The Beagle Brigade

When returning to the United States from a trip abroad, passengers will have their baggage inspected at U.S. airports by the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Beagle Brigade, a team of beagles and their human partners. Working with their human partners, the beagles search for agricultural products carrying diseases and pests which are likely to infect American agriculture.

An orange or apple, for example, might harbor a Mediterranean fruit fly. Ham could carry a disease such as cholera. These and other pests could do harm to farmers’ crops. “Once we introduce something that is not part of the environment, there may not be any controls for it in the environment,” notes USDA’s Lisa Davis at the National Dog Detector Training Center in Orlando, Florida. “The best thing for us to do is to prevent it from coming across the border and spreading.”

When a beagle smells food smells, it signals its partner by sitting there. The human partners then investigate. When the dog is right--which happens 90 percent of the time—it gets something to eat.

“The dog is not out there working,” explains Davis. “It’s out there playing. It’s a game to the dog.” The partners give the beagles plenty of food and loving. They make sure they get first-class medical attention, too. When the dogs finally retire after 9 to 11 years, the USDA finds caring homes for them. It’s a dog’s life indeed!

Their people partners work and study somewhat harder. As specialized quarantine(检疫) officers, most hold degrees in the biological sciences or related sciences.

How well does the Beagle Brigade do its job? “On the average,” notes Davis, “each year our 54 teams prevent around 75,000, restricted(限制的) items.” Since even one infected item could cause widespread destruction, that’s a great result for America’s agricultural environment.

1.The beagles at the airport in the USA are used to __________.

A. conduct the check on foreign passengers’ baggage

B. stop the local products from being taken abroad

C. help inspect the baggage brought from abroad

D. keep their people partners safe

2.What will the beagle do when it finds a possible food product?

A. Signal by sitting next to it.

B. Bark and run around it.

C. Draw it to its partner.

D. Play a game.

3.How is the last paragraph mainly developed?

A. By listing the restricted food.

B. By analyzing the result.

C. By providing the facts.

D. By using examples.

4.What is the author’s attitude towards the use of beagles?

A. Curious. B. Uninterested.

C. Doubtful. D. Positive.

Have Fun at UK’s Most Famous Theme Park

Alton Towers Theme Park re-opens with selected rides and attractions for Half-Term from 19th to 27th of February 2011, and then again for the main season, starting on 26th March, 2011.

There’s something for the whole family at Alton Towers, with lots of terrific rides, amazing live shows, and wonderful costume characters. Guests of all ages will enjoy many different fun-packed activities. Here are some of the rides.

Thirteen

Thirteen is based on the discovery of an ancient burial site in an area of unexpected woodland known as the Dark Forest, and built on the site of the old Corkscrew roller-coaster. You are invited to take the final ride on Thirteen, going deep into the seemingly living, breathing Dark Forest.

You must be at least 1.2m tall to go on the ride. If you are 1.96m or over , you can’t go on the ride.

Laughs and frights

Are you up for a bit of light-hearted fun with friends and family? The roller-coaster at the Alton Towers Resort makes for an unforgettable experience. There is a great deal of fun and lots of laughs and fun frights on its amusement rides.

Attractions

There is entertainment for the whole family. There are lots of rides and activities to keep all ages happy, all day long. You may take a ride on the Skyride or start or finish your day with a round of Extraordinary Golf.

Save 20% by booking online and benefit from Early Ride Time. There is no online booking fee—the price you see is the price you pay.

Ticket Type Including Early Ride Time

Online Only Price

Online Family of Four Ticket

£ 90.24

Online Adult Ticket

£31.68

Online Child Ticket (age 4-11)

£24.48

1.The feature of the theme park is that ________.

A. it only provides terrific rides

B. everyone in the family can have fun there

C. only adults can go on the ride

D. none of the activities are suitable for tall people

2.If a family of four wants to buy tickets to the theme park at the booking office, they should pay________.

A. about 72 pounds B. about 90 pounds

C. about 150 pounds D. about 113 pounds

3.Which of the following statements is true?

A. A 13-year-old boy needs to pay 24.48 pounds for his ticket.

B. Guests can visit the theme park at any time of the year.

C. The theme park re-opens mainly for children.

D. You can save 20% of booking fee if you book online.

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