If you’re looking for a cheery destination for your next vacation, consider these four spots and get ready to take notes on how to really live the good life．
Singapore
With one of the highest population densities（密度）in the world and residents known for being workaholics, it’s hard to imagine the city-state of Singapore having one of the happiest populations on earth．And yet in a recent survey, 95% of them said they were either very happy or quite happy．
They give their city high marks for cleanliness and safety—subways are pristine（洁净的）and unfailingly arrive on time, and police are seen as helpful and good at their jobs．What’s more, they feel they can count on their neighbours—all 5．1 million of them．
Arhus, Denmark
The residents of Arhus cheerfully part with 68% of their income in taxes, knowing that in return they will be guaranteed free healthcare, free daycare, and a top-notch（第一流的）education for their children．
An energetic city of 300,000 with a lively cultural scene and a diverse number of religions represented, the sense of equality（the range in incomes is narrow）, as well as easy access to the nearby sea and surrounding countryside, make Arhus seem more like a small town．
San Luis Obispo, CA
According to a 2008 Gallup-Healthways study, people who live in San Luis Obispo are more likely than residents of other U．S．cities to smile and experience joy and are less likely to experience pain or depression．About 64,000 of the 260,000 people in the greater metropolitan area（都市区）, located halfway between Los Angeles and San Francisco, volunteer at over 11,000 non-profit organizations．
Few journeys to work are longer than 10 minutes （one reason its members rank in the upper third for job satisfaction）, so “it’s easy to be involved,” resident Pierre Rademaker said．Business signs are unobtrusive（不显眼的）by law, fewer than 11% of residents smoke—the lower rate in the U．S．—there are lots of bike lanes, and the city’s plaza draws crowds of people for free concerts on summer Fridays．What’s not to love?
Monterrey, Mexico
The people of Monterrey don’t enjoy high household incomes or access to good healthcare．Instead, there’s a profound sense of gratitude for the new political freedom enjoyed since the oppressive Institutional Revolutionary Party lost power in 2000—the first time in nearly a century—as well as an emphasis on social life over work．
Another reason Monterrey residents may be so happy is their faith in God and family, and their ability to tough it out through bad times．
“We laugh at sickness, poverty and even death,” says Basanez, a political scientist who lives in Monterrey．“We even have a holiday to celebrate death．November 2, the Day of the Dead, is one of the biggest holidays of the year．”According to the passage, what do the residents in the four cities have in common?
| A．All the residents can make great fortunes by working hard． |
| B．The residents there are mostly educators． |
| C．All the residents enjoy enough material wealth． |
| D．The majority of the residents are satisfied with their current life． |
According to the passage, we can infer that _______．
| A．the people of Singapore expect their neighbours to come to their help when necessary |
| B．the people of Monterrey even observe one’s death on a special day of a year |
| C．the residents of Arhus happily pay 68% of their income for their children’s education fee |
| D．the people who live in San Luis Obispo have job satisfaction because they can enjoy good working conditions |
According to the passage which of the following statements is NOT TRUE?
| A．The people of Monterrey didn’t enjoy political freedom until 2000． |
| B．The residents in Singapore feel happy because of its low population density． |
| C．The people of San Luis Obispo can enjoy free concerts in summer． |
| D．Arhus is handy to the seaside and countryside． |
What can we learn from the underlined part “the sense of equality”?
| A．The residents of Arhus have no racial discrimination． |
| B．Arhus is considered as a family sharing everything with each other． |
| C．There is no wide gap between the rich and the poor in Arhus． |
| D．The residents of Arhus can depend on their neighbours to help． |
When foreigners come to Chengdu, a good alternative is to get around by taking the bus. Once getting used to going by bus, you will discover that it is actually not that bad.
Although a ride usually covers two or twenty stops, a bus ride costs RMB 2 in Chengdu. It is important to carry enough small money with you, because it is not usual to get back changes. Even though it is cheap, you can pay less and save some trouble if you get a RMB 25 bus card at your local pharmacy, Hongqi Chain Store or bus station terminal office—note that personal identification is needed. Explain to the worker that you want to purchase a bus card.
With this card, one bus drive costs only RMB 1 if you use a card based on frequency of your ride. If your card is based on the so called E-purse, you pay each time RMB 1.80 for the bus. If you require the use of subway, you can ask the cashier at the Hongqi Chain Store to activate the metro. After having your bus card, you can store money on your travel card. The fees for bus and metro have to be stored separately.
It is important to keep in mind that the money on the card does not overlap. For example, you charge 40 bus rides on the card, but you only used 20 during the month, the rest 20 will be invalid at the beginning of the next month and you have to recharge the card. Therefore, it is important to calculate the exact numbers of bus rides you will have to take.
After you have your own bus card, one swipe is only needed when you get on the bus at the front door. If you only manage to get on the bus at the back door, just ask the passengers to pass your card to the front and swipe it for you. With the bus card, you can transfer buses for fee if the travel time is within two hours.
Furthermore, it is to stress that you should keep an eye on your belongings while being on the bus. Generally, Chengdu is a safe place but most of the thefts are occurring on buses, at train stations or crowded large area, like the shopping street Chunxi Road.
Due to the fact that the place names are announced in Chinese, it is better to know the Chinese name of your destination. Even though there are announcements in English, they will sound like the following: “The next stop is Jinjiang Binguan (Jinjiang Hotel)”Which of the following statements is true when taking the bus in Chengdu?
| A．It’s always important to carry enough small money with you every day. |
| B．It only costs RMB 25 to get around in Chengdu by bus per month. |
| C．Personal identification is not essential when applying for a bus card for locals. |
| D．RMB 0.2 will be saved each time if you use E-purse rather than cash on the bus. |
Why are the readers reminded to pay close attention to their personal possessions?
| A．Because Chengdu is not a safe place. |
| B．Because some thieves like stealing things in crowded buses. |
| C．Because people can transfer buses for fee within two hours. |
| D．Because the bus card must be swiped at the front door. |
Why does the author suggest the Chinese name of the destination be learnt?
| A．Because it helps know clearly where to get off the bus. |
| B．Because it can prevent people from missing the bus they want to board. |
| C．Because the place names are merely announced in Chinese. |
| D．Because it prevents the passengers getting off at the next stop on time. |
The author might write this passage specially for ________.
| A．The local Chengdu people who are interested in traveling by bus |
| B．Regular bus riders in Chengdu who fails to manage their bus cards properly. |
| C．New foreigners in Chengdu who want to get around by bus. |
| D．Pedestrians in Chengdu who are considering choosing to take the bus. |
In 2030, 42 percent of American adults will be obese, and about one-quarter of that group will be severely obese, a condition that shortens life and wastes large medical expenses, a new study predicts.
Obesity related ailments — diabetes, heart disease, kidney failure — consume at least 9 percent of health-care spending the United States. Some researchers believe the cost may be twice that estimate. Total health spending is about $2.6 trillion a year.
In 2030, 42 percent of people are projected to be obese, and 11percent severely obese. Obesity is a body mass index , which suggests 85 kg for someone 1.67 meters tall. Severe obesity is 112 kg for someone that height.
Obesity is rising in higher-income men. Severe obesity is increasing in both sexes. It was 6.2percent in women in 1999 and 8.1percent in 2010. For men, it was 3.1percent in 1999 and 4.4percent in 2010.
It is believed that the obesity rate is closely related to the following factors: the price of gasoline, which discourages walking when it is low; access to the Internet (and other technologies), which encourages long periods of sitting still; and restaurants per 10,000 people, which increases eating out and weight gain when the number goes up.
Urgent measures must be taken to inspire people to exercise more and educate people about better eating habits before too many people will be suffering from being . obese.The word “ailments” in the second paragraph is equal to _______.
| A．Diabetes | B．Heart disease | C．Kidney failure | D．Diseases |
If a man aged 35 is about 1.65 meters tall and weighs 65 kg, he is
probably _____ according to the passage.
| A．Obese | B．Severely obese | C．Normal | D．Overweight |
According to the passage, which of the following facts contributes to the obesity rate?
| A．People are used to eating out in restaurants. |
| B．People do not have free access to the Internet. |
| C．The price of gasoline is going up steadily. |
| D．The number of higher-income women is on the increase. |
Zhang Lili, a 29-year-old middle school teacher at the No 19 middle school in the city of Jiamusi in Northeast China's Heilongjiang province was crossing the road just outside the school's gate when a school bus suddenly came rushing toward nearby students at 8:38 pm on May 8, 2012.
"There were three buses at the school gate ready to pick up students, but the one in the back suddenly crashed into the second bus and pushed it into the first one. There were several students standing between the first and the second buses and they were about to be crushed," said Liu Ye, a student of No. 19 middle school.
"We were waiting to board the bus when suddenly it began moving toward the teachers and students. Zhang Lili immediately pushed the students out of the way, but unfortunately she didn't escape. The bus crushed her legs. " added Liu.
Zhang Lili was sent to hospital at about 9 pm and she was critically injured and her blood pressure was low. The situation was quite serious when rushed to hospital.
After consulting specialists, the doctors decided that the only way to save her life was cut off both of her legs.
Upon learning about the accident, the deputy mayor of the city, Sun Zhe, asked the hospital to "save the young teacher regardless of the cost"
"If necessary, we will invite more specialists from the capital city, even from whole nation," said Sun.
Fortunately, after 58 hours of emergency medical attention after being transferred to the First Affiliated Hospital of Harbin Medical University, Zhang finally regained consciousness on May 15.
"But it cannot be ruled out that her condition may worsen, and the doctors are still working full out to save the heroic teacher," said Zhao Mingyan, ICU director at the hospital, where Zhang is now receiving treatment.
"Her courage moved all of our staff, and we will try our best to help the brave teacher in her future life. " said Wang Jianwei, the director of center.
The Ministry of Education has also named her "National Outstanding Teacher" and called on the country's educators to learn from her.What does the underlined word “it” in the third paragraph refers to ________.
| A．the bus in the back | B．the bus in the middle |
| C．the bus in the front | D．the third bus |
What can be inferred from the remark of the deputy Mayor Sun Zhe?
| A．Every possible means is being carried out to save the brave teacher. |
| B．It’s increasingly difficult to save the brave teacher. |
| C．The only way to save the brave teacher is to cut off her legs. |
| D．No more medical experts will be needed in the operation to save the brave teacher. |
What does the underlined sentence in the ninth paragraph attempt to tell us?
| A．The woman teacher’s condition will definitely get worse. |
| B．There is little possibility that the woman teacher’s condition will improve. |
| C．It is obvious that the woman teacher will recover shortly after. |
| D．It’s likely that the woman teacher will suffer from a worse medical condition. |
Which of the following might be the best title for this passage?
| A．National Outstanding Teacher | B．A Heroic Teacher |
| C．An Example of Top Teachers | D．An bus accident |
The butterfly Ecological Park, which opened early this May, is located in Dabao Village in Longfeng Township of Pengzhou City, some 65 kilometers to the north of Chengdu downtown.
The park, covering an area of 67 hectares, is more famous for a variety of butterflies living in lush surroundings and houses a collection of some 30,000 butterfly species. An ideal site for parents and kids alike to enjoy the sight of “the flying flowers” and the ecological area.
A great variety of butterflies live in China, and Sichan and Yunnan are rich in butterfly resources. At present, 702 species have been discovered in Sichuan, where the number of butterfly species equals to the total of Europe. In the Longmen Mountain of Pengzhou City alone, there are more than 500 species.
The butterfly Ecological Park, a project of RMB200 million at the foot of the Longmen Mountain, is the natural habitat of butterflies. The park also has educational and cultural programs. The park has prepared many spring and summer activities for visitors, including a scientific exhibition about butterflies, a “butterfly valley” where visitors can have a close look at butterflies, even with them resting on the shoulders, and enjoy themselves in activities designed for children.
Tourists can enjoy the splendid scenery of thousands of butterflies at the “butterfly valley” and appreciate more than 30,000 different kinds of butterfly species at the exhibition area. Classified as the only category I butterfly species the Wild Animal Protection Law in 1989 in China, the Golden Kaiserihind is the most expensive species living in “butterfly valley”, with an estimated value of RMB10,000 each.What does the underlined word “lush’in Paragraph 2 most probably mean?
| A．subtle | B．rich | C．grateful | D．sensitive |
The author mentioned Europe in the essay to _______?
| A．stress that Sichuan has plenty of butterfly resources. |
| B．state that a large number of butterflies live in Europe. |
| C．tell readers that more than 500 species of butterflies live in Europe. |
| D．emphasize that Europe is less famous than the Longmen Mountain. |
Why is The butterfly Ecological Park situated at the foot of the Longmen Mountain?
| A．Because the park has educational and cultural programs. |
| B．Because the park has prepared many spring and summer activities. |
| C．Because visitors can have a close look at butterflies in the park. |
| D．Because butterflies of various species can live there naturally. |
The Golden Kaiserihind in the last paragraph is probably ________.
| A．a splendid scenery | B．a butterfly valley |
| C．an estimated value | D．a butterfly species |
Today, over six billion people live on the planet. This means that there are very few places on Earth with no people. One place that has very few people is at the bottom of the Earth. In Antarctica, the icy continent surrounding the South Pole, you will not find anyone who lives there all the time.
First, Antarctica is the coldest place on Earth. For example, it can be –l30℃ in the winter. Humans cannot live in this kind of environment. Because it is so cold, very few plants or animals live there. This means there are no farms and no places to find wild plants or animals to eat.
Second, Antarctica can be dangerous. Many people think that it is safe to travel to Antarctica in the summer months when it is warmer. However, Antarctica is mostly ice, so when it’s summer, the ice melts. When the ice melts, the ice can break. So, people cannot travel around Antarctica during the summer. If the ice breaks, they could fall into the water and die.
Another serious problem in Antarctica is the sun. Because Antarctica is mostly ice, there are no trees so there is no shade. Also, the ground is mostly white ice so the sun bounces off (反射) it. The light from the sky and the light from the ground can burn people’s skin and hurt their eyes. People must be very careful in this situation. For example, they must wear sunglasses to protect their eyes. They must also cover their hands and faces all the time.
Although Antarctica is a tough place to live, explorers have discovered coal in Antarctica. This leads them to believe that Antarctica at one time was a land of swam (沼泽) and forests.This text is mainly about _____.
| A．the discovery of Antarctica |
| B．how people travel around Antarctica |
| C．different animals found in Antarctica |
| D．why it is difficult to live in Antarctica |
We can learn from the text that _____.
| A．Antarctica is a place with no animals |
| B．no people can survive in Antarctica |
| C．Antarctica is colder than any other continent on Earth |
| D．the temperature in Antarctica is below zero all the time |
When is the most dangerous time to travel around Antarctica?
| A．In spring. | B．In summer. | C．In autumn. | D．In winter. |