One August afternoon, Richard Allen dropped off his last passenger, Mrs. Carey. Lifting two grocery bags, he followed her across the yard and stood on the step of her house. Glancing up, he saw a large wasp（黄蜂） nest under the roof. Allen had heard that wasps can become more likely to sting (sting, sting, stung蜇) in summer. He mentioned this to Mrs. Carey, who had opened the door.
“Oh, they don’t bother me,” she said lightly. “I go in and out all the time.”
Anxiously, Allen looked at the nest again—— to see the wasps flying straight at him. “Hurry!” he shouted to Mrs. Carey. “Get in!”
She stepped quickly inside. Allen ran for his mini-bus. Too late; they were upon him. Just as he jumped aboard, half a dozen red spots showed on his arm, and he felt more on his back and shoulders.
As he was driving down the road, Allen felt as if something was burning at the back of his neck, and the “fire” was spreading forward toward his face. And immediate anxiety took hold of him. Allen knew that stings could cause some persons to die. But he had been stung the previous summer and the after-effects soon passed. However, what he didn’t know what that the first sting had turned his body into a time bomb waiting for the next to set off an explosion.
Miles from the nearest medical assistance, Allen began to feel his tongue thick and heavy and his heartbeat louder. Most frightening, he felt his breathing more and more difficult. He reached for the radio mike（话筒）, trying to call the mini-bus center, but his words were hardly understandable. Signals were also poor that far out. He knew a rescue team was on 24-hour duty at the Amherst Fire Department’s north station. So his best chance was to make a run for it.
Rushing down the mountain, Allen tried not to panic, focusing his mind on each sharp turn. He was almost through the last of them when he felt sure he was going into shock（休克）. Just then he reached for the radio mike again.
“Call fire station,” he shouted, concentrating to form the words. “Emergency. Bee sting. Emergency. There in ten minutes.”
“Five-ten,” the center replied.
Hold on, Allen thought. Keep your eyes open. Breathe. Keep awake.
At last he reached the station. Two firemen ran out. Allen felt their hands grasp him before he hit the ground. You made it, he thought.It is mentioned in the passage that wasps are more likely to attack when _______.
| A．there are huge noises |
| B．strangers are approaching |
| C．the air is filled with food smell |
| D．the hottest season comes around |
Allen didn’t know that if stung by wasps again, he would _______.
| A．have no after-effects |
| B．suffer from sharper pain |
| C．surely lose his life |
| D．become more sensitive |
Allen failed at his first attempt to send his message to the mini-bus center because _______.
| A．he was unable to speak clearly |
| B．his radio equipment was poor |
| C．he was in a state of shock |
| D．no one was on duty |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Allen, A Helpless Driver |
| B．Wasps, Bloody Killers |
| C．A Race Against Death |
| D．War Against Wasps |
Some students get so nervous before a test, they do poorly even if they know the material. Sian Beilock has studied these highly anxious test-takers.
Sian Beilock: “They start worrying about the consequences. They might even start worrying about whether this exam is going to prevent them from getting into the college they want. And when we worry, it actually uses up attention and memory resources.I talk about it as your cognitive horsepower that you could otherwise be using to focus on the exam.”
Professor Beilock and another researcher, Gerardo Ramirez, have developed a possible solution. Just before an exam, highly anxious test-takers spend ten minutes writing about their worries about the test.
Sian Beilock: “what we think happens is when students put it down on paper , they think about the worst that could happen and they reappraise the situation. They might realize it’s not as had as they might think it was before and, in essence(本质上), it prevents these thoughts from popping up when they’re actually taking a test.”
The researchers tested the idea on a group of twenty anxious college students. They gave them two short math tests. After the first one, they asked the students to either sit quietly or write about their feelings about the upcoming second test.
The researchers added to the pressure. They told the students that those who did well on the second test would get money. They also told them that their performance would affect other students as part of a team effort.
Professor Beilock says those who sat quietly scored an average of twelve percent worse on the second test. But the students who had written about their fears improved their performance by an average of five percent.
Next, the researchers used younger students in a biology class. They told them before final exams either to write about their feelings or to think about things unrelated to the test.
Prefessor Beilock says highly anxious students who did the writing got an average grade of B+, compared to a B- for those who did not.
Sian Beilock: “What we showed is that for students who are highly test-anxious, who’d done our writing intervention, all of a sudden there was no relationship between test anxiety and performance. Those students most likely to worry were performing just as well as their classmates who don’t normally get nervous in these testing situations.”
But what if students do not have a chance to write about their fears immediately before an exam or presentation? Professor Beilock says students can try it themselves at home or in the library and still improve their performance.What may happen if students have the problem of test anxiety?
| A．Test anxiety can improve students’ performance to some degree. |
| B．Students’ attention and memory resources run out when worried. |
| C．Students may not be admitted into their favorite college if worried |
| D．Test anxiety is sure to cause students to fail the test. |
Which of the following if TRUE?
| A．In the first math test, students who sat quietly performed better. |
| B．In the second math test, students who wrote about their feelings did worse. |
| C．Some college students are highly anxious test-takers while others are not in the tests. |
| D．The result in the math test agrees with that in the biology test. |
What does the underlined phrase “popping up” mean?
| A．Giving out | B．Fading away | C．Becoming clearly | D．Appearing suddenly |
what is most probably Sian Beilock?
| A．A psychology professor. | B．A philosophy researcher. |
| C．A politics professor | D．A tutor |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．It is a common practice for students being worried before a test. |
| B．Being worried before tests does harm to students’ performance. |
| C．Anxious students overcome test anxiety by writing down fears. |
| D．It is important for students to overcome test anxiety. |
American society is not nap (午睡)-friendly. In fact, says David Dinges, a sleep specialist at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, “There’s even a prohibition against admitting we need sleep”. Nobody wants to be caught napping or found asleep at work. To quote a proverb: “Some sleep five hours, nature requires seven, laziness nine and wickedness eleven.”
Wrong. The way not to fall asleep at work is to take naps when you need them. “We have to totally change our attitude toward napping,” says Dr. William Dement of Stanford University, the godfather of sleep research.
Last year a national commission led by Dement identified an “American sleep debt” which one member said was as important as the national debt. The commission was concerned about the dangers of sleepiness: people causing industrial accidents or falling asleep while driving. This may be why we have a new sleep policy in the White House. According to recent reports, President Clinton is trying to take a ha1f-hour snooze (瞌睡) every afternoon.
About 60 percent of American adults nap when given the opportunity. We seem to have “a mid afternoon quiet phase,” also called “a secondary sleep gate.” Sleeping 15 minutes to two hours in the early afternoon can reduce stress and make us refreshed. Clearly, we were born to nap.
We Superstars of Snooze don't nap to replace lost shut-eye or to prepare for a night shift.Rather, we “snack” on sleep, whenever, wherever and at whatever time we feel like it. I myself have napped in buses, cars, planes and on boats; on floors and beds; and in libraries, offices and museums.It is commonly accepted in American society that too much sleep is.
| A．unreasonable | B．criminal | C．harmful | D．costly |
The research done by the Dement Commission shows that Americans ________.
| A．don't like to take naps |
| B．are terribly worried about their national debt |
| C．sleep less than is good for them |
| D．have caused many industrial and traffic accidents |
The purpose of this article is to.
| A．warn us of the wickedness of napping |
| B．explain the danger of sleepiness |
| C．discuss the side effects of napping |
| D．convince the reader of the necessity of napping |
The underlined phrase “American sleep debt” in Para. 3 is the result of.
| A．the traditional misconception the Americans have about sleep |
| B．the new sleep policy of the Clinton Administration |
| C．the rapid development of American industry |
| D．the Americans' worry about the danger of sleepiness |
The second sentence of the last paragraph tells us that it is .
| A．preferable to have a sound sleep before a night shift |
| B．good practice to eat something light before we go to bed |
| C．essential to make up for cost sleep |
| D．natural to take a nap whenever we feel the need for it |
If you have ever been rock climbing, you will know that it is not a very easy sport. In fact, you probably felt quite defeated when you first tried to do any serious climbing. Indoor and outdoor rock climbing are both extremely demanding and require practice to get good at. It is one of the most physically and mentally demanding sports.
There are three basic types of rock climbing. Top roping is the most common type and the climber need to climb with a partner. The second type, which is very similar to top roping, is called lead climbing. In both of the types, the climber can sit off the wall and rest on the rope. The third type is called bouldering. Bouldering is a type of free climbing without any ropes. This is the most demanding of all climbing types. The climber must be able to complete the climbing without taking a rest on the rope.
Believe it or not, climbing is said to be about 75% legs and only 25% arms. To climb efficiently and successfully, a person needs to have a wonderful technique. One of the major rules of rock climbing is to always have three points touching the wall, whether it is both feet and one hand, or one foot and both hands, as it is much easier to have your weight cases will not do the climbing; they only hold you into the wall so that your legs are actually pushing you upward. Also, the closer you are to the wall, the easier it is to climb.
Rock climbing may sound a bit too extreme for the everyday person, but it is really an amazing workout. Once you get into the sport, and learn how to position your body and rest your weight, then you can begin to deal with some difficult problems. The great thing about rock climbing is that it is mentally challenging as well. You are constantly analyzing the way your body moves and how to do certain moves on the wall. For anyone who wants to get into shape, rock climbing is a fun and effective way to exercise muscles.What does the author think of rock climbing?
| A．It is an easy sport. | B．It is challenging. |
| C．It is quite dangerous. | D．It is extremely difficult. |
From the text we know that _____________.
| A．indoor rock climbing is much easier than outdoor rock climbing |
| B．while rock climbing, people depend mainly on their arms |
| C．ordinary people can practise rock climbing |
| D．during climbing, the climber can always stop for a rest |
While climbing, it is much easier for a rock climber if he __________.
| A．takes a rope | B．has a partner |
| C．has three points touching the wall | D．uses feet more often |
__________ will make rock climbing easier.
| A．Keeping the body closer to the wall |
| B．Resting more often on the arms |
| C．Resting more often on the feet |
| D．Pushing forward without thinking of the problems |
By rock climbing, one can _______.
| A．get more weight and stronger muscles |
| B．get both physical and mental exercises |
| C．have a terrible experience that will last long |
| D．probably feel quite defeated |
As a boy growing up in India，I had longed to travel abroad. I used to listen to the stories my father would tell me about his stay in Canada and tours to Europe in the 1970s’ with great interest.
My big moment finally came in the summer of 1998 when I was able to accompany my parents to Europe，where my father was to attend a meeting. We planned to travel to Belgium，Netherlands and West Germany.
I have vivid memories even today of going to Mumbai airport at night all excited about finally going abroad. I had heard several great things about Lufthansa till then but now I finally got to experience them first hand during the flight to Frankfurt. We flew business class and even today I can remember the excellent service by the Lufthansa crew. The flight was really smooth and thoroughly enjoyable，even for someone like me，who is otherwise scared of flying.
After spending almost two weeks in Europe，we took the Lufthansa airport express from Dusseldorf to Frankfurt airport for our return flight. What a journey that was! All along the Rhine (莱茵河)，it was simply an unforgettable experience. I was in a sombre mood on the flight back to Mumbai as it marked the end of a wonderful vacation，but the Lufthansa crew members were able to change it into a most enjoyable experience yet again，with the quality of their service.
Being the first airline to take me overseas，Lufthansa will always hold a special place in my heart. Even today，I continue to enjoy flights on Lufthansa and simply cannot dream of choosing any other airline. Flying，in general，for me，has always been an ordeal (terrible and painful experience)．Flying on Lufthansa，however，is something I always have and always will look forward to.Which country does the author live in now?
| A．India. | B．Canada. | C．Belgium. | D．Germany. |
What made the author so interested in traveling abroad?
| A．Growing up in India. |
| B．Once staying in Canada. |
| C．Once traveling to Canada with his father. |
| D．His father's stories about his traveling experiences. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the author's trip to Europe in 1998?
| A．The author traveled with one of his parents. |
| B．Both their going and return were by air. |
| C．They traveled in spring that year. |
| D．They stayed in Europe for nearly two months. |
It can be inferred from the passage that Lufthansa is ________.
| A．a city in India | B．a city in Europe | C．an airline company | D．a travel agency |
The underlined word “sombre” in the 4th paragraph probably means “________”．
| A．happy | B．sad | C．angry | D．enjoyable |
My students often tell me that they don’t have “enough time” to do all their schoolwork．
My reply is often a brief “You have as much time as the president．”I usually carry on a bit about there being twenty-four hours in the day for everyone, and suggest that “not enough time” is not an acceptable explanation of not getting something done．
Once in graduate school，I tried to prove to one of my professors by saying that I was working hard．His answer to me was． “That’s irrelevant（无关的）．What’s important is the quality of your work． ” Since then I have had time to think carefully about the “hard worker” dodge（诀窍），and I have come to some conclusions—all relevant to the problem of how much time we have．
If you analyze the matter, you can identify two parts of the prob1em：There is, of course，the matter of “time”, which we call think of as fixed． Then there is the problem of “work” during that time． But, as my professor suggested, it’s not how hard one works but the quality of the product that’s important．
That led me to a new idea: the quality of the work．That concept is perhaps best explained by a sign I once saw on the wall in someone s office: “Don't work harder． Work smarter．” There is a lot of sense in that idea．
If you can’t get more time，and few of US can，the only solution is to improve the quality of the work．That means thinking of ways to get more out of the same time than we might otherwise get．That should lead us to an analysis of our work habits．Since “work” for students usually means “homework”, the expression “work habits’ should be read as “study habits”．
Then, as a smart student，you will seek to improve those skills that you use in study, chiefly reading and writing． If you learn to read better and write better，there are big advantages that pay off in all your studies．From the passage，we know that the author is probably．
| A．a poet | B．an educator | C．a novelist | D．an engineer |
We can infer from the 2nd paragraph that we students still．
| A．have enough time | B．can meet the president |
| C．get everything done well | D．should accept the explanation |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The author's students make good use of their time to do all their homework． |
| B．The author tried to tell the professor that he／she（the author） had done a good job． |
| C．You can’t improve the quality of the work if you can’t get more time． |
| D．You’11 try to improve your skills in reading and writing if you're a clever student． |
What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．Students don’t have enough time． | B．Don’t work harder; work smarter． |
| C．No one can get more time． | D．Read better and write better． |