Although the US is so big and its people have so many different racial backgrounds, it is in some ways less varied than Europe．The English language is used almost everywhere in its American form．The American way of speaking has developed independently of English and is on the whole closer to what can be heard in Ireland.
Another example of uniformity(一致)is in habits and ways of living．From Boston to Los Angeles it is as far as from France to Central Asia, and from east to west there are five time zones; but everywhere people get up and go to bed at about the same time, eat the same kind of food, buy in the same kind of shops, work and rest at the same time of the day and have the same pattern of holidays．In most of the things that matter there is less difference between rich people and ordinary people or between town and country, than in any single European nation.
Although far more food is produced than the present population needs, America is actually an urban society．Less than a tenth of the people are engaged in (从事) agriculture and most of the rest live in or around towns large and small．Here the traditional picture is changing; most Americans do not live in small towns any more．Half the population now live in some thirty metropolitan (大城市的) areas.
The fact that the United States has always been a single economic unit has contributed to uniformity．Modern industry favors large organization, and it is no accident that the world’s biggest commercial firms are American．The people can choose between the products of competing manufacturers (制造商) but the products are all much alike.In describing the uniformity in the U.S．the author does not mention that the American people .
| A．get up and go to work at the same time |
| B．spend their holidays in the same pattern |
| C．buy and eat the same kind of food |
| D．have more or less the same income |
What can we learn from the passage about the U.S．agriculture?
| A．The American farmers need more land. |
| B．Americans are interested in farming. |
| C．It is now going backward. |
| D．It is quite developed. |
The last paragraph suggests that ___ .
| A．the production size in the United States is very big |
| B．a single economic unit produces the same kind of products |
| C．there are more and more competing manufactures |
| D．people can choose from all kinds of products that are similar. |
The underlined part “In most of the things that matter” probably refers to .
| A．in most basic things such as food, clothing and houses |
| B．in the more expensive things such as cars, TV sets, etc |
| C．in their land, housing and bank savings |
| D．in their wealth and income |
Founded in 1966，Seacamp，the first program dedicated to the education of youth in marine(海洋的) sciences，is the result of a cooperative effort of parents，scientists，businessmen and camp leaders.Preservation practices and a respect for the marine environment are the philosophy of the Seacamp.
Seacamp’s tropical marine location in the lower Florida Keys enables it to offer a truly unique marine science program.This program is the heart of Seacamp.Young scientists participate in a variety of courses under the guidance of academically trained marine science instructors and biologists.All science activities include studies in both the field and the laboratory.Each session，140 to 160 campers come to Seacamp，mostly from the US，but also from across the world.There are about 30 international campers each summer from an average of twelve countries.Many Seacamp program graduates have gone on to careers as environmental educators and marine scientists.
One of Seacamp’s unique aspects is that campers create their schedules.In addition to science classes，campers choose from a variety of programs to ensure that there is something interesting and exciting for everyone.Campers interested in journalism may work on the camp newspaper，SEASCOPE，which is published periodically during camp sessions.Arts activities are also included.Photography allows campers to take home memories of friends，wildlife，and underwater experiences.
Seacamp teaches the fun and skills of sailing.It’s an excellent way for future marine scientists to become familiar with the winds，tides and currents that are of primary concern in oceanography.Basic Red Cross certification is offered to beginners in sailing.The Red Cross course in advanced lifesaving is taught at Seacamp.The course is designed to increase the campers’ ability to recognize and avoid dangerous water conditions and practices and to use selfrescue skills to get out of dangerous situations.
Parents may bring campers by car to Big Pine Key.Counselors(顾问) also meet participants at the Miami International Airport on the opening day of camp and accompany them to Big Pine Key on a bus.The fee for roundtrip service is $90.To join the Seacamp adventure，interested campers should contact Seacamp for an application.
We love to talk about camp！For more information or to ask any questions you might have，please give our friendly staff a call and we’ll be glad to help!According to the text，Seacamp is designed to help campers ________．
| A．have a good time at the seaside |
| B．develop a sense of marine protection |
| C．make a further study about sea life |
| D．complete a course about marine wildlife |
What makes Seacamp different from other camps?
| A．It has various kinds of activities. |
| B．It has famous scientists as guides. |
| C．The campers can choose their own activities. |
| D．The campers can travel with their parents. |
What can we know about Seacamp?
| A．Its other branches are all over the world. |
| B．It can satisfy campers with different interests. |
| C．Campers go to the camp by bus free of charge. |
| D．Campers can apply for Seacamp adventure by phone. |
It can be learned from Paragraphs 3 and 4 that ________．
| A．Seacamp offers many programs apart from science classes |
| B．Seacamp is responsible for training marine scientists |
| C．beginners in sailing should learn the advanced Red Cross course |
| D．Seacamp provides traditional camp activities such as arts and crafts |
Humans are social animals，and most of us treasure our relationships with family and friends.A research suggests that relationships can keep us healthier.And a new study finds those social connections may also help us live longer.
This new study combined a large number of previous studies and concluded that a lack of social interactions may lead to smoking，obesity，and alcoholism(酗酒) as a risk factor for death.
Professor Julianne HoltLunstad，one of the authors of the study，pointed out several ways relationships can affect our health.They can help us deal with stress.They can help us keep healthy habits like eating well，exercising or seeing a doctor.And_there’s_increasing_research_that_show_a_direct_but_poorlyunderstood_link_between_relationships_and_physiological_processes_in_the_body.
“So for instance，our relationships have been linked to lower blood pressure，better immune(免疫的) function.”said HoltLunstad.“And so our relationships can influence our health in a variety of ways that are all very important.”
Even though HoltLunstad and her colleagues looked at almost 150 different scientific studies，most of them didn’t assess(评估) the quality of the relationships.
“And certainly relationship quality matters，and not all relationships are entirely positive，”she said.“And so it’s possible that the effects that we have reported may be conservative(保守的)，and that the odds(几率) of survival associated with highquality relationships may actually be large.”
She said her research suggests that policy makers need to consider relationships as a health issue.So just as nosmoking zones have expanded over the years，she suggests that city planners，for example，should consider whether their decisions might promote the development of personal relationships.According to the text，a lack of social interaction may lead to ________．
| A．serious illness |
| B．mental problems |
| C．drinking too much wine |
| D．worrying too many things |
What does the underlined sentence mean in the third paragraph?
| A．Relationships have nothing to do with physiological processes. |
| B．People have known the indirect link between relationships and physiological processes. |
| C．The link between relationships and physiological processes has not been studied. |
| D．People haven’t fully understood the link between relationships and physiological processes. |
What does the author want to tell us in the last paragraph?
| A．The government should improve people’s health. |
| B．Policy makers should promote social interations. |
| C．The government should encourage people not to smoke. |
| D．Policy makers need to have good social communication. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．A health issue |
| B．Social interactions |
| C．How to live longer |
| D．Social interactions help you live longer |
If we bought only things we needed，there would be enough for everybody.What do we need？What you need depends on how old you are and your way of life.Rearrange the list of things you can buy and put the things you think we most need at the top of the list.
Coat
Designer jean
Water
CD player
Dental check up
Restaurant meal
Telephone
Jewelry
Food
Shampoo
MP3 player
Beer
Toothpaste
Bar of chocolate
Cushion cover
If we don’t need to buy so much，we don’t need to work so much.We can take parttime jobs or reduce our working day from eight hours to six hours.Some people are leaving very well paid jobs to live a healthier life in the countryside or a more exciting life abroad.Parents can spend more time with their children and the unemployed are given more opportunities to work.
If we start to respect saving the earth more than spending money，we will become“conservers”(保护者)．When we are conservers，we try to choose environmentally friendly products that last a long time.We may find growing our own vegetables or making our own clothes more rewarding than buying them.
Next time you go shopping，think about what you really need to buy.Don’t deprive (剥夺) yourself of things you like，but decide what you should buy before you go out，so that you won’t be influenced by advertisements or promotions.If it is more expensive to buy goods that don’t have much packaging and things that are more durable (耐用的)，buy less.If you can choose to work less，decide which things you would like to make，do or grow yourself.Even though you have less money，your life will become richer.From the passage，we can see the author suggests us consumers________．
| A．find out more about a product instead of buying blindly |
| B．consider what we really need before going shopping |
| C．avoid regret at not buying enough |
| D．find a real bargain |
The writer will agree with you if you buy products that are________．
| A．beautifully packaged |
| B．extremely cheap |
| C．usable for a long time |
| D．fashionable now |
According to the passage，if we don’t need to buy so much，the benefits will include________．
a．we will have more time enjoying life
b．the employment rate will increase
c．we will get better paid job
d．we as consumers will have more choices of what to buy
| A．a，b，c |
| B．a，b，d |
| C．a，b |
| D．a，d |
This passage is mainly written to________．
| A．persuade people to buy less and buy environmentally friendly product |
| B．put forward some questions so that you can become a smart buyer |
| C．introduce some good ways to make a wiser choice when shopping |
| D．criticize the consumer society in which people buy too much |
Ever wonder why there are so many people polluting the earth？Ever say to yourself：Hey，I wish that I could do more to help the environment？Have you ever thought about trying to help the earth but never really did？Well，here are some pretty easy and skillful ideas for that greenearth desire inside you.
●Turn off your computer.By leaving it on all day you are creating more CO2 than a regular passenger would，driving to and from work in one day.
●Ride your bike or carpool (合用汽车)．Obviously，you are creating less CO2，which will help the ozone (臭氧)．
● Make a garden.Even simply grow some plants in your kitchen，which will help produce more oxygen while eating up some of that evil CO2.
● Buy local groceries.It creates less impact on the environment.Besides，you’re supporting your local farmers.
●Recycle.You had to see this coming.But you have no idea how much you are helping the environment by simply reusing a water bottle instead of buying a huge pack at the store.
● Don’t run the water while brushing.It saves you money and helps the water resources.
● Open the curtains.Natural light is much prettier and it will keep the energy usage down.
● Rechargeable batteries.You have no idea how much it takes to get rid of batteries.Do yourself a favor.Save some money and some energy.The underlined word “impact” in the fourth suggestion means“________”．
| A．disadvantage |
| B．rubbish |
| C．effect |
| D．damage |
If you don’t want to create more CO2，you may________．
| A．turn off your computer or open the curtains |
| B．turn off your computer or ride your bike or carpool |
| C．reuse a water bottle or buy local groceries |
| D．use rechargeable batteries or make a garden |
Which of the following can best describe the function of the first paragraph?
| A．Leadin. |
| B．Argument. |
| C．Main body. |
| D．Conclusion. |
The main idea of the passage is about________．
| A．the importance of environmental protection |
| B．some ways about how to prevent pollution |
| C．some suggestions about how to save energy |
| D．some suggestions about environmental protection |
Every Thursday afternoon, my art history class meets not in our usual lecture hall but in the Yale University Art Gallery(美术馆）.
We spend our one-hour class discussing two or three of the paintings, many of which are by artists that we have already studied in class.
The professor begins by selecting one work of art. After giving us a quick background on the artist, he'll open up for class discussion. Everyone is strongly encouraged to give opinions to the work. Not every piece we study is necessarily famous or striking in appearance and subject matter, yet we always manage to make some interesting observations.
In America, professors always take every opportunity to push textbooks aside and expose students to real world experiences.
With some creativity, almost any subject can be applied to such beyond the classroom learning.
My art history class trips to the gallery are but one example.
Many other subjects also offer opportunities to learn outside the classroom, for example business psychology, art, journalism and biology.
A friend of mine from Yale taking an advanced psychology course spends every Saturday working with mentally disabled children.
Her mornings are spent playing with the kids and studying their sometimes uncontrolled behavior. Then in the afternoon she writes a report on her observations.
Students generally appreciate these unique learning opportunities. They're almost always fun and interesting, and professors like them because students learn so much in just a few short months.
No one denies (否认）the value of classroom learning. But it can only take students so far.
Slides and textbooks may do a good job of carrying facts and dates, but creativity and originality (创造性）of thought cannot be taught. They can only be got through first-hand experience. The writer studies art history __________.
| A．in a lecture hall |
| B．in an art gallery |
| C．in a simple way |
| D．in a practical way |
In American universities it is popular for professors to __________.
| A．create textbooks by themselves |
| B．teach their lectures through real world experiences |
| C．ask their students to memorize the texts |
| D．share their experiences with the students |
“Slides and textbooks” in the last paragraph refer to __________
| A．the books students may use in class |
| B．the practical experience |
| C．the theoretical experience |
| D．the advice from the professors |
The writer holds the opinion that __________.
| A．learning outside the classroom is the best way |
| B．teachers should develop students' creativity |
| C．professors had better shorten their lectures |
| D．students should put their textbooks away |