第四部分 动物世界（四）

16. Camels Are Very Useful Animals

骆驼是非常有用的动物

骆驼和其他动物不一样，特别耐饥耐渴。人们能骑着骆驼横穿沙漠，所以骆驼有着“沙漠之舟”的美称。骆驼的驼峰里贮存着脂肪，这些脂肪在骆驼得不到食物的时候，能够分解成骆驼身体所需要的养分，供骆驼生存需要。骆驼能够连续四五天不进食，就是靠驼峰里的脂肪。另外，骆驼的胃里有许多瓶子形状的小泡泡，那是骆驼贮存水的地方，这些“瓶子”里的水使骆驼即使几天不喝水，也不会有生命危险。更重要的是，它对水有极其敏感的嗅觉，且奔跑速度快，是人们度过沙漠最理想的交通工具。

Camels are large animals that have humps on their backs. One kind of camel, called the Arabian camel, has one hump. The other kind has two humps.

Camels are very useful animals, especially in desert area. They are really worthy of the name “the boat of desert” because they can carry people and heavy goods across a desert. They can walk a long way without drinking. Sometimes they can help their masters find water source because they can smell water in the distance.

Camels of the first kind live in desert areas of Asia and North Africa. They have longer legs than those of the second kind that live in central Asia between China and India. For this reason, they are especially good for riding. Camels can run about fifteen kilometers an hour. Riding a camel is quite different from riding a horse because a camel moves both right legs together and then both left legs.

Arabian camels have soft fine hair which gets darker as the camel ages. The other camels, which live in colder areas, have shaggy hair which is shed in the spring when it is unnecessary in the warm weather.

Comprehension Questions:

1. From the passage we know camels are different from horses in the way that ______

A. they walk and run.

B. they carry things.

C. horses are faster than camels.

D. camels are larger and heavier than horses.

C. live in China mainly in winter. D. have soft fine hair.

5. The best camel to ride is ______

A. the camel which has two humps.

B. the Chinese camel.

C. the camel which lives in desert areas of Asia and North Africa.

D. the camel which lives in cold areas.

(ABBBC)

17. Monkeys Are More Clever Than Others

猴子比别的动物更聪明

人类的祖先就是猿猴，所以，猴子是聪明的动物。它在学习、领悟、技能方面胜于其他动物。它的模仿能力和学习速度有明显的优势，经过一段时间的专业训练后，猴子能够表演比较复杂和有难度的动作。在学习与操作方面，猴子确实更胜一筹。

A university professor recently made several experiments with different animals to find out which was the most intelligent. He found that the monkey was more intelligent than other animals.

In one experiment the professor put a monkey in a room where there were several small boxes. Some boxes were inside other boxes. One small box had some food inside. The professor wanted to watch the monkey and to find out how long it would take the monkey to find the food. The professor left the room. He waited a few minutes outside the door. Then he kneeled down and put his eye to the keyhole. What did he see? To his surprise he found himself looking directly in the eye of the monkey. The monkey was on the other side of the door, looking at the professor through the keyhole.

In a magazine recently there were several pictures of another monkey. The monkey belongs to a woman on Long Island. The woman is an American housewife. She has had the monkey many years. The monkey is a pet. Some people have dogs or cats as pets. This woman has the monkey as a pet. The interesting fact about the monkey is that it can wash dishes. He washes dishes for the woman every day. He likes to wash dishes. He will spend hour after hour washing dishes. He never breaks a dish. But sometimes he washes the same dishes over and over. If the woman tries to stop him, he then gets angry. He begins to throw dishes in all directions. But this does not happen very often.

Comprehension Questions:

D. whether the monkey was looking at the professor through the keyhole.

3. What might be the professor's response when he found the monkey was looking at him? ______

A. Surprised and disappointed. B. Surprised and amused.

C. Surprised and puzzled. D. Surprised and upset.

4. What interests the writer most about the second monkey is that ______

A. it washes the dishes over and over. B. it can wash dishes.

C. it never breaks a dish. D. all the above.

5. What might the woman do after the monkey threw dishes? ______

A. She might give away the monkey.

B. She might let the monkey go on doing it.

C. She would stop the monkey from washing dishes.

D. She might make the monkey promise never to throw dishes again.

(CCBDB)

18. Cats And Their Naps

猫和猫打盹

猫打盹的样子估计是它最可爱的时刻了。而一到夜晚，猫儿打完了盹，就要开始行动了，所谓“夜猫子”一词，就是形容猫儿昼伏夜出、异常活跃的样子。它的精力哪里来？就是忙里偷闲地打个盹，这样才能迅速地恢复精力和体力，更饱满地投入到活动中。为了健康和工作，读了这篇文章我们也许从中得到一些启发。

Cats are animals of habit. They like to go to sleep about the same time every day and for a certain length of time. They seem to have a natural clock inside them that tells them when to sleep.

Besides their regular sleep, cats take naps. Some scientists think that people should also take catnaps. The habit would do good to people's health. Catnaps help build up energy in the body. Since cats have moods like those of people, scientists believe that people can improve their moods and attitudes by catnapping. People might become happier and more active.

A lot of famous people take catnaps during the minutes. The naps usually last 15 to 30 minutes. Winston Churchill took catnaps. So did a few presidents of the United States. These people were known for their energy. They were able to work long hours into the night. Napping was their secret.

A. when cats take naps. B. when they improve their attitudes.

C. when they take catnaps. D. when cats help build up their bodies.

3. Winston Churchill is an example taken to show ______

A. how important catnaps are in one’s work.

B. that moods and attitudes are very important in one’s work.

C. that catnaps are good to one’s health and help build up energy in the body.

D. that cats have moods, so do people.

4. This passage mainly tells us ______

A. about sleep and naps. B. how to take naps.

C. people should learn from the cat and take naps. D. about famous people's naps.

5. Which is wrong according to the passage? ______

A. Animals of habit means animals doing things at any time or irregularly.

B. Cat naps help build up energy in the body.

C. Moods and attitudes are important to people's health.

D. Some famous people had the habit of catnapping.

(CCACA)

19. The Panda Is China’s National Treasure

国宝熊猫

熊猫黑白相间，脑袋长得像猫，体态长得像熊，故名。然而科学家却称它为“猫熊”。它憨态可掬的神态、迟缓慵懒的行动，让人们顿生爱惜之情。由于熊猫对生活环境极端挑剔，野生大熊猫数量稀少，中国将熊猫列为国家珍稀保护动物，受法律保护，并成为国内外众人皆知的“国宝”。

The panda's face looks like a cat's, but its fat body and short tail is like a bear's. So people call this animal Xiongmao. Scientists call it Maoxiong (cat-bear). The panda has a very mild temperament and is very lovable. Everybody likes it very much.

The panda is an animal particular to China. The northeastern part of China's Sichuan Province and southern part of Gansu Province are its native home. Pandas like most to climb trees. They live in the dense forest of the high mountains there, eating bamboo shoots and drinking spring water.

up they send them back. Some pandas also go to places where lumbermen live in the evening and squat beside them to warm themselves by the fire.

Comprehension Questions:

1. The passage mainly tells us that ______

A. the panda has more uses than any other animal.

B. the panda is a rare animal that we should have protected.

C. there are so few pandas that we have to plant more bamboo.

D. like bears, pandas are frightening animals.

2. Which of the following statements is not true according to the passage? ______

A. Pandas like to live in the thick forests.

B. People are asked to take care of pandas instead of harming them.

C. Pandas are easy to get angry.

D. A panda is a bear-like animal with black legs and a black and white body, found chiefly in China.

3. Panda hunting is not allowed, nor is unplanned tree felling. The underlined word "felling" means ______

A. cutting B. falling C. planting D. feeling

4. People are doing their best to ______

A. keep the balance of nature. B. forbid panda hunting.

C. be friendly to pandas. D. all the above.

(BCAD)

20. What Can Dogs Do For People?

狗能为人们做什么

狗是人类最忠实的朋友，它们聪明、忠诚、吃苦、对主人无怨无悔。不过，不同种类、不同个体的狗，对同一件事情的反应可能不一，有些反应激烈，有些则很有悟性。而对它们最大的奖赏，莫过于主人对狗儿的赞赏与奖励。看看我们这位人类的朋友能为我们做什么。

Masters of dogs who attack postman can easily show the dog that the postman is a friend and the dog does not need to treat him as an unwanted person. A dog is quite ready to do what his master wishes. And a dog is always happy when he is praised for understanding correctly.

Dogs are extremely useful as companions for blind people. When a dog has been properly trained, he will always lead his blind master in the right direction and keep him out of danger. For example, seeing-eye dogs learn never to cross a busy read when cars are coming, even if their master commands them to do so.

Comprehension Questions:

1. How many special uses does a dog have according to this passage?______

A. Two B. Three C. Four D. Five or more

2. The passage suggests ______

A. a dog that takes too long to learn commands is not fit to be trained for special uses.

B. any dogs can be trained for special uses.

C. it is quite easy to train a dog.

D. a dog that can't learn to obey can still be trained for special uses.

3. The reason why some dogs can’t tell a postman from an unwanted person is that ______

A. postman never enters the house, although he comes to the house often.

B. some postmen do not behave well.

C. dogs are easily angry.

D. the masters of the dogs do not like the postmen.