题目内容

Not so long ago, a sailor sailing across the cold waters of the northern Pacific Ocean might have had every chance of being confronted by a sea cow. This cow would have measured 10 meters long, and weighed between five and ten tones. And it would spend most of its day cruising the seas, eating grass growing underwater. The cow in question was known as Steller’s sea cow, which is now extinct.

Today, many people are unaware that such an extraordinary creature once existed, or don’t know its incredible story. But scientists have discovered many fundamental facts about this mystical animal.

Surprisingly, the first recorded sighting of a Steller’s sea cow didn’t happen until 1741, when a sailing expedition was stuck on an uninhabited island, later named Bering Island. The sailor survived by hunting and eating the huge sea cow. Like its modern relatives, the sea cow lived in herds. That and its slow-moving behaviour made it easy to be caught.

Those sailors that escaped Bering Island spread word of the bounty(大量) of meat to be found off its shores. As a result, more and more expeditions came to hunt the animals. One report stated that one sea cow could feed 33 men for a month.

Incredibly, just 27 years after the island and species had been discovered by modern man, the last sea cow was reported killed. That makes the Steller’s sea cow one of the few truly large mammals known to have been driven extinct in the modern age.

1.Which of the following words can be used to describe the Steller’s sea cow?

A. Huge.B. Fierce.C. Aggressive.D. Mild.

2.The underlined word “That” refers to the fact that ________.

A. the sailor escaped Bering Island

B. the sea cow was a kind of social animal

C. more expeditions came to hunt the sea cow

D. one sea cow could feed 33 men for a month

3.In which year did the Steller’s sea cow become extinct?

A. In 1741.B. In 1768.C. In 1785.D. In 1876.

4.What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Why did expeditions hunt the Steller’s sea cow?

B. When did the Steller’s sea cow become extinct?

C. How did the Steller’s sea cow become extinct?

D. What do we know about the Steller’s sea cow?

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There was once a guy who suffered from cancer, a cancer that can’t be cured. One day he was sick of staying home and wanted to go out. He passed a CD store and looked through the front door for a second. He saw a beautiful girl about his age and he knew it was love at first sight. He opened the door and walked in, not looking at anything else but her. He walked closer and closer until he was finally at the front desk where she sat.

She looked up and asked, “Can I help you?” She smiled and he thought it was the most beautiful smile he had ever seen before. He said, “UH…Yeah…Umm… I would like to buy a CD.” He picked one out and gave her money for it. “Would you like me to pack it for you?” she asked, smiling her cute smile again. He nodded and she went to the back. She came back with the packed CD and gave it to him.

From then on, he went to that store every day and bought a CD. He took the CD home and put it in his closet. He was still too shy to ask her out. His mother found out about this and encouraged him. So the next day, he took all his courage and left his phone number on the desk before he ran out.

Several weeks later the phone rang, and the mother picked it up. It was the girl!!! The mother started to cry and said, “You don’t know? He passed away yesterday…” Later that day, the mother went into the boy’s room and opened the closet. Inside were piles and piles of unopened CDs. She picked one up and opened it. Out fell a piece of paper, saying: “Do you want to go out with me? Love, Jocelyn.” The mother was deeply moved and opened another CD… Again, there was a piece of paper with the same words.

1.Why did the girl offer to pick the CD for the boy every time?

A. Because it was required by the boy.

B. Because the shop owner told her to do so.

C. Because she felt sympathy for the dying boy.

D. Because she wanted to leave a note for the boy.

2.Which of the following can be used to describe the girl?

A. Energetic and polite.

B. Shy and curious.

C. Cute and brave.

D. Warm-hearted and responsible.

3. When the girl asked “Can I help you?”, the boy felt ________ .

A. discouraged B. nervous

C. stupid D. embarrassed

4.What could be the best title for the text?

A. Speak out loveB. Unconditional love

C. Buy a CD every day D. The greatest mother

In cities with rent control, the city government sets the maximum rent that a landlord (房东) can charge for an apartment. Supporters of rent control argue that it protects people who are living in apartment. Their rent cannot increase; therefore, they are not in danger of losing their homes. However, the critics say that after a long time, rent control may have negative effects. Landlords know that they cannot increase their profits. Therefore, they invest in other businesses where they can increase their profits. They do not invest in new buildings which would also be rent-controlled. As a result, new apartments are not built. Many people who need apartments cannot find any. According to the critics, the end result of rent control is a shortage of apartments in the city.

Some experts argue that the minimum wage law can cause problems in the same way. The federal government sets the minimum that an employer must pay workers. The minimum helps people who generally look for unskilled, low-paying jobs. However, if the minimum is high, employers may hire fewer workers. They will replace workers with machinery. Therefore, other things being equal, the number of workers that employers want decreases. Thus, critics hold the opinion that an increase in the minimum wage may cause unemployment. Some poor people may find themselves without jobs instead of with jobs at the minimum wage.

Supporters of the minimum wage say that it helps people keep their dignity. Because of the law, workers cannot sell their services for less than the minimum. Furthermore, employers cannot force workers to accept jobs at unfair wages.

Economic theory predicts the results of economic decision, such as decisions about farm production, rent control, and the minimum wage. The predictions may be corrected only if “other things are equal”. Economists do not agree on some of the predictions. They also do not agree on the value of different decisions. Some economists support a particular decision while others criticize it. Economists do agree, however, that there are no simple answers to economic questions.

1.There is the possibility that setting maximum rent may ________.

A. cause a shortage of apartments

B. worry those who rent apartments as homes.

C. increase the profits of landlords.

D. encourage landlords to invest in building apartments.

2.We can safely say that rent control ________.

A. will always benefit those who rent apartments.

B. is unnecessary.

C. will probably bring inactive effects in the long run.

D. is necessary under all conditions

3.There will be the problem of unemployment if ________.

A. the minimum wage is set too high..

B. the minimum wage is set too early.

C. the workers are unskilled.

D. the maximum wage is set for poor workers.

4.The passage tells us about ________.

A. the relationship between supply and demand.

B. the possible results of government controls.

C. the necessity of government control.

D. the urgency of getting rid of government control.

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