Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy.  After all，you probably sing or whistle when you are happy.
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However，they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.
Do you know what a ’territory’ is? A territory is an area that an animal，usually the male，claims(声称)as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same kind are welcome. Your garden and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten(威胁)you，you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.
If so，you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time，especially at nesting(筑巢)season. So he is screaming all the time，whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song，and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.
Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs..
You can see that birds have a language of their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.
【小题1】 Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually _______.

A．away of warning	B．an expression of happiness
C．an expression of anger	D．away of greeting

【小题2】What is a bird’s "territory"?.

A．A place where families of other kinds are not accepted.

B．A place where a bird may shut at the top of its voice

C．An area for which birds fight against each other.

D．An area which a bird considers to be its own.

【小题3】 Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?

A．Because they want to invite more friends.

B．Because they want to find outsiders around.

C．Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away.

D．Because their singing helps remove their fears.

【小题4】How does the writer explain bird’s singing?

A．By comparing birds with human beings.	B．By reporting experiment results.
C．By describing birds’ daily life.	D．By telling a bird’s story.

The Story of a Broken Bowl
Henry is a boy of nine. Three years ago he began to go to school. He studied hard and does well in his lessons. His parents like him very much.
Henry’s grandpa is a single man. But once he lost a leg in a traffic accident. And now he can’t work. He often tells the boy all kinds of interesting stories. Sometimes he makes a kite or a cage. And he teaches the boy how to catch the singing birds and how to give them food. The boy admires him very much and always stays with him when he’s free. But Henry’s mother didn’t like the old man. She always thought him useless and dirty, and didn’t let her son play with him but the boy didn’t listen to her. When they sat at table, she put some food on another table and filled a broken bowl with rice and porridge. The old man was very sad but he dared not say anything. Henry was angry with his mother about it. One day he saw a broken bowl on his way home. He picked it up and put it into his bag. His mother found it and asked, “ Why have you brought a broken bowl home, dear?” “ I keep it for you.” said Henry, “When you’re old like my grandpa, I’ll fill it with rice for you !” Having heard this, the woman began to cry. Since then she’s been good to the old man.
【小题1】 His parents like Henry because _____________.

A．He’s good to his grandpa

B．He’s a polite boy

C．He does well in his lessons

D．He’s learned to catch singing birds

【小题2】Henry admires his grandpa because ____________.

A．he tells him a lot of interesting stories

B．he knows how to catch singing birds and give them food

C．he can make kites and cages

D．he’s very able old man

【小题3】 __________, so she didn’t let her son play with him.

A．The woman hated the old man

B．The woman hadn’t enough food to give the old man

C．The old man did nothing at home

D．The old man lost a leg in the traffic accident

【小题4】 Henry brought the broken bowl home to _____________.

A．play with it	B．frighten his mother
C．beat his parents	D．fill it with rice

【小题5】The woman was afraid _________, so she’s good to the old man.

A．her husband wouldn’t love her

B．the police would know about it

C．her son would be bad to her when she was old

D．the old man wouldn’t leave her any money

School news (June 8th, Friday)
School trip: Students in Junior Two had a great time during the school trip on Children’s Day. They went to Ocean Park by bus. The teachers were very happy because the students cleaned the bus after the trip.
Japanese visitors: Thirteen visitors from Japan arrived at our school on Monday, June 4th. They visited our school and enjoyed the weekend party with teachers and students.
Basketball world: The school basketball match will be held tomorrow. Both Team Five and Team One hope to be the champion(冠军). Who do you think will win?
Talent show(才艺表演): There will be a talent show in our school on June 15th. Lots of students will show their talents by singing, dancing and playing the instruments(乐器) at the central hall.
【小题1】Some students visited the    on June 1st.

A．school

B．Ocean Park

C．zoo

D．the central hall

【小题2】The players in Team Five and Team One will take part in the      .

A．talent show

B．school trip

C．basketball match

D．weekend party

【小题3】There were thirteen       at the weekend party.

A．Japanese visitors

B．Americans

C．Chinese

D．children

【小题4】According to the news, the talent show will be on     .

A．Monday

B．Friday

C．Wednesday

D．Thursday

【小题5】On June 9th, the students can have a       .

A．party

B．talent show

C．school trip

D．basketball match

A big, mighty(高大的) tree stood in a forest. Its branches(树枝) spread out and its roots (根) went deep in the earth. A lot of people came here to have a rest under it. And a lot of birds stood on its branches to sing and dance. The big tree was very proud all the time.

At the foot of the tree, there was a little plant. The plant was thin, and seemed to be blown down by any of a little wind.

One day, the two neighbors were having a little chat.

“Well, little one,” said the tree to the plant, “why not put your feet deeply in the earth, and raise your head high in the air as I do?”

“I see there is no need to do so,” said the plant with a smile. “In fact, I think I may be safer in this way.”

“Safer?” said the tree. “Are you safer than I am? Do you know how deep my roots are in the earth and how strong my branches are? Who can possibly pull me out by the roots or bow my head to the ground?” And the tree didn’t want to say anything to the weak plant.

But the tree was to regret its words very soon. One evening, a great hurricane(飓风) came. It blew the trees off their roots and almost destroyed the forest completely. It uprooted（将……连根拔起）the mighty tree and blew it away with great force.

When the storm had gone, the villagers living nearby came to check the damage. The mighty tree lay on the ground, but the little plant still stood there.

1.Who was the big tree’s neighbor?

A．People.

B．Birds.

C．A little plant.

D．Branches.

2.Why was the big tree proud before its neighbor?

A．Because a lot of people came to have a rest under it.

B．Because it was tall and thick.

C．Because a lot of birds stood on its branches to sing and dance.

D．All of the above.

3.Why didn’t the big tree want to say anything to the little plant?

A．Because the big tree was tired.

B．Because the little plant knew less than the big tree.

C．Because the strong wind came.

D．Because the big tree looked down upon(看不起)the little plant.

4.What did the villagers living nearby see after the hurricane had gone?

A．They saw the forest was flooded.

B．They saw the big tree lying on the ground.

C．They saw the big tree was still mighty.

D．They saw some birds singing on the little plant.

5. What’s probably the best title of the passage?

A．Trees in the Forest.	B．A Mighty Tree.
C．Trees and Plants.	D．A Clever Plant.

 

Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy.  After all，you probably sing or whistle when you are happy.
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However，they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.
Do you know what a 'territory' is? A territory is an area that an animal，usually the male，claims(声称)as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same kind are welcome. Your garden and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten(威胁)you，you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.
If so，you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time，especially at nesting(筑巢)season. So he is screaming all the time，whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird's song，and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.
Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs..
You can see that birds have a language of their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.
【小题1】 Some scientists believe that most of the time bird's singing is actually _______.

A．away of warning	B．an expression of happiness
C．an expression of anger	D．away of greeting

【小题2】What is a bird's "territory"?.

A．A place where families of other kinds are not accepted.

B．A place where a bird may shut at the top of its voice

C．An area for which birds fight against each other.

D．An area which a bird considers to be its own.

【小题3】 Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?

A．Because they want to invite more friends.

B．Because they want to find outsiders around.

C．Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away.

D．Because their singing helps remove their fears.

【小题4】How does the writer explain bird's singing?

A．By comparing birds with human beings.	B．By reporting experiment results.
C．By describing birds' daily life.	D．By telling a bird's story.