Monarch Butterfly (金斑蝶) Profile

       Monarch butterflies are known for the unbelievable mass movement that brings millions of them to California and Mexico each winter. North American monarchs are the only butterflies that make such a massive journey-up to 3,000 miles (4,828 kilometers). The butterflies must begin this journey each fall ahead of cold weather, which will kill them if they delay too long.

       Monarch butterflies begin life as eggs and hatch as little worms that eat their eggshells and finally, eat the milky plants on which they were placed. When fat worms become juicy, colorful and hairy, they create a hard protective case around themselves as they enter the cocoon stage. They come out as beautifully colored, black-orange-and-white adults. The colorful pattern makes monarchs easy to identify, and the unique pattern warns their enemies that the insects are terribly tasting and poisonous.

       Butterflies that come out from cocoon in late summer and early fall are different from those that do so during the longer days and warmer weather of summer. These monarchs are born to fly, and know that they must prepare for their long journey because of the changing Weather. However, only monarchs born in late summer or early fall make the move, and they make only one found trip. By the time next year's winter moving begins, several summer generations wilt have stayed and died. It will be last year's settlers' great grand children that make the trip. Yet somehow these new generations know the way, and follow the same routes their ancestors took-sometimes even returning to the same tree.

       Many scientists are concerned about the eastern population of monarchs, which spend the summer east of the Rocky Mountains. This group is occurring in ever smaller numbers, and its survival now is threatened by a series of natural disasters in the Mexican winter grounds and by reduced milkweed plants in their summer home.

1．What will happen to the monarch butterflies if they don't leave in fall?

      A．They can't survive the very low temperature, in winter

      B．They can't keep their pattern colour in changeable weather

      C．They will be blown down by the strong wind in winter

      D．They will be separated from each other by the cold weather

2．Form the passage we can learn that Monarchs ____________.

      A．feed on their own eggs instead of milky plants

      B．experience three life stages before they can fly

      C．are difficult to be picked out from other insects

      D．are very delicious, though they are poisonous

3．Which of the following about Monarchs is TRUE?

      A．Monarchs seem to know their ancestor's hometown

      B．Only last year's settlers' grandchildren make the trip

      C．All the summer generations will have stayed and died

      D．Only monarchs born in early autumn make the move

4．The writer seems             about the present survival situation of Monarchs.

      A．confident            B．worried        C．disappointed       D．hopeful

December 21, 2012 marks the completion of the 5,125 year Great Cycle of the Ancient Maya Long Count Calendar.

Rather than being an end－point, this cycle that is closing is naturally I followed by the start of a new cycle. What this new cycle has in store for humanity is a mystery that has yet to unfold...

The recent 2012 movie serves to alert a targeted 140 million people, in case they too haven't already heard the news. Unfortunately, however, the movie does a disservice because it distorts the message of this ancient prophecy (预言) by associating it with fear and destruction, as described by the movie's global disaster scenario (场景), rather than the themes of transformation and renewal the prophecy is actually based on.

In other words, the global scenario of the 2012 movie is not based on any facts. As Emmerich clarifies，“We only used the fact that the Mayan calendar ends. That gave us the year.” Emmerich said after checking out the range of 2012 books on Amazon, he realized, “...there are so many (theories) that, in a way, you can just create your own.” He shares that “2012” was tacked on as a title to his disaster movie because it is something “people believe” and it made the movie seem more “real.”

Interestingly, Emmerich's underlying motivation for the movie seems to be genuine concern about the course we are all on as modern society. As he states, “I hope we are not ruining our planet. I really believe that, if we keep going and doing what we are doing, we will not be leaving the planet how it should be, for our kids. That has been going on for generations. It just very sad to see and read the news, every day, and see what these people are fighting over. It's like they don't  understand that the clock is ticking.”

6. According to the Ancient Maya Long Count Calendar, December 21,2012 is the day on which ________.

A. the world will end with many disasters

B. the old age will end and a new one will begin

C. there will be a world flood

D. the world can survive many disasters

7. Which of the following is TRUE about the movie 2012?

A. It is intended to explore what is in store in the new cycle.

B. It tells us about the Ancient Maya Long Count Calendar as it is.

C. It is just based on the director's ideas.

D. It describes the ancient prophecy vividly.

8. What Emmerich says suggests that ________.

A. he is quite concerned about the present situation on the earth

B. he is regretful that people have misunderstood his movie

C. he himself believes what is described in the movie

D. he just wants to attract viewers by the disaster scenario

9. By this passage, the author intends to ________.

A. tell us about what the movie 2012 is all about

B. help the director to promote his film

C. tell us what we should learn from the movie 2012

D. explain whether we can trust the ancient prophecy

10. The underlined word “distort” in the third paragraph probably means ________.

A. change something in a wrong way

B. convey the original meaning

C. describe something clearly

D. give more proof to something