People believe that climbing can do good to health. Where can you learn the skill of climbing then? If you think that you have to go to the mountains to learn how to climb, you’re wrong. Many Americans are learning to climb in city gyms. Here, people are learning on climbing. The climbing wall goes straight up and small holding places for hands and feet.
How do people climb the wall? To climb, you need special shoes and harness (保护带) around your chest to hold you. There are ropes tied to your harness. The ropes hold you in place so that you don’t fall. A beginner’s wall is usually about 15 feet high, and you climb straight up. There are small pieces of metal that stick out for you to stand on and hold on to. Sometimes it’s easy to see the new piece of metal. Sometimes, it’s not. The most difficult is to control your fear. It’s normal for humans to be afraid of falling, so it’s difficult not to feel fear. But when you move away from the wall, the harness and the ropes hold you, and you begin to feel safe. You move slowly until you reach the top.
Climbing attracts people because it’s good exercise for almost everyone. You use your whole body, especially your arms and legs. This sport gives your body a complete workout. When you climb, both your mind and your body can become stronger.
58. What can we infer from the passage?
A. People are fairly interested in climbing nowadays.
B. It is impossible to build up one’s body by climbing.
C. People can only learn the skill of climbing outdoors.
D. It is always easy to see holding places in climbing.
59. The most difficult thing to do in wall climbing is _______.
A. to tie ropes to your harness B. to control your fear
C. to move away from the wall D. to climb straight up
60. The word “workout” underlined in the last paragraph most probably means _________.
A. settlement B. exercise C. excitement D. tiredness
61. Why does the author write this passage?
A. To tell people where to find gyms. B. To prove the basic need for climbing
C. To encourage people to climb mountains. D. To introduce the sport of wall climbing
Parents who feel disappointed at their teenagers’ failure to pay attention in class, and inability to sit quietly long enough to finish homework or plan ahead, should take solace. Their children are not being lazy or careless, according to new research.
The research has found that teenagers’ brains continue developing far longer into adulthood than we used to think. Teens may look like young adults but their brain structure is similar to that of much younger children.
“It is not always easy for teens to pay attention in class without letting their minds wander, or to ignore distractions from their younger brothers or sisters when trying to solve a maths problem,” said Dr Iroise Dumon-theil. “But it’s not the fault of teenagers that they can’t pay attention and are easily distracted. It’s to do with the structure of their brains. Teens simply can’t think as well as an adult.”
The research showed that the brain of a teenager works less effectively than that of an adult. “We knew that the front of the brain of teens functioned in a chaotic (混乱的) way but we didn’ t realize it continued until the late 20s or early 30s,” said Dr Sarah-Jayne Blakemore, who led the research.
Chaotic thought patterns are a result of teenagers’ brains containing too much grey matter — the cell bodies and connections which carry messages within the brain. As we age, the amount of grey matter in our brain reduces.
“What our research has shown is that there is simply too much going on in the brains of teens,” said Blakemore. “The result is that their brain energy and resources are wasted and their decision-making process is badly influenced. Adults, on the other hand, have less grey matter. This means that the brain works far more effectively.”The underlined word “solace” in Paragraph 1 may mean _____.
| A． notice | B．medicine | C． comfort | D．action |
When making decisions, _____.
| A． teens’ brains continue to do much needless work |
| B． the grey matter in young children’s front brain becomes active |
| C． people are not likely to be distracted until their late 30s |
| D． adults are more independent than teens |
What is the effect of having too much grey matter?
| A． It makes us always feel disappointed. |
| B． It makes us more intelligent. |
| C． It had a bad effect on the growth of teens. |
| D． It had a bad effect on decision-making. |
What’s the text mainly about?
| A． Teens have different brains from those of children. |
| B． Adults work more effectively than teens. |
| C． Grey matter makes teens unable to pay attention. |
| D． Brain energy is wasted in the brain’s activity. |
Are you sometimes a little tired and sleepy in the early afternoon? Many people feel this way after lunch. They may think that eating lunch is the cause of the sleepiness. Or, in summer, they may think it is the heat. However, the real reason lies inside their bodies. At that time – about eight hours after you wake up – your body temperature goes down. This is what makes you slow down and feel sleepy. Scientists have tested sleep habits in experiments where there was no night or day. The people in these experiments almost always followed a similar sleeping pattern (模式). They slept for one long period and then for one short period about eight hours later.
In many parts of the world, people take naps(小睡) in the middle of the day. This is especially true in warmer climates, where the heat makes work difficult in the early afternoon. Researchers are now saying that naps are good for everyone in any climate. A daily nap gives one a more rested body and mind and therefore is good for health in general. In countries where naps are traditional, people often suffer less from problems such as heart disease.
Many working people, unfortunately, have no time to take naps. Though doctors may advise taking naps, employers do not allow it! If you do have the chance, however, here are a few tips about making the most of your nap. Remember that the best time to take a nap is about eight hours after you get up. A short sleep too late in the day may only make you feel more tired and sleepy afterward. This can also happen if you sleep for too long. If you do not have enough time, try a short nap – even ten minutes of sleep can be helpful.Why do people feel sleepy in the early afternoon according to the text?
| A．They eat too much for lunch. |
| B．They sleep too little at night. |
| C．Their body temperature becomes lower. |
| D．The weather becomes a lot warmer. |
If you get up at 6:30 am, what is the best time for you to take a nap?
| A．About 12:30 pm. | B．About 1:30 pm. |
| C．About 3:30 pm | D．About 2:30 pm |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Just for a Rest | B．All for a Nap |
| C．A Special Sleep Pattern. | D．Taking Naps in Warmer Climate. |
One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk．He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase．I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store．
On the outside was a dark-skinned young man in his early twenties．His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, bright smile covered his face．I gave in immediately．The power of that broad smile dissolved all bitterness within me, and I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding．
"Beautiful day, isn't it?" I remarked, passing．Then I turned back．"I really owe you a debt of thanks," I said softly．
His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer．A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby．The woman stepped forward and volunteered, "Sir, but he doesn't speak English．Do you want me to tell him something?" In that moment I felt transformed．The young man's smile had made a big person of me．My friendliness and good will toward all mankind stand ten feet tall．
“Yes,” my reply was enthusiastic and sincere, “tell him I said, ‘Thank you!’”
“Thank you?” The woman seemed slightly puzzled．
I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave．"Just tell him that," I insisted．"He'll understand．I am sure!"
Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning．From that day on, I became smile-conscious, and I practice the art diligently anywhere and everywhere, with everybody．Why did the author leave the store angrily?
| A．He couldn't buy what he wanted. |
| B．The clerk treated him unkindly． |
| C．The clerk didn't speak English． |
| D．The store's goods were too dear． |
By saying "I felt the muscles in my own face happily responding"(in Para. 2), the author means ___________..
| A．he smiled back at the young man | B．he did not want to smile |
| C．he would thank the young man | D．he was still in a bad mood |
The author asked the woman to say "Thank you!" to the young man because the young man.
| A．had helped the author before |
| B．taught the author how to smile |
| C．taught the author a valuable lesson |
| D．was a kind employee of the store |
In the passage, the author seems to suggest that we should _____.
| A．be generous to strangers | B．practice smiling every day |
| C．help people in trouble | D．smile at other people |
A man lost his legs in a tragic accident. After the accident, only two fingers 36 on his right hand.
However, he was bright, creative and educated. He had gained much experience while traveling throughout the world. Yet, he became very 37 after the accident. He was afraid he would spend his life38 and would no longer be able to live a life in a(n) 39 way.
One day, he remembered how he had40 loved getting letters. He realized that he still had partial 41 of his right hand and could write with difficulty. Then, he had an idea. “Why not write to other people who need 42 ?”
Who to write to? He thought of people in prison. Many of them hoped to 43 their freedom. Others would keep feeling sad and remain locked away for the rest of their lives. He decided that he must try to 44 them.
He wrote to a prison officer about sending letters to prisoners. The prison officer replied that writing to the prisoners would be45 . However, it would be 46 prison rules for them to write back.
Filled with the 47 of carrying out his idea, the man knew he had to write. He began sending one-way48 of love, hope, strength and encouragement.
He49 twice a week, testing his strength and ability to the limit. He poured his heart and soul into his words,50 his experience and optimism.
It was difficult to write those letters, especially without hope of a51 . Frequently, he felt discouraged. He often wondered if anyone52 read his letters. However, he determined to53 as long as he could help others.
One day he received a letter from the prison officer. It was a short note from the officer who monitored and54 the prison mails.
The letter said, “Please write on the best paper you can55 . Your letters are passed from cell (牢房) to cell until they fall to pieces!”
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After the examination, the doctor told my parents my sight would get worse and that I would lose my sight finally. On the way home from hospital, no one said a word. One day, would I only imagine the scenery beyond the glass rather than see it?
That September, I entered middle school. Most nights I had homework that included an armful of books to read. To keep up with other children, I took great trouble to finish the task. With my nose a couple of inches from the page, I was tired easily. What’s worse, after I had read several pages on my own, the words slipped off the page into inky pools.
However, then I did not have audio books and electronic devices like kids do now. Instead, Mom volunteered to read out loud. Mom worked part-time, cleaned the house, cooked and spent time with Grandma. In spite of being so busy, she showed up in my room like clockwork. She put on her reading glasses. Mom always thought those glasses made her look old. To me, she looked like a teacher.
In my room, Mom’s voice competed with the ticking of the clock. Being forced to focus on listening, I found a way to keep my marks up and compete with the other kids. When the teacher asked a question, I raised my hand with confidence. Teachers praised me for having a good memory. Reading removed my fear for my failing sight, reading also made me curious about other people’s challenges and how they managed. Though I could not use my eyes to fix on each passage, my mind lit up with every new book.
True to what the doctor said, the worst came, but thanks to Mom, my sense of hearing now allows me to “see”. This was the most precious (珍贵的) gift from a mother to her child.Why did the author and his parents keep silent on their way back home from hospital?
| A．They all wanted to have a good rest. |
| B．The author didn’t do well in the exam. |
| C．What the doctor said made them worried. |
| D．They focused on the scenery along the road |
How did the author manage to get high marks?
| A．By being confident |
| B．By listening carefully. |
| C．By getting help from his classmates. |
| D．By reading as many books as possible. |
We can learn from the text that.
| A．the author’s sight recovered finally |
| B．reading made the author more sensitive |
| C．the author’s mother didn’t work to look after him |
| D．reading made the author not worry about his sight |
Which of the following could be the title of the text?
| A．My eyesight trouble | B．An unforgettable experience |
| C．With ears wide open | D．About Mother’s love |