Australia is famous for its beautiful beaches. And Australian people love swimming and going to the beach. But it wasn't always that way.

Different Climate, Different habits

When Europeans first invaded Australia, the only people here who were good at swimming were the Aboriginal people. The Europeans came from climates where it was too cold to swim. Also some people worried that they would get sick if they wet their whole body.

However the warm climate of Australia soon changed their attitude to swimming. At first, only men swam. They swam naked - there were no women to see them.

Cover up!

By the 1880’s and 90’s visiting the beach was very fashionable and a lot of people went there, especially in warm weather. They wore everyday street clothes - much more than people wear at the beach today.

In those days, people believed they should cover most of their body so it would not be seen by the opposite sex. Special bathing costumes were designed for women. These costumes used a lot of cloth and were very heavy when wet, making it difficult to swim.

Laws Made and Laws Changed

The government decided to stop men swimming naked．It passed a law which forbade bathing between 6am and 7pm. Many people objected to this law and wrote letters to the government asking it to change the laws. In 1903, the laws changed; people could swim in the daytime, but they had to wear neck-to-knee costumes.

The Shrinking Costume

As time passed, swimming costumes became smaller and more convenient.

At first men and women were covered from neck to knee. Then the arms became bare. Then more of the legs were uncovered．Each new change was regarded by many as shocking and rude and people wrote letters to the newspapers complaining about the new costumes. Nowadays some people go to special "nude (裸体) beaches" to swim naked．

However, most people cover their bodies more than they did ten years ago -- not because they think bare skin is shocking -- but to protect their skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

The climate of Australia _____.

       A．made European setters think differently about swimming

       B．change European setters’ swimming costume

       C．made European setters hotter

       D．made European setters swim naked

During the late 19th century, swimmers should _____.

       A．hide when they see a person of the opposite sex

       B．cover their bodies

       C．wear many heavy clothes

       D．take no notice of their clothes

According to the law just before1903, people must _____.

       A．not swim in the main daylight hours

       B．only swim between 6am and 7pm

       C．have a bath at 6am and 7pm

       D．swim with neck-to-knee costumes between 6am and 7pm

The last paragraph of the passage states that _____.

       A．people worry about getting skin cancer from too much sun

       B．people protect their ten-year-old sons from bare skin

       C．people are shocked by the sun

       D．people think it rude to swim with the smaller costumes

Australia is famous for its beautiful beaches. And Australian people love swimming and going to the beach. But it wasn't always that way.
Different Climate, Different habits
When Europeans first invaded Australia, the only people here who were good at swimming were the Aboriginal people. The Europeans came from climates where it was too cold to swim. Also some people worried that they would get sick if they wet their whole body.
However the warm climate of Australia soon changed their attitude to swimming. At first, only men swam. They swam naked - there were no women to see them.
Cover up!
By the 1880’s and 90’s visiting the beach was very fashionable and a lot of people went there, especially in warm weather. They wore everyday street clothes - much more than people wear at the beach today.
In those days, people believed they should cover most of their body so it would not be seen by the opposite sex. Special bathing costumes were designed for women. These costumes used a lot of cloth and were very heavy when wet, making it difficult to swim.
Laws Made and Laws Changed
The government decided to stop men swimming naked.It passed a law which forbade bathing between 6am and 7pm. Many people objected to this law and wrote letters to the government asking it to change the laws. In 1903, the laws changed; people could swim in the daytime, but they had to wear neck-to-knee costumes.
The Shrinking Costume
As time passed, swimming costumes became smaller and more convenient.
At first men and women were covered from neck to knee. Then the arms became bare. Then more of the legs were uncovered.Each new change was regarded by many as shocking and rude and people wrote letters to the newspapers complaining about the new costumes. Nowadays some people go to special "nude (裸体) beaches" to swim naked.
However, most people cover their bodies more than they did ten years ago -- not because they think bare skin is shocking -- but to protect their skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

1. 1.

   The climate of Australia _____.

   1. A.
      made European setters think differently about swimming
   2. B.
      change European setters’ swimming costume
   3. C.
      made European setters hotter
   4. D.
      made European setters swim naked
2. 2.

   During the late 19th century, swimmers should _____.

   1. A.
      hide when they see a person of the opposite sex
   2. B.
      cover their bodies
   3. C.
      wear many heavy clothes
   4. D.
      take no notice of their clothes
3. 3.

   According to the law just before1903, people must _____.

   1. A.
      not swim in the main daylight hours
   2. B.
      only swim between 6am and 7pm
   3. C.
      have a bath at 6am and 7pm
   4. D.
      swim with neck-to-knee costumes between 6am and 7pm
4. 4.

   The last paragraph of the passage states that _____.

   1. A.
      people worry about getting skin cancer from too much sun
   2. B.
      people protect their ten-year-old sons from bare skin
   3. C.
      people are shocked by the sun
   4. D.
      people think it rude to swim with the smaller costumes

Australian people love swimming and going to its beautiful beach. But it wasn’t always that way.

       Different climate leads to different habits. When Europeans first invaded Australia, the only people here who were good at swimming were the Aboriginal people. The Europeans came from climates where it was too cold to swim. However the warm climate of Australia soon changed their attitude to swimming. At first, only men swam. They swam without any clothes on—there were no women to see them.

       Cover up! By the 1880 and 1890s visiting the beach was very fashionable. People wore everyday street clothes—much more than people wear at the beach today. In those days it’s believed people should cover their most body so as not to be seen by the opposite sex. Special bathing costumes were designed for women. This costumes used a lot of cloth and were very heavy when wet, making it difficult to swim.

       Laws made and laws changed. The government decided to stop men swimming naked(裸体). It passed a law which forbade bathing between 6 am and 7 am. But in 1903, the laws changed; people could swim in the daytime, but they had to wear neck-to-knee costumes.

        Costume is shrinking. As time passed, swimming costumes became smaller and more convenient. At first men and women were covered from neck to knee. Then arms became bare. Then more of the legs were uncovered. Each new change was regarded by many as shocking and rude and people wrote letters to the newspapers complaining about the new costume.

Nowadays some people go to special “nude beaches” to swim naked. However, most people cover their bodies more than they did ten years ago—not because they think bare skin is shocking—but to protect their skin from the harmful rays of the sun.

68. Which of the following statements about the climate of Australia is TRUE?

       A. It changed European settlers’ attitude to swimming.

       B. It changed European settlers’ swimming costume.

       C. It made European settlers feel much hotter.

       D. It made European settlers have to swim naked.

69. During the late 19^th century, swimmers should_________.
       A. wear a lot of heavy clothes on beaches.

       B. wear special wet costumes designed for them.

       C. hide when they come across a person of the opposite sex.

       D. cover their body to avoid being seen by the opposite sex.

70. What does the underlined sentence mean?

       A. People were surprised by each new change and criticized it.

       B. People were amazed by each new change and welcomed it.

       C. Only newspapers were in favor of each new change.

       D. Only newspapers thought poorly of each new change.

71. What can we infer from the last paragraph?

       A. People worry about getting skin disease from too much sun.

       B. People protect their swimming costumes from too much sun.

       C. People sometimes go swimming on the nude beaches.

       D. People today cover their bodies more than before.

Parents who feel disappointed at their teenagers’ failure to pay attention in class, and inability to sit quietly long enough to finish homework or plan ahead, should take solace. Their children are not being lazy or careless, according to new research.
The research has found that teenagers’ brains continue developing far longer into adulthood than we used to think. Teens may look like young adults but their brain structure is similar to that of much younger children.
“It is not always easy for teens to pay attention in class without letting their minds wander, or to ignore distractions from their younger brothers or sisters when trying to solve a maths   problem,” said Dr Iroise Dumon-theil. “But it’s not the fault of teenagers that they can’t pay attention and are easily distracted. It’s to do with the structure of their brains. Teens simply can’t think as well as an adult.”
The research showed that the brain of a teenager works less effectively than that of an adult. “We knew that the front of the brain of teens functioned in a chaotic  (混乱的) way but we  didn’ t realize it continued until the late 20s or early 30s,” said Dr Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, who led the research.
Chaotic thought patterns are a result of teenagers’ brains containing too much grey matter — the cell bodies and connections which carry messages within the brain. As we age, the amount of grey matter in our brain reduces.
“What our research has shown is that there is simply too much going on in the brains of teens,” said Blakemore. “The result is that their brain energy and resources are wasted and their decision-making process is badly influenced. Adults, on the other hand, have less grey matter. This means that the brain works far more effectively.”
【小题1】The underlined word “solace” in Paragraph 1 may mean _____.

When you put down your pens at the end of the college entrance exam, 12 hard years of study will have come to an end. Forget your studies for a while. It's time to enjoy yourselves!

There are many ways to celebrate this special month of graduation. You can have photos taken with your classmates and teachers, or dine out together and exchange gifts.

High school students in Western countries such as the United States and Canada usually have a prom to mark their graduation. It's to mark the time kids turn into young men and women. After the prom, teenagers either go to college or find a job. It means they are no longer as dependent on their parents as they were before.

At the prom, boys usually dress in dinner jackets and bow ties, though many different types of formal clothes are worn. Traditionally, girls give boys matching boutonnieres (a small collection of flowers they pin to their jackets). Girls traditionally wear formal dresses, or dress to shock or be noticed, in shiny or brightly colored materials.

Common prom activities include dining, dancing, the crowning (加冠) of a prom king and queen, and just talking to friends. In some cases, high school students collect funds for their class prom through the four years of their high school.

High schools in or near large cities may rent ballrooms at expensive hotels or, to be unusual, on a pleasure cruise boat.

But often costs are cut by simply using the school gym. Students make a lot of effort to decorate the gym to make the event special. The music played at the prom will be the most popular kinds, like rock and hip-hop.

The students elect the Prom Queen. She is partnered with a Prom King who is elected similarly. These are great honors that the pair takes very seriously. The two dance with each other to celebrate their election.

Sometimes teachers and parents also go to the prom. But others like to go with friends, to whom they are soon going to be saying goodbye.

If you like the idea of a prom, why don't you and your classmates organize one for your graduation?

1.What does the word “prom” probably mean in the passage?

A．a dancing competition.  B. a party held to celebrate graduation.

C．a fashion show.         D. an election.

2.Which of the following is an economical way to hold the prom?

A．renting a ballroom               B．taking a cruise boat

C．holding it in the school gym          D．wearing formal dresses

3.Which of the following clearly indicates that prom is very important to students?

A．They take pictures at the prom. B．They wear formal clothes or special clothes.

C．Music is played at the prom.   D．Teachers and parents attend it.

4.Why do some students attend the prom with their friends?

A．They want to be elected by their friends us the Prom King or Queen.

B．They don’t like to be accompanied by their parents.

C．They don’t want to depend on their parents.

D．They will part with their friends in a short time.