There is an old saying in English, “Laughter is the best medicine”. Until recently, few people took the saying very seriously. Now, however, doctors have begun to study laughter and the effects (作用) it has on the human body. They have found evidence that laughter really can improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their heart rate, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter has similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, the heart rate and the rate of breathing. It also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be helpful.
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to make the effect of pain on the body less. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group which could bear the pain for the longest time was the group which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can make pain less seems to be that it helps to produce endorphins (内啡肽) in the brain. These are natural chemicals which make both stress and pain less.
There is also some evidence to suggest that laughter helps the body’s immune system — that is the system which fights infection (感染). In an experiment, one group of students watched a funny video while another group served as the control group — in other words, a group with which to compare the first group. Doctors checked the blood of the students in both groups and found that the people in the group that watched the video had an increase in the activity of their white blood cells — the cells which fight infection.
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors and psychiatrists (精神病专家) in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they try to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce good effects similar to those caused by laughter.We learn from the first paragraph that laughter _______.
| A．is good for one’s health |
| B．has strong effects to do with some illnesses |
| C．has been studied for a long time |
| D．has no effect on the body |
Doctors have found that laughter _______.
| A．keeps down blood pressure |
| B．has similar effects to physical exercise |
| C．decreases the heart rate |
| D．increases stress and pain |
Which of the following statements is NOT true of laughter according to the passage?
| A．It makes pain less. |
| B．It exercises the body. |
| C．It improves the body’s immune system. |
| D．It can cure（治愈）cancer . |
Smiling can produce _________.
| A．about the same effects as laughter |
| B．more effects than laughter |
| C．fewer effects on the human body |
| D．no effects on the human body |
Do you know how to play a game called “Musical Chairs”? It is easy to play and most people enjoy it. All you need are some chairs, some people and some way of making music. You may use a piano or any other musical instrument, if someone can play it. You may use a tape recorder. You can even use a radio.
Put the chairs in a line. The chairs may be put in twos, back to back. A better way is to have the chairs in one row with each chair facing in the opposite direction to the chair next to it.
The game is easy. When the music starts, the players walk round the chairs. Everyone goes in the same direction, of course, they should walk in time to the music. If the music is fast they should walk quickly. If the music is slow, they should walk slowly.
The person playing music cannot see the people in the game. When the music stops, the players try to sit on the chairs. If a person cannot find a chair to sit on, he drops out. Then, before the music starts again, one chair must be taken away. When the music stops again, one more player will be out.
At last, there will be two players and one chair. The one who sits on the chair when the music stops is the winner.If ten people are playing musical chairs, you must begin with _______.
| A．nine chairs | B．ten chairs | C．eleven chairs | D．one chair |
Which of the following is not suitable for playing musical chairs? _______.
| A．A piano | B．A radio | C．A tape recorder | D．A telephone |
The chairs should be put _______.
| A．with the desks | B．before the winner |
| C．all over the room | D．in a line |
When the music starts, the players must _______.
| A．run about the room | B．get down |
| C．walk around the chairs | D．sit on the chairs |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．The game “Musical Chairs” is not difficult to learn. |
| B．The game “Musical Chairs” needs some chairs, some people and some music. |
| C．The winner sits on the last chair when the music stops. |
| D．If the person plays music, he can see the people in the game. |
On July 12th, 2009, at 5 pm, a lot of fans met at People’s Square in Shanghai. They performed Michael Jackson’s unfinished dance. For one minute, they sang and did the moon walk (太空步) to remember Michael Jackson.
This kind of phenomenon (现象) is called “flash mob (快闪族)”. “Flash mob” is a group of people who meet in a public place to perform an activity for a short time. Sometimes all these people are friends, but usually they are strangers (陌生人) and they find each other (彼此) on the Internet.
“Flash mob” is very surprised and strange. One of the popular “flash mob” activities was in Manhattan, New York City: Three hundred people met in a store and each of them told the shop assistant that they would buy the same size sports shoes, and the shop assistant didn’t know what to do. What did a lot of fans do at People’s Square in Shanghai?
___________________________________________________________________________.What is “flash mob”?
___________________________________________________________________________.Are people of “flash mob” usually strangers?
___________________________________________________________________________.Where do people find each other in a short time?
___________________________________________________________________________.What does the writer think of “flash mob”?
___________________________________________________________________________.
“What’s the matter, mum?” When I came home yesterday, I found my mother was unhappy. It was unusual—she usually opened the door and welcomed me with a smile. “She’s dying (死),” mum said sadly. I knew what she said. The tulip (郁金香), mother’s favorite, was dying.
A month ago, we moved into our new house and mum bought a very beautiful tulip. Mum liked it very much. Every time she was free, she would sit near the tulip and enjoyed its beautiful color and nice smell. She treated (对待) it like a baby and looked after it carefully. She put the tulip by window and moved it from one place to another to give the tulip enough sunshine. Every morning the first thing she did was to water the tulip. Mum also fertilized (施肥) it many times. She hoped the tulip would become more and more beautiful and stronger. But the tulip was dying because of too much sunshine, water and fertilizer.
It’s true that mother loved the tulip. But this kind of love can be harmful (伤害的). Love can sometimes kill (杀害) what you love.Yesterday the writer found that __________.
A. his mother was sad
B. his home was as usual as before
C. his mother bought a tulip.The sentence “She’s dying ” means __________ was dying soon.
A. the mother B. the tulip C. a baby Which of the following is NOT true about the mother?
A. Every afternoon she watered the tulip.
B. She looked after the tulip carefully.
C. She moved the tulip everywhere to give it enough sunshine.Why was the tulip dying in the end? Because __________.
A. she forgot to water it
B. she never fertilized it
C. she gave it too much sunshine, water and fertilizerWhat does the writer want to tell us?
A. Love is important to everyone.
B. Everyone should love his mother.
C. Not all of love is good for us.
Dear editors (编辑), I’m a slow (慢的) student in my class. Most of my classmates are much better than me. So I get very stressed out. It’s difficult to keep on working hard and it’s really not fun. And I think although I spend much time studying for the tests, I can’t get good grades. My father gives me some help sometimes. He tells me not to worry about it. But what do you think I should do? Xia Ming |
A reader read the letter from the magazine and here is his answer:
| Dear Xia Ming, Many famous people are not so good at the age like you. Edison, the famous scientist, had a bad headache for his studies when he was a 12-year-old boy. But everyone knows that he did a lot for the people in the world. And Newton had the same story like him. When you are feeling stressed out, just smile (微笑) and take a deep breath (深呼吸), then try your best. You should believe tomorrow is another day. Thumbelina |
Xia Ming worried about __________.
A. his classmates B. his life C. his studyThumbelina gave __________ examples in the letter.
A. one B. two C. threeThumbelina wrote about those famous people to __________.
A. make Xia Ming feel better
B. make Xia Ming laugh
C. show how much she knowsWhich is NOT true according to the letter?
A. Xia Ming has fun studying at school.
B. Edison is famous in the world.
C. Xia Ming’s father always helps him with his study.“Tomorrow is another day” tells us __________.
A. it’s the weekend tomorrow
B. tomorrow is second day
C. there are hopes in our lives
任务型阅读，根据短文内容完成所给任务。
根据短文内容，完成表格中小沈阳和刘谦的信息，每空限填一词。
As we know, Xiao Shenyang and Liu Qian did wonderful jobs in the CCTV Spring Festival GALA(春节联欢晚会). Now many people are crazy about these two persons. But how much do you know about them?
Xiao Shenyang was born in a poor peasant family which is in difficult family conditions. His real name is Shen He. He is an actor. He is good at Er Ren Zhuan. He learned acts, following Zhao Benshan. During the school life, he was very active in many activities. He looks like a simple man, but he never stops pursuing (追求) his artistic aspiration(渴望). More and more people like his style of performance, and we hope he can make great progress in the future.
Liu Qian is a young magician from Taiwan. At the age of 7, Liu saw a cute magic toy in a shop. At that moment he began to love magic and decided to learn it. Liu didn’t go to any magic school. He practiced tricks every day to improve his skills himself, until one day he was able to put on a show for his class. He saw the surprise on everyone’s face, and he felt it was cool. He often does street shows for passers-by, police and farmers. He worked hard at it. Now he is a famous magician.
| Name |
Xiao Shenyang |
Liu Qian |
| Job |
An actor |
A young 1______ from Taiwan. |
| How to succeed |
He learned acts, following Zhao Benshan. During the school life, he was very2______. He looks like a 3_____ man. But he never stops pursuing the artistic aspiration. |
He learned the magic only by 4____. Liu didn’t go to any magic school. At his show for his class, he found everyone5______ and he felt it was cool. |