The Migration of Birds

   Here is a scientific experiment on the homing of birds, the fact of which are quite certain. A few years ago seven swallows were caught near their nests at Bremen in Germany. They were marked with a red dye on some of their white feathers, so that they could easily been seen. Then they were taken by plane to Croydon, near London. This is a distance of 400 miles.

   Then the seven swallows were set free at Croydon. Five of them flew back to their nests at Bremen. How did the birds find their way on that long journey, which they had never made before? That is the great puzzle. It is no good saying that the swallows have a sense of direction. These are just words and explain nothing. We want to know exactly what senses the animals use to find their way, how they know in which direction to go until they can see familiar landmarks. Unfortunately practically no scientific experiments have yet been made on this question.

   Perhaps migrating birds are the greatest mystery of all. Swallows leave England in August and September, and they fly to Africa, where they stay during our winter. The swallows return to England in the late summer for the south. A lot has been found about the journeys of migrating birds by marking the birds with aluminum rings put on one leg. An address and a number is put on the ring.

   Swallows from England go as far as South Africa and as many as fourteen birds, marked with rings in England, have been caught again in South Africa. From England to South Africa is a journey of 6,000 miles. And the birds not only return from Africa to England next spring, but often they come back to the nests in the very same house where they nested the year before.

17．The seven swallows were marked on some of their feathers because       .

A．they would be taken away by plane

B．they would be free in London

C．Croydon was 400 miles away

D．they could easily be seen for the red colour

18．Which of the following is true?       .

A．Seientists have found why the animals can see their nests.

B．No one knows why the swallows can fly back to their familiar landmarks.

C．It’s very simple that the birds use sense of direction.

D．Many experiments have been made on how birds can fly their way home

19．Swallows like to spend ”our winter” in        .

A．England      B．London        C．Africa       D．Germany

20．When do the birds return from South Africa to England every year?

A．summer        B．spring        C．winter         D．Both A and B

Proverbs(谚语) are quite common in spoken English. We do not normally put them in a composition or letter. Sometimes it is helpful if you know what common proverbs mean. Here are a few examples:

Once bitten, twice shy. If a dog bites me, I shall be twice as careful in future when I see it. This proverb is also used to apply to many things and not only to dogs. If you have been cheated at a shop, you will not go to the same shop again. 

A bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. If I am a hunter, trying to catch birds, it is better to catch one bird than to see two birds in a bush but not be able to catch them. Thus this means that what you have already got is better than the chance of being able to get something bigger in the future.   

Too many cooks spoil the broth(soup). When too many people do something together, they get in each other’s way and cannot do a good job.

To pour oil on troubled waters Is to try to calm things down. Oil is lighter than water. If a ship is in trouble at sea, another ship may come to help it. The second ship can send small boats to rescue people. However, it may first pour oil on the sea to make the sea less rough.

Don't be a dog in a manger(马槽). Means “ Don’t be selfish.” In a stable(马厩), the manger is the place where the horse’s food is put. Sometimes a dog will sleep in the manger and bard when a horse comes to get its food. The dog does not want to eat the hay in the manger but it will not let the horse eat it.

He’s sitting on the fence. Means that somebody will not say whether he is in favour of a plan or against it. He is sitting on a fence between two opposing sides, perhaps waiting to see which side will win.

He who pays the piper calls the tune. A piper is a musician . The man who employs or pays a musician can say what tunes the man will play. Thus this means that if a man provides the money for a plan, he can say how it will be carried out.

You can’t get blood out of a stone means that you can’t get something out of a person who has not got any of the things you want. For example, you cannot get a million dollars from a poor man.

Peter had a bicycle which was much too small for him but he did not want to let his younger brother ride on it. His mother was angry and said to him : “______”.

   A. You cannot get blood out of a stone         B. Don’t be a dog in a manger

   C. The early bird gets the worm              D. Don’t be a horse in the manger

Mr Wang paid for a new school. Some people did not like the design of the school but they did not argue with Mr Wang because ________.

   A. he was sitting on the fence                 B. once bitten, twice shy

   C. he who pays the piper calls the tune          D. a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush

Mrs Chen wanted to buy a new dress. Her husband suggested that she buy it from a shop near their home. Mrs Chen disagreed because she had been cheated by that shop. Then she said: “ I won’t go there again because___.”

   A. a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush     B. I am sitting on the fence

   C. Once bitten, twice shy                     D. too man cooks spoil the broth

Mr brown had quite a good job in Hong Kong but he thought that if he went to Singapore he might get a much better job with more money and a large house. His wife did not want him to leave his job in Hong Kong and she warned him that _____.

   A. a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush       B. too many cooks spoil the broth

   C.you cannot get blood out of a stone             D.he who pays the piper calls the tune     

阅读理解。

　　No one knows why we sleep, but it's certain that we need to. People who are prevented from sleeping begin to suffer obvious effects after a few days----they think less clearly, and they fall asleep during the working hours; some may have hallucinations(幻觉).

　　There are no rules about sleep. Generally speaking, grown-ups sleep about 7 and half hours each night and probably more than 60 percent get between seven and eight hours. But perhaps eight per cent are quite happy with 5 hours or less, and four percent or so find that they want ten hours or more. If you feel all right, you're probably getting enough sleep. The important thing is not to worry how much other people get----their needs may be different. Exercise doesn't seem to increase the need for sleep----office workers, for example, sleep for about as long as people doing physically active work.

　　Children sleep more than grown-ups----perhaps 14 to 18 hours soon after birth, going down to grown-up levels by early teen-age. Sleep patterns also tend to be different in the elderly, who may sleep less at night than they did when younger, find sleep getting more broken, and often make it a rule to sleep during the daytime.

1．According to the passage, some people are unable to think clearly because ________.

[　　]

A．they have hallucinations

B．they feel sleepy during the working hours

C．they don't have enough sleep

D．they are certain to be kept from going to bed

2．Which of the following is true? ________.

[　　]

A．All grown-ups must have at least eight-hour sleep

B．Most of grown-ups sleep for seven or eight hours

C．Quite a few people need only 5 hours or less for them to sleep

D．No grown-ups sleep more than ten hours

3．Whether you have got enough sleep is judged by ________.

[　　]

A．how many hours you have slept

B．how many hours you need to sleep

C．whether you do exercise and physical work

D．whether you feel fresh and energetic

4．According to the passage, a boy of 14 years old sleeps ________.

[　　]

A．as long hours as a grown-up

B．much longer hours than a grown-up

C．for 14 hours each night

D．for less than 8 hours per night

5．Who finds they sleep less during the night and must take a nap during the day? ________.

[　　]

阅读理解

　　Have you ever experienced exciting sports? Perhaps you can try ballooning. Ballooning has become a popular sport in the UK in the past few years. Although it is still quite expensive compared with other sports, many people now think of a balloon flight as the perfect answer for a birthday present or a particular occasion. Some businesses also entertain their staff or visitors with a balloon ride and may even buy their own balloons to advertise their business products.

　　One of the best known balloon companies in the UK is based in Bristol in the west of England. Flights are available(可用的) throughout the year and last for at least one hour. They usually take off soon after sunrise or a couple hours before sunset, but they do not fly if it is raining or very windy. No special clothing and either walking shoes or boots.

　　It seems that once people have experienced a balloon flight they can become so keen(渴望的) on the sport that they want to have their own balloons. No two flights are ever the same and people find the sport different and exciting. The company in Bristol trains people to fly their own balloons but warns that it can be a very expensive hobby.

1．What is the purpose of writing this passage?

[　　]

A．To tell a story about ballooning.

B．To advertise a new sport.

C．To give information on ballooning.

D．To introduce a new sport.

2．Why could an interest in ballooning almost be a disadvantage?

[　　]

A．People can become crazy.

B．People lose a lot of money.

C．It leads to business difficulties.

D．It is bad for one's health.

3．What do we learn from the text about ballooning?

[　　]

A．It's best for business advertising.

B．It has become dearer recently.

C．It can only be done during the summer.

D．It is considered to be rather special.