Paloalto, California— “Turning off the television may help prevent children from getting fatter—even if they do not change their diet,” US researchers said last week.
A study of 192 third and fourth graders, generally aged eight and nine found that children who cut the number of hours spent watching television increased nearly two pounds (0.91kg) less over a one-year period than those who did not change their television diet.
“The findings are important because they show that weight loss can only be the result of a reduction in television viewing and not any other activity,” said Thomas Robinson, a pediatrician (儿科专家) at Stanford University. “American children spend an average of more than four hours per day watching television and videos or playing video games. And rates of childhood being very fat have doubled over the past 20 years,” Robinsin said.
In the study presented this week to the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in San Francisco, the researchers persuaded about 100 of the students to reduce their television viewing by one-quarter to one-third. Children watching fewer hours of television showed a much smaller increase in waist (腰) size and had less body fat than other students who continued their normal television viewing, even though neither group ate a special diet nor took part in any extra exercise.
“One explanation for the weight loss could be the children unstuck to the television may simply have been moving around more and burning off calories,” Robinson said. “Another reason might be eating fewer meals in front of the television. Some studies have suggested that eating in front of the TV encourages people to eat more,” Robinson said. The report tells us that children will get fatter if they ________.
| A．eat in front of the TV | B．change their diet |
| C．do special exercises | D．spend much time watching TV |
According to the report, the time American children usually spend on watching TV and videos or playing video games ________.
| A．is four hours a day or more | B．is less than four hours a day |
| C．has doubled in the last 20 years | D．has been reduced to one-quarter |
The time some children were persuaded to spend on TV viewing every day was less than ____.
| A．one hour | B．two hours | C．three hours | D．four hours |
Watching TV will increase kid’s weight because ________.
| A．they usually eat more and move less |
| B．they no longer take part in outdoor activities |
| C．they will not burn off calories |
| D．they will enjoy having meals in front of the television |
Certain animals know without analysis the difference between a number of objects and a smaller number. In his book The Natural History of Selbourne (1786), the naturalist Gilbert White tells how he surreptitiously removed one egg a day from a kind of bird Plover’s nest, and how the mother laid another egg each day to make up for the missing one. He notes that other kinds of birds ignore the loss of a single egg, but if more than one egg has been removed, they will give up their nests. It has also been noted that a certain type of bees always provides five—never four, never six—caterpillars (毛虫) for each of their eggs so that their young have something to eat when the eggs have hatched out. Research has also shown that both mice and pigeons can be taught to distinguish between odd (奇数) and even (偶数) numbers of food pieces.
These have led some people to think that creatures can actually count. They also point to dogs that have been taught to respond to questions about numbers with the correct number of barks.
Animals respond to quantities only when they are connected to survive as in the case of the eggs, or survive as in the case of food. They can “count” only when the objects are present and only when the numbers involved are small—no more than seven or eight. In lab experiments, animals which are trained to count one kind of objects were unable to count any other type. What interests them are the objects, not the numbers. Animals’ achievements simply are not equal to evidence of counting. They only show the results of clever, careful training.The author refers to Gilbert’s book in paragraph 1 in order to_______.
| A．support the idea that animals can count |
| B．show attitudes have changed since 1786 |
| C．prove that some animals are aware of quantities |
| D．indicate that more research is needed in this field |
The author mentions all of the following are aware of quantities in some way EXCEPT _______.
| A．caterpillars | B．bees |
| C．mice | D．plovers |
The underlined word “surreptitiously” probably means _______.
| A．quickly | B．carefully |
| C．occasionally | D．secretly |
Where does this text probably come from?
| A．A news report. | B．A science fiction. |
| C．A park guide. | D．A biology magazine. |
Visit New York City with your kids where there are numerous things to do which will entertain their spirits and feed their minds.
●The Whispering Gallery
Make your way to the Whispering Gallery. Kids can get a lot of fun there. Once inside the gallery, place one person facing the corner at one end of the room and then place another person facing the corner at the opposite end. Ask one of them to whisper a phrase or a quick sentence and the person at the opposite end will be able to hear every word that was said.
E.42nd St. New York, NY 10017
212-771-5322
grandcentralterminal.com
●American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869. In addition to its impressive exhibits, permanent attractions bring the cool feeling to kids. They can enter the Fossil Halls and take in the impressive dinosaur skeletons. And the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life educates kids on the fragility (脆弱) of the ocean.
Central Park West at 79th St. New York, NY 10024
212-769-5606
amnh.org
●The Scholastic Store
Most parents want their children to read, and moreover, to enjoy reading. The Scholastic Store helps to make that wish a reality by publishing well-written stories that appeal to children, such as Clifford the Big Red Dog, the Magic School Bus and Harry Potter, the Scholastic Store will delight your children.
557 Broadway. New York, NY 10012
212-343-6100
scholastic.com
●Ellen’s Stardust Diner
The restaurant is a place where each person in your family can find something to eat. A diverse menu will satisfy every one’s appetite. Arugula salads, grilled cheese burgers and meatloaf are all on this varied menu. The hall of beauty queens, a drive-in theatre can add to the unique dining experience.
1650 Broadway, corner of 51st St. New York, NY 10019
212-956-5151
ellensstardustdiner.comIn addition to your favorite food in Ellen’s Stardust Diner, you can also ________.
| A．make some good friends | B．meet many beautiful queens |
| C．receive the first-class service | D．enjoy some entertaining programs |
Which of the following websites helps kids learn about ancient animals?
| A．ellensstardustdiner.com | B．grandcentralterminal.com |
| C．amnh.org | D．scholastic.com |
The author has written this text probably for ________.
| A．children | B．parents | C．educators | D．teachers |
A jobless man applied for the position of "office boy" at Microsoft．The HR manager interviewed him and then watched him cleaning the floor as a test．"You are employed," he said．"Give me your e-mail address and I’ll send you the application to fill in, as well as the date when you may start." The man replied, "But I don't have a computer, neither an e-mail." "I'm sorry," said the HR manager．"If you don't have an email, that means you do not exist. And who doesn’t exist cannot have the job．"
The man left with no hope at all．He didn't know what to do, with only ten dollars in his pocket．He then decided to go to the supermarket and buy 10 kg tomatoes．He then sold the tomatoes from door to door．In less than two hours, he succeeded to double his capital (资金). He repeated the operation three times, and returned home happily with 60 dollars．
The man realized that he could survive in this way, and started to go every day earlier, and return later．Thus, his money doubled or tripled every day．Shortly, he bought a cart, then a truck, and then he had his own fleet (车队) of delivery vehicles．Five years later, the man was one of the biggest food retailers (零售商) in the US.
He started to plan his family's future and decided to have a life insurance．He called an insurance broker and chose a protection plan．When the conversation was concluded, the broker asked him his e-mail．The man replied, "I don't have an e-mail．"The broker said curiously, "You don't have an e-mail, and yet have succeeded to build an empire．Can you imagine what you could have been if you had an e-mail?" The man thought for a while and replied, "Yes, I'd be an office boy at Microsoft !"According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?
| A．The man was one of the biggest food retailers in the world |
| B．The man didn't give up though he failed the interview |
| C．He started his career by selling tomatoes in the supermarket |
| D．Those who have e-mails can work at Microsoft． |
The underlined word "tripled" in paragraph 3 can be replaced by ____
| A．became large | B．became 3 times |
| C．decreased slightly | D．decreased quickly |
The man can be described as ____．
| A．helpful and considerate | B．positive and generous |
| C．smart and hardworking | D．nervous and unselfish |
Which proverb can best describe the story?
| A．Misfortune may be an actual blessing． |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way． |
| C．Accidents will happen |
| D．No pains, no gains |
Eco City Farms are becoming more popular in cities and towns around the Unites States.
Eco City Farms in Edmonton, Maryland, is located near shopping centers, car repair shops and homes. The neighborhood is a working-class community. People do not have very much money. And they have limited access to fresh food in markets.
Over the past two years, the farm has attracted volunteers form the community like Marcy Clark. She schools her four children at home. On a recent day she brought them to Eco City Farms for a lesson, her son Alston Clark thinks his experience is very valuable. “I like coming out here,” he says, “You know, you connect with the earth, where your food comes from. You appreciate the food a little bit more.”
Margaret Morgan started Eco City Farms. She thinks of it as a place where people can learn to live healthier lives. “Growing food in a community brings people together, ”she continues, “Every piece of what we do here is a demonstration (范例) to show people everything about how to have an eco-friendly community.” she says. From the Eco City Farms people come to know that they are not only growing food and raising chickens and bees, but improving the soil with compost (肥料) made from food waste.
Eco City Farms is an experimental operation. The farm gets its power not from the local electricity networks, but from the sun with solar panels (板). In winter, the green house use a geothermal (地热) system.
Vegetables can be grown all year. So once a week, all winter long, neighbors like Chris Moss and her three children bike to the farm to pick up a share of the harvest.
“I like eating the vegetables” say five-year-old Owen Moss.What is mainly talked about in the passage?
| A．Eco City Farms save a lot of energy. |
| B．Eco City Farms are influencing community life. |
| C．Eco City Farms helps the working-class live better. |
| D．Eco City Farms are gaining popularity. |
What is the author’s attitude toward Eco City Farms?
| A．Enthusiastic. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Surprised. | D．Doubtful. |
According to the passage, Eco City Farms are close to the following places EXCEPT______.
| A．shopping centers |
| B．car repair shops |
| C．fast-food restaurants |
| D．working-class community |
In which of a newspaper can you most probably read this article?
| A．People. | B．Travel. |
| C．Environment. | D．Education. |
“Why should I care about the environment?” some people ask. There is a very simple reason: We live on the earth, and it is the only place we can live on right now, as we cannot live in space yet. If we treat the earth like a garbage dump, it will become dirty and unlivable. If we treat it well by being eco-conscious, the earth will stay clean and suitable for living, for ourselves and for our children.
What is “being eco-conscious”?
Being eco-conscious means being aware of your actions, and what you do to the environment. For example, you might think, “Using hairspray is great for fixing my hair.” However, if you are eco-conscious, you would ask, “Does this hairspray have CFCs in it? Could I be destroying the earth by using hairspray?”
How can I be eco-conscious?
You can find many simple ways to help the environment in your everyday life.
When you go shopping, bring a bag or a basket with you. Please try not to use plastic bags as much as you can.
You can go to work by bike or on foot if it is not far from your home.
You can put your rubbish into different bags, which makes it convenient for recycling.
You can eat less chewing gum.
You can use your own chopsticks instead of the disposable ones in your company or in restaurants.
You can put batteries in a special box instead of in garbage bins.
You can use the water which has been used for washing vegetables or fruits to clean the floor and the toilet or to water your garden.
You can turn off the decorative lights in your room when watching TV.
You can turn down your air conditioner by one degree, as this will cause a 10% reduction in energy use.
You can use recycled paper. Every ton of recycled office paper saves 380 gallons of oil. You can also use recycled glass instead of glass made from raw materials. This will reduce the related air pollution by 20%, and the related water pollution by 50%.
Please believe that. If you do a little, it will make a big difference.Human beings should care about the environment because _________ .
| A．if we make the earth unlivable, we’ll have to live in space |
| B．it can help our children live better |
| C．if we don’t, the earth will become a garbage dump |
| D．it will help to make the world a good living place |
If your deskmate is an eco-conscious person, he should __________.
| A．be aware of the importance of protecting the environment |
| B．use plastic bags when he buys something |
| C．know nothing about CFCs |
| D．turn his air conditioner to a higher degree |
If you want to help the environment, you should do all the following EXCEPT ________.
| A．share a car with your colleagues |
| B．use paper bags instead of plastic bags |
| C．use hairspray containing CFCs |
| D．use recycled glass instead of glass made from raw materials |
It can be inferred from the passage that _________.
| A．it’s very hard for human beings to keep the earth clean and comfortable |
| B．protecting the environment is the duty of everybody |
| C．we should protect the environment together, as it’s no use doing it individually |
| D．it’s very easy to be eco-conscious |
According to the author, which of the following statements is WRONG?
| A．Being eco-conscious means you should know much about the environment. |
| B．The more we care, the better the environment will be. |
| C．If each of us just does a little, we can’t make any difference. |
| D．If we treat the earth badly, we’ll make a lot of trouble for ourselves. |