A new study shows the world’s fastest land animal could be running towards extinction.
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Panthera, and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) led the study. It estimates that only 7,100 cheetahs（猎豹）remain worldwide, mainly found in Africa. But according to the study, cheetahs have been forced out of 91% of their native range. Cheetahs found in Asia are among the hardest hit. Fewer than 50 are left in a small part of Iran.
Many factors are to blame for the decline in cheetah numbers, including habitat loss and the illegal trade. Prey（猎物）loss is also a problem. Humans cause it by overhunting animals that cheetahs prey on. Cheetahs are carnivores and prey mainly on smaller mammals, for example gazelles.
Because cheetahs usually roam over large areas in search of food, 77% of their habitat remains outside of government-protected areas. This means cheetahs are in constant danger of hunters and traders. In Zimbabwe, Africa, alone, the cheetah population has dropped from 1,200 to only about 170 in 16 years. This decline represents a loss of 85% of the country’s cheetahs.
Dr. Kim Young—Overton, Panthera’s Cheetah Program Director, thinks protected habitats alone are not enough to save cheetahs. Cheetahs in reserves also face dangers such as loss of prey and illegal trade.
Dr. Sarah Durant, the study’s lead author, believes that the information it contains will lead to a better understanding of cheetahs as well as a better approach to helping them survive. Durant says local and national officials must team up in order to save cheetahs. But first, the International Union for Conservation of Nature must classify the animals as endangered. Currently, cheetahs are classified as weak on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. The change would focus more attention on cheetahs and help protect them for extinction. After all, in the fight to save cheetahs, it's a race against time.
1.What is the present situation of cheetahs according to the study?
A. They are in danger.
B. They live freely worldwide.
C. They are protected well in Africa.
D. They mainly live in their native range.
2.What does the underlined word “carnivores” refer to?
A. Animals kept at home.
B. Animals living in zoos.
C. Animals feeding on meat.
D. Animals killed in the wild.
3.What results in the decline of the cheetah population according to the text?
A. The loss of their reserves.
B. Their appearance in unpreserved areas.
C. The decreasing government protection.
D. Their increasing natural enemies.
4.What does Dr. Sarah Durant think of the study of cheetahs?
A. It shows ways of wildlife protection.
B. It implies people’s role in saving animals.
C. It stresses the importance of cheetahs in our life.
D. It informs people of cheetahs’ existing state.
He told me what a wonderful job I was doing. He kept me motivated with crazy stories of what he did when he was a kid or just by smiling. His smile would light a rom and pass to everyone around him. He was like a full animal, easy to hug and keep my secrets safe. He was the first man I loved and the one I always looked up to. He did everything for me, but the one he did best was being my dad.
My dad made me a believer in myself. I would always give up too soon, right before l got the answer. Some nights he would sit with me to help me believe myself with examples that he had gone through. Those nights were the worst! I struggled so hard and tried not to get upset at myself.
He loved to tell jokes and had one for every occasion. He loved to make people laugh. He acted as if it were his goal in life to make people laugh. There was never a dull moment when he was in the room. To everyone he was the jokester, but to me, a sensitive girl, he was something more than words could describe. My dad knew everything. He excelled at everything he did; raising two beautiful and smart children was only one.
To my brother and me, he was in a way our hero, always picking us up after our knees were injured. Any tear was wiped away by a large warm, comforting hand. He influenced us with his knowledge. My dad, as well as my mother, influenced us to achieve everything we try in life. He made everything he did look like it required no effort at all. His words of encouragement still ring in my head to this day even after his passing. I still know today that he will always encourage me just not in the same way.
1.What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A. To honor her father.
B. To follow her father’s examples.
C. To show how to be a good father.
D. To show her father’s training to her.
2.The author compares her father to a full animal to show his ________.
A. life habit B. great love
C. eating way D. good ability
3.How did the author’s father do to make her believe in herself?
A. By teaching her to study lessons.
B. By sharing her different stories.
C. By helping her finish her tasks.
D. By telling his own experiences.
4.Why did the author consider her father as a hero?
A. Because her father saved her life.
B. Because her father made her have a strong body.
C. Because her father always appeared when she was in trouble.
D. Because her father always comforted her to make her feel better.
This Holiday’s Resolution: Visit More Galleries
Sounds easy enough, right? It should be, as the bay area is loaded with galleries. Here are a few suggestions to help expand your cultural brain.
Craftsman House shows fine American craft from more than 300 local and national artists in a restored 1920s bungalow in St. Pete’s Grand Central District. In addition to the showroom, the carriage house out back is a fully operational pottery studio. They also have a fresh cafe in the house that offers coffee, tea, lunch and baked goods. Normal hours are from 10 am to 7 pm from Monday to Saturday and from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday. www.craftsmanhouse-gallery.com.
Ocean Blue Gallery on downtown St .Pete’s Beach Drive is brand new and only open for a month. They feature paintings, glass, wood sculptures and metal art, and as the name implies, they’re heavy on beach and sea life themes. They’re located at 284 Beach Drive NE and open from 10:30 am to 5 pm from Sunday to Thursday and from 10:30 am to 4 pm from Friday to Saturday. www.oceanbluegallery.com.
Tempus Project in Tampa’s Seminole Heights is a gallery that represents established and developing local, national and international artists through inspiring exhibitions. The exhibition on display is Boys on Film, an exhibit of new sculptures and drawings by Noelle Mason that researches the fiction and fantasy. The gallery is only open by appointment, but they will be open from 7 am to 9 pm on July 6th for Seminole Heights First Friday, which is also the last day for the exhibition. www.tempusproject.com.
1.What can people enjoy in Craftsman House?
A. Visiting some beautiful bungalows.
B. A fresh breakfast.
C. Talking with national artists.
D. Some food.
2.What is special about Ocean Blue Gallery?
A. It has a long history.
B. Its themes are about beach and sea life.
C. The opening time is the longest.
D. Its works come from many foreign countries.
3.What should people do to visit Tempus Project?
A. Make appointments before July 6th.
B. Collect some information online.
C. Know something about the fiction.
D. Research famous drawings.
一家英语报社向中学生征文，主题是“我理想的高中生活”，请根据下列要求和你的畅想完成短文。
1.在校学习情况；
2.老师与同学；
3.学校活动。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.司以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头语已为你写好，不计入总词数。
I often imagine what my life will be like in my dream high school.
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
I am interested at swimming very much. At first, I went swimming just to keep health. Now my dream was to swim for my country in the Olympics. Though practicing in the pool is very bored, but I still work very hard in order to realize my dream. Because my hard work, I have already come first in much important competitions. In the competitions, I’ve made lot of friends and we’re very close. It’s much easier to have friends which are swimmers because they also have to get up early to practice like you and they understand this kind of life.
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式。
The first foreign language I studied was French, and I learnt it at a secondary school between the ages of 11 and 18. It was a compulsory subject for the first three years and I 1. (choose) to continue studying it afterwards because I enjoyed it, found it 2. (interest) and was quite good at it. Outside class I practiced 3. (listen) to the French language radio and reading French books.
Before going to university, I spent three months working on 4. farm in southern France. This helped me become pretty fluent5. French and acquire a rich farming-related vocabulary.
My French has also been 6. (help) on holiday on Morocco and Portugal. French 7. (use) as a second language in Morocco and in other countries quite a few people speak French in places 8. a lot of tourists visit.
In September 2009 I joined a couple of French conversation 9. (group) in Bangor and I have been going to them ever since. It has resulted in my 10. (improve) in my spoken French.
Now I can still speak French fluently and can also read it well, but my written French is not so good.
