In February 2006, Lydia Angyiou and her two sons were walking through their village in northern Canada．The sound of children shouting made her turn around．To her horror, Lydia saw a 700-pound polar bear behind her eyeing her seven-year-old son．Getting between the bear and her child, Lydia yelled at the children to run away．She then began hitting and kicking the animal as hard as she could．A neighbor who heard all the noise came and shot the bear．But everyone agreed it was Lydia who had saved her children's lives．A local policeman described it this way: "…I guess when your back is up against the wall, …we come up with super-human strength．"
Where does this "super-human strength" , courage and quick thinking come from? Experts say it comes from stress! In stressful situations, the body releases chemicals that prepare it to take action．These chemicals give people the speed and strength they need to fight danger or run away from it．
When we think of stress, we usually think of its negative effects．Studies, though, show that moderate levels of stress are actually helpful．In fact, the way we perform is usually affected by the amount of stress we feel．
Stress causes the brain to release adrenaline （肾上腺素） which in turn increases our energy and excitement．The chemical gives us clearer minds and helps us to do more．This is why some people say they work better under a deadline．
Adrenaline that is not released for long periods of time can cause us to increase and strengthen our abilities instead of weakening them．We sometimes turn out our very best work when we push ourselves to the limit．Stress can also make us more confident．Handling small amounts of stress now prepares us for handling serious situations in the future．Who knows? Today's stress may even prepare for the next polar bear that comes along!
55．In the first paragraph, the case of Lydia Angyiou is mentioned to ______．
A．introduce the topic to be followed
B．praise Lydia Angyiou for her bravery
C．remind us of the unexpected danger of life
D．show the importance of super-human strength
56．What does the policeman probably mean by saying "your back is up against the wall"?
A．You are helped． B．You are inspired．
C．You are confident． D．You are cornered．
57．What would be the best title for the passage?
A．Brave Mother B．The Cause of Stress
C．The Benefit of Stress D．Super-human Strength
Several hundred strangers received “love letters” from a young man on the street. The letter was written and given out by Yang Yang，a student majoring in human resources at Chongqing University of Science and Technology，who hoped to show his disappointment with job hunting.
Yang's story has caught media attention perhaps because it is similar to those of millions of recent graduates seeking jobs and struggling for survival in the country's wealthiest cities. They have diplomas，rather than professional skills，and come to big cities in hopes of better lives，only to find low-paying jobs and poor living conditions.
They are China's “ant tribe(蚁族)”，a term coined by sociologist Lian Si from Peking University in his 2009 book Ant Tribe. “They're so similar to ants. They share small and narrow living areas. They're intelligent and hardworking，yet nameless and underpaid.” The term also speaks to their helplessness in a world governed by the law of the jungle－only the strongest survive.
A survey in Lian's another book published this year，Ant Tribe Ⅱ，found nearly 30 percent of “ants” are graduates of famous universities－almost three times last year's percentage. Most had degrees in popular majors. In addition,7.2 percent of “ants” have at least a master's degree compared to 1.6 percent in 2009.
An “ant's” average monthly salary is 1,904 yuan，with about 64 percent of them earning less than 2,000 yuan a month.
Another survey in the 2010 Annual Report on the Development of Chinese Talent found more than 1 million “ants” live in big cities.
“Most ants are from rural families or small towns，and their experiences in universities didn't arm them well enough to fight with competitors in big cities' employment markets，” Professor Zhang Ming at Renmin University of China said.
The “ant tribe's” embarrassing living situations have become a serious social problem，and the government should develop smaller cities to attract more graduates from big cities，Zhang believed.
However，“ants” expect more study and training opportunities in big cities，which keeps them positive despite their situations.Yang's story is introduced in order to ________.
| A．analyze graduates' difficulties in finding jobs |
| B．lead to the topic of the article－“ant tribe” |
| C．tell readers a story about those big cities |
| D．show a clever way of dealing with pressure |
The “ants” fail to find high-paying jobs mainly because ________.
| A．they have no diplomas from good universities |
| B．their majors do not meet the needs of society |
| C．those from rural areas are not treated equally |
| D．they do not have necessary professional skills |
“Ant tribe” members are similar to ants in the following aspects EXCEPT that ________.
| A．they live in narrow and small places in groups |
| B．they work hard but earn little for survival |
| C．they are in a world judged by the jungle law |
| D．they are pleased with being nameless and underpaid |
Professor Zhang thought “ants” problems could be solved by ________.
| A．creating more jobs for graduates in big cities |
| B．developing smaller cities to attract graduates |
| C．sending graduates to rural areas and small towns |
| D．training graduates to improve their ability |
By writing this article，the author mainly intends to show ________.
| A．despite better education，“ants” are still struggling |
| B．despite difficulties，“ants” have a promising future |
| C．better education，better job opportunities |
| D．Ant Tribe is a good book to help understand today's China |
阅读下列短文，从每题所给的四个选项(A、B、C和D)中选出最佳选项。
At the middle school level，there are many academic clubs in which students can participate. Students can choose clubs that focus on an area of interest.
Mathcounts Club
Mathcounts tries to increase excitement towards mathematic achievement. It hopes to provide students with the foundation for success in science，technology，engineering and mathematics careers. Schools select individuals and teams to participate in competitions. Local competitions are held in February with winners progressing to state competitions and then on to the national level. Mathcounts works to challenge students' math skills，develop selfconfidence and give rewards for their achievements.
Envirothon
The Envirothon program focuses on natural resources knowledge and exposes students to diverse environmental issues，and ecosystems(生态学)．The ecology field competition for fivemember middle school teams offers competitions in wildlife，soil，forestry，and current environmental issues. Students work and learn in middle school clubs and can compete at the local and state level.
Future Problem Solvers
Future Problem Solvers is an academic club that uses a sixstep process to solve problems that may happen in the future. Students who are in the talented and gifted program，who like to “think out of the box”，or who enjoy thinking about futuristic problems may like this club. Teams made up of four students read future scenes and write up solutions in a booklet using the sixstep process. Teams that score high enough can go to the state competition and then to the international competition.
Builders Club
Builders Club is open to any middle school student who wishes to perform community service. Each Builders Club is cosponsored by a Kiwanis club and a middle school. The members learn by doing，and they learn organization，teamwork，and leadership. Builders Clubs can sponsor a “Teacher of the Year” program，provide a recycling collection point，organize canned food and clothing to support local shelters.
Middle school academic clubs offer students a place to explore interests or talents. The clubs they join in middle school can help guide choices in high school and beyond.Students choosing Mathcounts Club could ________.
| A．get help in science careers |
| B．enjoy solving future problems |
| C．perform community service |
| D．study wildlife and soil |
If you enjoy thinking about futuristic problems，________ is a good choice for you.
| A．Mathcounts Club |
| B．Builders Club |
| C．Future Problem Solvers |
| D．Envirothon |
The students who are not interested in competitions would like to choose ________.
| A．Mathcounts Club |
| B．Builders Club |
| C．Future Problem Solvers |
| D．Envirothon |
What is the common feature of the four clubs?
| A．Competitions. |
| B．Leadership. |
| C．Scientific researches. |
| D．Exploration of talents. |
BEIJING(01－20－2012)－Zhao Benshan，one of the most famous Chinese comics (喜剧演员)，announced on Thursday that he has decided to be absent from the Spring Festival Evening Party，mainland's most-viewed show，which is organized by China Central Television (CCTV) and staged on the eve of Spring Festival.
Every year since 1990，the 55yearold Liaoning native，has taken part in the show. But according to a statement released by CCTV on its microblog on Thursday，Zhao will not appear because of his fatigue.
Zhao has fully prepared for his part in the show and has participated in several rehearsals (彩排) though he has been ill，according to the statement，but he finally decided to leave the show because “he felt exhausted and excessively tired”．
“Zhao's leave will not affect our schedule for the show，”said Ma Xin，who works for CCTV. However，Ma refused to give more details about Zhao's sudden decision to leave .On Thursday afternoon，more than 9 million users on Sina weibo，China's most popular microblogging service，have expressed their opinions on this news item.
A Beijing micro-blogger who uses the name Mengguniang said she felt disappointed and shocked after learning Zhao will not be featured in this year's show. “I look forward to watching Zhao's funny performance every year，”she said.
Some people say they do not believe that Zhao quits because of his illness and think the real reason is that he lacks the ability to put on a good show after all these years.
Some audience in the south are not very interested in his shows because of regional cultural gaps and their intolerance of Zhao's northeastern accent.What's the main idea of the passage?
| A．Something about the Spring Festival Evening Party. |
| B．A popular comic won't appear at the Spring Festival Evening Party. |
| C．Zhao Benshan is exhausted and tired. |
| D．Most people are sad about Zhao's decision. |
Zhao Benshan began to take part in the Spring Festival Evening Party when he was ________ years old.
| A．23 |
| B．26 |
| C．33 |
| D．36 |
The underlined word in the second paragraph means that Zhao is ________.
| A．old |
| B．fat |
| C．unhappy |
| D．tired |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．All Chinese like to watch Zhao's shows. |
| B．Zhao didn't prepare for the Spring Festival Evening Party. |
| C．Mengguniang was sad about Zhao's decision. |
| D．Over ten million users on Sina weibo were concerned about the news. |
Some audience in the south are not very interested in Zhao's shows because ________.
| A．Zhao's shows are in low level |
| B．of regional cultural gaps and Zhao's northeastern accent |
| C．Zhao lacks the ability to put on a good show |
| D．Zhao looks like a farmer in a small countryside |
Two Chinese farmers who became an overnight sensation(轰动) when their heartrending version of a famous pop song appeared on the Internet took to the stage in front of thousands of fans in Shanghai last Saturday.
Wang Xu,44，and Liu Gang,29，sang “In the Spring” alongside the song's star composer Wang Feng，in front of about 80,000 people at the Shanghai Stadium.
The audience buzzed with excitement and let out deafening cheers，the moment as they were introduced on the stage and then when Liu started the first sentence of their parts of the song.
The two migrant workers became stars after singing the tearjerker(催人泪下) song during an evening drinking session in a 6squaremeter rented room in a late August evening. A friend recorded the performance on a cell phone and posted it on the Internet.
“If someday I am dead，please bury me in the spring，” they sing. Wang's penetrating chorus，delivered with his eyes closed，has moved thousands to tears.
Wang and Liu consider the song a true portrait of lower-class groups like themselves.
“With no credit card，no girlfriend，or a home with hot water，but only a guitar，I am singing happily，on streets，under bridges or in the wild country，though nobody pays attention to the music，” they sing.
To support his wife and two sons，Wang came to Beijing in 2000 from the countryside and has worked as a boiler man，and street peddler，before becoming a medical warehouse keeper，with a monthly pay of around 1,500 yuan. Little is left after he pays 600 yuan for rent and buys food.
Liu came to Beijing in 2002.“I want to try my luck in the big city，” he said. He had worked as a guard，roadside peddler，and porter，but never had a stable job. Street performing was his main income，even after he married and became a father three years ago.
Wang and Liu are still uncertain where their fame will lead. Wang has started learning to use a computer. They even have a microblog(微博) account to communicate with fans.Wang Xu and Liu Gang first became nationally known after ______.
| A．they sang the song “In the Spring” with a star composer Wang Feng |
| B．the video of them singing “In the Spring” was posted on the Internet |
| C．they sang on streets and under bridges |
| D．they started their microblog |
People like Wang and Liu's version of “In the Spring” because ______.
| A．they sang the song better than other singers |
| B．they were introduced to the public by the song writer himself |
| C．it was specially composed for them two |
| D．it is a heartfelt expression of the two singers as migrant workers |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．migrant workers' conditions will be improved soon |
| B．they will learn to write songs on computers |
| C．a song showing people's real life and feelings is more likely to be accepted |
| D．singers from migrant workers are more likely to become popular |
The best possible title for the passage is ________.
| A．Internet Farmer Stars Make Stage Appearance |
| B．“In the Spring”-A Touching Song |
| C．A Successful Internet Performance |
| D．No Pains，No Gains |
You know eating fruit and vegetables does good. But do you know it can also make you look good? People who increased their intake over just six weeks developed a healthy glow and appeared more attractive, researchers found. Scientists at St Andrews University found eating them slightly increased yellow and red pigments in the volunteers' skin. They monitored the food intake of 35 people and took pictures of their faces, arms and hands using a sensitive camera at the start, and after three and six weeks. Increasing their intake of greens by 2.9 portions a day was found to make the person look healthier and an extra 3.3 portion could enhance their attractiveness, when their photographs were rated by others.
Fruit and vegetables are rich in carotenoids (类胡萝卜素)，which are known to protect against cell damage from pollution and UV rays, and can also prevent age-related diseases including heart disease and cancer. But while it was known eating extreme amounts of certain vegetables such as carrots could turn skin orange ，it was not known a small increase was perceptible(被觉察）to others - and was seen as appealing.
A camera measured changes to the skin's redness, yellowness and lightness, and found it significantly changed in people who naturally increased their intake. These changes were not evident in three weeks. Using light sensors, the researchers showed these red and yellow hues were linked with the levels of carotenoids in their skin. There are hundreds of carotenoids but those thought to have the most dramatic effect are lycopene(番茄红素)-which gives tomatoes and red peppers their red colour - and beta-carotene found in carrots as well as broccoli, squash, and spinach. Skin colour is also affected by chemicals called polyphenols（多元酚)，found in apples, blueberries and cherries, which cause blood rush to the skin surface.What do we know from the research?
| A．If you take in a little more fruit and vegetables, you will obviously look more attractive in three weeks. |
| B．The researchers took the pictures of the 35 people in the research at different stages. |
| C．Increasing your intake of greens by 2.9 portions a day can greatly improve your health. |
| D．People who increased their intake of greens by 3.3 portions a day were found the most attractive after six weeks. |
Which of the following is NOT the function of carotenoids？
| A．They can protect against cell damage from pollution and UV rays. |
| B．They can prevent heart disease and cancer. |
| C．They can prevent age-related diseases. |
| D．They can keep you in good health. |
Which of the statements is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
| A．We've already known eating extreme amounts of carrots can turn skin orange. |
| B．We knew in the past that eating a few more carrots could make us look appealing. |
| C．The research showed the improvement in skin is linked with the levels of carotenoids in it |
| D．Among hundreds of carotenoids, lycopene is thought to have the most dramatic effect on the skin. |
We can infer from the passage that _____
| A．Skin's redness, yellowness and lightness make a person look more healthy and attractive. |
| B．Carotenoids have the same effect as lycopene. |
| C．It is carotenoids that give tomatoes and red peppers their red colour. |
| D．Both beta-carotene and polyphenols affect skin colour by causing blood rush to the skin surface. |
Which can be the best title of the passage?
| A．Eating fruit and vegetables does good . |
| B．Fruit and vegetables are rich in carotenoids. |
| C．How to become attractive. |
| D．Eating fruit and vegetables makes you look good |
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