Getting less sleep has become a bad habit for most American kids. According to a new survey(调查) by the National Sleep Foundation, 51% of kids aged 10 to 18 go to bed at 10 pm or later on school nights, even though they have to get up early. Last year the Foundation reported that nearly 60% of 7- to 12-year-olds said that they felt tired during the day, and 15% said they had fallen asleep at school.
How much sleep you need depends a lot on your age. Babies need a lot of rest: most of them sleep about 18 hours a day! Adults need about eight hours. For most school-age children, ten hours is ideal(理想的). But the new National Sleep Foundation survey found that 35% of 10- to 12-year-olds get only seven or eight hours. And guess what almost half of the surveyed kids said they do before bedtime? Watch TV.
"More children are going to bed with TVs on, and there are more opportunities(机会) to stay awake, with more homework, the Internet and the phone," says Dr. Mary Carskadon, a sleep researcher at Brown University Medical School. She says these activities at bedtime can get kids all excited and make it hard for them to calm down and sleep. Other experts say part of the problem is chemical. Changing levels of body chemicals called hormones not only make teenagers' bodies develop adult characteristics, but also make it hard for teenagers to fall asleep before 11 pm.
Because sleepiness is such a problem for teenagers, some school districts have decided to start high school classes later than they used to. Three years ago, schools in Edina, Minnesota, changed the start time from 7:25 am to 8:30 am. Students, parents and teachers are pleased with the results.
25. What is the new National Sleep Foundation survey on?
| A． |
American kids' sleeping habits. |
B． |
Teenagers' sleep-related diseases. |
| C． |
Activities to prevent sleeplessness. |
D． |
Learning problems and lack of sleep. |
26. How many hours of sleep do 11-year-olds need every day?
| A． |
7 hours. |
B． |
8 hours. |
C． |
10 hours. |
D． |
18 hours. |
27. Why do teenagers go to sleep late according to Carskadon?
| A． |
They are affected by certain body chemicals. |
| B． |
They tend to do things that excite them. |
| C． |
They follow their parents' examples. |
| D． |
They don't need to go to school early. |
Today, we complete our story about the influential English writer William Shakespeare. He wrote plays and poems during the late fifteenth and early sixteenth centuries, which remain very popular today.
During earlier times, people would probably have learned several ancient Roman and Greek plays. It was not unusual for writers to produce more current versions of these works. For example, in Shakespeare's play "The Comedy of Errors" Shakespeare borrowed certain details from the ancient Roman writer Plautus. For his play "Macbeth", Shakespeare most likely used a work on Scottish history by Raphael Holinshed for information. Shakespeare might have borrowed f
rom other writers, but the intensity（强度）of his imagination and language made the plays his own. While many plays by other writers of his time have been forgotten, Shakespeare and his art live on.
Shakespeare was also influenced by the world around him. He described the sights and sounds of London in his plays. His works include observations about political struggles, the fear of diseases, and the popular language of the city’s tradesmen. Shakespeare's knowledge of the English countryside is also clear. His works include descriptions of deep forests, local flowers, and the ancient popular traditions of rural people.
It would be impossible to list all of the ways in which Shakespeare’s works have influenced the world culture. But the first and greatest example would be his great influence on the English language. During his time, the English language was changing. Many new words from other languages were being added. Shakespeare used his sharp mind and poetic inventiveness to create hundreds of new words and rework old ones. For example, he created the noun forms of "critic", "mountaineer” and "eyeball". Many common expressions in English come from his plays, including "pomp and circumstance（装腔作势）"from "Othello", "full circle（绕圈子地）" from "King Lear", etc. The list of cultural creations influenced by Shakespeare is almost endless. From paintings to television to music and dance, Shakespeare was well represented. Shakespeare's plays have been translated into every major language in the world.
Shakespeare became a wellknown writer during a golden age of theater. His years of hard work paid off.What can we infer from the passage？
| A．Many of Shakespeare's works were influenced by earlier writings. |
| B．Shakespeare was hardworking when he was a student. |
| C．The experience of living in London helped a lot with Shakespeare's works. |
| D．Shakespeare became rich later because of the popularity of his works. |
Shakespeare might have learnt some information from ancient Roman works in .
| A．"King Lear" | B．"The Comedy of Errors" | C．"Macbeth" | D．"Othello" |
Why could Shakespeare's works survive his time？
| A．Because there were so few people writing plays in his time. |
| B．Because he produced too many works that nobody else could do. |
| C．Because he was a rich and influential person of his time. |
| D．Because his works were rich in imagination and language. |
Shakespeare's greatest influence should be on .
| A．the English language | B．paintings | C．television | D．music and dance |
The passage is mainly about .
| A．an introduction to Shakespeare’s life and his works |
| B．the main features and styles of Shakespeare's plays |
| C．how culture influenced Shakespeare and he influenced culture. |
| D．Shakespeare’s greatest influence on the world culture. |
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LYG2560@sohu.comMargaret is now looking for________.
| A．her lost cat | B．an apartment | C．a job | D．a roommate |
. Which of the following is NOT the requirement of EL house?
| A．Experienced in exam preparations. | B．Experienced in teaching Chinese. |
| C．Excellent command of English. | D．Degree holder. |
Tolook for a person to work in your restaurant, you can contact________.
| A．LYG2560@sohu. com | B．MLCT@sina. com |
C． Backerl896@126. com |
D．JGHTR@gmail. com |
If you rent the apartment near West Nanjing Road, ________.
| A．you should pay RMB 13，000 each month |
| B．you can work out in the gym |
| C．you can go shopping in the neighborhood |
| D．you can swim in an outdoor swimming pool |
What does the underlined word “incumbent” mean?
| A．Businessman. | B．Student. | C．Employee. | D．Employer. |
It is the first report that home-grown food has been contaminated by radioactivity, largely Iodine(碘)-131, since the ministry ordered radiation( powerful and harmful rays that are sent out from radioactive substances) tests on food and water at the end of March in 14 mainland regions including Beijing, Tianjin, and some coastal provinces.
Sample inspections conducted on Tuesday found low levels of radioactive iodine in spinach( a kind of green vegetables) planted in Beijing, Tianjin and Henan province --- about 1-3 becquerels per kilogram (Bq/kg), the statement said.
"The contamination level detected is too low to be harmful to public health," it said.
According to health experts, radioactive iodine can accumulate in humans once ingested in high concentrations and increases the risk of thyroid cancer. But it decays naturally within weeks.
Leafy vegetables grown in the open like spinach, lettuce and leek are among the first foods to be tainted by radioactive deposits.
Raw milk is also susceptible to radioactive contamination as livestock feed on grass.
Tests carried out in March showed spinach and milk taken from farms near Japan's nuclear-stricken area had exceeded(go beyond) government-set safety limits for radiation.
No cases of tainted water or milk have been reported in China but the ministry vowed to further strengthen monitoring.
Wang Zhongwen, a researcher at the China Institute of Atomic Energy's radiation safety department, told China Daily on Wednesday that currently China only had the means to conduct food radiation tests in a few regions.
The statement also said that recent rain in Beijing and Tianjin meant radioactive substances could have fallen on vegetables.
Chen Jicang, a vegetable dealer in Beijing, said on Wednesday that concerns are growing among consumers, businesses and governments across the world.
"We have yet to see any impact on our business from the radiation, but we will keep a close eye on how the issue develops," he said.
He added that most vegetables consumed in Beijing are produced locally, and he might switch to other varieties if spinach sales suffer.
Yang Guoshan, a researcher of radiation medical science at the Academy of Military Medical Sciences, said people could safely eat products that contain low levels of Iodine-131.
"The radiation level is so low that residents don't need to spend any extra effort on cleaning them," he said.
Gao Jie, a 52-year-old resident in Tianjin said she is deeply worried because spinach is a staple part of her family's diet.
"If spinach is radioactive, is there any possibility that other types of vegetables are safe?"
Trace levels of radioactive isotope cesium-137 and -134 were detected in the air in 21 provinces and regions on Wednesday, up from 17 on Tuesday, according to China's National Nuclear Emergency Coordination Committee. What does the underlined word mean in para 1?
| A．protected | B．contained | C．polluted by dangerous substances | D．tested |
Why are the spinach and milk taken from nuclear-stricken area not safe?
| A．Because tests have been carried out there. |
| B．Raw milk is sensitive to radioactive contamination as livestock（家畜）feed on grass. |
| C．The amount of radioactive substances goes beyond the safe limits for radiation. |
| D．Japan is a nuclear-stricken area. |
Where do you think this passage comes from?
| A．a magazine | B．CCTV news | C．a journal | D．a novel |
What is not mentioned in the passage?
| A．Consumers became concerned about the safety of vegetables. |
| B．People need to clean vegetables completely before cooking because of radiation. |
| C．Food and water have to be tested since the end of March in 14 mainland regions |
| D．Low levels of radioactive iodine has been found in spinach in Tianjin |
What do you think is mainly talked about in the passage?
| A．How the radioactivity came into being |
| B．What we should do in face of radioactivity. |
| C．Radioactivity has no side effect on human being. |
| D．Home-grown food has been affected by radioactivity. |
When it comes to friends, I desire those who will share my happiness, who possess wings of their own and who will fly with me. I seek friends whose qualities illuminate（light）me and train me up for love. It is for these people that I reserve the glowing hours, too good not to share.
When I was in the eighth grade, I had a friend. We were shy and “too serious” about our studies when it was becoming fashionable with our classmates to learn acceptable social behaviors. We said little at school, but she would come to my house and we would sit down with pencils and paper, and one of us would say:“Let’s start with a train whistle today.” We would sit quietly together and write separate poems or stories that grew out of a train whistle. Then we would read them aloud. At the end of that school year, we, too, were changing into social creatures and the stories and poems stopped.
When I lived for a time in London, I had a friend, He was in despair(disappointment)and I was in despair. But our friendship was based on the idea in each of us that we would be sorry later if we did not explore this great city because we had felt bad at the time. We met every Sunday for five weeks and found many excellent things. We walked until our despairs disappeared and then we parted. We gave London to each other.
For almost four years I have had remarkable friend whose imagination illuminates mine. We write long letters in which we often discover our strangest selves. Each of us appears, sometimes in a funny way, in the other’s dreams. She and I agree that, at certain times, we seem to be parts of the same mind. In my most interesting moments, I often think:“Yes, I must tell….”We have never met.
It is such comforting companions I wish to keep. One bright hour with their kind is worth more to me than the lifetime services of a psychologist，who will only fill up the healing silence necessary to those darkest moments in which I would rather be my own best friend. In the eighth grade, what the author did before developing proper social behavior was to ______.
| A．become serious about her study | B．go to her friend’s house regularly |
| C．learn from her classmates at school | D．share poems and stories with her friend |
In Paragraph 3, “We gave London to each other” probably means ______.
| A．our exploration of London was a memorable gift to both of us |
| B．we were unwilling to tear ourselves away from London |
| C．our unpleasant feeling about London disappeared |
| D．we parted with each other in London |
According to Paragraph 4, the author and her friend _______.
| A．call each other regularly | B．have similar personalities |
| C．enjoy writing to each other | D．dream of meeting each other |
In the darkest moments, the author would prefer to ______.
| A．seek professional help | B．be left alone |
| C．stay with her best friend | D．break the silence |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Unforgettable Experiences | B．Remarkable Imagination |
| C．Lifelong Friendship | D．Noble Companions |
Forget Twitter and Facebook, Google and the Kindle. Television is still the most influential medium around. Indeed ,for many of the poorest regions of the world, it remains the next big thing——finally becomes globally available. And that is a good thing, because the TV revolution is changing lives for the better.
Across the developing world, around 45% of families had a TV in 1995; by 2005 the number had climbed above 60%. That is some way behind the U.S. , where are more TVs than people, and where people now easily get access to the Internet. Five million more families in sub-Saharan Africa will get a TV over the next five years. In 2005 , after the fall of the Taliban（塔利班）,which had outlawed TV, 1 in 5 Afghans had one. The global total is another 150 million by 2013——pushing the numbers to well beyond two thirds of families.
Television’s most powerful effect will be on the lives of women. In India, researchers Robert Jensen and Emily Oster found that when TVs reached villages, women were more likely to go to the market without their husbands’ approval and less likely to want a boy rather than a girl. They were more likely to make decisions over child health care. TV is also a powerful medium for adult education. In the Indian state of Gujarat, Chitrageet is a popular show that plays Bollywood songs with words in Gujarati on the screen. Within six months, viewers had made a small but significant improvement in their reading skills.
Too much TV has been associated with violence, overweight and loneliness. However, TV is having a positive influence on the lives of billions worldwide. The underlined word “outlawed” in paragraph 2 probably means “”.
| A．allowed | B．forbidden | C．offered | D．refused |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Americans used to get access to the Internet easily. |
| B．The world’s TV sets will total 150 million by 2013. |
| C．45% of families in the developing countries had a TV in 2005. |
| D．Over two thirds of families in the world will have a TV by 2013. |
The author intends to .
| A．stress the advantages of TV to people’s lives |
| B．persuade women to become more independent |
| C．encourage people to improve their reading skills |
| D．introduce the readers some websites such as Google |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．TV Will Rule the World | B．TV Will Disturb the World |
| C．TV Will Better the World | D．TV Will Remain in World |
From the passage, we know _______________.
| A．It is impossible for women in India to get access to TVs now. |
| B．Robert Jensen and Emily Oster are Indian women. |
| C．Women in India are more likely to want a girl than a boy because of the arrival of TV. |
| D．Viewers of a popular TV show can improve their reading skills greatly in half a year. |