PALO ALTO, California—“Switching off the television may help prevent children from getting fatter—even if they do not change their diet or increase the amount they exercise, ”US researchers said last week.
A study of 192 third and fourth graders, generally aged eight and nine, found that children who cut the number of hours spent watching television gained nearly two pounds(0.9 kg) less over a one-year period than those who did not change their television diet.
“The findings are important because they show that weight loss can only be the result of a reduction in television viewing and not any other activity,” said Thomas Robinson, a pediatrician(儿科专家) at Stanford University.
“American children spend an average of more than four hours per day watching television and videos or playing video games, and rates of childhood being very fat have doubled over the past 20 years,” Robinson said.
In the study, presented this week to the Pediatric Academic Societies' annual meeting in San Francisco, the researchers persuaded about 100 of the students to reduce their television viewing by one-quarter to one-third.
Children watching fewer hours of television showed a significantly smaller increase in waist size and had less body fat than other students who continued their normal television viewing, even though neither group ate a special diet or took part in any extra exercise.
“One explanation for the weight loss could be that the children unstuck to the television may simply have been moving around more and burning off calories,” Robinson said.
“Another reason might be due to eating fewer meals in front of the television. Some studies have suggested that eating in front of the TV encourages people to eat more,” Robinson said.The author tries to tell us in the first two paragraphs that _______.
| A．children will get fatter if they eat too much |
| B．children will get thinner if they eat less |
| C．children will get fatter if they spend less time watching TV |
| D．children will get fatter if they spend more time watching TV |
According to the passage, the time American children usually spend on watching TV_______.
| A．is more than four hours a day | B．is less than four hours a day |
| C．doubled in the last twenty years | D．is more than on any other activities |
The time children spend on TV viewing every day is suggested to be about _______.
| A．six hours | B．eight hours | C．three hours | D．one hour |
Which one of the followings is right?
| A．Children usually eat fewer while watching TV. |
| B．Children usually eat more while watching TV. |
| C．Children eat the same amount of meals while watching TV. |
| D．Children usually eat nothing while watching TV. |
Big trees are very important in ecology. For a start, they provide food for countless other species and shelter for many animals. With their tall branches in the sun, they take in vast amounts of energy. This allows them to produce massive crops of fruit and flowers that much of the animal life in the forest feed on.
Only a small number of tree species have the genetic(基因的) ability to grow really big. The biggest are native to North America, but big trees grow all over the globe, from the tropics(热带地区) to the forests of the high latitudes(纬度). To achieve giant size, a tree needs three things: the right place to establish(建立) its seedling, good growing conditions and lots of time with low adult death rate. Lose any of these, and you will lose your biggest trees.
In some parts of the world, populations of big trees are dwindling because their seedlings cannot survive. In southern India, for instance, an aggressive non-native bush, Lantana camara, is invading the floor of many forests. Lantana grows so thickly that young trees often fail to take root. With no young trees to replace them, it is only a matter of time before most of the big trees disappear.
Without the right growing conditions, trees cannot get really big and there is some evidence to suggest tree growth could slow in a warmer world, particularly in environments that are already warm. Having worked for decades at La Selva Biological Station in Puerto Viejo de Sarapiqui, Costa Rica, David and Deborah Clark and colleagues have shown that tree growth there slows obviously in warmer years. “During the day, their growth shuts down when it gets too warm, and at night they consume more energy because their metabolic(新陈代谢的) rate increases,” explains David Clark. With less energy produced in warmer years and more being consumed just to survive, there is even less energy available for growth.
The Clarks’ theory, if correct, means tropical forests would be smaller over time. The largest, oldest trees would gradually die off and tend not to be replaced. According to the Clarks, this might cause a destabilization of the climate; as older trees die, forests would release some of their stored carbon into the atmosphere, causing a cycle of further warming, forest shrinkage and carbon emissions.
Besides, big trees face threats from elsewhere.According to the passage, big trees make great contributions to the ecosystem because ________.
| A．they can take in large amounts of energy |
| B．they determine the change of global climate |
| C．they provide the essentials for many creatures |
| D．they can improve a new cycle of further warming |
All the following factors are a must for making big trees EXCEPT ______.
| A．no deadly damage |
| B．the suitable place for new plants’ growing |
| C．good environment for growth |
| D．the highest location |
The word “dwindling” (paragraph3) is closest in meaning to “______”.
| A．exploding | B．growing |
| C．changing | D．dropping |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Big trees in trouble. |
| B．Advantages of big trees. |
| C．Results of big trees’ disappearing. |
| D．Importance of big trees to humans. |
What will the author most probably discuss after the last paragraph?
| A．More threats to the existence of big trees. |
| B．The effect of human activities on big trees. |
| C．Benefits of big trees to the whole atmosphere. |
| D．Comparison between common trees and big ones. |
The oldest and most common source of renewable energy known to man, biomass（生物质） is one of the most important forms energy production in the United States and elsewhere. Since such a wide variety of biomass materials is everywhere —- from trees and grasses to agricultural and city —- life wastes —-biomass promises to play a continuing role in providing power and heat for millions of people around the world.
According to the Union of Concerned Scientists(UCS), biomass is a kind of renewable energy source that produces no carbon dioxide(二氧化碳), because the energy it contains comes from the sun. When plant matter is burned, it gives off the sun’s energy. In this way, biomass serves as a sort of natural battery(电池) for storing the sun’s energy. As long as biomass is produced continuously —-with only as much grown as is used— the “battery” lasts forever.
According to the Energy Information Administration, biomass has been one of the leading renewable energy sources in the United States for several years running through 2007, making up between 0.5 and 0.9 percent of the nation’s total electricity supply. In 2008—-although the numbers aren’t all in yet—-wind power probably took over first place because of the rapid development of wind farms across the country.
Producing power from biomass helps reduce some 11 million tons of carbon dioxide each year. Some homeowners also try to make their own heat by using biomass materials. Such practice may save homeowner’s money, but it also produces a lot of pollution. So, the best way is to encourage power plants to use it.Why is biomass considered as “ a sort of natural battery”?
| A．It burns merely plant matter. |
| B．It keeps producing electricity. |
| C．It stores the energy from the sun. |
| D．It produces zero carbon dioxide |
We learn from the text that in 2008 ______.
| A．Wind power would be the leader of renewable energy. |
| B．there was a rapid growth of electricity production |
| C．biomass might become the main energy source |
| D．0.5~0.9 of power supply came from biomass |
Why does the author encourage power plants to use biomass?
| A．To prevent the waste of energy. |
| B．To increase production safety. |
| C．To reduce pollution. |
| D．To save money. |
Where does the text probably come from?
| A．A research plan. | B．A science magazine |
| C．A book review. | D．A business report. |
 Encourage Me! Inspirational Poetry Gloria Coykendall ISBN 978141202785 It is an easy to read collection of poems originally written to encourage in faith and to be a cure for chronic depression(长期抑郁) … cure to strengthen identity and purpose. |
||
| Creation or Evolution Michael Ebifegha ISBN 9781450289023  Were humans created, or did they evolve? How old is the Earth? The debate between science and religion continues to be heated. In Creation or Evolution, Michael Ebifegha examines these two opposed world views within the structure of empirical(实证的) science. |
||
 Seeking the Edge Dr. Joseph L. Rose ISBN 9781462031795 Seeking the Edge provides the tools and techniques to find that edge in one’s life. ---driving readers to achieve success whether in your current job, finding a new job, in education, family, or even hobbies. |
Who wrote the story about a little boy and a little mouse?
| A．Bill Bosworth. | B．Michelle O. Donovan. |
| C．Dr. Joseph L. Rose. | D．Gloria Coykendall. |
The ISBN for the book of poems is _______.
| A．9781462031795 | B．9781412027854 |
| C．9780595433582 | D．9781462058679 |
What kind of readers will probably like reading More Things in Heaven?
| A．Those who are searching for the meaning of life. |
| B．Those who are trying to be spiritual leaders. |
| C．Those who study the art of writing. |
| D．Those who like traveling abroad. |
Which of the following books explores the origin of humans?
| A．Seeking the Edge. |
| B．Creation or Evolution. |
| C．Joshua, Helmut, and Bethlehem. |
| D．More Things in Heaven. |
Too many people want others to be their friends, but they don’t give friendship back. That is why some friendships do not last very long. To have a friend, you must learn to be one. You must learn to treat your friend the way you want your friend to treat you. Learning to be a good friend means learning three rules: be honest; be generous; be understanding.
Honesty is where a good friendship starts. Friends must be able to trust one another. If you do not tell the truth, people usually find out. If a friend finds out that you haven’t been honest, you may lose your friend’s trust. Good friends always trust one another to speak and act honestly.
Generosity (大度) means sharing and sharing makes a friendship grow. You do not have to give your lunch money or your clothes of course. Instead you have to learn how to share things you enjoy, like your hobbies and your interest. Naturally you will want to share your ideas and feelings. These can be very valuable to a friend.
Sooner or later everyone needs understanding and help with a problem. Something may go wrong at school. Talking about the problem can make it easier to solve. Turning to a friend can be a first step in solving the problem. So to be a friend you must listen and understand.
No two friendships are ever exactly alike. But all true friendships have three things in common. If you plan to keep your friends, you must practice honesty, generosity, and understanding.Some friendships don’t last very long because ____.
| A．there are too many people who want to make friends |
| B．they don’t know friendship is something serious |
| C．those who give others friendship receive friendship from others |
| D．some people receive friendship but don’t give friendship back |
The best title of this passage is _____.
| A．Honesty is the Best Policy |
| B．A Friend in Need is a Friend Indeed |
| C．Three Important Points in Life |
| D．Three Important Points in Making Friends |
Which of the following isn’t mentioned in the passage?
| A．Always tell your friends the truth. |
| B．Sharing your mind with your friends is of great value. |
| C．Discussing your problems with your friend often helps to solve the problem. |
| D．A friend who gives you his lunch money is a true friend. |
One day an American called Simon went to London to visit his friend, Rick. Rick told him that his flat was on the first floor. When he arrived, Simon went straight to the first floor of the building. But he was told that there was no Rick on that floor. Do you know why?
In fact, the British call the first floor of a building the ground floor. The floor above the ground floor is the first floor, which Americans would call the second floor.
The story shows that there are a few culture differences between Britain and America, though the British and Americans both speak English.
The British usually hide their feelings. They seldom start a conversation with strangers. For example, on the train the British often spend their time reading newspapers or books. But Americans are quite different. They’re more active and easier to talk with.
The British and Americans may use different terms for many things. The British usually use football, eraser and mail while Americans prefer to use soccer, rubber and post.Simon went to London to ______.
| A．visit his friend | B．spend his holiday |
| C．study English | D．have a meeting |
Which picture shows us where Rick’s flat was? ______.
According to the passage, the British usually spend their time ______ on the train.
| A．playing cards | B．talking loudly |
| C．doing some reading | D．singing and dancing |
What does the underlined word “terms” mean in Chinese in the passage? ______.
| A．成果 | B．学期 | C．会议 | D．用语 |