“Why do birds sing?” I asked a group of children. “To attract metes(配偶)!” answered a boy. A 4-year-old girl added shyly, “birds sing because they are happy, and they want to make us happy, too.” I think both answers are probably true in a way. If birds sing happily, it shows all is good in the forest: no predators (捕食者) are present, and the birds can feed, sing and do other bird things. The sound of a relaxed robin(知更鸟) singing is easy to understand because it makes us feel this way too—it’s a sound that lifts our own hearts when we hear it.

What happens when a predator comes into their areas? The nearby birds quickly give an alarm(警报) call, a short sound that warns, “Danger is coming!” On hearing the sound, the other birds stop singing and fly away, the deer lift their heads and stop moving and the rabbits run into the bushes. Suddenly, the forest becomes silent.

When humans walk through the woods in a hurry or while talking with a friend, we don’t see much wildlife. We may think that there aren’t many animals living there, but more likely, they know we are coming and hide minutes before our arrival. But if we learn to avoid setting off alarms, we can see many more wild animals without frightening them. To practice, find a place in a park and sit quietly for an hour. Take notes as the birds begin to relax and sing again. When I do this, I am always surprised at the wonderful thing animals will do when humans stay still (不动的) long enough.

1.In the writer’s opinion, the children’s answers to his question are .

A. funny B. interesting C. honest D. reasonable

2.Why can’t we see much wildlife in the woods from this passage?

A. Because we have set off alarms. B. Because we fail to give warnings.

C. Because we come at the wrong time. D. Because few animals live there.

3.The purpose of the last paragraph is to .

A. show people how and when birds sing.

B. ask people to learn something about birds.

C. tell people how to protect birds in the wild.

D. advise people to enjoy the songs of birds.

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A. The life of birds. B. How birds sing in the forest.

C. Birds in the forest. D. The messages in birds’ singing.

Have you ever stayed in a hotel? Most Chinese hotels often provide guests with things like disposable(一次性的) toothbrushes, toothpaste, shampoo and slippers. Many guests like the idea because they don't have to bring their own. But, if you travel to Beijing, remember to bring your own things. Starting from June, some hotels in Beijing will no longer provide guests with these disposables. They want to ask people to use less disposable things.

Many disposable things are made of plastic. People throw them away after only using them once. It is a waste of natural resources and is very bad for the environment. Do you know, one Chinese person makes as much as 400kg of waste a year! Most of that waste comes from disposable things. In Beijing, people throw away about 19,000 tons of plastic bags and 1,320 tons of plastic lunch bowls every year! Plastic can take between 100 and 400 years to break down. So the less plastic we throw out, the better. So, wherever you travel, bring your own things and use them again and again.

Back at home and school, you can also do something to make our world a better place. Try to do these things in your daily life: Use cloth shopping bags, not plastic ones. After using a plastic bag, wash it out and let it dry. Then you can use it over and over again. Do not use paper cups. At your school canteen(食堂), use your own bowl and chopsticks instead of disposable ones.

1.Why do many hotels provide guests with some disposable things?

A. Let their guests be convenient during their traveling.

B. Hope their guests use less disposable things.

C. Wish their guests to save money.

2.Some Beijing hotels will no longer provide guests with .

A. cheap food and drink B. disposable things C. good service

3.Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Many disposable things are made of plastic.

B. Throwing disposable things away is a waste of natural resources.

C. Plastic breaks down easily.

4.What can we do to make our world a better place at home and school?

A. Use shopping bags made of plastic.

B. Do not throw away paper cups.

C. Do not forget to reuse daily necessities(日用品) if possible.

5.We can tell from the story that .

A. people don't like disposable things at all

B. we can't use paper or plastic bowls at school

C. we should use less plastic things and protect our environment

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