Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature .However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry. Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water. Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses(球场) in good condition. This causes major environmental effects. For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports. Power walking is one of them that you could take up today. You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse. Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit. If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones. Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials. But the final goal should be “green gyms”. They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers. Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces. There is no special requirement for you to start your membership. And best of all, it’s free.
49. Which of the following is the author most probably in favor of?
A. Cycling around a lake.
B. Motor racing in the desert.
C. Playing basketball in a gym.
D. Swimming in a sports center.
50. What do we know about golf from the passage?
A. It is popular in Portugal and Spain.
B. It causes water shortages around the world.
C. It pollutes the earth with chemicals and wastes.
D. It needs water and electricity to keep its courses green.
51. The author uses power walking as an example mainly because______.
A. it is an outdoor sport
B. it improves our health
C. it uses fewer resources
D. it is recommended by experts52. The author writes the passage to_______.
A. show us the function of major sports
B. encourage us to go in for green sports
C. discuss the major influence of popular sports
D. introduce different types of environment-friendly
HOTEL INFORMATION
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Beach Plaza Hotel
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The oceanfront accommodations at Beach Plaza Hotel are some of the most affordable on Fort Lauderdale Beach.Each room features direct-dial telephone, cable television and daily maid service.The very affordable efficiency studios even include full kitchens! All rooms surround the private poolside garden courtyard.
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Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel
Room Information:
Guest rooms feature TVs, in-room movies, Internet access, in-room safes, alarm clock radios, hairdryers, refrigerators, microwaves, and balconies.
Check-in Time:7:00 A.M.
Hotel Amenities:Parking,Heated Pool, Television with Cable, and Coffee Maker in Room.Which hotel gives a price promise?
A.Baymont Inn Ft . Lauderdale. |
B.Beach Plaza Hotel. |
C.Baymont Inn Hotel. |
D.Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel. |
In which hotel parking is the cheapest?
A.Baymont Inn Ft . Lauderdale. |
B.Beach Plaza Hotel. |
C.Baymont Inn Hotel. |
D.Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel. |
If you ______ , you will probably go to Beach Plaza Hotel.
A.enjoy seeing films without leaving your hotel room |
B.are fond of swimming in heated water |
C.want to eat food cooked by yourself in the hotel |
D.are a cigarette smoker |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the ads?
A.All of the three hotels provide television with cable. |
B.You can keep your money in the room safe in Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel. |
C.In Beach Plaza Hotel a 24-hour maid is available. |
D.While staying in Fort Lauderdale Plaza Hotel, you can surf the Internet. |
Sharks have been swimming in the ocean for millions of years. They were on Earth even before dinosaurs! At the top of the world’s ocean’s food chain, sharks help keep the population of other ocean animals in balance. A large drop in the number of sharks can cause serious problems for all ocean animals. Saving sharks makes sense!
Many people are afraid of sharks. But most sharks are harmless. Only a small percentage of sharks are known to attack humans. It adapt(适应) well to new habitats and eat whatever is available. However, today, sharks are in trouble. Nearly one-third of the 400 shark species are in danger of extinction, largely due to over-fishing. Each year, tens of millions of sharks are caught and killed just for their fins(鳍). The fins are used to make shark fin soup.
Humane Society International (HSI) joined with the Jane Goodall Institute’s Roots and Shoots program and Beijing Zoo to protect sharks. An exhibit at the zoo, “the Price Behind the Taste-----Protect Sharks. Don’t Eat Shark Fins”, was designed to tell people that shark finning is cruel and unnecessary. It’s hoped that the activity will help put an end to the practice.
Shark fin soup is also eaten in the United States. In fact, the numbers of some shark species in US waters have dropped 90 percent in the last 30 years. To slow the fall, laws against the sale of shark fins have been passed in several states, including Hawaii, Oregon, Washington, and California.What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?
A.Ocean animals are at the top of the food chain. |
B.Sharks play an important role in the ocean |
C.Sharks are an old species in the ocean. |
D.Sharks are being caught and killed. |
According to paragraph 2, sharks are in trouble because ______.
A.they often attack humans. |
B.their food is being polluted. |
C.they are being caught for food. |
D.their habitat is being destroyed. |
The underlined part “the practice” in Paragraph 3 refers to _______.
A.shark finning | B.shark protection |
C.the program of HIS | D.the exhibit at Beijing Zoo |
What do we know from the text?
A.There are 400 shark species in the United States. |
B.It’s illegal to eat shark fin soup in the United States. |
C.Most sharks are not interested in a human for dinner. |
D.Sharks are very particular about their habitats and food |
It is well known to us that friendship is very important to people and many teenagers also think that the most important people in their lives are their friends. They believe that their family members don’t know them as well as their friends do. In large families, it is quite often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for some ideas.
We all know that it is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or a group of friends. Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking on the phones. This communication is very important in children’s growing up, because friends can discuss something including their secrets. Generally speaking, these things are difficult to say to their family members.
However, some parents often try to choose friends for their children. Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends or making friends. I think such parents are not right. I think parents shouldn’t prevent teenagers from making friends.
Have you ever thought of the following questions?
Do you have a few good friends or many good friends?
Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you?
Have you got a good friend your parents don’t like?
Do your parents often stop you from meeting your friends?
What do you do when your parents don’t let you make friends with others?
Your answers are welcome.When teenagers have something difficult to say to their parents, they usually______.
A.stay alone at home |
B.fight with their parents |
C.discuss it with their friends |
D.go to their brothers and sisters for help. |
The underlined sentence “Your answers are welcome.” in the last paragraph means “_________”.
A.You are welcome to discuss the questions with us. |
B.We’ve got no idea, so your answers are welcome. |
C.Your answers are always right. |
D.You can give us all the right answers. |
Which of the following is the writer’s opinion?
A.Parents should choose friends for their children. |
B.Children should choose everything they like. |
C.Parents should understand their children better. |
D.Teenagers should only go to their friends for help. |
Why is it important for teenagers to have some good friends? Because _______.
A.they have no friends at home. |
B.the friends can help each other when they are beaten. |
C.they are easy to have a talk together. |
D.the parents don’t like to communicate with them. |
My day began on a decidedly sour note when I saw my six-year-old wrestling with a limb of my azalea bush. By the time I got outside, he'd broken it. "Can I take this to school today?" he asked. With a wave of my hand, I sent him off. I turned my back so he wouldn't see the tears gathering in my eyes. I loved that azalea bush. I touched the broken limb as if to say silently, "I'm sorry."
I wished I could have said that to my husband earlier, but I'd been angry. The washing machine had leaked on my brand-new linoleum. If he'd just taken the time to fix it the night before when I asked him instead of playing checkers with Jonathan. What are his priorities anyway? I wondered. I was still mopping up the mess when Jonathan walked into the kitchen. "What's for breakfast, Mom?"
I opened the empty refrigerator. "Not cereal," I said, watching the sides of his mouth drop. "How about toast and jelly?" I smeared the toast with jelly and set it in front of him. Why was I so angry? I tossed my husband's dishes into the sudsy water.
It was days like this that made me want to quit. I just wanted to drive up to the mountains, hide in a cave, and never come out.
Somehow I managed to lug the wet clothes to the Laundromat. I spent most of the day washing and drying clothes and thinking how love had disappeared from my life. Staring at the graffiti on the walls, I felt as wrung-out as the clothes left in the washers.
As I finished hanging up the last of my husband's shirts, I looked at the clock. 2:30. I was late. Jonathan's class let out at 2:15. I dumped the clothes in the back seat and hurriedly drove to the school.
I was out of breath by the time I knocked on the teacher's door and peered through the glass. With one finger, she motioned for me to wait. She said something to Jonathan and handed him and two other children crayons and a sheet of paper.
What now? I thought, as she rustled through the door and took me aside. "I want to talk to you about Jonathan," she said. .
I prepared myself for the worst. Nothing would have surprised me.
"Did you know Jonathan brought flowers to school today?" she asked.
I nodded, thinking about my favorite bush and trying to hide the hurt in my eyes. I glanced at my son busily coloring a picture. His wavy hair was too long and flopped just beneath his brow. He brushed it away with the back of his hand. His eyes burst with blue as he admired his handiwork.
"Let me tell you about yesterday," the teacher insisted. "See that little girl?"
I watched the bright-eyed child laugh and point to a colorful picture taped to the wall. I nodded.
"Well, yesterday she was almost hysterical. Her mother and father are going through a nasty divorce. She told me she didn't want to live, she wished she could die. I watched that little girl bury her face in her hands and say loud enough for the class to hear, 'Nobody loves me.' I did all I could to console her, but it only seemed to make matters worse."
"I thought you wanted to talk to me about Jonathan," I said.
"I do," she said, touching the sleeve of my blouse. "Today your son walked straight over to that child. I watched him hand her some pretty pink flowers and whisper, 'I love you.'"
I felt my heart swell with pride for what my son had done. I smiled at the teacher. "Thank you," I said, reaching for Jonathan's hand, "you've made my day."
Later that evening, I began pulling weeds from around my lopsided azalea bush. As my mind wandered back to the love Jonathan showed the little girl, a biblical verse came to me: "...these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love." While my son had put love into practice, I had only felt anger.
I heard the familiar squeak of my husband's brakes as he pulled into the drive. I snapped a small limb bristling with hot pink azaleas off the bush. I felt the seed of love that God planted in my family beginning to bloom once again in me. My husband's eyes widened in surprise as I handed him the flowers. "I love you," I said.From the first four paragraphs, we know that_____
A.the writer's husband was a very considerate man |
B.the writer was fond of life in a cave |
C.the present life let the writer feel nothing but sad |
D.things didn't go as the writer expected. |
What's the proper order of the events according to the passage?
①Mother arrived at school and knew the truth.
②The son presented the flower to the girl.
③Mother felt sad to see the flower branch broken.
④The girl was desperate and wanted to die.
⑤The son broke a flower branch and took it to school.
A.③①②④⑤ | B.④⑤③②① |
C.⑤④③②① | D.④③⑤①② |
What was the writer’s most probable state of mind when the teacher wanted to have a talk with her?
A.enthusiastic | B.amazed |
C.optimistic | D.calm |
What is the closest meaning of the underlined word “hysterical”?
A.angry | B.shocked |
C.mad | D.light-hearted |
Why did Jonathan pick up a limb of the writer's azalea bush?
A.He had a preference for azalea. |
B.He wanted to show off before his classmates. |
C.He intended to comfort the girl. |
D.He lost his heart to the girl. |
The best title of the story may be________ .
A.The Greatest of These | B.A limb of my azalea bush |
C.You’ve made my day | D.My best day |
The practice of students endlessly copying letters and sentences from a blackboard is a thing of the past. With the coming of new technologies like computers and smartphone, writing by hand has become something of nostalgic (怀旧的)skill. However, while today’s educators are using more and more technology in their teaching, many believe basic handwriting skills are still necessary for students to be successful---both in school and in life.
Virginia Berninger, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says it’s important to continue teaching handwriting and help children acquire the skill of writing by hand.
Berninger and her colleagues conducted a study that looked at the ability of students to complete various writing tasks---both on a computer and by hand. The study, published in 2009, found that when writing with a pen and paper, participants wrote longer essays and more complete sentences and had a faster word production rate.
In a more recent study, Berninger looked at what role spelling plays in a student’s writing skills and found that how well children spell is tied to know well they can write. “Spelling makes some of the thinking parts of the brain active which helps us access our vocabulary, word meaning and concepts. It is allowing our written language to connect with ideas.” Berninger said.
Spelling helps students translate ideas into words in their mind first and then to transcribe “those words in the mind written symbols on paper or keyboard and screen,” the study said. Seeing the words in the “mind’s eye” helps children not only to turn their ideas into words, says Berninger, but also to spot spelling mistakes when they write the words down and to correct then over time.
“In our computer age, some people believe that we don’t have to teach spelling because we have spell checks,” she said. “But until a child has a functional spelling ability of about a fifth grade level, they won’t have the knowledge to choose the correct spelling among the options given by the computer.”What makes writing by hand a thing of the past?
A.The absence of blackboard in classroom |
B.The use of new technologies in teaching. |
C.The lack of practice in handwriting. |
D.The popular use of smartphones. |
Berninger’s study published in 2009 ___________.
A.focused on the difference between writing by hand and on a computer. |
B.indicated that students prefer to write with a pen and paper. |
C.found that good essays are made up of long sentences. |
D.discussed the importance of writing speed. |
Which of the following best shows the role of spelling?
A.Spelling improves one’s memory of words. |
B.Spelling ability is closely related to writing ability. |
C.Spelling benefits the translation from words into ideas. |
D.Spelling slows down finding exact words to express ideas. |
What does “mind’s eye” in paragraph 5 mean?
A.Window. | B.Soul |
C.Picture. | D.Imagination. |
What conclusion could be drawn from the passage?
A.Computers can help people with their choice of words. |
B.Spell checks can take the place of spelling teaching. |
C.Handwriting still has a place in today’s classrooms. |
D.Functional spelling ability develops fast in the fifth grade. |