Experts say it is not easy to get used to life in a new culture. “ Culture shock” is the term these experts use when talking about the feelings that people have in a new environment. There are three stages of culture shock, say the experts. In the first stage, the newcomers like their new environment. Then, when the fresh experience dies, they begin to hate the city, the country, the people and everything else. In the last stage, the newcomers begin to adjust to their surroundings and, as a result, enjoy their life more.
There are some obvious factors in culture shock. The weather may be unpleasant. The customs may be different. The public service systems---the telephone, post office ,or transportation --may be difficult to work out. The simplest things seem to be big problems. The language may be difficult.
Who feels culture shock? Everyone does in this way or that. But culture shock surprises most people. Very often the people having the worst culture shock are those who never had any difficulties in their home countries and were successful in their community. Coming to a new country, these people find they do not have the same established positions. They find themselves without a role, almost without an identity. They have to build a new self-image.
Culture shock causes a feeling of disorientation (迷惘）. This feeling may be homesickness. When homesick, people feel like staying inside all the time. They want to protect themselves from the strange environment, and create an escape inside their room for a sense of security. This escape does solve the problem of culture shock for the short term, but it does nothing to make the person familiar with the culture. Getting to know the new environment and gaining experience--these are the long-term solutions to the problem of culture shock.According to the passage, the more successful you are at home, _________________.
| A．the fewer difficulties you may have abroad |
| B．the more difficulties you may have abroad |
| C．the more money you will earn abroad |
| D．the less homesick you will feel abroad |
.Which of the following is NOT right according to the passage?
| A．“Culture shock” is a term used to describe the feelings that people experience in a new environment |
| B．In the second stage of “ Culture shock”, people may hate the life in the new environment |
| C．When you are homesick, you had better not stay at home all the time |
| D．Every one of us doesn’t feel culture shock in this way or that |
.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
| A．Escape unfamiliar environment |
| B．The feeling of homesickness |
| C．The best way to overcome (克服、战胜）culture shock: get familiar with the new culture |
| D．Homesickness can solve the problem of culture shock |
These days, young children can enjoy directly what it is like to be a marine biologist (海洋生物学家) at a marine association. What they discover can lead them to appreciate and protect the ocean and also the animals living in it.
At the present time, learning isn’t only limited to the classroom. It’s quite common for kids to learn from outdoor experiences. Teachers commonly take their pupils on field trips to museums as well as other interesting areas. If you wish to help pupils to take care of the ocean, one of the best areas to take them to is a marine association, the place where the ocean biome (生物圈) is shown.
Taking your pupils to a marine association is a prefect way to help them learn. Education professionals agree that there are topics that children can learn more successfully whenever they experience them directly.
Several organizations that focused on protecting the ocean now operate on the coast of different areas in America and all around the world. It’s quite common for marine associations nowadays to open their doors several times a week to kids, parents, and ocean lovers to learn more about the ocean biome.
A marine association has different programs for children of different ages. You’ll find programs that are developed specially for pupils. Pupils are involved in interactive (互动的) learning. This learning experience allows young children to recognize the value of the role each species performs in their environment. They not only get to research creatures from the ocean, but they also get to see, touch, and smell most of these animals and plants. This type of exposure offers students an idea about the life of a marine scientist. It could help them choose a career afterwards.
These programs are generally held on Saturdays and Sundays in order that kids and parents can have more hours in which to have fun. Teachers who want to arrange these activities for their students can call a local marine association near them.According to the text, pupils can have a better understanding of the ocean biome by _______.
| A．learning about it from books |
| B．going to a marine association |
| C．attending marine biologists’ meetings |
| D．taking part-time jobs at marine associations |
In Paragraph 5, the author mainly wants to tell us _______.
| A．the advantage of learning at a marine association |
| B．different activities offered by a marine association |
| C．a marine association’s working conditions |
| D．the way to develop children’s interest in ocean |
The underlined word “exposure” in Paragraph 5 probably means _______.
| A．the way of explaining something |
| B．the way of choosing a career |
| C．a marine association’s working condition |
| D．the way to develop children’s interest in the ocean |
Which of the following is TURE?
| A．Young children can enjoy indirectly what it is like to be a marine biologist at a marine association. |
| B．To help your pupils to take care of the ocean, the best area to take them to is a marine association. |
| C．Children can learn the topics more successfully when they experience them directly. |
| D．A marine association has the same program for children of different ages. |
The text is most probably taken from _______.
| A．a teacher’s presentation |
| B．a marine biologist’s report |
| C．a student’s field trip journal |
| D．an introduction to a marine association |
Nowadays more and more young athletes are taking part in the risky activities called “extreme sports” or “X-sports”.
In the past young athletes would play baseball. Today, they want risk and excitement — the closer to the edge, the better. They snowboard over cliff and hike deep mountains.
Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports such as golf. A city kid who couldn’t afford expensive sports equipment could get a skateboard and have fun. But now it has become a whole new area of sports, with specialized equipment and high levels of skill. There is even an Olympics for extreme sports, called the winter x-game, which includes snow mountain hiking and ice climbing.
What makes extreme sports so popular? Maybe it’s because people love the risk. City people want to be outdoors on the weekends and do something challenging. The new equipment is so much better that people can take more risks without getting hurt. Sure there’s a risk. Once you go mountain hiking or snowboarding, it’s impossible to go back to have riding or skiing. It’s just too boring.
Now even the older crowd is starting to join in. Every weekend, groups of friends in their early 30s get together. On weekdays they work as computer programmers in the same office. On weekends they hike mountains together.
Extreme sports are certainly not for everyone. Most people still prefer to play basketball or watch sports on TV. But it has been a fact that extreme sports are gaining popularity.Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports because _______.
| A．people didn’t like to play golf |
| B．some city kids couldn’t afford expensive sports equipment |
| C．there is an Olympics for extreme sports |
| D．extreme sports are gaining popularity |
More and more young athletes are taking part in extreme sports because _______.
| A．people want risk and excitement |
| B．it’s impossible to go back to have riding or skiing |
| C．people can take more risks without getting hurt |
| D．the older crowd is starting to join in |
To have extreme sports, you should _______.
| A．have specialized equipment and high levels of skill |
| B．be very young at age |
| C．do snow mountain hiking and ice climbing |
| D．afford expensive sports equipment |
The author gives the example of the computer programmers in the same office to show _______.
| A．young people love risks |
| B．they can’t afford golf |
| C．they don’t like to play basketball or watch sports on TV |
| D．extreme sports are gaining popularity |
The main idea of this passage is _______.
| A．extreme sports are certainly not for everyone |
| B．the benefits and costs of extreme sports |
| C．the development of extreme sports |
| D．what makes extreme sports so popular |
There is no doubt that to study abroad gives you an excellent opportunity to learn things which are very helpful in your career building. Today Canada has earned a good name in providing quality education and safe healthy environment for its students. That is why more than 130,000 international students enroll（登记入学） every year in famous Canadian universities. It is an ideal education destination and gives students a unique experience of education and its versatile（多样的） arts and culture. Canada spends a lot on education and is ranked the highest in G-8 countries.
To study in Canada is very cost effective. These universities are affordable compared to other universities in the world such as in the US, New Zealand and UK where cost of education and living is very high. According to a survey in 2006, “Canada offered the lowest tuition fees（学费） for foreign students compared to UK and Australia.”
The low rate of crimes and the peaceful safe environment of the country also attracts a lot of international students to Canadian universities. Canada has 92 universities and 175 community colleges and university degrees have three levels—Bachelor’s(学士), Master’s（硕士） and Doctoral（博士）.
A Bachelor’s degree in Canada is for three or four years’ full-time study depending on the nature of the program you are doing. On the other hand, a Master’s degree consists of two years of study. For a Doctoral program in Canadian universities, you require a minimum （最低/小的） of three to four or sometimes five years of research and study.
You can also find many diploma and certification （认证） program in Canadian universities where the time is generally one year. Some of the Canadian universities are well-regarded worldwide and the degree and diploma obtained from these Canadian universities are recognized globally and promise bright future. After the completion of studies, a person could also find great job offers in Canada itself. International students require a work permit to work on campus. How long will you spend at least in total if you want to finish your Bachelor’s, Master’s and Doctoral degrees in Canada?
| A．11 years | B．9 years | C．8 years | D．7 years |
What advantages does Canada have to attract foreign students according to the passage?
①Quality education ② Safe environment
③ Versatile culture ④ Bright job future
⑤ High scholarships ⑥ Low tuition fees
| A．①②④⑤⑥ | B．①②③⑤⑥ | C．①③④⑤⑥ | D．①②③④⑥ |
What’s the author’s attitude towards studying in Canada?
| A．Favorable | B．Critical |
| C．Doubtful | D．Not mentioned |
What’s the best title for the passage？
| A．Canadian culture |
| B．The life in Canada |
| C．Benefits of studying abroad |
| D．Study in Canada — a unique experience |
She took up skating at age 85, made her first movie appearance at age 114, and held a concert in the neighborhood on her 121st birthday.
When it comes to long life, Jeanne Calment is the world’s recordholder. She lived to the ripe old age of 122. So is 122 the upper limit to the human life span（寿命）? If scientists come up with some sort of pill or diet that would slow aging, could we possibly make it to 150－or beyond?
Researchers don’t entirely agree on the answers. “Calment lived to 122, so it wouldn’t surprise me if someone alive today reaches 130 or 135, ”says Jerry Shay at the University of Texas.
Steve Austad at the University of Texas agrees. “People can live much longer than we think, ”he says. “Experts used to say that humans couldn’t live past 110. When Calment blew past that age, they raised the number to 120. So why can’t we go higher? ”
The trouble with guessing how old people can live to be is that it’s all just guessing. “Anyone can make up a number, ”says Rich Miller at the University of Michigan. “Usually the scientist who picks the highest number gets his name in Time magazine. ”
Won’t new anti-aging techniques keep us alive for centuries? Any cure, says Miller, for aging would probably keep most of us kicking until about 120. Researchers are working on treatments that lengthen the life span of mice by 50 percent at most. So, if the average human life span is about 80 years, says Miller, “adding another 50 percent would get you to 120. ”
So what can we conclude from this little disagreement among the researchers? That life span is flexible（有弹性的）, but there is a limit, says George Martin of the University of Washington. “We can get flies to live 50 percent longer, ”he says. “But a fly’s never going to live 150 years. ”Of course, if you became a new species （物种）, one that ages at a slower speed, that would be a different story, he adds.
Does Martin really believe that humans could evolve （进化）their way to longer life? “It’s pretty cool to think about, ”he says with a smile. What does the story of Jeanne Calment prove to us?
| A．People can live to 122. |
| B．Old people are creative. |
| C．Women are sporty at 85. |
| D．Women live longer than men. |
According to Steve Austad at the University of Texas, ______.
| A．the average human life span could be 110 |
| B．scientists cannot find ways to slow aging |
| C．few people can expect to live to over 150 |
| D．researchers are not sure how long people can live |
Who would agree that a scientist will become famous if he makes the wildest guess at longevity?
| A．Jerry Shay. | B．Steve Austad |
| C．Rich Miller | D．George Martin |
What can we infer from the last three paragraphs?
| A．Most of us could be good at sports even at 120. |
| B．The average human life span cannot be doubled |
| C．Scientists believe mice are aging at a slower speed than before. |
| D．New techniques could be used to change flies into a new species |
Nutrition influences not only students' grades at school but their growth and development. Improper nutrition is one of the causes of childhood obesity. What can you do to help your child avoid childhood obesity?
My first piece of advice is to look in your fridge. What are you buying at the grocery store? Think about it: if you don't buy junk food or snacks, your kids won't eat them at home. Now if you're like me — both of your kids are at school, you'll know you can't police them every second of the day. This is the time when you'll need to talk to your children about their food choices. If you don't know the right food choices, there are so many free resources on-line to guide you.
Try new things. I was very surprised to find out my 4-year-old daughter likes balsamic vinegar — she calls it the "black sauce". She likes to have it with tomatoes and cucumbers. You just never know what your kids might like.
Don't get stressed if you can't always prepare something healthy. You may sometimes leave the house and forget to take something out for dinner, or you are running late and there's no time to cook before you have to take one of the kids somewhere. However, you can still make healthy choices while dining out. Many of the fast food restaurants offer fruit and milk instead of soda. I like to buy organic frozen pizzas from the organic market — for a quick dinner solution(解决办法). All the ingredients are natural. What I do is to serve the pizza with something raw: lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, or fruit to try to give the kids something healthy with that meal.
In closing, take baby steps. Don't try to change your family's eating habits in one go, or you'll go nuts.This passage is written mainly to us
| A．explain why today’s kids are overweight |
| B．tell us the importance of healthy eating |
| C．give parents some healthy eating tips |
| D．teach parents what to cook at home |
The writer believes it is very important for parents to
| A．make sure their fridge is full of food. |
| B．teach their children how to eat healthily |
| C．check their children’s grades at school |
| D．provide their children with their favorite food |
Paragraph 4 tells parents they should .
| A．never take their kids to a fast food restaurant |
| B．eat out in a nice restaurant with their kids at times |
| C．choose healthy food while eating out with their kids |
| D．cook healthy food for their kids however busy they are |
According to the passage, it does NOT seem to be a good idea to .
| A．tell children what to eat at school |
| B．find free resources on healthy eating online |
| C．put balsamic vinegar on tomatoes or cucumbers |
| D．try to change a family’s eating habits in a very short time |