The idea of being able to walk on water has long interested humans greatly. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever accomplishing such a thing without artificial aid --- we simply weigh too much, and all our mass pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink.
However, several types of animals can walk on water. One of the most interesting is the common basilisk Basilicus basilicus, a lizard（蜥蜴）native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several meters, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water’s surface with its feet. The lizard will take as many as 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans to do this, we’ll need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create adequate “hitting.”
But fortunately there is an alternative: cornflour. By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot), you can create a “non-Newtonian” liquid that doesn’t behave like normal water. Now if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles（粒子）in the water group together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of an adequately thick liquid of cornflour.
Fun though all this may sound, it’s still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice. If you must do it, then keep the water wings handy in case you start to sink --- and take a shower afterward!
1.Walking on water hasn’t become a reality mainly because humans _______.
A. are not interested in it
B. have biological limitations
C. have not invented proper tools
D. are afraid to make an attempt
2.What do we know about Basilicus basilicas from the passage?
A. It is light enough to walk on water.
B. Its huge feet enable it to stay above water.
C. It can run across water at a certain speed
D. Its unique skin keeps it from getting wet in water
3.What is the function of the cornflour according to the passage?
A. To create a thick liquid.
B. To turn the water into solid.
C. To help the liquid behave normally.
D. To enable the water to move rapidly.
4.What is the author’s attitude toward the idea of human’s walking on water?
A. It is risky but beneficial.
B. It is interesting and worth trying
C. It is crazy and cannot become a reality
D. It is impractical; though theoretically possible
There have always been a lot of commonly believed but false ideas about being fat and doing exercise. Some people believe that they can’t help putting on weight as they get older, while others hold that if they stop exercising, their muscles will turn into fat. Here are some more myths:
I’ll never lose weight --- I come from a fat family
Wrong! While we can’t change the body type we are born with, we can’t blame our genes for making us fat. There’s plenty of evidence that fatness runs in families, and the main reason is that they share the same habits of eating too much and exercise too little.
I am fat because I burn calories slowly
Wrong! Fatness is not caused by a slow metabolism（新陈代谢）. If fact, although fat people consume more energy that slim people, they also fail to realize how much they eat! Keeping a diary can help you work out your daily food intake more accurately.
Exercise is boring
Wrong! Anything will become boring if you do it repetitively. The key is to develop a balanced and varied program that’s fun as well as progressive. If you enjoy a Sunday walk, take a different route. If you do Yoga, try a tai chi class. If you like swimming, set yourself a distance or time challenge.
No pain, no gain
Wrong! Exercise is not meant to hurt. Indeed, pain is your body telling you something’s wrong, and continuing to exercise could lead to serious injury. You may experience mild discomfort as you begin to exercise regularly, but this your body adapting to the positive changes in your lifestyle and the aches should disappear relatively quickly. If you don’t, rest and seek medical advice.
1.What does the author think about being fat?
A. It is the family genes that make people fat.
B. People are fat because they consume too little energy.
C. A diary of exercise can prevent people from becoming fat.
D. It is the consequence of people’s unbalanced lifestyle.
2.According to the author, how can we make exercise more interesting?
A. By taking varied exercise.
B. By choosing simple exercise.
C. By doing regular exercise.
D. By sticking to outdoor exercise.
3.What is the author’s opinion about “No pain, no gain” in exercising?
A. Keeping fit is essentially a painful experience.
B. Exercise should be stopped if continuous pain is felt.
C. Pain in exercise is a precondition for reaching your goal.
D. Getting used to pain leads to positive changes in your body.
4.What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To declare the importance of keeping fit.
B. To clarify some misconceptions about fatness and exercise.
C. To confirm what has long been believed about keeping fit.
D. To explain some medical facts about being fat and doing exercise.
I was never very neat, while my roommate Kate was extremely organized. Each of her objects had its place, but mine always hid somewhere. She even labeled（贴标签）everything. I always looked for everything. Over time, Kate got neater and I got messier. She would push my dirty clothing over, and I would lay my books on her tidy desk. We both got tired of each other.
War broke out one evening. Kate came into the room. Soon, I heard her screaming. “Take your shoes away! Why under my bed!” Deafened, I saw my shoes flying at me. I jumped to my feet and started yelling. She yelled back louder.
The room was filled with anger. We could not have stayed together for a single minute but for a phone call. Kate answered it. From her end of the conversation, I could tell right away her grandma was seriously ill. When she hung up, she quickly crawled（爬）under her covers, sobbing.
Obviously, that was not something she should not go through alone. All of a sudden, a warm feeling of sympathy rose up in my heart.
Slowly, I collected the pencils, took back the books, made my bed, cleaned the socks and swept the floor, even on her side. I got so into my work that I even didn’t notice Kate had sat up. She was watching, her tears dried and her expression one of disbelief. Then, she reached out her hands to grasp mine. I looked up into her eyes. She smiled at me, “Thanks.”
Kate and I stayed roommates for the rest of the year. We didn’t always agree, but we learned the key to living together: giving in, cleaning up and holding on.
1.What made Kate so angry one evening?
A. She couldn’t find her books.
B. She heard the author shouting loud.
C. She got the news that her grandma was ill.
D. She saw the author’s shoes beneath her bed.
2.The author tidied up the room most probably because _______.
A. she was scared by Kate’s anger
B. she hated herself for being so messy
C. she wanted to show her care
D. she was asked by Kate to do so
3.How is Paragraph 1 mainly developed?
A. By analyzing causes B. By showing differences
C. By describing a process D. By following time order
4.What might be the best title for the story?
A. My Friend Kate B. Hard Work Pays Off
C. How to Be Organized D. Learning to Be Roommates
Cultural differences occur wherever you go. When visiting another country, you should be aware of those differences and _______ them. Here are some _______ on how to fit in.
Every traveler to a foreign country feels _______ at some point. What you do can make locals laugh. Your best defense is a sense of _______. If you can laugh off eating with the wrong hand in India, locals will warm to you as “that crazy foreigner.”
Wearing proper cloths is important too, _______ locals will judge by what you wear. In some Middle Eastern countries, exposing your flesh is _______, especially if you are a woman. So leave your torn jeans at home.
Also be cautious about expressing _______. Getting angry in Southeast Asia just makes you look silly. In some countries it is _______ to kiss in public.
1.A. reject B. recite C. respect D. remove
2.A. plans B. tips C. arguments D. choices
3.A. unsafe B. excited C. satisfied D. awkward
4.A. relief B. belonging C. humor D. direction
5.A. but B. for C. so D. or
6.A. forbidden B. allowed C. expected D. tolerated
7.A. emotions B. concern C. interest D. views
8.A. natural B. advisable C. unwise D. unnecessary
Five months after my husband Steve died, I woke up one morning to the maddening sound of a leaking faucet（水龙头）. I knew it needed repairs badly, but it _______ me so much just to think of it.
All our _______ life, I was the “artist” bringing to our house much imagination. Steve was the”_______” one. He had a real gift for handling chores（家务活），_______ me from unpleasant repair jobs.
But how could such a good man have his life cut short so suddenly! I had been so sad and angry that I completely _______ the house. That leaky faucet somehow awakened me to the fact that I now had to _______ the challenge of getting things fixed.
I got a workman named Ahmed. Entering the house, he stopped before a picture of Steve and me. “Doesn’t your husband _______ this kind of work?” he asked. “It’s not hard.”
“He died months ago. When he was alive, he did all the repair jobs _______.” I said quietly. Ahmed looked at me _______, but he didn’t reply. He fixed the faucet, adjusted the dishwasher door, and replaced a showerhead. Apparently he was gifted as Steve had been.
He did a(n) _______ job. I asked him to name his fee. “No charge, Ma’am,” he said. “My father died early, and the neighbors helped my family through.”
By fixing a faucet, Ahmed mended my soul. Although I would sure carry the pain of _______ with me along, Ahmed reminded me of the abundant _______ in the world.
1.A. hurt B. puzzled C. cost D. disappointed
2.A. separate B. shared C. spiritual D. social
3.A. active B. boring C. careless D. practical
4.A. attracting B. sheltering C. driving D. prohibiting
5.A. ignored B. hated C. cleaned D. missed
6.A. come up with B. face up with C. look forward to D. step away from
7.A. begin B. check C. like D. find
8.A. gratefully B. firmly C. bravely D. wonderfully
9.A. strangely B. innocently C. painfully D. sympathetically
10.A. terrible B. excellent C. important D. dangerous
11.A. loss B. failure C. fear D. regret
12.A. friendship B. devotion C. kindness D. justice
--- Jack, I’d like to have your opinions about my written report.
--- _______. But I have one suggestion.
A. That’s a good idea B. You are too modest
C. It looks fine to me D. You should check it first
