If you need to call your parents but your phone is not with you, can you remember their numbers?
To remember 11 numbers is not difficult. However, because of the smartphone, many of us are losing this ability. What’s more, smartphones weaken(削弱)our skills at giving directions, as well as killing face-to-face communications. Even when friends are having a meal together, it’s common for most to check their phones.
According to a report by Kleiner Perkins Caufield Byers, an American company, Chinese people spend about 170 minutes on their smartphones daily.
Many students are addicted to using smartphones. It does no good to their study. Research by Japan’s Education Ministry showed children who spend more than four hours a day on their phones perform much worse in school test than those who play with their phones for 30 minutes.
It’s true that the smartphone has made our lives easier. But many also think they spend too much time on it, and this is bad for their study or work. People are trying to change that.
A new app(应用软件)called Forest was introduced this month. It lets users plant a seed that grows into a tree over the next 30 minutes. During the half hour, users cannot use their phones, or the tree will die.
A restaurant in Los Angeles, US, gives people a 5% discount (折扣) if they don’t check their phones during a meal. Owner Mark Gold said he hopes it gives people a way to enjoy their meal and actually talk with friends and family in person.Many people can’t remember their parents’s phone numbers because _______.
A.they don’t care about their parents |
B.they depend too much on smartphones |
C.they find it difficult to remember numbers |
D.they don’t know how to remember numbers |
What does the word “addicted” probably mean in Chinese?
A.沉迷 | B.喜爱 | C.习惯 | D.擅长 |
The app “Forest” is used to _________.
A.encourage people to plant more trees |
B.get people to change their smartphones |
C.help people better control smartphone using |
D.offer people a new game to enjoy themselves |
By giving people a 5% discount, Owner Mark Gold wants his customers to ___________.
A.enjoy a cheaper meal |
B.say no to smartphones |
C.check phones after the meal |
D.improve face-to-face communication |
What’s the best title of the passage?
A.Smart or harmful? |
B.Stop using smartphones? |
C.Why not try smartphones? |
D.How to make your phones smart? |
Different weather makes people feel different. It has an effect on health, intelligence and feelings.
In August, it is very hot and wet in the southern part of the United States. People there have heart trouble and other kinds of health problems during this month. In the Northeast and the Middle West, it is very hot at some times and very cold at other times. People in these states have more heart trouble after the weather changes in February or March.
The weather can also influence intelligence. For example, in a 1983 report by scientists, IQ(智商) of a group of students was very high when a very strong wind came, but after the strong wind, their IQ was 10% lower. The wind can help people have more intelligence. Very hot weather, on the other hand, can make it lower. Students in many schools of the United States often get worse on exams in the hot months of the year (July and August).
Weather also has a strong influence on people’s feelings. Winter may be a bad time for thin people. They usually feel cold during these months. They might feel unhappy during cold weather. But fat people may have a hard time in hot summer. At about 18℃, people become stronger.
Low air pressure may make people forgetful. People leave more bags on buses and in shops on low-pressure days. People feel best at a temperature of about 18℃.
Are you feeling sad, tired, forgetful, or unhappy today? It may be the weather’s problem.Is it easy for people to have health problems in hot and wet summer?
What does the underlined word “it” refer to in Paragraph 3?
Why is it possible that winter is a bad time for thin people?
How do people become when there is low air pressure?
At what temperature do people probably feel most comfortable?
What is the main idea of the passage? (in no more than TEN words)
Safety comes first
“Chinese style road crossing” became a hot topic in China from the end of last year. Now, many cities have started to punish these jaywalkers (乱闯马路的人).
“Chinese style road crossing” means crossing roads without thinking about traffic lights, as long as you are part of a crowd.
Beijing Traffic Management Bureau (北京交通管理局) announced that from April 6, people who do not wait for the green light to cross the road will receive a fine of 10 yuan. Officials from the bureau said that using the diagonal (对角线) to cross the road is also against the rules. Walkers should walk in an “L” shape.
Besides Beijing, many places have also taken steps to stop “Chinese style road crossing”. Provinces such as Sichuan, Shanxi and Zhejiang have already started to fine jaywalkers 5 to 50 yuan since last year.
Road traffic deaths top the list of deaths from non-natural causes in China, Xinhua reported. The action to punish behaviors that go against traffic rules calls on people to realize the importance of traffic safety.
However, many people complain that the red lights last too long. “But as long as the design of traffic lights is the same, everyone should follow the rulers. Otherwise the country will lose its order,” said People’s Daily.
Some cities have also paid attention to the problem. Beijing Traffic Management Bureau, for example, said it would not only focus on punishment, but also improve road safety facilities (设施), such as fixing traffic lights in a more proper way and building overpasses (天桥).Was the topic “Chinese style road crossing” very popular last year?
What is the right way for walkers to cross the road?
How are jaywalkers in Sichuan punished?
Why is it necessary to punish those who go against traffic rules?
Besides punishment, what else do some cities do to solve the problem?
What’s your opinion on the action to punish jaywalkers?
The trees have been on the earth for millions of years. Disease(疾病) is destroying trees. For example, in the 1970s, many trees in Europe were killed by disease.
This new danger attacks all the forests and woods of Europe from northern Sweden to southern Italy. First the branches turn yellow and brown. Then the trees’ leaves fall. The roots and the trunk shrink(萎缩). Finally the trees die. In the Black Forest in southern Germany, 75%of the trees have been destroyed or killed.
Nobody knows exactly, but it is probably air pollution or acid rain(酸雨). Factories, power stations and cars give off tons of smoke with acid into the air. Sunlight turns these into something harmful which fall with rain or snow onto the trees.
What can be done about acid rain?
Acid rain doesn’t always fall on the countries which produce the pollution. The wind carries it from one country to another. Badly, the governments don’ t want to spend money on it if it won’ t harm the trees in their own countries.The rainforests of Asia and South America are being cut down for firewood and building materials. Something must be done. If the trees die, we will, too.
根据材料内容,从下面五个选项中选出能填入文中空缺处的最佳选项,使短文意思通顺,内容完整。
A.What is killing the trees? |
B.But today trees are in great danger. |
C.Trees are also killed by people. |
D.Now an even greater danger is destroying trees. |
E. Why don’t the governments do something to save the trees?
It is reported that 300 million people in China have eyesight(视力) trouble. More and more parents hope to improve their children's eyesight with medicine, or by correcting the ways that children read and sit. But in fact, one should start with the exercise on one's feet. Here are three ways to improve eyesight.
First, don't tie your shoes too closely. Try wearing comfortable and soft socks or walking without socks and shoes at home. While you are traveling, try wearing cloth shoes in order to improve blood circulation (循环).
Second, walking on tiptoes is good for one's eyesight. It can fight against eyesight trouble. Numbers show that most of ballet(芭蕾舞) performers' eyesight is better.
Third, rope skipping(跳绳) can also be good for one's eyesight. While skipping rope, one has to move quickly, making both the brain and the eyes excited. It may also help make one grow taller.
Besides foot exercises, it is good to pull one's ears. Pulling the ears 20 times quickly is also a great way. It can keep one's eyes healthy.
任务一:根据短文内容,用简洁的句子或短语完成下列表格。
Ways |
Ways to improve eyesight |
Way 1 |
|
Way 2 |
|
Way 3 |
|
Way 4 |
任务二:除了文中提到的几点外,你一定还有许多自己的做法,写一条与大家分享吧。__________________________________________________________________
任务型阅读
As we know, Beijing Opera is our national opera with a long history. It came into being after 1790. There are four main roles in Beijing Opera:Sheng, Dan, Jing and Chou. It expresses Chinese cultures. It’s (1)_______ of famous stories, beautiful facial paintings, wonderful gestures and fighting. The stories in it are very interesting. Some of them are from history books, but most are from famous novels. The people in them can’t (2)_______ with each other. They become angry, unhappy, sad and lonely. Sometimes they are frightened and worried. Then they can find a way to make peace with each other. The stories usually end with happiness. Everyone is very happy in the end.
阅读短文,按要求完成下列任务。从文中找出六个表达情感的形容词。
________________________________________________________________________________在空格里填上适当的单词。
(1)_______________(2)_______________翻译短文中画线的句子。
________________________________________________________________________________根据短文内容回答下列问题。
How many main roles are there in Beijing Opera? What are they?
________________________________________________________________________________给短文拟一个适当的标题。
________________________________________________________________________________