Tony Burke, Australia’s environment minister, says he won’t decide until next year whether the koala should be protected as an endangered species. He was expected to make his decision by the end of October. But that decision has been put off. Burke said he needed more time to go over the latest information about the koala’s population.
In September, an Australian Senate committee reported that there was no question the koala’s population is on the decrease. “But they may not yet be eligible (符合條件) for listing as a threatened species,” said Senator Doug Cameron. “To have such a significant Australian icon(偶像) included on the threatened species list would be a national shame.”
The koala is found only in the eucalyptus (桉樹) forests of Australia. And its population is reported to have fallen sharply for many reasons, including the cutting down of forests to make way for human beings’ development, their own illness, climate change and killings by other animals such as wild dogs. And every year many koalas are hit by cars as they are trying to cross the busy roads.
Putting off the decision on protection for the koala “is really bad news,” said Debbie Pointing, the president of the Koala Action Group. “We’ve worked tirelessly for many years to gather data on the populations,” Pointing said. “That data should be enough to make a decision.”
However, Burke pointed out that the Australian government had spent at least $6.3 million on koala conservation efforts since 1996. senators listed efforts that are already underway in Queensland – the construction of special koala bridges as well as fences along roads, to keep the animals out of harm’s way.
Some people say that is not enough. “What we’re doing at the moment is likely to drive this species to extinction,” Queensland University zoologist Bill Ellis said.
“Koalas are an iconic Australian animal,” Burke told Australians. “They hold a special place in the hearts of Australians.”
But it is a fact that if more isn’t done to protect the koala, they might soon hold a place only in Australians’ memories.
小題1:Tony Burke put off announcing the koala as an endangered species because        .

A．he needed more time to examine latest information

B．he doubted whether koalas’ number is decreasing

C．he was thinking about ways to protect koalas

D．he had more important issues to deal with

小題2:What is Paragraph 3 mainly about?

A．The habitat of the koala.

B．Australia’s traffic problems.

C．The importance of koalas for Australians.

D．Reasons for the decrease of the koala population.

小題3:According to the text, Debbie Pointing thinks that        .

A．the construction of special koala bridges is of little use

B．the government should announce the koala as an endangered species

C．the government is to blame for the decreasing koala population

D．koala are becoming less important in Australians’ hearts

小題4:It can be learned from the text that Tony Burke        .

A．decided to construct more fences along roads

B．called on Australians to take care of the koala

C．thought the government has done much for koalas

D．was optimistic about the koalas’ future

小題5:What is the main idea of the text?

A．Australia puts off the decision on whether the koala is endangered.

B．Australia is taking special measures to protect koalas.

C．The population of koalas is reducing rapidly.

D．Australians are concerned about koalas.

“Big boys don’t cry.” I heard those words a lot   36  up in America in the late sixties and early seventies. In those days men were expected to be   37  and rugged and never shed a tear no matter what. Our   38  were all stone faced cowboys who were too   39  to cry. Believing this then I tried my best   40  to cry at all during my teenage and early adult years.
All that changed,   41 , as I was driving home alone one night shortly after my Mom   42 . It was dark and raining outside. I was struggling to   43  the car on the road while at the same time   44  to hold the tears back in my eyes. I remember almost going off the road twice as I blinked back (眨眼控制) the salty water that was burning my   45  and blurring (使模糊) my vision. My hands shook, my heart   46 , and my soul felt dead.   47  I could do it no longer. I stopped, pulled over, lay my head on the steering wheel, and   48 . I cried until the tears couldn’t fall anymore. I cried until the pain that I was holding onto so   49  finally fled my heart.
After that night I   50  something. Big boys do cry.   51 , it is the biggest hearts that cry the most. I realized too that it is our   52  that can release us from our anger and our grief while   53  us to our love and our God. Tears help us to embrace this often bittersweet life. They help us to keep growing   54  to each other in love and joy instead of   55  ourselves up in dull, aching, and lonely hearts.

小題1:	A．hurrying B．growing C．rising D．getting

小題2:	A．tough B．cold C．independent D．a(chǎn)ctive

小題3:	A．leaders B．neighbors C．heroes D．fathers

小題4:	A．strict B．strong C．stubborn D．eager

小題5:	A．still B．a(chǎn)lways C．hardly D．never

小題6:	A．otherwise B．therefore C．however D．instead

小題7:	A．left B．died C．returned D．disappeared

小題8:	A．keep B．hold C．fix D．move

小題9:	A．hopping B．learning C．managing D．struggling

小題10:

A．a(chǎn)rms B．feet C．eyes D．hairs

小題11:

A．hurt B．sank C．froze D．stopped

小題12:

A．Actually B．Finally C．Naturally D．Immediately

小題13:

A．faded B．slept C．rested D．cried

小題14:

A．secretly B．carefully C．strongly D．firmly

小題15:

A．realized B．picked C．gained D．lost

小題16:

A．At least B．In fact C．In all D．As usual

小題17:

A．love B．sweat C．tears D．relation

小題18:

A．helping B．changing C．removing D．reconnecting

小題19:

A．closer B．higher C．richer D．shorter

小題20:

A．catching B．shutting C．picking D．wrapping

There is a very special wolf that lives in Africa. They are actually called, the African wild dog, of painted dogs.
These animals live in open woodlands, or in the plains of Africa. Today, however, most of the animals can be found in eastern or southern Africa. These animals are beautiful. They have rounded ears instead of pointed like most dogs, and they have four toes (腳趾) on each of their four feet, also a unique characteristic because other dogs have five. Their fine fur is always different from each other. The fur is usually a combination of black, brown, red, and white, and sometimes even yellow. No wonder they’re called the painted wolf.
The African wild dog is a very social animal. They live in groups and have numbers from five to about twenty. The members of a group are always very close to one another. They communicate in their own language or body language. When someone is very old or sick, the others will help, and they are willing to share the food with the elders and with those who are weak, which is what we should learn from.
The family does everything together, from raising young, to sleeping together, to hunting. When they hunt, they will work together suing team work to kill animals that are larger than them.
They sometimes hunt farm animals. This is unfortunate, because both poachers (偷獵者), and people who own farms shoot the painted dogs who are just trying to survive.
Before, there used to be many large groups throughout the land, but now the African wild god is very rare. They are also losing their population because of their own loss of habitat thanks to human’s farming and forest cutting.
小題1:From the text we learn that the African wild dog         .

A．lives in the north of Africa

B．has sixteen toes altogether

C．has pointed ears like most dogs

D．lives in forests in groups

小題2:Why do African wild dogs get the name “painted dogs”?

A．They all have colorful fur.

B．The dogs in the same group are of different colors.

C．Artists love to paint them in different colors.

D．None of them has the same color.

小題3:According to the author, what should we learn from African wild dogs?

A．They always do everything together.

B．They help the sick, the elderly and the weak.

C．They are always very close to one another.

D．They communicate in their own language.

小題4:Which of the following is NOT the reason why African wild dogs are becoming very rare?

A．Poachers kill some of them.

B．They are short of food sometimes.

C．They are losing their habitat.

D．Farmers shoot some of them.

小題5:Where could this passage probably be found?

A．The Travelers

B．Fashion Weekly

C．Animal World

D．Star Magazine

Half a century after the March of Dimes (a US charity organization that collects money for children) put the 20th century’s most feared childhood disease on the road to eradication (根除), Bill Gates declared polio (小兒麻痹癥) his important job and challenged world leaders to finish the job.
India, Nigeria, Pakistan and Afghanistan now have active transmission (傳播) of the disease. Gates says the biggest problem with the success of the Global Polio Eradication program in those countries and elsewhere is lack of money.
The Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation plans to increase its $200 million annual contribution (每年的捐款) by $102 million this year, Gates says. Gates recently met privately with Pakistan’s President in Washington, D.C., to try to persuade him to provide full support for Pakistan’s eradication plan.
Children in the USA also are at risk, experts say. Parents who don’t vaccinate (給某人接種疫苗) their children because they are fearful of vaccine side-effects create a large number of children who are likely to be harmed by the virus.
“If you increase the number of unvaccinated children, you increase the chance that this virus will find new subjects,” says David Oshinsky, Pulitzer Prized-winning author of Polio: An American Story.
“We’ve got to get this vaccine into the mouths of children,” says Bruce Aylward, head of the World Health Organization’s eradication program.
In 1988, when the World Health Organization launched the Global Polio Eradication program, the disease killed 350,000 children a year worldwide. By last year, the total dropped to fewer than 1,500 worldwide, Aylward says.
If Gates provides the final push for polio eradication, he may be remembered as much for helping prevent polio as for founding Microsoft, Oshinsky says.
“As long as there’s polio anywhere, people everywhere are at risk,” Aylawrd says. “We’re still not out of the woods.”
小題1:According to the text, the success of the Global Polio Eradication program mainly depends on          .

A．the World Health Organization’s policy

B．the development of a new vaccine

C．the local governments’ support

D．the collection of funds.

小題2:What do we know about polio according to the text?

A．People in Nigeria don’t take it seriously.

B．It’s now the most serious childhood disease.

C．Great progress has been made in preventing it.

D．There are few organizations helping to prevent it.

小題3:According to Oshinsky,           .

A．Gates should devote more time to Microsoft

B．polio eradication is a very important cause

C．vaccine side-effects should not be ignored

D．polio has been brought under control

小題4:According to the passage, which of the following about Bill Gates is TRUE?

A．He is the founder of the Global polio Eradication program.

B．He persuades some of the world leaders to support the eradication plan.

C．His foundation contributes $302, 000 to eradicate polio every year.

D．He works harder on preventing polio than founding Microsoft.

小題5:The underlined part “We’re still not out of the woods” means “       ”.

A．We get lost in the woods	B．We’re not free from trouble
C．we have no idea where to go	D．We’re unable to eradicate polio

Apple Inc co-founder and former CEO Steve Jobs, counted among the  greatest American CEOs of his generation, died on Wednesday at the age of 56,  after a years-long and highly public battle with cancer. Mourners gathered outside his house in Palo Alto, California, and Apple stores around the world.                         
Steve Jobs made technology fun. As tech leaders, they're really happy if they have one hit in their life. Steve Jobs has the Apple II, the Mac, the iPod, the iPhone, the iPad and Pixar.
Steve Jobs was a college dropout. He was adopted by a machinist and his wife, an accountant. They supported his early interest in electronics. He and his friend Steve Wozniak started Apple Computer—now just called Apple—in 1976. They stayed at the company until 1985. That year, Steve Wozniak returned to college and Steve Jobs left in a dispute with the chief executive.
Mr. Jobs then formed his own company, called NeXT Computer. He rejoined Apple in 1997 after it bought NeXT, He helped remake Apple from a business that was in bad shape then to one of the most valuable companies in the world today. However, Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's chief executive in August, 2011 because of his health. He died a day after the company released a new iPhone version that met with limited excitement. Steve left behind a company that only he could have built, and his spirit will forever be the foundation of Apple.
President Obama said in a statement: by building one of the planet's most successful companies from his garage, Steve Jobs showed the spirit of American ingenuity (獨(dú)創(chuàng)性). By making computers personal and putting the Internet in our pockets, he made the information revolution not only accessible but intuitive (直覺的) and fun.
The fact that he was able to redesign American commerce top to bottom and across is really astonishing. He probably will be considered an industrial giant on the scale of Thomas Edison and Henry Ford, so one of the greatest of all time. Steve Jobs not only revolutionized technology, he also revolutionized American business. Steve Jobs was remembered as a " great visionary and leader" and a marketing genius.
小題1:What does the underlined word "dispute" in Paragraph 3 probably mean?

A．Discussion.

B．Permission.

C．Experiment.

D．Argument.

小題2:According to Paragraph 2, the author wants to show that _____.

A．Steve Jobs made fun of modem inventions

B．Steve Jobs makes great contributions to the world

C．tech leaders will be happy when they have one hit in their life

D．Steve Jobs owns many companies in America

小題3:Which of the following statements about Steve Jobs is NOT TRUE?

A．Steve Jobs stepped down as Apple's chief executive because of poor health.

B．Steve Jobs and his friend built a company called Apple Computer in 1976.

C．Steve Jobs was remembered as the founder of Apple and the Internet

D．President Obama spoke highly of Steve Jobs for his achievements.

小題4:How long did Steve Jobs work for Apple?

A．9 years.

B．14 years.

C．23 years.

D．35 years

小題5:This passage is mainly about _____.

A．a(chǎn) brief introduction of Steve Jobs	B．the inventions of Steve Jobs
C．the childhood of Steve Jobs	D．the death of Steve Jobs

Henry Ford was the first person to build cars which were cheap，strong and fast．He was able to se11 millions of models because he could produce them in large numbers at a time；that is，he made a great many cars of exactly the same kind． Ford’s father hoped that his son would become a farmer，but the young man did not like the idea and he went to Detroit（底特律）where he worked as a mechanic（機(jī)械師）．By the age of 29，in 1892，he had built his first car．However，the car made in this way，the famous “Model T” did not appear until 1908-----five years after Ford had started his great motor car factory．This car showed to be so well-known that it remained unchanged for twenty years．Since Ford’s time，this way of producing cars in large numbers has become common in industry and has reduced the price of many goods which would otherwise be very expensive．
小題1:Henry Ford was the man to built _____ cars．

A．cheap and strong	B．cheap and long
C．fast and expensive	D．strong and slow

小題2:Ford was able to sell millions of cars，because_____．

A．he made many great cars

B．his cars are many

C．he made lots of cars of the same kind

D．both A and B

小題3:The young man became a mechanic，_______．

A．which was his father’s will

B．which was against his own will

C．which was against his father’s will

D．which was the will of both

小題4:The “Model T” was very famous_____．

A．before 1908	B．between 1982 and 1908
C．before 1892	D．a(chǎn)fter 1908

小題5:Ford built his own car factory_____?

A．in 1903

B．in 1908

C．in 1913

D．in 1897

It was Monday. Mrs. Smith's dog was hungry , but there was not any meat in the house.
Considering that there was no better way. Mrs. Smith took a piece of paper, and wrote the following words on it：“Give my dog half a pound of meat.”Then she gave the paper to her dog and said gently：“Take this to the butcher（* person whose job is selling meat）and he's going to give you your lunch today.”
Holding the piece of paper in its mouth, the dog ran to the butcher's. It gave the paper to the butcher. The butcher read it carefully, recognized that it was really the lady's handwriting and soon did it as he was asked to. The dog was very happy, and ate the meat up at once.
At noon, the dog came to the shop again. It gave the butcher a piece of paper again. After reading it, he gave it half a pound of meat once more.
The next day, the dog came again exactly at noon. And as usual, it brought a piece of paper in the mouth. This time, the butcher did not take a look at paper, and gave the dog its meat, for he had regarded the dog as one of his customers.
But, the dog came again at four o'clock. And the same thing happened once again. To the butcher's more surprise, it came for the third time at six o'clock, and brought with it a third piece of paper. The butcher felt a bit puzzled . He said to himeself,“This is a small dog. Why does Mrs. Smith give it so much meat to eat today？”
Looking at the piece of paper, he found that there were not any words on it！
小題1:Mrs. Smith treated her little dog quite  　　　.

A．cruelly

B．fairly

C．kindly

D．friendly

小題2:It seemed that the dog knew well that the paper Mrs. Smith gave it 　　　.

A．might do it much harm	B．could do it much good
C．would help the butcher	D．was worth many pounds

小題3:The butcher did not give any meat to the dog  　　　.

A．before he felt sure that the words were really written by Mrs. Smith

B．when he found that the words on the paper were not clear

C．because he had sold out all the meat in his shop

D．until he was paid enough by Mrs. Smith

小題4:From its experience, the dog found that  　　　.

A．only the paper with Mrs. Smith's words in it could bring it meat

B．the butcher would give the meat to it whenever he saw it

C．Mrs. Smith would pay for the meat it got from the butcher

D．a(chǎn) piece of paper could bring it half a pound of meat

小題5:At the end of the story, you'll find that 　　　.

A．the dog was clever enough to write on the paper

B．the dog dared not go to the butcher's any more

C．the butcher was told not to give any meat to the dog

D．the butcher found himself cheated by the clever animal

I can honestly say it was the best of times and the worst of times．I was joyfully  36 my first Child at the same time that my once-energetic mother was   37 her battle with a brain cancer．
For ten years，my courageous mother had fought，but none of the operations or other  38 had been successful．Finally，she became totally  39 unable to speak，walk，eat or dress on her own．As she grew closer and closer to death，my baby grew closer and closer to life．My biggest fear was that their lives would never  40 she and my baby could never  41 each other．
My fear seemed  42 ．A few weeks before my  43 date，mother went into a deep coma(昏迷)and doctors said she would never  44 ．So we brought her to her own house．As often as I could，I  45 her about the baby moving inside me．I hoped that somehow  46 inside，she knew．
On February 3rd，at about the same time my labor(分娩)started at hospital，the nurse at her house told me the  47 news：Morn opened her eyes，sitting up and smiling．I asked for the phone to be  48 to Morn’S ear．
“Morn，you’II have a new grandchild!”
“Yes!Yes!I know!”
Four words。four _49__  and beautiful words!
For the next tWO miracle weeks after I brought Jacob home，she gave US joy，smiling，holding Jacob and speaking to the family in complete  50 Then she quietly slipped back into a coma  51 and was finally free  52 the pain forever．
Memories of my son’s birth will always be   53 for me，but it was at this time that I learned an important truth about living．  54 both joy and sorrow are lasting only a short time，and often intertwined(相互糾纏)，love has the   55 to face both．And love can last forever．

小題1:	A．hoping B．expecting C．waiting for D．taking care of

小題2:	A．continuing B．starting C．completing D．losing

小題3:	A．treatments B．methods C．measures D．injections

小題4:	A．dull B．unmoved C．unconscious D．disabled

小題5:	A．combine B．connect C．mix D．gather

小題6:	A．replace B．bless C．know D．inspire

小題7:	A．well-founded B．well—informed C．well—known D．well-planned

小題8:	A．ready B．final C．due D．fixed

小題9:	A．come over B．come up C．come back D．come around

小題10:

A．discussed with B．talked to C．explained to D．described to

小題11:

A．deep B．dangerous C．magic D．mysterious

小題12:

A．strange B．fantastic C．impossible D．imaginary

小題13:

A．built B．set C．felt D．put

小題14:

A．a(chǎn)ccurate B．slow C．clear D．truthful

小題15:

A．words B．idioms C．descriptions D．sentences

小題16:

A．state B．setting C．reaction D．silence

小題17:

A．off B．a(chǎn)gainst C．from D．beyond

小題18:

A．light-hearted B．bitter-sweet C．nice D．fresh

小題19:

A．If B．As C．Since D．While

小題20:

A．power B．strength C．force D．energy

The beggar’s well-deserved dinner
Many years ago, there lived two woodcutters, Rahim and Rahman in a village. They went out every    36   to cut fire wood. After cutting wood. They would sit down and   37   their lunch from their boxes. Next they would   38   the firewood till the end of the day in the marketplace before going    39  .
One day, they were eating their lunch when Rahim noticed a beggar. The beggar   40   eyed the lunch and said, “I wonder if you can spare a little food for me.” Rahim, who felt   41  for him, was about to give him some of it, but was   42   back by Rahman. “ We   43   hard throughout the morning and   44   enough food for ourselves to see us through the   45   .  So you see we cannot give you any food. But if you   46  , I can lend you my axe and we both will teach you how to cut firewood and sell it. And you’ll have   47   to eat and buy yourself a(n)   48   axe to cut more fire wood. This way, you can   49   a livelihood with dignity (尊嚴(yán)).”
The beggar joined them.   50  , Rahman showed him how to cut firewood. Thereafter they took him to the   51   and told him how to sell it.
At the end of the day, the beggar proudly took the   52   to Rahman to show them his earnings. Rahman took him to buy a new axe. Then the beggar entered an inn (客棧).
After he had gone, Rahman told Rahim, “By teaching him how to   53   his own trade, we have taught him a skill, which will last him a   54  . Now he will hever go hungry again.” As a very famous saying goes, “Don’t give them fish   55   teach them how to catch the fish.”

小題1:	A．year B．weekend C．evening D．morning

小題2:	A．spare B．eat C．cook D．change

小題3:	A．sell B．burn C．cut D．keep

小題4:	A．a(chǎn)way B．out C．home D．a(chǎn)round

小題5:	A．quietly B．happily C．calmly D．hungrily

小題6:	A．a(chǎn)nxious B．sorry C．good D．a(chǎn)ngry

小題7:	A．pulled B．driven C．thrown D．beaten

小題8:	A．listen B．prepare C．search D．work

小題9:	A．buy B．collect C．pack D．grow

小題10:

A．noon B．day C．term D．rest

小題11:

A．wish B．know C．doubt D．believe

小題12:

A．a(chǎn)nything B．everything C．enough D．none

小題13:

A．extra B．big C．small D．new

小題14:

A．a(chǎn)ccept B．earn C．lead D．express

小題15:

A．Patiently B．Simply C．Directly D．Quickly

小題16:

A．shelter B．hill C．market D．street

小題17:

A．lunch B．firewood C．a(chǎn)xe D．money

小題18:

A．start B．leave C．seek D．support

小題19:

A．decade B．week C．lifetime D．century

小題20:

A．so B．but C．if D．or

There was a wonder-filled little girl who was hurt so badly that when she entered adult life, she thought she was so bad that others just couldn’t be nice to her.
But she had a lot of curiosity, which kept her going. She sought many wise people to help her understand why she was so bad that her mother hurt her and why she was unable to be better so that men wouldn’t hurt her.
She was on a journey that she thought was to help her be “better”. She carried a big bag with her everywhere she went. Inside it were all the hurts she had experienced. Because she was so eager to please those who offered their wisdom, she willingly agreed with what they said about forgiving. But she held that bag of hurts tightly.
After 50 years of carrying that bag around and showing it to all she met as if it were proof that she was a good person, she decided to open it up and just see what happened.
When she looked inside it was filled with bits of paper. At one time they had words on them, detailing the hurts. But time had faded (使褪色) the words and all that was left was some useless paper. She had been struggling to carry this bag that held nothing but the image of something that once was.
She saw the absurdity of carrying that bag around. It made her laugh. By letting go of the paper and having pity for those that hurt her, this little girl was able to become a woman with beautiful hair. The woman looked in the mirror and said, “I am lovable.”
Although it took many years, she was finally open to bringing love and respect into her life.
小題1:When she grew up, the little girl wondered         .

A．where she should go

B．why she couldn’t be loved

C．how she could be a sweet girl

D．why she was hurt so deeply

小題2:What advice did girl get from wise people?

A．To please those who hurt her.

B．To keep carrying the bag of hurts.

C．To record the hurts she suffered.

D．To forgive those who hurt her.

小題3:The woman laughed in the end because           .

A．she had beautiful hair

B．she became lovable

C．she realized her silliness

D．she became a wise woman

小題4:According to the passage, which of the following can be used to describe the woman?

A．Curious.

B．Kind-hearted.

C．Easy-going.

D．Devoted.

小題5:What lesson can we learn from the story?

A．You will walk fast without carrying a load.

B．You will get peace after forgiving others.

C．You will become young if you forget your hurts.

D．You will be loved after changing your image.