阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C和D四个选项中，选出可以填入空白处的最...

    Porridge doesn't have a very tasty name, does it?1.I'm here to try and convince you that porridge can be a delicious, convenient and very healthy way to start the day.

Porridge is a type of food served for breakfast, usually a type of grain with either milk or water. It is thicker than liquid, but not solid.2., so it's a very good option for people who are ill, and it provides long-lasting energy for the day.

Porridge preparation, such as the amount of materials and cooking time depends on what you choose to use as your porridge base.3., I put a very big handful of oats (麦片) in a pot, add a little bit of water and about 200ml of milk, and let the mixture boil. It takes about five minutes to cook.

Once it's cooked, the fun part is adding the flavors (味道). Porridge alone doesn't have a very strong flavour. 4., I think this is what makes porridge exciting! It is like a blank piece of paper-you can add almost anything you want to the porridge base. Seeds, nuts and dried fruits are very healthy options to add and can give you energy for the day. But if you don't like these, or you're allergic, then sugar and chocolate are also very tasty options.

5.. Either oats or corn or both are "staple foods" for most people on the earth. You can usually buy big bags of either, then add local materials to make your porridge interesting-whatever is cheap and convenient to find, wherever you are.

Hopefully porridge sounds a lot tastier now!

A．If you've never eaten it

B．If I'm cooking for myself

C．The porridge base is very easy to digest

D．It doesn't have a very tasty reputation, either

E．It is often heated up but lacks all kinds of nutrition

F．You can make porridge almost anywhere in the world

G．Although some people think this makes porridge boring

    The University of Birmingham is the first excellent UK Russell Group university to announce that it will accept the "Gaokao" exam for high-flying Chinese students wishing to join its undergraduate courses in 2019. High school students who complete the "National Higher Education Entrance Examination", or Gaokao, with top grades will be able to apply for direct entry onto Birmingham degree programmes without first completing a foundation year which is a routine for the freshman.

Gaokao is usually taken by students in their last year of senior high school and, every year, each province in China sets the grades required to gain admission to its universities. It is usually held across China in early June. Students are tested in Chinese, Mathematics, a Foreign Language and social sciences or natural sciences.

University of Birmingham Vice-Chancellor Professor Sir David Eastwood said: "The University of Birmingham has been challenging and developing great minds for more than a century. We welcome people from around the globe to study at Birmingham and Chinese students form an integral part of our education and research community. We are further opening access to Birmighamˈs wealth of education opportunities for the brightest and most dedicated Chinese students by accepting this strict and important qualification. I look forward to welcoming these high-flying students to the University of Birmingham. "

Gaokao is increasingly accepted by universities in Australia, the USA, Canada and mainland Europe. Birmingham will only be considering high quality students who achieve a minimum 80% Gaokao score and meet additional academic and English language requirements.

Professor J on Frampton, Director of the University of Birminghamˈs China Institute said: "The University of Birmingham has a long history of educating students from China and one of our most famous graduates is Li Siguang-the founding father of Chinese geology. I am delighted that the University is now accepting the Gaokao. This gives the brightest and best Chinese students an opportunity to move straight into the first year of our undergraduate programmes and experience the benefits of studying at a global Top 100 university, such as Birmingham. "

1.What do Chinese students have to do to enter the University of Birmingham before 2019?

A. Score over 80% of the universityˈs qualification examination.

B. Prepare Birmingham degree programmes.

C. Acquire the right to permanent residency.

D. Go through a foundation year.

2.Who is the announcement intended for?

A. Chinese students.

B. All people living in the UK.

C. The students of the UK.

D. The foreign students in China.

3.Which of the following best explains "integral" underlined in paragraph 3?

A. complete. B. indifferent.

C. necessary. D. unimportant.

4.What does the text mainly talk about?

A. The introduction to the "Gaokao" of China.

B. The University of Birminghamˈs admission to Gaokao.

C. The high quality students accepted by top universities.

D. The history of the University of Birmingham.

Ten minutes of gentle exercise can immediately change how certain parts of the brain communicate and coordinate (协调) with one another and improve memory function, according to an encouraging new study.

The scientists invited 36 people of different ages to the lab and had them sit quietly on a fixed bicycle for 10 minutes or, on a separate visit, pedal the bicycle at a pace so gentle that it barely raised their heart rates. It also was short, lasting for only 10 minutes. Immediately after each session of the sitting or slow pedaling, the people completed a computerized memory test during which they would see a brief picture of, for instance, a tree, followed by a variety of other images and then a new image of either the same tree or a similar one. The people would press buttons to show whether they thought each image was new or the same as an earlier shot. The test is difficult, since many of the images closely resemble one another. It requires rapid, skillful scanning recent memories to decide whether a picture is new or known. Next, the scientists had each people repeat this process--riding or sitting on the bike for 10 minutes and then completing memory testing--but the testing now took place inside an M. R. I. machine(磁共振成像仪)that scanned the people's brains while they responded to the images.

Then the researchers compared results. The effects of the exercise were clear. The people were better at remembering images after they had ridden the bike, especially when the images most closely resembled one another. In other words, the harder their memories had to do their best, the better they performed after the exercise. The M. R. I. scans showed that memory parts of each people's brain lit up at the same time with parts of the brain associated with learning, indicating that these physically separate parts of the brain were better connected now than when the people had not first exercised.

1.How did the researchers conduct the study?

A. By filling up questionnaires.

B. By interviewing many people.

C. By comparing experiment data.

D. By referring to historical reports.

2.Who might benefit most from the study result?

A. The marketers promoting fixed bicycles.

B. The young people crazy about body building.

C. The white collars doing long-term mental work.

D. The blue-collars doing heavy physical labor work.

3.Which of the following statements agrees with the study result?

A. The light exercise is only good for young people.

B. The more the exercise is, the better the brain works.

C. The exercise can coordinate different parts of the body.

D. The exercise has more positive effect when the brain works harder.

4.What can be the best title for the text?

A. Even ten minutes' exercise may be good for the brain

B. There is no need for humans doing exercise every day

C. Only ten minutes' light exercise benefits the young most

D. Exercise can change people's brains and minds in a long time

    As Simon Kindleysides, 34, took his first step in the London Marathon in April, he felt as if magic was in the air.

"As we were walking toward the first mile, we actually started joining all the runners," he said. "Everyone was on the streets, cheering, and that was a magical moment." As time went on, the crowds and other racers spread around. Kindleysides and his team of eight supporters continued walking.

Kindleysides, who is paralyzed(瘫痪的)from the waist down and typically uses a wheelchair, was equipped with an exoskeleton(体外骨骼)to help him walk. His supporters walked with him to change the batteries in his exoskeleton so he could keep moving.

In 2013, Kindleysides was diagnosed with a brain tumor (肿瘤) that was growing in a way that pressed on certain nerves, leading to him losing feeling in his legs. He was told he would never walk again. Before his paralysis, the London-based singer and dancer had "always wanted to run a marathon," he said, but he never made the plan to do so--until this year.

During the London Marathon, the last two miles were the hardest. "At that point, I was exhausted. It was freezing cold, and I was hurting emotionally," Kindleysides said. But he kept going. "I didn't want to let people down. I had a team of eight, and I was raising money for The Brain Tumour Charity," he said. "I didn't want to let them down, myself down, and I thought if I would get this far, I would have to continue."So he continued and made history as the first paralyzed man to complete the London Marathon on foot.

Then, recovering at home, he shared his accomplishment with his three children. "They used to say I'm the only dad in their whole school who's in a wheelchair, and now they say I'm their dad, the only one who has walked a marathon," he said.

Kindleysides is training to complete three more marathons next year, including the London Marathon again.

1.Why did Kindleysides' supporters accompany him all the way?

A. To help change the batteries. B. To inspire him as a team.

C. To guide him along the road. D. To assist him with the wheelchair.

2.What caused Kindleysides' disability?

A. An operation on his brain for the tumor.

B. An accident in the previous marathon.

C. Some nerves produced out of the tumor.

D. The pressure from the brain tumor on the nerves.

3.What partly supported Kindleysides to finish the hardest two-mile race?

A. The prize money for the winner. B. The strong desire to recover.

C. The kindness to help the charity. D. The belief to beat others.

4.What can we learn about Kindleysides?

A. He was once a successful actor.

B. He is ambitious for joining in London marathons once more.

C. His children feel a pity for him in the wheelchair now.

D. He was the first disabled man to complete the London Marathon.

    Christmas is a time for eating great food, giving and receiving presents, and most importantly spending time with your family watching some classic Christmas movies.

The Grinch (2000)

This is a Christmas must-watch and one of Jim Carrey's best performances. It was also originally a nursery tale book written by Dr Seuss. It's the story of a green monster who wants to ruin Christmas but who in the end discovers the power of love and generosity. I promise it's a great film with plenty of laughs along the way.

Love Actually (2003)

While this is not a personal favourite of mine, people in the UK absolutely love this film. It has many featuring actors and actresses. It might be a little difficult to follow as there are complex plots, so I recommend watching a translated version or enabling subtitles (字幕) in your native language. However, the heart-warming elements of the film make it worth watching.

Home Alone (1990)

This amusing masterwork is one of my favourite films of all time. It tells the story of a boy, Kevin, who is left alone in his house when his large family forgets to take him on vacation with them. While the families are away, burglars try to rob the house and Kevin must protect his home by setting traps. The trips, falls and traps will have you laughing out loud as you watch a 10-year-old boy beat two grown men.

Miracle on 34th Street (1994)

You can't have Christmas in an English-speaking country without watching this movie. It's not funny like Home Alone or The Grinch, but it is incredibly touching. It's about a man who claims to be Santa, but nobody believes him except a lawyer and a little girl. The story-line may seem a little childish but you can enjoy it at any age.

1.Which film is adapted from a fairy tale?

A.Home Alone B.The Grinch.

C.Love Actually. D.Miracle on 34th Street.

2.What is Home Alone mainly about?

A.An unsuccessful family vacation. B.A 10-year-old boy's practical jokes.

C.A terrible suffering to a little boy. D.A boy protecting home by himself.

3.Why is Miracle on 34th Street so popular?

A.For its famous actors and actresses. B.Because of its funny story.

C.Due to its childish storyline. D.Owing to its moving plots.