Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life. Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity(长寿)boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship. The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Farr, who wrote that widows and widowers（鳏夫）were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers. Studies since then suggest that marriage could add as much as seven years to a man’s life and two to a woman’s. The effect holds for all causes of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm.
Even if the odds are stacked against you(the conditions are not favourable),marriage can more than compensate. Linda Waite of the University of Chicago has found that a married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart. Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn’t smoke. There’s a flip side, however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouses; death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems. Even so, the odds favour marriage. In a 30-year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects.
So how does it work? The effects are complex, affected by socio-economic factors, health-service provision, emotional support and other more physiological mechanisms(机制).For example, social contact can boost development of the brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression later in life. People in supportive relationships may handle stress better. Then there are the psychological benefits of a supportive partner.
A life partner, children and good friends are all recommended if you aim to live to 100.The best social network is still being mapped out, but Christakis says:” People are interconnected, so their health is interconnected.”William Farr’s study and other studies show that________.
| A．social life provides an effective cure for illness |
| B．Being sociable helps improve one’s quality of life |
| C．Women benefit more than men from marriage |
| D．Marriage contributes a great deal to longevity |
Linda Waite’s studies support the idea that________.
| A．older men should quit smoking to stay healthy |
| B．Marriage can help make up for ill health |
| C．The married are happier than the unmarried |
| D．Unmarried people are likely to suffer in later life |
It can be inferred from the context that the “flip side”(Line5,Para2)refers to________.
| A．the disadvantages of being married |
| B．The emotional problems arising from marriage |
| C．The responsibility of taking care of one’s family |
| D．The consequence of a broken marriage |
What does the author say about social networks?
| A．They have effects similar to those of a marriage. |
| B．They help develop people’s community spirit. |
| C．They provide timely support for those in need. |
| D．They help relieve people of their life’s burden |
What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
| A．It’s important that we develop a social network when young. |
| B．To stay healthy, one should have a proper social network. |
| C．Getting a divorce means risking a reduced life span. |
| D．We should share our social networks with each other. |
Plan on traveling around the USA this summer．If you need help in arranging the trip，or want ideas about where to go and what to do, there are a number of outstanding websites that can make your American dream come true．
http：//byways．org
The National Scenic Byways Program covers 150 memorable roads．Some are natural routes，such as Route l along the California coast．Others focus on history(such as Route 6) or man-made attractions (the Las Vegas Strip)．For each, you are provided with a map，told the route’s length and how long is allowed，and given detailed suggestions on sights and stop-offs．
www．oyster．com
This is the best website for reviews of hotels in US cities and resorts．The reviews are impressively thorough--covering locations，rooms，cleanliness，food and so on．Importantly，these are not promotional photos by the hotels，but more honest and revealing ones taken by inspectors．Search facilities are excellent．From the 243 hotels reviewed in the New York，you can narrow down what you are looking for by locations，facilities and styles，or just pick out a selection of the best．
www．101usaholidays．co．uk
This is the latest offering that features 101 holiday ideas to the USA．It’s an impressively diverse selection，ranging from touring in the footsteps of Martin Luther King to a golfing break in Arizona and a cycling and wine—tasting trip in California’s Napa Valley．Narrow down what you are looking for--whether by price，region，theme and who will be traveling--and then just the photos of the relevant holidays remain on view．It’s a really clever design．
www．mousesavers．com
Walt Disney World in California can make dreams come true，but the price is not affordable for the majority of people．
So turn to long established Mousesavers．com，dedicated to giving big discounts on tickets，hotels and dining at Walt Disney World．The website also offers general money—saving tips，suggestions for cheap and free stuff and brief coverage of other Florida and California theme parks．If you are going to the USA for the man-made attractions，you can drive along________
| A．Route l | B．Route 6 |
| C．the Las Vegas Trip | D．the California coast |
Why are the photos of the hotels in US cities and resorts real in WWW．oyster．com?
| A．Because they were taken by customers who once lived there． |
| B．Because there are comments of customers on each photo. |
| C．Because there are qualifications of the authority． |
| D．Because they are taken by inspectors of the website． |
Travel ideas for a big family’ with kids and the old are available at ．
| A．http：／／byways．org |
| B．www．oyster．com |
| C．www．101 us holidays．co．uk |
| D．www．mouse savers．com |
What can be inferred from the passage?
A．WWW.mouse savers.com is a newly established website．
B．Discounted tickets of Walt Disney World are not available for everyone．
C．California’s Napa Valley is famous for its wine.
D．The National Scenic Byways Proclaim covers all the roads in the USA．Where does the text probably come from?
| A．A news report． | B．A tourist brochure． |
| C．A culture journal． | D．A health column． |
A fellow speaker from California named Geri flew to Japan, in her favourite jeans and a casual jacket, to give her first speech. Fourteen hours later, four perfectly dressed Japanese gentlemen greeted her at Narita Airport. Smiling and bowing low, they handed her their business cards. With her bag in one hand, Geri took their cards with the other. She thanked them, glanced briefly at the cards, and put them into her jeans pocket quickly.
When the five of them arrived at the hotel, they invited Geri to tea in the lobby (大厅). While sipping tea, the gentlemen presented her with a small gift which she eagerly opened. She was thrilled with the gift and shouted excitedly, “Oh, it's beautiful！”
At this point, the four Japanese gentlemen stood up and, bowing only very slightly, said “Sayonara” and left immediately. Poor Geri was left astonished. What did she do wrong?
Everything! Her jeans were the first gaffe. Even if you're coming off a bicycle in Japan, you do not meet clients (客人) casually dressed. The second mistake was Geri's handling of their business cards rudely. In Japan, the business card is one of the most important communicative tools. It is always presented and accepted respectfully with both hands. However, Geri put their cards away much too quickly. In Japan, people use business cards as a conversation starter. You chat about each other's cards and work and do not put theirs away until they gently and respectfully place yours in safe keeping. Putting it carelessly into her jeans pocket was the ultimate disrespect.
Then, the fourth horror of horrors was that Geri should not have opened the gift in front of her clients. In a land where saving face is critical, it would be embarrassing to discover the gift they gave was not as nice as the one they received. What is worse, Geri hadn't even given them a gift!In the four Japanese gentlemen's eyes, Geri took their cards ________．
| A．disrespectfully | B．embarrassingly |
| C．politely | D．excitedly |
Why did the four Japanese gentlemen leave Geri suddenly?
| A．Because they had finished the task. |
| B．Because they couldn't bear Geri's behaviour any longer. |
| C．Because Geri had something more important to do. |
| D．Because Geri felt embarrassed. |
What does the underlined word “gaffe” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
| A．ignorance. | B．mistake. |
| C．sadness | D．carelessness. |
The third mistake Geri made was that she ________．
| A．used her own card as a conversation starter |
| B．took her clients' cards with one hand |
| C．met her clients in jeans |
| D．kept her clients' cards in a wrong place |
What lesson can we draw from this story?
| A．When in Rome, do as the Romans do. |
| B．Think twice before you take any action. |
| C．Honesty is the best policy. |
| D．Don't claim to know what you don't know. |
Fido was now his master's constant companion in his walks, playing and skipping round him, and amusing him by a thousand sportive tricks . He took care, however, not to be troublesome by leaping on him with dirty paws, nor would he follow him into the parlor(客厅), unless invited. He also attempted to make himself useful by a number of little services. He would drive away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens' meat; and would run and bark with the utmost fury at any strange pigs or other animals that offered to come into the yard. He kept the poultry, geese, and pigs from straying beyond their bounds and particularly from doing mischief in the garden. He was always ready to alarm Towzer if there was any suspicious noise about the house, day or night. If his master pulled off his coat in the field to help his workman, as he would sometimes do, Fido always sat by it, and would not suffer either man or beast to touch it. By this means he came to be considered as a very trusty protector of his master's property.
His master was once confined to his bed with a dangerous illness. Fido planted himself at the chamber-door, and could not be persuaded to leave it even to take food; and as soon as his master was so far recovered as to sit up, Fido, being admitted into the room, ran up to him with such marks of excessive joy and affection, as would have melted any heart to behold.
One hot day, after dinner, his master was sleeping in a summer-house , with Fido by his side. The building was old and crazy; the dog comprehended the danger, and began barking to awaken his master; and this not sufficing, he jumped up, and gently bit his finger. The master upon this started up, and had just time to get out of the door before the whole building fell down. Fido, who was behind, got hurt by some rubbish which fell upon him. Thus his love and fidelity had their full reward.According to the first paragraph,we can get the information that ________.
| A．Fido is too cautious to satisfy his master. |
| B．Fido did so many little things as not to please its master. |
| C．Fido is a very trusty protector of his master’s property |
| D．Fido often plays with sparrows,geese and pigs |
Which of the following description is NOT mentioned in the text?
| A．Fido didn’t leave its sick master’s chamber-door even refused to take food until its master recovery. |
| B．Fido saved its master when his master was sleeping in an old house |
| C．Fido drove away the wolf to protect its master’s sheep. |
| D．Fido drove away the sparrows as they were stealing the chickens’meat. |
The text is developed ______.
| A．by inference | B．by examples |
| C．by comparison | D．by figures |
Which one is the best title for the text?
| A．Saving the Master |
| B．The Loyal Dog |
| C．Protecting the Master’s Possession |
| D．The Duty of a Little Dog |
Will you want me to read a whole book in English?
Yes. Believe it or not, that may be easier than you think. Not all classics are so difficult or complicated. So you’re not limited to the simplified versions. And the easier books are not all for children.
In the original versions ,books may send you to the dictionary. And you might not understand everything you read. But reading one from cover to cover will give you a real sense of accomplishment.
The key is to find the right books. Let’s take a look at these.
The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe (C.S. Lewis)
Stepping into an old wardrobe, four English schoolchildren find themselves in the magical world of Narnia. On this delightful land, they find friends among the many talking creatures.
The children soon discover, however, that Narnia is ruled by the White Witch. Edmund, one of the children, falls under her power. Who can free Narnia? Only Aslan, the great and noble lion. He alone knows the Deeper Magic. But the children themselves must help fight the battle against the White Witch and those who serve her.
The Old Man and the Sea (Ernest Hemingway)
Santiago, an old Cuban fisherman, hasn’t caught any fish in more than 80 days. Sailing far out from land, the old man hooks an enormous fish. That begins an agonizing three-day battle. First he struggles against the great fish. Then he must fight off the sharks that circle the little boat and threaten to eat his fish. Exhausted and bleeding, the old man arrives back at shore. But his fish, his beautiful fish . . .
Hemingway won the Nobel Prize for this superb story of strength and courage, of victory and regret.
A Wrinkle in Time (Madeleine Lingle)
Meg’s father, a U.S. government scientist, has been missing for many months. He had been experimenting with time travel when he mysteriously disappeared.
Now Meg, her little brother Charles Wallace and her friend Calvin will try to rescue him. But first they must outwit the forces of evil they encounter on their journey through time and space. Can they find Meg’s father before it’s too late?
This novel is more than just a science-fiction adventure. It’s an exploration of the nature of our universe.
The Pearl (John Steinbeck)
One day Kino, a poor Mexican pearl diver, finds a magnificent pearl. With it he dreams of buying a better life, new clothes and schooling for his son. Instead, it brings only evil. His wife pleads with him to get rid of it. "No," says Kino. "I will have my chance. I am a man." But when he kills a man who is trying to steal the pearl, Kino and his wife must run for their lives.
This tale of dreams, justice and the power of greed is told simply and beautifully.In the passage, the author intends to _______.
| A．recommend a few simplified versions of classics |
| B．recommend a few original versions of classics |
| C．tell us how to read an English book from beginning to end |
| D．tell us how to find proper English books to read |
In The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, the White Witch is probably _____.
| A．an evil woman with magic power |
| B．a friendly woman with magic power |
| C．a delightful talking creature |
| D．a powerful lion |
The underlined word "outwit" in the passage probably means ______.
| A．get rid of |
| B．take advantage of |
| C．beat by being cleverer |
| D．make the most of |
A Wrinkle in Time is different from other books mentioned in the passage in that _____.
| A．it is not a science fiction |
| B．it tells a true story |
| C．it provides some scientific knowledge |
| D．it tells the battle between justice and evil |
Eating 40 percent less food could extend a person`s life by 20 years, according to scientists.
Researchers at the Institute of Health Ageing at University College London are developing a treatment that they hope will fight the `disease` of getting older.
They are looking into how genetics（遗传学） and lifestyle can affect ageing and add years, possibly decades, to a person`s life.
Age-related diseases such as cardiovascular disease, cancer and neuro degeneration can also be treated, it is claimed.
They want to find out how the life of a rat can be increased by up to 30 percent simply by reducing its food intake.
Researcher Dr. Piper told the Independent : `If you reduce the diet of a rat by 40 percent it will live for 20 or 30 percent longer. So we would be talking 20 years of human life. This has shown on all sorts of animals, even Labradors(a kind of dog).`The scientists are also studying fruit flies, which share 60 percent of human genes and age in a similar manner, and mice.
They have already made the healthy lifespan(寿命) longer in both flies and mice by using drug treatments and a balanced diet. It is hoped that this combination will also work to extend(延长) human life. Dr. Piper said: `If we discover the genes involved with ageing, we should be able to delay ageing itself. This is what we`ve found.`
He added that the field of research into extending life is only a decade old, so remains `in theory . It is their special approach to treating all age-related diseases caused by the `disease` of ageing itself that sets their research apart.The author writes this text in order to_____.
| A．encourage people to eat as little as possible |
| B．tell people how harmful food is to their health |
| C．introduce an on-going research on delaying ageing |
| D．show how similar mice and humans are to each other |
How can people live longer according to the text?
| A．Exercise regularly. |
| B．Reduce their diet properly. |
| C．Vary their lifestyles constantly. |
| D．Change their genes completely. |
What does the underlined sentence in the last paragraph suggest?
| A．The research is effort-taking. |
| B．The result of the research is reliable. |
| C．The research has been done for a long time. |
| D．There’s a long way to go to put the theory into practice. |
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