【推荐1】A famous health tip says you’d better drink eight glasses of water（about two liters）a day. However, the results of a new study suggest that fewer are needed. An international group led by scientists at the Shenzhen Institute of Advanced Technology in China found that the average daily water intake of a man in his 20s should be 1.5 to 1.8 liters, while it should be 1.3 to 1.4 liters for a female in the same age group. The study published recently in the Journal Science described, for the first time, a set of equations（方程组）to predict human water turnover, a sign reflecting the amount of water used by the body each day.

The researchers investigated 5,604 participants from the ages of 8 days to 96 years from more than 20 countries, using isotope（同位素）-tracking methods. They have found that a man aged 20 to 35 consumes 4.2 liters of water each day, while a woman aged 30 to 60 consumes 3.3 liters, with the water requirements dropping as he or she ages.

Since the metabolism（新陈代谢）and water exchange on skin can provide 15 percent, while food and drinking respectively contributing half of the remaining 85 percent, people are encouraged to drink less than 45 percent of the total daily turnover, according to the researchers. “The majority of people perhaps don’t have to drink eight glasses of water a day,” says Zhang Xueying, co-first author of the paper and an assistant research fellow at the SIAT.

The total water input and output change according to a number of factors, including body size, physical activity, air temperature and altitude（海拔）, according to the study. “The equations can be applied to individuals around the world,” says Zhang. However, people living in countries with a low human development index（指数）have higher water turnover than people in developed countries, she adds.

The study challenges the long-standing belief and marks the first step towards a personalized prediction of water requirements, says John Speakman, who also works at the SIAT.

1. How did the researchers carry out the study?

A．By offering examples.	B．By analyzing figures.
C．By performing interviews.	D．By making predictions.

2. Why do most people drink less than eight glasses of water per day?

A．Their daily diets are rich in protein.

B．Their bodies don’t need so much water.

C．They belong to different age groups.

D．They take in water from various sources.

3. What can we learn from paragraph 4?

A．Living conditions influence human water turnover.

B．The equations are used to determine water turnover.

C．Body size is unlikely to change the output of water.

D．Temperature has nothing to do with the input of water.

4. What does John Speakman think of the study?

A．It has a long way to go.	B．It remains a riddle.
C．It wins public support.	D．It is beyond control.

【推荐2】Organic food, grown without artificial chemicals, is increasingly popular nowadays. Consumers (消费者) have been willing to pay up to twice as much for goods with organic labels (标签). However, if you think paying a little more for organic food gets you a more nutritious and safer product, then you’d better save your money. A study led by researchers at Stanford University says that organic products aren't necessarily more nutritious, and they're no less likely to suffer from disease-causing bacteria, either.

For their new study, Smith-Spangler and her colleagues conducted a review of two categories（种类）of research, including 17 studies that compared health outcomes between consumers of organic against traditional food products, and 223 studies that analyzed(分析) the nutritional content of the foods, including key vitamins, minerals and fats.

While the researchers found little difference in nutritional content, they did find that organic fruit and vegetables were 20% less likely to have chemicals remaining on the surfaces. Neither organic nor traditional foods showed levels of chemicals high enough to go beyond food safety standards(标准). And both organic and traditional meats, such as chicken and pork, were equally likely to be harmed by bacteria at very low rates. The researchers did find that organic milk and chicken contained higher levels of omega-3 fatty acids, a healthy fat also found in fish that can reduce the risk of heart disease. However, these nutritional differences were too small, and the researchers were unwilling to make much of them until further studies confirm the trends.

Organic food is produced with fewer chemicals and more natural-growing practices, but that doesn't always translate into a more nutritious or healthier product. The U. S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) states that "whether you buy organic or not, finding the freshest foods available may have the biggest effect on taste." Fresh food is at least as good as anything marketed as organic.

1. What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph mean?

A．Organic food helps you save money.

B．Organic food contains much more nutrients.

C．Organic food is worth the high price.

D．Organic food is not always nutritious.

2. Smith-Spangler and her colleagues found that __________.

A．organic food could reduce the risk of heart disease

B．traditional food was grown with more natural methods

C．both organic and traditional food they examined were safe

D．there was not a presence of any forms of bacteria in organic food

3. What is the author’s attitude toward organic food?

A．Doubtful	B．Unconcerned
C．Positive	D．Supportive

【推荐1】Audrey Randolph, who used to be a librarian, is a car mechanic in London. But she didn’t find it easy to become a car mechanic. She had to attend a Centre, where people can learn a new job for 20 weeks. We asked her why she decided to work with cars. “My first reason was independence,” she said. “I also wanted to learn about how things work, using my hands. Besides, I’ve come to the conclusion that many people prefer to have a woman repair their cars.”

When it comes to her experiences in the Center, she tells us about it, “I was the only woman among four hundred men. And some of them were rude to me, just because of my sex.” However, Audrey said she made the right decision.

One hundred years ago women were second-class citizens in Britain. Men controlled everything. Not only that, they really believed that women were “the weaker sex”. Women, they say, depend too little on cool reasoning and too much on intuition (直觉) to arrive at decisions, and sometimes are not even able to think clearly. But in the past century a lot has changed. Two women have become Prime Minister, and women can now compete as equals in every kind of job and profession. They also have more control over when to have a family and how many children they want. Nowadays both men and women go out to work. Consequently the traditional roles played by them in the family have changed greatly. Those times when the man was the major breadwinner and the woman stayed at home and looked after the house and the children are over. Most couples share the housework and in some homes it is now the man who stays at home with the kids and the woman who goes out to work.

1. Why did Audrey go to the Centre?

A．To get trained in her job skills.

B．To prove she is more competent.

C．To show she isn’t challenging men.

D．To fight against sex discrimination.

2. What do Audrey’s training experiences reflect?

A．Companies tend to employ more women.

B．Women undertake more social responsibilities.

C．Women can change jobs more easily than men.

D．Some men still look down upon women today.

3. What was the argument men raised against women?

A．Women were serious about everything.

B．Women’s thoughts were often unclear.

C．Women’s decisions were unreliable.

D．Women were weak physically.

4. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A．Men Are Carrying on a Sex-fight.

B．Women Are More Independent Now.

C．A Woman Made a Right Decision.

D．Men and Women Should Be Equal.

【推荐3】Last week the British university system offered a record number of places. That sounds like good news—but do we really need more people to go to university? For that matter, does the world need more universities?

The answer feels like it should be yes.

Education is good, is it not? But everything has a cost.

Education takes time. We could insist that everyone study full-time until the age of 45 but that would surely be too much. And perhaps half the population studying until they’re 21 is also too much. As for universities, they consume financial and intellectual resources—perhaps those resources might be better spent elsewhere.

My own personal opinion is strongly in favour both of going to university, and of simply having universities around.

The main skill I learnt at university was to write about economics, and I use that skill every day of my professional life, even an abstract education seems practical to me. And I now live in Oxford, one of the world’s most celebrated (著名的) university cities. Oxford’s experience certainly suggests that universities have much to offer.

The city’s architecture and green spaces have been shaped—greatly for the better, on balance —by the 900-year-old institution at its heart. The beauty attracts tourists and locals too.

But these are samples of one. Many people do not find themselves using the skills and knowledge they accumulated at university. And Oxford’s dreaming spires (尖顶) aren’t terribly representative of global universities as a whole.

1. Which of the following is the most proper title?

A．Does the world need more universities?

B．Is education really necessary?

C．Is British university system the best?

D．Do you prefer universities abroad?

2. Which of the following about the writer is TRUE?

A．He is an economist now.

B．He likes Oxford’s architecture and green spaces most.

C．The skill he learnt at university is practical in his career.

D．He holds the view that going to univeristy is a waste of resources.

3. The writer develops the passage by ______.

A．comparing his experience with others’

B．persuading us with his own experience and opinion

C．describing and sharing his own university experience

D．informing us of the advantages of universities

4. In the following part, the writer is likely to ______.

A．list more supporting details about his opinion

B．show more disadvantages about going to universities

C．present some opposite opinions about universities

D．draw a conclusion about the topic

【推荐1】Elephants are truly incredible animals. August 12 is World Elephant Day which means to help save elephants. What do you know about elephants? Here are some facts you may not know.

We know that elephants are large. But did you know that elephants often avoid eating a type of acacia tree(金合欢树), because it is home to ants and an elephant doesn’t want to get the ants inside its trunk. Its trunk is full of sensitive nerve endings(敏感神经末梢).

Female elephants live in groups of about 15 animals. The oldest in the group is the leader. She decides not only when and where they move but also when they rest all the year. Male elephants leave the female groups between age 12 and 15. But they aren’t loners. They live in all-male groups.

Asian elephants don’t run. Running requires lifting all four feet at once. But elephants filmed in Thailand always kept at least two on the ground at all times.

Elephants have passed the mirror test. They recognize themselves in a mirror. According to tests, great apes(巨猿), and dolphins(海豚) also have this ability.

Elephants can get sunburned so they take care to protect themselves. “Elephants will throw sand on their backs and on their head to keep them from getting sunburned and to keep bugs off,” said Tony Barthel, working at Smithsonian’s National Zoo. How do elephants protect their young? Adult elephants will put them in sand and then they will stand over the little ones as they sleep.

Some farmers in Kenya protect their fields from elephants by lining the borders with beehives(蜂巢). Not only are their crops saved, but the farmers also get more money from honey.

1. World Elephant Day is designed to________.

A．show some facts about elephants	B．call on people to protect elephants
C．tell people some animals are in danger	D．introduce Asian elephants features

2. Why are elephants not willing to eat acacia trees?

A．Elephants are sensitive to acacia trees.

B．Acacia trees are too tall to reach.

C．Fruits on the acacia trees are hard to eat.

D．Elephants’trunks are easily hurt by ants in the trees.

3. What do we infer about male elephants?

A．They live with female elephants at an early age.

B．They decide when and where their groups move.

C．Their oldest male elephant is chosen as their leader.

D．They can run faster than female elephants.

4. How do elephants protect their young kids?

A．Put some sand on kids’heads.	B．Guard kids when kids sleep.
C．Pat kids’backs from time to time.	D．Use their trunks to keep bugs off.

【推荐2】Ann started to work last summer. In order to have a holiday, she saved as much as she could and, this January, she booked a package tour to Spain. She left London airport early on the morning of the first Saturday in August. She was very excited, as this was her first trip abroad. When she arrived at Barcelona airport, the weather was beautiful.

At the hotel, she found that her Spanish money wasn’t in her handbag. All she had was a small purse with ten English pounds in it!

Ann found a place to change her English money for Spanish money. She would stay here for two weeks. After changing her money, Ann bought some cheese, some bread and some oranges. When she got back to the hotel, she told the tour guide that her doctor had told her not to eat much food, so she’d just have breakfast each day. This was all right, as she knew breakfast was included in the price of hotel.

For the rest of her holiday, Ann swam in the hotel or lay on the beach. She also went for long walks with Jane, a Scottish girl. However, when the others went to interesting places, Ann always said she wasn’t well. In fact, her holiday wasn’t bad, except that she was always hungry.

On the last day, Jane asked her why she never ate with them in the hotel restaurant. The food was excellent. Ann told her all about her money problem. Jane looked at her for a minute, and then said, “But didn’t you know? The price of this tour includes everything!”

1. Why was Ann so excited about the trip?

A．Because she had never been abroad.

B．Because she had saved enough money.

C．Because she had booked a cheap tour.

D．Because she had found a good job.

2. What problem did Am have on her tour?

A．She didn’t find her purse.

B．She couldn’t find a place to change money.

C．She couldn’t find her Spanish money.

D．She didn’t understand Spanish.

3. Ann told the tour guide that _______.

A．she wanted to see a doctor.

B．she doubted the price of the hotels.

C．she had bought some food for her meals.

D．she would only take breakfast.

4. What can we learn from the story?

A．Ann was not allowed to eat much.

B．Ann’s Spanish money was stolen.

C．Ann missed some meals included in the tour.

D．Ann didn’t like the restaurant and the holiday.

【推荐3】The world itself is becoming much smaller by using modern traffic and modern communication means. Life today is much easier than it was hundreds of years ago, but it has brought new problems. One of the biggest problems is pollution. To pollute means to make things dirty. Pollution comes in many ways. We see it, smell it, drink it and even hear it.

Man has been polluting the earth.The more people，the more pollution.Many years ago，the problem was not so serious because there were not so many people.When the land was used up or the river was dirty in one place，man moved to another place.But this is no longer true.Man is now slowly polluting the whole world.

Air pollution is still the most serious.It’s bad for all living things in the world，but it is not the only one kind of pollution. Water pollution kills our fish and pollutes our drinking water. Noise pollution makes us angry more easily.

Many countries are making rules to fight pollution. They stop people from burning coal in houses and factories from putting dirty smoke into the air. Pollution by SO₂ is now the most dangerous kind of air pollution.It is caused by heavy traffic.We are sure that if there are fewer people driving，there will be less air pollution.

The earth is our home. We must take care of it.That means keeping the land，water and air clean.And we must take care of the rise in pollution at the same time.

1. What makes our world become much smaller?

A．Science development.	B．The rise in population.
C．The pollution on the earth.	D．The strong wind.

2. What was life like hundreds of years ago?

A．It was much easier than today.	B．It was much harder than today.
C．It was the same as today.	D．It was hard to describe.

3. What does the underlined word “it” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Rubbish.	B．Water pollution.
C．Air pollution.	D．Noise pollution.

4. According to the text, how can we reduce pollution?

A．Making rules to fight pollution.	B．Drinking as little water as possible.
C．Stop buying new things.	D．Only walking to work.

【推荐1】Somewhere in the highlands of Afghanistan, a hungry fox pounces （猛扑）on a tasty-looking leopard gecko （豹纹 壁虎）.But the lizard has a get — out — of — jail — free card: a separable tail. The dropped part waves in an energetic but uncontrolled way around long enough to distract the fox, allowing the gecko itself to run off and hide.

Leopard geckos are one of a few lizard species that possess this ability, known as autotomy （自切）.The technique is effective, but the tail can account for about a quarter of the lizard's body mass. So how do these animals adapt to losing so much of it that quickly?

When geckos lose their tail, they "take this more sprawled posture （四肢伸开的姿势）"and walk with their limbs spread out farther from their body, says Chapman University biologist Kevin Jagnandan. Most researchers initially assumed this posture was a response to a suddenly shifted center of mass. But when Jagnandan observed leopard geckos with a tail in his laboratory, he realized that they wag it as they walk, suggesting that these movements may be key to the lizards' movements.

To test this assumption, Jagnandan and his team assessed the postures of 10 geckos walking in various conditions: with their tail intact （完整的）；with their tail restricted by a small section of glued-on fishing rod （whose mass can be neglected）; and with their tail self-amputated. These comparisons allowed the researchers to distinguish the effects of lost mass from those of lost tail-wagging on the geckos’ movements.

The lizards with an immobilized tail adopted ways similar to those with no tail, the researchers reported in a study published in Scientific Reports. This result suggests the sprawling walk they adopt after losing their tail is not compensating for the missing mass but rather for the lack of tail-wagging. Jagnandan thinks tail movements help the lizards keep balance and stability as they walk. He suspects that the tails of mammals living in trees, such as cats and monkeys, serve a similar purpose.

Bill Ryerson, a biologist at Saint Anselm College, who was not involved in the study, was surprised by the findings. "We thought we had settled it ——it seemed pretty open-and-shut" that mass was the main factor, he says. The new study challenges this earlier idea in a "beautifully simple" way, Ryerson adds.

Jagnandan hopes that understanding how animals react to missing body parts could ultimately help engineers design robots that can move more efficiently as heavy loads — or even entire limbs --- are added and removed.

1. From the first two paragraphs we can learn that ______.

A．the fox likes to play with the gecko's tail

B．the fox falls for the trick of the gecko

C．moving without a tail is much tougher for the gecko

D．the gecko becomes inactive when losing its tail

2. Most researchers once thought geckos adopted the sprawled posture because ______

A．the posture was key to their movements

B．their center of mass had changed

C．the posture was their unique survival skill

D．they imitated other mammals' behavior

3. What can we know about the findings of the study?

A．They are in accordance with the expectation of Bill Ryerson.

B．They were obtained after researchers compared three geckos' movements.

C．They solved several mysteries concerning other mammals.

D．They can be applied to the field of artificial intelligence.

4. What does the passage mainly talk about?

A．Why leopard geckos prefer a habitat in the highlands.

B．How leopard geckos play hide and seek games.

C．How leopard geckos adapt to losing their tails.

D．What role tails play in leopard geckos' life.

【推荐2】Lake Tahoe Helicopter Tours

1901 Airport Rd. Suite 106 South Lake Tahoe, CA 96150 Listing ID: A 771909 Phone: 417-823-0981 Toll-Free: 1-800-987-9852

Head out to Lake Tahoe on an exciting helicopter tour where you and your loved ones can relax and create new memories!

Meet your flight crew at the local airport before flying up into the sky. On this adventure, guests of all ages will enjoy a thrilling adventure combined with fantastic views.

Your flight takes place on an impressive Robinson R44 Raven Ⅱ. The helicopter features bubble windows for some awesome views as well as air conditioning so you and your loved ones will remain comfortable. Visitors who wish to photograph the views can even request to have the door removed for the duration of the flight.

There are several different tours available to choose from.

●   Emerald Bay Tour

This exciting tour allows visitors to see places such as Fallen Leaf Lake, Emerald Bay, Eagle Falls, and more. Visitors will enjoy a ten-minute helicopter tour to see these places as well as Taylor Creek and Pope Beach.

●   Zephyr Cove Tour

This tour features some of the most beautiful landmarks in the Lake Tahoe area. Guests will enjoy seeing Zephyr Cove, Fallen Leaf Lake, Cascade Lake, and Emerald Bay. The tour lasts approximately 20 minutes.

●   Lakes & Waterfalls Tour

For those who love sparkling lakes and cascading waterfalls, this Lakes & Waterfalls Tour is a great option. During this 30-minute adventure, guests will be treated to views of Glen Alpine Creek, Fallen Leaf Lake, Emerald Bay, and the nearly 10,000 foot Pyramid Peak.

●   Circle The Lake Tour

The Circle the Lake Tour takes approximately 45 minutes. During this adventure, guests will be treated to views of Lake Tahoe’s expansive 72-mile shoreline. See Emerald Bay, Lake Tahoe, and more.

1. What can we learn about the helicopter tours?

A．It’s too thrilling for the old.

B．The door is open during the flight.

C．Visitors need training before boarding.

D．Bubble windows ensure a better view onboard.

2. How long will it take to get a bird’s-eye view of Lake Tahoe’s shoreline?

A．10 minutes.

B．20 minutes.

C．30 minutes.

D．45 minutes.

3. What else would tourists like to know about the helicopter tours?

A．Description.

B．Location.

C．Contact.

D．Schedule.

【推荐3】In order to stay healthy, you should cut out fast-food, avoid late-night snacking and refuse all things cooked in oil. Now you may be thinking: What healthy food is tasty? Don’t worry. Your favorite foods might just be good and healthy for you!

The most important thing of all is to eat different foods. They can provide you with vitamins and minerals, which are important to your health. It’s vitamins that help our bodies grow and develop.

Vitamin A helps form healthy teeth and skin, and fight against disease. When choosing foods that provide vitamin A, think of colorful food, for example, carrots, eggs, potatoes, cheese and milk. There are many types of B vitamins, and each one helps your health. For example, vitamin B6 helps increase the amount of oxygen in the cells. Potatoes, bananas, chicken and beans are rich in vitamin Bs. Vitamin C is necessary for you to repair your body and immune(免疫) system. With vitamin C, your body is better able to repair itself—it can stop you getting ill and help you recover from an illness. Vitamin C can be found in many different foods like tomatoes, potatoes and oranges. One of the reasons that vitamin D is important is that it helps your body absorb (吸收) Calcium. Eggs, potatoes, fish and milk are all good sources of vitamin D. There are also some other important vitamins. Many fruit and vegetables lose vitamins when they are cooked, so it is sometimes better to eat them in their natural form.

Remember that different foods provide different kinds of nutrients. Whole foods, such as vegetables, fruits, meat and fish, should stay in your diet. Try to eat a balanced diet each day and you will be healthy.

1. If you want to keep healthy, you’d better ____.

A．eat anything you like

B．try to eat as many kinds of foods as possible

C．only eat the foods talked about in the passage

D．often take medicine that contains vitamins

2. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．Late-night snacks are bad for the body.

B．Vitamin C can help your body to repair itself.

C．Milk is rich in vitamins A and D

D．We can drink milk instead of water.

3. We can know from the passage that______ .

A．B vitamins are useful for keeping people young

B．eating your favorite foods is enough to keep healthy

C．with vitamin D, one can absorb more other vitamins

D．one should try to eat some foods in their original form

4. What may happen if a child does not have enough vitamin C?

A．He may look old.

B．He may not have hair.

C．He may have bad eating habits.

D．He may often get ill.