NOT all memories are sweet. Some people spend all their lives trying to forget bad memories. Violence and traffic accidents can leave people with terrible physical and emotional scars.
Now American researchers think they are close to developing a pill, which will help people forget bad memories. The pill is designed to be taken immediately after a scary events. They hope it might reduce, or possibly erase, the effect of painful memories.
In November, experts tested a drug on people in the US and France. The drug stops the body producing chemicals that fix memories in the brain. So far the research has suggested that only the emotional effects of memories may be reduced, not that the memories are erased.
The research has caused a great deal of argument. Some think it is a bad idea, while others support it.
Supporters say it could lead to pills that prevent or treat soldiers’ troubling memories after war. They say that there are many people who suffer from terrible memories.
“Some memories can ruin people's lives. They come back to you when you don’t want to have them in a daydream or nightmare. They usually come with very painful emotions,” said Roger Pitman.
But those who are against the research say that changing memories is very dangerous because memories make us different from others. They also help us all avoid the mistakes of the past.
“All of us can think of bad events in our lives that were horrible at the time but make us who we are. I’m not sure whether we want to wipe those memories out,” said Rebecca Dresser, a medical ethicist.
46. What does the underlined word “erase” mean?
A. change B. forgive C. add D. remove
47. The passage is mainly about _________.
A. a new medical invention B. a new research on the pill
C. the argument about the research on the pill D. a way of erasing painful memories
48. The drug tested on people can _________.
A. cause the brain to fix memories B. stop people remembering bad events
C. prevent body producing certain chemicals D. wipe out the bad memories
49. Which of the following statements is true?
A. Some people doubt if the pills should be used to help people forget bad memories.
B. The pill will stop people’s bad memories.
C. Taking the pill will do harm to people’s health.
D. The pill has been produced in America.
50. Which of the following does Rebecca Dresser agree with?
A. Some memories can ruin people’s lives.
B. People want to get rid of bad memories.
C. The pill will reduce people’s sufferings from bad memories.
D. Having bad events makes us different from others.
My 16-year-old son, Anton, had gone to the local swimming hole. Most of the kids who swim there are fit and strong teens, and there are plenty of rocks for them to use as safe harbors, so I had no fears for his well-being. Still, the firefighter’s first words, “You need to come up here to the Stillwater River,” made me catch my breath.
When I got to the river, I saw Anton sitting quietly on a low platform of the fire engine, with a towel wrapped about his shoulders.
I hurried over to him. “You OK?” I asked.
“Yeah,” was all he said. But my eyes begged for an explanation. I didn’t get it from my son.
The story was this: A couple in their 20s, unfamiliar with the Stillwater, had gotten caught in the current and began screaming for help. Without hesitation Anton and his friend dived into the water, swam out to the drowning(溺水的) woman, and brought her safely to shore.
In an age in which the world “hero” is broadcast with abandon(随意）and seemingly applied to anyone, I realized the real thing in my son and his friend—the disregarding of personal safety for the sake of another human being. I know that teens are headstrong and self-centered, but this didn’t lower the gravity of the event and the desire to do good.
Along the way home I tried to get some more information from him, but the only words were, “What’s for supper?”
I thought twice about the tragedy(悲剧) that might have been. Questions flew across my mind like a flight of swallows: Would I have risked my life to save a drowning person? Or would I have chosen to dial 911? Would I have told the story over and over to anyone who’d listen?
The next morning, when Anton got up, I half expected him to tell me the story from his point of view, now that he had some distance from the event. But all he did was to toast a pie, pull himself together, and head for the door to begin the new day.The writer caught her breath when she heard the fire fighters’ first words because_______.
| A．her son saved a woman |
| B．she was scolded by fire fighters |
| C．she was anxious about her son’s safety |
| D．her son was to blame for a fire |
We can infer from the passage that _______.
| A．firefighters always turn up in case of emergency |
| B．parents are always worried about their children |
| C．it’s dangerous to swim in an unfamiliar river |
| D．teens are more responsible than expected |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．My Mother, My Love | B．My Son, My Hero |
| C．A Narrow Escape | D．A Silent Boy |
One of the main decisions you must make when traveling is deciding where to stay. A good place to stay can often make a holiday. Whether you are looking for a classy hotel or a night under the stars, we can guide you through your different options.
Bed and Breakfast
An English invention, bed and breakfasts offer exactly what they suggest, a bed for the night and breakfast in the morning. People who hate the anonymity of hotels but want more luxury than a hostel often choose to stay at bed and breakfasts. “B&B’s”, usually someone’s private home, are often found in the countryside.
Hostels
For those traveling on a tight budget, hostels are the best accommodation option. Informal places usually with a friendly youthful vibe(氛围), they offer dormitory beds for rent. Bathrooms are usually down the hall.
Remember to check reviews by previous guests online before you book your hostel.
Couch Surfing
An unusual but interesting option, couch surfing is a growing trend among young internationals. The idea is that you become a member of the online couch-surfing community (www. couchsurfing. com) and then when you travel, look up other members in that country and ask to stay on their couch (沙发). Most hosts will suggest sightseeing trips and take you out in the evening, making it a great way to see things that aren’t in your guidebook. And remember, it may be free but don’t forget to offer to buy your host a drink or dinner.
Camping
Sleeping under the stars! For budget travelers staying at camping grounds is the cheapest way to travel. The drawback is that you have to carry a tent with you. Camping grounds can be found across Europe, America and Australia. However, if you intend on camping in busy cities, check first where the nearest campsite is. More often than not, they are on the outskirts, which can mean lengthy bus rides into town when you want to eat or see the sights.Hostels are popular among budget travelers because they provide _____.
| A．a friendly atmosphere |
| B．dormitory beds for sale |
| C．reviews by previous guests |
| D．beds and bathrooms as well |
Which of the following information is true?
| A．The host will charge you for sightseeing |
| B．You can have a couch to sleep on when camping. |
| C．If you choose couch surfing, you can explore the nightlife there |
| D．You don’t have to pay any money living in hostels |
The disadvantage of camping is that you have to ______.
| A．sleep in the open air |
| B．take some extra articles |
| C．camp near big cities for safety |
| D．take a long distance bus to the campsites |
New York — Wednesday, October fifteenth, is the first Global Hand Washing Day. Activities are planned in more than twenty countries to get millions of people in the developing world to wash their hands with soap.
Experts say people around the world wash their hands but very few use soap at so-called critical moments. These include after using the toilet, after cleaning a baby and before touching food.
Global Hand Washing Day is the idea of the Public-Private Partnership for Hand Washing with Soap. The goal, they say, is to create a culture of hand washing with soap. The organizers say all soaps are equally effective at removing disease-causing germs (病菌). They say the correct way to wash hands is to wet your hands with a small amount of water and cover them with soap. Rub it into all areas, including under the fingernails. Then, rinse well under running water. Finally, dry your hands with a clean cloth.
The Partnership says soap is important because it increases the time that people spend washing. Soap also helps to break up the dirt that holds most of the germs. And it usually leaves a pleasant smell, which increases the likelihood that people will wash again.
It also says washing with soap before eating and after using the toilet could save more lives than any medicine. It could help reduce cases of diarrhea (痢疾), which is the second leading cause of child deaths, killing more than one and a half million children a year, by almost half.The most suitable title for the text would be _____.
| A．Hand Washing Brings Good Health |
| B．Hand Washing Gets a Day of Its Own |
| C．It Is Soap That Matters |
| D．Partnership for Hand Washing Takes Action |
The Partnership creates Global Hand Washing Day to _____.
| A．call on people to wash hands |
| B．help the developing countries |
| C．promote the importance of soap in hand washing |
| D．make a culture of hand washing in the third world |
The following facts can explain why soap is important EXCEPT that _____.
| A．soap gives people a longer hand washing time |
| B．soap helps to get rid of more germs off hands |
| C．soap attracts people to do more hand washing |
| D．soap gets people into the habit of washing hands |
According to the last paragraph, diarrhea is a disease that _____.
| A．kills half of the kids in developing countries |
| B．causes the greatest number of child deaths |
| C．can be prevented by washing hands with soap |
| D．makes soap stand out in hand washing |
In the summer of 1978 an English farmer was driving his tractor through a field of wheat when he discovered that some of his wheat was lying flat on the ground. The flattened wheat formed a circle about six meters across. Around this circle were four smaller circles of flattened wheat. The five circles were in a formation like five dots. During the following years, farmers in England found the strange circles in their fields more and more often.
The circles are called “crop circles” because they appear in the fields of grain ― usually wheat or corn. The grain in the circles lies flat on the ground but is never broken; it continues to grow, and farmers can later harvest it. Farmers always discover the crop circles in the morning, so the circles probably form at night. They appear only in the months from May to September.
At first, people thought that the circles were a hoax. Probably young people were making them as a joke, or farmers were making them to attract tourists. To prove that the circles were a hoax, people tried to make circles exactly like the ones that farmers had found. They couldn’t do it. They couldn’t enter a field of grain without leaving tracks, and they couldn’t flatten the grain without breaking it.
Many people believe that beings from outer space are making the circles to communicate with us from far away and that the crop circles are messages from them.
Scientists who have studied the crop circles suggested several possibilities. Some scientists say that a downward rush of wind leads to the formation of the circles — the same downward lash of air that sometimes causes an airplane to crash. Other scientists say that forces within the earth cause the circles to appear. There is one problem with all these scientific explanations: crop circles often appear in formations, like the five-dot formation. It is hard to believe that any natural force could form those.In the summer of 1978, an English farmer discovered in his field that ______.
| A．some of his wheat had been damaged |
| B．some of his wheat had fallen onto the ground |
| C．his grain was growing up in circles |
| D．his grain was moved into several circles |
The underlined word "hoax" in Paragraph 3 is probably ______.
| A．an attempt made to fool people |
| B．a special way to plant crops |
| C．an experiment for the protection of crops |
| D．a research on the force of winds |
Which of the following may prove that the crop circles are not made by man?
| A．The farmers couldn’t step out of the field. |
| B．The farmers couldn’t make the circles round. |
| C．The farmers couldn’t leave without footprints. |
| D．The farmers couldn’t keep the wheat straight up. |
One explanation given by scientists for the crop circles is that they are made by _____.
| A．airplane crashes | B．air movement |
| C．unknown flying objects | D．new farming techniques |
I was walking along the main street of a small seaside town in the north of England looking for somewhere to make a phone call. My car had broken down outside the town and I wanted to contact the AA Company. Low grey clouds were gathering across the sky and there was a cold damp wind blowing off the sea which nearly threw me off my feet every time I crossed one of the side streets. It had rained in the night and water was dripping from the bare trees that lined the street. I was glad that I was wearing a thick coat.
There was no sign of a call box, nor was there anyone at that early hour whom I could ask. I had thought I might find a shop open selling the Sunday papers or a milkman doing his rounds, but the town was completely dead. The only living thing I saw was a thin frightened cat outside a small restaurant.
Then suddenly I found what I was looking for. There was a small post office, and almost hidden from sight in a dark narrow street. Next to it was the town’ s only public call box, which badly needed a coat of paint. I hurried forward, but stopped in astonishment when I saw through the dirty glass that there was a man inside. He was fat, and was wearing a cheap blue plastic raincoat. I could not see his face and he did not even raise his head at the sound of my footsteps.
Carefully, I remained standing a few feet away and lit a cigarette to wait for my turn. It was when I threw the dead match on the ground that I noticed something bright red trickling from under the call box door.At what time was the story set?
| A．An early winter morning. | B．A cold winter afternoon. |
| C．An early summer morning. | D．A windy summer afternoon. |
Which of the following words best describe the writer’s impression of the town?
| A．Cold and frightening. | B．Dirty and crowded. |
| C．Empty and dead. | D．Unusual and unpleasant. |
The underlined word “trickling” in the last paragraph probably means ______.
| A．rushing out suddenly | B．shining brightly |
| C．flowing slowly in drops | D．appearing slowly |
Why didn’t the man raise his head when the writer came near?
| A．He was annoyed at being seen by the writer. |
| B．He was angry at being disturbed by the writer. |
| C．He was probably fast asleep. |
| D．He was probably murdered. |