A single night of taking the drug Ecstasy (摇头丸) can cause serious brain damage and speed up the start of Parkinson’s disease（帕金森综合症）, scientists say. Just two or three Ecstasy tablets can permanently destroy brain cells that affect movement and reasoning, according to American research that links the drug to Parkinson’s for the first time.
A study by a team at Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland, involving squirrel monkeys and baboons (狒狒) found that both species suffered permanent damage to key cells, which are lost in Parkinson’s, after receiving three low doses（剂量）of Ecstasy at three-hour periods.
The study is particularly important because baboons are one of the best animal models for the human brain. George Ricaurte, who led the research, said that the widespread abuse of drug might have caused severe damage. “The most troubling result is that young adults using Ecstasy may be increasing their risk of developing Parkinsonism as they get older.”
Alan Leshner, a former director of the US National Institute on Drug Abuse, said, “This study emphasizes the multi-aspect damage that Ecstasy causes to users. We’ve long known that repeated use damages brain cells. But this study shows that even very occasional（偶尔） use can have long-lasting effects on many different brain systems. It sends an important message to young people: don’t experiment with your own brain.”
Janet Betts, a mother whose teenage daughter Leah died after a single Ecstasy tablet in 1995, said, “This comes as no surprise. But people can’t see the effects at first, and they say it won’t happen to them. We’ll see the symptoms later, just as we have with smoking.”The article is intended to ______.
| A．explain the bad effects of drugs on people’s health |
| B．warn young people of the risk of taking the drug Ecstasy |
| C．persuade people out of such bad habits as smoking and using drugs |
| D．tell us the links between the drug Ecstasy and the animal models |
We know from the passage that a low dose of Ecstasy ______.
| A．can permanently destroy one’s brain cells |
| B．can cause serious brain damage occasionally |
| C．will result in immediate symptoms |
| D．may bring on Parkinson’s at once |
Why are squirrel monkeys and baboons involved in the experiments?
| A．Because these animals usually take drugs. |
| B．Because their brain is similar to human beings. |
| C．Because there is a model in the animals’ brains. |
| D．Because they will soon get well after the experiment. |
The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph probably refers to” ”.
| A．Leah’s death after a single tablet |
| B．the symptoms after smoking |
| C．the damage to the brain systems |
| D．repeated use of the drug |
Do you want to live with a strong sense of peacefulness, happiness, goodness, and self-respect? The collection of happiness actions broadly categorized as "honor" help you create this life of good feelings.
Here's an example to show how honorable actions create happiness.
Say a store clerk fails to charge us for an item. If we keep silent, and profit from the clerk's mistake, we would drive home with a sense of sneaky excitement. Later we might tell our family or friends about our good fortune. On the other hand, if we tell the clerk about the uncharged item, the clerk would be grateful and thank us for our honesty. We would leave the store with a quiet sense of honor that we might never share with another soul.
Then, what is it to do with our sense of happiness?
In the first case, where we don't tell the clerk, a couple of things would happen. Deep down inside we would know ourselves as a type of thief. In the process, we would lose some peace of mind and self-respect. We would also demonstrate that we cannot lie trusted, since we advertise our dishonor by telling our family and friends. We damage our own reputations by telling others. On the contrary, bringing the error to the clerk's attention causes different things to happen. Immediately the clerk knows us to be honorable. Upon leaving the store, we feel honorable and our self-respect is increased. Whenever we take honorable action we gain the deep internal rewards of goodness and a sense of nobility.
There is a beautiful positive cycle that is created by living a life of honorable actions. Honorable thoughts lead to honorable actions. Honorable actions lead us to a happier existence. And it's easy to think and act honorably again when we're happy. While the positive cycle can be difficult to start, once it's started, it's easy to continue. Keeping on doing good deeds brings us peace of mind, which is important for our happiness.According to the passage, the positive action in the example contributes to our___.
| A．self-respect | B．financial rewards |
| C．advertising ability | D．friendly relationship |
The author thinks that keeping silent about the uncharged item is equal to___.
| A．lying | B．stealing | C．cheating | D．advertising |
The phrase "bringing the error to the clerk's attention" (in para. 5) means___.
| A．telling the truth to the clerk |
| B．offering advice to the clerk |
| C．asking the clerk to be more attentive |
| D．reminding the clerk of the charged item |
How will we feel if we let the clerk know her mistake?
| A．We'll be very excited. |
| B．We'll feel unfortunate. |
| C．We'll have a sense of honor. |
| D．We'll feel sorry for the clerk. |
Which of the following can be the best title of this passage?
| A．How to Live Truthfully |
| B．Importance of Peacefulness |
| C．Ways of Gaining Self-respect |
| D．Happiness through Honorable Actions |
We all love our parents and turn to them when we’re in need, but would you like them to hear the conversations you have with your friends in the school playground or lunch queue? Social networking sites, such as micro-blog, blog and the Facebook, have actually become extensions of the school hallways（走廊）, so would you add your parents as “friends” and allow them to view your online activities and conversations with friends?
In the past the generation gap included a technology gap, where children were up to date with latest technology and parents were left behind, content to continue their day to day lives as they always had because they had no need to be good at new technology. However, more and more parents are beginning to realize just how important social networks are in their lives. This realization has given many parents the motivation (动机) to educate themselves about social networking sites.
These days many people are attracted to social networking sites because they can choose who they have around them; there’s also a certain amount of control over privacy that we don’t get in real life. Sometimes we feel that privacy is invaded when we must accept a “friend” request from a parent or family member.
It’s a difficult choice whether or not to allow a parent to become a part of our online lives. On the one hand we don’t want to “refuse” their request because that might hurt their feelings or make them feel you have something to hide. On the other hand if you do accept, then you could have a sense of being watched and no longer feel free to comment or communicate the way you did before.
A recent survey suggested that parents shouldn’t take it personally if their child ignores their request: “When a teen ignores a parent’s friend request, it doesn’t necessarily mean that they are hiding something, but it could mean that this is one part of their life where they want to be truly independent.”
Perhaps talking with parents and giving explanations would help soften the blow if you do choose not to add them to your friends list.The underlined sentence in paragraph 1 means that _______________.
| A．students begin to communicate on some websites |
| B．students may log in micro-blog on school hallways |
| C．students can find pictures of hallways on micro-blog |
| D．schools begin to build their hallways on the Internet |
According to paragraph 2, parents nowadays __________________.
| A．are not content with their life any more |
| B．are all very good at new technology |
| C．go to school to learn new technology |
| D．begin to know their children through network |
What can we infer from paragraph 3, 4 and 5？
| A．People like network because they can choose friends as they like. |
| B．People cannot keep all their privacy on social networking sites. |
| C．Children refuse their parents’ “friend” request to hide something |
| D．Refusing parents “friend” request on the internet will hurt their feelings. |
According to the passage, if Jack, a 17-year-old high school student refuses a “friend” request from his mother on micro-blog, ____________.
| A．it means he will feel being watched and unsafe then |
| B．it is because Jack wants to own his independence |
| C．his mother will know that Jack wants to keep privacy |
| D．a quarrel will break out between Jack and his mother |
What is the passage mainly taking about?
| A．Children are more likely to turn to parents when they need help. |
| B．Children should be “friends” with their parents in order not to hurt parents. |
| C．It is a question to children whether to be “friends” with their parents. |
| D．There are some ways preventing children from hurting parents’ feelings. |
Most likely, you aren’t the family breadwinner. But doing a small job or getting a weekly allowance (零花钱) would put some money in your pocket. For kids and grown-ups alike, money is easy to spend. If you aren’t careful, it can be going in no time.
Being responsible with your money is an important skill to learn — and the sooner you start the better. Whether you are tracking your spending or saving for something special, creating a budget can help you deal with your expenses and plan for the future. All you need are paper and a pencil — and some self-control.
First, take a look at our sample monthly budget. Then, use a separate sheet of paper to plan your own. In the first two columns (栏), list your sources (来源) of income and how much you expect to earn from them. In the third and fourth columns, list what you expect to spend your money on and the amount.
The left-hand total should be more than or equal to the right-hand total. If it is, you have an effective budget. Budgets are not complex, but sticking to them can be tough. When planning your budget, be realistic about your expenses. If you know that you drop $18 at a movie, don’t write $12 in that space simply because you wish you were spending less.
If you are eyeing a big purchase, such as a $150 skateboard, spend less and save more until you have the total amount. No matter how attractive it may be, avoid spending your savings. One day, you will thank yourself!
| Monthly Income |
Amount |
Monthly Expense |
Amount |
| Allowance |
$20.00 |
Snacks |
$20.00 |
| Money earned selling drinks |
$25.00 |
Music downloads |
$12.00 |
| Money earned babysitting |
$12.50 |
Movies |
$18.00 |
| Money earned delivering newspapers |
$30.00 |
Video rental |
$10.00 |
| Total |
$87.50 |
Total |
$66.00 |
Who is the passage written for?
| A．Children. | B．Parents. |
| C．Breadwinners. | D．Bank managers. |
The purpose of making a budget is to help people _________.
| A．learn to be realistic | B．increase their saving |
| C．manage their money well | D．test their power-control |
What should people do when planning a budget?
| A．Fill in the expenses as they really are. |
| B．Avoid spending money on expensive things. |
| C．Set aside a fixed amount of money as savings. |
| D．List income and expenses on two pieces of paper. |
Which of the following budgets is effective?
The passage mainly tells us _______.
| A．the importance of making a budget |
| B．how to make a budget |
| C．how to form good habits |
| D．how to spend money |
Food sometimes gets poisoned with harmful things. A person who eats such food can get an illness called food poisoning. Food poisoning is usually not serious, but some types are deadly. The symptoms of food poisoning usually begin within hours of eating the poisoned food. Fever is one of the most common symptoms.
Certain microorganisms（微生物）cause most types of food poisoning. Bacteria and other microorganisms can poison eggs, meat, vegetables, and many other foods. After enteringthe body, these tiny living things release poisons that make people sick.
Some chemicals can also cause food poisoning. They are often added to food while it is being grown, processed, or prepared. For example, many farmers spray chemicals on crops to kill weeds and insects. Some people may have a bad reaction to those chemicals when they eat the crops.
Some plants and animals contain natural poisons that are harmful to people. These include certain kinds of seafood, grains, nuts, seeds, beans, and mushrooms.
When people handle food properly, the risk of food poisoning is very small. Microorganisms multiply rapidly in dirty places and in warm temperatures. This means that people should never touch food with dirty hands or put food on unwashed surfaces. Food should be kept in a refrigerator to stop microorganisms from growing. Meat needs to be cooked thoroughly to kill any dangerous microorganisms. People should also wash food covered with chemicals before eating it. Finally, people should not eat wild mushrooms or other foods that grow in the wild. Some of these foods may contain natural materials that are poisonous to humans. In addition, some types of fish can be poisonous.
Most people recover from food poisoning after a few days of resting and drinking extra water. If people eat natural poisons, they must go to the hospital right away to have their stomachs emptied.Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Food when poisoned can make people sick. |
| B．Food poisoning means death. |
| C．Food poisoning comes in varieties. |
| D．Food poisoning can be serious. |
We know from the passage that the symptoms of food poisoning _________.
| A．are always accompanied by a fever |
| B．are too common to be noted |
| C．can be noticed within hours |
| D．can be ignored |
Food poisoning can be caused by all the following EXCEPT___________.
| A．some chemicals |
| B．low temperatures |
| C．some tiny living things |
| D．certain natural materials |
From Paragraph 5, we can learn that__________.
| A．mushrooms should not be eaten |
| B．vegetables are safer than meat and seafood |
| C．natural poisons are more dangerous than chemicals |
| D．different types of food should be handled differently |
It can be inferred from the passage that_________.
| A．natural materials are safe in food processing |
| B．chemicals are needed in food processing |
| C．food poisoning can be kept under control |
| D．food poisoning is out of control |
Mr Backer is a kind-hearted man. Once he gave some food to a poor woman. Mr White, the boss of the restaurant, found it and became angry. He often gave the leftovers(剩饭菜) to some poor workers. Mr Backers lost his work for it. It was difficult for him to find work in the small country though(虽然) he was an able cook.. The war made all stop. Children couldn't go to school, most shops were closed, even some farmers were hungry. Some people were made to leave their houses and they had to find the safe places. It was an autumn night. Mr Backer hadn't any food to eat and went to bed, but he couldn't fall asleep. suddenly he heard a noise in his room. He saw a man looking for something useful there. He said nothing and watched it carefully. At last the man brought a few old clothes out of a broken paper box and took them away. He got up quickly and followed him gently(文雅地), with his quilt on his back. The man didn't find him and went into a small and wet house. Mr Backer also went in and saw there was nothing in the room. The thief(贼) saw him and was surprised. He asked, “What did you come here for?” “You have carried my things here,” said Mr Backer. “I have to move there, too!”Mr White sent Mr Backer away because .
| A．he couldn't cook |
| B．he didn't work hard |
| C．he didn't like him at all |
| D．he gave some leftovers to the poor woman |
____________ , so the people in the small country got into trouble.
| A．The war broke out(爆发) |
| B．It didn't rain |
| C．Children couldn't go to school |
| D．Shops and factories were closed |
Mr Backer couldn't go to sleep because.
| A．the weather was cold | B．the weather was hot |
| C．he was hungry | D．he was ill |
Mr Backer said nothing when the thief went into his room because.
| A．he wanted to send him to the police station |
| B．there was nothing expensive there |
| C．he was afraid the man could hurt him |
| D．he hoped the man could help him |