For well over a thousand years，smallpox was a disease that everyone feared．The disease killed much of the native population in South America when the Spanish arrived there in the early sixteenth century．By the end of the eighteenth century，smallpox was responsible for about one in
ten deaths around the world．Those who survived the disease were left with ugly scars on their sjun．
It had long been well known among farmers that people who worked with cows seldom caught smallpox；instead，they often caught a similar but much milder disease called cowpox (牛痘) ．A Bridsh doctor called Jenner was extremely interested in this，and so he studied cowpox He believed that，by vaccinating (给接种疫苗) people with the disease，he could protect them against the much worse disease smallpox．In 1796，he vaccinated a boy with cowpox and，two months later，with smallpox．The boy did not get smallpox．In the next two years，Jenner vaccinated several children in the same way，and none of them got the disease．
News of the success of Jenner’s work soon spread．Vaccination soon became a common method to protect people against other diseases caused by virus，such as rable (狂犬病)，and vaccines (疫苗) were sent across the world to the United States and India．
It took nearly two centuries to achieve Jenner’s dream of getting free of smallpox from the whole world．In 1967，the world Health Organization (WHO) started a great vaccination program，and the last known case of smallpox was recorded in Somalia in 1977．The story of vaccinations does not end there，however．There are many other diseases that kill more and more people every year．Besides，many new diseases are being discovered．The challenge for medical researchers will，therefore，probably continue for several more centuriesSmallpox was so serious that by the end of l8th century
| A．its death rate was up to ten percent |
| B．those who caught it were certain to die |
| C．one in ten people in the world died of smallpox |
| D．one in ten deaths in the world was caused by smallpox |
Edward Jenner discovered that vaccination with cowpox could
| A．make smallpox much milder |
| B．stop people from getting smallpox |
| C．protect people against any disease |
| D．prevent people’s scars after smallpox |
Which of the following statements is not true?
| A．The first experiment with cowpox was made by a British doctor |
| B．After 1977 smallpox disappeared around the world according to WHO． |
| C．Vaccination had existed among ordinary farmers before being discovered |
| D．Vaccination can be used to protect people in the world against not only smallpox |
The author of the passage thinks that
| A．vaccinations bring many new problems |
| B．vaccinations end the spread of diseases |
| C．there is a long way to go to fight against diseases |
| D．there is along way to go to discover new diseases |
Homework will not be a concern for pupils attending a pioneering new secondary school in Norfolk. Instead, the 1,100 children will stay longer at school, doing extra study at school as part of the extended school day, which could last until about 5 pm.
Rather than setting homework that pupils could struggle with at home, where there may be limited access to computers, they will do that as independent study in the day. When they go home they should enjoy quality family time. That has been really well received by parents who respect the fact that family time will be family time. But the school would still expect youngsters to study at home ahead of important exams.
Independent learning at school would ensure equality because kids who get help with homework from parents might rely on others too much.
Peter Devonish , a teacher at the school, said, “Having the children at school a bit longer to strengthen their learning is a really good idea, because they can have their time with the family.” But he warned. “A disadvantage is that our school is in the countryside, which means it’s not so perfect to get children home at that time.”
Mr. Devonish said they also set pupils project-based homework, such as looking at an energy-efficient house, which allowed them to combine independent study with working with their parents.
Craig Morrison, another teacher, said, “A large problem with homework has been that not enough is done with it. With homework, a lot of effort can go into it, so it’s about celebrating what children do rather than processing it in terms of marking it and handing it back.”How will students spend their longer days at school?
| A．They will do homework on computers. |
| B．They will study all by themselves. |
| C．They will have fun with teachers. |
| D．They will prepare for exams. |
Why is the new idea well accepted by some parents?
| A．Because it helps kids with their homework. |
| B．Because kids will be educated well at school. |
| C．Because kids will enjoy quality family time. |
| D．Because parents can have more time to rest. |
What is Mr. Devonish worried about?
| A．The students may get home late. |
| B．No staff would like to stay till 5 pm. |
| C．More teachers will be needed. |
| D．The students may dislike the idea. |
The passage is mainly about _______ .
| A．teachers who are asked to stay at school longer |
| B．a school where children stay longer for homework |
| C．homework which students have to deal with |
| D．students who like spending time with teachers |
As life expectancy increases nowadays, the average person lives well beyond the age of retirement. As a result, the elderly make up an ever-increasing percentage of society, which makes it more important than ever for a real effort to be made in improving the lives of senior citizens.
One way to deal with the situation would be to ensure that the elderly have enough money on which to live. Obviously, when a person stops working, they still require a source of income to cover their basic needs such as food, accommodation and heating. A clear solution to the problem is for the government to make sure that the state pension is adequate for these needs.
Steps should also be taken to overcome the health problems the elderly face. The government should also provide access to the best health care available, which may necessitate paying for residential homes where the elderly can have round-the-clock nursing, or, at the very least, providing medication free of charge to all people over a certain age.
The lives of old people could be improved if attempts were made to address the problem of social isolation. If we organised trips for the elderly to community centres, visits from social workers their problem of loneliness can be reduced a lot which marks the lives of so many old people living alone and far from their families.
One final suggestion, which would help enormously, is to change the attitude of the community towards its older members, who are all too often seen as a burden on society and dismissed as having little to do with modern life. We need to be taught from an early age to respect the views of old people, and appreciate their broader experience of life. This would help society as a whole, and encourage appreciation of the role that old people can still play today.What can be inferred from Paragraph 3?
| A．All the elderly can enjoy free medication. |
| B．The nurses can take good care of the elderly. |
| C．The elderly are in face of health problems. |
| D．The health care available to the elderly is good. |
The underlined word “address” in Paragraph 4 probably means_________.
| A．find out |
| B．deal with |
| C．put down |
| D．pick up |
What factors affected the old people’s life?
a. the state pension
b. the basic needs
c. the attitude of the community
d. the experience of life
e. social isolation
f. medical care
| A．a, b, c, d |
| B．b ,c ,d ,e |
| C．c ,d ,e, f |
| D．a, c, e, f |
According to the last suggestion, the old people_________.
| A．should be respected by all of us |
| B．have to gather more life experience |
| C．may be regarded as our heavy burden |
| D．must change their attitude to the community |
The booking notes of the play The Age of Innocence:
Price:$10
BOOKING
There are four easy ways to book seats for performance:
--in person
The Box Office is open from Monday to Saturday,10 a.m.—8 p.m.
--by telephone
Ring 01324976 to reserve your tickets or to pay by credit card(Visa, MasterCard and Amex accepted)
--by post
Simply complete the booking form and return it to Global Theatre Box Office.
--on line
Complete the on-line booking form at www. Satan-fiedtheatre.com
DISCOUNTS:
Saver: $ 2 off any seat booked any time in advance for performances from Monday to Thursday. Savers are available for children up to 16 years old, over 60s and full-time students.
Supersaver: half-price seats are available for people with disabilities and one companion. It is advisable to book in advance. There is a maximum of eight wheelchair spaces available and one wheelchair space will be held until an hour before the show.
Standby: best available seats are on sale for $ 6 from one hour before the performance for people eligible (suitable) for Saver and Supersaver discounts and thirty minutes before for all other customers.
Group Bookings: there is a ten percent discount for parties of twelve or more.
School: school parties of ten or more can book $6 standby tickets in advance and will get every tenth ticket free.
Please note: we are unable to exchange tickets or refund money unless a performance is canceled due to unforeseen circumstances.If you want to book a ticket, you CANNOT ________.
| A．use the Internet |
| B．ring the booking number and pay for the tickets by credit card |
| C．go to the Box Office on Sundays |
| D．complete a booking form and post it to the Box Office |
According to the notes, who can get $ 2 off?
| A．A 20-year-old full-time college student. |
| B．A 55-year-old woman. |
| C．An 18-year-old teenager. |
| D．The people who book the tickets on Fridays. |
If you make a group booking for a group of l4 adults, how much should you pay?
| A．$120. |
| B．$126. |
| C．$140. |
| D．$150. |
From the passage we can know all the following information except that ________ .
| A．it is advisable to book tickets in advance |
| B．the audience can't refund money if the performance is on show |
| C．a group of 13 persons can get a 10 percent discount |
| D．a school party of 15 students should pay $90 for the standby tickets |
When most of us look at our hands, we might notice that we need to clean, or stop biting our fingernails, and that’s about it. But if you ask a doctor, he can see a whole lot more. Everything from poor diet and stress to serious kidney (肾) problems can be revealed by a glance at your fingernails.
There are about 30 different nail signs that can be associated with medical issues, though may indicate more than one problem, according to Dr.Amy Derick, a clinical instructor of dermatology at Northwestern University.
Here are five of the things a doctor can tell about your health based on your fingernails.
1. People who aren’t eating well and lack vitamin or dietary may have thinner than normal nails, which are more likely to break.
2.Horizontal (水平的) lines are associated with serious physical stress. They frequently occur in people who have gone through chemotherapy(化疗).They can also occur after some illnesses, injuries, or with severe malnourishment(营养不良).Interestingly, there may be an altitude connection too. They’ve also been found in people who dove 1,000 feet and others who participated in an Everest exploration.
3. Vertical （垂直的）lines, however, are generally not such a big deal. Some people are more genetically prone to them than others, but they’re commonly associated with aging.
4. When people lack iron, their nails can turn spoon-like. Instead of curving down and covering the finger normally, they ’ll start to rise up on the sides and front, like the part of a spoon that holds liquid.
5. Kidney and liver problems can create “half-and-half nails”, where one part of the nail is white and the other part dark or pink, according to Derick.
Doctors note that because disease diagnosis is complex and some symptoms can be associated with different diseases, you should always see a medical professional if you are concerned about something you notice. What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．Doctors can tell us something about our health by looking at our nails. |
| B．We should see a doctor if we find nails in bad condition. |
| C．A famous doctor in the USA conducted an interesting research. |
| D．If we don’t want to get ill, we need to clean and stop biting our fingernails. |
If we don’t eat well or regularly, our fingernails may ________.
| A．become harder than normal nails. |
| B．become thinner than normal nails. |
| C．become “half-and-half” nails. |
| D．have horizontal and vertical lines. |
Who will have horizontal lines on the nails ?
| A．A cancer patient who has received normal treatment. |
| B．Hungry African children suffering from severe malnourishment. |
| C．An explorer who had reached Zhangjiajie in Hunan Province. |
| D．A patient with serious illness, like kidney and liver problems. |
Which of the following best describes the nails that show people lack iron?
| A．The nails are thinner and more likely to break. |
| B．The nails will curve down and cover the fingers. |
| C．The nails will start to rise up on the sides and front. |
| D．The nails will change their colours on the surface. |
One of my neighbors used to have a beautiful tree in her front yard. Her dad had planted it for her when it was nothing more than a twig and several years later it started to shoot towards the sky with amazing speed. Soon it blessed her with cooling shade in the summer and glorious, golden leaves in the fall.
When the two-day snowstorm struck our town, heavy snow fell on the tree’s branches that were still full of leaves. The weight split that lovely tree down the middle. It was so sad seeing half of it laying on the ground after the storm. When I talked to my neighbor later, she said that the damage had been too much and that the entire tree would have to be cut down. Thankfully she had saved a few saplings(树苗) from it that she hoped to replant in the future.
Still, it was a shock to drive by her house the other day and see nothing but a stump in her front yard. I missed that tree. I missed its beauty, its leaves shinning in the afternoon sun. I missed seeing its limbs reach towards the heavens. I thought that the stump would be a sad reminder of its loss for a long time to come. My wonderful neighbor, though, had another plan. When I drove by her home today I saw a tiny bird feeder sitting on that stump and a colorful songbird having its dinner. It was such an affirmation of life. It was such a joy to see. I could feel my heart smile.
Life by its very nature is a mixed bag. It hands us both beauty and tragedy, love and loss, pleasure and pain. What we do with it, however, is up to us. We can let it split us in two, or we can use even its hardest times to make our souls stronger and our hearts more loving. We can spend it complaining or we can use it to help others.We know from the first paragraph that _____．
| A．the tree grew very slowly. |
| B．the tree showed its beauty and benefits. |
| C．the author’s neighbor was good at planting trees. |
| D．the tree was so strong that it could bear any weight. |
The author’s neighbor left a stump in her front yard to use it as_____.
| A．a good reminder. |
| B．a seat after dinner. |
| C．a place to feed birds. |
| D．a beautiful sculpture. |
What does the author mainly want to show in the passage?
| A．Life has beauty and tragedy. |
| B．Life consists of pain and suffering. |
| C．Life should be pleasant rather than painful. |
| D．Life is determined by our attitude towards it. |