Passage 2
The migration(遷徙) of birds usually refers to the regular flights between their summer and winter homes. Except for those that nest in the tropics(熱帶地區(qū)), nearly all North American birds migrate. Some travel great distances while others go only a short way.
This seasonal movement has long been a mystery. Aristotle, an ancient Greek naturalist and philosopher, noticed that geese, swans, doves and many other birds moved to warmer places for winter. He started superstitions that were believed for hundreds of years. For example, he thought that many birds spent winter time sleeping in hollow trees, caves, or beneath the mud in marshes.
Many scientists believe that birds migrate from north to south because of bad weather. These birds began this journey originally because they were driven southward by the advancing ice age.
Many birds feed almost entirely upon insects. Another theory holds that birds migrate to areas with plentiful insects. When winter arrives, insects disappear and the birds would starve unless they moved southward. You may wonder, then, why insect eaters fly north again with the coming of spring, when there are many insects at winter homes.
A more realistic theory is that birds have a lasting impression of the birth place, resulting in a lifelong urge to return to this place each spring.
Recently scientists have found that length of day is the triggering force that prepares many birds for their migratory journeys. The change in length of day brings the birds into breeding condition and causes them to seek their northern nesting grounds.
In North America, it is possible to see migrating birds almost every month of the year. Some birds start south early in July, while others remain north until they are pushed out either by severe weather or by shortage of food. Soon after hardy travelers reach winter homes, other equally hardy migrants start from north on the heels of winter. In their eagerness to reach northern nesting grounds, early spring migrants sometimes arrive too soon and are caught in sudden storm and perish.
Most small birds and a good many larger ones migrate by night. Although most birds seem helpless in the dark, there are good reasons for this night-time travel. Some are poor fliers. Even good fliers may fall easy prey(獵獲物) to hawks, which feed and migrate in daylight. Also, night migrants have daylight hours for feeding. Many wading and swimming birds migrate either by day or night. Such birds usually feed at all hours and rarely have to hide from enemies.
56. All the following are possible reasons why birds migrate EXCEPT .
A. bad weather
B. search for food
C. change in length of day
D. escape from enemies
57.According to one of the theories, when the spring comes, migrating birds fly north because .
A. they can not stand the heat of the southern areas
B. home instinct drives them back to their birth places
C. there is not much food at their winter homes
D. dried marshes are not suitable nesting grounds
58. A good many birds migrate by night because .
A. they can see better in darkness
B. they are more energetic at night
C. night-time flight is safer
D. night is longer than day
59. After reading this passage, we can conclude that .
A. man’s interest in bird migration has always been superstitious
B. bird migration is not completely understood by scientists
C. night migrants are good fliers but their eyesight is poor
D. the tropics is a favorite nesting place for birds
60.The author devotes a better part of this passage to .
A. the reasons why birds migrate
B. the ways in which birds migrate
C. the routes birds take for their migration
D. the dangers birds face during their journeys VII. 作文。根據(jù)所學(xué)的一篇課文，寫出150字的短文。（本大題要求寫成短文形式，15分）
Write a short composition of about 150 words based on one of the texts you have learnt.(15 points)
IC: How Cliff Evans Became a Zero
The text you should base your composition on is “Cipher in the Snow”.
Use the following outline as a guide.
1. His family and his treatment at home
2. His life at school
3. Conclusion
The migration(遷徙) of birds usually refers to the regular flights between their summer and winter homes. Except for those that nest in the tropics(熱帶地區(qū)), nearly all North American birds migrate. Some travel great distances while others go only a short way.
This seasonal movement has long been a mystery. Aristotle, an ancient Greek naturalist and philosopher, noticed that geese, swans, doves and many other birds moved to warmer places for winter. He started superstitions that were believed for hundreds of years. For example, he thought that many birds spent winter time sleeping in hollow trees, caves, or beneath the mud in marshes.
Many scientists believe that birds migrate from north to south because of bad weather. These birds began this journey originally because they were driven southward by the advancing ice age.
Many birds feed almost entirely upon insects. Another theory holds that birds migrate to areas with plentiful insects. When winter arrives, insects disappear and the birds would starve unless they moved southward. You may wonder, then, why insect eaters fly north again with the coming of spring, when there are many insects at winter homes.
A more realistic theory is that birds have a lasting impression of the birth place, resulting in a lifelong urge to return to this place each spring.
Recently scientists have found that length of day is the triggering force that prepares many birds for their migratory journeys. The change in length of day brings the birds into breeding condition and causes them to seek their northern nesting grounds.
In North America, it is possible to see migrating birds almost every month of the year. Some birds start south early in July, while others remain north until they are pushed out either by severe weather or by shortage of food. Soon after hardy travelers reach winter homes, other equally hardy migrants start from north on the heels of winter. In their eagerness to reach northern nesting grounds, early spring migrants sometimes arrive too soon and are caught in sudden storm and perish.
Most small birds and a good many larger ones migrate by night. Although most birds seem helpless in the dark, there are good reasons for this night-time travel. Some are poor fliers. Even good fliers may fall easy prey(獵獲物) to hawks, which feed and migrate in daylight. Also, night migrants have daylight hours for feeding. Many wading and swimming birds migrate either by day or night. Such birds usually feed at all hours and rarely have to hide from enemies.
56. All the following are possible reasons why birds migrate EXCEPT .
A. bad weather
B. search for food
C. change in length of day
D. escape from enemies
57.According to one of the theories, when the spring comes, migrating birds fly north because .
A. they can not stand the heat of the southern areas
B. home instinct drives them back to their birth places
C. there is not much food at their winter homes
D. dried marshes are not suitable nesting grounds
58. A good many birds migrate by night because .
A. they can see better in darkness
B. they are more energetic at night
C. night-time flight is safer
D. night is longer than day
59. After reading this passage, we can conclude that .
A. man’s interest in bird migration has always been superstitious
B. bird migration is not completely understood by scientists
C. night migrants are good fliers but their eyesight is poor
D. the tropics is a favorite nesting place for birds
60.The author devotes a better part of this passage to .
A. the reasons why birds migrate
B. the ways in which birds migrate
C. the routes birds take for their migration
D. the dangers birds face during their journeys VII. 作文。根據(jù)所學(xué)的一篇課文，寫出150字的短文。（本大題要求寫成短文形式，15分）
Write a short composition of about 150 words based on one of the texts you have learnt.(15 points)
IC: How Cliff Evans Became a Zero
The text you should base your composition on is “Cipher in the Snow”.
Use the following outline as a guide.
1. His family and his treatment at home
2. His life at school
3. Conclusion