In the mid-1950s, I was a somewhat bored early-adolescent male student who believed that doing any more than necessary was wasted effort. One day, this approach threw me into embarrassment

In Mrs. Totten’s eighth-grade math class at Central Avenue School in Anderson, Indiana, we were learning to add and subtract decimals (小数).

Our teacher typically assigned daily homework, which would be recited in class the following day. On most days, our grades were based on our oral answer to homework questions.

Mrs. Totten usually walked up and down the rows of desks requesting answers from student after student in the order the questions had appeared on our homework sheets. She would start either at the front or the back of the classroom and work toward the other end.

Since I was seated near the middle of about 35 students, it was easy to figure out which questions I might have to answer. This particular time, I had completed my usual two or three problems according to my calculations.

What I failed to expect was that several students were absent, which threw off my estimate. As Mrs. Totten made her way from the beginning of the class,I desperately tried to determine which math problem I would get. I tried to work it out before she got to me, but I had brain freeze and couldn’t function.

When Mrs. Totten reached my desk,she asked what answer I’d got for problem No. 14. “I…I didn’t get anything,” I answered,and my face felt warm.

“Correct,” she said.It turned out that the correct answer was zero.

What did I learn that day? First, always do all your homework. Second, in real life it isn’t always what you say but how you say it that matters. Third,I would never make it as a mathematician.

If I could choose one school day that taught me the most, it would be that one.

1.What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 indicate?

A.It is wise to value one’s time.

B. It is important to make an effort

C.It is right to stick to one’s belief.

D. It is enough to do the necessary.

2.Usually, Mrs. Totten asked her students to _______.

A. recite their homework together

B. grade their homework themselves

C. answer their homework questions orally

D. check the answers to their homework questions

3.The author could work out which questions to answer since the teacher always _______.

A. asked questions in a regular way

B. walked up and down when asking questions

C. chose two or three questions for the students

D. requested her students to finish their usual questions

4. The author failed to get the questions he had expected because _______.

A. the class didn’t begin as usual

B. several students didn’t come to school

C. he didn’t try hard to make his estimate

D. Mrs. Totten didn’t start from the back of the class

There are many places to go on safari(观赏野生动物)in Africa, but riding a horse through the flooded waters of Botswana's Okavango Delta must rank as one of the world's most exciting wildlife journeys.

Several safari camps operate as the base for this adventure, providing unique rides twice a day to explore deep into the delta. The camps have excellent horses, professional guides and lots of support workers. They have a reputation for providing a great riding experience.

The morning ride, when the guides take you to beautiful, shallow lakes full of water lilies, tends to be more active. It is unlike any other riding experience. With rainbows forming in the splashing water around you and the sound of huge drops of water bouncing off your body and face. It is truly exciting. You are very likely to come across large wild animals, too. On horseback it is possible to get quite close to elephants, giraffes and many other animals. The sense of excitement and tension levels rise suddenly though, as does your heart rate, as you move closer to them.

In the evening, rides are usually at a more relaxed and unhurried pace. With golden light streaming across the grassy delta and the animals coming out to eat and drink. Sedate though they are, rides at this time of day are still very impressive. As the sun's rays pass through the dust kicked up by the horses, the romance of Africa comes to life.

Back at the camp you can kick off your boots and enjoy excellent food and wine. Looking back on your day, you will find it hard to deny that a horseback Safari is as close as you will ever come to answering the call of the wild.

1.What does the underlined word "They" refer to?

A. Flooded waters B. Wildlife journey

C. Safari camps D. Unique rides

2.What does the author find most exciting about a horse safari?

A. Seeing and feeling the real African life.

B. Enjoying good food and wine at the camp.

C. Hunting large animals just as our ancestors did.

D. Being part of the scene and getting close to animals.

3.What does the underlined word "sedate" probably mean?

A. Wild and romantic B. Slow and peaceful

C. Hurry and thirsty D. Active and excited

4.The author introduced the riding experience in the OKavango Delta mainly by________.

A. Following space order B. Following time order

C. Making classifications D. Giving examples

A new study of 8,000 young people in the Journal of Health and Social Behavior shows that although love can make adults live healthily and happily,it is a bad thing for young people.Puppy love(早恋)may bring stress for young people and can lead to depression(忧郁症).The study shows that girls become more depressed than boys,and younger girls are the worst of all.

The possible reason for the connection between love and higher risk of depression for girls is “loss of self”.According to the study,even though boys would say “lose themselves in a romantic relationship”,this “loss of self” is much more likely to lead to depression when it happens to girls.Young girls who have romantic relationships usually like hiding their feelings and opinions.They won’t tell that to their parents.

Dr Marianm Kaufman,an expert on young people problems,says 15% to 20% young people will have depression during their growing.Trying romance often causes the depression.She advises kids not to jump into romance too early.During growing up,it is important for young people to build strong friendships and a strong sense of self.She also suggests the parents should encourage their kids to keep close to their friends,attend more interesting school activities and spend enough time with family.

Parents should watch for signs of depression—eating or mood changes—and if they see signs from their daughters or sons,they need to give help.The good news is that the connection between romance and depression seems to become weak with age.Love will always make us feel young,but only maturity(成熟)gives us a chance to avoid its bad side effects.

1.What’s the main idea of the passage?

A.Parents should forbid their children’s love.

B.Puppy love may bring young people depression.

C.Romance is a two-edged sword for adults.

D.Romance is good for young people.

2.Which of the following is more likely to have depression?

A.Young people who have a strong sense of selfishness.

B.Young boys whose parents watch for their behavior.

C.Young girls who always hide their feelings and opinions.

D.Careless parents whose children are deep in love.

3.What can be inferred from the passage?

A.The older a woman is,the less likely she seems to lose herself in romance.

B.Early love makes young people keep close to their friends and parents.

C.Parents should help their children to be aware of the signs of depression.

D.Lacking love can lead young people to grow up more quickly.

Going to outer space is a little like going camping. You have to carry with you all the food and equipment you need for your trip, so your food can’t be too heavy or hard to prepare. Plus, there are no refrigerators to keep food cold and fresh. Food with all the water dried out is lightweight and doesn’t spoil(变坏). So, many space foods are dried on Earth and stored in special packets.

On Earth, gravity is the force that keeps your feet on the ground and your sandwich on your plate. But there’s no gravity in space. To keep food from floating(漂浮) away, astronauts on the Space Shuttle attach the packets to a special tray(托盘). The tray can be fixed to a wall or to the astronaut’s lap. To prepare their food, astronauts use liquid forms of salt and pepper. The liquid sticks to the food better. Regular salt and pepper would float away, maybe up an astronaut’s nose.

Liquids float right out of cups and glasses, though. So astronauts drink everything from a small bag with a straw(吸管) that can be closed. Astronauts say that most space foods taste pretty good. Some, such as apples and pudding, are the same as the foods you eat on Earth.

Astronauts eat tortillas instead of bread because they make fewer crumbs(碎屑). Floating crumbs could get stuck in equipment or an astronaut’s eye.

Your body uses food in space the same way it does on Earth. Your body must deal with waste in space too. During takeoff and landing, astronauts can’t leave their seats to go to the bathroom. They wear diapers(尿布) under their spacesuits instead. The Space Shuttle has a bathroom the size of a small closet. The toilet has bars that keep astronauts from floating away. A strong flow of air is used instead of water to flush waste down the toilet.

1.Why do astronauts use liquid forms of salt and pepper to prepare food?

A. Liquid doesn’t spoil.

B. Liquid is convenient to use in space.

C.Liquid is lightweight.

D. Astronauts are in great need of water.

2.What do astronauts think of space foods?

A. Most of them taste pleasant.

B. They are mostly fruits.

C.Most of them are rather cold.

D. They contain too little meat.

3.We can infer from the passage that astronauts ___________.

A. drink from cups and glasses

B. always wear diapers in space

C. can move freely during landing

D. must pay attention to crumbs in space

4.What is the passage mainly about?

A. Astronaut’s hard life in space.

B. How astronauts go to the bathroom.

C. The various foods astronauts eat in space.

D. How astronauts eat and deal with waste in space.

Like many new graduates, I left university full of hope but with no real idea of what I wanted to do. My degree, with honors, in English literature had not really prepared me for anything practical. I knew I wanted to make a difference in the world somehow, but I had no idea how to do that. That’s when I learned about the Lighthouse project.

I started my journey as a Lighthouse Project volunteer by reading as much as I could about the experiences of previous volunteers. I knew it would be a lot of hard work, and that I would be away from my family and friends for a very long time. In short, I did not take my decision to apply for the Lighthouse Project lightly, neither did my family.

Finally, however, I won the support of my family, and I sent in all the paperwork needed for the application (申请). After countless interviews and presentations, I managed to stand out among the candidates and survive the test alone. Several months later, I received a call asking me to report for duty. I would be going to a small village near Abuja, Nigeria.

After completing my training, I was sent to the village that was small and greatly in need of proper accommodation. Though the local villagers were poor, they offered their homes and food as if I were their own family. I was asked to lead a small team of local people in building a new schoolhouse. For the next year or so, I taught in it. But I sometimes think I learned more from my students than they did from me.

Sometimes during that period, I realized that all those things that had seemed so strange or unusual to me no longer did, though I did not get anywhere with the local language, and I returned to the USA a different man. The Lighthouse Project had changed my life forever.

1.What do we know about the author?

A. His dream at university was to become a volunteer.

B. He took pride in making contributions to the world.

C. His university education focused on the theoretical knowledge.

D. He had dreamed about being a volunteer since he was in college.

2.According to paragraph 2, it is most likely that the author __________.

A. felt happy to leave his family and friends.

B. discussed his decision with his family.

C. asked previous volunteers about voluntary work.

D. attended special training to finish difficult tasks.

3.The underlined word “accommodation” in paragraph 4 means ________________.

A. drinking water.

B. English teachers.

C. living places and food

D. teaching buildings.

4.What can we infer from the author’s experiences In Nigeria?

A. He was chosen as the best teacher by his students.

B. He found some difficulty getting used to the local culture.

C. He had learned to communicate in the local language.

D. He had overcome all his weakness before he left for home.

Sleep is just as important as diet and exercise, and not getting enough sleep can lead to obesity, heart trouble and other health problems. Now scientists are adding more wake-up call to that list: lack of sleep damages the brain.

People who regularly have trouble falling asleep and staying asleep (one study drew the line at 6.8 hours ) show changes in brain-----actual shrinking(缩小),in some cases--- in area important for memory and problem solving.

“We’ve always believed that we can take the weekend to catch up and be fine,” says Sigrid Veasey, a researcher in University of Pennsylvania, but that may not be the case. When she stopped mice from sleeping for 3 days, they lost 25% to 30% of the neurons (神经元) important for focused attention---- and these remaining were damaged. What’s more, these brain cells never grew again.

Clearly, something important is happening while we sleep, but exactly what sleep does for the brain has been a mystery. That’s why scientists got excited when researchers at the university of Rochester Medical Center recently offered a new theory. While observing the brains of sleeping mice, they discovered a kind of brain-cleaning system that clears away neural waste, the buildup of which is connected with Alzheimer’s.

In another study, young healthy people whose sleep was limited to 7 hours per night for one week showed damaged brain function. Scarier is that with long-lasting short sleep, you may feel fully rested. When study subjects were limited to 4 hours of sleep for 5 days, they reported feeling very tired following the first night but they didn’t get any sleepier after that.

What’s more, a 15,000 –person study found that getting an average of less than 5 hours of sleep per night for several years resulted in a decrease in memory performance equal to the brain aging 2 years.

Have we persuaded you to turn in early tonight ? Excellent.

1.The text is mainly about _________.

A. how lack of sleep damages our brain.

B. why we feel rested without enough sleep.

C. how much sleep we should get every day.

D. Why we have trouble falling asleep sometimes.

2.Sigrid Veasey’s research shows that ________

A. lack of sleep doesn’t affect our attention.

B. damaged brain cells can not recover.

C. sleeping on weekends can make up for lost sleep.

D. most neurons will die if we sleep poorly for 3 days.

3.According to paragraph 5, after several days of short sleep people may feel _________.

A. tired B. sleepy

C. energetic D. angry

4.According to the 15,000-person study, lack of sleep may cause ___________.

A. heart trouble B. obesity

C. death D. memory loss

It was a village in India. The people were poor. However, they were not unhappy. After all, their forefathers had lived in the same way for centuries.

Then one day, some visitors from the city arrived. They told the villagers there were some people elsewhere who liked to eat frog’s legs. However, they did not have enough frogs of their own, and so they wanted to buy frogs from other places.

This seemed like money for nothing. There were millions of frogs in the fields around, and they were no use to the villagers. All they had to do was catch them. Agreement was reached, and the children were sent into the fields to catch frogs. Every week a truck arrived to collect the catch and hand over the money. For the first time, the people were able to dream of a better future. But the dream didn’t last long.

The change was hardly noticed at first, but it seemed as if the crops were not doing so well. More worrying was that the children fell ill more often, and, there seemed to be more insects around lately.

The villagers decided that they couldn’t just wait to see the crops failing and the children have to use the money earned to buy pesticides(杀虫剂) and medicines. Soon there was no money left.

Then the people realized what was happening. It was the frog. They hadn’t been useless. They had been doing an important job—eating insects. Now with so many frogs killed, the insects were increasing more rapidly. They were damaging the crops and spreading diseases.

Now, the people are still poor. But in the evenings they sit in the village square and listen to sounds of insects and frogs. These sounds of the night now have a much deeper meaning.

1.From paragraph 1 we learn that the villagers __________.

A. worked very hard for centuries

B. were poor but somewhat content (满足的)

C. dreamed of having a better life

D. lived a different life from their forefathers

2.Why did the villagers agree to sell frogs ?

A. The frogs were easy money.

B. They needed money to buy medicine.

C. They wanted to please the visitors.

D. The frogs made too much noise.

3.What might be the cause of the children’s sickness?

A. The crops didn't do well.

B. There were too many insects.

C.The visitors brought in diseases.

D. The pesticides were overused.

4.What can we infer from the last sentence of the text ?

A. Happiness comes from peaceful life in the country.

B. Health is more important than money.

C. The harmony between man and nature is important

D. good old day will never be forgotten

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