【推荐1】Do you want to live a happier and less stressful (有压力的) life? Try laughing for no reason at all. That’s how thousands of people start their day at Laughter (笑声) Clubs around the world and many doctors now think that having a good laugh might be one of the best ways to stay healthy.

The first Laughter Club was started in Mumbai, India, in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria. “Young children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults laugh between 7 and 15 times a day,” says Dr. Kataria. “Everyone is naturally good at laughing — it’s the common language. We want people to feel happy in their lives.” There are now more than 500 Laughter Clubs in India and over 1,300 in the world.

Many doctors are also interested in the effects of laughter on our health. According to a 5-year study at the UCLA School of Medicine in California, laughing more means less stress in the body and a heathier life.

So what happened at a Laughter Club? I went along to the nearest club in South London to find out. I was quite nervous at the beginning of the class. To be honest, I wasn’t interested in laughing with a group of strangers, and I was worried about looking silly. Our laughter teacher told us to clap our hands and say “ho ho ho, ha ha ha” while looking at each other. However, our bodies couldn’t tell the difference between real laughter and unreal laughter, so I wondered whether they could produce the same health effects.

Surprisingly, it worked! After ten minutes, everybody in the room was laughing for real and some people just couldn’t stop! At the end of the class, I was surprised by how relaxed and comfortable I felt. So if you’re under stress, then start laughing. You must be very pleased with the results.

1. The first Laughter Club was started in ________.

A．Mumbai

B．California

C．South London

D．Beijing

2. The number of Laughter Clubs is ________ worldwide today.

A．about 300	B．over 500
C．less than 1,300	D．more than 1,300

3. The underlined word “effects” probably means “________” in Chinese.

A．原因

B．数量

C．效果

D．过程

4. How did the writer feel when the class started?

A．Nervous.

B．Interested.

C．Surprised.

D．Relaxed.

5. The passage mainly tells us ________.

A．young children laugh much more often than adults in a day

B．laughing is one of the best ways to stay healthy

C．many doctors are interested in the effects of laughter on our health

D．real laughter and unreal laughter are both good for health

【推荐2】A farmer had some little dogs for sale, from $30 to $50. He was painting a sign advertising the dogs. At that time, a cute boy appeared and said, “Sir, I want to buy one of your dogs.”

“Well,” said the farmer, “these dogs need much money.” The boy said, “I’ve got 89 cents. Is that enough at least to take a look?”

“OK,” said the farmer. Then he called the dogs over. Four little balls appeared from the doghouse. Then the boy noticed something else inside the doghouse.

Slowly another ball appeared, and this one was smaller. It was walking strangely, trying to stand up properly. “I want that one,” the boy said, quickly pointing to the smaller dog.

“Boy, you don’t want that dog. He’ll never be able to run and play with you like these other dogs would,” said the farmer.

Then the boy rolled up（卷起） one leg of his trousers. His leg had a steel brace（支架） on it.

Looking back up at the farmer, he said, “You see, I don’t run too well myself, and he’ll need someone who understands.”

“How much?” asked the boy. “No charge（收费）,” replied the farmer. “There’s no charge for love and understanding.”

1. What do we know about the boy?

A．He didn’t really like dogs.

B．He had a problem with his leg.

C．He couldn’t see clearly.

D．He wanted to help disabled dogs.

2. What does the underlined word “balls” refer to in the passage?

A．Dogs.

B．Basketballs.

C．Footballs.

D．Boys.

3. How much did the boy pay for the dog?

A．$50.

B．$30.

C．89 cents.

D．Nothing.

【推荐3】Some children are afraid（害怕）to go to the dentist (牙医), but not me. I’m a boy of 8 and I have a funny dentist. His name is Dr. Smileyface. I don’t think that’s his real name. But when the children go to see him, he tells his name to all of them. He has a cool waiting room. It has computer games and a big toy box. Dr. Smileyface always wears funny hats. Sometimes he paints his face. He asks funny questions like “Are you married（结婚）?” and “Do you eat flowers to make your breath (呼吸) smell so sweet?” That makes me laugh. One time, he tells me this joke, “What has lots of teeth but never goes to the dentist? A comb (木梳) ! ” When I laugh, he pulls（拔）my tooth out. It doesn’t hurt at all! He also tells me how to take care of my teeth in an interesting way. Before I leave, he always gives me a surprise. This time he gives me a toy ship and I like it very much.

1. How does the writer feel when he goes to the dentist?

A．Angry.

B．Afraid.

C．Sad.

D．Happy.

2. What does Dr. Smileyface tell the writer to do?

A．How to laugh.	B．How to take care of his teeth.
C．To eat flowers.	D．To paint his face.

3. What does Dr. Smileyface give the writer this time?

A．A toy ship.

B．A toy box.

C．A comb.

D．Flowers.

4. This child’s attitude（态度）towards the dentist is ____ .

A．喜欢

B．害怕

C．憎恨

D．厌恶