A healthy amount of sunshine may be the secret to staying young. British scientists have discovered.  
     Vitamin D is produced naturally by the skin in response to (對…的反應(yīng)) sunlight and may help to
slow the ageing process and protect against heart disease, according to the study.  
     Researchers from King's College London studied 2,160 women aged between 18 and 79, looking at
their telomeres-a biological marker of ageing found in DNA. As people get older, their telomeres get
shorter and they become more susceptible (易受傷害的) to certain illnesses.  
     But the study found women with high levels of vitamin D had comparatively longer telomeres-a sign of
being biologically younger and healthier.  
     The study suggests vitamin D may help to slow down the ageing process of DNA, and therefore the
ageing process as a whole.  
     Lead researcher Dr Brent Richards said, "These results are exciting because they show for the first
time that people who have higher levels of vitamin D may age more slowly than people with lower levels
of vitamin D." This could help to explain how vitamin D has a protective effect on many ageing related
diseases, such as heart disease and cancer."  
     Professor Tim Spector, a co-author of the report, added, " Although it might sound absurd(荒唐的),
it's possible that the same sunshine which may increase our risk of skin cancer may also have a healthy
effect on the general ageing process.  
     Vitamin D made by the action of sunlight on the skin accounts for 90 percent of the body's supply, but
lower levels can also be got through food such as fish, eggs and breakfast cereals(粥).  
     Other studies have suggested the vitamin plays a key role in protecting against cancer and heart disease.

1. A certain amount of sunshine helps people stay young because _________.

A. people feel happy and energetic in the sun  
B. sunshine protects people against heart disease  
C. vitamin D makes one's skin look young and healthy  
D. vitamin D may help to slow the ageing process

2. From Brent Richards, we know that ________.

A. sunlight causes skin cancer to people with high level of vitamin D  
B. the study generally has a healthy effect on the general ageing process  
C. vitamin D can only be got from fish, eggs and breakfast cereals  
D. the higher levels of vitamin D people have, the more slowly people may age

3. What can we infer from the passage?

A. Telomeres are important as they are signs of ageing of the DNA.  
B. Sunlight can be dangerous as it causes skin cancer.
C. Sunlight does more good than harm to our health.  
D. Vitamin D can also be gained from food.

4. What is the best title of the passage?    

A. Secret of Staying Young
B. Vitamin D Helps Slow Ageing  
C. Sunlight and Vitamin D
D. Sunlight and Health

     The World Health Organization estimates that more than 4 million people die each year from the
effects of smoking tobacco (煙草). That number is increasing.
     WHO officials expect 150 million people to die from tobacco use in the next twenty years. Seven in
ten of those deaths will be in developing countries. These numbers are frightening. Yet people around the world continue to smoke.
     It is not easy to stop smoking. However, doctors say you will live longer if you do stop smoking.
You will feel better and look better. You will also protect the health of family members who breathe in
your smoke.
     The American Cancer Society says there is not just one right way to stop smoking. It says that one
method or a unit of methods may be successful. These include attending self-help programs or following
directions in a book. The group says any way to stop smoking that is legal, moral and effective is worth
trying. This could include taking long walks or spending time in areas where smoking is not allowed.
Also, you could eat a small piece of fruit instead of having a cigarette.
     The American Cancer Society says the sooner smokers stop smoking, the more they reduce (減少)
their chances of getting cancer and other diseases. It says blood pressure returns to normal twenty
minutes after a smoker smoking the last cigarette. Carbon monoxide (CO) gas levels in the blood return
to normal after eight hours. In a day, the chances of a heart attack decrease. In a year, the risk of heart
disease is half that of a smoker.

1. Most people who will die from smoking are from ____.

A. big countries  
B. small countries  
C. developing countries
D. developed countries

2. The author may hold the attitude(態(tài)度)that ______.

A. people can easily give up smoking  
B. people will feel much better after giving up smoking
C. it is not necessary for people to give up smoking forever
D. it is hard to say whether it is good to give up smoking or not

3. According to the American Cancer Society, after smokers stop smoking, the quickest effect is
   that ________.

A. the chances of having a heart attack get smaller
B. blood pressure returns to normal
C. carbon monoxide gas levels in the blood return to normal
D. the risk of heart disease for a non-smoker is half that of a smoker

4. We can infer from the passage that________.

A. WTO officials say that a person will live longer if he / she stops smoking
B. the smoker can affect the health of his or her family members
C. following any way can help you stop smoking
D. no matter how hard you try it, it is worth doing that

     Environmentalists said our planet was doomed to die. Now one man says they are wrong.
    "Everyone knows the planet is in bad shape," thundered a magazine article last year. Species are being
driven to die out at record rates, and the rivers are so poisonous that fish are floating on the surface, dead.
    But there's a growing belief that what everyone takes for granted is wrong: things are actually getting
better. A new book is about to overturn our most basic assumptions about the world's environment. Rivers, seas, rain and the atmosphere are all getting cleaner. The total amount of forests in the world is not
declining. The Skeptical Environmentalist by Bjorn Lomborg, professor of statistics at the University of
Aarhus in Denmark, is an attack on the misleading claims of environmental groups, and the "bad news"
culture that makes people believe everything is getting worse.
    Now the attacks are increasingly coming from left-wing environmentalists such as Lomborg, a former
member of Greenpeace. The accusation is that, although the environment is improving, green groups-with
profits of hundreds of mil-lions of pounds a year - are using scare tactics(謀略)to gain donations. Lomborg's book doesn't deny global warming - probably the biggest environmental threat - but destroys almost
every other environmental claim with many official statistics.
    The Worldwatch Institute claims that "deforestation(沙漠化) has been accelerating over the last 30
years". But Lomborg says that is simply rubbish. Since the dawn of agriculture the world has lost about
20 per cent of its forest cover, but in recent decades the forest area's depleting has come to a stop.
According to UN figures, the area of forests has remained almost steady, at about 30 per cent of total
land area, since the 1940s. Forests in countries such as the US, the UK and Canada have actually been
expanding over the past 40 years. Despite all the warnings the Amazon rainforest has only shrunk by
about 15 per cent.
    Nor are all our species dying out. Some campaigners claim that 50 per cent of all species will have
died out within 50 years. But other studies show only 0.08 per cent of species are dying out each year.
Conservation efforts have been successful. Whales are no longer threatened and the bald eagle is off the
endangered list.
    Environmental groups claim that many of the improvements are the results of the success of their
campaigns. Stephen Tindale, director of Greenpeace UK, said, "There are important examples, such as
acid rain and ozone, where things aren't as bad as predicted, and that's because behavior has changed."

1. In his book, The Skeptical Environmentalist, what is Lomborg's main argument?

A. Our planet is in bad shape.
B. The world's environment is improving.
C. The total amount of forests in the world is not declining.
D. Conservation efforts have been successful.

2. What is Lomborg's main accusation of environmentalists?

A. They scared people into making donations.
B. They overturned our basic assumptions about the world's environment.
C. They changed their behavior toward the environment.
D. They only told people bad news about the environment.

3. The underlined word "depleting" in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to "____".

A. reducing                
B. limiting  
C. expanding            
D. accelerating

4. According to the passage, which of the following statements is true?

A. The total area of forests in the world has increased significantly.
B. The effects of global warming are not as bad as first expected.
C. It appears that the bald eagle will now survive.
D. In the last 50 years the number of whales has increased.

     TUVALU, a tiny country in the Pacific Ocean, has asked for help as it fears it will be swallowed up
by the sea. Storms and huge waves are a constant threat and none of Tuvalu's nine little islands is more
than five meters above sea level, Salt water is already entering the country's drinking water supply, as
well as damaging plants that produce fruit and vegetable. _1_
     _2_. Venice, a historic city in Italy best known for its canals, has sunk about 24 cm over the past 100
years. Experts say that it will have sunk another 20-50cm by 2050. A century ago, St. Mark's Square,
the lowest point in the city, floodedd about nine times a year, Nowadays, it happens more than 100 times. While Venice is slowly sinking into the mud on which it stands, Tuvalu's rising sea level is caused by global warming.
     The average global temperature has increased by almost 0.5 centigrade degrees over the past century; scientists expect it to rise by extra 1-3 degrees over the next 100 years.
Warmer weather makes glaciers melt, adding more water to the ocean. The warmer temperatures also
make water expand, so it takes up more space, causing the sea level to rise. The sea level has risen about 10－25 cm in the last 100 years.
     _3_. Through burning coal, oil and gas, people have been increasing the greenhouse gases in the
atmosphere, such as CO2. This adds to the power of the greenhouse effect, making the planet even
warmer.
Many scientists believe that, if the warming is not stopped, there will be huge climate changes. _4_.
    _5 , the sea will swallow up millions of homes and the world will be flooded with "climate refugees"
looking for somewhere to live.

A. The main cause of global warming is human pollution
B. Should this come true
C. Without urgent help, the country's days are numbered.
D. But Tuvalu is not the first place to face sinking into the sea
E. The sea level could rise by one meter this century.
F. people face a lot of pollution.
G. much has been done about our planet .

     In a world with limited land, water and other natural resources, the harm from the traditional business
model is on the rise. Actually, the past decade has seen more and more forests disappearing and the
globe becoming increasingly warm. People now realize that this unhealthy situation must be changed, and
that we must be able to develop in sustainable ways. That means growth with low carbon or development of sustainable products. In other words, we should keep the earth healthy while using its supply of natural
resources.
     Today, sustainable development is a proper trend in many countries. According to a recent study, the
global market for low-carbon energy will become three times bigger over the next decade. China, for
example, has set its mind on leading that market, hoping to seize chances in the new round of the global
energy revolution. It is now trying hard to make full use of wind and solar energy, and is spending a huge
amount of money making electric cars and high-speed trains. In addition, we are also seeing great growth
in the global markets for sustainable products such as palm oil, which is produced without cutting down
valuable rainforest. In recent years the markets for sustainable products have grown by more than 50%.
     Governments can fully develop the potential of these new markets. First, they can set high targets for
reducing carbon emissions and targets for saving and reusing energy. Besides, stronger arrangement of
public resources like forests can also help to speed up the development. Finally, governments can avoid
the huge expenses that are taking us in the wrong direction, and redirecting some of those expenses can
accelerate the change from traditional model to a sustainable one.
     The major challenge of this century is to find ways to meet the needs of growing population within the
limits of this single planet. That is no small task, but it offers abundant new chances for sustainable product
industries.

1. The traditional business model is harmful because of all the following EXCEPT that ______. 

A. it consumes natural resources         
B. it makes the world warmer 
C. it brings severe damage to forests     
D. it makes growth hard to continue

2. What can we infer from Paragraph 2?

A. China lacks wind and solar energy.
B. China is the leader of the low-carbon market.
C. Palm oil is made at the cost of valuable forests.
D. High-speed trains are a low-carbon development.

3.To fully develop the low-carbon markets, governments can ______.

A. cut public expenses              
B. encourage energy conservation
C. develop public resources          
D. forbid carbon emission

4. What is the main purpose of the passage?

A.To advocate sustainable development.   
B.To compare two business models.
C.To predict a change of the global market.
D.To introduce a new business model.

     Recent research has claimed that an excess of positive ions in the air can have an ill effect on people's
physical or psychological health. What are positive ions? Well, the air is full of ions, electrically charged
particles, and generally there is a rough balance between the positive and the negative charged. But
sometimes this balance becomes disturbed and a larger proportion of positive ions are found. This
happens naturally before thunderstorm, earthquakes when winds are blowing in certain countries. Or it
can be caused by a build-up of static electricity indoors from carpets or clothing, or from TV sets,
duplicators or computer display screens.
     When a large number of positive ions are present in the air many people experience unpleasant effects
such as headaches, fatigue , excessive anger, and some particularly sensitive people feel sick or even
suffer mental disturbance. Animals are also affected, particularly before earthquakes, snakes have been
observed to come out, rats to flee from their burrows, dogs howl and cats jump about unaccountably.
This has led the US Geographical Survey to fund a network of volunteers to watch animals in an effort to
foresee such disasters before they hit vulnerable areas such as California.
     Conversely, when large numbers of negative ions are present, then people have a feeling of well-being. Natural conditions that produce these large amounts are near the sea, close to waterfalls or fountains, or
in any place where water is sprayed, or forms a spray. This probably accounts for the beneficial effect of
a holiday by the sea, or in the mountains with streams or waterfalls.
     To increase the supply of negative ions indoors, some scientists recommend the use of ionisers. They
claim that ionisers not only clean and refresh the air but also improve the health of people sensitive to
excess positive ions. Of course, there are the detractors, other scientists, who dismiss such claims and
are skeptical about negative/positive ion research. Therefore people can only make up their own minds
by observing the effects on themselves, or on others, of a negative rich or poor environment. After all it is
debatable whether depending on seismic readings to anticipate earthquakes is more effective than watching the cat.

1. What is an ion according to the passage?

A. It's a charged particle.
B. It's basically static electricity indoors.
C. It's a balance between the positive and negative charged.
D. It's an ill effect on people's physical and psychological health.

2. What effect does exceeding positive ionization have on most of the people?

A. They will throw up.
B. They will be sick and tired of life.
C. They may feel rather bad-tempered.
D. They may feel they are out of their mind.

3. A high negative ion count is likely to be found           .

A. in a mountainous area.     
B. by a water spray in a garden.
C. close to a slow-flowing river.
D. near a pound with a water pump.

4. What is the author's attitude towards the use of ionisers?

A. Neutral.      
B. Opposed.    
C. Supportive.    
D. Ambiguous.

                  Kids' health: Four steps for fighting stress
     Everybody gets stressed from time to time.  1  Some ways of dealing with stress
- like screaming or hitting someone - don't solve(解決)much. But other ways, like talking
to someone you trust, can lead you to solving your problem or at least feeling better.
     Try taking these four steps the next time you are stressed:
     (1)Get support. When you need help, reach out to the people who care about you. Talk
to a trusted adult, such as a parent or other relatives.    2  They might have
had similar problems, such as dealing with a test, or the death of a beloved pet.
     (2)Don't take it out on yourself. Sometimes when kids are stressed and upset they take
it out on themselves. Oh, dear, that's not a good idea. Remember that there are
always people to help you. Don't take it out on yourself. 3  
     (3)Try to solve the problem. After you're calm and you have support from adults and
friends, it's time to get down to business.  4  Even if you can't solve it all,
you can solve a piece of it.
     (4)Be positive. Most stress is temporary (暫時的). Remember stress does go away,
especially when you figure out the problem and start working on solving it.
These steps aren't magic, but they do work. And if you can stay positive as you make
your way through a tough time, you'll help yourself feel better even faster.   5  
A. Ask for a helping hand to get you through the tough situation.
B. Notice your friends' feelings and find a way to help them.
C. Different people feel stress in different ways.
D. Ah, it feels so good when the stress is gone.
E. You need to figure out what the problem is.
F. And don't forget about your friends.
G. Then, find a way to calm down.

     On April 24th , another natural disaster - the oil spill(泄露)in the Gulf of Mexico , happened .
Millions of dollars have been used to help stop the spill and to clean up the animals , beaches , and
land spoiled by the oil . Unfortunately , when many of these chemicals are used , more damage is
caused to the environment , especially to lives in the sea .
     But governments seem to accept the risk of transporting millions of tons of oil by ship every day
so that we can fill up our cars and drive around and cause even more environmental damage .
 Interestingly , the biggest companies in the world produce cars , and the next biggest supply the
gasoline to make them run .
     Of all of today's environmental disasters , an oil spill may actually be one of the least serious .
Although oil is poisonous , it is a natural material . In the end , it breaks down naturally . In 1967
the tanker Torrey Canyon sank off the Scilly Isles near the coast of England and spilled 120,000
tones of oil into the ocean . If you go there today , you will find it hard to see any sign that it ever
happened .
     However , we should be thinking more about reducing our dependency on oil . Governments
should be encouraging research into new technologies , such as cars run by solar power, electricity ,
hydrogen , and so on . Much of this research , in the past , was stopped by the oil , gas , and coal .
If the world's millions of cars were 10% more efficient(高效的), we would need many fewer tankers
crossing the oceans each year . If this happened , the risks of oil spills would be reduced , and the air
we breathe would be cleaner and fresher , too .