People are being invited to sit down to eat with their neighbors in a nationwide lunch party designed to promote community spirit. The Big Lunch is the idea of the Eden Project in Cornwall. It aims to persuade people up and down the country to hold street lunch parties.
Tens of thousands of vegetables, fruits and flowers were used to construct a giant 2,000-square-foot lunch invitation in London’s Convent Garden. More than 9,000 cauliflowers and 800 bananas were used.
According to the organizers, people who decide to take part in the activity will get support from large companies which will supply many of the necessities, including plants to be given out to people to grow. The organizers think that the Big Lunch is a great opportunity for people to get together and spend time with their neighbors, friends and families. Events like this also help build strong communities. People can show their talents, get over their embarrassment, shake hands and get to know their neighbors, and realize that the neighborhood where they live can be a great source of happiness and enjoyment.
The Eden Project’s leader, Tim Smith, says, “It’s a good way to face this recession. Imagine a day on which millions of us, throughout the UK, sit down to have lunch together with our neighbors in the middle of our streets, around our tower blocks, and on every patch of common ground. We’ll have cooked our own food, made our own entertainment, and created our own decorations. It will be a day to share bread with our neighbors, and put a smile on Britain’s face.”
62.   The Big Lunch aims to _____.
A. persuade people to eat healthy food         B. encourage people to cook at home
C. help poor people in the community         D. develop community spirit
63.   Which of the following is false?
A. Large companies will give participants enough money to hold the lunch parties.
B. The Big Lunch may be a good opportunity to show talents and make friends.
C. The Big Lunch is a nationwide activity designed by The Eden Project.
D. The giant lunch invitation in London used a lot of vegetables, fruits and flowers.
64.   Big Lunch is a good opportunity for people to _____.
A. enjoy free food                                           B. have fun with neighbors and families
C. shop on the street                                  D. eat without cooking  
65.   The underlined word “recession” in the last paragraph probably means_____.
A. nice environment                                  B. grand ceremony
C. rapid progress                                       D. economic decline

On a sunny day last August, Tim heard some shouting. Looking out to the sea carefully, he saw a couple of kids in a rowboat were being pulled out to sea.
Two 12-year-old boys, Christian and Jack, rowed out a boat to search for a football. Once they'd rowed beyond the calm waters, a beach umbrella tied to the boat caught the wind and pulled the boat into open water. The pair panicked and tried to row back to shore. But they were no match for it and the boat was out of control.
Tim knew it would soon be swallowed by the waves. "Everything went quiet in my head," Tim recalls(回忆). "I was trying to figure out how to swim to the boys in a straight line."
Tim took off his clothes and jumped into the water. Every 500 yards or so, he raised his head to judge his progress. "At one point, I considered turning back," he says. "I wondered if I was putting my life at risk." After 30 minutes of struggling, he was close enough to yell to the boys, "Take down the umbrella!" Christian made much effort to take down the umbrella. Then Tim was able to catch up and climb aboard the boat. He took over rowing, but the waves were almost too strong for him.
"Let's aim for the pier(码头)," Jack said. Tim turned the boat toward it. Soon afterward, waves crashed over the boat, and it began to sink. "Can you guys swim?" he cried. "A little bit," the boys said. Once they were in the water, Tim decided it would be safer and faster for him to pull the boys toward the pier. Christian and Jack were wearing life jackets and floated on their backs. Tim swan toward land as water washed over the boys' faces.
“Are we almost there?” they asked again and again. "Yes," Tim told them each time. After 30minutes, they reached the pier.
【小题1】Why did the two boys go to the sea?

A.To go boat rowing.
B.To get back their football.
C.To swim in the open water.
D.To test the umbrella as a sail.
【小题2】What does "it” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.The beach.B.The water.
C.The boat.D.The wind.
【小题3】Why did Tim raise his head regularly?
A.To take in enough fresh air.
B.To consider turning back or not.
C.To check his distance from the boys.
D.To ask the boys to take down the umbrella.
【小题4】How did the two boys finally reach the pier?
A.They were dragged to the pier by Tim.
B.They swam to the pier all by themselves.
C.They were washed to the pier by the waves.
D.They were carried to the pier by Tim on his back.

A healthy amount of sunshine may be the secret to staying young. British scientists have discovered.
Vitamin D is produced naturally by the skin in response to(对…的反应) sunlight and may help to slow the ageing process and protect against heart disease, according to the study.
Researchers from King’s College London studied 2,160 women aged between 18 and 79, looking at their telomeres--- a biological marker of ageing found in DNA. As people get older, their telomeres get shorter and they become more susceptible(易受伤害的) to certain illnesses.
But the study found women with high levels of vitamin D had comparatively longer telomeres--- a sign of being biologically younger and healthier.
The study suggests vitamin D may help to slow down the ageing process of DNA, and therefore the ageing process as a whole.
Lead researcher Dr Brent Richards said, “These results are exciting because they show for the first time that people who have higher levels of vitamin D may age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D.” This could help to explain how vitamin D has a protective effect on many ageing related diseases, such as heart disease and cancer.”
Professor Tim Spector, a co-author of the report, added, “Although it might sound absurd
(荒唐的), it’s possible that the same sunshine which may increase our risk of skin cancer may also have a healthy effect on the general ageing process.”
Vitamin D made by the action of sunlight on the skin accounts for 90 percent of the body’s supply, but lower levels can also be got through food such as fish, eggs and breakfast cereals(粥).
Other studies have suggested the vitamin plays a key role in protecting against cancer and heart disease.
【小题1】 A certain amount of sunshine helps people stay young because _____.

A.people feel happy and energetic in the sun
B.sunshine protects people against heart disease
C.vitamin D makes one’s skin look young and healthy
D.vitamin D may help to slow the ageing process
【小题2】From Brent Richards, we know that _____.
A.sunlight causes skin cancer to people with high level of vitamin D
B.the study generally has a healthy effect on the general ageing process
C.vitamin D can only be got from fish, eggs and breakfast cereals
D.the higher levels of vitamin D people have, the more slowly people may age
【小题3】What can we infer from the passage?
A. Telomeres are important signs of ageing of the DNA.
B. Sunlight can be dangerous as it causes skin cancer.
C. Sunlight does a great deal of good to our health.
D. Vitamin D can also be gained from food.
【小题4】 What is the best title of the passage?
A.Secret of Staying Young
B.Vitamin D Helps Slow Ageing
C.Sunlight and Vitamin D
D.Sunlight and Health

When he was a boy, Tim was much influenced(影响) by the books about the sea, but in fact by the age of fifteen he had decided to become a doctor rather than a sailor. His father was a dentist and as a result, Tim had the opportunity of meeting many doctors either at home or elsewhere. When he was fourteen he was already hanging around the clinic (诊所) of a local doctor where he was supposed to help to wrap up medicine bottles, but was actually trying to listen to the conversations taking place between the doctor and his patients in the next room.

During the war Tim served in the Navy (海军) as a surgeon (外科医生). “That was the happiest time of my life. I was dealing with very real suffering and on the whole making a success of it.” In California he taught the country people simple facts about medicine. He saw himself as a life-saver. He had proved his skills to himself and his ability to take decisions. Thus, while he was able to tell them what to do, he could feel he was saving them. After the war, he got married and chose to be a doctor in the countryside, working under an old doctor who was popular in the area, but who hated the sight of blood and believed that the secret of medicine was faith. This gave the young man many opportunities to go on working as a life-saver.

1.Tim decided to be a doctor when he was________.

A.fourteen

B.fifteen

C.serving in the Navy

D.working in clinic

2.Tim decided to become a doctor mainly because________

A.his father wanted him to be so.

B.his father was a surgeon.

C.he had read many books about medicine.

D.he had chances to know many doctors and know about what doctors did.

3.Which of the following is not true?

A.during the war, Tim was a surgeon in the Navy.

B.he taught the country people simple facts about medicine in California.

C.after the war, he married the old doctors’ daughter.

D.Tim worked as a life-saver after war.

4.From the passage we can infer(推出) that Tim_________.

A.was sent to Europe during the war.

B.was not afraid of blood.

C.decided to give up his doctor career.

D.regarded himself as a life-saver.

5.The passage is mainly about­________

A.Tim’s life story

B.Tim’ dreams

C.Tim’s marriage

D.Tim’s patients

 

A healthy dose of sunshine may be the secret to staying young, British scientists have disclosed.

Vitamin D is produced naturally by the skin in response to sunlight and may help to slow the ageing process and protect against heart disease, according to the study.

Researchers from King's College London studied 2,160 women aged between 18 and 79, looking at their telomeres - a biological marker of ageing found in DNA.As people get older, their telomeres get shorter and they are easy to have illnesses.

But the study found women with high levels of vitamin D had comparatively longer telomeres - a sign of being biologically younger and healthier.

The study suggests vitamin D may help to slow down the ageing process of DNA, and therefore the ageing process as a whole.

Lead researcher Dr Brent Richards said: "These results are exciting because they prove for the first time that people who have higher levels of vitamin D may age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D.

"This could help to explain how vitamin D has a protective effect on many ageing related diseases, such as heart disease and cancer."

He said further studies are required to confirm the findings.

Professor Tim Spector, head of KCL's twin research unit, and a co-author of the report, added: "Although it might sound absurd(荒谬的), it's possible that the same sunshine which may increase our risk of skin cancer may also have a healthy effect on the general ageing process."

Vitamin D made by the action of sunlight on the skin accounts for 90 per cent of the body's supply, but lower levels can also be obtained through food such as fish, eggs and breakfast cereals.

Other studies have suggested the vitamin plays a key role in protecting against cancer and heart disease.

1.What’s the best title of this passage?

  A.Sunshine helps to keep you young.

  B.Vitamin D has a protective effect on many diseases.

  C.Telomeres - a biological marker of ageing.

  D.People have found the secret to having a long life.

2.How can people get Vitamin D?

A.through water.       B. through sunshine.

C.through food.        D.both B and C.

3.Which of the following is not true according to the passage?

    A.women with high levels of vitamin D shows a sign of being biologically younger and healthier.

    B.vitamin D has a protective effect on many ageing related diseases.

    C.too much sunshine may increase our risk of skin cancer.

    D.It has been proved that sunshine helps to keep you young.