Do you believe that things are connected for no scientific reason at all? For example, do you avoid saying the word “four” to avoid bad luck? If so, you have a superstition (迷信). And you’re not alone — all kinds of people have them.

For example, Portugal’s soccer superstar Cristiano Ronaldo always steps onto the pitch (球场) with his right foot first, according to The Telegraph. And sports players are not alone in having superstitions. A visitor once asked the Nobel Prize winning scientist Niels Bohr whether he really believed that the horseshoe he’d hung at his country home was lucky. “Of course not,” the Danish physicist said. “But I understand it’s lucky whether you believe in it or not.”

One recent study found that even scientists at MIT and other top US schools tended to look for a meaning in natural events, similar to the connection between stepping on the pitch and playing soccer well, according to The Atlantic. When the researchers gave the scientists little time to answer questions, they were twice as likely to agree with statements such as “Trees produce oxygen so that animals can breathe” as they were when they had more time to think about their reply.

It seems that fear can make people think differently in this way, too. In a British study, students imagined meeting a “witch” who said she would cast (施魔法) an evil spell(符咒) on them. About half said a scientist should not be worried about the spell. Yet each of them said that, personally, they wouldn’t let the witch do it to them.

So why are so many of us superstitious? Well, it seems to be our way of dealing with the unknown. “Many people quite simply just want to believe,” Brian Cronk, a professor of psychology at Missouri Western State University, said in a 2008 interview. “The human brain is always trying to work out why things happen, and when the reason is not clear, we tend to make up some pretty bizarre (古怪的) explanations.”

And these explanations aren’t completely unhelpful. In fact, superstitions can sometimes work and bring real luck, according to psychologists at the University of Cologne in Germany in the May 2010 issue of the journal Psychological Science. They found that believing in something can improve performance on a task like an exam.

So, what about you? What superstitions do you follow to keep you safe and successful?

1.The author mentions avoiding saying the word "four" in the opening paragraph to ________.

A. show how foolish it is to believe in superstitions

B. introduce the readers to the topic of superstitions

C. discuss the scientific reasons behind superstitions

D. prove that it is reasonable to be superstitious

2.How many superstitious practices are mentioned in the passage?

A. 3 B. 2 C. 4 D. 5

3.What’s the author’s attitude to superstitions?

A. Unknown. B. Positive. C. Negative. D. Neutral.

4.What is the best title of the article?

A. Why superstitions are common

B. How superstitions affect our daily lives

C. How some common superstitions came into being

D. How to get rid of superstitions

Mary was seven years old. Her parents recently moved to a new town, and so Mary was going to a __ school, which was a few kilometers from the house they lived in now. A school bus going around picked up ____ every morning and brought them back to their ____ every afternoon, and as both of Mary’s parents _____ to go to work, she always went on this bus.

Mary’s parents always ____ their alarm clock for seven o’clock so that none of them would be _____ . But one morning the alarm _____to go off, and it was not until a quarter past eight that Mary’s mother suddenly ___ , looked at the clock and said, “What’s ever happened to that clock?” and then _____ into Mary’s room to wake her up.

“I’m sorry, dear,” she said, “ ____ you’ll have to wash and dress very quickly, have an even ____ breakfast and then I’ll ____ you to school on my way to the office.”

“But how can you find the ____, Mum?” Mary said, “You’ve been to school only once.”

“Yes,” her mother answered, “but you’ve done the _____ several times now on the bus, so you can be my guide to get there, can’t you?”

“Oh, yes,” said Mary, “I suppose so.” She washed, and ____ and had a quick breakfast, and then they set off. Mary told her mother to turn each time they came to a place she___ .In this way she made her mother drive round most of the town ______ they got to her school. When they arrived, her mother saw that it was not really very far from her house.

“Why ever did you make me go such a long way round, Mary, instead of the most ____ way?” her mother asked her.

“Well, Mum,” answered Mary, “it was because I didn’t know ____ else to get here. That’s the way our bus always goes to ____ the other children to school.

1.A. big B. nice C. different D. distant

2.A. pupils B. teachers C. parents D. passengers

3.A. offices B. towns C. classrooms D. homes

4.A. seemed B. had C. refused D. used

5.A. found B. set C. cleaned D. fixed

6.A. late B. ready C. lazy D. asleep

7.A. started B. stopped C. failed D. continued

8.A. stood up B. stayed up C. put up D. woke up

9.A. rushed B. stepped C. escaped D. jumped

10.A. but B. and C. so D. then

11.A. later B. quicker C. easier D. heavier

12.A. bring B. fetch C. leave D. drive

13.A. truth B. bus C. way D. guide

14.A. homework B. shopping C. trip D. reading

15.A. rose B. dressed C. moved D. showed

16.A. wondered B. realized C. recognized D. designed

17.A. unless B. after C. if D. before

18.A. comfortable B. helpful C. important D. direct

19.A. how B. when C. what D. which

20.A. look for B. pick up C. drop by D. deal with

We ate on the go more than ever before. Here are three health apps that can help you better manage your health when you pursue your dreams.

(1)Doctors On Demand

Doctors On Demand enables you to visit a doctor without ever leaving your home, helping you use a computer, tablet or smart phone to have a doctor video chat with you. The service will help you locate and connect you to licensed doctors, psychologists, pediatricians (儿科医生) and more. Fees can be paid with HAS&FSA. It costs $40 for 15 minutes with a doctor or $50 for 20 minutes with a psychologist.

(2)Text4baby

I’m a big fan of Text4baby for a few reasons. The free service for pregnant women and new moms works by sending text messages to your smart phone three times a week with information about how to have a healthy pregnancy and baby. And the messages are timed to the pregnant woman’s due date or the baby’s date of birth, sending tips that are relevant to where a mother is in her pregnancy or where a baby is in stages of development. Tips range from breastfeeding to car seat safety to reminders about exercise, nutrition and more. The service combines interactive text messages, an app, video and web content in English and Spanish. Sign up by texting BABY to 511-411 or by downloading the app.

(3)RISE

RISE, an app available on iPhone(coming to Android in 2016), pairs you up with (与……绑定) a registered dietitian to improve your diet and reach health goals. You share photos of your meals and your exercise for the day with your coach, who then looks for areas where you can improve and gives advice, helps you set goals and is there to pat you on the back virtually(虚拟地) when you hit a milestone. What’s also great is that you can text as much as you want with your dietitian and there is no need to go into an office. Fees for this service range from $9 per month to $50 a month. There is a free 7-day trial so you can try it out for a week to see if it’s fit for you.

1.How much will you pay if you have a video chat with your psychologist for an hour using Doctors On Demand?

A. $50. B. $80. C. $100. D. $150.

2.We can infer that the author is probably a ________.

A. famous pediatrician B. software engineer

C. pregnant woman or new mother D. registered dietitian

3.What do you know about Text4baby?

A. It is an app available only on iPhone.

B. You can sign up by texting BABY to 511-411.

C. People can’t use Text4baby for free.

D. Text messages are sent in three languages.

Welcome to Arundel Castle which is situated in West Sussex, England. The castle has a history of nearly 1000 years and has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the world. Arundel Castle also plays a starring role in many films.

The Gardens

The White Garden is planted with soft white Iceberg Roses, and Snow White Lilies.

The Rose Garden is newly planted with lovely old-fashioned English roses that are at their very best in June and July.

The Organic Kitchen Garden produces a wide range of seasonal fruit and vegetables, pears, cherries and apples.

The Castle Shop

In the Castle Shop, you will discover a wide and interesting range of gift ideas for everyone. It offers gifts and souvenirs designed to appeal to all tastes and pockets. Foods, china, books, and stationery (文具) are all available. Many are sold in this Castle Shop only.

At Arundel Castle we pride ourselves on supporting local suppliers and actively encourage environmentally friendly products.

The Arundel Festival 2014

Saturday 16th to Monday 25th August

The annual Arundel Festival gets bigger and better every year. It is one of the most amazing, diverse and easily accessible arts festivals in the UK, offering a mix of visual arts, music, theatre and street entertainment.

Parking

Coaches and mini-buses can drop off at the main Castle entrance in Mill Road and park in the main town car park that is opposite the Castle entrance. Please inform us when making your booking of how many parking permits are required.

1.What can you do when visiting the castle?

A. See how the local gifts are being made.

B. Get old-fashioned English roses as gifts.

C. Buy eco-friendly products in the Castle Shop.

D. Get seasonal fruits and vegetables free of charge.

2.How long does the Arundel Festival last this year?

A. 10 days. B. One week. C. 16 days. D. One month.

3.Where can you park the coach?

A. In Mill Road. B. In the main town car park.

C. Inside the Castle. D. At the main Castle entrance.

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