Our body clock, or natural body rhythm, influences our energy and alertness. Paying attention to it can help us choose the suitable time of the day when we best perform specific tasks.
The reality, however, is that most of us organize the time around work demands, school deadlines, commuting or social events. Doing whatever the body feels like doing is a luxury in today’s fast-paced modern society.
But that doesn’t mean it isn’t worth trying. Obeying our body clock has significant health benefits. Disrupting our natural body rhythm, on the other hand, has been linked to problems such as depression, obesity, or headache, says Steve Key, a biology professor.
When the body clock can synchronize (使…同步) the rhythms of its natural processes, it “gives us an advantage in daily life”, says Key.
According to him, when it comes to cognitive (认知的) work, most adults perform best in the late morning. As our body temperature starts to rise just before awakening in the morning and continues to increase until midday, our memory, alertness and concentration gradually improve.
However, he adds, our ability to concentrate typically starts to decrease soon thereafter. Most of us are more easily distracted (分心) between noon and 4 pm.
Alertness also tends to fall after eating a meal and sleepiness tends to peak around 2 pm, making that a good time for a nap.
Surprisingly, tiredness may increase our creative powers. For most adults, problems that require open-ended thinking are often best dealt with in the evening when they are tired, according to a study in the journal Thinking & Reasoning.
When choosing a time of the day to exercise, paying attention to your body clock can improve results. Physical performance is usually best from about 3 to 6 pm, says Michael Smolensky, a professor of biomedical engineering.
Of course, not everyone’s body clock is the same, making it even harder to synchronize natural rhythms with daily plans.If we know our natural body rhythm well, we can ______.
| A．find out the suitable time to do specific tasks |
| B．organize our time around work demands |
| C．do whatever our body feels like doing |
| D．be sure to be healthy |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．Our alertness is influenced by our natural body rhythm. |
| B．Doing whatever your body feels like is very difficult in our modern society. |
| C．Obeying our body clock is good for our health. |
| D．Disrupting our natural body rhythm can lead to obesity. |
Inspiration to solve a difficult problem will most probably come to us______.
| A．when we get up in the morning |
| B．when we are tired in the evening |
| C．when we are full of energy in the late morning |
| D．when we are asleep at night |
Which of the following can be the suitable title for the passage?
| A．What is natural body rhythm? |
| B．Natural body rhythm is good for us. |
| C．natural body rhythm and health |
| D．The latest research about natural body rhythm. |
Anyone who cares about what schools and colleges teach and how their students learn will be interested in the memoir（回忆录）of Ralph W. Tyler, who is one of the most famous men in American education.
Born in Chicago in 1902, brought up and schooled in Nebraska, the 19-year-old college graduate Ralph Tyler became hooked on teaching while teaching as a science teacher in South Dakota and changed his major from medicine to education.
Graduate work at the University of Chicago found him connected with honorable educators Charles Judd and W. W. Charters, whose ideas of teaching and testing had an effect on his later work. In 1927, he became a teacher of Ohio State University where he further developed a new method of testing.
Tyler became well-known nationality in 1938, when he carried his work with the Eight-Year Study from Ohio State University to the University of Chicago at the invitation of Robert Hutchins.
Tyler was the first director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, a position he held for fourteen years. There, he firmly believed that researchers should be free to seek an independent（独立的）spirit in their work.
Although Tyler officially retired in 1967, he never actually retired. He served on a long list of educational organizations in the United States and abroad. Even in his 80s he traveled across the country to advise teachers and management people on how to set objectives（目标）that develop the best teaching and learning within their schools. 68. Who are most probably interested in Ralph W. Tyler’s memoir?
A. Top managers. B. Language learners.
C. Serious educators. D. Science organizations.
69. The words “hooked oh teaching” underlined in Paragraph 2 probably mean ________.
A. attracted to teaching B. tired of teaching
C. satisfied with teaching D. unhappy about teaching
70. Where did Tyler work as the leader of a research center for over 10 years?
A. The University of Chicago. B. Stanford University.
C. Ohio State University. D. Nebraska University.
Louis Armstrong had two famous nicknames (绰号). Some people called him Bagamo. They said his mouth looked like a large bag, Musicians often called him Pops, as a sign of respect for his influence (影响) on the world of music.
Born in 1901 in New Orleans, be grew up poor, but lived among great musicians. Jazz was invented in the city a few years before his birth. Armstrong often said, “Jazz and I grew up together.”
Armstrong showed a great talent (天赋) for music when he was taught to play the cornet (短号) at a boy’s home. In his late teens, Armstrong began to live the life of a musician. He played in parades, clubs, and on the steamboats that traveled on the Mississippi River. At that time, New Orleans was famous for the new music of jazz and was home to many great musicians. Armstrong learned from the older musicians and soon became respected as their equal.
In 1922 he went to Chicago. There, the tale of Louis Armstrong begins. From then until the end of his life, Armstrong was celebrated and loved wherever be went Armstrong had no equal when it came to playing the American popular song.
His cornet playing had a deep humanity (仁爱) and warmth that caused many listeners to say, “Listening to Pops just makes you feel good all over.” He was the father of the jazz style(风格) and also one of the best-known and most admired people in the world. His death, on July 6,1971, was headline news around the world.
41.Armstrong was called Pops because he .
A. looked like a musician B. was a musician of much influence
C. showed an interest in music D. traveled to play modern music
42.The third paragraph is developed .
A. by space B. by examples C. by time D. by comparison
43.Which statement about Armstrong is true?
A. His tale begins in New Orleans. B. He was born before jazz was invented.
C. His music was popular with his listeners. D. He learned popular music at a boy’s home.
44.Which would be the best title for the text?
A. The Invention of the Jazz Music B. The Father of the Jazz Style
C. The Making of a Musician D. The Spread of Popular Music
Danielle Steel, America's sweetheart, is one of the hardest working women in the book business. Unlike other productive authors who write one book at a time, she can work on up to five. Her research time before writing takes at least three years. Once she has fully studied her subjects, ready to dive into a book, she can spend twenty hours nonstop at her desk.
Danielle Steel comes from New York and was sent to France for her education. After graduation, she worked in the public relations and advertising industries. Later she started a job as a writer which she was best fit for. Her achievements are unbelievable: 390 million copies of books in print, nearly fifty New York Times best-selling novels, and a series of "Max and Martha" picture books for children to help them deal with the real-life problems of death, new hobbies and new schools. Her 1998 book about the death of her son shot to the top of the New York Times best-selling list as soon as it came out. Twenty-eight of her books have been made into films. She is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for one of her books being the Times best-seller for 381 weeks straight.
Not content with a big house, a loving family, and a view of the Golden Gate Bridge, Danielle Steel considers her readers to be the most important resource(资源) and has kept in touch with them by e-mail. While she is often compared to the heroines(女主人公) of her own invention, her life is undoubtedly much quieter. But, if she does have anything in common with them, it is her strength of will and her inimitable(独特的) style. There is only one Danielle Steel.
60. Danielle Steel is different from other writers in that ____.
A. she can write several books at the same time
B. she often does some research before writing a book
C. she is one of the most popular American women writers
D. she can keep writing for quite a long time without a break
61. Children who have read "Max and Martha" picture books may know ______.
A. how to deal with affairs at school B. what to do if Max and Martha die
C. what to do when new babies are born into their families
D. how to solve the difficult problems in their writing classes
62. One of Danielle Steel's achievements is that ______.
A. some TV plays were based on her books B. her picture books attracted a lot of young men
C. one of her books became a best-seller in 1998
D. she wrote the Guinness Book of World Records
63. We can learn from the passage that Danielle Steel _____.
A. lives an exciting life B. values her readers a lot
C. writes about quiet women D. is pleased with her achievements
Anyone who cares about what schools and colleges teach and how their students learn will be interested in the memoir（回忆录）of Ralph W. Tyler, who is one of the most famous men in American education.
Born in Chicago in 1902, brought up and schooled in Nebraska, the 19-year-old college graduate Ralph Tyler became hooked on teaching while teaching as a science teacher in South Dakota and changed his major from medicine to education.
Graduate work at the University of Chicago found him connected with honorable educators Charles Judd and W. W. Charters, whose ideas of teaching and testing had an effect on his later work. In 1927, he became a teacher of Ohio State University where he further developed a new method of testing.
Tyler became well-known nationality in 1938, when he carried his work with the Eight-Year Study from Ohio State University to the University of Chicago at the invitation of Robert Hutchins.
Tyler was the first director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, a position he held for fourteen years. There, he firmly believed that researchers should be free to seek an independent（独立的）spirit in their work.
Although Tyler officially retired in 1967, he never actually retired. He served on a long list of educational organizations in the United States and abroad. Even in his 80s he traveled across the country to advise teachers and management people on how to set objectives（目标）that develop the best teaching and learning within their schools. 68. Who are most probably interested in Ralph W. Tyler’s memoir?
A. Top managers. B. Language learners.
C. Serious educators. D. Science organizations.
69. The words “hooked oh teaching” underlined in Paragraph 2 probably mean ________.
A. attracted to teaching B. tired of teaching
C. satisfied with teaching D. unhappy about teaching
70. Where did Tyler work as the leader of a research center for over 10 years?
A. The University of Chicago. B. Stanford University.
C. Ohio State University. D. Nebraska University.
71. Tyler is said to have never actually retired because ____________.
A. he developed a new method of testing B. he called for free spirit in research
C. he was still active in giving advice D. he still led the Eight-Year Study
Australia warns on migrant cuts
Australia may cut the number of immigrants who are allowed into the country if the global financial crisis raises unemployment levels.
Australian Immigration Minister Chris Evans said a decision on reducing numbers would be taken after mid-year financial data is published next month.
Around 190, 300 immigrants are forecast to arrive in Australia in 2008/09. Earlier this month, a British minister said the country could reduce migrant flows due to the economic crisis. Mr Evans said the country's current migrant programme, which is aimed at skilled workers, was designed when Australia was forecasting good economic growth and a skills shortage.
"The government will take a calm look at those issues and make a decision when we have got proper information," he told Nine Network television.
"Clearly if the demand for labour comes off, you'd adjust the migration programme appropriately," he said. "We can turn the taps off if we need to. " Mr Evans said that any decision on cutting migrant flows was complex, considering their contribution to the country's economy. "We know that they consume, they buy property, and they're a net positive to the budget, " he said. "And a lot of the skills that are coming in at the moment are in the mining sector, which has allowed us to increase our exports. "
He said there were still industries which had a "strong demand" for labour and the government would analyse the economic situation and consult industry before deciding on what to do.
1.
Which of the following can we know from this passage?
| A．Australia may decide to increase the number of migrants. |
| B．Britain has decided to reduce the number of migrants. |
| C．Australia has decided to increase the number of migrants. |
| D．Britain has decided to increase the number of migrants. |
2. Australia may cut off the number of migrants mainly because ______ .
| A．Britain has decided to reduce the number of migrants |
| B．it is forecast Australian will have good economic growth |
| C．Australia has no demand for skilled workers in mining |
| D．the global economic crisis is getting worse and worse |
3. What does Mr Evans imply by saying the underlined sentence?
| A．It is necessary for the country to cut off the number of migrants. |
| B．Citizens should turn off the taps when they don’t use the water. |
| C．Britain shouldn’t have reduced the number of migrants. |
| D．Increasing migrants to the country will consume more water. |
4. From the passage, what does Mr Evans think of migrants’ contributions to Australia’s economy?
| A．Negative | B．Doubtful | C．Positive | D．Critical |
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