Scientists are trying to make the deserts into good land again. They want to bring water to the deserts， so people can live and grow food. They are learning a lot about the deserts. But more and more of the earth is becoming desert all the time. Scientists may not be able to change the desert in time.

Why is more and more land becoming desert？Scientists think that people make deserts. People are doing bad things to the earth.

Some places on the earth don’t get much rain. But they still don’t become deserts. This is because some green plants are growing there. Small green plants and grass are very important to dry places. Plants don’t let the sun make the earth even drier. Plants do not let the wind blow the dirt away. When a bit of rain falls，the plants hold the water. Without plants，the land can become desert more easily.

1.Deserts ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿ .

2.Small green plants are very important to dry places because ＿＿＿＿＿＿.

3.Land is becoming desert little by little because ＿＿＿＿＿＿.

4.After reading this passage， we learn that ＿＿＿＿＿＿＿＿.

Pets are popular. They’re good listeners, they encourage us to exercise, and they’re always on our side when we argue with others. They can bring people comfort and pleasure.

But it is important to keep in mind that pets can carry diseases that can make you sick. Washing your hands often — especially after you touch, feed, or clean up a pet — is the best way to keep yourself healthy and prevent the spread of disease. Be sure to clean your fingernails（指甲）carefully every time you wash.

You also can protect your health by wearing gloves while cleaning animal cages or cat litter boxes. Avoid washing your pet in the bathtub (浴缸), but if you do, always disinfect (消毒) the tub immediately afterward.

Be sure to bring your pet to the hospital for examinations every two weeks or month and whenever your pet is sick or injured.

You can do a few other things to keep yourself and your pet healthy. Only give your pet food that has been planned ahead for them. It’s not a good idea to share your food with your pet. Human food (like chocolate) can make animals sick. Never feed your pet raw meat because it can carry germs (细菌) that cause serious illness.

And funny as it can be to see your dog or cat drinking from the toilet, don’t let pets do this. It’s bad for your pet’s health! Give them clean, fresh water to drink at all times.

Never give milk to cats. The only milk an animal should drink is from its mother. Cow’s milk is not for pets, especially for cats, as it makes them sick.

Finally, some animals aren’t pets. Don’t take in a wild or abandoned (被抛弃的) animal as a pet because it may have diseases that could make you or your family sick. Instead, turn to an animal rescue group that is trained in helping sick or abandoned animals.

1.The first paragraph mainly tells us that pets can ______.

A．be great friends                        B．bring us pleasure

C．help us keep healthy                     D．do harm to us

2. To keep healthy, the author may be against ______.

A．washing your fingernails after touching your pet

B．wearing gloves when cleaning your pet’s cage

C．washing your pet in the bathtub

D．bringing your pet for examinations regularly

3. The underlined word “it” in Para.7 refers to ______.

A．the cow                              B．the mother cat

C．cow’s milk                           D．mother cat’s milk

4. Which is the RIGHT way to feed your pet?

A．Sharing your chocolate with your dog.

B．Letting your dog drink from the toilet.

C．Feeding your little cat with raw meat.

D．Giving your cat cooked fish.

5.According to the text, when you meet an abandoned dog, you should ______.

A．call an animal rescue group

B．bring it back to your home

C．give it first aid（急救）in time

D．help to find its owner

完形填空（共20小题；每小题1分，满分20分）

阅读下面短文，掌握其大意，然后从36～55各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。

Albert Einstein said, “In the middle of every difficulty lies opportunity.” Once  36  , such opportunities are like valuable diamonds hidden in the sand.

Several years ago, I spoke at a school about how we were surrounded by “__37  ” if we could only recognize them. A man stopped by to see me, and I  38   him as somebody who had suffered through a(n)  39  divorce (离婚) and was examining what was most important to him. He took a small  40  out of his pocket. Here is what he said to me that day.

“I  41  on this stone when I was leaving church last Sunday. You had spoken about  42  opportunities—diamonds. I put the stone in my  43  to remind me to look for those diamonds that I need. I have been trying to sell my  44  . On Monday morning, a man who seemed interested in  45  some of my stock (股票) stopped by. I thought, ‘Here’s my diamond—don’t let it  46  !’ I sold the entire stock to him by noon. Now my next diamond is to find a new 47  !”

Not long afterward, he did find a new and better job. From then on, he  48  to keep his stone with him all the time as a   49  to look for “diamonds” as he digs through the  50  of life.

Richard DeVos is right when he  51  . “This is an exciting world. It is filled with opportunities.  52  moments wait around every corner.” Those moments are diamonds that,   53  left unrecognized, will be forever lost.

Are you looking for “diamonds” every day? If not, you may  54  pass them by! Perhaps there is a diamond of opportunity hidden in the difficulty you’re  55  now.

36.A.given                           B.discovered                      C.sent                         D.made

37.A.opportunities           B.dangers                           C.diamonds               D.chances

38.A.considered                B.treated                                      C.remembered                  D.saw

39.A.painful                        B.stupid                               C.normal                    D.original

40.A.ball                              B.stone                                C.paper                      D.flower

41.A.stepped                     B.depended                        C.fought                     D.based

42.A.stealing                      B.accepting                        C.recognizing            D.realizing

43.A.purse                          B.pocket                              C.bag                          D.house

44.A.stone                          B.position                            C.career                     D.business

45.A.selling                         B.buying                              C.hunting                            D.casting

46.A.go off                          B.give in                               C.stay up                  D.watch out

47.A.buyer              B.job                 C.stock          D.rock

48.A.hoped             B.decided              C.refused         D.hated

49.A.scene                          B.prize                                 C.reminder                D.power

50.A.difficulties                 B.hopes                               C.characters             D.cases

51.A.takes over                 B.leaves out                             C.points out              D.calls for

52.A.Actural                       B.Great                                C.Dangerous             D.Necessary

53.A.unless                         B.though                             C.for                            D.if

54.A.happily                       B.easily                                C.luckily                      D.dangerously

55.A.expressing                B.satisfying                         C.breaking                 D.experiencing

Scientists are trying to make the deserts ,which get very little rain, into good land again. They want to bring water to the deserts，so people can live and grow food. They are learning a lot about the deserts. But more and more of the earth is becoming desert all the time. Scientists may not be able to change the desert in time．

Why is more and more land becoming desert？Scientists think that people make deserts．People are doing bad things to the earth against the scientists’ wish．

Some places on the earth don’t get much rain. But they still don’t become deserts．This is because some green plants are growing there．Small green plants and grass are very important to dry places．Plants don’t let the sun make the earth even drier． Plants do not let the wind blow the dirt away．When a bit of rain falls，the plants hold the water. Without plants, the land can become desert more easily．

1.Deserts ____________ ．

2.More and more land is becoming desert  because____________．

3.Small green plants are very important to dry places because ________

4.After reading this passage, we learn that _____________ ．

How to Avoid Weight Gain Over Holidays

Do you love the holidays, but hate the pounds that follow? You are not alone. Holidays are times for feasting and celebrating. Many people are worried about their weight. ______1______ Whether you are celebrating at the office party or sitting down for the traditional family dinner, regard eating as a time for tasting a variety of foods. The idea is to enjoy the holidays but not to eat too much. You don’t have to turn away from the foods that you enjoy.

Here are some tips for preventing weight gain and maintaining physical fitness:

Don’t skip meals.

Before you leave home, have a small, low-fat meal or snack. ______2______

Control portions.

Use a small plate (about 10 inches) and put aside the large ones that may encourage you to “load up.” ______3______ Once you have your “tasting” serving, move away from the dining table. Doing so will make it less tempting (吸引人的) to be eating constantly as your appetite is inspired by the sight of food.

Begin with soup and fruit or vegetables.

Fill up beforehand with water-based soup and raw fruit or vegetables. Or drink a large glass of water before you eat to help you feel full.

Stick to physical activity.

______4______ A 20-minute walk after a meal can help burn off additional calories.

______5______

Dishes that look oily or creamy may have a large amount of fat. Choose lean meats. Fill your plate with salad and green vegetables. Use lemon juice instead of dressing or butter.

A．This may help to avoid getting too excited before delicious food.

B．You had better turn your attention away from delicious foods.

C．With proper planning, though, it is possible to keep normal weight during the holidays.

D．You should be most comfortable eating an amount of food about the size of your fist.

E. Avoid high-fat foods.

F. Don’t let exercise take a break during the holidays.

G. You’d better remember the Dos and Don’ts for keeping fit and slim.