A new research shows that in Britain more and more people are returning to the old tradition that the whole family have a meal at table. Worrying about the obesity and breakdown of a family, people change their eating habits so greatly, according to analysis. They find the number of the family having a meal together increases by 5% from 2002 to 2004, and most people who have meals with their family come from the rich social class.
The new discovery makes doctors and the people struggling against obesity extremely excited. Giving up the tradition that the whole family have a meal together is exactly one of the reasons for a series of problems including children’s overweight. If a child has a meal in front of the television or the computer alone, he will often eat some fast food.
Jason Collins is one of the persons returning to the old tradition. Collins is a manager of a bake(烘面包) house. He finds after he gets used to having a meal at home with his child, the child becomes much more obedient(听话的). Dr. Jin is a child psychologist, and she expresses welcome to this result of the study. She says it can make parents have a very good chance to chat with the child when the whole family have a meal together. What makes people change their eating habit back to the old tradition in Britain?
| A．Worrying about their children. | B．Worrying about some social problems. |
| C．Worrying about the living expense. | D．Worrying about health and family problems. |
We can infer from the passage that _______.
| A．people’s eating habit has much effect on their family |
| B．most rich people have meals with their family |
| C．most children have the problem of overweight |
| D．most children don’t like having dinner with the parents |
How do the people who hope to lose weight feel about the new discovery?
| A．They feel glad. | B．They feel surprised. |
| C．They feel sorry. | D．They feel disappointed. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The child having dinner with his parents doesn’t like watching TV. |
| B．Children become overweight all because of having dinner alone. |
| C．The family having dinner together is more united and friendly. |
| D．The reason a child has dinner alone is that he likes fast food. |
Conventional wisdom says that hardship can make us old before our time. In fact, a new study suggests that violence not only leaves long-term scars on children’s bodies, but also changes their DNA, causing changes that are equal to seven to ten years of premature aging (过早老化).
Scientists measured this by studying the ends of children’s chromosomes (染色体), called telomeres, says Idan Shalev, lead author of a study published in Molecular Psychiatry.
Telomeres are special DNA sequences (序列) which prevent the DNA in chromosomes from separating. They get shorter each time a cell divides, until a cell cannot divide any more and dies.
Several factors have been found to shorten telomeres, including smoking, radiation and psychological stresses such as being treated badly when young and taking care of a chronically ill person.
In this study, researchers examined whether exposure to violence could make children’s telomeres shorten faster than normal. They interviewed the mothers of 236 children at ages 5, 7 and 10, asking whether the youngsters had been exposed to domestic violence between the mother and her partner, physical maltreatment by an adult or bullying. Researchers measured the children’s telomeres—in cells obtained from the insides of their cheeks—at ages 5 and 10.
Telomeres shortened faster in kids exposed to two or more types of violence, says Shalev. Unless that pattern changes, the study suggests, these kids could be expected to develop diseases of aging, such as heart attacks or memory loss, seven to 10 years earlier than their peers.
Shalev says there is hope for these kids. His study found that, in rare cases, telomeres can lengthen. Better nutrition, exercise and stress reduction are three things that may be able to lengthen telomeres, he says.
The study confirms a smallbutgrowing number of studies suggesting that early childhood hardship imprints itself in our chromosomes, says Charles Nelson, a professor of pediatrics and neuroscience at Harvard Medical School.The new study has found that ________.
| A．violence leaves scars on a child’s mind |
| B．violence can speed up a child’s aging |
| C．hardship can change a child’s aging |
| D．hardship has a long-term effect on children |
According to the text, telomeres ________.
| A．probably cause a cell to divide quickly |
| B．can help prevent DNA from separating |
| C．can make a cell die quickly |
| D．become shorter before they die |
All of the following things can shorten telomeres EXCEPT ________.
| A．maltreatment | B．radiation |
| C．smoking | D．exercising |
Which of the following is TRUE, according to the text?
| A．Researchers measured the children’s telomeres from their legs in the study. |
| B．Kids interviewed in the study are exposed to two or more types of violence. |
| C．Children who have shorter telomeres may suffer from a heart attack earlier. |
| D．Victims of domestic violence have no hopes of lengthening their telomeres. |
What is the best title for the text?
| A．Violence aging children’s DNA |
| B．Children’s changing DNA patterns |
| C．Violence and children |
| D．The function of telomeres |
At the age of 16, Clara Barton was advised to become a teacher since she was quite shy. She taught in Massachusetts for ten years, and was invited to Bordentown, New Jersey to teach in a school. She saw that these communities needed complimentary education for their citizens, and she took action by creating a free school, one of the first in her state. But later, ignoring her, officials named a male instead as the head teacher. Disappointed, she left her job and moved to Washington D.C., becoming the first woman employed by the US Patent Office.
Clara Barton was forever changed by her experience with the army in the Civil War. She saw doctors use leaves when dealing with injuries since they had nothing else. The medical supplies were well behind the army, who were moving faster than their medical supply lines. She brought in a truck of medical supplies that she collected personally some years ago. Miss Barton continued to work on the battlefields throughout the war.
She helped in the identification of 13,000 dead Union soldiers. This non-stop work made her fully exhausted, and upon recommendation by her physicians, she traveled to Europe where she recovered energy and enriched herself.
While in Europe, and still in poor health, Miss Barton was moved by the hardship on people brought about by the France-Prussia war. She helped in their relief effort, which encouraged her to create the Red Cross, which served the whole army and common people under a neutral flag.
Clara Barton returned to America and then began the establishment of the American Red Cross. The US government did not think there would ever be another war after the Civil War. But she convinced them that the Red Cross would be valuable to serve in times of natural disasters as well. This was her lasting legacy (遗产), an agency that still provides aid to all people today.What does the underlined word mean in the first paragraph?
| A．Public. | B．Personal. | C．Free. | D．Advanced. |
. Why did Clara Barton bring her personal medical supplies
A There were no medical supplies for the army at all.
B. The army’s supplies couldn’t catch up with them.
C. The army’s supplies weren’t good enough to treat soldiers.
D. The enemies cut off the connection between the army and medical supplies.Clara Barton set up the Red Cross because of _______.
| A．her experiences in Europe |
| B．her poor health |
| C．the lack of supplies for the army |
| D．her work in the US Patent Office |
The US government agreed to establish the Red Cross because Clara Barton _______.
| A．gave a lot of her legacy |
| B．said there might be wars in the future |
| C．explained it would help people in peacetime as well. |
| D．claimed it could save people from the France-Prussia war. |
What does this passage mainly talk about?
| A．The history of American Civil War. |
| B．A general introduction to Clara Barton. |
| C．Clara Barton’s contributions to the US. |
| D．The Establishment of the American Red Cross. |
One evening last summer, when I asked my 14-year-old son, Ray, for help with dinner, his response shocked me. "What’s a colander(漏勺)? " he asked.
I could only blame myself. In the family, nobody else’s hands went in the sauce except my own. But that night, as I explained with a touch of panic that a colander is the thing with holes in it, I wondered what else I hadn’t prepared Ray for.
As parents, while we focus on our sons’ confidence and character, we perhaps don’t always consider that we are also raising someone’s future roommates, boyfriends, husbands, or fathers. I wanted to know that I’d raised a boy who would never ask the woman in his life, "What’s for dinner?" So I came up with a plan: I would offer Ray a private home economics course. I was delighted to find that he didn’t say no. For two hours, three days a week, Ray was all mine. One day, as his tomato sauce reduced on the stove, he washed and seasoned a chicken for roasting. Then he rolled out the piecrust (馅饼皮) and filled it with apples, all while listening to my explanation on the importance of preheating an oven.
I knew that he would rather have been shooting hoops in the driveway than learning to mend socks with his mother—he tried to beg off sewing lessons, even though I insisted that one day, someone would find the sight of him fixing his own shirt very attractive— but it couldn’t be denied that he was learning, and more than just housekeeping. "I appreciate what you do as a mom," he told me one day. Ray now understands the finer points of cooking, and more importantly, he realizes there’s nothing masculine (男子气概的) about being helpless.
Now, not only can he make his own dinner, but also he can make a big meal for his family. That’s what I call a man. I’m glad that I prepared so great a present for my future daughter-in-law.Why was the author shocked at her son’s response?
| A．Because he was not well behaved. |
| B．Because he refused to help with dinner. |
| C．Because he didn’t know the common kitchen utensils (器皿). |
| D．Because he was very curious about kitchen utensils. |
In the author’s opinion, some parents pay little attention to _______.
| A．building up children’s confidence |
| B．telling kids what is right and wrong |
| C．preparing children for their future life |
| D．making children live a hard life |
After learning to do housework, Ray _______.
| A．fell in love with sewing |
| B．did other work in the house |
| C．began to be more hardworking |
| D．acknowledged his mother’s efforts |
We can infer from the text that Ray _______.
| A．made great progress in cooking. |
| B．always thought housework interesting. |
| C．preferred sewing to cooking. |
| D．was unwilling to learn cooking at first. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Useful education for boys |
| B．The importance of housework |
| C．Boys should be involved in housework. |
| D．Cooking and sewing make boys masculine. |
Dear Gregory,
Merry Christmas! You are now the proud owner of an iPhone. Hot Damn! You are a good & responsible 13 year old boy and you deserve this gift. But with the acceptance of this present comes rules and regulations. Please read through the following contract. I hope that you understand it is my job to raise you into a well rounded, healthy young man that can function in the world and coexist with technology, not be ruled by it. Failure to comply with the following list will result in termination of your iPhone ownership.
1. It is my phone. I bought it. I pay for it. I am loaning it to you. Aren’t I the greatest?
2. If it rings, answer it. It is a phone. Say hello, use your manners. Do not ever ignore a phone call if the screen reads “Mom” or “Dad”. Not ever.
3. It does not go to school with you. Have a conversation with the people you text in person. It’s a life skill. *Half days, field trips and after school activities will require special consideration.
4. If it falls into the toilet, smashes on the ground, or vanishes into thin air, you are responsible for the replacement costs or repairs. Mow a lawn, babysit, stash some birthday money. It will happen, you should be prepared.
5. Turn it off, silence it, put it away in public. Especially in a restaurant, at the movies, or while speaking with another human being. You are not a rude person; do not allow the iPhone to change that.
7. Learn to live without it. Be bigger and more powerful than FOMO – fear of missing out. Leave your phone home sometimes and feel safe and secure in that decision. It is not alive or an extension of you.
8. Keep your eyes up. See the world happening around you. Stare out a window. Listen to the birds. Take a walk. Talk to a stranger. Wonder without googling.
9. If you will mess up. I will take away your phone. We will sit down and talk about it. We will start over again. You and I, we are always learning. I am on your team. We are in this together. It is my hope that you can agree to these terms. I hope you enjoy your awesome new iPhone. Merry Christmas!
xoxoxo MomThe author’s main purpose in writing the article is to ________
| A．explain to George the function of the new mobile phones. |
| B．show George how much thought has been put into this gift |
| C．inform George of good manners he has to follow in public |
| D．make a deal with George on the use of his Christmas gift-iphone |
If Gregory lose hus iphone,he ________
| A．has to pay for a new one himself |
| B．will get a new one from his parents |
| C．will never receive gifts from his parents |
| D．must learn to live without a phone |
We can learn from the article that George’s parents________
| A．set rules and regulations in every aspect of his life |
| B．expect him to do something in return for this gift |
| C．are worried about his manners and carelessness |
| D．don’t want him to be addicted to electronic products |
George has to follow the rules below EXCEPT that ________
| A．be sure to answer his parents’ call |
| B．keep the phone in silence when is at the cinema |
| C．record his life as much as possible using the phone |
| D．bring the phone with him on field trip when necessary |
Winter begins in the north on December 22nd. People and animals have been doing what they always do to prepare for the colder months. Squirrels (松鼠), for example, have been busy gathering nuts from trees. Well, scientists have been busy gathering information about what the squirrels do with the food they collect.
They examined differences between red squirrels and gray squirrels in the American state of Indiana. The scientists wanted to know how these differences could affect the growth of black walnut (黑胡桃) trees. The black walnut is the nut of choice for both kinds of squirrels. The black walnut tree is also a central part of some hardwood forests.
Rob Swihart of Purdue University did the study with Jake Goheen, a former Purdue student now at the University of New Mexico. The two researchers estimate that several times as many walnuts grow when gathered by gray squirrels as compared to red squirrels. Gray squirrels and red squirrels do not store nuts and seeds in the same way. Gray squirrels bury nuts one at a time in a number of places. But they seldom remember where they buried every nut. So some nuts remain in the ground. Conditions are right for them to develop and grow the following spring. Red squirrels, however, store large groups of nuts above ground. Professor Swihart calls “death traps for seeds”.
Gray squirrels are native to Indiana. But Professor Swihart says their numbers began to decrease as more forests were cut for agriculture. Red squirrels began to spread through the state during the past century.
The researchers say red squirrels are native to forests that stay green all year, unlike walnut trees. They say the cleaning of forest land for agriculture has helped red squirrels invade Indiana. Jake Goheen calls them a sign of an environmental problem more than a cause.The study done by Rob Swihart and Jake Goheen is to ________.
| A．find out the living conditions for squirrels |
| B．learn squirrels’influence on black walnut trees |
| C．do something to get rid of squirrels |
| D．save the forests in the American state of Indiana |
The difference between gray squirrels and red squirrels mainly lies in ________.
| A．the way they gather the walnut |
| B．the time they have winter sleep |
| C．the place they have winter sleep |
| D．the place they store the walnuts |
Professor Swihart’s study shows that________.
| A．red squirrels eat more nuts than gray squirrels |
| B．gray squirrels and red squirrels will have severe fights |
| C．red squirrel’s way to store nuts stops nuts growing. |
| D．black walnuts are harmful to other animals |
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．The black walnut is equally attractive to both gray and red squirrels. |
| B．Gray squirrels do more harm to the forest than red squirrels. |
| C．Red squirrels and gray squirrels have helped the spread of walnut trees. |
| D．The cleaning of forest land benefits red squirrels directly. |