If you could take a large snapshot (照片) of everyone in the United States today, it would contain six million more females than males. In this country, women outlive men by about seven years. Throughout the modern world, cultures are different, diets are different, ways of life and causes of death are different, but one thing is the same--- women outlive men.
It starts before birth. At conception, male fetuses(胎儿) outnumber female by about 110 to 100; at birth, the rate has already fallen to about 105 boys to every 100 girls. By the age of 30, there are only enough men left to match the number of women. Then women start taking a lead. Beyond the age of 80, there are nearly twice as many women as men.
“If you look at the top ten or twelve causes of death,” said Deborah Wingard, a disease expert at the University of California at San Diego, “every single one kills more men.” She listed out one sad fate after another – heart disease, lung cancer and so on. Each kills men at roughly twice the rate of that it does women.
More than a century ago American men surpassed and outlived the women. But in the 20th century, women began living longer, primarily because pregnancy(怀孕) and giving birth to children had become less dangerous. The gap grew steadily. In 1946, for the first time ever in the United States, females outnumbered males.
Parts of the reasons are self-made. Men smoke more, drink more and take more life-threatening chances than women. Men are murdered (usually by other men) three times as often as women are. They commit suicide at a higher rate and have more than twice as many fatal car accidents as women do. Men are likely to be involved in alcohol-related deaths.
But behavior doesn’t explain away the longevity gap.
Today, some scientists studying the gender gap believe that the data point to one conclusion: Mother Nature may be partial(偏袒) to women.
Every living thing is assembled according to instructions on its chromosomes (染色体), and humans have 23 pairs of them. But in males, one of these is a weak non-matching pair, expressed by “xy”. The agreement pair in females is “xx”, and its genetic “backup” power is sometimes listed as a clue to woman’s superior restoring force. If the male’s single “x” chromosome isn’t perfect, it is possible for a serious genetic disorder to appear. Some blood diseases, for instance, are diseases caused by a shortcoming in a single gene on the “x” chromosome. They are far more common in males than females.
What may the underlined word “outlive” in Paragraph1 mean?
A.Become stronger than. |
B.Live longer than. |
C.Be wiser than. |
D.Be born more earlier than. |
What can we infer from the second paragraph?
A.Female fetuses are more than male. |
B.The female are surpassing the male with age increasing. |
C.By the age of 30, the female are more than the male. |
D.Over 90, men are more than women in the United States. |
How many exact diseases are mentioned as examples killing twice men than women?
A.Two. | B.Three. | C.Ten. | D.Five. |
The best title for this passage is _____
A.Why women live longer than men |
B.Women are different from men |
C.American men once lived longer than the women |
D.Men smoke and drank more than women |
When T was a child I never said, "When T grow up, I want to be a CEO," but here T am.When I look back on my career, I realize the road to becoming a CEO isn't a straight, clearly clarified path.In fact, no two paths are the same.But whether you want to be a boss one day or not, there's a lot to learn from how leaders rise to the top of successful companies.
As this series of stories shows, the paths to becoming a CEO may vary, but the people in that position share the qualities of commitment, work ethic (守则) and a strong desire for building something new.And every CEO take risks along the way—putting your life savings on the line to start a software company or leaving a big business to be one of the first employees at a startup.
I grew up in Minnesota, and learned how to be an entrepreneur (企业家) from my father, who has run a small business for almost 30 years.I went to Georgetown University and tried a lot of business activities in college with varying degrees of success.And I always had a dream job pattern: to walk to work, work for myself and build something for consumers.
I'm only 29, so it's been a quick ride to CEO.Out of college, I worked for AOL as a product manager, then moved to Revolution Health and ran the consumer product team.In mid-2007 I left Revolution Health and started LivingSocial with several other colleagues, where I became a CEO.
Career advice; Don't figure out where you want to work, or even what industry you'd like to work at.Figure out what makes you do so.What gives you a really big rush? Answer why you like things, not what you like doing...and then apply it to your work life.Also, just because you're graduating, don't stop learning.Read more books than you did in college.If you do, and they're not, you're really well-positioned to succeed in whatever you do.What can we know from the first paragraph?
A.The author hasn't achieved his childhood ambition. |
B.The author thinks there is some easy way to become a CEO. |
C.The author had an ambition of becoming a CEO in his childhood. |
D.The author believes success stories of CEOs can be beneficial to everybody. |
According to the author, successful CEOs should _____.
A.try not to take risks |
B.stay in the same business |
C.have a strong sense of creativity |
D.save every possible penny |
What can we know about the author from the passage?
A.His father had far-reaching influence on him. |
B.He used to run the consumer product team for AOL. |
C.His business activities at college ended up in more failure than success. |
D.He started LivingSocial when he was still a student of Georgetown University. |
Which of the following proverbs may the author agree with according to the last paragraph?
A.Well begun is half done. |
B.One is never too old to learn. |
C.Time and tide wait for no man. |
D.Everything conies to him who waits. |
Ideal for anyone who wants a good time, the Gold Coast is packed with enough fun for everyone in Australia.It's impossible to be bored on the Gold Coast.Below are the attractions;
Dream World
This is a fun place for everyone, whether you are a family with young kids, older kids, or out with your mates.This theme park is actually a series of parks, made up of such places as preschooler heaven Wiggles World and such attractions as Big Brother for inner reality TV fans.Dream World also owns the theme park White Water World.It is possible to buy tickets from Dream World that covers several different parks.
Sea World
Get up close and personal with dolphins, sharks and polar bears.This theme park also offers the right mixture of shows, exhibits, animal fights and thrill rides such as roller coaster.This is a must-see for your Gold Coast adventure.
Warner Bros Movie World
This theme park has the best combination of fast-paced entertainment.Visitors can have fun living as though they're in the movies.Kids will see all their cartoon favourites on parade and in shows.Bigger kids and grown-ups can pretend they're on real movie sets with their favourite action heroes, and then put themselves into some serious action.
How to get there梇ou can easily travel to the Gold Coast by plane.Fly straight into Gold Coast International Airport, or to Brisbane and then catch the '"airtrain" service to the Gold Coast.All of the major airlines have daily flights, some with several per day depending on your departure city.If you want to save money, you can get there by train.
Accommodation—Want something truly unusual? Consider staying in the world's largest residential tower (塔式住宅) and enjoy beautiful views.The accommodation choices on the Gold Coast are just as varied and interesting as the activities, so whether you are a single, couple, family, friends, a large or small group, you will find options perfect for you at TakeABreak.corn.an.From the pas
sage, we know _____.
A.visitors can go t.o the Gold Goast only by air |
B.the Gold Coast is famous for its golden beach |
C.it is difficult for a family to find a right place to stay |
D.the theme park "Sea World" wi![]() |
Which is NOT included in the theme parks?
A.Children can see their favorite cartoons. |
B.Visitors have opportunities to take roller coasters. |
C.Some famous movie actors often act with visitors. |
D.Visitors can share the joy from animals. |
This passage is mainly ______.
A.to describe the theme parks in Australia |
B.to draw ![]() |
C.to tell some exciting shows, adventures, etc. |
D.to introduce how to get to the Gold Coast |
Satellites are an important part of our ordinary lives.For example, the information for weather forecasts is sent by satellite.Some satellites have cameras which take photographs of the Earth to show how clouds are moving.Satellites are also used to connect our international phone calls.
Computer connections of the World Wide Web and Internet also use satellites. Many of our TV programs come to US through satellites.Airplane pilots also sometimes use a satellite to help them find their exact location.
We use satellites to send television pictures from one part of the world to another.They are usually 35,880 kilometers above the equator.Sometimes we can see a satellite in the sky and it seems to stay in the same place.This is because it is moving around the world at 11,000 kilometers an hour—exactly the same speed that the earth rotates.A satellite must orbit the Earth with its antennae(天线)facing the earth.Sometimes, it moves away from its orbit,So there are little rockets on it which are used to put the satellite back in the right position.This usually happens about every five or six days.
Space is not empty! Every week, more and more satellites are sent into space to orbit the Earth.A satellite usually works for about 10-12 years.Satellites which are broken are sometimes repaired by astronauts or sometimes brought back to Earth to be repaired.Often,very old or broken satellites are left in space to orbit the Earth for a very long time.This is very serious because some satellites use nuclear power and they can crash into each other.
Which of the following is NOT done by satellites according to the passage?
A.Sending information for weather forecast | B.Taking photographs of the Earth |
C.Sending TV pictures | D.Providing food for airplane pilots |
What’s the speed the
earth rotates at?
A.35,880 kilometers per hour | B.335,880 kilometers per hour |
C.11,000 kilometers per hour | D.110,000 kilometers per hour |
Which of the following is right according to the passage?
A.There are little rockets on the satellite to put it in the right position every day. |
B.Because some satellite use nuclear power, they can crash into each other. |
C.A satellite seems to stay in the same place in the sky |
D.In order not to move away from its orbit, the satellite puts the rockets in the right position. |
Which is true of satellites?
A.A satellite usually works for over 10 years. |
B.Every time a satellite gets broken,it is brought back to the Earth to be repaired. |
C.A broken satellite is never left in space. |
D.They often crash into each other. |
Do you enjoy reading? Do you read newspapers or magazines? Chances are, if you do any of these activities, your pre-school child is on his way to becoming a reader.
The process of learning to read is complex, and one of the most important things to know is that parents can help their children learn to read. As children have conversations with adults, they hear both new and familiar words and their vocabulary grows.
There are many opportunities for adults and children to talk together, such as when riding in the car or in a bus, doing housework like fixing dinner, or bathing and getting ready for bed. A major part of conversation is listening. When children talk, adults listen and respond. Then children listen and respond, and so the flow of conversation happens.
Have you watched you pre-school child pretend to read to his younger sisters or brothers? Have you read his favorite story over and over? These experiences tell children that reading is fun. And when things are fun and they are repeated, your child will see letters. He begins to connect them to familiar words, especially the letters that make up his name. A natural next step for him to take is to write the letters.
When children see parents make a grocery list, they want to use a pencil and paper to make their own list. To encourage these beginning writing activities, have pencils, markers, crayons and scrap paper within your children’s reach.
The more children get connected with talking, listening, reading and writing, the easier it is for them to become active readers. While you as a parent have a big influence on these early behaviors, it is important to remember that opportunities for literacy experiences happen when you and your child share in the basic routines(日常生活)of everyday life.
The third paragraph tells us that parents can talk with their children__________.
A.during daily routines | B.only in quiet places |
C.in their spare time | D.when they are eager to walk |
During the process of learning to read, children may _________.
A.copy the action of the adults. |
B.prefer to talk with those of their own age. |
C.show no interest in reading at all. |
D.waste a lot of paper and other materials. |
When do children want to learn to write?
A.When their parents ask them to do so. |
B.When they believe they can write well. |
C.When they know what they want to know |
D.When they can connect letters with familiar words. |
The passage is written to _____________.
A.talk about parents’ influence on their children’s behavior |
B.encourage parents to set a good example to their children |
C.advise parents to make reading a part of their children’s daily life |
D.make parents believe in the importance of early reading |
Too much TV-watching can harm children’s ability to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree, new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children.
One of the studies looked at nearly 400 northern California third-graders. Those with TVs in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than children without bedrooms TVs.
A second study, looking at nearly 1,000 grown-ups in New Zealand, found lower education levels among 26-year-olds who had watched lots of TV during childhood. But the results don’t prove that TV is the cause and don’t rule out that already poorly motivated youngsters(年轻人)may watch lots of TV.
Their study measured the TV habits of 26-year-olds between ages 5 and 15. Those with college degrees had watched an average of less than two hours of TV per weeknight during childhood, compared with an average of more than 2½hours for those who had no education beyond high school.
In the California study, children with TVs in their rooms but no computer at home scored the lowest, while those with no bedroom TV but who had home computers scored the highest.
While this study does not prove that bedroom TV sets caused the lower scores, it adds to accumulat
ing findings that children shouldn’t have TVs in their bedrooms.
According to the California study, the low-scoring group might____________.
A.have watched a lot of TV |
B.not be interested in math |
C.be unable to go to college |
D.have had computers in their bedrooms |
What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A.More time should be spent on computers. |
B.Children should be forbidden from watching TV. |
C.TV sets shouldn’t be allowed in children’s bedrooms. |
D.Further studies on high-achieving students should be done. |
What would be the best title for this text?
A.Computers or Television |
B.Effects of Television on Children |
C.Studies on TV and College Education |
D.Television and Children’s Learning Habits |