A woman wears a face mask to protect her from polluted air in Lanzhou, China, in December.
A new study showed air pollution might put people more at risk for heart disease than scientists had thought.Kristin Miller, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, said chances of getting the disease were related to not only which city a woman lived in, but also where in the city.The study found that the effects of air pollution were often larger within cities than between cities.
The new findings make experts suspect that current pollution limits may be inadequate.Scientists examined rates of heart attack, stroke (中风) and other cardiovascular (心脏血管的) events in women with long-term exposure to air pollution.
The study involved women over the age of fifty who had no sign of cardiovascular disease at the start of the research.The study followed the women for as long as nine years to see how they would develop cardiovascular problems.
The researchers also examined levels of fine particles (粒子,微粒) in the air in 36 areas across the country.That information came from the Environmental Protection Agency.The extremely small particles came from industrial smoke and traffic, along with things like wood-burning fireplaces in houses.
In the study, every ten-microgram increase in pollution was linked to a twenty-four percent increase in the risk of a cardiovascular event.But it was related to a seventy-six percent increase in the risk of death from cardiovascular disease.
But just how do particles in the air damage the cardiovascular system? The particles may cause the lungs to swell and release chemicals from the pollutants into the blood.The chemicals then could damage the heart.
1.The passage mainly talks about______.
A.the effects of pollution on women
B.how to protect women from air pollution
C.how air pollution damages a person’s heart
D.the relationship between air pollution and heart diseases
2.The case of the woman wearing a face mask shows ______.
A.people are paying more and more attention to their health
B.the woman is afraid of getting heart disease
C.Lanzhou city is more heavily polluted than other cities
D.air pollution is becoming more and more serious
3.We can learn from the passage that _______.
A.air pollution is more serious than scientists thought
B.the control of air pollution is effective in some cities
C.people throughout a city have the same risk of getting heart diseases
D.air pollution affects women more than men
4.The study implies that ______.
A.air pollution has a bigger effect on older women than younger women
B.small particles in the air mainly come from industrial smoke
C.the rise in air pollution may lead to a higher death rate from cardiovascular disease
D.air pollution has been affecting people for as long as nine years in the city of Lanzhou
BEIJING—Seven prestigious universities in China announced Sunday that they would begin using the same independent exam —besides the national one —to test students hoping to gain entrance to them in 2011.
The seven are Peking University, Beihang University, Beijing Normal University, Nankai University, Fudan University, Xiamen University and Hong Kong University.
Students who want to gain entrance to any of the seven universities will only have to sit one independent exam, according to the joint announcement.
"This will help lighten the students' load, otherwise they must take several exams for different universities," said the announcement.
Passing the exam could result in more than one interview chance, giving the students more opportunities to choose their favorite universities.
China's college entrance exam system is undergoing reform as universities aim to select students based on independent criteria rather than just using the results of the national exam.
In 2003, Peking University and another 21 universities were allowed to pilot (试用) the reform byusing their own criteria to independently select five percent of their students.
Now nearly 80 universities across the country have the right to select talented students based on their own exams.
Education experts regard universities selecting students according to independent examinations as conducive (有助的) to better understanding where the students, talents lie.
Although this may be the case, it has also created problems as students may sit many different exams as they often apply for a number of universities.
To relieve students from such pressures, the national education outline (2010—2020) released in July this year encourages high-level universities to group together to use the same exams.If students want to be admitted to the seven prestigious universities, they can __________.
A.only pass the interview. |
B.only take the national exam. |
C.only take the independent exam. |
D.either take the national exam or take the independent exam. |
What's the purpose of students sitting one independent exam to gain entrance to the seven universities?
A.It can reduce students' load to take several exams. |
B.The universities will have the same standard to test students. |
C.There will be less trouble marking students' test papers. |
D.It can avoid fierce competition among these universities. |
If students pass the independent exam, they will __________.
A.take the national exam. |
B.have one or more interview chances. |
C.be admitted to one of the universities. |
D.be trained to be adapted to universities life and studies. |
What is the advantage of universities selecting students according to independent examinations?
A.Students needn't take the national exam. |
B.Students' education cost can be lowered. |
C.Students' abilities and talents can be better found. |
D.It can encourage middle schools to recommend more qualified students. |
Few people would question the value of taking part in sports for young people. With proper training, supervision, protective equipment and techniques, and a proper emphasis on winning, sports can develop a healthy body and spirit and a life-long interest in being active and fit. Without such measures, childhood sports can lead to injuries and even paralysis or death.
Even in the best conditions, no activity can be risk-free. But most serious hazards are preventable. Cyclists and football players can reduce their risks by wearing helmets; hockey players by wearing masks; basketball and tennis players by wearing eye guards; baseball players by wearing batting pelmets.
Besides, risks to individual players can often be found, and thus prevented, through a properly performed medical exam before a child plays. For accidents that may not be preventable, having an emergency plan and first-aid equipment, and someone trained to use the equipment, can be life-saving.
Still, each year, according to the American College of Sports Medicine, more than 775, 000 children under 14 are treated in emergency rooms for sports injuries, nearly half of them preventable. An estimated 300, 000 athletes experience exercise-related head illnesses each year, and almost all of them should have been avoided.
Further, from half to three-fourths of sports-related concussions (脑震荡) are never even diagnosed; the injured are often sent back to play too soon and put at risk of another more serious brain-damaging concussion. To help reduce these risks, the National Center for Sports Safety, with the National Athletic Trainers, Association, offers a three-hour online safety course for coaches for $ 28 at www. SportsSafety. org.Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.All the accidents can be prevented. |
B.All the accidents cannot be prevented. |
C.Lives can be saved so long as there is proper equipment. |
D.Lives cannot be saved even if there is proper equipment. |
What does the underlined word "hazards" (in Paragraph 2) mean?
A.Mistakes. |
B.Diseases. |
C.Dangers. |
D.Situations. |
It is implied in the passage that __________.
A.prevention of injuries is not paid enough attention to |
B.children under 14 are more easily hurt in sports |
C.most head illnesses are related to exercise |
D.none of the head illnesses should have happened |
What can coaches mainly learn from the online safety course?
A.How to cure brain-damaging concussion. |
B.How to diagnose brain-damaging concussion. |
C.How to predict the possibility of brain damage. |
D.How to deal with the injured properly. |
Every people has their own way of saying things, their own special expressions. Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.
Red is a hot color. Americans often use it to express heat. They may say they are red hot about something unfair. When they are red hot they are very angry about something. The small hot tasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hots for their color and their fiery (炽热的,暴躁的) taste. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland jazz.
Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century. It probably comes from the fact that many babies are born with a nice pink color that shows that they are in good health.
Blue is a cool color. The traditional blues in the United States is the opposite of red hot music. Blues is slow, sad and soulful. Duke Ellington and his orchestra recorded a famous song—Mood Indigo—about the deep blue color, indigo. In the words of the song: "You aren't blue till you've had that Mood Indigo." Someone who is blue is very sad.
The color green is natural for trees and grass. But it is an unnatural color for humans. A person who has a sick feeling in stomach may say she feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green.
Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has, like a fast new car. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because that is the color of the back side of the paper money.
The color black is used often in expressions. People describe a day in which everything goes wrong as a black day. The date of a major tragedy is remembered as a black day. A blacklist is illegal now. But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations. If you had your wallet stolen while doing some shopping, you may call it __________.
A.a white day |
B.a black day |
C.a red day |
D.a green day |
Suppose Mr. Brown says he is very happy because his three children are all in the pink, this means all his children are __________.
A.lucky and wealthy |
B.gentle and modest |
C.fit and healthy |
D.creative and energetic |
When she got home and found nothing had been done by her husband, Jane was really __________.
A.red hot |
B.green |
C.blue |
D.black |
In the following paragraph, the writer might tell the reader something about __________.
A.unpopular organizations in the world |
B.people's response towards a black day |
C.the influence of the traditional blues |
D.more words about a color, such as brown |
One day last September, as Britney Spears was about to board a flight to Los Angeles from London,a blue bottle fell out of her purse. She quickly put it back in,but not before the paparazzi recorded the event. Neither Spears nor her spokesman was willing to comment on the contents of the bottle, but the next morning London's Daily Express published a page of pictures under the headline "EXCLUSIVE:POP PRINCESS SPOTTED AT AIRPORT WITH POT OF SLIMMING TABLETS. ” Spears was apparently carrying Zantrex-3, one of the most popular weight-loss pills now sold in the United States. The pill,which is sold at about fifty dollars for a month's supply, contains a huge amount of caffeine, some green tea,and three common South American herbs that also act as stimulants (兴奋剂) It hit the U. S. market last March and has had a success that would be hard to overstate. Millions of bottles have been sold, and during the Christmas season it was dis-played in the windows of the nation's largest chain of vitamin shops, G. N. C. (It is so highly sought after that many of the stores keep it in locked counters. )Zantrex-3 is also sold at CVS, Rite Aid, Wal-Mart,and other chains, and over the telephone and on the Internet. If you type “ Zantrex ” into Google, more than a hundred thousand pieces of information about it will appear. At any moment, there are scores of people sell the stuff on eBay.
Perhaps the most interesting thing about the success story of Zantrex-3, however, is that it is far from unique. There are hundreds of similar products on the market today,and they are bought by millions of Americans. And though Zantrex 's producer makes some exciting statements (“ the most advanced weight control compound period "), so do the people who sell Stacker 2 and Anorex along with those who sell Carb Eliminator and Fat Eliminator. Almost all of these compounds suggest that they can help people lose weight and regain lost energy, and often without diet, exercise, or any other effort. Which of the following is also a kind of weight-loss pill?
A.CVS. |
B.Rite Aid. |
C.Wal-Mart. |
D.Anorex. |
The underlined part of the sentence in the first paragraph is most likely similar in meaning to __________
A.it is difficult to say how successful Zantrex-3 is |
B.you can't overstate the success of Zantrex-3 |
C.you can't think too highly of the success of Zantrex-3 |
D.Zantrex-3 is not very successful |
The text mainly tells us __________.
A.when Britney Spears was found taking weight-loss pills with her |
B.how Zantrex-3 became successful in the USA |
C.weight-loss pills are very popular in the USA |
D.Zantrex-3 is forbidden to be sold on the US market |
Most mornings, the line begins to form at dawn:scores of silent women with babies on their backs,buckets balanced on their heads, and in each hand a bright-blue plastic jug. On good days, they will wait less than an hour before a water tanker goes across the dirt path that serves as a road in KesumPurbahari, a slum on the southern edge of New Delhi. On bad days, when there is no electricity for the pumps, the tankers don't come at all. “That water kills people, w a young mother named Shoba said one recent Saturday morning, pointing to a row of pails filled with thick, caramel-colored liquid. "Whoever drinks it will die. ” The water was from a pipe shared by thousands of people in the poor neighbourhood.
Women often use it to wash clothes and bathe their children, but nobody is desperate enough to drink it.
There is no standard for how much water a per-son needs each day, but experts usually put the mini-mum at fifty litres. The government of India promises (but rarely provides) forty. Most people drink two or three litres—less than it takes to flush a toilet. The rest is typically used for cooking and bathing. Americans consume between four hundred and six hundred litres of water each day, more than any other people on earth. Most Europeans use less than half that. The women of KesumPurbahari each hoped to drag away a hundred litres that day—two or three buckets' worth. Shoba has a husband and five children, and that much water doesn't go far in a family of seven, particularly when the temperature reaches a hundred and ten degrees before noon. She often makes up the difference with bottled water, which costs more than water delivered any other way. Sometimes she just buys milk; it's cheaper. Like the poorest people everywhere, the people of New Delhi's slums spend a far greater percentage of their incomes on water than anyone lucky enough to live in a house connected to a municipal system of pipes. The underlined word “slum” most likely means __________
A.a village |
B.a small town |
C.an area of a town with badly-built, over-crowded buildings |
D.the part of a town that lacks water badly |
Sometimes the water tanker doesn't come because __________.
A.the weather is bad |
B.there is no electricity |
C.there is no water |
D.people don't want the dirty water |
Which of the following statements is wrong?
A.A hundred litres of water a day is enough for Shoba's family. |
B.Americans uses the largest amount of water each day. |
C.InKesumPurbahari milk is cheaper than bottled water. |
D.Shoba has a family of seven people. |
The passage mainly tells us __________.
A.how women in KesumPurbahari gets their water |
B.how much water a day a person needs |
C.that India lacks water badly |
D.how India government manages to solve the problem of water |