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Monarch Butterflies
One of the last West Coast homes of the Monarch butterfly, a type of insect（昆蟲） may soon disappear. Strangely, it is in a town that calls itself Butterfly U.S.A., Pacific Grove, California.
The town of Pacific Grove loves the butterflies. Every year they have a parade (*****) and hundreds of children dress up as butterflies. Monarch butterflies are the town mascot. Tourism is very important, and many people come to see the butterflies. The butterflies are good for the development of the town.
In 1981 there were so many butterflies it looked like it was raining butterflies. Tens of thousands of Monarchs stayed on tree branches near Pacific Grove. Now there are not so many. The building goes on a little bit at a time, and you don’t notice it day by day. Over time, you can see that there has been a lot of development. As new buildings go up, many trees are cut down.
This reduces the natural homes for the butterflies.
Monarchs travel hundreds of miles each year, returning to the same woods, often to the same trees. The female Monarchs need milkweed to lay their eggs; the males will follow the females.
Millions of Monarchs have traveled regularly along the same path for thousands of years. They start their trip in the mountains of Mexico and travel to the middle part of America. If the woods where the butterflies live are destroyed, the whole species (物種) could be lost. There have been Monarch butterflies along the coast of California for as long as man can remember, but no one is sure how much longer they will last.
36. Why are Monarch butterflies important to Pacific Grove?
A. They may disappear.
B. They come to stay every year.
C. They help develop the town’s tourism.
D. They give a name to Pacific Grove.
37. The underlined word “mascot” in Paragraph 2 probably refers to ________.
A. a new type of butterfly
B. an insect believed to bring good luck
C. a parade organized by Pacific Grove
D. a special dress for children in Pacific Grove
38. What problem do Monarch butterflies face now?
A. New buildings take up their living space.
B. There has been too much rain in recent years.
C. Their natural homes are destroyed by tourism.
D. They have to travel a long distance to get home.
39. Where do Monarch butterflies start their trip to Pacific Grove?
A. From Central America.
B. From the West Coast.
C. From California.
D. From Mexico.
B
New Zealand
What can you see?
Mountains, volcanoes, rivers, lakes, waterfalls, forests, beaches. Both islands are mountainous. In fact, only 30% of New Zealand is flat.
The Maoris
When the Maoris first arrived in New Zealand, they lived in villages and were excellent fishermen, hunters and farmers. About 50 years ago many Maoris started to live and work in the large cities and took jobs in government, industries, medicine and education. They are proud of their culture (文化) and are determined to keep many of the customs which are part of their way of life.
Who can you meet?
Most people live on North Island. Eighty-five percent of New Zealanders are “pakeha” (“white men”), which means their “great grandfathers” came from Europe. Ten percent are Maoris. The Maoris came to New Zealand from the Polynesian islands probably around the tenth century. The “pakeha” started to arrive in New Zealand from Europe about 200 years ago as farmers and traders.
Fact box: New Zealand
Position: South of the Equator (赤道); nearest
neighbour: Australia, 1600 km away.
Size: Two main islands — North Island and
South Island: together they are 268.680 sq. km.
Population: 4 million
Capital: Wellington
Languages: English and Maori
40. Which of the following is a fact about New Zealand?
A. 20% of the population being Maoris.
B. Four million white people.
C. About 1600 km south of the Equator.
D. Nearly 1/3 of the country being plains.
41. The country’s population is mainly made up of .
A. the white people and the Polynesians
B. the white people and the “pakeha”
C. the Maoris and the white people
D. the Maoris and the Polynesians
42. When did the white people begin to live in New Zealand?
A. 1000 years ago.
B. 200 years ago.
C. 85 years ago.
D. 50 years ago.
43. What do the Maoris value most in life?
A. Living in small villages.
B. Developing farming skills.
C. Keeping their own culture.
D. Taking up government jobs.
