Here's a new warning from health experts: Sitting is deadly. Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for prolonged periods — even if you also exercise regularly — could be   1  for your health. And it doesn't matter where the sitting takes place — at the office, at school, in the car or before a computer or TV — just the overall number of hours it   2   .

Research is preliminary, but several studies   3  people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die.

In an editorial   4  this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Elin Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences suggested that authorities rethink how they define   5  activity to highlight the dangers of sitting.

While health officials have issued guidelines   6  minimum amounts of physical activity, they haven't suggested people try to limit how much time they spend in a seated   7  .

"After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send   8  signals," Ekblom-Bak said. She explained that genes regulating the amount of glucoseand fat in the   9  start to shut down.

Even for people who   10   , spending long stretches of time sitting at a desk is still harmful. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization, said people who exercise every day —   11  still spend a lot of time sitting — might get more benefit if that exercise were spread across the day,    12  in a single bout.

That wasn't   13  news for Aytekin Can, 31, who works at a London financial company, and spends most of his days sitting    14   a computer. Several evenings a week, Can also teaches jiu jitsu, a Japanese martial art  15  wrestling, and also does Thai boxing.

"I'm sure there are some detrimental   16  of staying still for too long, but I hope that being   17  when I can helps," he said. "I wouldn't want to think the sitting could be   18  dangerous."

Still, in a study published last year that tracked more than 17,000 Canadians for about a dozen years, researchers found people who sat   19  had a higher death risk, independently of whether or not they exercised.

Figures from a US survey in 2003-2004 found Americans spend more than half their time sitting, from working at their desks to sitting in cars.

Experts said more research is needed to    20  just how much sitting is dangerous, and what might be possible to offset those effects.

(   ) 1. A. bad                    B. good               C. mean                      D. dead

(   ) 2. A. does                  B. occurs              C. matches                   D. dies

(   ) 3. A. advise               B. talk                  C. suggest                    D. say

(   ) 4. A. thrown                      B. caught              C. seen                        D. published

(   ) 5. A. biological           B. physical            C. psychological           D. logical

(   ) 6. A. commending      B. mending           C. recommending        D. communicating

(   ) 7. A. stand                 B. state                 C. post                 D. position

(   ) 8. A. harmful             B. careful             C. wonderful        D. skillful

(   ) 9. A. head                  B. arm                  C. body               D. foot

(   ) 10. A. sleep               B. rest                  C. walk               D. exercise

(   ) 11. A. and                  B. so                    C. but                   D. then

(   ) 12. A. rather than               B. other than        C. more than        D. less than

(   ) 13. A. bad                  B. harmful            C. disadvantage     D. welcome

(   ) 14. A. behind             B. back                 C. in front of               D. forward

(   ) 15. A. referring          B. involving          C. taking              D. bringing

(   ) 16. A. effects              B. prefects            C. affects              D. offers

(   ) 17. A. inactive            B. active               C. interactive               D. positive

(   ) 18. A. such                 B. little                 C. lot                   D. that

(   ) 19. A. less                  B. fewer                      C. more               D. further

(   ) 20. A. leave out          B. bring out          C. hold out           D. figure out

Directions: For each blank in the following passages there are four words or phrases marked A, B, C and D.  Fill in each blank with the word or phrase that best fits the context.

The universities are schools of education and research but the main reason for their existence is not in the knowledge taught to the students or in the opportunities for the economic or social ___50___ resulting from the research findings.

The true function of a university is that it keeps the ___51___ between knowledge and the real life.  It unites the students with ordinary life in a ___52___ way.  The university passes on information, but it ___53___ the information imaginatively.   Imagination is the driving force for the society’s future development.  Students’ imagination is the very ___54___ every university should protect and encourage.    A university which ___55___ to do so has no reason for existence.  With imagination, knowledge is not only knowledge: it includes all possibilities.  It’s no longer a ___56___ on students’ memory.  It’s food for thought and ___57___ for creative inventions.

Imagination is not ___58___ knowledge.  Instead, it is a way leading to more knowledge.  It works by thoroughly studying the current knowledge and then exploring every possibility about the knowledge.  In the exploration, new knowledge ___59___.  Imagination enables men to construct a new vision of the world and it adds ___60___ to life through endless possibilities. Imaginative people are restless all along.

Youth is imaginative and if the university can help preserve this precious wealth, the power of imagination can ___61___ change the world.  Besides, it should also be made clear that imagination won’t be most effective without necessary experience.  The problem of the current world is that those who are imaginative have only little experience ___62___ those who are experienced have weak imaginations.  The ___63___ left for the universities is to hold together these two factors for the whole human race to ___64___ greater development and happiness.

1. A. problem      B. development      C. life          D. inquiry

2. A. connection   B. attraction       C. difference     D. tradition

3. A. technical    B. difficult        C. creative        D. basic

4. A. supposes     B. conveys          C. expects        D. weighs

5. A. spirit       B. goods            C. message        D. theory

6. A. tries        B. pretends         C. fails           D. means

7.. A. burden      B. treasure         C. schedule        D. science

8.A. result       B. material          C. cost            D. figure

9. A. superior to   B. familiar with   C. separate from    D. strict with

10. A. takes shape   B. steps in       C. sets off         D. speeds up

11. A. proof       B. excitement       C. greed          D. seed

12. A. temporarily   B. carefully      C. reluctantly      D. finally

13. A. because     B. unless           C. while          D. until

14.A. sympathy    B. solution          C. condition       D. purpose

15. A. require      B. fix             C. imagine        D. achieve

My father had always been an alert observer of human character. Within seconds of meeting someone, he could sum up their strengths and weaknesses. It was always a challenge to see if any of my boyfriends could pass Dad’s test. None did. Dad was always right---they didn’t pass my test either. After Dad died, I wondered how I’d figure it out on my own.
That’s when Jack arrived on the scene. He was different from any other guy I’d dated. He could sit for hours on the piano bench with my mother, discussing some composers. My brother Rick loudly announced that Jack wasn’t a turkey like the other guys I’d brought home. Jack passed my family’s test. But what about Dad’s?
Then came my mother’s birthday. The day he was supposed to drive, I got a call. “Don’t worry,” he said, “but I’ve been in an accident. I’m fine, but I need you to pick me up.”
When I got there, we rushed to a flower shop for something for Mom. “How about gardenias?” Jack said, pointing at a beautiful white corsage(胸花). The florist put the corsage in a box.
The entire ride, Jack was unusually quiet. “Are you all right?” I asked. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he said. “I might be moving.” Moving? Then he added, “Moving in with you.” I nearly put the car on the sidewalk. “What?” I asked. “I think we should get married,” he said. He told me he’d planned his proposal in a fancy restaurant, but after the accident, he decided to do it right away. “Yes,” I whispered. We both sat dumbfounded, tears running down our cheeks. I’d never known such a tender moment. If only Dad were here to give his final approval.
“Oh, let’s just go inside.” Jack laughed. My mother opened the door. “Happy Birthday!” we shouted. Jack handed the box to her. She opened it up. Suddenly, her eyes were filled with tears. “Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked. “I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her eyes. “This is only the second gardenia corsage I’ve ever received. I was given one years ago, long before you kids were born.” “From who? ” I asked. “Your father,” Mom said. “He gave me one right before we were engaged.” My eyes locked on Jack’s as I blinked away(眨掉) tears. Dad’s test? I knew Jack had passed.
【小题1】 According to the text, we know the writer’s father was __________.

My father had always been an alert observer of human character. Within seconds of meeting someone, he could sum up their strengths and weaknesses. It was always a challenge to see if any of my boyfriends could pass Dad’s test. None did. Dad was always right---they didn’t pass my test either. After Dad died, I wondered how I’d figure it out on my own.

That’s when Jack arrived on the scene. He was different from any other guy I’d dated. He could sit for hours on the piano bench with my mother, discussing some composers. My brother Rick loudly announced that Jack wasn’t a turkey like the other guys I’d brought home. Jack passed my family’s test. But what about Dad’s?

Then came my mother’s birthday. The day he was supposed to drive, I got a call. “Don’t worry,” he said, “but I’ve been in an accident. I’m fine, but I need you to pick me up.”

When I got there, we rushed to a flower shop for something for Mom. “How about gardenias?” Jack said, pointing at a beautiful white corsage(胸花). The florist put the corsage in a box.

The entire ride, Jack was unusually quiet. “Are you all right?” I asked. “I’ve been doing a lot of thinking,” he said. “I might be moving.” Moving? Then he added, “Moving in with you.” I nearly put the car on the sidewalk. “What?” I asked. “I think we should get married,” he said. He told me he’d planned his proposal in a fancy restaurant, but after the accident, he decided to do it right away. “Yes,” I whispered. We both sat dumbfounded, tears running down our cheeks. I’d never known such a tender moment. If only Dad were here to give his final approval.

“Oh, let’s just go inside.” Jack laughed. My mother opened the door. “Happy Birthday!” we shouted. Jack handed the box to her. She opened it up. Suddenly, her eyes were filled with tears. “Mom, what’s wrong?” I asked. “I’m sorry,” she said, wiping her eyes. “This is only the second gardenia corsage I’ve ever received. I was given one years ago, long before you kids were born.” “From who? ” I asked. “Your father,” Mom said. “He gave me one right before we were engaged.” My eyes locked on Jack’s as I blinked away(眨掉) tears. Dad’s test? I knew Jack had passed.

1. According to the text, we know the writer’s father was __________.

A．interested in observing things around

B．good at judging one’s character

C．strict with her boyfriend

D．fond of challenges

2.What is the main idea of Paragraph 2?

A．Jack got the family’s approval except Dad’s.

B．Jack was different from any other boy.

C．Jack was getting on well with Mother.

D．Jack knew a lot about piano.

3.The underlined word “proposal” in Paragraph 5 means __________.

A．piece of advice                         B．wedding ceremony

C．celebration of birthday                   D．offer of marriage

4.On hearing “moving in with you”, the writer felt __________.

A．pleased                               B．worried

C．surprised                             D．disappointed

5. Why did the writer’s mother cry?

A．The gift was the same as the one her husband gave her.

B．She had never received such a beautiful gift.

C．Her daughter found her life partner at last.

D．The gardenia corsage was too expensive.