In today's fast-paced (快节奏) society, few people take time to enjoy the midday meal.Most of us just rush right through it. We grab a quick salad, or buy a sandwich and eat at our computers, Sometimes, if there is a deadline around the corner, we just skip lunch.
The development of technology hasn't done our eating habits much good either.We are constantly distracted by e-mail, social media, and 24 - hour news.Even when we do sit down for lunch, we are more connected to our hand - held electronic devices.
Long working hours can cause all kinds of health problems, and many developed countries have put in place labor laws specifically regarding the lunch break.These laws give employees the right to take a break during a long work shift, but it's up to them whether they do so or not.
Frank Partnoy, a former Wall Street trader, says that employers should encourage workers to take time off for lunch.This is because long lunch breaks can benefit both individuals and society.
Writing in The Guardian, Partnoy says that one obvious reason to take a lunch break is to slow down and gain some perspective(认识). A break from work allows us to think strategically and outside the box.It also puts our daily tasks into a broader context(背景).
What we eat at lunch is also important.In Partnoy' s opinion, a fast food lunch is more harmful than not having lunch at all. And it's not just about calories and unhealthy food.Recent studies show that fast food also has negative effects on how we think.
However, if we sit down at a proper restaurant and chat leisurely with colleagues, we are more likely to slow down, something that hardly can be achieved in a noisy and over — packed fast food chain.
Despite these benefits, some employees might still be unwilling to take time off for lunch.Partnoy's suggestion? Make skipping lunch difficult: Employers could ask workers to fill out a form stating their reasons for skipping the meal.What does the underlined phrase "skip lunch" mean in the first paragraph?
| A.have a quick lunch | B.don't have lunch |
| C.work while having lunch | D.take a lunch break |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
| A.Modern technology results in good diet habits. |
| B.Electronic devices make our life comfortable. |
| C.Many people are too busy to have a good lunch. |
| D.Laws have passed to make workers have lunch. |
According to Frank Partnoy, long lunch breaks .
| A.are time for the workers to relax their mind |
| B.make the employees work longer hours |
| C.are for employees to have a quick lunch |
| D.make the workers eat a proper lunch at home |
In Partnoy's opinion, a fast food lunch .
| A.saves a lot of time for a rest |
| B.affects people's way of thinking |
| C.is better than having no lunch |
| D.makes workers sit down and think |
What might be the author's purpose in writing the text?
| A.To warn us not to eat fast food. |
| B.To introduce Frank Partnoy's opinion. |
| C.To encourage us to work more efficiently. |
| D.To show the importance of a proper lunch. |
It was midnight in Paris and we were rolling toward Avenue Bosguet. As we came to the Pont Alexandra Ⅲ, the taxi slowed down, for the traffic light was red against us, and then, without stopping, we sailed through the red in a sudden burst of speed. The same performance was repeated at the Alma Bridge. As I paid the driver, I asked him why he had driven through two red lights.
“You ought to be ashamed of yourself, breaking the law and endangering your life that way,” I protested.
He looked at me, astonished. “Ashamed of myself? I am a law abiding(守法的)citizen and have no desire to get killed either.” He cut me off before I could protest.
“No, just listen to me before you complain.What did I do? Went through a red light. Well, did you ever stop to consider what a red light is, what it means?”
“Certainly,” I replied. “It’s a stop signal and means that traffic is rolling in the opposite direction.”
“Half-right,” said the driver, “but incomplete. It’s only an automatic stop signal. And it does not mean that there is cross traffic. Did you see any cross traffic during our trip? Of course not. I slowed down at the light, looked carefully to the right and to the left. Not another car on the street at this hour. Well, then! What would you have me do? Should I stop like a stupid animal because an automatic, brainless machine turns red every forty seconds? No, sir,” he shouted. “I am a man, not a machine. I have eyes and a brain and judgment, given me by God. Ashamed of myself, you say? I would only be ashamed of myself if I let those blinking lamps do my thinking for me. Good night ,sir.”
Is this bad, is this good? Frankly I am no longer sure...
60. At the Alma Bridge, ______.
A. the writer stopped the taxi and paid the driver
B. the taxi went through a red light again
C. there was a performance the writer had already watched
D. the writer began to criticize the driver
61. To the taxi driver, a red light ______.
A. was not a stop signal
B. should not work at midnight
C. sometimes made mistakes in judgment
D. didn’t always mean that there was cross traffic
62. The main reason the driver dared to drive through the red light was that ______.
A. he found there was no cross traffic there at that time
B. he thought it a shame to be controlled by a machine
C. he knew no other driver would see him at this hour
D. he didn’t trust any brainless machine
63. According to the passage, the driver thought what he had done was ______.
A. law abiding(守法的) B .lawbreaking
C. something to be proud of D .something to be ashamed of
第三部分:阅读理解(共15题,每题2分,共30分)
If you do not use your arms or your legs for some time, they become weak; when you start using them again, they slowly become strong again. Everybody knows that. Yet many people do not seem to know that memory works in the same way.
When someone says that he has a good memory, he really means that he keeps his memory in practice by using it. When someone else says that his memory is poor, he really means that he does not give it enough chance to become strong.
If a friend says that his arms and legs are weak, we know that it is his fault. But if he tells us that he has a poor memory, many of us think that his parents are to blame(责备), and few of us know that it is just his own fault.
Have you ever found that some people can't read or write but they have better memories? This is because they cannot read or write and they have to remember things; they cannot write them down in a little notebook. They have to remember days, names, songs and stories; so their memory is the whole time being exercised.
So if you want to have a good memory, learn from the people: practise remembering.
56. The main reason for one's poor memory is that ______.
A. his memory is not often used
B. he does not use his arms or legs for some time
C. his father or mother may have a poor memory
D. he can't read or write
57. If you do not use your arms or legs for some time, ______.
A. you can't use them any more
B. they will become stronger
C. they become weak and won't become strong until you use them again
D. they become weak but they slowly become strong again
58. Some people can't read or write, but they usually have better memories, because ______.
A. they have saved much trouble
B. they have saved much time to remember things
C. they can't write everything in a little notebook
D. they have to use their memories all the time
59. Which is the best title of the passage?
A. Don't Stop Using Your Arms Or Legs B. How To Have A Good Memory
C. Strong Arms And Good Memories D. Learn From The People
I really love my job because I enjoy working with small children and like the challenges and awards from the job. I also think my work is important. There was a time when I thought that I would never have that sort of career.
I wasn’t an excellent student because I didn’t do much schoolwork. In my final term I started thinking what I might do and found I didn’t have much to offer. I just accepted that I wasn’t the type to have a career.
I then found myself a job, looking after two little girls. It wasn’t too hard at first. But the problems began when I agreed to live in, so that I would be there if my boss had to go out for business in the evening. We agreed that if I had to work extra hours one week, she’d give me time off the next. But unfortunately, it didn’t often work out. I was getting extremely tired and fed up because I had too many late nights and early mornings with the children.
One Sunday, I was in the park with the children and met Megan who used to go to school with me. I told her about my situation. She suggested that I should do a course and get a qualification if I wanted to work with children. I didn’t think I would be accepted because I didn’t take many exams in school. She persuaded me to phone the local college and they were really helpful. My experience counted for a lot and I got a part-time course. I had to leave my job with the family and got work helping out at a kindergarten.
Now I have got a full-time job there. I shall always be thankful to Megan. I wish I had known earlier that you could have a career even if you aren’t top of the class at school.
47. What is the author’s present job?
A. Working part-time in a college. B. Taking care of children in a family.
C. Helping children with their schoolwork. D. Looking after children at a kindergarten.
48. When staying with the two girls’ family, the author _______.
A. was paid for extra work B. often worked long hours
C. got much help from her boss D. took a day off every other week
49. What has the author learned from her own experiences?
A. Less successful students can still have a career.
B. Qualifications are necessary for a career.
C. Hard work makes an excellent student.
D. One must chose the job she likes.
50. What does the underlined sentence probably mean?
A. The boss didn’t go out to work very often.
B. The boss often failed to keep his agreement with the writer.
C. The writer couldn’t go out to find another job.
D. The writer seldom had any chance to work outside.
Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probably sing or whistle when you are happy.
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.
Do you know what a ‘territory’ is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims (声称) as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species are welcome. Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.
If so, you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting(筑巢)season. So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.
Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs.
You can see that birds have a language all their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.
43. Some scientists believe that most of the time bird’s singing is actually________.
A. an expression of happiness B. a way of warning
C. an expression of anger D. a way of greeting
44. What is a bird’s ‘territory’?
A. A place where families of other species are not accepted.
B. A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice.
C. An area for which birds fight against each other.
D. An area which a bird considers to be its own.
45. Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?
A. Because they want to invite more friends.
B. Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away.
C. Because they want to find outsiders around.
D. Because their singing helps get rid of their fears.
46. How does the writer explain bird’s singing?
A. By comparing birds with human beings. B. By reporting experiment results.
C. By describing birds’ daily life. D. By telling a bird’s story.
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A. help readers understand them B. persuade readers to buy them
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