B
Riding a London subway, a person from China will notice one major difference: in London, people do not look at each other. In fact, eye contact is avoided at all times. That’s not rudeness—people are just too busy to bother looking.
Busy doing what, you ask? Well, they’re certainly not using the time for a moment of quiet reflection, nor are they reading a book. New technology has replaced quiet habits. Today the only acceptable form of book on the London underground is an e-book.
Apple must earn a fortune from London commuters(乘车上下班的人). Since the launch of the iPhone in 2007, over 40,000—yes, that’s 40,000—“apps” (programs downloaded for the iPhone) have been designed.
Commuters love them because they are the perfect time-fillers. One “app”, called iShoot, is a game that features tanks. Another one, Tube Exits, tells passengers where to sit on the train to be closest to the exit of their destination. ISteam clouds the iPhone screen when you breathe into the microphone. You can then write in the “ steam” on your phone screen.
For those without an iPhone, another Apple product, the iPod, may be another choice. It’s not just teenagers who “plug in” to their music—iPods are a popular way to pass the time for all ages.
And if games, e-books and music aren’t enough to keep you engaged, then perhaps you would prefer a film. The development of palm DVD technology means many commuters watch their favorite TV show or film on the way to work. With all these entertainments, it’s amazing that people still remember to get off the train.People in London do not make eye contact on the subway because they are busy_____.
| A.playing games, reading e-books, listening to music or watching films. |
| B.going to work |
| C.reading books |
| D.thinking about private things |
Those who like war games can download _____to their iPhones.
| A.Tube Exits | B.iShoot |
| C.ISteam | D.iPod |
The underlined word “engaged” in the last paragraph probably means______.
| A.delighted | B.busy |
| C.controlled | D.amused |
The article tells us that_____.
| A.London commuters are unfriendly to strangers |
| B.Apple has earned a lot of money from selling 40,000 iPhones |
| C.with all the new time-fillers, London commuters often forget to get off the train. |
| D.technology is changing the way London commuters spend their traveling time. |
Sometimes people call each other " scared cat" , but have you ever thought about this expression? When a cat is frightened, its heart starts beating faster, its muscles get tense, and there are changes in the chemicals in its blood-stream. If the danger continues, this animal will do one of the two things. It will defend itself, or it will run away as fast as it can.
Something like this also happens to people. When we are excited, angry, scared, or aroused by other emotions, our bodies go through many physical changes. Our hearts beat faster, and our muscles get tense. All of these changes make us more alert and ready to react. We, too, get ready to defend ourselves or run. Human beings, however, have a problem. If we give way to our feelings and let them take over, we can get into trouble. Have you ever said something in anger - and regretted later? Have you ever shouted at a teacher or told somebody you were lonely and then wished later you had kept your mouth shut? It isn't always wise to express your feelings freely.
Does this mean that it's always smarter to hide our feelings? No! If you keep feelings like anger hidden away or bottled up inside, your body stays tense. Physical illnesses can develop, and you can feel disturbed badly inside. It can actually be bad for your health. Feelings that you keep all bottled up inside don't just go away. It's as if you bought some bananas and stuck them in a cupboard. You might not be able to see them, but before long you'd smell them. And if you opened the cupboard, chances are you'd see little fruit flies hovering(盘旋) all over them. They'd be rotten. You can try to treat emotions as if they were bananas in the cupboard. You can hide them and you can pretend they don't exit, but they'll still be around. And at last you'll have to deal with them, just like those bananas.The best title for this article is
| A.What Happens to An Excited Person |
| B.What Happens to A Frightened Cat |
| C.Emotions Affect Our Bodies |
| D.Feelings That People Have |
According to the passage, human beings get into trouble because ______.
| A.they are not as alert as animals |
| B.they always do something wrong to other people |
| C.they sometimes can't control their feelings |
| D.they don't pay attention to their physical changes |
The underlined word "it" in paragraph 3 refers to________.
| A.bad emotion | B. a bottle |
| C.physical illness | D.a rotten banana |
The author mainly intends to tell us to _______ .
| A.make us face the problem that we have to deal with feelings |
| B.give us some advice on how to express our feelings |
| C.tell us that it isn't good to keep feelings inside |
| D.make us know that it isn't always wise to express our feelings freely |
English is the most widely used language in the history of our planet. One in every seven human beings can speak it. More than half of the world's books and three quarters of international mails are in English. Of all languages, English has the largest vocabulary - perhaps as many as two million words.
However, let's face it: English is a crazy language. There is no egg in an eggplant, neither pine nor apple in a pineapple and no ham in a hamburger . Sweet-meats are candy, while sweetbreads, which aren't sweet, are meat.
We take English for granted. But when we explore its paradoxes (矛盾) , we find that quicksand can work slowly, boxing rings are square, public bathrooms have no baths in them. And why is it that a writer writes, but fingers don't fing , grocers don't groce , and hammers don't ham? If the plural (复数形式) of tooth is teeth, shouldn't the plural of booth be beeth ? One goose, two geese - so one moose , two meese? How can a slim chance and a fat chance be the same, while a wise man and a wise guy are opposites? How can overlook and oversee be opposites, while quite a lot and quite a few are alike? How can the weather be hot as hell one day and cold as hell the next?
English was invented by people, not computers, and it reflects the creativity of human beings. That's why, when stars are out, they are visible; but when the lights are out, they are invisible. And why, when I wind up my watch, I start it; but when I wind up this essay, I end it.According to the passage________.
| A.there should be eggs in an eggplant |
| B.sweet-meats and sweetbreads are different |
| C.pineapples are the apples on the pine tree |
| D.boxing rings should be round |
What does the author use most to prove his idea?
| A.Plurals. | B.Paradoxes. |
| C.Comparisons. | D.Synonyms. |
The underlined words "a wise guy" in paragraph 3 probably mean "______ ".
| A.somebody wise | B.a valuable chance |
| C.an opposite word | D.a stupid person |
The last paragraph is written to show.
| A.English is important |
| B.a word may have several definitions |
| C.human beings are creative |
| D.why people invented English |
My father had returned from his business visit to London when I came in, rather late, to supper. I could tell at once that he and my mother had been discussing something. In that half- playful, half-serious way I knew so well, he said, "How would you like to go to Eton?"
" You bet, "I cried quickly catching the joke. Everyone knew it was the most expensive, the most famous of schools. You had to be entered at birth, if not before. Besides, even at 12 or 13, I. understood my father. He disliked any form of showing off. He always knew his proper station in life, which was in the middle of the middle class; our house was medium-sized; he had avoided joining Royal Liverpool Golf Club and went to a smaller one instead; though once he had got a second-hand Rolls-Royce at a remarkably low price, he felt embarrassed driving it, and quickly changed it for an Austin 1100.
This could only be his delightful way of telling me that the whole boarding school idea was to be dropped. Alas ! I should also have remembered that he had a liking for being different from everyone else, if it did not conflict with his fear of drawing attention to himself.
It seemed that he had happened to be talking to Graham Brown of the London office, a very nice fellow, and Graham had a friend who had just entered his boy at the school, and while he was in that part of the world he thought he might just as well phone them. I remember my eyes stinging(剌痛) and my hands shaking with the puzzlement of my feelings. There was excitement, at the heart of great sadness.
"Oh, he doesn't want to go away , " said my mother, " You shouldn't go on like this. " "It's up to him, " said my father. "He can make up his own mind . "How did the author react to the idea of going to Eton?
| A.He didn't believe it. | B.He was very unhappy. |
| C.He was delighted. | D.He had mixed feelings. |
From the text, we can know that Eden is ________.
| A.a famous school |
| B.an expensive car |
| C.one of the author's friends |
| D.one of the father's colleagues |
Paragraph 2 mainly tells us________ .
| A.about their living conditions |
| B.about the author's grades |
| C.what the author's father is like |
| D.how hard the author's father works |
From the text we can know that the author's father enjoyed being different as long as ______
| A.it drew attention to him |
| B.there was no danger of showing off |
| C.he was not involved in any arguments |
| D.it was understood as a joke |
Chicken soup has long been a comfort food for people with cold symptoms. Whether the remedy(疗法) comes from the warmth and comfort of the soup or from actual cold-fighting ingredients(成分) in the meal, it is still up for debate.
Chicken Soup: Just the Evidence
Science has begun to support what mothers have understood for centuries. The heat, salt, and hydration provided by chicken soup may actually fight the cold virus. Laboratory studies have shown that ingredients of chicken soup with vegetables could kill viral cells and prevent the growth of new ones. The soup may also provide an anti-inflammatory(消炎的) effect that helps reduce cold symptoms. Unfortunately, the benefits of chicken soup appear to be limited by how quickly the soup leaves the body. There is no indication that chicken soup would help in the prevention of colds, but its use as a remedy for symptoms is common. It is largely a safe remedy with no ill side effects, and scientific evidence points more in favor of its cold-fighting properties(特性) than against it.
The Downside of Chicken Soup
Evidence in support of chicken soup’s antiviral properties is not yet solid enough to prove true, reliable medicinal effects. Although the evidence based on personal experiences and existing research seem to support a good effect of chicken soup, a clinical trial would be very difficult to perform. In addition, some people with food allergies(过敏性反应) or sensitivities to salt may experience ill side effects from chicken soup. Unbroken bones may also lead to a chocking risk, particularly for children. However, the potential benefits of chicken soup seem to far outweigh the possible risks. What does the underlined sentence suggest?
| A.Mothers have long been helped by scientists to find remedies for colds. |
| B.Scientists have agreed for centuries with what mothers have understood. |
| C.People have tried chicken soup to help reduce cold symptoms since long ago. |
| D.Mothers know better how to deal with cold symptoms than scientists. |
Which of the following is true about chicken soup?
| A.It is particularly good for children. |
| B.It can prevent people from colds. |
| C.It is an amazing comfort food for people with colds. |
| D.It surely has medicinal effects on colds. |
What’s the author’s opinion on chicken soup?
| A.It is good for people with colds to have chicken soup. |
| B.Scientists have found solid evidence about the benefits of chicken soup. |
| C.Chicken soup can take the place of other medicines for colds. |
| D.People still argue whether chicken soup has effects on cold symptoms. |
March is a month of fun-filled activities for the entire family! When you want some family fun activities for March, consider these ideas centered on some of the events and holidays happening in this month.
Dr. Seuss’s Birthday
March 2nd is Dr. Seuss’s birthday and kids and adults of all ages can celebrate with books, games and more to honor this famous author of kids’ books. Take some time in March to read your favorite books with your children or to read some you have never read before.
Spring Break
Spring Break can be the perfect time for families while the children are out of school. There are many places for families during this time period. For example, you might consider a trip to a local theme park or a national park. They often run junior camps and other activities during Spring Break that you can enjoy as a family.
St. Patrick’s Day
St. Patrick’s Day is on March 17th and you don’t have to be Irish to enjoy this holiday. This is a great time to get all the family together to enjoy quality time together. You can also take this time to explore the holiday, its history and what it means. You can also start or continue with your own St. Patrick’s Day traditions that your family can continue year after year.
Seasonal Arts and Crafts
Arts and crafts can be a fun family activity all year round. So if you’re looking to spend this fun time together in March, you can look for some seasonal arts and crafts ideas. You can do early preparation for Easter, spring plants and pictures, sun catchers for hanging in the windows or other seasonal related ideas. This is also a great time to consider planting a flower garden or working on outdoor craft projects.Who is the text written for?
| A.Parents. | B.School children. |
| C.Teachers. | D.Officials. |
Which of the following is holiday for family?
| A.Dr. Seuss’s Birthday. | B.Spring Break. |
| C.St. Patrick’s Day. | D.Seasonal Arts and Crafts. |
What can be done on Dr. Seuss’s Birthday?
| A.Having a trip to a park. | B.Finding some books to read. |
| C.Staying with Irish people. | D.Working on favourite crafts. |
What does the text mainly focus on?
| A.Holiday events. | B.Creative ideas. |
| C.Children’s abilities. | D.Family activities. |