Up to 90% of school leavers in major Asian cities are suffering from myopia ---short-sightedness, a study suggests. Researchers say the "extraordinary rise" in the problem is being caused by students working very hard in school and missing out on outdoor light.
Eye experts say that you are short-sighted if your vision is blurred(模糊的) beyond 2m. It is often caused by an elongation(拉伸) of the eyeball that happens when people are young. According to the research, the problem is being caused by a combination of factors - a commitment to education and lack of outdoor light.
Professor Morgan who led this study argues that many children in South East Asia spend long hours studying at school and doing their homework. This in itself puts pressure on the eyes, but exposure to between two and three hours of daylight helps maintain healthy eyes.
Cultural factors also seem to play a part. Across many parts of South East Asia, children often have a lunchtime nap. According to Professor Morgan they are missing out on natural light to prevent short-sightedness.
A big concern is the numbers of the students suffering from “high” myopia. One in five of these students could experience severe visual impairment(障碍) and even blindness. These people are at considerable risk—sometimes people are not told about it and are just given more powerful glasses—they need to be warned about the risk and given some self-testing measures so they can get to an ophthalmologist and get some help.
For decades, researchers believed there was a strong genetic component to the condition. But this study strongly suggests an alternative view. “Any type of simple genetic explanation just doesn’t fit with that speed of change; gene pools just don’t change in two generations. Whether it’s a purely environmental effect or an environmental effect playing a sensitive genome, it really doesn’t matter, the thing that’s changed is not the gene pool---it’s the environment.”As is mentioned above, which factor mainly results in students’ myopia in South East Asia?
A.Genetic faults of the people. | B.Elongation of the eyeball. |
C.The shortage of outdoor light. | D.Lack of research into the problem. |
Which of the following statements do you think agrees with Professor Morgan?
A.A lunchtime nap is helpful in reducing myopia. |
B.Glasses keep myopia from getting even worse. |
C.It’s necessary to treat myopia with an operation. |
D.It’s of vital importance to reduce educational pressure. |
What’s the main idea of the last paragraph?
A.Gene remains the main cause of the long-standing problem. |
B.The environment is to blame for the extraordinary rise in myopia. |
C.Short-sightedness has nothing to do with changes in gene pools. |
D.An environmental effect playing a sensitive genome counts. |
What’s the best way to take care of your eyes according to the passage?
A.Equip the classroom with better lights. |
B.Look at the sun from time to time. |
C.Do eyes exercise regularly. |
D.Spend more time in the open air. |
Here are some advertisements taken from a newspaper.
(1)
Dear Drew Carter,
Your first year on this earth has been a pleasure ride for all of us. We love you!
Dad and Mom
and many friends
(2)
Lawlis---Clarke
The Doctor Virgil and Marjorie Lawlis are pleased to announce the engagement of their daughter Diane Susan to Mr. Robert Brent Clarks, son of Mr. and Mrs. James Clarks of Herford, Texas.
A spring wedding is planned in House.
(3)
Isbell---Foss
Mr. and Mrs. Davis K. Isbell announce the marriage of their daughter Dang to Mr. Stanley Foss, son of Mrs. John Sipe of Ada, Minnessota.
The wedding will be early April at Abiding Love Lutheran Church.
(4)
Story-Kurio
Miss Stephanie Story and Mr. Todd Warren Kurio were married on February 5, at half past seven o'clock in the evening in Highland Park Prebytefian Church in Dallas, Texas. The bride is the daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Herbert Brue Story Jr. of Dallas. The groom is the son of Mr. and Mrs. Gerald Stanley Kurio of Austin. What would be the best title for the first advertisement?
A.We Love You | B.Happy lst Birthday |
C.One Year Old | D.Our One-Year-Old Son |
Lawlis and Clarke are going to get married___________.
A.in a church | B.where Clarke’s parents live |
C.against their parents' will | D.to Lawlis’ parents' joy |
Who are now married couple?
A.Lawlis and Clarke | B.Dang Isbell and Foss |
C.Story and Kurio | D.The text doesn't say. |
Who got or will get married in spring?
A.Not only Lawlis and Clarke but also Isbell and Foss |
B.Neither Lawlis and Clarke nor Isbell and Foss |
C.Either Isbell and Foss or Story and Kurio |
D.Neither Lawlis and Clarke nor Story and Kurio |
Man, a land animal. But he is also closely tied to the sea. Throughout history the sea has served the needs of man. The sea has provided man with food and a convenient way to travel to many parts of the world. Today, nearly two-thirds of the world’s population live within 80 kilometers of the sea coast.
In the modern technological world, the sea offers many resources to help mankind survive. Resources on land are beginning to be used up. The sea, however, still can be hoped to supply many of man’s needs.
The list of riches of the sea yet to be developed by man’s technology is big. Oil and gas explorations have been carried out for nearly 30 years. Valuable amounts of minerals exist on the ocean floor ready to be mined.
Fish farming promises to be a good way to produce large quantities of food. The culture of fish and shellfish (贝类动物) is an ancient skill practised in the past mainly by Oriental people, including people in China.
Besides oil and gas, the sea may offer new sources of energy. Experts believe that the warm temperature of the ocean can be used in a way similar to the steam in a steamship. Ocean currents and waves offer possible use as a source of energy.
Technology is enabling man to explore ever more deeply under the sea. The development of strong, new materials has made this possible.
The technology to harvest the sea continues to improve. Experts believe that by the year 2020 the problems that prevent us from exploiting(开发) fully the food, minerals, and energy sources of the sea will be largely solved.Valuable amounts of minerals are ______.
A.in the ocean water | B.in the warm ocean water |
C.on the sea coast | D.on the ocean floor |
We can conclude from this passage that ______.
A.the sea resources have largely been used up |
B.the sea, in the broad sense, has not yet been developed |
C.the problems that prevent us from using the food, minerals, and energy sources of the sea have already been solved. |
D.by the year 2020 , the technology will be good enough to exploit all the sea resources |
The underlined words “Oriental people” in the fourth paragraph probably mean ______.
A.the people in Asia | B.African people |
C.European people | D.American people |
The best title for this passage is ______.
A.Sea Harvest | B.Sea Food |
C.Technology for Exploiting the Sea | D.Man and the Sea |
"He who can have patience can have what he wants," said Benjamin Franklin. They say patience is a virtue (美德) seldom found in women and never in men. This may or may not be true, but it's fair to say that there is nobody on the earth who couldn't benefit from more patience.
Patience is necessary for success.
It is said that "all good things come to those who wait". Many of the great scientists have remarked that their scientific discoveries came only through patient perseverance (坚持). Edison said, "Genius was 99% perspiration and only 1% inspiration." Patience teaches us to value the effort and not just the success. It is a mistake to think that happiness can only be obtained through achievements.
Patience brings peace of mind.
When we desire certain outcomes (结果), we'll have no peace of mind. Even if one desire is filled, the nature of desire is that more will appear in its place. There is no end to human desires. Patience means we will work with an attitude of detachment (超然).
Patience can transform suffering into joy.
Throughout life we suffer injustice; the best healer is patience. Through being patient and accepting our situation, it's quite possible for our suffering to be transformed.
Sri Chinmoy said, "If failure has the strength to turn your life into bitterness itself, then patience has the strength to turn your life into the sweetest joy."Whose saying supports the idea that patience makes a person joyful?
A.Franklin's | B.Edison's | C.Chinmoy's | D.Einstein's |
In the writer's opinion, _____ .
A.human desires will easily be filled |
B.patience is a virtue seldom found in a person |
C.happiness can only be obtained through success |
D.patience is the best medicine of suffering |
How is the whole passage organized?
A.General-detail-general. | B.General-detail. |
C.Detail-general-detail. | D.Detail-general. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A.We All Need Patience | B.Patience Means Success |
C.Benefits of Patience | D.We Should Not Be patient |
If you don’t use a dictionary. What should you do instead? The first thing you can do is trying to guess what the word means. Often the surrounding context gives a very clear idea of the meaning of the word. Even if you can’t work out the meaning exactly, you may be able to get a vague idea, enough to enable you to continue reading.
Sometimes It is impossible to guess the meaning of a word from the context and then you will have to decide whether the word is important enough to make it worthwhile stopping and looking it up in a dictionary or whether you can just pass it by.
Many times in your reading, you will come across words which you don’t know, but which do not prevent you from understanding all the main points of the text. You can made your dictionary use much more efficient if you only look up the words which are necessary to understand the text. and this means that you must develop the skill to decide whether the words are worth looking up.The passage mainly tells us in our reading what we would do.
A.without knowledge of English |
B.when we look up words in a dictionary |
C.when we are guessing new words |
D.without using a dictionary |
What does the underlined word “vague” mean?
A.Mysterious. | B.Not clear. | C.Exact. | D.Important. |
In our reading some words we don’t know.
A.help us to understand the text well |
B.don’t prevent us from understanding the main points of the text |
C.will be remembered forever |
D.are borrowed from other languages |
In this passage the writer.
A.advised us to use the dictionary as much as possible |
B.told us not to be discouraged by the sight of a dictionary |
C.gave us some advice on how to deal with these unknown words |
D.introduced some ways to take notes in the course of reading |
I shall never forget the day when the earthquake took place. The time was about 5 o’clock in the afternoon and I was driving along the road to take my daughter from school. Our plan was to go swimming together. I had finished my work at 4 o’clock and then gone to the Post Office. Then I’d stopped off at a shop in order to get some fresh fruit. We like to have some fruit to eat after our swim.
I was driving along a high road on my way to my daughter’s school. Over my road was another road which was built like a bridge for cars coming to the other way. I was hungry so I put the bag of apples in the seat beside me and started to eat one.
Suddenly I saw the cars in front of me start to move from side to side. Then my car started to shake! I didn’t know what was happening. Perhaps something had gone wrong with my car. I drove a little more slowly and then I stopped the car and at the same moment the road fell onto the cars in front of me.
I found myself in the dark. I couldn’t move. The bottom parts of both of my legs and my feet were hurting badly and I couldn’t move them. All around me was quiet. But above me I could hear shouts and a lot of noise. Then I memorized (记起) what had happened. I had been in an earthquake.
For about two hours nobody came. Luckily I could reach the bag of apples, so at least I had plenty to eat. Then I heard people climbing towards me. A team of people had come to see if anyone was under the broken road. I called out. “I’m here!” I heard a shout. Soon a stranger climbed to the side of the road near my car. “How are you doing?” he asked.
“Not too bad,” I said, “but my feet and leg feel as if they’re broken.” “We’ll have you out of there just as soon as we can.” They didn’t get me out until the next morning. I had been in my car for fourteen hours.When the earthquake took place, the writer was ______.
A.on his way to the Post Office | B.stopping off a shop |
C.doing some shopping | D.under a road built like a bridge |
The writer’s car began to move from side to side because ________.
A.there was something wrong with his car |
B.he ate apples as he drove |
C.an earthquake began to happen |
D.he drove too fast |
Which is the following is TRUE according to the passage?
A.When the earthquake happened, the writer was with his daughter together. |
B.The writer’s leg and feet were badly wounded in the earthquake. |
C.The writer was saved as soon as the stranger climbed up the road. |
D.The writer was frightened that he forgot everything that happened around. |