高中英语阅读理解

English is fast becoming the only language of a new generation of educated Arabs.
This isn't a good thing for the region or the rest of the world. The journalism school at the AUD(迪拜美国大学)is the only modern program in the Middle East that allows students to study in Arabic. Still, many students arrive with poorly written Arabic and the formal spoken language and require refresher Arabic language courses.
Literacy(识字能力) in the Gulf States is 98%, according to UNESCO. But that literacy is increasingly in English, not Arabic.
This English bias(偏爱) starts early, with children in private "model" schools in the United Arab Emirates studying all their subjects, including math and science, in English. But the trend appears to be taking hold regionwide. In Saudi Arabia, many upper-middle-class families speak English at home -- not just at work .
One Arabic official told me his own children do not speak Arabic fluently. He said he put them in English schools to help ensure they'd have great career prospects. But now he says he regrets that his children don't feel comfortable speaking the language of their forefathers.
Why is there the anxiety among these elites? I am continually told that what I've experienced anecdotally is true: The wealthier the family, the less likely its members speak Arabic at home. If people in the same country don't speak the same language, how can they work across class lines to solve the problems of high unemployment that affect even oil-rich Saudi Arabia?
For executives(行政主管) trying to build local businesses, the English bias is a challenge. The dean of the AUD's school of journalism, Ali Al Jaber, told me, "If you can't address your own people, then you can't be successful."
Sure, English is the world's business language. More Chinese are learning English right now than there are Americans in the U.S. But China has struck a bilingual balance. Its research universities teach some of the world's brightest minds in Chinese. Professor Wardeh finds much for Arab nations to admire in this model.
The passage mainly tells us_____________.

A．English is the world’s business language

B．the English bias in Saudi Arabia

C．the school education in Saudi Arabia

D．the bilingual balance in China

Many Arabic parents prefer their children to speak English because__________.

A．they think it’s a symbol of class

B．English is the world’s business language

C．they consider Arabic hard to learn

D．they believe it’s an advantage in their future careers

The underlined phrase “this model” refers to__________

A．the education system in China

B．the popularity of English in Saudi Arabia

C．to popularize English in upper-class families

D．to improve literacy in Arabic countries

We can know from the passage that__________.

A．the popularity of English in Saudi Arabia is a good thing

B．there is no problem of unemployment in Saudi Arabia

C．the poor in Saudi Arabia are more likely to speak Arabic

D．the English bias doesn’t affect the local business

If I had known the following things when I was in high school, my life would have been 100% easier back then and probably would have helped me greatly. I realized some of these things I was told but being young and ignorant I refused to listen.
1.Your high school sweetheart will probably not be your spouse.
When I was in school, I thought my boyfriend and I were the “one and only true love”. Honestly as most young people do, statistically only like 2% of people end up marrying their high school sweethearts and even if they do they probably won’t be as happy as they were in high school. Being an adult is very stressful and your relationships become different.
2. __________________________________________________
How many kids play sports per year? How many kids are good enough to get a scholarship by playing sports? How many of them even make it to the Olympics after college or university? The kids who actually stay at home and focus on getting good at computers or math are the ones who make the most in the adult world financially.
3. It doesn’t matter what university you go to.
I was convinced I was going to go to a great art school when I graduated and I was so stressed out about it that I ended up dropping out of school. In reality my life wasn’t over; I only got my GED a year ago but I am in a decent school now. In the real world when you go to apply somewhere all they care about is “do you have a degree or a certification”?
4. Your friends probably won’t be your friends after you graduate.
I really thought I was going to get an apartment with my friends and our kids were going to grow up together. The truth is, when people grow up they move, have kids, get married, and therefore change. You will change; you will not be the same person you were. High school is just a transitional period of your life. So don’t worry about who is saying what about you or who is making fun of whom.
What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To recall the experiences in high school.

B．To warn high school students about love in high school.

C．To give advice to high school students.

D．To encourage high school students to focus on study.

The writer once dropped out of a college because __________.

A．she decided to marry her sweetheart

B．she was bearing too much pressure

C．her family was going through financial problems

D．she was offered a good job before graduation

Why do many sweethearts in high school get separated later?

A．They aren’t able to go to the same university.

B．Their parents won’t approve of their relationships.

C．They will meet much better persons after growing up.

D．There will be more pressure and their feelings may change.

Which of the following subtitles can fill in the underlined blank?

A．Your teachers are not always right.

B．You can’t make lifelong friends in high school.

C．The unpopular kids are the ones who make the most money.

D．Education in life actually starts after graduation.

Which of the following statements is FALSE?

A．The writer had never heard about the advice above in high school.

B．In real world employers don’t care so much about which school you graduated from.

C．Relationships in high school won't have great effect on your later life.

D．It’s not easy to earn scholarships by playing sports for high school students.

The story of the day I lost my best friend to a car accident. The day a precious life was taken from us way too soon.
It was a bright and Sunny day in November. Thanksgiving had been celebrated only two days before. Since it was a holiday weekend I had been on the phone with Greg the night before many times. His dad didn't want him to come over because of the holiday. I guess he finally wore him down and he called and said, “I can stay”. So, my mom, brother, and I went to pick him up. He was always smiling. The complete opposite of my shy self, Greg was always the life of the party.
We got two large pizzas that Friday night. I’ve never known anyone in my entire life who loved to eat more than Greg. That’s the way he was though. He was just enjoying life. And if it meant gaining weight or whatever, so be it. He would sit back and put his hands on his belly and just laugh. We (Greg, David, and I) did so many funny things together and had such great times. Things we should have done and things we shouldn’t have done, I’ll “Never” forget.
On Saturday morning Dad took us out for breakfast. We all finished eating and followed my Dad up to the cashier. Greg asked Dad if he could have a candy bar. I looked at Greg shaking my head. He just laughed. After breakfast, Father took us to my Mom’s house.
When we got out at Mom’s house there was no one home. So, one of us grabbed a big wheel and rode it down the steep driveway into the street. Just boys being boys. Greg and I did it several times until the last time. The car hit him on the head, knocking him around 75-- 100 yards. My brother and I both ran screaming just yelling for help and crying. One of the neighbors called 911. I was in shock. That day was forever etched(铭刻) into our memories.
It still hurts to think about it. Wishing we could have grown old together. Wondering how it would have been. I’m sure It WOULD HAVE BEEN GREAT.
We can describe Greg as__________.

A．impolite and greedy	B．easy-going and optimistic
C．shy and unconfident	D．friendly and brave

Which shows the right order of the following events?
①Greg died of an accident while playing in the street.
②Greg went out for breakfast with the author.
③The author together with his bother and mom went to meet Greg.
④The three boys went out for Pizzas and had great fun.
⑤The author invited Greg to spend the weekend at his house.

A．②①④③⑤	B．⑤②③①④
C．①②⑤④③	D．⑤③④②①

Why did the author shake his head hearing Greg’s request?

A．He thought Greg was too impolite to his father.

B．He wondered why Greg liked eating so much.

C．He was afraid his father couldn’t afford it.

D．He was sure Greg would put on weight.

Have you ever wondered why birds sing? Maybe you thought that they were just happy. After all, you probably sing or whistle when you are happy.
Some scientists believe that birds do sing some of the time just because they are happy. However, they sing most of the time for a very different reason. Their singing is actually a warning to other birds to stay out of their territory.
Do you know what a “territory” is? A territory is an area that an animal, usually the male, claims (声称)as its own. Only he and his family are welcome there. No other families of the same species are welcome. Your yard and house are your territory where only your family and friends are welcome. If a stranger should enter your territory and threaten you, you might shout. Probably this would be enough to frighten him away.
If so, you have actually scared the stranger away without having to fight him. A bird does the same thing. But he expects an outsider almost any time, especially at nesting season. So he is screaming all the time, whether he can see an outsider or not. This screaming is what we call a bird’s song, and it is usually enough to keep an outsider away.
Birds sing loudest in the spring when they are trying to attract a mate and warn others not to enter the territory of theirs.
You can see that birds have a language all their own. Most of it has to do with attracting mates and setting up territories.
What is a bird’s “territory”?

A．A place where families of other species are not accepted.

B．A place where a bird may shout at the top of its voice.

C．An area for which birds fight against each other.

D．An area which a bird considers to be its own

Why do birds keep on singing at nesting season?

A．Because they want to invite more friends.

B．Because their singing helps frighten outsiders away.

C．Because they want to find outsiders around.

D．Because their singing helps get rid of their fears.

How does the writer explain birds’ singing?

A．By describing birds’ daily life.

B．By reporting experiment results.

C．By comparing birds with human beings.

D．By telling

If you wish to dance with a certain lady, go to her, bow, and say, “May I have the pleasure of a dance?” If it is a formal dance with programs, she will tell you which dance she will have with you; if there are no programs, she will either rise and dance with you, or she may say, “I have this dance taken.” Or she may say, “I am sorry, I am not dancing this dance.” This may be a polite way of saying that she does not want to dance with you, or it may be that she is tired and wants to rest; you will have to judge which is her attitude.
Do not expect a lady whom you have invited to dance in advance for a dance to make any attempt to find you. It is her part to remain seated until you find her. Bow and say, “I believe this is my dance.”
At the end of a dance, thank your partner, but do not leave her until you have led her to a seat. Then, if you wish, you may excuse yourself, and go in search of your next partner.
If you cannot dance very well, it is always permissible to ask a lady if she is willing to sit out a dance with you. Sometimes during the evening, your hostess, the daughter of the hostess, and any guest of honor should all be asked by you to dance.
When a lady says, “I am sorry I am not dancing this dance.”, she actually means       .

A．she is not willing to dance with you

B．she is too tired to dance with you

C．she is not good at dancing at all

D．either A or B

If you have already made an appointment with a lady at the ball,         .

A．it is her duty to find you

B．it is still your duty to find her

C．it is both of your duty to find each other

D．you wait and wait until it is your turn to dance with her

At the end of the dance,        .

A．you leave your partner and go to find your next partner

B．you thank your partner and leave her

C．you should introduce your partner to another gentleman

D．none of the above is right

The underlined phrase “sit out” means        .

A．to dance slowly

B．to sit there and dance

C．to dance without moving

D．to remain seated during a dance

Oyster
What is an Oyster card?
Oyster is the easiest way to pay for journeys on the bus, Tube, tram, Docklands Light Railway (DLR), London Overground and National Rail journeys in London. You can store your travel cards, Bus&Tram Pass, season tickets and credit to pay for journeys as you go.
Where to get an Oyster card?
There are a number of ways for you to get an Oyster card：
• At over 3,900 Oyster Ticket stops
• At Tube and London Overground station ticket offices
• At some National Rail stations
• At London Travel information Centres
• Online at tfl. gov. uk/oyster
How to use an Oyster card?
To pay the correct fare on the Tube, DLR, London Overground and National Rail services, you must always touch in on the yellow Oyster card reader at the start of your journey, and touch out at the end. If you don’t, a maximum cash Oyster fare will be changed. When using the bus or tram, you must only touch in at the start, but not at the end of your journey.
What happens if I don’t visit London very often?
Don’t worry. Any pay as you go credit on your card will not expire (过期), so you can keep it for your next visit or lend it to a friend.
Fares
Traveling by Tube from Central London (Zone l)to Heathrow (Zone 6)
Adult Oyster single fare
£ 4. 20 Monday to Friday 06:30 - 09:30 and 16:00 -19:00
£ 2. 70 at all other times including public holidays
Adult single cash fare £ 5.00
For further information, visit tfl.gov. uk /fares.
You can get an Oyster card at the following places EXCEPT_____
A. on the website B. at an Oyster Ticket stop
C at a post office D. at a Tube station
Which of the following is TRUE about Oyster cards?

A．They are limited in use to the owners themselves.

B．On National Rail services you must touch them on the reader twice.

C．They are not suitable for those who don’t visit London often.

D．Oyster card Tube fares cost more on public holidays than on weekdays.

Haperson with an Oyster card takes the 7 o’clock Tube from Central London to Heathrow for a week (no public holiday in between)，he should pay_____.

A．£ 18.90	B．£ 29.40
C．£21.90	D．£26.40

The passage is probably taken from a_______

A．magzine	B．travel guide
C．textbook	D．novel

Last week the manager of an old jeweler’s shop received a letter marked “personal”, so of course his secretary gave it to him unopened. As he was very busy, the letter lay on his desk till tea-time. Then he opened it and a￡10 note fell out onto his desk. With the note was a short letter. This is what it said:
Dear sir,
In 1935 I got engaged. But unfortunately at that time there was a lot of unemployment and I lost my job. I was six months without a job and then I got work again. But of course I was very short of money. I came to your shop to buy a wedding ring. The assistant brought some rings for me to look at, but she was called away for a moment, and I put one of the rings in my pocket. When she came back, I said I did not know the size of my girl-friend’s finger. So I left the shop without buying a ring.
My wife died a short while ago and the fact that I never paid for her ring has been on my conscience (良心) all these years. At the time the ring cost ￡2 so I reckon (估计) that is about ￡10 at today’s price. And I am sending you that amount.
Yours truly,
A customer
“Well, well, well,” said the manager, “life is full of surprises!”
The best headline for this article would be _______.

A．A Customer Pays His Bill	B．An Old Jeweler’s Shop
C．The Manager and the Letter	D．A Letter with￡10

Why didn’t the secretary open the letter? Because _______.

A．he was very busy

B．it was a personal letter

C．there was a ￡10 note in it

D．the letter was unimportant

What happened to the writer of the letter in 1935?
A. He was engaged to a girl.
B. He was out of work for six months.
C. He lost a ring.
D. Both A and B.
What was true about the assistant?

A．She lost her job.

B．She was short of money.

C．She was called away while serving the customer.

D．She put one of the rings in her pocket.

Making friends is a skill like many other skills. It improves with practice. If you want to meet people and make friends, you must be willing to take some actions. You must first go where there are people. You won't make friends staying home alone. Join a club or a group. Talking with those who like the same things as you do is much easier. Or join someone in some activities. Many people are nervous when talking to new people. After all meeting strangers means facing the unknown. And it's human nature to feel a bit uncomfortable about the unknown. Most of our fears about dealing with new people come from doubts about ourselves. We imagine other people are judging us or finding us too tall or too short, too this or too that. But don't forget that they must be feeling the same way. Try to accept yourself as you are and try to put the other person at ease. You'll both feel more comfortable.
Try to act selfconfidently even if you don't feel that way. When you enter a room full of strangers, such as a new classroom, walk tall and straight, look directly at other people and smile.
If you see someone you'd like to speak to, say something. Don't wait for the other person to start a conversation.
Just meeting someone new does not mean that you will make friends with that person—friendship is based on mutual liking and“give and take”. It takes time and effort to develop.
The best title of the text may be________.

A．Friendship	B．How to Make Friends
C．Meeting New People	D．Facing the Unknown

You can't make friends if you________.

A．take some actions	B．go to where there are people
C．avoid meeting people	D．won't start a conversation

Friendship is based on________.

A．selfconfidence

B．meeting more unknown people

C．more talking and smiling to people

D．taking from and giving to people

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A．Making friends needs practising.

B．Making friends needs to be more active in starting a conversation.

C．When meeting someone, make him feel nice and starting a conversation.

D．Before making friends with someone, judge if he's too this or too that.

A man once had a dream about the Black Forest in Germany. In his dream he was walking in the forest when two men ran out and tried to throw him to the ground. He ran off as fast as he could, but they followed him. He reached a place where he saw two roads in front of him, one to the right and the other to the left. Which road should he take? He heard the two men behind him, getting nearer, and at the same time he heard a voice in his ear. It told him to go to the right, and he did so. He ran on and soon came to a small hotel. He was received there kindly and given a room, and he was saved from the two men. That was the dream.
Twenty years later he was really in the Black Forest and, as happened in the dream long ago, two men ran out and tried to throw him down. He ran off, and came to a place with two roads, like in the dream. He took the road to the right without thinking. He soon reached a small hotel, was taken in, and so was safe. His dream of twenty years before had saved his life.
The Black Forest is __________.

A．a place in Europe	B．not a real place
C．dangerous place	D．a place visited twice by the man

It was _________ that saved the man’s life 20 years later.

A．a voice	B．the dream 20 years before
C．guests of the hotel	D．guard of the forest

The story tells us that _________.

A．the man knew something about The Black Forest before he went there

B．the man had a good memory but bad luck

C．people should not believe their dreams because they never come true

D．people should believe dreams because they always can save their lives

When you look at your food, some ingredients（配料） are easy to see. For example, there is milk in your cereal (麦片), cheese on your pizza and peanut butter on your bread. But your meals are also filled with ingredients you can’t see. And you might be surprised to learn just how much those hidden ingredients affect your health.
Salt is a perfect example of an ingredient that you might not notice, even when you eat a lot of it. More than 75% of the salt we eat is hidden in restaurant meals, fast food and processed (加工过的) food, such as French fries, hot dogs and even biscuits.
Salt is important to us and it has many uses. It keeps our muscles (肌肉) working and our nerves (神经) sending messages through the whole body. Salt can be used to clean teeth, to make our skin smooth or added to a relaxing bath. Salt is also used to help make food last longer.
However, eating too much salt can cause heart problems. For a long time, heart trouble has been regarded as an adult problem, but new research shows that salt is starting to affect kids. Then how much salt is safe for kids every day? Let’s look at the following chart:

Ages	Amount of Salt Every Day
1-3 years old	2 grams
4-6 years old	3 grams
7-10 years old	5 grams
11 or more than 11 years old	6 grams

Kids should not eat more than that.
What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?

A．The importance of salt in our everyday life.

B．The result of eating too much salt.

C．How much salt people need every day.

D．Though people eat much salt every day, they may not notice it.

Which of the following is NOT the use of salt?

A．Salt keeps muscles working.

B．Salt helps to make food last longer.

C．Slat helps to reduce heart problems.

D．Salt can be used to clean teeth.

If Mike is 10 years old, how much salt should he eat each day?

A．Five grams.	B．Two grams.
C．Three grams.	D．Six grams.

Tayka Hotel de Sal
Where：Tahua，Bolivia
How much：About $95 a night
Why it’s cool：You’ve stayed at hotels made of brick or wood，but salt？That’s something few can claim.Tayka Hotel de Sal is made totally of salt—including the beds (though you’ll sleep on regular mattresses(床垫) and blankets)．The hotel sits on the Salar de Uyuni，a prehistoric driedup lake which is the world’s biggest salt flat.Builders use the salt from the 4,633squaremile flat to make the bricks，and glue them together with a paste (糊) of wet salt that hardens when it dries.When rain starts to dissolve the hotel，the owners just mix up more salt paste to strengthen the bricks.
Green Magic Nature Resort
Where：Vythiri，India
How much：About $240 a night
Why it’s cool：Taking a pulley(滑轮)operated lift 86 feet to your treetop room is just the start of your adventure.As you look out of your open window—there is no glass！—you watch monkeys and birds in the rain forest canopy(罩篷)．Later you might test your fear of heights by crossing the handmade rope bridge to the main part of the hotel，or just sit on your bamboo bed and read.You don’t even have to come down for breakfast—the hotel will send it up on the pulleydrawn “elevator”．
Dog Bark Park Inn B&B
Where：Cottonwood，Idaho
How much：$92 a night
Why it’s cool：This doghouse isn’t just for the family pet.Sweet_Willy is a 30foottall dog with guest rooms in his belly.Climb the wooden stairs beside his hind leg to enter the door in his side.You can relax in the main bedroom，go up a few steps of the loft(阁楼) in Willy’s head，or hang out inside his nose.Although you have a full private bathroom in your quarters，there is also a toilet in the 12foottall fire hydrant(消防栓) outside.
Gamirasu Cave Hotel
Where：Ayvali，Turkey
How much：Between $130 and $475 a night
Why it’s cool：This is caveman cool！Experience what it was like 5,000 years ago，when people lived in these mountain caves formed by volcanic ash.But your stay will be much more modern.Bathrooms and electricity provide what you expect from a modern hotel，and the white volcanic ash，called tufa，keeps the rooms cool，about 65in summer.(Don’t worry—there is heat in winter.)
What do we know about Tayka Hotel de Sal?

A．It is located on a prehistoric lake.

B．It should be protected against the rain.

C．Everything in the hotel is made of salt.

D．You have to cross a rope bridge to the hotel.

What is the similarity of the four hotels?

A．Being expensive.

B．Being comfortable.

C．Being natural.

D．Being unique.

What does the underlined words “Sweet Willy” refer to?
A．The name of the hotel.
B．The name of the hotel owner.
C．The building of Dog Bark Park Inn B&B.
D．The name of a pet dog of the hotel owner.
Which of the hotels makes you have a feeling of living in the far past?
A．Tayka Hotel de Sal.
B．Green Magic Nature Resort.
C．Dog Bark Park Inn B&B.
D．Gamirasu Cave Hotel.

Elizabeth and I are 18 now, and about to graduate. I think about our elementary school friendship, but some memories have blurred(模糊). What happened that day in the fifth grade when Beth suddenly stopped speaking to me? Does she know that I’ve been thinking about her for seven years? If only we could go back, and discover what ended our relationship.
I have to speak with Beth. I see her sometimes, and find out school is “fine”. It’s not the same. It nvever will be. Someone says that she’s Liz now. what happened to Beth?
I can’t call her. Should I write? What if she doesn’t answer me? How will I know what she’s thinking?
Yes, I’ll write her a letter. These things are easier to express in writing. “Dear Be-,” no, “Dear Li-” no, “Dear Elizabeth,” I begin. The words flow freely, as seven-year-old memories are reborn. I ask her all the questions that have been left unanswered in my mind, and pray she will answer. I seal my thoughts in the perfect white envelope, and imagine Beth looking into the mailbox. Will she know why I’m writing? Maybe she once thought of writing the same letter.
As the mailman takes my envelope from me forever, I wonder if I’ve made the right decision. Do I have the right to force myself into Beth’s life again? Am I simply part of the past? I have taken the first stop. Beth has control of the situation now.
One day has passed. Are my words lying on the bottom of the post office floor.
Two days are gone. I’m lost in thought and don’t even hear the phone ring.
“Hello? It’s Elizabeth”
What can we learn about Beth?

A．She had a quarrel with the author in the fifth grade

B．She moved to another school in the fifth grade

C．She is now called Liz instead of Beth

D．She hasn’t seen the author for seven years

Why does the author decide to write a letter instead of calling?

A．She is sure that Beth will not answer

B．She’s afraid that they’ll quarrel on the phone

C．She doesn’t know Beth’s telephone number

D．It is easier to express her feelings in writing

What does the underlined sentence mean in the fifth paragraph?

A．It’s up to Beth to decide what to do next

B．Beth is to be blamed for the ending of their friendship

C．Beth is in the same situation as the author is

D．The author is completely in the hands of Beth now

What might happen at the end of the story?

A．Beth answers her letter two day later

B．The letter doesn’t reach Beth at all

C．They make up their friendship

D．Beth refuses to make peace with her

Sometimes two very different individuals (个体)become the best friends. For example,, who could have thought that a spider would become friends with a pig? But in American writer E.B.White’ novel Charlotte’s Web, this is exactly what happens
Wibur the pig grows up in a barn(谷仓) and makes many friends, including a spider called Charlotte. One day a sheep tells Wibur that he will finally be served up as dinner. But Charlotte decides to save her friend. To help Wibur，Charlotte writes words like “terrific”, “radiant” and “humble” on her web to praise Wibur. This makes the farmer believe that is too important to kill.Wibur is saved, but Charlotte is so tired that she dies.
The book was first published in 1952.  In over 60 years Charlotte has become one of the most famous spiders of all time. She teaches us about love and promise. “She is very, very loving under that crusty(暴躁),that ugly look,”  Peter Neumeyer, writer of The Annotated Charlott’s Web
The book’s success drew the attention of Hollywood filmmakers , however, they wanted a happier ending. White was strongly against this idea and as a result the film, like the book, ends with Charlotte’s death.
Jen Doll, reporter with The Atlantic, believe that “death is a part of life”. She says this is one of the main messages of the book.
As Charlotte tells Wibur, “You have been my friend. That in itself is a wonderful thing. I wove(纺织)my webs for you because I like you. After all, what’s a life, anyway? We’re born, we live a little while and then we die. A spider’s life can’t help being something of a mess(杂乱), with all this trapping and eating flies. By helping you, perhaps I was trying to lift up my life a little. God knows anyone’s life can stand a little of that.”
Which of the following about the story is TRUE?

A．It’s a good example of how differences make us different

B．It encourages children to love their family and friends

C．The farmer kills Wibur as dinner

D．Charlotte is loving and helpful although she is ugly

What is the disagreement about Charlotte’s Web between Hollywood filmmaker and White?

A．How Charlotte makes friends with Wibur

B．How to make Charlotte lovely

C．Whether Charrlotte should die

D．Whether Wibur should be killed

In the last paragraph, Charlotte’s main message is that _________

A．life could be boring and troublesome

B．friendship is more important than life

C．dying for a good cause is worthwhile(值得的)

D．life is like a web

“Clean your plate!” and “Be a member of the clean-plate club!” Just about every kid in the US heard this from a parent or grandparent. Often, it’s accompanied by an appeal: “Just think about those starving orphans in Africa.” Sure, we should be grateful for every bite of food. Unfortunately, many people in the US take too many bites. Instead of “cleaning the plate’, perhaps we should save some food for tomorrow.
According to news reports, US restaurants are partly to blame for the growing bellies(胃口,食欲). A waiter puts a plate of food in front of each customer, with two to four times the amount recommended by the government, according to a USA Today story. Americans traditionally associate (将……联系起来) quantity with value and most restaurants try to give them that. They prefer to have customers complain about too much food rather than too little.
Barbara Rolls, a nutrition professor at Pennsylvania State University, told USA Today that restaurant portion(一分,份额) sizes began (or grew) in the 1970s, the same time that the American waistline began to expand(扩大).
Health experts have tried to get many restaurants to serve smaller portions. Now, apparently, some customers are calling for this too. The restaurant industry trade magazine QSR reported last month that 57 percent of more than 4,000 people surveyed believe restaurants serve portions that are too large; 23 percent had no opinion; 20 percent disagreed. But a closer look at the survey indicates that many Americans who can’t afford fine dining still prefer large portions. Seventy percent of those earning at least $150,000 per year prefer smaller portions; but only 45 percent of those earning less than $25,000 want smaller.
It’s not that working-class Americans don’t want to eat healthily. It’s just that, “after long hours at low-paying jobs, getting less on their plate hardly seems like a good deal. They live from paycheck, happy to save a little money for next year’s Christmas presents.”
Parents in the United States tend to ask their children _______.

A．not to save food	B．to wash the dishes
C．not to eat too much	D．not to waste food

Why do American restaurants serve large portions?

A．Because Americans associate quantity with value.

B．Because Americans have big bellies.

C．Because Americans are good eaters.

D．Because Americans are greedy.

Which of the following is NOT true of working-class Americans?

A．They work long hours.

B．They live from paycheck to paycheck.

C．They don’t want to be healthy eaters.

D．They want to save money for their children.

What happened in the 1970s?

A．The US government recommended the amount of food a restaurant gave to a customer.

B．Health experts persuaded restaurants to serve smaller portions.

C．The United Stated produced more grain than needed.

D．The American waistline started to expand.

What does the survey indicate(表明,显示)?

A．Many poor Americans want large portions.

B．Twenty percent of the Americans want smaller portions.

C．Fifty seven percent of the Americans earn $150,000 per year.

D．Twenty three percent of the Americans earn less than $25,000 per year.

If English means endless new words, difficult grammar and sometimes strange pronunciation, you are wrong. Haven’t you noticed that you have become smarter since you started to learn a language?
According to a new study by a British university, learning a second language can lead to an increase in your brain power. Researchers found that learning other languages changes grey matter(（中枢神经系统的）灰白质). This is the area of the brain which processes(加工,处理) information. It is similar to the way that exercise builds muscles.
The study also found the effect is greater when the younger people learn a second language.
A team led by Dr Andrea Mechelli, from University College London, took a group of Britons who only spoke English. They were compared with a group of “early bilinguals ” who had learnt a second language before the age of five, as well as a number of later learners.
Scans showed that grey matter density(密度) in the brain was greater in bilinguals than in people without a second language. But the longer a person waited before mastering a new language, the smaller the difference.
“Our findings suggest that the structure of the brain is changed by the experience of learning a second language,” said the scientists.
It means that the change itself increases the ability to learn.
Professor Dylan Vaughan Jones of the University of Wales has researched the link between bilingualism and maths skills. “Having two languages gives you two windows on the world and makes the brain more flexible,” he said. “You are actually going beyond language and have a better understanding of different ideas.”
The findings were matched in a study of native Italian speakers who had learned English as a second language between the ages of 2 and 34. Reading, writing, and comprehension were all tested. The results showed that the younger they started to learn, the better. “Studying a language means you get an entrance to another world,” explained the scientists.
The main subject talked about in this passage is ________.

A．science on learning a second language

B．language learning and the increase in one’s brain power.

C．man’s ability of learning a second language

D．language learning and the study of maths

In the second paragraph, the writer mentions exercise in order to _____.

A．say language is also a kind of physical labour

B．prove that one needs more practice when he or she is learning a language

C．make people believe language learning helps grey matter work well

D．to show the importance of using the language when you learn it.

What change can we get during the experience of learning a second language?

A．The increase of the ability to learn.

B．The development of muscles.

C．The improvement of strange pronunciation.

D．A worse understanding of different ideas.

We may know from the scientific findings that _______.

A．there is no difference between a later second language learner and one who doesn’t know a second language

B．the experience of learning a second language has a bad effect on people’s brain

C．the ability of learning a second language is changing all the time

D．the earlier you start to learn a second language, the higher the grey matter density is

In the last two paragraphs, the author wants to tell us that ______.

A．learning a second language is the same as studying maths

B．Italian is the best choice for you as a second language

C．early learning of a second language helps you a great deal in studying other subjects

D．you’d better start to learn a second language between 2 and 34