B
Sometimes, we can discover human history in surprising places. Not long ago, scientists in Spain found over 200 human-made items in ancient bearded vulture nests(巢穴). Surprisingly, the oldest item is about 700 years old. This discovery shows how nature can preserve(保存) human history in unexpected ways.
Bearded vultures are large birds and usually live in areas with mountains. Although they eat small animals, their main(主要的) food is animal bones(骨头). They break bones into smaller pieces by dropping them from great heights. These birds used to be common in southern Spain. But because of hunting and modern farming practices, no bearded vultures live in the area now.
The nests of bearded vultures are special because the birds have a habit of using them over and over again. Scientists searched for these old nests. To find them, they studied many historical records to learn where the birds once lived in the area. Finally, they found 12 ancient nests built long ago. Once they discovered the nests, they studied everything inside. As expected, they found lots of bones. However, to the scientists' great surprise, there were quite a lot of human-made things. The birds probably brought the items back to build their nests.
This discovery makes protecting bearded vultures even more important. Today, there are only a few thousand left in the wild. Scientists are working hard to help their number grow.

()49. How did the scientists find the old nests?
A. They discovered them by accident.
B. They studied historical records.
C. They followed living bearded vultures.
D. They used modern tools to search for them.
()50. Bearded vultures kept the human-made items because .
A. they were very playful
B. the items smelled like bones
C. they wanted to make their nests better
D. they gave the items to their babies as gifts
()51. From the passage, we cannot find the answer to the question “”.
A. How many human-made items did scientists find in the nests?
B. How old is the oldest human-made item found in the nests?
C. How many bearded vulture nests did scientists study?
D. How old is the oldest bone found in the nests?
()52. What is probably the best title for this passage?
A. Bearded vultures have unusual eating habits
B. Scientists work hard to protect bearded vultures
C. Bearded vulture nests carry historical surprises
D. Scientists get to know more about bearded vultures

C
It’s easy to think “that will never happen to me”, but natural disasters are becoming both more common and more serious. Millions of families face floods, tornadoes and other natural disasters every year. In Australia, for example, its wildfires from 2019 to 2020 were caused by the high temperature and drought(久旱). They took away the lives of hundreds of people and billions of animals!
While you can’t stop disasters from happening, you can stay safe during one if you know what to do.
活20 全品学练考 英语 八年级上册 译林版
Floods
Floods can happen very suddenly. Flood water can be deeper than it looks. It can carry you away, so stay away! Glass, snakes and dirty things can be in flood water, so don’t drink it even if you are thirsty.
Tornadoes
A tornado happens during some storms. If there’s a tornado warning, go someplace, such as a small and sturdy (结实的) bathroom which is safe from the wind and flying things. Remember to keep away from windows and anything heavy that might fall on you.
Earthquakes
You should move away from things that might fall. Get down under something that’s strong if you can’t rush out of the building right away. Protect your neck and head with your arms. If you’re outside, go to an open space. Stay away from trees or anything that might fall over and hurt you.
Bush fires
Bush fires, also known as wildfires, are common across the world during the scorching days. It is important that you try to stay calm. Some fires can start so quickly that they threaten(威胁) homes and lives within minutes, so your safest choice is always to leave early.
()53. 创新设题 写作目的》 The writer talks about Australian wildfires to show .
A. wildfires are far away from us
B. Australians are now in great danger
C. the high temperature and drought cause wildfires
D. natural disasters are becoming more and more serious
()54. What does the underlined word “scorching” mean?
A. Stormy. B. Rainy. C. Hot. D. Cold.
()55. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. Why Natural Disasters Happen B. How to Keep Safe in Natural Disasters
C. What Natural Disasters Bring to Humans D. How to Name Different Natural Disasters