相关试卷

Help Hermit Crabs(寄居蟹)

Hermit crabs are nature's recyclers. They eat waste and help keep the ocean and shores clean. Unlike other crabs,the hermit crab has a thin outer shell over its soft tail. This makes the hermit crab easy prey for hungry attackers. Hermit crabs stay safe by living in old seashells. A hermit crab is picky(挑剔的);it tries on many shells until it finds one that fits just right. In recent years,however,many hermit crabs have had trouble finding their perfect homes. What is the problem?There are not enough shells to go around!

One reason for the seashell shortage is that ocean water is not as clean as it once was. This has caused chemical changes to sea water. Some sea animals,like snails,are affected by these changes. Now there are fewer snails making shells. People visiting the beach often take shells home as souvenirs(纪念品). This is another problem. Other people even hunt and take shells for their own pet hermit crabs! They do not realize that hermit crabs in the wild need those shells, too.

Now people are aware of that and working to solve this hermit crab housing shortage. They are teaching beach-Boers to leave seashells where they belong—at the seashore! Some people even make fake seashells that they hope the hermit crab will like. For example,a group called Project Shelter invited people who visited their website to create different designs for hermit crab shells.

These designers had a lot to consider. What kind of material should be used to build seashells?The material must be light enough for the hermit crab to carry,but strong enough to protect the crab from attackers. The man-made shells could not contain glue or any other substance(物质) that might harm the hermit crab. Another challenge of building a hermit crab home was the opening of the shell. Too big would mean the crab would not feel safe. Too small would be uncomfortable,and the crab would not want to move in.

The Project Shelter shells are placed in the wild for hermit crabs to find. Lucky hermit crabs can move into these new dream homes.

Once upon a time，there lived in Basra an old man.His only job was caring for and loving his only son who was a handsome young man.The old man put all his money into his son's education.The young man went away for a few years and received an education at a well－known university，where there were many scholars (学者)．

The day arrived for the son to return from his studies.When the son came and met his father，the old man looked into his eyes and felt great disappointment."What have you learnt，my son？" he asked."I have learnt everything that was to be learnt，father，" the son said.

"But have you learnt what cannot be taught？" asked the father."Go，my son and learn what cannot be taught，" said the old man.

The young man went back to ask his headmaster to teach him what cannot be taught."Go away to the mountains with these four hundred sheep and come back when they are one thousand，" said the master.

The young man went to the mountains and became a shepherd (牧羊人)．There for the first time he came across silence.He had no one to talk to.The sheep did not understand his language.Hopelessly，he would talk to them but they would look back at him as if to say he were stupid.Slowly but certainly，he began to forget all his worldly knowledge and his pride.He became quiet，wise and humble (谦逊的)．

At the end of two years，when the number of sheep had grown to one thousand，he returned to his master and fell on his knees."Now you have learnt what cannot be taught，" said the master.

The United Kingdom, Great Britain, Britain, England--many people are  (confuse) by what these different names mean. So what is the  (different) between them, if any?  (get) to know a little bit about British history will help you solve this puzzle.

In the 16th century, the nearby country of Wales was joined the Kingdom of England. Later, in the 18th century, the country Scotland was joined (create) the Kingdom of Great Britain. In the 19th century, the Kingdom of Ireland was added to create the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland. (final), in the 20th century , the southern part of Ireland (break) away from the UK, which resulted the full name we have today: the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland. Most people just use the shortened name: "the United Kingdom" or "the UK". People from the UK are called "British", means the UK is also often (refer) to as Britain or Great Britain.

City people usually think they are a lot smarter than country people. They often laugh at simple country 1 . But people do not laugh at 2 music. It is one of the most popular kinds of music in the United States today. Perhaps country music is so popular in the United States because it is about3 but strong human feelings and4 —love, sadness, good times, and bad times. It tells real－life stories and5 the way people really talk. As life becomes more and more complicated, it is good to hear music about6 people. Country music7 two kinds of music. One is the traditional music of the people in the eastern United States.8 is traditional cowboy music from the West. The singers usually play guitars, and in the 1920s they 9  using electric guitars. At first city people 10 country music was low­class. It was popular mostly in the South. But during World War Ⅱ， thousands of11 went to the Northeast and Midwest to12 in the factories. They took their music with them.13  from the rest of the country went to army camps in the South. They 14  to like country music. Slowly it became popular all over the country. Today country music is popular 15 in the United States and Canada—in16 towns and in New York City, among black and white, and among17 and uneducated people. About 1,200 18 stations broadcast country music twenty－four hours a day. English stars sing it in British English, and people in other countries sing it in their19 . The music that started with cowboys and 20 Southerners is now popular all over the world.