题目内容

Legend has it that sometime toward the end of the Civil War (1861 - 1865) a government train carrying oxen was caught in a snowstorm and had to be abandoned. The driver returned the next spring to see what had become of his cargo. Instead of the skeletons he had expected to find, he saw his oxen, living, fat, and healthy. How had they survived?

    The answer lay in a resource that unknowing Americans had trampled (践踏) underfoot in their haste(匆忙)to cross the “Great American Desert” to reach lands that sometimes proved barren. In the eastern parts of the United States, the preferred grass for forage (草料) was a cultivated plant. It grew well with enough rain, then when cut and stored it would cure and become nourishing hay for winter feed. But in the dry grazing lands of the west, that familiar blue joint grass was often killed by drought. To raise cattle out there seemed risky or even hopeless.

     Who could imagine a fairy-tale grass that required no rain and somehow made it possible for cattle to feed themselves all winter? But the surprising western wild grasses did just that. They had wonderfully convenient features that made them superior to the cultivated eastern grasses. Variously known as buffalo grass, not only were they immune to drought, but they were actually preserved by the lack of summer and autumn rains. They were not juicy like the cultivated eastern grasses, but had short, hard stems. And they did not need to be cured in a barn, but dried right where they grew on the ground. When they dried in this way, they remained naturally sweet and nourishing through the winter. Cattle left outdoors to fend for themselves thrived on this hay. And the cattle themselves helped plant the fresh grass year after year, for they trampled the natural seeds firmly into the soil to be watered by the melting snows of winter and the occasional rains of spring. The dry summer air cured them much as storing in a barn cured the cultivated grasses.

 

87. What does the passage mainly discuss?

   A. Western migration after the Civil War.

   B. The raising of cattle.

   C. The climate of the western United States.

   D. A type of wild vegetation.

88. What can we infer from the cultivated grasses mentioned in the second paragraph?

   A. Cattle raised in the western United States refused to eat it.

   B. Those from the eastern parts would not grow well in the western United States.

   C. Those had to be imported into the United States.

   D. It was difficult for cattle to digest.

89. Which of the following was NOT mentioned as a characteristic of western grasses?

   A. They have tough stems.                  B. They are not affected by dry weather.

   C. They contain little moisture.             D. They can be grown indoors.

90. According to the passage, the cattle helped promote the growth of the wild grasses by ________.

   A. stepping on and pressing the seeds into the ground

   B. naturally fertilizing the soil

   C. continually moving from one grazing area to another

   D. eating only small quantities of grass

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ANIMALS have always been used to represent certain human characteristics. Countries also use animals as symbols. From eagles to lions, many countries use an animal to show its national spirit and character.

The image of an eagle is on the US President’s flag, and on the one-dollar bill. The bald eagle is a large, powerful, brown bird with a white head and tail. The term “bald” does not mean that this bird lacks feathers. Instead, it comes from the old word piebald, that menas, “marked with white”.

The US declared that the eagle was its national bird in 1782. It was chosen because of “its long life, great strength, and noble looks”.

A few eagles have even become American heroes. An eagle named “Old Abe”, the mascot of a Wisconsin troop of soldiers during the Civil War, traveled 14,000 miles with its men. He was often shot at by the enemy, but survived 42 battles.

But, one of the Founding Fathers, Benjamin Franklin didn’t agree with the choice. “The bald eagle … is a bird of bad moral character, like those among men who live by robbing, he is generally poor, and often very messy,” he argued. Franklin wanted the turkey as the country’s national bird.

If Americans chose their national symbol deliberately, the symbol of England arose out of history.

King Herry Ⅰ(1068-1135) was a brave warrior but also wise. His appreciation for the rule of law earned him the nickname the Lion of Justice. He was the first English King to use a lion as a royal symbol, which is popularly known as the “king of the jungle”. By the year Richard Ⅰ, known as “The Lionheart” for his bravery, came to the throne in 1189, the famous Three Lions badge had been formed. Now it can be seen on the shirts of England’s sports teams.

Although people might not think of lions when they think of England, everyone knows about the Australian kangaroo. Legend has it that the kangaroo gets its name from an early meeting between local aborigines and white settlers. When asked by the Europeans what these strange-looking animals were, a native replied “kangaroo”, meaning “I don’t understand you.”

The kangaroo is an individualistic animal. Although it does gather in groups, the kangaroo is not a herd animal. If a group is attacked, individuals run off in different directions. Australians think the kangaroo represents positive values, such as individual responsibility and pride.

1.The general idea of this passage should probably be __________ .

A. animals are friends of human beings

B. nearly all the countries have an animal as their national animal

C. animals’ good values are always used to show a country’s national spirit and character

D. certain human characteristics are the same as some animals, so some countries love animals

2.Which is NOT true about the animal of the “bald eagle”?

A. It was Benjamin Franklin who made the bald eagle as the national animal of the USA.

B. The term “bald” means “marked with white”.

C. The bald eagle can show American national spirit and character.

D. “Old Abe” was even an American hero.

3.The reason why the lion was made as the national animal of the United Kingdom was that ______ .

A. it could always be used to represent certain human characteristics of England

B. the Kings of England loved lions

C. there are many lions in England

D. lions are “king of the jungle”

4.What good values can the kangaroo show as national spirits?

A. Group.                     B. Respect of others.

C. Not understanding            D. Positive values.

 

Chinese tradition says a different animal represents each new year of the 12-year Chinese Zodiac(黄道十二宫) cycle. According to the Chinese calendar, the year you were born may determine your personality. Every year of this cycle is represented by an animal, and legend has it that people born under that animal have certain personality traits. Here are some of them:

Dragon

The Real Thing: The mythical dragon is a symbol of power and good fortune in Chinese culture. One of the most popular figures in Chinese art, the dragon is believed to be a combination of nine animals, including a frog, a tiger, an eagle, and a fish.

Born a Dragon: You go out of your way to help your friends, who often seek you out for advice. Your outgoing personality helps you get along with many types of people.

Snake

The Real Thing: Snakes have great instincts. Some “play dead” to fool predators(捕食者), and most sense prey by detecting ground vibration(震动). They can take more than an hour to swallow a meal, and they become inactive for up to two weeks before they shed their skin.

Born a Snake: You rely on yourself before asking others their opinions. At times you want to take a break from the action. It’s not that you are lazy---sometimes you just like to think.

Pig

The Real Thing: Domesticated(驯养)pigs have been helping human for about 9,000 years. Incredibly intelligent, a pig shows its smarts by rolling in mud and sticking its snout in dirt. Why? The mud keeps it cool, and rooting in the dirt provides important vitamins.

Born a Pig: Smart and caring, you live to help other people. You have great taste and love to wallow in the nicer things in life.

Rat

The Real Thing: Most rats are highly adaptable. They can live just about anywhere and eat about anything. Before brown rats leave their underground burrows, these clever creatures send one rat ahead to make sure danger doesn’t exist outside.

Born a Rat: You welcome challenges and enjoy learning about new things. Funny and smart, you are generous and will protect your pack of friends. 

 ______

The Real Thing: The largest of the big cats, they hunt alone. They secretly move towards prey, then leap and attack when the time seems right. Dinner still escapes most of the time.

Born a _____: You are a natural leader but often like to do things by yourself. (That’s how you stay in charge!) You believe in fighting for what’s right, even if you’ll lose in the end.

1. According to the description of the last animal, we can choose _____ to fill in the blanks. 

    A. Tiger                B. Lion             C. Ox               D. Monkey

2.  The underlined word “snout” probably means _____.

A. back              B. nose                C. head                 D. tail 

 

 

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