Green is an important color in nature. It is the color of grass and the leaves on trees. It is also the color of most growing plants.

Sometimes, the word green means young, fresh and growing. Sometimes, it describes something that is not yet ripe(成熟的) or finished.

For example, a greenhorn is someone who has no experience, who is new to a situation. In the 15th century, a greenhorn was a young cow or ox whose horns(角) had not yet developed. A century or so later, a greenhorn was a soldier who had not yet had any experience in battle. By the 18th century, a greenhorn had the meaning it has today --- a person who is new in a job.

About 100 years ago, greenhorn was a popular expression in the American west. Old-timers used it to describe a man who had just arrived from one of the big cities back east. The greenhorn lacked the skills he would need to live in the west.

Someone who has the ability to grow plants well is said to have a green thumb. The expression comes from the early 1900s. A person with a green thumb seems to have a magic touch that makes plants grow quickly and well. You might say that the woman next door has a green thumb if her garden continues to grow long after your plants have died.

Green is also the color used to describe the powerful emotion, jealousy(嫉妒). The green-eyed monster is not a frightening creature from outer space. It is an expression used about four hundred years ago by British writer William Shakespeare in his play "Othello."

It describes the unpleasant feeling that a person has when someone has something that he wants. A young man may suffer from the green-eyed monster if his girlfriend begins going out with someone else. Or, that green-eyed monster may affect your friend if you get a pay raise and she does not.

In most places in the world, a green light is a signal to move ahead. A green light on a traffic signal means your car can continue on. In everyday speech, a green light means approval to continue with a project.

1.If a person was a greenhorn, he might ___________.

A. be good at growing plants

B. get along well with others

C. be a soldier in the 16th century

D. have no experience in doing something

2.When you have trouble in growing flowers, you can ask for help from ___________.

A. a green thumb B. a green light

C. a greenhorn D. a green-eyed monster

3.If a girl refuses your invitation to a dance party but accepting another gentleman’s, you may___________.

A. need to buy a green light

B. have to get a green thumb

C. show them your greenhorn

D. be affected by the green-eyed monster

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A. The origin of the word “green ”.

B. Some expressions concerning green.

C. The story of a green-eyed monster.

D. Some ways of how to use words properly.

There is a growing number of kidults---or adults who wear the mask of maturity but prefer to pander(迎合) to their inner child.

They feel ill equipped for parenthood, because they don’t see what values or lessons they could honestly pass on to their young, besides self-centeredness and a passion for the good things in life. They are trying to live by not acting their age.

As Ms Jane put it in her letter: I’m married, in my late 20s and enjoy a lifestyle other married graduate couples enjoy: winning and dining, tasteful clothes, travel and a career. Why give up all these for a baby?

It is reported that when asked whether they were adults, most people in their 20s answered they were not sure. This reflected a global economy in which people chased more papers to get better jobs that would comfortably support middle class living.

Being a kidult is not all about being selfish, though. With the untold uncertainties of war, fluctuating(波动)markets, disease and terrorism, many see this world as a poor place to live in—let alone bring kids up in. This seems especially so in urban living. All anyone wants after a long, hard day at work is some peace and quiet.

My classmate, Jenny, mused(沉思)recently how our friends living in small Malaysian towns were onto their second or third kids. Maybe they just loved having children around. Or maybe, in their own way, they wanted to leave the world a better place than they found it.

That’s how you, I and everyone know we have the chance to breathe air, touch grass and see sky. I think out parents understand that just being alive is an experience worth passing on.

1.What is a kidult in the writer’s opinion?

A. A person who doesn’t have a child

B. An adult who actually has a psychology of a child

C. A child who doesn’t want to grow up

D. A person who doesn’t know that what values he has

2.What does the underlined word “paper” in Para. 4 mean?

A. money

B. reputation

C.qualification

D. power

3.The author explains the kidult phenomenon by ________.

A. presenting research findings

B. making comparison

C. showing her own experience

D. using examples

4.We can learn from the text that kidults________.

A. know little what they can pass on to their children

B. are sure of their abilities for good life

C. living in urban can enjoy more peace

D. living in small towns know well what they’re living for

A Good Night's Steep

Sleep plays a vital role in good health and well-being throughout your life.

While you're sleeping, your brain is forming new pathways to help you learn and remember information. Although we all know the importance of getting a good night's sleep, not all of us know the best way of getting it. A sleep expert, Phil Atherton, gave some top tips for getting the most out of the night, which will leave you ready for action in the morning.

According to Phil Atherton, not eating a large meal before bedtime is important for getting a good night's sleep. The time difference between eating and sleeping should be at least three hours. So you'd better avoid eating any food three hours before bed, as it will lower your blood sugar during sleep and help minimize damage from too much sugar floating around.

It's also important to find ways to prepare your body for sleep. You can follow a routine like trying not to expose yourself to too much artificial light within 1 hour before bed, as your brain uses light to help set internal "body clock". Although it might seem unnatural to schedule your sleep, the purpose is to send a signal to your body and mind that it's time to sleep.

Another way to prepare your body for sleep is to get into a relaxed state by taking a bath or listening to soft music. Both of them will help to take the mind off the daytime pressures.

Having a suitable bed, especially a suitable mattress (床垫), is necessary for a good night's sleep. Sleep is a personalized activity, and we all adopt different sleeping positions. Finding the mattress that suits you will reduce back pains that can result from a poor sleeping position. The bed should be four to six inches longer than its tallest user, allowing for space to move

around.

The recent research is pretty clear that a good night's sleep in a major component of good health. Since the start of the 21st century, studies have linked a lack of sleep to many diseases, such as diabetes and obesity. Taking action now will lead to long-term benefits for you and those around you.

1.What does the author intend to tell us in the passage?

A. When to start a sound sleep.

B. How to get a good night's sleep.

C. What to do with sleep problems

D. Why to form a good habit of sleeping.

2. According to the author, before going to sleep, you'd better __________.

A. free yourself from tension

B. check your blood sugar

C. relieve your pain in the back

D. record your biological clock

3. What does the underlined word "it" in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A. Not eating food. B. Taking a meal.

C. Not sleeping well. D. Having a good sleep.

4. Which of the following shows the organization of the passage?

CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion

EVENTS

Long March exhibit

The Shanghai History Museum is putting on an exhibition to mark the 60th anniversary of the Long March. On show are more than 220 photos and 40 items that explain with pictures how the communist Red Army drew back from its besieged(被围困的) bases in Jiangxi Province and fought its way to northern Shaanxi Province in the mid-1930s. Explanations are all in Chinese. The show will end on November 20.

Time: 10:00 am-4:00 pm

Address: 1286 Hongqiao Road

Admission: 8 yuan for Chinese /15 yuan for foreigners

Thai elephants

Eight elephants from Thailand are entertaining visitors at Changfeng Park by riding bikes, playing basketball, balancing on a beam, dancing and blowing a mouthorgan. People are encouraged to have a tug-of-war(拔河比赛)with the animals or lie on the ground and have the elephants walk over them. The elephants give three shows a day at 9:30 am, 3:30 pm and 8:00 pm and there is an additional show at l:30 pm at weekends. The show will end on November 15.

Address: 189 Daduhe Road

Admission: 30-40 yuan

Dancing dolphins

Dolphins jumping from the water to touch a ball, swaying their bodies to music, kissing people and doing math by tapping their tails have made the dolphinarium(海豚馆) in Peace Park an attraction for children. Seals and sea lions also perform.

Hours: 10:30 am, 4:00 pm, and 7:30 pm

Admission: 20 yuan for adults and 10 yuan for children.

1.If you go to visit the Long March exhibit with an Australian, how much will you pay altogether for the admission(入场费)?

A. 16 yuan.

B. 23 yuan.

C. 30 yuan.

D. 20 yuan.

2.At the exhibition, you will see ______.

A. books on the Long March

B. many things left by the Red Army

C. many articles written by famous writers

D. many photos and pictures about the Long March

3.The dolphinarium in Peace Park is a hall where you can see ______.

A. only seals perform

B. only dolphins perform

C. only seals and sea lions perform

D. not only dolphins but also seals and sea lions perform

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