Rae and Bruce Hostetler not only work very hard，they also relax just as well. Numerous vacations help the couple to maintain their health and emotional well-being一and it’s no surprise to health care professionals.
“Rest, relaxation, and stress reduction are very important for people’s well-being and health. This can be accomplished through daily activities, such as exercise and meditation, but vacation is an important part of this as well,” said primary care physician Natasha Withers from One Medical Group in New York. Withers lists a decreased risk of heart disease and improved reaction time as some of the benefits from taking some time off. “We also know that the mind is very powerful and can help with healing, so a rested, relaxed mind is able to help the body heal better,” said Withers.
Psychologists confirm the value of vacations for the mind. “The impact that taking a vacation has on one’s mental health is great,” said Francine Lederer, a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who specializes in stress and relationship management. “Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation, even if it is a 24- hour time-out.” The trips could be good for their health, good for their family and good for their businesses.
The online travel agency Expedia conducted a survey about vacation time in 2010, and according to their data the average American earned 18 vacation days一but only used 14 of them. France topped the list, with the average worker earning 37 vacation days and using all but two of them. Americans, responses may not be surprising in a culture where long hours on the job often are valued, but that’s not always good for the individual, the family or the employer.
Psychologists have also found that people who don’t take enough time to relax may find it harder to relax in the future. “Without time and opportunity to do this, the nerve connections that produce feelings of calm and peacefulness become weaker, making it actually more difficult to shift into less-stressed states,” Mulhem said.How did the author introduce the topic of the text?
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By giving an example. |
| C．By raising questions. | D．By providing data. |
Expedia’s survey shows that Americans _____.
| A．dislike family gatherings |
| B．have the shortest vacation |
| C．enjoy as many vacations as the French |
| D．think much of spending long hours on the job |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．One should never wait to relax. | B．Work and rest go against each other. |
| C．Time and opportunity wait for no man. | D．A relaxed mind determines everything. |
I work with Volunteers for Wildlife, a rescue and education organization at Bailey Arboretum in Locust Valley. Trying to help injured, displaced or sick creatures can be heartbreaking; survival is never certain. However, when it works, it is simply beautiful.
I got a rescue call from a woman in Muttontown. She had found a young owl(猫头鹰) on the ground. When I arrived, I saw a 2-to 3-week-old owl. It had already been placed in a carrier for safety.
I examined the chick(雏鸟) and it seemed fine. If I could locate the nest, I might have been able to put it back, but no luck. My next work was to construct a nest and anchor it in a tree.
The homeowner was very helpful. A wire basket was found. I put some pine branches into the basket to make this nest safe and comfortable. I placed the chick in the nest, and it quickly calmed down.
Now all that was needed were the parents, but they were absent. I gave the homeowner a recording of the hunger screams of owl chicks. These advertise the presence of chicks to adults; they might also encourage our chick to start calling as well. I gave the owner as much information as possible and headed home to see what news the night might bring.
A nervous night to be sure, but sometimes the spirits of nature smile on us all! The homeowner called to say that the parents had responded to the recordings. I drove over and saw the chick in the nest looking healthy and active. And it was accompanied in the nest by the greatest sight of all - LUNCH! The parents had done their duty and would probably continue to do so.
24. What is unavoidable in the author's rescue work according to paragraph 1?
| A． |
Efforts made in vain. |
| B． |
Getting injured in his work. |
| C． |
Feeling uncertain about his future. |
| D． |
Creatures forced out of their homes. |
25. Why was the author called to Muttontown?
| A． |
To rescue a woman. |
| B． |
To take care of a woman. |
| C． |
To look at a baby owl. |
| D． |
To cure a young owl. |
26. What made the chick calm down?
| A． |
A new nest. |
| B． |
Some food. |
| C． |
A recording. |
| D． |
Its parents. |
27. How would the author feel about the outcome of the event?
| A． |
It's unexpected. |
| B． |
It's beautiful. |
| C． |
It's humorous. |
| D． |
It's discouraging. |
Pacific Science Center Guide
◆ Visit Pacific Science Center's Store
Don't forget to stop by Pacific Science Center's Store while you are here to pick up a wonderful science activity or souvenir to remember your visit. The store is located(位于) upstairs in Building 3 right next to the Laster Dome.
◆ Hungry
Our exhibits will feed your mind but what about your body? Our café offers a complete menu of lunch and snack options, in addition to seasonal specials. The café is located upstairs in Building 1 and is open daily until one hour before Pacific Science Center closes.
◆ Rental Information
Lockers are available to store any belongings during your visit. The lockers are located in Building 1 near the Information Desk and in Building 3. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent at the Information Desk and Denny Way entrance. ID required.
◆S upport Pacific Science Center
Since 1962 Pacific Science Center has been inspiring a passion(热情) for discovery and lifelong learning in science, math and technology. Today Pacific Science Center serves more than 1.3 million people a year and beings inquiry-based science education to classrooms and community events all over Washington State. It's an amazing accomplishment and one we cannot achieve without generous support from individuals, corporations, and other social organizations. Wish pacificorganzier.org to find various ways you can support Pacific Science Center.
21. Where can you buy a souvenir at Pacific Science Center?
| A． |
In Building 1. |
| B． |
In Building 3. |
| C． |
At the last Dome. |
| D． |
At the Denny Way entrance. |
22. What does Pacific Science Center do for schools?
| A． |
Train Science teachers. |
| B． |
Distribute science books. |
| C． |
Distribute scientific research. |
| D． |
Take science to the classroom. |
23. What is the purpose of the last part of the text?
| A． |
To encourage donations. |
| B． |
To advertise coming events. |
| C． |
To introduce special exhibits. |
| D． |
To tell about the Center's history. |
Bad news sells. If it bleeds, it leads. No news is good news, and good news is no news. Those are the classic rules for the evening broadcasts and the morning papers.But now that information is being spread and monitored(监控) in different ways, researchers are discovering new rules. By tracking people's e-mails and online posts, scientists have found that good news can spread faster and farther than disasters and sob stories.
"The 'if it bleeds' rule works for mass media," says Jonah Berger, a scholar at the University of Pennsylvania. "They want your eyeballs and don't care how you're feeling. But when you share a story with your friends, you care a lot more how they react. You don't want them to think of you as a Debbie Downer."
Researchers analyzing word-of-mouth communication-e-mails, Web posts and reviews, face-to-face conversations-found that it tended to be more positive than negative(消极的), but that didn't necessarily mean people preferred positive news. Was positive news shared more often simply because people experienced more good things than bad things? To test for that possibility, Dr. Berger looked at how people spread a particular set of news stories: thousands of articles on The New York Times' website. He and a Penn colleague analyzed the "most e-mailed" list for six months. One of his first findings was that articles in the science section were much more likely to make the list than non-science articles. He found that science amazed Times' readers and made them want to share this positive feeling with others.
Readers also tended to share articles that were exciting or funny, or that inspired negative feelings like anger or anxiety, but not articles that left them merely sad. They needed to be aroused(激发) one way or the other, and they preferred good news to bad. The more positive an article, the more likely it was to be shared, as Dr. Berger explains in his new book, "Contagious: Why Things Catch On."
12 .What do the classic rules mentioned in the text apply to?
| A． |
News reports. |
B． |
Research papers. |
| C． |
Private e-mails. |
D． |
Daily conversations． |
13.What can we infer about people like Debbie Downer?
| A． |
They're socially inactive. |
| B． |
They're good at telling stories. |
| C． |
They're inconsiderate of others. |
| D． |
They're careful with their words. |
14.Which tended to be the most e-mailed according to Dr. Berger's research?
| A． |
A . Sports new. |
B． |
Science articles. |
| C． |
Personal accounts. |
D． |
Financial reviews. |
15 .What can be a suitable title for the text?
| A． |
Sad Stories Travel Far and Wide |
| B． |
B .Online News Attracts More People |
| C． |
Reading Habits Change with the Times |
| D． |
Good News Beats Bad on Social Networks |
If you are a fruit grower-or would like to become one-take advantage of Apple Day to see what's around.
It's called Apple Day but in practice it's more like Apple Month. The day itself is on October 21, but sinceit has
caught on, events now spread out over most of October around Britain.
Visiting an apple event is a good chance to see, and often taste, a wide variety of apples. To people who are used to the limited choice of apples such as Golden Delicious and Royal Gala in supermarkets, it can be quite an eye opener to see the range of classical apples still in existence, such as Decio which was grown by the Romans. Although it doesn't taste of anything special, it's still worth a try, as is the knobbly(多疙瘩的) Cat's Head which is more of a curiosity than anything else.
There are also varieties developed to suit specific local conditions. One of the very best varieties for eating quality is Orleans Reinette, but you'll need a warm, sheltered place with perfect soil to grow it, so it's a pipe dreamfor most apple lovers who fall for it.
At the events, you can meet expert growers and discuss which ones will best suit your conditions, and because these are family affairs, children are well catered for with apple-themed fun and games.
Apple Days are being held at all sorts of places with an interest in fruit, including stately gardens and commercial orchards(果园).If you want to have a real orchard experience, try visiting the National Fruit Collection at Brogdale, near Faversham in Kent.
8.What can people do at the apple events?
| A． |
Attend experts' lectures. |
B． |
Visit fruit-loving families. |
| C． |
Plant fruit trees in an orchard. |
D． |
Taste many kinds of apples. |
9.What can we learn about Decio?
| A． |
It is a new variety. |
B． |
It has a strange look. |
| C． |
It is rarely seen now. |
D． |
It has a special taste. |
10.What does the underlined phrase "a pipe dream" in Paragraph 3mean?
| A． |
A practical idea. |
B． |
A vain hope. |
| C． |
A brilliant plan. |
D． |
A selfish desire. |
11.What is the author's purpose in writing the text?
| A． |
To show how to grow apples. |
| B． |
B .To introduce an apple festival. |
| C． |
To help people select apples. |
| D． |
To promote apple research. |
On one of her trips to New York several years ago, Eudora Welty decided to take a couple of New York friends out to dinner. They settled in at a comfortable East Side cafe and within minutes, another customer was approaching their table.
"Hey, aren't you from Mississippi?" the elegant, white-haired writer remembered being asked by the stranger. "I'm from Mississippi too."
Without a second thought, the woman joined the Welty party. When her dinner partner showed up, she also pulled up a chair.
"They began telling me all the news of Mississippi," Welty said. "I didn't know what my New York friends were thinking."
Taxis on a rainy New York night are rarer than sunshine. By the time the group got up to leave, it was pouring outside. Welty's new friends immediately sent a waiter to find a cab. Heading back downtown toward her hotel, her big-city friends were amazed at the turn of events that had changed their Big Apple dinner into a Mississippi.
"My friends said: 'Now we believe your stories,'" Welty added. "And I said: 'Now you know. These are the people that make me write them.'"
Sitting on a sofa in her room, Welty, a slim figure in a simple gray dress, looked pleased with this explanation.
"I don't make them up," she said of the characters in her fiction these last 50 or so years. "I don't have to."
Beauticians, bartenders, piano players and people with purple hats, Welty's people come from afternoons spent visiting with old friends, from walks through the streets of her native Jackson, Miss., from conversations overheard on a bus. It annoys Welty that, at 78, her left ear has now given out. Sometimes, sitting on a bus or a train, she hears only a fragment(片段) of a particularly interesting story.
5.What happened when Welty was with her friends at the cafe?
| A． |
Two strangers joined her. |
| B． |
Her childhood friends came in. |
| C． |
A heavy rain ruined the dinner. |
| D． |
Some people held a party there. |
6.The underlined word "them" in Paragraph 6 refers to Welty's＿＿＿＿.
| A． |
readers |
B． |
parties |
C． |
friends |
D． |
stories |
7.What can we learn about the characters in Welty's fiction?
| A． |
They live in big cities. |
| B． |
They are mostly women. |
| C． |
They come from real life. |
| D． |
They are pleasure seekers. |