Researchers who helped discover a new species of Mexican butterfly are offering to sell the naming rights to raise money to fund more research. Co-discoverer Andrew Warren is hoping to raise at least $50,000 by auctioning(拍卖) off the rights to name the 4-inch “owl eye” butterfly, which lives in Sonora, a Mexican state bordering Arizona.

“That would support at least two years of research for our team down in Mexico,” Warren said. “Money goes a long way down here in Mexico.”

According to the scientific tradition, discoverers of a new species have the say in naming it. In recent years, some discoverers have auctioned off their naming rights to raise money.

Warren said the amount being sought for the butterfly is not out of the question, noting that naming rights for a new monkey species brought in $650,000 two years ago. A group of 10 new fish species that went on the naming auction block at the same time earlier this year brought in a total of $2 million.

The butterfly discovered by Warren and researcher George Austin ranges as far north as Mexico.

The butterfly was actually in a collection, misidentified as an example of another new species, at the McGuire Center for Lepidoptera and Biodiversity at the Florida Museum of National History in Gainesville, said Warren. They soon began the hard process of determining that it was indeed a “new” model of butterfly.

After checking photos and comparing it with other known species, they determined it was a separate species.

Where did the researchers discover the new species of butterflies?

   A. In Sonora.                        B. In Mexico state.       

   C. In a place in US.                D. Near the US-Mexico border.

Why will the researchers sell the naming rights of the butterfly?

To raise money for wildlife protection.

To raise money for more research.

To cause people’s attention to the new discovery.

To cover the cost of the research.

When the butterfly was first discovered, people thought ______.

it was a new species at once

it wasn’t a species of American butterfly

it belonged to the monarch branches

it belonged to a new species

We can infer from the passage that ______.

the new species of butterfly live both in the US and Mexico

it took the researchers a lot of efforts to determine the new species of butterfly

the researchers are not sure whether they can get the money they want from the auction

it is the first time that the new species of butterfly has been found

Why is pink or purple a color for girls and blue or brown for boys?

The answer depends largely on cultural values as well as personal experiences. To the Egyptians, green was a color that represented the hope and joy of spring, while for Muslims, it means heaven. Red is a symbol (象征) of good luck in many cultures. In China, children are given money in a red envelope to bring good fortune in the New Year. For many nations, blue is a symbol of protection and religious beliefs. Greek people often wear a blue necklace hoping to protect themselves against evils (灾祸).

People’s choice of colors is also influenced by their bodies’ reactions (反应) toward them. Green is said to be the most restful color. It has the ability to reduce pain and relax people both mentally and physically. People who work in green environment have been found to have fewer stomach aches.

Red can cause a person’s blood pressure to rise and increase people’s appetites (食欲). Many decorators will include different shades of red in the restaurant. Similarly, many commercial websites will have a red “Buy Now” button because red is a color that easily catches a person’s eye.

Blue is another calming color. Unlike red, blue can cause people to lose appetite. So if you want to eat less, some suggest that eating from blue plates can help.

The next time you are deciding on what to wear or what color to decorate your room, think about the color carefully.

1. Muslims regard green as a symbol of heaven mainly because of their______.

A.cultural values                         B.commercial purposes

C.personal experiences                    D.physical reactions to the color

2. Why will many commercial websites have a red “Buy Now” button?

A.To relax people physically.

B.To increase people’s appetites.

C.To encourage people to make a purchase.

D.To cause a person’s blood pressure to rise.

3. What color might help lose weight according to the text?

A.Red.             B.Green.            C.Blue.             D.Purple.

4. Which of the following would be the most proper title for the text?

A.Colors and Human Beings

B.The Cultural Meaning of Color

C.The Meaning and Function of Color

D.Colors and Personal Experiences

 

第三部分:阅读理解(共20小题.每小题2分,满分40分)

阅读下列短文,从每小题所给的四个选项(A,B,C和D)中选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。

Now, it’s time for some brief news items.

1. China wins women’s 3,000m short track relay, S. Korea disqualified

VANCOUVER, Feb. 24 2010(Xinhua) -- Twice Olympic champion Wang Meng led the Chinese short track speed skating team to the top podium of women's 3,000m relay with a world record at the Vancouver Winter Games here on Wednesday, as South Korea was later disqualified. Canada took the silver, with the United States picking up the bronze. South Korea's skaters had already started waving flags in joy after crossing the line but later the judges decided Kim Min-jung had impeded(阻碍) during an exchange push.

2. Severe drought cracks Airport’s runway

KUNMING, March. 18 2010(China Daily)??Severe drought continues to plague southwestern China's Yunnan Province.

In the provincial capital Kunming, the surface of Wu Jiaba International Airport's only runway has been fractured(断裂的). Repairs have been going on since Tuesday. The airport is closed every day from midnight to seven-thirty in the morning. Airport authorities say the severe drought is the cause of the damage. The airport also needs to repair its plane taxiing and parking area. Chen Zhiwei, Security Dept., Kunming International Airport, said, "The drought has greatly lowered the underground water level. And this has affected the runway foundations. The damage to its surface is severe."

3. School Soldiers

Russian school students will have to do basic military training in their final year of school, the government has decided. The lesson will include learning to fire guns, marching drills and how to deal with a chemical, nuclear or biological attack. The activity is seen as part of a drive toward the education of their love for their country.

4.

Is it hard for you to get up early and get ready for classes? Some students at Winter Park High School just roll out of bed in their pajamas(睡衣)and go to class in their own bedrooms, Of course, their teachers and classmates do not see them because all their class work is on the computer. The Florida High School, the state’s only online program take classes in algebra, American government, chemistry, computer, economics, and web-page design. They also have to go to regular school to attend other classes.

56. Which country ranks fourth in the women’s 3,000m short track relay according to the first news?

A. S. Korea.          B. Canada.             C. The USA.          D. Not known.

57. Which of the following is correct according to the second news?

A. The airport has been closed since Tuesday.

B. Drought caused the trouble for repairs.

C. The underground water level became lower, and that’s why the Airport's runway cracked.

D. Flights were not really stopped during the day, because Wu Jiaba International Airport had another runway.

58. Why will Russian school students have basic military training?

A. To get ready for a military parade.         

B. To learn to protect themselves.

C. To gain some military knowledge.          

D. To develop their love for the country.

59. The news from Florida can be given a title “________”.

A. Get up Late                                        B. Online School    

C. The Special Pajamas                                   D. The Popular Subjects

 

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