The best swimmers tend to be tall and thin with long arms, long legs, long feet, and long hands. The size of their hands gives them great “water grasp”, and only a very small hand movement keeps them afloat.

They also have great strength, endurance, insulation(隔绝) against heat loss while in water below body temperature, thus better energy conservation, low resistance(阻力) when in the water, and swimming stroke mechanics(动作技巧).

Part of the reason why some people are better swimmers than others has to do with body density. The average person’s body density is slightly less than that of water. Muscle has greater density than fat. Therefore, very muscular people tend to be poor at staying afloat. Bone has greater density than fat. Therefore, very skinny people tend to be poor at staying afloat.

Good buoyancy(浮力) is not necessarily the most important factor in good swimming, but it certainly helps. For example, great competitive swimmers—tall, thin, and usually more muscular than average—tend to have greater body density than average and less buoyancy. Many would not float very well if they remained motionless in the water. Their much greater “water grasp” makes up for it. 

The average woman contains a higher proportion(比例) of fat in her body than the average man, and the average man contains a higher proportion of muscle in his body than the average woman. Therefore, in general, women are better floaters than men. Compared with other competitive sports, the performance of women is closer to that of men in competitive swimming.

66. The underlined word “afloat” in the first paragraph might most probably mean “      ”.

     A. keeping quiet       B. swimming faster         C. floating on water    D. never drowning

67. What can we learn from the passage about body density?

     A. Higher body density reduces swimming ability.

     B. A person’s body density decides one’s swimming ability.

     C. Fat people can always swim faster than thin people.

     D. People with a lower proportion of muscle can hardly swim.

68. “Buoyancy” is important because       .

     A. it helps people to be safer in water                   B. it can help people to swim better

     C. it can never be trained to get better                   D. it increases swimming length

69. How is the whole passage organized?

     A. By reasoning and explaining.                           B. By argument and debate.

     C. By explaining one part after another.                 D. By examples and comments.

70. Which of the following can serve as the best title of the passage?

     A. How to be a good swimmer                            B. Details about swimming

C. Facts about swimming                              D. Better ways, better swimmers

Among the more colorful characters of Leadville’s golden age were H. A. W. Tabor and his wife, Elizabeth McCourt, better known as “Baby Doe”. Their history is fast becoming one of the legends of the Old West.

Horace Austin Warner Tabor was a school teacher in Vermont. Then he moved west to the small Colorado mining camp known as California Gulch, which he later renamed Leadville when he became its leading citizen. “Great deposits of lead are sure to be found here.” he said.

As it turned out, it was silver, not lead, that was to make Leadville’s fortune and wealth. Tabor knew little about mining himself, so he opened a general store, which sold everything from boots to salt, flour, and tobacco. It was his custom to “grubstake” prospective miners, in other words, to supply them with food and supplies, or “grub”, while they looked for ore（矿石）, in return for which he would get a share in the mine if one was discovered. He did this for a number of years, but no one that he aided ever found anything of value.

Finally one day in the year 1878, so the story goes, two miners came in and asked for “grub”. Tabor had decided to quit supplying it because he had lost too much money that way. These were persistent, however, and Tabor was too busy to argue with them. “Oh help yourself. One more time won’t make any difference,” He said and went on selling shoes and hats to other customers. The two miners took $17 worth of supplies, in return for which they gave Tabor a one-third interest in their findings. They picked a barren place on the mountain side and began to dig. After nine days they struck a rich vein of silver. Tabor bought the shares of the other two men, and so the mine belonged to him alone. This mine, known as the “Pittsburgh Mine,” made $1,300,000 for Tabor in return for his $17 investment.

Later Tabor bought the Matchless Mine on another barren hillside just outside the town for $117,000. This turned out to be even more fabulous than the Pittsburgh, yielding $35,000 worth of silver per day at one time. Leadville grew. Tabor became its first mayor, and later became lieutenant governor of the state.

1.Leadville got its name for the following reasons EXCEPT that

A.Tabor became its leading citizen.

B.great deposits of lead is expected to be found there.

C.it could bring good fortune to Tabor

D.it was renamed

2.The underlined word “grubstake” in Paragraph 3 means

A.to supply miners with food and supplies

B.to open a general stores

C.to do one's contribution to the development of the mine

D.to supply miners with food and supplies and in return get a share in the mine, if one was discovered

3.We can infer that Tabor’s life career is.

A.purely lucky

B.based on his managing theory of “grubstake’

C.through the help from his wife

D.because he planned well and accomplished targets step by step

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．Tabor’s Life.                        B．A legend of the Old West

C．Lead Makes Leadville’s Fortune        D．The Best Investment

Despite the burning heat, the summer holidays are drawing to a close. After a period of pleasant relaxation, spending time with friends and family, our thoughts now turn towards the new school term. This can be an exciting time, filled with new opportunities, ambitions and challenges. Such new challenges can be frightening as we face unfamiliar situations, people and places. Many of you will be facing a new term in a higher grade. This may well mean a greater workload and more exam pressure. Maybe you are starting a new school and are worried about how to make new friends. Whichever new situation you face, there is no shame in admitting you are worried or concerned. The fact that you are older and are facing more challenges does not mean that you have to deal with your problems alone. No matter how old we are, all of us need help sometimes, and admitting to weakness can be one of our greatest strengths. How else can we get the help we need to face our problems with confidence?

Also, this can be a good way to connect with new people in a similar situation. On the first day of a new term or at a new school, everyone will be nervous and uncertain. Admitting to this makes us seem much more human. After all, would you really want to be friends with someone who believes that they know everything and claims to never be afraid?

   Whatever your new situation is at the beginning of this new term, relax, and remember that every student you come across is just as nervous as you are. Share what you believe to be your weaknesses and see just how strong you really are. 

54. This passage may be_______.

A. an official report                 B. a piece of news

C. a speech to students            D. a letter to friends.

55. The underlined word “this” in paragraph 2 means _________.

A. a similar situation                    B. our greatest strengths

C. connection with new people     D. lack of confidence

56. Which of the following is true according to the writer?

A. Being confident will make you lovelier.

B. Sharing your weaknesses with others will make you strong.

C. Showing your weaknesses will cause trouble.

D. The strong know everything and are never afraid.

57. The best title for this passage may be ________.

A. Admitting To Weakness      　 B. Being Confident

C. Fearing Nothing            　    D. Being As Strong As Possible

Despite the burning heat, the summer holidays are drawing to a close. After a period of pleasant relaxation, spending time with friends and family, our thoughts now turn towards the new school term. This can be an exciting time, filled with new opportunities, ambitions and challenges. Such new challenges can be frightening as we face unfamiliar situations, people and places. Many of you will be facing a new term in a higher grade. This may well mean a greater workload and more exam pressure. Maybe you are starting a new school and are worried about how to make new friend. Whichever new situation you face, there is no shamed in admitting you are worried of concerned. The fact that you are older and are facing more challenges does not mean that you have to deal with your problems alone. No matter how old we are, all of us need help sometimes, and admitting to weakness can be one of our greatest strengths. How else can we get the help we need to face our problems with confidence?

Also, this can be a good way to connect with new people in a similar situation. On the first day of a new term or at a new school, everyone will be nervous and uncertain. Admitting to this makes us seem much more human. After all, would you really want to be friends with someone who believes that they know everything and claims to never be afraid?

Whatever you new situation is at the beginning of this new term, relax, and remember that every student you come across is just as nervous as you are. Share what you believe to be your weaknesses and see just how strong you really are.

1．This passage may be _________.

       A．an official report                     B．a piece of news

       C．a speech to students                 D．a letter to friends

2．The underlined word “this” in paragraph 2 means __________.

       A．a similar situation                       B．our greatest strengths

       C．connection with new people              D．lack of confidence

3．Which of the following is true according to the writer?

       A．Being confident will make you lovelier.

       B．Sharing your weakness with others will make you strong.

       C．Showing your weakness will cause trouble.

       D．The strong know everything and are never afraid.

4．The best title for this passage may be __________.

       A．Admitting To Weakness                 B．Being Confident

       C．Fearing Nothing                       D．Being As Strong As Possible

American is the country on the move. In unheard of numbers, people of all ages are exercising their way to better health. According to the latest figures, 59 percent of American adults exercise regularly—up 12 percent from just two years ago and more than double the figure of 25 years ago. Even non-exercisers believe they would be more attractive and confident if they were more active. It’s hard not to get the message. The advantages of physical fitness are shown on magazine covers, postage stamps, and television ads for everything from beauty soaps to travel books. Exercise as a part of daily life did not catch on until the late 1960s when research by military doctors began to show the good points of doing regular physical exercises. Growing publicity(宣传) for races held in American cities helped develop a strong interest in the ancient sport of running. Although running has leveled off in recent years as Americans have discovered equally helpful and sometimes safer-forms of exercise.                                                   

As the popularity of exercise continues to increase, so does scientific evidence (根据) of its health benefit. The key to fitness is exercising the major muscle group strongly enough to almost double the heart rate and keep it doubles for 20 to 30 minutes at a time. Doing such physical exercises three times or more a week will greatly improve physical health in about three months.

According to the essay, what was the percentage of American adults doing regular physical exercises two years ago?                                                                                

A. About 70%.  B. Nearly 60      C. Almost 50%.       D. More than 12%. 

A growing interest in sports didn’t developed until______________.                             

A. 25 years ago   B. two years ago    C. the late 1960s    D. now                              

Which of the following if the closest in meaning to underlines phrase “leveled –off”?       

A. became very popular                     B. stopped being popular                           

C. reached its lowest level in popularity        D. stopped increasing in number                     

It can be learnt from the passage that the good points of exercise___________.               

A. are to be proved     B. are to be further studied                       

C. are supported by scientific evidence  D. are self- evident                            

Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?                               

A. Different Forms of exercise  B. Exercise——The Road to Health                    

C. Scientific Evidence of Health Benefit   D. Running——A Popular Form of Sport