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 down 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．
Tht truth is to be found elsewhere．A study in 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 laces need encouraging for his reason, on matter how small their contribution．
We tend to think human beings are doing nature some kind of favour 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-humoured．
阅读下列短文
, 从每题所给的选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
Researchers Look Behind the Tears to Study Crying
Many people found themselves unusually moved by the historic presidential inauguration(就职演说)last week in Washington．Watching the huge crowds, we saw laughter, cheers, hugs-but also many tears．
It made us wonder why do people cry? Surely tears must be good for us－away to calm the mind and cleanse the body．Yet studies show that crying sometimes makes people feel worse．
Three researchers in Florida and the Netherlands recently looked more deeply into the subject．They examined detailed descritions of crying experiences．Psychologist Jonathan Rottenberg at the University of South Florida says they wanted to study crying as it happens in everyday life, not in a laboratory．
The team analyzed information from the International Study on Adult Crying．As part of that study, three thousand peole in different countries, mostly college students, wrote about recent crying experiences．They noted causes, surroundings and any people involved in the event．They also reported how they felt after they cried．
Professor Roaenberg says the research showed that all crying experiences are not created equal．Crying does not always make a person feel better, he says．About ten percent of people reported feeling worse after they cried．
But a third felt better after crying．And a majority reported the experience as helpful．
The research showed that people who cry alone may not do as well as those with others around．People who reached out for emotional support at the time-and received it-reported better results from the crying experience．
But Professor Rottenberg says those who felt shame or embarrassment while crying were less likely to report that crying had been helpful．
Research has shown that women cry more often and more intensely than men．But it may not have better effect, says the psychologist．The new findings, he says, did not show that a person's sex was an advantage of beneficial crying．In other words, just because women cry more does not mean they are more likely to have a “good” cry．
The paper entitled “Is Crying Beneficial? ” appeared in December in Current Directions in Psychological Science and there is more to learn．Jonathan Rottenberg says the science of crying is still in its infancy．
(1)
Why did the author mention the presidential inauguration in Washington in the first paragraph?
[ ]
A．
Because he was impressed by the laughter, cheers, hugs and tears．
B．
Because he wanted to introduce the topic about crying．
C．
Because he wanted to show people's dissatisfaction with the result．
D．
Because it was the historic moment that many people cried
(2)
How did the researchers carry out the research?
[ ]
A．
They studied crying experiences not only in everyday life but also in labs．
B．
They collected the crying experiences of the students at the colleges．
C．
They studied the crying experiences of grown-ups from various countries．
D．
They noted their own crying experiences and compared with others．
(3)
We can learn from the passage that ________．
[ ]
A．
it may be better to cry alone than with others around
B．
some support from others may make crying helpful
C．
women who cry more often may have better effects than men
D．
the effects will be better if you feel shy while crying
(4)
The underlined phrase in the last paragraph probably means ________．
[ ]
A．
in the early stage
B．
in a secret state
C．
in the first place
D．
in good condition
阅读下列短文
, 从每题所给的选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
A year ago August, Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan．His wife, Gerrie, was still working in the local school cafeteria, but work for Dave was scarce, and the price of everything was rising．The Fusses were at risk of joining the millions of Americans who have lost their homes in recent years．Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely gift-＄ 7, 000, a legacy(遗产)from their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch, who died in an accident．“It really made a difference when we were going under financially．” says Dave．
But the Fusses weren't the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to receive unexpected legacy from the Hatches．Dozens of other families were touched by the Hatches’ generosity．In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars; in others, it was more than ＄100, 000．
It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than ＄3 million-they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm．
Children of the Great Depression, Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of saving．They thrived on(喜欢)comparison shopping and would routinely go from store to store, checking prices before making a new purchase．
Through the years, the Hatches aid for local children to attend summer cam when their parents couldn't afford it．“Ish and Arlene never asked of you needed anything．”says their friend Sandy Van Weelden, “They could see things they could do to make you hapier, and they would do them．”
Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches had their farmland distributed．It was the Hatches’ wish that their legacy-a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents-should enrich the whole community and last for generations to come．
Neighbors helping neighbors-that was Ish and Arlene Hatch’ s story．
(1)
According to the text, the Fusses ________．
[ ]
A．
were employed by a truck company
B．
were in financial difficulty
C．
worked in a school cafeteria
D．
lost their home
(2)
Which of the following is true of the Hatches?
[ ]
A．
They had their children during the Great Depression．
B．
They left the family farm to live in an old house．
C．
They gave away their possessions to their neighbors．
D．
They helped their neighbors to find jobs．
(3)
Why would the Hatches routinely go from store to store?
[ ]
A．
They decided to open a store．
B．
They wanted to save money．
C．
They couldn't afford expensive things．
D．
They wanted to buy gifts for local kids．
(4)
According to Sandy Van Weelden, the Hatches were ________．
[ ]
A．
understanding
B．
optimistic
C．
childlike
D．
curious
(5)
What can we learn from the text?
[ ]
A．
The community of Alto was poor．
B．
The summer camp was attractive to the parents．
C．
Sandy Van Weelden got a legacy from the Hatches．
D．
The Hatches would like the neighbors to follow their example．
阅读下列短文
, 从每题所给的选项(A、B、C和D)中，选出最佳选项。
The evidence for harmony may not be obvious in some families．But it seems that four out of five young people now get on well with their parents, which is the opposite of the popularly-held image of unhappy teenagers locked in their room after endless family quarrels．
An imortant new study into teenage attitudes surprisingly shows that their family life is more harmonious than it has ever been in the past．"We were sir[rosed bu just how positive today's young people seem to be about their families, "said one member of the research team．"They're exected to be rebellious(叛逆的)and selfish but actually they have other things on their minds; they want a car and material goods, and they worry about whether school is serving them well．There's more negotiation(商议)and discussion between parents and children, and children expect to take part in the family decision-making process．They don't want to rock the boat．"
So it seems that this generation of parents is much more likely than parents of 30 years ago to treat their children as friends．“My parents are happy to discuss things with me and willing to listen to me, ” says 17-year-old Daniel Lazall, “I always tell them when I'm going out clubbing．As long as they know what I'm doing, they’re fine with it．” Susan Crome, who is now 21, agrees．“Looking back on the last 10 years, there was a lot of what you could call negotiation．For example, as long as I'd done all my homework, I could go out on a Saturday night．But I think my grandparents were a lot stricter with my parents than that．”
Maybe this positive view of family life should not be unexpected．It is possible that the idea of teenage rebellion is not rooted in real facts．A researcher comments, “Our surprise that teenagers say they get along well with their parents comes because of a brief period in our social history when teenagers were regarded as different beings．But that idea of rebelling and breaking away from their parents really only happened during that one time in the 1960s when everyone rebelled．The normal situation throughout history has been a smooth change from helping out with the family business to taking it over．”
(1)
What is the popular image of teenagers today?
[ ]
A．
They worry about school．
B．
They dislike living with their parents．
C．
They have to be locked in to avoid troubles．
D．
They quarrel a lot with other family members．
(2)
The study shows that teenagers don't want to ________．
[ ]
A．
share family responsibility
B．
cause trouble in their families
C．
go boating with their family
D．
make family decisions
(3)
Compared with parents of 30 years ago, today's parents ________．
[ ]
A．
go to clubs more often with their children
B．
are much stricter with their children
C．
care less about their children's life
D．
give their children more freedom
(4)
According to the author, teenage rebellion ________．
[ ]
A．
may be a false belief
B．
is common nowadays
C．
existed only in the 1960s
D．
resulted from changes in families
(5)
What is the passage mainly about?
[ ]
A．
Negotiation in family．
B．
Education in family．
C．
Harmony in family．
D．
Teenage trouble in family．
阅读理解
Last July, my parents and I went to visit my aunt and uncle in Seattle, a city on the northwest American coast．Dad did some research and had no difficulty in finding us cheap tickets online．
On the day of our flight, we had to wake up very early．When we checked our bags in, we found that one bag weighed too much, so we had to pay a fine．After that, Dad insisted that we go and have some breakfast at the airport restaurant．We had a lot of fun watching many different people there．Then we realized it was getting late, so we rushed to the gate．It took one hour for everyone to get on the plane, but finally the door was shut and we were on our way!
I think my favorite experience during our trip was our visit to Mount Rainier, a volcano near Seattle．It was nothing like I had expected．Before we left, my aunt lent us hats to protect us from getting sunburned, so I supposed that it would be very hot．Imagine my surprise when we drove up the mountain and I discovered the top was covered in snow and ice!
My uncle led us to a small path beyond the main trails to increase our chances of seeing wildlife．We walked over a small hill, and suddenly before us there appeared a field of snow．Small wild flowers grew up through the snow; underneath the snow we could hear rushing water－a small stream．Little animals stood still to avoid being noticed; tiny birds rose into the air．It was the most beautiful sight that I'd ever seen．
(1)
What ticket did the father buy for the family?
[ ]
A．
Bus．
B．
Ship．
C．
Train．
D．
Airplane．
(2)
Why did they pay a fine?
[ ]
A．
Because they got up late．
B．
Because they didn't wait in line．
C．
Because they came to the airport late．
D．
Because their bag was overweight．
(3)
What was the writer's most impressive experience?
[ ]
A．
The flight to Seattle．
B．
The breakfast in the airport．
C．
The visit to Mount Rainier．
D．
The discovery of a small stream．
(4)
Why did they choose a small path instead of the main trails?
[ ]
A．
To enjoy more of the wildlife．
B．
To take a shortcut to save time．
C．
To avoid the snowy road．
D．
To avoid being attacked by animals．
(5)
Which of the following is NOT true according to the article?
[ ]
A．
Seattle is on the northwest coast of America．
B．
They bought their tickets in a booking office．
C．
They waited for a long time before getting on the plane．
D．
The hats were to help protect them from getting sunburned．
阅读理解
The earthquake affected the students of the destroyed areas in many ways：losing parents, being scared and feeling lonely．How can we help them? Teens reporter talked with Lin Dan, the program director of the Sunshine in Your Heart Project at the Red Cross Society of China．
How will the earthquake affect the teenagers mentally?
They'll have feelings of fear, anger and feel they are not safe．They will find it hard to focus．They will tend to cry and shout and tremble．And they might be afraid to be alone．
What will happen if they are not helped?
The teenagers will find it hard to live in a balanced way．If things get worse they might not be able to focus on their studies．They might give up on life．
How can we help them overcome these problems?
The first thing is to build up trust with them．Show your sympathy and sadness, and be their friend．Then you have to give them a sense of safety．Tell them that there's a solution to every problem．Thirdly, try to satisfy their psychological needs．Be a good listener if he or she needs to talk．
Some of us were not directly affected by the quake but have seen images on TV and feel scared．What should we do?
Talk with an adult and/or share your feelings with someone who might feel similar．If this doesn't help, then you should see a doctor for professional help．
(1)
What's the best title of the passage?
[ ]
A．
The scare caused by the earthquake
B．
Dealing with the pain left behind after the earthquake
C．
How to get a sense of safety
D．
The psychological needs
(2)
The earthquake will affect the teenagers mentally．Which of the following statements is not included?
[ ]
A．
They'll tend to cry and shout and tremble．
B．
They may be afraid to be alone．
C．
They'll feel unsafe．
D．
They'll feel sympathetic．
(3)
The underlined word “psychological” in Paragraph 7 is closest in meaning to “________”．
[ ]
A．
mental
B．
physical
C．
material
D．
professional
(4)
From the passage, we can infer that ________．
[ ]
A．
the scare caused by the earthquake can be relieved quickly
B．
seeing a doctor is the most important measure to deal with the problems
C．
the images on TV can also affect people and even cause problems
D．
to help them overcome these problems, we should always talk with them
(5)
To help them overcome the problems, we should not ________．
[ ]
A．
build up trust with them
B．
give them a sense of safety
C．
solve every problem they have for them
D．
be a good listener if they need to talk
阅读理解
In the USA, many high schools and some colleges and universities have a special celebration(庆典)once a year called Homecoming．Former students and teachers come back to the school to enjoy the memories of their time there and the many Homecoming activities．Homecoming might last for only one day or for several days, even one week．
High schools usually choose one boy and one girl from the senior class to be the “Homecoming King” and “Homecoming Queen”．The students usually choose a boy and a girl who have done a lot for the school．
Most schools have a Homecoming parade(游行)．The school band will often lead the way, followed by many different cars and trucks．
Most schools also have a football game for Homecoming－and, of course, tailgate parties．A tailgate party is a group of people drinking and eating around the back, or tailgate, of someone's pick-up truck．
There are many other activities that might be a part of the Homecoming celebration．There might be a school-wide picnic one day; another day, there may be plays, concerts, competitions or games, all depending on a school's traditions．
Homecoming celebrations nearly always end with a dance and/or a great dinner．The school is decorated beautifully, and a band is paid to come and play．Students dress up：guys in suits and girls in beautiful dresses．
(1)
Homecoming in the USA ________．
[ ]
A．
is held only in high schools
B．
is held to celebrate the birth of schools
C．
might be prepared for students only
D．
might last from one day to one week
(2)
“
King and Queen of Homecoming” are chosen according to ________．
[ ]
A．
their contributions(贡献)to the school
B．
their healthy bodies
C．
their excellent grades in study
D．
their good-looking faces
(3)
All the activities might be found at the Homecoming except ________．
[ ]
A．
a parade
B．
a football game
C．
a picnic
D．
an exam
(4)
The “tailgate” is most probably ________ a truck or a car．
[ ]
A．
in front of
B．
in the middle of
C．
at the back of
D．
on the top of
(5)
Homecoming celebrations usually end with ________．
[ ]
A．
a play or concert
B．
a dance or a dinner
C．
a picnic or a dance
D．
a competition or a game
阅读理解
What Is Natural Medicine
Natural Medicine is to use the natural environment, the nature of the material itself to cure diseases and restore the health．It involves bettering one's breathing way，sunbathing，improving one's diets and so on，which play an important part in our healthcare．
Start a Rewarding Career Today
The Australian Institute of Applied Sciences College of Natural Medicine provides you with Nationally Recognized natural medicine courses that can be studied in the comfort of your own home, or at our Brisbane campus in the heart of Stones Corner．AIAS College of Natural Medicine has been providing accredited(官方认可的)natural health courses for more than 20 years, and offers accredited certificate，diploma and advanced diploma level natural medicine beauty and massage(按摩)courses．
Why Study at the Australian Institute of Applied Sciences
With over 36 years of specialized training and 120 courses，our Natural Medicine College is Australia's longest running and most sought after training provider for Natural Medicine Education．0ur state of the art facilities，highly experienced instructors and friendly support staff make US the first choice for distance education and on- campus study．
Studying at Home
All of our courses are available to study at home．We provide all the material and support you will need to successfully complete your course．
Benefits of Studying at Home
●
Work at your own pace．
●
No need to travel or relocate closer to a campus．
●
No interruption to your existing commitments．
●
You are still in full contact with the college via telephone, email and post，so you won't be out of touch with the latest training techniques．
(1)
You can learn how to ________ at the Australian Institute of Applied Sciences College of Natural Medicine．
[ ]
A．
apply science to our life
B．
operate on various patients
C．
adjust one's diet or breath
D．
look after mentally-ill people
(2)
One of the reasons for your choice of going to the college is that ________．
[ ]
A．
it is the oldest college of this type in Australia
B．
it offers more courses than any other college
C．
you may find the best art facilities there
D．
you will get accredited certificate or diploma
(3)
If you take the courses at home, you are more likely to ________
[ ]
A．
focus on your own interests
B．
adjust your study schedules
C．
get any help from instructors
D．
keep up with new techniques．
阅读理解
Recently, a professor of philosophy in the United States has written a book called Money and the Meaning of Life．He has discovered that how we deal with money in our day-to-day life has more meaning than we usually think．One of the exercises he asked his students to do is to keep record of every penny they spend for a week．From the way they spend their money, they can see what they really value in life．
He says our relation with others often becomes clearly defined when money enters the picture．You might have wonderful friendship with somebody and you think that you are a very good friend．But you will know him only when you ask him to lend you some money．If he does, it brings something to the relationship that seems stronger than ever before．Or it can suddenly weaken the relationship if he doesn't．This person may say that he has a certain feeling, but if it is not carried out in the money world, there is something less real about it．
Since money is so important to us, we consider those who possess a lot of it to be very important．The author interviewed some millionaires in researching his book．
Question：What is the most surprising thing you have discovered about being rich because you are a self-made man?
Answer：The most surprising thing is how people give me so much respect．I am nothing．I do not know much．All I am is rich．
People just have an idea of making more and more money, but what is it for? How much do I need for any given purposes in my life? In his book, the professor uncovered an important need in modern society：to bring back the idea that money is an instrument rather than the end．Money plays an important role in the material world, but expecting money to bring happiness may be missing the meaning of life．
(1)
The author seems to believe that asking your friend to lend you some money ________．
[ ]
A．
is a good way to test your friendship
B．
will do harm to your friendship
C．
will strengthen your friendship
D．
is a good way to break off your friendship
(2)
What can we learn about the millionaire from his answer in the interview?
[ ]
A．
He does not feel that he is well educated．
B．
He does not think that he is a very important person．
C．
He doesn't think that being rich is worth so much attention．
D．
He does not consider himself to be very successful．
(3)
What does the American professor of philosophy want to explain in his book?
[ ]
A．
Money is an end．
B．
Money is a means．
C．
Money is everything
D．
Money is unimportant．
(4)
What does the answer mean by" All I am is rich．"?
[ ]
A．
I am a rich person．
B．
I only have money．
C．
I have all money．
D．
I've got a large sum of money．
阅读理解
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature．However,whether you are on the mountains，in the waves，or on the grassland，you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment．
Some sports are resource-hungry．Golf，as you may know，eats up not only large areas of countryside，but also tons of water．Besides，all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(球场)in good condition．This causes major environmental effects．For example，in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain，golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas．
There are many environment―friendly sports．Power walking is one of them that you could take up today．You don't need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don't have to worry about resources and your purse．Simple and free，power walking can also keep you fit．If you walk regularly，it will be good for your heart and bones．Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious，sleep well and have better weight control．
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from reused materials．But the final goal should be" green gyms"．They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers．Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces．There is no special requirement for you to start your membership．And best of all, it's free．
(1)
Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?
[ ]
A．
Cycling around a lake．
B．
Motor racing in the desert．
C．
Playing basketball in a gym
D．
Swimming in a sports center．
(2)
What do we know about golf from the passage?
[ ]
A．
It is popular in Portugal and Spain．
B．
It causes water shortages around the world．
C．
It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes．
D．
It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green．
(3)
The author uses power walking as an example mainly because ________．
[ ]
A．
it is an outdoor sport
B．
it improves our health
C．
it uses fewer resources
D．
it is recommended by experts
(4)
The author writes the passage to ________．
[ ]
A．
show us the function of major sports
B．
encourage us to go in for green sports
C．
discuss the major influence of popular sports
D．
introduce different types of environment-friendly sports