When many people see birds cleaning their feathers, they attribute it to vanity on the part of the bird. But, in reality, what they are doing is maintaining their wings, the instruments that they depend on for safe flight. If a bird’s wings are not in perfect condition, the bird either won’t be able to fly or won’t be able to control its flight. That is why after a long flight and even throughout the day, you will see them cleaning their feathers.

Most birds, if they get a chance, will take a bath at least once a day. They do this to get rid of the dust that has accumulated in their feathers throughout their flight s during the day. In dry or desert areas, birds will not always be able to find water in which to bath, but they still need to clean their feathers. What many birds will do is to take dust baths. They will roll around in dust until it covers their feathers. They will stand up, shaking the dust out, and then clean their feathers with their beaks (鸟嘴) as usual.

Baths are important for another reason. During the course of the day and night, many parasites (寄生虫) are attracted to birds. Bugs, mites, fleas and so on will try to reach birds and suck from their blood. Daily baths help to keep the parasites to a minimum.

Some birds, especially those that spend a lot of time in or around water, have skin glands (皮肤腺) that produce oil. After bathing, these birds will squeeze the glands to spread the oil over their wings to keep them free of water.

If you are a bird lover and have bird houses in your yard, it can be good to go to the extra step, providing a bird bath. Once the birds in your neighborhood discover it, you will be surprised at how popular it becomes as they periodically stop by to take their daily bath.

1.What’s the passage mainly about?

2.What does the underlined part in Para 1 probably mean?

3.According to Para 3, birds’ feather cleaning _____.

4.In the last paragraph, the author further reminds us that _____ .

Computer people talk a lot about the need for other people to become “computer-literate.” But not all experts (专家) agree that this is a good idea.
One pioneer, in particular, who disagrees is David Tebbutt, the founder of Computertown UK. Although many people see this as a successful attempt to bring people closer to the computer. David does not see it that way. He says that Computertown UK was formed for just the opposite reason, to bring computers to people and make them “people-literate.” David Tebbutt thinks Computertowns are most successful when tied to a computer club but he insists there is an important difference between the two. The clubs are for people who have some computer knowledge already. This frightens away non-experts, who are happier going to Computertowns where there are computers for them to experiment on, with experts to encourage them and answer any questions they have. They are not told what to do, they find out.The computer experts have to learn not to tell people about computers, but have to be able to answer all questions people ask. People don’t have to learn computer terms(术语), but the experts have to explain in plain language. The computers are becoming “people-literate.”
【小题1】Which of the following is David Tebbutt’s ides on the relationship between people and computers?

第四部分：阅读理解
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
When you look at a map of the Caribbean, you will see a bunch of little islands surrounded by. Blue waters, which include places that aren't always household names like Montserrat and Anguilla.
While some of the names may not be familiar, the fact is that the Caribbean is a popular vacation region. Those little clots on the map often turn out to be island paradises. There are more than 7,000 islands, islets, and reefs in the area, many of which are lightly populated and stunningly beautiful.
The biggest challenge you might face in planning your trip is choosing where in the Caribbean to go. All of the nations feature excellent weather. Most feature beautiful beaches. You can enjoy the waters in most of the Caribbean nations and as is often the case with island nations, you will be welcomed warmly by the locals. Here are some resources to help you.
Unless you can walk on water or you cruise the Caribbean, the best way to visit is to fly. Some destinations have more frequent and cheaper flights than others. You should do some comparison shopping on flights to the Caribbean. And if you are planning on flying there during the Christmas holiday weeks it's important to book as early as possible because prices will just keep going up as they get closer.
The Caribbean offers a wide variety of accommodation options. Check out the Caribbean hotels that are available to get a better idea of the various options. If you are on a tight budget then, the Caribbean could be challenging, as there are only a few cheap hotels and hostels that might help you save some money.
Many people see the Caribbean from a cruise ship. There is no shortage of cruises that will take you through the region. Cruise and Vacation Travel Packages is the place to go to find the cruise or vacation package that is right for you.
56. The Caribbean is popular with tourists because ________.
A. the area has a small population             B. the area has a long history.
C. there are many beautiful islands there        D. tire area is very developed
57. The underlined word "they" in the fourth paragraph refers to _________.
A. prices of air tickets                       B. tourists to the Caribbean
C. flights to the Caribbean                  D. the Christmas holiday weeks
58. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A. The weather in all of the Caribbean nations is fine.
B. Most of the Caribbean hotels are cheap.
C. The local people of the Caribbean are very friendly.
D. It is hard to choose a destination in the Caribbean.

第三部分：阅读理解 (共20小题；每小题2分, 满分40分)

阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。

When you look at a map of the Caribbean, you will see a bunch of little islands surrounded by. Blue waters, which include places that aren't always household names like Montserrat and Anguilla.

While some of the names may not be familiar, the fact is that the Caribbean is a popular vacation region. Those little clots on the map often turn out to be island paradises. There are more than 7,000 islands, islets, and reefs in the area, many of which are lightly populated and stunningly beautiful.

The biggest challenge you might face in planning your trip is choosing where in the Caribbean to go. All of the nations feature excellent weather. Most feature beautiful beaches. You can enjoy the waters in most of the Caribbean nations and as is often the case with island nations, you will be welcomed warmly by the locals. Here are some resources to help you.

Unless you can walk on water or you cruise the Caribbean, the best way to visit is to fly. Some destinations have more frequent and cheaper flights than others. You should do some comparison shopping on flights to the Caribbean. And if you are planning on flying there during the Christmas holiday weeks it's important to book as early as possible because prices will just keep going up as they get closer.

The Caribbean offers a wide variety of accommodation options. Check out the Caribbean hotels that are available to get a better idea of the various options. If you are on a tight budget then, the Caribbean could be challenging, as there are only a few cheap hotels and hostels that might help you save some money.

Many people see the Caribbean from a cruise ship. There is no shortage of cruises that will take you through the region. Cruise and Vacation Travel Packages is the place to go to find the cruise or vacation package that is right for you.

56. The Caribbean is popular with tourists because ________.

A. the area has a small population             B. the area has a long history.

C. there are many beautiful islands there             D. tire area is very developed

57. The underlined word "they" in the fourth paragraph refers to _________.

A. prices of air tickets                           B. tourists to the Caribbean

C. flights to the Caribbean                  D. the Christmas holiday weeks

58. Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A. The weather in all of the Caribbean nations is fine.

B. Most of the Caribbean hotels are cheap.

C. The local people of the Caribbean are very friendly.

D. It is hard to choose a destination in the Caribbean.

What will city life be like in the future? Some people think that life in the cities is going to be horrible. They say that cities will become more and more crowded. As the number of people increases, there will be less space for each person. This overcrowding will cause other problems — more crime, dirtier streets , and worse problems with traffic than we have now. How will people find enough drinking water, energy (such as gas and electricity ), and housing? Because life will be hard, people who live in cities will worry more, and they may become sick. For these reasons, some say that nobody will want to live in city areas.

How can we deal with such problems as overcrowding, crime, and traffic? In some cities, thousands of people are already sleeping in the streets because there is little suitable housing — and because houses are too expensive. The crime rate isn’t going down. Instead, it is increasing so fast that many people are afraid to go out at night. Traffic is also getting worse. More and more often, traffic jams are so bad that cars don’t move at all for several streets. These problems have been getting worse, not better, so many people see no hope for the future of the city.

Los Angeles, California, for example, has no subway system and buses are slow. Instead, many commuters (乘、开车上班族) drive many miles from their homes to work. Many of these drivers spend several hours each day on busy freeways. New York, however, has a big transit system — buses, commuter trains, and subways. Because the public transportation is crowded and dirty, many people drive private cars, and the traffic jams are worse than that in Los Angeles. A taxi driver complains, “I was driving home, but in forty-five minutes I moved only two miles! Finally, I turned off the engine and just sat there. A lot of people left their cars where they were in the middle of the street and went into a bar for a few beers!”

On the other hand, some cities have clean, fast and pleasant public transportation systems. In Paris, France, and Toronto, Canada, for example, anyone can use buses or subways to move quickly from one part of the city to another.

1.What do some people think is the main problem of the future city like?

    A. Poor housing.                    B. Overcrowding.   

C. Environmental pollution.           D. Traffic jams.

2.The best way to work out the traffic problem in Los Angels might be _________________.

    A. cutting down the number of private cars

    B. providing more buses in the freeway

    C. building a subway system

    D. persuading people to live nearer to their workplaces

3.Which of the following sentences is NOT TRUE?

    A. Thousands of people are already sleeping in the streets.

    B. The crime rate isn’t going down.

    C. The traffic jams are so bad that cars don’t move at all for several streets.

D. Many people have a positive attitude towards the future of the city.