People often say that Money talks. They mean that a person with a lot of money can say how he or she wants things done. But it is not easy to earn enough money to gain this kind of power.
Ask anyone in business. They will tell you that it is a jungle out there. The expression probably began because a jungle is filled with wild animals and unknown dangers that threaten people.
People in business have to be careful if they are to survive the jungle out there. They must not be led into making bogus investments. Bogus means something that is not real.
Nobody is sure how the word got started. But it began to appear in American newspapers in the 1800s. A newspaper in Boston, Massachusetts, said the word came from a criminal whose name was Borghese. Borghese wrote checks to people although he did not have enough money in the bank. After he wrote the checks, he would disappear. So, people who were paid with his checks received nothing. The newspaper said Americans shortened and changed the criminal’s name Borghese to Bogus.
People trying to earn money must be also aware of the risk of being ripped off. A writer for a magazine said he first saw the expression used in 1971. It was on a sign that a student carried during a protest demonstration at a university. The message on the sign was that the student felt cheated.
To be successful, a person in business works hard and tries to get down to brass tacks. This expression means to get to the bottom or the most important of something. For example, a salesman may talk about his product without saying the price. You get down to brass tacks when you say, “it sounds good, but how much does it cost?”
Word expert Charles Funk thinks the expression comes from sailors on ships. They clean the bottom of a boat. When they have removed all the dirt, they are down to the copper pieces that hold the ship together. So, if we get down to brass tacks, we can prevent rip-offs and bogus ways of earning money in that jungle out there. And, some good luck will help, too.Why do people say money talks?
| A．Because money can tell us something. |
| B．Because the rich tend to decide a thing. |
| C．Because everyone loves to have money. |
| D．Because it is hard to earn money. |
My uncle is in a jungle out there, which means .
| A．he is a success in his own business |
| B．he will face many difficulties soon |
| C．he will fight against wild animals |
| D．he is interested to go through a jungle |
Borghese is considered to be a criminal .
| A．because he used the word “bogus” for the first time |
| B．because he was accused of writing false checks |
| C．because he didn’t have enough money in the bank |
| D．because he disappeared after he paid some checks |
When you ask how much it cost, it means .
| A．you are always caring about money |
| B．you declare you won’t be cheated |
| C．you care nothing about the quality |
| D．you get down to the real issues |
It can be inferred from the passage that .
| A．Charles Funk has created many interesting words |
| B．brass is a necessary people of equipment of a ship |
| C．many businessmen have been cheated in life |
| D．many English words have their interesting stories |
A third of 15 to 18-year-olds in the UK have met someone in person they originally met through social media.
The figure comes from an exclusive online Newsbeat poll（投票） of 1,015 British teenagers, put together by Comres. The survey also indicates that a quarter feel happier online than they do in real life.
But overall, real-life relationships are still considered far more important than online ones, according to the findings. Sixty-six per cent polled last month said the number of friends they knew in person was more important to them, compared to 28% who said the same of the number of friends and followers they had online.
The survey also suggests what lots of people know already, that social media is now an integral part of teenagers’ lives. Only one per cent of respondents said they never checked in online for social reasons. Facebook is the most popular social network (89% have an account), followed by Twitter (62%) and Snapchat (58%).
Dr Emma Short, a psychologist at the University of Bedfordshire, said, “The number of teenagers meeting up with people they first befriended online is worrying. Even very sophisticated security experts find it very hard to verify the identity of accounts. When you’re 15 and you’re very effective at identifying friends and risk, it’s easy to assume you can do that online. It’s not safe in that they may not be who they say they are and you know nothing about them apart from the conversation you’ve had online – which is a very small part of their lives and the person they may be.”
The survey also indicated:
• 25% of teenagers admitted they were addicted to social media.
• 25% wished they could give up social media.
“I can’t do without my phone.” says 17-year-old Aisha from Clapton, north London. “I can’t do without checking Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Snapchat.”
When we ask Aisha about the prospect of taking her social networks away, the consequences, genuinely, are too hard to bear.
Jealousy, loneliness, happiness and stress are all emotions felt by teenagers.From the first two paragraphs we get to know that __________.
| A．the majority of the teenagers polled met their net friends |
| B．more and more British adolescents feel happier online |
| C．a third of 15 to 18-year-olds in the UK make net friends online |
| D．a little more than 300 adolescents surveyed met net friends |
According to the survey, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Sixty-six per cent polled think it important to meet net friends in person. |
| B．More British adolescents consider friends in real life are more important. |
| C．28% polled said they had the same number of online friends as other 66%. |
| D．28% polled have the same number of real life friends and net friends. |
What does the underlined word “respondents” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
| A．researchers | B．people |
| C．reporters | D．teenagers |
Which of the following best conveys Dr Emma Short’s view ?
| A．The online friends teenagers meet in person are worrying. |
| B．It’s easy for 15-year-olds to make online friends. |
| C．It’s difficult for adolescents to identify online friends and risk. |
| D．The conversation with your virtual friends is helpful. |
What is the writer’s attitude towards teenagers meeting up with online friends?
| A．Negative. | B．Positive. | C．Neutral. | D．Tolerant. |
People with mentally taxing jobs, including lawyers and graphic designers, may end up having better memory in old age, research suggests.
A study of more than 1,000 Scottish 70-year-olds found that those who had had complex jobs scored better on memory and thinking tests.
One theory is that a more stimulating environment helps build up a “cognitive reserve” to help buffer the brain against age-related decline. The research was reported in Neurology.
The team, from Heriot-Watt University, in Edinburgh, is now planning more work to look at how lifestyle and work interact to affect memory loss. Those taking part in the study took tests designed to assess memory, processing speed and general thinking ability, as well as filling in a questionnaire about their working life.
The analysis showed that those whose jobs had required complex skills in dealing with data or people, such as management and teaching, had better scores on memory and thinking tests than those who had done less mentally intense jobs such as factory workers, bookbinders, or carpet layers.
While the study did not look at biological reasons for the protective effect of certain jobs, potential explanations include that structural changes within the brain mean less damage is accumulated over time.
Study leader Dr Alan Gow said: “Our findings have helped to identify the kinds of job demands that preserve memory and thinking later on.” “However,” He added, “while it is true that people who have higher cognitive abilities are more likely to get more complex jobs, there still seems to be a small advantage gained from these complex jobs for later thinking skills.”
Dr Simon Ridley, head of research at Alzheimer’s Research UK, said the study added to the growing evidence about factors that affected brain health as we aged.
“Keeping the brain active throughout life could be helpful and different types of work may play a role. However, it’s important to note that this study points to a small and subtle association between occupation and later-life cognition rather than offering proof that people’s occupation has a direct influence.”According to the research, who may have the best memory in old age?
| A．Taxi drivers. | B．Computer programmers. |
| C．Supermarket cashiers. | D．Motor mechanics. |
Which of the following about the research work is TRUE?
| A．The research team studied both environmental and biological factors. |
| B．The researchers filled in a questionnaire about their working life. |
| C．The research objects included people from various jobs and of different ages. |
| D．The research is helpful to the study of brain health and is still under way. |
What Dr Alan Gow said implies that __________.
| A．their findings are helpful to identifying the kinds of job demands |
| B．people who do more complex jobs may benefit later thinking skills greatly |
| C．there exist links between job demands and preservation of memory |
| D．he didn’t confirm the links between complex jobs and later thinking skills |
We can learn from Dr Simon Ridley that __________.
| A．different occupations may make a difference in keeping the brain active |
| B．people’s occupation has a direct influence on later-life cognition |
| C．the study added more evidence about the factors affecting aging |
| D．the study denied the association between jobs and later-life memory |
What is the best title of the passage？
| A．Aging affects brain health |
| B．Complex jobs may protect memory |
| C．Occupations influence aging |
| D．Complex jobs demand complex skills |
The best selling children’s book, Pipilu Sending You 100 Lives, has been adapted into a homonymous play that will be put on for the first time next March and tour around 50 cities in China.
The book was adapted by the Hangzhou based Star Dream Factory.
“We don’t want to descend to the average children’s dramas that are overly eager to please the kids,” said Huang Qin, director of Star Dream Factory. “We want to provide something practically useful and mystically entertaining.”
The original book by Chinese children’s book writer Zheng Yuanjie focuses on safety tips for kids. With Zheng’s usual candor and simplicity, the book avoids sugar-coating reality. Instead, it illustrates the potential dangers in everyday life and provides possible solutions.
Zheng recalled that when he saw his new-born baby in the hospital, the first thought that hit him was to do his utmost to guarantee his son’s safety.
“Safety is of the greatest importance to a human being,” said Zheng. “If the person is gone, nothing else will matter.”
According to Zheng, there is no preaching or soapboxing in his book. He said that he just wanted to talk and tell the plain truth to the children in an easily understandable way.
This line of thought will be echoed in the theatrical reproduction, said director Guo Yan. She also said that the play will place emphasis on multimedia effects and the interaction with the families.
“Theatre may not ensure the children a path to professional esteem and better jobs in society, but it does have the power to give them strength (at heart),” said Huang Qin.
Huang also calls for consistent attention to child safety, pointing out the lack of universal education and effective legal channels.
The show is expecting an estimated audience of more than 100,000 people during its domestic tour in the upcoming year.Pipilu Sending You 100 Lives has been adapted into a play by ____.
| A．Huang Qin . | B．Zheng Yuanjie. |
| C．Guo Yan. | D．Star Dream Factory |
Which of the following words has the closest meaning to the underlined wordcandorin paragraph 4?
| A．difficulty. | B．safety |
| C．responsibility | D．honesty |
The book Pipilu Sending You 100 Lives is trying to tell the readers __________.
| A．how Pipilu give you 100 lives in a clear way |
| B．how Pipilu can live a more interesting life in a simple way |
| C．how we can live a safer life in an understandable way |
| D．how we can have 100 lives in a pleasing way |
According to Zheng,safety __________.
| A．is more important to people than any other things |
| B．is an essential part only to all the children |
| C．is more important to the old than the young |
| D．is more important to the young than the old |
The purpose of the passage is to______？
| A．introduce a play to remind children of the importance of safety |
| B．introduce a book and its homonymous play to the readers |
| C．tell the readers how to keep safe |
| D．tell the readers how important safety is |
Speed-reading is an indispensable skill in the Internet age. We skim over articles, e-mails and tweets to try to grasp key words and the essential meaning of a certain text. Bombarded with information from our electronic devices, it would be impossible to cope（应付）if we read word by word, line by line.
But a new trend calls on people to unplug and enjoy reading slowly, listing benefits beyond intellectual stimulation.
A recent story from The Wall Street Journal reported on a book club in Wellington, New Zealand, where members meet in a cafe and turn off their smart phones. They sink into cozy chairs and read in silence for an hour.
Unlike traditional book clubs, the point of the Slow Reading Club isn’t exchanging ideas about a certain book, but to get away from electronic devices and read in a quiet, relaxed environment. According to the Journal, the Wellington book club is just one example of a movement initiated (发起) by book lovers who miss the old-fashioned way of reading before the Internet and smart phones.
Slow readers, such as The Atlantic’s Maura Kelly, say a regular reading habit sharpens the mind, improves concentration, reduces stress levels and deepens the ability to empathize.
Some of these benefits have been backed up by science. For example, a study of 300 elderly people published by the journal Neurology last year showed that regular engagement in intellectually strenuous activities like reading slowed the rate of memory loss later in life.
Slow reading means a return to an uninterrupted pattern in a quiet environment free of distractions. “Aim for 30 minutes a day,” advises Kelly from The Atlantic. “You can squeeze in that half hour pretty easily if only during your free moments – whenever you find yourself automatically firing up your laptop to check your favorite site, or scanning Twitter for something to pass the time – you pick up a meaningful work of literature,” Kelly said. “Reach for your e-reader, if you like. Kindles make books like War and Peace less heavy, not less substantive(真实的), and also ensure you’ll never lose your place.”We prefer speed –reading because ____.
| A．we rely on e-mails and tweets too much. |
| B．we are busier than before |
| C．we have to read faster to get more information |
| D．we do not enjoy reading any more |
The aim of setting theSlow Reading Clubis to encourage people to _____.
| A．share their ideas about a certain book |
| B．read old-fashioned books |
| C．read as many books as possible |
| D．to enjoy slow reading |
We can learn from the passage that __________.
| A．the benefits of regular reading hasn’t been proved |
| B．for elderly people ,a good reading habit helps slow memory loss |
| C．speed reading can improve concentration and reduce stress levels |
| D．more elderly people enjoy slow reading now |
According to the last paragraph, a kindle is probably________.
| A．a software for downloading e-books |
| B．a software that helps people read slowly |
| C．a website for people to exchange books |
| D．a website for people to share their ideas about a book |
What can be the best title of the passage？
| A．Enjoy Speed-reading | B．Enjoy Slow-Reading |
| C．Enjoy Effective Reading | D．Enjoy Online Reading |
Moving in with a boyfriend causes women to eat more unhealthily and put on weight. But the opposite is true for men, whose longterm health benefits when they move in with a female partner.
Dieticians at Newcastle University said both partners try to please one another, and so change their dietary habits to suit their other half.
It leads men to eat more light meals, such as salads, fruit and vegetables, while women choose to make creamier, heavier dishes like curry or rich pasta sauces, which may please their partner.
Women still have the strongest longterm influence over the couple's diet and lifestyle, as they still have the traditional role of shopper and cook in most households.
The report, by Newcastle University's Human Nutrition Research Centre, reviewed the finding of a variety of research projects from the UK, North America and Australia, which looked at the eating and lifestyle habits of couples.
The research shows that women are more likely to put on weight and increase their consumption of foods high in fat and sugar when they move in with their partner.
Women also use food as a comfort when dealing with emotional stress and have been found to gain weight when a relationship ends, while the same finding has not been observed in men.
Many couples reported food as being central to their partnership, and eating together in the evening was particularly important to many.
Report author and registered dietician Dr. Amelia Lake said, “The research has shown that your partner is a strong influence on lifestyle and people who are trying to live healthier lives should take this factor into consideration.”According to the passage, moving in with a girlfriend, men ________.
| A．have few changes of their dietary habits |
| B．have to eat more unhealthy foods |
| C．don't like foods high in fat and sugar at all |
| D．try to eat foods that their girlfriends like |
The underlined word “light”(in Paragraph 3 ) probably means ________.
| A．not very heavy |
| B．gentle． |
| C．less in fat and sugar |
| D．not serious or important |
According to the report by Newcastle University's Human Nutrition Research Centre, ________.
| A．women put on weight only because they want to suit their other half |
| B．when men are faced with emotional stress, they will change their dietary habits |
| C．eating together in the evening is a good way to communicate for couples |
| D．it is wrong to change your dietary habits to suit your partner |
From the passage, we can infer that ________.
| A．women should pay more attention to their partner's influence on them |
| B．more men will play roles of shopper and cook in most households |
| C．couples will not change their dietary habits and lifestyle to please their partner |
| D．longterm health of men benefits when they move in with a female partner |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Don't be silly any more, women! |
| B．Which are better dietary habits? |
| C．Boyfriends make you fat |
| D．Dr. Amelia Lake and his study |