Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature. However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
1. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?
A. Cycling around a lake. B. Motor racing in the desert.
C. Playing basketball in a gym. D. Swimming in a sports center.
2. What do we know about golf from the passage?
A. It is popular in Portugal and Spain.
B. It causes water shortages around the world.
C. It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes.
D. It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green.
3. The author uses power walking as an example mainly because _________.
A. it is an outdoor sport B. it improves our health
C. it uses fewer resources D. it is recommended by experts
4. The author writes the passage to _________.
A. show us the function of major sports
B. encourage us to go in for green sports
C. discuss the major influence of popular sports
D. introduce different types of environment-friendly sports
When a storm is coming, most people leave the area as quickly as possible and head for safety. But there are a few people who will get into their cars and go straight for the center of the storm. These people are willing to risk(冒…危险)being killed by floods or 100-kilometer-an-hour winds for the excitement of watching the storm close up.
“Storm chasing(追逐)” is becoming an increasingly popular hobby(喜好), especially in the Midwest of the United States, where there are frequent storms between March and July. A storm chaser begins the day by checking the Internet for the latest weather reports, and then drives up to 1,000 kilometers to where the storm will be and waits for it to develop.
Although anyone can do it , storm chasing is extremely dangerous. The power of a big storm can throw a cow into the air or destroy a whole house in seconds. Storm chasers are also often hurt in accidents caused by driving in a heavy rain. If you are a beginner, it is much safer to join a group for storm-chasing vacations during the storm season.
Even then, storm chasing is not all adventure and excitement. “Storm chasing is 95% driving,” says Daniel Lynch, who spends most of his summer storm-chasing. “Sometimes you can sit around for hours waiting for something to happen, and all you get is blue sky and a few light showers.”
However, for storm chasers, it is all worth it. “When you get close to a storm, it is the most exciting sight you will ever see in your life,” says Jasper Morley. “Every storm is an example of the power of nature, It is the greatest show on Earth.”For storm chasing, the first thing storm chasers do is to .
A head straight for the center of the storm B. get into the car for safety
C. wait patiently for the storm to develop. D. collect information about a coming storm Beginners of storm chasing are advised .
| A．not to drive in a heavy rain | B．to do it in an organized way |
| C．not to get too close to a storm | D．to spend more time on it in summer |
By saying “it is all worth it” in the last paragraph, the author means that .
| A．storm chasing costs a lot of money | B．storm chasing is worth hours of waiting |
| C．efforts in storm chasing are well paid | D．a storm presents the greatest show on Earth |
What can we learn from the text?
| A．Sometimes storm chasers get nothing but disappointment |
| B．Many storm chasers get killed in the storms. |
| C．Storm chasing is becoming popular around the world. |
| D．Storm chasing is only fit for young people. |
Since we are social beings, the quality of our lives depends in large measure on our interpersonal relationships. One strength of the human condition is our possibility to give and receive support from one another under stressful conditions. Social support makes up of the exchange of resources among people based on their interpersonal ties. Those of us with strong support systems appear better able to deal with major life changes and daily problems. People with strong social ties live longer and have better health than those without such ties. Studies over types of illnesses, from depression to heart disease, show that the presence of social support helps people defend themselves against illness, and the absence of such support makes poor health more likely.
Social support cushions stress in a number of ways. First, friends, relatives and co-workers may let us know that they value us. Our self-respect is strengthened when we feel accepted by others in spite of our faults and difficulties. Second, other people often provide us with informational support. They help us to define and understand our problems and find solutions to them. Third, we typically find social companionship supportive. Taking part in free-time activities with others helps us to meet our social needs while at the same time distracting (转移注意力) us from our worries and troubles. Finally, other people may give us instrumental support money aid, material resources, and needed services - that reduces stress by helping us resolve and deal with our problems.Interpersonal relationships are important because they can ________
| A．make people live more easily | B．smooth away daily problems |
| C．deal with life changes | D．cure types of illnesses |
The researches show that people's physical and mental health _______
| A．lies in the social medical care systems which support them |
| B．has much to do with the amount of support they get from others |
| C．depends on their ability to deal with daily worries and troubles |
| D．is related to their courage for dealing with major life changes |
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined word "cushions"?
| A．takes place of | B．makes up of | C．reduces the effect of | D．causes |
What is the subject discussed in the text?
| A．Interpersonal relationships. | B．Kinds of social support. |
| C．Ways to deal with stress. | D．Effects of stressful condition. |
According to the American Automobile Association , since 1964 all cars sold in the United States have been equipped with seat belts (These are also called safety belts.) . Many studies of automobile accidents have shown that safety belts can save lives. One study showed that forty percent of those killed in auto accidents could have been saved if they had been wearing seat belts.
Unfortunately, belts are worn only by a small percentage of drivers and passengers — about fifteen percent in cities, and only nine percent in small towns. And safety belts cannot protect people who do not wear them.
In order to find out what kinds of people do wear seat belts, a study was made in several cities of the United States. The following facts were about those who use their safety belts:
1. They do not smoke while driving.
2. They have had more education than non-users.
3. They know someone who was injured (but not killed) in an automobile accident.
Advertisements based on these facts have been printed in newspapers and magazines in order to teach people the importance of using seat belts. But these advertisements have not helped much. Some people believe there should be a law requiring drivers and passengers to use safety belts. In Australia, where there is such a law, deaths in auto accidents have decreased twenty-four percent.The passage is mainly about ______.
| A．automobiles in the United States | B．accidents involving cars |
| C．safety belts for drivers and passengers | D．traffic jams |
The passage tells us that in Australia ______.
| A．a law requires drivers and passengers to use seat belts |
| B．about 50% of the drivers wear seat belts |
| C．the importance of seat belts is advertised in newspapers and magazines |
| D．the auto accidents have kept the same percent as in the US |
People who live in small towns _____.
| A．have fewer accidents than those who live in cities |
| B．are less likely to use seat belts than those who live in cities |
| C．welcome the passing of a law to require the use of seat belts |
| D．are against the law that requires people to use seat belts |
Many studies have shown that seat belts can save lives of those who ______.
| A．never wear seat belts |
| B．seldom wear seat belts |
| C．are wearing seat belts when the accidents happen |
| D．sit at the back of the cars |
Discover
Newsmagazine of science devoted to the wonders an stories of modern science, written for the educated general reader. Published(出版) by Disney Magazine Publishing Co., Discover tells many of the same stories professionals(专业人员) read in Scientific American. A truly delightful family science magazine, each issue(每期) brings to light new and newsworthy topics to make dinnertime and water-cooler conversations interesting.
Cover Price: $59.88Price: $19.95($1.66/issue)
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Self
Published by conde Nast Publications Inc., Self is a handbook devoted to women’s overall physical and mental health. Every issue contains usable articles such as “Style Lab”, in which wearable clothes are mixed and matched on non-models and the “Eat-right Road Map”, with tips on how to eat properly.
Cover Price: $35.86Price: $15.00($2.5/issue)
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Instyle
Instyle is a guide to the lives and lifestyles of the world’s famous people. The magazine covers the choices people make about their homes, their clothes and their free time activities. With photos and articles, it opens the door to these people’s homes, families, parties and weddings, offering ideas about beauty, fitness and in general, lifestyles. Publisher: The Time Inc. Magazine Company.
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Wired
This magazine is designed for leaders in the field of information engineering including top managers and professionals in the computer, business, design and education industries. Published by Conde Nast Publications Inc., Wired often carries articles on how technology changes people’s lives.
Cover Price: $59.40Price: $10.00($1.00/issue)
You save: $49.40(83%) Issues: 10 issues/12monthsWhich two magazines are published by the same publisher?
| A．Wired and Instyle | B．Discover and Instyle |
| C．Self and Discover | D．Self and Wired |
Which magazine offers the biggest price cut?
| A．Instyle | B．Wired | C．Discover | D．Self |
The “Style Lab” in Self provides readers with articles which _____.
| A．offer advice to ordinary women on clothes |
| B．show how a woman can become famous |
| C．introduce places with the best food |
| D．discuss ways of training models |
Those who are interested in management and the use of high technology would probably choose _____.
| A．Instyle | B．Self | C．Wired | D．Discover |
The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modern traffic and modern communication means. Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago; but it has brought new problems. One of the biggest is pollution. To pollute mean to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even hear it.
Man has been polluting the earth. The more people, the more pollution. Many years ago, the problem was not so serious because there were not so many people. When the land was used up or the river was dirty in a place, men moved to another place. But this is no longer true. Man is now slowly polluting the whole world.
Air pollution is still the most serious. It’s bad to all living things in the world, but it is not only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us become angry more easily.
Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop the people from burning coal in houses and factories in the city, and from blowing dirty smoke into the air.
The pollution of SO2 is now the most dangerous problem of air pollution. It is caused by heavy traffic. It is sure that if there are fewer people driving, there will be less air pollution.
The earth is our home. We must take care of it. That means keeping the land, water and air clean. And we must keep careful of the rise in pollution at the same time. Our world is becoming much smaller ___________.
| A．because the earth is being polluted day and night. |
| B．thanks to science developing. |
| C．because of the rise in pollution |
| D．because the earth is blown away by the wind every year. |
Pollution comes in many ways. We can even hear it. Here “it” means ___________.
| A．water pollution | B．air pollution | C．noise pollution | D．rubbish |
Air pollution is the most serious kind of pollution because __________.
| A．it’s bad to all living things in the world. |
| B．it makes us become angry more easily. |
| C．it has made our rivers and lakes dirty. |
| D．it makes much noise. |
Which of the following is not true?
| A．The problem of pollution is not so serious because there are not so many people. |
| B．From now on, maybe people try to go to work by bus or bike instead of car or motorbike. It is helpful to fight against the pollution of SO2. |
| C．The pollution of the earth grows as fast as the world’s pollution does. |
| D．Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. |