New findings suggest that brainy card games such as contract bridge may temporarily(临时地) raise production of a key blood cell including in fighting off illness. After 90 minutes of play, bridge players had increased levels of immune(免疫) cells, according to the research reported last week.
A researcher, Diamond, studied bridge players from a women’s bridge club. She chose bridge players because the game includes skills stimulating(刺激) a part of the brain called the dorsolateral cortex. Earlier animal research suggests that this part of the brain may play a role in the immune system.
The findings are based on blood samples drawn from 12 women players. Their blood samples showed a rise in levels of white blood cells called T cells after they played bridge for 90 minutes. T cells are produced by the thymus gland(胸腺) and used by the immune system against diseases.
The T cell count jumped significantly in eight of the bridge players, and slightly in the other four. The findings contribute to the field of neuroimmunology(神经免疫学), whose name reflects the fact that the nervous system and the immune system are not considered separate and isolated(独立的) systems. What isn’t clear is whether the help to the immune system from an activity like contract bridge is lasting or temporary. It is also not clear whether the increase in T cells could finally be targeted against special illnesses. Playing bridge can help one to fight off diseases because it can _______.
| A．raise production of a key blood cell | B．make people joyful |
| C．aid digestion | D．make break away from the bad habits |
Diamond chose to study bridge players for the research because _______.
| A．the players are good friends of hers |
| B．she loves playing bridge |
| C．this game stimulates a part of the brain that has something to do with immune system |
| D．she is a clever manager, who operates her bridge club well |
A T cell is _______ cell.
| A．a brain | B．a white blood |
| C．a red blood | D．a kind of dangerous blood |
Which of the following is true according to this article?
| A．The immune system and the brain system used to be considered separate and isolated systems. |
| B．The help to the immune system that is brought about by playing bridge can last for a long time. |
| C．Cortex is a kind of blood cell. |
| D．The new findings are impossible. |
Brian knew he had been drinking more and more, but he was convinced that he'd return to more moderate drinking when he wasn't so pressured at work, and that "a few too many drinks now and then" wasn't a major problem.
"My wife and father were on me to stop drinking, but you know how critical and protective family can be," said Brian. "So I blew them off."
It wasn't until his friend Jack spoke up that Brian started to think differently. "That really hit home, because I wouldn’t expect a friend to confront me with something that personal unless it was very important," said Brian. "Jack said he was really concerned about me. He pointed out that my personality changed after I had a few beers--that I became belligerent(寻衅的). For a normally easy-going guy, that was a dramatic change in behavior."
Jack could see that Brian's numerous drinking binges(放纵) were causing problems. Brian was frequently calling into work sick and falling behind in his work, and his marriage was seriously on the ropes. Brian was teetering(摇摇欲坠) on the edge of disaster. "I didn't want to see a good life and a good friendship ruined," said Jack, "so I approached Brian, shared my honest observations with him, and suggested that he seek help."
After a couple days of soul searching, though still reluctant, Brian took Jack's suggestion and was assessed by an addictionprofessional. The expert recommended that Brian check into a treatment center, and one day later Brian did so.
Many people fear taking the path that Jack took. Speaking up to a friend who may have a problem with alcohol or other drugs can be a tricky undertaking.
Yet it's true that a concerned friend can do a lot. Most people don't recognize they have a substance abuse problem and most don't seek help for a problem until someone close to them intervenes(干预).
1.What happened to Brian according to the passage?
A. He suffered from an illness called alcohol addiction.
B. He changed so much that he was deserted by his family.
C. He became morally corrupted drinking too much all day.
D. He drank a little more than normal to escape the pressure.
2.What does “that” in the 3rd paragraph refer to?
A. Brian’s drinking binges. B. Jack’s talk with Brian.
C. Wife and father’s intervention. D. Brian’s different thoughts.
3. Brian could accept Jack’s suggestions mainly because ____________.
A. he found his friend was very critical and protective
B. Jack’s suggestions were professional and persuasive
C. Jack and Brian’s family had different opinions
D. he knew his friend wouldn’t easily intervene his personal affair
4. Brian’s alcohol abuse brought him many problems EXCEPT ____________.
A. his refusal to listen to his family B. his bad temper and aggressiveness
C. his failure to do his work well D. his marriage problems
5. The writer narrates Brian’s story in order to ____________.
A. tell us the bad results of alcohol addiction
B. warn us not to fall into the habit of drinking
C. show friends have real power to intervene
D. prove a friend in need is a friend indeed
第三部分：阅读（共两节，满分40分）
第一节：阅读理解（共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
What is a creepy crawly?
A few years ago, I was on a bicycle trip when I got off my bike for a rest. I sat down on the grass. A few seconds later, I was covered in ants. They were swarming all over me so I got up and brushed them off. It was a strange experience but I soon forgot about it.
A couple of years later, I was living in Jordan. I had just moved into a modern flat and was unpacking plates when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I looked over at the kitchen drawer and there was a cockroach crawling out of it. I screamed. Then I grabbed a can of insecticide and sprayed it on the cockroach. He ran under the nearby bathroom door. It took me three days before I found the courage to open the bathroom door to see if he was still alive. He wasn’t.
Why did I react so violently to one lone insect when a closer encounter with hundreds of ants hardly affected me? The answer is easy: because cockroaches are creepy crawlies and ants aren’t. Creepy crawlies are those little bugs which provoke feelings such as uneasiness, anxiety or dislike – they make your skin crawl.
Did you know that some people feel such a fear of bugs that it becomes a phobia? Psychologists have offered many explanations. Some say we associate them with dirt and disease. Or that these are life forms that are so alien to us, that we find them repulsive(令人厌恶的) for their dissimilarity.
Insects, however, don’t follow our rules – they just do what they want and invade our space. Unfortunately, although insects and bugs have been a successful animal species up to now, many of them, like many other species nowadays, are under threat of extinction. Entomologists warn that this could upset entire ecosystems and lead to all kinds of disastrous consequences.
So my plea to you is: the next time you feel the urge to stamp on, splatter or spray a creepy crawly, give a thought to the planet and stop.
1. Why did the author mention the ants in the beginning?
A. Because the experience with the ants presents a sharp contrast to that with the cockroach later.
B. Because the author wants to show her preference to the ants and her dislike for the cockroach.
C. Because both ants and cockroaches are creepy crawlies that the author dislikes.
D. Because meeting the ants is an unusual experience that the author can hardly forget.
2. What does “insecticide” in the second paragraph probably mean?
A. a kind of fruit juice. B. a kitchen knife.
C. liquid for killing insects. D. cleanser for the bathroom.
3. How does the author feel about the bugs like cockroaches?
A. The author doesn’t mind the contact with those harmless small creatures.
B. They make the author feel so awful that they should be killed.
C. They invade our space and become a threat to humans.
D. They still deserve a place for keeping the balance of the nature.
4. Which of the following is NOT the reason why the cockroach makes the author’s skin crawl?
A. It looks so strange and different that the author can’t accept its appearance.
B. It can make the author feel sick and cause a strong dislike.
C. The author may relate it to something dirty or disease at the sight of it.
D. It reminds the author of the experience of meeting hundreds of ants.
5. Which of the following statements about bugs is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Some people may be frightened so much by bugs that it leads to a psychological barrier in some degree.
B. People can enjoy a cleaner living environment if more bugs like cockroaches are killed.
C. Many bugs are in danger of extinction so they should be placed under human’s protection.
D. Some bugs are extremely unpleasant that people have a strong wish to destroy them.
第三部分：阅读（共两节，满分40分）
第一节：阅读理解（共15小题，每小题2分，满分30分）
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出最佳选项。
What is a creepy crawly?
A few years ago, I was on a bicycle trip when I got off my bike for a rest. I sat down on the grass. A few seconds later, I was covered in ants. They were swarming all over me so I got up and brushed them off. It was a strange experience but I soon forgot about it.
A couple of years later, I was living in Jordan. I had just moved into a modern flat and was unpacking plates when I saw something move out of the corner of my eye. I looked over at the kitchen drawer and there was a cockroach crawling out of it. I screamed. Then I grabbed a can of insecticide and sprayed it on the cockroach. He ran under the nearby bathroom door. It took me three days before I found the courage to open the bathroom door to see if he was still alive. He wasn’t.
Why did I react so violently to one lone insect when a closer encounter with hundreds of ants hardly affected me? The answer is easy: because cockroaches are creepy crawlies and ants aren’t. Creepy crawlies are those little bugs which provoke feelings such as uneasiness, anxiety or dislike – they make your skin crawl.
Did you know that some people feel such a fear of bugs that it becomes a phobia? Psychologists have offered many explanations. Some say we associate them with dirt and disease. Or that these are life forms that are so alien to us, that we find them repulsive(令人厌恶的) for their dissimilarity.
Insects, however, don’t follow our rules – they just do what they want and invade our space. Unfortunately, although insects and bugs have been a successful animal species up to now, many of them, like many other species nowadays, are under threat of extinction. Entomologists warn that this could upset entire ecosystems and lead to all kinds of disastrous consequences.
So my plea to you is: the next time you feel the urge to stamp on, splatter or spray a creepy crawly, give a thought to the planet and stop.
1. Why did the author mention the ants in the beginning?
A. Because the experience with the ants presents a sharp contrast to that with the cockroach later.
B. Because the author wants to show her preference to the ants and her dislike for the cockroach.
C. Because both ants and cockroaches are creepy crawlies that the author dislikes.
D. Because meeting the ants is an unusual experience that the author can hardly forget.
2. What does “insecticide” in the second paragraph probably mean?
A. a kind of fruit juice. B. a kitchen knife.
C. liquid for killing insects. D. cleanser for the bathroom.
3. How does the author feel about the bugs like cockroaches?
A. The author doesn’t mind the contact with those harmless small creatures.
B. They make the author feel so awful that they should be killed.
C. They invade our space and become a threat to humans.
D. They still deserve a place for keeping the balance of the nature.
4. Which of the following is NOT the reason why the cockroach makes the author’s skin crawl?
A. It looks so strange and different that the author can’t accept its appearance.
B. It can make the author feel sick and cause a strong dislike.
C. The author may relate it to something dirty or disease at the sight of it.
D. It reminds the author of the experience of meeting hundreds of ants.
5. Which of the following statements about bugs is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Some people may be frightened so much by bugs that it leads to a psychological barrier in some degree.
B. People can enjoy a cleaner living environment if more bugs like cockroaches are killed.
C. Many bugs are in danger of extinction so they should be placed under human’s protection.
D. Some bugs are extremely unpleasant that people have a strong wish to destroy them.
第二节：语言结构（共10小题，每小题1.5分，满分15分）阅读下面短文，
根据上下文在空白处填上适当的词,或使用括号中的词语的正确形式填空。
When I was a ten-year-old girl, I was once asked to deliver a speech titled “A Real Test in My Life”. To talk before the whole class! Just imagine how 31 (terrible) shy I was the moment I thought of that 32 so many eyes fixed upon me. I had no other choice, though. First I was to draft the speech and that was just a piece of cake for me, because I was a good writer－something to pride myself in. But the hard part 33 (lie) in my oral presentation; to read from 34 paper was not allowed; I had to give the speech 35 my memory and in front of such a big audience! A real trial began when I stood on the platform with my legs trembling and my mind blank. How much time had passed by, I didn’t know. My listeners were still waiting, patiently and without any signs of rushing me. Gradually I found 36 back, giving out my speech with difficulty. Finally I finished. After 37 seemed to be a hundred years, I found my audience applauding. I made it! From then on, my fear of talking before an audience 38 (appear). Actually with my confidence building 39 , I now turn out to be a great speaker. Looking back, I know the greatest difficulty on our way to success is our fear. Overcome it, 40 we will be able to achieve our goals.
What should you think about in trying to find your career? You are probably better at some school subjects than others. These may show strengths that you can use in your work. A boy who is good at mathematics can use that in an engineering career. A girl who spells well and likes English may be good at office work. So it is important to do well at school. On the other hand, you may not have any specially strong or weak subjects but your records show a general satisfactory standard. Although not all subjects can be used directly in a job, they may have indirect value. Knowledge of history is not required for most jobs but if history is one of your good subjects you will have learned to remember facts and details. This is an ability that can be useful in many jobs.
Your school may have taught you skills, such as typing or technical drawing, which you can use in your work. You may be good at metal work or cookery and look for a job where you can improve these skills.
If you have had a part-time job on Saturdays or in the summer, think what you gained from it. If nothing else, you may have learned how to get to work on time, to follow instructions and to get on with older workers. You may have learned to give correct change in a shop, for example. Just as important, you may become interested in a particular industry or career you see from the inside in a part-time job.
Facing your weak points is also part of knowing yourself. You may be all thumbs when you handle tools. Perhaps you are a poor speller or cannot add up a column of figures. It is bitter to face any weaknesses than to pretend they do not exist. Your school record, for instance, may not be too good, yet it is an important part of your background. You should not be apologetic about it but instead recognize that you will have a chance of a fresh start at work.
1. We can infer from the first paragraph that_______.
A. learning better at school shows power in your job
B. the better you are at school subjects, the more helpful they are in your career
C. learning each subject well is an ability in many jobs
D. we should think about how to find our career
2. According to the passage, if a student’s school record is not good, he will _________.
A. have no hope in his future work
B. be hopeful to find a suitable job
C. regret not having worked harder at school
D. have an opportunity of a new beginning in his future work
3. All the subjects may have direct value for job hunting except___________.
A. mathematics B. English C. history D. technical drawing
4. The underlined words "all thumbs" in Paragraph 4 most probably mean_________.
A. heavy-handed B. the best C. important D. skilled
5. The passage mainly discusses ___________.
A. the relationship between school performance and career
B. how to get a job
C. how to show strengths in your work
D. working experience and knowledge at school