Construction workers in Southern California have made a wild discovery. They were digging at a building site in San Timoteo Canyon (峽谷) when they unearthed hundreds of ancient animal fossils. Researchers say the bones hold important clues about the history of the region.
Nearly 1, 500 fossils were recovered from the dusty canyon. The remains are about 1.4 million years old. They include the bones of a new species of deer, several small rodents (嚙齒目動(dòng)物) and more. A giant cat fossil was also found. Scientists believe the animal was an ancestor of the saber- toothed tiger. Signs of plant life were uncovered as well.
“This is a huge find,” says Rick Greenwood, a scientist studying the site. “I don’t think most people had any idea that those types of animals were wandering around here more than a million years ago.”
San Timoteo Canyon is located about 85 miles from Los Angeles. The area of the canyon where the fossils were found was once part of a green river valley. Today, the region is dry and plant life is rare.
Most of the fossils are well preserved. Experts say a muddy lake bed may have trapped thirty animals that wandered over for a drink. The mud helped to protect the animal fossils.
The remains are a million years older than those discovered at the famous La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Scientists studying the bones will be able to learn more about how the animals adapted to changes in the environment.
“We have a confused view of what this time period was like, ” says another scientist. “A discovery like this could really be an important contribution.”
About 35 different animal species are represented in the fossil collection. Scientists began removing bones from the site last fall. The project was completed this summer. Starting next year, the fossils will be on display at the Western Science Center in the nearby city of Hemet, California.
【小題1】
What does the passage mainly focus on?

A．The secret of ancient animals’ deaths.

B．The preparation for a future fossil exhibition.

C．A great discovery of fossils.

D．The history of San Timoteo Canyon.

【小題2】
From what Rick says, we know ________. (原創(chuàng))

A．fossils were discovered in the canyon for the first time.

B．the canyon in ancient times was quite different.

C．more research work will be carried on in the canyon.

D．the river water helped to protect the animal fossils.

【小題3】
Compared to the discovery at the La Brea Tar Pits, the canyon-involved fossils _______.

A．a(chǎn)re far older	B．include more species
C．a(chǎn)re better preserved	D．make experts more confused

【小題4】
What do we know about the fossils from the passage?

A．All of them are of new species.

B．Some of them have been destroyed

C．They were looked for under experts’ guidance.

D．They will be on show in the near future.

Construction workers in Southern California have made a wild discovery. They were digging at a building site in San Timoteo Canyon (峽谷) when they unearthed hundreds of ancient animal fossils. Researchers say the bones hold important clues about the history of the region.

Nearly 1, 500 fossils were recovered from the dusty canyon. The remains are about 1.4 million years old. They include the bones of a new species of deer, several small rodents (嚙齒目動(dòng)物) and more. A giant cat fossil was also found. Scientists believe the animal was an ancestor of the saber- toothed tiger. Signs of plant life were uncovered as well.

“This is a huge find,” says Rick Greenwood, a scientist studying the site. “I don’t think most people had any idea that those types of animals were wandering around here more than a million years ago.”

San Timoteo Canyon is located about 85 miles from Los Angeles. The area of the canyon where the fossils were found was once part of a green river valley. Today, the region is dry and plant life is rare.

Most of the fossils are well preserved. Experts say a muddy lake bed may have trapped thirty animals that wandered over for a drink. The mud helped to protect the animal fossils.

The remains are a million years older than those discovered at the famous La Brea Tar Pits in Los Angeles. Scientists studying the bones will be able to learn more about how the animals adapted to changes in the environment.

“We have a confused view of what this time period was like, ” says another scientist. “A discovery like this could really be an important contribution.”

About 35 different animal species are represented in the fossil collection. Scientists began removing bones from the site last fall. The project was completed this summer. Starting next year, the fossils will be on display at the Western Science Center in the nearby city of Hemet, California.

1.

What does the passage mainly focus on?

A．The secret of ancient animals’ deaths.

B．The preparation for a future fossil exhibition.

C．A great discovery of fossils.

D．The history of San Timoteo Canyon.

2.

From what Rick says, we know ________. (原創(chuàng))

A．fossils were discovered in the canyon for the first time.

B．the canyon in ancient times was quite different.

C．more research work will be carried on in the canyon.

D．the river water helped to protect the animal fossils.

3.

Compared to the discovery at the La Brea Tar Pits, the canyon-involved fossils _______.

A．a(chǎn)re far older	B．include more species
C．a(chǎn)re better preserved	D．make experts more confused

4.

What do we know about the fossils from the passage?

A．All of them are of new species.

B．Some of them have been destroyed

C．They were looked for under experts’ guidance.

D．They will be on show in the near future.

 

　　 CBC is a famous air company which has over twenty planes carrying passengers and goods, flying along 12 fixed lines all over the world．Its ser- vice is very good but some passengers are still not satisfied with it and that is why in 1995 and 1997 the company received letters of complaints from consumers or passengers who pointed out over a dozen kinds of problems which are divided in groups in the following table. This division is called Category. Problems that appear when the plane is flying are Flight problems. Those about passengers’ things carried by the plane are Bag- gage problems. Customer service refers to service work which passengers are not satisfied with. The company provides, Refund Oversales of seats are about the fact that more seats are sold and as a result the plane is too crowded to be safe. Refund problems appear when passengers fail to receive the money paid (back) to them because of what they have lost. Fares are problems about the price of tickets. Reservations (定金) are problems that appear when passengers could not get the tickets they have already booked．Tours are problems about the passengers’ traveling by air or hotel problem. Advertising is what the passengers think about advertisement on the plane. Credit problems are about the use of credit cards.

CONSUMER COMPLAINTS

RECEIVED BY THE CBC

 category　　　　    1996    1997

　　 (percent)  (percent)

Flight problems……………………20.2 %  22.1%

Baggage………………………………18.3 %  21.8%

Customer service……………………13.1%   11.3%

Oversales of seats…………………10.5%  11.8%

Refund problems……………………10.1%  8.1%

Fares……………………………………6.4%  6.0%

Reservations and ticketing ………5.8 %  5.6 %

Tours……………………………………3.3%  2.3%

Smoking…………………………………3.2 %  2.9 %

Advertising……………………………1.2%  1.1%

Credit……………………………………1.0%  0.8%

Special passengers……………………0.9 %  0.9 %

Other……………………………………6.2%  5.3%

Total Number of Complaints in 1996 is 13278.

1.  About how many complaints concerning about Credit were received by the CBC in 1996?________.

A．133

B．240

C．230

D．1328

2. By about what percent did the Refund problems decrease from 1996 to 1997?________.

A．8.1%

B．2%

C．20%

D．25%

3. Which of the following statements of sayings can be inferred (推斷) from the table?

a．In 1996 and in 1997, complaints about Flight problems, Baggage, Fares and Reservations and ticketing together took more than 50% of all consumer complaints received by the CBC Company.

b．The number of special passenger complaints was unchanged from 1996 to 1997.

c．From 1996 to 1997 the number of Flight problem complaints increased by more than 2%.

A．a only

B．b only

C．a and b only

D．a and c only

 

　　 CBC is a famous air company which has over twenty planes carrying passengers and goods, flying along 12 fixed lines all over the world．Its ser- vice is very good but some passengers are still not satisfied with it and that is why in 1995 and 1997 the company received letters of complaints from consumers or passengers who pointed out over a dozen kinds of problems which are divided in groups in the following table. This division is called Category. Problems that appear when the plane is flying are Flight problems. Those about passengers’ things carried by the plane are Bag- gage problems. Customer service refers to service work which passengers are not satisfied with. The company provides, Refund Oversales of seats are about the fact that more seats are sold and as a result the plane is too crowded to be safe. Refund problems appear when passengers fail to receive the money paid (back) to them because of what they have lost. Fares are problems about the price of tickets. Reservations (定金) are problems that appear when passengers could not get the tickets they have already booked．Tours are problems about the passengers’ traveling by air or hotel problem. Advertising is what the passengers think about advertisement on the plane. Credit problems are about the use of credit cards.

CONSUMER COMPLAINTS

RECEIVED BY THE CBC

 category　　　　    1996    1997

　　 (percent)  (percent)

Flight problems……………………20.2 %  22.1%

Baggage………………………………18.3 %  21.8%

Customer service……………………13.1%   11.3%

Oversales of seats…………………10.5%  11.8%

Refund problems……………………10.1%  8.1%

Fares……………………………………6.4%  6.0%

Reservations and ticketing ………5.8 %  5.6 %

Tours……………………………………3.3%  2.3%

Smoking…………………………………3.2 %  2.9 %

Advertising……………………………1.2%  1.1%

Credit……………………………………1.0%  0.8%

Special passengers……………………0.9 %  0.9 %

Other……………………………………6.2%  5.3%

Total Number of Complaints in 1996 is 13278.

1.  About how many complaints concerning about Credit were received by the CBC in 1996?________.

A．133

B．240

C．230

D．1328

2. By about what percent did the Refund problems decrease from 1996 to 1997?________.

A．8.1%

B．2%

C．20%

D．25%

3. Which of the following statements of sayings can be inferred (推斷) from the table?

a．In 1996 and in 1997, complaints about Flight problems, Baggage, Fares and Reservations and ticketing together took more than 50% of all consumer complaints received by the CBC Company.

b．The number of special passenger complaints was unchanged from 1996 to 1997.

c．From 1996 to 1997 the number of Flight problem complaints increased by more than 2%.

A．a only

B．b only

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