Some unwelcome visitors from North America have been turning up in the waters off the coast of Great Britain.

North American lobsters (龙虾) have been found in the North Sea (between Great Britain and Northwest Europe), far from their own habitat. The lobsters usually live along the eastern coast of Canada and the United States.

It is impossible that the lobsters could have made the 5,600-kilometre journey on their own. They were probably brought to Britain and then got away from containers. Some of the lobsters that were caught had elastic bands (松紧带) holding their legs shut, like lobsters that are kept in containers in stores or restaurants.

Many may have been “set free” from some ships passing through the area. Sometimes passengers order a live lobster from a tank in the dining room and then ask the waiter to throw it overboard instead of cooking it.

According to official records, 26 North American lobsters have been caught in waters off Great Britain since 1988. However, it is believed many more have been found but not reported.

It is against the law to let North American lobsters come into British waters. If they settle down in European waters, it would be bad for the local lobsters. The two live in the same place and eat the same food. But North American lobsters are larger, stronger and more aggressive (好斗的) than European lobsters, and they produce young more quickly.

As a result, they could take food and space away from the local lobsters, and from other types of shellfish that live in the same area. These lobsters may also carry diseases that could harm the local lobsters.

1.Those unwelcome lobsters _____.

A. could travel 5,600 km a day on their own

B. used to live in waters off Great Britain

C. would soon disappear in British waters

D. might have escaped on the way to Britain

2.What can we learn about European lobsters?

A. They are growing too fast to be kept under control.

B. Shellfish often take away their food and space.

C. They are easily harmed by North American lobsters.

D. People become ill easily if they eat these lobsters.

3.The author's purpose of writing the text is most likely to _____.

A. discuss B. report

C. advertise D. introduce

According to a team of researchers, an animals' ability to perceive(感知)time is linked to their pace of life.

"Our results lend support to the importance of time perception in animals where the ability to

perceive time in a very short time may be the difference between life and death for fast moving

creatures." commented lead author Kevin Healy from Trinity College Dublin.

The study was done with a variety of animals using a phenomenon based on the maximum speed of flashes of light an individual can see before the light source is seen as constant. Dogs, for example, have eyes with a refresh rate higher than humans.

One example of this phenomenon at work, the authors say, is the housefly and its ability to avoid being hit. The research showed flies "observe motion in a shorter time than our own eyes can achieve," which allows them to avoid being hit.

Professor Graeme Ruxton of the University of St Andrews in Scotland, who worked jointly(共同地) on the research project, said in a statement, "Having eyes that send updates to the brain at much higher frequencies than our eyes do is of no value if the brain cannot process that information equally quickly. Thus, this work highlights the impressive abilities of even the smallest animal brains. Flies might not be deep thinkers, but they can make good decisions very quickly."

In comparison the tiger beetle(虎甲虫)runs faster than its eyes can keep up, basically becoming blind, which requires it to stop periodically to re-evaluate its prey's(猎物)position.

Our results suggest that time perception offers an as yet unstudied dimension along which

animals can specialize and there is considerable range to study this system in more detail.

1.What is the research mentioned in the passage mainly about?

A. Pace of life of animals. B. Time perception of animals.

C. Lifetime of small animals. D. Impressive abilities of animals.

2.Why can houseflies avoid being hit?

A. They can think very deeply before they act.

B. They can fly much faster than their eyes can keep up.

C. They can process the information as quickly as they receive it.

D. They can send information to brain more quickly than to their eyes.

3.What will a tiger beetle have to do to catch a moving prey?

A. Try to run as fast as it can. B. Prevent itself from becoming blind.

C. Slow down to gain its time perception. D. Stop occasionally to spot the prey again.

In the top 10 of unpleasant sounds, a crying baby ranks very high. It instantly makes a key part of your brain called the amygdale (杏仁孔) active, which, among other things, acts as a sort of radar for emotional threats. So why would babies need to cause this sort of urgent reaction? To get you to respond and fast to ensure their survival.

Babies can’t fend for themselves. They are like chicks in their parents’ nest, depending on others to keep them warm, fed and safe. Like chicks, their cries signal driving necessities such as a need for food or protection from danger. But human babies can also convey a range of other needs with cries.

Human babies are also highly social, and are interested in engaging in a dialogue with their caregivers. So they are equally attentive to their parents’ signals: the messages conveyed by the body language of their caregivers — how the parent smells, touches, holds, rocks, as well as their tone of voice. In relaxed moments with the parent, they soon discover how smiling at an attentive adult tends to cause a positive response in return.

On the other hand, these early attempts at communication between the parent and child can be very hit-and-miss. In the first few weeks, most babies cry for about two hours a day. When the parent and baby aren’t “getting” each other, crying can increase. In particular, long difficulties with breast-feeding can lead to a pattern of “established firmly” crying behavior.

Crying is a signal that can mean many different things. The lessons that are learned from these early experiences are highly significant for individual lives, but collectively they also have a great effect on our culture.

1.According to the first paragraph, what is babies’ purpose of crying?

A. To change their comfortable situation at the present time.

B. To communicate with parents and learn to use body language.

C. To make caregivers fast respond to guarantee their survival.

D. To get something that they want to get as quickly as possible.

2.What does the underlined phrase “fend for” in Para.2 mean?

A. feed B. look after

C. support D. make up

3.Why do human babies pay attention to their parents’ signals?

A. Because they hope to get more from their parents.

B. Because they want to convey messages to their parents.

C. Because they need to learn from their parents how to communicate.

D. Because they are social and interested in talking with their parents.

4.What is the best title of the text?

A. Cry or Don’t Cry? B. Why Do Babies Cry?

C. How to Express Babies’ Feelings? D. Human Babies Are Similar to Chicks’?

Eyesight plays a very important role in our daily life. Every waking moment, the eyes are working to see the world around us. Over forty percent of Americans worry about losing eyesight, but it's easy to include steps into our daily life to ensure healthy eyes. Here are five suggestions for a lifetime of healthy eyesight:

·Schedule yearly exams. 1. Experts advise parents to bring babies 6 to 12 months of age to the doctor for a careful check. The good news is that millions of children now can have yearly eye exams and following treatment, including eyeglasses.

·Protect against UV rays (紫外线). Long?term stay in the sun creates risk to your eyes. No matter what the season is, it's extremely important to wear sunglasses. 2.

·3. Two thirds of Americans spend up to seven hours a day using computers or other digital products. This frequent eye activity increases the risk for eye tiredness. Experts recommend that people practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20?second break and look at something 20 feet away.

·4. As part of a healthy diet, eat more fruits and vegetables each day. Vitamins (维生素) C and E help protect eyesight and promote eye health.

·Practice safe wear and care of contact lenses (隐形眼镜). Many Americans use contact lenses to improve their eyesight. While some follow the medical advice for wearing contact lenses, many are breaking the rules and putting their eyesight at risk. 5. Otherwise, you may have problems such as red eyes, pain in the eyes, or a more serious condition.

A.Give your eyes a break.

B.Parents usually don't care about their own eyesight.

C.They can properly protect your eyes.

D.Stay in good shape by taking more vitamins.

E.Have your eyes checked as early as possible.

F.Always follow the doctor's advice for appropriate wear.

G.Eat your greens.

I remember the first time I got on a horse.When I was a little boy aged two,my mom agreed to let me take a short __ and that was it! From then on,I made my parents almost __ constantly begging for a horse.

When I was four,I was struck by the disease Mutism,in which children __ speaking in certain social situations.I went days,weeks,months without a(n) __ at school.At most,I might __ have a word with a friend.I __ silently through school until I was ten when a psychologist had an idea.He asked me what I __ more than anything else in the world.Considering my hesitation,the psychologist____me to whisper the answer in my mother's ear,"A horse."

I was to get a little horse,but I had I list of weekly tasks I had to____.I had to answer the phone five times per week,something I had____done before.I had to say one word to my teacher at school and the list was not____.I did everything that was asked of me and the day finally____.I got my own dreaming horse.His name was Sequoia,whom I fell in love with____.When I was in Sequoia's____,I forgot all about my problems and felt strong and____.

I have gradually got rid of Mutism and now I am a fully __ member of society.With my horses,I____through a master's degree.____I might not have got it.I feel I____my life to the horses and I try to give it back to them every day.They have given me the best____I could ever imagine,my life.

1.A. ride B. fly C. walk D. running

2.A. anxious B. worried C. crazy D. sorrowful

3.A. begin B. stop C. imagine D. enjoy

4.A. sign B. smile C. action D. sound

5.A. willingly B. completely C. quietly D. loudly

6.A. tolerated B. suffered C. put D. pulled

7.A. wanted B. hated C. knew D. grasped

8.A. tricked B. pushed C. forbade D. encouraged

9.A. quit B. accomplish C. read D. enjoy

10.A. even B. ever C. already D. never

11.A. meaningful B. important C. complete D. satisfying

12.A. came B. passed C. went by D. caught on

13.A. regularly B. silently C. gradually D. immediately

14.A. presence B. mind C. position D. control

15.A. confused B. surprised C. secure D. convenient

16.A. isolated B. participating C. expecting D. abandoned

17.A. made it B. put in C. like it D. take it

18.A. Then B. Thus C. Besides D. Otherwise

19.A. subscribe B. submit C. owe D. contribute

20.A. lesson B. gift C. message D. advice

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