When did you last see a polar bear(北极熊)?On a trip to a zoo,perhaps?If you had attended a winter activity in New York a few years ago,you would have seen a whole polar bear club.These "Polar Bears" are people who meet frequently in the winter to swim in freezing cold water.That day,the air temperature was 3℃,and the water temperature was a little higher.The members of the Polar Bear Club at Coney Island,New York
are usually about the age of 60.Members must satisfy two requirements.First,they must get along well with everyone else in the group;this is very important because there are so many different kinds of people in the club.Polar Bears must also agree to swim outdoors at least twice a month from November to February.
Dcotors don't agree about the medical effects of cold-winter swimming.Some are worried about the dangers of a condition in which the body's temperature drops so low that finally the hea
rt stops.Other doctors,however,point out that there is more danger of a heart attack during summer swimming because the difference between the air temperature and water temperature is much greater in summer than in winter.
The Polar Bears themselves are satisfied with the benefits of cold-water swimming.They say that their favorite form of exercise is very good for the circulatory system(循环系统)because it forces the blood to move fast to keep the body warm.Cold-water swimmers usually turn bright red after a few minutes in the water.A person who turns blue probably has a very poor circulatory system and should not try cold-water swimming.
The main benefits of cold-water swimming are probably mental.The Polar Bears love to swim all year round;they find it fun and relaxing.As one 70-year-old woman says,"When I go into water,I pour my troubles into the ocean and let them float away."
72.The members of the Polar Bear Club must meet the following requirements except that_____.
A.they must swim outdoors at least 8 times in the four cold months
B.they must reach the age of 60
C.they should be easy to make friends with
D.they must agree to swim outdoors from November to February
73.According to the passage,some doctors believe it is true that_____.
A.Polar Bears are bears swimming in freezing water
B.cold-water swimming can make the body temperature dangerously high
C.you are healthy if cold-water swimming turns your skin color blue
D.cold-water swimming causes more heart attacks in summer than in winter
74.The Polar Bears like to swim year-round,for_____.
A.it is an easy way ot keep the body warm in winter
B.they can remain young
C.they find it enjoyable and interesting
D.they might meet fewer troubles in life
75.The passage is mainly about_____.
A.the requirements of the Polar Bear Club
B.a group of cold-water-swimming livers
C.the Polar Bears' life in New York
D.doctors' ideas about cold-water swimming
(共20小题; 每小题1.5分,满分30分)
Mary Allen was my best friend—like the sister I ever had. We did everything together—piano lessons, movies, swimming and horseback riding.
When I was 13, my family moved away. Mary and I kept in touch through letters and we saw each other on special occasions(场合)—like my wedding and Mary’s. Soon we were busy with children and moving to new homes, and we wrote less often. One day a card that I sent came back, stamped “Address Unknown.”
Over the years, I thought of Mary often. I wanted to share stories of my children and then grandchildren. And I need to share my sorrow when my brother and then my mother died. There was an empty place in my heart that only a friend like Mary could fill.
One day I was reading a newspaper when I noticed a picture of a young woman who looked a lot like Mary and whose last name was Wagman—Mary’s married name. “There must be thousands of Wagmans,” I thought, but I wrote to her anyway.
She called as soon as she got my letter. “Mrs. Tobin!” she said excitedly, “Mary Allen Wagman is my mother”. Minutes later I heard a voice that I recognized(辨认出)at once, even after 40 years. We laughed and cried and asked about each other’s lives.
Now the empty place in my heart is filled, and there is one thing that Mary and I know for sure: We won’t lose each other again!I want to find Mary________.
A.to share my stories | B.to share my sorrow |
C.to fill the empty in my heart | D.all of the above |
Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Mary and I never see each other again when I moved away at 13. |
B.I find my friend in the newspaper. |
C.It is 40 years since we last saw each other. |
D.My friend’s husband is Mr. Tobin. |
The best title of the passage is __________.
A.My Good Friends | B.Friends Again—Forever |
C.An Interesting Friend | D.Friends Are Like Sisters |
Teenagers are often a difficult group. With all those hormones(荷尔蒙) flooding their bodies, they can be moody, unpredictable, and tend to make uncertain choices. But however confusing their teenage years are, kids can still be generally happy, depending on their lifestyle choices. According to a new research by British scientists, teens who don’t smoke, drink only moderately or not at all, and who don’t eat much junk food are likely to be happier than other teens.
The study looked at 40,000 British families and came up with some interesting findings. For example, kids who never drank alcohol were up to six times more likely to report higher levels of happiness than kids who drank. And teens who smoked were five times less likely to rate high on happiness charts compared to kids who don’t smoke. Same goes for diet and physical activity. The more fruits and vegetables kids eat, and the more hours they spend playing sports, the happier they are.
Now, of course this doesn’t mean that not smoking or drinking, and playing sports guarantees happiness. It could be that kids who have happy character tend to be more active and less addicted to drinking or smoking. And it could equally be the case that kids who are unhappy are more related to drinking and smoking and eating junk food.
Other studies have shown that exercise is a proven way to treat anxiety and depression. Future studies may support the idea that other healthful behaviors, including refraining(克制) from smoking, drinking, and eating too much junk, can avoid sadness and increase happiness, too. What can we learn from the text?
A.Not smoking or drinking guarantees happiness. |
B.Teens with flooding hormones can not be happy. |
C.Playing sports can decrease teen’s unhappiness. |
D.Unhappiness can certainly result in smoking and drinking. |
Which of the following might help teens quit anxiety?
A.Smoking and drinking. | B.Taking exercise. |
C.Eating junk food. | D.Going on a diet. |
Which can be the best title for the text?
A.Ways to treat anxiety and depression. |
B.Exercise and teenagers’ health. |
C.Teenagers shouldn’t drink or smoke. |
D.Teenagers’ lifestyle and their happiness. |
The Great Fire of London started in the very early hours of 2 September 1666. In four days it destroyed more than three-quarters of the old city, where most of the houses were wooden and close together. One hundred thousand people became homeless, but only a few lost their lives.
The fire started on Sunday morning in the house of the King's baker in Pudding Lane. The baker, with his wife and family, was able to get out through a window in the roof. A strong wind blew the fire from the bakery into a small hotel next door. Then it spread quickly into Thames Street. That was the beginning.
By eight o'clock three hundred houses were on fire. On Monday nearly a kilometer of the city was burning along the River Thames. Tuesday was the worst day. The fire destroyed many well-known buildings, old St Paul's and the Guildhall among them.
Samuel Pepys, the famous writer, wrote about the fire. People threw their things into the river. Many poor people stayed in their houses until the last moment. Birds fell out of the air because of the heat.
The fire stopped only when the King finally ordered people to destroy hundreds of buildings in the path of the fire. With nothing left to burn, the fire became weak and finally died out.
After the fire, Christopher Wren, the architect, wanted a city with wider streets and fine new houses of stone. In fact, the streets are still narrow; but he did build more than fifty churches, among them was new St Paul's.
The fire caused great pain and loss, but after it London was a better place: a city for the future and not just of the past.It seems that the writer of the text was most sorry for the fact that ______.
A.many famous buildings were destroyed |
B.the birds in the sky were killed by the fire |
C.some people lost their lives |
D.the King's bakery was burned down |
Why did the writer cite (引用)Samuel Pepys’ words?
A.Because Pepys was among those putting out the fire. |
B.Because Pepys also wrote about the fire. |
C.To give the reader a clearer picture of the fire. |
D.To show that poor people suffered most. |
How was the fire put out according to the text?
A.Houses standing in the direction of the fire were pulled down. |
B.All the wooden houses in the city were destroyed. |
C.People managed to get enough water from the river. |
D.The king and his soldiers came to help. |
Which of the following were reasons for the rapid spread (扩散)of the big fire?
(a) There was a strong wind.
(b) The streets were very narrow.
(c) Many houses were made of wood.
(d) There was not enough water in the city.
(e) People did not discover the fire earlier.
A.(a) and (b) | B.(a), (b), (c), (d) and (e) |
C.(a), (b), (c) and (d) | D.(a), (b) and (c) |
Two students started quarreling at school. One student shouted dirty words at the other, and a fight began. What can be done to stop fights like this at school? In some schools, the disputants sit down with peer mediators(同龄调解者). Peer mediators are students with special training in this kind of problems.
Peer mediators help the disputants to talk in a friendly way. Here are some of the ways they use:
1) Put what you think clearly but don’t say anything to hurt the other. Begin with “I feel…” instead of “You always…”
2) Listen carefully to what the other person is saying. Don’t stop the other person’s words.
3) Keep looking at the other person’s eyes when he or she talks.
4) Try to see the other person’s side of the problem.
5) Never put anyone down. Saying things like “You are foolish” makes the talk difficult.
6) Try to find a result that makes both people happy.
Peer mediators never decide the result or the winner. They don’t decide who is right and who is wrong. Instead, the disputants sit down with peer mediators(同龄调解者) The underlined word “disputants” refers to the students ________.
A.who make peace | B.who give in |
C.who are lazy | D.who quarrel |
When there is a fight at school ________.
A.the peer mediators decide who the winner is |
B.the peer mediators and the disputants talk together |
C.the students who quarrel decide who the winner is |
D.the two students sit down and listen to the peer mediators |
Peer mediators’ work is ________.
A.to give lessons to disputants |
B.to find out who starts a quarrel |
C.to give students some special training |
D.to help find a way to make both sides happy |
Which of the following ways is not used by Peer mediators in finding a “win-win” result?
A.Listen carefully to what the other person is saying. |
B.Try to see the other person’s side of the problem. |
C.Never say things like “You are foolish” |
D.Never keep looking at the other person’s eyes when he or she talks. |
In the past ten years, many scientists have studied the differences between men and women. And they all got the same answer: The sexes(性别) are different, because their brains are different. And this, the scientists say, makes men and women see the world in different ways.
Boys, for example, generally are better than girls at mathematical ideas. Boys also generally are better than girls at the kind of hand and eye movements necessary for ball sports. Girls, on the other hand generally start speaking earlier than boys. And they generally(通常) see better in the dark than boys and are better at learning foreign languages.
What makes men and women better at one thing or another? The answer is the brain. The brain has two sides connected by nerve(神经) tracks. The left side generally is used for mathematics, speech and writing. The right side is used for artistic creation(创造) and the expression for emotions(情感). In men and women, different areas in each side of the brain develop differently. In boys, for example, it’s the area used for mathematics. In girls, it is the area used for language skills. Another interesting difference is that the two sides of a man’s brain are connected by a smaller nerves than the two sides of a woman’s brain are. Which of the following is best to outline(概括) the article?
A.Research on the brain. |
B.Differences between men and women |
C.People’s different brains. |
D.Who Are Better, Boys or Girls |
________men and women think differently.
A.Sex makes. |
B.The different brains make |
C.The different experiences make. |
D.The influences of society make. |
According to the article, girls are generally better than boys at __ in your school.
A.mathematics | B.physics |
C.English | D.Chemistry |
Which of the following is true?
A.The right side of brain in boys generally develops better than that in girls. |
B.The left side of brain in girls generally develops better than that in boys. |
C.Men are better than women in all things. |
D.The area in girls’ brain used for language skills develops better. |