There is an English saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found 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, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programmes. The group that tolerated (忍耐) the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny programme. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help 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 beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.
1.According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?
A. Laughter is good for health.
B. Laughter can make you become old quickly.
C. Laughter helps to reduce pain.
D. Laughter, just like physical exercise, is good for our body.
2.The underlined word “diminishes” in the third paragraph means “ ”.
A. delays B. prevents
C. increases D. reduces
3.Why do doctors hold laughter clinics?
A. Because they want to earn more money.
B. Because they think they will help the patients recover from illnesses.
C. Because they want to improve their patients’ health.
D. Because they want their patients to laugh more.
4.What would be the best title for this passage?
A. Both laughter and physical exercise are good for health.
B. Laughter clinics can help patients improve their condition.
C. Laughter can reduce the effect of pain.
D. Laughter is the best medicine.
Education is not an end, but a means to an end. In other words, we do not educate children only for the purpose of educating them. Our purpose is to fit them for life.
In some modern countries it has for some time been fashionable to think that by free education for all — one can solve all the problems of society and build a perfect nation. But we can already see that free education for all is not enough; we find in such countries a far larger number of people with university degree; they refuse to do what they think “low” work; and, in fact, work with hands is thought to be dirty and shameful in such countries. But we have only to think a moment to understand that the work of a completely uneducated farmer is far more important than that of a professor; we can live without education, but we die if we have no food. If no one cleaned our streets and took the rubbish away from our houses, we should get terrible diseases in our towns.
In fact, when we say that all of us must be educated to fit us for life, it means that we must be educated in such a way that, firstly, each of us can do whatever work suited to his brains and ability and, secondly, that we can realize that all jobs are necessary to society, and that is very bad to be ashamed of one’s work. Only such a type of education can be considered valuable to society.
1.The writer of the passage thinks that _______.
A. education can settle most of the world’s problems
B. free education for all probably leads to a perfect world
C. free education won’t help to solve problems
D. all the social problems can’t be solved by education
2.The writer wants to prove that _______.
A. our society needs all kinds of jobs
B. our society needs free education for all
C. a farmer is more important than a professor
D. work with hands is the most important
3.The purpose of education is _______.
A. to choose officials for the country
B. to prepare children mainly for their future work
C. to let everyone receive education fit for him
D. to build a perfect world
One day I got a duck from a friend who lived two miles south of my house. I brought the duck home in a bag. It was obvious that the duck missed his family very much upon his arrival. Left to himself, he would at once turn his head homeward. I tried to shut him together with other ducks for several days, but with no use at all. There seemed to be but one thought in the mind of him, and that was home.
So I decided to let him out, but I kept about fifty yards behind him. I followed, thinking he would soon lose his way and came back. But he seemed to have an exact map of the country in his mind. Soon he met a dog. He paused and looked at the animal for a moment, and then turned to the right along a road which led to a railroad station. He had now gone about half the distance, and was getting tired. A little pool of water by the roadside caught his eye. Into it he bathed, drank, and rested for a few moments, and then started homeward again. For a while, he realized that he had got into the wrong direction, and turned his face southward again. Finally we came in sight of the home path, which led up to the farmhouse.
It was now nearly night and I had no time to watch the experiment further. But as he neared the path he seemed suddenly to see some familiar things, and rushed at the top of his speed. I followed close behind. Into the house yard he rushed with uplifted wings as if he was eagerly telling his partners the story of his adventures.
1.What does the author think about the duck?
A. Interesting and careful.
B. Curious and enthusiastic.
C. Intelligent and determined.
D. Brave and experienced.
2.As soon as the duck arrived at a new place, he seemed________.
A. glad B. nervous C. tired D. homesick
3.The underlined part “the experiment” in the last paragraph refers to “__________”.
A. if the duck had the ability to get on well with other ducks.
B. if the duck was born with a good sense of direction.
C. if the duck could discover the author.
D. if the duck could find his way home.
4.What’s the purpose of the writer’s writing the text?
A. To share us a duck’s interesting trip.
B. To present his opinions about a duck’s remarkable experience.
C. To express his curiosity about a duck’s interesting trip.
D. To examine why a duck would like to rush on it’s own.
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项。
Our neighbour’s son was getting married in 2009 at an out-of-town church, and my husband and I were invited. We immediately rushed out to a 1, and I bought a nice pink dress with a jacket. The dress was a little 2, but I had a month to go before the June 30 wedding and I would 3a few pounds.
June 29 came and, of course, I hadn’t lost a single pound; in fact I had 4two. But I 5a nice new girdle (紧身内衣) would cure everything. So on our way out of the city we 6once again at the store. I ran in and told the clerk I needed a 7large girdle. The clerk found the box with the 8girdle marked “LG”, and asked if I would like to try it on. “Oh, no, a large will fit just right. I 9try it on.”
The next morning was rather hot, one of those thirty-four degree days, I suppose, so I 10to get dressed until about 45 minutes before time to go. I opened the box only to 11a new girdle in a small size. Since it was too late to find another one and the dress wouldn’t 12right without a girdle, a fight 13in the hotel room between me and the girdle. Have you ever tried to 1420 pounds of potatoes into a five-pound bag? That’s it. Finally my husband, 15like crazy, got hold of each side and shook me down into it. At once I put on the pink dress, which didn’t 16very well with my red face, and was ready to go.
Finally we got to the 17. I heard one of the people say that they were having a High Mass (大弥撒). I turned to my husband and asked, “What is a High Mass?” He shrugged his 18.
19, I learned that this particular mass would last one hour, twenty-two minutes and eight and one half seconds - the priest (神父 ) was going to bless 20except my girdle.
1.A. hotel B. store C. church D. office
2.A. long B. tight C. little D. perfect
3.A. put on B. gain C. lose D. miss
4.A. won B. received C. gained D. lost
5.A. think B. suggested C. demanded D. figured
6.A. went B. arrived C. stopped D. entered
7.A. size B. length C. width D. depth
8.A. described B. bought C. sold D. talked
9.A. can’t B. needn’t C. shouldn’t D. mustn’t
10.A. wanted B. expected C. tried D. waited
11.A. find B. notice C. search D. look
12.A. work B. use C. fit D. wear
13.A. broke down B. broke out C. broke up D.broke away
14.A. pull B. lay C. push D. shake
15.A. laughing B. crying C. shouting D. smiling
16.A. do B. go C. work D. look
17.A. town B. store C. church D. hotel
18.A. shoulders B. arms C. head D. hands
19.A. Happily B. Generally C.Luckily D.Unfortunately
20.A. something B. nothing C. anything D. everything
The man to whom we handed the forms pointed out that they had not been ________ filled in.
A. slightly B. properly C. regularly D. eventually
Playing with a cell phone, he suddenly ________ the teacher staring at him.
A. knew of B. became aware of
C. reflected D. aware for
