Most schools ban chewing gum, but in a few years they might consider changing that rule. Why? Scientists are finding evidence that gum chewing may be good for your health. It may even help boost your test scores.
This exciting research is just beginning. And at the same time, companies are also experimenting with adding vitamins, minerals, medicines, and other substances that could give gum the power to cure headaches and fight everything from serious diseases to bad breath.
These gums are part of the growing number of foods and drinks that contain health-boosting ingredients. If you're already a gum fan, that's probably welcome news.
Americans chew about 1.8 pounds of gum per person each year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By showing that gum chewing can be healthy, companies that make and sell gum hope that we'll chew even more.
Chewing gum might be good for your brain. One Japanese study of nine participants found that chewing gum boosted the flow of blood to participants' brains by up to 40 percent. Blood carries oxygen, which fuels brain cells.
Other small studies have found that people perform better on memory tests while chewing gum. And a study in the United Kingdom found that people who chewed gum while memorizing a list of words did about 25 percent better at recalling those words than people who didn't chew gum.
But additional studies are still needed to confirm that chewing gum has benefits. So far, results of studies about memory have been mixed. Not all tests have had similarly encouraging results. What's more, many of the studies that show gum's benefits are funded by gum companies.
So, for now, chew with caution. Too much chewing can damage the jaw joint. And chewing too much of a gum that contains vitamins, caffeine, or a medicine could lead to an overdose. What's more, no matter how healthy gum chewing proves to be, it will never be a match for a healthy lifestyle. Nothing like a gum or a vitamin is going to cure a bad eating habit or a bad exercise habit. It's not a magic bullet. Scientific studies about gum chewing show that ______.
| A．it can help fight serious diseases |
| B．it can help blood produce more oxygen |
| C．it can help reduce headaches |
| D．it can help improve students' memory |
Why are scientists trying to put different substances in gum?
| A．To make it taste more delicious. |
| B．To make it contain more ingredients. |
| C．To help cure different illnesses. |
| D．To help improve the sales of gum. |
What does the writer think of the results of the present studies about gum?
| A．The writer has no doubt about them. |
| B．The writer isn't quite sure about them. |
| C．The writer doesn't believe them at all. |
| D．The writer is very happy with them. |
Which of the following statements would the writer agree with?
| A．Students should be careful with gum chewing. |
| B．The more gums we chew, the more words we will remember. |
| C．Gum chewing helps change a bad eating habit. |
| D．The healthier gum chewing proves to be, the more we should chew. |
Scientists are trying to make the deserts into good land again. They want to bring water to the deserts， so people can live and grow food. They are learning a lot about the deserts. But more and more of the earth is becoming desert all the time. Scientists may not be able to change the desert in time.
Why is more and more land becoming desert？ Scientists think that people make deserts. People are doing bad things to the earth.
Some places on the earth don’t get much rain. But they still don’t become deserts. This is because some green plants are growing there. Small green plants and grass are very important to dry places. Plants don’t let the sun make the earth even drier. Plants do not let the wind blow(吹) the dirt away. When a bit of rain falls， the plants hold the water. Without plants， the land can become desert more easily. Deserts ________.
| A．never have any plants or animals in them |
| B．can all be turned into good land before long |
| C．are becoming smaller and smaller |
| D．get very little rain |
Smallgreenplantsareveryimportanttodryplaces because __________.
| A．they don’t let the sun make the earth even drier |
| B．they don’t let the wind blow the soil away |
| C．they hold water |
| D．All of the above. |
After reading this passage, we learn that __________.
| A．plants can keep dry land from becoming desert |
| B．it is good to get rid of the grass in the deserts |
| C．all places without much rain will become deserts |
| D．it is better to grow crops on dry land than to cut them |
Lots of people have hobbies. Some people collect old coins or foreign stamps; some do needlework; others spend most of their spare time on a particular sport.
A lot of people enjoy reading. But reading tastes differ widely. Some people only read newspapers or comics, some like reading novels, while others prefer books on astronomy, wildlife, or technological discoveries.
If I happen to be interested in horses or precious stones, I cannot expect everyone else to share my enthusiasm. If I watch all the sports programs on TV with great pleasure, I must put up with the fact that other 
people find sports boring.
Is there nothing that interests us all? 
Is there nothing that concerns everyone—no matter who they are or where they live in the world? Yes, dear Sophie, there are questions that certainly should interest everyone. They are precisely the questions this course is about.
What is the most important thing in life? If we ask someone living on the edge of starvation, the answer is food. If we ask someone dying of cold, the answer is warmth. If we 
put the same question to someone who feels lonely and isolated, the answer will probably be the company of other people.
But when these basic needs have been satisfied—will there still be something that everybody needs? Philosophers think so. They believe that man cannot live by bread alone. Of course everyone needs food. And everyone needs love and care. But there is something else—apart from that—which everyone needs, and that is to figure out who we are and why we are here.
Being interested in why we are here is not a “casual” interest like collecting stamps. People who ask such questions are taking part in a debate that has gone on as long as man has lived on this planet. How the universe, the earth, and life came into being is a bigger and more important question than who won the most gold medals in the last Olympics.This text is most probably taken from ________.
| A．a research paper | B．a course schedule |
| C．a personal letter | D．a book review |
Which of the following best states the main idea of the passage?
| A．Philosophical questions are as interesting as collecting stamps. |
| B．Thinking about philosophical questions is a serious interest. |
| C．Figuring out who we are and why we are here is man's basic needs. |
| D．Philosophy has universal appeal and concerns everybody in nature. |
The author believes that ________.
| A．no existing subject can interest everyone in the world |
| B．different people may have different interests and concerns |
| C．everyone has to figure out who we are and why we are here |
| D．people in modern society pay more attention to philosophical questions |
| The 2010 Eustace Tilley Contest This marks our third annual contest soliciting(征求) readers' opinions on Eustace Tilley, the magazine's iconic dandy(花花公子), who appeared on the cover of the first issue of The New Yorker and on almost every anniversary issue since. In celebration of our upcoming 85th anniversary, we invite you to create your own version of The New Yorker's dandy. Entries to our third annual Eustace Tilley contest will be accepted from December 17th through January 18th. Winners will be featured on Newyorker. com. Visit newyorker.com/go/tilley2010 to enter and for complete contest rules Open to legal US and Canada residents (except Quebec) age 18 and over. |
| Video Conversations with James Surowiecki Watch the author of The Financial Pagse column in discussion with policymakers, business leaders, and economists. This month, James Surowiecki speaks with Dan Vasella, the chairman and CEO of Novartis, about drug prices, healthcare, reform, and the appearance of China in the pharmaceutical(制药的) industry. Visit www.newyorker. com/go/vasella today. |
| The Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program The Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program brings joy and laughter to young patients in seven New York City pediatric(儿科的) facilities, and 11 more across the country. 90 specially trained professional “clown doctors” visit nearly 250 000 bedsides a year, interacting with the children, family members and staff. The Clown Care Program is a part of the healing process for children who come to New York Presbyterian. The clown unit provides a unique way to reduce the stress associated with being in a hospital. Being able to bring a smile to the face of a sick child clearly complements(辅助) the excellent care provided by our doctors and nurses. We are thrilled to include The Clown Care Program as part of our team. Please help continue this important work by making a financial contribution today at bigapplecircus. org. |
Whose entry will be accepted by The New Yorker?
| A．Richard, a postgraduate from Quebec, Canada, who sent his design on Dec.20. |
| B．Amy, a 28yearold AsianAmerican teacher, who sent her design on Jan. 20. |
| C．Jessie, a 16yearold student from New York, who sent her design on Dec. 29. |
| D．John, a 68yearold retired engineer from San Francisco, who sent his design on Jan. 10. |
Which of the following is NO
T true about James Surowiecki?
| A．James Surowiecki is the author of The Financial Page column. |
| B．James Surowiecki usually has discussions with people from different fields. |
| C．James Surowiecki speaks with a chairman about issues of medicine this month. |
| D．Visiting newyorker. com/go/vasella, you can watch the conversation of this month between James and an economist. |
________ can be provided by The Big Apple Circus Care Program for sick children.
| A．Excellent treatment and care | B．Trained professional doctors and nurses |
| C．Unique methods to relieve stress | D．Special pediatric facilities |
Which of the following can be used by The Big Apple Circus Clown Care Program to promote itself?
| A．We help all children live happy lives. |
| B．Our doctors jump through rings to cure the blues. |
| C．Every life deserves world class care. |
| D．Work together for a healthier world. |
Air pollution is damaging 60% of Europe's prime wildlife sites in meadows, forests and bushes, according to a new report.
A team of EU scientists said nitrogen emissions(氮排放) from cars, factories and farming were threatening biodiversity. It's the second report this week warning of the ongoing riks and threats linked to nitrogen pollution.[
Nitrogen in the atmosphere is harmless in its inert(惰性的) state, but the report says reactive forms of nitrogen, largely produced by human activity, can be a menace to the natural world.
Emissions mostly come from vehicle exhausts(排气), factories, artificial fertilizers(肥料) and animal waste from intensive farming. The reactive nitrogen they emit to the air disrupts the environment in two ways: It can make acidic soils too acidic to support their previous mix of species. But primarily, because nitrogen is a fertilizer, it favors wild plants that can maximize the use of nitrogen to help them grow.
In effect, some of the nitrogen spread to fertilize crops is carried in the atmosphere to fertilize weeds, possibly a great distance from where the chemicals were first applied.
The effects of fertilization and acidification favor common aggressive species like grasses, brambles and nettles. They harm more delicate species like mosses(苔藓), and insecteating sundew plants.
The report said 60% of wildlife sites were now receiving a critical load of reactive nitrogen. The report's lead author, Dr. Kevin Hicks from the University of York's Stockholm Environment Institute(SEI), told BBC News that England's Peak District had a definitely low range of species as a result of the reactive nitrogen that fell on the area.
“Nitrogen creates a rather big problem that seems to me to have been given too little attention，” he said. “Governments are responsible for protecting areas like this, but they are clearly failing.”
He said more research was needed to understand the knockon effects for creatures from the changes in vegetation accidentally caused by emissions from cars, industry and farms.
At the conference, the representatives agreed “The Edinburgh Declaration on Reactive Nitrogen”. The document highlights the importance of reducing reactive nitrogen emissions to the environment, adding that the benefits of reducing nitrogen outweigh the costs
of taking action.The underlined word “menace” is used to express that the reactive nitrogen, largely produced by human activity can be ________.
| A．frightening | B．threatening | C．unique | D．unusual |
We can infer from the passage that ________.
| A．it's harmless to have reactive nitrogen existing in the atmosphere |
B．reactive nitrogen emissions help aggressive s pecies less than crops |
| C．the harm to those delicate species has a negative impact on biodiversity |
| D．reactive nitrogen can fertilize soils and keep their biodiversity |
The team of EU scientists released the second report of nitrogen emissions this week when ________.
| A．no action was taken to stop nitrogen emission |
| B．governments were willing to protect areas harmed by nitrogen |
| C．“The Edinburgh Declaration on Reactive Nitrogen” was agreed |
| D．nitrogen emissions were threatening wildlife sites' biodiversity |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Keeping Away From Nitrogen Emissions |
| B．Stopping Nitrogen Emissions |
| C．Air Pollution Damaging Europe's Wildlife |
| D．Saving Europe's Wildlife |
I think it was my mother who taught me the meaning of honesty. Not because she actually was honest, but because she lied all the time. She felt that the easiest way out of any given situation was generally the best way out. And, for her, that generally meant telling a “little white lie”. As a young child I thought it was kind of cool. And, naturally, when I would come to her with a concern or question wondering what I should do, she generally advised me to lie.
“Mom, I told Theresa that I would go over to her house, but now I would rather go to Sue's house to play.”
“Tell Theresa you're sick，” she would advise. And generally I did. But I didn't seem blessed with her lack of conscience. On many painful occasions Theresa would find out that I really went to Sue's house without her. These occasions taught me that it is more painful to be caught in a lie than it is to tell the truth in the first place. I wondered how it was possible that my mother had never learned that lesson.
I started thinking of all the lies that I'd heard her tell. I remembered the time she told someone that her favorite restaurant had closed, because she didn't want to see them there anymore. Or the time she told Dad that she loved the lawnmower he gave her for her birthday. Or when she claimed that our phone lines had been down when she was trying to explain why she hadn't been in touch with a friend of hers for weeks. And what bothered me even more were all the times she had involved me into her lies. Like the time she told my guidance counselor that I had to miss school for exploratory surgery
, when she really needed me to babysit. And it even started to bother me when someone would call for her and she would ask me to tell them that she wasn't there.
So, I started my own personai fight against her dishonesty. When I answered the phone and it was someone my mother didn't want to talk to, I said, “Louise, mom is here, but she doesn't want to talk to you.” The first time I did it, she punished me, but I refused to apologize. I told her that I had decided that it was wrong to lie. And the next time it happened I did the same thing. Finally, she approached me and said, “I agree that lying is not the best thing to do, but we need to find a way to be honest without being rude.” She admitted that her methods weren't right, and I admitted that mine were a bit too extreme.
Over the past few years, the two of us have worked together to be honest—and yet kind. Honesty should mean more than not lying. It should mean speaking the truth in kindness. Though I started by trying to teach my mom the importance of honesty, I ended up gaining a deeper understanding of the meaning of the term.The author's mother ________.
| A．thought white lies were not lies |
| B．helped the author get out of trouble with white lies |
| C．told the author to lie when in trouble |
| D．taught the author the importance of being honest |
The author ________.
| A．was thankful to her mother's advice |
| B．felt more awkward when being caught lying |
| C．found that telling the truth hurt more than telling a lie |
| D．felt guilty when hurting people with her honesty |
It can be inferred that the author's mother ________.
| A．met her friends in the same restaurant regularly |
| B．didn't get along with the author's teachers |
| C．was not popular among her friends |
| D．wanted to have something else for her birthday |
Finally the author and her mother agreed that ________.
| A．kindheartedness is more important than honesty |
| B．appropriate methods are the key to telling a good lie |
| C．honesty is defined as kindness as well as truthfulness |
| D．absolute honesty is basic to good interpersonal relationships |