There is an old saying in English, “Laughter is the best medicine”. Until recently, few people took the saying very seriously. Now, however, doctors have begun to study laughter and the effects (作用) it has on the human body. They have found evidence that laughter really can improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, the heart rate and the rate of breathing. It also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be helpful.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to make the effect of pain on the body less. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group which could bear the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can make pain less seems to be that it helps to produce endorphins (内啡肽) in the brain. These are natural chemicals which make both stress and pain less.
There is also some evidence to suggest that laughter helps the body’s immune system — that is the system which fights infection (感染). In an experiment, one group of students watched a funny video while another group served as the control group — in other words, a group with which to compare the first group. Doctors checked the blood of the students in both groups and found that the people in the group that watched the video had an increase in the activity of their white blood cells — the cells which fight infection.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors and psychiatrists (精神病专家) in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they try to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce good effects similar to those caused by laughter.
1.We learn from the first paragraph that laughter _______.
A. is good for one’s health
B. has strong effects to do with some illnesses
C. has been studied for a long time
D. has no effect on the body
2.Doctors have found that laughter _______.
A. keeps down blood pressure
B. has similar effects to physical exercise
C. decreases the heart rate
D. increases stress and pain
3.Which of the following statements is NOT true of laughter according to the passage?
A. It makes pain less.
B. It exercises the body.
C. It improves the body’s immune system.
D. It can cure（治愈）cancer .
4.Smiling can produce _________.
A. about the same effects as laughter
B. more effects than laughter
C. fewer effects on the human body
D. no effects on the human body
Today, more and more people use cell phones while they are moving, putting themselves and othes in danger. These people are called the “Heads-down Tribe(族)”. Are you a heads-down tribe member?
More and more traffic accidents are happening because more drivers use cell phones when they are driving. In order to make drivers pay more attention to driving, some traffic rules have been set down. For example, heads-down tribe members who use cell phones while driving in Taiwan will be fined. Drivers who break the traffic rule will be fined NT$3,000 and motorcyclists(骑摩托车的人)caught using cell phones when driving will have to pay NT$1,000.
As we can see above, keeping heads down and using cell phones may cause accidents and even cost much. Besides, more and more interesting and strange facts happen to the “Heads-down Tribe”. Let’s have a look at an interesting TV report. A man in America kept using his cell phone on his way home. As a result, he bumped(碰撞) into a big lost bear. When he raised his head, he was so frightened that he turned round and ran away as quickly as possible. Another fact is that we can often see people in the restaurant eating face to face but focusing on their own cell phones. It’s strange that they don’t talk to the ones who sit opposite to them during the meal. Some of them even have fun communicating with others on the phone.
Cell phones are helpful and necessary tools for modern people. Are cell phones good or bad? It depends on how people use them. Let’s be “health” users and try to be the “Heads-up Tribe”.
1.What do we know about the “Heads-down Tribe?
A. They are dangerous drivers.
B. They are good at using the Internet.
C. They are cool children.
D. They are always looking at their mobile phones.
2.What does the underlined word "fined" mean ?
A. encouraged B. raised money
C. sent D. punished
3.According to the reading, what do the “Heads-down Tribe”do when they eat in a restaurant?
A They talk to people who sit opposite
B. They talk to strangers who sit next to them.
C. They focus on their food and drink.
D. They focus on their own cell phones.
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. Let’s try to be “Heads-down Tribe”.
B. We should use mobile phones properly.
C. Mobile phones are not good for people.
D. Mobile phones are helpful and necessary.
The Ritz-Carlton New York Battery Park ☆☆☆☆☆ ($299 per night) Location: No.2 West Street About it: You can have a good view of the Statue of liberty from the 39-floor, 298-room hotel. |
Millennium Hilton ☆☆☆☆☆ ($219 per night) Location: 55 Church Street About it: You can go swimming in the indoor swimming pool. The hotel is directly across from Times Square. The hotel is on the left of the street. Times Square is on the right of the street. |
Midtown East ☆☆☆☆ ($170 per night) Location: Between East 41st Street and East 54 Street. About it: It’s quite convenient to pay a visit to the United Nations, Grand Central Station, and so on. |
Marriott New Financial Center ☆☆☆ ($209 per night) Location: No.85 West Street About it: Next to many shopping malls. It’s quite convenient if you want to buy things in this modern city. |
1. Which hotel is the most expensive according to the information?
A. Midtown East.
B. Millennium Hilton.
C. The Ritz-Carlton New York Battery Park.
D. Marriott New York Financial Center.
2. If you want to buy a pair of sports shoes, you’d better choose ______.
A. Midtown East.
B. Millennium Hilton.
C. The Ritz-Carlton New York Battery Park
D. Marriott New York Financial Center.
3.The passage is probably from _________.
A. a guidebook B. a dictionary
C. a telephone book D. an application form
完型填空
An eight-year-old girl heard her parents talking about her little brother. All she knew was that he was very sick and they had no money. Only a very expensive operation (手术) could ________ him now and there was no one to lend them the money.
When she heard her daddy say to her tearful mother, “Only a miracle (奇迹) can save him now,” the little girl went to her________ and pulled all her money from its hiding place and counted it ________ .
She hurried to a drugstore（药店）with the money ________ her hand.
“And what do you want? asked the salesman. “It’s for my little brother,” the girl answered. “He’s really, really ________and I want to buy a miracle.”
“Pardon?” said the salesman.
“My brother Andrew has ________ bad growing inside his head and my daddy says only a miracle can save him. So how much does a miracle ________ ?” “
“________ we don’t sell a miracle here, child. I’m sorry,” the salesman said with a smile .
“Listen, ________ it isn’t enough, I can try and get some more. Just tell me________ it costs.”
A well-dressed man heard it and asked, “What kind of miracles does your brother need?”
“I don’t know,” she answered with her eyes full of ________ . “He’s really sick and mum says he needs an operation. But my daddy can’t pay for it, so I have brought all my money.”
“How much do you have?” asked the man. “$ 1.11,but I can try and get some ________ money,” she answered.
“Well, what a luck ” smiled the man. “$ 1.11, the price of a miracle for little brothers.”He took up the girl’s hand and said, “Take me to where you live. I want to see your ________ and meet your parents. Let’s see if I have the kind of miracle you need.”
That well-dressed man was Dr. Carlton Armstrong, a famous ________ . The operation was __________ and it wasn’t long before Andrew was home again.
1.A．give B．save C．lend D．bring
2.A．classroom B．living room C．bedroom D．kitchen
3.A．happily B．carefully C．easily D．politely
4.A．in B．with C．through D．out
5.A．healthy B．sick C．strong D．sad
6.A．something B．anything C．nothing D．everything
7.A．spend B．take C．cost D．pay
8.A．Or B．So C．Though D．Butood
9.A．before B．after C．if D．when
10.A．how many B．how much C．how often D．how soon od
11.A．joy B．happiness C．tears D．hope
12.A．more B．much C．many D．lessm
13.A．sister B．friend C．classmate D．brotherc
14.A．actor B．scientist C．doctor D．artist
15.A．beautiful B．successful C．small D. big
* —Mum, we’re going to visit an old town this weekend.
—________！
A. Have a good trip B. That’s OK
C. Not at all D. Goodbye
Great changes have taken place in Wenzhou. Who can tell _____in another five years ?
A.how it looked like B. how did it look like
C.what it will be like D.what will it be like
