More than 10 years ago,it was difficult to buy a tasty pineapple.The fruits that made it to the UK were green on the outside and,more often than not,hard with an unpleasant taste within.Then in 1966,the Del Monte Gold pineapple produced in Hawaii first hit our shelves.

The new type of pineapple looked more yellowy-gold than green.It was slightly softer on the outside and had a lot of juice inside.But the most important thing about this new type of pineapple was that it was twice as sweet as the hit-and-miss pineapples we had known.In no time,the Del Monte Gold took the market by storm,rapidly becoming the world's best-selling pineapple variety,and delivering natural levels of sweetness in the mouth,up until then only found in tinned pineapple.

In nutrition it was all good news too.This nice tasting pineapple contained four times more vitamin C than the old green variety.Nutritionists said that it was not only full of vitamins,but also good against some diseases.People were understandably eager to be able to buy this wonderful fruit.The new type of pineapple was selling fast9 and the Del Monte Gold pineapple rapidly became a fixture in the shopping basket of the healthy eater.

Seeing the growing market for its winning pineapple,Del Monte tried to keep market to itself.But other fruit companies developed similar pineapples.Del Monte turned to law for help,but failed.Those companies argued successfully that Del Monte's attempts to keep the golden pineapple for itself were just a way to knock them out the market.

1.We learn from the text that the new type at pineapple is .

A. green outside and sweet inside

B. a little soft outside and sweet inside

C. yellowy-gold outside and hard inside

D. good-looking outside and soft inside

2.Why was the new type of pineapple selling well?

A. Because it was rich in nutrition and tasted nice.

B. Because it was less sweet and good for health.

C. Because it was developed by Del Monte.

D. Because it was used as medicine.

3.The underlined word "fixture" in Paragraph 3 probably refers to something .

A. that people enjoy eating

B. that people use as a gift

C. that is always present

D. that is difficult to get

4.We learn from the last paragraph that Del Monte .

A. slowed other companies to develop pineapples

B. succeeded in keeping the pineapple for itself

C. tried hard to control the pineapple market

D. planned to help the other companies

The weather. It's always a talking-point in Britain. Why is that? Is it something strange about British people? Well it's nice to think that a lot of British people are eccentric(古怪), I mean, the place is famous for it. But really, it's the weather that's the point of note. The UK has some of the most interesting weather in the world.

"Britain does not have a CLIMATE. It just has WEATHER"

In hot countries most of the indoor places that need to be comfortable are air-conditioned, and in cold countries most of the places that need to be comfortable are properly heated. The UK is the exception, since the weather is often interesting and no one really takes heat and cold seriously. So although the weather can be very cold, very hot, very wet, or just wildly confused, it always takes people by surprise.

When it gets to winter and there is actually some SNOW, it always takes the people by surprise. It is frontpage news, and even a few inches of snow brings the country to a standstill. But then, what happens next is even more surprising and catches the folk off guard completely. And who could possibly have predicted it?! IT MELTS! Flooding! What a surprise!

Then in the summer, it gets very hot. If it had been Thailand or Australia, there'd be no problem. It is supposed to be hot, so, there is air conditioning. But in the UK, just total confusion at the sudden hot weather. Shock, health problems, and despite the fact that the country is considered to be where it always rains, summertime brings drought! But do people have cisterns(水箱) and reserve water tanks? Wouldn't it make sense for people to store rainwater in case of drought? Of course it would, but it is a dependency-culture where people have been trained to be dependent on the state, which then means that in emergency people are stuck! Why is the British weather so strange? It is something to do with the combination of an almost Arctic latitude(纬度) combined with being an island and having the Gulf Stream bringing warm weather from the tropics.

Helpful people in the know on geographical meteorology(气象学) have commented that the general situation with the UK weather is even more complex, as many different things contribute to the changeable weather. As well as the North Atlantic drift, there is the fact that the UK is affected by the following major air masses: the tropical maritime(海的)Gulf Stream, the Polar Maritime air from the North, the Arctic Maritime, the Polar Continental, and the Tropical Continental. There's also fast flowing air in Jet Streams. Air goes around in convection currents in Hadley Cells and in Ferrel Cells. Because the British Isles can get weather coming from hot or cold zones, and from land or sea, a changeable hot/cold wet/dry weather is found.

1.What is the British attitude toward heat and cold?

A. Serious. B. Indifferent.

C. Positive. D. Careful.

2.How do the British feel when they see snow in winter?

A. Excited. B. Frightened.

C. Amazed. D. Disappointed.

3.What happens when the British meet a drought in summer?

A. They have got well-prepared. B. They get water from the river.

C. They always help each other. D. They maybe fall into trouble.

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Why weather interests the British. B. Englishmen's attitude to weather.

C. Weather in the United Kingdom. D. What affects the weather in the UK.

Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family. Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, “Mum, I can’t peel(削皮) potatoes. I have only one hand.”

Mum never looked up from sewing. “You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes,” she told me. “And don’t ever use that as an excuse for anything again!”

In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod(杆) to the next. When it was my turn, I shook my head. Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.

That night I told Mum about it. She hugged me, and I saw her “we’ll see about that” look. The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, mum looked carefully at the bars.

“Now, pull up with your right arm,” she advised. She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other elbow. Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung(横杠) I reached.

I’ll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs; I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.

One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing. I could hear Mum came into my room. “Mum,” I said, weeping, “none of the boys would dance with me.”

For a long time, I didn’t hear anything. Then she said, “Oh, honey, someday you’ll be beating those boys off with a bat.” Her voice was faint and cracking. I peeked(偷看) out from my covers to see tears running down her cheeks. Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf. She had never let me see her tears.

1.Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mum’s attitude when she made the child peel potatoes?

A. Cruel.

B. Serious.

C. Strict.

D. Cold.

2.From the passage, we know money bars can help a child train ________.

A. the way to throw and catch things

B. the speed of one’s hand movement

C. the strength and skill to hang and swing

D. the bodily activity to move round a bar

3.What does the sentence “I saw her ‘we’ll see about that’ look” imply?

A. Mum believed every aim could be achieved if you stuck to it.

B. The race across monkey bars was not difficult enough for a child to give up.

C. Mum was determined to prove she herself was better than the teacher.

D. What the child had said brought Mum great attraction and curiosity.

4.When the child looked down at the kids, they were standing with their mouths open because ________.

A. they felt sorry for what they had done before

B. they were afraid the author might fall off and get hurt

C. they wanted to see what the author would do on the bars

D. they were astonished to find the author’s progress

5.The most probable conclusion we can draw after reading the passage is ________.

A. the last incident was sad enough to make Mum weep

B. the child’s experience reminded Mum of that of her own

C. Mum could solve any problem except the one in the last paragraph

D. Mum suffered more in the process of the child’s growth actually

Advantages of playing badminton

Playing badminton can be a fantastic sport.1..What's more.Playing badminton has many health benefits for your entire body.

Build a strong body

You get to run up and down the court.You jump up high and bend down low when playing.Your movement has to be flexible,with good hand-eye coordination(协调).The movements give your legs good exercise.At the same time,swinging the racket exercises your arms,shoulders,stomach and back.Before you know it,your entire body will benefit from better coordination.2..

Have a good heart

Playing badminton can actually lower your blood pressure,and reduce your chances of heart disease.3..Your body will be better defended against enlarged arteries(动脉)that can cause deadly heart attacks.Whether you are suffering from high blood pressure or simply trying it,playing badminton is a great sport.

Enjoy a colorful social life

Gyms often host leagues,tournaments,and parties.4..So don't just watch a television program about losing fat. Get out there and socialize in an organized badminton league.

Make a Slim figure

5..Hundreds of unwanted fat can be burned off with all of the physical movements involved with the sport. Whether you are on the sand at the local beach,or inside a gym,playing badminton can be an enjoyable weight loss exercise.

A.You can even grow stronger and more attractive

B.Playing the game,you can make your heart stronger

C.To people of different ages it is also an easy light exercise

D.It is important to drink plenty of water when playing the sport

E.You can find a badminton court in public parks or some gyms

F.They provide chances for you to meet friends,or other people with similar interests

G.Of course,one of the most welcome benefits of playing badminton is always quick weight loss

Tired of traditional running? Well, maybe it’s time to try using your hands instead. That’s what Shaun McCarty and other Australians are doing — running on all fours. 1.

McCarthy, who comes from Melbourne, Australia, said he’s the one behind the term “crunning.” “It’s not crawling, it’s not running.” he said. “Crunning is a better workout than running. It puts more of an emphasis(着重)on the body than traditional running does. 2.

McCarthy thinks that he gets much more exhausted after crunning, so he believes it must burn more calories than running.

3. Some believe crunning could result in bad shoulder injuries or broken noses.

But McCarthy is not worried. Many Melbourne residents have been seen running around on all fours. 4.In the Chinese city of Zhengzhou, crawling, a much slower version of crunning, has been a favourite activity for many years. According to some people there, the exercise is believed to date back two thousand years to the Han Dynasty.

5. Then McCarthy advises you to buy some good shoes, hand gloves and most important of all, a face mask!

A. Ready to give crunning a try?

B. As it turns out, they are not the only ones.

C. Crunning seems more difficult than traditional running.

D. It really exercises your legs and shoulders at the same time.

E. It’s part of the Internet’s latest fitness activities: “Crunning.”

F. However, many are not sure if it is the right exercise for humans.

G. He warns, however, that he can’t say whether crunning is potentially harmful.

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