Each year millions of babies are born too soon and too small. Premature or preterm births are defined as births at less than thirty-seven weeks.
Prematurity is the leading cause of death in newborn babies. More than one-fourth of the four million newborns who die each year around the world were born too early.
Preterm babies that survive can suffer a lifetime of serious health conditions. The examples include cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing problems and learning disabilities. Families and communities face emotional, physical and financial costs.
Christopher Howson is the vice president for global programs at the March of Dimes, a nonprofit group. His group and the World Health Organization recently published a report called “The Global and Regional Toll of Preterm Birth.”
CHRISTOPHER HOWSON: “Frankly the crisis of preterm birth is under-recognized, undercounted, undervalued and underfunded. I mean, this report shows that thirteen million babies are born every year preterm, and that over a million of those babies die as a result of being born too early.”
And these are just estimates; the true numbers could be even higher. More than eighty-five percent of preterm births happen in Africa and Asia. Africa has the highest rate, with about four million cases each year.
Chris Howson says many of the causes of preterm births are related to poverty and weak health-care systems.
CHRISTOPHER HOWSON: “For example, the poor overall health and nutritional status of women. A high burden of infectious diseases. Lack of provision of family planning – allowing a woman to decide when to start and end having children and how to space her children. And also the lack of good prenatal care programs that might identify problems early on in pregnancy.”
Preterm births are a problem not just in the developing world. The combined rate in the United States and Canada is the second highest in the world. Preterm birth rates in the United States have increased thirty-six percent in the last twenty-five years.
This has been largely the result of two reasons. One is an increase in pregnancies among women over age thirty-five. The other is an increase in the use of reproductive therapies.
49．This passage is mainly about ________.
A．the causes of people’s bad health throughout the world
B．how to improve people’s health throughout the world
C．premature or preterm births throughout the world
D．Christopher Howson, vice president for global programs at the March of Dimes
50．All of the following are causes of preterm births except ________.
A．too many deaths of newborn babies B．poverty
C．Lack of provision of family planning D．the lack of good prenatal care programs
51．Which of the following is a true statement according to the passage?
A．Preterm birth rates in developing countries are dropping and they are increasing in some developed countries like the US and Canada.
B．The increase in pregnancies among women over age thirty-five and the increase in the use of reproductive therapies result in the increase of preterm birth rates.
C．Fortunately, many people have already realized the seriousness of the problem of preterm births.
D．Preterm births must be a problem for only poor areas because of poverty.
52．Which is the best title for the passage?
A．Chris Howson, an Excellent Vice President
B．Preterm Births
C．“The Global and Regional Toll of Preterm Birth”
D．Emotional, Physical and Financial Costs
What will people die of 100 years from now? If you think that is a simple question, you have not been paying attention to the revolution that is taking place in biotechnology. With the help of new medicine, the human body will last a very long time. Death will come mainly from accidents, murder and war. Today's leading killers, such as heart disease, cancer, and aging itself, will become distant memories.
In discussion of technological changes, the Internet gets most of the attention these days. But the change in medicine can be the real technological event of our times. How long can humans live? Human brains were known to decide the final death. Cells are the basic units of all living things, and until recently, scientists were sure that the life of cells could not go much beyond 120 years because the basic materials of cells, such as those of brain cells, would not last forever. But the upper limits will be broken by new medicine. Sometime between 2050 and 2100, medicine will have advanced to the point at which every 10 years or so, people will be able to take medicine to repair their organs. The medicine, made up of the basic building materials of life, will build new brain cells, heart cells, and so on—in much the same way our bodies make new skin cells to take the place of old ones.
It is exciting to imagine that the advance in technology may be changing the most basic condition of human existence, but many technical problems still must be cleared up on the way to this wonderful future.According to the passage, human death is now mainly caused by ________.
| A．diseases and aging | B．accidents and war |
| C．accidents and aging | D．heart disease and war |
In the author's opinion, today's most important advance in technology lies in ________.
| A．medicine | B．the Internet | C．brain cells | D．human organ |
Humans may live longer in the future because ________.
| A．heart disease will be far away from us |
| B．human brains can decide the final death |
| C．the basic materials of cells will last forever |
| D．human organs can be repaired by new medicine |
How long can humans live in the future according to the passage?
| A．Over 100 years. | B．More than 120 years. |
| C．About 150 years. | D．The passage doesn't tell us. |
We can learn from the passage that ________.
| A．Cells aren’t the basic units of all living things any more |
| B．humans have to take medicine to build new skin cells now |
| C．much needs to be done before humans can have a longer life |
| D．we have already solved the technical problems in building new cells |
Some weightloss camps, which are rare in China just a few years ago，have multiplied in Beijing, Qingdao, Shenzhen，and other cities. Today about 15 percent of adults, or 200 million Chinese, are reportedly overweight.Of these, 90 million—about 7 percent—are obese(极肥胖的)．
Experts say the obesity epidemic(流行病) is spreading to children, though more slowly than in adults. The obesity, they say, will do harm to the health of China’ s citizens and economy.“We're seeing a very large number of teenagers who are quite heavy and aren't moving much，” said Barry Popkin, a nutrition(营养) professor. Popkin carries out an ongoing healthandnutrition survey of 16,000 households in China. He says more kids today are overeating and putting on weight “quite quickly.” In just ten years China‘s childhood obesity rate has doubled，with the greatest gains coming in urban areas.“In big cities it's a big problem.”
Some experts blame the extra fat on a range of factors, many of them tied to China’ s rapidly changing economy and culture. The diets of Chinese adults and children are far higher in meats, fish, eggs, dairy products, fats and sugars than ever before. In addition，kids—especially city dwellers—are more sedentary today and spend more time indoors in front of homework, television，computer games, and the Internet.
Shuwen Ng，a health economist, says that kids in China now have pocket money, and they spend a portion of it on junk food. Ng adds that advertising and peer groups influence kids' food choices. Certain foods, such as new candies or fast food, have attractive features.
China’ s childhood obesity rate stillfall behind that of the United States, where some 15 percent of kids are said to be obese. But the longterm effects are equally serious.According to the passage we know________.
| A．weightloss camps have been very popular in China six years ago |
| B．about 290 million Chinese are overweight in China in all |
| C．in China childhood obesity rate in rural areas is lower than that in major cities |
| D．America’ s childhood obesity rate is lower than China’s |
Which of the following reasons of China’s childhood obesity is NOT mentioned?
| A．Advertising on some new candies. |
| B．ignorance of weight-control. |
| C．Playing computer games for long time. |
| D．Having pocket money. |
The underlined word “sedentary” in the third paragraph probably means________.
| A．confident | B．patient | C．energetic | D．inactive |
According to the passage we can infer________.
| A．obesity explosion in China will affect the United States |
| B．there are great difference in kids' food choices now |
| C．junk food leads to childhood obesity |
| D．city children eat more than rural children |
What's the best title for the passage?
| A．Chinese Childhood Obesity problem |
| B．Weightloss Camps in China |
| C．Obesity problem's influence on Chinese Economy |
| D．Obesity problem in China and America |
After a terrible electrical accident，which caused him to become both blind and deaf，the whole world became completely dark and quiet for Robert Edwards for almost ten years. The loss of sight and hearing threw him into such sorrow that he tried a few times to put an end to his life. His family，especially his wife，did their best to tend and comfort him and finally he regained the will to live.
One hot summer afternoon，he was taking a walk with a stick near his house when a thunderstorm started all at once. He stood under a large tree to avoid getting wet，but he was struck by the lightning. Witnesses thought he was dead but he woke up some 20 minutes later lying face down in muddy water at the base of the tree. He was trembling badly，but when he opened his eyes，he could hardly believe what he saw——a plough and a wall. When Mrs Edwards came running up to him，shouting to their neighbors to call for help，he could see her and hear her voice for the first time in nearly ten years.
The news of Robert regaining his sight and hearing quickly spread，and many doctors came to examine him. Most of them said that he regained his sight and hearing from the shock he got from the lightning. However，none of them could give a convincing answer as to why this should have happened. The only reasonable explanation given by one doctor was that，since Robert lost his sight and hearing as a result of sudden shock，perhaps，the only way for him to regain them was by another sudden shock.The reason for Robert's attempts to kill himself was that________.
| A．a terrible traffic accident happened to him |
| B．he had to live in a dark and silent world |
| C．he was struck by the lightning once more |
| D．nobody in the world cared about him |
What was Robert doing when he was struck by the lightning?
| A．Sheltering for the rain under a tree. |
| B．Driving a car. |
| C．Taking a walk with a stick. |
| D．Lying on the ground. |
What did Robert see first when he regained his sight after the shock?
| A．His wife. | B．His neighbours. | C．A plough and a wall. | D．Many doctors. |
Which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Robert had been deaf and blind for nearly ten years. |
| B．Robert hid himself under the tree for 20 minutes. |
| C．Robert could hear his wife's shouting for help when he woke up. |
| D．The family's love helped Robert regain confidence to live. |
We can infer from the text that________.
| A．there was no accurate explanation for Robert's recovery |
| B．many doctors came because Robert was badly injured |
| C．Robert's wife sent for doctors immediately after the shock |
| D．a sudden injury in the head led to Robert's recovery |
Many everyday American expressions are based on colors.
Red is a hot colour. Americans may say they are red hot about something unfair. They are red hot when they are very angry about something. The small hottasting peppers found in many Mexican foods are called red hot for their colour and their fiery(辣的) taste. Fast loud music is popular with many people. They may say the music is red hot, especially the kind called Dixieland jazz.
Pink is a lighter kind of red. People sometimes say they are in the pink when they are in good health. The expression was first used in America at the beginning of the twentieth century. It comes from the fact that many babies are born with nice pink skin that shows that they are in good health.
The colour black is often used in expressions. People describe a day on which everything goes wrong as a black day. A blacklist (黑名单) is illegal now. But at one time, some businesses refused to employ people who were on a blacklist for belonging to unpopular organizations.
The colour green is natural for trees and grass. But it is，an unnatural colour for humans. A person who has a sick feeling in his stomach may say he feels a little green. A passenger on a boat who is feeling very sick from high waves may look very green.
Sometimes a person may be upset because he does not have something as nice as a friend has. That person may say he is green with envy. Some people are green with envy because a friend has more dollars or greenbacks. Dollars are called greenbacks because green is the colour of the back side of the paper money.Americans use “red hot” to describe the following EXCEPT________.
| A．something unfair |
| B．small hottasting peppers |
| C．the person who is very angry |
| D．popular music like Dixieland jazz |
People use “in the pink” to express they are in good health because________.
| A．the expression has a very long history |
| B．the color pink makes people feel happy |
| C．people think the colour pink is gentler than red |
| D．healthy babies are born with nice pink skin |
When we say someone feels a little green, it means he/she________.
| A．enjoys himself in boating | B．is hit by a high wave |
| C．has a stomachache | D．likes trees and grass |
In the writer's eyes, what is related to a black day?
| A．Being sent a beautiful gift. |
| B．Passing a very difficult test. |
| C．Being refused during an important interview. |
| D．Being invited to an exciting party. |
The writer wants to tell us________in American everyday expressions.
| A．the most popular colours |
| B．different meanings of colours |
| C．how to use colours correctly |
| D．why Americans like to use colours |
Vans, Keds, Dollies—they sound like the names of rock bands，but if you have teenagers, you'll know they’re actually the latest in teenage footwear.
But experts are now warning that the current shoe fashions will be causing teenagers discomfort in the short term and storing up years of foot, knee and back pain in the future. Here, the experts identify the problems caused by teenagers’ shoe choice.
KEDS/VANS
Slipon shoes with elastic (弹性的) sides are particularly popular among teenage boys—with Keds and Vans the most sought-after brands.
The main problem is that they are just too flat—so flat that the heel, which strikes the ground first, also becomes damaged and painful.
BALLET PUMPS 
The worst shoes of all are such light and thin dolly shoes. The problem is partly their flatness, as with Keds and Vans. However ballet pumps, which have no string or heel, have other specific problems.
“As the shoe has no fastening device, it relies on the toes to keep the shoe on, causing an awkward gait (步法) , this leads to short—and long-term problems such as calluses (茧子), heel and knee pain.”
WEDGES AND STILETTOS
These shoes can also cause problems with gait. They may look good, but the heels on these are so high they can force the wearer’s body weight forward, making them very unstable.
Teens who wear these shoes regularly are also in danger of joining those millions of women with constant back pain.
SCHOOL SHOES
So what do podiatrists (足科医生)have on their wish list, especially for everyday wear?
Something in a natural, breathable fabric, with a string to hold it on，with a small heel and a deep toebox that does not press the toes，such as Clark's，Marks & Spencer or Rhino.
If your teen insists on wearing “bad” shoes, get them some simple foot orthotics(矫形器) in the shoes. These support and correct the movement of the foot and, properly fitted by a podiatrist, can often transform their walk and halt the damage.Of all the shoes mentioned in the passage, which can cause the worst problems?
| A．Ballet Pumps. | B．Wedges & Stilettos. | C．Keds and Vans | D．Marks & Spencer. |
The underlined word “halt” in the last paragraph probably means________.
| A．increase | B．stop | C．worsen | D．cure |
From this passage we can infer________.
| A．podiatrists are expert at producing branded shoes |
| B．fashionable shoes all have orthotics in them |
| C．experts are strongly against wearing popular shoes |
| D．trendy shoes may ruin teenager’ health |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号