Urbanization
(2013·高考北京卷)Until relatively recently，the vast majority of human beings lived and died without ever seeing a city.The first city was probably founded no more than 5,500 years ago.__ __In fact，nearly everyone lived on farms or in tiny rural (乡村的) villages.It was not until the 20th century that Great Britain became the first urban society in history—a society in which the majority of people live in cities and do not farm for a living.
Britain was only the beginning. __The process of urbanization—the migration (迁徙) of people from the countryside to the city—was the result of modernization，which has rapidly transformed how people live and where they live.
In 1990，fewer than 40% of Americans lived in urban areas.Today，over 82% of Americans live in cities.Only about 2% live on farms.__ __
Large cities were impossible until agriculture became industrialized.Even in advanced agricultural societies，it took about ninetyfive people on farms to feed five people in cities._ _Until modern times，those living in cities were mainly the ruling elite(精英) and the servants，laborers and professionals who served them.Cities survived by taxing farmers and were limited in size by the amount of surplus food that the rural population produced and by the ability to move this surplus from farm to city.
Over the past two centuries，the Industrial Revolution has broken this balance between the city and the country. _Today，instead of needing ninetyfive farmers to feed five city people，one American farmer is able to feed more than a hundred nonfarmers.
| A．That kept cities very small. |
| B．The rest live in small towns. |
| C．The effects of urban living on people should be considered. |
| D．Soon many other industrial nations became urban societies. |
E．But even 200 years ago，only a few people could live in cities.
F．Modernization drew people to the cities and made farmers more productive.
G．Modern cities have destroyed social relations and the health of human beings.
A university graduate described as a “respectable and intelligent” woman is seeking professional help after being convicted of （证明有……罪）shoplifting for the second time in six months.
Ana Luz, recently studying for her Phd, has been told she could end up behind bars unless she can control the desire to steal from shops .
Luz ,who lives with her partner in Fitzwilliam Road ,Cambridge ,admitted stealing clothes worth ￡9.95 from John Lewis in Oxford Street ,London ,on March 9.
Phillip Lemoyne ,prosecuting（起诉）,said Luz selected some clothes from a display and took them to the ladies’ toilet in the store .When she came out again she was wearing one of the skirts she had selected ,having taken off the anti-theft security alarms（防盗警报装置）.
She was stopped and caught after leaving the store without paying , Mr. Lemoyne said.
He added that she was upset on her arrest and apologized for her actions.
Luz,28, was said to have been convicted of shoplifting by Cambridge judges last October ,but Morag Duff, defending ,said she had never been in trouble with the police before that .
“She is ashamed and embarrassed but doesn’t really have any explanation why she did this ,” Miss Duff said . “She didn’t intend to steal when she went into the store .She is at a loss to explain it. She is otherwise a very respectable and intelligent young lady .She went to her doctor and asked for advice because she wants to know if there is anything in particular that caused her to do this.”
Judge David Azan fined Luz ￡ 50, and warned : “You’ve got a criminal record .If you carry on like this ,you will end up in prison ,which will ruin your bright future you may have.”
Luz achieved a degree in design at university in her native Spain ,went on to a famous university in Berlin , Germany for her master’s degree and is now studying for a PhD at Cambridge University ,UK.What is Ana Luz’s nationality?
| A．American. | B．British. |
| C．Spanish. | D．German. |
What does the underlined sentence “She is at a loss to explain it” mean?
| A．In her opinion it was a loss to the clothes shops where she stole things . |
| B．She doesn’t have any idea why she has the desire to steal from shops . |
| C．She thinks it is a loss for her to explain why she stole things from shops. |
| D．Personally she feels ashamed and embarrassed for her shoplifting actions. |
Which of the following best explains the meaning of the word “shoplifting” used in the passage?
| A．Carrying goods in a lift for a shop. |
| B．Taking goods to the ladies’ toilet . |
| C．Selecting some goods from a display. |
| D．Taking goods from a shop without paying. |
From the passage we can learn that .
| A．Ana Luz is already got her PhD at Cambridge University ,UK |
| B．Ana Luz is ashamed and embarrassed and knows why she often did so |
| C．the university graduate will be put in prison if she steals in shops once more |
| D．Phillip Lemoyne is the “respectable and intelligent” woman’s defense lawyer |
Good health is the most valuable thing a person can have, but one cannot take good health for granted. It is important to remember that the body needs proper care in order to be healthy. There are three things that a person can do to help stay in good shape: eat right food, get enough sleep, and exercise regularly.
Proper nutrition (营养) is important for good health. Your body cannot work well unless it receives the proper kind of “fuel” (燃料). Don't eat too much food with lots of sugar and fat. Eat plenty of foods high in protein (蛋白质) , like meat, fish, eggs and nuts. Vegetables and fruits are very important because they provide necessary vitamins and minerals. However, don't overeat. It is not helpful to be overweight.
Getting the proper amount of sleep is also important. If you don't get enough sleep, you feel tired and easily get angry. You have no energy. Over a long period of time a little amount of sleep may even result in a change of personality (个性).Be sure to allow yourself from seven to nine hours of sleep each night. If you do, your body will feel strong and refreshed, and your mind will be sharp.
Finally, get plenty of exercise. Exercise forms the body, strengthens the muscles, and prevents you from gaining weight. It also improves your heart and lungs. If you follow a regular exercise program, you will probably increase your life-span (寿命).Any kind of exercise is good. Most sports are excellent for keeping the body in good shapes: basketball, swimming, bicycling, running and so on are good examples. Sports are not only good for your body, but they are enjoyable and interesting, too.
If everybody, were to eat the right foods, get plenty of sleep and exercise regularly, the world would be a happier and healthier place. We would all live to be much older and wiser.According to the passage,_________.
| A．we should always keep fit |
| B．if we were healthy, we could spend our days in doing things with less sleep |
| C．one can eat a lot to stay in good shape |
| D．one needn't take any exercise if he is healthy |
In order to keep good health, ___________ .
| A．we should eat a lot of sweets |
| B．one needs a large amount of fat |
| C．people should eat according to the foods nutrition |
| D．we must try to sleep now and then |
Eating more and sleeping less________.
| A．can keep healthy | B．is no good for you |
| C．gets you more energy | D．will keep your personality |
The title of the article should be___________.
| A．Eating and Exercising |
| B．How Vitamins Work in Man's Body |
| C．Staying Healthy |
| D．Sleeping Well |
People in the United States honor their parents with 2 special days: Mother’s Day on the second Sunday in May and Father’s Day on the 3rd Sunday in June. These days are to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens. They give love and care. These two days offer an opportunity to think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home and more fathers must help with childcare.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On mother’s Day, people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It’s also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery (grave). On these days families get together at home as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecue for Father’s Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are more valued than those bought in stores. It’s not the value of the gift that is important, but “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores, florists, candy makers, bakers, phone companies and other stores do lots of business during these holidays.Which is NOT a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?
| A．Parents bring up children. |
| B．Parents give love and care to children. |
| C．Parents educate children to be good persons. |
| D．Parents pass away before children grow up. |
What do you know from the passage?
| A．Both festivals are in May. |
| B．Fewer women worked outside the home in the past. |
| C．Not all the children respect their parents. |
| D．Fathers are not as important as mothers at home. |
Which do you know about “carnation”?
| A．It only has two kinds of color. |
| B．It refers to the special clothes people wear on Mother’s Day. |
| C．It’s a kind of flower showing love and best wishes. |
| D．People can wear them only on the second Sunday in May. |
On Mother’s Day and Father’s Day ___________.
| A．people sometimes have family parties |
| B．everyone goes to the cemetery |
| C．children always go to parents’ home |
| D．hand-made cards are the most valuable gifts. |
Every hour spent in watching TV, DVDs and videos as an adult reduces life expectancy by almost 22 minutes, a study suggests. And viewing TV for an average of six hours a day can cut short your life by five years.
The research claims that a sedentary(久坐的) lifestyle is as bad for health as smoking and obesity, because of the dangers caused by inactivity and the greater opportunities it offers for unhealthy eating.
The academics conducting the study set out to calculate the overall risk to life expectancy from watching television. Their research involved more than 11,000 people over the age of 25.
Writing in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, they concluded. "TV viewing time may be associated with a loss of life, which is similar to other major chronic disease risk factors such as physical inactivity and obesity."
The researchers, from the University of Queensland, used information from the Australian Diabetes, Obesity and Lifestyle Study, together with population and death rate data.
But they said: "Although we used Australian data, the effects in other industrialized and developing countries are likely to be similar, considering the large amounts of time spent watching TV and similarities in disease patterns." In the United Kingdom, the average amount of time spent watching TV is four hours a day, compared with five hours in the United States.
Earlier this year, a separate study suggested the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and heart disease, or dying early, rises by as much as 20 percent after just two hours a day in front of the box.
England's Chief Medical Officer, Sally Davies, said: "Physical activity offers huge benefits and these studies back what we already know - that a sedentary lifestyle carries additional risks. We hope these studies will help more people realize that there are many ways to get exercise."We can learn from the passage that_______
| A．whether you watch TV or not has nothing to do with how long you will live |
| B．if an adult watches TV for six hours every day, he will die five years earlier |
| C．physical inactivity and obesity won't shorten your life |
| D．a sedentary lifestyle offers huge benefits. |
The word "it" in the second paragraph refers to
| A．a sedentary lifestyle |
| B．eating |
| C．smoking |
| D．obesity |
What do we know from the last three paragraphs?
| A．People in the United Kingdom watch TV longer than those in the United States. |
| B．That a sedentary lifestyle carries additional risks isn't supported by other studies. |
| C．Watching TV for two hours a day will increase the risk of illnesses or dying early by 20%. |
| D．It is through these studies that we know a sedentary lifestyle carries additional risks. |
The passage is intended to _______.
| A．inform the readers of a research on watching TV |
| B．warn the readers of the harm of watching TV and hope they do sports |
| C．tell the readers watching TV is also a good way to relax |
| D．tell the readers large amounts of people often watch TV |
A woman Vicki once knew a young person named Susan at church. Susan always seemed happy, although Vicki knew she had faced struggles in her life. Her long-awaited marriage had quickly ended in divorce, but her whole face seemed to smile.
One day Vicki asked Susan,“How is it that you are always so happy, you have so much energy, and you never seem to get down?”
With her eyes smiling, Susan said,“I know the secret!”
“What secret is that? What are you talking about?”Vicki asked.
Susan replied,“The secret is this: I have learned there is little I can do in my life that will make me truly happy. I must depend on God to make me happy and meet my needs. When a need arises in my life, I have to trust God to supply according to HIS riches. I have learned most of the time I don’t need half of what I think I do. He has never let me down. Since I learned that secret, I am happy.”
Vicki thought first, “That’s too simple!” But upon reflecting over her own life, she remembered how she thought a bigger house would make her happy, but it didn’t! She thought a better-paying job would make her happy, but it didn’t. When did she realize her greatest happiness? Sitting on the floor with her grandchildren, playing games, eating pizza or reading a story, this is a simple gift from God.What do we know about Susan?
| A．She lived a very happy life with her family. |
| B．She always wore a pretended smile on her face. |
| C．She had her own share of trouble in life. |
| D．She could overcome every difficulty in life. |
What is Susan’s secret of happiness?
| A．Carrying out your promise |
| B．Never wanting much in life |
| C．Depending on God |
| D．Brushing away your worries |
Vicki used to _____.
| A．get happiness from better –paying work |
| B．live a happy life in a big house |
| C．be at a loss as to what the real happiness was |
| D．enjoy the simple things in life |
After hearing Susan’s words , Vicki ________.
| A．sold her big house and quit job |
| B．changed her idea about happiness |
| C．still doubted about her life |
| D．found a simple gift from God . |