Just five minutes of exercise a day outdoors can improve mental health, according to a study.

   Researchers from the University of Essex, UK have found that as little as five minutes of a “green activity” such as walking, gardening, cycling or farming could help to improve mood and increase self-esteem (自信).

  Many studies have shown that outdoor exercise can reduce the risk of mental illness and improve a sense of well-being, but the new study, led by Jules Pretty and Jo Barton, was the first to determine how much time needed to be spent on green exercise for the benefits to show.

   Barton and Pretty looked at data from 1,252 people of different ages, genders (性别) and mental health status (情况) taken from 10 studies in Britain.

   They analyzed their different outdoor activities including walking, gardening, cycling, fishing, boating, horse-riding and farming in locations such as a park, garden or nature trail (路径).

   They found that the mental health changes were seen after just five minutes. With longer periods of time exercising in a green environment, the positive effects were more apparent.

   Looking at men and women of different ages, the researchers found the health changes were particularly strong in the young and the mentally ill.

   Green and blue

   A bigger effect was seen with exercise in an area that also contained water – such as a lake or river.

  “This is because historically we are drawn to water to survive and it is in our genetic (遗传的) make-up to be at one with nature,” the researchers wrote in their report.

   Pretty said those who were generally inactive, or stressed, or with mental illness would probably benefit the most from “green exercise”.

   “Employers, for example, could encourage staff in stressful workplaces to take a short walk at lunchtime in the nearest park to improve mental health.”

   He also said exercise programs outdoors could benefit youth offenders.

1.How is the study this article refers to different from other studies?

  A. It involved more people.

  B. It took longer to finish the research.

  C. It determined the exact amount of time needed.

  D. It was led by just two researchers.

2. What can we conclude from the findings of the study?

  A. Just five minutes of “green exercise” daily can help improve mental health.

  B. Gardeners and farmers do not need “green exercise”.

  C. Walking in a park with a lake will weaken the effect.

  D. “Green exercise” is not suitable for the mentally ill.

3.. According to Pretty, _______ would probably benefit the most from “green exercise”.

  A. stressed, inactive people B. office workers

  C. youth offenders            D. women and children

4. What is the main problem discussed in this article?

  A. Physical well-being.       B. Outdoor exercise.

  C. Mental illness.            D. Harmony with nature.

  If we bought only things we needed, there would be enough for everybody. What do we need? What you need depends on how old you are and your way of life. Rearrange the list of things you can buy and put the things you think we most need at the top of the list.

   Coat             Designer jeans          Water       CD player

  Dental check up   Restaurant meal     Telephone   Jewelry

  Food          Shampoo             MP3 player  Beer

  Toothpaste        Bar of chocolate        Cushion covers

     If we don’t need to buy so much, we don’t need to work so much. We can take part-time jobs or reduce our working day from eight hours to six hours. Some people are leaving very well paid jobs to live a healthier life in the countryside or a more exciting life abroad. Parents can spend more time with their children and the unemployed are given more opportunities to work.

   If we start to respect saving the earth more than spending money, we will become ‘conservers’ (保护者). When we are conservers, we try to choose environmentally friendly products that last a long time. We may find growing our own vegetables or making our own clothes more rewarding than buying them.

   Next time you go shopping, think about what you really need to buy. Don’t deprive (剥夺) yourself of things you like, but decide what you should buy before you go out, so that you won’t be influenced by advertisements or promotions. If it is more expensive to buy goods that don’t have much packaging and things that are more durable (耐用的), buy less. If you can choose to work less, decide which things you would like to make, do or grow yourself. Even though you have less money, your life will become richer.

                                                 by Julie Bray

1. From the passage, we can see the author suggests us consumers ______.

  A. find out more about a product instead of buying blindly

  B. consider what we really need before going shopping

  C. avoid regret at not buying enough

  D. find a real bargain

2.. The writer will agree with you if you buy products that are ______.

  A. beautifully packaged       B. extremely cheap

  C. usable for a long time         D. fashionable now

3. According to the passage, if we don’t need to buy so much, the benefits  

  will include ______.

  a. we will have more time enjoying life

  b. the employment rate will increase

  c. we will get better paid jobs

  d. we as consumers will have more choices of what to buy

  A. abc    B. abd       C. ab      D. ad

4.This passage is mainly written to _____.

  A. persuade people to buy less and buy environmentally friendly products

  B. put forward some questions so that you can become a smart buyer

  C. introduce some good ways to make a wiser choice when shopping

  D. criticize the consumer society in which people buy too much

短文改错(共10小题；每小题1分, 满分10分)

 Dear Tom,

    I’m very happy to hear that you are going to Beijing for the visit     ____________

during the Christmas holiday. I had read in the paper about a five-day    ____________

tour, which I think it fits you, so I’d like to recommend it to you.   ____________

You can visit many place of interest in Beijing such as the Great   Wall,  ____________

the Summer Palace and the Palace Museum. You can visit Hutong (胡同) ____________

and after that you can have a meal of deliciously Beijing Roast Duck.   ___________

There is a large shopping center in Wangfujing, there you can buy   ____________

traditional hand-made crafts (工艺品). But you can buy Chinese silk ____________

there, too. Please remember bring some warm clothes with you, for it    ____________

is very cold in winter in Beijing. I’m sure you will enjoy our ____________

stay here. I’ll be looking forward to seeing you here in Beijing soon.

                                                                   Sincerely yours

                                                                       Susan

假设你是李华，John是你的英国笔友。他对中国西南五个省发生的持续超过半年的严重旱灾非常关切，发来邮件向你询问此事。请你用英文给他发一封电子邮件，主要内容包括：

注意：  1. 词数100左右，邮件的格式已为你写好。2. 可根据内容要点适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

3. 文中不得提及考生所在学校和本人姓名。

4. 参考词汇：旱灾—drought    庄稼—crops       捐赠—donate vt.  donation n.

Hi, John!

    I’m glad to receive your e-mail. In your e-mail, ___________________________________________

_________                                                                                 

_______________________________________________________________________________________

Best wishes!

Li Hua

One way to understand thousands of new words is to have________ good knowledge of basic word formation.

     A./              B. the          C. a           D. one

If you're interested in________ me, please drop me a line and we'll be pal friends.

     A. being friend with          B. making friends with

     C. making a friend to         D. making a friend with

Those relatives were________ people. After a few days, I was getting________ and homesick.

     A. boring; boring            B. bored; bored

C. bored; boring             D. boring; bored

-Sorry for keeping you waiting.

   -Never mind. I________ here only a few minutes.

     A. came         B. come         C. was         D. have  been

As it is known to all,________ attention you pay to your spelling,________ mistakes you might make.

     A. the less; the less          B. the less; the fewer

     C. the less; the more         D. the more; the more

I just can't________ them waiting for such a long time.

     A. think        B. imagine          C. make           D. force