58．How does the writer explain birds’ singing?

   A. By comparing birds with human beings.

   B. By reporting experiment results.

   C. By writing diaries of birds’ daily life.

   D. By telling birds’ interesting stories.  

第II卷 （非机读卷 共50分）

57．--- Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?

   --- Because ______.

   A. they want to invite more friends of his kind

   B. their singing helps frighten outsiders away

   C. they want to find if there are outsiders around

   D. they are frightened in their nests in daytime

56．The underlined word “territory” in the second paragraph infers to _____.

   A. a house where families or friends are welcome

   B. a place where a bird shouts at the top of its voice

   C. an area for which birds fight against each other

   D. an area which an animal or bird says it’s its

55．Some scientists believe that most of the time birds singing is ______.

   A. expressing their happiness              B. warning away outsiders

   C. showing their anger                 D. enjoying themselves

54．Which of the following is NOT TRUE?

   A. Fred studied six school subjects in Japan.

   B. Fred was a quick, good language learner.

   C. Fred lived with Taro’s family in Japan.

   D. Fred had a good time in Taro’s home.

C

Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probably sing when you are happy.

Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of time just because they are happy. However, they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.

Do you know what a “territory” is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male （man, instead of woman）, claims （声明） as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same kind are welcome. Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and frighten （恐吓） you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.

If so, you have actually frightened the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting （筑巢） season. So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.

Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract （吸引） a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs.

You can see that birds have a language all their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.

53．What did Taro think of American school life?

A. Hard for students.                                   B. Better than theirs.

C. Good for children.                           D. Too much work.

52．We can see that some pairs of families have their _____ in each other’s home.

   A. parents               B. children            C. money                     D. languages

51．Hundreds of teenagers will stay in American families for _____.

   A. three months              B. six months         C. ten months        D. a year

50．Mr. Green is going to see The Twins, he will pay ________.

A. $16                        B. $18                  C. $20                   D. $24

 （B）

 This year some hundred teenagers from all over the world will spend about ten months in US homes. They will study in US schools, meet US teenagers, and form impressions （印象） of the real American teenagers. American teenagers will go to other countries to learn new languages and get a new understanding of the rest of the world.

Fred, sixteen, spent last year in Japan in Taro's family. In return, Taro spent a year in Fred's home in America.

　　Fred, knew little Japanese when he arrived, but after two months’ study, the language began to come to him. School was completely different from what he had expected - much harder. They took fourteen subjects instead of the six that are usual in the United States. “Back home, you pick up some friends in a car and go out and have a good time. In Japan, you walk, but you soon learn to like it.”

　　At the same time, in America, Taro, a friendly Japanese boy, was also forming his idea. “I suppose I should criticize （批评） American schools,” he says. “It is far too easy by our level. But I have to say that I like it very much. In Japan we do nothing but study. Here we take part in many outside activities. I think that maybe your schools are better in training for citizens （市民）. There should be some middle ground between the two.”

49．If you want to book a ticket for Catch Me If You Can, you can call _________.

A. 0115-806163         B. 0115-831931     C. 0115-873420   D. 0115-845616