In 1974, the price of petrol in Britain rose by 120 percent; cars became expensive to run and train and bus fares increased. People who hadn't used a bicycle since they were children decided that they would buy bicycles.They discovered that cycling could be enjoyable and cheap.

Bicycle sales had been falling for many years but suddenly everything changed.In 1975, British people spent more than one million on bicycles. Bicycle traffic increased by 11 percent.

Bicycle fans compare the cost of running a car with the cost of running a bicycle.They also say bicycle-riding is a good form of exercise.In towns bicycles can often be faster than cars or buses.The bicyclists can ride through traffic jams and at the end of his journey he doesn't have to look for a parking space.Cycling through the countryside is a real pleasure; the cyclist has time to see things that the motorist, driving at over 100 kilometers an hour, never sees.

But in the cities, cycling can be dangerous.You need good concentration(专心)and strong nerves, especially when a truck or a bus is trying to pass you.Since cycling became popular again, there has been an increase in the number of accidents.

Cyclists say the answer to the problem is to separate bicycles from other traffic.Stevenage, a new town near London, has a system of “bikeways”, where only bicycles are allowed to travel.However, in most towns, cyclists say, the needs of the bicycle riders are overlooked.Cyclists have formed into “action groups” in many towns in Britain.They want to persuade local councils-who are in charge of the roads and traffic in their areas-to make sure there are safe facilities(设施)for cyclists.Or, they say, interest in cycling will die.

1.Today the Britain want to ride bikes because _________.

A.trains and buses are too crowded

B.the cost of riding bikes is much cheaper than that of taking trains or buses

C.there are a lot of thieves on the trains or in the buses

D.the traffic accidents easily happen while people go to work by train or by bus

2.What is special about traffic in Britain today?

A. More and more people ride bikes.

B. More and more people like to take trains.

C. Taking trains is much safer than taking buses.

D. No people like to take buses.

3.The main reason for so many people’s riding bikes in England is that _______.

A. bike-riding does good to people

B. a bike is easy to take care of

C. a bike is much cheaper than a car

D. there is no need of a parking place for a bike

4.Riding bikes has many strong points, but when it becomes popular _______.

A. a lot of bikes will be crowded in the public places

B. a lot of bus-drivers and trainmen are out of work

C. fewer and fewer people will take a train

D. there will easily be more and more traffic accidents[来

When Luca first heard of the Island of Inventions, he was still very young. But its wonders sounded so incredible that they were forever burned in his memory. From that moment, he never stopped searching for clues which might lead him to the island. He read hundreds of adventure books, histories, volumes of physics and chemistry, even music.

Over time, he pieced together his idea of what the Island of Inventions was like. It was a secret place, where all the great wise men of the world would meet to learn and invent together. Access to the island was totally restricted. To join, you had to have created some great invention for humanity. Only then could you receive the special invitation — which came with directions to the island.

So Luca spent his youth studying and inventing. Every new idea he got, he made it into an invention, and if there were something he didn't understand, he’d seek others to help him. Soon he met other young inventors and he told them about the Island of Inventions. They too dreamed of one day receiving an invitation letter.

As years passed, the disappointment of not receiving their invitation made Luca and his friends work harder and co-operate more. They would meet in Luca's house, share their ideas and build new machines. Their inventions became known throughout the world, and improved the lives of millions.

But still, no invitation came.

They didn’t lose heart. They continued learning and inventing every day, trying to come up with more and better ideas. Fresh young talent joined their group, as more inventors dreamed of getting to the island.

One day many years later, Luca, already very old, was speaking with a brilliant young man named Roberts, who had written to him, asking him to join the group. Luca started telling the man of the wonderful Island of Inventions, and of how he was sure that some day they would receive an invitation. Surprised, the young inventor interrupted: “You mean this place isn’t the Island of Inventions? Isn't the letter you sent me the real invitation?”

It was only then that Luca realised that his dream had become true in his very own house. No island could exist which would be better than where he was now. No place of invention would be better than what he and his friends had created. Luca felt happy to know that he had always been on the island, and that his life of invention and study had been a truly happy one.

1.Why did Luca and his colleagues probably never receive an invitation to the island?

A. Their ideas were not considered worthy enough.

B. They were too concerned with acquiring fame.

C. The organization had already broken up.

D. The island was not a real place.

2.What did Luca learn at the end of the story?

A. The island of inventions did not exist.

B. He had wasted most of his life.

C. He had unknowingly built his own dreamland.

D. He finally would receive his invitation.

3.Which of the following best describes Luca?

A. Aggressive. B. Trusting.

C. Creative. D. Easy-going.

Cooking programs and classes for children seem to positively influence children's food preferences and behaviors,according to a recent review.And,although the review didn't look at long-term effects of such programs,the findings suggest that such programs might help children develop long-lasting healthy habits.

This research comes at a time when childhood obesity(肥胖) rates have been rising rapidly.More than one-third of adolescents in the United States were obese in 2012,according to the U.S.Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).This trend has been caused,at least in part,by a significant decrease in the amount of meals that people consume at home since the 1980s,according to background information in the study.

Cooking education programs,such as Food Explorers,teach children about new healthy foods and how to prepare them.They also stress the importance of eating five fruits and vegetables every day.A volunteer parent explains a new food to the group,and the kids make something based on the lesson,such as fruit or vegetable salad. Depending on the program,kids may be sent home with information about healthy foods to bring to their parents,the review explained.

The study team reviewed eight other studies that tested different types of cooking education programs.Children in these classes were between 5 and 12 years old,according to the review.The goal of the study team was to learn more about developing an efficient program to encourage healthy food choices that last a lifetime.The study found that it is particularly important to expose kids to healthy foods on a number of occasions.This makes them feel comfortable with the new foods,which helps them build healthy habits.

The study stressed the importance of getting parents involved in(参与) their children's eating habits.Parents who are unable to enroll their kids in a cooking class can achieve similar benefits by having their kids help them while they prepare meals at home.Children are more comfortable at home,which makes them more receptive to new foods because they will make the connection to a positive experience.

1.What can we infer from the second paragraph?

A. Eating out frequently causes obesity.

B. Childhood obesity is totally caused by eating habit.

C. Childhood obesity rates have been rising rapidly since 2012

D. Food consumption has decreased significantly since the 1980s.

2.On cooking education programs,________.

A. children learn how to prepare foods from their parents

B. children will learn how to cook in the company of their parents

C. children may learn information unknown to their parents

D. children focus more on cooking skills than on information about healthy foods

3.Which of the following is true according to the study?

A. Parents should let their kids cook independently at home.

B. A greater willingness to try new foods helps building healthy habits.

C. Children who participate in cooking programs are less likely to become obese.

D. Children who take cooking courses are more likely to choose fruits and vegetables as adults.

4.Which of the following categories does this passage belong to?

A. Education Systems

B. Science and Technology

C. Parent-child Relationship

D. Public Health Research

5.The purpose of the passage is _________.

A. to inform the reader

B. to entertain the reader

C. to discuss with the reader

D. to warn the reader

Growing up in Philadelphia, Lieberman started cooking with his stay-at-home dad when he was seven. His food-loving family had two kitchens, and he quickly learned what was the best way to bake his cakes. Lieberman improved his kitchen skills greatly during a year abroad before college, learning from a cook in Italy and studying local specialties(地方特色菜)in Germany, Spain and France. At Yale, he was known for throwing dinner parties, single-handed frying and baking while

mixing drinks for dozens of friends. Just for fun, he and some friends decided to tape a show named Campus Cuisine about his cooking. Lieberman was a real college student showing his classmates how to do things like making drinks out of dining-hall fruit. That helped the show become very popular among the students. They would stop Lieberman after classes to ask for his advice on cooking. Tapes of the show were passed around, with which his name went beyond the school and finally to the Food Network.

Food Network producer Flay hopes the young cook will find a place on the network television. He says Lieberman’s charisma is key.“Food TV isn’t about food anymore,” says Flay. “It’s about your personality and finding a way to keep people’s eyeballs on your show.”

But Lieberman isn’t putting all his eggs in one basket. After taping the first season of the new show, Lieberman was back in his own small kitchen preparing sandwiches. An airline company was looking for someone to come up with a tasteful, inexpensive and easy-to-make menu to serve on its flights, Lieberman got the job.

1.We can learn from the text that Lieberman’s family __________.

A. love cooking at home B. have relatives in Europe

C. often hold parties D. own a restaurant

2.The Food Network got to know Lieberman __________.

A. at one of his parties

B. from his teachers

C. on a television program

D. through his taped show

3.What does the underlined word “charisma” in the text refer to?

A. A way to show one’s achievement.

B. A natural ability to attract others.

C. Lieberman’s after-class interest.

D. Lieberman’s fine cooking skill.

4.Why did the airline company give Lieberman the job?

A. He could prepare meals in a small kitchen.

B. He was famous for his shows on Food TV.

C. He could cook cheap, delicious and simple meals.

D. He was good at using eggs to make sandwiches.

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