Thousands of dead red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky in an Arkansas town on New Year’s Eve after massive injuries, tests by Arkansas officials concluded on Monday. Some 5,000 birds mysteriously fell from the sky in Beebe, Arkansas after dark on New Year’s Eve. “The birds suffered from acute physical injuries leading to internal hemorrhage(大量出血) and death. There was no sign of infectious disease,” the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission said in a statement. The birds were otherwise healthy, it said.

One theory is that birds were frightened by New Year's fireworks and flew into buildings or other objects. “Loud noises were reported shortly before the birds began to fall from the sky,” the statement said, adding that blackbirds have poor night vision and seldom fly at night.

  Another theory was that severe weather such as lightning accounted for the loud noises but this was discounted because the violent weather had already left the area. “We’re leaning more toward a stress event," said Arkansas Game and Fish Commission spokesman Keith Stephens.

The commission also is trying to determine what caused the deaths of up to 100,000 fish over a 20-mile stretch of the Arkansas River near a dam in Ozark, 125 miles west of Beebe. The fish were discovered on December 30. Stephens said the commission expected results on the fish tests in probably a month. Since almost all the fish were one species -- bottom-feeding drum, Stephens said, the test was very important. Stephens also said: “The events do not appear related.” Both that section of the river and the air at the site of the bird deaths were tested for toxins(毒素). Beebe is a town of about 4,500 people located 30 miles northeast of the state capital.

What is NOT the probable reason why the dead red-winged blackbirds fell from the sky?

A. Internal hemorrhage                B. Fireworks

C. Lightning weather                          D. Murder

In the third paragraph, the underlined word discounted probably mean________.

A. not to reduce cost                           B. not to believe

C. to make up a part                          D. to explain mystery

According to Stephens, we can infer the probable cause of the dead fish is _________.A. cold weather                                  B. poor management  

C. disease                                         D. lack of food

The passage is mainly developed by __________.

A. analyzing causes                           B. making comparisons

C. examining differences                    D. following the time order

On Christmas Eve a few years ago an English couple(夫妇) received a very special telephone call. It was only a 20-second call but it was very important. The Haydens’ 15-year-old daughter had disappeared six months before. On Christmas Eve she rang them. “I’m phoning to wish a happy Christmas,” she said, “I love you.”
Ronals and Edwine Hayden were so happy that they started a special telephone service called “Alive and Well”. The service helps parents to get in touch with children who have run away from home.
Young people can phone “Alive and Well” and leave a message for their parents. The telephones are answered by answering machines. So no one can speak to the child of making him return home.
Parents of runaway children who are under eighteen can ask the police to bring their children home, so children do not want to tell their parents where they are. Through “Alive and Well” they can telephone their parents without worrying about this or giving out their addresses.
The Haydens and their helpers write down the tape recorded telephone messages and connect the address given. Many of the 30,000 British teenagers who have left home are probably in London. For only two pence they can go into a telephone coin box and call their parents. They can dial(拨) 5675339 and stop a parent’s worry: Is he dead or alive?
72.  The Haydens’ daughter rang her parents         .
A. because she knew she had done something wrong    B. in order to give them her address
C. to say she was coming home soon     D. in order to comfort her worried parents
73. If you ring “Alive and Well ”,       .
A. you will get the information you want B. your message will be passed over to your parents
C. your information will be kept a secret      D. your parents will know where you are
74. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. The Haydens received an “Alive and Well” call from their daughter before Christmas.
B. An “Alive and Well” call usually costs only two pence because it is quite near and short.
C. In this text at least 30,000 British teenagers don’t want to live with their parents.
D. The “Alive and Well” call is far less important than the message it sends.
75. Through “Alive and Well”, parents of runaway children         .
A. often fail to persuade their children to return home
B. know nothing from their children to return home
C. can say nothing to their children
D. can ask the police to help them to find lost children
DBAC

Fireworks explosions killed many people and injured hundreds more in China as the 2006 traditional Lunar New Year celebrations led to much disorder as well as joy across the nation.

At a temple fair in Henan, 36 people were killed on New Year's Day when a nearby storeroom full of fireworks exploded. The accident, caused by 3 children who threw burning fireworks into the storeroom, injured up to 48 people.

In the capital, Beijing, where a 12-year ban on Lunar New Year fireworks had just been lifted, the government reported 112 people were treated at hospital emergency rooms over the weekend for fireworks-related injuries.

"On New Year's Eve alone, we had more than 40 injuries and among them there were around a dozen people with serious injuries," hospital assistant director,Tian Jian said. In China's south-western city, Chongqing, where the fireworks ban was also lifted after 12 years, firefighters rushed to put out nearly 200 fires caused by fireworks on New Year's Eve.

A ban on fireworks, which are traditionally believed to ward off evil spirits and ghosts trying to enter New Year, was put in place across 200 cities in China due to safety and environmental pollution concerns. The ban was lifted in Beijing and many other cities in 2006.

However, despite the fireworks disorder, China's 1.3 billion people were largely enjoying the festival, with celebrations to continue throughout all of this week-long public holiday.

46. In which year were fireworks forbidden in Beijing and Chongqing?

A. In 1990                     B. In 1992                    C. In 1994                    D. In 1995

47. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?

A. The origin of fireworks during the Spring Festival

B. The cause of lifting the ban on fireworks.

C. The direct cause of the fireworks explosion in Henan.

D. The number of injuries caused by fireworks in Chongqing.

48. The underlined phrase" ward off" in the fifth paragraph means ________.

A. prevent              B. set off                     C. allow                D. burn down

49. Which of the following is the very reason why fireworks were banned in China?

A. Noise pollution                                       B. Waste of money       

C. Air pollution                                                 D. Possible injury and death

50. The purpose of writing the passage is to ________.

A. warn people of the great danger of fireworks

B. report the number of fireworks deaths and injuries during the festival

C. report that fireworks cause more fires and injuries than deaths

D. Advise people to keep away from fireworks

 

On Christmas Eve a few years ago an English couple(夫妇) received a very special telephone call. It was only a 20-second call but it was very important. The Haydens’ 15-year-old daughter had disappeared six months before. On Christmas Eve she rang them. “I’m phoning to wish a happy Christmas,” she said, “I love you.”

Ronals and Edwine Hayden were so happy that they started a special telephone service called “Alive and Well”. The service helps parents to get in touch with children who have run away from home.

Young people can phone “Alive and Well” and leave a message for their parents. The telephones are answered by answering machines. So no one can speak to the child of making him return home.

Parents of runaway children who are under eighteen can ask the police to bring their children home, so children do not want to tell their parents where they are. Through “Alive and Well” they can telephone their parents without worrying about this or giving out their addresses.

The Haydens and their helpers write down the tape recorded telephone messages and connect the address given. Many of the 30,000 British teenagers who have left home are probably in London. For only two pence they can go into a telephone coin box and call their parents. They can dial(拨) 5675339 and stop a parent’s worry: Is he dead or alive?

72.  The Haydens’ daughter rang her parents         .

A. because she knew she had done something wrong    B. in order to give them her address

   C. to say she was coming home soon     D. in order to comfort her worried parents

73. If you ring “Alive and Well ”,        .

A. you will get the information you want B. your message will be passed over to your parents

   C. your information will be kept a secret      D. your parents will know where you are

74. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. The Haydens received an “Alive and Well” call from their daughter before Christmas.

   B. An “Alive and Well” call usually costs only two pence because it is quite near and short.

   C. In this text at least 30,000 British teenagers don’t want to live with their parents.

   D. The “Alive and Well” call is far less important than the message it sends.

75. Through “Alive and Well”, parents of runaway children         .

   A. often fail to persuade their children to return home

   B. know nothing from their children to return home

   C. can say nothing to their children

   D. can ask the police to help them to find lost children

DBAC

 

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