Research has shown that music has an important effect on one’s body and psyche (心灵). In fact, there is a growing field of health care known as music therapy, which uses music to treat diseases. Even hospitals are beginning to use music therapy. This is not surprising, as music affects the body and mind in many powerful ways.
Research has shown that quick music can make a person feel more alert, while slow music can produce a calm, deep thinking state. Also, research has found that music can change brainwave activity levels. This can help the brain to change speeds more easily on its own as needed, which means that music can bring lasting benefits to your state of mind, even after you’ve stopped listening.
Breathing and heart rates can also be influenced by music. This can mean slower breathing, slower heart rate. This is why music and music therapy can help reduce the damaging effects of long-term stress, greatly promoting (促进) not only relaxation, but health.
Music can also be used to bring about a more positive state of mind by helping to keep worries away. Music has also been found to bring many other benefits, such as lowering blood pressure and reducing the risk of strokes. It is no surprise that so many people are considering music as an important tool to help the body become or stay healthy.What can we infer about music therapy?
| A．It is a type of music. |
| B．It is a research about music. |
| C．It is a kind of musical effect on diseases. |
| D．It is the use of music method to help treat diseases. |
According to the second paragraph, we can know that ________.
| A．music with different speeds has different effects |
| B．quick music is not good for one’s health |
| C．slow music can help one to think more calmly and slowly |
| D．music will have less benefit after one stops listening |
The reason why music can help deal with stress is that ________.
| A．it is used by many hospitals |
| B．it can help change brainwaves |
| C．it does good to breathing and heart rates |
| D．it can bring a more positive state of mind |
According to the passage, music can help deal with all the following EXCEPT ________.
| A．nervousness | B．mind illnesses |
| C．strokes | D．high blood pressure |
What is your body language saying to your children? What is their body language telling you? I had the honor of hearing Jan Hargrave speak the other day. She is one of four body language experts in the US. Jan Hargrave says we lie with the right side of our brains, so it is our left hand that gives us away. A person touching his nose, pulling at his ear or rubbing his eye with his left hand might be lying to you. Also, a person who, in any way, crosses any fingers might just be lying. That, she says, is a holdover(遗留物) from childhood, when we crossed our fingers to signal that we didn’t mean what we were saying. When children squint(眨) their eyes, move their body away from you, or can’t seem to make good eye contact, you may need to ask for a little more clarification.
But just as important, children learn early how to read our body language when they are conversing(交谈) with us. Here are some acceptance signals to let them know you are interested when they are talking to you. Lean(倾斜) towards them. Make good eye contact and smile. Open your arms. Let your hands relax with the palms(手掌) showing: an open, upward palm always show acceptance. If your legs are crossed, make sure you are not crossing them away from your child. These are important because they signal to your child that you are focused on them and are accepting and welcoming them into your world.
By paying attention, we can open those lines of important communication with our children and we can see the truth more clearly. I think it would be a mistake to use these tools to lie, but we need to be aware of the signals we are giving so we can show people that they really do matter to us. According to Jan Hargrave, we can tell whether a person is lying by _______.
| A．observing his/her left hand’s movements. |
| B．looking at how he/ she crosses his/ her fingers |
| C．observing whether he/ she uses body language |
| D．making good eye contact with him/ her |
We can learn from the passage that body language _______.
| A．is hard to master for children |
| B．can be understood in different ways |
| C．may help improve communication |
| D．is more likely to hide the truth |
Which of the following does NOT show acceptance to people?
| A．Smile while making eye contact. |
| B．Open your arms to them. |
| C．Relax your hands with the palms showing. |
| D．Cross your leg away from them. |
In the last paragraph, the author seems to suggest that parents_______.
| A．spend more time with their children |
| B．learn to read and use body language |
| C．pay attention to family communication |
| D．try to prevent their children from lying |
Two travelling angels stopped to spend the night in the home of a wealthy family. The family was impolite and refused to let the angels stay in the guest room. Instead the angels were given a space in the cold underground room. As they made their bed on the hard floor, the older angel saw a hole in the wall and repaired it. When the younger angel asked why, the older angel replied, "Things aren't always what they seem."
The next night the pair came to rest at the house of a very poor, but very kind farmer and his wife. After sharing what little food they had, the couple let the angels sleep in their bed where they could have a good night's rest. When the sun came up the next morning, the angels found the farmer and his wife in tears. Their only cow, whose milk had been their only income, lay dead in the field.
The younger angel was very angry and asked the older angel, "How could this happen? Why did you not watch out for the cow? The first man had everything, yet you watched over his house," she accused. "The second family had little but was willing to share everything, and you did not help."
"Things aren't always what they seem," the older angel replied. "When we stayed in the underground room , I noticed there was gold stored in that hole in the wall. Since the owner was so greedy and unwilling to share his good fortune, I asked God if I could seal the wall so he couldn't find it. Then last night as we slept in the farmer's bed, the angel of death came for his wife. I asked God if the angel could take the cow instead. You see, things aren't always what they seem. "Why did the older angel repair the hole for the rich family?
| A．Because she didn't like the greedy owner. |
| B．Because she wanted to save the gold for the poor. |
| C．Because the underground room was too cold to stay in. |
| D．Because she believed that one should always be ready to offer help. |
The younger angel was very angry because ________.
| A．the older angel killed the farmer's cow |
| B．the older angel treated the two families differently |
| C．the wealthy man gave them a bad place to live in |
| D．the angel of death took the cow away |
Why did the older angel let the farmer's cow die?
| A．Because God wanted the older angel to take the cow. |
| B．Because she wanted to teach the younger angel a lesson. |
| C．Because she wanted to save the farmer's wife. |
| D．Because she was sympathetic to the rich. |
The story tries to tell readers that ________.
| A．angels are always ready to help the poor |
| B．sometimes things are not what they seem |
| C．angels are always ready to help the rich |
| D．the young should always learn from the old |
Most Americans believe that someone isn’t grown-up until the age of 26 and they should complete their education, have a full-time job, have a family to support and be financially independent. They also believe that becoming a real grown-up is a process which begins at about the age of 20 and takes about five years, according to the report from the University of Chicago’s National Opinion Research Center.
The findings are based on a representative sample of 1,398 people over the age of 18 who were surveyed in person. The survey found that people expect the transitions to grown-up status to be completed at the following ages: age 20.9 self-supporting; age 21.1 no longer living with parents; age 21.2 having a full-time job; age 22.3 education completed; age 24.5 being able to support a family financially; age 25.7 getting married; and age 26.2 having a child.
“There is a large degree of agreement across social groups on the relative importance of the seven transitions,” said Tom Smith, director of the survey. The only obvious pattern of differences is on views about supporting a family, having children and getting married. Older adults consider these more important than younger adults do. This probably shows in large part a change in values across generations away from traditional family values. The most valued step toward reaching adulthood, the survey found, is completing education, followed by full-time employment, supporting a family, financial independence, living independently, and marriage.According to the first paragraph, someone is a grown-up when he _______.
| A．has found a full-time job |
| B．has finished his study in university |
| C．can make money and support himself after completing his education |
| D．can support a family and be financially independent after graduation |
A young man of 24 may be busy ________.
| A．finding a job | B．finding a girl friend |
| C．making money | D．preparing for his wedding |
From the passage, we learn that _________.
| A．being grown-up is just a matter of age |
| B．being grown-up is a process which takes some time |
| C．all people think completing education means being grown-up |
| D．the survey found everyone had a different view about being grown-up |
The best title for the passage should be “________”
| A．It takes a long time to grown up. |
| B．Are we grown-up yet? |
| C．Getting married means being grown-up. |
| D．Completing education means being grown-up |
There is an English saying, “Laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter really can improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, makes the heart beat quicker and makes people breathe deeper; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programmes. The group that tolerated (忍耐) the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny programme. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemical in the brain which diminishes both stress and pain.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.According to the passage, which of the following statements is WRONG?
| A．Laughter is good for health. |
| B．Laughter can make you become old quickly. |
| C．Laughter helps to reduce pain. |
| D．Laughter, just like physical exercise, is good for our body. |
The underlined word “diminishes” in the third paragraph means “”.
| A．delays | B．prevents | C．increases | D．reduces |
Why do doctors hold laughter clinics?
| A．Because they want to earn more money. |
| B．Because they think they will help the patients recover from illnesses. |
| C．Because they want to improve their patients’ health. |
| D．Because they want their patients to laugh more. |
According to the author, we should __________ in our life.
| A．laugh as much as possible |
| B．watch more funny films |
| C．smile all the time |
| D．spend time in the laughter clinics |
What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Both laughter and physical exercise are good for health. |
| B．Laughter clinics can help patients improve their condition. |
| C．Laughter can reduce the effect of pain. |
| D．Laughter is the best medicine. |
Tales From Animal Hospital
David Grant
David Grant has become a familiar face to millions of fans of Animal Hospital . Here Dr Grant tells us the very best of his personal stories about the animals he has treated ,including familiar patients such as the dogs Snowy and Duchess , the delightful cat Marigold Serendipity Diamond . He also takes the reader behind the scenes at Harmsworth Memorial Animal Hospital as he describes his day , from ordinary medical check-ups to surgery （外科手术）. Tales From Animal Hospital will delight all fans of the program and anyone who has a lively interest in their pet ,whether it be cat , dog or snake I ! $ 14.99 Hardback 272 pp Simon Schuster
ISBN 0751304417
Isaac Newton : The Last Sorcerer
Michael White
Form the author of Stephen Hawking : A Life in Science , comes this colorful description of the life of the world’s first modern scientist . Interesting yet based on fact , Michael White’s learned yet readable new book offers a true picture of Newton completely different from what people commonly know about him . Newton is shown as a gifted scientist with very human weaknesses who stood at the point in history where magic (魔术)ended and science began.
£8.99 Hardback 320 pp Fourth Estate
ISBN 1857024168
Fermat’s Last Theorem
Simon Singh
In 1963 a schoolboy called Andrew Wiles reading in his school library came across the world’s greatest mathematical problem : Fermat’s Last Theorem (定理). First put forward by the French mathematician Pierre de Fermat in the seventeenth century, the theorem had baffled and beaten the finest mathematical minds , including a French woman scientist who made a major advance in working out the problem , and who had to dress like a man in order to be able to study at the Ecole Polytechnique . Through unbelievable determination Andrew Wiles finally worked out the problem in 1995 . An unusual story of human effort over three centuries , Fermat’s Last Theorem will delight specialists and general readers alike .
£12.99 Hardback 384 pp Fourth Estate
ISBN 1857025210What is Animal Hospital ?
| A．A news story . | B．A popular book . |
| C．A research report . | D．A TV program . |
In Michael White’s book , Newton is described as .
| A．a person who did not look the same as in many pictures |
| B．a person who lived a colorful and meaningful life |
| C．a great but not perfect man |
| D．an old-time magician |
Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “baffle” as it is used in the text ?
| A．To encourage people to raise questions . |
| B．To cause difficulty in understanding . |
| C．to provide a person with an explanation . |
| D．To limit people’s imagination . |
What is the purpose of writing these three texts ?
| A．To make the books easier to read | B．To show the importance of science |
| C．To introduce new authors | D．To sell the books . |