How to Improve Your Mental and Emotional...

    A new Japanese research has suggested that regularly eating mushrooms could help lower the risk of cancer. The researchers found that the men who consumed mushrooms once or twice a week had an 8 percent lower risk of developing cancer, regardless of how much fruit and vegetables, or meat and dairy products they ate—compared to those who ate mushrooms less than once per week. Eating mushrooms more often appeared to bring even bigger benefits, with those who consumed mushrooms three or more times per week showing a 17 percent lower risk than those who ate mushrooms less than once a week.

Eating mushrooms also appeared to be particularly beneficial among those who ate a large amount of meat and dairy products, little fruit and few vegetables. The findings, published in the International Journal of Cancer, are the first to suggest that there may be an association between eating mushrooms and a lower risk of cancer.

“Test-tube studies and studies conducted on living organisms have shown that mushrooms have the potential to prevent cancer” said lead researcher Shu Zhang. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study indicating the cancer-preventive potential of mushrooms at a population level.” Zhang added that, “mushrooms are a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, especially L-ergothioneine,” which is believed to help fight against stress, and that is cell imbalance caused by lifestyle choices such as poor diets and exposure to environmental poisons. This imbalance can lead to chronic inflammation, resulting in chronic diseases such as cancer.

“Considering the average American consumes less than 5 grams of mushrooms per day, which is lower than that consumed by the participants in this study (7.6 g/day), one would expect that even a small increase in mushroom consumption can offer potential health benefits,” said Zhang. However, Zhang added that, “Although our study suggests regular consumption of mushrooms may reduce the risk of cancer, we also want to emphasize that eating a healthy and balanced diet is much more important than filling your shopping basket with mushrooms.”

1.What is the new Japanese research about?

A.Healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of cancer.

B.Often eating mushrooms reduces the risk of cancer.

C.Drinking dairy products is good for our health.

D.Eating fruit and vegetables makes us healthier.

2.Who seem to especially benefit from eating mushrooms?

A.People who are over fat and having a poor diet.

B.People who are feeling over stressed.

C.People who consume much meat but few vegetables and little fruit.

D.People who consume many dairy products and suffer cancer.

3.Why can the mushroom help reduce the risk of cancer?

A.It avoids the stress from a disease.

B.It reduces environmental poisons.

C.It hell helps reduce weight.

D.It has a source of cancer-preventive.

4.What does the underlined word “inflammation” probably means?

A.A state of being physically healthy.

B.A state of keeping body balance.

C.A physical condition that someone needs to be on a diet.

D.A condition that a part of the body becomes red, sore and swollen.

    Workers are returning to their careers, or starting new ones after age 65.

More than ever, work is where many of us get our sense of purpose. That doesn’t end at age 65. After being retired for only three months, Sue Ellen King returned to work at the University of Florida Health in Jacksonville, Florida, where she had been a care nurse and nursing educator for 38 years. She is now working part-time in a position created just for her. “It’s perfect,” she told The New York Times. “I get the satisfaction of having people appreciate what I do.” With the average life span for those who reach age 64 now getting all the way to 84 years old, those who reach retirement age still have many potential years of work to go.

Job sites connected toward part-timers, temporary positions, and some can also turn up opportunities that may lead to longer-term work. Fred Dodd tried a part-time job after his unemployment as a clerk for large banks at age 63. He’d thought about retiring then. “But part of me just wanted to keep working partly for the money, but more just because I felt I wanted to do more in my career,” he said.

The retired have the advantage of not needing to focus on the earnings potential of whatever jobs they take on, so these older workers are attracted to more meaningful work. And since they are voluntarily putting their skills and experience to good use, they may well have more flexibility than mid-career people. Two-thirds of retirees who’d come back to the work world were doing meaningful work they enjoyed. Legal work and community service were popular choices, as was teaching—all areas in which older workers might have an opportunity to make their own schedules.

Earning more money rarely seems like a bad idea, but it can cause issues for retirees, including effects when they claim Social Security (申请社会保障) benefits early.

1.How does Sue Ellen King like her work?

A.Interesting. B.Satisfying.

C.Boring. D.Encouraging.

2.What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?

A.Giving an example of successful returning to work after retirement.

B.Why Sue Ellen King found a nursing job.

C.What is Sue Ellen King’s work.

D.Giving an example of working full-time in a university.

3.What was the main reason for Fred to have a part-time job?

A.He was out of work. B.He could help large banks.

C.He had personal crisis. D.He liked continuing working.

4.Why do the retired like meaningful jobs?

A.These jobs have more flexibility.

B.These jobs have lots of potential.

C.They don’t care much for salary.

D.They can’t do very hard jobs.

    I got this strange idea that I would run for student body president (学生会主席) when I was in the eighth grade. To run for student body president is not a surprising decision for most outgoing and popular people. But in fact, I tended to daydream, read books that were not on the required list, and sat at the table at the cafeteria with the only two friends I had, Denise and Janice. What happened within two months led me to the single best method to succeed in achieving something.

Claire was perfect-in-front-of-adults and had decent grades, though she was rude to me, which motivated me to sign up to run against her for student body president. Denise decided we should form a mastermind group to get me elected. We met everyday, right after school, reviewing a list of students. We brainstormed reasons why each one might want to vote, in their own interests for me or more likely against Claire.

We used a method we learned from Denise’s sister. It meant that we looked for students who were most likely to influence a group of other students. Those are the people we approached first. My narrow victory was a surprise to many, frankly, including the three of us.

That’s how I got my first taste of the power of what’s now called Collective Intelligence. With the right model for how we meet, we become more valuable together than apart.

When a group commits to supporting each other by meeting regularly and acting by mutually agreed upon rules of engagement, remarkable things will happen. We tend to bring the best out in each other, as thousands have learned around the world through their mastermind groups. Individuals become tight-knit teams. We become happier and higher-performing with and for each other. It is never too late for you to start your own mastermind group of no more than seven members around a strong sweet spot of mutual interest, which will definitely evolve into something different and more meaningful over the years.

1.Why was it a surprising decision for the author to run for president?

A.She was lonely then. B.She was popular.

C.She was not very outgoing. D.She often daydreams.

2.What’s the way of Denise’s sister?

A.Helping hand out posters.

B.Looking for influential people.

C.Helping learn from others.

D.Helping have public campaigns.

3.How did the author beat Claire?

A.Mainly by doing something for others’ interests.

B.Mainly by getting help from Denise’s sister.

C.Mainly by using her great communicative ability.

D.Mainly by making use of group intelligence.

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

A.Path to Greater Success and Friendship

B.Methods to Be Student Body President

C.Effective Ways to Find Good Friends

D.Clever Ways to Get Support from Others

Four Best Countries to Visit in Europe

Germany

As the world’s largest beer festival, Oktoberfest attracts a large number of beer lovers from all over the world every September. In addition to the beer, during the Oktoberfest every year, a dress parade is held in the streets of Munich. There are nearly 10,000 people to take part in the parade.

Greece

The city Santonia in this country is the most popular tourist city in Europe, because there is a very romantic Aegean Sea. Every year there are a lot of couples or newlyweds, who will come here for their honeymoon. Greece is famous for its fresh air and pleasant climate. Mountains and sea, bright sunshine, ever green plants, olives, bananas, grapes and other fruit trees are everywhere. It is a popular tourist destination in the world. September to October is the best time to visit Greece.

Italy

November is getting colder in Europe, but Italy on the Mediterranean is having its best season. Not many tourists, the scenery is still. Hotels are cutting prices to welcome quiet tourists. Without the noisy crowds, Rome, Venice and Florence would truly lift their veil (面纱).

Norway

In December, the Earth entered the cold winter, but there are always some people liking different travel. Norway is the best place to visit. Norway is seen by many as a ski paradise (天堂), and not just because of the long ski season and excellent skiing conditions. The main reason is that there are children’s slopes to play on, red slopes to slide on, vast snow fields in the mountains to chase and, importantly, real fun to ski on.

1.When should you go to Germany if you are a beer lover?

A.In September. B.In May.

C.In July. D.In October.

2.Which place is the most suitable for a couple’s honeymoon?

A.Munich. B.Venice.

C.Santonia. D.Rome.

3.What can tourists do in December in Norway?

A.They can take part in a beer festival.

B.They can take part in a dress parade.

C.They can enjoy ever green plants.

D.They can have excellent snow fields to ski.

阅读下面材料,根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。

Ten-year-old Sami loved to visit his grandfather's house. The house was near the beautiful blue sea. At the seaside stood thick and tall palm trees with green coconuts hanging from them. When the coconuts fell down, Sami would break them open and drink the coconut water. Sami liked to play under the trees. It was always great fun to spend the holidays at Grandpa's place.

This winter vacation, Sami was surprised when he came to his grandfather's village. There were hardly any trees left. He saw houses built near the sea. People had cut down many palm trees and there was hardly any greenery left.

Grandpa's house was different. He never allowed his trees to be cut. He hugged each palm tree in his courtyard. He also named the two big trees near the front door--one was Petu, and the other Betu. He had planted them with his own hands and today they had become large, massive trees with thick trunks. They were tall and green and gave the sweetest, juiciest coconuts.

One night, Sami was awakened by a strange sound. He could not sleep. He tossed（辗转）and turned in bed.

Suddenly, the ground shook as if the earth was splitting. He sat up straight and then ran to Grandpa. He clung（附 着）to his grandpa tightly. Grandpa cried out, “It's an earthquake! It's an earthquake!" They ran outside the house. They thought that would be safe.

Suddenly, there was a loud sound; the earth was not splitting but the sea was roaring. People were shouting, screaming and crying, “The sea is rising! The sea is rising." The villagers started running away from the beach.

Sami watched dumbstruck（呆若木鸡）.

The waves were rising higher and higher. Sami thought, “How big the waves are!" He went into the house again and saw water coming in from all sides. He was scared.

Sami remembered his mother telling him long ago, “You must always get out of the house if the floods come too near." He ran outside the house with Grandpa. But the water came surging（汹涌） in.

Waves about twelve meters high came rushing in, drowning everything. Water was all around and everywhere.

Paragraph 1：

Grandpa held Sami's hand tightly but a huge wave separated them.

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Paragraph 2：

“Sami, Sami!” Grandpa cried. “Don't be scared, little one, come to me, quickly.”

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