4. 我们再也不能像以前那样经常见到这些鸟了。
We can’t see these birds ________ ________ ________ ________ any more.

as often as before

5. 这里曾经有很多污染，但是现在干净多了。
There ________ ________ ________ ________ here. But it’s much cleaner now.

used to be much pollution

Ⅴ.（2024·盐城初级中学调研）阅读理解
Cameron Patterson，a British student，spent his childhood in China. He has seen many great changes in the country over the past 15 years，especially trains.
At the age of 8，Patterson moved from Wales to join his father in Shanxi. In the following years，he and his parents lived in a few cities. They also travelled a lot during holidays. However，travelling itself wasn’t always relaxing. When his family moved from Jiangsu to Guangdong，they took the old green train and spent one and a half days on the trip.
Now with high - speed train，life becomes much easier. Long and boring trips in the past have become shorter. Also，the modern trains are more comfortable. “A coin（硬币） wouldn’t move at all on the table of a fast moving train，” he said excitedly.
Patterson was glad to see these changes in China，but he also wondered how they happened. When he read a poem about China’s role model（榜样） Jiao Yulu in 2015，he got the answer. Jiao was seriously ill at that time，but still kept working to help people till the end of his life. Jiao devoted（献身） himself to improving people’s lives. “He was really great. I learn a lot from him，” said Patterson.
Patterson now works as a Confucius Institute volunteer at Lancaster University. “I’m proud to act as a bridge between the UK and China and help the two peoples know about each other’s cultures better. ”
1. From the first two paragraphs，what do we know about Patterson?
A. He moved to China at an early age.
B. He didn’t feel any changes in China.
C. He took great interest in China’s history.
D. He was always excited when taking the old green train.
2. 中考新考法 推断作者写作手法 The writer shows the modern trains are more comfortable by ________.
A. playing a trick
B. asking a question
C. giving an example
D. showing a picture
3. Why does Patterson mention（提及） the story of Jiao Yulu?
A. To ask readers to study harder.
B. To tell readers to read poems.
C. To make foreign readers learn Chinese.
D. To show that people like him help China become stronger.
4. According to the passage，we can infer Patterson ________.
A. wants more people to travel around the world
B. enjoys acting as a bridge between the UK and China
C. thinks it is useless to learn cultures of other countries
D. feels happy to live in China with more people from the UK

[文章大意]本文是一篇记叙文。文章以英国学生卡梅隆·帕特森的视角介绍了中国铁路出行近年来的飞速发展。现在，作为中英两国文化交流的桥梁，他感到骄傲、自豪。
1. A [解析]细节理解题。根据第二段中的“At the age of 8, Patterson moved from Wales to join his father in Shanxi.”可知，卡梅隆·帕特森在小时候就搬到了中国。故选 A。
2. C [解析]推理判断题。根据第三段中的“Also, the modern trains are more comfortable. ‘A coin(硬币) wouldn't move at all on the table of a fast - moving train,’...”可知，一枚硬币在快速行驶的高铁的桌子上根本不会动。由此可知，作者是通过举例子的方式说明了现在火车的舒适度大大提升。故选 C。
3. D [解析]推理判断题。根据第四段中的“Patterson was glad to see these changes in China, but he also wondered how they happened. When he read a poem about China's role model(榜样) Jiao Yulu in 2015, he got the answer.”可知，文章介绍了以焦裕禄为代表的为中国发展做出突出贡献的领军人物，目的是告诉我们是他们让中国变得更强大。故选 D。
4. B [解析]推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“I'm proud to act as a bridge between the UK and China and help the two peoples know about each other's cultures better.”可知，帕特森为充当中英文化交流的桥梁而感到骄傲。故选 B。