I got interested in the idea of standing desks about a year ago. The health advantages of standing instead of sitting for eight hours a day are clear, so when the company Ergotron invited me to review their WorkFit C-Mod Dual Desk, I jumped out of my chair---really.
After several hours putting the desk together, I finally got to try it out. The standing desk had a desktop that I could use for writing.
At first I absolutely loved it. Standing during the day instead of sitting was fantastic. Although I felt more tired after all that standing during the day, I knew the health benefits were worth the slight discomfort. However, after the initial novelty (新奇)of the desk wore off, I realized that I could not use it in the long term.
It was just not practical. While using the desk for a month , I could definitely foresee problems arising from using it full time.
I enjoy having a lot of things on my desk. The standing desk just did not have enough room for all of my things.
I can easily foresee awkward situations when I put that desk in an office space. When someone comes into your office, does your guest have to stand as well? If you office is big enough, maybe you have room for two chairs for you and a visitor, which is great. Yet for the ordinary worker in a small office, the standing desk creates a very awkward situation.
Additionally, the amount of money I would have to spend to replace my current workspace with a standing desk was another issue. The desks I have looked at were highly expensive.
Yes, spending the day standing can offset(抵消) many of the negative effects of too much sitting, but we humans are designed for movement. Through activity changes like taking the stairs instead of the elevator, you can easily increase the time you spend on your feet. Best of all, those options are completely free.When the author was asked to try the standing desk out, he was ____.
| A．excited | B．surprised | C．unhappy | D．uninterested |
When first using the standing desk, the author ___.
| A．thought it was boring | B．thought it was wonderful |
| C．felt less tired than usual | D．felt quite uncomfortable |
According to the author, a standing desk ____.
| A．takes up too much space | B．is suitable for long-term use |
| C．is cheaper than traditional desks | D．is impractical though good for health |
What does the author mainly tell us in the text?
| A．How to use the standing desk. | B．What he does during the workday. |
| C．His opinion on the standing desk. | D．The advantage of the standing desk. |
You can't esc
ape the message that smoking is bad for you.But what if one or both of your parents smoke?You might be worried about their health,sick of smelling the smoke,or even a little embarrassed(尴尬的) by it.You can't order your mom or dad to stop smoking ,but you can encourage them to quit.There are lots of good reasons.Here are some you can mention:
*Smoking will hurt their health.
*Smoking creates secondhand smoke,which you don't like .
*Smoking will make it hard for them to keep up with you be
cause they might run out of breath easily.
If you think it will help,you could print out articles like this one to give it to your mom or dad. But what if your parent gets angry with you for bringing up the topic of smoking?People don't like to be reminded that they are doing something unhealthy,so it's possible that your parents will be insulted or angry,especially if they're worried they won't be able to quit.Maybe they have tried before and failed.
Remember to be kind and respectful when you discuss smoking with your mom or dad. Also rememeber that it is difficult to quit.Some people try several times before they're able to quit for good. Instead of yelling at the them,tell them that you love them and want them to enjoy many healthy years ahead. In time,your mom or dad may realize you are right about smoking .And if they do agree to stop smoking,be their biggest supporter.Ask if there's anything you can do to help them when they feel the urge to smoke.Maybe you could go for a walk,do a puzzle,or listen to music together.As they reach milestones,such as a month without smoking,be sure to celebrate the achievement.Way to go,mom!Way to go,dad! In the first paragraph,the author intended to tell us______.
| A．the reasons you have for your parents' giving up smoking |
| B．the great damage smoking can cause to secondhand smokers |
| C．most smokers are includable and stubborn |
| D．smoking does harm to smoker's health |
If you bring up the topic of smoking directly,_________.
| A．the smokers will accept your advice willingly |
| B．the smokers may become very annoyed at once |
| C．the smokers will take your words into account |
| D．the smokers will put you in an embarrassing situation |
The underlined word "milestones" in the first paragraph means________.
| A．stones which are miles away |
| B．agreements signed by both sides |
| C．practical tools for stopping smoking |
| D．achievements gained with great efforts |
The author wrote the text for_______.
| A．school teachers | B．health experts |
| C．sons and daughters | D．medical scientists |
When milk arrived on the doorstep
When I was a boy growing up in New Jersey in the 1960s, we had a milkman delivering milk to our doorstep. His name was Mr. Basille. He wore a white cap and drove a white truck. As a 5-year-old boy, I couldn’t take my eyes off the coin changer fi
xed to his belt. He noticed this one day during a delivery and gave me a quarter out of his coin changer.
Of course, he deliv
ered more than milk. There was cheese, eggs and so on. If we needed to change our order, my mother would pen a note—“Please add a bottle of buttermilk next delivery”—and place it in the box along with the empty bottles. And then, the buttermilk would magically（魔术般）appear.
All of this was about more than convenience. There existed a close relationship between families and their milkmen. Mr. Basille even had a key to our house, for those times w
hen it was so cold outside that we put the box indoors, so that the milk wouldn't freeze. And I remember Mr. Basille from time to time taking a break at our kitchen table, having a cup of tea and telling stories about his delivery.
There is sadly no home milk delivery today. Big companies allowed the production of cheaper milk thus making it difficult for milkmen to compete (竞争). Besides, milk is for sale everywhere, and it may just not have been practiced to have a delivery service.
Recently, an old milk box in the countryside I saw brought back my childhood memories. 1 took it home and planted it on the back porch (门廊). Every so often
my son's friends will ask what it is. So I start telling stories of my boyhood, and of the milkman who brought us friendship along with his milk.Mr. Basille gave the boy a quarter out of his coin changer .
| A．to show his magical power | B．to pay for the delivery |
| C．to satisfy his curiosity | D．to please his mother |
What can be inferred from the fact that the milkman had the key to the boy's house?
| A．He wanted to have tea there. |
| B．He was a respectable person. |
| C．He was treated as a family member. |
| D．He was fully trusted by the family. |
Why does home milk delivery no longer exist?
| A．Nobody wants to be a milkman now. |
| B．It has been driven out of the market. |
| C．Its service is getting poor. |
| D．It is forbidden by law. |
Why did the author bring back home an old milk box?
A．He mi sse d the good old days. |
| B．He wanted to tell interesting stories. |
| C．He needed it for his milk bottles. |
| D．He planted flowers in it. |
Energy is very important in modern life. People use energy to run machines, heat and cool their homes, cook, give light, and transport people and products from place to place. Most energy comes from fossil fuels—petroleum, coal, and natural gas. However, burning fuels causes pollution. Also, if we don’t find new kinds of energy, we will use up all the fossil fuels in the twenty-first century. Scientists are working hard to find other kinds of energy for the future. What might these sources of energy be?
Energy from the wind
All over the world, people use the power of the wind. It turns windmills and moves sailboats. It is a clean source of energy, and there is lots of it. Unfortunately, if the wind does not blow, there is no wind energy.
Energy from water
When water moves from a high place to a lower place, it makes energy. This energy is used to create electricity. In Brittany, France, for example, waterpower produces enough energy to light a town of 40,000people. Waterpower gives energy without pollution. However, people have to build dams to use this energy. Dams cost a lot of money, so water energy is expensive.
Energy from the earth
There is heat in rocks under the earth. Scientists use this heat to make geothermal energy. San Francisco gets half of the energy it needs from geothermal power. This kind of energy is cheap, but it is possible only in a few places in the world.
Energy from the sun
Solar panels on the roofs of houses can turn energy from the sun into electricity. These panels can create enough energy to heat an entire house. Solar power is clean and there is a lot of it in sunny places. But when the weather is bad, there is no sunlight for energy.What does this passage mainly talk about?
| A．Advantage of the energy from nature. |
| B．The future of the energy. |
| C．Scientists have been working hard to research other kinds of energy. |
| D．energy is the most important power in the word. |
From the first
paragraph we know ______.
| A．energy can do everything for people |
| B．all the energy causes pollution |
| C．the new kinds of energy are badly needed |
| D．scientists have found other kinds of energy for the future |
What is the writer’s opinion about the energy?
| A．Try to use water energy more though it costs a lot. |
| B．Each natural energy has its own advantages and disadvantages. |
| C．Solar power is environmental. |
| D．Wind power is the cheapest but we can’t get. |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．In order to protect our environment, we should try other kinds of energy. |
| B．All scientists in the world will unite to find energy. |
C．People in modern life use energy every day. |
| D．Energy changes people’s lives. |
A new study says that birds living in big cities sing shorter, faster songs that are higher-pitched (高音调的) than those sung by their brothers in the forests. The researchers think that the birds adjust their songs to allow themselves to be heard over the noises of the city, especially the low traffic noise.
To study how urban birds song, Hans Slabbekoorn and Ardie den Bore, biologists at the University of Leiden in Netherlands, travelled around Europe and recorded bird songs in ten major cities and in nearby forests. The species they focused on, the great tit (大山雀), is widespread across Eurasia and one of the few types of birds that thrives in big cities.
Singing is crucial (重要的) for males, which use their songs to attract mates and mark out their territory. The changing songs could play a role in eventually causing the city birds and the forest dwellers to evolve into separate species.
The findings could also help explain why usually only a few bird species thrive in cities. By contrast, many more bird species tend to be found in forests and other undeveloped habitats.
Studies like this could eventually help researchers predict how urbanization (都市化) will affect birds, using thi
s knowledge could help urban planners design more pleasant city environments, study co-author Slabbe-koorn said. “You can make a city much more livable if you pay attention to where the noise goes and where the people go,” he said. “It wo
uld be easy to fit the birds into those models.” Then cities wouldn’t be strictly for the people, but also for the birds. Which is the best title of the passage?
| A．Birds Change Songs to Suit Country Life |
| B．Birds Change Sex to Suit Urban Life |
C．Birds Change Living Habits to Suit Urban Life |
| D．Birds Change Songs to Suit Urban Life |
Males usually sing their songs to ____.
| A．evolve into another species |
| B．attract mates and mark out their living area |
| C．attract city people’s attention and make them supply food |
| D．allow themselves to be heard over the noises of the city |
The underlined word “thrives” in the
second paragraph
means “____”.
| A．dies | B．survives | C．suffers | D．travels |
What is NOT the effect that studies of birds’ songs have?
A. Predicting how course of the city’s expanding will affect birds.
B
. Helping the city planners design more pleasant city environments.
C. Making cities more livable for both the birds and people.
D. Driving the urban birds back to the forest.
Holiday News
Vacancies (空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome.Reduced prices for low season.
The Snowdonia Center
The Snowdonia Center for young mountain climbers has a mountain 1068.The beginners’ costs are ￡57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be
hired at a low cost.
You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime of mountain climbing adventure.
The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime
Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another.
On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home.
During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play.
You will visit all the places most people only dream about – from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokyo and Hong Kong.
For a few thousand pounds, all you’ve ever hoped for can be yours. What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?
| A．Choose the holiday in Devon. | B．Go to the Snowdonia Centre |
| C．Join the World Sea Trip of 2008 | D．Visit Acapulco and Hawaii |
In what way is the Snowdonia Centre different from the other two holidays?
| A．It provides chances of family gatherings. |
B．It provide s customers with good food. |
| C．It offers a sport lesson. |
| D．It offers comfortable room. |
What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008
?
| A．You can have free meals on deck every day. |
| B．You can sleep on a ship and tour many places. |
| C．You will have chances to watch and act in a play. |
| D．You have to do your own packing and unpacking. |
At the Snowdonia Centre, the beginners’ costs of ￡57 do not cover ______.
| A．food | B．rooms | C．body exercises | D．walking shoes |
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