A new argument has been put forward as to whether penguins are disturbed by the presence of tourists in Antarctica.
Previous research by scientists from Keil University in Germany monitored Adelie penguins and noted that the birds’ heart rates increased dramatically at the sight of a human as far as 30 meters away. But new research using an artificial egg, which is equipped to measure heart rates, disputes this. Scientists from the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge say that a slow moving human who does not approach the nest too closely, is not viewed as a threat by penguins.
The earlier findings have been used to partly explain the 20 per cent drop in populations of certain types of penguins near tourist sites. However, tour operators have continued to insist that their activities do not adversely affect wildlife in Antarctica, saying they encourage non-disruptive behavior in tourists, and that the decline in penguin numbers is caused by other factors.
Amanda Nimon of the Scott Polar Research Institute spent three southern hemisphere summers at Cuverville Island in Antarctica studying penguin behavior towards humans. “A nesting penguin will react very differently to a person rapidly and closely approaching the nest,” says Nimon. “First they exhibit large and prolonged heart rate changes and then they often flee the nest leaving it open for predators (掠夺者) to fly in and remove eggs or chicks.” The artificial egg, specially for the project, monitored both the parent who had been ‘disturbed’ when the egg was placed in the nest and the other parent as they both took it in turns to guard the nest.
However, Boris Culik, who monitored the Adelie penguins, believes that Nimon’s findings do not invalidate his own research. He points out that species behave differently ---- and Nimon’s work was with Gentoo penguins. Nimon and her colleagues believe that Culik’s research was methodologically flawed because the monitoring of penguins’ responses needed capturing and restraining the birds and fitting them with beart-rate transmitters. Therefore, argues Nimon, it would not be surprising if they became stressed on seeing a human subsequently.
【小题1】According to the passage, what overall message is presented?

A new argument has been put forward as to whether penguins are disturbed by the presence of tourists in Antarctica.  
Previous research by scientists from Keil University in Germany monitored Adelie penguins and noted that the birds’ heart rates increased dramatically at the sight of a human as far as 30 meters away.  But new research using an artificial egg, which is equipped to measure heart rates, disputes this.  Scientists from the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge say that a slow moving human who does not approach the nest too closely, is not viewed as a threat by penguins. 
The earlier findings have been used to partly explain the 20 per cent drop in populations of certain types of penguins near tourist sites.  However, tour operators have continued to insist that their activities do not adversely affect wildlife in Antarctica, saying they encourage non-disruptive behavior in tourists, and that the decline in penguin numbers is caused by other factors.
Amanda Nimon of the Scott Polar Research Institute spent three southern hemisphere summers at Cuverville Island in Antarctica studying penguin behavior towards humans.  “A nesting penguin will react very differently to a person rapidly and closely approaching the nest,” says Nimon.  “First they exhibit large and prolonged heart rate changes and then they often flee the nest leaving it open for predators (掠夺者) to fly in and remove eggs or chicks.”  The artificial egg, specially for the project, monitored both the parent who had been ‘disturbed’ when the egg was placed in the nest and the other parent as they both took it in turns to guard the nest.
However, Boris Culik, who monitored the Adelie penguins, believes that Nimon’s findings do not invalidate his own research.  He points out that species behave differently – and Nimon’s work was with Gentoo penguins.  Nimon and her colleagues believe that Culik’s research was methodologically flawed because the monitoring of penguins’ responses needed capturing and restraining the birds and fitting them with beart-rate transmitters.  Therefore, argues Nimon, it would not be surprising if they became stressed on seeing a human subsequently.
【小题1】According to the passage, what overall message is presented?

A new argument has been put forward as to whether penguins are disturbed by the presence of tourists in Antarctica.

Previous research by scientists from Keil University in Germany monitored Adelie penguins and noted that the birds’ heart rates increased dramatically at the sight of a human as far as 30 meters away. But new research using an artificial egg, which is equipped to measure heart rates, disputes this. Scientists from the Scott Polar Research Institute at Cambridge say that a slow moving human who does not approach the nest too closely, is not viewed as a threat by penguins.

The earlier findings have been used to partly explain the 20 per cent drop in populations of certain types of penguins near tourist sites. However, tour operators have continued to insist that their activities do not adversely affect wildlife in Antarctica, saying they encourage non-disruptive behavior in tourists, and that the decline in penguin numbers is caused by other factors.

Amanda Nimon of the Scott Polar Research Institute spent three southern hemisphere summers at Cuverville Island in Antarctica studying penguin behavior towards humans. “A nesting penguin will react very differently to a person rapidly and closely approaching the nest,” says Nimon. “First they exhibit large and prolonged heart rate changes and then they often flee the nest leaving it open for predators (掠夺者) to fly in and remove eggs or chicks.” The artificial egg, specially for the project, monitored both the parent who had been ‘disturbed’ when the egg was placed in the nest and the other parent as they both took it in turns to guard the nest.

However, Boris Culik, who monitored the Adelie penguins, believes that Nimon’s findings do not invalidate his own research. He points out that species behave differently ---- and Nimon’s work was with Gentoo penguins. Nimon and her colleagues believe that Culik’s research was methodologically flawed because the monitoring of penguins’ responses needed capturing and restraining the birds and fitting them with beart-rate transmitters. Therefore, argues Nimon, it would not be surprising if they became stressed on seeing a human subsequently.

1.According to the passage, what overall message is presented?

2.Which ONE argument of the following is stated in the passage?

3.What do you notice about the views presented in the passage?

4.What does the underlined word (final line) probably mean?

A group of soldiers were stationed（驻扎）in the country near the home of a big landowner, called Lord Hunt. As they wanted to stay on good terms with the landowner, they offered to blow up a large tree stump that had remained after part of a tree had been blown down in the storm. But Lord Hunt asked them not to damage the plantation（绿化带）of young trees that was next to the stump. The officer in charge of the engineers promised him that they would be careful. Lord Hunt was so pleased that he asked the whole group to lunch on the day of the explosion.

The day came and just before lunch, the officer checked with one of his men to see if they had put enough explosive in the stump. “I checked the maths,” said the soldier “and it comes to 32 kilos.” “Are you sure?” asked the officer. “Perhaps you’d better put in a bit more just to make sure.” The lunch continued and everyone ate a lot and drank a lot.

A little later, the group of soldiers went outside with Lord Hunt to see the explosion. “You just see, Lord Hunt, that tree will fall in exactly the right place without hurting any of your young trees,” said the officer. The soldier lit the fuse, then walked quickly away to take cover. After a minute the tree, instead of falling over on its side, rose with the explosion 20 metres into the air, taking with it a huge quantity of earth together with all the young plantation. “Sorry sir, I made a mistake!” said the soldier. “It should have been 3.2 kilos, not 32 kilos.”

Lord Hunt was so upset that he turned around and walked back to his house. He looked at the house in horror and saw that every single window had been broken by the explosion. He was so upset that he went to the toilet on the ground floor to get over his feelings of shock. When he had finished, he pulled the plug of the toilet and the whole ceiling, which had been weakened by the explosion, fell on his head.

56．It can be inferred from the text that the tree “stump”（in paragraph1）was ________.

A．the broken top part of a tree       B．the bottom part of a large tree

C．the branches of a fallen tree       D．a young tree in another plantation

57．The explosion caused great damages because ________.

A．the officer told the soldier to put in a bit more to make sure of the result

B．the soldier made a mistake in maths about the amount of the explosive

C．the soldier wanted to play a joke on Lord Hunt

D．the soldier drunk so much that he could not carry out the order from the officer

58．When the explosion came, it ________.

A．destroyed the tree without harming the plantation

B．blew up the tree but left the stump

C．was stronger than expected

D．blew up the tree in the expected direction

59．When Lord Hunt saw the results of the explosion, ________.

A．he was very angry and complained to the officer

B．he went inside to check the house for damage

C．he was shocked and upset

D．he was surprised to see the damaged ceilings

To prevent the deserts coming near, China has planted billions of trees---to replace destroyed forests and as barriers against the sand. This isn’t a cure, though, say experts, as thirsty trees can make the problem worse by taking in groundwater.

“Planting tress is one way, but it isn’t that simple. It doesn’t solve the basic issue of water resources,” says Wu Bo, a professor. “We need to calculate how much water the trees will absorb, or else it could have a negative effect.”

Villagers in Zhengxin have taken on this challenge, with limited success. When the irrigation channels began to run dry, Lu Xianglin switched from wheat to cotton on his land. He also planted trees to protect his fields from sandstorms. He says he still gets good yields using flood irrigation and earns a good income for his family.

Other farmers haven’t stuck it out: About one in three have left Zhengxin in the past 10 years after their wheat crops died. Young people who can find jobs in the towns rarely return.

Last week, Mr Lu joined the other men in his village on a government-arranged trip to see the land that has been set aside for their relocation, nearly 40 miles to the south. The next day, he was back, shaking his head at the plan. The idea of uprooting his family troubles him, as does the idea of giving up the land that fed his forefathers. He prefers to stay and keep up the fight.

“With enough water, this problem can be solved,” Lu says. “We can plant trees and grass, and they will grow bigger. That will stop the desert.”

Experts say that farmers could switch to drip irrigation to lessen their water intake for growing crops. Elsewhere in the region, farmers have built brick greenhouses as part of a plan to grow vegetables using less water. Roadside signs urge farmers to “Save Water, Protect the Environment”.

49. The negative effect of planting trees in deserts is that __________.

   A. it can make groundwater become less

   B. it can prevent the sand moving freely

   C. it can stop crops growing well

   D. it can get the soil to become poor

50. Why did Mr Lu NOT accept the idea of relocation?

   A. Because the plan of relocation will cost him much money.

   B. Because his family had trouble moving away.

   C. Because he was reluctant to give up his land.

   D. Because he would rather stay than fight against the deserts.

51. What can we infer from the passage?

   A. The deserts drive more and more people to leave their homes for their lives.

   B People have no means to fight against the land becoming desert

   C. Water is the biggest barrier for people to stop the desert.

   D. Planting trees cannot solve the problem of desertification of farmland

52. What advice is given by experts to save water?

   A. To plant more trees         B. To build greenhouses