Valentine’s Day, for many couples, means cards, flowers, and candlelight dinners. For most couples it also means withdrawing money at the ATM to express their love. Fortunately, there are ways to save money by saving energy — even during the date — so you can spend the money you save on the things that really matter to your sweetheart. Here are five easy tips for those couples out there who want to save energy and save money:
A fireplace is always a perfect background to set up holiday decorations because of the space it provides, in addition to the grand role it plays in the house as being an important part of each room. If you plan on spending your Valentine’s Day near the fireplace, be sure to prevent the heat loss and make sure of the chimney efficiency. If you never use your fireplace, plug and seal the chimney flue.
If you plan on having a nice, romantic dinner at home and want to set the mood with proper lighting, use energy efficient light bulbs that save you money, and look for bulbs that are lower in lumens. Lumens tell you the brightness of the bulb. The lower the lumens, the weaker the light.
For those who plan to cook that romantic dinner, there are some simple energy efficient ways you can prepare that meal. For example, did you know that if you’re baking in a china or glass dish, you can typically set your oven for 25 degrees less than the recipe calls for? Learn more about saving energy while cooking.
For those couples who would like to have a movie night, plug your TV and DVD into an electronic power strip to save money on your gas of the car. By plugging in electronic devices into a power strip and turning it off when not in use, you can save up to $100 per year.
If you plan on going on a romantic “escape” from your house by car, be sure to check out these tips to reduce fuel consumption and costs.How do most people spend their Valentine’s Day according to the passage?
| A．They make green trips by riding bikes or walking dogs. |
| B．They go to visit their parents or grandparents together. |
| C．They stay at home making delicious food for lovers. |
| D．They spend money creating romantic environment. |
What does the author advise you to do when you use a fireplace that night?
| A．Try to burn less wood by covering the chimney. |
| B．Try to use more wood to produce more heat. |
| C．Try to hold more heat by using it effectively. |
| D．Try to make the room wetter than usual. |
What does the author advise you to do if you choose to have dinner at home?
| A．Choose the bulbs without lumens. |
| B．Choose the bulbs with lower lumens. |
| C．Choose the small bulbs with higher lumens. |
| D．Choose the colorful bulbs as many as possible. |
How should you cook meals according to the author?
| A．Adjust electricity amount according to different dishes. |
| B．Set the oven for 25 degrees higher than required. |
| C．Try to cook all kinds of food with a china dish. |
| D．Try to bake some cakes in a glass dish. |
What is the greenest way for you to see a film on Valentine’s Day?
| A．Just watch a DVD at home. | B．Just see the film in the running car. |
| C．Go to the nearest theatre by bike. | D．“Escape” from your house by car. |
Brian Walker chews pens. He bites them so hard that his boss has warned him to stop or buy his own. Kate’s weakness is more acceptable-she is unable to walk past a cake shop without overeating Sophin Cartier finds her cigarette habit a headache, while Alice’s thumb-sucking drives her boy friend crazy. Four people with very different habits, but they all share a common problem anxiety disorder or, in serious cases. Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD).
From nail-biting to too much hand-washing, overeating and internet addiction（上瘾）,OCD is widespread in almost every workplace and countless home. “It is a relatively common form of anxiety,” says Dr. Mootee. “The main feature of OCD is the repetition of unwanted obsessive（过度的） thoughts such as worries that doors are left unlocked , gas or electrical appliances are left on.” In order to fight against the an esasy checking door locks and gas or electrical appliances.
Dr. Mootee says that repetitive washing, particularly of the hands, is the most common type of OCD. She has treated many patients who wash their hands up to 30 times a day. The technique Mootee uses to treat people with OCD is called cognitive-behavioral therapy（认知行为疗法）.“It is based on the general idea that people have the ability to change the way they think and behave,” says Mootee.
But when does a habit become a problem? “It’s personal,” says Mootee.“Everyone has something unusual, but if you can’t put up with it, then it’s a problem and you need to do something to change it.”Mootee says many people resist for treatment because they fear they are “crazy”. But as people become more knowledgeable about these problems they will go and get help. The only way to cure is to conquer If a person suffers from OCD, be is likely to keep doing any of the following EXCEPT .
| A．chewing pens | B．hurting himself |
| C．sucking fingers | D．biting nails |
According to the passage, a person suffering from OCD .
| A．reduces his/her anxiety by taking drugs |
| B．gets into unwanted habits to relieve stress |
| C．has unwanted thoughts about habits |
| D．has unwanted thoughts because of illness |
Dr. Mootee’s treating lechnique is based ont eh idea that .
| A．everyone has something different |
| B．people can put up with their problems |
| C．people can change their way of thinking and action |
| D．people tend to repeat their obsessive actions |
By saying “The only way to cure is to conquer.” Dr. Mootee suggests that an OCD sufferer .
| A．has to be an extraordinary person |
| B．must cure his illness by himself |
| C．must overcome many physical illnesses |
| D．should have a right attitude towards the problem |
A woman whose sports car was stolen with her dog in it put up notices all over the area that made it clear getting back her pet was more important than her car．
“Whoever did this can keep my car．Please let Benjerman come home,” the notice said．
It is not known whether the thief showed any pity, but almost 30 hours after the 1 pm theft Friday, Kimberly Atkins of Dover and Benjerman，a 12-year-old black retriever（猎犬），were reunited after police located them in Barrington．
“He’s hungry, he’s dirty, but he’s very happy to be home，”Atkins said．
The car was found at about 5 pm Saturday off Route 125 in a swampy area frequented by off-the-road cars and dirt bikes．However, the police couldn’t control Benjerman，and they had to call Atkins to come and get him．
Atkins said the thief cared for Benjerman a little by providing him with some dry cat food．She believed Benjerman ended up drinking some muddy water in the area．
She said they have been together for nearly 11 years after she took him back from a society shelter in Dallas, Texas．
Before Benjerman was found，Atkins and several friends put up notices all over the city and in Somersworth．They also contacted animal shelters，throughout southern New Hampshire and Massachusetts.
The notice stated there was a reward，and also that the dog needed medication．Any caller could remain anonymous（匿名的）．
Atkins had parked the car outside a hardware store with the keys inside and gone in to rent a carpet cleaner.
¨It was l0 minutes and I came out and my car was gone along with Benjerman in broad daylight，” Atkins said．The car thief threw Atkins’ wallet and other personal items out of the car before escaping from the scene．What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A car with a dog was stolen |
| B．Lucky dog was returned to his owner |
| C．Stealing cars：a most important social problem |
| D．Woman wants dog back more than stolen car |
Which of the following shows the correct order of what happened?
a．Notices were put up saying there was a reward．
b．Atkins saw Benjerman again．
c．Police found Atkins’car．
d．Atkins took Benjerman back from a society shelter．
e．Atkins hired a carpet cleaner in a hardware store．
| A．d,e,a, b,c | B．d,e,a,c,b | C．e,a,d,b,c | D．e,a,c,d,b |
We can infer from the passage ．
| A．the dog was treated extremely badly by the thief |
| B．car stolen accidents happen frequently nowadays |
| C．the dog was found because of the reward |
| D．the thief stole the car easily |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Benjerman was sent back immediately after Atkins put up the notices． |
| B．Atkins and her friends made a great effort to look for Benierman． |
| C．The thief gave the dog back but kept the sports car． |
| D．The dog was back at 1 pm on a Friday． |
Childhood is a happy time, right? Not necessarily. Consider these facts.
Depression(抑郁症) may occur in as many as 1 in 33 children.
Once a child has an episode(一段情节) of depression, he or she has a 50 percent chance of experiencing another episode in the next 5 years.
Suicide(自杀) is the 6th leading cause of death for 5–to–15-year-olds.
If your child experiences 5 or more of these signs or symptoms(症状) for at least 2 weeks, he or she may be experiencing depression or another mental illness.
| Feeling——Does your child demonstrate: Sadness Emptiness Hopelessness Guilt Worthlessness Lack of enjoyment in everyday pleasures |
Thinking ——Is your child having trouble: Concentrating Making decisions Completing schoolwork Maintaining grades Maintaining friendships |
| Physical problems—Does your child complain of : Headaches Stomachaches Lack of energy Sleeping problems ( too much or too little) Weight or appetite changes ( gain or loss) |
Suicide risk--Does your child talk or think about: Suicide Death Other morbid （生病的）subjects |
| Behavior problems ——Is your child: Irritable Not wanting to go to school Wanting to be alone most of the time Having difficulty getting along with others Cutting classes or skipping school Dropping out of sports, hobbies or other activities Drinking alcohol or using drugs. |
Sometimes, a child who causes problems at school or at home may actually be depressed, according to the American Academy of Child and Adolescent Psychiatry. If you think your child may be depressed, it’s important to have your child treated. Discuss your child’s problems with his or her doctor. The doctor may suggest a referral to a children’s psychologist(心理医生)or psychiatrist（精神病医生）.
Treatment may include individual and family therapy(治疗), along with an antidepressant medication (抗抑郁药)This article is particularly written for ____.
| A．parents | B．teachers | C．children | D．psychologists |
Which statement describes a child who may have physical problems?
| A．The child is always in high mood. |
| B．The child always feels tired but sleeps only four hours a day. |
| C．The child hates to study. |
| D．The child can not concentrate on one thing for a long period. |
When your child always talks about death or other morbid subjects, he or she___
| A．may has trouble in thinking | B．may have suicide risk |
| C．may have behavior problems | D．may have physical problems |
What should we do when we find our kids experiencing depression?
| A．Ask for leave to accompany them at home. |
| B．Ask them to take antidepressant immediately. |
| C．Go to see the doctor. |
| D．Ask them to have a good rest. |
For a clearer picture of what the student knows, most teachers use another kind of examination in addition to objective tests. They use “essay” tests, which require students to write long answers to broad, general questions such as the following: “Mention several ways in which Benjamin Franklin has influenced thinking of people in his own country and in other parts of the world.”
One advantage of the essay test is that it reduces the element of luck. The student cannot get a high score just by making a lucky guess. Another advantage is that it shows the examiner more cares about the student’s ability to put facts together into a meaningful whole. It should show how deeply he has thought about the subject. Sometimes, though, essay tests have disadvantages, too. Some students are able to write rather good answers without really knowing much about the subject, while other students who actually know the material have trouble expressing their ideas in the essay form.
Besides, in an essay test the student’s score may depend upon the examiner’s feelings at the time of reading the answer. If he is feeling tired or bored, the student may receive a lower score than he should. Another examiner reading the same answer might give it a much higher mark. Because of this, the objective test gives each student a fairer chance, and of course it is easier and quicker to score.
Whether an objective test or an essay test is used, problems arise. When some objective questions are used along with some essay questions, however, a fairly clear picture of the student’s knowledge can usually be gotten.What may have been discussed in the previous paragraphs?
| A．The essay test. | B．How teachers test their students. |
| C．How students write their essays. | D．The objective test. |
The essay test is preferred because ______.
| A．it shows more about the student’s understanding of the subject |
| B．it tests the student’s knowledge of the material as well as his expression of ideas |
| C．it gives each student a fairer chance |
| D．its scoring may be influenced by the examiner’s feelings |
The underlined word “this” refers to the fact that ______.
| A．students may receive a lower score in an essay test |
| B．another examiner usually gives the answer a higher mark |
| C．different examiners may give the same essay different scores |
| D．the objective test gives each student a fairer chance |
According to the passage, which of the following statements about the objective test is NOT true?
| A．It is more objective than the essay test in terms of scoring. |
| B．It allows the student to guess the correct answer without really knowing the material. |
| C．It shows the student’s ability to think about difficult problems. |
| D．It is easy and quick to score. |
Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal (信号). Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize (强调) the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job. In many European countries -- like the UK or France -- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or caf6s rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand. I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled. After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment (多元文化环境) will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other. In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to _______.
| A．develop closer relations | B．share the same culture |
| C．get to know each other | D．keep each other company |
The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that _________.
| A．the English prefer to make long speeches |
| B．too many words are of no use |
| C．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature |
| D．even talk and silence can be culturally different |
According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?
| A．By sharing different ways of life. | B．By accepting different habits. |
| C．By recognizing different values. | D．By speaking each other' s languages. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Multicultural Environment. | B．Cross-Cultural Differences. |
| C．How to Understand Each Other. | D．How to Build Up a Relationship. |