Animals are natural resources that people have wasted all through our history.

   Animals have been killed for their fur and feathers, for food, for sport, and simply because they were in the way. Thousands of kinds of animals have disappeared from the world forever. Hundreds more are on the danger list today. About 170 kinds in the United States alone are considered in danger.

   Why should people care? Because we need animals. And because once they are gone, there will never be any more.

   Animals are more than just beautiful and interesting. They are more than just a source of food. Every animal has its place in the balance of nature. Destroying one kind of animal can create many problems.

   For example, when farmers killed large numbers of hawks(老鹰), the farmers stores of corn and grain were destroyed by rats and mice. Why? Because hawks eat rats and mice. With no hawks to keep down their numbers, the rats and mice multiplied(繁殖) quickly.

   Luckily, some people are working to help save the animals. Some groups raise money to let people know about the problem. And they try to get the governments to pass laws protecting animals in danger.

   Quite a few countries have passed laws. These laws forbid the killing of any animals or plants on the danger list. Slowly, the number of some animals in danger is growing.

Animals are important to us mainly because____.

A. they give us a source of food                  B. they are beautiful and lovely

C. they keep the balance of nature        D. they give us a lot of pleasure

What has happened to the animals on the earth?

A. Hundreds of kinds of animals have disappeared forever.

B. Many kinds of animals have died out.

C. About 170 kinds of animals have disappeared forever.

D. All kinds of animals are in danger.

Which of the following is NOT true?

A. People care much about animals because they need them.

B. Once a certain kind of animals is gone forever, there will never be any more.

C. Killing all rats and mice may cause some problems.

D. People must not kill any animals.

What can we infer from the fact that quite a few countries have passed laws protecting animals in danger?

A. Every person will know the importance of protecting wild animals.

B. Animals in danger will not be killed any more.

C. The number of some animals in danger will increase.

D. Animals in danger will be kept away from people.


Farming was once the chief way of life in nearly every country. People cannot live without food, and nearly all their food comes from crops and animals raised on farms. Not many people farm for a living any more, but farming remains the most important work in the world.
Before the nineteenth century, the typical American family lived on a small farm. They raised pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and planted corn, fruits, garden vegetables, and wheat. Everyone worked long and hard, but the results were often poor. Families barely harvested enough food for themselves. This situation began to change during the last half of the 1800's and it changed remarkably(明显地) in the next century.
Scientific methods and labor-saving machinery have made farming increasingly productive. The development of improved plant varieties and fertilizers has helped double and even triple the production of some major crops. More scientific animal care and animal raising have helped increase the amount of meat and products that animals produce. At the same time, the use of tractors and other modern farm equipment has sharply reduced the need for farm labor.
As farming has become less important as a way of life in the United States, it has become more important as a source which offers materials to industry. Today's successful farmers are experts not just in agriculture but also in accounting, marketing, and finance. Farms that are not run in a similar way have great difficulty surviving.
1. We are told in the first paragraph about ____.
A. the history of farming                       B. the importance of farming  
C. the development of farming                  D. the changes of farming
2. Which of the following describes American farming before the 19th century?
A. Farmers didn’t work hard on their farms.  
B. Farmers used tractors to help them.
C. Farming was the main way of living for most people.
D. Farmers could supply materials to industry.
3. Crop production has increased greatly now thanks to all the following EXCEPT __.
A. scientific methods                 B. labor- saving machinery    
C. farmers’ hard work                 D. chemical fertilizers
4. Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Traditional American farming.            B. The increase in the number of crops in the US.
C. Modern farming methods.                D. American farmers’ hard work.
5. The passage mainly talks about_____.
A. the advantages of American farming      B. the changes in American farming 
C. the situation of American farms          D. how rapidly farming has developed

Hidden in our subconsciousness (潜意识) is a perfect mental picture. We see ourselves on a long trip that goes across the continent. We are traveling by train. Out the windows, we think in the passing scene of cars on nearby highways, of children waving at a crossing, of cattle feeding on a distant hillside, of smoke pouring from a power plant, or row upon row of corn and wheat, of flat lands and valleys, of mountains and rolling hills, of city skylines and village halls.
But uppermost in our minds is the final destination. On a certain day at a certain hour, we will pull into the station. Bands will be playing and flags waving. Once we get there, so many wonderful dreams will come true and the pieces of our lives will fit together like a completed jigsaw(拼图玩具) puzzle. How restlessly we pace the aisles(通道), condemning the minutes for loitering --waiting, waiting, waiting for the station.
“When we reach the station, that will be it!” we cry. “When I’m 38.” “When I buy a new 450SL Mercdes Benz!” “When I put the last kid through college.” “When I have paid off the!” “When I get a promotion.” “When I reach the age of retirement, I shall live happily ever after! ”
Sooner or later, we must realize there is no station, no one place to arrive at once and for all. The true joy of life is the trip. The station is only a dream. It constantly outdistances us.
“Relish(appreciate) the moment” is a good motto, actually it isn’t the burdens of today that drive man mad. It is the regret over yesterday and the fear of tomorrow. Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today.
So stop pacing the aisles and counting the miles. Instead, climb more mountains, eat more ice cream, swim more rivers, watch more sunsets, laugh more and cry less. Life must be lived as we go along. Then the station will come soon enough.
【小题1】Why does the author describe the mental picture?

A.To lead us into a perfect world.B.To let people enjoy the scenery.
C.To introduce an actual trip of his.D.To compare it to our life’s journey.
【小题2】How do people feel when they’re on their trip?
A.Puzzled.B.Happy.C.Relaxed.D.Impatient.
【小题3】What does the author mean by “Regret and fear are twin thieves who rob us of today” in Line 2 Paragraph 5?
A.Regret and fear are responsible for the loss of today.
B.We must be careful of the two thieves: regret and fear.
C.regret and fear stop us from enjoying our present life.
D.We’re frequently challenged by the two : regret and fear.
【小题4】Why does the author write the passage?
A.To teach us a good lesson.B.To tell us the right attitude to life.
C.To advice us to forget our worries.D.To stop us wandering along the aisles.

Hee-haw! Scores of farms across the country are opening up to overnight guests. The best have all the appeal of a first-rate inn ----- plus here a moo, there a moo.
Sure, you and your kids plan to conquer the theme parks. In the meanwhile, why not make a little hay? Farm stays are fast becoming the great American alternative to the pre-packaged vacation.
LIBERTY HILL FARM
Rochester, Vt.; 802/767-3926; www.libertyhillfarm.com. Adults$75, teens $50,kids 12 and under $35, including breakfast and dinner; shared baths.
Beth and Bob Kennett run a farm straight out of a storybook. You’ll find Beth in the kitchen, rolling out dough(生面团) for a pie. Bob’s busy with other work. Guests sleep in seven sunny bedrooms right in the farmhouse and can participate in any of the farm jobs. Maybe you and your kids won’t be up at 6 a.m. to meet the milk truck, but you can help with the milking twice a day, collect eggs, and pick sweet corn and wild blackberries in season.
HULL-O FARM
Durham, N.Y.; 518/239-6950; www.hull-o.com; Adults $110, kids 10—14 $60, 5—9 $50, 2—4 $35, under 2 free, including breakfast and dinner; private baths.
It started in 1993 as a way to bring in some extra money at a time of falling milk prices. But soon after Frank and Sherry Hull opened their Catskill Mountains dairy farm to overnight visitors, they discovered they loved it. As you drive up, Sherry greets you on the porch(入口处)of the 1825 farmhouse with a cow-shaped cookie jar. Before long your kids are playing around with the cows, sheep, ducks, goats and getting ready for a hayride(乘坐装满干草的牛车出游).
MERAMEC FARM CABINS
Bourbon, Mo.; 573/732-4765; http://www.wine-mo.com Doubles with private bath $75, $10 per additional person. Trail and riding fees extra.
Climb onto the back of the Ford pickup and catch up with the herd. One gentle cow named Cricket will even let the kids sit on her back. At the barn(牲口棚), Carol will introduce you to the horses ---15 Missouri Fox Trotters --- and lead you on a trail ride over the hills and down along the spring-fed Meramec River, where everyone swims. Grab a fishing pole and head back to the river. When you have your fill of the wild, try Carol and Dave’s favorite restaurants or wineries(酿酒厂), within 20 miles of the farm.
【小题1】The underlined sentence in the first paragraph implies that ___________.

A.you can enjoy the best cuisine at the first rate restaurant
B.some farm provide country experiences as well as good accommodations
C.farm work is hard, but you can enjoy it a lot, playing with the animals
D.if you want to hear a cow’s cry, please stay on a best farm
【小题2】We can learn from the three ads that _____________.
A.Hull-O Farm was not built for overnight visitors
B.Frank and Sherry Hull run a farm out of a storybook
C.kids can sit on a gentle cow’s back on Hull-O Farm
D.you can’t milk a cow if you get up late on Liberty Hill Farm
【小题3】 The Browns have a 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. If they stay on Liberty Hill Farm for one night, how much will they pay?
A.$175.B.$220.C.$235.D.$250.
【小题4】Who will be most likely interested in the webpage?
A.Kids who want to find pleasure in the theme parks.
B.People who expect to be employed on the farm.
C.Researchers who are interested in raising cows on farms.
D.Those who plan to have family vacations on working farms.

Farming was once the chief way of life in nearly every country. People cannot live without food, and nearly all their food comes from crops and animals raised on farms. Not many people farm for a living any more, but farming remains the most important work in the world.

   Before the nineteenth century, the typical American family lived on a small farm. They raised pigs, cattle, sheep, chickens, and planted corn, fruits, garden vegetables, and wheat. Everyone worked long and hard, but the results were often poor. Families barely harvested enough food for themselves. This situation began to change during the last half of the 1800's and it changed remarkably(明显地) in the next century.

   Scientific methods and labor-saving machinery(机械)have made farming increasingly productive. The development of improved plant varieties and fertilizers(肥料)has helped double and even triple the production of some major crops. More scientific animal care and animal raising have helped increase the amount of meat and products that animals produce. At the same time, the use of tractors and other modern farm equipment has sharply reduced the need for farm labor.

   As farming has become less important as a way of life in the United States, it has become more important as a source which offers materials to industry. Today's successful farmers are experts not just in agriculture but also in accounting, marketing, and finance. Farms that are not run in a similar way have great difficulty surviving.   

1.We are told in the first paragraph about ____.

A. the history of farming                       B. the importance of farming

 C. the development of farming                  D. the changes of farming

2. Which of the following describes American farming before the 19th century?

A. Farmers didn’t work hard on their farms.  

B. Farmers used tractors to help them.

C. Farming was the main way of living for most peopleD. Farmers could supply materials to industry.

3. The passage mainly talks about_____.

   A. the advantages of American farming          B. the changes in American farming 

C. the situation of American farms              D. how rapidly farming has developed

 

 

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