If you don’t know how much water you need, I’m not surprised. Different advice in recent newspapers appears to be against the old “8-a-day” advice we all grew up with. Is it necessary to drink down eight glasses of water daily, or is this already out of date?
We’ve heard for years that eight glasses of water daily is necessary for a person to keep healthy. Your weight loss and health depend on it. Drink eight glasses of water daily and see clearer skin, better sleep, and improve eyesight. We’re warned of losing water without at least eight glasses. But, there are some new ideas of examining your daily diet, including what you eat, as well as what you drink.
The answer is…, you need what you need! If it’s summer, you need more. If you’re exercising, you need more. If you’re a “normal” inactive person, and not exercising more than 15—20 minutes daily, you need no more than four glasses of water daily. Most drinks can be counted as part of your daily water intake. Although the World Health Organization suggests that eight cups, the old “8-a-day” rule is based on studies on people under difficult situations, including soldiers at high altitude and hospitalized patients, what you and I need is different.
1. Is the writer surprised if you don’t know how much water you need?_________________________________________________________________
2. What does the old “8-a-day” advice mean?
_________________________________________________________________
3. Whom is the old “8-a-day” rule for, for example?
_________________________________________________________________
4. How much water do you really need according to the writer?
_________________________________________________________________
5. What is the article mainly about?
_________________________________________________________________
2 . Do you know what family instructions are? They are common beliefs（信念）that family members follow. In ancient China, people passed down their family instructions from generation to generation.
Some schools in Zhejiang are encouraging students to learn more about their own family instructions. At Hangzhou Gongyi Middle School and Hangzhou Xuejun High School, it was part of students' winter vacation homework to learn about their family instructions.
Meng Yaohan, 16, from Hangzhou Xuejun High School, looked at her family instructions. One of them is "Don't take the wrong way", a piece of advice that has been passed down for 100years. Her father told her how her grandfather stuck to his "right way" - to become an engineer. "It encouraged me to pursue what I love," she said.
Shen Duanjie, 14, from Hangzhou Gongyi Middle School, has got good from his family instructions-" democratic" （民主的）and "equal". In his own words, they have helped him get along with his parents.
The school has also published（出版）books about two classic collections of family instructions-The Family Instructions of Zhu Xi and Family Instructions of Yan Clan. The books include dialogues and pictures drawn by students.
Gong Zhenyue, 14, drew pictures for one of the instructions in Family Instructions of Yan Clan. She was impressed（留下深刻印象）by the instruction, which says that parents should not only love their children, but also educate them. "It made me understand my parents' strictness with me," she said. She made it her own family instruction.
1. What are family instructions?
| A．The words of one's grandparents. |
| B．Dialogues between family members. |
| C．Common beliefs that family members follow. |
| D．Books which were passed down from the past. |
| A．She knows nothing about her family instructions. |
| B．"Democratic" and "equal" are her family instructions. |
| C．Her family instructions helped her get along with her parents. |
| D．"Don't take the wrong way" is one of her family instructions. |
| A．创造 | B．追求 | C．选择 | D．感受 |
| A．Gong Zhenyue. | B．Zhu Xi. | C．Shen Duanjie. | D．Meng Yaohan. |
| A．study better at school | B．draw pictures for other books |
| C．understand her parents better | D．learn to publish books by herself |
3 . Would you like to live in a city where buildings turn the lights off for you, and self-driving cars will find the nearest parking space themselves? Although it might sound a little far from you, living in a "smart" city like this could happen sooner than you think.
Great changes have taken place in towns that we have lived in for centuries, while completely new cities are being built. One such place is the city of Songdo. Every home there will have a telepresence system (远程遥控系统) allowing users to control the heating and locks, take part in video meetings, and receive education, health care and government services. Around the city, escalators ( 自动扶梯 ) will only move when someone is on them, and offices and schools will all be connected to the system.
The great mind behind Songdo is from the company Cisco. In fact, technology companies around the world such as IBM, Siemens and Microsoft are already in the business.
About 75% of the world's population will live in cities by 2050, so cities will need to be more modern to deal with the coming problems. Making cities smarter is one way out, and I think this will in turn make cities greener, said Dan Hill, head of a research company.
1. According to the text, living in a "smart" city ______.| A．is not a green way | B．will be far from you |
| C．will soon become true | D．is completely impossible |
| A．A city of the future. | B．A meeting in Songdo. |
| C．A plan to build a house. | D．A report on public health. |
| A．Cisco. | B．IBM. | C．Siemens | D．Microsoft. |
| A．drive people out of cities | B．control the world’s population |
| C．develop his own company | D．solve the cities' coming problems |
| A．Future Education | B．Smart Cities |
| C．Government Services | D．Famous Companies |
4 . More than 100 people have now died from the new coronavirus (冠状病毒)-COVID-19. The number of people infected in mainland China increased sharply in one day-from 2, 700 Monday to more than 4,500 Tuesday. The increase comes even as China takes strong measures to stop the spread of the disease.
Coronaviruses are a large family of viruses that cause disease in mammals (哺乳动物) and birds. Coronaviruses can cause illnesses from the common cold to much more serious illnesses like Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS). Experts still do not have a clear picture of the severity of the new coronavirus.
Officials are calling the disease a "novel" or new coronavirus because it has not been found before in humans. The new virus is thought to have spread to humans from wild animals sold at a market in Wuhan, in central China's Hubei Province. But it is now spreading between people. Chinese officials say the disease is able to spread from one person to another even before any actual signs appear. This makes it especially hard to stop.
Signs of the disease among infected patients have included fever, cough, shortness of breath and general breathing difficulties. In more serious cases, the virus can cause pneumonia（肺炎）. Some people report few or no signs, while others have gotten very sick or even died. Experts say that signs of the virus may appear between two and fourteen days after being near someone who is infected.
There is no special treatment for the new coronavirus. However, many of its effects are treatable, as long as a patient is in fair health. Because the virus is so new among humans, there is no available vaccine(疫苗) to protect against the disease. But the World Health Organization advises people to avoid close contact with anyone showing signs of a breathing sickness, such as coughing or sneezing. It also says people should wash their hands often and use safe food practices.
(Written on 29th January,2020)
1. Which is not caused by viruses according to the passage?| A．Colds. | B．Headaches. | C．MERS. | D．SARS. |
| A．it hasn't been found before by doctors |
| B．it has never been found in humans before |
| C．it has never spread to humans before |
| D．it hasn't been known well by humans |
| A．The great danger of the new coronavirus. |
| B．The cause for the spreading of the new coronavirus. |
| C．The reason why the new coronavirus is difficult to stop. |
| D．The signs of people who infected with the new coronavirus. |
| A．the patients infected with the new coronavirus can be treated well if they have no other diseases |
| B．because the virus is so new among humans, there is no available vaccine to protect against the disease |
| C．there is no way to avoid the new coronavirus because it is difficult to identify |
| D．the new coronavirus causes fever, cough, shortness of breath and general breathing difficulties in every patient infected |
| A．The discovery of a new coronavirus |
| B．How to avoid the new coronavirus |
| C．A new coronavirus-COVID-19 |
| D．The big coronavirus family. |
5 . New research shows the number of suicide（自杀）is increasing among young people. Between 2007 and 2015, the number of U. S. teenagers who visited hospitals because of suicidal thoughts or ideas doubled. In 2007, the number of visits was 580,000; by 2015, that number had increased to 1.12 million, reports CNN.
The fact that so many young people fight with depression （沮丧） and suicidal thoughts every day is shocking. But new research may allow us to look into the differences between the development of depression in boys and girls.
Researchers found that there are big differences between the development of depression for boys and girls. Girls seemed to develop depression at a faster speed and hit the highest levels of depression at an earlier age. For boys, the most rapid increase of depression happened at age 16. 4, while girls' biggest increase came at 13. 5 years.
There's no exact answer for these differences. But expert Arash Emamzadeh says that a general increase in depression during teenage time is possibly "because teenagers face many changes during this period such as puberty(青春期) , school transition(过渡) and forming friendships. "
As for girls experiencing depression at an earlier age, Emamzadeh writes, "One possible explanation for this difference is the earlier puberty in girls compared with boys. "
Finding a solution is not easy. However, if schools, parents and teenagers make efforts at the same time, things will certainly be better. Students in schools need to be helped to deal with problems both in their daily lives and study. Less stress is supposed to be put on teenagers' shoulders by parents. Proper communication between teenagers and parents is necessary. Teenagers should keep optimistic and look on the bright side of life.
1. How many teenagers with suicidal thoughts are there in the U. S. by 2015?| A．1.120,000. | B．1, 700,000. | C．580,000. | D．540,000. |
| A．健康的 | B．沮丧的 | C．乐观的 | D．理性的 |
| A．There are big differences in the development of depression in boys and girls. |
| B．Boys reach the highest level of depression 2. 9 years earlier than girls. |
| C．Teenagers' depression increases probably because they face many challenges. |
| D．The reasons why there are differences in depression between boys and girls are not clear. |
| A．nothing should be done because the problem will disappear itself |
| B．more subjects need to be there in school so that students have no time to think about their lives and friendships |
| C．teenagers should try to solve the problems by themselves in order to improve themselves |
| D．schools and families should work together to make things better and better |
| A．to tell people the teenage suicide and the possible solutions |
| B．to tell people the difference of the depression in boys and girls |
| C．to tell people why girls develop depression earlier and faster than boys |
| D．to tell people the suicide in teenagers is not that serious |
6 . If you cannot travel around the world, why not travel through the Internet? GeoGuesr, a new online travel game, really challenges your geography skills. The game seems to be easy to play, but nearly impossible to win.
How to Play the Game
First you are given a photo of scenery(风景)and a marker. When you think you know where the photo was taken, click on the Google map to place your marker on the spot(地点).
Click on the "Make Guess" button on the bottom of the map. A new image will appear, showing the distance between the area you chose and the actual location. Geoguessr will tell how many kilometers away you were and how many points you learned.
You get five chances to guess the location. After the fifth one, you see a map showing your guesses, the correct locations and the number of points you earned.
Helpful Hints(提示)
Here are a few tips to help you find what part of the planet you are seeing.
Look around and see if you can find any words on signs to show the local language. For example, if both French and English are on signs, Canada might be a good guess.
Make a note of whether the cars drive on the right or the left side of the road. If cars are driving on the left, it may be in England.
If you have enough patience and are thirsty for earning more points, you can find some magazines, like the National Geography, to read and learn more about the knowledge in the world geography.
This new game is supposed to be accepted by parents and teachers. After all, the more kids play the game, the better they will get at geography.
1. How many tips does the passage tell us to help play the game?2. What can you see after the fifth guess?
3. If you see both French and English on signs, which country are you possibly in?
4. What will you learn better by playing this game?
5. What's the best title of this passage?
7 . When we think about the deserts of the world, water abundance(资源丰富)is one of the last things that come to mind. But that might change for the Taklamakan Desert (塔克拉玛干沙漠) in China.
There is a huge underground sea that has more water than all of the great lakes in total in North America. "People have never dared to imagine so much water under the sand before, "said Professor Li Yan.
A basin is, a valley (山谷）that usually collects water from the mountain drainage systems(山脉排水系统), like water that has melted and is running down from nearby, snow-covered mountains. But, if you look at the Tarim (塔里木)basin, you won't see any water.
That's partly because local people collect most of the melt water to irrigate crops. The rest either seeps into the ground or evaporates into the dry desert air.
So how did this desert have such huge water? It dates back to (追溯到)2,000 years ago when farmers in the region began irrigating the land. And the soil of the local farmlands is salty, like the sea. "As a result, agricultural development over human history has enhanced the carbon sink," they write in their report.
They estimate(估计)that as much as 10 times the amount in all of the great lakes could be down there. The scientists don't advise locals to go digging for it, though, because it's extremely salty sea water.
1. Where does the story happen __________________.| A．China. | B．Japan. | C．North America | D．Africa |
| A．Oil. | B．Air. | C．Water. | D．Plants. |
| A．盆地 | B．脸盆 | C．基建 | D．水域 |
| A．Because it's a dirty sea. | B．Because it's salty. |
| C．Because it's not huge enough. | D．Because they think it's bad for the desert. |
| A．The Taklamakan Desert. | B．The Tarim basin. |
| C．Water abundance in China. | D．A huge underground sea in Taklamakan Desert. |
How often do you use your car? Can you use your car less often? Do you know the following facts in the UK?
About 50% of all car journeys are just for fun.
Over 80% people go to work by car.
25% car journeys are under two miles.
70% car journeys are under five miles.
WALKING& CYCLING
Instead of using the car for short joumeys, why not walk or ride a bicycle? Walking is the most popular form of exercise—it's healthy and it can save money. If you work nearby, try walking or cycling instead of driving. Walking your children to school gives them valuable road experience.
BUSES
Bus companies are using new buses: some run on new fuels(燃料)which produce less pollution; some have easier road for disabled and old people.
There are special traffic lanes(行车道)to make bus journeys easier. So do something to help solve the pollution problem--let the bus take you to work and your children to school.
TRAINS
All car journeys, long or short, can be hard work. For some trips, it is wiser to take the train. Leave your car at home and walk, cycle or take a bus to and from the station. Train travel is fast, safe and comfortable. Besides, train tickets are not always expensive.
1. How many of car journeys are just for fun in the UK?| A．25%. | B．About 50%. | C．70%. | D．Over 80%. |
| A．walking to school | B．cycling to school |
| C．taking new fuel buses | D．having car journeys for fun |
| A．New buses run on fuels producing less pollution. |
| B．There is easier road for disabled and old people. |
| C．There are special traffic lanes for buses. |
| D．Bus travel is fast, safe and comfortable. |
| A．Fast, though not so safe. | B．Exciting, but always expensive. |
| C．It's hard work. | D．Fast and comfortable. |
| A．All car journeys, long or short, can be hard work. |
| B．For short journeys, walking or cycling can be wiser than driving. |
| C．For long journeys. driving a car is healthier. |
| D．Taking trains is usually expensive, but sometimes cheap. |
Mobile phones are one of the most useful inventions of the last 50 years, but not everything that is said about them is good. Mobiles are often believed to be the cause of a number of things from poor eyesight and headaches to house fires. There's even one theory that mobile phones should be responsible for the disappearance of bees!
The theory is that the radiation (辐射) given off by mobile phones does great harm to bees' navigation systems (导航系统). Bees have built-in system a bit like GPS and this helps them find their way back to their hives. But recently, thousands of bees have failed to find their way home. It is believed they are dying far from their hives.
The problem was first noticed by beekeepers in America and is a lot more serious than it at first seems. The important thing about bees is that most of the crops in many countries of the world are pollinated by them. Without bees, the crops can't continue to grow. Many beekeepers in Europe have reported losing between 50 and 70 percent of their bees. Jim Piper, London beekeeper, said to the reporter, "My business is becoming worse. Twenty-nine of my forty hives are now empty."
Nobody knows for sure whether the theory is true or not, but it's a fact that bees are disappearing in very large numbers. And we can't manage without them. Einstein said that if all our bees disappeared, man would only live for four more years! If the mobile phone theory is correct, we need to do something about it right now—before it's too late.
1. What might be caused by mobiles according to Paragraph 1?| A．Poor listening. | B．The forest fires. | C．The disappearance of bees. | D．Terrible toothache. |
| A．Bees have GPS inside their bodies. | B．Mobiles have an influence on bees' hives. |
| C．The radiation makes bees unable to fly. | D．The radiation makes bees lose their way home. |
| A．授粉 | B．污染 | C．啃食 | D．催熟 |
| A．Crops will stop growing. | B．Beekeepers' business is getting worse. |
| C．Bees' disappearing is a serious problem. | D．Beekeepers in Europe found the problem first. |
| A．call on people to help beekeepers | B．show how a bee's built-in system works |
| C．ask people to stop using mobiles right away | D．warn people of the possible harm mobiles do to bees |
10 . It might be fun to use your smartphone, but be careful. Too much screen time may be harmful to your health.
First, it is bad for your eyes. A researcher called Sarah Hinkley says the problem comes from the blue light that the screen gives out. Looking at a smartphone for a long time can cause eye strain（劳损）, headaches and dry eyes. So it is a good idea to take a break every 15 minutes when you are working at a computer or using a smartphone.
Second, screen use can do harm to children’s brains. A new study shows that using screens too much can affect（影响） how children’s brains grow. If children use screens for more than one hour a day, they might have lower levels of white matter in their brains. White matter is a key to the development of language and reading skills. So it is wise to cut down the time of children using all kinds of screens.
Third, using screens too much will affect your sleep. According to a study, about 95% of the people between the ages of 13 and 64 use electronics before bed, especially the young people under 20. Doctors say that the light from those electronics at night may make you excited before you go to bed. Then it’s hard for you to get enough sleep. So you’d better turn off smartphones, TVs, and all other screens an hour before your bedtime.
To keep healthy, doctors and researchers strongly advise that you shouldn’t use screens for long hours.
1. The blue light from your screens can cause ________.| A．eyestrain | B．headaches | C．dry eyes | D．all of the above |
| A．take a break every 15 minutes | B．have lower levels of white matter |
| C．use screens too much before bed | D．are the people from 13 to 64 |
| A．Using smartphones for long hours does harm to your eyes. |
| B．A lot of screen time affects children’s brain growth. |
| C．The light from electronics at night may make you excited. |
| D．People of all ages mustn’t use electronics. |
| A．a science magazine | B．a travel diary | C．a guide book | D．a novel |
| A．The ways to keep healthy. | B．The harm of using screens too much. |
| C．The ways to use screens. | D．The advantages of using screens. |
