高中英语阅读理解

Everywhere I look outside my home I see people busy on their high-tech devices（装置）, while driving, walking, shopping, even sitting in toilets. When connected electronically, they are away from physical reality.
People have been influenced to become technology addicted. One survey reported that “addicted” was the word most commonly used by people to describe their relationship to iPad and similar devices. One study found that people had a harder time resisting the allure of social media than they did for sleep, cigarettes and alcohol.
The main goal of technology companies is to get people to spend more money and time on their products, not to actually improve our quality of life. They have successfully created a cultural disease. Consumers willingly give up their freedom, money and time to catch up on the latest information, to keep pace with their peers or to appear modern.
I see people trapped in a flu-like relationship with time-sucking technology, where they serve technology more than technology serves them. I call this technology servitude. I am referring to a loss of personal freedom and independence because of uncontrolled consumption of many kinds of devices that eat up time and money.
What is a healthy use of technology devices? That is the vital question. Who is really in charge of my life? That is what people need to ask themselves if we are to have any chance of breaking up false beliefs about their use of technology. When we can live happily without using so much technology for a day or a week, then we can regain control and personal freedom, become the master of technology and discover what there is to enjoy in life free of technology. Mae West is famous for claiming the wisdom that “Too much of a good thing is wonderful.” But it’s time to discover that it does not work for technology.
Richard Fernandez, a former CEO at Google acknowledged that “we can be swept away by our technologies.” To break the grand digital connection people must consider how life long ago could be fantastic without today’s overused technology.
The underlined word “allure” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.

A．advantage	B．attraction
C．adaptation	D．attempt

From the passage, technology companies aim to ______.

A．attract people to buy their products

B．provide the latest information

C．improve people’s quality of life

D．deal with cultural diseases

It can be inferred from this passage that people ______.

A．consider too much technology wonderful

B．have realized the harm of high-tech devices

C．can regain freedom without high-tech devices

D．may enjoy life better without overused technology

What’s the author’s attitude towards the overusing of high-tech devices?

A．Objective	B．Positive
C．Disapproving	D．Sympathetic

Nicolai Calabria has already become one of the best 106-pound wrestlers. He has successfully climbed to the top of the highest mountain in Africa, and most importantly, he’s changed the attitude of any normal person who watches him compete.
The 17-year-old teenager has one leg. He was born that way, but his goal is to show it’s not the one thing that defines him. He would also be the first one to tell you that he just wants to prove to others and himself that he’s just like other normal ones.
When Calabria was young, his parents tried different prostheses（假肢）to find out which was most comfortable for their son as he tried to keep up with the family, who has a preference for sports.
At first, the Calabrias had their middle child in a prosthesis that looked and functioned like a real leg, but soon they decided to choose a different path when they found it wasn’t beneficial to his movement. Then the family moved him to arm crutches（手杖）and from there a new burst of energy was found.
Getting others to believe that he could take off on the soccer field took a little bit longer. When the Calabrias moved to Concord, they had a hard time persuading the town soccer team to allow a child like him to compete with able-bodied kids. After months and months of debates and meetings, the family received the answer they were looking for. Since then, witnessing a young man on crutches who competes against those with two legs has become a fixed event in the Concord community.
“At that time I had nothing but discouragement working with the soccer community; however, now I have nothing but admiration for the fact that he’s been allowed to play, and people see that he adds value to game,” his father said. “I just think it’s a great result.”
This passage shows us a boy with one leg __________.

A．can do what a normal teenager can

B．is realizing as many dreams as he can

C．can make a sport event more valuable

D．can add value to society

We can learn from Paragraph 5 that __________.

A．Calabria proved to be the most excellent player of the team

B．it was not easy for Calabria to be accepted to the town soccer team

C．Calabria’s parents didn’t allow him to play soccer at first

D．there are some other disabled children in the soccer team

In Paragraph 5, the underlined part probably means __________.

A．a must-see	B．a planned programme
C．an extra game	D．a special occasion

It is implied in the last paragraph that Nicolai’s father __________.

A．has been discouraged since Nicolai played soccer

B．thinks that Nicolai is playing a key role in the team

C．is very delighted that Nicolai can play soccer in the team

D．hasn’t expected that Nicolai can be allowed to play soccer

Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers concluded that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers’ markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.
After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.
In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity or extreme overweight among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17% — and is growing.
In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr. Joseph Mercola?

A．They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently.

B．They squeeze eating between the other daily activities.

C．They regard eating as a key part of their lifestyles.

D．They usually eat too much canned and frozen food.

This text is mainly the relationship between _________.

A．Americans and the French

B．life style and obesity

C．children and adults

D．fast food and overweight

The text is mainly developed __________.

A．by comparison	B．by space
C．by process	D．by classification(分类)

Where does this text probably come from?
A TV interview       B. A food advertisement
C. A health report    D. A book review

Singapore is a dynamic city-state where you will find a harmonious mixture of culture, cuisine, arts, people and architecture. If you have at least 5 hours to spare in transit before your next flight, join us in one of our free two-hour guided tours, which runs daily at regular times. Registration for the tour must be made at least one hour before the start of the tour.
◆HERITAGE TOUR
Tour Timings:
9:00 am to 11:00 am    11:30 am to 1:30 pm    2:30 pm to 4:30 pm   4:00 pm to 6:00 pm
The heritage tour has a short stopover at the Merlion Park before going to the Colonial District, Central Business District and Chinatown or Little India. The journey to the Merlion Park offers you a entire view of Singapore's landmarks like Marina Bay Sands, Singapore Flyer and Gardens by the Bay. The tour will bring you through a discovery journey where you will have a glimpse of a unique mixture of East and West, tradition and modernity. It will be a splendid way for you to explore the history, culture and lifestyle of multi-racial Singapore while in your transit.
◆CITY LIGHT TOUR
Tour Timings: 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm
As night falls, Singapore takes another look to offer an entertainment choice. The City Light Tour brings you to various attractions in Singapore. As the journey begins from Changi Airport towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge, you will get a wide view of Singapore's famous symbols- the Singapore Flyer, Marina Bay Sands and Esplanade. Next, you will see the Helix(螺旋的) Bridge which is inspired by the double helix of our DNA structure.
If it is 2: 45pm now and Mike’s plane is going to take off at 8:35pm, which is the best timing for him?

A．9:00 am to 11:00 am	B．11:30 am to 1:30 pm
C．2:30 pm to 4:30 pm	D．4:00 pm to 6:00 pm

People can enjoy a wide view of Singapore’s landmarks on the way to _______.

A．Little India	B．Chinatown
C．the Merlion Park	D．the Colonial District

Which of the following is TRUE about the City Light Tour______.

A．It is a great tour to explore the history, culture and lifestyle of Singapore

B．You’ll have a glimpse of a unique mixture of East and West during the tour

C．It begins from Marina Bay Sands and goes towards Benjamin Sheares Bridge

D．On the tour, you can see Helix Bridge, which looks like our DNA structure

Michael J. “Crocodile Dundee” (also called Mick), played by Paul Hogan, is the main character in the fictional Crocodile Dundee film series consisting of Crocodile Dundee, Crocodile Dundee II, and Crocodile Dundee in Los Angeles. The character is a crocodile hunter, hence the nickname.
In the first film, Crocodile Dundee, Mick is visited by a New York reporter, Sue Charlton, who travels to Australia to investigate a report she heard of a crocodile hunter, who had his leg bitten off by a crocodile in the outback. The hunter supposedly walked more than a hundred miles back to civilization and miraculously survived his injuries. However, by the time she meets him, the story turns out to be a somewhat exaggerated legend where the “bitten-off leg” turns out to be just being some bad scarring on his leg; a “love bite” as Mick calls it. Still interested by the idea of “Crocodile Dundee”, Sue continues with the story. They travel together out to where the incident occurred, and follow his route through the bush to the nearest hospital. Despite his old-fashioned views, the pair eventually become close, especially after Mick saves Sue from a crocodile attack.
Feeling there is still more to the story, Sue invites Mick back to New York with her, as his first trip to a city (or “first trip anywhere,” as Dundee says). The rest of the film depicts Dundee as a “fish out of water,” showing how, despite his expert knowledge of living outdoors, he knows little of city life. Mick meets Sue’s boyfriend, Richard, but they do not get along. By the end of the film, Mick is on his way home, lovesick, when Sue realizes she loves Mick, too, and not Richard. She runs to the subway station to stop Mick from leaving and, by passing on messages through the packed-to-the-gills crowd, she tells him she won’t marry Richard, and she loves him instead. With the help of the other people in the subway, Mick and Sue have a loving reunion as the film ends.
Which of the following statements is true about Mick?

A．He is a crocodile hunter living in Los Angeles.

B．He is based on a real person in Australia.

C．He got his nickname because of his job.

D．He wrote a film series about himself.

In the film Crocodile Dundee, Mick ______.

A．pretends he was bitten by a crocodile

B．urges Sue Charlton to write his life story

C．hasn’t been abroad before his trip to America

D．shows Sue Charlton around the town he lives in

When in New York, Mick ______.

A．makes friends with Richard

B．makes full use of his bush skills

C．feels excited about living in a big city

D．doesn’t know how to fit into city life

The film Crocodile Dundee can be best described as ______.

A．a romantic story	B．an action movie
C．a science fiction	D．a frightening story

A scientist turns out to be able to see the future by offering each of some four-year-olds a piece of candy and watching how he or she deals with it. Some children reach eagerly for the treat they see. Some last a few minutes before they give in. But others are determined to wait until the last moment.
By the time the children reach high school, something remarkable has happened. A survey found that those who as four-year-olds had enough self-control to hold out generally grew up to be more popular, adventurous, confident and dependable. The children who gave in to temptation(诱惑) early were more likely to be lonely, easily frustrated and inflexible(固守己见的).
Actually, the ability to delay reward is a sign of emotional intelligence which doesn’t show up on an IQ test.
The hardware of the brain and the software of the mind have long been scientists’ concerns. But brain theory can’t explain what we wonder about most, like the question why some people remain upbeat in the face of troubles that would sink a less resistant soul.
Here comes the theory of Daniel Goleman, writer of Emotional Intelligence: when it comes to predicting people’s success, brain ability as measured by IQ may actually matter less than the qualities of mind once thought of as “character”.
EQ is not the opposite of IQ. What researchers have been trying to understand is how they work together; how one’s ability to handle stress, for instance, affects the ability to concentrate and put intelligence to use. Among the elements for success, researchers now generally agree that IQ counts for about 20%; the rest depends on everything from social class to luck.
While many researchers in this relatively new field are glad to see emotional issues finally taken seriously, some few fear EQ invites misuse.
The experiment with the four-year-olds makes it clear that ______.

A．the age of 4 is a proper time for scientific experiment

B．emotional intelligence won’t show up until adolescence

C．the ability of self-control plays a role in personal success

D．candy can be used to measure a person’s emotional intelligence

Which of the following is True of EQ and IQ according to the text?

A．There is no link between EQ and IQ.

B．The higher a person’s IQ is, the higher his or her EQ is.

C．Some people can be blessed with lots of both, but some with little of either.

D．Scientists are trying to discover the way in which EQ and IQ work together.

The underlined word “upbeat” in Paragraph 4 probably means ______.

A．kind	B．floating
C．excited	D．optimistic]

What is most likely to be written in the paragraph that follows?

A．Information about famous people with high EQ.

B．Examples showing the opposite voice about EQ.

C．Some reasons why EQ is a relatively new field.

D．Strong demand for basic emotional education.

Shortened Library Hours for Spring Break

Library Hours have been shortened to 7 hours a day （9:00 a.m.— 4:00 p.m.）for Spring Break from March 24 to March 30.

Coming Events

On Monday, March 24, at 10:30 a.m., Scott Sutton, a children’s writer, will tell stories to kids over seven. Sutton’s attractive style will surely inspire everyone present! At 1:00 p.m., on March 26, the Georgetown Musicians will present an Irish Folk Concert, which will be entertaining for the entire family. Come for the music and stay to check out some relevant books for the rest of the week! On Thursday, March 27, at 2:00 p.m., the annual Children’s Gathering will take place in Room 201, the second-floor. Pick up an invitation in the Children’s Room and return your RSVP to reserve your seat at the table by 3:00 p.m. on Tuesday, March 25. Only children are allowed in the Gathering. At 10:30 a.m. on Friday, March 28, Enzo Monfre of the hit kid’s science show, ENZOology, will bring Fossils Live! Surely Enzo will take the audience back in time, deep beneath the surface of the earth, to uncover the mysteries of killer dinosaurs, and more. Enzo recently appeared on the Ellen DeGeneres Show — come and see him at the library!

Please note：In case of emergency, please call the Help Desk at 926-3736 and follow the procedures outlined on the voice message. The call-down service is staffed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week for emergencies. The Help Desk supplies service to you all the year around! For questions about all these, please contact [e-mail].

Come for the great Fun; Stay for the relevant Books!

To attend the annual Children’s Gathering, one has to ______.

A．buy a ticket

B．apply in advance

C．make a reservation

D．contact the call-down service

According to the passage, Enzo Monfre will ______.

A．show the children around a zoo

B．tell stories to children over seven

C．be present at the science show in person

D．lead the children to the Ellen DeGenerse Show

The Help Desk in this library supplies service ______.

A．only during the daytime

B．in case of emergency

C．till the end of the Spring Break

D．after 22:00 p.m. every day

We can learn from the passage that children ______.

A．can attend all the activities with their parents

B．have access to some relevant books for the activities

C．can participate in the activities from 8:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

D．may choose only one of the activities according to their interest

He lost his arms in an accident that claimed his father’s life--who was the main source of support for the family. Since then, he has had to depend on the arms of his younger brother. For the sake of taking care of him, his younger brother became his shadow, never leaving him alone for years. Except for writing with his toes, he was completely unable to do anything in his life.
One late night, he suffered from diarrhea (腹泻) and had to wake up his younger brother. His younger brother accompanied him into the toilet and then went back to dorm to wait. But being so tired, his younger brother fell asleep, leaving him on the toilet for two hours till the teacher on duty discovered him. As the two brothers grew up together, they had their share of problems and they would often quarrel. Then one day, his younger brother wanted to live separate from him, living his own life, as many normal people do. So he was heart-broken and didn’t know what to do.
A similar misfortune happened to a girl, too. One night her mother, who suffered from chronic mental illness, disappeared. So her father went out looking for her mother, leaving her alone at home. She tried to prepare meals for her parents, only to overturn (弄翻) the kerosene light on the stove, resulting in a fire which took her hands away.
Though her elder sister, who was studying in another city, showed her willingness to take care of her, she was determined to be completely independent. At school, she always studied hard. Most of all she learned to be self-dependent. Once she wrote the following in her composition: “I am lucky. Though I lost my arms, I still have legs; I am lucky.” Though my wings are broken, my heart can still fly.”
One day, the boy and the girl were both invited to appear on a television interview program. The boy told the TV host about his uncertain future at being left on his own, whereas the girl was full of enthusiasm for her life. They both were asked to write something on a piece of paper with their toes. The boy wrote: My younger brother’s arms are my arms; while the girl wrote: Broken wings, flying heart.
They had both endured the same misfortune, but their different attitudes determined the nature of their lives. It is true that life is unpredictable. Disasters can strike at any time. How you handle misfortune when confronted with it actually is the true test of your character. If you choose only to complain and escape from the misfortune, it will always follow you wherever you go. But if you decide to be strong, the hardship will turn out to be fortune on which new hopes will arise.
In the first paragraph, what happened in the accident?

A．The boy wasn’t badly injured.

B．The boy’s father escaped being hurt.

C．The boy’s father was killed.

D．The boy’s younger brother was slightly wounded.

The girl refused her elder sister’s help, because ______.

A．she was lucky and still had two legs

B．she wanted to be self-dependent rather than rely on others

C．she didn’t want to move to another city

D．she enjoyed living separate from others

When the girl wrote the words: Broken wings, flying heart, she really meant ______.

A．though she lost arms, she still had legs

B．her elder sister’s willingness to take care of her could help her fly with wings

C．if one had wings, his or her heart could fly

D．faced with the misfortune, you should be strong, and you’ll make it

If you remember taking class notes in longhand(速记), there’s a good chance you also remember more about a variety of topics than today’s students do. A study investigated whether taking notes by hand helps you learn better than taking notes on a laptop. It was no contest.
Study authors and psychologists Pam A. Mueller of Princeton University and Daniel M. Oppenheimer of the University of California– Los Angeles conducted three separate experiments involving a total of 327 students. All students got the same lectures, but some used laptops, and others took notes by hand.
When it came to learning the concepts, the handwriters won. When it came to retrieving facts, the groups were comparable, except when given time to go home and look at their notes, at which point the handwriters did better.
“Even when allowed to reviewnotes after a week’s delay, participants who had taken notes with laptops performed worse on tests of both factual content and conceptual（概念的）understanding,” the study states.
Learning suffered not because of “multitasking” or the distraction available to students using Wi-Fi– enabled laptops. In the lab, scientists allowed no extraneous（不相干的）activity. Students who paid attention and took deep notes on their laptop still didn’t learn as well—in fact, the study suggests the thoroughness of their notes contributes to the problem.
Laptop users tend to record long, verbatim quotes, which they type mindlessly. Handwriters are more selective. They “wrote significantly fewer words than those who typed,” according to the study. By processing and selecting the more important information, they studied more efficiently, said researchers.
Here’s what’s a bit frightening: When the laptop students were instructed to cut down or eliminate the verbatim note taking, they couldn’t. The study adds to a ton of evidence that for learning, writing is better and that the hand has a “unique relationship with the brain when it comes to composing thoughts and ideas.”
Of course, the chance of persuading students to put away their laptops is probably zero. Many of them can’t write longhand, a forgotten subject in many American schools, itself a source of controversy.
So are we stuck with traditional classrooms and learning techniques if we want the brightest pupils? Perhaps not: Another possibility, some have suggested, is apps that permit handwriting on tablets, a compromise that students might accept.
The reason why taking notes by hand is considerably better than taking notes on a laptop may be that_______.

A．longhand note takers engage in more processing than laptop note takers

B．students using laptops paid attention and took deep notes

C．handwriters have a tendency to use long verbatim quotes

D．laptop users are more selective when taking notes

What’s the meaning of the underlined word “verbatim”?

A．板书的	B．冗长的
C．完全照字面的	D．重要的

What can be inferred from the passage?

A．The experiments show that there are advantages of longhand over laptop note taking.

B．In many American schools, longhand has always been popular with the students.

C．When allowed to review notes after a week’s delay, participants who had taken notes with laptops performed equivalently to longhand note takers.

D．There is a good chance that many students will put away their laptops and take class notes in longhand.

The passage is most likely to be taken from _____.

A．National Geography	B．The Economist
C．Psychological Science	D．Wall Street Journal

Most nutrition education isn’t very effective. People know that an apple is better than a Snickers bar, but they often eat the Snickers bar anyway. After conducting hundreds of studies on the psychology of how and why we eat, I’ve seen that it’s good to understand nutrition, but it’s much better to change your eating environment. Doing so can help you make better choices without even thinking about it.
Part 1
We all know children can be stubbornly habitual in what they want to eat. If kids had French fries yesterday, they want them again today. We came up with a simple way to interrupt this default. Instead of asking kids what they want, what if we ask them about someone they admire?
We studied this with elementary school–aged children one summer. We treated 22 kids to apple slices or fries at a fast-food restaurant. The first week, 20 of them ordered French fries, and two ordered apple slices. But the next week, we asked, “What would Batman eat: apple slices or French fries?” After they answered for Batman, we asked them what they wanted. This time, the number of kids who ordered apple slices jumped from two to ten— almost half of them.
If you ask yourself before deciding between the salad and the cheesy bacon fries, “What would my role model choose?” you’ll be a lot less tempted. Thinking about what a well-liked person would do makes us less indulgent.
Part 2
If we knew what a skinny person’s kitchen looked like, we could set up our own kitchens in a similar way. Once we got into people’s homes, we took pictures of everything: their dishes, sinks, refrigerator shelves, counters, snacks, pet-food dishes, tables, lighting — even random items held up by magnets on their refrigerators. Then we spent eight months coding these kitchens to see what thin people do differently.
We wondered if big kitchens turn us into big people. But it turns out that kitchen size isn’t the problem. It’s what you see in the kitchen. The average woman who kept potato chips on the counter weighed eight pounds more than her neighbor who didn’t. “In sight, in stomach.” We eat what we see, not what we don’t.
Which of the following is closest in meaning to the underlined part “less indulgent”?

A．self-confident	B．self-controlled
C．self-estimated	D．self-centered

What’s the writer’s purpose of writing this passage?

A．To give advice on how to become slim.

B．To warn people that nutrition education is important for our daily life.

C．To tell us that someone children admire may influence their eating habits.

D．To introduce some innovative ways to help us eat healthier.

Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Changing your eating environment is more effective than understanding nutrition in order to eat healthier.

B．The role model way has no effect on children at all when they choose what to eat.

C．Setting up our kitchens just like the slim person’s will help us eat healthier.

D．It is not the size of the kitchen but what we see in the kitchen that turns us into big people.

What is the best title for part 2?

A．The Slim Person’s Kitchen

B．How to decorate your Kitchen

C．Kitchen size makes a difference

D．Big kitchens are more popular

Unlike chemists and physicists, who usually do their experiments using machines, biologists and medical researchers have to use living things like rats. But there are three Nobel prize-winning scientists who actually chose to experiment on themselves – all in the name of science, reported The Telegraph.
1. Werner Forssmann (Nobel prize winner in 1956)
Forssmann was a German scientist. He studied how to put a pipe inside the heart to measure the pressure inside and decide whether a patient needs surgery.
Experiments had been done on horses before, so he wanted to try with human patients. But it was not permitted because the experiment was considered too dangerous.
Not giving up, Forssmann decided to experiment on himself. He anaesthetized (麻醉) his own arm and made a cut, putting the pipe 30 centimeters into his vein. He then climbed two floors to the X-ray room before pushing the pipe all the way into his heart.
2. Barry Marshall (Nobel prize winner in 2005)
Most doctors in the mid-20th century believed that gastritis was down to stress, spicy food or an unusually large amount of stomach acid. But in 1979 an Australian scientist named Robin Warren found that the disease might be related to a bacteria called Helicobacter pylori.
So he teamed up with his colleague, Barry Marshall, to continue the study. When their request to experiment on patients was denied, Marshall bravely drank some of the bacteria. Five days later, he lost his appetite and soon was vomiting each morning – he indeed had gastritis.
3. Ralph Steinman (Nobel prize winner in 2011)
This Canadian scientist discovered a new type of immune system cell called the dendritic cell. He believed that it had the ability to fight against cancer.
Steinman knew he couldn’t yet use his method to treat patients. So in 2007, when doctors told him that he had cancer and that it was unlikely for him to live longer than a year, he saw an opportunity.
With the help of his colleagues, he gave himself three different vaccines based on his research and a total of eight experimental therapies. Even though Steinman eventually died from his cancer, he lived four and a half years, much longer than doctors had said he would.
What’s the main purpose of the article?

A．To introduce a few Nobel prize winners who did experiments on themselves.

B．To list difficulties that scientists went through in order to make important discoveries.

C．To explain why some scientists chose to experiment on themselves.

D．To introduce some dangerous experiments that Nobel prize winners did on themselves.

Which of the following is TRUE according to the article?

A．Forssmann’s experiment ended in failure.

B．Forssmann had the pipe pushed all the way into his heart.

C．Barry Marshall succeeded by drinking some Helicobacter pylori.

D．Barry Marshall’s experiment on himself confirmed that most doctors’ belief about gastritis

was correct.
The underlined word “gastritis” in Paragraph 5 probably means ______.

A．a kind of bacteria

B．a kind of stomach disease

C．a new type of therapy

D．a large amount of stomach acid

From the text, we can conclude that Ralph Steinman ______.

A．discovered a new type of cancer cell called the dendritic cell

B．tried different therapies containing the dendritic cell on himself

C．had his request to experiment on patients denied

D．believed that he was better than doctors at treating cancer

It’s not so surprising that US First Lady Michelle Obama has called Modern Family her favorite TV series. September saw the fun, heartwarming sitcom take home the Best Comedy Series award at the 2013 Emmys. This is the fourth year in a row that the series has won that title. The show features three families who move in and out of each other’s lives. The first one is a typical American family: the working dad Phil, stay-at-home mom Claire and their three children.
The second family is made up of Jay, his young Hispanic wife and her son Manny. Jay, 65, is the father of Claire. He is 30 years older than his wife and everyone mistakes the two for being father and daughter.
The third family is made up of a gay couple, Mitchell and Cameron, and their adopted daughter Lily. Mitchell is Jay’s son.
On Sept 25, the show started its fifth season, in which Claire makes a big change – she returns to work. The other big storylines include Jay’s stepson Manny starting high school and Mitchell and Cameron looking for a primary school for Lily. Will things go right for the three families?
Modern Family has no spies, aliens or vampires (吸血鬼); it’s just about ordinary people. So what has made it such a hit?
According to the Los Angeles Times, its “presentation of contemporary US society” contributes to its success. The show presents what a typical “nuclear family” is like in the US: two parents, a big house and two or three children. When there’s a fight between their kids, Phil wants to be the “cool dad” while traditional mom Claire lives by the saying “an eye for an eye”. She always forces Phil to punish the troublemaker.
The show also touches upon developments in interracial relations in the US by focusing on Hispanic communities. This makes sense, as “by 2040, America will no longer be a majority-white country, with the fastest growth rate among Hispanics…” BBC pointed out.
In addition, according to BBC, 40 percent of Americans say they have a gay friend or relative. By including Mitchell and Cameron, Modern Family reflects the changing status of gay people in the US.
“The US is a melting pot … so the family has come to reflect that diversity.” commented The Hartman Group, a US research firm.
Which of the following is TRUE about the characters in Modern Family?

A．There are always fights between Phil and Claire because of their different ways of raising kids.

B．Jay, Claire and Mitchell make up a typical American family.

C．Mitchell and Cameron are a gay couple and they adopted a boy.

D．Jay and his wife are often not thought of as a couple because their ages are so far apart.

What’s new in Modern Family’s fifth season?

A．Lily is entering kindergarten.

B．Jay’s grandson Manny starts high school.

C．Phil loses his job.

D．Claire goes back to work.

Why is Modern Family so popular?

A．It reflects current US society.

B．It presents what a typical “nuclear family” is like in the US.

C．It includes developments in interracial relations in the US.

D．It reflects the changing status of gay people in the US.

Which of the following best shows the structure of the article?

Every September in China, people love to talk about the overprotective parents following their children around everywhere during university enrollment.
Now, with more than 420,000 youngsters in the UK starting their new college school year, what is their first day like? BBC’s Sean Coughlan described it in a recent report.
According to Coughlan, at the very beginning it is not hard to spot something familiar to Chinese–a stream of parents arriving with their sons and daughters at the student village. Mothers, fathers and a teenager–now most likely taller than they are – stand together like the three might have done on the first day of primary school.
“The approach road to the student village is a long traffic jam of family cars, stuffed full with boxes, pillows and nervous families,” he writes. “The door closes on a student’s room and parents and children go their separate ways. For many families, if childhood has a final moment, this is it.”
But saying goodbye to parents is not the only similarity between college freshmen in the UK and China. In both cases, new arrivals most want to know about their Internet connections. “It’s their most urgent concern,” notes Coughlan.
Even on their first day, university in the UK won’t be an entirely lonely experience for some new students. “Before they arrive they have been using social networking to get to know their future roommates,” writes Coughlan.
Still, the first night is something no UK university student ever forgets. There are people they meet and then spend three years avoiding and people who become their friends for the rest of their lives. First week stories are all about over-partying, bad cooking and misguided clothing, Coughlan says.
As he concludes: “These new students are entering their own soap opera of romance, friendship and ambition. It’s a huge adventure that they’ve worked for years to achieve.”
What is the author’s purpose in writing the article?

A．To introduce how UK students prepare for college.

B．To show different challenges that college freshmen face in the UK and China.

C．To describe how UK colleges welcome newcomers.

D．To inform us about what the first day of college is like in the UK.

Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?

A．On the first day of college, UK freshmen don’t know each other.

B．When the new semester begins, most UK freshmen drive to college by themselves.

C．For many freshmen, when they say goodbye to their parents, they are also saying goodbye to their childhood.

D．Most British parents stay around their children’s colleges for a few days at the beginning of the semester.

A similarity between college freshmen in the UK and China is that ______.

A．the approach roads to their colleges are packed with cars filled with nervous families

B．they have contacted their future roommates through social networking sites

C．once they get to the campus, they want to make sure that they have access to the Internet

D．they spend their first week getting to know their roommates and partying

From the article, we can conclude that Sean Coughlan’s report is ______.

A．descriptive	B．critical
C．sympathetic	D．bitter

There was once a beautiful nymph called Echo. But Echo had one failing; she was fond of talking, and whether in chat or argument, would have the last word. As she was good company, she and Zeus became good friends. However, Zeus’ wife, Hera, became jealous. She followed Zeus to the earth to find out what he was doing and Zeus asked Echo to distract Hera until he could escape. Later when Hera discovered she had been tricked, she became very angry. She turned on Echo and said, “You shall lose the use of your tongue because you cheated me. You’ll have the last word, bur no longer have the power to speak first.” So from that moment on, Beautiful Echo was hardly able to hold a conversation because she could only repeat the last words of those around her. She became very embarrassed and hid herself deep in the woods.
One day a handsome young man called Narcissus came into the woods. He had been hunting deer and lost his way. However, the moment Echo saw him, she fell in love with him. She followed him, wishing to tell him but unable to begin a conversation. Oh, how she wished she could speak first. Unfortunately, Narcissus was far too busy worrying about where his companions might be and how he could find his way home.
Eventually Narcissus, with Echo following behind along, came to a pool of water in the middle of the woods. Feeling thirsty, Narcissus bent down to drink. As he did so, he saw a beautiful creature in the water staring up at him. He immediately bent over and said to him, “I love you!” Echo, nearby, and seeing her chance, immediately responded “…. I love you!” But it was too late. Narcissus was already in love, with himself.
The stranger seemed to rise up closer to Narcissus who was so involved that he entirely failed to notice Echo. “I want to stay and look at this beautiful sight forever,” he whispered dreamily to himself.”… Forever,” repeated Echo sadly. “Come here,” called Narcissus to his reflection as he moved his head and the creature seemed to move away. “…Here.” responded Echo. Narcissus bent back down to see his reflection more clearly. “So beautiful! I’ve never seen anything so beautiful!” “….So beautiful!” responded Echo truthfully.
Narcissus remained by the water refusing all Echo’s silent offers of food and drink until he died. Where he had been, a flower grew in his place, as beautiful as Narcissus himself. As for Echo, from that time forward, she also didn’t eat or drink till she turned to rocks and all that was left was her voice. Even now you can still hear Echo trying to attract Narcissus’ attention by repeating his words and still see Narcissus as a beautiful flower growing near a pool.
Why was Echo unable to let Narcissus know she loved him?

A．Because she had lost the ability to speak.

B．Because she was too shy to speak first.

C．Because Narcissus took no notice of her.

D．Because Hera had taken away her ability to speak first.

“The stranger” in paragraph 4 refers to ______.

A．Echo

B．Hera.

C．Narcissus himself.

D．a fairy in the woods.

Which of the following kinds of person can be described as a “Narcissus”?

A．A person who loves and admires himself or herself.

B．A person who loves to admire beautiful water flowers.

C．A person who is too shy to have a chat with other people.

D．A person who’s afraid of being separated from companions.

What’s the best title of this passage?

A．Echo’s sacrifice.	B．Echo and Hera.
C．Echo and Narcissus.	D．Narcissus’s self-love.

Below is a selection from a popular science book.
If blood is red, why are veins(静脉) blue?
Actually, veins are not blue at all. They are more of a clear, yellowish colour. Although blood looks red when it's outside the body, when it's sitting in a vein near the surface of the skin, it's more of a dark reddish purple colour. At the right depth, these blood-filled veins reflect less red light than the surrounding skin, making them look blue by comparison.
Which works harder, your heart or your brain?
This question depends on whether you're busy thinking or busy exercising. Your heart works up to three times harder during exercise, and shifts enough blood over a lifetime to fill a supertanker. But, in the long run, your brain probably tips it, because even when you're sitting still your brain is using twice as much energy as your heart, and it takes four to five times as much blood to feed it.
Do old people shrink as they age?
Yes and no. Many people do get shorter as they age. But, when they do, it isn't because they're shrinking all over. They simply lose height as their spine(脊柱) becomes shorter and more curved due to disuse and the effects of gravity(重力). Many (but not all) men and women do lose height as they get older. Men lose an average of 3－4 cm in height as they age, while women may lose 5 cm or more. If you live to be 200 years old, would you keep shrinking till you were, like 60 cm tall, like a little boy again？No, because old people don't really shrink！It is not that they are growing backwards—their legs, arms and backbones getting shorter. When they do get shorter, it's because the spine has shortened a little. Or, more often, become more bent and curved.
Why does spinning make you dizzy(眩晕的)?
Because your brain gets confused between what you're seeing and what you're feeling. The brain senses that you're spinning using special gravity and motion sensing organs in your inner ear, which work together with your eyes to keep your vision and balance stable. But when you suddenly stop spinning , the system goes out of control, and your brain thinks you're moving while you're not!
Where do feelings and emotions come from?
Mostly from an ancient part of the brain called the limbic system. All mammals have this brain area—from mice to dogs, cats, and humans. So all mammals feel basic emotions like fear, pain and pleasure. But since human feelings also involve other newer bits of the brain, we feel more complex emotions than any other animal on the planet.
What is the colour of blood in a vein near the surface of the skin?

A．Blue.	B．Light yellow.
C．Red.	D．Dark reddish purple.

Why do some old people look a little shrunken as they age?

A．Their spine is in active use.

B．They are more easily affected by gravity.

C．They keep growing backwards.

D．Their spine becomes more bent.

Which of the following statements about our brain is TRUE?

A．In the long run, our brain probably works harder than our heart.

B．When our brain senses the spinning, we will feel dizzy.

C．The brains of the other mammals are as complex as those of humans.

D．Our feelings and emotions come from the most developed area in our brain.

What is the main purpose of the selection?

A．To give advice on how to stay healthy.

B．To provide information about our body.

C．To challenge new findings in medical research.

D．To report the latest discoveries in medical science.