Get a reward for every bug you bring to live in new science museum exhibit.

In a city with trillions of American cockroaches(蟑螂), the Houston Museum of Natural Science has agreed to pay a quarter per bug-up to 1,000-as it seeks to populate a new insect exhibit alongside its Cockrell Butterfly Center.

Nancy Greig, the museum’s director insists the public payday for roaches isn’t just a marketing ploy(炒作).

“Absolutely, this wasn’t devised as a joke,” Greig said. “We needed more roaches for the exhibit, so I sent this message out to everyone in the museum asking people to bring them in. Well, someone decided to tell the press, and all hell has broken loose.”

“But we really do need cockroaches.”

“One might be forgiven for never considering how to catch a live cockroach. But it’s simple enough to fool them,” Greig said, “and even easier to catch them.” American cockroaches are the most common kind in Texas, measuring up to 2 inches long and invading homes.

Despite their less-than-attractive reputation, cockroaches actually aren’t that dirty. Greig even went so far as to call them “fastidious” saying they don’t enjoy rooting(用嘴拱食) in waste. They’re only dirty if, say, they used a sewer(下水道)line to gain access into a home.

The roaches collected by the museum will become part of a display in a new exhibit that showcases insects such as cockroaches, dung beetles and termites.

There’s more to like about roaches, too. They don’t bite, and they don’t carry diseases like a mosquito, so they’re generally safe to handle.

56.For what does the museum pay for cockroaches?

       A.For a marketing ploy.              B. It’s devised to make fun.

       C.People really need them.            D. For a new exhibit.

57.The underlined word “fastidious” probably means extremely ________.

       A.clean           B.dirty            C.unpleasant           D.fast  

58.What do we know about American roaches?

       A.It’s not easy for people in Houston to collect roaches.

       B.They all measure 2 inches and are often found in homes

       C.They don’t bite and they are free of disease.

       D.We have reasons to like them.

59.Which of the following can serve as the best title for the passage?

       A.The Houston Museum of Natural Science

       B.A new exhibit

       C.Quarters for cockroaches                       

       D.A cockroach is lovely

阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,然后从36—55各题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Taking Care

From a very early age, I knew I wanted to be a nurse. My mother was a nurse and I have always  36  her and the way she took care of everyone. I wanted to be just like her.

So, here I am, a   37  for the last seven years. I love my work. Now, my father is quite   38  . He is 71 and has heart failure, and a lot of other medical  39  . Up until April of this year, he was able to live alone, drive, and   40  all of his own needs. His health has broken sown swiftly. I’m the only girl out of the five children. Being the only girl and a nurse  41  me at the top of the caregiver list. Taking care of a sick parent is very  42  , not at all like taking care of other patients. I have to   43  my own family to be here with Dad. I know this is   44  I need to be but it is still hard. I   45  abut 12-15 hours day taking care of him. I want to spend all of the time that I can with him because I know that our   46  left together is short.

At the same time, I find myself  47  that my brothers don’t help more. Sometimes, it is days between their   48  . they all have families of their own and busy lives but…so do I. My eldest brother does help some. He   49  at night. He comes in at 8 or 9pm and lets me go home. But he is up and   50  to hit the road at about 6 am. My   51  brothers pop in for 10-15 minute visits. It is   52  annoying. They say they  53  stand “to see Daddy this way” which I understand. It hurts me to see him so sick  54  weak, too. But …he’s our Dad. He has taken care of us our whole lives. I just  55  like we should all do our part to take care of him now.

A.missed   B.admired    C.cheered     D.loved

A.nurse     B.mother     C.doctor      D.daughter

A.stubborn       B.healthy     C.lonely       D.ill

A.puzzles  B.difficulties       C.problems  D.matters

A.give up  B.take care of      C.watch over       D.take up

A.put B.encouraged      C.obliged     D.showed

A.necessary      B.easy  C.important  D.difficult

A.refuse    B.support     C.abandon    D.own

A.when     B.how  C.where       D.why

A.waste   B.spend       C.kill    D.pass

A.money  B.pleasure    C.emotion    D.time

A.angry   B.calm  C.enthusiastic      D.anxious

A.trips     B.favours     C.visits D.meals

A.lives    B.appears     C.sleeps       D.stays

A.likely   B.ready C.sorry D.glad

A.other    B.dear  C.busy  D.pitiful

A.even    B.ever  C.still   D.really

A.mustn’t       B.needn’t     C.can’t D.shouldn’t

A.or B.and   C.yet    D.but

A.feel      B.sound       C.smell D.look

Before a new type of airplane goes into service, every part of it is tested again and again. But there are two tests that are more important than all the others.

The first is called the " tank(贮水池) test". A modem airplane must fly very high in the sky. Air must be pumped into the plane so that the passengers can breathe. The metal structure (结构)of the plane has to be very strong for this reason. When the plane is filled with air, the air presses against the skin of the plane inside. The pressure (压力) on a small window is like a huge foot that is try­ing to get out. If a small part of the plane were to fail, the plane would explode (爆炸)in the sky. To test the structure of the plane, the plane is lowered into a huge tank or container of water. Then it is filled with air.  The pressure inside the plane is greater than it ever will be when it is high up in the air. Finally, there is an explosion. This does not cause so much damage inside the water tank as it would anywhere else. Engineers can discover which part of the plane has broken. Then that part is made stronger. 

The most dangerous test happens when the new plane is going through test flights in the air. The pilot must find out exactly what happens when the engines (发动机) are all shut off at once. The plane begins to fall like a stone. It is the pilot’s job to find out how he can get control of the plane again. These two tests are examples of how planes are made safe before they ever carry passengers.

1.By doing the "tank test", the engineers can find out _______.

A.the amount of air in the plane

B.the strength of the plane structure

C.the pressure inside and outside the plane

D.the power of the airplane engines

2.What will happen to the plane under the "tank test"?

A.It will be broken.

B.It will be made stronger.

C.It will be filled with water.

D.It will be tested by pilots,

3.According to the text, why are test flights most dangerous?

A.The plane may explode in the air.

B.The pilot may lose control of the plane.

C.The engines may be damaged.

D.Too much air may get into the plane.

4.What might be the most suitable title for the text?

A.Two Important Tests on Airplanes

B.The Importance of Flying Safely

C.The Danger of Testing Airplanes

D.How Airplanes Are Made and Tested

 

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