We each have a unique genetic(基因的, 遗传的)make-up. Every cell of our body has the same set of about 100, 000 separate genes made of DNA. These are the instructions for producing a person. Genes decide everything from the colour of our skin to the way our brain works. We have one of several billion combinations of DNA which come from the random mixing of our parents’ genes. Except for identical twins(同卵双胞胎), no one has the same combination as another person. We are unique! We are unique in another way, too: in the way we are raised and all the experiences we have from before birth to adult life. These experiences influence us, our behaviour and attitudes, and the choices we make.
But are genes or life experiences more important in shaping our appearance and personality? Scientists are studying twins to find out. One set of twins occurs every 70 births—some are identical and others are non-identical twins. Identical twins are special because they share exactly the same genes and often the same environment. Non-identical twins are more like ordinary brothers and sisters.
Some identical twins have been adopted and brought up in different homes. With identical genes but a different home environment, scientists can study twins to see how much a particular feature depends on the genes we inherit(继承). For example, we know that eye problems, like short-sightedness, are mostly genetic. But resistance to pain is largely dependent on experiences. Genes also influence our eating habits. Identical twins brought up apart often like to eat at the same time of day and feel full after eating the same amount. Non-identical twins in similar circumstances have more varied eating habits. Identical twins are also more likely to follow the same patterns for marriage and divorce than non-identical twins.
Scientists are trying to identify the different genes that influence our behavior. Some people are thrill-seekers and get into risk-taking and adventurous activities. They take up extreme sports like bungee jumping and possibly take drugs. Scientists have discovered a gene which affects this.
We could ask, “Are our lives determined by our genes or our upbringing? ”Scientists are learning more all the time, but it is certainly true that both are important in making us who we are.What is the main idea of the first paragraph?
| A．Both our genes and our experiences make us who we are. |
| B．How we turn out depends on our parents’ genes. |
| C．Everyone has a physical double somewhere in the world. |
| D．We cannot easily change our physical appearance. |
Why are scientists studying twins?
| A．To find out how many twins are born every year. |
| B．To discover what shapes us as individuals. |
| C．To compare differences between twins. |
| D．To study brother-and-sister relationships. |
According to the passage, .
| A．one in 70 twins are genetically identical |
| B．non-identical twins are usually not of the same sex |
| C．twins separated at birth behave exactly the same |
| D．identical twins are genetically the same |
What does the underlined word “this” in Paragraph 4 refer to?
| A．Our love of sports. | B．Our attitude to risk-taking. |
| C．Our skill at bungee jumping. | D．Our ability to take drugs. |
Recovery from bulimia（贪食症）is difficult，but a beautiful journey！You'll come across many challenges—but once you've beaten them，the world will look much more beautiful. You can recover from this illness—I promise！Remember：If I recovered—you can too!
I began throwing up（呕吐）when I was just a kid. Back then I didn't know why I did that. But now I can see that it was the result of my seeking so called fashionable diets.
I was only 8 years old when my aunty phoned my mom saying that I'd thrown up my dinner.I told them it was just a party trick，and they ignored it. Their reaction made me realize that this “trick” of mine should be a secret. I would continue doing it，but would never let anyone know.
As I got older，this secret habit got more and more serious，and this carried on for years. During my first year of university，at the age of 20，I wasted over $20,000 on food from the school dining hall.
Finally，after having had bulimia for nearly 12 years，I decided enough was enough. I was close to death—I could feel it in every part of my body. I needed help，and I made an appointment with a counselor（顾问）of my university. One year later，I graduated from university. I was proud of myself for getting my degree. But there was a deeper pride and strength inside my mind. I had beaten bulimia. It had been a long and difficult road—but I'd done it.What might cause the writer's bulimia according to the text?
| A．Her improper diets. |
| B．Lack of her parents' love. |
| C．Lack of communication with others. |
| D．Her bad habit of throwing up. |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．The author almost felt hopeless at that time. |
| B．The author only believed her university counselor. |
| C．The author's university counselor offered to help her. |
| D．The author's university counselor majored in bulimia. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．The author's bulimia didn't grow worse as she grew older. |
| B．The author believed that nobody could beat bulimia completely. |
| C．The author's bulimia helped her save money when at university. |
| D．The author had beaten bulimia when she graduated from university. |
The passage is written for people ______.
| A．who also suffer from bulimia |
| B．who major in bulimia at university |
| C．who want to form a good habit of dieting |
| D．who are eager to get a degree at university |
On Tuesday，a new study published in the American Heart Association's journal Circulation：Heart Failure revealed that women who ate five or more dishes of baked fish a month had a thirty percent lower risk of heart failure in comparison to women who ate less than one dish a month.
Researchers examined the diets of 84,493 women，whose ages ranged from 50 to 79.The women who had eaten lots of baked fish like salmon（鲑鱼），were more healthy than those who mostly ate tuna（金枪鱼）or white fish. Eating baked fish also appeared to provide a protection against high blood pressure. The study also found that those women who ate more baked fish were likely to have a lower weight，exercise more and eat more fruits and vegetables in comparison to those who ate fried fish.
Researchers noted that past research had discovered the fatty acids（脂肪酸）in fish probably decreased the risk of high blood pressure by improving blood pressure along with heart and blood functioning. This study showed the link between eating fish and heart failure risk but it was not designed to show cause and effect.
This study also showed that just by eating one dish of fried fish a week led to a 49% greater risk of heart failure，and eating fried fish led to lower fiber（纤维）intake and higher calorie（卡路里）intake.
The American Heart Association suggested eating a minimum of two dishes of fish especially fatty fish each week.Compared to the women who ate fried fish those who ate more baked fish could ______.
| A．be more relaxed | B．be more healthy |
| C．eat more every day | D．raise blood pressure |
Which kind of fish is best for you according to the author?
| A．Baked tuna. | B．Baked salmon. |
| C．Boiled salmon. | D．Fried white fish. |
According to this passage，which one is correct?
| A．The fatty acids in fish can make one's heart bigger. |
| B．Eating fish probably helps you take in more calories |
| C．The fatty acids in fish can improve blood functioning. |
| D．The fatty acids in fish can raise blood pressure. |
If a person eats one dish of fried fish a week，he or she ______.
| A．will take in more fatty acids |
| B．is less likely to get heart failure |
| C．will like eating more vegetables |
| D．has a greater risk of heart failure |
Do we really know what dinosaurs looked like? Of course we do. We see them everywhere, not only in museums, but also in movies, magazines, and even in the toys we get from McDonald’s.
Since the days of early cinema, dinosaurs have captured our imaginations. They are often shown as scaly (有麟的) beasts with sharp horns (角) and crocodile-like bellies (肚子).
But the big screen dinosaurs are “a leap from what we know”, Mark Norell, who studies dinosaurs at the American Museum of Natural History in New York, told Discover magazine.
The reality of drawing dinosaurs for movie studios, magazines, or museums is that the artist often only has half of a skeleton to work with. Many existing and newly-discovered dinosaurs do not have a complete skeleton, which makes it difficult to tell what they looked like.
And even with a complete skeleton, there is a lot of room for interpretation. (诠释)
“Look at an elephant’s trunk (象鼻) and ears,” Jason Brougham, a dinosaur sculptor (雕塑师) at the American Museum of Natural History, told Discover magazine. “It’s impossible to guess those features by only looking at the skeleton.”
Researchers suggest that the dinosaurs of old could have had trunks like an elephant or even red necks like a turkey. They could have had colorful spots, stripes (条纹), and other interesting patterns on their bodies, just like snakes. Yet, with only a few fossilized (形成化石的) bones to study, it is impossible to know for sure.
Remember the cruel and quick-running velociraptors (速龙) in the US film Jurassic Park? Now experts believe that they were much smaller than in the movies, about the size of a large chicken, the BBC has reported.
Since the 1990s, some well-preserved dinosaur fossils have been found in China’s Liaoning province. Thanks to that, we have known for a while that one group of dinosaurs was covered in feathers. And thanks to the recent discovery of a feathered plant-eating species in Russia, many scientists now believe more dinosaurs than we previously thought had feathers, much like a chicken.
Also, in 2007, scientists confirmed that the closest living relative of T-Rex, the most feared and famous of all the dinosaurs, is a chicken.
Now, who are you calling “chicken”?What is the main message of the first four paragraphs?
| A．A description of what dinosaurs usually look like in artwork or on the big screen. |
| B．Why dinosaurs are so popular that we can see their images everywhere. |
| C．The images of dinosaurs that we see are created purely out of our imaginations. |
| D．Dinosaurs didn’t look exactly like what we see in artwork or on the big screen. |
Jason Brougham used the elephant as an example to show that ______.
| A．some dinosaurs actually looked a little like ancient elephants |
| B．drawing a dinosaur takes much longer than people think |
| C．it is hard to know certain features of dinosaurs just by studying their fossils and skeletons |
| D．a dinosaur sculptor’s main job is to find out about the dinosaurs’ missing features |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?
| A．Dinosaurs used to have red necks and thick feathers. |
| B．Most dinosaurs are much smaller than we previously thought. |
| C．The chicken has been proven to be the closest living relative to the dinosaur. |
| D．Fossils are still our main source of knowledge about dinosaurs. |
The author mainly makes his point by ______.
| A．making contrasts | B．giving examples |
| C．quoting（引用） numbers | D．describing movie scenes |
Why it is difficult to tell what dinosaurs looked like?
| A．Many existing and newly—discovered dinosaurs do not have a complete skeleton |
| B．Researchers can’t agree with each other |
| C．Dinosaurs in early films have captured our imaginations. |
| D．No well-preserved dinosaur fossils are found |
Visitor’s Guide
KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF gives you an easy city tour that has 22 stops, which cover more than 40 attractions. All buses are equipped with 9 different languages to choose from and a friendly customer service officer will help you on the bus. KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF City Tour offers you a convenient way to discover Kuala Lumpur where tourists can either stay on the bus for the full tour circuit (线路), or get on or get off at any of the attractions.
2. The interval (间隔) between buses is around 20 to 30 minutes.
3. We operate 365 days per year including school holidays and public holidays.
4. Tickets can be bought from the bus itself, authorized (授权的) agents, authorized hotels and KL Hop-On Hop-Off counters.
5. Our counters are located at Jalan Bukit Bintang (main counter at stop number 6), Malaysian Tourism Centre at Jalan Ampang, at KL Sentral (arrival hall) and at Central Market.
6. We have 24-hour and 48-hour tickets to choose from.
7. Children below 5 years old do not have to pay any fees.
8. A child below the age of 12 must be accompanied by an adult.
9. The Do’s & Don’ts:
◆ No littering on the bus
◆ No food and drink allowed inside the bus
◆ Visitors are not allowed to exchange tickets
◆ Visitors are welcome to take pictures
◆ Please use electronic devices (设备) with care
◆ No smoking allowed
10. Advice:
◆ Please avoid changing from one bus to another on during peak (高峰) hours usually from 4 PM to 6 PM. During that time you could take a rest and walk around the attractions.
◆ The weather is unpredictable in Kuala Lumpur. Delays may occur because of bad weather.
◆ Please buy vouchers only from authorized agents.
Ticket
Ticket Type: STANDARD ADULT TICKET
Price: RM45.00 Validity: 24 Hours
Price: RM79.00 Validity: 48 Hours
Ticket Type: CHILD, STUDENT & DISABLE TICKET
Price: RM24.00 Validity: 24 Hours
Price: RM43.00 Validity: 48 Hours
For 5 to 12 years oldWhich of the following is TRUE about the KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF bus service?
| A．The bus service is free of charge for foreign tourists. |
| B．The customer service officers can speak nine languages. |
| C．The bus service is not available during school holidays and public holidays. |
| D．Passengers don’t have to pay again when boarding other HOP-ON HOP-OFF buses |
during the time of their tickets’ validity.Suppose a couple is taking a two-day bus tour in the city, with two children at the age of 4 and 5. They have to spend at least ______ on bus tickets.
| A．RM114 | B．RM158 |
| C．RM201 | D．RM244. Which of the |
following is NOT allowed on the KL HOP-ON HOP-OFF buses?
| A．Taking the buses at rush hour or in bad weather. |
| B．Exchanging tickets with other passengers. |
| C．Using a personal electronic device on the bus. |
| D．Taking a pet with you. |
The text is mainly aimed at ______.
| A．students | B．tourists |
| C．local people | D．foreign families |
What does the word “voucher” probably mean?
| A．bus | B．ticket |
| C．food and drink | D．electronic device |
My grandmother was a master gardener. She could make anything bloom (开花). Even me. For most of her life, she lived on a farm in the mountains of North Carolina, where she raised four children, buried a husband, and watched the changing of the seasons.
After my parents divorced(离婚), my dad moved back to the farm. I visited on weekends or holidays. While my dad ate my grandmother’s vegetables, I breathed in her flowers. I was a skinny kid, but her flowers filled a thousand hungry places in my soul. When my regular farm tasks were done, I was free to climb the mountain, singing songs and gathering flowers. Sometimes the plants scratched (划伤) me. My grandmother would say: “Beauty has a price. I hope it was worth it.”
“Yes, ma’am,” I’d say. “It was.” Then I’d scratch some more. I loved gathering flowers on my own. But what I loved best was gathering them with her. I walked behind her like a sponge (海绵) with legs, trying to soak (吸收) it all up. At the end of the day, we’d sort the flowers and make bouquets (花束): One for the living room, one for the kitchen, and three for the bedrooms. Even then, as a child, I knew what I needed most from my grandmother was not her flowers, but her time.
She’s been gone for years, but sometimes, when I reach down to pick a flower or pull a weed, I see her hand, not mine. I thought I’d grow up to be a gardener too. I told myself, someday, when my children had children, I’d be a gardening grandma. Then the grandbabies started showing up, and I discovered I’d much rather chase after them than go digging. The truth is, I’m no gardener. I’m a picker, not a planter.
I differ from my grandmother in lots of ways, but this: I will always carry within me a heart she made from her own. They don’t need to plant a garden. My children are my flowers. Delight and complete me with a beauty that is worth any price.
All I need to do is care for them with time, water them with love, and hope that someday, when they hold their first grandchild, they might see my hand.The author liked gathering flowers with her grandmother mainly because ______.
| A．her grandmother taught her everything about flowers |
| B．her grandmother would never let the flowers scratch her |
| C．spending time with her grandmother was good for her emotional needs |
| D．her grandmother let her decide where to put the flowers in the house |
We can infer from the article that the author ______.
| A．has always dreamed of a flower garden of her own |
| B．had great fun planting flowers with her own grandchildren |
| C．often helped with the farm work when she visited her grandmother |
| D．started to live with her grandmother after her parents got divorced |
How did the author feel when she found out that she was a picker rather than a planter?
| A．Angry. | B．Disappointed. |
| C．Calm. | D．Worried. |
In the author’s eyes, her grandmother was mostly ______.
| A．wise and humorous | B．inspiring and caring |
| C．hardworking and brave | D．tough and stubborn |
What does the article mainly talk about?
| A．The qualities that make the author different from her grandmother. |
| B．The wonderful time the author spent with her grandmother in her childhood. |
| C．The efforts the author made to become as great a gardener as her grandmother. |
| D．The author’s memories of her grandmother and how she influenced the author. |