C
When did you last see a polar bear? On a trip to a zoo, perhaps? If you had attend
ed a winter activity in New York a few years ago, you would have seen a whole polar bear club. These "Polar Bears" are people who meet frequently in the winter to swim in freezing cold water. That day, the air temperature was 3℃, and the water temperature was a bit higher. The members of the Polar Bear Club at Coney Island, New York are usually about the age of 60. Members must satisfy two requirements. First, they must get along well with everyone else in the group, this is very important because there are so many different kinds of people in the club. Polar Bears must also agree to swim outdoors at least twice a month from November through February.
Doctors do not agree about the medical effects of cold-water swimming. Some are worried about the dangers of a condition in which the body's temperature drops so low that finally the heart stops. Other doctors, however, point out that there is more danger of a heart attack during summer swimming because the difference between the air temperature and water temperature is much greater in summer than in winter.
The Polar Bears themselves are satisfied with the benefits (or advantages) of cold-water swimming. They say that their favorite form of exercise is very good for the circulatory system(循环系统) because it forces the blood to move fast to keep the body warm. Cold-water swimmers usually turn bright red after a few minutes in the water. A person who turns blue probably has a very poor circulatory system and should not try cold-water swimming.
The main benefits(or advantages) of cold-water swimming are probably mental. The Polar Bears love to swim year-round; they find it fun and relaxing. As one 70-year-old woman says. "When I go into the water, I pour my troubles into the ocean and let them float away."
51. The members of the Polar Bear Club must meet the following requirements except that_____ .
A. they should be easy to make friends with
B. they must swim outdoors at least 8 times in the four cold months
C. they must agree to swim outdoors from November through February
D. they must reach the age of 60
52. Doctors _____ .
A. encourage people to take part in cold-water swimming actively
B. point out the possible danger of blood illness during cold-water swimming
C. believe swimming is helpful both in winter and in summer
D. have different ideas about the medical effects of cold-water swimming
53. According to the passage, some doctors believe it is true that _____ .
A. you are healthy if cold-water swimming turns your skin color blue
B. cold-water swimming causes more heart attacks in summer than in winter
C. cold-water swimming can make the body temperature dangerously high
D. Polar Bears are bears swimming in freezing water
54. The Polar Bears like to swim all the year round, for _____ .
A. they can remain young B. it is an easy way to keep the body warm in winter
C. they find it enjoyable and interesting D. they might meet fewer troubles in life
55. The passage is mainly about _____ .
A.a group of cold-water swimming lovers B. the polar bears' life
C. doctors' ideas about cold-water swimming D. the requirements of the Polar Bear Club
It is common and usual to see people freak out when they face challenges in their life. We all pass in different life problems and challenges. No one is free of life problems. Only a dead man faces no problem. As long as you are alive, challenges are everywhere.
How do you face problems and challenges in your life? Problems and challenges are the building blocks of your personality. They make you who you are. Besides, whether what happened in your life builds or destructs you depends on how you look at it. If you take your problems as troubles, they will be troubles and may cause destruction. If you take them as constructive tools, you are going to be built up on them.
Problems are everywhere. No one can avoid them. And they are good too. They open up a different look and opportunity if you are willing to see. When you face troubles, do not frustrate or freak out. Just cool yourself to think in a different direction. Think in a positive way. Every problem has its own good as well as bad sides. Focus on the good one. Look at the bright side.
Besides, there is always a good person, perhaps your mom or dad, or one of your friends, right beside you who can turn everything into your best if you are willing to turn to them. No matter what happens,they will be there to help you. Trust them and they will never let you down. All you need to know is that you are loved wherever you are. What’s the meaning of the underlined phrase “freak out” in Paragraph 1?
| A．feel shy | B．stay calm | C．keep up | D．feel upset |
In Paragraph 2, the writer implies that______
| A．problems cause troubles | B．attitude is everything |
| C．challenges can be avoided | D．personalities are built on failures |
According to the last paragraph, when we're in trouble, we _______.
| A．can only depend on our parents | B．are not alone |
| C．should only believe ourselves | D．are not confident |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Problems and challenges may help you know more about yourself. |
| B．People are able to avoid problems. |
| C．All problems are bad and negative. |
| D．You have to trust yourself and never turn to others for help. |
What’s the writer’ purpose to write the passage?
| A．To explain | B．To compare | C．To prove | D．To encourage. |
We find that bright children are rarely held back by mixed ability teaching. On the contrary, both their knowledge and experience are enriched. We feel that there are many disadvantages in streaming(把……按能力分班) pupils. It does not take into account the fact that children develop at different rates. It can have a bad effect on both the bright and the not-so-bright child. After all，it can be quite discouraging to be at the bottom of the top grade！
Besides, it is rather unreal to grade pupils just according to their intellectual(智力的) ability. This is only one aspect of their total personality. We are concerned to develop the abilities of all our pupils to the full, not just their academic ability. We also value personal qualities and social skills, and we find that mixed-ability teaching contributes to all these aspects of learning.
In our classrooms, we work in various ways. The pupils often work in groups: this gives them the opportunity to learn to co-operate, to share, and to develop leadership skills. They also learn how to deal with personal problems as well as learning how to think, to make decisions, to analyze and evaluate, and to communicate effectively in order to have the ability to become leaders. The pupils learn from each other as well as from the teacher.
Sometimes the pupils work in pairs；sometimes they work on individual tasks , and they can do this at their own speed. They also have some formal class teaching when this is suitable. We encourage our pupils to use the library, and we teach them the skills they need in order to do this efficiently. An advanced pupil can do advanced work：it does not matter what age the child is. We expect our pupils to do their best, not their least, and we give them every encouragement to attain this goal.We can know from the passage that the author’ s attitude towards “mixed-ability teaching” is______.
| A．approving | B．disapproving | C．questioning | D．inactive |
The underlined words “held back” in Paragraph 1 probably means “______”.
| A．drawn to their studies | B．forced to study in the lower classes |
| C．made to remain in the same classes | D．prevented from advancing |
Which of the following is NOT MENTIONED in the third paragraph?
| A．Pupils also learn to develop their reasoning abilities. |
| B．Pupils also learn how to participate in teaching activities |
| C．Group work gives pupils the chance to learn to work together with others. |
| D．Group work supply pupils with the chance to learn to be good organizers. |
The author’s purpose in writing this passage is to ______.
| A．offer advice on the proper use of the library |
| B．recommend pair work and group work for classroom activities |
| C．argue for teaching bright and not-so-bright pupils in the same class |
| D．tell us the importance of proper formal classroom teaching |
Diet Coke, diet Pepsi, diet pills, no-fat diet, vegetable diet… We are surrounded by the word “diet” everywhere we look and listen. We have so easily been attracted by the promise and potential of diet products that we have stopped thinking about what diet products are doing to us. We are paying for products that harm us psychologically and physically.
Diet products weaken us psychologically. On one level, we are not allowing our brain to admit that our weight problems lie not in actually losing the weight, but in controlling the consumption of fatty, high-calorie（卡）, unhealthy foods. Diet products allow us to jump over the thinking stage and go straight for the counter instead. All we have to do is to swallow or recognize the word “diet” in food brands.
On another level, diet products have greater psychological effects. Every time we have a zero-calorie drink, we are telling ourselves without our awareness that we don’t have to work to get results. Diet products make people believe that gain comes without pain, and that life can be without resistance and struggle.
The danger of diet products lies not only in the psychological effects they have on us, but also in the physical harm that they cause. Diet foods can indirectly harm our bodies because consuming them instead of healthy foods means we are preventing our bodies from having basic nutrients(营养成分). Diet foods and diet pills contain zero calorie only because the diet industry has created chemicals to produce these wonder products. Diet products may not be nutritional, and the chemical that go into diet products are potentially dangerous.
Now that we are aware of the effects that diet products have on us, it is time to seriously think about buying them. Losing weight lies in the power of minds, not in the power of chemicals. Once we realize this, we will be much better able to resist diet products, and therefore prevent the psychological harm that comes from using them.The first paragraph mainly tells us _____.
| A．diet products can bring out people’s potential |
| B．people have difficulty in choosing diet products |
| C．diet products are misleading people |
| D．people are fed up with diet products |
One psychological effect of diet products is that people tend to ____.
| A．resist a variety of diet foods |
| B．hesitate before they enjoy diet foods |
| C．pay attention to their own eating habits |
| D．watch their weight rather than their diet |
The purpose of writing this passage is _________.
| A．to warn people of the side effect of diet products |
| B．to tell people how to lose weight |
| C．to advise people to eat diet products |
| D．to introduce some diet products |
Which of the following shows the structure（结构） of the passage?
CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub-point(次要点) C: Conclusion
W Taipei
The W Hotel is among the city’s big-name luxury(奢华) hotels. Futuristic and fancy, the W Taipei’s setting is reminding you of a Lady Gaga video; perhaps that explains why the singer insisted on staying here on a recent visit.There are eight room types to choose from, with names such as Fabulous and Extreme Wow. They vary wildly in style.
10 Zhongxiao E. Road, Sect. 5, Xin Yi Area Taipei City Hall MRT; +886 2 7703 8888; from NT$8,900 (US$299); www.wtaipei.com
Grand Hotel
If sleeping in landmarks is your thing, the Taipei Grand Hotel is a must. The Grand is an expression of classical Chinese art mixed with Western construction principles. The Grand Hotel is attractive and full of history, but rooms are aging, so don’t expect the inside to be as “grand” as the outside. You can enjoy yourself at a driving range of golf, year-round pools and no fewer than eight restaurants.
No. 1, Lane 1, Zhongshan N. Road, Section 4 shuttle from Yuan Shan MRT; +886 2 2886 8888; from NT$4,800 (US$165); www.grand-hotel.org
Dandy Hotel
From free drinks and snacks in the lobby(大堂) to seasonally themed decorations, this hotel takes care of the small touches. But what places the Dandy Hotel above others in the same price category（范围）are views over Da-An Park; they’re reminders of those of New York’s Central Park. Rooms with views are worth the extra money paid, but book early -- there are only two on each floor.
No. 33, Xin Yi Road, Sect. 3, Dongmen MRT; +886 2 2707 6899; from NT$2,340 (US$80); www.dandyhotel.com.tw
Homey Hostel
Taiwanese brother and sister Josh and Kelly make guests feel right at home at this bargain Hostel. According to them, their motive in starting the hostel was to make friends, which is why they can often be found in the public area chatting with guests. There's a small kitchen, public computer, free coffee and tea, and luggage storage.
1/F, No. 7, Lane 180, Tonghua Street,) Liuzhangli MRT; +886 91900 2116; dorms from NT$500 (US$17); www.homeyhostel.com May is fan of Lady Gaga, and she may probably stay in ________when in Taipei.
| A．W Taipei | B．Grand Hotel | C．Dandy Hotel | D．Homey Hostel |
Whichofthefollowingwordscanbesttaketheplaceoftheunderlinedword“touches”?
| A．ways | B．details | C．senses | D．contacts |
If you are a backpack traveller with a low budget, which would be your best choice?
| A．W Taipei | B．Grand Hotel | C．Dandy Hotel | D．Homey Hostel |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according the passage?
| A．Rooms in the W Hotel are of the similar style but with different fancy names. |
| B．The Taipei Grand Hotel is an excellent mixture of classic and modern construction. |
| C．It is the park-view rooms in the Dandy Hotel that make it quite unique. |
| D．The desire of helping strangers drives Josh and Kelly to open the Homey Hostel. |
Some novels simply entertain and others contain a powerful message in the story line and characters. In his first novel, A Wind In Montana, Mitch Davies tells a story about young adults and how they accept responsibility for their lives.
A Wind in Montana is a great tale of two teenagers, Rory Coleman and Victoria Beach, high school students at the same school, who struggle to make the right decision for themselves. As each of them nears adulthood, they become more concerned with the future and set goals that will bring them happiness and a sense of achievement.
Without any advice from his parents, Rory chooses to pursue (追求) a profession in chemistry, applies for a chemistry scholarship, and determines to do everything he can to achieve it. Along the path, Rory finds that even though he has a plan, there are obstacles (障碍) that could prevent him from realizing his goals. Victoria’s struggles are different from Rory’s. Although her father has decided that she should become a professional musician, Victoria has other plans for her life. Together, Rory and Victoria attempt to follow their dreams, despite the obstacles in their paths. A Wind In Montana contains a lesson for all teens about to enter adulthood — that disappointment and setbacks (挫折) are going to occur no matter how determined they are and that they need to develop skills along the way that will help them deal with them effectively.
Mitch Davies’ book stands out among today’s teen books that deal with imaginary situations. A Wind In Montana is a real story about real people facing real-life situations. It’s entertaining and also helps readers think about their own lives and offers various ways to handle situations that may arise.According to the passage, both Rory and Victoria ____.
| A．get along well with others |
| B．pursue a profession in chemistry |
| C．follow their parents’ advice |
| D．have a strong sense of self |
The third paragraph is mainly about ____.
| A．the popularity of A Wind In Montana |
| B．the content of A Wind in Montana |
| C．Mitch Davies’ writing style |
| D．Mitch Davies’ achievements |
Unlike other teen books, A Wind In Montana ____.
| A．deals with some imaginary situations |
| B．is based on real-life experiences |
| C．focuses on responsibilities teens should take |
| D．discusses the future of young adults |
The purpose of the passage is ____.
| A．to speak highly of an author |
| B．to report a piece of news |
| C．to review a book |
| D．to collect materials for a book |