Down-to-earth means being honest, open, and easy to deal with. It is a pleasure to find someone who is down-to-earth. A person who is down-to-earth is easy to talk to. He or she accepts others as equals. A down-to-earth person may be an important member of society, of course, but they do not let their importance go to their heads, and they do not consider themselves to be better than others who are less important. Someone who is filled with self-importance and pride, often without cause, is said to have his nose in the air. There is no way a person with his nose in the air can be down-to-earth.
Americans use another expression that is similar in some way to down-to-earth. The expression is both feet on the ground. Someone with both feet on the ground is a person with a good understanding of reality. He has what is called common sense. He may have dreams but he does not allow them to block his knowledge of what is real. The opposite kind of person is one who has his head in the clouds. A man with his head in the clouds is a dreamer whose mind is not in the world. Sometimes such a dreamer can be brought back to reality; and sharp words from the teacher, for example, can usually get a daydreaming student to put both feet back on the ground.
The person who is down-to-earth usually has both feet on the ground. But the opposite is not always true. Someone with both feet on the ground may not be as open and easy to deal with as someone who is down-to-earth. When we have both our feet firmly on the ground, we are realistic and we act honestly and openly toward others, and our lives are like the ground below us, solid and strong.If a person has his nose in the air, he _______.
| A．is confident |
| B．is easy to deal with |
| C．is down to the earth |
| D．is always self-important and pride. |
What can a daydreamer probably be like?
| A．A person full of dreams in life. |
| B．A person with his head in the clouds. |
| C．A person with both his feet on the ground |
| D．A person with a good understanding of reality. |
The underlined sentence “But the opposite is not always true.” most probably means that ______.
| A．the opposite direction is always wrong |
| B．the person who has his nose in the air is not true |
| C．a man with his head in the clouds is often not intelligent |
| D．a person who has both feet on the ground may not be down-to-earth |
From the passage, we can infer the person who is _____ is the most popular kind of person.
| A．down-to-earth | B．standing on the ground |
| C．with his nose in the air | D．with his head in the clouds |
“ Yeah！ Auntie is here! “ screamed my husband’s niece and nephew together. “ Let me get the door!” “ No, let me !” Each one’s goal was to get there first and open the door for their Auntie, Me!
I couldn’t get enough of them, of their youthful love of life, and their excitement every time I visited! To be honest, it was partially because of the Surprise Travel Bag that I carried in. It was a tradition that I started when they were young. Each time I went to see them, I would take a large bag filled with toys, coloring books, candy, magic markers and “games”.
The contents(内容) were different but the rules were not. They included: one may get a turn to choose what activity we would do; another may take a turn to go first when we played a game; ..... We shared the treats after the games and cleaned up after we played . Then, sadly, they watched the Surprise Travel Bag go away with their Auntie.
Now my niece and nephew have grown into young adults. They spend most of their visits listening to their iPods, messaging on their phones.... I completely forgot that I had put my two Surprise Travel Bags in the basement(地下室) until my husband found them this weekend.
I held the bags tightly in my arms, remembering our laughter and fun-filled get-togethers. My big decision now is to whom I will pass the Surprise Travel Bags so that the fun that the bags help to create can continue.When the author came for a visit, the children were _________.
| A．uninterested | B．excited | C．bored | D．upset |
We learn from the passage that the author would ________.
| A．change the contents in the bags |
| B．change the rules each time she visited |
| C．choose the activity for the children |
| D．leave the bag behind for the children |
The author’s purpose in writing the passage is to ________.
| A．sell her Surprise Travel Bags |
| B．show us how to travel happily |
| C．share her good memories |
| D．teach us how to play with children |
Why did the author forget the Surprise Travel Bags?
| A．Because she is too old to remember them. |
| B．Because the children have grown up and have their own interests. |
| C．Because she has put too many things in the basement. |
| D．Because she doesn’t like the children any longer. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．The Surprise Travel Bags | B．How to Play with Children |
| C．Travel with My Surprise Travel Bag | D．My Family Life |
Using too much water or throwing rubbish into our rivers are clear ways that humans can put our water supply in danger, but we also affect our water supply in less obvious ways. You may wonder how paving(铺砌) a road can lead to less usable fresh water. A major part of the water we use every day is groundwater. Groundwater does not come from lakes or rivers. It comes from underground. The more roads and parking lots we pave, the less water can flow into the ground to become groundwater.
Human activity is not responsible for all water shortages(短缺). Drier climates are of course more likely to have droughts(干旱) than areas with more rainfall, but in any case, good management can help to make sure there is enough water to meet our basic needs.
Thinking about the way we use water every day can make a big difference, too. In the United States, a family of four can use 1.5tons of water a day! This shows how much we depend on water to live, but there's a lot we can do to lower the number.
You can take steps to save water in your home. To start with, use the same glass for your drinking water all day. Wash it only once a day. Run your dishwasher only when it is full. Help your parents fix any leaks (泄露、漏洞)in your home. You can even help to keep our water supply clean by recycling batteries instead of throwing them away.Which of the following is most likely to lead to less groundwater?
| A．Using river water. | B．Throwing batteries away. |
| C．paving parking lots. | D．Throwing rubbish into lakes. |
The meaning of the underlined word mans .
| A．water on the ground | B．water from a well(井) |
| C．water from the deep earth | D．water from lakes or rivers |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．All water shortages are because of human behavior. |
| B．It takes a lot of efforts to meet our water needs. |
| C．There is much we can do to reduce family size. |
| D．The average family in America makes proper use of water. |
The last paragraph is intended to .
| A．show us how to fix leaks at home |
| B．tell us how to run a dishwasher |
| C．prove what drinking glass is best for us |
| D．suggest what we do to save water at home |
The text is mainly about _____________.
| A．why paving roads reduces our water. |
| B．how much we depend on water to live. |
| C．why droughts occur more in dry climates. |
| D．how human activity affects our water supply. |
Computers can injure you. Most other injuries happen suddenly. For example, if you fall off a bike and break your arms, it happens very quickly. But computer injuries happen slowly.
You probably know how to ride a bike safely. Now learn to use a computer safely.
Your eyes--Too much light can injure your eyes, so never sit too close to a computer screen. Your eyes should be at least 50 centimeters (厘米) from the screen. Remember to look away from it sometimes. This gives your eyes a rest.
When you use a computer, the window should be on your left or your right. If it is behind you, the light will reflect (反射) on the screen. If the window is in front of you, the sun and the screen will both shine into your eyes.
Your hands--Hand injuries can happen because the hands are moved in the same way hundreds of times. If you use a keyboard for a long time, follow this rule: Stop sometimes and exercise your hands and fingers in different ways.
Your back--Some people sit for many hours in front of a computer. If you sit in the wrong way, you can injure your back and your neck. So you should sit with your back straight. The top part of the screen should be in front of your eyes. If you are sitting for a long time, get up every 30 minutes and exercise your arms, legs and neck.
Enjoy your computer, but use it safely.How many kinds of computer injuries are mentioned in this passage?
| A．One. | B．Two | C．Three. | D．Four. |
A computer screen may injure your eyes if.
| A．you sit 60 centimeters away |
| B．you remember to look away |
| C．your eyes are too close to it |
| D．the window is on your left or right |
Your eyes and hands will be safe if _________.
| A．you work near a window |
| B．you often take rests from working |
| C．you use a keyboard for a long time |
| D．the window is behind you |
Which sentence is NOT true according to this passage?
| A．You should sit with your back straight while you work on a computer. |
| B．Staying in front of a computer too long may injure your eyes. |
| C．When you work on a computer, your hands almost move in the same way. |
| D．The writer thinks that computer is bad for your health. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．How to protect your eyes |
| B．How to protect your hands |
| C．How to use a computer safely |
| D．How to protect your back |
What will people die of 100 years from now? If you think that is a simple question, you have not been paying attention to the revolution that is taking place in biotechnology. With the help of new medicine, the human body will last a very long time. Death will come mainly from accidents, murder and war. Today's leading killers, such as heart disease, cancer, and aging itself, will become distant memories.
In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days. But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death. Cells are the basic units of all living things, and until recently, scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond 120 years because the basic materials of cells, such as those of brain cells, would not last forever. But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs. The medicine, made up of the basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on—in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.
It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.According to the passage, human death is now mainly caused by ________.
| A．diseases and aging | B．accidents and war |
| C．accidents and aging | D．heart disease and war |
In the author's opinion, today's most important advance in technology lies in ________.
| A．medicine | B．the Internet | C．brain cells | D．human organ |
Humans may live longer in the future because ________.
| A．heart disease will be far away from us |
| B．human brains can decide the final death |
| C．the basic materials of cells will last forever |
| D．human organs can be repaired by new medicine |
How long can humans live in the future according to the passage?
| A．Over 100 years. | B．More than 120 years. |
| C．About 150 years. | D．The passage doesn't tell us. |
We can learn from the passage that ________.
| A．Cells aren’t the basic units of all living things any more |
| B．humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now |
| C．much needs to be done before humans can have a longer life |
| D．we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells |
Some weightloss camps, which are rare in China just a few years ago，have multiplied in Beijing, Qingdao, Shenzhen，and other cities. Today about 15 percent of adults, or 200 million Chinese, are reportedly overweight.Of these, 90 million—about 7 percent—are obese(极肥胖的)．
Experts say the obesity epidemic(流行病) is spreading to children, though more slowly than in adults. The obesity, they say, will do harm to the health of China’ s citizens and economy.“We're seeing a very large number of teenagers who are quite heavy and aren't moving much，” said Barry Popkin, a nutrition(营养) professor. Popkin carries out an ongoing healthandnutrition survey of 16,000 households in China. He says more kids today are overeating and putting on weight “quite quickly.” In just ten years China‘s childhood obesity rate has doubled，with the greatest gains coming in urban areas.“In big cities it's a big problem.”
Some experts blame the extra fat on a range of factors, many of them tied to China’ s rapidly changing economy and culture. The diets of Chinese adults and children are far higher in meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, fats and sugars than ever before. In addition，kids—especially city dwellers—are more sedentary today and spend more time indoors in front of homework, television，computer games, and the Internet.
Shuwen Ng，a health economist, says that kids in China now have pocket money, and they spend a portion of it on junk food. Ng adds that advertising and peer groups influence kids' food choices. Certain foods, such as new candies or fast food, have attractive features.
China’ s childhood obesity rate stillfall behind that of the United States, where some 15 percent of kids are said to be obese. But the longterm effects are equally serious.According to the passage we know________.
| A．weightloss camps have been very popular in China six years ago |
| B．about 290 million Chinese are overweight in China in all |
| C．in China childhood obesity rate in rural areas is lower than that in major cities |
| D．America’ s childhood obesity rate is lower than China’s |
Which of the following reasons of China’s childhood obesity is NOT mentioned?
| A．Advertising on some new candies. |
| B．ignorance of weight-control. |
| C．Playing computer games for long time. |
| D．Having pocket money. |
The underlined word “sedentary” in the third paragraph probably means________.
| A．confident | B．patient | C．energetic | D．inactive |
According to the passage we can infer________.
| A．obesity explosion in China will affect the United States |
| B．there are great difference in kids' food choices now |
| C．junk food leads to childhood obesity |
| D．city children eat more than rural children |
What's the best title for the passage?
| A．Chinese Childhood Obesity problem |
| B．Weightloss Camps in China |
| C．Obesity problem's influence on Chinese Economy |
| D．Obesity problem in China and America |