Scientists who try to predict earthquakes have gotten some new helpers recently—animals.

　　That’s right, animals. Scientists have begun to understand what farmers have known for thousands of years. Animals often seem to know in advance that an earthquake is coming, and they show their fear by acting in strange ways. Before a Chinese quake in 1975, snakes awoke from their winter sleep early only to freeze to death in the cold air. Cows broke their halters (韁繩) and tried to escape. Chickens refused to enter their cage. All of this unusual behavior, as well as physical changes in the earth, warned Chinese scientists of the coming quake. They moved people away from the danger zone and saved thousands of lives.

　　One task for scientists today is to learn exactly which types of animal behavior predict quakes. It’s not an easy job. First of all not every animal reacts to the danger of an earthquake. Just before a California quake in 1977, for example, an Arabian horse became very nervous and tried to break out of his enclosure. The Australian horse next to him, however, remained perfectly calm. It’s also difficult at times to tell the difference between normal animal restlessness and “earthquake nerves”. A zoo keeper once called earthquake researchers to say that his cougar had been acting strangely. It turned out that the cat had an upset stomach.

　　A second task for scientists is to find out exactly what kind of warnings the animals receive. They know that animals sense far more of the world than humans do. Many animals can see, hear, and smell things that people do not even notice. Some can sense tiny changes in air pressure, gravity, or the magnetism of Earth. This extra sense probably helps animals predict quakes.

　　A good example of this occurred with a group of dogs. They were shut in an area that was being shaken by a series of tiny earthquakes. (Several small quakes often come before or after a large one.) Before each quake a low booming sound was heard. Each boom caused the dogs to bark wildly. Then the dogs began to bark during a silent period. A scientist who was recording quakes looked at his machine. It was acting as though there were a loud noise too. The scientist realized that the dogs had reacted to a booming noise. They also sensed the tiny quake that followed it. The machine recorded both, though humans felt and heard nothing.

In this case there was a machine to monitor what the dogs were sensing. Many times, however, our machines record nothing extraordinary, even though animals know a quake is coming. The animals might be sensing something we measure but do not recognize as a warning. Discovering what animals sense, and learning how they know it is a danger signal, is a job for future scientists.

Through the passage the writer hopes to explore __________.

A. why animals send a danger signal before an earthquake

B. how animals know when an earthquake is coming

C. why animals not men have good sense of danger

D. how much animals know about an earthquake

During an earthquake in China in 1975, _________.

A. chickens refused to go out of their cage

B. snakes were frozen to death in their caves

C. snakes awoke from their winter sleep earlier

D. cows broke their halters and escaped from their sheds

Which of the following is one of earthquake nerves according to the passage?

A. An Arabian horse tried to escape from his enclosure.

B. A cougar had an upset stomach unexpectedly.

C. An Australian horse was perfectly calm.

D. A cat acted very strangely in a zoo.

The scientists did an experiment with a group of dogs to _________.

A. find out that the machine could record unusual happenings

B. compare the reactions of animals and those of humans

C. prove that animals could sense more than humans

D. find out what exact warnings animals sent

Scientists who try to predict earthquakes have gotten some new helpers recently—animals.
　　That’s right, animals. Scientists have begun to understand what farmers have known for thousands of years. Animals often seem to know in advance that an earthquake is coming, and they show their fear by acting in strange ways. Before a Chinese quake in 1975, snakes awoke from their winter sleep early only to freeze to death in the cold air. Cows broke their halters (韁繩) and tried to escape. Chickens refused to enter their cage. All of this unusual behavior, as well as physical changes in the earth, warned Chinese scientists of the coming quake. They moved people away from the danger zone and saved thousands of lives.
　　One task for scientists today is to learn exactly which types of animal behavior predict quakes. It’s not an easy job. First of all not every animal reacts to the danger of an earthquake. Just before a California quake in 1977, for example, an Arabian horse became very nervous and tried to break out of his enclosure. The Australian horse next to him, however, remained perfectly calm. It’s also difficult at times to tell the difference between normal animal restlessness and “earthquake nerves”. A zoo keeper once called earthquake researchers to say that his cougar had been acting strangely. It turned out that the cat had an upset stomach.
　　A second task for scientists is to find out exactly what kind of warnings the animals receive. They know that animals sense far more of the world than humans do. Many animals can see, hear, and smell things that people do not even notice. Some can sense tiny changes in air pressure, gravity, or the magnetism of Earth. This extra sense probably helps animals predict quakes.
　　A good example of this occurred with a group of dogs. They were shut in an area that was being shaken by a series of tiny earthquakes. (Several small quakes often come before or after a large one.) Before each quake a low booming sound was heard. Each boom caused the dogs to bark wildly. Then the dogs began to bark during a silent period. A scientist who was recording quakes looked at his machine. It was acting as though there were a loud noise too. The scientist realized that the dogs had reacted to a booming noise. They also sensed the tiny quake that followed it. The machine recorded both, though humans felt and heard nothing.
In this case there was a machine to monitor what the dogs were sensing. Many times, however, our machines record nothing extraordinary, even though animals know a quake is coming. The animals might be sensing something we measure but do not recognize as a warning. Discovering what animals sense, and learning how they know it is a danger signal, is a job for future scientists.
【小題1】Through the passage the writer hopes to explore __________.

A．why animals send a danger signal before an earthquake

B．how animals know when an earthquake is coming

C．why animals not men have good sense of danger

D．how much animals know about an earthquake

【小題2】 During an earthquake in China in 1975, _________.

A．chickens refused to go out of their cage

B．snakes were frozen to death in their caves

C．snakes awoke from their winter sleep earlier

D．cows broke their halters and escaped from their sheds

【小題3】Which of the following is one of earthquake nerves according to the passage?

A．An Arabian horse tried to escape from his enclosure.

B．A cougar had an upset stomach unexpectedly.

C．An Australian horse was perfectly calm.

D．A cat acted very strangely in a zoo.

【小題4】The scientists did an experiment with a group of dogs to _________.

A．find out that the machine could record unusual happenings

B．compare the reactions of animals and those of humans

C．prove that animals could sense more than humans

D．find out what exact warnings animals sent

Scientists who try to predict earthquakes have gotten some new helpers recently—animals.

　　That’s right, animals. Scientists have begun to understand what farmers have known for thousands of years. Animals often seem to know in advance that an earthquake is coming, and they show their fear by acting in strange ways. Before a Chinese quake in 1975, snakes awoke from their winter sleep early only to freeze to death in the cold air. Cows broke their halters (韁繩) and tried to escape. Chickens refused to enter their cage. All of this unusual behavior, as well as physical changes in the earth, warned Chinese scientists of the coming quake. They moved people away from the danger zone and saved thousands of lives.

　　One task for scientists today is to learn exactly which types of animal behavior predict quakes. It’s not an easy job. First of all not every animal reacts to the danger of an earthquake. Just before a California quake in 1977, for example, an Arabian horse became very nervous and tried to break out of his enclosure. The Australian horse next to him, however, remained perfectly calm. It’s also difficult at times to tell the difference between normal animal restlessness and “earthquake nerves”. A zoo keeper once called earthquake researchers to say that his cougar had been acting strangely. It turned out that the cat had an upset stomach.

　　A second task for scientists is to find out exactly what kind of warnings the animals receive. They know that animals sense far more of the world than humans do. Many animals can see, hear, and smell things that people do not even notice. Some can sense tiny changes in air pressure, gravity, or the magnetism of Earth. This extra sense probably helps animals predict quakes.

　　A good example of this occurred with a group of dogs. They were shut in an area that was being shaken by a series of tiny earthquakes. (Several small quakes often come before or after a large one.) Before each quake a low booming sound was heard. Each boom caused the dogs to bark wildly. Then the dogs began to bark during a silent period. A scientist who was recording quakes looked at his machine. It was acting as though there were a loud noise too. The scientist realized that the dogs had reacted to a booming noise. They also sensed the tiny quake that followed it. The machine recorded both, though humans felt and heard nothing.

In this case there was a machine to monitor what the dogs were sensing. Many times, however, our machines record nothing extraordinary, even though animals know a quake is coming. The animals might be sensing something we measure but do not recognize as a warning. Discovering what animals sense, and learning how they know it is a danger signal, is a job for future scientists.

1.Through the passage the writer hopes to explore __________.

A．why animals send a danger signal before an earthquake

B．how animals know when an earthquake is coming

C．why animals not men have good sense of danger

D．how much animals know about an earthquake

2. During an earthquake in China in 1975, _________.

A．chickens refused to go out of their cage

B．snakes were frozen to death in their caves

C．snakes awoke from their winter sleep earlier

D．cows broke their halters and escaped from their sheds

3.Which of the following is one of earthquake nerves according to the passage?

A．An Arabian horse tried to escape from his enclosure.

B．A cougar had an upset stomach unexpectedly.

C．An Australian horse was perfectly calm.

D．A cat acted very strangely in a zoo.

4.The scientists did an experiment with a group of dogs to _________.

A．find out that the machine could record unusual happenings

B．compare the reactions of animals and those of humans

C．prove that animals could sense more than humans

D．find out what exact warnings animals sent

 

Scientists who try to predict earthquakes have gotten some new helpers recently—animals.

That's right, animals. Scientists have begun to understand what farmers have known for thousands of years. Animals often seem to know in advance that an earthquake is coming, and they show their fear by acting in strange ways. Before a Chinese quake in 1975, snakes awoke from their winter sleep early only to freeze to death in the cold air. Cows broke their halters(韁繩) and tried to escape.Chickens refused to enter their cage. All of this unusual behavior, as well as physical changes in the earth, warned Chinese scientists of the coming quake. They moved people away from the danger zone and saved thousands of lives.

One task for scientists today is to learn exactly which types of animal behavior predict quakes. It's not an easy job. First of all, not every animal reacts to the danger of an earthquake. Just before a California quake in 1977, for example, an Arabian horse became very nervous and tried to break out of his enclosure. The Australian horse next to him, however, remained perfectly calm. It's also difficult at times to tell the difference between normal animal restlessness and “earthquake nerves”．A zoo keeper once called earthquake researchers, saying that his cougar had been acting strangely. It turned out that the cat had an upset stomach.

A second task for scientists is to find out exactly what kind of warnings the animals receive. They know that animals sense far more of the world than humans do. Many animals can see, hear, and smell things that people do not even notice. Some can sense tiny changes in air pressure, gravity, or the magnetism of the earth. This extra sense probably helps animals predict quakes.

A good example of this occurred with a group of dogs. They were shut in an area that was being shaken by a series of tiny earthquakes.(Several small quakes often come before or after a large one.) Before each quake a low booming sound was heard. Each boom caused the dogs to bark wildly. Then the dogs began to bark during a silent period. A scientist who was recording quakes looked at his machine. It was acting as though there were a loud noise too. The scientist realized that the dogs had reacted to a booming noise. They also sensed the tiny quakes that followed it. The machine recorded both, though humans felt and heard nothing.

In this case there was a machine to monitor what the dogs were sensing. Many times, however, our machines record nothing extraordinary, even though animals know a quake is coming. The animals might be sensing something we measure but do not recognize as a warning.Discovering what animals sense, and learning how they know it is a danger signal, is a job for future scientists.

20．Through the passage the writer hopes to explore ________．

A．why animals send a danger signal before an earthquake

B．how animals know when an earthquake is coming

C．why animals not humans have a good sense of danger

D．how much animals know about an earthquake

21．During an earthquake in China in 1975 ________．

A．chickens refused to go out of their cage

B．snakes were frozen to death in their caves

C．snakes awoke from their winter sleep earlier

D．cows broke their halters and escaped from their sheds

22．Which of the following is one of earthquake nerves according to the passage?

A．An Arabian horse tried to escape from his enclosure.

B．A cougar had an upset stomach unexpectedly.

C．An Australian horse was perfectly calm.

D．A cat acted very strangely in a zoo.

23．The scientists did an experiment with a group of dogs to ________．

A．find out that the machine could record unusual happenings

B．compare the reactions of animals with those of humans

C．prove that animals could sense more than humans

D．find out what exact warnings animals send

When I left home for college, I sought to escape the limited world of farmers, small towns, and country life. I long for the excitement of the city, for the fast pace that rural life lacked, for adventure beyond the horizon. I dreamed of exploring the city, living within a new culture and landscape, and becoming part of the pulse of an urban jungle.

Yet some of my best times were driving home, leaving the city behind and slipping back into the valley. As city life disappeared and traffic thinned, I could see the faces of the other drivers relax. Then, around a bend in the highway, the grassland of the valley would come into being, offering a 6 of gentle rolling hills. The land seemed permanent. I felt as if I had stepped back in time.

    I took comfort in the stability of the valley. Driving through small farm communities, I imagined the founding families still rooted in their grand homes, generations working the same lands, neighbors remaining neighbors for generations. I allowed familiar farmhouse landmarks to guide me.

Close to home, I often turned off the main highway and took a different, getting familiar farms again and testing my memory. Friends lived in those houses. I had eaten meals and spent time there; I had worked on some of these farms, lending a hand during a peak harvest, helping a family friend for a day or two. The houses and lands looked the same, and I could picture the gentle faces and hear familiar voices as if little had been changed. As I eased into our driveway I’d return to old ways, becoming a son once again, a child on the family farm. My feelings were honest and real. How I longed for a land where life stood still and my memories could be relived. When I left the farm for college, I could only return as visitor to the valley, a traveler looking for home.

Now the farm is once again my true home. I live in that farmhouse and work the permanent lands. My world may seem unchanged to casual observers, but they are wrong. I now this; if there’s a constant on these farms, it’s the constant of change.

The good observer will recognize the differences. A farmer replants an orchard (果園) with a new variety of peaches. Irrigation is added to block of old grapes, so I imagine they vineyard has a new owner. Occasionally the changes are clearly evident, like a FOR SALE sign. But I need to read the small print in order to make sure that a bank has taken possession of the farm. Most of the changes contain two stories. One is the physical change of the farm, the other involves the people on that land, the human story behind the change.

I’ve been back on the farm for a decade and still haven’t heard all the stories behind the changes around me. But once I add my stories to the landscape, I can call this place my home, a home that continues to evolve and changes as I add more and more of my stories.

A poet returns to the valley and says, “How closed – minded you all are.” He comments about the lack of interest in the sorts of social and environmental issues, in the poverty and inequality of our life. “Little has changed in the valley.” He was born and raised here, so he might have the right to criticize and lecture us. Yet he speaks for many who think they know the valley. How differently would others think of us if they knew the stories of a grape harvest in a wet year or a peach without a home?

71．The most important reason why the writer wanted to move to the city is that ________.

       A．he did not want to work on the farm             B．he wanted to make new friends

       C．he was eager for a different life there            D．there were more things to do there

72．What made the writer relax as he drove from the city to the country?

       A．He could see for miles and miles.

       B．The traffic moved more slowly.

       C．The people he passed seemed to be calmer.

       D．The land seemed familiar to him.

73．When driving through the valley the writer was guided home by         .

       A．familiar farmhouses which left him a good memory

       B．houses that had sheltered generations of the same family

       C．land that had been worked by a family for generations

       D．large farms which stretched out right before him.

74．When he was in college, why was the writer sad when he returned to his family home?

       A．He remembered how hard he used to work.  

       B．He realized that he was only a visitor.

       C．He recognized the old housed and land.

       D．He remembered his next door neighbors.

75．Which of the following most likely indicates that there is a sad human story behind a physical change on the farm?

       A．A new variety of peach is being planted.

       B．Irrigation is being added to a grape operation.

       C．A piece of land is being sold by a bank.

       D．A farm is being sold to a large corporation.

第二節(jié):