When my son, Justin, was four, he found a caterpillar (毛虫) and put it in a jar. Each day he fed it with fresh grass and leaves. In a few weeks we discovered it 　36　 in a cocoon (茧).

Justin was excited. He knew a moth (蛾) or butterfly was about to be 　37　, but he didn’t know what kind. He was　 38　 to know what gift nature was about to give him.

“Dad!” shouted the boy while running to me one day. “Something’s 　39　. Come see!”

He led me to his room. The cocoon had become half transparent and we could 　40　 the wings of the unborn. Soon, a moth broke free from the cocoon, and laid eggs completing the life 　41　 of the little caterpillar.

The next day, I convinced Justin it was time to set the moth free. He took it 　42 , opened the jar, and the little moth flew out. It 　43　 the yard twice, came back, and landed on Justin’s arm. He picked it up, tossed it in the air, and the moth repeated its　 44　 pattern. He tried over and over, but each time it would 　45　 to his arm.

Justin　 46 . He put his little pet back to the jar. The next day he attempted to set it free again, and after a few repetitions of the same behavior, the moth　 47　 flew off into the grass.

Like a 　48　, I believe the moth was afraid to leave what it was comfortable with. It wanted to stay with something 　49　, scared to move on and experience something unknown.

I was once that little moth. My cocoon was my mother’s 　50 , in which I was comfortable. Like the moth, I didn’t want to fly too far away from it. I was　 51　 when my first job required me to move to a new city. What would I find there? I liked　 52　 I was.

Humans are creatures of 　53　. We resist change. However, if I hadn’t moved, I would not have experienced many　 54　 and wonderful things or met many of my friends. So each move gave me the 　55　 to learn and experience, but best of all, I met friends.

36. A. trapped B. wrapped　　　　　　　　　 C. developed　　　　　　　　 D. protected

37. A. born　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. changed　　　　　　　　　 C. raised　　　　　　　　　　　 D. created

38. A. upset B. content C. lucky D. curious　　　　

39. A. disappearing B. happening C. spreading　　　　　　　　 D. cracking 　

40. A. identify B. feel C. count D. imagine

41. A. plan B. task C. cycle D. project

42. A. back　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. down　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. aside D. outside

43. A. explored B. searched C. circled D. abandoned

44. A. flight B. game　　　　　　　　　　　 C. adventure D. communication

45. A. stick B. cater　　　　　　　　　　　 C. turn　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. return

46. A. kept up B. gave up C. looked around　　　　　 D. turned around

47. A. carelessly B. successfully　　　　　　　　　　 C. finally D. hesitatingly　

48. A. human　　　　　　　　　　　 B. butterfly　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. caterpillar　　　　　　　　 D. pet

49. A. friendly　　　　　　　　　　 B. similar 　　　　　　　　　 C. pleasant　　　　　　　　　 D. familiar

50. A. love B. instruction C.requirement　　　　　　 D. expectation

51. A. thrilled B. crazy　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. afraid D. annoyed　　

52. A. what B. where　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. how　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. who

53. A. emotion B. conscience C. habit D. ambition

54. A. odd B. new　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 C. funny　　　　　　　　　　　 D. vital　　　　

55. A. courage B. pleasure　　　　　　　　　 C. motivation　　　　　　　 D. opportunity

Water goes around and around the Earth in a never-ending journey called the water cycle. The sun heats up lakes, oceans, and other wet places on the Earth. When the water gets warm enough, it changes into a vapor. Plants also give off lots of water vapor. Some of this water vapor cools off high in the sky and forms clouds. Then it falls back to the Earth in a new place as rain, or snow. This cycle happens over and over again.

The ground can soak up water like a sponge. If you could see this groundwater, it wouldn’t look like a lake or river. The groundwater is mixed with the rocks and sand that lie in layers below the Earth’s surface.

Groundwater moves along in very slow motion. How slow? Maybe 1.5 kilometers in one century. Some of this water has been underground for thousands of years. And once groundwater is pumped out of the ground, it may take hundreds of years for other water to take its place.

1. In which order does water go around the earth?

a. Fall down as rain or snow

b. Heated up by the sun on lakes, oceans and other wet places

c. Cool off high in the sky

d. From clouds

e. Change into a vapor

A. d,a,c,b,e　　　　 B. b,e,c,d,a　　　　　　　　　　　　  C. c,a,e,b,d　　　　 D. b,c,e,d,a

2. The phrase soak up in the second paragraph means__________.

A. draw in　　　　  B. throw in　　　　　　　　　　　　  C. keep up　　　　 D. set up

3. The underground seems to __________.

A. to be just below the Earth’s surface

B. to be pure water like that in a lake or river

C. to exist in rocks and sand

D. to flow along like rivers or streams

　　　　　　　 The Year of the Dragon May Encourage a Baby increase in Asia

Monday marks the beginning of the Year .f the Dragon State news agency Xinhua says China is expecting a 5% increase in the number of babies horn in 2012. The dragon, considered the luckiest sign in Chinese culture, is often associated with good fortune and intelligence and is believed to be the sign of success.

Dragon years typically generate more births than other years in the zodiac cycle, including in 2000, when Hong Kong saw a more than 5% increase in births. The zeal for the lucky sign that ancient Chinese cultures associated with the emperor has not changed. A recent poll conducted in Hong Kong revealed that 70% of couples desired “dragon babies,” CBS reports.

In places like China, an already with 1.3 billion people, the increase might put pressure on parents who must adhere to the country’s one-child policy as well as compete for places in the best schools. But in places like Taiwan, which carries one of the world’s lowest birth rates, parents and government officials are welcoming the baby increase.

Chu Hong-min, 30, told CBS she is excited to give birth to her second child under the dragon sign. But she is worried about the big competition for her baby’s future education. “Many of my friends and colleagues are either expecting or plan to have a dragon baby this year,” she said. “We really have to try harder to make the children do well at school.”

　　　 But Asian mothers shouldn’t fret, Zhang Yanxia told the BBC. She said the increase will likely have little influence on long –term birth rates. The year 2013 marks the year of the snake, and my see a fall in births.

　　　 Some famous dragon babies include martial arts star Bruce Lee, Spanish artist Salvador Dalí and President Bill Clinton.

72．The dragon is a sign standing for many things EXCEPT　　　　 .

A． hard work　 　　　 B．good luck　 　　　　 C．success　　　　　　　　 D．cleverness

73．Why do many couples in Hong Kong want dragon babies?

　 A．Because they think this is the last Year of the Dragon.

　 B．Because they think dragon babies are the luckiest babies

　 C．Because they want to compete for places in the hest schools

　 D．Because government officials are welcoming dragon babies.

74．The underlined phase "adhere to" in Paragraph 3 probably means　　　　 ．

A. give up　　 　　　　　 B. make up　 　　　　　　 C. stick to　　　　　　　　　 D．turn to

75．From what Chu Hong-min said we can learn _　　　 　　 ．

A．Taiwan is the world ' s lowest birth rates

B．her friends don't expect her to have a dragon baby

C．she has to try hard for her baby’s future education

D．schools will like dragon babies more than other babies

Bicycle Safety

Operation Always ride your bike in a safe, controlled manner on campus(校园). Obey rules and regulations. Watch out for walkers and other bicyclists, and always use your lights in dark conditions.

Theft Prevention Always securely lock your bicycle to a bicycle rack---even if you are only away for a minute. Register your bike with the University Department of Public Safety. It’s fast, easy, and free. Registration permanently records your serial number, which is useful in the possible recovery of the bike stolen.

Equipment

Brakes Make sure that they are in good working order and adjusted properly.

Helmet A necessity, make sure your helmet meets current safety standards and fit properly.

Lights Always have a front headlight---visible at least 500 feet in front of the bike. A taillight is a good idea.

Rules of the Road

Riding on Campus As a bicycle rider, you have a responsibility to ride only on streets and posted bicycle paths. Riding on sidewalks or other walkways can lead to a fine. The speed limit for bicycles on campus is 15mph, unless otherwise posted. Always give the right of ways to walkers. If you are involved in an accident, you are required to offer appropriate aid, call the Department of Public Safety and remain at the scene until the officer lets you go.

Bicycle Parking Only park in areas reserved for bikes. Trees, handrails, hallways, and sign posts are not for bicycle parking, and parking in such posts can result in a fine.

If Things Go Wrong

If you break the rules, you will be fined. Besides violating rules while riding bicycles on campus, you could be fined for:

No bicycle registration---------------------------------------------------$25

Bicycle parking banned--------------------------------------------------$30

Blocking path with bicycle ---------------------------------------------$40

Violation of bicycle equipment requirement -------------------------$35

36. Registration of your bicycle may help you _____________.

A. find your stolen bicycle　　 　　　 B. get your serial number

C. receive free repair services D. settle conflicts with walkers

37. According to the passage, what bike equipment is a free choice for bicycle riders?

　　　 A. Brakes.　　 B. A helmet.　 　　　 C. A headlight. D. A taillight.

38. When you ride a bicycle on the campus, ___________.

　　　 A. ride on posted bicycle paths and sidewalks　　

　　　 B. cycle at a speed of over 15 mph

　　　 C. put the walkers’ right of way first　

　　　 D. call the police before leaving in a case of accident

39. If you lock your bicycle to a tree on the campus, you could be fined _________.

　　　 A. $25　　 　　　 B. $30　　 　　　　　　 C. $35　　 　　　　　　 D. $40

40. What is the passage mainly about?

　　　 A. A guide for safe bicycling on campus.　

B. Directions for bicycle tour on campus.

　　　 C. Regulations of bicycle race on campus.　

D. Rules for riding motor vehicles on campus.