If you were to walk up to Arthur Bonner and say, “Hey, Butterfly Man,” his face would break into a smile. The title suits him.，and he loves it.
Arthur Bonner works with the Palos Verdes blue butterfly, once thought to have died out. Today the butterfly is coming back — thanks to him. But years ago if you’d told him this was what he’d be doing someday, he would have laughed, “You’re crazy.” As a boy, he used to be “a little tough guy on the streets”. At age thirteen, he was caught by police stealing. At eighteen, he landed in prison for shooting a man.
“I knew it had worried my mom,” Bonner said after he got out of prison. “So I told myself I would not put my mom through that pain again.”
One day he met Professor Mattoni, who was working to rebuild the habitat(栖息地) for an endangered butterfly called El Segundo blue.
“I saw the sign ‘Butterfly Habitat’ and asked, ‘How can you have a habitat when the butterflies can just fly away?’” Bonner recalls. “Dr. Mattoni laughed and handed me a magnifying glass (放大镜), ‘Look at the leaves.’ I could see all these caterpillars(蝴蝶的幼虫) on the plant. Dr Mattoni explained, ‘Without the plant, there are no butterflies.’”
Weeks later, Bonner received a call from Dr. Mattoni, who told him there was a butterfly that needed help. That was how he met the Palos Verdes blue. Since then he’s been working for four years to help bring the butterfly back. He grows astragalus, the only plant the butterfly eats. He collects butterflies and brings them into a lab to lay eggs. Then he puts new butterflies into the habitat.
The butterfly’s population, once almost zero, is now up to 900. For their work, Bonner and Dr. Mattoni received lots of awards. But for Bonner, he earned something more: he turned his life around.
For six years now Bonner has kept his promise to stay out of prison. While he’s bringing back the Palos Verdes blue, the butterfly has helped bring him back, too.
1.When he was young, Arthur Bonner _______.
A. broke the law and ended up in prison
B. was fond of shooting and hurt his mom
C. often laughed at people on the streets
D. often caught butterflies and took them home
2.Bonner came to know the Palos Verdes blue after he _______.
A. found the butterfly had died out
B. won many prizes from his professor
C. met Dr. Mattoni, a professor of biology
D. collected butterflies and put them into a lab
3.From the last sentence of the text, we learn that raising butterflies has _______.
A. made Bonner famous B. changed Bonner’s life
C. brought Bonner wealth D. enriched Bonner’s knowledge
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
Pierre is a 25-year-old penguin at the California Academy of Sciences．Due to his old age，he was going bald，which made him feel too cold to swim in the pool．Therefore，biologists at the academy had a wetsuit created for this penguin to help him get back in the swimming pool．
Unlike marine(海生的) mammals，which have a layer of blubber(鲸脂) to keep them warm，penguins depend on their waterproof feathers．Without them，Pierre was unwilling to jump into the swimming pool and ended up trembling on the side of the pool while his 19 peers played in the water．
“He was cold：he would shake，”said Pam Schaller，a senior biologist．Schaller first tried a heat lamp to keep Pierre warm．Then she got another idea：if wetsuits keep humans warm in the cold Pacific，why not make one for Pierre?
Schaller designed the suit，which covered Pierre’s body and had small openings for his flippers．
“I would walk behind him and look at where there were any gaps．and cut and refit until it looked like it was extremely suitable．”she said．
One concern was that the other penguins would reject Pierre in his new suit，but in fact，they accepted his new look．He swam freely and got along with others well，although he was the only penguin with a black stomach．
Schaller couldn’t say for sure whether the wetsuit allowed Pierre to recover his fine feathers，but” certainly we were able to keep him comfortable during a period of time that would have been very difficult for him to stay comfortable”．
Pierre will take off his suit after his new feathers grow back．
1.Pierre felt too cold to swim in the pool because of____．
A．not having a layer of blubber
B．having few feathers due to old age
C．having no wetsuit
D．others penguins rejecting him
2.The idea of making a wetsuit for Pierre came from__________.
A．total invention B．the use of wetsuit on humans
C．the use of heat lamp D．waterproof feathers ．
3.Schaller followed Pierre in order to see____________________．
A．whether other penguins would reject him
B．if anywhere of wetsuit needed to be cut and refit
C．if the wetsuit kept warm
D．whether the wetsuit would keep the feathers from recovering
4.The best title of the passage is____．
A．Wetsuit for An old Penguin B．Old Penguin Getting Bald
C．Unwilling to Swim D．Strange Look of Pierre
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When traveling, it's important to learn about the customs and etiquette （礼节）of the global village, What we consider polite behavior at home isn't always accepted outside our borders．Don't be regarded rude or disrespectful on your travels．
Gift giving should be a happy, positive experience．When selecting a present for someone in the Netherlands, don't purchase fancy kitchen knives or scissors．Giving sharp, pointy objects as gifts is considered unlucky．Be careful when presenting flowers to a friend or business partner in Russia．Yellow blooms suggest cheat or a relationship break-up． Traditionally, red carnations are placed on the tombs of the dead．Writing cards or notes while visiting South Korea, be mindful of your pen's ink color．Writing a person's name in red ink traditionally suggests that the person has passed away－an important point to remember when giving a birthday card．
Being early or on time is viewed as being rude, too eager or even greedy in Venezuela．If you are invited over to someone's home for a meal, it's recommended that you arrive 10 to 15 minutes later than the requested time．When having a meal in Egypt, don't use the saltshaker（调味瓶）． It's insulting to your host to spread salt on your food, which means that you find the meal terrible．Japan is a very polite nation, and their fondness for etiquette extends to the mealtime use of chopsticks．According to Japanese custom, it's considered ill-mannered to point, play with, or stab（戳） food with chopsticks．If you’re in the middle of eating, use the opposite end of your chopsticks to secure food from a shared plate．Using the end that touches your mouth is extremely offensive （冒犯的）, not to mention unhygienic（不卫生的）．
1.When sending a gift to your friend in Netherlands, you should avoid ．
A．sharp knives B．red carnations
C．yellow flowers D．long chopsticks
2.In South Korea, writing a person's name in red is not accepted because ．
A．red often stands for violence
B．it shows that you're not friendly
C．it means that the person is dead
D．red is not a favorite color there
3.What does the underlined word "insulting" in Paragraph 3 refer to?
A．Admirable． B．Challenging．
C．Rude． D．Respectful．
4.Where does this passage probably come from?
A．a news report． B．a tourist guide．
C．a museum guide． D．a science book．
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Researchers at the University of Kansas say that people can accurately judge 90 percent of a stranger's personality simply by looking at the person’s shoes．“Shoes convey useful information about their wearers，’’the authors wrote in the new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality．
Lead researcher Omri Gillath said the judgments were based on the style，cost，color and condition of someone’s shoes．In the study，63 University of Kansas researchers looked at pictures showing 208 different pairs of shoes worn by the study’s participants．Volunteers in the study were photographed in their most commonly worn shoes，and then filled out a personality questionnaire．
Some of the results were expected：People with higher incomes most commonly wore expensive shoes，and flashier shoes were typically worn by outgoing people．However，some of the more specific results are strange enough．For example，“practical and functional’’ shoes were generally worn by more “pleasant" people，while ankle boots were more linked with ‘‘aggressive’’ personalities．The strangest of all may be that those who wore ‘‘uncomfortable looking” shoes tend to have “calm” personalities．And if you have several pairs of new shoes or take extreme care of them，you may suffer from “attachment anxiety"，spending lots of time worrying about what other people think of your appearance．There was even a political calculation in the mix with more liberal(主张变革的)types wearing “shabbier and less expensive” shoes．
The researchers noted that some people will choose shoe styles to mask their actual personalities，but researchers noted that volunteers were also likely to be unaware that their footwear choices were showing the deep side of their personalities．
1.What does this text mainly tell us?
A．The richer you are , the more expensive shoes you will wear.
B．Shoes convey false information about the wearer．
C．People’s personalities can be judged by their shoes．
D．People know little about their personalities．
2.Which of the results is beyond people’s expectations?
A．Wealthy people often wear expensive shoes．
B．Pleasant people like wearing uncomfortable shoes．
C．Aggressive people are likely to wear ankle boots．
D．Flashier shoes are typically worn by outgoing people．
3.People suffering from“attachment anxiety” tend to
A．wear strange shoes
B．worry about their appearance
C．have a calm character
D．become a political leader
4.The author wrote the text in order to
A．inform us of a new study
B．introduce a research method
C．teach how to choose shoes
D．describe different personalities
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Although many Chinese students say that their knowledge of English grammar is good, most would admit that their spoken English is poor. Whenever I speak to Chinese students, they always say, "My spoken English is poor." 1. I would like to suggest that there may be some reasons for their problems with spoken English.
First, they fail to find suitable words to express themselves due to a limited vocabulary. 2. However，you can speak with a limited vocabulary if your attitude is positive. Others will follow you as long as you use the words that you know.
3. Sometimes they make mistakes when they are speaking because they are shy and nervous. Yet students should remember that their goal in speaking should be fluency not accuracy. You want to get your message across, to talk to someone in English, as quickly and well as you can, even though sometimes you may use a wrong word or tense, but it doesn't matter. 4.
The third reason is that not enough attention is paid to listening. You have one mouth but two ears! All that hearing is necessary for you to start speaking.
Fourth, most Chinese students are reactive(被动反应的) rather than proactive（积极行动的） language learners. Instead of actively seeking out opportunities to improve their spoken English they passively wait for speaking opportunities to come to them and wonder why their English always remains poor. 5.
A. The person you are speaking to will understand you and make allowances for mistakes he hears.
B. They may try to avoid making similar mistakes next time.
C. Obviously the better way is to expand their vocabulary.
D. If you have proactive outlook（观点）, then you will see English opportunities wherever you go.
E. However, their spoken English does not have to remain poor
F. Second, they are afraid of making mistakes.
G. The second reason lies in the unwillingness of using what has just been learned.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Born in America, I spoke English, not Chinese, the language of my ancestors. When I was three, my parents flashed cards with Chinese at my face , but I pushed them , my mom believed I would learn I was ready .But the never came.
On a Chinese New Year’s Eve, my uncle spoke to me in Chinese, but all I could do was at him, confused, scratching my head. “Still can’t speak Chinese?” He me, “You can’t even buy a fish in Chinatown.”
“Hey, this is America, not China. I’ll get some with or without Chinese.” I replied and turned to my mom for .
“Remember to ask for fresh fish, Xin Xian Yu,” she said, handing over a $20 bill .I the words running downstairs into the streets of Chinatown.
I found the fish surrounded in a sea of customers. “I’d like to buy some fresh fish,” I shouted to the fishman .But he my English words and turned to serve the next customer .The laugh of the people behind increased their impatience. With every , the breath of the dragons (龙) on my back grew stronger—my blood boiling— me to cry out . “Xian Sheng Yu, please” “Very Xian Sheng,” I repeated .The crowd erupted into laughter. My face turned and I ran back home , except for the $20 bill I held tightly in my pocket.
Should I laugh or cry. They‘re Chinese. I should feel right at . Instead , I was the joke , a disgrace (丢脸)to the language.
Sometimes , I laugh at my fish , but , in the end ，the joke is on . Every laugh is a culture ; every laugh is my heritage (传统) fading away(逐渐消失).
1.A. custom B. games C .characters. D. tradition
2.A. ahead B. around C. along D.aside
3.A. when B. before C. unless D. until
4.A. success B. study C. time D. attempt
5.A. aim B. joke C. nod D. stare
6.A. cared about B. laughed at C. argued with D. asked after
7.A. right now B. from now C. at times D. in time
8.A. decision B. permission C. information D. preparation
9.A. repeated B. reviewed C. spelled D. kept
10.A. farm B. stand C. pond D. market
11.A. guessed B. forget C. doubted D. ignored
12.A. by B. as C. with D. from
13.A. second B. effort C. desire D. movement
14.A. forcing B .allowing C. persuading D. leading
15.A. bright B. blank C. pale D. red
16.A. open-mouthed B. tongue-tied C. empty-handed D. broken-hearted
17.A. service B. home C. risk D. root
18.A.trade B. deed C. challenge D. incident
19.A. it B. us C. me D.them
20.A. thrown B. lost C. divided D. reflected
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，用不多于3个单词的正确形式填空。
Dear Chris,
I am Li Jin, monitor of Class One, Grade Two. I am very 1. (delight) to learn that you 2. (come) to our class to study with us as an exchange student next term.
It is a great honor for me 3. (tell) you some information relevant to the local life. First, our 4. (tradition) foods are dumplings and rice. I hope you can enjoy 5. . In addition, the climate here is very similar 6. that in the USA, so there is no need for you to worry about it.
Now I will introduce our class to you. Our class is made up of fifty two students, all of 7. are friendly and hard-working. Our teachers are kind and treat us very well.
Last of all, to promote the understanding and 8. (friend )between the students of the two countries, I hope you can do something , such as helping us practice our 9. (speak) English, and introducing something about American culture.
Looking forward to 10. (see) you.
Yours,
Li Jin
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
下面短文中有10处语言错误。每句话中最多有两处。请在有错误的地方增加、删除或修改某个单词。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(^)，并在其下面写上该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写上修改后的词。
注意： 1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Tom is a senior two students who devotes himself to his lessons every day. Last Saturday, as usual, he went to several courses. In the evening, he studies at home until deep into the night. He was too sleepy and tired that he couldn’t work effectively. In Sunday morning, Tom was about to study when his father came up and advised him to have break. Soon they had a good idea. They bought a kite a kite which they liked it very much and then the family went to the suburbs where Tom enjoyed fly the kite himself. The family had a picnic together but felt very relaxed in the open air. On Monday, Tom was energetic and actively in class. He said it was only why he had a better weekend.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你是李明，你的英国朋友Tom来信关心你参加期中考试的情况，请根据以下要点回信告知。
考试准备情况
2.考试时的状态
3.对试题的感受
4.可能的考试结果
注意：
1. 词数100字左右
2. 开头和结尾已经为你写好
3. 可适当增加细节，使文章连贯
参考词汇： 期中考试 mid-term examination
Dear Tom,
Thank you for your concern.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析