Most of us spend our lives seeking the natural world. To this end, we walk the dog, play golf, go fishing, sit in the garden, drink outside rather than inside the pub, have a picnic, live in the suburbs, go to the seaside, buy a weekend place in the country. The most popular free time activity in Britain is going for a walk. And when joggers (慢跑者) jog, they don’t run the streets. Every one of them automatically heads to the park or the river. It is my firm belief that not only do we all need nature, but we all seek nature, whether we know we are doing so or not.

But despite this, our children are growing up nature-deprived (丧失). I spent my boyhood climbing trees. These days, children are robbed of these ancient freedoms, due to problems like crime, traffic, the loss of the open spaces and strange new ideas about what is best for children, that is to say, things that can be bought, rather than things that can be found.

The truth is to be found elsewhere. A study in the US: families had moved to better housing and the children were assessed for ADHD (多动症). Those whose housing had more natural views showed an improvement of 19%; those who had the same improvement in material surroundings but no nice view improved just 4%.

A study in Sweden indicated that kindergarten children who could play in a natural environment had less illness and greater physical ability than children used only to a normal playground. A US study suggested that when a school gave children access to a natural environment, the entire school would do better in studies.

Another study found that children play differently in a natural environment. In playgrounds, children create a hierarchy (等级) based on physical abilities, with the tough ones taking the lead. But when a grassy area was planted with bushes, the children got much more into fantasy play, and the social hierarchy was now based on imagination and creativity.

Most bullying (恃强凌弱) is found in schools where there is a tarmac (柏油碎石) playground; the least bullying is in a natural area that the children are encouraged to explore. This reminds me unpleasantly of Sunnyhill School, with its hard tarmac, where I used to hang about in corners dreaming about wildlife.

But children are frequently discouraged from involvement with natural spaces, for health and safety reasons, for fear that they might get dirty or that they might cause damage. So, instead, the damage is done to the children themselves: not to their bodies but to their souls.

One of the great problems of modern childhood is ADHD, now increasingly and expensively treated with drugs. Yet one study after another indicates that contact with nature gives huge benefits to ADHD children. However, we spend money on drugs rather than on green places.

The life of old people is much better when they have access to nature. The most important for the growing population of old people is in quality rather than quantity of years. And study after study finds that a garden is the single most important thing in finding that quality.

In wider and more difficult areas of life, there is evidence to indicate that natural surroundings improve all kinds of things. Even problems with crime and aggressive behaviour are reduced when there is contact with the natural world.

Dr William Bird, researcher from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, states in his study, “A natural environment can reduce violent behaviour because its process helps reduce anger and behavior that people might regret later.” Wild places need encouraging for this reason, no matter how small their contribution.

We tend to think human beings are doing nature some kind of favor when we are protecting nature. The error here is far too deep: not only do humans need nature for themselves, but the very idea that humanity and the natural world are separable things is damaging.

Human beings are a species of animals. For seven million years we lived on the planet as part of nature. So we miss the natural world and long for contact with non-human life. Anyone who has patted a dog, stroked a cat, sat under a tree with a glass of beer, given or received a bunch of flowers or chosen to walk through the park on a nice day, understands that.

We need the wild world. It is necessary to our well-being, our health, our happiness. Without other living things around us we are less than human.

1.What is the author’s firm belief?

　　A. People seek nature in different ways.

　　B. People should spend most of their lives in the wild.

　　C. People have quite different ideas of nature.

　　D. People must make more efforts to study nature.

2.What does the author say people prefer for their children nowadays?

　　A. Personal freedom.　　            B. Things that are natural.

　　C. Urban surroundings.　　          D. Things that are purchased.

3.What does a study in Sweden show?

　　A. The natural environment can help children learn better.

　　B. More access to nature makes children less likely to fall ill.

　　C. A good playground helps kids develop their physical abilities.

　　D. Natural views can prevent children from developing ADHD.

4.Children who have chances to explore natural areas ________.

　  A. tend to develop a strong love for science　    

B. are more likely to dream about wildlife

　  C. tend to be physically tougher in adulthood　   

D. are less likely to be involved in bullying

5.What does the author suggest we do to help children with ADHD?

　　A. Find more effective drugs for them.　　   

B. Provide more green spaces for them.

　　C. Place them under more personal care.　　

D. Engage them in more meaningful activities

6. In what way do elderly people benefit from their contact with nature?

　　A. They look on life optimistically.　　    B. They enjoy a life of better quality.

C. They are able to live longer.            D. They become good-humored

第二节　完形填空（共20小题；每小题1.5分，满分30分）
　　阅读下面短文，从短文后所给各题的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
　　One day a young man was standing in the middle of the town proclaiming that he had the most beautiful heart in the whole valley. A large crowd gathered．and they all admired his heart for it was 　31　. There was not a scar in it. Suddenly, an old man appeared and said, “Why, your heart is not nearly as beautiful as 　32　.”
　　The crowd and the young man looked at the old man’s 　33　. It was full of scars, it had places 　34　 pieces had been removed and other pieces 　35　 in, but they didn’t fit quite right, and there were several 　36　 edges. In fact, in some places there were deep gaps where whole pieces were missing.
　　The young man laughed. “ 　37　 your heart with mine, mine is perfect and yours is a mess of scars.”
　　“Yes,” said the old man, “Yours 　38　 perfect but I would never trade with you. You see, every 　39　 represents a person 　40　 I have given my love. I tear out a piece of my heart and give it to them, and often they 　41　 me a piece of their heart that fits into the 　42　 place in my heart. But because the pieces aren’t exact, I have some rough edges, which I cherish, because they remind me of the love we 　43　.
　　“Sometimes I have given pieces of my heart 　44　, and the other person hasn’t returned a 　45　 of his or her heart to me. These are the empty gaps—giving love is 　46　 a chance. Although these gaps are painful, they 　47　 open, reminding me of the love I have for those people too, and I hope someday they may return and fill the space I have been waiting. So now do you see what true beauty is?’’
　　The young man walked up to the old man, 　48　 his perfect heart, and tipped a piece out. He 　49　 it to the old man.
　　The old man placed it in his heart, then took a piece from his old scarred heart and placed it in the wound in the young man’s heart. It 　50　, but not perfectly, as there were some jagged edges.
　　The young man looked at his heart, not perfect anymore but more beautiful than ever, since love from the old man’s heart flowed into his.
　　They embraced and walked away side by side.
31．A．ugly          B．perfect      C．beautiful     D．hurt
32．A．mine         B．his          C．theirs          D．ours
33．A．coat         B．appearance    C．face           D．heart
34．A．that        B．which       C．where　      D．whose
35．A．cut           B．set            C．put          D．brought
36．A．smooth       B．rough          C．broken             D．pretty
37．A．Comparing    B．Compared    C．Compare     D．Compares
38．A．looks        B．seems          C．is           D．fits
39．A．one        B．heart       C．piece         D．scar
40．A．on whom           B．in whom      C．with whom    D．to whom
41．A．take          B．give        C．lend        D．pass
42．A．empty         B．full            C．original       D．first
43．A．had           B．gave        C．shared       D．owned
44．A．in           B．away         C．off         D．up
45．A．lot            B．sheet          C．piece       D．pile
46．A．making       B．taking       C．keeping      D．bringing
47．A．keep          B．cut         C．come         D．stay
48．A．carried away  B．reached into    C．took out      D．brought up
49．A．offered      B．took        C．passed      D．served
50．A．fit             B．hit           C．beat           D．set

On a hot summer day in late August, I sought shade and a cool drink at a waterfront cafe on a Greek island. Over hundred degrees in   21   air. Crowded. Tempers（脾气）of both the tourists and waiters had   22   to meet the situation, making it a rather quarrelsome environment（环境）.

At the table next to mine sat an attractive,   23  couple, waiting for   24  . They held hands, whispered, kissed, and laughed. Suddenly they stood, picked up their   25   and stepped together   26   the edge of where they were sitting to place the table in the sea water. The man stepped   27   for the two chairs. He politely   28   his lady in the knee-deep water and then sat down himself. All people around laughed and cheered.

  29   appeared. He paused for just a second, walked into the water to   30   the table and take their   31  , and then walked back to the   32   cheers of the rest of his   33  . Minutes later he returned carrying a bottle of wine and two glasses. Without pausing, he went

  34   into the water to   35   the wine. The couple toasted（祝酒）each other, the waiter and the crowd. And the crowd   36   by cheering and throwing flowers to them. Three other tables   37    to have lunch in the water. The place was now filled with laughter.

One doesn’t step into water in one’s best summer clothes. Why not?

    Customers are not served   38  . Why not?

    Sometimes one should consider   39   the line of convention（常规）and enjoy   40   to the fullest.

21. A. fresh                  B. cool                       C. still                  D. thin 

22. A. managed            B. expected            C. attempted         D. risen 

23. A. lonely                B. curious　　       C. well-dressed      D. bad-tempered　　　

24. A. cheers                B. service                     C. attention           D. flowers

25. A. metal table         B. empty bottle　　C. chairs              D. bags

26. A. on                     B. off                   C. around             D. along

27. A. outside               B. forward　　      C. down                      D. back　　

28. A. led                    B. seated               C. watched            D. received

29. A. The manager      B. A friend　         C. A waiter           D. The servant　

30. A. set                     B. wash                C. remove             D. check

31. A. menu                 B. bill                  C. food                 D. order

32. A. loud                  B. anxious             C. familiar            D. final

33. A. tourists              B. customers         C. fellows             D. assistants

34. A. at last                B. in time            C. once more               D. as well

35. A. change                      B. drink　             C. sell                  D. serve　

36. A. replied　            B. insisted　          C. agreed　           D. understood　

37. A. prepared            B. joined in           C. settled up          D. continued　

38. A. with pleasure       B. in the café               C. in the sea          D. with wine

39. A. following           B. keeping            C. limiting            D. crossing　

40. A. life                    B. wine                C. lunch                      D. time