A Charlotte, N.C., man was charged with first-degree murder of a 79-year-old woman whom police said he scared to death. In an attempt to evade policemen after a bank robbery, the Associated Press reports that 20-year-old Larry Whitfield broke into the home of Mary Parnell. Police say he didn’t touch Parnell but that she died after suffering a heart attack that was caused by terror. Can the guy be held responsible for the woman’s death? Prosecutors(公诉人) said that he can under the state’s murder rule, which allows someone to be charged with murder if he or she causes another person’s death while committing or fleeing from a severe crime like robbery—even if he or she doesn’t kill someone on purpose.
But, medically speaking, can someone actually be frightened to death? We asked Martin Samuels, chairman of the neurology department at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.
Absolutely, no question about it.
The body has a natural protective method called the fight-or-flight response(战或逃反应), which was originally described by Walter Cannon，the chairman of Harvard University’s physiology department from 1906 to 1942. If, in the wild, an animal is faced with a life-threatening situation, the autonomic nervous system responds by increasing heart rate, increasing blood flow to the muscles, and slowing digestion, among other things. All of this increases the chances of succeeding in a fight or running away from an aggressive beast. This process certainly would be of help to primitive humans. However, in the modern world there is obvious decline of the fight-or-flight response.
The autonomic nervous system uses the chemical messenger to send signals to various parts of the body t
o activate the fight-or-flight response. This chemical is toxic in large amounts; it damages the organs such as the heart, lungs, liver and kidneys. It is believed that almost all sudden deaths are caused by damage to the heart. There is almost no other organ that would fail so fast as to cause sudden death. Kidney failure, liver failure, those things don’t kill you suddenly.
By the way, any strong positive or negative emotions such as happiness or sadness can cause the same result. There are people who have died in intercourse or in religious passion. There was a case of a golfer who hit a hole in one, turned to his partner and said, “I can die now”, and then he dropped dead. For about seven days after the 9/11 terrorist attacks on the World Trade Center and Pentagon there was an increase of sudden cardiac death among New Yorkers. Why the Charlotte, N.C., man was charged?
A. Because he threatened the policemen to kill an old woman.
B. Because he caused an old woman’s terror and she died.
C. Because he beat an old woman and caused her heart attack
D. Because he murdered an old woman while robbing a bank. Which of the following about the fight-or-flight response is true?
A. The fight-or-flight response was raised and proved by Martin A. Samuels.
B. It is a natural protective method that can’t be found in all creatures but humans.
C. The ancient humans had a superior fight-or-flight response than modern ones.
D. The fight-or-flight response is beneficial to both our actions and organs.What activity can we infer is less likely to damage the organs?
| A．Winning a big lottery. | B．Missing a dead family. |
| C．Watching a horror movie. | D．Listening to a sweet song. |
The purpose of the passage is_________.
| A．to explain why people will die of a heart attack |
| B．to offer some advice on protecting us from heart failure |
| C．to compare different kinds of feelings to cause a death |
| D．to show strong emotions can cause a sudden death |
When Emily Beardmore first heard that a trip was being planned by the biology class at Windsor High School, she thought about how much fun it would be.
“I thought it would be a really good experience to go with other friends and teachers to another country in an environment other than a vacation environment,” the 10- year-old girl said.
A few months later, Emily got her chance when she and 14 of her classmates, along with biology teacher Tamara Pennington went to Costa Rica for eight days in late May.
“It was not just a tour,” said Pennington, who organized the trip. “You can go to any place in the world on just a tour. This one was practical, really working with the sea turtles and practicing conservation (保护). It just seemed like the perfect science field trip for kids who think they want to get into science to see what it’s really like to be out in the field and enjoy themselves.”
Emily said her time on the turtle project, which was the focus of the trip, was “crazy”. “We were walking on the beach at night and you can’t see anything — just see a big black dot (点),” she said with a laugh. “I was not expecting the turtles to be that big.” The turtles are leatherback turtles, which are becoming extinct because their eggs are used as food.
“When they would move their legs while laying their eggs they were really hard to control because they were a lot more powerful than you would imagine,” Emily said.
Once the eggs were collected, the students took them back to a hatchery (孵化场) and dug holes to copy the hole the mother turtle had made and then buried the eggs for the 60 days needed to hatch.
“It was an amazing experience,” Emily said. “You go to another country to see what their culture is like and learn what their everyday lives are like. It made me really want to help out my mom a lot more than I do, and value what I have.” What did Pennington consider the trip to be?
| A．It was a common tour to a foreign country. |
| B．It was a journey to practice what students learned. |
| C．It was a trip to do practical science activities. |
| D．It was to attract students’ interest in science. |
From what Emily said on her turtle project, we know that _____.
| A．She was afraid of walking on the beach at night |
| B．She didn’t dare to catch the powerful turtles |
| C．She got crazy at the sight of turtles at night |
| D．She had thought turtles were small animals |
What did Emily learn from her experience?
| A．She understood the importance of what she had. |
| B．She learned to be grateful to her teachers. |
| C．She realized the beauty of foreign culture. |
| D．She knew the importance of everyday life. |
Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Emily thought the trip being planned by the biology class would be fun. |
| B．Totally, 16 people went to Costa Rica for the 8-day trip in May. |
| C．Generally, it takes about 60 days to hatch little turtles. |
| D．The trip mainly aimed to get fun and rest. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Teens take a science field trip in Costa Rica | B．Teens help fight turtle extinction |
| C．Teens have a research on turtles | D．Teens learn to be independent |
Mr. Harris used to work in Dover, but then he changed his work, and he and his wife moved to another town. They did not have many friends there, but they soon met a lot of interesting people, and after a few weeks, they often went to dinner or to parties at other people’s houses.
Then Mrs. Harris said to her husband, “We’ve been to a lot of other people’s houses, and now we must invite them to our house, mustn’t we?”
“Yes, certainly,” answered her husband, “A big party will be the easiest thing, won’t it? Then we can start to invite people to dinner in small numbers next month.”
So Mrs. Harris said, “Yes, I’ll invite all our friends here to a big party on 5th December.”
“How many will that be?” Mr. Harris asked. “Don’t invite too many.”
Mrs. Harris was beginning to write the invitations when her husband saw that she was writing, “Party. 6.30 to 8.30 p.m.”
“That isn’t very nice, is it?” he said. “You’re telling our guests that they must go at 8.30.” So Mrs. Harris just wrote “Party. 6.30 p.m.”
A lot of guests came, and they all had a good time, so they did not go home at 8.30. In fact they were still there at mid-night when the door bell rang and a policeman arrived. He said, “You must stop making a noise, because someone has complained.”
Mr. Harris said he did not want to quarrel with the policeman, so everyone went home. They were sorry to have to go.
When Mr. and Mrs. Harris were alone again, she said to him. “That was a surprise, wasn’t it? Who complained about the noise?”
“I did,” Mr Harris answered in a tired voice.Why did Mr. Harris and his wife move to another town?
| A．They wanted to make some new friends. |
| B．Mr. Harris changed his work. |
| C．They wanted to meet a lot of interesting people. |
| D．They enjoyed going to parties and visiting other people’s houses. |
What made Mr. and Mrs. Harris hold a party at their house?
| A．It was easy to hold a big party at home. |
| B．They could ask people to dinner in small numbers. |
| C．They had gone to other people’s parties many times. |
| D．They liked making friends with others. |
How long would Mrs. Harris like the party to last?
| A．From the morning till night. | B．About fourteen hours. |
| C．About two hours. | D．Till midnight |
When did the party end that evening?
| A．At about 8.30. |
| B．When the policeman talked with Mr. Harris on the phone. |
| C．About twelve o’clock.. |
| D．When someone telephoned the police station. |
Why did Mr. Harris telephone the policeman about the noise?
| A．Because someone rang his door bell many times at mid-night. |
| B．He did not want his friends to stay late that night. |
| C．His friends had a good time that night and also feel tired. |
| D．Because he hated the noise. |
Knott’s Berry Farm is the nation’s oldest, and first, theme park and draws around five million visitors each year. Knott’s Berry Farm hardly had a very good start. Arriving in Southern California in the 1920s, the Knott Family farmed about 20 acres of land and finally started a restaurant called Mrs. Knott’s Chicken Dinner Restaurant. Mrs. Knott’s food became well known and her husband Walter built a Ghost Town as a way of entertaining waiting customers. The family kept expanding and today, Knott’s Berry Farm has 165 rides, shows, attractions and restaurants. For more than 80 years, Knott’s Berry Farm has been entertaining families and visitors from around the world with great rides and fantastic fun.
Knott’s Berry Farm is separated into six different themed areas with rides and attractions. Fiesta Village highlights (突出) California’s Spanish heritage (遗产) with art work, rides and food. Indian Trails is similar to Fiesta Village but with an accent on Native American legends, crafts, music and dancing. The heart and soul of Knott’s, Ghost Town is an 1880s California Boom Town with cowboys, gunfights, stagecoaches, and a real steam train. The Boardwalk makes people think of Southern California beach and surfing heritage plus the Boomerang roller coaster and the Hammer-Head. Wild Water Wilderness is an 1800s-style park with water rapids and a magical journey into Native North America. For Peanuts fans, Camp Snoopy is a six-acre children’s wonderland with 30 rides and attractions. Knott’s Berry Farm also stages yearly special events such as Scary Farm and Halloween Haunt plus Knott’s Merry Farm for the holiday season.
Knott’s Berry Farm is in Buena Vista, Orange County, California. It is about half an hour from downtown Los Angeles and 10 minutes from Disneyland. Knott’s Berry Farm is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. during the week. The park is open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. and from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Sundays. During the summer months, the park is open later. The theme park is closed on Christmas Day. Tickets for 2010 are. adults, $53.99 all day; people older than 62, $23.99; children three to 11 years, $23.99. For more information about Knott’s Berry Farm, call 714-220-5220. The first paragraph is mainly about Knott’s Berry Farm’s _____.
| A．attractions | B．history | C．services | D．prices |
Besides Indian Trails, you can also experience Native American culture in _____.
| A．Fiesta Village | B．the Boardwalk | C．Wild Water Wilderness | D．Camp Snoopy |
How long is Knott’s Berry Farm open on week-days?
| A．For eight hours. | B．For nine hours. | C．For ten hours. | D．For twelve hours. |
What do we know about Knott’s Berry Farm from the passage?
| A．It is in Northern California. | B．It is open all the year round. |
| C．It has eight themed areas. | D．It is not far from Disneyland. |
The type of this passage would be _____.
| A．explanation | B．argumentation | C．narration | D．practical writing |
Mark Twain is a name not usually connected with Broadway(百老汇), but now his play “Is He Dead” will receive its first public performance on November 29.
“Is He Dead” was written by Mark Twain in 1898 but was never performed. It was rediscovered in 2002 by Shelley Fisher Fishkin, an English professor and director of the American Studies Program at Stanford University. It was published the following year by the University of California Press.
The story is about a group of poor artists who fake the death of their friend in order to increase the value of his work.
“Is He Dead” is set in France in the 1840s and centers on the French painter Jean-Francois Millet. “Millet was probably the most popular European painter in the United States in Twain’s lifetime,” Fishkin said in a telephone interview. “Americans greatly admired him because he focused on the life of the common man and the common woman.”
According to Fishkin, “Is He Dead” is a satire(讽刺) about how value is created in the art world. Twain wrote the play when he was coming out of the hardest time of his life.What’s “Is He Dead” about?
| A．The death of a poor artist in the 1840s. |
| B．A trick played by a group of poor artists. |
| C．A story about the French painter Jean-Francois Millet. |
| D．An experience Mark Twain had gone through. |
From the second paragraph we learn that ______.
| A．the play was one of Mark Twain’s early works |
| B．no one knew the play until 2002 |
| C．Fishkin is an expert on Mark Twain’s works |
| D．the play was published in 2002 |
According to Fishkin, Jean-Francois Millet was admired by Americans because ____.
| A．he was a famous French painter at that time |
| B．he focused on the life of ordinary Americans |
| C．his works showed respect for ordinary people |
| D．Mark Twain agreed on his thoughts |
We can infer from the passage that Mark Twain ______.
| A．had experienced several difficult times for no money |
| B．was a good novelist but a bad playwright(剧作家) |
| C．was a writer who only cared about ordinary people’s life |
| D．was dissatisfied with some methods of creating the value of art work |
High school students need “cool” jobs in summer holidays. Working at popular retail chains(零售连锁店) and ice-cream shops are good choices. The U.S. Department of Labor(美国劳工部) says that about two-thirds of the teenager workers are in fast food business. 1/5 of cooks and food workers are between 16 and 19 years old and 2/5 of food workers are part-time workers.
If you think taking a part-time job is easier, you are wrong. For young people, whatever you do, do your jobs well. Because a good work record will be useful for higher-paid jobs in the future. Let’s share my story.
Unless with my family members, I would go to eat fast food. That doesn’t mean I don’t like working in a fast food restaurant. My first part-time job, at age 16, was at the McDonald’s in Bloomington, Indiana. It was very hard work. Especially on Indiana University football weekends, we had no time to rest, but we still had a lot of fun. Finally I got a higher-paid job.
A future manager believes that difficult work encourages success. The growing U.S. population will bring more restaurants. While many people can’t deal with the pressure(压力) to fill orders quickly, the people who really do a great job will get plenty of rewards in the workplace. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, ______.
| A．more than half of teenager workers are in fast food business |
| B．teenagers in America like to work in a fast food restaurant |
| C．teenagers like to take a part-time job in summer holidays |
| D．almost all teenagers are interested in fast food |
The author uses his own story mainly to tell us that ______.
| A．he never liked fast food and would never eat it |
| B．he didn’t like working in a fast food restaurant at all |
| C．he did a great job, which enabled him to find a better one |
| D．he never went to the fast food restaurant with his family |
The underlined phrase “A future manager” in Paragraph 4 means the person who ______.
| A．will become a manager in the future | B．wants to be a manager in the future |
| C．doesn’t like his job at present | D．worries about his future |
From the last paragraph, we can learn that ______.
| A．a manager will do less work and get more money |
| B．not all the people are suitable for the job in fast food business |
| C．a hardworking waiter has few chances to be a manager |
| D．the growing U.S. population can bring higher-paid jobs |
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