1、Day 1Warm-Up Exercise: Increasing Reading SpeedDirections: Do the word recognition drills below. Note the words on the left then under line them every time they appear in the same form on the line to the right. No regression, no vocalization. Try to finish in 15 seconds or less.Starting Time: _ 1. d
2、isappear disapprove disappear disaster disappoint disagree2. creature creative creation creature structure pleasure3. scientist scientist science scientist socialist scientific4. population popular populate popularly population populous5. throughout thorough thoughtful through thought-out throughout
3、6. fountain foundation founder fountain foundling founded7. American American Afghan Antarctic American Arctic8. especially especially specially specific species special9. government governor governing governess government movement10. breeding breadline breeding breaking breezing breathingFinishing
4、Time: _ Total Reading Time: _Error: _ Check each line carefully for mistakes.Can the Giant Panda Be Saved?Suppose every person on Earth ate only one kind of food. And one year that food disappeared. If that happened, all humans would soon disappear too. Fortunately, humans dont face that problem. Ho
5、wever， another creature may. The animal is the giant panda, one of the worlds most beloved animals.Dr. Thomas Soderstrom, a Smithsonian botanist, has discovered that the bamboo plants the giant pandas eat are dying. As a result, many of the pandas are also dying of starvation. Scientists of the Worl
6、d Wildlife Fund estimate that so far more than 140 giant pandas have died. This figure may be almost one-quarter of the worlds giant panda population. Between 400 and 1,000 giant pandas are believed to exist.Giant pandas were once more common throughout many parts of Asia. Now they are limited to sm
7、all pockets in three mountainous provinces of China. Why Is Bamboo Dying?In the wild， the giant panda eats only two kinds of bamboo plants. One is the umbrella bamboo; the other is the fountain bamboo. Both kinds have a life cycle that lasts 100 years. During this period， a young plant sprouts from
8、a seed and matures into a large plant with many spear-shaped leaves. In its hundredth year the bamboo plant flowers, forms seeds, and dies.Last year the umbrella and the fountain bamboos that grow in China became 100 years old. The plants grew from seeds formed in the late 1870s. Now almost all of t
9、hese bamboo plants are dead. The seeds that formed before the plants died have fallen to the ground. Young shoots now grow from the seeds. However, it will be many months before the shoots are large enough to be used for food by the pandas. Meanwhile the large black and white animals continue to die
10、.Saving the PandasCan the wild pandas be saved? To find out, a group of American scientists went to China to study the habitat. They were led by Dr. George B. Schaller of the New York Zoological Society. The studies took place in Sichuan Province in central China. The scientists especially wanted to
11、 find out more about the animalsdiets. They wanted to see whether the pandas are able to change to other foods while the two kinds of bamboo are maturing.The Chinese government recognizes the worldwide concern about the giant pandas and has also taken steps to save the animals. Large areas of the gi
12、ant pandas habitat have been set aside as wildlife preserves. There, the pandas can live unmolested. At the same time, Chinese scientists are trying to increase the number of giant pandas by raising some of the animals in zoos. The first baby panda resulting from this zoo-breeding program was born i
13、n the Peking zoo in the fall of 1978.Meanwhile, the rest of the world anxiously wonders: what will be the fate of one of the earth s most interesting and gentle creatures?Time: _ 498 words =_wpm_ Minutes. READING COMPREHENSIONSelect the answer which is most accurate according to the information give
14、n in the passage.1. _ are particular about what they eat.A. Wild creatures B. Giant pandas C. Wild animals D. Humans2. Many giant pandas are dying of starvation because the bamboo plants _.A. are dying B. have died C. are extinct D. are very old3. Giant pandas could be found throughout many parts of
15、 _ in the past.A. China B. India C. Africa D. Asia4. The life cycle of _ lasts 100 years.A. all bamboo plants B. some bamboo plantsC. the umbrella and fountain bamboos D. only the umbrella bamboos5. It will take _ until bamboo shoots are large enough to be used as food by the Pandas.A. 100 years B.
16、months C. more than one year D. a few weeks6. _ scientists led by Dr. George Schaller were sent to China to study pandas life habits in order to save them.A. African B. Asian C. American D. The whole worlds7. Giant pandas are strictly preserved in the large areas of _.A. Sichuan B. Central ChinaC. S
17、outhwest China D. the pandas habitat 8. We can infer from the passage that _.A. the giant panda can survive owing to modern science and technologyB. the giant panda can live anywhere if there are bamboo shootsC. the worlds most-loved animal， the giant panda would be extinct if we didnt take measures
18、 to save itD. the life cycle of the giant panda is about 100 years. CONTEXTUAL REFERENCELooking up unfamiliar words in a dictionary is time-consuming and should only be done as a last resort. Figure out meanings of the words in italics using only the context given and word building skills.1. Some an
19、imals do not eat during the winter and only come out in spring; we call them hibernating animals.2. Dr. Earle started her professional career as a botanist a person who specializes in plants. In time she became interested in plants that grow in the ocean especially algue.3. Cows, sheep, elephants, a
20、nd rabbits are mammals. Codfish and bluebirds are not. 4. Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America.5. The explorers decided that this was a fossil of an extinct animal. An extinct animal is one that once lived but does not exist now.6. Biological control is a new way of fighting
21、insects. Biological is the study of plants and animals. It is, then, easy to guess that in biological control of insect pests, plants and animals play a leading part. CLOZEComplete the following passage by filling in the blanks with appropriate words.The National Zoo in Washington now has three gian
22、t pandas: two of its own, and one on loan from the London Zoo. The London Panda is a male named Jiajia. He was sent to Washington last week in the hope that he will mate with the female panda named Lingling. Lingling and Washington s male 1 Xingxing， have had trouble 2 to mate. Zookeepers think that
23、 3 and Jiajia will be 4 successful. Jiajia will be kept 5 ， in a room 6 himself for a while. This is to protect him 7 becoming sick 8 from spreading 9 to the other pandas， 10 ， visitors to the National Zoo can 11 watch him 12 a large window. Giant pandas have 13 exchanged for mating a few times 14 .
24、 In the late 1960s， for example, a 15 panda from the London Zoo was 16 to the Moscow Zoo. Their_17 attempt failed. The female was 18 sent from Moscow 19_ London， but the attempt 20 again.Only one giant panda has been born in captivity outside China. It was born last summer in the zoo in Mexico City.
25、 However， the mother panda accidentally sat on her baby and crushed it nine days after it was born. Day 2Timed ReadingStarting Time: _ Chinese Giant Pandas AbroadJiajia, the panda, arrived in the United States last week from the London Zoo. He was sent over in the hope that he would mate with Lingli
26、ng， one of the two giant pandas at the National Zoo in Washington. It was snowing when Jiajia s plane landed in New York City. Observers say this was a good sign for success, because pandas come from a snowy mountain area of China, and zookeepers reportedly say there is a 75 percent chance that Jiaj
27、ia and Lingling will have a baby.Lingling already has a mate. His name is Xingxing. Both came to Washington as a gift from the People s Republic of China in 1972. Xingxing has been old enough to mate for 5 years, but he and Lingling have never been able to complete the act.At first, zookeepers belie
28、ved that the male was just too young to know what to do. After waiting unsuccessfully for several years, however they decided to step in and help.Last year, zookeepers collected some of Xingxings reproductive sperm. They put it into Ling -ling with a needle. But the artificial insemination did not w
29、ork. This year they have borrowed Jiajia from the London Zoo. They believe this other male panda may have more luck.Britain received Jiajia from China in 1974. He is now eight-and-a-half years old. His name means “most excellent” and “very best.” Jiajia has a mate named Jingjing. Like the pandas in
30、Washington, Londons pandas have never mated, but it is not because they do not like each other. The female in London has had stomach problems, and zookeepers say she is not strong enough yet to become pregnant. This is why Jiajia was free to visit Washington this year.Female pandas can become pregna
31、nt only once a year. They can have one, two or sometimes even three babies. It is often difficult to tell if a panda is pregnant, because baby pandas are so small. A female may show no signs of this condition until shortly before her baby is born.The fertile period for female pandas lasts about 5 da
32、ys. For Lingling this time is expected to be between the middle of April and the first of May. To make sure, the male panda from London will remain in Washington until almost June. He will go home then even if he has not been successful.The London panda is now living in the same building as the Wash
33、ington panda. However， the two males will never share a room. Zookeepers do not want to give them a chance to fight. But they do expect the two males to call to each other and maybe insult each other as well.Zookeepers say it is possible that Jiajias presence could make Xingxing angry enough to want
34、 to mate with Lingling. They say Chinese animal experts have reported that a little competition might help.Finishing Time: _ 482 words =_wpm_ MinutesNEW WORDS AND PHRASESmate vi. to form (into) a couple, esp, of animals, for sexual union and the production of young. one of a male-female pair, usuall
35、y of animalsstep in to enter into an activity or situationreproductive adj. (of organs and natural action) concerned with producing youngsperm n. a cell produced by the sex organs of a male animal, which usually swims in a liquid and is able to unite with the female egg to produce new lifeinseminati
36、on n. introducing sperm into (a female), by the sexual act, by hand, or by means of an instrumentstomach problem 胃病fertile adj. producing many young, fruits or seedsfertile period 受精期EXERCISEPASSAGE READING COMPREHENSIONPlease do not look back at the Timed Reading passage to do this exercise. Decidi
37、ng whether each of the following statements is true or false, according to the passage you read._1. Jingjing was once sent to the National Zoo in Washington in order to mate with Lingling. _2. The couple of pandas, Xingxing and Lingling were given to the United States as a gift from the People s Rep
38、ublic of China in 1972._3. The zookeepers put Xingxings sperm into Linglings body and this artificial insemination was successful._4. Jiajia had a chance to visit the National Zoo in Washington because Jiajias mate， Jingjing, had been pregnant._5. There is difficulty in telling whether a female pand
39、a becomes pregnant only because baby pandas are too small to see._6. It is reported that the fertile period of female pandas is some 5 days each year. _7. Jiajia is now living in the same building as Lingling and Xingxing._8. The presence of Jiajia could stimulate Xingxing to mate with Lingling at o
40、nce.Day 3Warm-Up Exercise: Increasing Reading SpeedDirections: Do the word recognition drills below. Note the words on the left then under line them every time they appear in the same form on the line to the right. No regression, no vocalization. Try to finish in 15 seconds or less.Starting Time: _
41、1. similarity similarly similar similize similarity simile2. sequence sequential sequent consequence sequence3. individual individuate induce indispose individual4. muscle musical musician muscle museum mutation5. heredity hereditary heritage inherit heredity ability6. coincidence coincident coincid
42、ence coincide incidence accidence7. identical identity density identical identic identify8. determine determined terminal termite terminate determine9. division divinity divisive division decision declension10. influence effluence affuence influence infer instanceFinishing Time: _ Total Reading Time
43、: _Error: _ Check each line carefully for mistakes.Reunited Twins Act Amazingly AlikeDo you have any identical twins in your classroom? If you do, you know that they look alike and may even act alike. They both may tie their shoes the same way and like to eat lemon pie.But what happens when identica
44、l twins are separated when young and raised far apart? Will they still often act the same way? A recent study of such separated twins by psychologists at the University of Minnesota shows that they often do act the same way.One pair of the separated twins studied were the “Jim” twins. Shortly after
45、the two boys were born in Ohio， they were adopted by different families. One boy grew up as Jim Springer； the other， as Jim Lewis. At their different schools， both Jims， it turned out， liked math and disliked spelling. As the two grew older， both drove Chevrolets and worked as deputy sheriffs. Both
46、men also liked to vacation in Florida and each named his dog “Toy”.There were more similarities. Both Jims married women named Linda. Both divorced their wives and then married women named Betty. Both had sons. One named his son James Allan. The other named his son James Alan. Medical Backgrounds Al
47、ikeThe similarity in the medical histories of the Jim twins are just as surprising. The university of Minnesota researchers found that both men suffered from the same kinds of headaches. Each brother started getting headaches at age 18. And both added 4.5 kilograms （10 pounds） to their weight at the
48、 same time in their lives.How can these amazing behavioral and medical similarities between identical twins be explained？ Are they just coincidences， or are identical twins more alike than anyone ever imagined？ To answer these questions， you must first understand how identical twins form.Each human starts life as a fertilized egg， or zygote. Within the zyg
