4. He would tell the conductor what he wanted.

翟雪梅

If you’re looking for a new pet, don’t even think about Komodo dragons, which are the world’s largest lizards and can grow to be 10 feet long and weigh more than 300 pounds. Komodo dragons run fast and eat almost any kind of meat, including dead or live animals, other Komodo dragons and people. “ These things are powerful killing machines,” says Bryan Fry, a biologist.

If those reasons aren’t good enough, consider the bite of a Komodo dragon. According to a new study, it may kill prey like snakes by injecting venom. This chemical, according to Fry and his team of scientists at the University of Melbourne in Australia, can cause shock in the unlucky victim. A person or animal goes into shock when the body cannot offer enough blood to the organs to keep functioning. As a result, the body starts to shut down.

Scientists have only recently begun to understand why a Komodo dragon is so deadly. Some people used to believe that a Komodo dragon’s bite contained bacteria from the mouth that would cause a severe infection in the victim’s blood. The infection would finally kill the animal. Fry says that after being bitten by a Komodo dragon, animals usually die quickly.

After more studies, Fry and his team found that the Komodo dragon venom contained some of the same ingredients as snake venom. These ingredients thin the bolld and cause blood vessels to become larger. To test the venom, the scientists injected rats with it and observed that the rats became still.

Fry’s work show that Komodo dragons kill their prey with venom, and not by bacteria-and gives us another reason why we should avoid coming across them. That is easy to do, since they live only on a few islands in the tropical country of Indonesia.

3. he hadn’t got a return ticket

2. 　Show how the programme made him think

1. To express his appreciation of the programme.

4.. What would Chris Daniels now do if he met his same experience on the bus?

3.. According to the passage, Chris Daniels had to walk home because　　　 .

2. Chris Daniels tells the story about the bus ticket to　　　 .

1.. What is Chris Daniels’ purpose of writing this letter?

4.　　 meet/satisfy

Letter to Editor of TV Weekly

Dear Sir/Madam,

I read Alison Burnham’s review of When we were 12, and I do not agree with her. I thought the programme was wonderful - I found the old news pictures really interesting - they helped to bring to life the stories the people were telling.

The programme reminds me of many things from my own childhood. For example, one day when I was about five, I was going to school on the bus by myself (this was the late 1960s). My mother had given me exactly the right money for a return ticket. I held out my hand with the money in it - one big coin on top of one little coin. The bus conductor took the big top coin only and she gave me a ticket, but it was a pink one for a single journey. I needed a white one for a return journey, but I was too frightened to say anything. When school finished for the day, I couldn’t catch the bus home - I had to walk. As a grown?up, whenever I’ve been in a situation where I need to say something or take some action, this early memory of my bus ride comes back to me, and I’m able to take control of the situation.

I would like to say to the director, Bret Chrysler, carry on making this kind of programme. Too much TV these days is quiz shows and so?called “reality programmes”.I appreciate the human story that can make me laugh and cry.

Yours faithfully,

Chris Daniels

3.　　 have difficulty finding a joh/ are not popular with employers