A few years ago, Paul Gerner began to gather a group of architects in Las Vegas to ask them what it
would take to design a public school that used 50 percent less energy, cost much less to build and obviously
improved student learning. "I think half of then fell off their chairs," Gerner says.
     Gerner manages school facilities (设施) for Clark county, Nevada, a district roughly the size of
Massachusetts. By 2018, 143, 000 additional students will enter the already crowded public-education system.
Gerner needs 73 new schools to house them. Four architecture teams have nearly finished designing primary
school prototypes (样品); They plan to construct their schools starting in 2009. The district will then assess
how well the schools perform, and three winners will copy those designs in 50 to 70 new buildings.
     Green schools are appearing all over, but in Clark County, which stands out for its vastness, such
aggressive targets are difficult because design requirements like more natural light for students go against the
realities of a desert climate. "One of the biggest challenges is getting the right site orientation (朝向)," Mark
McGinty, a director at SH Architecture, says. His firm recently completed a high school in Las Vegas. "You
have the same building, same set of windows, but if its orientation is incorrect and it faces the sun, it will be
really expensive to cool."
     Surprisingly, the man responsible for one of re most progressive green-design competitions has doubts
about ideas of eco-friendly buildings. "I don't believe in the new green religion," Gerner says. "Some of the
building technologies that you get are impractical. I'm interested in those that work." But he wouldn't mind
if some green features inspire students. He says he hopes to set up green energy systems that allow them to
learn about the process of harvesting wind and solar power." "You never know what's going to start the
interest of a child to study math and science," he says.

1. How did the architects react to Garner's design requirements?

A. They lost balance in excitement.
B. they showed strong disbelief.
C. they expressed little interest.
D. they burst into cheers.

2. Which order of steps is followed in carrying out the project?

A. Assessment－Prototype－Design－Construction.
B. Assessment－Design－Prototype－Construction.
C. Design－Assessment－Prototype－Construction.
D. Design－Prototype－Assessment－Construction.

3. What makes it difficult to build green schools in Clark County?

A. The large size.
B. Limited facilities.
C. The desert climate.
D. Poor natural resources.

4. What does Gerner think of the ideas of green schools?

A. They are questionable.
B. They are out of date.
C. They are advanced.
D. They are practical.

     What is eco-fashion? Eco-fashion is a complex phenomenon and the common use of the term covers
two aspects of fashion-'ecological' and 'ethical' (伦理的). Ecological fashion usually refers to textile (织
物) and clothing production processes and the environmental issues (议题) surrounding them; ethical
fashion generally relates to the working conditions involved in the producing processes.
     What are the problems with fashion? Firstly, the production of textiles pollutes the environment heavily.
Cotton-planting uses pesticides; sheep-farming and wool-cleaning contribute to global warming; synthetics-
making (人造纤维生产) brings about harmful waste. Secondly, every stage of clothing production has a
significant effect on the environment. They all use a great deal of energy, and some also involve harmful
chemicals. In addition to this, there is a lot of waste produced in the process, especially in the form of
polluted water. Thirdly, growing consumption levels and our shopping habits further worsen the bad effects.
We are now buying clothes in increasing quantities without realizing the scale on which it affects natural
environment, and we are also quick to throw away clothes that have been worn only a couple of times.
     Then, how to solve the problems? To a large degree, it is the fashion producers that really have the power
and the responsibility to shape our future. There are numerous ways in which these producers can reduce
their ecological footprint, from switching to green energy and reducing energy use, through selecting
sustainable (可持续使用的) materials and choosing local suppliers, to recycle and minimize waste. On the
other hand, as consumers we can all make contributions by selecting environmentally friendly clothing and
reducing clothing consumption.
     Now many people are beginning to shop for organic food products because the benefits of eating food
free of chemicals are straightforward and immediate. They relate directly to our personal health. In fact,
choosing eco-fashion can also contribute to our personal health, though it is mostly done by way of keeping
the health of the planet.

     Jim suffered heart problems. In conversation he expressed little joy and it seemed that his life was drawing
to a close.
     When his heart problems led to operation, Jim went through it successfully, and a full recovery was
expected. Within days, however, his heart was not beating properly. Jim was rushed back to operation, but
nothing was found to explain the cause of his illness. He died on the operating table on the day before his 48th
birthday.
     Dr. Bruce Smoller, a psychologist, had had many conversations with him, and the more he learned, the
stranger he realized Jim's case was. When Jim was a child, his father, a teacher, suffered a heart attack and
stayed home to recover. One morning Jim asked his father to look over his homework, promising to come
home from school at noon to pick it up. His father agreed, but when Jim returned his father had died. Jim's
father was 48.
     "I think all his life Jim believed he killed his father," Dr. Smoller says. "He felt that if he had not asked him
to look at his homework, his father would have lived. Jim had been troubled by the idea. The operation was
the trial he had expected for forty years."Smoller believes that Jim willed himself not to live to the age of 48.
     Jim's case shows the powerful role that attitude plays in physical health, and that childhood experiences
produce far-reaching effect on the health of grown-ups. Although most cases are less direct than Jim's, studies
show that childhood events, besides genes, may well cause such midlife diseases as cancer, heart disease and
mental illness.

1. Jim was sent back to operation because _____.

A. his heart didn't work well
B. he expected a full recovery
C. his life was drawing to a close
D. the first one wasn't well performed

2. What made Dr. Smoller feel strange about Jim's case?

A. Jim died at a young age.
B. Jim died on the operating table.
C. Both Jim and his father died of the same disease.
D. Jim's death is closely connected with his father's.

3. From Smoller's words, we can infer that _____.

A. Jim's father cared little about his study
B. Smoller agreed that Jim did kill his father
C. Jim thought he would be punished some day
D. Smoller believed Jim wouldn't live to the age of 48

4. Which of the following could have strong effect on one's physical health according to the text?
    a. One's genes.
    b. One's life in childhood.
    c. One's physical education.
    d. The date of one's birthday.
    e. The opinions one has about something.

A. a, b, d
B. a, b, e
C. a, c, e
D. b, c, d

5. Which of the following is true?

A. Both Jim and his father died at the age of 48.
B. Jim often asked his father to do his homework.
C. Jim was believed to kill his father.
D. Most childhood events can cause cancer, heart disease and mental illness.

     You may be surprised to learn that one of the best steps you can take to protect your health is to step outside
and spend some time in the grass, dirt and water.
     Our ancestors enjoyed the healing power of nature, and now scientists are starting to catch up. According
to research in recent years, just having a view of nature has been shown to improve hospital patients' recovery
and reduce illness rates among office workers. Also, exposure (曝露) to wildlife, horseback riding, hiking,
camping and farms can be helpful for a variety of health conditions in adults and children.
     Much of this type of research is focusing on children, and in fact an entire movement has quickly developed
to connect kids with the healing power of nature.
     Obesity (肥胖). Rates of childhood obesity have grown sharply in recent years, and this is partly because of
reduced outdoor activity time. Increasing the time students spend learning about nature, both in and outside the
classroom, would help solve this problem. Such lessons are often more attractive for students and often lead
them to become more active outside.
     Attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) (注意力缺失症). Exposure to ordinary natural settings (环
境) in the course of common after-school and weekend activities may be effective in reducing attention deficit
symptoms in children. Participation in green activities-such as nature walks-helped ADHD patients from a wide
range of backgrounds to stay focused and complete tasks.
     Stress. Access to nature, even houseplants, can help children cope with stress.
     Depression and seasonal emotional disorder. Major depression requires medical treatment, but physical
activity, especially outdoors, can help ease symptoms. For your average case of winter blues, experts suggest
spending time outside every day and, if possible, taking the family to a sunny vacation spot in mid-winter.
     Experts emphasize that you needn't go to wilderness preserves to enjoy nature's benefits-simply walking in
a city park or growing in a rooftop garden can make a difference.

1. It can be inferred from the first two paragraphs that _____.

A. ancient people were not familiar with the healing power of nature
B. modern people are not familiar with the healing power of nature
C. the healing power of nature works better on children
D. the healing power of nature works better on office workers

2. According to Para 4, lessons about nature _____.

A. should engage parents in them
B. should take place outdoors
C. are used widely at schools
D. are liked by students

3. Exposure to green areas in neighborhoods can _____.

A. improve children's skills at learning
B. help reduce ADHD symptoms
C. treat major depression
D. cure winter blues

4. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A. You can only enjoy nature's benefits in the wilderness.
B. A common natural setting is beneficial to your health.
C. A city park and a rooftop garden have different benefits.
D. Too many people in the wilderness will reduce the benefits of nature.

     Traditional surgical procedures require surgeons to make large incisions (伤口) in a patient's body in order
to gain access to the organs inside. It was once common for heart surgeons, who perform highly specialized
and complex procedures, to make long incisions in a patient's chest and then split the breastbone to reach the
heart. Patients who undergo surgery are often at the risk of infection (感染), as bacteria can infect the cut in
the skin. In addition, there is often a lengthy recovery period.
     A surgical technique known as "keyhole surgery" has become more common in recent years. In general,
the surgeon will make a couple of small incisions around the area where the operation I'm going to be
performed. Tubes are pushed into the holes, and a tiny camera is put into the body. The camera is attached to
a large monitor screen and the doctor can see it while performing the operation. In addition to the camera,
doctors also push their tiny surgical instruments through the tubes. The awkward part of keyhole surgery is
that it is counterintuitive; that is to say, if a surgeon wants to move the tool to the left, he or she must push it
to the right.
     Another new machine called the "da Vinci Surgical System" has been tested in hospitals in the US-Unlike
keyhole surgery, this robot's moving parts are designed to copy man's hand and wrist movement, thus
providing better control and sensitivity. Sitting at a console (控制台) a few feet from the patient, the surgeon
can control the instruments by moving highly sensitive pads. The area of the body is enlarged on a screen,
which gives surgeons a view similar to that of a traditional surgical procedure.
     The da Vinci Surgical System has been welcomed as revolutionary by many surgeons. Patients with serious
illnesses must still undergo major surgery, but the smaller incisions typically mean a shorter recovery time. On
the downside, some operations have taken up to fifty minutes longer because surgeons are inexperienced at
using the new technology. As surgeons become more familiar with the machines, the time needed for surgical
procedures is likely to decrease.

1. What can be learned about the traditional surgery according to the passage?

A. Long incisions are made in a patient's chest.
B. It often takes a longer time to do an operation.
C. The cost of the traditional surgery is very high.
D. The incision is likely to be infected after the operation.

2. Which of the following is one disadvantage of keyhole surgery?

A. It requires the use of long thin tools and a tiny camera.
B. The doctor cannot view the inside of the patient's body clearly.
C. The direction in which a doctor moves the surgical tools is opposite.
D. A tiny camera has to be inserted into the patient's body in advance.

3. The da Vinci Surgical System differs from keyhole surgery in that it _____.

A. requires that a surgeon make more small incisions on a patient
B. reduces the amount of time it takes to perform a surgical procedure
C. allows the surgeon to use the surgical instruments more sensitively
D. gets rid of the need for surgeons to make large incisions on patients

4. The passage mainly tells readers about _____.

A. the challenges brought about by new technology
B. the application of new technologies in modem surgery
C. the reflections on the development in medical science
D. the benefits and drawbacks of the da Vinci Surgical System

     You know the drill when it comes to losing weight-take in fewer calories, burn more calories. But you
also know that most diets and quick weight-loss plans have about as much substance as a politician's campaign
pledges. You're better off finding several simple things you can do on a daily basis-along with following the
cardinal rules of eating more vegetables and less fat and getting more physical activity. Together, they should
send the scale numbers in the right direction: down.
     1. Treat high-calorie foods as jewels in the crown. Make a spoonful of ice cream the jewel and a bowl
of fruit the crown. Balance a little cheese with a lot of salad.
     2. Eat five or six small meals or snacks a day instead of three large meals. A 1999 South African
study found that when men ate parts of their morning meal at intervals over five hours, they consumed almost
30 percent fewer calories at lunch than when they ate a single breakfast. Other studies show that even if you
eat the same number of calories distributed this way, your body releases less insulin, which keeps blood sugar
steady and helps control hunger.
     3. Walk for 45 minutes a day. The reason we're suggesting 45 minutes instead of the typical 30 is that a
Duke University study found that while 30 minutes of daily walking is enough to prevent weight gain in most
relatively sedentary (久坐的) people, exercise beyond 30 minutes results in weight and fat loss. Burning an
additional 300 calories a day with three miles of brisk walking (45 minutes should do it) could help you lose 30
pounds in a year without even changing how much you're eating.
     4. Bring the color blue into your life more often. There's a good reason you won't see many fast-food
restaurants decorated in blue; Believe it or not, the color blue functions as an appetite suppressant. So serve up
dinner on blue plates, dress in blue while you eat, and cover your table with a blue tablecloth. Conversely, avoid
red, yellow, and orange in your dining areas. Studies find they encourage eating.
     5. Clean your closet of the "fat" clothes. Once you've reached your target weight, throw out or give
away every piece of clothing that doesn't fit. The idea of having to buy a whole new wardrobe if you gain the
weight back will serve as a strong incentive to maintain your new figure.

1. The passage aims to _____.

A. advertise weight-loss products
B. give advice on losing weight
C. persuade you to go on a diet
D. talk you into giving away clothing that doesn't fit

2. According to the passage, which of the following is true?

A. ice cream can be made into the jewel.
B. the color blue encourages eating.
C. many fast-food restaurants are decorated in blue.
D. Eating five or six small meals helps reduce weight.

3. We can infer from the passage that _____.

A. cheese is high in calories
B. a big meal helps control hunger
C. a 45-minute walk a day discourages your appetite for food
D. buying new clothes can reduce weight

4. The author agrees _____.

A. quick weight-loss plans work well
B. people should cat more fruit to lose weight
C. going on a diet is they only way to lose weight
D. restaurants should serve food with blue plates