For some people, music is no fun at all. About four percent of the population is what scientists call “amusic.” People who are amusic are born without the ability to recognize or reproduce musical notes (音调). Amusic people often cannot tell the difference between two songs. Amusics can only hear the difference between two notes if they are very far apart on the musical scale.
As a result, songs sound like noise to an amusic. Many amusics compare the sound of music to pieces of metal hitting each other. Life can be hard for amusics. Their inability to enjoy music set them apart from others. It can be difficult for other people to identify with their condition. In fact, most people cannot begin to grasp what it feels like to be amusic. Just going to a restaurant or a shopping mall can be uncomfortable or even painful. That is why many amusics intentionally stay away from places where there is music. However, this can result in withdrawal and social isolation. “I used to hate parties,” says Margaret, a seventy-year-old woman who only recently discovered that she was amusic. By studying people like Margaret, scientists are finally learning how to identify this unusual condition.
Scientists say that the brains of amusics are different from the brains of people who can appreciate music. The difference is complex, and it doesn’t involve defective hearing. Amusics can understand other nonmusical sounds well. They also have no problems understanding ordinary speech. Scientists compare amusics to people who just can’t see certain colors.
Many amusics are happy when their condition is finally diagnosed (诊断). For years, Margaret felt embarrassed about her problem with music. Now she knows that she is not alone. There is a name for her condition. That makes it easier for her to explain. “When people invite me to a concert, I just say, ‘No thanks, I’m amusic,’” says Margaret. “I just wish I had learned to say that when I was seventeen and not seventy.” (335 words)Which of the following is true of amusics?
| A．Listening to music is far from enjoyable for them. |
| B．They love places where they are likely to hear music. |
| C．They can easily tell two different songs apart. |
| D．Their situation is well understood by musicians. |
According to paragraph 3, a person with “defective hearing” is probably one who __________.
| A．dislikes listening to speeches |
| B．can hear anything nonmusical |
| C．has a hearing problem |
| D．lacks a complex hearing system |
In the last paragraph, Margaret expressed her wish that __________.
| A．her problem with music had been diagnosed earlier |
| B．she were seventeen years old rather than seventy |
| C．her problem could be easily explained |
| D．she were able to meet other amusics |
What is the passage mainly concerned with?
| A．Amusics’ strange behaviours. |
| B．Some people’s inability to enjoy music. |
| C．Musical talent and brain structure. |
| D．Identification and treatment of amusics. |
Researchers found that people become happier and experience less worry after they reach the age of fifty. In fact, they say by the age of eighty-five, people are happier with their life than they were when they were eighteen years old.
The findings came from a survey of more than 340,000 adults in the United States. The Gallup(民意调查) Organization questioned them by telephone in 2008. At that time, the people were between the ages of eighteen and eighty-five.
The researchers asked questions about emotions like happiness, sadness and worry. They also asked about mental or emotional stress.
Arthur Stone at Stony Brook University in New York led the study. His team found that levels of stress were highest among adults between the ages of twenty-two and twenty-five. The findings showed th
at stress levels dropped sharply after people reached their fifties. Happiness was highest among the youngest adults and those in their early seventies. The people least likely to report feeling negative emotions were those in their seventies and eighties.
Researchers say they do not know why happiness increases as people get older. One theory is that, as people grow older, they grow more thankful for what they have and have better control of their emotions. They also spend less time thinking about bad experiences.
Professor Stone says the emotional patterns could be linked to changes in ho
w people see the world, or maybe even changes in brain chemistry.
The researchers also considered possible influences like having young children, being unemployed or being single. But they found that influences like these did not affect the levels of happiness and well-being related to age.
The study also showed that men and women have similar emotional patterns as they grow older. However, women at all ages reported more sadness, stress and worry than men. What can be the best title of the text?
| A．Happiness Varies with Ages |
| B．Experience More, Worry Less |
| C．The Older, the Wiser |
| D．Being Young, Being Happy |
We can learn from the research that _________.
| A．only when people get older will they feel happier |
| B．stress levels among the youngest are the highest |
| C．older people tend to be grateful |
| D．older people usually have no worries |
According to the research, when people get older, _________.
| A．they miss the old days |
| B．they are physically weak |
| C．they have better self-control |
| D．they are more emotional |
What would the author probably talk about next?
| A．What influences happiness. |
| B．How to live better. |
| C．How to keep happier. |
| D．Why women are less happier. |
The author is intended to _________.
| A．advise how to reduce stress |
| B．introduce a scientific finding |
| C．describe how to do research |
| D．talk about human emotions |
SHANGHAI - Health experts in Shanghai are calling for more protection for young children as the latest research shows about half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke.
About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in families, 50 percent in public places, and almost 6 percent on public transportation, shows a research released by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center on Tuesday.
"Not only adults but also children and newborn babies are at risk for the adverse effects of passive smoking," said Tang Jingyan, a doctor at the Shanghai Children's Medical Center.
"Actually, those young children whose bodies are still growing and developing are more sensitive to the effects of secondhand smoke."
Research has shown that children who are exposed to secondhand smoke will suffer from more colds, coughs and sore throats, and they are more likely to suffer from bronchitis, pneumonia and will have a higher risk of developing cancer.
Doctors even suggested that children suffering passive smoking are more likely to have behavioral problems and may not develop mentally as quickly as their peers.
Other research by the Shanghai Children's Medical Center has found that more than 80 percent of child patients in the center live in a smoke-filled household, where one or both parents smoke.
"Though doctors have stressed the harm of passive smoking over and over, it is still hard to reach a totally 'smoke free' home," said a pediatrician named Zhang Yiwen, noting that parents are often tempted to smoke even though they have learned the harmful effects of secondhand smoke.
China has 540 million people suffering from passive smoke, 180 million of them younger than 15. The age of smokers is also getting lower, earlier reports said.
"There are more young smokers than before. You can see young people wearing a school uniform and carrying a schoolbag light a cigarette on the street. Some of them are even female students," said Jing Xingming, a professor of children's developmental behavior at the center.
"Children like to imitate adults, especially their parents. If parents often smoke at home, it is very likely children will develop a smoking habit, which can cause a vicious circle," Jin said.
Reports from the Ministry of Health said China has about 350 million smokers, of whom 15 million are underage smokers. Also, around 40 million of the country's 130 million children aged between 13 and 18 had tried smoking, and 15 million had become addicted to tobacco.What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．About half of the youngsters are suffering from secondhand smoke. |
| B．Experts are calling for more protection for youngsters from smoking. |
| C．More and more youngsters are picking up the habit of smoking. |
| D．Smoking does great harm to the health of the youngsters. |
What kind of the youngsters most possibly develop a habit of smoking?
| A．Children of non-smoking mothers. | B．Children of non-smoking fathers. |
| C．Children of heavy smokers. | D．Children from some smoking centers. |
Which of the following disease may not be connected with secondhand smoking?
| A．Cancer. | B．Behavioral problems. | C．Sore throats. | D．Coughs. |
The underlined word “vicious” in the last paragraph but one most probably means ___________.
| A．complete | B．simple | C．great | D．bad |
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．About 80% of the children in the Shanghai Children's Medical Center smoke heavily. |
| B．About 45 percent of children suffer passive smoking in the Shanghai Children's Medical Center. |
| C．About 540 million people are heavy smokers in China. |
| D．Children aged between 13 to 18 are more likely addicted to smoking. |
It’s not easy being a teenager -----nor is it easy being the parent of a teenager．You can make your child feel angry, hurt or misunderstood by what you say without realizing it yourself．It is important to give your child the space he needs to grow while gently letting him know that you’ll still be there for him when he needs you．
Expect a lot from your child，just not everything．Except for health and safety problems， such as drug use or careless driving，consider everything else open to discussion．If your child is unwilling to discuss something，don’t insist he tell you what’s on his mind．The more you insist， the more likely that he’ll clam up．Instead，let him attempt to solve things by himself. At the same time，remind him that you’re always there for him should he seek advice or help．Show respect for your teenager’s privacy(隐私)．Never read his mail or listen in on personal conversations．
Teach your teenager that the family phone is for the whole family. If your child talks on the family’s telephone for too long，tell him he can talk for l5 minutes，but then he must stay off the phone for at least all equal period of time．This not only frees up the line so that other family members can make and receive calls，but teaches your teenager moderation(节制).Or if you are open to the idea，allow your teenager his own phone that he pays for with his own pocket money or a part-time job． The main purpose of the text is to tell parents ．
| A．how to get along with a teenager | B．how to respect a teenager |
| C．how to understand a teenager | D．how to help a teenager grow up |
What does the phrase "clam up" in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
| A．become excited | B．show respect |
| C．refuse to talk | D．seek help |
The last paragraph is about how to teach a teenager_______________.
| A．to use the phone in a sensible way | B．to pay for his own telephone |
| C．to share the phone with friends | D．to answer the phone quickly |
What should parents do in raising a teenager according to the text?
| A．Not allow him to learn driving or take drugs. | B．Give him advice only when necessary. |
| C．Let him have his own telephone. | D．Not talk about personal things with him. |
My father was 44 and knew he wasn’t going to make it to 45. He wrote me a letter and hoped that something in it would help me for the rest of my life.
Since the day I was 12 and first read his letter, some of his words have lived in my heart. Only part always times out. “Right now, you are pretending to be a time-killer. But I know that one day, you will do something great that will set you among the very best.” Knowing that my dad believed in me gave me permission to believe in myself. “You will do something great.” He didn’t know what that would be, and neither did I, but at times in my life when I’ve felt proud of myself, I remember his words and wish he were here so I could ask. “Is this what you were talking about, Dad? Should I keep going?”
A long way from 12 now, I realize he would have been proud when I made any progress. Lately, though , I’ve come to believe he’d want me to move on to what comes next: to be proud of, and believe in, somebody else. It’s time to start writing my own letters to my children. Our children look to us with the same unanswered question we had. Our kids don’t hold back because they’re afraid to fail. They’re only afraid of failing us. They don’t worry about being disappointed. Their fear－as mine was until my father’s letter－is of being a disappointment.
Give your children permission to succeed. They’re writing for you to believe in them. I always knew my parents loved me. But trust me. That belief will be more complete, that love will be more real, and their belief in themselves will be greater if you write the words on their hearts; “Don’t worry; you’ll do something great.” Not having that blessing from their parents may be the only thing holding them back.We learn from the text that the author _________
| A．lost his father when he was young |
| B．Worked hard before he read his father's letter |
| C．Asked his father's permission to believe in himself |
| D．Knew exactly what great thing his father wanted him to do |
What does the author tell us in the 3rd paragraph?
| A．Children need their parents’ letters. |
| B．Children are afraid to be disappointed. |
| C．His children’s fear of failure held them back. |
| D．His father’s letter removed his fear of failing his parents. |
Which of the following is true of the author?
| A．He got no access to success. | B．He wrote back to his father at 12. |
| C．He was sure his parents loved him. | D．He once asked his father about the letter. |
The main purpose of the text is to _______.
| A．describe children’s thinking | B．answer some questions children have |
| C．stress the importance of communication | D．advise parents to encourage their children |
It is often necessary to release a fish, that is , set it free after catching, because it is too small, or you just don’t want to take it home to eat. In some cases, releasing fish is a good measure that will help keep fish variety and build their population size. The Department of Game and Inland Fisheries (DGIF) encourages fishermen who practice catch-and-release fishing to use a few simple skills when doing so. The advice provided below will help make sure that the fish you release will survive to bite again another day.
—When catching a fish, play it quickly and keep the fish in the water as much as possible.
Don’t’ use a net in landing the fish and release it quickly to prevent it from dying.
—Hold the fish gently. Do not put your fingers in its eyes. Don’t wipe the scales (鱼鳞) off the fish because it might cause it to develop a disease and reduce its chance of survival.
—Remove your hook (鱼钩) quickly. If the hook is too deep or hooked in the stomach, cut the line and leave the hook in. The hook left inside will cause no serious problem to the fish.
—Take good care of the fish by moving it gently in water . Release the fish when it begins to struggle and is able to swim.
—Do not hold fish in a bucket or some other containers and later decide to release it. If you are going to release a fish, do so right away.
With a little care and by following the suggestions given above, you can give the released fish a better chance of survival.People sometimes set a fish free after catching it because they _________
| A．don’t want it to die | B．hope it will grow quickly |
| C．don’t want to have it as food | D．want to practice their fishing skills |
Which of the following will probably make a fish ill?
| A．Taking the hook off it. | B．Removing its scales. |
| C．Touching its eves | D．Holding it in your hand. |
A proper way to release a fish is to _________.
| A．move it in water till it can swim | B．take the hook out of its stomach |
| C．keep it in a bucket for some time | D．let it struggle a little in your hand |
What is the purpose of the text?
| A．To show how to enjoy fishing. | B．To persuade people to fish less often. |
| C．To encourage people to set fish free. | D．To give advice on how to release fish. |
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