Inspire your students with a school trip to Antarctica, the driest “desert” on earth! Since it is no longer the field of just scientists and explorers, we are offering a unique opportunity for you and your students to explore the great Antarctic region. Under carefully controlled conditions, you can discover Antarctic extraordinary wildlife and scenery on a voyage in the world’s last true wilderness. Antarctica offers your students different kinds of study topics from geology and plate tectonics (构造学) at Deception Island to cold environments.

    As the fifth largest continent in the world, Antarctica covers an area of roughly 14 million square kilometers, most of which is blanketed by a vast ice sheet, averaging 2000 meters in thickness. For half of the year, it lies in darkness. However, with the arrival of its short summer, this cold land plays host to some of the greatest wildlife on earth. Millions of pairs of penguins, and other sea birds live in the region. Five species of seals are regularly observed hunting for food on ice. Orcas, humpback, whales and some other sea animals are often seen feeding on the ocean’s rich picking, adding to the impressive list of marine mammals(海洋哺乳动物). The summer climate is often surprisingly mild with temperatures above freezing and the long hours of daylight mean that wildlife viewing is possible almost any time.

We would argue that it’s impossible to describe the scenery of this continent in a single word, but “breathtaking” comes close! This huge continent lies under the snow and ice while dramatic mountain ranges are cut through by great glaciers(冰川)，forming lots of coastal islands, inlets and waterways. These are filled with ice, big of small glaciers so it is difficult to get to Antarctica by ship. The sculptured shapes and beautiful color of the blue oceans inspire the imagination and provide perfect photographic moments.

An expedition voyage to Antarctica is a trip of a lifetime for students and teachers alike. Prices are available on request---- starting from approximately 4500 pounds per person including return flights and voyage. Please contact us to find out more about the travel to Antarctica. Call 01737218807.

21. Now Antarctica is not only a land of scientists, but also______________.

 A. a place where no living things can be seen

 B. a fantastic continent all the students are interested in

 C. a good topic for researching geology and plate tectonics

 D. an excellent place for students to make discoveries and explorations

22. It is possible to view the wildlife in summer almost any time because _________.

A. the wild animals come out only in summer

B. visitors can view the animals more clearly in summer

C. summer offers warm weather and long hours of daylight

D. wild animals never sleep during the summer time

23. What does the author expect the readers to do according to the last paragraph?

A. To save money for the trip to Antarctica.

B. To make a better understanding of the company.

C. To get in touch with each other to organize their trip.

D. To find further information about the trip to Antarctica.

A 9-foot and 7-inch bronze statue titled Giddy-Up, Daddy was set up, in memory of Family Circus creator Bil Keane.

Jeff Keane, Bil’s youngest son, who took over work in the Family Circus, used to say,“As long as the family was together, we would be happy. Maybe that was the secret to what my dad did with his cartoon.” He added, “Paradise Valley and Scottsdale were important; we grew up here. My parents used to drive past here constantly. Our parents loved the Arizona life. So, we would get to put a statue here.”

The statue came to Scottsdale by way of Paradise Valley on the second anniversary of Keane’s death. He lived in Paradise Valley for more than 50 years, creating his famous comic strips(连环漫画)as well as raising his five children with his wife in their home north of Lincoln Drive.

The comic is modeled on his family, featuring characters of childhood innocence：Billy, Dolly, Jeffy and P.J.

Former Paradise Valley mayor Ron Clarke, said Bil Keane was always the go-to guy for anything the town needed—from helping create the Mummy Mountain Preserve to using his art to help raise money for Hurricane Katrina victims in Mississippi. “He was always so influential in town,” Clarke said.

Bronzesmith gallery director Kathy Reilly said this bronze statue was the first combination of animation(动画)and realism, which shows the emotions of joy, family and love.

“We found out how many people’s lives were touched by Bil Keane, not only through his cartoons but also through personal contact he had with so many people,” Reilly said.

Bil Keane and his family moved to Paradise Valley in 1958, and two years later, his comic strips began appearing in newspapers across the country.

After seeing one of Rick Kirkman’s comic strips, Keane sent a letter to Rick Kirkman, co-creator of the comic strip, stating, “you have a winner.”

“Those few words fed us for years, and fueled our enthusiasm and persistence. Never did so few words encourage us so much.” Said Kirkman.

24. Where is the statue most probably located?

A. In Paradise Valley.              B. In Scottsdale.

C. In Lincoln Drive.                D. In Mummy Mountain Preserve.

25. What do we know about Bil Keane’s comic strips?

A. They are based on the Arizona life.

B. They are modeled on five children.

C. They began to come out in newspaper in 1960.

D. They were the combination of animation and realism.

26. What information can we get about the statue?

A. It is 9-foot and 7-inch in height.

B. It was built at the request of comic fans.

C. It was set up immediately after Bil Keane died.

D. It travelled many places before it was located.

27. How did Kirkman feel on hearing “you have a winner”?

A. He couldn’t hide his envy of Bil.

B. He was fed up with the behavior of Bil.

C. He felt more enthusiastic and determined.

D. He was pleased with his works and himself.

   JOHANNESBURG—They say cats have nine lives. Now a Chinese toad(蟾蜍)   has joined that club of clever survivors.

   South Africans are shocked at the endurance of a toad that got trapped in a cargo shipment from China to Cape Town, after jumping into a porcelain(瓷器) candlestick（烛台） that was made there. South African officials reportedly planned to put down the creature, fearing it would cause harm as an invasive species if it were let go in the wild.

   But the toad got a last-minute pardon. Mango Airlines, a South African airline, transported the toad on Friday to Johannesburg for delivery to an animal shelter, after officials decided to find a way to let the toad live. The two-hour fight was a breeze compared to the trip from China, a long way of many weeks and thousands of kilometers across the Indian Ocean.

   Airline spokesman Hein Kaiser said the toad got “first-class treatment”, sitting in a transparent plastic container with escort Brett Glasby, an animal welfare inspector. There was even a ceremony, in which the toad’s boarding pass was handed to Glasby.

   “He was the star of the show on the flight,” Kaiser said of the amphibious(两栖的) passenger. “I think every passenger stopped to have a look.”

   On landing in Johannesburg, the toad was brought out of its container for a celebrity-style photo shoot. Observers said the brown toad seemed like a cool customer. It belongs to the Asian Toad species, which breeds during the monsoon(季风) season. It is believed to have survived the trip from China by hardening its skin to prevent it from drying out, and also by slowing its breathing and heart rate—methods that help the species survive in times of drought.

   “We’ve had snakes in imported timber and scorpions(蝎子) in fruit. We were called because the toad was right inside the candlestick, and we had to break it to get it out” Glasby, the inspector, told The Star, a South African newspaper.

28. What is the passage mainly about?

A. An Asian toad gets a new home in South Africa.

B. Asian toads can’t get used to the life in South Africa.

C. Workers shipped a toad to South Africa on purpose.

D. South Africa ignores the protection of animals.

29. If the toad is released into the wild, _________.

A. it will make the locals feel shocked

B. it might harm the native species

C. it will lose its life in the wild

D. it might flee into another country

30. The toad was able to arrive in South Africa alive_________.

A. because it escaped all attacks and hunts

B. because it used to stop its breath in winter

C. because it formed hard skin to protect itself

D. because it was lucky to be given a chance

31. It can be inferred from the passage that_________.

A. sometimes animal are transported accidentally

B. no one has seen such a big toad in Africa

C. a candlestick is the best place for a toad

D. droughts make toads live longer

   The speaker, a teacher from a community college, addressed a sympathetic audience. Heads nodded in agreement when he said, “High school English teachers are not doing their jobs.” He described the inadequacies of his students, all high school graduates who can use language only at a grade 9 level. I was unable to determine from his answers to my questions how this grade 9 level had been established.

   My topic is not standards nor its decline. What the speaker was really saying is that he is not longer young; he has been teaching for sixteen years, and is able to think and speak like a mature adult.

   My point is that frequent complaint of one generation about the one immediately following it is inevitable. It is also human nature to look for the reasons for our dissatisfaction. Before English became a school subject in the late nineteenth century, it was difficult to find the target of the blame for language deficiencies. But since then, English teachers have been under constant attack.

   The complainers think they have hit upon an original idea. As their own command of the language improves, they notice that young people do not have this same ability. Unaware that their own ability has developed through the years, they assume the new generation of young people must be hopeless in this respect. To the eyes and ears of sensitive adults the language of the young always seems inadequate.

   Since this concern about the decline and fall of the English language is not perceived as a generational phenomenon but rather as something new and peculiar to today’s young people, it naturally follows that today’s English teachers cannot be doing their jobs. Otherwise, young people would not commit offenses against the language.

32. The speaker mentioned in the passage believed that_____.

A. the language of the younger generation is usually inferior to that of the older generation

B.     the students had a poor command of English because they didn’t work hard enough

C.     he was an excellent language teacher because he had been teaching English for sixteen years

D.     English teachers should be held responsible for the students’ poor command of English

33. In the author’s opinion, the speaker______.

A. could think and speak intelligently

B. had exaggerated the language problems of the students

C. gave a correct judgment of the English level of the students

D. was right in saying that English teachers were not doing their jobs

34. The author’s attitude towards the speaker’s remarks is ____.

A. neutral       B. positive         C. critical        D. compromising

35. In the passage the author argues that_____.

A. to eliminate language deficiencies one must have sensitive eyes and ears

B.     to improve the standard of English requires the effort of several generations

C.     it is by no means fair to blame the English teachers for the language deficiencies of the students

D.     young people would not commit offences against the language if the teachers did their jobs properly

               How to pick a great book to read

The world is full of great books, just waiting to be read. How can you pick one you'll really like? Here are some tips:

What makes you happy?

If you have a favorite hobby or pastime, look for books about that activity. 36__________ Do there exist a few careers you're interested in? You can find books about almost anything you like, and you're more likely to enjoy reading a book if you're already interested in its subject.

Fact or fiction?  

37         Those are called fiction books. Novels, short stories, and fables are all examples of fiction. These books can transport you to another world or help you imagine something beyond your own experience. Nonfiction books give you the who, what, when, and why. They tell stories using facts — but that doesn't mean they're boring. Nonfiction books can bring to life everything from the first trip to the moon to what it's like to explore the deepest oceans. Many of them read like novels from start to finish. Try both fiction and nonfiction books to see which you like better.

Find a family favorite. 

What was your mother's favorite book when she was your age? Or your dad's? What about a sibling's? 38          Then you can talk about what they liked about it and share your thoughts. It's a fun way to get to know your family a little better, and to find a book you'll enjoy!

39____________

Your local library is a great place to find books that you'll love, and you don't have to search all by yourself. Tell a librarian about your interests — rock stars, sports teams, historical events, whatever you're into — and the names of some books you already like. Your librarian can help you find other books that you're sure to love. Your teacher is another good person to ask.

Launch a book swap.     

Why not get some friends together and trade favorite books? It's always fun to see what your friends are reading. Even if they're not exactly bookworms, you can all encourage each other to read and share books and authors you like. You also can look for book swaps in your area.40____________

A. Ask them and give it a read.       

   B. Read as many books as possible.

C. It's a great way to build your personal library for free!         

D. Ask an expert.

E. Some books are entirely made up and imagined.            

F. Are you really into dinosaurs or dogs or a specific celebrity?

G. Set up a local library