The United Nations Environment Program is calling for urgent action to reduce growing risks from chemicals. Better management of chemicals could save millions of lives and billions of dollars. As estimated, 143,000 chemicals are now produced. Yet the report says only a small number of these chemicals have been studied for their effects on human health and the environment. It says death and disability rates are high from the unsafe use of chemical products.
Sylvie Lemmet, director of the UNEP, says poor management of chemicals has a high economic cost. For example, she says the cost is higher than the amount of overseas development aid, or ODA, for health care in sub-Saharan Africa.
She says, “If you look at the estimated cost of poisoning from pesticide (杀虫剂) in sub-Saharan Africa, only the injury and the loss of working time is estimated to be 6.3 billion US dollars in 2009. This is higher than the total ODA that is going to the health part in the same area.”
The UNEP estimates that chemical sales worldwide will increase by around three percent a year until 2050. Chemical production is moving quickly from developed to developing countries. By 2020, chemical production is expected to increase by 40 percent in Africa and the Middle East and 33 percent in Latin America. One of its biggest concerns is pollution of rivers and lakes by pesticide and fertilizer. Other major concerns are heavy metal pollution from the production of cement (水泥) and textiles (纺织品), and dioxin pollution from mining.
The UN report urges the chemical industry and governments to work together to develop safety policies. It says preventing harm costs less than fixing it.
1.The purpose of Paragraph 3 is mainly to indicate that ______.
A.chemicals have a high production cost
B.Africa needs more development aid
C.the use of pesticide causes a great loss
D.the estimated cost of poisoning from pesticide is incorrect
2.Which of the following is NOT a source of danger according to the text?
A.Pesticide. B.Fertilizer.
C.Heavy metals. D.Minerals.
3.According to the text, what is the main reason for the risks from chemicals?
A.The mass production of cement and textiles.
B.Lack of research funds on chemicals.
C.Poor management of chemicals.
D.Contradictions between chemical producers and governments.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A.The truth in Sylvie Lemmet’s comments
B.A UN warning about chemical dangers
C.The unpredictable future of chemical industry
D.Preventing is much better than fixing
Whenever I hear a recording of John Denver singing “Sunshine on My Shoulders”， I find myself smiling, drawn to a love of the sun and the outdoors I’ve had for years as a Michigan native. Walking barefoot to the lake, playing without shirts in the sunlight, and breathing fresh air feel good. As a doctor I can tell you they are also good for your heart.
Studies have found higher rates of high blood pressure among people with the lowest sun exposure. One reason may be due to nitric oxide (一氧化氮), a gas whose function is activated when your skin is exposed to the sun’s rays. It reduces both heart attack and stroke risks. Vitamin D, which sunlight helps your body produce, is also linked to better health. So walk outdoors for 15 to 30 minutes daily.
In Japan, walking through forests to keep healthy has become a popular practice. Apparently they want to enjoy the fresh air. But research on 280 volunteers found that people had a reduced heart rate, and lower blood pressure when they walked through a forest than when they spent time in an urban area.
One of the consequences of modern society is that rarely is our body in direct contact with the ground. The earth has an electrical current. Direct contact with it may be stabilizing force for good health. Although “earthing” or “grounding” is considered alternative by mainstream medicine, research shows that the practice seems to be able to reduce heart disease risks.
So, walk around barefoot wherever possible, let your backyard grass tickle your feet, and dig your toes into sandy beaches.
1.The first paragraph is meant to ________.
A.show the author likes the song very much
B.put forward the argument of the passage
C.suggest that the author loves nature crazily
D.indicate the author is a Michigan native
2.Sunbathing is good for heart because _______.
A.the sun’s rays make nitric oxide work
B.sunlight can help people keep warm
C.the sun’s rays can help replace vitamin D
D.vitamin D reduces blood circulation
3.It’s believed that walking through forests can ________.
A.make people popular B.help breathe in fresh air
C.reduce blood pressure D.help escape noisy cities
4.The best title of the passage should be ________.
A.Nitric Oxide Has Magic Functions
B.Walking Barefoot Builds the Body
C.Sunbathing is Good for Health
D.Outdoor Activities Benefit the Heart
One stride at a time, Tom Panek and his guide dog, Gus, inch closer to their goal. The two have been training in local parks for more than three years with the hopes of competing in an official longdistance race. It’s never been done before. “I’ve been running my whole life. I ran on my crosscountry team in high school, and I ran as a young adult,” Panek said. He lost his sight 25 years ago. “When I lost my sight I was too scared to run,” Panek said.
As he adjusted to his blindness, he began running with a human guide, but it wasn’t the same. “Although many people run with running clubs, at the end of the day you’re running your own race. And when you’re tied to another person, it’s no longer your own race. The independence isn’t quite there,” Panek said.
Two years ago, Panek became the CEO of Guiding Eyes for the Blind. The idea of a running guide program was first suggested by Richard Hunter, who was blind and looking to get back in to running.
“Richard shouted out, ‘I’m really curious, have you ever trained a guide dog to run？’ And I said, ‘I don’t know. It hasn’t been done,’” Panek said.
A few months and intense training sessions later, the running guide program was born. Panek and a small team helped train Klinger, a German shepherd, to aid Hunter with running.
He formed a team of experts to train a small group of dogs to run long distances. The dogs begin their training at 18 months old. It’s an exclusive club. Out of 165 graduate dogs, only about 12 are considered race ready.
The team’s final test would be a fivemile race through New York’s Central Park just one week before the New York City Marathon. It was Panek’s and Gus’s first competitive race. Before the race, Panek was overcome with emotion, wiping away his tears of appreciation to the dog who gave him his independence back.
“And crossing that finish line, you know it was a momentous (关键的) occasion for me,” Panek said.
1.How did Panek think of running with a human guide?
A.Inspiring. B.Challenging.
C.Rewarding. D.Disappointing.
2.What was Hunter curious about?
A.Training a dog guide to run. B.Getting back to run as a blind man.
C.Starting a running guide program. D.Running with a human guide.
3.Which of the following is mentioned in the article?
A.Dogs are reluctant to run long distances.
B.Few dogs are qualified to guide in running.
C.Some dogs are born to be a guide in races.
D.Dogs need to be trained for 18 months.
4.What does particular significance the final test have to Panek?
A.He won a big prize with Gus’ help.
B.His guide dog was treated well in the race.
C.He got his independence once again.
D.He ran to the finishing line without stopping.
Four Free Mobile Apps to Help You Learn English Faster
Have you realized that you can put your smartphone to really good use for learning English? Here are 4 free mobile apps that will help you do just that.
Hello English
It covers all the aspects of language learning, including vocabulary, translation, grammar, spellings, spoken and reading skills. It uses interactive games to teach different English lessons and offers new audiobooks, latest news, and books. However, you should already understand basic English structures and alphabets, for the app can’t help you learn English from scratch (从零开始).
Duolingo
If you want to learn English from scratch, then this is the app you are looking for. Duolingo uses interactive games to help you learn English. For beginners, the app focuses on helping you learn verbs, phrases and sentences.
Lingbe
If you are ready to practice your spoken skills in the realworld, you’ll need Lingbe. It’s a communitybased app where people help each other and share their native languages. It connects you with real people on call who are native English speakers.
Hello Talk
HelloTalk is similar to Lingbe as it connects you with native speakers to help improve your language skills. However, it adds a few extra functions that might interest you. You can view the information about users to find a match that interests you. Additionally, you can also send text and audio messages, and even do video calls with other people.
If you are a beginner, start from Duolingo and then use Hello English to take full command over the language. For fluent spoken English learners, you can try out Lingbe or Hello Talk.
1.What should you already understand to use Hello English?
A.Good reading and writing skills.
B.Basic listening and speaking tips.
C.Different English lessons and books.
D.Understand basic English structures and alphabets.
2.Which app is the best choice for an English beginner at first?
A.Hello English. B.Duolingo.
C.Lingbe. D.Hello Talk.
3.What can you do on Lingbe?
A.Read the latest news. B.Enjoy the interactive games.
C.Practice your spoken English. D.Talk with native speakers in the flesh.
假定你是李华，你的英国朋友Peter对中医文化很感兴趣，发来邮件向你咨询中医养生知识，请回复邮件，向他简要介绍中医养生并推荐央视<中华医药>(Traditional Chinese Medicine)栏目。
注意:
1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.结束语已为你写好。
Dear Peter,
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes.
Yours,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅沙及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个添字符号(^),并在下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线( \)划掉。
修改:在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意: 1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限- -词;
2.只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Hi Jacob,
I' m really pleased you' re coming to stay with us soon. I have easy-going family of four and all of my parents are very approachable. They let me do more or less what we like as long as we tell them about it first. I've already been made a list of the most interesting thing to do and see when you're here. As you're keen on watch football, I’ve booked two tickets for a bigger match. We can explore the countryside，when we might see animals in the wild. Besides, since it’s true peaceful there, we can even camp for a night and two. And I can't wait to meet you!
William
