Rae and Bruce Hostetler not only work very hard,they also relax just as well. Numerous vacations help the couple to maintain their health and emotional well-being一and it’s no surprise to health care professionals.
“Rest, relaxation, and stress reduction are very important for people’s well-being and health. This can be accomplished through daily activities, such as exercise and meditation, but vacation is an important part of this as well,” said primary care physician Natasha Withers from One Medical Group in New York. Withers lists a decreased risk of heart disease and improved reaction time as some of the benefits from taking some time off. “We also know that the mind is very powerful and can help with healing, so a rested, relaxed mind is able to help the body heal better,” said Withers.
Psychologists confirm the value of vacations for the mind. “The impact that taking a vacation has on one’s mental health is great,” said Francine Lederer, a clinical psychologist in Los Angeles who specializes in stress and relationship management. “Most people have better life perspective and are more motivated to achieve their goals after a vacation, even if it is a 24- hour time-out.” The trips could be good for their health, good for their family and good for their businesses.
The online travel agency Expedia conducted a survey about vacation time in 2010, and according to their data the average American earned 18 vacation days一but only used 14 of them. France topped the list, with the average worker earning 37 vacation days and using all but two of them. Americans’ responses may not be surprising in a culture where long hours on the job often are valued, but that’s not always good for the individual, the family or the employer.
Psychologists have also found that people who don’t take enough time to relax may find it harder to relax in the future. “Without time and opportunity to do this, the nerve connections that produce feelings of calm and peacefulness become weaker, making it actually more difficult to shift into less-stressed states,” Mulhem said.
小題1:How did the author introduce the topic of the text?

A．By making comparisons.	B．By giving an example.
C．By raising questions.	D．By providing data.

小題2:Expedia’s survey shows that Americans _____.

A．dislike family gatherings

B．have the shortest vacation

C．enjoy as many vacations as the French

D．think much of spending long hours on the job

小題3:What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．One should never wait to relax.

B．Work and rest go against each other.

C．Time and opportunity wait for no man.

D．A relaxed mind determines everything.

John Davis doesn’t use his GPS system in his car. Instead of guiding the direction, the Delaware farmer uses it to determine where and how much fertilizer to use on the crops on his 4,000-acre family-owned farm. Technological advances like that last year helped Davis and other Ohio farmers set a record for corn product. Ohio's corn crop in 2009 totaled 546 million bushels(蒲式耳), despite a cooler and wetter than normal spring, a dry summer and a delayed, wet harvest. Davis said. “I knew it would be a good crop, but it was much better than we expected.”
A farmer can map his fields on GPS, spotting where soil turned out to be least fertile（肥沃的） and using more fertilizer the next year in those areas where corn didn’t grow as well.
Although Ohio farmers produced more corn, it was grown on less land than in the past years. Total area used for corn in Ohio was 3.35 million acres, about the same as in 2008 but down from 3.85 million acres in 2007, said Dwayne Siekman, director of the Ohio Corn Growers Association. “When you look at the total number of acres in Ohio used for corn, it’s clear that farmers are able to do more with less,” he said. “American farmers can grow five times more corn on 20 percent less land than they did in the 1930s, saying that modern farming techniques are necessary for a growing demand in the world today.” That technology includes using improved seeds that can withstand(忍受) greater temperature extremes and pests, Siekman said.
Farmers aren't the only ones who benefit. Consumers(消費(fèi)者) do, too, as food costs reduce in the face of “enough supplies of corn,” said Fred Yoder, who runs a 1,500-acre corn, soybean and wheat farm in Plain City. “This is the best, highest-producing corn crop that I've raised in 30 years,” he said.
小題1:Most people usually use the GPS system for ______.

A．driving their cars

B．telling the position

C．mending the car

D．supplying the sunshine

小題2:The farmers in Ohio use GPS to ______.

A．check if the soil is fertile in some areas

B．control the rain of the place

C．water the crops if the weather is dry

D．draw the map of all the crops

小題3:Why did Ohio farmers produce more corn?

A．Because they expanded more land to grow corn

B．Because they turned to technological advances

C．Because they used more and more fertilizer.

D．Because they supplies themselves with more money.

小題4: From the passage, we can know _____.[

A．John Davis hadn’t expected a good harvest.

B．farmers grew less land than in the 1930s

C．improved seeds cost much more money

D．the output of corn in the same field is increased.

Imagine a mass of floating waste is two times the size of the state of Texas. Texas has a land area of more than 678 000 square kilometers. So it might be difficult to imagine anything twice as big.
All together, this mass of waste flowing in the North Pacific Ocean is known as the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch. It weighs about 3 500 000 tons. The waste includes bags，bottles and containers—plastic products of all kinds.
The eastern part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch is about l 600 kilometers west of California. The western part is west of the Hawaiian Islands and east of Japan. The area has been described as a kind of oceanic desert，with light winds and slow moving water currents. The water moves so slow that garbage from all over the world collects there.
In recent years，there have been growing concerns about the floating garbage and its effect on sea creatures and human health. Scientists say thousands of animals get trapped in the floating waste，resulting in death or injury. Even more die from a lack of food or water after swallowing pieces of plastic. The trash can also make animals feel full，lessening their desire to eat or drink.
The floating garbage also can have harmful effects on people. There is an increased threat of infection of disease from polluted waste，and from eating fish that swallowed waste. Divers can also get trapped in the plastic.
Its existence first gained public attention in l997. That was when racing boat captain and oceanographer Charles Moore and his crew sailed into the garbage while returning from a racing event. Five years earlier，another oceanographer learned of the trash after a shipment of rubber duckies got lost at sea. Many of those toys are now part of the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch.
In August，2009，a team from the University of California，San Diego became the latest group to travel to it. They were shocked by the amount of waste they saw. They gathered hundreds of sea creatures and water samples to measure the garbage patch’s effect on ocean environment.
小題1: How did the writer introduce the topic of the passage?

A．By giving an example.

B．By listing the facts.

C．By telling a story.

D．By giving a comparison.

小題2:What do we know about the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch?

A．It is made up of various kinds of plastic products.

B．It is a solid mass of floating waste materials.

C．It lies l60 000 kilometers east of California.

D．It is described as a kind of oceanic desert.

小題3:Why do people pay attention to the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch?

A．Because it may prevent the flow of ocean water.

B．Because the polluted plastic articles will move up the food chain.

C．Because it may be from an island in the pacific.

D．Because ships may be trapped in the floating waste.

小題4: The purpose of writing this passage is to____________.

A．warn people of the danger to travel in the pacific

B．a(chǎn)nalyze what caused the waste patch in the pacific

C．give advice on how to recycle waste in the ocean

D．introduce the Great Pacific Ocean Garbage Patch

In 1883. John Roebling was inspired by an idea to build a spectacular bridge connecting New York with the Long Island. However, bridge building experts throughout the world thought this was an impossible feat and told Roebling to forget the idea, but Roebling could not ignore the vision he had in his mind of this bridge. After much discussion and persuasion he managed to convince his son Washington, an up and coming engineer, that the bridge in fact could be built.
The project started well, but when it was only a few months underway a tragic accident on the site took the life of John Roebling. Washington was injured and left with a certain amount of brain damage, which resulted in him not being able to walk or talk or even move.
"We told them so." "Crazy men and their crazy dreams.'' "It's foolish to chase wild visions." Evcryone had a negative comment to make and felt that the project should be scrapped since the Roeblings were the only ones who knew how the bridge could be built. In spite of his handicap, Washington was never discouraged.
One day he was lying on his bed in hospital, seeing the sky and the tops of the trees outside for just a moment with the sunlight streaming through the windows, and a gentle breeze bowing the  flimsy white curtains apart when an idea hit him. He decided to make the best use of the only finger  he could move. Thus, he slowly developed a code of communication with his wife.
He touched his wife's arm with that finger, indicating to her that he wanted her to call the engineers again. Then he used the same method of tapping her arm to tell the engineers what to do. It seemed foolish but the project was under way again.
For 13 years Washington tapped out his instructions with his finger on his wife's arm until the bridge was finally completed.
小題1:Which of the following is true of Washington and his father?

A．They are hardworking and courageous.

B．They are stubborn and bold.

C．They are creative and persistent.

D．They are curious and modest.

小題2: In the third paragraph, the underlined phrase''wild vision" refers to______.

A．the tragic accident	B．the building of the bridge
C．the brain damage	D．the discussion and persuasion

小題3: What can we learn about Washington's wife?

A．She could understand Washington and helped him a lot.

B．She cnuldn't understand him but took good care of him.

C．She didn't like Washington's idea about building the bridge.

D．She took the responsibility to continue building the bridge.

小題4:From the passage, we know that_______when Roebling proposed building the bridge.

A．people all over America supported him

B．a(chǎn)lmost no bridge experts in the world supported him

C．his friends were strongly in favor of his idea

D．many people considered it would be a great fe

小題5: The passage suggests that______.

A．NO pains, no gains.

B．Many hands make light work.

C．A lighted heart is a good medicine.

D．Passion creates wonder.

Risk of death is 3.5 t0 5 times greater for obese smokers than it is for people who have never smoked and are at a normal weight, according to a study published in the November, 2006 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.
The study, which began with a self-administered questionnaire taken between 1983 and 1989, asked more than 80,000 radiologic technologists aged 22 t0 92 questions about age, height, weight and smoking behavior.
BMI (body mass index) was calculated, with a BMI of 30 t0 34.9 being considered obese, and 35 and over being very obese. Smoking behavior was analyzed by looking at a person's tobacco consumption level, number of years smoked, and current smoking status. Researchers then followed participants through December of 2002, noting the number of deaths that occurred.
The study involved researchers from the National Cancer Institute, the University of Minnesota and the American Registry of Radiolegic Technologists.
Key Findings:
20 percent of obese adults in the United States smoke.
Obese smokers face a greater risk of death from cancer and circulatory disease.
Current smoking is a greater risk factor for death by cancer than obesity is, generally speaking.
The higher a person's pack-years (number of packs smoked per day times the number of years smoked) are, the greater the risk of death.
Men and women of all ages faced an elevated risk of death due to circulatory disease as BMI increased. And for those who were both obese and currently smoking, risk of circulatory disease increased 6 to 11 times under the age of 65, as compared to their never-smoking, normal weight counterparts.
While it's not surprising that obesity coupled with smoking is a recipe for trouble, it is important to highlight this growing health concern in America today.
Taking Charge of Your Health
Making healthy choices can be difficult when we're constantly bombarded with products that are hazardous to our health, but it's not impossible. With education and some motivation, we all have the ability to make lasting changes for the better. If you're an overweight smoker worried about gaining weight due to quitting, take heart. It's never too late to change your course and even reverse damage to some extent.
小題1:What is the probably the best title of the text?
A. Obese smoking and death             B. Key findings about smoking
C Taking charge of your health           D. Obesity and smoking
小題2:Which of the following is true according to the text?

A．Obese smokers are less likely to suffer from cancer

B．Obese smokers are more likely to suffer from cancer

C．Obese smokers .tend to gain fewer body mass index.

D．Obese smokers tend to get heavier than those Who never smoke

小題3:According to the  author, it is________to get rid of smoking.

A．easy and possible	B．difficult and impossible
C．easy ant worthwhile	D．difficult but worthwhile

小題4: What is the American Journal of Preventive Medicine?
A. An medical institute.                  B A research center.
C. A medical magazine                   D. A TV station
小題5: What is the purpose of the text?

A．To inform the readers of the findings about obese smoking.

B．To warn the readers of the danger of obese smoking.

C．To tell us what obese smoking is.

D．To call on the obese smolkers to quit smoking.

Going green seems to be fad(時(shí)尚)for a lot of people these days. Whether that is good or bad, we can’t really say, but for the tow of us, going green is not a fad but a lifestyle.
On April22, 2011, we decided to go green every single day for an entire year. This meant doing 365 different green things, and it also meant challenging ourselves to go green beyond easy things. Rather than recycle and reduce our energy, we had to think of 365 different green things to do and this was no easy task.
With the idea of going green every single day for a year, Our Green Year started. My wife and I decided to educate people about how they could go green in their lives and hoped we could show people all the green things that could be done to help the environment. We wanted to push the message that every little bit helps.
Over the course of Our Green Year, we completely changed our lifestyle. We now shop at organic(有機(jī)的)stores. We consume less meat, choosing green food. We have greatly reduced our buying we don’t need. We have given away half of what we owned through websites. Our home is kept clean by vinegar and lemon juice, with no chemical cleaners. We make our own butter, enjoying the smell of home-made fresh bread. In our home office anyone caught doing something ungreen might be punished.
Our minds have been changed by Our Green Year. We are grateful for the chance to have been able to go green and educate others. We believe that we do have the power to change things and help our planet.
小題1:What might be the best title for the passage?

A．Going Green.	B．Protecting the Planet.
C．Keeping Open-Minded	D．Celebrating Our Green Year.

小題2:It was difficult for the couple to live a green life for the whole year because_________.

A．they were expected to follow the green fad

B．they didn’t know how to educate other people

C．they were unwilling to reduce their energy

D．they needed to perform unusual green tasks

小題3:What did the couple do over the course of Our Green Year?

A．They tried to get out of their ungreen habits.

B．They ignore others’ ungreen behavior.

C．They chose better chemical cleaners.

D．They sold their home-made food.

小題4:What can we infer form the last paragraph?

A．The government will give support to the green people.

B．The couple may continue their project in the future.

C．Some people disagree with the couple’s green ideas.

D．Our Green Year is becoming a national campaign.

Here is an astonishing and significant fact: Mental work alone can’t make us tire. It sounds absurd. But a years ago, scientists tried to find out how long the human brain could labor without reaching a stage of fatigue (疲勞). To the amazement of these scientists, they discovered that blood passing through the brain, when it is active, shows no fatigue at all! If we took a drop of blood from a day laborer, we would find it full of fatigue toxins(毒素) and fatigue products. But if we took blood from the brain of an Albert Einstein, it would show no fatigue toxins at the end of the day.
So far as the brain is concerned, it can work as well and swiftly at the end of eight or even twelve hours of effort as at the beginning. The brain is totally tireless. So what makes us tired?
Some scientists declare that most of our fatigue comes from our mental and emotional(情緒的) attitudes. One of England’s most outstanding scientists, J.A. Hadfield, says, “The greater part of the fatigue from which we suffer is of mental origin. In fact, fatigue of purely physical origin is rare.” Dr. Brill, a famous American scientist, goes even further. He declares, “One hundred percent of the fatigue of sitting worker in good health is due to emotional problems.”
What kinds of emotions make sitting workers tired? Joy? Satisfaction? No! A feeling of being bored, anger, anxiety, tenseness, worry, a feeling of not being appreciated---those are the emotions that tire sitting workers. Hard work by itself seldom causes fatigue. We get tired because our emotions produce nervousness in the body.
小題1: What surprised the scientists a few years ago?

A．Fatigue toxins could hardly be found in a laborer’s blood.

B．Albert Einstein didn’t feel worn after a day’s work.

C．The brain could work for many hours without fatigue.

D．A mental worker’s blood was filled with fatigue toxins.

小題2:According to the author, which of the following can make sitting workers tired?

A．Challenging mental work.	B．Unpleasant emotions.
C．Endless tasks.	D．Physical labor.

小題3:What’s the author’s attitude towards the scientists’ idea?

A．He agrees with them.	B．He doubts them.
C．He argues against them.	D．He hesitates to accept them.

小題4: We can infer from the passage that in order to stay energetic, sitting workers need to ___________.

A．have some good food.	B．enjoy their work
C．exercise regularly	D．discover fatigue toxins

This year’s Newsweek list of the top 100 high schools shows that today those with fewer students are rising.
Ten years ago, when the first Newsweek Top School List based on college-level test participation was published, only three of the top 100 schools had graduating classes smaller than 100 students. This year there are 22.
Fifty years ago, they were the latest thing in educational reform: big, modern high schools outside the cities with thousands of students. Big schools meant economic efficiency, a greater choice of courses, and better football teams. But only years later did we understand that it involved the difficulty of strengthening personal connections between teachers and students. SAT scores began dropping; on average, 30% of students did not complete high school in four years, a figure that rose to 50% in poor city neighborhoods. High schools for a variety of reasons seemed to have made little progress.
Size isn’t everything, but it does matter, and the past decade has seen a noticeable trend toward smaller schools. This has been partly due to the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, which has invested $1.8 billion in American high schools, helping to open about 1,000 small schools — most of them with about 400 kids, each with an average enrollment of only 150 students per grade. About 500 more are on the drawing board. Districts all over the country are taking notice, along with mayors in cities like New York, Chicago and San Diego. And most noticeable of all, there is the phenomenon of large urban and suburban high schools that have split up into smaller units of a few hundred.
Hillsdale High School in San Mateo, California, is one of those ranking No.423 — among the top 2% in the country. In 2003, Hillsdale remade itself into three “houses”. 300 students arriving ninth graders are randomly assigned to one of the houses, where they will keep the same four core subject teachers for two years before moving on to another for 11th and 12th grades. Teachers meet with students in groups of 25, five mornings a week, for open-ended discussions of everything from homework problems to bad Saturday-night dates. The advisers also meet with students privately and stay in touch with parents. Along with the new structure came the percentage of freshmen taking biology jumped from 17 to 95.”It was rough for some. But by senior year, two-thirds have moved up to physics,” says Jeff Gilbert. “Our kids are coming to school in part because they know there are adults here who know them and care for them.”
But not all schools show advances after downsizing, and it remains to be seen whether smaller schools will be a cure-all solution.
Ranking schools is always controversial. Over the years this system has been criticized for its simplicity — list of top U.S. high schools was made merely according to the proportion of students taking college-level exams. This year a group of 38 superintendents (地區(qū)教育主管) from five states wrote to ask that their schools should be excluded from the calculation. “It is impossible to know which high schools are ‘the best’ in the nation,” their letter read. “Determining whether different schools do or don’t offer a high quality of education requires a look at many different measures, including students’ overall academic accomplishments, their later performance in college, and taking into consideration the unique needs of their communities.”
小題1:What can we learn about the schools sponsored by the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation?

A．They are often located in poor neighborhoods.

B．They are popular with high-achieving students.

C．They are mostly small in size.

D．Another 150 schools invested by the Foundation are planned to be set up.

小題2:According to Jeff Gilbert, the classes at Hillsdale were set up so that students could ______.

A．tell their teachers what they did on weekends

B．experience a great deal of pleasure in learning

C．maintain closer relationships with their teachers

D．deal with the demanding biology and physics courses

小題3:Newsweek ranks high schools according to ______.

A．their students’ academic achievement

B．the number of their students admitted to college

C．the size and number of their graduating classes

D．their college-level test participation

小題4:What attitude does the author have towards the present trend in high school education?

A．Subjective.

B．Objective.

C．Indifferent.

D．Disapproving.

小題5:Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?

A．Providing Good Education for Baby Boomers

B．Top School List Winning National Support

C．Small Schools Rising in popularity

D．Students Meeting Higher Academic Standards

In July 1994 Jupiter, the largest planet in our solar system, was struck by 21 pieces of a comet (彗星). When the fragments (碎片) landed in the southern part of the giant planet, the explosions were watched by scientists here on earth. But what if our own planet was hit by a comet?
　The year is 2094. It has been announced that a comet is heading towards the Earth. Most of it will miss our planet, but two fragments will probably hit the southern part of the Earth. The news has caused panic.
　On 17 July, a fragment four kilometers wide enters the Earth's atmosphere with a huge explosion. About half of the fragment is destroyed. But the major part survives and hits the South Atlantic at 200 times the speed of sound. The sea boils and an enormous wave is created and spreads. The wall of water rushes towards southern Africa at 800 kilometres an hour. Cities on the African coast are totally destroyed and millions of people are drowned. The wave moves into the Indian Ocean and heads towards Asia.
　Millions of people are already dead in the southern part of the Earth, but the north won't escape for long. Tons of broken pieces are thrown into the atmosphere by the explosions. As the sun is hidden by clouds of dust, temperatures around the world fall to almost zero. Crops are ruined. Wars break out as countries fight for food. A year later civilization has collapsed. No more than 10 million people have survived.
　Could it really happen? In fact, it has already happened more than once in the history of the Earth. The dinosaurs were on the Earth for over 160 million years. Then 65 million years ago they suddenly disappeared. Many scientists believe that the Earth was hit by a space fragment. The dinosaurs couldn't survive in the cold climate that followed and they became extinct. Will we meet the same end?
小題1:55.Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the author's description of the disaster in 2094?

A．The whole world becomes extremely cold

B．All the coastal cities in Africa are destroyed

C．The visit of the comet results in wars

D．The whole mankind becomes extinct

小題2:56.Why does the author mention dinosaurs at the end of the passage?

A．Because they could only live in the warm climate

B．Because their extinction indicates future disasters

C．Because they once dominated the earth

D．Because dinosaurs and humans never live in the same age

小題3:57.In writing the passage, the author intends to ______.

A．give an accurate description of the possible disaster in the future

B．prove that humans will sooner or later be destroyed

C．warn of a possible disaster in the future

D．tell the historical development of the Earth

小題4:58.It can be concluded that the passage is most probably part of a(n) ______.

A．a(chǎn)rticle of popular science	B．news report
C．research paper	D．horror story

If you hear the sound of running water the next time you call a co-worker on his or her mobile phone, don’t be surprised. Three-fourths of Americans with mobile phones say they use them in the bathroom, a new study shows.
Approximately the same number of men and women have used the phone in the bathroom, according to a survey of 1,000 Americans by 11mark, an integrated marketing agency, although men seem more attached to IT in the toilet: 30 percent of men versus 20 percent of women agreed with the statement, "I don't go to the bathroom without my mobile phone."
More than half the surveyed users (63 percent) said they have answered a phone call in the bathroom, and almost half (41 percent) reported initiating a phone call. That's not all, however. What goes on behind the walls of the stalls is anything a mobile phone is capable of. Sixty-seven percent said they have read a text, and 39 percent have surfed the Web. Men work more from the bathroom — 20 percent said they have participated in work-related calls, versus 13 percent of their female colleagues.
As expected, Gen Y respondents are the pacesetters in the "mobile everywhere" movement, with 91 percent using their phone in the bathroom. Still, older generations are not far behind. Eighty percent of Gen X(1961-1981) reported using the phone in the bathroom, as did 65 percent of Baby Boomers and 47 percent of the Silent Generation.
While online, they are doing more than just surfing; 16 percent of Gen Y report they have made an online purchase while in the bathroom. Users of iPhones are particularly likely to browse and buy in the bathroom – 22 percent have made a purchase, versus 10 percent of Americans with mobile phones overall.
"The writing is on the stall," said 11mark principal Nicole Burdette. "This study confirms what we all know: that the last private place is no longer private."
In the process, high-tech hygiene(衛(wèi)生) is taking a hit, the survey found. While 92 percent of mobile phone users said they wash their hands after using the bathroom, only 14 percent said they wash their phones.
小題1:59.Which is the best word to replace the underlined word "initiating"?

A．receiving

B．experiencing

C．ending

D．beginning

小題2:60.According to his words, Nicole Buedette mainly wants to tell us that       .

A．no wonder mobile phones are used in the bathroom

B．the bathroom is a private place for people

C．it makes people have no privacy at all

D．more men have used the phone in the bathroom

小題3:61.What does the last paragraph of the passage imply?

A．Using phones in the bathroom has a bad effect on hygiene

B．Mobile phones should not be allowed to use in the bathroom

C．Most people care about the hygiene after using the bathroom

D．Few people wash their phones after using the bathroom

小題4:62.The attitude of the author to the use of phones in the bathroom is ______

A．supportive	B．disapproval
C．subjective(主觀的)	D．objective(客觀的)