time

B.can travel long distances

C.is especially helpful in hunting

D.can be recognized by other animals

3.The author writes the text mainly to ______.

A.encourage readers to study dolphins

B.tell reader s how dolphins communicate

C.show how lovely and clever dolphins are

D.introduce a special sound made by dolphins

4.A baby dolphin gets its name ______.

A.soon after it was born

B.according to its size

C.all by itself

D.with the help of its group

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