Getting rid of dirt, in the opinion of most people, is a good thing However, there is nothing fixed about attitudes to dirt.
In the early 16th century, people thought that dirt on the skin was a means to block out disease, as medical opinion had it that washing off dirt with hot water could open up the skin and let ills in. A particular danger was thought to lie in public baths. By 1538, the French king had closed the bath houses in his kingdom. So did the king of England in 1546. Thus began a long time when the rich and the poor in Europe lived with dirt in a friendly way. Henry IV, king of France, was famously dirty. Upon learning that a nobleman had taken a bath, the king ordered that, to avoid the attack of disease, the nobleman should not go out.
Though the belief in the merit(优点) of dirt was long-lived, dirt has no longer been regarded as a nice neighbor ever since the 18th century. Scientifically speaking, cleaning away dirt is good to health. Clean water supply and hand washing are practical means of preventing disease. Yet, it seems that standards of cleanliness have moved beyond science since World War II. Advertisements repeatedly sell the idea: clothes need to be whiter than white, cloths ever softer, surfaces to shine. Has the hate for dirt, however, gone too far?
Attitudes to dirt still differ hugely nowadays. Many first-time parents nervously try to warn their children off touching dirt, which might be responsible for the spread of disease. On the contrary, Mary Ruebush, an American immunologist(免疫学家), encourages children to play in the dirt to build up a strong immune system. And the latter position is gaining some ground.
1.The kings of France and England in the 16th century closed bath houses because .
A. they lived healthily in a dirty environment
B. they thought bath houses were too dirty to stay in
C. they considered bathing as cause of skin disease
D. They believed disease could be spread in public baths
2.Which of the following best describes Henry IV’s attitude to bathing?
A. Curious B. Afraid C. Approving D. Uninterested
3.How does the passage mainly develop?
A. By following the order of time. B. By making comparison.
C. By providing examples D. By following the order of importance.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the passages?
A. To call attention to the danger of dirt.
B. To introduce the history of dirt.
C. To present the change of views on dirt.
D. To stress the role of dirt.
Scientists who study insects are troubled now. All across the United States, bees are leaving their hives and never returning. According to the beekeepers across the country, 25 to 40 percent of the bees in the United States have left their hives since last fall. So far, no one can explain why.
Bees play an important role in the production of about one third of the food we eat. A large number of plants not only need people’s care but also need bees that spread pollen from flower to flower. Without this process, a plant can’t produce seeds or fruits.
Now, a group of scientists and beekeepers are trying to find out what has happened. By examining bees’ behavior and health, they hope to find out what has caused the bees’ disappearance and to prevent bees from disappearing in the future.
Some people think the disappearance may be caused by disease. According to Dewey Caron, a researcher at the University of Delaware, the bees have signs of troubled immune systems (免疫系统) inside their bodies. But why would troubled immune systems cause bees to leave their hives? After all, when people are sick, they want to stay at home. Caron guesses that sick bees may have difficulty figuring out where their homes are.
“Another cause may be some chemicals that farmers use to kill unwanted insects on crops.” says Jerry Hayes, who works at the Florida Department of Agriculture.
1.The underlined part “this process” refers to ________.
A.people’s care
B.bees’ leaving their hives
C.bees’ spreading pollen from flower to flower
D.beekeepers’ raising bees
2.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A.the use of some chemicals is the cause of the bees disappearance
B.sick bees are not able to find where their hives are
C.it’s not known yet why a lot of bees are leaving their hives and never returning
D.there will be no bees in America in the near future
3.What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Bees,Humans’ Friends
B.Scientists Are Interested in Bees
C.Why Are Bees Leaving?
D.How Do Bees Send out Information?
4.The passage is most probably taken from ________.
A.science news
B.a public advertisement
C.a book on advanced technology
D.a business report
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, 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 attempting 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 importantly, 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 struggle 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 influence on the ways in which people face the challenges of daily life.
1.Today’s medical care is placing more stress on ________.
A.keeping people in a healthy physical condition
B.monitoring patients’ body functions
C.removing people’s bad living habits
D.ensuring people’s psychological well-being
2.According to the passage, the true meaning of the underlined word “wellness” is for people ________.
A.to best satisfy their body’s special needs
B.to strive to maintain the best possible health
C.to meet the strictest standards of bodily health
D.to keep a proper balance between work and leisure
3.According to what the author advocates (主张), which of the following groups of people would be considered healthy?
A.People who have strong muscles as well as slim figures.
B.People who are not presently experiencing any symptoms of disease.
C.People who try to be as healthy as possible, regardless of their limitations.
D.People who can recover from illness even without seeking medical care.
Wanted，Someone for a Kiss
We’re looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM．You’ll work on the station’s music programs．Music production experience in radio is necessary，along with rich knowledge of modern dance music．Please apply in writing to Producer Vacancies，Kiss 100．
Father Christmas
We’re looking for a very special person，preferably over 40，to fill our Father Christmas suit．
Working days：Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays，10∶ 30 －16∶ 00．
Excellent pay．
Please contact the Enterprise Shopping Centre，Station Parade，Eastbourne．
Accountants Assistant
When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit，you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division，dealing with post and other general duties．If you are educated to GCSE grade C level we would like to talk to you．This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience．
Wealden District Council
Software Trainer
If you are aged 24—45 and have experience in teaching and training，you could be the person we are looking for．You should be good at the computer and have some experience in program writing．You will be allowed to make your own decisions，and to design courses as well as present them．Pay upwards of ￡15，000 for the right person．Please apply by sending your CV （简历）to Mrs．R．Oglivie，Palmlace Limited．
1.Who should you get in touch with if you hope to work in a radio station?
A.Wealden District Council． B.Producer Vacancies，Kiss 100．
C.The Enterprise Shopping Centre． D.Mrs Oglivie，Palmlace Limited．
2.We learn from the ads that the Enterprise Shopping Centre needs a person who ．
A.is aged between 24 and 40 B.may do some training work
C.should deal with general duties D.can work for about a month
3.Which position is open to recent school graduates?
A.Accountants Assistant． B.Father Christmas．
C.Producer，London Kiss． D.Software Trainer．
4.What kind of person would probably apply to Palmlace Limited?
A.One with GCSE grade C level．
B.One having good computer knowledge.
C.One with some office experience．
D.One trained in producing music programs．
Translation
1.如果你想来做志愿者，请跟我们联系来获得更多的细节。（contact）
2.以貌取人是很傻的；相反，我们应该判断整个人。（judge）
3.Potts先生不仅认为同事们是他的下级还每天戴个难看的绿帽子来上班。（Not only…）
4.黄色使人们想到阳光和假期，因此许多旅行社通常使用黄色是很自然的事。（natural）
Summary Writing
My neighbour’s children love playing hide-and-seek as all children do, but no one imagines that a game they played last week would be reported in the local newspaper.
One afternoon, they were playing in the vacant lot down by the corner. Young Paul, who is only five years old, found the perfect place to hide. His sister, Natalie, had shut her eyes and was counting to ten when Paul noticed the mail box at the corner and that the metal door was standing open. The mailman had just taken several bags of mail and had carried them to his truck which was standing a few feet away. Paul climbed into the mail box and pulled the door closed so hard that it locked. Soon realizing what he had done, he became frightened and started crying. At that time, Natalie was looking for him everywhere but could not find him. It was lucky that she happened to stand at the corner for a minute and heard her brother’s cries. She immediately ran to tell the mailman who hurried back from his truck to unlock the metal door. Paul was now free, but he had such a bad fright that he could not stop crying. The mailman, however, soon found a way of making him laugh again. He told him that the next time he wanted to hide in a mail box, he should remember to put a stamp on himself!
