The rising costs of health care have become a problem for many countries in the world. To deal with this problem, it is reported that a big part of the government’s health budge（预算）has been used for health education and disease prevention instead of treatment. Actually, many kinds of diseases are preventable in many ways and preventing a disease is usually much cheaper than treating it. For example, people could avoid catching a cold if they dressed warmly when the weather starts getting cold. But many people get sick because they fail to do so, and have to spend money seeing a doctor.
Daily habits like eating more healthy food would have kept millions of families from becoming bankrupt（破产）if the patients had taken ways for early prevention. For example, keeping a balanced diet（均衡饮食）, such as not consuming too much animal fat and trying to have enough vegetables and fruits, seems to be quite important.
One very effective and costless way of prevention is regular（定期的）exercise, which is necessary for a healthy mind and body. Regular exercise, such as running, walking, and playing sports is a good way to make people feel better.
In addition, health education plays a key role in improving people’s health. By giving people more information about health, countries could help people understand the importance of disease prevention and ways to achieve it. For example, knowing one’s family medical history is an effective way to help keep healthy. Information about health problems among close relatives will make them aware of what they should do to prevent certain diseases through lifestyle changes, which will work before it is too late.
However, paying more attention to disease prevention does not mean medical treatment is unimportant. After all, prevention and treatment are just two different means toward the same effect. In conclusion, we could save money on health care and treat patients more successfully if our country spends more money on health prevention and education. What’s the meaning of the underlined word “consuming” in Paragraph 2?
| A．Avoiding. | B．Producing. | C．Eating. | D．Cooking. |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．Health or Illness? | B．Exercise or Illness? |
| C．Prevention or Education? | D．Prevention or Treatment? |
We can learn from the passage that ______.
| A．more health education should be given |
| B．dressing warmly can prevent diseases |
| C．a balanced diet is cheaper than regular exercise |
| D．the government’s health budget should be increased |
It happens every spring. Flowers come out everywhere on the same day. But how do plants “know” when to flower?
For years, it has been a difficult question for scientists. But a US research group may have finally answered it—the secret lies in a protein(蛋白质)called FKF1. This helps plants to know when the days become long and when they get short. Then they can tell the seasons are changing.
Researchers found the FKF1 protein when they were studying a plant called Arabidopsis(拟南芥). It is sensitive(敏感的)to sunlight, and can be made active by sunlight.
Plants produce this protein every day in the late afternoon all year. If there is no light at this time, for example in winter when the sun goes down early, the protein won’t be active. But when spring comes and the days get longer, the FKF1 protein can be made active by day light and the plants “know” it is time to flower. “If there is light in the late afternoon, plants will know that the days are getting longer and that it is the best time for flowers to come out,” explained Takato Imaizumi, leader of study. But when conditions are poor for growing, such as during autumn or winter when the weather is cold and days are short, plants won’t flower.
Although researchers have only studied how the FKF1 protein works in the Arabidopsis, they believe that it is the same with many other plants, including crops such as rice and wheat. This could be useful to the agricultural industry.
“If we can control when flowers come out, we might be able to increase crop production,” Imaizumi said.The passage is mainly about ____.
| A．how plants “know” when to flower |
| B．what people can do with plants |
| C．how seasons are changing |
| D．what kind of plant Arabidopsis is |
Scientists found the FKF1 protein when they were____.
| A．answering a question |
| B．controlling the clours of flowers |
| C．planting flowers in the garden |
| D．studying a plant called Arabidopsis |
The best time for flowers to come out is when____.
| A．it rains in spring |
| B．there is light in the late afternoon |
| C．it is getting dark |
| D．the sun goes down early |
Scientists believe that____.
| A．other plants also know when to flowers |
| B．flowers are more valuable than fruits and vegetables |
| C．people have known how to control when flowers come out |
| D．if the weather is cold and days are short, plants will flower |
Mickey Mouse’s ears are well known all over the world, and this year will be an especially fun one for Disney. The company is celebrating 60 years since its first theme park, Disneyland, opened in California, US in 1955.
Disney has opened many more parks all over the world since it made history in California, Shanghai Disneyland is expected to open in 2016, bringing Disney’s popular parks here to the Chinese mainland for the first time.
So why has Disneyland been so popular for 60 years? Well, it’s described as “the Happiest Place on Earth” and “a place for the young and young at heart”. Many Americans have grown up with the parks, as ex—Disneyland president Paul Pressler said in 1995: “ There is an emotional relationship that people have with this park.”
Disneyland was one of the first theme parks anywhere in the world that had “lands” and rides with themes. Disney’s storytelling in rides like roller coasters is a big reason for their parks’ success. “We tell a story in everything we do,” Pressler said. Disney rides such as The seven Dwarves Mine Train and Peter Pan’s Flight come from its movies. One ride from its 2013 hit movie Frozen will surely be coming soon, perhaps at the new Shanghai Disneyland.
Disney’s parks haven’t always been popular everywhere, however. When Disneyland Paris opened in 1992, some French people felt that American culture was invading(入侵)France. But still, the park stayed open and today it is a popular place for European visitors.
Whatever you may think of them, you can’t say that on their 60 th birthday, Disney’s parks aren’t still going strong. How many Disney theme parks will you have visited by the time their 70 th birthday comes around?
The firs Disneyland opened in California in ____.
| A．1955 | B．1992 | C．1995 | D．2013 |
This year will be especially fun for Disney because____.
| A．it is going to celebrate its 60 th birthday |
| B．it’s described as “the Happiest Place on Earth” |
| C．Americans have a special relationship with Disneyland |
| D．Mickey Mouse’s ears are well known all over the world |
The underlined expression “Young at heart” in Paragraph 3 refers to ____.
| A．young people | B．people with young hearts |
| C．American people only | D．Disneyland president |
Which of the following is TRUE about Disneyland?
| A．Disneyland has been built in US only. |
| B．Shanghai Disneyland has been opened. |
| C．People still don’t like Disneyland Paris. |
| D．Disney’s storytelling in rides helps it succeed. |
What part-time job do you do now?What do you do want to do in the future?Leave your comment(评论)here!
I’ve been working at Burger Bam for two months.I thought I’d hate it,but it’s been really good.I’ve learned a lot how to work with people I would never normally meet.And I’m not as shy as I was.I don’t think I want to work there forever,but it’s given me some ideas about how to run a business.Maybe I’ll learn business when I go to college.
Abby,15,from Toronto
I’ve had my own web design business for a year. I’ve designed about 20 websites for my friends.I’ve been doing most of the work on the weekends after I do my homework! I’ve bought a new computer with the money I earned. A little restaurants in my neighborhood has asked me to design a website for them, so my business is growing. I’m not sure what I want to do in the future, but I really like art and design. Maybe I should go into advertising.
Kwan,14,from Seattle
I’ve been volunteering at a senior citizen center on Saturday mornings. Some of my friends think I’m crazy, doing a job for no money, but I really like it. I think that in a few months, I’ll try to get a paid part-time job in a law office because I want to study law in the future. There’s a lot of competition for part-time jobs, but I think my volunteering will look good on my resume.
Tamanna,16,from DallasHow many people have left their comments according to the passage?
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
Why do Tamanna’s friends think she is crazy?
| A．Because she plans to learn business at college. |
| B．Because she wants to work at the center forever. |
| C．Because she is doing her part—time job for no money. |
| D．Because she has designed 20 websites for her friends. |
Where can we most probably read the passage?
| A．In a poster. | B．In a travel guide. |
| C．In a textbook. | D．On a website. |
Spiders are not insects as many people believe. They belong to a class of animals called arachnids(蛛形纲动物). Spiders have eight eyes, four pairs of legs, and can grow a new leg if they lose one. A spider’s body is divided into two sections: the abdomen(腹部) and the thorax(胸部).The legs, eyes, and mouthparts are in the thorax section.
Most spiders have poison glands(毒腺)and sharp teeth. They use their sharp teeth to force poison into the insects they catch for food. This poison can make an insect lose the ability to move, and the helpless insect is then devoured by the spider.
Spiders usually have silk glands under their abdomen. They produce a liquid(液体)that is thicker than water from their glands. When the liquid comes into the air, it dries into silk. Many spiders use this silk to form webs to catch insects and to make cocoons(茧)that protect their eggs. This amazing silk is also used to create lines that spiders hang onto as they travel to new areas.
Spiders live in almost everywhere on earth. The only places where there are no spiders are the coldest places, the highest mountains and the seas.What will happen if a spider loses one leg?
| A．It will die. |
| B．It will lose its way. |
| C．It will grow a new one. |
| D．It will have seven legs forever. |
What is the meaning of the underlined word “devoured”?
| A．Eaten. | B．Caught. | C．Killed. | D．Saved. |
According to the passage, which of the following is WRONG?
| A．Spiders are not insects. |
| B．All spiders have poison glands. |
| C．Spiders make cocoons to keep their eggs safe. |
| D．There are no spiders in the coldest places. |
On a hot day, it can be hard to know what to do to feel good.
Playing in water is one way to feel cooler. Taking a cool bath or a shower can feel really good on a hot day.
It is also important for us to drink water. If you feel thirsty, you should drink water immediately. On hot days, you can lose about 16 glasses of water in one day, so many doctors advise that you should try to drink at least that much every day. Mixing a little fruit juice into your water is a fun way to help you drink plenty of water.
The food we eat also makes a difference in how we feel in the heat. Cold food, such as ice cream and drinks with some ice, can cool down our bodies. However, eating spicy(辛辣的) food makes our bodies even warmer.
The clothes we wear can help us feel cooler as well. Light-coloured, light-weight clothes feel cooler in the sun than dark, heavy clothing. Loose(宽松的）clothes are more comfortable in the heat than tight(紧身的）ones.
Even though it is not healthy to run around during the hottest time of the day, that doesn’t mean a hot day is not fun! You can read stories in your room. You can also paint or draw without moving your body too much. These are just some of many cool things to do on a hot day.How much water do we need in one hot day?
| A．Only 16 glasses of water. |
| B．Less than 16 glasses of water. |
| C．At least 16 glasses of water. |
| D．As much as possible. |
What can’t you do on a hot day if you want to feel good?
| A．Read a book. | B．Eat ice cream. |
| C．Swim in the pool. | D．Play volleyball on the beach. |
What kind of clothes can help us feel cooler on a hot day?
| A．Loose clothes. | B．Dark clothes. |
| C．Tight clothes. | D．Heavy clothes. |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．A hot day is fun. |
| B．Entertainments on hot days. |
| C．We don’t know what to do on a hot day. |
| D．There are many things to do to feel good on a hot day. |