Complete the following passage by using the words in the box.Each word can only be used once.Note that there is one word more than you need.

A.promote       B.challenging    C.generally    D.rewarding    E. politely

F. immigrants     G. competitive    H. traditional   I. authority      J. disagree

Most people agree that the direct, assertive(过分自信的)American personality is a virtue, but it sometimes surprises foreigners.In many cultures, respect for older people or those in positions of   1   keeps others from expressing their true feelings.But in the US, children often argue with their parents, students may   2   with their teachers, and citizens may express opposition to the actions of the government.If the meat is too tough to chew, the diner can complain to the waiter; if the boss makes a mistake, an employee will   3   point it out.

Some straight talk about the American character must include the admission that Americans have their faults.The extremely   4   nature of Americans is probably their worst fault.Of course, competition isn’t always bad.As a matter of fact, it can   5   excellence by encouraging individuals and businesses to try to do their best. But the desire to get ahead of others sometimes causes people to do things that are unkind and even dishonest.Also, Americans admire what is practical, fast, efficient, and fresh.Sometimes they fail to understand and appreciate practices that have greater respect for more   6   , leisurely ways of doing things.On the other hand, people from other cultures may dislike the practical,   7   American lifestyles.

Despite culture differences, most foreigners give Americans credit for their virtues.Americans are   8   viewed as friendly, adaptable, energetic, and kindhearted.Most newcomers to the US like Americans, and the feeling is usually mutual(共有的).Perhaps the greatest American virtue is a deep interest in new ideas and new people. In a nation of   9  , the foreigner does not remain an outsider for long.

When discussing the causes of animal endangerment, it is important to understand that individual species are not the only factors involved in this difficult situation.Endangerment is a broad 1 , one that involves the habitats(栖息地)and environments where species live and interact with one another.Although some measures are being taken to help specific cases of endangerment, the universal problem cannot be solved until humans the natural environments where endangered species live.There are many reasons why a particular species may become endangered, but habitat destruction is on top.

Our planet is continually changing, causing habitats to be altered and modified.Natural changes tend to occur at a   3   pace, usually causing only a slight  4   on individual species.However, when changes occur at a fast pace, there is little or no time for individual species to   5   and adjust to new circumstances.This can create disastrous results, and for this reason, rapid habitat loss is the primary cause of species endangerment. The strongest   6   in rapid habitat loss are human beings. Nearly every region of the earth has been affected by human activity, particularly during this past century.The loss of microbes(微生物)in soils that   7    supported tropical forests, the   8   of fish and various aquatic species in polluted habitats, and changes in global climate brought about by the   9   of greenhouse gases are all results of human activity.

It can be difficult for an individual to   10   the effects that humans have had on specific species.It is hard to identify or predict human effects on individual species and habitats, especially during a human lifetime.But it is quite   11   that human activity has greatly   12   to species endangerment.   13  , although tropical forests may look as though they are thick and healthy, they are   14   highly susceptible(易受影响的)to destruction.This is because the soils in which they grow   15   nutrients. It may take centuries to re-grow a forest that was cut down by humans or destroyed by fire, and many of the world’s severely threatened animals and plants live in these forests. If the current rate of forest loss continues, huge quantities of plant and animal species will disappear.

1.A.theme                   B.project               C.issue                   D.experiment

2.A.worsen                 B.protect                C.construct            D.ignore

3.A.gradual                 B.single                 C.stable                  D.rapid

4.A.anxiety                 B.improvement        C.impact             D.burden 

5.A.survive                 B.react                   C.reflect                 D.live

6.A.ruins                     B.objections            C.limitations            D.forces

7.A.formerly               B.formally              C.freely                  D.usually

8.A.appreciation           B.destruction          C.extinction            D.existence

9.A.escape                  B.leak                     C.release                D.relief

10.A.cause                  B.remind                C.remember            D.recognize

11.A.reasonable           B.apparent              C.possible              D.natural

12.A.devoted               B.donated               C.contributed          D.adapted

13.A.In short               B.By contrast          C.As a result           D.For example

14.A.naturally              B.actually               C.fully                    D.completely

15.A.lack                    B.contain                C.reduce                D.limit

John Blanchard was studying the crowd making their way through the station.He was looking for the girl whose heart he knew, but whose face he didn't, the girl with the rose.

When reading a book in a Florida library a year before, John became interested not in the contents of the book, but in the notes penciled in the margin.The handwriting reflected a thoughtful soul and beautiful mind.He discovered the former owner's name in the front of the book: Miss Hollis Maynell.

He located her address and wrote a letter introducing himself.The next day he was shipped overseas to serve in the army.During the next year, they grew to know each other through the mail and their friendship developed.John requested a photograph, but she refused, saying if he really cared, it wouldn't matter what she looked like.When the day finally came for him to return home, their first meeting was suggested — 7:00 p.m. at the Grand Central Station in New York.

She wrote, “You’ll recognize me by the red rose I wear on my coat.” So now John was in the station to meet the girl with a rose.                                        

As a pretty and slim girl in green came over, John noticed her blue eyes like flowers in spring.He walked directly towards her, entirely forgetting she was not wearing a rose.As John came closer to her, he saw another woman with a red rose stood nearby.Well past 40, this woman had graying hair done under a worn hat.Seeing the girl in green walk quickly away, John felt as if he were split in two.He desired to follow that girl, but longed for the woman whose spirit had truly companioned and supported him.

The woman looked gentle and sensible.John went to her, saying, “I’m Captain John Blanchard.You must be Miss Maynell.I am glad to meet you here.May I take you to dinner?”

She replied with a smile, “I don’t know what this is about.But the lady in green who just went by, begged me to wear this rose on my coat.She said if you asked me out to dinner, I’d tell you she is waiting for you in the big restaurant across the street.She said it was some kind of test!”

1.John was eager to know the former owner of the book because he______.

       A.was very interested in the contents of the book

       B.was impressed by the notes written by its owner

       C.wanted to improve his handwriting

       D.wanted to discuss the book with her

2.What happened to John after getting in touch with Miss Hollis Maynell?

     A.He served in the army abroad.              B.He went overseas for vacation.

     C.He went on a business trip in New York. D.He visited Miss Maynell.

3.What do we know about the woman with a rose?

     A.She was Miss Maynell’s close friend.       B.She was a waitress in the big restaurant.

     C.She was probably a passerby.                D.She was paid to meet John at the Station.

4.Which would be the best title of the text?

       A.An Interesting Book                            B.A Woman With a Rose

       C.A Brave Soldier                                D.A Love Test

As we have seen, the focus of medical care in our society has been shifting from curing disease to preventing disease — especially in terms of changing our many unhealthy behaviors, such as poor eating habits, smoking, and failure to exercise.The line of thought involved in this shift can be pursued further.Imagine a person who is about the right weight, but does not eat very nutritious foods, who feels OK but exercises only occasionally, who goes to work every day, but is not an outstanding worker, who drinks a few beers at home most nights but does not drive while drunk, and who has no chest pains or abnormal blood counts, but sleeps a lot and often feels tired.This person is not ill.He may not even be at risk for any particular disease. But we can imagine that this person could be a lot healthier.

The field of medicine has not traditionally distinguished between someone who is merely “not ill” and someone who is in excellent health and pays attention to the body’s special needs.Both types have simply been called “well.” In recent years, however, some health specialists have begun to apply the terms “well” and “wellness” only to those who are actively striving to maintain and improve their health.People who are well are concerned with nutrition and exercise, and they make a point of monitoring their body’s condition.Most important, perhaps, people who are well take active responsibility for all matters related to their health. Even people who have a physical disease or handicap(缺陷)may be “well,” in this new sense, if they make an effort to maintain the best possible health they can in the face of their physical limitations.“Wellness” may perhaps best be viewed not as a state that people can achieve, but as an ideal that people can strive for. People who are well are likely to be better able to resist disease and to fight disease when it strikes.And by focusing attention on healthy ways of living, the concept of wellness can have a beneficial impact on the ways in which people face the challenges of daily life.

1.From the first paragraph, we know that ________.

       A.good health is more than not being ill    

       B.drinking could be harmful

       C.regular health checks are essential to keeping fit

       D.prevention is more difficult than curing

2.Traditionally, a person is considered “well” if he ________.

       A.does not have any unhealthy living habits  B.does not have any physical handicaps

       C.is able to handle his daily routines               D.is free from any kind of disease

3.According to the author, the true meaning of “wellness” is ________.

     A.the state of being in good physical health

       B.the effort to maintain best possible health

       C.the ability to resist diseases

       D.the state of being in good physical and mental health

Cars consume half the oil in the U.S., and cause about half the urban pollution and one fourth the greenhouse gases around the world.They consume a similar percentage of resources in other industrial nations and in the cities of the developing world.As vehicle use continues to increase in the coming decade, the U.S. and other countries will have to deal with these issues or else face unacceptable economic, health-related and political costs.It is unlikely that oil prices will remain at their current low level or that other nations will accept a large and growing U.S.contribution to global climatic change.

Policymakers and industry have four options: reduce vehicle use, increase the efficiency and reduce the emissions(排放)of gasoline-powered vehicles, switch to less harmful fuels, or find less polluting driving systems.The last of these --- in particular the introduction of vehicles powered by electricity is the only practical option.

The other alternatives are attractive in theory but in practice are either impractical or offer only insignificant improvements.For example, reduced vehicle use could solve traffic problems and a host of social and environmental problems, but evidence from around the world suggests that it is very difficult to make people give up their cars to any significant extent.In the U.S., public transportation and carpooling(合伙用车)have declined since World War II.Even in western Europe, with fuel prices averaging more than $1 a liter(about $4 a gallon)and with easily accessible public transportation and dense(稠密的)populations, cars still make up 80 percent of all passenger travel.

Improved energy efficiency is also appealing, but automotive fuel economy has barely made any progress in 10 years.Alternative fuels such as natural gas, burned in internal-combustion engines(内燃机), could be introduced at relatively low cost, but they would lead to only marginal reductions in pollution and greenhouse emissions (especially because oil companies are already spending billions of dollars every year to develop less polluting types of gasoline).

1.From the passage we know that the increased use of cars will________.

       A.consume half of the oil produced in the world

       B.have serious consequences for the well-being of all nations

       C.widen the gap between the developed and developing countries

       D.put a huge economic burden on residents of large cities

2.The U.S. has to deal with the problems arising from vehicle use because ________.

       A.most Americans are not willing to switch to public transportation systems

       B.the present level of oil prices is considered unacceptable

       C.other countries will protest its increasing greenhouse emissions

       D.it should take a lead in preserving natural resources

3.The use of natural gas can not reduce the pollution effectively as________.

       A.oil companies are producing less polluting types of gasoline

       B.the price of natural gas is not acceptable

       C.oil companies has made no progress in developing natural gas

       D.it can not be burned in all kinds of car engines

4.Which of the following is the best solution to the problems mentioned in the passage?

       A.The use of highly efficient car engines.B.A reduction of vehicle use in cities.

       C.The development of electric cars.       D.The use of less polluting fuels.

Read the following passage and choose the most suitable heading from A-F for each paragraph.There is one extra heading which you do not need.

A.Value of rare skills

B.Dangerous jobs paid more

C.Social demand decides reward

D.Developing skills

E. Women’s skills rewarded

F. Reason for taking low-paying jobs

The rewards of a skill that is in strictly limited supply depend upon the demand for that skill.Men’s professional basketball is extremely popular, and the top NBA players make millions of dollars per year.There are some great women basketball players, too, but because women’s professional basketball has not become popular, these women’s skills go comparatively unrewarded.

Some people with very rare skills can make enormous salaries in a free market economy.Paula Abdel has a voice that millions of people are willing to pay to hear in person, and on tapes, CDs, records, and videos.Before Pablo Picasso died, he could sell small sketches for vast sums of money.Were they worth it? They were worth exactly what the highest bidder (出价人) was willing to pay.

Not all skills are inborn, however. Some people have invested in training and schooling to improve their knowledge and skills. When we go to school, we are investing in human capital that we expect to yield dividends, partly in the form of higher wages, later on. Human capital is also produced through on-the-job training.

Some jobs are more desirable than others.Entry-level positions in attractive industries such as publishing and television tend to be low-paying.Since talented people are willing to take entry-level jobs in these industries at salaries below what they could earn in other occupations, there must be other, non-wage rewards. It may be that the job itself is more personally rewarding, or that a low-paying apprenticeship is the only way to acquire the human capital necessary to advance.

On the other hand, compensating differentials are required when an occupation is very dangerous.Workers on skyscrapers and bridges command additional wages. Fire fighters in cities that have many old, run-down buildings are usually paid more than those in relatively tranquil rural or suburban areas.

Read the passage carefully.Then answer the questions or complete the statements in not more than 15 words for each question.?

① “Hello” is one of the first words we learn as babies, yet it’s one of the last ones we think to use as adults.That’s unfortunate, because saying hello is more than just saying hello.It is recognition of another’s worth.How might the world change — how might we change — if we mastered this word? To find out, I spent one month saying hello to every person I met. Here’s what I’ve learned.

② It can boost(促进)productivity.In one of the few studies ever done on this subject, Allan Allday, an assistant professor of special education at Oklahoma State University, had middle school teachers greet their students individually each morning.This exchange of greetings raised the kids’ productivity.School went from impersonal to personal, and that resulted in more class participation (参与)and better grades.

③ Environments influence friendliness.One study found that people in the city were more likely to kiss one’s hands with a stranger than those in the countryside.And, researchers say, pleasant environments generally encourage more smiles and hellos than unpleasant one.My experience was similar.Whatever the reason, my urban hellos were answered far less often than my rural ones.Similarly, people in vacation spots, like the Jersey Shore, were far friendlier than those hurrying to work downtown.

④ It’s a form of universal health insurance.It’s impossible to say hello without smiling.And smiling has been shown to lower blood pressure, relieve stress and boost happiness.Apparently, a smile creates a similar effect in the recipient (接受者).

⑤ So maybe we can make the world a better place by saying hello to each other.After a month of doing it, I feel lighter and more connected and I have a better sense of well-being.

1.In the first paragraph, what does the author mean by saying “it’s one of the last ones we think to use as adults”?

2.The research shows that if the school teachers greet their students each morning individually, the students______________________.

3.Three effects of smiling on health are: (1) ___________ (2) _____________ (3) _____________

4.What is the main idea of the passage? 

_________________________________________________________________

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