Remember how great exercise was when you were a little kid? Back then, racing around the playground or skipping rope for hours, you weren’t thinking fitness, you were thinking entertainment. But in this age of high-tech home equipment and underused gym memberships, the simple joy of jumping rope has been forgotten. Rediscovering it will give you a total-body exercise you can find.
Although considered an excellent form of exercise, jumping rope has never gained widespread acceptance because of two fundamental reasons. First, most people recognize jumping rope as an excellent form of cardiovascular (心血管的) exercise, but they also believe that it is simply too difficult. In other words, they don’t think they’ll be able to continue jumping for the near 20 minutes that it takes to achieve a beneficial physical outcome. Second, many view it as somewhat boring and overly repetitive—not as something fun or enjoyable.
As a matter of fact, jumping rope can be great fun if you find a proper way to practice it. Instead of doing the usual two-foot bounce over and over again, people good at rope-jumping often change their pattern every 10 or 20 jumps. A single bounce, a double–bounce, a skip, a knee-up, side swings, as well as a variety of other easy-to-learn free-style rope-jumping.
Now researchers are learning that jumping rope also prepares the brain for learning. It is an exercise allowing both brain hemispheres to perform in parallel to each other. In short , jumping rope can be a life-long activity requiring little equipment, time and space, yet leading to a much healthier life. From the first paragraph we learn that .
| A．jumping rope has faded from people’s memories |
| B．people now have more advanced equipment |
| C．racing around the playground was preferred |
| D．people now like to have exercise in a gym |
Rope jumping has not spread widely because .
| A．it benefits the cardiovascular system | B．it is neither easy nor enjoyable |
| C．it is considered boring and repetitive | D．it requires little equipment, time and space |
The first sentence in the 3rd paragraph implies .
| A．there is only one proper way to follow | B．the usual way should not be used |
| C．the easiest way is always the best | D．there are many ways to follow |
What is the author’s attitude towards rope jumping?
| A．He is arguing against it. | B．He is in favor of it. |
| C．He is sitting on the fence of it. | D．He is not clear about it. |
A university is not just about careers and getting a well-paid job after graduation — it’s a place for learning about yourself and the world.
So how to select a suitable university is of great importance. How do you decide on a school when there are thousands of them to pick from? Start by asking yourself questions about your preferences:
What are my strengths?
1.Am I interested in liberal arts or science or business?
2.What kind of learning environment is best for me?
3.Would I be more comfortable in a small school or a large one?
4.Do I want to stay close to home or live far away?
5.Would I prefer to be in a city environment or a small college town?
6.Do I like being with people who are mostly like me or do I want to meet a different group?
Ask friends and older people who are in college about their schools and about other schools they’re familiar with. Talk to one of your teachers and go to college fairs when they visit your town.
Once you’ve narrowed down your choices, ask the schools to send you related materials and visit their websites. When you’ve cut your list down to a manageable number, make arrangements to visit. Try to do this when the schools are having regular classes, so you can get a good idea of what life is really like on campus.
And remember: you’re not the only one making a decision. Schools are picking from a large pool of students. They want to know how excellent you are and what makes you stand out from everyone else. They will look at your school performance, test scores, and so on, so it’s important to devote time and effort to all these things. According to the passage, when deciding on a college you need NOT consider ______.
| A．in which aspect you are superior to others |
| B．what kind of people you’d like to meet |
| C．what kind of college environment you like |
| D．whether the college has an exchange-student program |
When you have got a manageable number of choices, you’d better _______.
| A．visit the schools when they have regular classes |
| B．ask the schools to send you related materials |
| C．go to college fairs with your friends |
| D．discuss them with your teachers |
The underlined part in the last paragraph means that ______.
| A．you can’t make the decision all by yourself |
| B．schools are also judging whether you’re qualified for them |
| C．your school grades often play a role in choosing a college |
| D．making a decision all by yourself is really hard |
Imagine a training course that helps you in your specific job. Imagine tools and techniques that are so closely connected with your work that you can apply them directly to it. Imagine receiving an Open University (OU) certificate (证书) in a course which states what you have studied and achieved.
It may sound fantastic, but it’s a reality at the Open University’s CCPD, which is making learning while you work more flexible (灵活的) than ever before.
The courses are starting to change workplace learning completely. Paige, who took CCPD’s courses, said the study had changed her whole way of thinking. “It was excellent for so many reasons,” she said. “It developed me as a person and as an employee and taught me particular techniques. I was always able to bring what I’d learned into the office the next day and apply it to my job.”
Even better news for Paige was that her employer paid the full cost of her study. She became one of thousands of OU students whose fees were paid by employers who recognized the value of an OU education.
“These courses are designed for CCPD rather than as part of a formal certificate,” said Kathy, an OU teacher. “We pay more attention to development rather than assessment (评估). Our role is to give them personal developmental advice, not a mark.”
Paige is just one of 200,000 students who are learning at OU. CCPD itself is just a part of an organization that offers courses and qualifications in 360 subjects and has so far helped to develop the skills and knowledge of more than two million people.
“Education does not stop with getting a degree,” said Charles Edwards, CCPD’s director. “In a fast-moving economy you cannot afford to rely on the degree you got some time ago. You must keep updating your knowledge.”
For details on CCPD’s courses and to register with the 10% discount available to members, visit www.open.ac.uk.According to the passage, CCPD’s courses are ________.
| A．required courses for formal academic qualifications |
| B．training courses for professional development |
| C．special courses for a master’s degree |
| D．elective courses for university students |
The example of Paige is given to show ________.
| A．the benefits of lifelong learning |
| B．how completely learning has changed |
| C．the value of CCPD’s courses of the OU |
| D．the importance of hard work |
It can be inferred from Paragraph 4 that ________.
| A．Paige has got promoted after learning CCPD’s courses |
| B．an OU education has been accepted by many employers |
| C．Paige is the best employee in her company |
| D．most employers care for their employees |
According to the passage, CCPD’s courses focus on ________.
| A．assessment of learners |
| B．learners’ personal development |
| C．the academic knowledge of learners |
| D．classroom learning |
Listening to music can help me focus better. Since I discovered it two years ago, I’ve used music to get through boring work or to focus creatively. I’ve found that it can make even the dullest jobs enjoyable and help clear mental blocks to creativity.
I first noticed the good effects of music while playing video games. It was a few days before Christmas in 2005 and I was playing online video games. My parents had just given me a new MP3, so I decided to listen to music through the headphones while I played. After a few minutes I noticed a great change in my style of play. I was playing more naturally. The music relaxed me, and, to a certain extent, distracted me from the game, allowing my subconscious (潜意识的) talent to come through. The music also helped me block out the outside world. With those headphones on I was like a machine, moving from one task to the next without unnecessary thoughts or actions.
Music can also have a great effect on mood. If I’m in a bad mood at work, I’ll listen to some of Bob Marley’s and get down to business. It always takes my mind off what I’m doing and makes me a happier person. The same is true for classic rock. One summer, I did a boring job collecting bottle openers by hand. Without a radio playing classic rock in the background, I would have hated life.
Listening to music with relaxing rhythms and a positive message helps you forget your work and think happy thoughts. But the results you see will depend heavily on your personal tastes. Experiment with the types of music you listen to during certain tasks. By trial and error you’ll finally discover your best choice. I’m always looking for new concentration aids, so I’d love to know what type of music works best for me. We can infer that the passage was written in __________.
| A．2005 | B．2006 | C．2007 | D．2008 |
The author first discovered the effects of music __________.
| A．from his parents | B．by chance |
| C．at work | D．when he was a child |
Which of the following statements is NOT an effect of music for the author?
| A．It helps him block out the outside world. |
| B．It arouses his subconscious talent. |
| C．It helps his mind relax. |
| D．It makes him work without any thought. |
The author mentions the experience of collecting bottle openers in Paragraph 3 to ________.
| A．tell us that life is dull |
| B．prove that music affects mood |
| C．tell us how to seek happiness |
| D．tell us bad mood can affect work |
In order to get the greatest effect of music, you are advised to ________.
| A．listen to some of Bob Marley’s |
| B．only choose relaxing music |
| C．test all kinds of music |
| D．listen to classic rock |
What is freedom? It seems like such a simple question. Freedom is being able to do what you want to do. Allow me to explain it.
I’m tired of working for a living. I’d rather collect taxes. So that’s what I’m going to do: collect a kind of tax. You are ordered to estimate your income from the past 12 months, and write me a check for 1%. I have provided a mailing address for this purpose on my contact page …
What? You have a problem with my plan? Oh, I see. If you have to send me a check for the tax, then I have hurt your freedom to spend that money as you see fit. We have a conflict! And our basic problem is: we cannot enjoy freedom at the same time; we must settle for a limit. But what limit?
Libertarians (自由论者) believe freedom should be based on self-control. They describe freedom as being able to do what you want to do as long as it doesn’t influence the equal right of others to do what they want to do. That is, freedom is being able to do what you like as long as you do not harm another person’s life, liberty or property.
You can build a set of legal and ethical (道德的) rules on the principle of self-control, and libertarians do. Their request for self-control often becomes more important than common sense, or even freedom itself.
The definition rules out the freedom to steal, murder, and so on. Otherwise, you can do whatever you want. There is no problem until you realize that taxation is theft, that war is murder, and that national service is a form of slavery. Since only the government has a legal right to use force, libertarians focus on making the government smaller, or even going without it. The libertarians’ definition of freedom is thus freedom from the government. Isn’t it ridiculous?According to the first three paragraphs, the author’s idea of collecting taxes is _________.
| A．reasonable | B．responsible | C．unacceptable | D．understandable |
The author takes tax-collecting as an example in the passage to prove that freedom is _________.
| A．unreal | B．unbelievable | C．achievable | D．limited |
In the opinion of libertarians, freedom is realized mainly by _________.
| A．the law | B．self-control | C．ethical rules | D．common sense |
Which of the following statements is supported by libertarians according to the passage?
| A．National service should be canceled. |
| B．People can do whatever they want. |
| C．The government should have more power. |
| D．They should be governed by the government. |
The key to a good interpersonal relationship is simple once you understand the role that needs play in making a relationship weak, moderate, average, or strong.
A person who fails in a relationship is someone who neglects the needs of his or her partner. So the first step to establish a successful relationship is to find out what needs the other person has. It is also very important to understand your own needs so that you can help the other person in the relationship to meet your needs.
Unfortunately, not only do many people fail to see or to understand their partner’s needs, but they do not understand their own. Children have wonderful relationships with their parents as long as their needs are being satisfied. When the needs are not satisfied, the relationship changes and problems arise. As a child grows, needs change; it is necessary that parents recognize these changes. As it is with the child to the parents, it is also with the parents to the child.
The way to recognize the needs of other people is by their responses to you. When you do or say something and you get a positive response, you are well on the way to being recognized. The same goes for you. What is it that you respond to in a positive manner? What do you feel good about getting and about doing? What are you totally guiltless about? What can you do with complete confidence and fearlessness? What emotional scene can you control without fear or guilt? Look in these areas for your needs and you will in all probability find your answers.
As stated, our own needs are often hidden. The techniques covered in the power of self-mind control will allow you to discover your needs and show you who you are in regard to interpersonal relationships. Your effectiveness in influencing and dealing with people will greatly increase the power of self-mind control.From the passage we learn that ________.
| A．it is hard to make good interpersonal relationships |
| B．there are several levels of relationships among people |
| C．the success of different interpersonal relationships can be measured by needs |
| D．the first step to establish a successful relationship is to know your own needs |
According to Paragraph 2, the most important factor in dealing with people is to ________.
| A．be kind to them and help them |
| B．only think of their needs |
| C．find out both your needs and theirs |
| D．learn some interpersonal techniques |
Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．A child’s needs change with his growth. |
| B．A child should also know his parents’ needs. |
| C．It’s easier to find your own needs than to find others’. |
| D．You can learn what others need by their responses to you. |
The last two paragraphs are written mainly to tell us ________.
| A．why some people fail in a relationship |
| B．how to increase the power of self-mind control |
| C．why our needs are often hidden |
| D．how to recognize others’ needs and yours |