They are the little sweeties who look pretty cute in a photo，or when sleeping——but a lot less appealing at 30，000 ft，crying loudly in the seat fight next to you．
According to a new survey，almost seven in ten Britons dislike flying with babies so much that they would like to see child-free areas introduced on planes．As for long-distance flights where people want to sleep，almost one in four British travelers believes that no-kid-zones should be fixed as required sections．
The survey was conducted by bookings website LateDeals．co．uk，with 1，108 UK consumers questioned as to what they hate most about air travel．
And our dislike of noisy children and babies on planes runs deep．it seems．
More than a third of us—35 per cent—would pay extra to travel on a childless service．
Long-distance passengers would be prepared to pay an additional ￡63 to the cost of a return ticket if it meant adults only on board．And on short-distance flights，an extra ￡28 on the price of a return fare would be considered good value if it guaranteed an absence of angry babies in the middle of the economy-class aisle(走道)．
However，screaming babies are not the only source of annoyance for British travellers．In fact，according to the research on the most annoying types of airline passengers，a crying baby ranks as only the fourth．Over half of those surveyed—58 percent—selected ‘drunk travellers’ as their pet peeves．People with‘bad personal hygiene(卫生)’and travellers who kick the back of the seat in front were also near the top of the list，causing anger to 48 and 47 per cent of us respectively(分别地)．
Crying babies came in at fourth on the list，a pet peeve for 43 per cent of those surveyed．
Britons dislike flying with babies because they_________．
| A．make too much noise |
| B．get angry easily |
| C．sleep right next to them |
| D．stay in the economy-class aisle |
How many British travellers surveyed would like to have no-kid-zones on planes?
| A．About 35％． | B．About 43％． |
| C．About 70％． | D．About 58％． |
What kind of passengers is most disliked by British airline travellers?
| A．The crying babies on a flight． |
| B．People with bad personal hygiene． |
| C．Those who have drunk too much alcohol． |
| D．Those who kick the back of the seat in front |
Do you spirits soar (猛增) on a sunny day? Do you relax at the sound of flowing water?
Some scientists suggest that these contacts with nature are good for your health. In one study, hospital patients with a view of trees had shorter hospital stays and less need for pain medications. Another study indicated that prisoners with a view of the outdoors had fewer doctor visits.
“Why the desire for nature? Maybe we’re programmed to need it, since our ancestors’ survival was so dependent on their connection with nature,” suggests biologist E.O.Wilson.
Want to find out if contact with nature improves your outlook on life? Try a few of these ideas.
Hang out a bird feeder and watch the birds that visit it.
Sit down in the backyard or a nearby park. Close your eyes. What do you hear? Birds singing? The wind in the trees? Crickets(蟋蟀) chirping?
Find an anthill. Sit down and watch the ants work.
Take a walk right after a rainstorm. What looks different? Smells different?
Go barefoot on a sandy beach.
Open the curtains and the window, if the weather allows it.
On a windy day, watch the trees.
Go to a creek, river or park fountain. Listen to the sound of water in motion.
Camp out in the backyard or at a nearby state park. Use a tent or sleep on the ground.
Find a wide-open space to study the stars. Learn about the different constellations(星座).
Raise a garden. Or plant some seeds in a flowerpot.
Go hiking with your family. Talk about all of the colors you see in nature.
Take a camera and capture your nature experience.From Paragraph 2 we can learn that ___ .
| A．prisoners don’t like to go to the doctor when ill |
| B．trees can be used as pain medications |
| C．prisoners should often get out of prison to some into contact with nature |
| D．contacts with nature are very helpful for hospital patients |
According to E. O. Wilson, we desire nature probably because ___ .
| A．it can help us feel relaxed |
| B．we have inherited from our ancestors who were dependent on nature |
| C．people have lived with nature for thousands of years |
| D．contacts with nature can improve a person’s outlook on life |
The author gives us many ideas in order to let us ___.
| A．find out if contacts with nature improve our outlook on life |
| B．hear birds sing and watch ants work |
| C．talk about the colors we see in nature |
| D．capture our experience in nature |
From the passage, we can learn that ___。
| A．studying the constellations is important to everyone |
| B．you can know all the colors only by going hiking |
| C．nature is quite important to us |
| D．walking in a rain storm can be very helpful |
What is the best title of the passage?
| A．Go Hiking With Your Family |
| B．Let Nature Nurture You |
| C．Visit Your Doctor Less |
| D．Watch the Tree More Often |
What is a flood and where does it happen?
A flood occurs when water pours over dry land. Floods can cause big damage when they happen unexpectedly.
Heavy rain can cause floods. If a lot of rain falls quickly, the earth is unable to soak it up, and the water builds up on the ground. When it runs off into the rivers, the rivers overflow their banks.
The worst floods happen on land that is flat and low-lying. These areas of land are known as flood plains. Mud, earth, and large objects, like cars, can be carried long distances by flood water. Then, disease spreads quickly because the flood water is polluted.
What should I know if I live on a flood plain?
Stay away from flood water. It may be polluted.
Do not walk through moving water. It can knock you off your feet. If you must walk through water, walk where the water is not moving. Use a stick to test the ground in front of you.
Stay away from power lines that are on the ground. You could be electrocuted(电死)。
If you are scared, share your fears with an adult. Floods can be terrible, but remember-the water ALWAYS goes away!
What dangers does a flood lead to?
Electrocution from power lines
Dangerous animals coming out
Drowning
What should I do if a flood happens?
Get to the meeting place of your family.
Try to get to higher ground.
Listen to your family and follow all instructions carefully. Which of the following are related to a flood according to the passage?
a. heavy rain
b. global warming
c. low-lying land
d. the change of the river course
e. flat land
| A．a,b,e |
| B．c,d,e |
| C．a,c,e |
| D．b,d,e |
You are advised not to walk in the moving water because ___.
| A．it may make you fall over |
| B．you may step fish and kill them |
| C．you may drink polluted water |
| D．you may lose your shoes |
By saying “the water ALWAYS goes away”, the author means ___ .
| A．water can’t be stopped from flowing |
| B．you needn’t be afraid of floods |
| C．you should pay close attention to floods |
| D．it is common for floods to happen |
We can infer from the passage that during a flood ___.
| A．people are more likely to be attacked by animals |
| B．running away is a good way to save yourself |
| C．gas should be cut off |
| D．adults should persuade children to keep silent |
Strange stones of Costa Rica
One of the strangest mysteries in archaeology was discovered in the Diquis River Delta, in southern Costa Rica. Since the 1930s, hundreds of stone balls have been found. They range in size from a few centimeters to over two meters in diameter.
Who made these perfect spheres(球体) and how they made them remains a mystery. Some researchers believe the stones were made by extreme heating followed by cooling. People could have polished the spheres with sand or leather. The ancient Costa Ricans had no written language so there is no written record of just how they made the spheres.
Almost all are made of granite (花岗岩), a hard stone created by volcanoes. The granite quarries(采石场) were 25 to 30 miles away from the largest stones, which weigh more than 10 tons each. Nobody knows how people moved them.
Many of the stones have been found near the remains of houses or graves. Some believed that the stones contained hidden treasures and a few have been smashed but nothing has been found inside. Despite these losses, the National Museum of Costa Rica has recorded 130 spheres. However, many stones are not included because they have been removed from their original sites and used as ornaments(装饰) in homes, gardens and churches. Clearly, there are also many stones that lie undiscovered.The stones were discovered ___ .
| A．near the volcanoes |
| B．in southern Costa Rica |
| C．in a grave |
| D．in churches |
The writer ___ in the passage.
| A．admires the spheres very much |
| B．doesn’t believe the spheres were once made by humans |
| C．tells us a discovery |
| D．thinks highly of the spheres |
The underlined word “polished” refers to “___”.
| A．buried |
| B．wrapped |
| C．made shining |
| D．made big |
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．The stone balls found in the Diquis River Delta are all very huge. |
| B．The stone balls were unearthed from the graves. |
| C．The local people show great interest in the stone balls. |
| D．There are a lot of treasures in the stone balls. |
The passage mainly tells us ___ .
| A．the stones are of great value. |
| B．the stones proved to be made by non-humans. |
| C．the stones are mystery. |
| D．the stone are ornaments. |
Many animal and plant species have become extinct and many more are in critical danger. Finding ways to protect the earth’s wildlife and protect the natural world they inhabit is now more important than ever.
Now many animals remain threatened with extinction as a result of human activity.
The dodo is a classic example of how humans caused damage to the earth’s wildlife. The flightless dodo was native to the Island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. It lived off fallen fruit from the island’s trees and lived safely until humans arrived in 1505. The easily controlled bird became a source of food for sailors and was attacked by animals introduced to the island by humans such as pigs and monkeys. The population of dodos rapidly decreased and the last one was killed in 1681.
The rhino(犀牛) horn is a highly prized item for Asian medicine. This has led to the animal being hunted in its natural habitat. Once widespread in Africa, Europe and Asia, most rhinos now live in protected natural parks and reserves. Their numbers have rapidly decreased in the last 50 years, and the animal remains constantly threatened by hunters.
The last 100years has seen a 95% reduction in the numbers of remaining tigers to between 5,000 and 7,000 and the Bali, Javan, and Daspian tigers are already extinct. The South China tiger is close to disappearing, with only 20 to 30 still alive. Like the rhino horn, tigers’ bones and organs are sought after for traditional Chinese medicine. These items are traded illegally along with tiger skins.
The World Wildlife Fund is actively involved in many areas of the world fighting to protect the natural habitats of endangered animals from further damage and curb the activities of hunters. Our own efforts at home and in the workplace can also make a difference. By reducing waste and pollution, saving water, wood, and energy, and reusing and recycling whenever possible, we can reduce the possibility of even more animals being lost, never to return.The purpose of this passage is to ___.
| A．call on us to protect the earth’s wildlife |
| B．let us know about the animal world |
| C．tell us many animals are in great danger |
| D．tell us why many animals are becoming extinct |
The common reason why many animals are facing extinction is that ___ .
| A．they are too easily controlled by humans |
| B．they can be made into highly prized medicine |
| C．they can provide people with delicious meal |
| D．humans kill them for their own interests |
Which of the following statements about the dodo is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．It was native to the Island of Mauritius and could fly very well. |
| B．It struggled to survive until human arrived in 1505. |
| C．Its population decreased only because pigs and monkeys were introduced. |
| D．It was possible for humans to find a dodo before 1681. |
The underlined word “curb” in the last paragraph is closest in meaning to “___”.
| A．improve |
| B．limit |
| C．cancel |
| D．criticize |
The Internet has come a long way in the last couple of decades, and we’re seeing some noticeable generational trends. For instance, one of my friend’s aunts ”friended me” on Facebook, and I noticed that she had three times the number of Facebook friends as her nephew, despite the fact that she has only recently started to spend more time on the Internet. She spends more time on Facebook than he does. Yet he is part of the younger generation that grew up using the Internet.
The beauty of Facebook is in the packaging of the service. Almost every facet of Facebook is technology that existed from years before: e-mail, instant messaging, photo galleries, personal Web pages, RSS, etc. Facebook has taken these functions, which young people have been able to do for the past decade, and made them more user-friendly, more accessible—for young and older generation alike.
Facebook is the second act in the people’s Internet Revolution; the first being America Online, which spurred the adoption of the Internet in the homes of ordinary Americans. In a similar fashion, Facebook is spurring the adoption of Internet use in demographics that have been dismissed as the non-Internet users. It gives people a reason to be online in a way that simply checking e-mail, the 1996 equivalent, did not. Facebook is active in a way that the general population may find more rewarding.
The ability to communicate (or not communicate) with your friends in different ways also heightens the ‘stickiness’ of the service. For example, it tells you who else is using Facebook right now. You can then exchange instant messages with any of them. There’s always one more thing to check, see, or do on Facebook. It’s like a never-ending dinner party and all your friends and family are invited.Compared with the aunt, the nephew ___.
| A．had 3 times the number of friends |
| B．has spent more time on the Internet all the time |
| C．spends less time on Facebook |
| D．had the access to the Internet only when he grew up |
What does the underlined word in the second paragraph refer to?
| A．Young people |
| B．Old people |
| C．These functions |
| D．Young and old people |
Which is true according to the third paragraph?
| A．Facebook accelerated the adoption of the Internet in the ordinary families. |
| B．America Online was the first act in the Internet Revolution. |
| C．Facebook has spurred the application of the Internet use in demographics. |
| D．America Online spurred the ordinary use in all od the world families. |
Using Facebook, you can ___.
| A．communicate with whoever is using the Facebook right now |
| B．do one thing every time |
| C．have dinner together with your friends and families |
| D．tell you anyone who is not using the Facebook |
What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．The drawbacks and the strengths of the Facebook. |
| B．Facebook makes the communication more convenient for the old and the young. |
| C．People’s Internet Revolution: Facebook. |
| D．Facebook and America Online |