People have gown taller over the last century, with South Korean women shooting up by more than 20cm on average, and Iranian men gaining 16. 5cm. A global study looked at the average height of 18 year-olds in 200 countries between 1914and 2014.
The results reveal that while Swedes were the tallest people in the world in 1914, Dutch men have risen from I2th place to claim top spot with an average height of 182. 5cm. Latvian women, meanwhile, rose from 28th place in 1914 to become the tallest in the world a century later, with an average height of 169. 8cm.
James Bentham, a co-author of the research from Imperial College, London, says the global trend is likely to be due primarily to improvements in nutrition and healthcare. “An individual's genetics has a big influence on their height, but once you average over whole populations, genetics plays a less key role, " he added.
A little extra height brings a number of advantages, says Elio Riboli of Imperial College. "Being taller is associated with longer life expectancy," he said. "This is largely due to a lower risk of dying of cardiovascular（心血管的）disease among taller people.”
But while height has increased around the world, the trend in many countries of north and sub-Saharan Africa causes concern, says Riboli. While height increased in Ugands and "Nigeria during the early 20th century, the trend has reversed in recant yeas, with height decreasing among 18-year-olds.
“One reason for these decreases in height is the economic situation in the 1980s," said Alexander Moradi df the University of Sussex. The nutritional and health crises that followed the policy of structural adjustment, he says, led to many children and teenagers failing to teach their full potential in terms of beight.
Bentham believes the global trend of increasing height has important inaolications. “How tall we are now is strongly influenced by the environment we grew up in," he said. "If we give children the best passible start in life now, they will be healthier and more productive for decades to come."
1.What does the global study tell us about people's height in the last hundred years?
A.There is a remarkable difference across cantinents.
B.There has been a marked increase in most countries.
C.The increase in people's height has been quickening.
D.The increase in women's height is bigger than in men's.
2.What does James Bentham say about genetics in the increase of people's height?
A.It counts Jess than generally thought.
B.It outweighs nutrition and healthcare.
C.It impacts more on an individual than on a population.
D.It plays a more significant role in females than in males.
3.What do we lean about 18-year-olds in Uganda and Nigeria?
A.They grow up slower than their peers in other countriea.
B.They are actually shorter than their earlier generations.
C.They find it hard to bring their potential into full play.
D.They have experienced many changes of govemment.
4.What does James Bentham suggest we do?
A.Watch closely the global trend in children's development.
B.Make sure that our children grow up to their full height.
C.Try every means possible to improve our environment.
D.Ensure our children grow up in an ideal environment.
On Dec 22, China became the third country in the world after Japan and the US to have a carbon dioxide（CO2）monitoring satellite.
Named Tansat, as "tan" is the Chinese word for carbon, the satellite moves around Earth at about 700 kilometers above the ground. There, it can “see” clearly how much CO2 there is in the air and how it is moving.
How is TanSat able to do that？When sunlight travels through the air, the CO2 molecules（分子）take in different colors from the light. The satellite then looks at these colors to find out how much CO2 there is in the air.
“The TanSat has very good vision（视力）, and it can tell changes in CO2 as small as 1 percent, ” said Yin Zeng shan, one of the satellite's designers at the Chinese Academy of Sciences, according to Xinhua News Agency.
But there is a question. When CO2 can already be measured from ground stations, why do we need a satellite that does the same thing？
The truth is that they don't do exactly the same thing. According to Zhang Peng, vice director of the National Satellite Meteorological Center, the data from ground stations is limited and it does not cover the ocean area, which takes up more than 70 petcent of Earth's surface.
But TanSat has solved the problem. It has a bird's eye view of the Earth, covering both the land and the ocean. It can also change its mode（模式）and position when looking at the ocean area because the water can reflect light. This light may change the data if its normal mode is used.
More importantly, China is now working on its goal of producing less CO, , starting from 2030 or earlier. To meet that goal, it will need to keep track of every bit of progress that it's making.
And with TauSat, China will have first-hand, detailed data of CO2 emissions in different areas, provinces and parts of the ocean, no longer having to use data from Japan and the US.
1.Which of the following about TanSat is TRUE？
A.It collects the CO2 in different areas above the ground.
B.It gets CO2 data by studying the colors of air.
C.It has been developed with the help of Japan and the US.
D.It has different modes to suit different weather conditions.
2.By reporting that the TanSat has very good "vision", the article shows that_______________.
A.the satellite uses many different kinds of cameras.
B.the satellite is very sensitive.
C.the satellite can capture every change in CO2.
D.the satellite can reflect light at 700 kilometers above the ground.
3.What can be concluded from the last paragraph?
A.TanSat is specially designed to reduce China's CO2 emissions.
B.China did not have any detailed data of CO2 emissions before.
C.TanSat will play a key role in helping to reduce China's CO2 emissions.
D.China is going to share its data of CO2 emissions with other countries.
4.What could be the best title for the passage?
A.Making great achievements B.Cutting CO2 emissions
C.Monitoring the ocean D.Checking more carbon
My divorce was now final and I needed to find a new home for me and my six-year-old son, Dash. A few days earlier I'd seen an sd. I was willing to try anything, so I contacted the owner, a woman named Camille. When she e-mailed me back I discovered she wasn't renting s house at all She was renting the attic（阁楼）apartment. I left her a message calling off our meeting.
I though hat would be the end of it, Instcad, Camille called me back and insisted I come over. So here I was. I pulled the car to a stop and looked up at the tiny collage. The house was small as it was. The attic window looked too tiny to led much light in. We couldn't live in a dark, depressing place. I could make do with almost anything But Dash needs a good home, a place be really feels safe.
I pushed open the car door and got out. I had to sell Camille it was a mistake for me to come. I knocked. The woman who opened the door was small and bright-eyed. She was much older than I'd guessed, but I could see she had the energy of someone half her age. She looked so sympathetic that I found myself wanting to keep talking to her. "We have to leave our home, "I explained. "My marriage ended. I only have a few days to find something else, but I want it to be right."
Camille nodded. "You're a good mother. You never know the miracles that await you around the comer, "Camille walked me to the door and wished me well. I got back in the car and snapped out of it, I drove off slowly, hoping to make the feeling last. I turned down a side street I didn't recognize. I glanced out of the side window. Just up ahead was a cottage with a sign out in front：for rent.
I pulled over. I found the owners had just bought the house themselves and were decorating it, hoping to find the perfect renters. They took me on a tour of the house that was like a copy of my list:；a big bedroom for Dash and a backyard with trees, s great school nearby. The house was meant for us.
Camille was right. Micacles await us, just around the comer.
1.How did the author feel after she received Camille's e-mail?
A.Anxious. B.Excited.
C.Disappointed. D.Content.
2.Why did the author decide to see Camille's house at last?
A.Because the rent of it was teally low.
B.Because her son begged her ta do that.
C.Because Camille kept urging her to have a look.
D.Because the price was within her range.
3.What does the underlined part "snapped out of it" probably mean?
A.Say something in an impatient voice. B.Stop feeling unhappy or depressed.
C.Make a sharp noise suddenly. D.Lose control of one's feelings.
4.What message does the passage mainly convey?
A.Never lose hope. B.No pains, no gains.
C.Every little bit helps. D.Well begun is half done.
Why go to Madrid？
There may be a slight chill(寒冷) in the air, with temperatures staying around 15℃ in March, but Spain’s handsome capital is slowly starting to warm up. Even more attractive are the cultural events.
A new exhibition on the living and working spaces of Spain’s greatest artist, Picasso, has just opened in the studio at the Fundación Mapfre at Paseo de Recoletos 23. It runs until 11 May with rarely seen pieces borrowed from his family.
Later this summer, the 400th anniversary of the death of the Renaissance(文艺复兴) painter El Greco will be marked with an exciting exhibition at the Museo del Prado at Paseo del Prado from 24June to 5 October.
How to go?
The widest range of flights is offered by EasyJet—from Bristol, Edinburgh, Gatwick, Liverpool and Luton. British Airways and its sister airline Iberia combine forces from Heathrow and London City. Ryanair flies from Manchester and Stansted; Air Europa flies from Gatwick.
Barajas airport is 13km north-east of the city centre and is served by frequent trains on Metro line 8, but the shortest underground journey is a bit complex with at least one change at Nuevos Ministerios station and takes about 30 minutes. The fare to any station in the city centre is ∈4.50. The airport express bus runs every 15 to 35 minutes around the clock; ∈5 one way. It takes 40 minutes to reach the city centre. A taxi takes half the time. A flat rate of ∈30 covers most of central Madrid.
1.When will the exhibition about Picasso close?
A.On 23 March. B.On 11 May. C.On 24June. D.On 5 October.
2.Which airline operates flights from Manchester to Madrid?
A.EasyJet. B.Ryanair. C.Air Europa. D.British Airways.
3.What is the fastest way to reach central Madrid from Barajas airport?
A.Take a taxi. B.Take a city bus. C.Take Metro line 8. D.Take the airport express bus.
假定你是李华，星期六晚上学校要放映电影《丝绸之路》(The Silk Road)，你想请在学校学习的外国朋友Peter一起观看。请给他写一封邀请函。内容包括:
要点: 1.时间和地点;
2.简单介绍丝绸之路:
3.建议他先了解相关的历史。
注意: 1.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯;
2.词数100词左右:
3.信的开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Peter,
How are you doing recently?
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________-
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语老师要求同桌之间互相修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、 删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一一个漏字符号(^)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\) 划掉。
修改:在错的词下面划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1.每处错误及其修改均仅限1词;
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Dear Stacy,
I happened to have read your advertisement and have decided to apply to the job. The following are my self introduction.
As a high school student, I had been learning English for many years. I have a good command of English. I am always willing to help other because of my warm-heartedness and outgoing personality. In the addition, I am in good condition by taking exercise every day. Therefore, I am firmly convinced what 1 am qualified for the job.
By acting as a translator for you, unpaying as it is, not only it enrich my life, but it will be of great benefit to me in the long run. I believe I can accumulate some value job experience.
I would appreciate it if you could take my applications into consideration. I am looking forward to your reply.
