When many of us take a vacation, more than anything, we seek to relax. We spend long, lazy days on a beach chair or in a hammock(吊床). But too often, we return home, tired.
It doesn’t have to be this way.
In fact active vacations are often the most relaxing of all. We don’t expect you to take up jogging(慢跑), or climbing. Rather, we ask the sedentary(久坐的) vacations among you to spend two to four hours a day doing things, such as walking in the city street, going to a zoo or biking along the ocean.
These kinds of activities aren’t just good for your physical health. They improve your mental health, even your spiritual health. Here are some fresh ideas to make your vacations as pleasurable as they are active and healthy.
A walk at dawn or dusk helps keep you young. Try to make this a daily habit of life when you’re away from home, and you will guarantee yourself both physical and spiritual refreshment.
Don’t allow yourself to spend all your time sitting in front of water. Whether it is the ocean, a swimming pool, or a tree-lined lake, make sure you get into the water for swimming or games, or even walking. Merely standing in waist-high water is a good workout, thanks to the action of the water. And you’ll feel so much more active!
Many of us spend a large chunk of our vacation on the road, either getting to and from our destinations, or using the car for sightseeing. But no matter how beautiful the scenery is, great, memorable vacations don’t happen in a car seat. Frequently get out and stretch, walk, picnic, shop, visit, and have fun. It’s important for your health and energy, and it makes traveling a lot more active and interesting The idea in the text is mainly to _______.
| A．suggest ways to make vacations relaxing |
| B．suggest places for relaxing vacations |
| C．explain the reasons for having vacations |
| D．explain the relationship between vacations and health |
Which of the following can be considered as a form of exercise?
| A．Sitting by a lake. | B．Standing in water. |
| C．Staying in a car. | D．Enjoying beautiful scenery. |
In the last paragraph, the author seems to advise us to _______.
| A．have vacations frequently | B．get out of the car frequently |
| C．go on vacations on foot | D．stay in a car seat |
Scientists in Israel have discovered a new way to test for water pollution by “listening” to what the plants growing in water have to say.
By shining a laser beam (激光束) on the tiny pieces of algae floating in the water，the researchers said they hear sound waves that tell them the type and amount of contamination (致污物) in the water.
“It is a red light，telling us that something is beginning to go wrong with the quality of water，” said Zvy Dubinsky，an aquatic biologist at Israel’s Bar Ilan University.“Algae is the first thing to be affected by a change in water quality.”“The secret，” he said，“is to measure the rate of photosynthesis (光合作用) in the algae，meaning the plant’s ability to transform light into energy.” During photosynthesis，plants also release oxygen into the air.
Dubinsky’s technique is easy to perform because of the overabundance of algae in the planet’s water.Most of the oxygen in the atmosphere comes from algae.A prototype tester that occupies about one square meter of a laboratory desktop，shoots a laser beam at water samples to stimulate photosynthesis in the algae.But not all of the laser’s heat is used.Depending on the condition of the algae and the rate of photosynthesis，some of the heat is shot back into the water，creating sound waves，Dubinsky said.With a special underwater microphone，researchers are able to analyze the strength of the sound waves and determine the health of the algae and the condition of the surrounding water.
“Algae suffering from lead poisoning，like waste discharged from battery and paint manufacturing plants，will produce a different sound than those suffering from lack of iron or exposure to other toxins，” said researcher Yulia Pinchasov.She said that testing algae photosynthesis can determine water quality more accurately and easily than laborintensive methods now used like chemical and radioactive carbon testing.The underlined word “algae” in Paragraph 2 probably refers to a kind of________.
| A．instrument | B．plant |
| C．wood | D．pollutant |
Why is the algae tested?
| A．Because it floats on the water. |
| B．Because it can have photosynthesis. |
| C．Because it is the first to be polluted. |
| D．Because it can produce different sounds. |
We can infer from the passage that________.
| A．algae can produce a loud sound when polluted |
| B．algae can die easily from pollution |
| C．photosynthesis of the algae can only be caused by sunlight |
| D．photosynthesis of the algae is related to water quality |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Scientists Listen to Plants to Find Water Pollution |
| B．A Prototype Tester Is Used to Determine Water Pollution |
| C．The Importance of Photosynthesis of the Algae |
| D．The Problem of Chemical and Radioactive Carbon Testing |
Three Boys and a Dad
Brad closed the door slowly as Sue left home to visit her mother.Expecting a whole day to relax，he was thinking whether to read the newspaper or watch his favourite TV talk show on his first day off in months.“This will be like a walk in the park，”he’d told his wife.“I’ll look after the kids，and you can go visit your mom.”
Things started well，but just after eight o’clock，his three little “good kids”—Mike，Randy，and Alex—came down the stairs in their night clothes and shouted “breakfast，daddy.”When food had not appeared within thirty seconds，Randy began using his spoon on Alex’s head as if it were a drum.Alex started to shout loudly in time to the beat(节拍)．Mike chanted “Where’s my toast，where’s my toast” in the background.Brad realised his newspaper would have to wait for a few seconds.
Life became worse after breakfast.Mike wore Randy’s underwear on his head.Randy locked himself in the bathroom，while Alex shouted again because he was going to wet his pants.Nobody could find clean socks，although they were before their very eyes.Someone named “Not Me” had spilled a whole glass of orange juice into the basket of clean clothes.Brad knew the talk show had already started.
By ten o’clock，things were out of control.Alex was wondering why the fish in the jar refused his bread and butter.Mike was trying to show off his talent by decorating the kitchen wall with his colour pencils.Randy，thankfully，appeared to be reading quietly in the family room，but closer examination showed that he was eating apple jam straight from the bottle with his hands.Brad realised that the talk show was over and reading would be impossible.
At exactly 11∶17，Brad called the daycare centre(日托所)．“I suddenly have to go into work and my wife’s away.Can I bring the boys over in a few minutes？”The answer was obviously “yes” because Brad was smiling.(2012·陕西，B)When his wife left home，Brad expected to________.
| A．go out for a walk in the park |
| B．watch TV talk show with his children |
| C．enjoy his first day off work |
| D．read the newspaper to his children |
Which of the following did Randy do?
| A．Drawing on the wall. | B．Eating apple jam. |
| C．Feeding the fish. | D．Reading in a room. |
Why did Brad ask the daycare centre for help?
| A．Because he wanted to clean up his house. |
| B．Because he suddenly had to go to his office. |
| C．Because he found it hard to manage his boys. |
| D．Because he had to take his wife back home. |
This text is developed________.
| A．by space | B．by comparison |
| C．by process | D．by time |
People without homes have always been present in America.In the past，they were called hobos，bums，or drifters.It was not until the early 1980s that these people received a new name，when activists named them the homeless.
The types of people who were homeless also changed in the 1980s.No longer were they primarily older men.They were younger，with an average age of 35.Their numbers consisted of women，children，adolescents and entire families.They were of many races and cultures.No longer were they only in the inner city.They lived in rural areas and in large and small cities.No longer were they invisible to the people with homes and jobs.The homeless of the 1980s lived in packing crates (装货箱) and doorways.They slept on sidewalks and in public parks.They begged money from passersby.
Counting the numbers of homeless people is difficult.However，in 1984 the Department of Housing and Urban Development estimated the homeless population at between 250,000 and 350,000.In 1990 the Census Bureau counted about 459,000 people in shelters，in cheap hotels，and on the streets.In 1995 the National Alliance to End Homelessness estimated that there were 750,000 homeless Americans.
The homeless of the 1980s also began to speak out for themselves.Some spoke to Congress and to government committees controlling funding for social programs.Street newspapers，such as Chicago’s Streetwise and Boston’s Spare Change，had stories，poems，and essays that expressed the homeless viewpoint.The visible and vocal presence of the homeless prompted help from volunteers and government agencies.But what is still needed is a solution to the plight of America’s homeless population.This passage is mainly about________.
| A．one homeless person’s story |
| B．the history of the homeless |
| C．the changes of the homeless in the late 20th century |
| D．a way to provide homes for the homeless |
How did the homeless speak out about their problems?
| A．By writing books. |
| B．By moving to rural areas. |
| C．By being elected to the government committees. |
| D．By expressing their viewpoints in street newspapers. |
Who is responsible to get the number of the homeless population according to the passage?
| A．Government agencies. |
| B．Street newspapers. |
| C．The homeless themselves. |
| D．The volunteers. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The homeless all lived in urban cities in America. |
| B．The name “the homeless” was given in the early 1980. |
| C．Not only the disabled belong to the homeless family. |
| D．There were about 800,000 homeless people in western countries. |
Janice Fialka showed a new documentary (纪录片) about her cognitively (认知地) disabled son at schools and seminars across the country.Everyone seemed to enjoy it，but one comment from a teacher proved her family’s investment to Fialka was a success.
“In Baltimore an early childhood teacher came up and said，‘I have to apologize to the family of a 4year old with Down Syndrome (先天愚型)，’”Fialka said.“She said，‘I told them to be more realistic about their dreams for him.Now I have to tell them I’m sorry.’”
The story of Micah FialkaFeldman，a 22yearold Oakland University student，is meant to show parents，educators and the disabled anything is possible.
FialkaFeldman wrote in an essay titled “I wanted to go to college and my dream came true”．A lot of people didn’t think he could go to college，but because family and friends believed in him he learned how to take public transportation to campus and found teachers who helped him pick the best classes.
The title of the film Through the Same Door came from a day when FialkaFeldman，who was enrolled in a first grade special education program，told his parents he wanted to walk through the same door as the rest of the kids at his school.It led him to becoming the first student with cognitive disabilities in mainstream classrooms in Berkley.
Though he can’t read or write on his own，FialkaFeldman reached amazing heights with the help of voice recognition computer software，tutors，and the embrace (接受) of his community.
At Berkley High School，FialkaFeldman won the Social Studies Department Award for civic (公民的) involvement.In 2004 he received the Michigan “Yes，I Can” award for selfadvocacy (自强)．
He finished high school in 2003 with a certificate of attendance，took a 10day trip through Israel with friends last year，and enrolled at Oakland University through the Transitions Program，which is geared (使适合于) to help the disabled go from high school to college.
Fialka said he’s the happiest kid in the world.Everyone should be so happy.What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Disabled Man Living His Dream |
| B．Nothing Is Impossible |
| C．Don’t Look Down Upon the Disabled |
| D．Through the Same Door |
What the early childhood teacher said suggests that________.
| A．disabled people should be realistic about their dreams |
| B．she used to believe we should not expect much from disabled people |
| C．she hadn’t given the 4year old with Down Syndrome enough attention |
| D．the documentary about FialkaFeldman encouraged the disabled |
Which of the following is NOT true about FialkaFeldman?
| A．He was the first cognitively disabled student in mainstream classrooms in Berkley. |
| B．He went to school by public transportation and was helped to pick up classes. |
| C．He benefited from computer software and other people. |
| D．He received the “Yes，I Can” award for civic involvement and selfadvocacy |
Which of the following shows the correct order of events of FialkaFeldman?
a．He received the Michigan “Yes，I Can” award.
b．His documentary was shown and welcomed.
c．He was enrolled in a first grade special education program.
d．He finished high school with a certificate of attendance.
e．He enrolled at Oakland University through the Transitions Program.
| A．acdeb | B．bacde |
| C．cdeab | D．cdbea |
Against the supposition that forest fires in Alaska，Canada and Siberia warm the climate，scientists have discovered that cooling may occur in areas where burnt trees allow more snow to mirror more sunlight into space.
This finding suggests that taking steps to prevent northern forest fires to limit the release of greenhouse gases may warm the climate in northern regions.Usually large fires destroyed forests in these areas over the past decade.Scientists predict that with climate warming，fires may occur more frequently over the next several centuries as a result of a longer fire season.Sunlight taken in by the earth tends to cause warming，while heat mirrored back into space tends to cause cooling.
This is the first study to analyze all aspects of how northern fires influence climate.Earlier studies by other scientists had suggested that fires in northern regions sped up climate warming because greenhouse gases from burning trees and plants were released into the atmosphere and thus trapped heat.
Scientists found that right after the fire，large amounts of greenhouse gases entered the atmosphere and caused warming.Ozone (臭氧) levels increased，and ashes from the fire fell on faroff sea ice，darkening the surface and causing more radiation from the sun to be taken in.The following spring，however，the land within the area of the fire was brighter than before the fire，because fewer trees covered the ground.Snow on the ground mirrored more sunlight back into space，leading to cooling.
“We need to find out all possible ways to reduce the growth of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere，” scientists said.They tracked the change in the amount of radiation entering and leaving the climate system as a result of the fire，and found a measurement closely related to the global air temperature.Typically，fire in northern regions occurs in the same area every 80 to 150 years.Scientists，however，found that when fire occurs more frequently，more radiation is lost from the earth and cooling results.Specifically，they determined when fire returns 20 years earlier than predicted,0.5 watts per square meter of area burned are soaked up by the earth from greenhouse gases，but 0.9 watts per square meter will be sent back into space.The net effect is cooling.Watts are used to measure the rate at which energy is gained or lost from the earth.According to the new findings，taking steps to prevent northern forest fires may________.
| A．result in a warming climate |
| B．cause more forest fires |
| C．lead to a longer fire season |
| D．protect the forests there |
The following are the immediate effects after a forest fire EXCEPT________.
| A．large amounts of greenhouse gases enter the atmosphere |
| B．the levels of ozone which is a type of oxygen increase |
| C．snow on the ground mirrors more sunlight back into space |
| D．ashes from the fire fall on the ice and darken the surface |
Earlier studies about northern forest fires________.
| A．had analyzed all aspects of how northern fires influenced climate |
| B．had indicated that forest fires would pollute the atmosphere |
| C．had suggested that people should take measures to protect environment |
| D．had suggested that the fires would speed up climate warming |
We can infer that forest fires in Alaska，Canada and Siberia may________.
| A．warm the climate as the supposition goes |
| B．cool the climate by reflecting more sunlight into atmosphere |
| C．make more space for the growth of young trees |
| D．help to gain more energy rather than release more energy |