Have you visit the flowing famous museums? Many famous museums throughout the world can offer you good chances to admire art. Florida International University(FIU) in Miami also shows art for people to see, but it does so without a building, or even a wall for its drawings and paintings.
FIU has opened the first computer art museum in the United States. You don’t have to visit the University to see the art. What you need is just a computer linked to a telephone. That’s enough.
You can call the telephone number of a University computer and connect your own computer to it. All of the art is stored in the school computer. It is computer art, produced electronically by artists on their own computers. In only a few minutes, your computer can receive and copy all the pictures and drawings.
Robert Shostak is director of the new computer museum. He says he started the museum because computer artists had no place to show their work.
A computer artist could only record his pictures electronically and send the records, or floppy discs, to others to see on their computers. He could also put his pictures on paper. But to print good pictures on paper, the computer artist will have to need a very expensive laser printer.
Robert Shostak says the electronic museum is mostly for art or computer students at schools and universities. Many of the pictures in the museum are made by students. Mr Shostak said the FIU museum will make computer art more fun for computer artists because more people can see it. He says artists enjoy their work much more if they have an audience. And the great number of home computers in America could mean a huge audience for the electronic museum.
The main purpose of this text is to give information about____________.
| A．famous museums throughout the world |
| B．an electronic art museum in Miami, U.S.A |
| C．art exhibitions in Florida International University |
| D．the latest development in computer art in the USA |
To see the art in FIU museum, which of the following should you have at first?
| A．some records or floppy discs |
| B．a computer and a printer |
| C．your own pictures and drawings |
| D．a computer connected by telephone line |
The museum was started when ___________.
| A．FIU wanted to encourage computer scientists |
| B．Robert Shostak decided to help computer artists |
| C．art students needed a place to show their works |
| D．computer scientists wanted to do something about art |
The words “an audience” in the last paragraph refers to ___________.
| A．art students |
| B．computer owners |
| C．exhibits in the museum |
| D．those who will enjoy art |
Does stress cause gray hair? Many people believe that tension and stress can cause your hair to lose its color．In fact，it is an old wives tale that being upset all the time can result in premature graying．Here is a closer look at this situation and why some believe that this old wives tale could be true．
As one ages，the hairs on the head also age．In fact，just about everything on the human body begins to show signs of wear and tear after a while．The joints wear and become stiff and skin wears and becomes wrinkled．Hairs on the head grow and eventually die．They are replaced，but in the process something else happens．
When new hairs are replaced，the color or pigment(色素)is also added to them．However，as one ages，this pigment becomes less and less available．At first，hairs will have a limited amount of pigment and they will appear to be grayish in color．In time，they will lose all of their pigment and will be white．Many things are known to cause graying．and genetics is a very powerful factor．If one of your parents turns gray at an early age，there is a good chance that you will too．Some people begin the graying process in high school，while others may be over the age of forty．
Constant worry and tension can have many harmful effects on the human body．It is a known fact that stressful times can cause one to suffer hair loss．It would make sense that if it can cause these problems，perhaps it also may contribute to graying．However，there is no sound evidence to support this．
On the other hand，many medical professionals believe that there may be a link：between graying and a constant state of anxiety or tension．Does stress cause gray hair? There is no scientific evidence to support the theory，but it is best to avoid stressful situations．The underlined phrase in the first paragraph most probably means .
| A．clever remarks | B．silly remarks |
| C．exciting remarks | D．disappointed remarks |
The second paragraph mainly tells us .
| A．every part of body is replaced with age |
| B．hairs will grow weak but not die |
| C．skin becomes wrinkled with age |
| D．every part of body ages with age |
From the passage we can infer that .
| A．stress causing gray hair is still in question |
| B．gray hair has nothing to do with tension． |
| C．stressful situations can be of benefit． |
| D．sound evidence has been found． |
What might play the most important role in the graying process?
| A．Genetics and the amount of sleeping time |
| B．The amount of food people eat and living environment |
| C．The amount of pigment and genetics |
| D．Genetics and the amount of water people drink |
Have you ever intended to be fully absorbed in your work but found yourself distracted (走神) by e-mail, the Internet and other things throughout the day? According to the survey made by a famous university in the USA, most people have the experience.
“People often lose their concentration when they are bored, of course, but also when they are engaged in challenging tasks,” says Peter Bregman, the head of the survey. “They sometimes have a feeling to escape from what’s difficult or boring, so they jump out,” he says. The part of the brain devoted to attention is connected to the brain’s emotional center. Any strong emotion —quarrels with colleagues, problems at home —can interrupt our attention. Studies over the last decade have shown that too much work to do at a time can easily lead to distraction.
Refocusing is hard for many people. Robert Epstein suggests the following, “Stop and listen to some soft music for a few minutes. Find a good friend or a teacher and say out your matter on your mind. Go for a short walk or take a deep breath, where you breathe in deeply, count to five slowly, hold it and breathe out very slowly. This can blow out all the tension and the unwanted in your mind to restore your focus.”
Take more control by structuring your time and becoming more aware of your behaviors.“Setting the phone alarm to go off every hour is my way of creating awareness,”Mr. Bregman says.“You have to inform yourself that you’ve lost focus in order to do something about it.” Starting the day with a to-do list is also important, such as when to eat, when to go to the gym or take a walk. But if it’s overly ambitious, you will put yourself in a state of anxiety, which makes it hard for the brain to concentrate. “Choosing three or four things as your priority (优先) for the day allows your brain to settle down and focus,” he says.According to the passage, which is NOT the reason why some people can be distracted from their work?
| A．They don’t want to be devoted to their work. |
| B．They are disturbed by the Internet and other things. |
| C．They can’t find interest in their work. |
| D．They feel their work is too hard for them. |
Which incident might not interrupt your attention?
| A．You were scolded by your teacher. |
| B．You had words with your good friend. |
| C．You went to school at six as usual. |
| D．Your mother and father had a quarrel. |
According to Robert Epstein, how can we refocus on what we should do?
| A．Listen to rock music for some time. |
| B．Turn to your good friends or teachers for help. |
| C．Run around the playground for some time. |
| D．Take a breath from time to time. |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “restore”in the passage?
| A．recover | B．reform |
| C．release | D．react |
The sound of the rain hitting the windows wakes me up and it sounds just exactly as it did 15 years ago, which reminded me of my girlhood.
It was my second day of school and it was raining heavily. I could not resist the habit I had at home, so I fell asleep right at my desk. I woke up to find myself not in the classroom but carried on Dad’s back. We were halfway home. It was the last time I felt close to him.
After that, he never carried me or hugged me as other fathers did to their children. I was not bothered much by this thought. I was proud of it, for I felt independent and “grown up.” However, there were times when I felt depressed by not having sought comfort from him.
One day, I was writing Chinese characters as homework. I hated doing this more than anything. Dad came and stood behind me for a moment, watching me scratching the paper. Then he said, “This kind of writing needs patience. Your writing is not strong enough. Press harder.”
I follow his advice for the next two words, but as I could see little improvement, I followed my own method----the fast way. His advice did not improve my writing but our relationship. As I grew older, I found out that he had finished his schooling in Grade 6, which was the highest grade in the town then, so he was considered to be a scholar. People used to ask him to write something to put on the walls, but he never felt very useful.
He often said to me, “As you can see, this family is going to count on you. We are useless to improve you anything for your future.You have to get an education to change the life for yourself.” As a result of his expectation, I have made it through high school and through college.How did the author first react to father’s suggestion?
| A．She found it hard to accept. |
| B．She was confused about it. |
| C．She accepted it. |
| D．She doubted it. |
Why did the author feel depressed sometimes?
| A．She found her father never carried her. |
| B．Her father never hugged her as other fathers did to their children. |
| C．She was bothered much by the thought that her father never cared her. |
| D．She never sought comfort from her father. |
We can infer from the passage that the author’s father______.
| A．is helpful to improving the author for her future. |
| B．attaches great importance to education. |
| C．pushes the author tightly. |
| D．received little education. |
What was the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
| A．to introduce her father. |
| B．to demonstrate people her attitude toward life. |
| C．to encourage people to follow their fathers’ suggestions. |
| D．to show what matters to her personal development. |
Losing a baby tooth can be fun for a kid. You can put it under your pillow and look forward to finding some money there in the morning. And then you can watch your new permanent(永恒的) tooth grow in its place.
But if a permanent tooth falls out, that’s a problem. There isn’t another one under the gum(齿龈)that can replace it. Unfortunately, this happens to some older people. And if permanent teeth fall out or need to be pulled, an older person might need dentures.
Dentures, known as false teeth, are a set of replacement teeth for any teeth that are missing. There are partial dentures, which take the place of only a few teeth and prevent the others from changing position. If all the teeth are gone, the person would need complete dentures, which replace every tooth in the mouth.
Dentures can cause pains at first and take little time to get adjusted to. They also need special care. They should be brushed daily with a special denture brush and cleanser and soaked（浸泡） in denture solution when not in the mouth.
Dentures are important for the old because, without teeth, it’s hard to smile, talk, and eat properly. But it can be a little weird if you see someone take out his or her dentures. It can also be strange to see someone, like a grandparent, without dentures in because he or she won’t have any teeth. Try not to make fun of the person because this could cause hurt feelings.
People usually lose their permanent teeth due to periodontal disease（牙周炎）, or gum disease, which is caused by bacteria that attacks the gums. Diseased gums aren’t strong and healthy, so teeth can get loose and fall out. Older people often have many cavities(洞)that have been filled over the years, and these fillings can weaken over time, leading to more tooth problems.If one of your baby teeth falls out, you ________.
| A．should have a false tooth fixed in its place |
| B．have to put it under your pillow at once |
| C．will gain a permanent tooth in future |
| D．can exchange it for some money |
A person wearing dentures ________.
| A．should brush them with a special denture brush every few days |
| B．will take a very long time to adjust himself or herself to them |
| C．will experience unpleasant feelings at the beginning of fixing them |
| D．should use denture solution to soak them in his or her mouth |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Partial dentures can prevent the remaining teeth from changing position. |
| B．Old people will find it hard to smile, talk, and eat properly without teeth. |
| C．A person’s teeth will possibly get loose if diseases strike his gums. |
| D．It is hard for a person to wear dentures if all his teeth have fallen out. |
What does the underlined word “weird” mean in the fifth paragraph?
| A．inconvenient | B．excited |
| C．uncomfortable | D．impolite |
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road.
“Millions of animals die each year on U.S. roads,” the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U.S. today. The main reason? Roadkill.
“Eco-passages” may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. “These eco-passages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid road accidents,” said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society.
But do animals actually use the eco-passages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an eco-passage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage.
Builders of eco-passages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals like salamanders(火蜥蜴) and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.
The next time you visit a park or drive through an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animal overpass!The writer uses the example of “ocelots” to show that _______.
| A．wild animals have become more dangerous |
| B．the driving condition has improved greatly |
| C．the measure for protecting wildlife fails to work |
| D．an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents |
From the story, we know an eco-passage is ________.
| A．an underground path for cars |
| B．a path for animals to cross the road |
| C．a bridge for animals to get over a river |
| D．a fence built for the safety of the area |
When the writer says that “animals seem to be catching on”(Para. 6), he means ________.
| A．animals begin to learn to use eco-passages |
| B．animals begin to realize the dangers on the road |
| C．animals are crossing the road in groups |
| D．animals are increasing in number |
The writer asks visitors and drivers to look around when traveling because ________.
| A．they may see wild animals in the park |
| B．wild animals may jam the road |
| C．they may see wild animals on eco-passages |
| D．wild animals may attack cars |