IV.阅读理解（共15小题；每小题2分,满分30分）Ever-优题课

"This past year has been one of great celebration for many. The enthusiasm which greeted the Diamond Jubilee was, of course, especially memorable for me and my family.
　　It was humbling that so many chose to mark the anniversary of a duty which passed to me 60 years ago. People of all ages took the trouble to take part in various ways and in many nations. But perhaps most striking of all was to witness the strength of fellowship and friendship among those who had gathered together on these occasions.
　 On the barges and the bridges and the banks of the river there were people who had taken their places to cheer through the mist, undaunted by the rain. That day there was a tremendous sense of common determination to celebrate, triumphing(战胜) over the elements.
　　That same spirit was also in evidence from the moment the Olympic flame arrived on these shores. The flame itself drew hundreds and thousands of people on its journey around the British Isles, and was carried by every kind of deserving individual, many nominated for their own extraordinary service.
As London hosted a splendid summer of sport, all those who saw the achievement and courage at the Olympic and Paralympic Games were further inspired by the skill, dedication, training and teamwork of our athletes. In pursuing their own sporting goals, they gave the rest of us the opportunity to share something of the excitement and drama.
We were reminded, too, that the success of these great festivals depended to an enormous degree upon the dedication and effort of an army of volunteers. Those public-spirited people came forward in the great tradition of all those who devote themselves to keeping others safe, supported and comforted.
For many, Christmas is also a time for coming together. But for others, service will come first. Those serving in our armed forces, in our emergency services and in our hospitals, whose sense of duty takes them away from family and friends, will be missing those they love.
　　At Christmas I am always struck by how the spirit of togetherness lies also at the heart of the Christmas story. A young mother and a dutiful father with their baby were joined by poor shepherds and visitors from afar. They came with their gifts to worship(崇拜) the Christ child. From that day on he has inspired people to commit themselves to the best interests of others.
This is the time of year when we remember that God sent his only son 'to serve, not to be served'. He restored love and service to the centre of our lives in the person of Jesus Christ.
It is my prayer this Christmas Day that his example and teaching will continue to bring people together to give the best of themselves in the service of others.
I wish you all a very happy Christmas. "
Who most probably is the maker of this speech?

A．Queen of Great Britain.	B．King of Great Britain.
C．Prime Minister of Great Britain.	D．Mayor of London.

What might be the main purpose of this speech?

A．To make a summary of what has been done in the past years.

B．To offer congratulations on the arrival of Christmas.

C．To hold an anniversary celebration of an event.

D．To express respect for and loyalty to God.

Which of the following is NOT mentioned by the speaker?

A．Enthusiasm and Friendship.

B．Dedication and effort.

C．Sacrifice and service.

D．Civilization and peace.

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．The speaker was too busy to attend the 2012 London Olympic and Paralympic Games.

B．Volunteers played a key role in the success of the Diamond Jubilee.

C．The speaker showed great respect for those still at work at Christmas.

D．The strength of the Christmas story lies in the worship of Jesus Christ.

Father was a hardworking man who delivered bread as a living to support his wife and three children. He spent all his evenings after work attending classes, hoping to improve himself so that he could one day find a better paid job. Except for Sundays, Father hardly ate a meal together with his family. He worked and studied very hard because he wanted to provide his family with the best that money could buy.
Whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. Though he often longed to spend more time with his family, he weighed his contribution to his family above everything else.
The day came when the examination results were announced. To his joy, Father passed, and with distinctions too! Soon after, he was offered a good job as a senior supervisor which paid handsomely.
Like a dream come true, Father could now afford to provide his family with life’s little luxuries like nice clothing, fine food and vacation abroad.
However, the family still did not get to see Father for most of the week. He continued to work very hard, hoping to be promoted to the position of manager. In fact, to make himself a worthily candidate for the promotion, he took another course in an open university.
Again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. Though he often longed to spend more time with his family, he weighed his contribution to his family above everything else.
Father’s hard work paid off and he was promoted. Happily, he decided to hire a maid to relieve his wife from her domestic tasks. He also felt that their three-room flat was no longer big enough. It would be nice for his family to be able to enjoy the facilities and comfort of a condominium. Having experienced the rewards of his hard work many times before, Father resolved to further his studies and work at being promoted again. The family still did not get to see much of him. In fact, sometimes Father had to work on Sundays entertaining clients.
Over again, whenever the family complained that he was not spending enough time with them, he reasoned that he was doing all this for them. Though he often longed to spend more time with his family, he weighed his contribution to his family above everything else.
As expected, Father's hard work paid off again and he bought a beautiful condominium overlooking the coast of Singapore. On the first Sunday evening at their new home, Father declared to his family that he decided not to take any more courses or pursue any more promotions. From then on he was going to devote more time to his family, and it was a promise.
Father did not wake up the next day.
Father worked and studied very hard because ________.

A．he had to support his family

B．he wanted to bring his family a better life

C．he was enthusiastic in attending classes

D．he had to so as to reduce his family’s complaint

What CAN’T Father get through his hard work?

A．Better housing

B．Higher education

C．Family time

D．Vacation abroad

How would the family feel when "Father did not wake up the next day"?

A．To their joy, Father can have a good rest in the end.

B．Thank God, Father can stay home with them.

C．They should have stopped Father from working so hard.

D．There is no point working hard for a better life.

What is the function of the italicized(斜体)paragraphs in this passage?

A．To imply a sad ending to the story.

B．To show how stubborn Father was.

C．To make readers feel how hard Father worked.

D．To make readers show sympathy for Father.

Each summer, you hear news about a sports player being rushed to the hospital or passing out because the heat was just too much. If you follow some basic safety tips, you’ll be safe and happy playing outside for years to come.
Drinking water is crucial to your health in the heat. This is the first thing that everyone says when it is hot outside. You should not drink soda, coffee, or iced tea when you’re playing outside, and for a few hours after you get inside too.
Be sure to take enough breaks to let your body rest. If you feel that your coach don’t let you take enough breaks in the heat, don’t wait until you feel awful to march to the sidelines. Once you feel bad, it’s usually too late. Just be honest with your coach when you need breaks. He’ll understand.
When you do have a break, don’t sit in the sun. With the sun beating down on you, you’ll only heat up and sweat more. Try to grab a seat in the shade under a tree, or even better, go indoors for a little while. Cooling yourself down can help you stay active longer.
The signs of dehydration（脱水）can be tough to recognize. They include a dry or sticky mouth, dry skin, a headache, and dizziness（头晕）. You might not always feel thirsty, so watch out for the signs of dehydration, and get yourself into the shade and get some water before it gets worse.
The earlier in the day you start your workout or practice, the cooler it will be. If you can start practice before the sun comes up, you have a few good hours to practice in the cool hours of the morning. Also, the earlier you practice, the earlier you can be done, which gives you some good recovery time when the heat gets bad in the afternoon. If you need more practice time, a good idea is to take a break when the heat is bad and come back to the field later in the evening, when the sun is setting.
As long as you pay attention to the above, playing sports safely in the heat isn’t a difficult thing.
Title: Some safety tips while playing sports in the heat

Drinking water in time	●Drinking water is crucial and necessary when you play outside. ●Some drinks are not for your body when you’re playing outside and for a few hours after you get inside.
Taking enough breaks	●Breaks canyour body. ●Take a rest before it is too late. ●Take a break in the shade or go to cool yourself down.
dehydration	● of dehydration: a dry or sticky mouth, dry skin, a headache and dizziness. ●Get into theand get some water before it gets worse.
Choosinghours for your practice	●Practice before , so you canbetter in the afternoon. ●Do extra exercise in the evening with the sun .

The research tracked the health of 101,000 US nurses over three decades.
Light-to-moderate smokers were twice as likely to die of sudden heart problems as those who had never smoked.
But those who quit smoking saw their risk begin to go back down within years, a journal of the American Heart Association reports.
_________
During the study, there were 315 sudden cardiac deaths（心脏性猝死）——where the heart unexpectedly stops working.
In people aged 35 or younger, this usually because of a heart condition that runs in the family.
But in people who are older than this—as most of the nurses in the study were —it can be the first sign of coronary heart disease, where the heart’s arteries become blocked by fatty deposits.
Of the 315 sudden deaths in the study, 75 were among current smokers, 148 were among recent or past smokers and 128 occurred in people who had never smoked.
Reason to quit
After taking into account other heart risk factors, such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and family history of heart disease, Dr Roopinder Sandhu and his colleagues found the women who smoked were twice as likely as likely to die suddenly even if they smoked “light-to-moderate” amounts —between one and 14 cigarettes a day.
For every five years of continued smoking, the risk went up by 8%.
But women who quit saw their risk fall to that of someone who had never smoked, after 20 years of cessation.
Dr Sandhu, of the University of Alberta, Canad, said: “What this study really tells women is how important it is to stop smoking. The benefits in terms of sudden cardiac death reduction are there for all women, not just those with established heart disease.”
“It can be difficult to quit. It needs to be a long-term goal. It’s not always easily achievable and it may take more than one attempt.”
Ellen Mason, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: “This study shows that smoking just a couple of cigarettes a day could still seriously affect your future health.”
“As we approach the new year, many of us will be making resolutions and giving up smoking will be the top of the list for lots of people.”
“If you’re thinking of quitting and need a nudge, this research adds to the wealth of evidence that stopping smoking is the single best thing you can do for your heart health.”
A recent study in The Lancet of 1.2million Women found those who gave up smoking by the age of 30 would almost completely avoid the risk of dying early from tobacco-related diseases.
Latest figures suggest a fifth of women in England smoke.
According to the research, light smokers____________.

A．are not likely to suffer from heart problems

B．are more likely to suffer from heart problems than moderate ones

C．can go on smoking only if they don’t smoke much

D．have a high possibility of dying of heart disease

Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Nonsmokers wouldn’t die of sudden cardiac death

B．Most of the nurses concerned in the research were middle aged.

C．All age groups of people were involved in the research.

D．If the smokers had quit smoking, they wouldn’t have died of heart disease.

Which of the following is best suitable for the blank in the passage?

A．Raised risk	B．Ways of quitting smoking
C．Diseases related to smoking	D．Signs of heart disease

The underlined word “nudge” in the passage probably means “____________”

A．push

B．confidence

C．study

D．comparison

Endless playing of songs like All I Want For Christmas in shops during the festive season doesn’t just drive us mad—the songs also make us more careless with our money, research has warned.
While repeated performance of Jingle Bells may seem like an innocent attempt to raise customers’ spirits during the nightmare of Christmas shopping, the songs also have a more delicate impact.
“Background music, or ‘muzak’, can be used by marketers to impose cultures—such as the commercialization of Christmas—onto consumers and influence their behaviour, ”experts said.
Dr. Alan Bradshaw of Royal Holloway, University of London, said, “Festive jingles are force-fed to Christmas shoppers in a bid to change their mood, influence their sense of time and what sort of products they buy. In other words, this is an attempt to control your shopping habits in a way that you might hardly be aware of.”
“Often we are told that we have the freedom to choose where we want to shop, but during Christmas the use of music in this way is so common that our freedom to choose disappears.”
Dr. Bradshaw and Prof Morris Holbrook of Columbia University examined the phenomenon and found that retailers often “dumb down” the music played in shops to relax customers, meaning it is easier to control their behaviour.
It is thought that slowing down the rhythm of music in shops can trick customers into thinking less time has passed, and therefore spend more time examining the shelves, for example.
Some providers of background music have been known to promote their services by claiming they can boost profits by controlling the behaviour of customers.
“A common trick is to take a popular current song and record an instrumental version which can be slowed down or sped up at different time of the day to influence behaviour in different ways,” Dr Bradshaw said.
Background music is often classed as “Muzak” in honor of the Seattle-based company which began producing its soft-sounding melodies in the 1930s.
According to Dr. Bradshaw, in what ways does Christmas music influence customers?
①their mood②their income ③their sense of time ④the sort of products they buy

A．①②③

B．①③④

C．②③④

D．①②④

Shopkers slow down the rhythm of music in shops to__________.

A．let customers spend more time shopping

B．make customers and sales assistants relaxed

C．let customers enjoy the beautiful music

D．help customers find what they really want

What kind of music is now often adapted to influence customers in shops?

A．Classical music.	B．Popular modern songs.
C．Folk songs.	D．Jazz music.