Who might buy t
he house after reading the above advertisement?
| A．Some young students. | B．A couple with little money |
| C．A big rich family | D．A big poor family |
What room has several possible uses?
| A．The living room. | B．The bedroom. |
| C．The dining room. | D．The kitchen. |
What is emphasized(强调)in the description of each room?
| A．Floor. | B．Entrance. | C．Size. | D．Windows. |
Rainy days don’t have to get you down, a happiness expert has claimed.
Paul Dolan, Professor of Behavioral Science at the London School of Economics, said that people only feel miserable in bad weather because they think about it too much. Studies have shown that people who live in warm, sunny climates are no happier than those in chilly, wet climates, he says.
So the British talking about the weather may be making us gloomier（沮丧的） than the weather itself.
He said: “A study was done that measured the happiness levels of people in California compared to the North West.
“They expected that people in California would be happier because it is more sunny, but they found that levels of happiness were exactly the same.
“If it is sunny every day you get used to it and the sunshine doesn’t make you any happier.
“Most of the time the weather doesn’t affect our well-being at all. But when we think about it, and think that it does, that’s when we get miserable.”
In his new book, Happiness By Design, Dolan argues that we can think ourselves happy by taking our attention away from what makes us sad.
“Most of our anxieties come from what might be,” he argues. “If you want to be happier, pay attention to the things that make you feel good.”
He also claimed that a problem shared was not always a problem halved. He claimed that humans are actually very good at being able to get over tragedy and loss.
Professor Dolan also admitted for the first time that he had a stammer（口吃）, which had made his early life miserable. He claimed it only got better when he learned not to pay attention to his speech problem.
“Things are never as bad as you imagine them being,” he said.What does the underlined word “miserable” in the second paragraph mean?
| A．Good. | B．Unhappy. |
| C．Cheerful. | D．Confident. |
People in California ___________ compared to people in the North West.
| A．are much happier |
| B．can’t enjoy sunny days |
| C．are more used to sunny days |
| D．have lower levels of happiness |
What is Dolan’s suggestion for being happy?
| A．Don’t think too much about yourself. |
| B．Don’t focus on what makes you sad. |
| C．Avoid comparing yourself to others. |
| D．Avoid doing many miserable things. |
Where could this passage have been taken from?
| A．A report. | B．A notice. |
| C．A poster. | D．A questionnaire. |
Here are some of the strangest buildings in the world. Please look at them and tell us your impressions.
Stone House, Portugal
The stone house in Portugal is really similar to the famous home of the Flintstones （《摩登原始人》）. It is built between two rocks and its architecture（建筑） has impressed some of the greatest architects. The house was attacked by some bad people. The house is pretty comfortable inside, with a fireplace and every- thing necessary, so it is a wonderful example of modern architecture in Stone Age style!
Dancing Building, Czech Republic
The Dancing House, or “Fred and Ginger”, is situated in Prague, the Czech Republic. It is an amazing masterpiece of architecture which has its own romantic charm. There is something so sweet in the way the buildings hug each other for a dance! It has become a symbol of the city!
The Crooked (弯曲的) House, Poland
The crooked house in Poland has an extraordinary and amazing structure. It was built in 2003 with its design based on the pictures of Jan Marcin Szancer and Per Dahlberg. It looks as if it has been taken from a cartoon: its design is “crooked”, but it is balanced, so it is not ugly at all, just strange! The interesting part is how builders managed to create this genius idea, but the house is a fact and everyone admires their creativity!
Habitat 67, Montreal, Canada
Habitat 67 in Canada is a very interesting arrangement of cubes，which looks like the building blocks that children play with. It is pretty interesting how it was designed — it looks so original, and at the same time the building is completely stable（稳定的） and comfortable for living! It was created as a main attraction for Expo（展览会） 67, where it was officially exposed!What is a common feature of the Stone Houseand the Dancing Building?
| A．They all appear very modern. |
| B．They are the symbols of their own cities. |
| C．They are all for people to live in. |
| D．They are both examples of great architecture. |
What is a special feature of The Crooked House?
| A．It was designed by two architects. |
| B．It has the longest history of the four. |
| C．Its construction lines are not straight. |
| D．Its design inspiration is from cartoons. |
Which of the buildings can remind people of a kind of toy?
| A．The Stone House, Portugal |
| B．The Dancing Building, the Czech Republic |
| C．The Crooked House, Poland |
| D．Habitat 67, Montreal, Canada |
Habitat 67 ____________________.
| A．is situated in Europe |
| B．was built for an exhibition |
| C．looks like an ancient building |
| D．has a fireplace in it |
Until the invention of the steam engine, humans traveled the earth on foot. The slow travel meant that explorers frequently returned with stories about distant lands: some of them wild tales, some honest descriptions.
Barbara Klion, who has retired, knows what that’s like. As a walker who has toured Australia, Kenya and China on foot, her trips are the modern edition of an ancient tradition. For years, Klion and her husband, now 75 and 80 years old, traveled independently.
Walkers know that seeing the world on foot gives them a rare experience. Often travelers are attracted by local people and customs. They also get a beautiful and lasting impression of the scenery. Walking tours can be done in one’s backyard, but there are several destinations around the world that expose travelers to the best of nature and culture.
What to look for? A famous guide says that the essentials of a quality walk are great scenery, tolerable1 weather, suitable level of difficulty and something like ecology, history or culture. These may seem like unclear instructions, but the fun of walking tours is that many things are determined by the traveler.
|
Someone who appreciates hot climates, wildlife and flat areas could choose a walking tour in Zambia’s South Luangwa National Park. Travelers who don’t mind the cold and enjoy adventure could hike Patagonia, an area of southern Argentina east of the Andes.
In general, independent travelers can decide how far to go each day, while guests of a tour agency should expect to walk an average of four to eight miles a day. At the Fordland National Park, for example, there are several easy-to-difficult hikes, giving travelers many choices.| A．Great scenery. |
| B．Tolerable weather. |
| C．A helpful companion. |
| D．Suitable level of difficulty. |
According to the passage, compared with guests of a tour agency, independent travelers .
| A．can walk farther | B．have more choices |
| C．face more difficulties | D．spend less |
What’s the author’s attitude towards walking tours?
| A．Indifferent. | B．Negative. |
| C．Worried. | D．Supportive. |
The best title for the passage might be “ ”.
| A．See the World on Foot |
| B．Barbara Klion, a Great Traveler |
| C．What to Look for |
| D．The Fun of Walking |
At the beginning of every year we promise ourselves we will live a healthier life, and exercise more. The year tarts with the best of intentions, but many times we are unable to keep up with very high goals. Good news is that a healthy lifestyle is achievable and it's all about making small changes that make a difference.
News on healthy lifestyles says that the key is moderation and consistency. There are so many health and well-being products out there in the market promising many things. And although many may be true, select carefully.
The basics of a healthy lifestyle is maintaining a balanced diet and doing regular exercise. By eating well, it means really to make sure you include plenty of vegetables and fruit preferably in season in your diet, avoid fried and junk foods and foods high in sugar as well as processed foods. Eating fresh homemade meals rather than ready-made meals which are high in salt and sugar is always the better option. Reducing alcohol intake, drinking plenty of water and supplementing your diet with healthy snacks like nuts and seeds.
For external care choose natural skin care products and hair care oil. Natural beauty care involves using natural moisturizers like Argan oil, Coconut oil and Sweet Almond oil. These nourish the skin far more than counter creams full of chemicals. Skin reflects what we put inside of us, so a healthy diet with plenty of greens and healthy protein will make your skin brighter.
Of course exercise is essential but the key is regular and consistent exercise. So walking three times a week for 45 minutes is much more beneficial than a binge workout once a week.Why can't we keep up with our goals according to the passage?
| A．The goals are too high to achieve. |
| B．We have a large amount of work to do. |
| C．We are naturally lazy and never do exercise. |
| D．The reason isn't given in the passage. |
It can be inferred from the passage that _______.
| A．we should think twice before choosing heath products |
| B．the key to a healthy lifestyle is getting enough sleep |
| C．food high in salt and sugar is the best choice for us |
| D．we should walk once a day for a healthy lifestyle |
What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．How to achieve our goals. |
| B．The best way to take exercise. |
| C．How to make a difference in life. |
| D．Suggestions for a healthy lifestyle. |
Do you love running? It is a good exercise, yet many people find it boring. But what if making your morning jog a creative one? Like jumping from walls and over gaps, and ground rolls? Just like the James Bond in the movie Casino Royale？Bond jumps down from a roof to a windowsill and then runs several blocks over obstacles on the way. It is just because of Bond's wonderful performances that the sport has become popular worldwide.
Yes, that's parkour, an extreme street sport aimed at moving from one point to another as quickly as possible, getting over all the obstacles in the path using only the abilities of the human body. Parkour is considered an extreme sport. As its participants dash around a city, they may jump over fences, run up walls and even move from rooftop to rooftop.
Parkour can be just as exciting and charming as it sounds, but its participants see parkour much more than that.
Overcoming all the obstacles on the course and in life is part of the philosophy(哲理) behind parkour. This is the same as life. You must determine your destination, go straight, and jump over all the barriers as if in parkour and never fall back from them in your life, to reach the destination successfully. A parkour lover said, "I love parkour because its philosophy has become my life, my way to do everything."
Another philosophy we've learnt from parkour is freedom. It can be done by anyone, at any time, anywhere in the world. It is a kind of expression of trust in yourself that you earn energy and confidence. Which of the following is TRUE of parkour?
| A．It is a team sport. |
| B．It is a good but boring sport. |
| C．It needs special training. |
| D．It challenges human abilities. |
As its participants move around a city, ________.
| A．they can ask for help | B．they should run to extremes |
| C．they may choose to escape | D．they must learn to survive |
Which of the following is the philosophy of parkour?
| A．Determination and freedom. | B．Excitement and popularity. |
| C．Dreams and success. | D．Sports and extremes. |
What is the passage mainly about?
A. What parkour is and what it can bring us.
B. What parkour is and where can do it.
B. Why we do parkour and what we get from it.
D. When we can do parkour and how we do it well.