“Old wives tales” are beliefs passed down from one generation to another, For example, most of us remember our parents’ telling us to eat more of certain foods or not to do certain things. Is there any truth in these teachings? Some of them agree with present medical thinking, but others have not passed the test of time.
Did your mother ever tell you to eat your carrots because they are good for your eyes? Scientists now report that eating carrots can help prevent a serious eye disease called macular degeneration. Eating just one carrot a day can reduce the possibility of getting this disease by 40%. Garlic is good for you, too. It can kill the type of virus that causes colds.
Unfortunately, not all of Mom’ s advice passed the test of medical studies, For example, generations of children have been told not to go swimming within an hour after eating. But research suggests that there is no danger in doing so. Do sweets cause tooth problems? Well, yes and no. Sticky sweets made with grains tend to cause more problems than sweets made with simple sugars.
Even though science can tell us that some of our traditional beliefs don’t hold water, there is still a lot of truth in the old wives’ tales. After all, much of this knowledge has been accumulated from thousands of years of experience in family health care. We should respect this body of knowledge even as we search for clear scientific support to prove it true or false.
1.Which of the following is TRUE according to the test?
A. Eating garlic is good for our eyes. B. Sticky sweets are damaging to our teeth.
C. Swimming after a meal is dangerous. D. Carrots prevent people from catching colds.
2.The author develops the third paragraph mainly .
A. by cause and effect B. by order in space
C. by order in time D. by examples
3.The phrase “hold water” in the last paragraph most probably means”_____”.
A. to be believable B. to be valuable C. to be admirable D. to be suitable
4.What is the author’s attitude toward “old wives tales” in the text?
A. Subjective B. Objective C. Dissatisfied D. Curious
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1.Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?
A. Cycling around a lake. B. Motor racing in the desert.
C. Playing basketball in a gym. D. Swimming in a sports center.
2.What do we know about golf from the passage?
A. It is popular in Portugal and Spain.
B. It causes water shortages around the world.
C. It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes.
D. It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green.
3.The author uses power walking as an example mainly because _________.
A. it is an outdoor sport B. it improves our health
C. it uses fewer resources D. it is recommended by experts
4.The author writes the passage to _________.
A. show us the function of major sports
B. encourage us to go in for green sports
C. discuss the major influence of popular sports
D. introduce different types of environment-friendly sports
A volcanic eruption in Iceland has sent ash across northern Europe. Airlines have stopped or changed the flights across the Atlantic Ocean, leaving airport hundreds of passengers stuck in airports.
Grimsvotn is one of the largest and most active volcanoes in Europe. What makes Grimsvotn different is that it lies under a huge glacier(冰川) of ice up to 12 maters thick. The hot volcano heats up the ice above it, which then forms a layer of water between the glacier and the volcano. This layer of water puts pressure on the volcano, keeping it stable, As the water flows out from under the glacier, the pressure lifts. The lava(岩浆) from the volcano then comes up to the surface. This is exactly what happened today.
Now, airlines have to make changes to their flights so as not to fly through the clouds of volcanic ash. According to KLM, one of Europe’s biggest airlines, airplanes cannot go under the cloud or over it. Going through the cloud can result in ash getting stuck in the airplane’s engines, causing damage to the plane.
The eruption has also caused problems for animals in Iceland. The volcano left ash and sharp, glass-like rocks all over the countryside. Farmers are keeping their animals inside to stop them from eating ash-covered grass or the sharp object.
1.What makes Grimsvotn different from other volcanoes?
A. It is below ice. B. It lies under the sea
C. It is the largest volcano D. It is lava affects the airlines
2.What keeps Grimsvotn still?
A. The slow flow of water B. The low water temperature
C. The thick glacier D. The water pressure
3.Which of the following is the result of the volcanic eruption?
A. People stop traveling in Europe
B. Airlines suffer from the loss of planes
C. It becomes dangerous for animals to eat outside
D. Farmers have lost many of their animals
4.This text is most probably taken from_________.
A. a research paper B. a newspaper report
C. a class presentation D. a geography textbook.
Now, it’s time for some brief news items.
1 China wins women's 3,000m short track relay, S. Korea disqualified
VANCOUVER, Feb. 24 (Xinhua) -- Twice Olympic champion Wang Meng led the Chinese short track speed skating team to the top podium of women's 3,000m relay with a world record at the Vancouver Winter Games here on Wednesday, as South Korea was later disqualified. Canada took the silver, with the United States picking up the bronze. South Korea's skaters had already started waving flags in joy after crossing the line but later the juges decided Kim Min-jung had impeded(阻碍) during an exchange push.
2 Severe drought cracks Airport's runway
China Daily(2010-03-18)-- Severe drought continues to plague southwestern China's Yunnan Province.
In the provincial capital Kunming, the surface of Wu Jiaba International Airport's only runway has been fractured(断裂的). Repairs have been going on since Tuesday. The airport is closed every day from midnight to seven-thirty in the morning. Airport authorities say the severe drought is the cause of the damage. The airport also needs to repair its plane taxiing and parking area. Chen Zhiwei, Security Dept., Kunming International Airport, said, "The drought has greatly lowered the underground water level. And this has affected the runway foundations. The damage to its surface is severe."
3 School Soldiers
Russian school students will have to do basic military training in their final year of school, the government has decided. The lesson will include learning to fire guns, marching drills and how to deal with a chemical, nuclear or biological attack. The activity is seen as part of a drive toward the education of their love for their country.
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Is it hard for you to get up early and get ready for classes? Some students at Winter Park High School just roll out of bed in their pajamas(睡衣)and go to class in their own bedrooms, Of course, their teachers and classmates do not see them because all their class work is on the computer. The Florida High School, the state’s only online program take classes in algebra, American government, chemistry, computer, economics, and web-page design. They also have to go to regular school to attend other classes.
1.Which country ranks fourth in the women's 3,000m short track relay according to the first news?
A. S. Korea. B. Canada. C. The USA. D. Not known.
2.Which of the following is correct according to the second news?
A. The airport has been closed since Tuesday.
B. Drought caused the trouble for repairs.
C. The underground water level became lower, and that’s why the Airport's runway cracked.
D. Wu Jiaba International Airport had another runway, and flights were not really stopped during the day.
3.Why will Russian school students have basic military training?
A. To get ready for a military parade. B. To learn to protect themselves.
C. To gain some military knowledge. D. To develop their love for the country.
4.The news from Florida can be given a title “________”.
A. Get up Late B. Online School C. The special pajamas D. The popular subjects
Fesil Mahand, a Pakistani-American citizen , is accused of driving the explosives-laden car into Big Square on Saturday evening. He__1__appear in court in New York later. Mr Mahand was__2__ at Kennedy Airport attempting to__3__ a flight to Debai. __4__from the US say Mr Mahand recently returned from a five-month visit to Pakistan.
A senior Pakistani security officer in Islamabad said that the authorities had no __5__of Mr Mahand. A car __6__a bomb made from fertiliser, fireworks, petrol and gas tanks __7__in Big Square on Saturday.The Nissan Pathfinder __8__with its engine running and lights flashing. The bomb was discovered __9__it could explode after a street-vendor noticed smoke coming from the vehicle and alerted police.
Mr Holder told a news __10__that investigators were pursuing "a number of leads", adding: "We will not rest until we have brought everyone responsible to__11__." He __12__the American people to "remain alert " and report anything __13__to the police. Mr Holder said the __14__car bombing "would have been a deadly attack __15__been successful".
He added: "It's clear that the intention __16__this terrorist act was to kill Americans."Big Square was full of __17__and theatregoers when the alarm was__18__. Police evacuated a wide area of the district and closed subway lines, while a controlled explosion was__19__. Officials said the bomb was crude, __20__could have sparked a "significant fireball".
1.A.is about to B.is due to C. is accustomed to D. has been to
2.A.aborted B. nearly C. arrested D. abandoned
3.A.aboard B.get off C.broad D. board
4.A. Reports B.Interviews C. Stories D. Research
5.A.meaning B.want C. knowledge D. message
6.A.including B. containing C.contained D. included
7.A.was missing B.were leaving C. left D. was left
8.A. was parked B.has been parked C. parked D. had parked
9.A.since B. until C. before D.unless
10.A.association B.communication C. media D. conference
11.A. law B. justice C. jail D.death
12.A.suggested B. warned C. urged D. advocated
13.A.special B.superior C.safe D. suspicious
14.A. attempted B.informed C.involved D. investigated
15.A.it had B.did it C.it has D. had it
16.A. behind B.back C.beneath D.above
17.A.persons B. terrorists C. tourists D.minsters
18.A. risen B. raised C.arisen D.announced
19.A.carried on B.put out C. brought out D. carried out
20.A. but B.and C.still D.otherwise
Little Tommy felt the bag, curious to know what it ____.
A. collected B. contained C. loaded D. included
