Down-to-earth means being honest，open，and easy to deal with．It is a pleasure to find someone who is down-to-earth．A person who is down-to-earth is easy to talk to．He or she accepts others as equals．A down-to-earth person may be an important member of society，of course，but they do not let their importance go to their heads，and they do not consider themselves to be better than others who are less important．Someone who is filled with self-importance and pride，often without cause，is said to have his nose in the air．There is no way a person with his nose in the air can be down-to-earth．
Americans use another expression that is similar in some way to down-to-earth．The expression is both feet on the ground．Someone with both feet on the ground is a person with a good understanding of reality．He has what is called common sense．He may have dreams but he does not allow them to block his knowledge of what is real．The opposite kind of person is one who has his head in the clouds．A man with his head in the clouds is a dreamer whose mind is not in the world．Sometimes such a dreamer can be brought back to reality；sharp words from the teacher，for example，can usually get a daydreaming student to put both feet back on the ground．
The person who is down-to-earth usually has both feet on the ground．But the opposite is not always true．Someone with both feet on the ground may not be as open and easy to deal with as someone who is down-to-earth．When we have both our feet firmly on the ground，we are realistic and we act honestly and openly toward others，and our lives are like the ground below us，solid and strong．If a person has his nose in the air，he ．
| A．is down to the earth |
| B．is easy to deal with |
| C．always thinks he is more important than others |
| D．is confident |
If a person has both feet on the ground，he ．
| A．is in touch with reality，and doesn’t have any dreams |
| B．has some dreams but he is realistic |
| C．is honest，open and easy to deal with |
| D．is honest，open but hard to deal with |
The underlined sentence “But the opposite is not always true．” most probably means that ______．
| A．the person who has his nose in the air is not true |
| B．a man with his head in the clouds is often not intelligent |
| C．the opposite direction is always wrong |
| D．a person who has both feet on the ground may not be down-to-earth |
As is known, healthy foods can help save your life. Now, here is a list of healthy foods that can save your memory．It is best that every person knows what he eats, as he takes in, can make or break himself, in terms of health．
Fish is helpful in regaining back the kind of memory that a person once has．Eating fish can help you save the trouble of forgetfulness．Vegetables rich in fiber and other green leafy kinds are very suitable for people who want to avoid mental blocks．These foods contain high units of Vitamin E．
Another food that is considered having different effects on preventing this brain deficiency(缺陷) is avocado (鳄梨), which is also rich in Vitamins E and C．It is really good to know these healthy foods that can save your memory are always at hand so as to help you in your fight against diseases．Sunflower seeds are regarded as Vitamin C-powered seeds and also give you enough energy．
As for red wine, do not over consume it, as it is said to have to be taken in moderate amounts in order to help the body. Over-drinking can cause illness. This is considered as one of the healthy foods that can save your memory; alcohol can otherwise lose it．
It is better to consume food made of grains such as bread, rice, and whole grains to get the best out of fiber．These foods can lower the body’s risk of being infected with Alzheimer’s disease(早老性痴呆病).
Knowing the healthy foods that can save your memory is living the life that you have longed and desired．Among the others, the best, of course, is exercise. Taking part in different kinds of exercises, physical activities or sports can keep both your body and mind healthy.If you suffer from loss of memory, you________ ．
| A．should eat cucumbers and cabbages |
| B．can drink as much wine as possible |
| C．had better take in fish in your meals |
| D．may as well take more Vitamin C |
To discourage mental disease from happening, _______．
| A．people are advised to take avocados |
| B．it is best to eat vegetables high in fiber |
| C．it is better to have more sunflower seeds |
| D．red wine is the first and best choice |
How many healthy foods does the author mention in the passage?
| A．Six | B．Five | C．Four | D．Three |
What does the author stress in the last paragraph?
| A．The best form of exercise |
| B．The way of keeping healthy |
| C．The importance of healthy foods |
| D．The importance of exercise. |
Which of the following shows the structure of the passage?
( ①=Para．1 ②=Para．2 ③=Para．3
④=Para．4 ⑤=Para．5 ⑥=Para．6)
John and Bobby joined the same company together just after graduation from college the same year. Both worked very hard. After several years, however, the boss promoted (提拔) Bobby to the position of manager but John remained an ordinary worker. John couldn’t take it anymore, gave his resignation (辞呈) to the boss and complained that the boss only promoted those who only said good words to him.
The boss knew John worked very hard for the years. He thought for a moment and said, “I hope you will do one more thing for our company before you leave.”
John agreed. The boss asked him to go and find anyone selling watermelons in the market. John went and returned soon. He said he had found a man selling water melons. The boss asked how much they per kilo. John shook his head and went back to the seller to ask and returned to tell the boss $1.2 per kilo.
The boss told John to wait a second, and he called Bobby to come to his office. He asked Bobby to go and find anyone selling watermelons in the market. Bobby went, returned and said, "Boss, only one person is selling watermelons. $1.2 per kg, and $10 for 10 kg. He has 340 melons in all, 58 of which are on the table. Every melon weighs about 2 kg. Brought from the South two days ago, they are fresh and red. "
John was impressed and realized the difference between himself and Bobby. He decided not to resign but to learn from Bobby.According to Paragraph 1, John thought that ____________.
| A．Bobby wasn’t fit to be a manager. |
| B．Bobby was lazy though he was clever. |
| C．the boss was expecting to hear good words. |
| D．it was unfair that the boss only promoted Bobby. |
The underlined word take in Paragraph 1 means _________.
| A．accept | B．understand |
| C．forget | D．judge |
Why did the boss tell John and Bobby to find anyone selling watermelon in the market?
| A．To show watermelons are in great need. |
| B．To test their abilities to make market research. |
| C．To make John realize Bobbys ability to do business. |
| D．To help John learn the difference between Bobby and him. |
What does the passage mostly want to tell us?
| A．Learning is the key to great success. |
| B．A person fails usually because of carelessness. |
| C．A more successful person sees more and further. |
| D．One’s success is not related to his working hard. |
A study has found, spending hours playing violent video games prevents teenagers from their moral growth. It is thought that regular touch to violence and lack of contact with the outside world makes it harder for them to tell right from wrong．They also struggle to trust other people，and see the world from their viewpoints．
Researchers from Brock University in Ontario found that those who spend more than three hours each day in front of the screen are particularly unlikely to have developed the ability to empathize(同情)．
The Canadian researchers surveyed 109 boys and girls，aged 13 and 14，about whether they played video games，which games they liked，and how long they spent playing them．Their findings found that 88 percent of teens said they played games，and more than half admitted to playing games every day．Violent games were among the most popular．
The teenagers also filled in a questionnaire designed to measure their moral development．For example，they were asked how important it is to save the life of a friend．
Previous studies have suggested that a person’s moral judgment goes through four phases as they grow from children and enter adulthood．By the age of 13 or 14，scientists claim young people should be entering the third stage，and be able to empathize with others and take their viewpoints into account．The research found that this stage appeared to be delayed in teenagers who regularly played violent video games．
It is also thought that teenagers who play games regularly did not spend enough time in the real world to learn to take others’ thoughts into consideration．Researcher Mirjana Bajovic said：“The present results indicate that some teenagers, who spent three or more hours a day playing violent video games，are deprived of such opportunities．” he added：“Touch to violence in video games may influence the development of moral reasoning because violence is not only presented as acceptable but is also justified and rewarded．”
They concluded that rather than trying to enforce an ‘unrealistic’ ban on the games，parents and teachers should encourage teenagers to do charity work and take up after-school activities．Why did the Canadian researchers carry out the studies?
| A．To develop teenagers’ ability to communicate. |
| B．To enrich teenagers’ awareness of social life． |
| C．To discuss how to save the life of a friend． |
| D．To measure teenagers’ moral development． |
What does Mirjana Bajovic want to tell us according to his words?
| A．Playing games regularly will improve teens’ intelligence. |
| B．Vio1ent games cost teens social experiences in real life． |
| C．Playing games makes teens help others. |
| D．Playing games inspires teens to develop fast. |
What would be the result of playing violent video games?
| A．Getting teens hard to take others into consideration. |
| B．Causing teens easier to tell right from wrong． |
| C．Helping teens make more good friends． |
| D．Making teens easy to get along with． |
What can be inferred from the text?
| A．Playing video games should be forbidden among teens. |
| B．Parents and teachers should let teens go online． |
| C．Teens should be encouraged to do more meaningful things. |
| D．Game designers should be kindly treated and rewarded. |
As the saying goes, man struggles upwards; water flows downwards. Water runs downhill from mountaintops to streams to rivers to oceans. But downhill isn’t the only way that water moves .A new study measures how water travels from country to country for human consumption. This flow isn’t the type we usually think about .These scientists looked at the water used to grow and make the products which get shipped from nation to nation as imports or exports. They call this a flow of “virtual water（虚拟水）”.
We typically think about water as the liquid that flows from a tap. However,92％of the water used by people goes into growing crops，according to water researcher Arjen Hoekstra. He recently studied the hidden travels of virtual water used in products made from things like crops and meats .These products are shipped around the world.
For example, consider a sugary soft drink. Hoekstra estimated that to produce one half-liter of the drink requires between 170 and 310liters of the water—about 95％—is used to grow and process the ingredients(原料).Another 4％goes into the packaging and labeling. In Hoekstra’s calculation, when one country produces a half-liter of soda and sells it abroad，it exports as much virtual water as would fill a large refrigerator．
According to Hoekstra’s new report，dry countries like Israel and Kuwait，both in the Middle East,get the majority of their virtual water from other countries，through imported products. More surprisingly, some wetter countries，like the Netherlands and the United Kingdom, also get the majority of their virtual water from other places. That means that most of the water used to grow or produce the products and food consumed in those countries came from other countries.
In the United States most of the virtual water used comes from American sources .In China even less of the water associated with its products.The example of a sugary soft drink in Paragraph 3 is given to show_________.
| A．how drinks are shipped |
| B．how virtual water is exported |
| C．how virtual water is used |
| D．how drinks are made |
In which countries does most part of virtual water come from outside?________
| A．Kuwait and the Netherlands |
| B．China and the United Kingdom |
| C．America and the Netherlands |
| D．Israel and America |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Crops and Virtual Water |
| B．Water’s worldwide travels |
| C．Benefits of Virtual Water |
| D．Import and Export of Water |
The passage is most probably a________.
| A．science news report | B．science fiction story |
| C．newspaper advertisement | D．book review |
“My Best Teacher Ever” Contest
Students
Tell us why, in 300 words or less, your teacher (present or past) is the best teacher ever.
Assay Topic
Who was/is your best teacher ever? What makes him or her the best?
Participation
The contest is open to all students enrolled in grades 2 through 12.
Entries
Word limit: 300
Essays will be judged on the following criteria by Readers editorial staff:
·originally, creativity—40 percent
·clarity of presentation— 40 percent
·grammar, punctuation, spelling —20 percent
All entries should be word-processed, typed, or hand-printed on 8.5-inch by 11-inch paper or submitted as an attached word or text document via email.
Each entry must include the entrant’s name, age, complete home mailing address, phone number, school name, and grade, as well as the submitting teacher’s name, school name, complete school mailing address and email address.
Contest Deadline
Entries must be postmarked on or before April 26, 2013, or mailed by EST on that date.
Submission
Email your entry with attached essay and entry information (entrant’s name, age, complete home mailing address, phone number, school name, and grade, submitting teacher’s name, email address, school name, and complete school mailing address) to web-contest @ readers.com or mail your entry with attached entry form to this address:
Readers Publishing My Best Teacher Ever Contest
Attn: Anne Flounders 44 South Broadway, 18th Floor White Plains, NY10601
Prizes
One winner will be chosen in each of two categories: elementary (grades 2-6) and secondary (grades 7-12). Winning students will win a $ 50 gift card and may have their essays published on readers.com. Teachers of winning students will win one free classroom subscription to the Readers magazine of their choice. Winning essays will be posted up on signing of a release by students and their agent or guardian. Winning essays will be announced on May 7, 2013, Teacher Appreciation Day, on readers.com, and winners will be notified directly.Essays will be judged on the following criteria EXCEPT _________.
| A．punctuation | B．handwriting |
| C．presentation | D．creativity |
If you become a winner, you _________.
| A．will be awarded $ 150 in cash |
| B．will be informed of your success online |
| C．may have your essay published online |
| D．can have the Readers magazine for free |
According to the text, your essay _________.
| A．should have a total of 300 words at least |
| B．can’t have any mistakes in grammar |
| C．will be judged by some best teachers |
| D．must be mailed on or before April 26, 2013 |
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