Not all think laughter is the best medicine, but it seems to help．So scientists carried on a new study of diabetes （糖尿病） patients who were given a good dose of humor for a year to prove it．
Researchers divide 20 high-risk diabetic patients into two groups．Both groups were given standard diabetes medicine．Group L viewed 30 minutes of humor of their choice, while Group C, the control group, did not．This went on for a year of treatments．
By two months into the study, the patients in the laughter group had lower level of the hormones epinephrine （肾上腺素）, considered to cause stress, which is known to be deadly．After the 12 months, HDL cholesterol rises 26 percent in Group L but only 3 percent in Group C．In another measure, C-reactive proteins, a maker of heart disease, drop 66 percent in the laughter group but only 26 percent in the control group．
“The best doctors believe that there is a physical good brought about by the positive emotion, happy laughter,” said study leader Lee Berk of Loma Linda University．And other research has found that humor makes us more hopeful．Still, more study is needed, Berk said．The research by Berk found that humor can bring about similar changes in body chemistry, which was proved in the new study．The research result will be presented this month at the meeting in the US．Research at the University of Maryland School of Medicine shows that laughter causes the inner lining of blood vessels to expand, increasing blood flow in a way thought to be healthy．
“Lifestyle choices have an important effect on health and these are choices which we and patients should pay attention to, rather than prevention and treatment,” Berk said in a statement this week．Why did the scientists carry on the new research?
| A．To find out if laughter was good to health． |
| B．To discover the best medicine to cure diabetes． |
| C．Because the number of diabetic patients is the largest in the world． |
| D．Because diabetic patients need more laughter than other patients． |
After 12 months into the study, ___________．
| A．C-reactive proteins increase 66 percent in Group C |
| B．the level of the hormones epinephrine stays the same in both groups |
| C．the level of the hormones epinephrine has dropped |
| D．C-reactive proteins reduced 66 percent in Group L |
The underlined part “HDL cholesterol” in Paragraph 3 must be _______．
| A．something bad to our health | B．something good to our health |
| C．a kind of wonderful medicine | D．a kind of dangerous disease |
In what way does laughter benefit people’s health?
| A．Blood is made thick by laughter． | B．Laughter makes blood vessels thin． |
| C．Laughter increases blood pressure． | D．Laughter makes blood flow fast． |
According to Berk, we should _________．
| A．choose lifestyles carefully | B．change our lifestyles |
| C．prevent our lifestyles in advance | D．pay less attention to the positive emotion |
The physical education office of Peking University announced on Aug 27 that the university would build a golf course near Weiming Lake. Golf would thus become an elective course for Peking University's students in the near future.
Peking University's eastern sports ground will be rebuilt into two soccer fields and one golf course. The latter will be designed as 90 meters long and 40 meters wide, occupying only a quarter of the whole sports ground.
The director of the physical education office revealed that a student would make only one stroke on the ground, and one class session would hold no more than 30 students.
Some teachers suspect such an activity will be a waste of university's limited land resources, but the director thinks otherwise, for the place can also be used for such sports as javelin or discus throw.
It is reported that currently Peking University is still discussing about fees to be charged for the after-class use of the golf links.What is the best heading of the news?
| A．Golf in Peking University |
| B．One Golf Course to be Built in Peking University |
| C．Peking University to Teach Students Golf |
| D．Come to Peking University to Play Golf |
What does the underlined word “suspect” mean in the sentence?
| A．think | B．praise | C．hate | D．add |
We can learn from the news that _______.
| A．all the teachers support the building of the Golf course |
| B．the fees for the after-class use of the golf links has been set |
| C．students of Peking University must attend the golf course |
| D．there are only 30 students in one Golf class period |
A
Fun day
To celebrate the Year of the Snake
Organized by Lam Tin Youth Centre and Kwun Tong High school
Date：2 February 2013
Time：10 am – 5 pm
Place：Kwn Tong Playground
Fee: $ 20 (buy three get one free)
Programmes：drama, lion dance, magic show and ballet performance
Highlights: 1) enter the lucky draw to win a digital camera
2) learn to make festival food
John us on the Fun day! 
All are welcome!
Note:
★Ticket are available at the General Office of Lam Tin Youth Centre.
★For those who would like to be a volunteer, please contact Miss Olivia Wong one week before
the activity.What you have just read is a .
| A．note | B．report | C．schedule | D．poster |
What is going to take place on 2 February, 2013?
| A．A big event to welcome a Chinese new year. |
| B．A social gathering to raise money for wildlife. |
| C．A party for close friends to meet and have fun. |
| D．A meeting of Kwun Tong High School students. |
How much do you have to pay in total if four of you go together?
| A．$ 20. | B．$ 40 | C．$ 60. | D．$ 80. |
Which of the following statements is true?
| A．Tickets are sold in Kwun Tong High School. |
| B．It’s unnecessary to take soft drinks with you. |
| C．Free digital cameras are provided for everybody. |
| D．Festival food will be served without extra charge. |
D
Experts estimate that one out of every five fish sold was caught illegally. It threatens(威胁) food security and hurts the environment. Officials are using new observational technology to fight illegal fishing.
“Thank you for taking the time to join us here in Harwell (UK) in the Operations Center to what we call ‘Project Eyes on the Seas.’” says Tony Long, who leads the Ending Illegal Fishing program for Pew Charitable Trusts. The group created Project Eyes on the Seas. Large three-dimensional images of a globe can be seen on a video.
“It looks different from what you might expect because this globe only shows you the boats that are coming into this system from a live automated information system or AIS.”
The screen shows 120,000 fishing boats have AIS. They are required to have the technology. But those who are fishing illegally often turn it off. The technology does not tell observers when that happens. Project Eyes on the Seas combines satellite information with secret government records on every ship’s past activities.
Mr. Long says that permits researchers to understand exactly where the fishing boats are operating. The Pew team gives the information it gathers to port officials to help them decide if they should take action against a ship. Tony Long says he would like to be able to provide port officials all over the world with clear lists. They would inform the officials about ships to inspect, ships to bar from entrance, and ships to permit entrance for trade activities.
The Pacific island nation of Palau was an early user of the technology. Palau has one of the richest fishing areas in the world. Last year, it announced a plan to ban commercial fishing in a 630,000 square kilometer area. K.B. Sakuma is a special adviser to the president of Palau. He says Palau is trying to deal with a recent increase in illegal, unsupervised（无人监管的）and unreported fishing.
“And it’s come to a head in the last year or two. From our southern island in the evening you can see on the horizon just dotted lights of these illegal fishermen that come into our waters, fill their ships with our fish, our resources, our food security...”According to the estimation, what is the percentage of illegal fishing?
| A．1% | B．5% | C．23.5% | D．20% |
The information is collected by the Pew team so as to ________.
| A．leave written records for the country only |
| B．help fishermen to catch more fish on the Seas |
| C．prevent all of the fishing practices on the Seas |
| D．assist port officials in deciding whether to ban a ship from fishing |
What does the underlined word “they” in Paragraph 5 refer to?
| A．The clear lists. |
| B．The investigators. |
| C．The fishing boats. |
| D．The Project Eyes. |
Which of the following statements is closest in the meaning to the underlined sentence in the last paragraph?
| A．The issue is urgent. |
| B．The problem begins to appear. |
| C．The number of fishermen is increasing. |
| D．The head of the fishermen is coming. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．When the fishermen turn off the AIS, the inspector will know the situation. |
| B．The special adviser to the president of Palau leads the Ending Illegal Fishing program. |
| C．The new technology contributes to solving the problem of illegal fishing. |
| D．Commercial fishing is permitted in Palau. |
C
For pet owners, the hundreds of pet food recalls taking place each year has raised a lot of alarm. “Most people are caring pet owners, and they want to do what helps protect their pet,” explains Will Post, founder and CEO, Hound & Gatos Pet Foods Corporation. “Yet the problem is that most are not sure what that means and how to go about it. The more they learn about pet food, the better able they will be to make an informed decision that will keep their pet healthier and safer.”
Here are several tips that consumers may want to keep in mind when it comes to choosing a pet food that will help reduce the risks.
Get to know the company. Most people may know a company name simply because they spend millions on advertising. But that doesn’t mean they know much about the company or their morals. Research companies to find one that offers high standards, quality products, and great customer service.
Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to get in touch with a pet food company and ask them where something was made, where ingredients(原料) came from, or any other questions. They should have no problem answering questions about their products, or with being able to provide proof of their quality standards.
Read reviews. Do some searches to read some reviews about various brands of pet food. Keep in mind that some reviews can be one-sided and even planted by the company itself, so look for fair third-party sources giving the review.
Investigate(调查) ingredients. The source of ingredients is of major concern when it comes to reducing the risks of pet food recalls and keeping pets healthy. Read the labels and ask questions to determine where the ingredients are coming from.
Understand pet foods. Cat and dog food should contain 100 percent protein, which will supply them with the nutrients their bodies require. The problem with many commercial pet foods is that it is full of numerous fillers, such as cheap fillers and grains.How can people provide a safer and healthier environment for their pet?
| A．By giving more food to their pet. |
| B．By getting a better understanding about pet food. |
| C．By accompanying their pet more. |
| D．By knowing more about their pet. |
How many pieces of advice on choosing a pet food are given by the author?
| A．Three. | B．Four. |
| C．Five. | D．Six. |
As for reducing the risks of pet food recalls, what should be mainly taken into consideration?
| A．Where the ingredients come from. |
| B．Whether the company has good reputation. |
| C．Whether the food supply enough nutrients. |
| D．Whether most people choose the food. |
The passage is mainly about __________.
| A．the increasingly serious problem about food safety |
| B．the ways to choose a safer pet food |
| C．the opinion about food safety |
| D．the advice on caring pets |
Who are the intended readers of the passage?
| A．People in general. |
| B．Food companies. |
| C．Pet shop owners. |
| D．Pet owners. |
B
This is a true story about a boy who, the world might say, was a terrible underachiever. While in the eighth grade, he failed subjects repeatedly. High school wasn’t much better; he flunked Latin, algebra, English, and received a grade of zero in physics. The boy managed to make the school golf team, but he lost the most important golf match of the season.
It’s not that his peers(同龄人) disliked this boy; it’s just that they never really seemed to notice him much. Even “Hellos” in the hall were a rarity. Out of all the failures in his life, there was something that did hold great importance to this boy, his love of drawing. Although in high school, the cartoons he submitted to the yearbook were rejected, once out of school, the boy was so sure of his artistic talent that he approached Walt Disney Studios with drawing works. I wish I could say the studios loved his work and immediately hired him, but such was not the case; another huge rejection.
Despite his lack of successes, this boy did not give up. He then decided to write his own autobiography in cartoons, about a little boy who was regarded as a loser and a nobody.
The name of this boy was Charles Schulz, the creator of the famous Charlie Brown and comic dog Snoopy.
In life, it is sometimes easy to feel like a nobody. We pass hundreds of people on the street on our way to work, or walk through a faceless crowd in a mall, and no one seems to notice or care. Deep inside, we may know we are special and unique and have lots to offer, but unless someone takes the time to look our way and give us a chance, we may feel worthless, just like Charlie Brown who couldn’t even manage to fly a kite or kick a football properly.
Just as Charles Schulz had faith in his artistic talent, so too, we must realize that nobody is a nobody. We all have special gifts and talents, and every human being is deserving and capable of being loved and appreciated.The underlined word “flunked” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to ________.
| A．failed | B．learned |
| C．achieved | D．misunderstood |
What can we infer about the boy in Paragraph 2?
| A．He was hated by his peers. |
| B．He achieved great success in drawing in high school. |
| C．His work was refused by Walt Disney Studios. |
| D．He earned the praise from Walt Disney Studios. |
When the boy suffered many defeats, he ________.
| A．gave up his dream finally |
| B．wrote some articles in magazines |
| C．he turned to others for help |
| D．he wrote himself as a loser in cartoons |
In the last two paragraphs, we are advised _______.
| A．to open up our eyes |
| B．to believe we can make some difference |
| C．to learn more skills for development |
| D．to ask for more appreciation and love |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
| A．Nobody Is a Nobody. |
| B．A Hard-working Boy Is Successful. |
| C．We Should Turn Failure into Success. |
| D．One Cannot Succeed without Talents. |