Their round bodies, round flat noses and large ears often remind us of bears every time we see koalas. Probably that"s why these animals are often referred to as koala bears. Koalas are natives of Australia.
However, they aren"t found all over the continent. The habitat of koala bears  is eastern regions of
Australia and South Australia.    
     Koalas are found where there are enough forests of eucalyptus(桉树) trees. The association of koalas and eucalyptus trees is due to the fact that these animals feed on the leaves of eucalyptus trees. But that"s
not all. In addition, the trees also serve as the homes of the koalas.    
     Koalas grow around 27 to 36 inches tall and weigh 5 to 9 kilograms on average. Male kaolas are
larger than the females. Life can stretch up to 17 years.     
     Like many other animals, the habitat of koala bears is fast decreasing due to deforestation and quick
urbanization(都市化). However, efforts by some scientists and animal lovers have successfully introduced these creatures back in certain parts of Australia.1. What do Koalas look like ?   (回答词数不超过3个)                                                                                        2. Where is the main habitat of koala bears in the world?  (回答词数不超过8个)                                                                                                  3. What do eucalyptus trees provide koalas with ?  (回答词数不超过3个)                                                                                      

阅读理解。      Spider webs are one of the most fascinating examples of animal architecture. The most
beautiful and structurally ordered are the round webs. The main function of the web is to stop
and hold flying insects, long enough for the spider to catch them. In order to do so,the threads
of the web have to stand the forces from large and heavy insects as well as environmental forces
from wind and rain for at least a day in most cases.
     The round web is found to have two main characteristics. The first is its geometry,which
consists of an outer frame and a central part from which threads radiate outward. Enclosed in
the frame are capture spirals winding round and round from the web center out to the frame.
The whole web is in tension and held in place by anchor threads,which connect the frame to the
surrounding plants or objects. The second and perhaps most important characteristic is the
material with which it is built. Spider silk is a kind of natural material that gives this lightweight
fiber a strength comparable to that of steel, while at the same time making it very elastic(有弹性的).
Two types of silk threads are used in the web. One is highly elastic and can stretch to almost twice
its original length before breaking and, for most types of spiders,is covered in glue. This type is
used in the capture spiral for catching and holding insects. The other is stiffer and stronger,and is
used for the radius,frames and anchor threads,which allows the web to stand forces and to keep
its structural strength through a wide range of environmental conditions.l. What does the word"so"in the first paragraph refer to?A. To catch and keep small creatures.
B. To find a good material for the web.
C. To make the webs beautiful and well ordered.
D. To make the threads long enough.2. Which of the following is used for catching and holding insects?A. The center of the web.
B. The capture spirals.
C. The anchor threads.
D. The radius.3. Which of the following correctly gives the names of the numbered threads in the picture?A. ①capture spiral ② radius
B. ①radius ② capture spiral
C. ①anchor thread ② frame thread
D. ①frame thread ② anchor thread4. Which of the following best describes the threads used in the capture spiral?A. Natural and lightweight.
B. Strong and stiff.
C. Smooth and elastic.
D. Strong,sticky and elastic.5. What is this passage mainly about?A. The wisdom of spiders.
B. The function of round spider webs.
C. The structure of round spider webs.
D. The challenges for spider webs.

阅读理解。     Squirrels often communicate with whistles, chirps and chucks, which sound like the word
"chuck". Whistles and chirps are like the sounds that many birds make. Now scientists have
translated some of their squirrel-speak.
     Hare, a professor of zoology at the University of Maniloha in Winnipeg, and his team
managed to record squirrels" alarm calls. The researchers studied the sounds and then played
them back to 60 wild squirrels, which the scientists approached individually with a video recorder
to capture(抓拍)their responses. Some squirrels lifted their heads up and became alert(警惕的).
Creatures that were more frightened simply ran for their lives and dived into caves.
     "In effect then, whistles that mix with chucks say "there"s an enemy of average threat that"s here",
and whistles without chucks say "there"s an enemy of seemingly average threat around here
somewhere", while pure chirps say, "I"m hiding here because there"s an immediate danger." " Hare
told Discovery News.
     Hare and some other researchers believe such sounds are part of an advanced language that
develops just as all other communication systems.
     Although squirrels risk their lives when they call out to warn others of threats, other squirrels
might admire this behavior, thus increasingly the caller"s social status, like humans who look up to
heroes. Hare added that other animals, such as birds, probably understand at least some squirrel
language, since they also may benefit from the alarm calls.
     In fact, another Canadian study found that deep-voiced, black-capped chickadees have their
own language too. According to certain research, there are a lot of tidings in chickadees" calls, such
as directing fellows" activities, keeping in contact between mates, and raising alarms.
     While chickadees and other birds are often welcomed into gardens by homeowners, squirrels
are frequently viewed as pests(害兽). Hare wishes a greater understanding of the complex social
lives and communication systems of squirrels will provide "hope that humans will gain a greater
appreciation and stop doing harm to these animals".1.The text mainly talks about       .A. the study on the language of squirrels
B. the comparison between squirrels and chickadees
C. the calling for the protection of squirrels
D. the ways for squirrels to escape from their enemies2.If a squirrel is in a very dangerous situation, it would probably make ____.A. whistles with chucks  
B. pure chirps
C. whistles without chucks
D. repeated chucks3.The underlined word "tidings" in paragraph 6 probably means ____.A. difficulties    
B. poises    
C. messages  
D. languages4.What can be learned from this text?A. Squirrels communicate with each other as humans do.
B. Some squirrels understand the recorded alarm calls.
C. Other animals also well understand the language of squirrels.
D. Birds such as chickadees don"t have their own language.

阅读理解。     Baby girls make their way directly for dolls as soon as they can crawl,while boys will head for cars,a
study has shown.The findings,the first to show differences in very young babies,suggest there is a
biological basis to their preferences.
     Psychologists Dr Brenda Todd from City University London carried out an experiment involving 90
babies aged 9 months to 36 months.The babies were allowed to choose from seven toys.Some were
typically boys" toys-a car,a digger,a ball and a blue teddy.The rest were girls" toys: a pink teddy,a doll
and a cooking set.They were placed a meter away from the toys;and could pick whichever toy they liked
their choice and the amount of time they spent playing with each toy were recorded.
     Of the youngest children (9 to 14 months),girls spent significantly longer playing with the doll than
boys,and boys spent much more time with the car and ball than the girls did.Among the two and
three-year-olds,girls spent 50 percent of the time playing with the doll while only two boys briefly touched
it.The boys spent almost 90 percent of their time playing with cars,which the girls barely touched.There
was no link between the parents" view on which toys were more appropriate for boys or girls,and the
children"s choice.
     Dr Brenda Todd said,"Children of this age are already exposed to much socialization.Boys may be
given"toys that go"while girls get toys they can care for,which may help shape their preference . But these
findings agree with the former idea that children show natural interests in particular kinds of toys.There
could be a biological basis for their choices.Males through evolution have been adapted to prefer:
moving objects,probably through hunting instincts(本能),while girls prefer warmer colors such as pink,
the colour of a newborn baby."                                 1.Baby boys and girls have different toy preferences probably because____A. baby boys are much more active
B. baby girls like bright colours more  
C. their parents treat them differently
D. there is a natural difference between them 2. Both baby boys and baby girls like to play with____ according to the study.A. a ball    
B. a teddy    
C. a car      
D. a doll   3.What can we infer from Paragraph 3?A. Nine-month-old baby boys don"t play with dolls at all.
B. Two-year-old baby girls sometimes play with cars and balls.
C. The older the babies are,the more obvious their preference is.
D. Parents should teach their babies to share each other"s toys.4.What conclusion did Dr.Brenda Todd draw from the results of the study?A. Adults purposely influence their babies" preference.
B. Babies" preference isn"t affected by social surroundings.
C. Baby boys preferring to moving toys will be good at hunting.
D. Baby girls preferring warmer colors will be warm-hearted. 5.We may read this article in a______section of a newspaper.A. science      
B. health        
C. education    
D. entertainment.

阅读理解。     Children don"t come with an instruction manual (手册),but now their grades in school do! Finally,
parents can stop worrying about what their child"s next school year will bring and get a glimpse of what"s
coming.
     Education.com,an easy-to-use,one-stop online destination with over 4,000 articles,that helps parents
and educators take an ever more active role in their children"s education,unveiled Grade Specific Cheat
Sheets for grades pre-school through grade 5.From academic expectations,developmental milestones,and
typical social issues,to fun learning activities that literally bring it all home,parents can now find it all in one
place.
     "As the school year approaches,parents struggle to find time to adequately prepare themselves and
their children for what"s ahead," said Ron Fortune,CEO of Education.com."Every grade is different.
Whether it"s helping parents understand what their third grader should be reading or how they should be
talking to their teen about peer pressure,our goal is to provide parents with a grade and developmental
stage-specific user manual that helps parents find authoritative information as quickly as possible."
     The start of a new grade means many new questions.Now,a parent with a child about to embark
(开始) on a new school year can go to Education.com"s new Grade Specific Cheat Sheets and find
age-specific information and content including what their child should be learning in math,reading,writing,
and science,as well as physical and language milestones.Parents can find over forty articles per grade,on
everything from peer relationships to self-esteem,how gender affects development,to ideas for using
goldfish crackers for math practice or making a homemade fossil.
     Education.com"s new Grade Specific Cheat Sheets provide parents with articles and content from
trusted sources such as teachers,child psychologists,parents,and guidance counselors.  1.The passage wants to tell us __________.A. something about Education.com
B. how to cheat in the exam
C. new studying method for children
D. cheating is a good thing in the school2.The goals of Education.com are the following except __________.A. helping parents and educators educate children
B. providing parents with authoritative information
C. providing children with some cheating skills
D. giving parents some useful articles3.The role of Education.com is __________.A. passive          
B. big          
C. small        
D. active4.From the passage,we can know __________.A. the content includes what should be learned in many subjects
B. the content does not come from trusted sources
C. the content is intended mainly for the children
D. the content is not related with pre-school students5.The words "unveil" in the second paragraph is closest to __________ in meaning.A. cover          
B. uncover        
C. discover    
D. invent