People believe that climbing can do good to health. Where can you learn the skill of climbing then? If you think that you have to go to the mountains to learn how to climb，you’re wrong. Many Americans are learning to climb in city gyms(体育馆). Here，people are learning on special climbing walls. The climbing wall goes straight up and has small holding places for hands and feet.

　　How do people climb the wall? To climb，you need special shoes and a harness(保护带)around your chest to hold you. There are ropes(绳索)tied to your harness. The ropes hold you in place so that you don’t fall. A beginner’s wall is usually about 15 feet high，and you climb straight up. There are small pieces of metal that stick out for you to stand on and hold on to. Sometimes it’s easy to see the new piece of metal. Sometimes, it’s not. The most difficult part is to control your fear. It’s normal for humans to be afraid of falling, so it’s difficult not to feel fear. But when you move away from the wall，the harness and the ropes hold you，and you begin to feel safe. You move slowly until you reach the top.

　　Climbing attracts people because it’s good exercise for almost everyone. You use your whole body，especially your arms and legs. This sport gives your body a complete workout. When you climb，both your mind and your body can become stronger.

1. What can we infer from the passage?

A．People are fairly interested in climbing nowadays.

B．It is impossible to build up one’s body by climbing.

C．People can only learn the skill of climbing outdoors.

D．It is always easy to see holding places in climbing.

2. The most difficult thing to do in wall climbing is .

A．to tie ropes to your harness               B．to control your fear

C．to move away from the wall                D．to climb straight up

3. The word “workout” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means .

A．settlement         B．exercise           C．excitement        D．tiredness

4. Why does the author write this passage?

A．To tell people where to find gyms.

B．To prove the basic need for climbing.

C．To encourage people to climb mountains.

D．To introduce the sport of wall climbing.

We all know what it is like to be unable to turn your head because of a cold in the muscles (肌肉) of your neck, or because an unexpected twist（扭曲）has made your neck ache. The slightest move makes you jump with pain. Nothing could be worse than a pain in the neck.

That is why we use the phrase to describe some people who give you the same feeling. We have all met such people.

One is the man who always seems to be clapping his hands—often at the wrong time—during a performance in the theater. He keeps you from hearing the actors.

Even worse are those who can never arrive before the curtain goes up and the play begins. They come hurrying down to your row of seats. You are comfortably settled down, with your hat and heavy coat in your lap. You must stand up to let them pass. You are proud of yourself-control after they have settled into their seats…Well, what now…God, one of them is up again. He forgot to go to the men’s room, and once more you have to stand up, hanging on to your hat and coat to let him pass. Now, that is “a pain in the neck”.

Another, well—known to us all, is the person sitting behind you in the movies. His mouth is full of popcorn (爆米花); he is chewing（嚼）loudly, or talking between bites to friends next to him. None of them remain still. Up and down, back and forth, they go—for another bag of popcorn, or something to drink.

Then, there is the man sitting next to you at lunch, smoking. He wants you to enjoy it too, and blows smoke across your food into your mouth.

We must not forget the man who comes into a bus or subway and sits down next to you, just as close as you will let him. You are reading the newspaper and he gets closer so that he can read the paper with you. He may even turn the paper to the next page before you are ready for it.

We also call such a person a “rubber neck”, always getting close to where it does not belong, like neighbors who watch all your visitors. They enjoy learning about your personal business. People have a strong dislike for “rubber necks”. They hate being watched secretly.

1.Where can you find this passage?

2.According to the passage, how do you feel when late comers walk back and forth in front of you in a cinema?

3.A “rubber neck” often __________________ .

4.Which of the following persons CANNOT be described as a “pain in the neck”?

5.What is the main purpose of the author?

Broken rubber bands and flat tires requiring replacement could soon be a thing of the past．

French researchers have developed a new kind of rubber that can repair itself when broken．The new rubber is made from widely available materials including vegetable oil and a common industrial chemical．All the materials are considered safe to the environment and can be easily reused．

The best part is that the new rubber can be repaired and used again and again without losing its strength or ability or stretch．When cut, the rubber can be made new again, simply by pressing the two broken ends back together．

The product can be repaired at room temperature, around twenty degrees Centigrade；other self-healing materials require higher temperatures for repair．

Traditionally, rubber substances are made from huge molecules（分子）connected by strong chemical links, or bonds．The new rubber is made of smaller molecules．The molecules are linked together using hydrogen bonds．When connected in this way, the molecules act like one long molecule, forming what is called supramolecular networks（超分子网）．When the rubber is cut, the molecules attempt to connect with whatever molecule is near them．When pressed together, the molecules are able to repair themselves at the molecular level, making the repaired rubber like new．

However, time is an important element in the process．If the broken ends are not brought together quickly, a repair is not possible．This is because molecules will form bonds with molecules on their own side．The inventors say the surfaces of the rubber can be repaired within a week of being separated．

The rubber is the creation of scientists at the Industrial Physics and Chemistry Higher Education Institution in Paris．The organization is part of France's National Center for Scientific Research．The new material is described in greater detail in the research publication Nature．

1.According to the introduction, which of the following is NOT the advantage of the new rubber?

A．It can be made as easily as common rubber．

B．It is environmentally-friendly．

C．It can repair itself at room temperature．

D．It is made of smaller molecules．

2.What does the 5th paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Why the new rubber is unique．

B．Why the new rubber can repair itself．

C．The new rubber is made from huge molecules．

D．The new rubber is different from the common rubber．

3.If we want to know more about the technology of this kind of new rubber, where can we get the information?

A．In the researchers' diary．                B．In a guide book．

C．In a research magazine．                 D．In a newspaper．