Here’s one number to keep in mind during your next cell phone conversation: 50. A new experiment shows that spending 50 minutes with an active phone pressed up to the ear increases activity in the brain. This brain activity probably doesn't make you smarter. When cell phones are on, they emit (发出) energy in the form of radiation that could be harmful, especially after years of cell phone usage. Scientists don't know yet whether cell phones are bad for the brain. Studies like this one are attempting to find it out.
The 47 participants in the experiment may have looked a little strange. Each one had two Samsung cell phones attached to his or her head — one on each ear. The phone on the left ear was off. The phone on the right ear played a message for 50 minutes, but the participants couldn't hear it because the sound was off.
With this set-up, the scientists could be sure they were studying brain activity from the phone itself, and not brain activity due to listening and talking during a conversation. After 50 minutes with two phones strapped to their heads, the participants were given PET scans.
The PET scan showed that the left side (the side with the phone turned off) of each participant's brain hadn't changed during the experiment. The right side of the brain, however, had used more glucose, which is a type of sugar that provides fuel to brain cells. These right-side brain cells were using almost as much glucose as the brain uses when a person is talking. This suggests that the brain cells there were active ― even without the person hearing anything. That activity, the scientists say, was probably caused by radiation from the phone.
Henry Lai, who works at the University of Washington in Seattle, is uncomfortable with the data related to cell phones. Holding a cell phone to your ear during a conversation is “not really safe,” Lai told Science News. Lai is a bioengineer at the University of Washington in Seattle. He wrote an article about the new study for a journal, but he did not work on the study. Bioengineers bring together ideas from engineering and biology.
For those who don't want to wait to find out for sure whether cell phones are bad for the brain, there are ways to talk more safely. You can have short and sweet conversations, use a speakerphone or keep the phone away from your head. Which of the following statement is true?
A.Scientists are sure that cell phones are bad for the brain. |
B.In the experiment, the left side of the brain used more glucose. |
C.Radiation from the phone probably causes the change in the brain. |
D.Henry Lai wrote a lot of articles about this new study. |
Why weren’t the participants allowed to have a conversation on the phone during the experiment?
A.Because the scientists want to be sure of the accuracy of the experiment. |
B.Because they really looked strange and no one wanted to talk to others. |
C.Because they were given PET scans and they lost the ability to talk. |
D.Because that would be too noisy and bad for the experiment. |
What is glucose?
A.A type of sugar that provides vitamin to brain cells. |
B.Something that the right side of the brain used. |
C.A type of sugar that gives energy to brain cells. |
D.Something that makes a human excited. |
According to the last two paragraphs, which is the safest way to use a cell phone?
A.Holding the cell phone close to your head. |
B.Using a cell phone more than three hours a day. |
C.Taking the most powerful cell phone. |
D.Keeping the cell phone at a distance. |
Where is this article probably taken from?
A.Literature magazine. | B.Science News. |
C.Story books. | D.Art Journal. |
The weather predictions for Asia in 2050 read like a story from a doomsday movie.
Many experts and green groups fear they will come true unless there is a united global effort to hold back greenhouse gas outpouring. In the decades to come, Asia---home to more than half the world’s 63 billion people-will change from one climate extreme to another, with tired farmers battling droughts, floods, disease, food shortages and rising sea levels.
“It’s not a pretty picture,” said Steve Sawyer, climate policy adviser with Greenpeace in Amsterdam. Global warming and changes of weather patterns are already occurring and there is more than enough carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases in the atmosphere to drive climate change for decades to come.
Already, changes are being felt in Asia but worse is likely to come, Sawyer and top climate bodies say, and could lead to mass migration and widespread human disasters. According to predictions, icebergs will melt faster, some Pacific and Indian Ocean islands will have to evacuate(疏散) or build sea defenses, storms will become more intense and insect and water-borne diseases will move into new areas as the world warms.
All this comes with rising populations and demand for food, water and other resources. Experts say environmental worsening such as deforestation and pollution will probably enlarge the results of climate change.
In what could be a sign of the future, Japan was hit by a record of 10 typhoons and tropical storms this year, while two-thirds of Bangladesh, parts of Nepal and large areas of northeastern India were flooded, affecting 50 million people, destroying livelihoods and making tens of thousands ill.
The year before, a winter cold struck and a summer heat wave killed more than 2,000 people in India.This passage is mainly about.
A.what kind of weather we like best |
B.the weather predictions for Asia in the future and the reasons |
C.how to improve our environment |
D.that the world will not be suitable for us to live in |
In the future the Asian farmers will have to face the following except.
A.food shortages | B.droughts | C.wars | D.floods |
The underlined word “doomsday” may give us the feeling of.
A.happiness | B.sadness | C.peace | D.excitement |
That summer an army of crickets(蟋蟀) started a war with my father. Dad cared for insects no more than Mamma, but he could tolerate a few living in the basement. Mamma was a city girl and she said a cricket was just too noisy. Then to support her point she wouldn’t go to bed. She drank coffee and smoked my father’s cigarettes and paced between the sofa and the TV. Next morning she threatened to pack up and leave, so Dad drove to the store and hurried back. He sprayed poison from a jug. When he was finished he told us that was the end of it.
For a couple of weeks we went back to find dead crickets in the laundry. He suggested that we’d all be better off to hide as many as we could from Mamma. I fed a few dozen to the cat who I didn’t like because he scratched for no reason.
However,soon live crickets started showing up in the kitchen and bathroom. Mamma was upest because she thought they were the dead crickets coming back,but Dad said these were certainly new ones. He fetched his jug of posion and sprayed all over until the whole house smelled of posion, and then he sprayed the basement again.
A couple of weeks later, when both live and dead crickets kept turning up, Dad emptied the basement of junk. Then he burned a lot of old newspapers and magazines which he said the crickets had turned into nests.
While we ate supper that evening, the wind lifted some flames onto the wood pile. The only gasoline was in the lawn mower’s(割草机) fuel tank but that was enough to create an explosion big enough to reach the house. Once the roof caught, there wasn’t much anyone could do.
After the fire trucks left, Mamma took the others to Aunt Gail’s. I helped Dad and Uncle Burt carry things out of the house and pile them by the road. We worked into the night and we didn’t talk much, while all around the noise of crickets broke our silence. What do we know about the author’s mother?
A.She didn’t like insects at all. |
B.She liked insects more than his father. |
C.She cared for insects very much. |
D.She could only tolerate a few insects. |
The author’s father drove to the store to buy _______.
A.cigarettes for himself | B.some poison |
C.more coffee for his wife | D.some gasoline |
The author’s father burned the old newspapers and magazines because he thought ______.
A.they were no longer useful |
B.the crickets were afraid of fires |
C.they became the home of crickets |
D.the dead crickets came back to life |
We learn from the last paragraph that ________.
A.the author’s family lost their battle against the crickets |
B.the author’s parents learned to put up with insects |
C.the author’s family didn’t suffer much in the fire |
D.the author’s parents got divorced |
To err is human. To blame the other guy is even more human.
Common sense is not all that common.
Why tell the truth when you can come up with a good excuse?
These three popular misquotes(戏谑的引语)are meant to be jokes, and yet they tell us a lot about human nature .To err, or to make mistakes, is indeed a part of being human, but it seems that most people don’t want to accept the responsibility for the problem. Perhaps it is the natural thing to do .The original quote about human nature went like this: “ To err is human, to forgive, divine(神圣的).”This saying mirrors an ideal people should be forgiving of others’ mistakes. Instead, we tend to do the opposite –find someone else to pass the blame on to. However, taking responsibility for something that went wrong is a making of great maturity.
Common sense is what we call clear thought. Having common sense means having a good general plan that will make things work well, and it also means staying with the plan. Common sense tells you that you take an umbrella out into a rainstorm, but you leave the umbrella home when you hear a weather forecast for sunshine.Common sense does not seem to be common for large organizations, because there are so many things going on that one person cannot be in charge of everything. People say that in a large company, “the right hand does not know what the left hand is doing.”
And what is wrong with a society that thinks that making up a good excuse is like creating a work of art? One of the common problems with making excuses is that people, especially young people, get the idea that it’s okay not to be totally honest all the time. There is a corollary(直接推论)to that: if good excuse is “good” even if it isn’t honest, then where is the place of the truth?According to tile passage, which of following seems the most human?
A.To search for truth. |
B.To achieve one’s ideal |
C.To make fun of others’ mistakes. |
D.To criticize others for one’s own error. |
According to the author, what is a sign of a man’s maturity?
A.Doing things his own way. |
B.Bearing responsibility for his mistakes. |
C.Making as few mistakes as possible. |
D.Thinking seriously about his wrongdoing. |
Which of the following is N0T based on common sense?
A.A man tries to take charge of everything in a large company. |
B.A student goes out with an umbrella in stormy weather. |
C.A company’s next move follows a good plan. |
D.A lawyer acts on fine judgments. |
What is the author’s opinion about a good excuse?
A.Making a good excuse is sometimes a better policy. |
B.Inventing a good excuse needs creative ideas. |
C.A good excuse is as rewarding as honesty. |
D.Bitter truth is better than a good excuse. |
What would be the best title for his passage?
A.A Mirror of Human Nature | B.To Blame or to Forgive |
C.A Mark of Maturity | D.Truth or Excuse |
WELCOME
Welcome to Windsor Castle, the oldest and largest occupied castle in the world .Windsor is one the official residences (住所)of the Queen, who sometimes stays here.
Audio tours
Free audio tours are available on leaving the Admission Centre at the start of your visit .There is a descriptive audio tour for blind and poor-sighted visitors.
Guided tours
Visitors can explore the history of the Castle through a tour of the Precincts with an expert guide. Tours depart at regular intervals throughout the day from the Courtyard and finish at the entrance to the State Apartments.
Visitors with children
For those visiting with children, a special family tour and various activities are offered during school holidays and at weekends .Please note permitted in the State Apartments. However, baby carriers are available to borrow.
St George’s Chapel
Visitors arriving at the Castle after 15:00 from March to October are advised to visit St George’s Chapel first before it closes.
Shopping
Shops offer a wide range of souvenirs designed for the Royal Collection, including books, postcards, china, jewellery, and children’s toys. Please ask at the Middle Ward shop about our home delivery service.
Refreshments
Bottled water can be purchased from the Courtyard and Middle Ward shops. From April to September ice cream is also available. Visitors wishing to leave the Castle for refreshments in the town may obtain re-entry permits from the castle shops. Eating and drinking are not permitted in the State Apartments or St George’s Chapel.
Photography and mobile phones
Non-commercial photography and filming are welcomed in the Castle. Photography, video recording and filming are not permitted inside the State Apartments or St George’s Chapel. Mobile phone must be switched off inside the State Apartments and St George’s Chapel in consideration of other visitors.
Security
As Winter Castle is a working royal palace, visitors and their belongings should get through airport style security checks. For safety and security reasons a one-way system operates along the visitor route.A visitor can apply for a free audio tour_________.
A.in the Courtyard | B.in the State Apartments |
C.at the Admission Center | D.at St George’s Chapel |
What is specially offered to visitors with kids?
A.A security guard. | B.A pushchair. |
C.A free toy. | D.A baby carrier. |
Who can get re-entry permits?
A.Visitors wishing to eat outside the Castle. |
B.Visitors buying gifts in the castle shops. |
C.Visitors buying water from the Courtyard. |
D.Visitors eating outside St George’s Chapel. |
Why are visitors required to turn off their mobile phones?
A.To ensure the safety of others. |
B.To ensure the security of the Castle. |
C.To prevent them from disturbing others. |
D.To prevent the use of the built-in cameras. |
In the last part, a “working royal palace” refers to one ___.
A.still being constructed |
B.still used by the royal family |
C.where the Queen usually works |
D.where works of art are on show |
LIPITOR
ABOUT LIPITOR
Lipitor is a prescription medicine. Along with diet and exercise, it lowers “bad” cholesterol (胆固醇) in your blood. It can also raise “good” cholesterol.
Lipitor can lower the risk of heart attack in patients with several common risk factors, including family history of early heart disease, high blood pressure, age and smoking .
WHO IS LIPITOR FOR?
Who can take LIPITOR:
·People who cannot lower their cholesterol enough with diet and exercise
·Adults and children over l0
Who should NOT take LIPITOR:
·Women who are pregnant, may be pregnant, or may become pregnant. Lipitor may harm your unborn baby.
·women who are breast-feeding. Lipitor can pass into your breast milk and may harm your baby.
·People with liver (肝脏) problems
POSSIBLE SIDE EFFECTS OF LIPITOR
Serious side effects in a small number of people:
·Muscle (肌肉) problems that can lead to kidney (肾脏) problems, including kidney failure
·Liver problems. Your doctor may do blood tests to check your liver before you start Lipitor and while you are taking it.
Call your doctor right away if you have:
·Unexplained muscle pain or weakness, especially if you have a fever or feel very fired
·Swelling of the face, lips, tongue, and/or throat that may cause difficulty in breathing or swallowing
·Stomach pain
Some common side effects of LIPITOR are:
·Muscle pain
·Upset stomach
·Changes in some blood tests
HOW TO TAKE LIPITOR
DO:
·Take Lipitor as prescribed by your doctor.
·Try to eat heart-healthy foods while you take Lipitor.
·Take Lipitor at any time of day, with or without food.
·If you miss a dose (一剂), take it as soon as you remember. But if it has been more than 12 hours since your missed dose, wait. Take the next dose at your regular time.
Don’t:
·Do not change or stop your dose before talking to your doctor.
·Do not start new medicines before talking to your doctor.What is a major function of Lipitor?
A.To help quit smoking. |
B.To control blood pressure. |
C.To improve unhealthy diet. |
D.To lower “bad” cholesterol. |
Taking Lipitor is helpful for _________.
A.breast-feeding women |
B.women who are pregnant |
C.adults having heart disease |
D.teenagers with liver problems |
If it has been over 12 hours since you missed a dose, you should _________. .
A.change the amount of your next dose |
B.eat more when taking your next dose |
C.have a dose as soon as you remember |
D.take the next dose at your regular time |
Which of the following is a common side effect of taking Lipitor?
A.Face swelling. | B.Upset stomach. |
C.Kidney failure. | D.Muscle weakness. |
What is the main purpose of the passage?
A.To teach patients ways for quick recovery. |
B.To present a report on a scientific research. |
C.To show the importance of a good lifestyle. |
D.To give information about a kind of medicine. |