There is nothing else but economy that occupies the minds of Americans at present times of economic crisis（危机）. The statistics on unemployment，housing costs and consumer confidence keep coming and coming，leaving people not just scared to spend money but also very stressed and emotionally exhausted. This stress has an effect on everything，starting with our sleep，mood，physical health，relationships and eating habits.
“Time of economic stress leads to increase rates of depression(忧郁)，”says Dr. Christopher Palmer，director of continuing education at McLean Hospital in Belmont，Massachusetts. “It worsens illness in people who have been constantly depressed. But it also causes new cases of depression. Just the fear of losing one’s job can put people over the edge. ”
And，without any doubt，just depression alone can create a variety of bad health effects.
●Sleep
33 percent of Americans reported that they have lost sleep due to the economic crisis. 26 percent say they are sleeping less than 6 hours per night，which is considered to be at least one hour less than the most favorable 7 to 8 hours recommended by sleep experts.
●Mental health，stress and heart attack
80 percent of Americans reported that last year the economy is a huge source of stress; 49 percent said the situation makes them feel nervous or anxious; 48 percent reported that they feel very sad and have developed depression.
Nearly twice the risk of heart attack or death was found in patients with the highest levels of depression or anxiety. Among those individuals，a 10 percent higher rise of heart attack or death was found in those whose anxiety rose over time.
●Relationships
The chances of violent behavior are nearly 6 times higher for individuals who are left
without a job. Workplace stress can lead to domestic violence.
1. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Now Americans don’t dare to spend money.
B. Now all Americans have problems in sleeping.
C. Economy is the most troubling problem for Americans now.
D. Economic crisis has destroyed many American families.
2. How does the economic crisis affect most Americans according to the passage?
A. They sleep fewer than six hours. B. They sleep less tha n the proper amount.
C. Diseases caused by economy make them sleepless. D. They lose sleep at night.
3. If a person is out of work，he might __________. .
A. become more violent B. get divorced C. get rid of workplace stress D. go mad
4. The best title of this passage is probably______________ . .
A. The World Economic Crisis Is Getting Worse
B. Economic Crisis Affects Our Health
C. Economic Crisis Causes Trouble to Sleep
D. Ordinary People Suffer Greatly in Economic Crisis
5.What does the underlined word “favorable” mean?
A. proper B. perfect C. useful D. fashionable
William Butler Yeats, a most famous Irish writer, was born in Dublin on June 13, 1865. His childhood lacked the harmony(和睦) that was typical of a happy family. Later, Yeats shocked his family by saying that he remembered “little of childhood but its pain”. In fact, he inherited(继承) excellent taste in art from his family—both his father and his brother were painters. But he finally settled on literature, particularly drama(戏剧) and poetry.
Yeats had strong faith in coming of new artistic movements. He set himself the fresh task in founding an Irish national theatre in the late 1890s. His early theatrical experiments, however, were not received favorably at the beginning. He didn’t lose heart, and finally enjoyed success in his poetical drama.
Compared with his dramatic works, Yeats’s poems attract much admiring notice. The subject matter includes love, nature, history, time and aging. Though Yeats generally relied on very traditional forms, he brought modern sensibility to them. As his literary life progressed, his poetry grew finer and richer, which led him to worldwide recognition.
He had not enjoyed a major public life since winning the Nobel Prize in 1923. Yet, he continued writing almost to the end of his life. Had Yeats stopped writing at age 40, he would who probably now be valued as a minor poet, for there is no other example in literary history of a poet who produces his greatest works between the ages of 50 and 75. After Yeats’s death in 1939, W.H.Auden wrote, among others, the following lines:
Earth, receive an honored guest:
William Yeats is laid to rest.
Let the Irish vessel(船) lie
Emptied of its poetry. Which of the following can describe Yeats’s family?
| A．It filled Yeats’s childhood with laughter. |
| B．It was shocked by Yeats’s choice. |
| C．It was a typically wealthy family. |
| D．It had an artistic atmosphere. |
According to the passage, what do we know about Yeats’s life?
| A．Yeats founded the first Irish theater. |
| B．Yeats stuck to modern forms in his poetry. |
| C．Yeats began to produce his best works from the 1910s. |
| D．Yeats was not favored by the public until the 1923 Noble Prize. |
What kind of feeling is expressed in W. H. Auden’s lines?
| A．Envy. |
| B．Sympathy. |
| C．Emptiness. |
| D．Admiration. |
When women sit together to watch a movie on TV, they usually talk simultaneously（同时的）about a variety of subjects, including children, men, careers and what' s happening in their lives. When groups of men and women watch a movie together, the men usually end up telling the women to shut up. Men can either talk or watch the screen -- they can' t do both -- and they don' t understand that women can. Besides, women consider that the point of all getting together is to have a good time and develop relationships -- not just to sit there like couch potatoes staring at the screen.
During the ad breaks, a man often asks a woman to explain the plot and tell him where the relationship between the characters is going. He is unable, unlike women, to read the subtle body language signals that reveal how the characters are feeling emotionally. Since women originally spent their days with the other women and children in the group, they developed the ability to communicate successfully in order to maintain relationships. For a woman, speech continues to have such a clear purpose: to build relationships and make friends. For men, to talk is to relate the facts.
Men see the telephone as a communication tool for sending facts and information to other people, but a woman sees it as a means of bonding. A woman can spend two weeks on vacation with her girlfriend and, when she returns home, telephone the same girlfriend and talk for another two hours.
There is no convincing evidence that social conditioning, the fact that girls' mothers talked them more, is the reason why girls talk more than boys. Psychiatrist Dr Michael Lewis, author Social Behaviour and Language Acquisition, conducted experiments that found mothers talked to and looked at, baby girls more often than baby boys. Scientific evidence shows parents res the brain bias of their children. Since a girl' s brain is better organized to send and receive speech ,
we therefore talk to them more. Consequently, mothers who try to talk to their sons are usually pointed to receive only short grunts in reply.While watching TV with others, women Usually talk a lot because they
| A．are afraid of awkward silence with their families and friends |
| B．can both talk and watch the screen at the Same time |
| C．think they can have a good time and develop relationships |
| D．have to explain the plot and body language to their husbands |
After a vacation with her girlfriend, a woman would talk to her again on the phone for hours in order to .
| A．experience the happy time again |
| B．keep a close tie with her |
| C．recommend her a new scenic spot |
| D．remind her of something forgotten |
What does the author want to tell us most?
| A．Women' s brains are better organized for language and communication |
| B．Women love to talk because they are more sociable than men. |
| C．Men do not like talking because they rely more on facts. |
| D．Social conditioning is not the reason why women love talking. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Women Are Socially Trained to Talk |
| B．Talking Maintains Relationships |
| C．Women Love to Talk |
| D．Men Talk Differently from Women |
Kids don’t have to pay bills，cook dinners，or manage car polls (合伙使用汽车)．But—just like adults—they have their share of daily demands and things that don’t go smoothly.If frustrations and disappointments pile up，kids can get worried.
It’s natural for all kids to worry at times，and because of personality differences，some may worry more than others.Luckily，parents can help kids manage worry and deal with everyday problems with ease.Kids who can do that develop a sense of confidence and optimism that will help them master life’s challenges，big and small.
What kids worry about is often related to the age and stage they’re at.Kids and preteens typically worry about things like grades，tests，their changing bodies，fitting in with friends，a goal they missed at the soccer game，or whether they’ll make the team.They may worry about social troubles like cliques (派系，小圈子)，peer (同龄人) pressure，or whether they’ll be bullied (欺负)，laughed at，or left out.Because they’re beginning to feel more a part of the larger world around them，preteens also may worry about world events or issues they hear about on the news or at school.Things like terrorism，war，pollution，global warming，endangered animals，and natural disasters can all become a source of worry.From the passage，we learn that________.
| A．not kids but adults may get worried about something |
| B．the worries that kids experience vary from one to another |
| C．kids worry about the same issues，regardless of their age |
| D．preteens may not worry about fire or earthquakes |
What is the third paragraph mainly about?
| A．Advice on removing kids’ worries. |
| B．The negative results of getting worried. |
| C．Why kids get worried. |
| D．What kids may worry about. |
The next paragraph might talk about________.
| A．suggestions for kids to deal with worries |
| B．the importance of avoiding getting worried |
| C．different opinions on kids getting worried |
| D．subjects that teenagers and adults worry about |
The passage is most likely intended for________.
| A．scientists |
| B．teachers |
| C．parents |
| D．doctors |
Last Sunday, I sat with Tony, my college classmate, in a well-known coffee shop in Buenos Aires, Argentina. As we our coffee, two men entered and sat on an empty table beside us. They the waiter and ordered three cups of , two on the table and one on the wall. We heard this order with great and observed that they were served with two cups of coffee they paid for three. As soon as they , the waiter pasted (粘贴) a piece of paper on the wall saying A Cup of Coffee.
It that the situation was normal at this place. However, it was something （8） for Tony and me. Since we had nothing to do with the situation, we our coffee, paid the bill and left.
After a few days, we again had a to go to this coffee shop. While we were enjoying our coffee, a man entered. The way this man was dressed did not the standard nor the atmosphere of this coffee shop. Poverty (贫穷) was from the looks on his face. As he himself, he looked at the and said, “One cup of coffee from the wall.” the waiter served coffee to this man with , politeness and warmth.
After a few minutes, the man finished his coffee and left paying. We were amazed to watch all this when the waiter a piece of paper from the wall and （18） it in the dust bin.
Now it was no for us because the situation was easy to understand. Although the man didn’t know about the one who was giving this cup of coffee to him, he would have a better understanding of the wall which had a great role between the and receiver.
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Coolest Hotels in the World
Ariau Amazon Towers
The Ariau Amazon Towers hotel lets you sleep in a tree house. Eight towers make up this hotel that offers over 300 rooms. If you really want to get into the spirit, book the Tarzan suit which is large enough for a big family. You’ll be thirty feet up in the air and can travel between the towers through their wooden walkways.
Prices, starting at $300 one night for each person for a regular room and going all the way up to$3000 for the Tarzan Suite.
For more information, visit the website:http://www.ariautowers.com
The Ice Hotel
Every winter in Jukkasjarvi, Sweden kind of hotel called the Ice Hotel is built. Each year,world-famous artists are invited to design and produce works of art from the ice, many of which can be found in the rooms. You’ll have your choice between hot or cold rooms,but you will be well advised to stay at least one night in a cold room for a true experience.
Prices: starting at $318 one night for each person for either a cold room or a warm one.
For more information, visit the website:http://www.icehotel.com
Propeller Island
Propeller Island City Lodge is a very special hotel that was designed by a German artist. Each room provides you with the possibility of living in a work of art. Every single piece of furniture in the thirty rooms of the hotel has been hand-made and each room is completely different. You’ll be able to choose a room based on your own personal tastes.
Prices:starting at just $91 a night,and an additional person for only 20 extra dollars.
For more information,visit the website:http://www.propeller island.com
For information about other cool hotels in the world ,visit the website:http://www.bahamabeachclub.comWhat is special about the Ariau Amazon Towers hotel?
| A．You can sleep in the houses |
| B．You can choose any of the towers |
| C．It is designed for big families |
| D．Every room has a walkway |
For two persons spending a night in one of these hotels,they have to pay at least
| A．$111 |
| B．$182 |
| C．$600 |
| D．$636 |
Which website should you visit if you want to find out whether there exists a hotel the sea?
| A．http://www.icehotel.com |
| B．http://www.ariautowers.com |
| C．http://www .propeller-island.com |
| D．http://www.bahamabeachclub.com |
Which hotel would invite artists to come to work every year?
| A．Propeller Island City Lodge |
| B．Ariau Amazon Towers |
| C．The Ice Hotel |
| D．Bahama Beach Club |