I fell in love with England because it was quaint(古雅)---all those little houses, looking terribly old-fashioned but nice, like dolls’ houses. I loved the countryside and the pubs, and I loved London. I’ve slightly changed my mind after seventeen years because I think it’s an ugly town now.

Things have changed. For everybody, England meant gentlemen, fair play, and good manners. The fair play is going, unfortunately, and so are the gentlemanly attitudes and good manners---people shut doors heavily to your face and politeness is disappearing.

I regret that there are so few comfortable meeting places. You’re forced to live indoors. In Paris I go out much more, to restaurants and nightclubs. To meet friends here it usually has to be in a pub, and it can be difficult to go there alone as a woman. The cafes are not terribly nice.

As a woman, I feel unsafe here. I spend a bomb(大量的钱)on taxis because I will not take public transport after 10 p. m. I used to use it, but now I’m afraid.

The idea of family seems to be more or less non-existent in England. My family is well united and that’s typically French. In Middlesex I had a neighbor who is 82 now. His family only lived two miles away, but I took him to France for Christmas once because he was always alone.

1.The writer doesn’t like London because she______.

A. has to be polite to everyone she meets there

B. has lived there for seventeen years

C. prefers to live in an old-fashioned house

D. is not used to the life there now

2.Where do people usually meet their friends in England? ______.

A. In a cafe. B. In a restaurant

C. In a night club D. In a pub.

3.The underlined part “it” (in Para. 4) refers to______.

A. a taxi B. the money

C. public transport D. a bomb

根据短文内容,从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。

We often close ourselves off when unfortunate events happen in our lives. We try to forget the pain by pretending it doesn’t exist, but although we can try all this we want, in the end, we can’t hide from ourselves. 1. Here are some ways you can open your heart more fully.

1. Breathe into pain

Whenever a painful situation arises, try to accept it instead of running away. 2. By using our breath we soften our experiences.

2. Embrace the uncomfortable

3. We know how fear feels in our bodies: the tension in our necks, the tightness in our stomachs, etc. We can face these feelings of discomfort and let them show us where we need to go.

3. Spend time alone

For most of our lives we’re surrounded by people: our friends, colleagues, peers, family members, loved ones, and strangers. How often do we really spend time alone? 4. You can truly open yourself and explore whatever you’d like. The golden ticket here is not to let yourself become distracted; just see what it’s like to be alone.

4. Get outside of yourself

This may seem a little contradictory to the last tip. 5. After you’ve explored the depths of yourself, you come away with a new understanding. Now, it’s time to share that — not through telling others, but through being with others.

A. We all know what anxiety feels like.

B. However, in reality they work hand in hand.

C. We need to learn to open our hearts to the potential of life.

D. When the sadness strikes, take a deep breath and face up to it.

E. You’ll add a new layer of depth and understanding into your life.

F. Lose yourself in the beauty of others; see what they can teach you about yourself.

G. When you spend time in solitude (独自) you’re free from the influences of other people.

D

Is It Worth Buying Organic Food?

Organic food,grown without artificial chemicals,is increasingly popular nowadays.Consumers have been willing to pay up to twice as much for goods with organic labels (商标).However,if you think paying a little more for organic food gets you a more nutritious and safer product,you might want to save your money.A study led by researchers at Stanford University says that organic products aren't necessarily more nutritious,and they're no less likely to suffer from disease-causing bacteria,either.

The latest results,published in the Annuals of Internal Medicine,suggest that buyers may be wasting their money."We did not find strong evidence that organic food is more nutritious or healthier," says Dr.Crystal Smith-Spangler from Stanford."So consumers shouldn't assume that one type of food has a lower risk or is safer."

For their new study,Smith-Spangler and her colleagues conducted a review of two categories of research,including 17 studies that compared health outcomes between consumers of organic against traditional food products,and 223 studies that analyzed the nutritional content of the foods,including key vitamins,minerals and fats.

While the researchers found little difference in nutritional content,they did find that organic fruit and vegetables were 20% less likely to have chemicals remaining on the surfaces.Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards.And both organic and traditional meats,such as chicken and pork,were equally likely to be harmed by bacteria at very low rates.The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids,a healthy fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease.However,these nutritional differences were too small,and the researchers were unwilling to make much of them until further studies confirm the trends.

Organic food is produced with fewer chemicals and more natural-growing practices,but that doesn't always translate into a more nutritious or healthier product.The U.S.Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that "whether you buy organic or not,finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest effect on taste." Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic.

1.The new research questions whether organic food __________.

A.should replace traditional food

B.has been overpriced by farmers

C.is grown with less harmful chemicals

D.really more nutritious and healthier

2.Smith-Spangler and her colleagues found that __________.

A.organic food could reduce the risk of heart disease

B.traditional food was grown with more natural methods

C.both organic and traditional food they examined were safe

D.there was not a presence of any forms of bacteria in organic food

3.Which of the following is relatively healthier according to the passage?

A.Organic chicken and pork.

B.Organic milk and chicken.

C.Traditional chicken and pork.

D.Traditional fruit and vegetables.

4.What is the author's attitude toward organic food?

A.Sceptical.

B.Neutral.

C.Unconcerned.

D.Approving.

Generally speaking, government regulations normally ban anything from smoking in public places to parking in certain zones. But officials in the Brazilian town of Biritiba Mirim, 70km (45miles) east of Sao Paulo, have gone far beyond that. They plan to prohibit residents from dying early because the local cemetery(墓地) has reached full capacity.

There’s no more room to bury the dead, they can’t be cremated(火化) and laws forbid a new cemetery. So the mayor has proposed a strange solution: outlaw death. Mayor Roberto Pereira says the bill is meant as a protest against federal regulations that prohibit new or expanded cemeteries in preservation areas. “They have not taken local demands into consideration”, he claims.

A 2003 decree(法令) by Brazil’s National Environment Council forbids burial grounds in protected areas. Mr. Pereira wants to build a new cemetery, but the project has been stopped because 98% of Biritiba Mirim is considered as a preservation area.

Biritiba Mirim, a town of 28,000 inhabitants, not only wants to prohibit residents from passing away. The bill also calls on people to take care of their health in order to avoid death. “I haven’t got a job, nor am I healthy. And now they say I can’t die. That’s ridiculous,” Amarido do Prado, an unemployed resident said.

The city council is expected to vote on the regulation next week. “Of course the bill is laughable, illegal, and will never be approved,” said Gilson Soares de Campos, an assistant of the mayor. “But can you think of a better resolution to persuade the government to change the environmental decree that is prohibiting us from building a new cemetery?” The bill states that “offenders will be held responsible for their acts.” However, it does not say what the punishment will be.

1.What is the bill to be proposed by the officials in Biritiba Mirim?

A. Ban on building a new cemetery.

B. Ban on parking in certain zones.

C. Forbidding buried grounds in preservation.

D. Prohibiting residents from dying early.

2.What can we infer from the phrase “have gone far beyond that” in the first paragraph?

A. The officials in Biritiba Mirim have made these regulations.

B. The officials in Biritiba Mirim have been to many places around the world.

C. The bill to be proposed by officials in Biritiba Mirim is much too unexpected.

D. The officials in Biritiba Mirim have built too many cemeteries in their town.

3.What’s the attitude of the mayor of Biritiba Mirim towards the federal regulations?

A. He remains silent about them.

B. He gives strong backing to them.

C. He objects to them.

D. He asks the residents for advice on them.

4.Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?

A. The mayor of the town wants to build a new cemetery against federal regulation.

B. The residents of the town sing high praise for the bill.

C. No better resolution of the problems has been thought out.

D. The government is going to change the environmental decree.

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