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buy a book that was just published. The first printing of 1250 copies sold out on the first day.
The popular book was The Origin of Species (《物种起源》) by British naturalist Charles Darwin (1809-
1882). In the book, Darwin argued that different forms of life could change over time because of natural
selection. This means that only those who are best suited to their environment will live and reproduce. Darwin
supported his arguments with examples he found during his around-the-world trip in the 1830s.
The book laid the foundation of modern biology. It changed how other scientists understood the appearance
of life on Earth.
A hundred and fifty years later, Darwin's theory (理论) of natural selection still has great influence in the
world of science. But some people have a question: since medicine and modem life have made people healthier,
are we still evolving (进化) by natural selection?
The answer is yes,according to Stephen Stems and his team of Yale University researchers. They did a
study on 2 238 women in the US. They found that shorter,heavier women have more children than thinner,
taller ones. This trend (趋势) runs among their female children and grandchildren. So if this continues, women
in 400 years will be about 2cm shorter and a kilo heavier.
Stems' findings are supported by other scientists. For example, John Hawks at the University of Wisconsin,
US and his team believe they have found nearly 2000 gene variations(基因变异) in modem humans. Those
variations allow people to drink milk, fight disease and improve brain development.
_______________________________________________________________
2. When was the book published?
_______________________________________________________________
3. What does natural selection mean?
_______________________________________________________________
4. Why does the writer introduce Stemns' findings in the passage?
_______________________________________________________________
5. Why is Darwin's theory of natural selection important?
_______________________________________________________________
to buy a book that was just published. The first printing of 1,250 copies sold out on the first day.
The popular book was The origin of Species (《物种起源》) by British naturalist Charles Darwin
(1809-1882). In the book, Darwin argued that different forms of life could change over time because of
natural selection. This means that only those who are best suited to their environment will live and reproduce.
Darwin supported his arguments with examples he found during his around-the-world trip in the 1830s.
The book laid the foundation of modern biology. It changed how other scientists understood the
appearance of life on Earth.
A hundred and fifty years later, Darwin's theory (理论) of natural selection still has great influence in
the world of science. But some people have a question: since medicine and modern life have made people
healthier, are we still evolving (进化) by natural selection?
The answer is yes, according to Stephen Sterns and his team of Yale University researchers. They did
a study on 2,238 women in the US. They found that shorter, heavier women have more children then
thinner, taller ones. This trend (趋势) runs among their female children and grandchildren. So if this
continues, women in 400 years will be about 2cm shorter and a kilo heavier.
Sterns' findings are supported by other scientists. For example, John Hawks at the University of
Wisconsin, US and his team believe they have found nearly 2,000 gene variations (基因变异) in modern
humans. Those variations allow people to drink milk, fight disease and improve brain development.
2. When was the book published?
3. What does natural selection mean?
4. Why does the writer introduce Sterns' findings in the passage?
5. Why is Darwin's theory of natural selection important?
It's very early in the morning and I'm sitting outside. It's also very cold and dark. With me is Jim Nightingale, and he is the reason I'm up so early. He passes me a hot cup of coffee. "Not long to wait now," he says. I hope he's right.
After a few minutes there is a very
weak light in the east, and then I hear a bird singing. It sings very loud and
very clear. "That's the robin(知更鸟),"
says Jim. A few more birds start singing with the robin and Jim knows the names
of them too. Half an hour later, there are more and more birds singing, and
it's very loud! Suddenly, all around us the air is ful
l
of the sound of birdsong. This is the dawn chorus(晨鸣), and it's beautiful.
"Wow, this is amazing!" I tell Jim, who is smiling. "Is there a dawn chorus every morning?"
"Birds can sing any time of the year but the best time is the end of winter and during the spring. This is when the birds sing most."
"Really? So, why do they sing?" I ask.
"Well, there are two
reasons," explain
s
Jim. "Most of the songbirds who sing are males. They want to find a
female(雌性)so they sing to show how strong they are.
The females listen and choose the best singer! The birds also sing to tell
other males to go away. They need their own area; they don't like sharing with
another male."
I listen to the birds; the songs seem too much to me. "Do the birds sing a special song in the morning?"
"That's a good question," replied Jim. "The successful birds have many kinds of calls and songs. Sometimes they copy the songs of other birds. This makes it sound like there are many birds in that place already and other males stay away. Also the female likes songs with different notes. Some birds, for example the European wren, have songs that contain over 700 different notes per minute!"
So, how does Jim know so much a
bout
birds? Well, he works as a volunteer for the Royal Society for the Protection
of Birds. He is trying to help the birds live in the modern world. "More
and more of the birds' habitat disappears every year. The sparrow, for example,
was a very common bird in the UK, now it's in danger."
By now the sun is up and the birds are quiet. It's light so they can start looking for food, they need a big breakfast after all that singing.
1.Why does the writer get up early in the morning?
A. To visit her friend. B. To drink hot coffee.
C. To see different birds. D. To hear birds sing.
2.A bird sings early in the morning mainly_______.
A. to call a female's attention B. to fight with other males
C. to find a place to live in D. to start looking for food
3. According to the text, which of the following statements is true?
A. At first the writer is happy to be up so early in the morning.
B. Male birds have their own ways of fooling other birds.
C. It's easier for the birds to find food early in the morning.
D. Jim has a job with the Royal Society for the Proteciton of Birds.
4.The text is mainly about_______.
A. the robin's songs B.
the birds' habitat 
C. why birds sing D. how to protect birds
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词汇运用 用括号内所给词的适当形式填空（每空不限一词）。（10分）
1. Eating too much sweet is bad for your _________(tooth).
2. He is a _________(honest)boy so we seldom believe what he says.
3.We Chinese will celebrate the _____(ninety)birthday of the Chinese Communist Party(中国共产党)in many ways.
4. In the modern world, people often contact each other by _______ (send) e-mails.
5. To keep healthy, I decide ______(exercise) half an hour every day.
6. When traveling, you’d better take a map with ________ (you).
7. The students in Class 2 are having a _________(discuss) about how to achieve a balance between study and play.
8. Though she answered the teacher’s questions _________(incorrect),the teacher didn’t blame her.
9. More and more people have their own cars. That’s why there’s ________(heavy)traffic than before.
10.—Why are you so happy today?
—Because I _____(win)the badminton match.
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