C
Perhaps you have a big test coming up and you are feeling nervous. You know you have got to do well. The pressure is on, so you may be losing sleep and the ability to concentrate. How can you deal with the stress, study effectively, and take the test with confidence? Maybe you should try meditation（沉思）.
When people think about meditation, many pictures of old men’s sitting cross-legged on remote mountaintops will appear in mind. People describing meditation frequently mention elements such as relaxation and “thinking about nothing”.
It is not necessary to travel to a mountaintop to enjoy the benefits of meditation because it is actually more about awareness than just relaxation. The secret of meditation is breathing.
To star meditating, find a place where you can sit or stand comfortably for a little while and concentrate. Close your eyes and start taking slow breaths. Focus on the air moving in and out of your body. If your mind starts to wander and you begin to think about something else, refocus your attention on your breathing.
Meditation has little to do with escaping problems or thinking about nothing. Instead, the breathing techniques help you calm down and think more clearly about your feelings. The issues on your mind unfold clearly, as if they were in slow motion.
This clarity（清晰）is called “mindfulness”. Being mindful means that you are aware of what you are thinking without becoming caught up in your thoughts. It takes practice, but with time, that big test will not scare you anymore. You will realize through meditation that fear is just a product of not being mindful.
64． What is the best way to reduce the pressure if one faces a big test?
A. To climb up to the top of a mountain for a rest.
B. To sit on the top of a mountain without thinking anything.
C. To sit or stand comfortable and begin to meditate.
D. To sit quietly with one’s legs crossed.
65． What should a person do if his mind begins to wander while meditating?
A. Stop meditating.
B. Concentrate on breathing again.
C. Involve himself in his thoughts.
D. Close eyes immediately.
66． From the passage we can learn that by practicing meditation we’ll__________.
A. not be stuck in our thoughts
B. pass the examinations easily
C. realize fear is a product of too much thought
D. never be afraid of big tests
67． From the passage we can know the writer’s purpose is to let the readers know__________
A. how to deal with the stress before a big test
B. what is meditation
C. how a big test scares the students
D. where is the best place to relax
1. The Video Camera Pen
Item 78431; $129.95
Available for Immediate Shipment
Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484
This is the pen that has a built-in video camera, capturing videos or still images
with a click of its button. Ideal for use while secured in a pocket, it can captur
e
up to five hours of video and up to 20,000 images. Its battery provides up to two
hours of power before requiring a recharge.
2. The Wristwatch Camcorder
Item 78098; $149.95
Available for 3-day shipment
Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484
This is the men’s watch with an unnoticeable camcorder, so you’ll always have a camera ready to capture a chance famous person or a pet’s
Ridiculous actions. The camera is located at the two-o’clock position,
yet the watch’s hands never make it covered.to two hours of use from a four-hour charge.
3. The only 55 Inch Widescreen Personal Movie Theater
Item 77918; $249.95
Available for Immediate Shipment
Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484
This is the only personal media viewer that provides a
private viewing experience just like watching a widescreen 55 inch television from 10 meters away. It connects to a video iPod, iPhone, portable DVD player. Includes two AA batteries that provide up to six hours of continuous operation and iPod cable.
4. The Digital Phone Album Watch
Item 77281; $99.95
Available for Immediate Shipment
Order by Phone: 1-800-321-1484
This is the watch that vividly displays 120 of your favorite digital
photographs. You can download digital photographs to the watch. The watch can
be viewed in the Photo Album mode(time and photo view) or digital mode (time
and date view). A six-hour charge provides up to 10 days of use.
What’s the purpose of this passage?
| A．To compare some creative inventions. |
| B．To advertise some unique goods. |
| C．To teach how to operate the items. |
| D．To show how fashionable the items are. |
What do Item 78431 and Item 78098 have in common according to this passage?
| A．They both sell well. | B．They are both cheap. |
| C．They both have unusual appearances. | D．They both can take photos. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．In fact, Item 78098 cannot tell time. |
| B．Item 77918 works as a DVD player. |
| C．In a way, Item 77281 is user-friendly. |
| D．All the items include rechargeable batteries. |
Social networking websites are causing alarming changes in the brains of young users, a famous scientist has warned．Sites such as Facebook, Twitter and Bebo are said to shorten attention spans （幅度）, encourage instant satisfaction and make children more self-centered．
Warnings from neuroscientist （神经系统科学家） Susan Greenfield will disturb the millions whose social lives depend on surfing their favorite websites each day．But they will strike a chord （弦） with parents and teachers who complain that many teenagers lack the ability to communicate or concentrate away from their screens．
More than 150 million use Facebook to keep in touch with friends, share photographs and videos and post regular updates of their movements and thoughts．A further six million have signed up to Twitter, the "micro-blogging" service that lets users exchange text messages about themselves．But while the sites are popular and extremely profitable, a growing number of psychologists and neuroscientists believe they may 
be doing more harm than good．
Baroness Tarot, an Oxford University neuroscientist believes repeated exposure could rewire the brain．Computer games and fast-paced TV shows were also a factor, she said．"My fear is that these technologies are weakening the brain to the state of small children who are attracted by buzzing noises and bright lights, who have a small attention span and live for the moment．" "I often wonder whether real conversation in real time may eventually give way to these easier and faster screen dialogues, in much the same way as killing and butchering an animal to eat has been replaced by the convenience of packages on the supermarket shelf," she said．
Psy
chologists have also argued that digital technology is changing the way we think．They point out that students no longer need to plan their term papers before starting to write—thanks to word processors they can edit as they go along．
A study by the Broadcaster Audience Board found teenagers now spend seven and a half hours a day in front of a screen．Educational psychologist Jane Healy believes children should be kept away from computer games until they are seven．Most games only excite the "flight or fight" areas of the brain, rather than the areas responsible reasoning．
Sue Palmer, author of Toxic Childhood, said: "We are seeing children's brain development damaged because they don't engage in the activity they have engaged in for thousand
s of years．I'm not against technology and computers．But before they start social networking, they need to learn to make real relationships with people．".
According to the passage, social networking websites might _____．
| A．make young users more selfish |
| B．lengthen young users' attention span |
| C．encourage young users constant satisfaction |
| D．help young users communicate better with their families |
.
A neuroscientist may worry that sites like Facebook may ______．
| A．help children learn to make real relationships with people in society |
| B．encourage students not to plan their term papers before starting to write |
| C．disturb those whose social lives depend on surfing their favorite websites |
| D．make real conversation in real time give way to easier and faster screen dialogue |
.
From the passage we can infer that _____．
| A．Baroness Tarot agrees websites cause small children's small attention span |
| B．Jane Healy believes computer games can do good to children's reasoning |
| C．Susan Greenfield's warnings have been brought to wide public attention |
| D．Sue Palmer's book Toxic Childhood discusses the development of networking |
.
What is the purpose of this passage?
| A．To tell us the conflict between neuroscientists and psychologists on websites． |
| B．To present some negative opinions on social networking websites． |
| C．To offer advice on the problem of brain damage caused by social networking． |
| D．To analyse how social networking websites cause damage in the brains of teenagers． |
Grandpa Nybakken loved life—especially when he could play a trick on somebody. At those times, his large Norwegian frame shook with laughter while h
e pretended innocent surprise, exclaiming, “Oh, forevermore!” But on a cold Saturday in downtown Chicago, Grandpa felt that God played a trick on him, and grandpa wasn’t laughing.
Grandpa worked as a carpenter. On this particular day, he was building some boxes for the clothes his church was sending to an orphanage abroad. On his way home, he reached into his shirt pocket to find his glasses, but they were gone. He remembered putting them there that morning, so he drove back to the church．His search proved fruitless.
Suddenly, he realized what had happened. The glasses had slipped out of his pocket unnoticed and fallen into one of the boxes, which he had nailed shut. His brand new glasses were heading for China!
The Great Depression was at its height, and Grandpa had six children. He had spent twenty dollars for those glasses that very morning.
“It’s not fair,” he told God as he drove home in frustration. “I’ve been very faithful in giving of my time and money to your work, and now this.”
Several months later, the director of the orphanage was on vacation in the United States．He wanted to visit all the churches that supported him, so he came to speak on Sunday night at my grandfather’s small church in Chicago．Grandpa and his family sat in their usual seats among the small congregation（教堂会众）.
“But most of all,” he said, “I must thank you for the glasses you sent last year.”
“Even if I had the money, there was simply no way of replacing those glasses．Along with not being able to see well, I experienced headaches every day, so my co-workers and I were much in prayer about this．Then your boxes arrived．When my staff removed the covers, they found a pair of glasses lying on the top.” After a long pause, he continued, “Folks, when I tried on the glasses, it was as though they had been custom-made just for me! I want to thank you for being a part of that!”
The people listened, happy for the amazing glasses．But the director surely must have confused their church with another, they thought, there were no glasses on their list of items to be sent overseas.
But sitting quietly in the back, with tears streaming down his face, an ordinary carpenter realized the Master Carpenter had used him in an extraordinary way.
56．Which of the following is NOT true about Grandpa Nybakken according to the passage?
| A．He was an outgoing man and held an active attitude towards life. |
| B．He had a large family to support. |
C．He was a carpent er working in the church. |
| D．He was a loyal Christian. |
Most British telephone cards are just plain green, but card collecting is becoming a popular hobby in Britain and collectors even have their own magazine, International Telephone Cards. One reason for their interests is that cards from around the world come in a wide variety of different and often very attractive design, There are 100, 0
00 different cards in Japan alone, and there you can put your own design onto a bank card simply by using a photograph or a business card.
The first telephone cards, produced in 1976, were Italian. Five years later the first British card appeared, and now you can buy cards in more than a hundred countries. People usually start collecting cards because they are attractive, small and light, and they do not need much space. It is also a cheap hobby for beginners, although for some people it becomes a serious business. In Paris, for example, there is a market where you can buy only telephone cards, and some French cards cost up to 4,000 pounds. The first Japanese card has a value of about 28,000 pounds. Most people only see cards with prices like these in their collectors’ magazine.The passage is mainly about __________.
| A．the history of phone cards. | B．phone card collecting as a hobby |
| C．reasons for phone card collecting | D．the great variety of phone cards |
When did people in Britain begin to us
e phone card?
| A．In 1971. | B．In 1975 | C． In 1976. | D．In 1981. |
The main reason for most people to collect phone cards is that _________.
| A．they find the cards beautiful and easy to keep |
| B．they like to have something from different countries |
C．the y want to make money with cards |
| D．they think the cards are convenient to use |
The writer mentions a market in Paris in order to show that __________.
| A．card collecting is popular among young people |
| B．French and Japanese cards are the most valuable |
| C．People can make money out of card collecting |
| D．Card collectors’ magazines are very useful |
Everybody knows that words can carry messages. People communicate with words. Books, magazines, TV，radio and films all help us to know what is going on in the world and what people are thinking about.
Do you think you can communicate without words? A smile on your face s
hows you are happy or friendly. Tears in your eyes tell others that you are sad. When you put up your hand in class, the teacher knows that you want to say something or ask a question. You shake your head, and people know you are saying “No”. You nod and people know you are saying “Yes”.
Other things can also carry messages. For example, a sign at the bus stop helps you to know which bus to take. A sign on the wall of your school helps you to find the library. Signs on doors tell you where to go in or out. Have you ever noticed there are a lot of signs around you and you receive messages from them all the time? People can communicate in many ways without words. For example, an artist can use his drawings to tell about beautiful mountains, seas and many other things. Choose the best title for this passage.
| A．Ways for Communication. | B．The Best Way for Communication. |
| C．The Only Way for Communication. | D．Words Can Carry Messages. |
How can people communicate with each other?
| A．With words only | B．Only without words. |
| C．Either with words or without words. | D．Just by using different kinds of signs. |
Which of the following is NOT a way for communication without words?
| A．A cry for help | B．A smile on your face | C．Making a face | D．Nodding your head |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号