Walking alone on a remote beach in southwest Florida, I was surprised to hear splashes coming from the water. As I walked in the _______ of the sounds, I saw a manatee(海牛) show its head out of the water, _______a great snuffling(带鼻音的) breath. It seemed that it was in _______and trying to get out of it.

I'd never seen a _______ like this before. I wanted to _______, but there was no one else on the beach. So I went into the shallow water and went toward the animal. I came _______enough to make out the manatee. Then, a second manatee, much smaller, appeared beside it. _______, the manatees were also moving toward me. Soon I was _______by several manatees. I could clearly see the larger manatee _______the little one up with her flipper(鳍状肢) and pushed it to the ________beside me.

As the two slipped underwater, two other manatees moved up from behind, one on either side, ________gently against my body as they swam past. They circled and________ the action, this time ________by the mother and her baby. I held my hand out touching their back as they passed me. Since they obviously enjoyed touching me, I began ________each of them as they swam by.

I stood there enjoying the scene, ________to move, until finally the rising tide forced me back to the shore. Later I knew exactly what took place that morning. The manatees ________me in their celebration of a birth and I was welcome to meet the ________member of their family.

During that unexpected scene, I felt more involved in the rhythms of ________on our earth than ever. Each year, I head for that ________for a quiet little birthday picnic on the shore. After all, you never know who might ________up for your party.

1.A. direction B. condition C. middle D. side

2.A. making out B. putting out C. coming out D. letting out

3.A. force B. trouble C. loss D. action

4.A. look B. feel C. sight D. smell

5.A. leave B. see C. find D. help

6.A. close B. soon C. quick D. straight

7.A. Luckily B. Personally C. Unexpectedly D. Sadly

8.A. watched B. surrounded C. attacked D. separated

9.A. turn B. eat C. throw D. hold

10.A. field B. surface C. pool D. bank

11.A. rubbing B. preventing C. surfing D. comforting

12.A. practiced B. changed C. repeated D. showed

13.A. seen B. followed C. taught D. ordered

14.A. moving B. hitting C. catching D. touching

15.A. unwilling B. ready C. unable D. afraid

16.A. invited B. protected C. included D. fought

17.A. best B. oldest C. toughest D. newest

18.A. life B. music C. world D. development

19.A. boat B. hill C. beach D. scene

20.A. build B. show C. look D. step

Junot Diaz, The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

The winner in Culture critics’ survey is Junot Diaz’s first novel, about a bookworm called Oscar, who dreams of finding love. It also was named as the number-one book by the most critics. “It is a big deal for me to fall in love with a book whose topic is science fiction, fantasy and imagination,” says Elizabeth Taylor, the Chicago Tribune’s literary editor.

Edward P. Jones, The Known World

Set in 1855 on the plantation of Henry Townsend——born a slave, now a slave-owner—The Known World is a success, leading readers into a complex moral time without making simple judgments. Facing an early death, Townsend thinks about the future of his 50-acre Virginia plantation and the slaves he treats the way his former owner, now his teacher, taught him.

Hilary Mantel, Wolf Hall

Mantel’s boldly reimagined legend of 16th Century Europe, told from the point of Thomas Cromwell, winning the Man Booker and National Book Critics Circle awards, was adapted to the stage and has been filmed as a new BBC miniseries(短剧). Mary Ann Gwinn, Seattle Times book editor writes, “I have never felt so completely buried into a character’s mind, not to mention a long ago and far-away place.”

Marilynne Robinson, Gilead

Rev John Ames, a small town minister, describes his life and anti-slavery tradition to his young son in beautiful language in this first part of Robinson’s trilogy (along with Home and Lila). “I can’t think of a living novelist who writes more seriously and profoundly about religious faith, which has become an almost forbidden topic in modern literature,” writes Dawn Raffel, who ranked Gilead first on her list. Critic Karen R. Long says, “This multi-generational story tells a desire for transcendence (超越), and makes a case for spiritual life in the 21st century—its own kind of miracle. Gilead will be read in 100 years.”

1.What can we learn from the passage?

A. Oscar likes reading books. B. Townsend worked in a church.

C. Rev John Ames likes farming. D. Thomas Gromwell won an Oscar Award.

2.What does Mary Ann Gwinn think of the book “Wolf Hall”?

A. She thinks it’s too dull. B. She doesn't like the character in the book.

C. She thinks it’s fascinating. D. She doesn’t like some contents in the book.

3.Which of the following books will have a far-reaching influence in the future?

A. Gilead B. Wolf Hall

C. The Known World D. The Brief Wondrous Life of Oscar Wao

WASHINGTON—There are more than 222million TVs in American homes. And it would make Frank Vespe very happy this week if every last one was turned off.

Vespe is the head of the TV-Turnoff Network. the Washington organization behind TV Turnoff Week. For TV Turnoff week, American children are encouraged to go one week without watching TV. This year, it runs from April 23~29.“Our real message here is to see what life is like without TV and then make watching TV a conscious(自觉的) decision,”said Vespe.

Vespe said that most of the children who go without television for a week go back to watching, but not so much.“They watch more selectively. They do more things as a family. It helps them put TV in its place.”One girl who is turning off her TV is Sarah Foote, 9.of Virginia. Sarah admits that it won’t be too hard to give up TV. She’s allowed to watch only educational television, and he favorite show from last year isn’t on any more.

Of course, there are plenty of things about TV: programs can be entertaining, even educational.

Even so, some experts aren’t sure TV Turnoff Week is the answer.

Susan Neuman, a university educator who studies children and reading ,says the real problem is that parents do not keep track of what their children are watching. They don’t set limits on TV watching. Also, in some families, TV might be the only thing to do.

What message does Sarah have for other children?

“It’s a very good idea. I spent a whole week without TV. It also teaches you to enjoy time doing different things and not being sucked into something on TV, because you don’t want TV taking up all of your time.”Sarah said.

1.From the first two paragraphs we know that .

A. American TV companies will be turned off

B. American families have more TV sets than they need

C. Vespe has persuaded most people to turn off their TV sets

D. Vespe is an active person in the TV-Turnoff organization

2.As Vespe said in this passage, turning off TV a week can help children .

A. forget to watch TV programmes B. improve their habits of watching TV

C. place TV sets out of their bedrooms D. have part-time jobs after school

3.In some experts’ opinion .

A. parents should turn off TV for their children

B. parents should teach their children how to use TV

C. children should enjoy exciting programmes on TV

D. children should learn their lessons on TV

4.What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage?

A. To advise us to turn off TV sets. B. To warn parents of the danger of TV.

C. To report to us a piece of news about TV. D. To praise Vespe and his organization.

DNA(Deoxyribonucleic acid)is one of the most important discoveries in science. DNA is the plan for the human being,as a blueprint is the plan for building. DNA makes a person look the way he does. A person’s DNA comes from a mixing of his parents’ DNA. That’s why a child looks like his parents. But,besides controlling things such as height and hair color,DNA can also give people diseases. Scientists are now studying DNA to cure(治疗) diseases.

In the seventies, scientists developed a process called recombinant (重新组合) or RDNA. Although it sounds difficult to understand,RDNA simply means taking DNA from one animal or plant and putting it into another. By doing so,scientists can create new beings. In doing so,scientists can better understand DNA, especially what parts of DNA do. After they understand DNA,scientists can begin to cure diseases. Often,the new being created itself will be the cure.

Besides curing diseases,RDNA research can also do other things. For example, scientists in Japan have already created “super-trees”. Trees help humans,because they take CO2, which poisons humans, from the air and turns it into oxygen, which lets humans breathe. “Super-trees” do this too,but do it much faster. As things such as cars and factories have already put much CO2 in the area,“super-trees” are badly needed.

Unfortunately,there is serious danger in RDNA research. Scientists want to create animals to cure old diseases,but these new animals may also create new diseases. It will be a serious problem if the animals escape from the science laboratory and into nature. As these animals are not natural, they may let loose many new powerful diseases.

As a result,RDNA research will create many solutions(解决方案),but it will also create many problems.

1.From the passage, we can know that a boy looks like his parents because .

A. he is son of his parents

B. his parents’ DNA decides his appearance

C. he has received DNA from his father or his mother

D. scientists have put some of his parents’ DNA into him

2.The following statements are true about RDNA research EXCEPT

A. RDNA research will benefit human beings a lot

B. super-trees might be widely planted around the world

C. scientists have not completely understood DNA

D. the research has been stopped because the created animals carry virus (病毒)

3.What does the underlined expression “let loose” in paragraph 4 probably mean?

A. let...go free B. get rid of (去除) C. absorb (吸收) D. survive

4.What is the best title for the passage?

A. The DNA Research in Japan

B. A New Way of DNA Research in Japan

C. The Advantages and Disadvantages of RDNA

D. The Causes and Effects of DNA Research

For many people, being on the job might just sound like a picnic compared to a day at home filled with housework, meals and childcare. Even for those with a happy family life, home can sometimes feel more taxing than work.

In a new study, researchers at Penn State University found significantly and consistently lower levels of cortisol(皮质醇) released in response to stress, in a majority of subjects when they were at work compared to when they were at home. This was true for both men and women, and parents and people without children.

Both men and women showed less stress at work. But women were more likely to report feeling happier there. Men were more likely to feel happier at home. Experts say there are other reasons why work is less stressful than home for many. “Paid work is more valued in society,” says Sarah Damaske, the lead researcher on the study. “Household work is boring and not particularly rewarding.”

We get better at our job with time and the increased competence means less stress and more rewards. Yet none of us, no matter how long we’ve been doing it, ever truly feels like an expert at parenting or even at marriage.

The support and friendship of co-workers also offer stress relief. At home, meanwhile, stress spreads and accumulates quickly. “That’s the reason why most housewives wish they were the bread earners,” Dr. Damaske says.

Much of the advice to families and couples include the warning to “leave work stress at the office” and even to change our mind-set from work to home, for example, a walk around the block. The recent findings, though, suggest our home life, not our attitude, might be due for some change.

1.Which of the following can replace the underlined word “taxing”?

A. stressful. B. cheerful. C. worthwhile. D. rewarding.

2.What did the research in the second paragraph prove?

A. Men felt better at home.

B. Women felt they had less time.

C. Women were easier to feel happier.

D. Most people felt more stress at home.

3.What do most people think of work at office?

A. It is competitive. B. It improves ability.

C. It can’t relieve stress. D. It doesn’t always pay off.

4.According to the recent findings, what should we change to solve the problem mentioned?

A. Our attitude. B. Our mind-set.

C. Our home life. D. Our working style.

Most people agree that honesty is a good thing. But does Mother Nature agree? Animals can’t talk, but can they lie in other ways? Can they lie with their bodies and behavior? Animal experts may not call it lying, but they do agree that many animals, from birds to chimpanzees, behave dishonestly to fool other animals. Why? Dishonesty often helps them survive.

Many kinds of birds are very successful at fooling other animals. For example, a bird called the plover sometimes pretends to be hurt in order to protect its young. When a predator(猎食动物)gets close to its nest, the plover leads the predator away from the nest. How? It pretends to have a broken wing. The predator follows the "hurt" adult, leaving the baby birds safe in the nest.

Another kind of bird, the scrub jay, buries its food so it always has something to eat. Scrub jays are also thieves. They watch where others bury their food and steal it. But clever scrub jays seem to know when a thief is watching them. So they go back later, unbury the food, and bury it again somewhere else.

Birds called cuckoos have found a way to have babies without doing much work. How?

They don’t make nests(鸟巢). Instead, they get into other birds' nests secretly. Then they lay their eggs and fly away. When the baby birds come out, their adoptive(收养的) parents feed them.

Chimpanzees, or chimps, can also be sneaky. After a fight, the losing chimp will give its hand to the other. When the winning chimp puts out its hand, too, the chimps are friendly again. But an animal expert once saw a losing chimp take the winner’s hand and start fighting again.

Chimps are sneaky in other ways, too. When chimps find food that they love, such as bananas, it is natural for them to cry out. Then other chimps come running. But some clever chimps learn to cry very softly when they find food. That way, other chimps don't hear them, and they don't need to share their food.

As children, many of us learn the saying “You can’t fool Mother Nature.” But maybe you can’t trust her, either.

1.A plover protects its young from a predator by______.

A. getting closer to its young

B. driving away the adult predator

C. leaving its young in another nest

D. pretending to be injured

2.By “Chimpanzees, or chimps, can also be sneaky” (paragraph 5), the author means______.

A. chimps are ready to attack others

B. chimps are sometimes dishonest

C. chimps are jealous of the winners

D. chimps can be selfish too

3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. Cuckoos fool their adoptive parents by making no nests.

B. The losing chimp won the fight by taking the winner's hand.

C. Some chimps lower their cry to keep food away from others.

D. Some clever scrub jays often steal their food back.

4.Which of the following might be the best title of the passage?

A. Do animals lie?

B. Does Mother Nature fool animals?

C. How do animals learn to lie?

D. How does honesty help animals survive?

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