Have you winterized your horse yet? Even though global warming may have made our climate more mild, many animals are still hibernating(冬眠)．It’s too bad that humans can’t hibernate．In fact, as a species, we almost did．

Apparently, at times in the past, peasants in France liked a semi-state of human hibernation．So writes Graham Robb, a British scholar who has studied the sleeping habits of the French peasants．As soon as the weather turned cold people all over France shut themselves away and practiced the forgotten art of doing nothing at all for months on end．

In line with this, Jeff Warren, a producer at CBC Radio’s The Current, tells us that the way we sleep has changed fundamentally since the invention of artificial(人造的) lighting and the electric bulb．

When historians began studying texts of the Middle Ages, they noticed something referred to as “first sleep”, which was not clarified, though．Now scientists are telling us our ancestors most likely slept in separate periods．The business of eight hours’ uninterrupted sleep is a modern invention．

In the past, without the artificial light of the city to bathe in, humans went to sleep when it became dark and then woke themselves around midnight．The late night period was known as ”The Watch” It was when people actually kept watch against wild animals, although many of them simply moved around or visited family and neighbours ．

According to some sleep researchers, a short period of insomnia(失眠) at midnight is not a disorder ．It is normal．Humans can experience another state of consciousness around their sleeping, which occurs in the brief period before we fall asleep or wake ourselves in the morning．This period can be an extraordinarily creative time for some people．The impressive inventor, Thomas Edison, used this state to hit upon many of his new ideas．

Playing with your sleep rhythms can be adventurous, as anxiety may set in．Medical science doesn’t help much in this case．It offers us medicines for a full night’s continuous sleep, which sounds natural; however, according to Warren’s theory, it is really the opposite of what we need．

1.The example of the French peasants shows the fact that________．

 A．people might become lazy as a result of too much sleep

 B．there were signs of hibernation in human sleeping habits

C．people tended to sleep more peacefully in cold weather

D．winter was a season for people to sleep for months on end

2.The late night was called “The Watch” because it was a time for people_______．

 A．to set traps to catch animals        B．to wake up their family and neighbours

 C．to remind others of the time       D．to guard against possible dangers

3.What does the author advise people to do?

 A．Sleep in the way animals do．    B．Consult a doctor if they can’t sleep．

 C．Follow their natural sleep rhythm．D．Keep to the eight-hour sleep pattern．

4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?

A．To give a prescription for insomnia．   

B．To urge people to sleep less．

C．To analyze the sleep pattern of modern people．  

D．To throw new light on human sleep．

 

                                

Japan will hand out its first “Nobel Prize of Manga (國(guó)際漫畫獎(jiǎng))” for artists in the comic book field abroad. This is another step in Japan’s efforts to show the power of pop culture diplomacy.

The International Manga Award, which was compared by manga lover Foreign Minister Taro Aso to a “Nobel Prize” when he first proposed it, will be given to an artist working abroad whose work best contributes to the spread of the manga form worldwide.

Manga, a name used for Japanese style comic books, often combines stories with drawing styles that differ from the overseas superhero comics and cartoon, particularly in their frequent emphasis on cuteness.

The winner will receive a certificate and a cup at an award ceremony, and will spend 10 days in Japan meeting with local comic book artists and publishers.

“Manga has been spreading overseas and are selling quite well,” Aso said when announcing the award to the public. “I want to further improve the communicative power of these so-called ‘pieces of pop culture’.”

Aso has argued that warm feelings for Japanese comics and cartoon can translate into warm feelings for Japanese foreign policy.

He has proposed sending cartoon artists overseas as cultural ambassadors and the government has named some officials to advise ways to promote Japanese cartoon and culture to foreign audiences.

The award committee, consisting of manga artists and publishers, is expected to make its selections quite soon.

According to a ministry official Nobuyuki Watanabe, the prize carries no money reward. The cup’s design has yet to be finished, but it will be something “appropriate”.

1. The International Manga Award will be presented to ____________.

A. a Japanese who has achieved a lot in creating new methods of drawing

B. an artist who makes contributions to introducing manga to the other foreign countries

C. the person who is expert at comics and cartoon

D. a foreign artist who has contributed to the development of manga

2. Which statement is NOT true about manga?

   A. Manga is different from the overseas comic books.

   B. Manga is popular not only in Japan but also overseas.

   C. Manga refers to international comics and cartoon.

   D. There are stories and pictures in manga.[來(lái)源:學(xué)_科_網(wǎng)]

3.What has the Japanese government done to show its support?

   A. To propose “Nobel Prize of Manga”.

   B. To name officials to advise ways of spreading manga overseas.

   C. To hand out its first “Nobel Prize of Manga”.

   D. To send cartoon artists overseas as cultural ambassadors.

4.The passage is mainly about ____________.

   A. Nobel Prize of Manga                      B. the characteristics of manga

   C. a brief introduction of manga             D. the development of manga

 

Here’s a quick reminder to all of you when you get stuck in a moment. Yesterday I skipped breakfast because I got up late. Because of the busy school work, I forgot my lunch. When I was finally thinking of buying my lunch, a person in need asked me if I could spare him some cash, so I decided to give him some money.

Then later in the evening, I was heading home anxiously for dinner. However, I got a call from my mom. She said that she had to work late and wouldn’t be able to prepare dinner for me. Even though there was no food in the house, I told my mom not to worry as I would surely find myself something to eat.

While I was still processing this sudden set of changes in my food choice for the day, I passed a young man with a broad smile handing out samples of crackers(薄脆餅干) at the gate of a supermarket. He gave me a packet and then said, “How about you taking some more for school tomorrow?” In response to that, I returned a warm smile to him and opened up my bag. He gladly filled it. I was excited.

Whether you call it luck or fate, I just wanted to say that somewhere out there somebody came along carrying a pocket of hope in his heart and shared a piece of with me! Somebody out there will one day do the same for you.!

1. The author anxiously went home for dinner in evening because __________.

A. his mother was waiting for him to have dinner

B. his mother promised to prepare dinner for him

C. he hadn’t had breakfast or lunch

D. he didn’t like food in restaurants

2. What’s the time order of the following events that happened to the author?

a. Gave money to person in need

b. Learn he had to organize his own dinner

c. Went home hurriedly for dinner

d. Got a lot of crackers

A. b—d—a—c    B. a—c—b—d      C. a—d—b—c     D. d—c—a—b

3. The purpose of the passage is to _________.

A. advise us to study hard at school.     B. show that life is full of unexpected things

C. suggest that people take three meals every day   D. tell us there is always hope

  

Moral science is taught as a subject in most schools but with little effect. Perhaps part of the problem lies in the fact that morality is not a science, strictly speaking. It is too much of a social phenomenon, and also has too much of the personal and subjective things mixed within. Besides, morality itself changes with generations, so it is impossible to be printed in a normal textbook.

I remember sitting through forty minutes of moral lessons, which told stories about little children who never told lies and were rewarded for their goodness. It had little effect and left no impression on me, though.

If moral science has to be taught as a subject in schools, it needs a participatory approach. When you tell a child about moral, you also have to deal with social norms( 社會(huì)規(guī)范) and cultural differences. You have to explain that morality can be subjective, and be able to co-exist in society. You will probably have to refer to the morals at the present time.

The best way to tell a child how to live is to show him what is valued. If a child likes his friend, you have to make the child think about why. Once the child notices and recognizes goodness in others, he or she is likely to develop it as well.

In fact, children learn most of their morals by watching people around them. They absorb behaviour patterns from teachers and older students. They watch to see what is rewarded and who is punished. They learn on the sports field and through social work. Moral science lessons should simply consist of letting them live and interact, and watch you support correct values and reward good behaviour.

1.Which is NOT the reason that moral science is taught in schools with little effect?

A．Morality doesn’t belong to a science

B．Morality is more like a social phenomenon.

C．Different generations have different moral ideas.

D．Morality can’t be written down in textbooks.

2. The author describes his own experience of learning moral lessons in order to                .

A．explain that telling lies is not moral for little children

B．a(chǎn)dvise that people should be rewarded for their goodness

C．prove that moral lessons in schools have little effect

D．show that he has no impression of moral science

3.When you tell a child about morals, you should               .

A．teach him to share personal moral ideas with others

B．tell him about social norms and cultural differences

C．explain that nobody can influence his moral ideas

D．say that the morals at the present time will be changed

4.What is the last paragraph mainly about?

A．The best way of teaching children about morals.

B．The value of teachers setting a good example.

C．The influence of people’s behavior on morals.

D．The importance of rewarding good behavior.

 

When many of us take a vacation, more than anything, we seek to relax. We spend long, lazy days on a beach chair or in a hammock(吊床). But too often, we return home, tired.

It doesn’t have to be this way.

In fact active vacations are often the most relaxing of all. We don’t expect you to take up jogging(慢跑), or climbing. Rather, we ask the sedentary(久坐的) vacations among you to spend two to four hours a day doing things, such as walking in the city street, going to a zoo or biking along the ocean.

These kinds of activities aren’t just good for your physical health. They improve your mental health, even your spiritual health. Here are some fresh ideas to make your vacations as pleasurable as they are active and healthy.

A walk at dawn or dusk helps keep you young. Try to make this a daily habit of life when you’re away from home, and you will guarantee yourself both physical and spiritual refreshment.

Don’t allow yourself to spend all your time sitting in front of water. Whether it is the ocean, a swimming pool, or a tree-lined lake, make sure you get into the water for swimming or games, or even walking. Merely standing in waist-high water is a good workout, thanks to the action of the water. And you’ll feel so much more active!

Many of us spend a large chunk of our vacation on the road, either getting to and from our destinations, or using the car for sightseeing. But no matter how beautiful the scenery is, great, memorable vacations don’t happen in a car seat. Frequently get out and stretch, walk, picnic, shop, visit, and have fun. It’s important for your health and energy, and it makes traveling a lot more active and interesting

1. The idea in the text is mainly to _______.

A．suggest ways to make vacations relaxing

B．suggest places for relaxing vacations

C．explain the reasons for having vacations

D．explain the relationship between vacations and health

2. Which of the following can be considered as a form of exercise?

A．Sitting by a lake.	B．Standing in water.
C．Staying in a car.	D．Enjoying beautiful scenery.

3.In the last paragraph, the author seems to advise us to _______.

A．have vacations frequently	B．get out of the car frequently
C．go on vacations on foot	D．stay in a car seat