Generations of Americans have been brought up to believe that a good breakfast is one of life essentials. Eating breakfast at the start of the day, we have all been told, and told again, is as necessary as putting gasoline in the family car before starting a trip.
But for many people the thought of food first in the morning is by no means a pleasure. So despite all the efforts, they still take no breakfast. During the past ten years the number of people who didn’t have breakfast, have increased by 33 percent.
For those who feel pain of guilt about not eating breakfast, however, there is some good news. Several studies in the last few years indicate that, for adults especially, there may be nothing wrong with omitting breakfast. “Going without breakfast does not affect performance,” said Arrold E. Bender, former professor of the nutrition at Queen Elizabeth College in London, “nor does giving people breakfast improve performance.”
Scientific evidence linking breakfast to better health or better performance is surprisingly not enough, and most of the recent works are about adults, not children, “The literature”, says one researcher, Dr. Erresto at the University of Texas, “is poor”.
1. For those who do not take breakfast, the good news is that _______.
A. several studies have been done in the past few years
B. not having breakfast does no harm to one’performance
C. studies have been specially on adults
D. eating little in the morning is good for health
2.“…nor does giving people breakfast improve performance” means ______.
A. anyone without breakfast does improve his performance
B. not giving people breakfast improve performance
C. having breakfast does not improve performance, either
D. people having breakfast do improve their performance
3. The word “literature” in the last sentence refers to _______.
A. poems, plays, etc. B. written works on a particular subject
C. the famous works in history D. the modern stories of America
4. What is implied but NOT stated by the author is that _______.
A. breakfast does not affect performance
B. Dr. Erresto is engaged in research work at the University of Texas
C. not eating breakfast might affect the health of children
D. Professor Bender once taught nutrition in London
Doctors say obesity,also known as severe overweight,is a complex condition.A doctor may advise medical interventions(医疗干预) in addition to changes in behavior.But experts say the more successful weightloss plans include a wellbalanced diet and exercise.
People who want to avoid weight gain have to balance the number of calories they eat with the number of calories they use.To lose weight,you can reduce the number of calories you take in,or increase the number you use,or both.Experts at the National Institutes of Health say to lose weight,a person should do some moderate or intensive physical exercise most days of the week.This could include fast walking,sports or strength training.
A recent study looked at four of the most popular dieting plans in the United States.Researchers at Stanford University studied more than three hundred overweight women,mostly in their thirties or forties.Each woman went on one of the four plans:Atkins,The Zone,Ornish or LEARN.The women attended diet classes and received written information about the food plans.At the end of a year,the women on the Atkins diet had lost the most,more than four and a half kilograms on average.
Christopher Gardner led the study,reported in the Journal of the American Medical Association. He said the Atkins diet may be more successful because of its simple message to lower the intake of sugar.Also,he said the advice to increase protein in the diet leads to more satisfying meals.
But last week,another report suggested that only a small minority of people have longterm success in dieting.Researchers at the University of California found that most dieters regained their lost weight within five years.And often they gained back even more.But those who kept the weight off generally were the ones who exercised.All the following is helpful to lose weight EXCEPT________.
A.a healthy diet | B.physical exercise |
C.medical interventions | D.being polite to others |
You are most likely to gain too much weight if________.
A.you eat the same number of calories as the number you use |
B.you take in less calories than the number you use |
C.you take in more calories than the number you use |
D.you take exercise regularly on the weekdays |
The third paragraph mainly tells us that________.
A.there are four popular dieting plans in the USA |
B.the Atkins diet has the best effect on losing weight |
C.lots of women attended diet classes every day |
D.dieting plan is the most important |
Which one of the following is NOT right according to this passage?
A.The change of your life habits can help you lose weight. |
B.You’d better exercise once a week to lose some weight. |
C.The Atkins diet may be good because of lowering the intake of sugar. |
D.Some people gain weight back for their unhealthy diet. |
Which one of the following is the best title for this passage?
A.Successful Weightloss Plans | B.Four Popular Dieting Plans |
C.What Is the Atkins Diet? | D.Few People Fail in Losing Weight |
Wikipedia: The Online Know-It-All
If you want to find out a piece of information about anything, the best place to search for it is Wikipedia. The name “Wikipedia” is from the Hawaiian word wiki, meaning “quick”. This online encyclopedia (百科全书) is written by thousands of people around the world. Anyone with Internet access can write, add or make changes to Wikipedia articles if he or she finds it incorrect or not well written. In this way, people who know a lot about a certain subject can write about it even if they are not university professors. But contributions cannot damage Wikipedia because many experienced editors are watching pages and techies (技术专家) can write editing programs to keep track of or correct bad edits. Where there are disagreements on how to present facts, editors work together to arrive at an article that fairly represents current expert opinion on the subject.
Wikipedia is quite different from paper-based reference sources in important ways. Unlike printed encyclopedias, it is continually created and updated, with articles on historic events appearing within minutes, rather than months or years.
What’s more, Wikipedia includes articles written in about 285 languages. This fact makes it one of the few websites on the Internet that are truly international. It was started in 2001 by Larry Sanger and Jimmy Wales, as a free online English-language encyclopedia project. Since its creation, it has grown rapidly into one of the largest reference websites, attracting nearly 500million unique visitors monthly. There are more than 77,000active contributors working on more than 22,000,000articles in differentlanguages. As of today, there are 4,396,866articles in English.
So, if you are looking for some information, why not try Wikipedia? It’s free, multilingual,and informative.According to the passage, what is Wikipedia?
A.A free website encyclopedia. | B.A computer game. |
C.A free encyclopedia in book form. | D.An online university. |
From the passage we know that ______.
A.Wikipedia only charges users a small fee |
B.Wikipedia catches a wide audience |
C.incorrect editions might do great harm to Wikipedia |
D.it will take long to update the information on Wikipedia |
Where can we probably read the passage?
A.In a story book. | B.In a research report. |
C.In a science magazine. | D.In a travel brochure. |
The Couch Surfing network is an online community stretching across the globe with over one and a half million members. The basic concept is to provide a platform for travelers to contact people who are willing to put them up free of charge. Travelers connect with potential hosts online and, if they like each other, exchange details to make farther arrangements.
Basil is one traveler from Switzerland who is currently couch surfing with a Chinese host in Beijing. "I thought staying in hostel is nice but you mostly meet foreigners and speak English. If you use Couch Surfing you have chance to meet people living here and really get a chance to know the life of the place you visit. " Basil was speaking during a regular meeting of Beijing network of Couch Surfing with a membership of almost 2,000.
Although some people may have concerns about meeting complete strangers and giving them full access to your house, Beijing group member Fred Sharp from California says that the Couch Surfing community is one that generally attracts trustworthy people.
"I have never had a problem with guests. I'd say that this Couch Surfing community worldwide is a fairly trustworthy community like I say, always be cautious, make sure that you read everyone's profile that you're considering hosting, and if it doesn't feel right just say' no', it's OK. "
Originally launched in the US as a non-profit organization in 2004, Couch Surfing is growing fast across the world. China is no exception with around 30,000 members and hundreds more signing up each week. One of them is Beijing resident Hai Yan who joined in November 2009. She says the first time she hosted a guest was a very positive experience. "My first guest was from Italy. He was very kind and helpful. He bought me a present from Italy, a handbag. It's a famous brand!"
As the organization grows from strength to strength, hotel owners across the world will be watching very closely and possibly thinking twice about raising their prices too high. The Couch Surfing network is intended to __________ .
A.offer travelers convenience to find suitable hosts for free accommodations |
B.provide people with a platform to contact each other |
C.find potential hosts who want to supply travelers with couches |
D.give reliable information about hotels |
According to Fred Sharp, ______________.
A.couch surfers can fully rely on Couch Surfing community |
B.Couch Surfing community enables you to meet different people |
C.Couch Surfing community is trusted by all couch surfers |
D.Hosts may form a judgment on couch surfers and make a final decision |
We can infer from the passage that ________________.
A.Couch Surfing has a long history |
B.Hai Yan is satisfied with her host |
C.Couch Surfing is getting popular in China |
D.Basil works at the Beijing Network |
The last paragraph suggests that hotels will ___________ .
A.be replaced by the organization |
B.probably not charge too much |
C.not consider raising their prices |
D.show no concern about the organization |
In English the spelling of words does not always represent the sound. So people say /rait/ but spell it right or write, or even rite. Combinations of letters may be pronounced in many ways. And some words just seem to have too many letters.
For Americans things are a little bit easier, thanks to the work of Noah Webster, a teacher who graduated from Yale University in 1778. As a young man, he had fought against the British in the American War of Independence, and he felt that written English in the newly independent United States should have a distinctive American look.
So he began his work on American English. His first book, The Elementary Spelling Book, suggested simplifying the spelling of English words. The book was extremely popular. By the 1850s, it was selling one million copies a year, making it one of the most popular school books ever.
Many of the suggestions were quickly adopted. Center instead of centre, program instead of programme, and flavor instead of flavour. Others, however, such as removing silent letters like s in island or the final e in examine, were not .
Webster is best known for his American Dictionary of the English language, which first appeared in 1828. It introduced lots of new American words, with information about their pronunciation and use, and, of course, the new spelling. The British criticized the dictionary, but it quickly became a standard reference book in the States. Today, Webster's dictionary is still the number one dictionary for American students. What is the text mainly about?
A.Webster and his best sellers. |
B.British and American English. |
C.The history of American English. |
D.The man who made spelling simple. |
Which is the right order according to the text?
①Webster graduated from Yale University.
②American Dictionary of the English language came out.
③Webster's book was selling one million copies a year.
④Webster took part in the American War of Independence.
A.②①③④ | B.③①②④ | C.④①③② | D.①②③④ |
What can we learn from the text?
A. All the spelling of words does not represent the sound.
B. The Elementary Spelling Book was published in the 1850s.
C. Webster's suggestions were accepted completely.What attitude do the British have towards Webster's dictionary?
A.They thought highly of it. |
B.They found fault with it. |
C.They argued bitterly about it. |
D.They followed the examples of it. |
All people need to sleep. Sleep is a necessary process that promotes proper body functioning and can improve the quality of your life. Not only is the quantity of sleep important, but also the quality of sleep.
Your bedroom should be shaped to your taste and allow you to sleep in a peaceful environment. One of the biggest mistakes people make in their sleep is to use their bedroom for activities other than sleep. If your bedroom also functions as a command station for your life and work, the likelihood of your sleeping being poor is rather high. Bedrooms should be designed, decorated and used for sleep mainly. TVs, computers and other things should not be in your bedroom if at all possible.
Establishing regular sleeping and waking times can help improve the quality of your sleep especially for those suffering from sleeplessness. Avoid hot food, caffeine, sugar and alcohol at least 4 to 6 hours before your sleep time. Develop a regular exercise program. Proper exercise and nutrition will help improve sleeping patterns. However, avoid exercising 2 hours before sleeping, since this may stimulate your body and make sleeping more difficult.
Establish a pre-bedtime rule that will help you focus on sleep. You can try deep thought,reading or deep breathing and relaxation. Your bedtime rule should be yours. Do not worry about it fitting into a specific category. Do what is best for you.
Things such as room temperature, noise and light levels and even your bed mattress(床垫) can have a lot of effect on the quality of sleep that you experience. Block out distracting noises and lights. You are in your bedroom to sleep and not be distracted by environmental interferences.Which of the following is the best title for the text?
A.How to Deal with Sleep Problems |
B.What is the Process of Sleep |
C.Where Should We Sleep |
D.How to improve Sleep Quality |
According to the author,
A.The bedroom has many functions than expected |
B.Computers can make people sleep fast |
C.The bedroom is better used only for sleep |
D.Amusements are forbidden in the bedroom by law. |
If you have sleep problems,
A.A well-decorated bedroom is important to you |
B.You’d better have steady sleeping and waking time |
C.Cold food and sugar are good for you |
D.You need proper exercise just before sleep |
The main idea of the last paragraph is
A.a good sleep environment contributes to good sleep |
B.blinding lights can make for a good sleep |
C.bed mattress plays a key part in sleep |
D.distracted people are sleepless |