It was lunchtime and I walked into a small branch bank on the West Side. I had come to   1  a checking account. The only officer on   2  was a fortyish black man, standing   3  a small counter from a young white boy who was wearing a V-necked sweater. I thought I was especially   4  of the boy because he looked more like from a prep school than a   5  in a West Side bank.

The boy continued to   6  my attention because of what happened next. He was holding an open savings-account book and   7  an expression of disappointment. “But I don’t understand. I opened the account myself, so why can’t I   8  any money?” the boy said, his voice breaking.

“I know it is, but those are the rules. I’ve already explained to you that a fourteen-year-old is not   9  to withdraw money without a letter from his parents,” the officer explained patiently.

Suddenly I noticed the   10  had a series of small deposits (存款) and withdraws. Then I questioned the officer, “How do you   11  that? Why did you let him withdraw money before, but not now?” He looked   12 . “Because the tellers were not aware of his age before and now they are. It’s really very   13 .” I turned to the boy with a shrug. “You’re really getting   14 ,” I said. “You ought to get your parents to come here and protest.” The boy looked destroyed.   15 , he put his savings book in a rear-pocket and walked out of the bank.

The officer turned to me. “You know,” he said, “you really shouldn’t have got   16 .” I couldn’t believe what he was saying. “We were   17  this morning that some neighborhood bully has been shaking down (敲诈) this boy for more than a month. The guy was   18  him to take money out every week and hand it over. The poor kid was   19  too scared to tell anyone. Anyway, the police are on the case and they’ll probably make a(n)   20  today.”

“You mean there is no rule about being too young to withdraw money from a savings account?”

“Not that I ever heard of. Now, sir, what can we do for you?”

1.                A．make          B．open           C．buy  D．choose

2.                A．duty           B．board          C．display   D．business

3.                A．on            B．after           C．over D．across

4.                A．sure           B．proud          C．aware    D．afraid

5.                A．guard          B．customer       C．clerk D．manager

6.                A．attract         B．pay            C．attach    D．control

7.                A．achieving       B．finding         C．reaching  D．wearing

8.                A．use            B．spend          C．withdraw D．bank

9.                A．supported      B．inspired        C．encouraged   D．allowed

10.               A．letter          B．account        C．note  D．message

11.               A．think          B．explain         C．do   D．claim

12.               A．annoyed        B．disappointed    C．confused D．amused

13.               A．difficult        B．strange         C．fantastic   D．simple

14.               A．obeyed        B．stolen          C．cheated   D．caught

15.               A．Happily         B．Silently         C．Cheerfully D．Nervously

16.               A．interacted      B．interrupted     C．involved   D．infected

17.               A．occupied       B．discovered      C．suggested  D．informed

18.               A．rushing         B．forcing         C．requesting D．begging

19.               A．hardly         B．unwillingly      C．apparently D．eagerly

20.               A．arrest          B．sentence       C．apology   D．difference

Zoo elephants don’t live as long as those in the wild, according to a study sure to cause debate about keeping the giant animals on display. Researchers compared the life spans of elephants in European zoos with those living in Amboseli National Park in Kenya and others working on a timber enterprise in Buma. Animals in the wild or in natural working conditions had life expectancies twice than or more of their relatives in zoos.
Animal care activists have urged in recent years to discourage keeping elephants in zoos, largely because of the lack of space and small numbers of animals that can be kept in a group.
The researchers found that the median life span for African elephants in European zoos was 16.9 years, compared with 56 years for elephants who died of natural causes in Kenya’s Amboseli Park. Adding in those elephants killed by people in Africa lowered the median life expectancy there to 35.9 years. For the more endangered Asian elephants, the median life span in European zoos was 18.9 years, compared with 41.7 years for those working in the Burma Timber Enterprise. Median means half died younger than that age and half lived longer.
There is some good news, though. The life expectancies of zoo elephants have improved in recent years, suggesting an improvement in their care and raising, but “Protecting elephants in Africa and Asia is far more successful than protecting them in Western zoos.”
There are about 1,200 elephants in zoos, half in Europe, researchers concentrated on female elephants, which make up 80 percent of the zoo population. One amazing thing was that Asian elephants born in zoos had shorter life spans that those brought to the zoos from the wild.
Zoos usually lack large areas that elephants are used to in the wild, and that zoo animals often are alone or with one or two other unrelated animals, while in the wild they tend to live in related groups of 8 to 12 animals. In Asian elephants, baby death rates are two to three times higher in zoos than in the Burmese logging camps, and then, in adulthood, zoo-born animals die young. People are not sure why.
【小题1】What is argued about in this passage?

Zoo elephants don’t live as long as those in the wild, according to a study sure to cause debate about keeping the giant animals on display. Researchers compared the life spans of elephants in European zoos with those living in Amboseli National Park in Kenya and others working on a timber enterprise in Buma. Animals in the wild or in natural working conditions had life expectancies twice than or more of their relatives in zoos.

Animal care activists have urged in recent years to discourage keeping elephants in zoos, largely because of the lack of space and small numbers of animals that can be kept in a group.

The researchers found that the median life span for African elephants in European zoos was 16.9 years, compared with 56 years for elephants who died of natural causes in Kenya’s Amboseli Park. Adding in those elephants killed by people in Africa lowered the median life expectancy there to 35.9 years. For the more endangered Asian elephants, the median life span in European zoos was 18.9 years, compared with 41.7 years for those working in the Burma Timber Enterprise. Median means half died younger than that age and half lived longer.

There is some good news, though. The life expectancies of zoo elephants have improved in recent years, suggesting an improvement in their care and raising, but “Protecting elephants in Africa and Asia is far more successful than protecting them in Western zoos.”

There are about 1,200 elephants in zoos, half in Europe, researchers concentrated on female elephants, which make up 80 percent of the zoo population. One amazing thing was that Asian elephants born in zoos had shorter life spans that those brought to the zoos from the wild.

Zoos usually lack large areas that elephants are used to in the wild, and that zoo animals often are alone or with one or two other unrelated animals, while in the wild they tend to live in related groups of 8 to 12 animals. In Asian elephants, baby death rates are two to three times higher in zoos than in the Burmese logging camps, and then, in adulthood, zoo-born animals die young. People are not sure why.

1.What is argued about in this passage?

A．Zoo elephants don’t live as long as those in the wild.

B．Elephants should not be on display.

C．Asian elephants are in danger.

D．Asia is far more successful in protecting elephants in zoos.

2.What does the underlined word “median” mean according to the passage?

A．Average          B．Longest.           C．Shortest.          D．Ordinary.

3.Which of the following is Not the disadvantage of keeping elephants in zoos?

A．Limited number of relatives.               B．Lack of space.

C．Shorter life expectancy.                  D．Less attention.

4.Who are expected to pay more attention to the issue addressed?

A．Zoologists.                             B．Animal care activists.

C．Zoo visitors.                            D．The public.

Zoo elephants don’t live as long as those in the wild, according to a study sure to cause debate about keeping the giant animals on display. Researchers compared the life spans of elephants in European zoos with those living in Amboseli National Park in Kenya and others working on a timber enterprise in Buma. Animals in the wild or in natural working conditions had life expectancies twice than or more of their relatives in zoos.
Animal care activists have urged in recent years to discourage keeping elephants in zoos, largely because of the lack of space and small numbers of animals that can be kept in a group.
The researchers found that the median life span for African elephants in European zoos was 16.9 years, compared with 56 years for elephants who died of natural causes in Kenya’s Amboseli Park. Adding in those elephants killed by people in Africa lowered the median life expectancy there to 35.9 years. For the more endangered Asian elephants, the median life span in European zoos was 18.9 years, compared with 41.7 years for those working in the Burma Timber Enterprise. Median means half died younger than that age and half lived longer.
There is some good news, though. The life expectancies of zoo elephants have improved in recent years, suggesting an improvement in their care and raising, but “Protecting elephants in Africa and Asia is far more successful than protecting them in Western zoos.”
There are about 1,200 elephants in zoos, half in Europe, researchers concentrated on female elephants, which make up 80 percent of the zoo population. One amazing thing was that Asian elephants born in zoos had shorter life spans that those brought to the zoos from the wild.
Zoos usually lack large areas that elephants are used to in the wild, and that zoo animals often are alone or with one or two other unrelated animals, while in the wild they tend to live in related groups of 8 to 12 animals. In Asian elephants, baby death rates are two to three times higher in zoos than in the Burmese logging camps, and then, in adulthood, zoo-born animals die young. People are not sure why

1. 1.

   What is argued about in this passage?

   1. A.
      Zoo elephants don’t live as long as those in the wild
   2. B.
      Elephants should not be on display
   3. C.
      Asian elephants are in danger
   4. D.
      Asia is far more successful in protecting elephants in zoos
2. 2.

   What does the underlined word “median” mean according to the passage?

   1. A.
      Average
   2. B.
      Longest
   3. C.
      Shortest
   4. D.
      Ordinary
3. 3.

   Which of the following is Not the disadvantage of keeping elephants in zoos?

   1. A.
      Limited number of relatives
   2. B.
      Lack of space
   3. C.
      Shorter life expectancy
   4. D.
      Less attention
4. 4.

   Who are expected to pay more attention to the issue addressed?

   1. A.
      Zoologists
   2. B.
      Animal care activists
   3. C.
      Zoo visitors
   4. D.
      The public

Zoo elephants don’t live as long as those in the wild, according to a study sure to cause debate about keeping the giant animals on display. Researchers compared the life spans of elephants in European zoos with those living in Amboseli National Park in Kenya and others working on a timber （木材） enterprise in Burma. Animals in the wild or in natural working conditions had life spans twice that or more of their relatives in zoos.

Animal care activists have urged in recent years to discourage keeping elephants in zoos, largely because of the lack of space and small numbers of animals that can be kept in a group.

The researchers found that the median life span for African elephants in European zoos was 16.9 years, compared with 56 years for elephants who died of natural causes in Kenya’s Amboseli Park. Adding in those elephants killed by people in Africa lowered the median life span there to 35.9 years. For the more endangered Asian elephants, the median life span in European zoos was 18.9 years, compared with 41.7 years for those working in the Burma Timber Enterprise. Median means half died younger than that age and half lived longer.

There is some good news, though. The life spans of zoo elephants have improved in recent years, suggesting an improvement in their care and raising, but “Protecting elephants in Africa and Asia is far more successful than protecting them in Western zoos.”

There are about 1,200 elephants in zoos, half in Europe, researchers concentrated on female elephants, which make up 80 percent of the zoo population. One amazing thing was that Asian elephants born in zoos had shorter life spans than those brought to the zoos from the wild.

Zoos usually lack large areas that elephants are used to in the wild, and that zoo animals often are alone or with one or two other unrelated animals, while in the wild they tend to live in related groups of 8 to 12 animals. In Asian elephants, baby death rates are two to three times higher in zoos than in the Burmese logging camps, and then, in adulthood, zoo-born animals die young. People are not sure why.

1．What is argued in this passage?

A．Zoo elephants don’t live as long as those in the wild.

B．Elephants should not be on display.

C．Asian elephants are in danger.

D．Asia is far more successful protecting elephants in zoos.

2．What does the underlined word “median” mean according to the passage?

A．Average.           B．Longest.           C．Shortest.         D．Ordinary.

3．Which of the following is NOT the disadvantage of keeping elephants in zoos?

A．Limited number of relatives.              B．Lack of space.

C．Shorter life span.                       D．Less attention.

4．Who does the writer of the passage expect to pay more attention to the issue addressed?

A．Zoologists.                                         B．Zoo Visitors.

C．Animal care activists.                          D．The public.