The plan is for Kitty and Fido to go？Here’s what you need to know.,“Take_the_pet_for_a_few_short_rides_before_your_trip_so_it_gets_used_to_it，”says_Greg_Hammer.“You_can’t_take_your_pet_on_a_fourhour_trip_if_he’s_never_been_in_the_car_before.”,Make sure your cellphone number is on the pet’s collar，in case he gets lost.,Put it on his tags or write it on the collar in permanent marker.And have your vet inject your pet with a tiny microchip implant.If he loses his collar，rescue organizations will scan the back of his neck，see his personal identification number，and contact you.,RealSimple.com：Solutions to common pet problems,It’s the safest for passengers and your pets if cats ride in a carrier and dogs in a car harness or a crate，depending on what makes them most comfortable.“Pets that are out of their comfort zones can have behavior problems in the car，which can be dangerous while driving，”says Hammer.,Try not to let your dog ride with his head out of the window.,Beyond the danger of getting hit，“particles of dirt or debris can enter the eyes，ears，and noses，causing injury or infection，”says Hammer.,RealSimple.com: 8 things your pet shouldn’t eat,Make regular stops－every two hours for a puppy，every three to four hours for a cat or an adult dog－so your pet can take a walk on a leash (some cats enjoy a little leash walk)．,Feed your pet only lightly before getting in the car－pets can become carsick.Once you’ve stopped driving for the day，feed normally.,RealSimple.com：The top ten pet owner mistakes,Plan your pet’s typical feeding and walking schedule into your travel time.If your pet eats at midday，stop and give him a quick walk and a small meal.The underlined sentence shows __________．
| A．preparations for the trip are very important |
| B．it is difficult for pets to ride |
| C．take care when traveling with pets |
| D．a fourhour trip isn’t allowed for pets, |
How does the author think of a tiny microchip implant？
| A．Cheap. |
| B．Expensive. |
| C．Useful |
| D．Nice. |
Before you take your pets in the car，you’d better __________．
| A．make it fall asleep |
| B．feed it too much food |
| C．feed it in a normal way, |
| D．give it a little to eat |
What’s the best title for the passage？
| A．How to raise pets |
| B．How to take pets on road trips |
| C．How to solve common pet problems |
| D．How to correct pet mistakes |
Babies born in summer are more likely to become short-sighted in late life, a study has shown.
As many as a quarter of all cases of short-sightedness are caused by too great an exposure to sunlight in the first weeks of life, say eye experts.
They are advising all parents to put sunglasses on their babies during the first weeks.
Scientists had already established that over-exposure to sunlight caused short-sightedness in animals.
Researchers who compared the months in which babies were born with whether they needed glasses later on say the principle also applies to humans.
A study of almost 300,000 young adults─the largest of its kind─showed that those born in June and July had a 25 per cent greater chance of becoming severely short-sighted than those born in December or January. Research leader Professor Michael Belkin, of Tel Aviv University, said it was because prolonged illumination(光照) causes the eyeball to lengthen, causing short-sightedness.
Hence the more light a newborn is exposed to, the more the eyeball lengthens and the worse the short-sightedness will be.
The mechanism which lengthens the eyeball is associated with levels of melatonin(褪黑激素), a pigment (色素) which protects the skin against harmful rays of the sun.
In young babies not enough melatonin is released as protection, meaning they are more vulnerable to sunburn and changes to eyeball shape.
Sight expert Professor Daniel O’Leary, of Anglia Ruskin University in Cambridge, said “At the moment we don’t know the precise cause of why light exposure affects sight, but the evidence seems to prove that it is one of the reasons for people becoming short-sighted.”
55. Babies born in summer are more likely to be short-sighted ____________.
A. because the summer sun is too strong for babies
B. because babies born in summer have lengthened eyeballs
C. if they are exposed to much sunlight in the first weeks after they are born
D. if parents don’t know a proper way to protect their babies’ eyes
56. Melatonin is a kind of material to ___________.
A. prevent the eyes from becoming near-sighted
B. protect the skin from harmful sun rays
C. make our body strong
D. protect babies’ eyes from summer sun
57. From what Professor Daniel O’Leary says we can conclude that ___________.
A. there is no evidence that short-sightedness is related to exposure to sunlight
B. whether light exposure affects sight still needs to be further proved
C. he believes that light exposure can cause short-sightedness
D. he tries to give the cause of why light exposure affects sight
58. The underlined word “vulnerable” in the passage probably means __________.
A. easy to be harmed B. resistant
C. protective D. changeable
Weighed down（压得喘不过气来） by study? Pushed to the limit by the fast pace of life? Frightened by the possible war? Well, you’re not alone. Men and women in France are seeking relief using the world’s best medicine─laughter.
In the past year, more than 25 laughter clubs have been set up across the country. People of all ages release their stress with an hour of group laughs. “People telephoned me and said they have forgotten what it is to laugh. They want to find a place where they can escape all their problems for a while. So they come,” said 40-year-old Jocelyn Le Moan. She usually takes a class of around 60 people through a series of laughter techniques.
Her pupils range from teenagers to 70 years old, but most are middle-aged white collars seeking 60 minutes of relaxation at the end of a busy day.
Le Moan takes them through the “Lion Laugh” and the “Laugh Contest”, where participants “speak” to each other in different ways. And instead of talking, they break into fits of laughter. At the end there are 15 minutes of “meditation”（沉思）,when they lie on their backs and let the laughs burst out of their mouths.
“I love it. It’s an experience that has changed my life. Through it I rediscovered the child’s laugh inside me,” said Romain Jourffroy, 24.
Like Jourffroy, many laughter club members find themselves changed into children again, and why not? The average preschooler laughs up to 400 times a day. The average adult only a sad seven to fifteen.
The physical benefits of laughter are already well-recognized. Doctors say the act of laughing releases good chemicals into the blood-stream, while the quick breathing that accompanies it helps massage（按摩）the digestive organs and strengthens the heart.
“A full hour is like having your insides go jogging! One finishes out of breath, but feels revitalized (产生新活力). And on top of that, you’ve had a laugh,” said doctor Alexisd Estaing.
And many participants in Paris also emphasize the psychological benefits. They believe that laughter is a way of making oneself feel more confident.
“Maybe it is because we are surrounded by so many troubles that we feel the need to keep laughing,” said Anne Maurigiano, a 29-year-old filmmaker.
51. From the passage, we can conclude the following but __________.
A. Jocelyn Le Moan is a teacher of the club.
B. the members are mostly middle-aged white collars.
C. people always need some way to relax in life.
D. laugh freely and everything goes well.
52. The writer suggested that you should __________.
A. have a good laugh after a busy day
B. talk to each other about what troubles you
C. learn series of laughter techniques
D. take the world’s best medicine
53. Which of the following is NOT included among the benefits of laughing ?
A. It can make people rediscover their children’s laugh.
B. It can release good chemical into blood-stream.
C. It can make you feel self-confident.
D. It can cure the illness of people.
54. What does the phrase “on the top of that ” mean?
A. besides B. on the top of tiredness
C. above all D. on the top of your energy
The Festival of Cultures (August 11 – 14)
City Park
The Festival of Cultures is an annual event to celebrate the wide range of cultures found in our great state. People representing 40 cultural groups will share their traditions and customs. Here are just a few of the festival’s many activities.
Crafts (手工): See the fine art of basket weaving from Vietnam and Zimbabwe. Watch the delicate art of making paper umbrellas from Thailand and the decorative craft of paperl picado, or paper cutting, from Mexico. All craft demonstrations provide a firsthand view of how things are made. You will appreciate the process involved in making these products.
Music and Dance: Experience musical instruments that you have never heard before. Listening to the music of a sho from Japan, a bull-roarer from Australia, a sitar from India, and a chakay from Tailand. You will also be entertained by folk dances from around the world, such as the troika from Russia and the mayim from Israel. From 1:00 P.M. to 3:00 P.M. on August 14, special folk-dancing classes for children will be offered. Children ranging in age from 6 – 8 can learn the kinderpolka from Germany. Children ranging in age from 9 – 12 can learn the raspa from Mexico.
Storytelling: Listen for hours as professional storytellers charm you with interesting tales. Fables, folktales, and ballads from various countries will be told. By popular demand, Gwendolyn Washington, a famous African American storyteller, is back.
Food: Enjoy irresistible foods from other countries, such as gyros from Greece, seafood paella from Spain,
crepes from France, and tandoori chicken from India. These tasty dishes will be difficult to pass up.
| Tickets August 11 - 13 |
| Adults $3 Ages 13 – 18 $2 Ages 6 – 12 $ 1 Ages 6 and underFree |
|
The plane journey from Papa Westray to Westray in the Orkney Islands takes just 96 seconds, covering a distance of little over a mile. Six teenagers are to take the Loganair service to Westray Junior High after the local ferry (渡轮) service stopped. They are all aged 13-14 and will be flown to and from school until the end of the year when the ferry is scheduled to return.
Papa Westray had a population of just 70 and no secondary school. Westray, home to more than 600 residents, has around 70 pupils at the Junior High and nine full-time teachers. The school provides education to Standard Grade level but pupils choosing to study for their Highers must travel to the Orkney capital Kirkwall.
The students will fly to Westray each Tuesday and stay with host families for two nights before catching a return flight on Thursday. Loganair operating the eight-seater service has changed its schedule to ensure the children get to school on time. The company says the flight, with an average flight time of 96 seconds, is the shortest in the world.
Jonathan Hinkles, the commercial director, said, “While it is a popular tourist route for many visitors to Scotland, it’s also an important lifeline to those residents who live, work or do business in the Orkneys and it will make all the difference to ensuring those children who live on Papa Westray can continue their schooling throughout winter.” Willie McEwen, acting head teacher at Westray Junior High, said, “we are delighted that Loganair has come forward with this solution. Our children will enjoy the flying especially as, at this time of the year, it can be quite dangerous on the boat. ”
83. Which of the following is TURE according to the passage?
The six students can get to school in less than a minute sometimes.
Westray has a small population though big in size.
The plane can hold ten people at most each time.
The six students take the flight to school every day.
84. What can we learn about Papa Westray from the passage?
A. It is very poor. B. It is located in Scotland.
C. It doesn’t have any school. D. It will have no ferry in the future.
85. How does Willie McEwen seem to feel about the flying?
A. Surprised. B. Worried. C. Satisfied. D. Disappointed.
86. Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. Children get lift to school on 96-second flight.
B. Six teenagers having trouble going to school.
C. The lucky students in Papa Westray.
D. The shortest flight in Papa Westray.
BERLIN---A German woman, fearful that a burglar (夜贼) was trying to break into her second -storey apartment, called police after she heard someone climbing up to her balcony shortly after midnight, police said Thursday.
Police discovered the “burglar” was a man carrying flowers and a bottle of wine who turned out to be the woman’s boyfriend. But then arrested him on an outstanding reason.
“He was trying to surprise her with the flowers and a bottle of wine but it all went wrong,” said Korbach police spokesman Volker Koenig. He said the man jumped down from the balcony and tried to escape but was quickly caught by police.
“He gave the police who were taking him to jail the bottle of wine as a gesture of thanks for the friendly treatment after the arrest. ” Koenig said．
LONDON---A smoker who died after battling emphysema (肺气肿) has had his dying wish granted with the placement of a “SMOKING KILLED ME” sign on his hearse (灵车) and his grave.
Albert Whittamore blamed his youthful smoking habit for the lung disease. He said before he died in February that he wanted the sign to serve as a warning to young people about the dangers of tobacco smoking.
The sign was designed to look like the health warning on a packet of cigarettes. The printed notice at his grave will be left in place for a week. The hearse carrying his body through the town of Dover 100 miles (160 kilometers) southeast of London and several of the printed signs shown in the windows.
79. The man climbing up to the girl’s balcony _______
A. was actually a wanted thief B. was put into prison in the end
C. thanked the police for setting him free D. was treated badly by the police
80. The best title for the first news item might be “_______.”
A. A burglar’s love B. A burglar boyfriend
C. Flowers and wine D. Price for being romantic
81. The public paid more attention to the smoker because _______.
A. he died after smoking for many years
B. he had the sign put on his hearse and his grave
C. he died of a lung disease without any treatment
D. he wanted the sign left on his grave for one day
82. Which of the following is NOT true?
A. The sign will be printed on the packet of cigarettes.
B. The signs were also shown in the windows of the hearse.
C. The smoker wanted to tell people how bad it was to smoke.
D. The smoker regretted forming the habit of smoking.