One reason Americans eat so many calories is that we tend to eat large portions(分量). Studies find that hamburgers and fries are generally offered in serving sizes two to five times larger than the appropriate meal size. Researchers find we usually clean our plates no matter how high they're piled, even if we already feel satisfied. See the suggestions below to further master the fine art of sizing up（估量） your snacks and suppers.

Extremely large portions are one possible reason Americans continue getting fatter even as the percentage of our total calories from fat has gone down in recent years. Fortunately, portions are relatively simple to control because it's easier to count cookies than calories or grams of fat.

Pre-picture portions. Use familiar objects to picture how much you should eat of a food before you pick up your fork or spoon. For example, a half cup of low-fat granola is about the size of your fist. A half cup of low-fat ice cream equals half an orange.

     Use a smaller dish. This tip might sound ridiculous, but it works. First and most obvious is that you can't put as much food on, say, a salad plate. But psychologically, you're just not as prone to eat as heartily and quickly if your plate will be empty in 45 seconds.

     Have raw vegetables at every meal. Raw cucumbers, tomatoes, carrots, and peppers have few calories and lots of nutrients. A plate of them in the middle of the table almost always gets eaten up, cutting down appetite for the more calorie-dense meat.

   Start your meal with soup. Studies show that a bowl of soup at the start of the meal reduces overall meal consumption, since they are lowest in calories and highest in nutrients.

   Manage your fork. After every bite of food, put your fork down. Don't pick it up until you have thoroughly chewed and swallowed the previous bite. The goal is both to slow down your eating and to eat less. Remember: Your body needs 20 minutes of digestion before it sends signals to your brain that you are no longer hungry.

Gu Changwei was the first Chinese cinematographer to be nominated (提名) for an Oscar, he is regarded by Zhang Yimou as the best cinematographer in China. Gu was behind the camera for many of Zhang Yimou’s famous films including the one that rocketed Zhang to fame: “Red Sorghum (高粱)”. And now this master of the visual has taken on his first directing role with the film “Peacock”. So Gu Changwei has come out from behind the camera into the spotlight (聚光灯).

Gu Changwei is very serious about his directing “Peacock”. To get the authentic atmosphere, Gu took his film crew to the city of Anyang in central China’s Henan province where the story takes place, to shoot the film. He chose all new actors because he didn’t want “star” appeal to weaken the power of the story, and he also had his actors trained in the local dialect. For this film Gu has been able to get out from behind the camera to manage every aspect of the film, and to realize his own ideals in movie-making.

“Peacock” is about the life of an average family in a small town in Henan province in the late 70s and early 80s. Gu chose this story for his first movie because he grew up during this same period and it struck a chord with him.

“Peacock” wrapped up production in June, 2004. It’s aimed at the foreign film market and will be entered in February’s Berlin Film Festival, and released in China at the same time. But at the end of last October, Gu took “Peacock” to his Alma Mater, the Beijing Film Academy, one of the most famous film colleges in China, to hold a preview. The film was warmly received by both teachers and students.

The underlined word “cinematographer” refers to a person who _____.

       A. has been nominated for an Oscar            B. uses a camera to shoot films

       C. directs first-class films                           D. arranges for cinema shows

Gu didn’t employ “stars” in his film because _____.

A. stars usually stick to their own acting styles

B. the stars may not be able to speak the local dialect

C. the stars may share the audience’s attention with the story

D. it was not easy for him, a fresh hand, to invite stars to join him

Gu chose such a story for his first movie because _____.

A. he was born in the early 1970s              

B. he grew up in Henan province

C. he was popular in Henan province     

D. the story had to do with his own experience

From the passage we can learn that “Peacock” _____.

A. is the film for which Gu is likely to win an Oscar prize

B. has already become popular both at home and abroad

C. has its production started last summer

D. will be publicly shown in spring, 2005

Please choose a proper title for this passage.

A. From behind the camera into the spotlight

B. Chinese cinematographer to be nominated for Oscar

C. New faces to appear in “Peacock”

D. “Peacock” to enter foreign film market

Public transportation is a great method of decreasing(减少)pollution and traffic within an urban setting. However, as with any public setting, it is important to take safety measures to avoid any unpleasant situations.
Tips for staying safe on the bus, train or subway:
Report any unusual activities.
Report any broken or missing equipment.
Report any strange noises or smells.
If you see an unattended(无人看管的)package, do not touch it, and immediately report it to the nearest employee.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose or mouth. This will decrease your chance of getting sick or spreading germs(细菌).
While on public transportation the most important safety measure to take is simply paying attention to your surroundings. By taking these steps you can have a better and more enjoyable experience while using the public bus, train or subway.
Safety measures and regulations(规章制度)
Sometimes stories of tragic public transportation are released(发布) through the media（媒体）. When this happens it is natural to question the safety of using public transportation. When the driving itself is out of your control, it is important to know what measures and regulations are put into place to keep you safe.
One of the greatest concerns for public transportation safety is the lack of safety belts. While accidents involving buses or trains is not common, when they do occur they are highly dangerous due to the lack of safety belts. Passengers are likely to be injured simply from being hit by another passenger.
Good drivers make safe passengers
With hundreds of thousands of public bus passengers every day, it is important that the drivers of these vehicles(车辆)are trained and experienced enough to manage the dangerous situations that can happen on the road. Bus and train drivers must meet the standards set by their state.
1. One advantage of public transportation is that __________________________.
A. it’s cheaper                                   B. it saves more time
C. it has more safety measures      D. it helps protect the environment
2. To keep safe on public transportation, you are advised to _____________.
A. repair any broken equipment if necessary
B. cover your nose with your hand to keep germs away
C. pay attention to any unusual activities and report them in time
D. take the package which nobody takes care of to the employee
3. We can know from the passage that ___________________________.
A. few reports are about public transportation accidents
B. passengers seldom get hurt in public transportation accidents
C. safety belts are useless for passengers on public transportation
D. it is important to know some safety measures for public transportation
4. What is important to make a good public transportation drivers?
A. Skills at handling traffic accidents
B. Higher standards and shorter working hours.
C. Polite service and clean working environment.
D. Proper training and rich driving experience.

Some years ago I was offered a writing assignment that would require three months of travel through Europe. I had been __36__ a couple of times, but I could hardly __37__ to know my ways around the continent. __38__, my knowledge of foreign languages was __39__ to a little college French.
I __40__. How would I, unable to speak the language, __41__ familiar with local geography or transportation systems, conduct interviews and do __42__? It seemed impossible, and with considerable __43__ I sat down to write a letter rejecting the __44__. Halfway through, a __45__ ran through my mind: you can’t learn if you don’t try. So I __46__ the assignment.
There were some bad __47__. But by the time I had finished the trip, I was an experienced traveler. And ever since, I have never hesitated to head for even the most __48__ places, without guides or __49__ advanced bookings, confident that somehow I will __50__.
The point is that the new, the different, is almost by definition __51__. But each time you try something, you learn, and as the learning _52_, the world opens to you.
I’ve learned to ski at 40, and flown up the Rhine River in a (n) __53__. And I know I’ll go on doing such things. It’s not because I’m braver or more daring than others. I’m not. But I’ll accept worry as another name for _54_and I believe I can 55_ wonders.

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The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account（交易账户）where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7 – that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
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Convenient
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【小题1】The Winners Club is a bank account intended for ________.