Margaret, married with two small children, has been working for the last seven years as a night cleaner, cleaning offices in a big building.

She trained as a nurse, but had to give it up when her elder child became seriously ill. “I would have liked to go back to it, but the shifts(工作班次)are all wrong for me, as I have to be home to get the children up and off to school.”

So she works as a cleaner instead, from 9 p.m. till 6 a.m. five nights a week for just £90, before tax and insurance. “It’s better than it was last year, but I still think that people who work ‘unsocial hours’ should get a bit extra.”

The hours she’s chosen to work mean that she sees plenty of the children, but very little of her husband. However, she doesn’t think that puts any pressure on their relationship.

Her work isn’t physically very hard, but it’s not exactly pleasant, either. “I do get angry with people who leave their offices like a place for raising pigs. If they realized people like me have to do it, perhaps they’d be a bit more careful.”

The fact that she’s working all night doesn’t worry Margaret at all. Unlike some dark buildings at night, the building where she works is fully lit, and the women work in groups of three. “Since I’ve got to be here, I try to enjoy myself—— and I usually do, because of the other girls. We all have a good laugh, so the time never drags.”

Another challenge Margaret has to face is the reaction of other people when she tells them what she does for a living. “They think you’re a cleaner because you don’t know how to read and write,” said Margaret, “I used to think what my parents would say if they knew what I’d been doing, but I don’t think that way any more. I don’t dislike the work though I can’t say I’m mad about it.”

Margaret quit her job as a nurse because _______.

  A. she wanted to earn more money to support her family

B. she had suffered a lot of mental pressure

C. she needed the right time to look after her children

D. she felt tired of taking care of patients

Margaret gets angry with people who work in the office because _______.

A. they never clean their offices

B. they look down upon cleaners

C. they never do their work carefully

D. they always make a mess in their offices

When at work, Margaret feels _______.

A. light-hearted because of her fellow workers

B. happy because the building is fully lit

C. tired because of the heavy workload

D. bored because time passes slowly

The underlined part in the last paragraph implies that Margaret’s parents would _______.

  A. help care for her children

B. regret what they had said

C. show sympathy for her

D. feel disappointed in her

On numerous drives throughout my childhood, my mother would suddenly pull over the car to examine a flower by the side of the road or rescue a beetle (甲虫) from certain tragedy while I, in my late teens and early twenties, sat impatiently in the car.

    Though Mother’s Day follows Earth Day, for me, they have always been related. My mom has been “green” since she became concerned about the environment. Part of this habit was born of thrift (节俭). Like her mother and her grandmother before her, Mom saves glass jars, empty cheese containers and re-uses her plastic bags.

    Mom creates a kind of give-and-take relationship with wildlife in her yard. She knows to pick the apples on her trees a little early to fend off the bears and that if she leaves the bird feeders out at night, it’s likely they’ll be knocked down by a family of raccoons (浣熊). Spiders that make their way into the house are captured (捕获) in a juice glass and set loose in the garden.

    I try to teach my children that looking out for the environment starts with being aware of the environment. On busy streets, we look for spent (开败的) dandelions (蒲公英) to parachute; we say hello to neighborhood cats and pick up plastic cups and paper bags. This teaching comes easily, I realize, because I was taught so well by example. Mom didn’t need to lecture; she didn’t need to beat a drum to change the world. She simply slowed down enough to enjoy living in it and with that joy came compassion and an instinct (本能) for preservation.

    I am slowing down and it isn’t because of the weight of my nearly forty years on the planet, it is out of my concern for the planet itself. I’ve begun to save glass jars and re-use packing envelopes. I pause in my daily tasks to watch the squirrels race each other through the palm (棕榈树) leaves above my porch (门廊).

    Last summer, in the company of my son and daughter, I planted tomatoes in my yard. With the heat of August around me, I ate the first while sitting on my low wall with dirt on my hands. Warm from the sun, it burst on my tongue with a sweetness I immediately wanted to share with my mom.

Why does the author say Earth Day is connected with Mother’s Day?

A. Because Mother’s Day falls shortly after Earth Day.

B. To stress that all the older women in her family are environmentalists.

C. To stress how much her mother cares about the environment.

D. Because on Mother’s Day her mother shows her how to be friend to nature.

According to the fourth paragraph, which of the following is the author’s mother NOT likely to do?

A. When she came across a lost dog, she helped it to find its shelter.

B. In spring, she spent some time watching the plants growing in the garden.

    C. She joined in the campaign to encourage the public to contribute actively towards a better environment.

    D. She walked to a nearby shop which was within ten minutes’ walk rather than drove there.

What can we conclude from the article?

A. The author’s mother is very patient with her children.

B. The author’s mother knows how to live in harmony with nature.

C. The author’s mother always took care of the wildlife that came into her yard.

D. The author’s mother used to remind her to slow down to protect the environment.

We can infer from the article that ______.

A. the author thinks that too many people now label themselves environmentalists   

B. the author’s mother knows how to get rid of the wildlife in her yard   

C. the author believes that only by learning to slow down, can we enjoy life

D. the author realizes that she should teach her children by example as well

What is the main idea of the last three paragraphs?

A. How the author taught her children to protect the environment.

B. How the author’s mother influenced the author.

C. What inspired the author to slow down and enjoy life.

D. How the author spent her time with her children.

Office workers should know that long periods of sitting at your desk may be a killer. Scientists have shown a new threat from this lifestyle that they call  “muscular inactivity (肌肉迟钝)”.

Sitting still for long periods of time leads to the buildup of substances (物质) in the blood that are harmful to health. And exercise alone won’t drive them away.

Millions of people spend their days between car,office desk and the sofa in front of the TV. While the bad influences are well rocognized,it has been thought that they can be changed by regular trips to the gym or swimming pool.

Now researchers say that is not enough. In addition to regular exercise,office workers need to keep moving while they work,by making regular trips to the printer,coffee machine or to chat with workmates.

Elin Ekblom­Bak,an expert on health,says research shows long periods of sitting and lack (缺乏)  of “whole body muscular movement”  are strongly linked to obesity,heart disease and cancer,and a higher risk of death,regardless of (不管) whether they take enough exercise.

“Everyone knows about the health benefits of regular exercise. But what we haven’t realized before is that long­period sitting down carries an extra risk that cannot be dealt with by taking exercise,” Dr Ekblom­Bak said,adding that sitting still should be recognized as a risk to health.

“It is important to have a five­minute break from desk work every 45 minutes. Don’t email workmates—walk across the office to give them the message. Take a coffee break or put the printer in the next room. I am a desk worker and I try to do it. It is not difficult but sometimes you get lost in your work and you forget about it.”

However,more studies are needed to confirm the ill effects of sitting for too long and ways of fighting them. But at present they conclude that  “keep moving”  should be added to the advice to “keep exercising.”

1.Nowadays,many office workers wrongly think that________.

A.long periods of sitting has bad influences on them

B.regular exercise benefits them after long periods of sitting

C.they are living a lifestyle called “muscular inactivity”

D.it’s unfair for them to sit in the office for too long

2.What does the author suggest office workers should do?

A.Chat with workmates often.

B.Send emails instead of chatting.

C.Keep moving in the office regularly.

D.Take more exercise after work.

3.The last paragraph suggests that the result of the study is________.

A.scientific

B.uncertain

C.unbelievable

D.convincing

4.What would be the best title for the passage?

A.A new threat :long­period sitting

B.Office workers should keep exercising

C.Taking exercise benefits a lot

D.Keep moving,it could save your life

 

请阅读下列短文,从每题 所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中,选出最佳选项,并在答题卡上将该选项的标号涂黑。

A

  One morning more than thirty years ago. I entered the Track Kitehen, a reandeant where everyone from the humblest (卑微的) to the most powerful came for breakfast. I noticed and empty chair next to an elderly. Unshaven man, who looked somewhat  disheveled. He was wearing a worn-out hat and was alone, I asked if I might join him. He agreed quietly and I sat down to have my breakfast.

  We cautiously began a conversation and spoke about a wide range of things. We never introduced ourselves. I was concemed that he might are no money and not be able to afford something to eat. So as I rose to go back to the counter and buy a second cup of coffee , I asked.

  “ May I get you something ? ”

  “ A coffee would he nice . ”

  Then I bought him a cup of coffee. We talked more, and he accepted another cup of coffee. Finally, I rose to leave, wished him well, and beaded for the exit. At the door I met one of my friends. He asked.

  “ How did yountre to know Mr.Galbreath? ”

  “ XXX ? ”

  “ The man you were sitting with. He is chairman of the Board of Churchill Downs. ”

  I could hardly believe it . I was buying, offering a free breakfast, and feeling pity for one of the world’s richest and most powerful men ! ”

  My few minutes with Mr. Galbreath changed my life. Now I try to treat everyone with respect .no matter who I think they are, and to meet another human being with kindness and XXX.

 

56. wint ar underhand word “dishevcled mean?

  A.ybtendly

  B.unndy

  C.centle

  D.kned

57.The author beght coffce for the old man because ______.

  A.he wought the old man was poor

  B.he wanted to start a conserstion

  C.he intended to how his politeness

  D.he would like to thank the old man

58.How did the auther probably feel after he talked with his friend?

  A.Proud

  B.Pitiful

  C.Surpricd

D.Rectful

59.What is the inegge mainly expressed in the story?

  A.we should learn to he generous

  B.It is honorable to help those in need.

  C.People in high postans are not like what we expect[来源:学&科&网Z&X&X&K]

  D.We should avoid judging people by their appearances.

 

 

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