Space travel is definitely bad for astronauts’ bones, reducing their bone density(密度) after only a month of weightlessness, according to French research published on Friday.
Laurence Vico and his fellow workers at St Etienne University called for more research into the effects of microgravity, after their study of 15 astronauts from the Russian MIR station showed bone loss continued throughout space flights.
“Bone loss was especially striking in four astronauts, ” the scientists reported in the Lancet Medical Journal.
They measured the bone mineral density (BMD) of bones in the forearm(前臂) and lower leg of the astronauts who had spent one to six months in space.
The BMD loss was significant in the tibia(胫骨) of the lower leg, a weight-bearing bone, but barely changed in the radius(桡骨) of the forearm. “Our results indicate the need to investigate not only different bones, but also different areas of the same bone since not all sites of the skeleton (骨架) are similarly affected by space conditions, ” they added.
Without gravity the body isn’t bearing any weight so there is no need for calcium (钙) which makes bones strong, and it becomes empty into the bloodstream.
The research team suggested in future scientists should try to determine if the loss of bone density was only on weight-bearing bones on longer flights, also the possible recovery after returning to Earth.
1. French scientists did their research on Russian astronauts, because _______.
A. they only cared for the Russian astronauts
B. they were not interested in their own astronauts
C. the Russian government invited them to do their research
D. the Russian astronauts worked in space for a long time
2. Scientists have found that _______.
A. the BMD loss may cause serious illness to astronauts
B. the BMD loss may cause some change in astronauts’ bodies
C. astronauts shouldn’t care about the BMD loss
D. astronauts should take some calcium before space travel
3. What cause the BMD loss to astronauts, according to this passage?
A. The food they eat in space. B. The drinks they take in space.
C. The temperature in space. D. The gravity in space.
4. In the third paragraph, the word “striking” means ______.
A. unusual B. simple C. weak D. slow
We live in a digital world now, and a student’s technology needs have changed. For the early years, when you are in primary school, you can get by with no technology at all. Even if you have a computer, it’s a good idea to get children familiar with libraries. At this age, trips to the library are like family outings.
As you get closer to middle school, a computer with Internet access becomes more of a necessity. Teachers will often give assignments that require a student to use the Internet for research. After a computer, technology choices for students become more difficult to make – especially when it comes to cell-phones. Kids will beg their parents for a cell-phone, especially in middle school. For many parents, it’s a safety issue: They want to know that their kids can reach them quickly if necessary. For teachers, cell phones can be used to record lessons when students are absent. But many teachers dislike cell-phones. Some kids send messages or have talks in the class. Sending messages also raises the problem of cheating on exams. More and more schools are now forbidding the use of cell-phones.
Many kids see iPods as necessary things to have. IPods are great for music, but do they do anything good for your children’s education? Maybe they do. That’s the opinion of Doug Johnson, an educator for 30 years. Johnson says that educators should accept all new forms of technology in the classroom, including iPods. “Some do more with their cell- phones than we can do with our laptops,” he jokes. “I don’t think we should be afraid. The truth is that it’s easier to change the way we teach than to change the technology habits of an entire generation.” According to author, primary school children should___.
| A．use the computer and the Internet regularly |
| B．ask their parents to buy them cell-phones |
| C．buy iPods to listen to music |
| D．go to libraries to read more books |
Why do parents agree to buy their children cell-phones?
| A．They want their children to be cool. |
| B．They think cell-phones be helpful to their study. |
| C．They want to keep in touch with their children. |
| D．They want their children to keep up to date. |
The following are all reasons why many teachers dislike cell-phones EXCEPT ____.
| A．cell-phones can be used to cheat on exams |
| B．schoolchildren will send messages during class |
| C．cell-phones can be used to record lessons |
| D．schoolchildren might talk on them during class |
What does the underlined word “that” refers to?
| A．iPods can be used to listen to music. |
| B．iPods can be helpful for children’s education. |
| C．iPods can be used to play games. |
| D．iPods are necessary for children’s lives. |
We can infer from what Doug Johnson said that _____.
| A．cell-phones are not useful to students |
| B．teachers should let students use cell-phones |
| C．it’s better for teachers to change their teaching methods |
| D．schoolchildren should follow the trends(潮流) of fashion |
There are many festivals in Argentina(阿根廷) during the year. Therefore, you can enjoy the different interesting festivals when traveling there. First of all, we should talk about the Tango(探戈舞) Festival in Argentina, which is held in the capital of this country — Buenos Aires, from February to March. You ought to know that Argentina is the home of tango, so Argentineans admire this dance very much. Even if you cannot dance perfectly, you should join the people and try to perform this dance.
The next festival in Argentina is Open Polo(马球) Tournament. You should go to Palermo to see this festival in Argentina. This festival is held every year and is the most important polo tournament in Argentina. This kind of sport is considered the most important in Argentina. Attending this festival in Argentina, you will be able to communicate with different people, admire the fascinating competition between the teams of different countries, such as Argentina, England, Australia, as well as the US. This festival in Argentina is usually held between November and December every year. So don’t miss the opportunity if you travel to Argentina at this time.
The other festival in Argentina is the Semana Musical Llao Llao. This is a festival of classical music. The festival was created in 1993 and is held at the Llao Llao Hotel, near Bariloche. The festival is held yearly in October. So if you admire this kind of music, you should travel to Argentina in October. There are also many carnivals in October.
There are also many carnivals in Argentina in summer. Of course, it’s impossible to put everything about festivals in Argentina into just one article. We hope that you have found this article interesting and eye-catching.What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Travel to Argentina | B．Entertainments in Argentina |
| C．Festivals in Argentina | D．A brief introduction to Argentina |
From the passage, we know that the Tango Festival_______.
| A．welcomes everyone to take part in | B．is held in summer |
| C．is organized by the government | D．holds parties for different dances |
Which of the following is a sport festival?
| A．The Semana Musical Llao Llao. | B．Open Polo Tournament. |
| C．The Tango Festival. | D．Argentina Carnivals. |
If Tom wants to enjoy a classical music event in Argentina, he should visit _____ .
| A．Buenos Aires in spring | B．Palermo in April |
| C．Bariloche in October | D．Palermo in winter |
Which festival is not mentioned in the massage?
| A．Tango Festival | B．Open Polo Tournament |
| C．Argentina Carnivals | D．Argentina Spring Festival |
Mark Twain was a great writer. He was from the USA. He was born in 1835. He was also a famous speaker. He was famous for his sense of humour. Many people liked to listen to him talk because he liked to tell some interesting stories to make people laugh all the time.
One day Mark Twain was going to a small town because of his writing. Before he was going to leave, one of his friends said to him that there were always a lot of mosquitoes(蚊子) in the town and told him that he’d better not go there. Mark Twain waved (摇动) his hand and said, “It doesn’t matter. The mosquitoes are no relatives of mine. I don’t think they will come to visit me.”
After he arrived at the town, Mark Twain stayed in a small hotel near the station. He went into his room, but when he was just about to have a rest, quite a few mosquitoes flew about him. The waiters felt very sorry about that. “I’m very sorry, Mr. Mark Twain. There are too many mosquitoes in our town.” One of them said to him.
Mark Twain, however, made a joke, saying to the waiter, “The mosquitoes are very clever. They know my room number. They didn’t come into the wrong room.” What he said made all the people present laugh heartily.
But that night Mark Twain slept well. Do you know why? That was because all the waiters in the hotel were driving the mosquitoes away for him during the whole night. Many people liked Mark Twain because________.
| A．he was famous | B．he liked to talk | C．he was humourous | D．he was a writer |
That day Mark Twain went to the town _____.
| A．to see one of his friends |
| B．because he wanted to do something there for his writing |
| C．because he was told there were a lot of mosquitoes there |
| D．to see one of his relatives |
The waiters felt sorry because _____.
| A．they did something wrong to Mark Twain |
| B．their hotel was too small |
| C．the room was not very clean |
| D．there were quite a few mosquitoes in Mark Twain’s room |
All the people present laughed heartily because _____.
| A．the mosquitoes were very clever and they didn’t come into the wrong room |
| B．the mosquitoes knew Mark Twain’s room number |
| C．Mark Twain gave the waiters some nice presents |
| D．Mark Twain made a joke |
From the story we know _____.
| A．no mosquitoes troubled Mark Twain in the night |
| B．the owner of the hotel told the waiters to look after Mark Twain well at night |
| C．Mark Twain didn’t have a good rest that night |
| D．there were not mosquitoes in the hotel any longer |
Thirty-two people watched kitty Genovese being killed right beneath their windows. She was their neighbor. Yet none of the 32 helped her. Not one even called the police. Was this in gunman cruelty? Was it lack of feeling about one’s fellow man?
Not so, say scientists John Barley and Bib Fatane. These men went beyond the headlines to probe（探查） the reasons why people didn’t act. They found that a person has to go through two steps before he can help. First he has to notice that is an emergency(紧急情况).
Suppose you see a middle-aged man fall to the side-walk. Is he having a heart attack? Is he in a coma （昏迷） from diabetes（糖尿病）? Or is he about to sleep off a drunk?
Is the smoke coming into the room from a leak in the air conditioning? Is it steam pipes? Or is it really smoke from a fire? It’s not always easy to tell if you are faced with a real emergency.
Second, and more important, the person faced with an emergency must feel personally responsible. He must feel that he must help, or the person won’t get the help he needs.
The researchers found that a lot depends on how many people are around. They had college students in to be tested. Some came alone. Some came with one or two others. And some came in large groups. The receptionist started them off on the tests. Then she went into the next room. A curtain divided the testing room and the room into which she went. Soon the students heard a scream, the noise of file cabinets falling and a cry for help. All of this had been pre-recorded on a tape-recorder.
Eight out of ten of the students taking the test alone acted to help. Of the students in pairs, only two out of ten helped. Of the students in groups, none helped.
In other words, in a group, Americans often fail to act. They feel that others will act. They, themselves, needn’t. They do not feel any direct responsibility.
Are people bothered by situations where people are in trouble? Yes. Scientists found that the people were emotional, they sweated, they had trembling hands. They felt the other person’s trouble. But they did not act. They were in a group. Their actions were shaped by the actions of those they were with.The purpose of this passage is_________.
| A．to explain why people fail to act in emergencies |
| B．to explain when people will act in emergencies |
| C．to explain what people will do in emergencies |
| D．to explain how people feel in emergencies |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．When a person tries to help others, he must be clear that there is a real emergency. |
| B．When a person tries to help others, he should know whether hey are worth his help. |
| C．A person must take the full responsibility for the safety of those in emergencies if he wants to help. |
| D．A person with a heart attack needs the most. |
The researchers have conducted an experiment to prove that people will act in emergencies when__________.
| A．they are in pairs | B．they are in groups |
| C．they are alone | D．they are with their friends |
The main reason why people fail to act when they stay together is that _________.
| A．they are afraid of emergencies |
| B．they are reluctant to get themselves involved |
| C．others will act if they themselves hesitate |
| D．they do not have any direct responsibility for those who need help |
Many young people in America go to camps when they are out of school during the summer. They are offered a chance to explore different things: nature, sports, music, technology ——even business and economy.
One such program for high school students in the Pacific Northwest is called Washington Business Week. The program began in 1975. Officials say forty-five thousand people have attended Washington Business Week. Other states now have similar camps.
Washington Business Week describes itself as a way to learn more about how to plan for the future in an ever-changing economy. Students form an executive(行政的) management (管理) team. They lead an imaginary company to financial success.
The camp is held at three colleges in Washington State. The high school students live in the college housing. The cost of the camp is almost three hundred dollars, but families can receive financial assistance(援助).
Some business camps are free. These are for students from poor areas. The National Foundation for Teaching Entrepreneurship（企业家）(NFTE) is an organization based in New York City that supports such camps. It has programs around the United States and its Web site lists international partners in China, Tanzania and a few other countries. NFTE says it has served more than one hundred thousand young people since 1987.
Among other business camps is Camp C.E.O.. C.E.O is an chief executive officer. And this camp is for girls only. Camp C.E.O. is supported by the Girl Scouts of America and takes place for one week each summer.
The camp took place last month in Tennessee. The girls worked with successful businesswomen
from different industries. The girls learned how to build a business and develop an idea into a product. And, we imagine, they also had some fun. In Washington Business Week, students successfully run a company_______.
| A．that they are working in | B．that belongs to the American government |
| C．that does not actually exist | D．that was once shut down |
Which of the following is True about NFTE?
| A．It offers financial help to all students. |
| B．It has programs in America and some other countries. |
| C．It was organized by many rich New Yorkers. |
| D．One of its aims is to train students to be business managers. |
What can we conclude from the passage ?
| A．The Americans are good at enjoying their lives in many camps. |
| B．The young Americans are living a happy life in camps. |
| C．The Americans pay attention to developing the students’ abilities. |
| D．It is easier to organize business camps in America than other countries. |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
A. Summer camps for students B. Summer camps for future C.E.O.
C. Summer camps being popular D. Summer camps in the world