When a big exam is coming up, you probably feel anxious about any wasted time and want to begin school as soon as you probably can.
But tens of thousands of British high school students will soon be getting up later. They’re taking part in a new experiment by Oxford University to see if later classes can improve their exam results.
Grades 10 students in the UK have to take the nationwide General Certificate of Secondary Education (GCSE) exams. They have to pass these exams in order to study more advanced courses, and later apply for universities.
The Oxford University project means that GCSE students from more than 100 schools across England will start school at 10 am, more than one hour later than the current start time (8:50 am).
The project is based on scientific evidence that teenagers are “out of sync(同步)” with traditional school hours, the Telegraph reported. And what they need is more sleep in the morning.
“We know that something funny happens when you’re a teenager, in that you seem to be out of sync with the world,” said professor Colin Epsie, who is leading the study. “Your parents think it’s because you are lazy and opinionated（固执己见的）and everything will be OK if you could get to sleep earlier. But science is telling us that teenagers need to sleep more in the mornings.”
Everyone follows a natural cycle of sleep and wakefulne ss. Biology has decided that teenagers go to sleep around midnight and don’t feel fully awake until 9-10 am, according to scientists. That’s two hours later than adults. And their body clocks stay like this until the age of around 21 for males, and 19 for females.
“Society provides school for learning, but the brain provides sleep. So we are exploring the possibility that if you delay the schools start time until 10 am, that will improve learning performance,” said Epsie.
The results could be positive, based on previous studies.
An early study at the UK’s Monkseaton High School in 2009 found that starting an hour later improved grades in core subjects by 19 percent.
The Oxford project is expecting to publish the results in 2018. It’s time to wait and see whether scientists will give us an excuse to get up late.
According to the article, students who take part in the Oxford University project_______.
| A．will start school one hour earlier |
| B．will no longer have to take GCSE exams |
| C．will perform better academically than those who don’t participate |
| D．will be guaranteed more sleeping time in the morning |
The underlined phrase “out of sync”in Paragraph 5 probably means _____________ .
| A．breaking the habit of doing something |
| B．getting used to doing something |
| C．having no idea of something |
| D．having trouble keeping up with something |
We can infer from the article that _______________ .
| A．the Oxford University project is targeted at all British high schools |
| B．getting up late is a sign of laziness in the eyes of most British parents |
| C．children and adults have different natural cycles of sleep and wakefulness |
| D．there is still no scientific evidence that supports a late school start time |
What is the author’s attitude toward the Oxford University project ?
A Critical B. Optimistic C. Doubtful D. Uninterested
What’s the best title of the article ?
| A．Wake up late to excel |
| B．It’s never too late to learn |
| C．The later you get up, the better you’ll learn |
| D．An excuse to get up late |
“Football is a very short-term career. Football really prepares you for almost nothing. The only thing I got out of football was the ability to work hard.” says Gales Sayers. So what do you do after your glory days on the field are over? Here’s what one of the top players, Gales Sayers did after he put down the pigskin.
Gales Sayers: #40, Chicago Bears, Running Back.
Gales Sayers became famous in 1965. After recovering from a serious knee injury in 1968, Sayers returned to the Bears in 1969 and was awarded the George Halas Award as “the most courageous player in professional football.” At the award ceremony, he owed his prize to his friend and teammate Brian Piccolo, who was dying of cancer.
Sayers couldn’t get away from the injuries, though, and another blow to his knee put an end to his football career in 1971. His personal life was unfortunate as well, as he and his wife, Linda, split up that year. Shortly after that, Sayers started a new life and career as an assistant athletic director in the University of Kansas. By 1976 he was moving up the ladder at Southern Illinois University, becoming the first African-American athletic director at a major university.
Sayers started a computer supplies company in 1984 with his second wife, Ardie, whom he married in 1973. The couple was looking for a field with a future, and computers seemed to have it all. Seventeen years later, the company that bears his name is a national provider of technology solutions, with 10 locations and over 350 employees across the country. Just like in the old days the honors started rolling in. Sayers was listed into the Chicago Area Entrepreneurship(企业家) Hall of Fame in 1999.What does the underlined sentence “he put down the pigskin” mean?
A
. Sayers ended his football career.
B
. Sayers was too tired to go on playing.
C. Sayers intended to start a new career.
D. Sayers only wanted to rest for some time.How many times was Sayers honored in his life?
| A．Only once as a football star. |
| B．Only once as a businessman. |
| C．Twice in all. |
| D．We are not quite sure. |
Sayers started his new career mainly because of _______ .
| A．the first knee injury in l 968 |
| B．his unfortunate personal life |
| C．another more serious knee injury |
| D．a friend’s being deadly ill |
What can be learned from this passage?
| A．Football players are not successful all the time. |
| B．A successful businessman should be a ball player first. |
| C．A retired football player can easily make money. |
| D．Whatever you do, working hard is the most important. |
As we grow up, we gradually develop a set of our own values or beliefs. These are influenced by society, our family, the education we receive and so on. Once this value system is set up, it’s not easy to change later in life. Financial experts say that everyone also has his own belief of how to manage his money. According to our different values, experts put us in three catagories---the ant, the cricket(蟋蟀) and the snail.
★ The ant — work first
Just like ants who work heart and soul in summer in order to store food for winter, these people don't care about enjoying the moment. They work very hard and save money they earn so that they can enjoy life when they get old and retire. The ant loves to save, but they could make more out of their money if they were willing to invest in some funds and stocks with low risk.
★ The cricket — fun first
The cricket wants to enjoy everything now and doesn't think too much about the future. They even borrow money when they really want something. Many young people now belong to this group. These people have little savings. When they get old, they might have problems. They should learn to save and buy insurance.
★ The snail — life under pressure
The snail refers to people who make life difficult for themselves. They take big long-term loans(贷款) from the bank in order to buy things such as luxury houses. They are happy to take big loans even though they are not sure they can afford them. This can cause problems in the future. They should plan more carefully.One’s values may________.
| A．be his ways of managing money |
| B．be his beliefs about society |
| C．be connected with his education |
| D．influence his behavior |
Mr. Smith always enjoys spending a weekend with his friends, fishing, hunting and playing cards. Besides, he spends money in a very luxurious way. So_______.
| A．Mr. Smith belongs to the ant type |
| B．Mr. Smith belongs to the cricket type |
| C．Mr. Smith belongs to the snail type |
| D．it’s hard to tell which kind of person Mr. Smith is |
The writer of the passage intends _______.
| A．to introduce to us the three types of people with different life style |
| B．to show us his special attitude to the different people |
| C．to tell us life is full of joy and happiness all the time |
| D．to warn us how to live a better life in a new way |
According to the passage, the most suitable title would be _______.
| A．Nature of Spending |
| B．What Comes First |
| C．How to Understand Your Belief |
| D．Work and Fun |
Scientists in the United States say plant life has increased on Earth in the past twenty years and that in every area of plant growth the increase is the result of weather conditions.
Eight scientists from across the Uni
ted States did the study. The space agency NASA and the Department of Energy paid for it. The findings were published in the magazine Science.
The researchers spent one and a half years examining weather satellite information. The information was recorded from 1982 to 1999. That period was one of the warmest on record. Researchers found that rainfall generally increased during that time.
The satellites measured the number of leaves on plants and the amount of sunlight taken in. The scientists used that information to estimate what is called net primary production. This is total amount of carbon stored in land plants.
The scientists report a 6% increase in stored carbon since 1982. They say gains were high in equatorial areas, especially around the Amazon River in South America. The area alone had a 1% increase in the net primary production.
Ramakrishna Nemani of the University of Montana in Missoula headed the study. He says reduced cloud cover led to growth in Amazon area. He also says the lack of clouds allowed more sunlight to get through. More sunlight meant increases in photosynthesis(光合作用). That is the process by which plants use energy from sunlight to produce the chemicals they need to grow.
Northern Canada, the north-central United States and northern Europe were second in increased plant growth. Ramakrishna Nemani says a rise in temperature helped plants there.
All together, the report says 25% of areas of plant life on Earth experienced increases. But the scientists also note increase in the number of people on Earth and carbon dioxide levels in the atmosphere. Ranga Myneni of Boston University in Massachusetts, another study scientist says humans use about half the net primary production on Earth. And he notes that the world population grew by 36% during the period of time studied.Which of the following is in charge of the study?
A．The spa ce agency NASA of the US. |
| B．The Department of Energy of the US. |
| C．Ramakrishna Nemani in Missoula. |
| D．Ranga Myneni in Massachusetts. |
What’s the main cause of the plant growth put forward by the study?
| A．Growth in population. |
| B．Regional features. |
| C．Seasonal variation. |
| D．Weather conditions |
Why do scientists believe that reduced cloud cover has led to the plant growth in the Amazon area?
| A．Because plants could take in more sunlight. |
| B．Because plants could get more rainfall. |
| C．Because plants could enjoy cooler air. |
| D．Because plants suffer less from natural disasters. |
Which of the following descriptions about the years from 1982 to 1999 is TRUE?
| A．It was the warmest on record. |
| B．Rainfall decreased little by little. |
| C．World population grew by 25%. |
| D．Stored carbon increased by 6%. |
It’s not entirely true that kids learn a second language easily, but it’s still the best time to learn. Babies are basically equipped to hear and distinguish every possible language and dialect, but once they reach 6 months old, they begin to focus on the particular sounds that exist in the l
anguages that they’re exposed to. In this way, kids will naturally and automatically be bilingual(双语的) if they hear multiple languages on a daily basis when they are still babies..
One lady told me of her son who grew up in a very multi-cultural community working at a resort. He would naturally and easily switch from Dutch, to French, to Italian, German and English depending on who he was talking to. Of course that’s an extreme case, but it’s completely possible and easy.
It’ s not true that they will get mixed up by learning multiple languages. They may mix them up purposely simply because certain words or expressions are easier, but they won’t develop any permanent language disabilities. Quite the contrary, bilingual children have been shown to be as much as a year more advanced in learning ability development for 2 and 3 years olds.
Some kids who simply aren’t gifted at learning languages, just as some aren’t gifted at sports or music, will find it difficult to continue schooling in a foreign language. In that case, it may be better not to continue with the foreign language school. Still, it will have been an excellent opportunity for Grade One. Perhaps for Grade Two you could try a bilingual school.
In any case, learning even a small amount of a foreign language, maintaining the ability to hear and pronounce it by listening to music and movies will keep a foundation for later learning. Knowing a second language can be a great benefit for gaining employment.What’s the main idea of the first paragraph?
| A．It’s difficult for kids to learn a second language. |
| B．Kids are able to learn multiple languages. |
| C．Kids should be exposed to the native language. |
| D．Kids enjoy all kinds of different dialects. |
What did the lady tell us about her son?
| A．He could speak five kinds of languages. |
| B．He was learning some different languages. |
| C．He could talk with many people at the same time. |
| D．He was working in a multi-community. |
In which way can learning multiple languages benefit kids according to the text?
| A．Mixing up different languages. |
| B．Distinguish different dialects. |
| C．Developing learning ability. |
| D．Developing language disabilities. |
What should you do if your kids are not good at learning language?
| A．Ask them to turn to sports or music. |
| B．Encourage them to remain in Grade One. |
| C．Let them remain in the foreign language school. |
| D．Send them to a bilingual school later. |
Australia is famous for its beautiful beaches. And Australian people love swimming and going to the beach. But it wasn’t always that way.
Different Climate, Different Habits
When Europeans first invaded Australia, the only people here who were good at swimming were the Aboriginal people. The Europeans came from climates where it was too cold to swim. However the warm climate of Australia soon changed their attitude to swimming. At first, only men swam. They swam without any clothes on—there were no women to see them.
Cover up!
By the 1880 and 1890s visiting the beach was very fashionable. People wore everyd
ay street clothes—much more than people wear at the beach today.
In those days people believed they should cover their most body so it would not be seen by the opposite sex. Special bathing costumes were designed for women. This costumes used a lot of cloth and were very heavy when wet, making it difficult to swim.
Laws Made and Laws Changed
The government decided to stop men swimming naked. It passed a law which forbade bathing between 6 am and 7 am. But in 1903, the laws changed; people could swim in the daytime, but they had to wear neck-to-knee costumes.
The Shrinking Costume
As time passed, swimming costumes became smaller and more convenient.
At first men and women were covered from neck to knee. Then arms became bare. Then more of the legs were uncovered. Each new change was regarded by many as shocking and rude and people wrote letters to the newspapers complaining about the new costume. Nowadays some people go to special “nude beaches” to swim naked.
However, most people cover their bodies more than they did ten years ago—not because they think bare skin is shocking—but to protect their skin from the harmful rays of the sun.Which of the following statements about the climate of
Australia is TRUE?
| A．It made European settlers think differently about swimming. |
| B．It changed European settlers’ swimming costume. |
| C．It made European settlers feel much hotter. |
| D．It made European settlers have to swim naked. |
What should swimmers do during the late 19th century?
| A．They should hide when they meet a person of the opposite sex. |
| B．They should cover their body to avoid being seen by the opposite sex. |
| C．They should wear many heavy clothes on beaches. |
| D．They should wear special wet costumes designed for them. |
What does the underlined sentence mean?
| A．People were surprised by each new change and criticized it. |
| B．People were amazed by each new change and praise it. |
| C．Only newspapers were in favor of each new change. |
| D．Only newspapers thought poorly of each new change. |
What can we conclude from the last paragraph?
| A．People worry about getting skin cancer from too much sun. |
| B．People protected their swimming costumes from too much sun. |
| C．People are greatly shocked by the nude beaches. |
| D．People think it rude to swim with the smaller costumes. |