What’s the greenest place in America? If you answered something like the warm sunlight of Santa Barbara, you’d be wrong. The greenest place in America has almost no sign of nature— the buildings outnumber the trees— and the air isn’t all that great. What it has is density(密度)and efficiency— the twin qualities that finally define green in the global warming time. Applying those standards，the greenest place in America is New York City— particularly，the overcrowded，overpriced island of Manhattan, which produces 30％ less per-capita(人均)greenhouse gas than that of the nation．
It’s that density that makes Manhattan so green. Manhattan’s population density is 800 times the national average. Density comes with negatives，certainly— small living spaces，air pollution— but it also enables amazing efficiencies．Over 80％ of Manhattanites travel to work by public transport, by bike or on foot— compared to an average of about 8％ everywhere else in the country. Manhattan’s apartment buildings are far more energy-efficient than the houses in the suburbs.
What’s true of New York City is more or less true of other American urban areas, which explains why a growing part of the environmental movement now focuses on greening cities, hoping to attract more Americans back downtown. There’s an effort to make cities more sustainable(可持续的)，by improving public transport，reducing air pollution and upgrading energy efficiency. But even more important, it is quite urgent to change decades of government policies that have been in favor of the suburbs，with disastrous consequences for energy，the environment and the climate.
That’s exactly the difficult point. For all the high efficiency and convenience and richness of living in a city，there are disadvantages too．New York，for example，has some of the highest childhood asthma(哮喘)rates in the U.S.
So it’s welcome news that New York has continued to push its P1aNYC scheme, a long-term program to make the city greener and more sustainable over the next decades. Recently it announced an update to the plan that includes phasing out heavy heating oils in New York City apartment buildings by 2030，to be replaced with cleaner natural gas.Manhattan is considered as the greenest place in America because of its__________
| A．buildings and trees | B．density and efficiency |
| C．sunlight and nature | D．transport and population |
We can infer from the passage that___________.
| A．New Yorkers have urged the city government to carry out green policies |
| B．the public transport and living space are quite satisfactory in New York |
| C．life in the countryside is more comfortable and energy efficient than that in cities |
| D．the significance of making cities greener is gained in promoting energy efficiency |
The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refers to___________.
| A．New York city | B．PlaNYC scheme |
| C．Manhattan | D．Santa Barbara |
The underlined part “phasing out” in the last paragraph probably means___________.
| A．rapidly promoting dealing with |
| B．widely suggesting researching on |
| C．gradually stopping using |
| D．immediately forbidding producing |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．Manhattan the Greenest Place in America? |
| B．The Higher Density，the Greener City? |
| C．PlaNYC Scheme：New York City’s Future |
| D．Living in Cities Does Good to the Environment |
There is an English saying:“ laughter is the best medicine.” Until recently, few people took the saying seriously. Now, however, doctors have begun to look into laughter and the effects it has on the human body. They have found that laughter really can improve people’s health.
Tests were carried out to study the effects of laughter on the body. People watched funny films while doctors checked their hearts, blood pressure, breathing and muscles. It was found that laughter had similar effects to physical exercise. It increases blood pressure, the heart beating and breathing; it also works several groups of muscles in the face, the stomach, and even the feet. If laughter exercises the body, it must be beneficial .
Other tests have shown that laughter appears to be able to reduce the effect of pain on the body. In one experiment doctors produced pain in groups of students who listened to different radio programs. The group that tolerated(忍耐)the pain for the longest time was the groups which listened to a funny program. The reason why laughter can reduce pain seems to be that it helps to produce a kind of chemicals in the brain which diminish both stress and pain .
As a result of these discoveries, some doctors in the United States now hold laughter clinics, in which they help to improve their patients’ condition by encouraging them to laugh. They have found that even if their patients do not really feel like laughing, making them smile is enough to produce beneficial effects similar to those caused by laughter.
Doctors have proved the following EXCEPT that ____ .
| A．smiling does good to health |
| B．laughter can be tolerated |
| C．there is a way to reduce pain |
| D．laughter can work the muscles in the feet |
.The main idea of the passage is .
| A．laughter and physical exercise have similar effects on the human body |
| B．smile can produce the same effects as laughter |
| C．pain can be reduced by laughter |
| D．laughter is the best medicine |
The students who ___ tolerated the pain for the longest time .
| A．listened to different radio programs |
| B．slept in the room |
| C．don’t have stress of pain |
| D．listened to a funny program |
The underlined word “diminish” is similar to _____ .
| A．test | B．stop | C．reduce | D．find |
Doctors hold laughter clinics _________.
| A．to give better condition to their patients |
| B．in order to improve patients’ health |
| C．to make patients smile |
| D．to prove smile and laughter have the same effect |
Hamsters are lovely small animals which are similar to mice，and some people 1ike to keep them as pets．They need to eat a balanced diet，or they can become very sick．That’s why hamsters should be fed healthy foods．
Most pet stores sell hamster mix．This is a combination of foods that are just right for hamsters．Some hamsters are picky eaters．They don’t eat anything they don’t like，so you have to find a hamster mix that your hamster will like．Most hamsters only eat a few tablespoons a day．You should feed them at the same time every day，or you can just keep your hamster’s bowl full．Remember to clean the bowl at least once a week．Hamsters also drink a lot of water，so be sure to keep the water supply full and fresh．
Just like people，hamsters like treats．Besides the hamster mix，you can sometimes feed your hamster seeds，nuts，and some other people food．You should never feed your hamster anything unless you are sure that it is safe for hamsters．
Feed your hamster carefully，and always take good care of your pet !
If hamsters don’t have a balanced diet，they will ．
| A．become sick | B．drink water | C．store food | D．feel fresh |
What does the underlined sentence “some hamsters are picky eaters” mean?
| A．They pick food with tools． | B．They mix food once a week． |
| C．They find their food in stores． | D．They only eat the food they like． |
What’s the passage mainly about?
| A．Where to keep hamsters． | B．When to buy hamsters． |
| C．What to feed hamsters． | D．Why to raise hamsters． |
Jenny was almost five. Waiting with her mother at the checkout stand, she saw a circle of white pearls（珍珠） in a box. “Oh please, Mommy .Can I have them? Please, mommy, please!”
Quickly the mother checked the back of the little box and said ,” That’s almost $2.00. If you really like them, I’ll think of some extra chores for you and in no time you can save enough money to buy them for yourself.”
Then Jenny began doing more chores at home and did housework for neighbors. On her birthday, Grandma gave her another new dollar bill and she had enough money to buy the necklace.
Jenny loved her pearls. She wore them everywhere, even to bed.
Jenny had a very loving daddy and every night when she was ready for bed, he would stop whatever he was doing and come upstairs to read her a story. One night when he finished the story, he asked Jenny, “Do you love me?”
“Oh yes, Daddy. You know that I love you.”
“Then give me your pearls.”
“Oh, Daddy, not my pearls. But you can have my Princess.”
“That’s okay, Honey. Daddy loves you. Good night. ”And he brushed her cheek with a kiss.
About a week later, after the story time, Jenny’s daddy asked for the pearls again. And Jenny refused him again.
A few nights later when her daddy came in, Jenny was sitting on her bed with her legs crossed. As he came close, he noticed one silent tear rolling down her cheek.
“What is it, Jenny? What’s the matter?”
Jenny didn’t say anything but lifted her little hand up to her daddy. And when she opened it, there was her little necklace. She finally said, “Here, Daddy. It’s for you.”
With tears gathering in his own eyes, Jenny’s kind daddy reached out with one hand to take the dime-store necklace, and with the other hand to reach into his pocket and pull out a blue case with real pearls and gave them to Jenny. He had had them all the time. He was just waiting for her to give up the dime-store stuff so he could give her the real treasure.What does the underlined word “Princess” mean?
| A．It may be the daughter of the king . |
| B．It may be one of her toy girls. |
| C．It may mean Jenny`s teacher. |
| D．It may mean another necklace. |
Why did tears come down when Jenny offered her necklace to her father?
| A．Jenny felt sorry because she would lose her favorite. |
| B．Jenny felt excited because her father would give her a new necklace. |
| C．Jenny felt sad because the necklace she had bought was expensive. |
| D．Jenny `s father spent too much money on the necklace. |
What’s the best title?
| A．The Necklace | B．Father | C．Mother | D．Daughter |
Here is an unusual story: a diamond ring was recently found in an egg. The magician, Liu Qian, discovered it, in front of an audience of millions at CCTV`s Spring Festival Gala. Liu`s magic tricks have made the centuries-old art of magic fashionable (时髦的)once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.
As a seasoned (老练的) young magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the United States, Japan, South Korea and the UK.
Witnessing (目击)something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people`s love for magic.
Liu is known for his interaction(互动) with his audiences. He has a special understanding of performing skills.
“It is actually thinking , rather than one`s performing skills, that is more important to achieve a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively，to make them appear more attractive.” Liu said.
Liu Qian`s success dates back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan`s Youth Contest, which was judged by the great American magician, David Copperfield.
Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur (业余的) magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a decent (体面的) job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.
To improve his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields, for passers-by, policemen and farmers.
“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough(难对付的) crowds.” Liu said.The story is about _________.
| A．how Liu Qian became China`s hottest magician |
| B．why people love magic |
| C．what magic tricks are |
| D．what fashionable magic is |
People love to watch magic because __________.
| A．they can`t figure out the secret of magic |
| B．it arouses their curiosity |
| C．they love watching magicians make the impossible happen |
| D．it is a centuries-old art |
Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?
| A．He was interested in magic when he was little |
| B．He had won Taiwan`s Youth Magic Contest |
| C．He became an amateur magician in his spare time |
| D．He couldn`t find a decent job after graduation |
From the story, we know that________.
| A．Liu Qian competed in many magic competitions |
| B．Liu Qian often invites audiences to be in his magic shows |
| C．Liu Qian performs on streets in order to increase his fame |
| D．Liu Qian does street shows to make money |
Until a relatively short time ago, traveling abroad was limited to rich tourists and wealthy businesspeople. Flying abroad was not common for the average person. In time, however, plane travel became safer, more convenient, and less expensive. As a result, people of different backgrounds now fly to distant places for pleasure and businesspeople fly to one country for a breakfast or lunch conference, and then fly to another country for a dinner meeting.
With the world becoming smaller, many young adults make the decision to study in foreign universities. It is an exciting, challenging experience to live in a foreign country. Anyone who can study abroad is fortunate; but, of course, it is not easy to change from one culture to another. One faces many difficulties.
The student who studies in a foreign country leaves behind a familiar, loving, comfortable environment. Back home, he has his family, friends, and acquaintances. He knows the language, politics, money, food, social customs, and so forth. He knows all the unclear aspects of his native culture, such as body language, and bargaining practices, etc. in short, he knows “the system” in his native country. Then one day he leaves all this behind and suddenly finds himself in a place where everyone and everything is strange, perhaps even confusing. All this strangeness is a major surprise to a person’s self-confidence. This sudden change often leads to a reaction called culture shock.
Foreigners experience different degrees of culture shock. The symptoms range from being ill at ease to being seriously depressed. Feeling homesick, unhappy, and very sensitive are other signs of culture shock. It is easy to understand that the endless frustrations of the early days in a new country would produce dissatisfaction, and perhaps even hostility. People are always at ease in a familiar environment. A mature, realistic person experiences mild, temporary symptoms; the insecure newcomer suffers more seriously from a culture shock.
During the inevitable period of adjustment, the international student tends to complain about everything in the new environment. In fact, the student is likely to exaggerate the problems. When the student meets another miserable person from the same country, he will pour out his unhappy feelings. Together they can complain in their native language. Although this complaining provides temporary satisfaction, it certainly does not help him adapt to a new society. Being negative will never get rid of the feelings of frustrations. The mature person understands that a positive attitude, determination, and flexibility are important in making the change successful. A sense of humor is a big help.
76. Nowadays, flying abroad is ___ ____.
A. limited to rich tourists and wealthy businesspeople
B. more convenient but less safe
C. common for the average person
D. not common for the average person
77. “The system” in the third paragraph includes the following except _________.
A. social customs
B. bargaining practices
C. politics
D. foreign culture
78. Culture shock affects foreigners _________.
A. in just the same way
B. in the same degree
C. in quite similar ways
D. in different degrees
79. Endless frustrations of the early days in a new country would create _________.
A. dissatisfaction
B. discomfort
C. hostility
D. all of the above
80. The following are important in fighting culture shock except _________.
A. determination
B. a positive attitude
C. a sense of humor
D. hostility
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