Special Bridges Help Animals Cross the Road

―Reported by Sheila Carrick

Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.

Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear (灰熊) and mountain lion can cross the road.

“Millions of animals die each year on U.S. roads,” the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S. today. The main reason? Roadkill.

“Ecopassages (生态通道)” may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. “These ecopassages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid road accidents,” said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society.

But do animals actually use the ecopassages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an ecopassage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage.

Builders of ecopassages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders (火蜥蜴) and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.

The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal overpass!

60. The writer uses the example of “ocelots” to show that _______.

A. wild animals have become more dangerous

B. the driving conditions have improved greatly

C. the measure for protecting wildlife fails to work

D. an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents

61. From the news story, we know an ecopassage is ________.

A. an underground path for cars                       B. a fence built for the safety of the area

C. a bridge for animals to get over a river          D. a path for animals to cross the road

62. When the writer says that animals seem “to be catching on”, he means ________.

A. animals begin to realize the dangers on the road   

60. D 通过“ocelots”的例子来说明前面“Millions of animals die each year on U.S. roads,”这句话，

61. D。 “Ecopassages (生态通道)” may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars帮助动物穿过马路而不被车碰撞

62. B 从 Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders (火蜥蜴) and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.这句话可知动物在使用这些桥和路

63. D 让人们过马路时注意保护动物，不要碰撞到他们。

C. animals are crossing the road in groups               D. animals are increasing in number

63. The writer asks visitors and drivers to look around when traveling because ________.

A. wild animals may attack cars                       B. wild animals may block the road

C. they may see wild animals in the park           D. they may see wild animals on ecopassages

    阅读下面的短文，然后按照要求写一篇150词左右的英语短文。

I have never learned as much math in my life as I did last year. It was because of Ms Vacirca that I truly understood what I was learning. It might not seem like a big deal to some, but to me it is.

I never really wanted to work for good grades in math class. I never knew how to study math and never understood some of the concepts. I can remember trying to sneak out of the classroom before Ms Vacirea caught me and yelled across the classroom, “Lauren, are you coming to extra help during lunch?” It was a nightmare―she would always catch me with one foot out of the door, it never failed. Even then I just thought of it as a thing I HAD to do. It was funny to see how everyone would be in her room during lunch and then again after school. She would encourage everyone to come every day, just so we could do our homework in peace.

Many of the students thought of her as a bit of nag（有点唠叨）, but inside they knew that she was right and respected for it. Many of her tests were hard at first, but as the year progressed so did I. I knew that it was because of her.

Even outside class, she was caring as ever. She always wanted to know what was going on in my (and everyone else’s) life, and she was always looking out for everyone’s best interest.

Ms. Vacirca is a sweet woman with a sense of humor that you just have to laugh at. When regents were approaching, she was more concerned than ever about everyone doing well. Many of her precious students scored high, and so she expected the same from us. Day after day there were students in the classroom reviewing problems. When it was time for our big test, I knew I was ready. I walked out of that test with my head high. I knew that I was a success and Ms. Vacirca had made me that way. I appreciated all the hard work that she put into helping me and my fellow students. I knew that I would miss her.

[写作内容]

1.         以约30个词概括作者记忆中的Ms. Vacirca 是一个怎样的老师;

2.         以约为120词就“教师节和尊敬教师”这个主题写一篇短文，并包括如下要点：

a. 向老师表达节日祝贺；

b. 从一件小事来回忆老师的教诲和无私奉献；

c. 我将如何回报老师的关爱。

[写作要求]

1.         作文中可使用自己的亲身经历或虚构的故事，也可以参照阅读材料的内容但不得直接引用原文中的句子；

2.         文中不能出现真实姓名和学校名称。

[评分标准]

概括准确，语言规范，内容合适，篇章连贯。