Nuclear weapons（核武器）were first developed in the United States during the Second World War to be used against Germany．However, by the time the first bombs were ready for use, the war with Germany had ended and, as a result, the decision was made to use the weapons against Japan instead．Hiroshima and Nagasaki have suffered the consequences of the decision to the present day.
The real reasons why bombs were dropped on two heavily populated cities are not altogether clear．A number of people in 1944 and early 1945 argued that the use of nuclear weapons would be unnecessary, since American Intelligence was aware that some of the most powerful and influential people in Japan had already realised that the war was lost, and wanted to discuss a Japanese surrender （投降）．It was also argued that, since Japan has few natural resources, a blockade （封锁） by the American navy would force it to surrender within a few Weeks, and the use of nuclear weapons would prove unnecessary．If a demonstration of force was required to end the war, a bomb could be dropped over an unpopulated area like a desert, in front of Japanese observers, or over an area of low population inside Japan, such as a forest．Choosing this course of action might decrease the loss of further lives on all sides, while the power of nuclear weapons would still be adequately demonstrated（展示）．
All of these arguments were turned down, however, and the general agreement was that the quickest way to end the fighting would be to use nuclear weapons against the centres of population inside Japan．In fact, two of the more likely reasons why the decision was reached seem quite shocking to us now．The meaning of the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 is that .
| A．the two cities were badly damaged after they were bombed |
| B．the two cities suffered because Japan would not agree to end the war |
| C．the terrible effects of dropping nuclear weapons on these cities can still be felt |
| D．the end of the war with Germany meant Hiroshima and Nagasaki, would suffer |
According to Paragraph 2, a blockade would have been successful because
| A．Japan had to import most of its natural resources |
| B．Japan would not be powerful enough to beat a blockade |
| C．an attack would probably destroy Japanese resources within a few weeks |
| D．the Americans could defeat Japan's navy since it was short of resources |
The last paragraph tells that .
| A．the writer probably expects us hot to argue with his opinion |
| B．the nuclear bombs must have been dropped on Tokyo, too |
| C．the real reasons for' the decision may never have been made clear |
| D．the writer has not done much research on this subject to establish the facts |
What would probably be discussed in the paragraphs that follow?
| A．The reasons why Japan chose to surrender． |
| B．The writer's attitudes towards the Japan's surrender. |
| C．People's different opinions about dropping nuclear weapons onto the cities． |
| D．Some of the possible reasons for dropping nuclear weapons onto the cities． |
As the pace of life continues to increase, we are fast losing the art of relaxation. Once you are in the habit of rushing through life, being on the go from morning till night, it is hard to slow down. But relaxation is essential for a healthy mind and body.
Stress is a natural part of everyday life and there is no way to avoid it. In fact, it is not the bad thing it is often supposed to be. A certain amount of stress is vital to provide motivation and give purpose to life. It is only when the stress gets out of control that it can lead to poor performance and ill health.
The amount of stress a person can withstand depends very much on the individual. Some people are not afraid of stress, and such characters are obviously prime material for managerial responsibilities, others lose heart at the first sign of unusual difficulties. When exposed to stress, in whatever form, we react both chemically and physically. In fact we make choice between "flight or fight" and in more primitive days the choices made the difference between life or death. The crises we meet today are unlikely to be so extreme, but however little the stress, it involves the same response. It is when such a reaction lasts long, through continued exposure to stress, that health becomes endangered. Since we can't remove stress from our lives (it would be unwise to do so even if we could), we need to find ways to deal with it.People are finding less and less time for relaxing themselves because _____.
| A．they regard working as their greatest enjoyment |
| B．they believe that work is superior to relaxation |
| C．they are traveling fast all the time |
| D．they are becoming busier with their work than ever before |
According to the author, the most important character for a good manager is his _____.
| A．strong will to hold out stress |
| B．knowing the art of relaxation |
| C．high sense of responsibility |
| D．having control over performance |
Which of the following statements is TRUE, according to the passage?
| A．We can find quite a few ways to avoid stress. |
| B．Stress is always harmful to people's health |
| C．It's easy to change the habit of keeping oneself busy with work. |
| D．Different people can bear different amount of stress. |
In the last sentence of the passage, “do so” refers to _____.
| A．"expose ourselves to stress" |
| B．"find ways to deal with stress" |
| C．"remove stress from our lives" |
| D．"establish links between diseases and stress" |
According to the author, the right attitude toward stress is _____.
| A．to avoid it |
| B．to try to cope with it |
| C．to regard it as a vital motivation |
| D．to find some relaxation |
A week ago, I had the great pleasure of reading an e-book, When Money Talks, Listen! By Rich Ezzo. It took only about an hour to read.
When I first received a copy, I thought it was a Get Rich Quick type of publication. Nothing is wrong with Get Rich Quick, but my mind just doesn’t chase after dreams of wealth. I think that if God ever wants me to be rich, he knows where to find my purse.
When I began reading When Money Talks, Listen!, I was overjoyed to find that Rich Ezzo isn’t money hungry either. He, too, is hungry far more important than money.
Since I love this e-book so much, why wait a week to write the review? Simple. I wanted to see if the effect it had on me was a keeper. After reading the last word of the e-book, I totally agreed with the subtitle which promised to forever change the way we thought about money. I had so many thoughts running around my mind that I had to install(安装) a stoplight to stop some while others made their way into the picture, then I yielded(让路) them as a few ones arrived in town. I had a mental traffic jam, which only goes to show how slow the traffic usually is.
It has been a week and the effect is the same. I truly do look at money differently and have even done a few things differently this week. This is an e-book you’ll want to read, I promise. I often recommend books to my daughter, and this is one that I didn’t just “suggest”---I left it open at the bottom of the computer and told each one, “Read it, you’ll love it.”
I would never point someone in a direction I wouldn’t go myself. I urge you to visit the author’s website, Myster Money, and to download the e-book. You won’t regret it.The author wrote this passage to _________
| A．strongly recommend an e-book. |
| B．show the author's attitude to money. |
| C．introduce the general idea of an e-book. |
| D．point out Rich Ezzo isn't money hungry. |
According to the passage, a Get Rich Quick type of publication ______.
| A．is what the author really cares for |
| B．deals with how to make money |
| C．is also an e-book written by Rich Ezzo |
| D．is more popular than e-books |
The author didn't write the review as soon as he finished reading the book because________.
| A．he was too excited to write anything |
| B．he was not sure whether he did well |
| C．he had to wait for Rich Ezzo's permission |
| D．he wondered if the book would have long influence on him |
By saying the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4, the author probably __________.
| A．shows that the book brought him many new thoughts |
| B．shows how bad the traffic is in town |
| C．describes the difficulty in understanding the book |
| D．explains it's hard to change one's attitude to money |
Which of the following is supported by the passage?
| A．The author had known Rich Ezzo before. |
| B．The author hasn't dreamed of getting rich immediately. |
| C．The author always prefers e-books to paper books. |
| D．The author likes Get Rich Quick-type of publications. |
A woman renewing her driver’s license at the County Clerk’s office was asked to state her occupation. She hesitated, uncertain how to classify herself.
“What I mean is,” explained the recorder, “do you have a job, or are you just a …”
“Of course I have a job,” said Emily. “I’m a mother.”
“We don’t list ‘mother’ as an occupation… ‘housewife’ covers it,” said the recorder.
One day I found myself in the same situation. The clerk was obviously a career woman, confident and possessed of a high sounding title．“What is your occupation?” she asked.
The words simply popped out. “I’m a Research Associate in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”
The clerk paused, ballpoint pen frozen in midair.
I repeated the title slowly, and then I stared with wonder as my statement was written in bold, black ink on the official questionnaire.
“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “Just what you do in this field?”
Coolly, without any trace of panic in my voice, I heard myself reply, “I have a continuing program of research (what mother doesn’t）, in the lab and in the field (normally I would have said indoors and out). Of course, the job is one of the most demanding in the humanities (any mother care to disagree?), and I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). But the job is more challenging than most careers and rewards are more of a satisfaction rather than just money.”
There was an increasing note of respect in the clerk’s voice as she completed the form, stood up, and showed me out.
As I drove into our driveway, buoyed up (依托) by my glamorous new career, I was greeted by my lab assistants---ages 13, 7, and 3.
Upstairs I could hear our new experimental model (a 6 month old baby), in the child-development program, testing out a new vocal pattern．
I felt proud! I had gone on the official records as someone more distinguished and indispensable (不可缺少的) to mankind than “just another mother.”
Motherhood…What a glorious career! Especially when there’s a title on the door.What can we infer from the conversation between the woman and the recorder at the beginning of the passage?
| A．The woman felt ashamed to admit what her job was. |
| B．The recorder was impatient and rude. |
| C．The author was upset about the situation that mothers faced. |
| D．Motherhood was not recognized and respected as a job by society. |
How did the female clerk feel at first when the author told her occupation?
| A．curious | B．indifferent | C．puzzled | D．interested |
How did the author feel when describing her job to the clerk?
| A．calm | B．panic-stricken | C．confident | D．cool |
Why did the woman clerk show more respect for the author?
| A．Because the author cared little about rewards. |
| B．Because she admired the author’s research work in the lab. |
| C．Because she thought the author did admirable work. |
| D．Because the writer did something she had little knowledge of. |
What is the author’s purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To show how you describe your job affects your feelings toward it. |
| B．To argue that motherhood is a worthy career and deserves respect. |
| C．To show that the author had a grander job than Emily. |
| D．To show that being a mother is hard and boring work. |
阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在文后第76至第85小题的空格里填上适当的单词并将答案转写到答题卡上。
注意：每空仅填一个单词。
The ancient religions of the Greeks and Romans were based on myths. Originally the word meant “spoken words” or stories. Nowadays myths refer to tales without a kernel of truth, or fantasies.
In nearly every civilization people tried to control their surroundings and the things happening around them to make them less threatening. In prehistoric cultures myths were used to explain natural phenomena. Ancient civilizations saw the earth as the goddess because of its fertility. Other phenomena like wind, lightning and thunder also were brought into connection with supernatural forces. The people felt themselves surrounded by gods and completely dependent.
The Greek myths also originated in that manner, but had more functions. They also explained the beginning of the world and the origin of man. Furthermore, the myths kept alive the memories of the foundation of important cities as well as the heroic deeds of civilizations and individuals. The tales of heroes, human beings with often supernatural capacities, gave men examples of perfection. During the whole Classical Period people believed the myths, but over time they came to be taken less and less seriously.
During the Greek Period myths were spread by word of mouth. The singing of mythical events was an important aspect of religious ritual. Many singers traveled around and sang the tales they heard on their way.
The first collection of myths was the work of Homer. He was blind, and to survive he collected traditional stories and let them been written down by others. The books of his that we know are the Iliad and the Odyssey. The first author to write about the beginning of the world and its deities was Hesiod in the 18the century.
 Title: |
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| Meaning |
They meant “spoken words” or traditional stories. |
|
| Nowadays |
They meant something that people believe but which doesn’t |
|
| Prehistoric cultures |
They were used to explain aspects of the natural world and supernatural phenomena. |
|
| People felt completely dependent on |
||
| Classical period |
Besides explaini ng natural phenomena, they also①explained how the world began and how the man came into ② ③dealt with supernatural beings and heroes. |
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| People believed in them but were not |
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| Forms |
Oral myths |
They were usually sung in religious rituals or by |
| The representative authors are Homer and Hesiod. |
Younger adults who get either little sleep or a lot of it may see a greater expansion in their waistlines（腰围）over time, a study published suggests. Researchers found that among black and Hispanic adults younger than 40, those who typically slept for five hours or less each night had a greater accumulation of belly fat over the next five years, versus
（相比于） those who averaged six or seven hours. Those who slept eight hours or more in bed each night also showed a bigger fat gain - but it was less obvious than that seen in "short sleepers."
The study, reported in the Journal Sleep, does not prove that too little or too much sleep directly leads to excess fat gain. But the findings support and extend those of other studies linking sleep duration - particularly a lack of sleep - to weight gain and even to higher risks of diabetes(糖尿病) and heart disease. Among participants younger than 40, the study found, those who said they slept for five hours or less each night gained more belly fat than those who averaged six or seven hours of sleep. On average, short sleepers showed a 32 percent gain in visceral（内脏的）fat, versus a 13 percent gain among those who slept six or seven hours per night, and a 22 percent increase among men and women who got at least eight hours of sleep each night. A similar pattern was seen with superficial abdominal（腹部）fat.
The findings, according to lead researcher Dr. Kristen G. Hairston, support the belief that sleep habits affect weight and health in general. "Sleep is an important part of your overall health - not just in whether you're tired during the day," she said.
There may be indirect effects; people who get too little sleep may be too tired during the day to exercise, while those who spend a lot of time in bed may spend less time being active, relative to people who sleep fewer hours. Research also suggests that sleep loss alters people's levels of appetite-regulating hormones（荷尔蒙）- which could, in theory, cause them to overeat. Depression, which often affects people's sleep and has been linked to weight gain, could also be a factor, Hairston noted. Who may have the higher risk of being fat over the next five years?
| A．Jack, a Hispanic man, aged 35, sleeps for 3 hours every night. |
| B．Candy, a black woman, aged 41, sleeps for about 5 hours every night. |
| C．Bob, an American, aged 50, sleeps for more than 12 hours every day. |
| D．John, a student in Africa, sleeps for more than 6 hours every week. |
What does the study, reported in the Journal Sleep find?
| A．Too little or too much sleep directly gives rise to the fat gain. |
| B．People are subject to heart disease due to the lack of sleep. |
| C．It is admitted that sleep plays an important part in our health. |
| D．Researchers find a longer sleep time is better for our health. |
What does the lead researcher Dr. Kristen G. Hairston agree with?
| A．People should do some exercise in their daily life. |
| B．There is a close link between sleep habits and health. |
| C．More nutrition is greatly needed when we lack sleep. |
| D．More and more people tend to sleep less than before. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Younger adults getting little or much sleep may become fat. |
B．We are supposed to do exercise as much as possible to ke ep fit. |
| C．We should keep a good sleep habit to improve our health. |
| D．We have to spare no efforts to drive depression away. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Sleep Habits Linked to Fat Gain in Younger Adults. |
| B．Doing Exercise Is the Best Way to Keep Fit. |
| C．Our Waistlines Can Be Driven Away Right Now. |
| D．Diabetes No Longer bother all of Young People. |