With all the wars, fighting and sadness in the world today, it's not only necessary, but also essential to have a good sense of humor just to help us get through each and every day of our lives. Putting a smile on someone's face when you know they are feeling down in the dump, makes me feel good and warms my heart.
How would you feel if you could not joke around with your wife, husband, child, co-worker, neighbor, close friends, or even just someone that you are standing in line with at your corner store? I am always saying things that make others smile or laugh, even if I don't know the person I'm joking around with. My Grandma always found humor in everything she did, even if it was the hardest job anyone could imagine. This not only relieves stress in any situation, but also is common courtesy(礼貌)to speak to others that are around you.
I know of a few people that don’t have a funny bone in their bodies, as they say. Everyone around them could be rolling on the floor after hearing a great joke and they would sit there without the slightest smile on their face. They don't get the joke that makes others laugh. I am busting a gut while they just sit there, looking at me as if I were from outer space. How can people not get a really funny joke?
Laughing is essential to keep your stress levels under control. Without humor we would find ourselves with a lot of psychological problems, or on a lot of medications to keep us from going crazy. There is too much sadness in this present world. It drives people crazy. We all need to find a way to ignore the sadness and bring a little light into our lives. So, I believe our best medicine is to get together and tell some jokes and have some fun laughing together. According to the author, humor is useful in the aspect that _________.
| A．it makes people more confident |
| B．it can pick up people’s spirits |
| C．it can help get rid of the cruelty in the world |
| D．it can help people get on well with others |
From the second paragraph, we can know that __________.
| A．the writer is funny and polite |
| B．family members should play tricks on each other |
| C．the writer’s grandma is humorous |
| D．we should relieve stress in any situation |
The phrase “busting a gut" in the third paragraph can be replaced by _______.
| A．explaining carefully |
| B．speaking loud |
| C．keeping silent |
| D．laughing hard |
In writing the passage, the author mainly intends to _______.
| A．encourage people to be humorous in daily life |
| B．talk about his own understanding of humor |
| C．introduce a practical way to get through daily life |
| D．convince people of the power of being optimistic about life |
What is the author’s attitude towards the present world?
| A．Critical | B．Positive |
| C．Satisfied | D．Indifferent |
Elderly adults who regularly drink green tea may stay more active and independent than their peers over time，according to a Japanese study that covered thousands of people．
Green tea contains antioxidant chemicals that may help ward off the cell damage that can lead to disease．Researchers have been studying green tea's effect on everything from cholesterol(胆固醇)to the risk of certain cancers，with mixed results so far．
For the new Japanese study，researchers decided to examine the question of whether green tea drinkers have a lower risk of frailty and disability as they grow older．
Tomata and his colleagues followed nearly 14，000 adults aged 65 or older for three years．
They found those who drank the most green tea were the least likely to develop “functional disability”，or problems with daily activities or basic needs，such as dressing or bathing．
Specifically，almost 13 percent of adults who drank less than a cup of green tea per day became functionally disabled，compared with just over 7 percent of people who drank at least five cups fl day．
The study did not prove that green tea alone kept people active as they grew older．
Green-tea lovers generally had healthier diets，including more fish，vegetables and fruit，as well as more education．lower smoking rates，fewer heart attacks and strokes，and greater mental sharpness．
They also tended to be more socially active and have more friends and family to rely on．
Although it's not clear how green tea might offer a buffer(缓冲剂)against disability，Tomata's team did note that one recent study found green tea extracts(提炼物)seem to increase leg muscle strength in older women．
While green tea and its extracts are considered safe in small amounts，they do contain caffeine and small amounts of vitamin K，which means it could block drugs that prevent blood thickened．Which of the following can summarize the passage best?
| A．Green tea makes you less active． |
| B．Green tea makes you less disabled． |
| C．Green tea makes you more friendly． |
| D．Green tea makes you more educated． |
The underlined word“ward off”in Paragraph 2 probably means .
| A．form | B．absorb | C．remove | D．prevent |
Tomata and his colleagues wanted to .
| A．prove whether the Japanese study is correct |
| B．know if green tea drinkers are independent |
| C．help nearly 14，000 adults aged 65 or older |
| D．study green tea's effect on cholesterol |
Which of the following is NOT the advantage of green tea?
| A．Reduce functional disability． |
| B．Keep old people active． |
| C．Make more friends． |
| D．Suffer fewer heart attacks． |
It can be inferred from the last paragraph .
| A．green tea is safe to drink |
| B．green tea should be drunk properly |
| C．green tea is poisonous for old people |
| D．vitamin K is helpful to us |
WASHINGTON——Chinese Vice-President Xi Jinping arrived at Andrews Air Force Base in Washington，February 13，2012．Vice-President Xi Jinping said he would explore important problems in an active and practical manner with his America hosts on Monday during his five-day official trip here after arriving at Andrews Air Force Base in the afternoon．
In a written statement given upon his arrival，Xi said as the international situation experiences complex and complete changes，China and the United States have more extensive common interests and shoulder more important common responsibilities on the present world stage.
The purpose of the current visit is to “carry out the important consensus reached by President Hu with President Obama during his visit to the United States in January last year and to advance the building of the China—US cooperative partnership based on mutual respect and mutual benefit”，said Xi.
According to Xi，bilateral(双边的)relations have moved forward in spite of some twists and turns during the past several decades．
“This has brought enormous benefits to our two countries and two peoples，and has had a positive, far-reaching impact on peace，stability and the prosperity of the Asia-Pacific region and the world at large”．
Xi said that“whether we can seize opportunities，tackle challenges and build a cooperative partnership at the new historical starting point matters to the future of our two countries and the world as a whole．”
Xi said he looks forward to engaging in extensive dialogue and exchanges with Americans from various sectors to enhance cooperation and strengthen friendship．
Xi is scheduled to meet US senior government officials，including Henry Kissinger，Brent Scowcroft，Zbigniew Brzezinski，Madeleine Albright and Henry Paulson this evening to listen to their advice on China-US ties．
Meetings between Xi and US Vice-President Biden and President Obama are scheduled on Tuesday.The passage mainly tells us .
| A．Xi's five-day official trip |
| B．China-US cooperative partnership |
| C．Xi is set to discuss important bilateral problems |
| D．China and the US have more common interests |
It can be inferred from the second paragraph that ．
| A．the current world stage remains peaceful |
| B．China and US should build the cooperative partnership |
| C．Xi himself wrote a statement about his arrival |
| D．China and the US have the equal rights |
The underlined word“consensus”in Paragraph 3 means ．
| A．agreement | B．opinion | C．partnership | D．benefit |
According to tile passage，bilateral relations between China and US have experienced ．
| A．enormous dialogues | B．extensive exchanges |
| C．rnany challenges | D．various hardships |
What is Xi's attitude towards the visit?
| A．Respectful． | B．Optimistic． | C．Approving． | D．Expectant． |
The personal computer has overtaken the family dog as man's best friend．according to a study．
Researchers found that just 6 per cent of us believe that“ most people rely more on their dog than they do on their PC”，while 67 per cent think the opposite to be true．
Even 38 per cent of dog owners admitted to relying more on their PC than on their dog, although 36 per cent disagreed.
And 71 per cent of 18 to 24-year-old dog owners said they relied more on their computer．
Paul Allen，editor of Computeractive magazine said：“These days you can even you’re your PC for fl walk，provided you have a laptop or tablet.”
“It's only a matter of time until the first PC that fetches your slippers．”
Researchers questioned 2，000 British adults to find out the change modern technology has brought to their home life．
They found that male dog owners are almost twice as likely as female owners to rely on their computer than a canine companion.
Mr．Allen said：“With broadband bringing them global news and newspaper sales falling，the family dog even misses out on the pleasure of taking the paper to his owner．”
But it's not all bad news for obedient dogs．
“The family PC has given dog owners access to a wealth of resources and information that can help with the long-term care that a dog needs，”Mr．Allen said．Who are most likely to rely on computers?
| A．Teens． |
| B．People in their early twenties． |
| C．People in their early thirties． |
| D．People in their early forties． |
What is the general idea of the passage?
| A．The personal computer has replaced the dog as man's best friends． |
| B．The computer and the dog as man's best friends． |
| C．Modern technology has brought changes to people's home life． |
| D．The dog as a pet will disappear completely from people's life． |
The advantage of dogs as pets over the personal computer now is that
| A．the dog can go out for a walk with people |
| B．the dog can help people fetch something |
| C．the dog can bring people more pleasure |
| D．the dog is more likely to follow its owner's orders |
The underlined word“canine”in Paragraph 8 probably means
| A．human | B．pet | C．family | D．dog |
According to Mr. Allen，the personal computer
| A．won't have effect on newspaper sales |
| B．can't help people take better care of the dog |
| C．will drive the dog as a pet out completely |
| D．will be able to help people fetch something |
George, when your big brother and your little dog and I walked you up to school today, you had no idea how I was feeling.
You were so excited. You had packed and unpacked your pencils and safety scissors in your backpack a dozen times. I am really going to miss those lazy mornings when we waved your brother and sister off to school.
Because you are my youngest, I had learned a few things by the time you came along. I found out that the seemingly endless days of babyhood are gone like lightning. I blinked（眨眼）, and your siblings（兄弟姐妹） were setting off for school as eagerly as you did this morning, I was one of the lucky ones; I could choose whether to work or not. By the time it was your turn, the shining prizes of career advancement and a double income had lost their brightness. A splash（溅水）in the pool with you in your bright red boots or "just one more" rereading of your favorite book, Frog and Toad Are Friends, meant more. You didn't go to preschool and I hope that doesn't hold you back. You learned numbers by helping me count the soda cans we returned to the store.
I have to admit that in my mind’s eye, an image of myself while you're in school has developed, I see myself updating all the photo albums and starting that novel I always wanted to write. As the summer wound down and more frequent quarrels erupted（爆发） between you and your siblings, I was looking forward to today. And then this morning, I walked you up the steep hill to your classroom and you gave me one of your characteristically fierce, too-tight hugs. This time you were ready to let go before I was.
Maybe someday you will deliver a kindergartner to the first day of school. When you turn at the door to wave good-bye, he or she will be too deep in conversation with a new friend to notice. Even as you smile, you'll feel something warm on your cheek.What does the author mean by the underlined sentence in the 3rd paragraph?
| A．She gave up the job with a big salary and prizes. |
| B．She could only recall her good job at home now. |
| C．Many good jobs with better pay attracted her but she didn’t take them. |
| D．Compared with bringing up the baby, work seemed to fade to her. |
Which statement is NOT TRUE about George's family according to the letter?
| A．George's parents gave birth to three children. |
| B．The Georges is a double income family. |
| C．They recycled soda cans. |
| D．The children had more arguments during the summer. |
The passage tries to show us ________.
| A．how excited a child will be on his first day to school |
| B．how deeply a mother loves her child |
| C．how many efforts a mother has made to raise a child |
| D．how a mother plans her future life after her children go to school |
This is a time of year when we think about giving and receiving presents. Can you find a little extra to give? On this page we suggest a few organizations you might like to help.
Littleton Children’s Home
We DON’T want your money, but children’s toys, books and clothes IN GOOD CONDITION would be very welcome.
Also, we are looking for friendly families who would take our children into their homes for a few hours or days as guests. You have so much─will you share it?
Phone Sister Thomas on 55671
Children’s Hospice
We look after a small number of very sick children. This important work needs skill and love. We cannot continue without gifts or money to pay for more nursing staff. We also need storybooks and toys suitable for quiet games.
Please contact the Secretary, Little Children’s Hospice, Newby Road.
Street Food
In the winter weather, it’s no fun being homeless. It’s even worse if you’re hungry. We give hot food to at least fifty people every night. It’s hard work, but necessary. Can you come and help? If not, can you offer a little money? We use a very old kitchen, and we need some new saucepans(平底锅). Money for new ones would be most welcome indeed.
Contact Street Food, c/o Mary’s House, Elming Way. Littleton Phone 27713
Littleton Youth Club
Have you got an unwanted chair? ─ a record-player? ─ a pot of paint ? Because we can use them!
We want to get to work on our meeting room!
Please phone 66231 and we’ll be happy to collect anything you can give us.
Thank you!
The Night Shelter
We offer a warm bed for the night to anyone who has nowhere to go. We rent the former Commercial Hotel on Green Street. Although it is not expensive, we never seem to have quite enough money. Can you let us have a few pounds? Any amount, however small, will be such a help.
Send it to us at 15, Green St, Littleton. Please make check payable to Night Shelter.What kind of people are these organizations designed for?
| A．Homeless and sick children |
| B．Less fortunate members of our society |
| C．Hungry people who have no beds to sleep in |
| D．Friendly members of our society to help others |
If you like children and you could offer a happy family to a homeless child, you may contact ______.
| A．Street Food | B．The Night Shelter |
| C．Littleton Children’s Home | D．Children’s Hospice |
What can be concluded from the passage?
| A．There are too many social problems in this society. |
| B．People are very poor during the time of giving. |
| C．To offer help is just an excuse for these organizations to collect money. |
| D．There are many organizations trying to solve social problems. |
What kind of things would Littleton Youth Club like to collect?
| A．Old furniture and second-hand electrical equipment. |
| B．An apartment and some saucepans. |
| C．Hot food and storybooks. |
| D．A sum of money and children’s toys. |
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