Making greener choices, from the food you eat to the way you travel, can improve your health.A recent article advises people should try low–carbon (低碳) lifestyles which could be the most important contribution to yourself, even the earth.Some guidelines follow:
1.Use your own power rather than oil whenever you can
Burning oil in your car makes pollution like carbon dioxide (CO2) that causes global warming.Cutting down on driving and using your own two legs helps cut global warming pollution and helps reduce weight problems over time without dangerous diets or surgery.
If all Americans used foot instead of engine as daily exercise during normal travel, we could reduce our oil dependence by more than a third.Besides, by using a push mower(剪草机) instead of a power mower to cut your lawn, you can also cut up to 80 pounds of CO2 per year! And you’ll get a great workout!
2.Drop the bottled water, drink tap (自来水)
Drinking plenty of water is important during hot weather or when exercising.You may think bringing bottled water with you can be both convenient and harm-free to the environment.But, you may change your mind if you see the truth below in 2006, 30 billion plastic water bottles were made, which used the amount of more than 17 million barrels(桶)of oil–enough to fuel more than one million cars for a year, and produced more than 2.5 million tons of carbon dioxide.
If you have worries about your tap water, clean it regularly! The truth is that tap water is no worse than bottled water ant it saves much money.
3.Choose foods carefully
There are some general ways you can follow that are good for you and the planet:
a.Eating less meat and more grains and vegetables helps reduce the need to cut down forests to grow the food for animals
b.Buying local food may be environmentally–friendly.Locally grown foods often use much less oil in transport than the foods coming from somewhere far away, which would help reduce CO2 amount.
For more information, you may consult http://www.edf.org/
1.What benefit can people make if they walk more but drive less?
A.More pollution will be made during the process.
B.There will be no obvious effect on reducing the amount of carbon dioxide.
C.Every year, more than 30% of the oil can be saved, which will help weaken global warming.
D.People’s weight will stay the same, and they still need to go on a diet to get thinner.
2.Why should we change our preference to bottled water?
A.Bottled water contains more good things for our health.
B.Tap water is not clean enough for people to drink.
C.Bottled water is more expensive than tap water for its better quality.
D.Tap water is as good as bottled water, which wastes so much resource during its production.
3.If you mean to protect the environment, you will ________.
A.often buy food from foreign countries B.seldom eat meat for dinner
C.usually drive to work and home D.never boil tap water to drink
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE?
A.Low–carbon lifestyles bring more harm than benefit to nature.
B.Man’s daily life activities have no effect on the changes of the environment.
C.What you eat can not only be good for your health, but also for the health of the earth.
D.The choice of food is completely personal, which won’t be important for nature at all.
Why texting harms your IQ
The regular use of text messages and e-mails can lower the IQ more than twice as much as smoking marijuana (大麻). That is the statement of researchers who have found that tapping away on a mobile phone or computer keypad or checking for electronic messages temporarily knocks up to 10 points off the user’s IQ. This rate of decline in intelligence compares unfavorably with the four-point drop in IQ associated with smoking marijuana, according to British researchers, who have described the phenomenon of improved stupidity as “infomania”. The research conducted by Hewlett Packard, the technology company, has concluded that it is mainly a problem for adult workers, especially men.
It is concluded that too much use of modern technology can damage a person’s mind. It can cause a constant distraction of “always on” technology when employees should be concentrating on what they are paid to do. Infomania means that they lose concentration as their minds remain fixed in an almost permanent state of readiness to react to technology instead of focusing on the task in hand. The report also added that, in a long term, the brain will be considerably shaped by what we do to it and by the experience of daily life. At a microcellular level, the complex networks of nerve cells that make up parts of the brain actually change in response to certain experiences.
Too much use of modern technology can be damaging not only to a person’s mind, but to their social relationship. 1100 adults were interviewed during the research. More than 62 per cent of them admitted that they were addicted to checking their e-mails and text messages so often that they scrutinized work-related ones even when at home or on holiday. Half said that they always responded immediately to an email and will even interrupt a meeting to do so. It is concluded that infomania is increasing stress and anxiety and affecting one’s characteristics. Nine out of ten thought that colleagues who answered e-mails or messages during a face-to-face meeting were extremely rude.
The effects on IQ were studied by Dr. Glenn Wilson, a psychologist at University of London. “This is a very real and widespread phenomenon,” he said. “We have found that infomania will damage a worker’s performance by reducing their mental sharpness and changing their social life. Companies should encourage a more balanced and appropriate way of working.”We can learn from the passage that “infomania” ______.
| A.has a positive influence on one’s IQ |
| B.results in the change of part of the brain |
| C.lies in the problem of lack of concentration |
| D.is caused by too much use of modern technology |
The research mentioned in the passage is most probably about ______.
| A.the important function of advanced technology |
| B.the damage to one’s brain done by unhealthy habits |
| C.the relevance between IQ and use of modern technology |
| D.the relationship between intelligence and working effectiveness |
The underlined word “scrutinized” probably means “______”.
| A.examined carefully | B.copied patiently |
| C.corrected quickly | D.admitted freely |
Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?


CP: Central Point P: Point Sp: Sub-point (次要点) C: Conclusion
Can dogs and cats live in perfect harmony in the same home? People who are thinking about adopting a dog as a friend for their cats are worried that they will fight. A recent research has found a new recipe of success. According to the study, if the cat is adopted before the dog, and if they are introduced when still young (less than 6 months for cats, a year for dogs), it is highly probable that the two pets will get along swimmingly. Two-thirds of the homes interviewed reported a positive relationship between their cat and dog.
However, it wasn’t all sweetness and light. There was a reported coldness between the cat and dog in 25% of the homes, while aggression and fighting were observed in 10% of the homes. One reason for this is probably that some of their body signals were just opposite. For example, when a cat turns its head away it signals aggression, while a dog doing the same signals submission.
In homes with cats and dogs living peacefully, researchers observed a surprising behavior. They are learning how to talk each other’s language. It is a surprise that cats can learn how to talk ‘dog’, and dogs can learn how to talk ‘cat’.
What’s interesting is that both cats and dogs have appeared to develop their intelligence. They can learn how to read each other’s body signals, suggesting that the two may have more in common than we previously suspected. Once familiar with each other’s presence and body language, cats and dogs can play together, greet each other nose to nose, and enjoy sleeping together on the sofa. They can easily share the same water bowl and in some cases groom (梳理) each other.
The significance of the research on cats and dogs may go beyond pets---to people who don’t get along, including neighbors, colleagues at work, and even world superpowers. If cats and dogs can learn to get along, surely people have a good chance. The underlined word “swimmingly” in Para.1 probably means _____.
| A.early | B.sweetly |
| C.quickly | D.carefully |
Some cats and dogs may fight when ______.
| A.they are cold to each other |
| B.they look away from each other |
| C.they are introduced at an early age |
| D.they misunderstood each other’s signals |
It is suggested in Para.4 that cats and dogs ______.
| A.have common interests |
| B.have a common body language |
| C.are less different than we thought |
| D.are less intelligent than we expected |
What can we human beings learn from cats and dogs?
| A.We should learn to live in harmony. |
| B.We should know more about animals. |
| C.We should live in peace with animals. |
| D.We should learn more body languages. |
When asked to point out one or two things that are most important to themselves, many put friends ahead of homes, jobs, clothes and cars.
A true friendship carries a long history of experience that determines who we are and keeps us connected. It is a treasure we should protect. Unfortunately, the better friends you are, the more probably you’ll have disagreements. And the result can be what you don’t want an end to the relationship.
The good news is that most troubled friendships can be mended. First, don’t let your pride get in your way. Most of us can forgive each other when differences are brought out in the open. Second, apologize when you’re wrong – even if you’ve been wronged. Over the course of a friendship, even the best people make mistakes. Sometimes, it may be best if the wronged person takes the lead and apologizes. When you apologize, give your friend a chance to admit that he has been wrong. Third, see things from your friend’s point of view. And finally, accept that friendships change as our needs and lifestyles change. Making friends can sometimes seem easy. The hard part is keeping the connections strong during the natural ups and downs that have an effect on all relationships. My suggestion: Consider friendship an honor and a gift, and worth the effort to treasure and nurture.What would be the best title for the text?
| A.Easy Ways to Make Friends |
| B.Ups and Downs in Friendship |
| C.How to Mend a Troubled Friendship |
| D.How to Take the Lead in Making Friends |
The “wronged person” underlined in the text refers to a person _______.
| A.who has been mistaken for another |
| B.who has been blamed unfairly |
| C.who has treated friends badly |
| D.who has admitted his mistakes |
According to the text a friendship can last long only if _______.
| A.we have much in common |
| B.we know our friends’ mistakes |
| C.we treat our disagreements wisely |
| D.we have known one another for long |
What should we do if we follow the author’s second suggestion?
| A.Stick to our own prints of view |
| B.Avoid making mistakes |
| C.Make an apology first |
| D.Change our lifestyles |
Dear Michelle,
My Dad hates my Mom. He tells me that she is a liar and that I should not trust her. Of course, they are divorced but they have “joint custody” (共同监护). What a joke! I am a 15-year-old girl, my brother is 9, and we have a life of hell, frankly.
We live one week on and one week off. This was the “brilliant” idea of both of my parents, which was fair to them but ruining my life. I cannot get away from his voice and his putting my mom down. Sometimes I think about running away. What should I do?
A Hopeless Ant
Dear Hopeless Ant,
First, thank you for trusting me with your problem. If all you said is correct, then there are several things that you can and should do to help yourself, your brother, and oddly enough, your parents.
You need a family counselor. Such a person could listen to each family member alone and then meet together to talk about the situation.
If refused, you need to talk to a counselor in your school. You need to be heard, and you need an adult who will listen. A school counselor can organize a meeting with your parents.
Perhaps you need to write to your mother. Writing things down allows people to go over it more than one time.
I cannot imagine that she will stand passively by and do nothing at all to help once she reads how you feel. Your father needs a letter as well. He may not realize the destructive effect that it has on his children.
Lastly, have a plan in mind when all else fails that is not self-destructive. Life passes very quickly, sweet heart, and you will grow up and have your own life.
Until then, you need to keep yourself safe. Never doubt that it will get better. Write back and let me know how everything is going.
MichelleThe Hopeless Ant wrote the letter to _____.
| A.explain her worries |
| B.ask for advice |
| C.describe her family |
| D.express dissatisfaction |
The Hopeless Ant hated her father because he_____.
| A.often told lies |
| B.divorced her mother |
| C.didn’t love his children |
| D.wasn’t friendly to her mother |
In which part of a magazine will the text probably appear?
| A.Life. | B.Advertisement. |
| C.Entertainment. | D.Education. |
An earthquake is one of the most common natural disasters. It may cause great damage. So it is wise to learn some simple safety tips to protect yourself or your family members.
Fragile items, like those made of glass should usually be placed on a lower surface, near the ground instead of placing them on cupboards higher up. Never place them near your bed, sofas and other furniture where you would be sitting or lying down. When there is a strong movement, these pieces will fall on the floor directly and not on you.
There is a strong chance of short circuits (短路) and fire breakouts during an earthquake. Make sure you turn off electrical connections and gas immediately when an earthquake happens.
During an earthquake, lie beneath an object that is not easily damaged. Do not go near objects that could directly fall on you. Never use the elevator to go down. Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries happen when people inside buildings try to go out. Use the staircases at all times.
If you are outdoors, do not take shelter under a tree, streetlights, electric poles or tall buildings. If you are driving, stop your car and stay in a safe place. Do not park your car under a tree or any tall object.
If trapped in debris (瓦砾堆), cover your mouth with a handkerchief or clothing. Tap on a pipe or wall so rescuers can find you. Use a whistle (哨子) if one is available. Never shout for help. Shouting can cause you to breathe in dangerous amounts of dust. Do not light a match because you may burn yourself. Do not move about or kick up dust.The purpose of the passage is to tell readers ____.
| A.the damage caused by earthquakes |
| B.the rescue work after earthquakes |
| C.how to prevent earthquakes |
| D.what to do about earthquakes |
The underlined word “Fragile” in Paragraph 2 probably mean ____.
| A.expensive | B.easily found |
| C.easily broken | D.heavy |
To reduce the injury from the earthquake, items made of glass should be put ____.
| A.on cupboards |
| B.in the bedroom |
| C.where children can’t reach them |
| D.on a lower surface |
What should people NOT do when they are trapped in debris?
| A.Cover their mouth with a handkerchief |
| B.Tap on a pipe or wall for help. |
| C.Light a fire for help. |
| D.Use a whistle for help. |