Dennis Sinar, 51, a doctor from New York, is quick to explain why he took a year- long break from his job. “ I was pretty burned out after practicing medicine for 26 years. I needed a recharge.” So he took a “ gap year”, from July 2011 to June 2012, to explore things like ancient buildings, and traditional Eastern medicine, in locations including Alaska, Nepal and Romania.

“ Taking a break from work is an excellent way for adults to go into a new career or refresh an old one,” said Holly Bull, president of Princeton,N,J. “ In recent years, mid-career breaks have been gaining more interest,” she said. A report on adult gap years published this year by a market research company also desbribed the potential American market for gap years as a “ sleeping giant.”

“ A gap year is a challenge for the older individual to step out of comfort zone and take a risk. I enjoyed that side most.” Said Dr.Sinar, who kept a daily blog about his experience. His time studying Eastern medicine at his old job, although he works fewer days. “ I use those experiences to provide my patients with more care,” he added. “ And I listen better than I did before.”

Geoge Garrian, chairman of the Department of Leadership and Human Capital Mangement at New York University , certainly agrees with Dr. Sinar. He said a gap-year experience could be worthwhile for employees and companies. For employees, investing in themselves and improving skill sets is a move that will benefit throughout their career. He added that returning employees feel refreshed and have given more thought to their career. For companies, offering unpaid leaves makes good sense for attracting and keeping talented employees.

1.Dr. Sinar took a gap year because he ______.

A. had lost his old job

B. wanted to refresh after 26 years’ work

C. had a desire for travelling

D. became interested in historical research

2.The phrase “sleeping giant”( in 2nd paragragh) indicates that_____.

A. it’s too early for people to accept the concept of gap year.

B. the effect of gap year policy remains to be seen

C. it’s difficult to foresee the gap year market

D. more American people will accept the gap year policy

3.What’s George Garritan’s attitude toward the “ gap year”?

A. positive B. Doubtful C. Uninterested D. uncertain

4.What’s the passage mainly about?

A. How an adult plans a mid- career gap year

B. Why a gap year is worthwhile for adults

C. Whether a gap year is popular with adults

D. Why a gap year is challenging for individuals[

The Himalayas are mountains that are located in South Asia. They are a part of Nepal, India, Pakistan, China and Bhutan. The mountains are the highest in the world, reaching almost 9,000 meters sea level. The Himalayas separate the Indian subcontinent from the inner part of Asia. The word Himalaya means “ home of snow”.

14 mountains are over 8,000 meters high, among them the K2, Nanga Parbat and Mount Everest, at 8,848 meters, the world’s highest mountain. The Himalayas extend over 1,500 miles( 2,400km ) from the Indus valley in the west to the Brahmaputra Valley in the east.

Many of the mountain peaks are sacred to the people who live in the surrounding areas . Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims go there and pray to God.

The Himalayas belong to the youngest mountain ranges in the world. They were formed when the Indian subcontinent, which was originally a part of the southern landmass, drifted to the north and crashed into Asia. This movement started about 70 million years ago and has been going on up to the present day. The Himalayas are still becoming taller, moving at about 7 cm per year. Earthquakes and volcanoes are evidences that the area is still very active.

Glaciers and permanent snow fields cover the higher regions of the Himalayas. They are the source of streams that flow into the two big rivers of the region. The Indus flows to the west and through Pakistan into the Arabia Sea. The Ganges and Brahmaputra flow to the east and get together in Bangladesh. They form the largest delta in the world.

1. How many countries do the Himalayas belong to?

A. 7 B. 6 C. 4 D. 5

2.Why do Hindu and Buddhist pilgrims go to Himalayas and pray to God?

A. Because they live in the surrounding areas.

B. Because they believe the mountain peaks are sacred.

C. Because the word Himalaya means “ home of snow”.

D. Because the Himalayas are the youngest mountain ranges in the world.

3. What does the author stress in Paragraph 4?

A. The process where the Himalayas were formed.

B. Earthquakes and volcanoes in the Himalayas.

C. The forming of the Indian subcontinent.

D. The landscape features of the Himalayas.

4.Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A. The Himalayas influence the climate in both India and China.

B. The Ganges and Brahmaputra get together in Pakistan.

C. The Himalayas are still young and moving at about 7 cm per year.

D. The Indus flows through Bangladesh into the Arabia sea.

根据短文内容,从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。

Summer is the season of family travel. 1. Here are our top 5 things to teach your children before entering big crowds:

How Far They Can Go — 2. For young children, you should set a rule of always holding a parent’s hand. For older kids, you may be comfortable with a “I can always see you and you can always see me” rule.

To Call Your Real Name — Teach your children that you will find them, so it’s best if they stay in one place. What’s more, teach them to call out your full name instead of “Mommy” or “Daddy” to help you more easily find them.

How to Identify a “Safe Person” — Make sure your children know the best people to approach if they get separated from you. Employees working at the place you‘re visiting are generally always good, “safe people”. But what about places that may not have employees, like the beach? 3. Experts say that moms are often the most willing and best-equipped people to help kids.

What to say — 4. Remember that if your children do get separated from you, they will likely be panicked (恐慌), so don’t assume that they will know how to tell strangers that they are lost. Role-play getting lost and using simple sentences like, “I am lost” with your kids to help them know what to do if it actually happens.

Their Personal Information — Make sure your children know as much basic personal information as possible, including their full names, parents’ full names and telephone numbers and the address. 5.

A. Teach your children to look for a mom with kids.

B. Sometimes it’s not hard to find a safe person in such places.

C. But do your kids know what to do if they get separated from you?

D. If your kids are too young to remember them, write them down!

E. It can be hard for people to help a lost child.

F. Tell your children to behave normally when they get lost.

G. It’s important to talk with your children about how close you expect them to stay to you.

Their cheery song brightens many a winter's day. But robins(知更鸟) are in danger of wearing themselves out by singing too much. Robins are singing all night一 as well as during the day, British-based researchers say.

David Dominoni, of Glasgow University, said that light from street lamps, takeaway signs and homes is affecting the birds' biological clock, leading to them being wide awake when they should be asleep.

Dr Dominoni, who is putting cameras inside nesting boxes to track sleeping patterns, said lack of sleep could put the birds' health at risk. His study shows that when robins are exposed to light at night in the lab, it leads to some genes being active at the wrong time of day. And the more birds are exposed to light, the more active they are at night.

He told people at a conference, "There have been a couple of studies suggesting they are increasing their song output at night and during the day they are still singing. Singing is a costly behaviour and it takes energy. So by increasing their song output, there might be some costs of energy."

And it is not just robins that are being kept awake by artificial light. Blackoiids and seagulls are also being more nocturnal. Dr Dominoni said, "In Glasgow where I live, gulls are a serious problem. I have people coming to me saying `You are the bird expert. Can you help us kill these gulls?'.During the breeding(繁殖)season, between April and June, they are very active at night and very noisy and people can't sleep."

Although Dr Dominoni has only studied light pollution, other research concluded that robins living in noisy cities have started to sing at night to make themselves heard over loud noise.

However, some birds thrive(兴旺)in noisy environments. A study from California Polytechnic University found more hummingbirds in areas with heavy industrial machinery. It is thought that they are capitalizing on their predators(天敌)fleeing to quieter areas.

1.According to Dr Dominoni's study, what causes robins to sing so much?

A. The breeding season.

B. The light in modem.

C. The dangerous environment.

D. The noise from heavy machinery.

2.What is the researchers' concern over the increase of birds' song output?

A. The environment might be polluted.

B. The birds' health might be damaged.

C. The industry cost might be increased

D. The people's hearing might be affected.

3.What does the underlined word "nocturnal" in Paragraph 5 mean?

A. Active at night.

B. Inactive at night.

C. Active during the day.

D. Inactive during the day.

4.Why do some birds thrive in noisy environments?

A. Because there are fewer dangers.

B. Because there is more food to eat.

C. Because there is less light pollution

D. Because there are more places to take shelter.

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