1 . Experts are warning about the risks of extremely picky(挑剔的)eating after a teenager living on a diet of chips and crisps developed lasting sight loss. Eye doctors in Bristol cared for the 17-year-old after his sight had gone to the point of blindness. Tests showed he had serious vitamin deficiency(缺乏). Dr. Denize Atan, who treated him at the hospital, said, “His diet was basically a portion of chips from the local fish and chip shop every day. He also used to snack on crisps and sometimes white bread and ham, and not really any fruit and vegetables.”
The teenager saw his doctor at the age of 14 because he had been feeling tired and unwell. At that time he suffered from vitamin B12 deficiency, but he did not stick with the treatment or improve his poor diet. Three years later, he was taken to the Bristol Eye Hospital because of progressive sight loss.
He was not overweight or underweight, but he had lost minerals from his bones, which was really quite shocking for a boy of his age. In terms of his sight loss, he met the standards of being blind. “He had blind spots right in the middle of his sight,” said Dr Denize Atan, “That means he can’t drive and would find it really arduous to read, watch TV or recognize faces.”
Dr Denize Atan said that parents should learn about the harm that can be caused by picky eating, and turn to experts for help. For those who are concerned , she advised, “It’s best not to be anxious about picky eating , and instead calmly introduce one or two new foods with every meal.” She said multivitamin tablets can supplement(补充) a diet, but cannot take the place of eating healthily. “It’s much better to take in vitamins through a varied and balanced diet,” she said, adding that too many certain vitamins , including vitamin A, can be harmful ,“so you don’t want to overdo it.”
1. What does Dr Denize Atan imply in paragraph 1?| A．The diet of the boy is not balanced. |
| B．Fruit and vegetables are rich in vitamins. |
| C．Picky eating is common among teenagers. |
| D．The cause of the boy’s disease is unknown. |
| A．To improve his poor diet. |
| B．To get some help to lose weight. |
| C．To be treated for his discomfort. |
| D．To slow down his progressive sight loss. |
| A．Important. | B．Easy. | C．Necessary. | D．Difficult. |
| A．Reasons why the boy is seriously ill. |
| B．Suggestions for the boy’s family to care for him. |
| C．Advice for parents worried about picky eating. |
| D．Ways of taking in enough vitamins and minerals. |
2 . Laptop computers are popular all over the world. People use them on trains and airplanes, in airports and hotels. These laptops connect people to their workplace. In the United States today, laptops also connect students to their classrooms.
Westlake College in Virginia will start a laptop computer program that allows students to do schoolwork anywhere they want. Within five years, each of the 1500 students at the college will receive a laptop. The laptops are part of a $10 million computer program at Westlake, a 110-year-old college. The students with laptops will also have access to the Internet. In addition, they will be able to use e-mail to “peak” with their teachers, their classmates, and their families. However, the most important part of the laptop program is that students will be able to use computers without going to computer labs. They can work with it at home, in a fast-food restaurant or under the trees—anywhere at all!
Because of the many changes in computer technology, laptop use in higher education, such as colleges and universities, is workable. As laptops become more powerful, they become more similar to desktop computers. In addition, the portable computers can connect students to not only the Internet, but also libraries and other resources. State higher-education officials are studying how laptops can help students. State officials are also testing laptop programs at other universities, too.
At Westlake College, more than 60 percent of the staff use computers. The laptops will allow all teachers to use computers in their lessons. As one Westlake teacher said, “Here we are in the middle of Virginia and we’re giving students a window on the world. They can see everything and do everything.”
1. The main purpose of the laptop program is to give each student a laptop to ________.| A．connect them to libraries | B．surf the Internet |
| C．work at home | D．use for their schoolwork |
| A．It is an old college in America. | B．1500 students have laptops. |
| C．All teachers use computers. | D．Students there can do everything. |
| A．attend lectures on information technology |
| B．get information from around the world |
| C．travel around the world |
| D．have free laptops |
| A．The program is successful. | B．We don’t know the result of the program yet. |
| C．The program is too expensive. | D．The program is not workable. |
3 . The idea of using a public bathroom with see through walls may sound like the stuff of nightmares. But a famous Japanese is hoping to change that view, using new technology to make restrooms in Tokyo parks more inviting.
“There are two things we worry about when entering a public restroom, especially those cated at a park,” according to architect Shigeru Ban’s firm. “The first is cleanliness, and the second is whether anyone is inside.”
The newly-invented transparent walls can turn off both of those worries, Ban says, by showing people what awaits them inside. After users enter the restroom and lock the door, the room’s walls turn a powdery paste) shade and are no longer see-through.
Ban’s are sure to make for great conversation among visitors to the park-and they’ll stand out even more after dark. “At night, the facility lights up the park like a beautiful lantern,” the architect’s website says.
The group is behind the Tokyo Toilet project, world-famous architects to create toilets “like you’ve never seen. The project’s eye catching toilets are part of a plan to put people ar ease when isiting a public bathroom. The project may seem silly, but the 16 architects who are reimagining public toilets are some of the brightest names in Japanese architecture. The list includes four Pritzker Prize winners-Ban, Toyo Ito, Tadao Ando and Fumihiko Maki-along with international stars such as Kengo Kuma and Sou Fujimoto. The fashion designer Nigo is also contributing.
Ban’s colorful public bathrooms opened to the public this month in two parks: Yoyogi Fukamachi Mini Park and Haru-no-Ogawa Community Park. Other bespoke commodes will be opening in coming months.
1. Why are people often worried before entering a public restroom?| A．Its lock is usually useless. |
| B．It’s usually at a huge distance. |
| C．It’s not always clean. |
| D．It’s always occupied. |
| A．Easy to see through. |
| B．Not easy to see through. |
| C．Full of bright colors. |
| D．Thick and strong. |
| A．It’s and silly. |
| B．It’s rewarding and. |
| C．It has won the Pritzker Prize. |
| D．It’s the fruit of colleqtive wisdom |
| A．Should the public restrooms be upgraded? |
| B．The new high-tech walls of public restrooms are coming. |
| C．How do we live with see-through public facilities? |
| D．Some famous architects designed a silly project. |
4 . A new report has concluded that advertising managers are becoming increasingly interested in children. Studies show that children influence about 50 percent of things that families buy, so they’re an attractive target for advertisers.
John Taylor, the author of the report, says:“Advertisers can reach their target in many ways. They can, for example, show an ad many times during school holidays, they can make the TV advertisements a little louder than the programmes to attract attention, or they can sponsor programmes and show their advertisements just before the programme begins.”
Most advertisements aimed at children are short, imaginative and often in the form of animated cartoons(动画片).“Children love the ads and watch them in the same way as any entertainment programmer,”Taylor says.
There’re concerns about advertising aimed at young people. The concerns are shared by Sarah Durham, a writer and journalist specializing in media analysis. “The most worrying thing is that children don’t think carefully when they see television advertisements. They’re less critical than adults and don’t usually realise the advertisement has a persuasive message, to encourage them or their parents to spend as much money as possible on the product or service,”she says.
There’re also concerns over the vast sums of money that junk food producers spend on advertising to persuade children to buy their food products. Many advertisements, argues Durham, sell food that is a lot higher in fat, salt and sugar than healthier alternatives. “Many companies target children with offers of free toys, models of cartoon characters and gimmicky（耍花招的）packaging.”
Government approaches to controlling advertising to children vary. In Sweden, one of the strictest countries where advertising is concerned, TV advertising to children under the age of 12 is banned. Greece bans television advertisements for children’s toys between 7 a.m. and 10 p.m. Denmark and the Netherlands also have legal controls whereas France, Britain and Germany prefer self-regulation（自动调节）．
Some countries are not as certain as the Swedes that advertising to children is harmful. The French argue that children need to see many advertisements so that they can develop their ability to think as they grow up. The belief is that advertising will help children to be more aware of its persuasive power.
1. What does John Taylor mainly talk about in Paragraph 2?| A．Ways in which advertisers reach children. |
| B．The time children spend watching television. |
| C．Examples of successful advertising to children. |
| D．The serious problems of advertising to children. |
| A．TV ads limit children’s imagination. |
| B．TV ads affect children’s brain development. |
| C．Children lack the good sense to make decisions. |
| D．Children may spend lots of time watching television. |
| A．It’s tasty. | B．It’s cheap. |
| C．It’s unhealthy. | D．It’s readymade. |
| A．Doubtful. | B．Relaxed. |
| C．Objective. | D．Unfavorable. |
5 . Are you interested in working with animals? Now here comes the CHANCE. Kirby Wildlife Park has set up the unique Keeper Experience package. The fantastic experience is available to anyone over the age of 18 who is reasonably fit. We regret that for health and safety reasons, participants who are pregnant, in a wheelchair or suffering from illnesses cannot take part.
A typical day
9:15 Arrival
9:30 Health and Safety Briefing
10:00 Apes and Monkeys
While cleaning out the enclosure (围场) you will find out about how enclosures are enriched with novel items and new smells to stimulate the animals′ senses and imitate their natural environment.
12:00 Lunch
14:00 Big Cats
As one of the highlights of this volunteer experience, you will feed the cats and learn about their nutritional needs. The keeper will give you an introduction to how cat behavior can be read to get an idea of their welfare and health.
16:30 Meet the Team
Meet more of the staff and learn how you can get further involved with work at the park. Learn about our animal adoption plan, what it takes to be a good keeper and where to obtain the right qualifications for a career in animal welfare.
Booking and cancellation
The Keeper Experience is available on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays throughout the year, and must be booked at least two weeks in advance. Full payment is needed when booking.
Cancellations must be made more than fourteen days before the event. Otherwise, you won′t receive a full refund.
1. What kind of people can experience working with animals in Kirby Wildlife Park?| A．A pregnant woman. |
| B．A man who is quite healthy. |
| C．A teenager sitting in a wheelchair. |
| D．A student under the age of 18. |
| A．At 12:00. |
| B．At 9:30. |
| C．At 10:00. |
| D．At 16:30. |
| A．a booking should be made over two weeks before the event |
| B．people are allowed to cancel a booking with a full refund at any time |
| C．cancellations need to be made on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays |
| D．participants can have the unique experience every day throughout the year |
6 . In the days when an ice cream sundae cost much less, a 10-year-old boy entered a hotel coffee shop and sat at a table. A waitress put a glass of water in front of him. “How much is an ice cream sundae?” “Fifty cents,” replied the waitress. The little boy pulled his hand out of his pocket and studied a number of coins in it. “How much is a dish of plain ice cream?” he required. Some people were now waiting for a table and the waitress was a bit impatient. “Thirty-five cents,” she said rudely. The little boy again counted the coins. “I’ll have the plain ice cream,” he said. The waitress brought the ice cream, put the bill on the table and walked away. The boy finished the ice cream, paid the bill and departed. When the waitress came back, she began wiping down the table and then swallowed hard at what she saw. There, placed nearly beside the empty dish, were two five-cent coins and five one-cent coins—her tip.
1. In the days, an ice cream is ______________.| A．dearer than usual | B．as dear as usual |
| C．much cheaper than usual | D．as cheap as usual |
| A．thirty-five cents. | B．More than fifty cents. |
| C．only fifty cents. | D．Less than fifty cents. |
| A．The plain ice cream cost him much less. |
| B．He enjoyed the cheaper ice cream better. |
| C．The coins were not enough for an ice cream sundae. |
| D．He wanted to save some coins to tip the waitress. |
| A．very surprised. | B．a bit of shame | C．quite pleased | D．a little worried |
7 . Language is always changing. In a society where life continues year after year with few changes, the language does not change, either. The earliest known languages had difficult grammar but a small, limited vocabulary. Over the century, the grammar changed, and the vocabulary grew. For example, the English and Spanish people who came to America during the sixteenth century gave names to all new plants and animals they found. In this way, hundreds of new words were introduced into English and Spanish vocabularies. Today life is changing very fast, and language is changing fast too.
There are several major language families in the world. Some scientists say there are nine main families, but other scientists divide them differently. The languages in each family are connected, and scientists think that they came from the same parent language About 3 percent of the people in the world speak languages that are not in these major families.
1. The early language had ______.| A．a lot of problems | B．words and easy grammar |
| C．words but no grammar | D．grammar but not many words |
| A．stay exactly the same | B．change a great deal |
| C．change only a little | D．add more words and drop some grammar |
| A．languages change fast |
| B．languages really don’t want to change |
| C．language changes with changes of society |
| D．Spanish and English change |
| A．language can change very slowly or very quickly |
| B．Though our life changes, our language won’t change. |
| C．we should give our plants new names |
| D．English and Spanish are the only languages that have changes |
8 . Swimming and English Learning
Can you swim? Do you like swimming? Yes? Well, how can you learn to swim? I think the best way is to go into the water and learn. I'm afraid you'll never learn to swim just by reading books about swimming or looking at others swimming. It's the same with the English study. We must practice, practice and practice.
Listening and speaking are very important for beginners. The children in English - speaking countries first listen to others. Then they try to imitate and speak. We can listen to English programs on radio. You may just understand a few words. It doesn't matter. Just be relaxed, and try to catch every word.
Somebody may be a good listener. But he dare not speak. He's afraid of making mistakes. You know we sometimes make mistakes when we speak Chinese. Don't be afraid. We must be brave. If you really want to learn English well, you must try to speak with everyone so long as he knows English. Whether you know him or not is not important. When there's nobody to talk with, you can talk to yourself in English. It's interesting and also a good way to practice your spoken English. Remember, the more you speak, the fewer mistakes you'll make.
Reading and writing are more important for senior school students. First we must choose the books we're interested in. A lot of reading will improve your language sense. This is the most important.
Keep writing English diaries. We can also write English articles. You may even post them to English magazines. Don't be afraid of failure. Failure is the mother of success.
Easier said than done. Well, let's do more practice from now on. I'm sure you'll learn English well in this way.
1. We should learn English by ________.| A．listening and speaking | B．reading and writing |
| C．A and B | D．swimming |
| A．Don't make mistakes. | B．Study hard. |
| C．Try not to speak English | D．Don't be afraid. |
| A．by train | B．on the radio |
| C．every minute | D．now and then |
| A．The author likes swimming. |
| B．The author prefers English learning to swimming. |
| C．English learning way is similar to swimming. |
| D．Swimming is easier than English learning |
9 . Most of us don’t reach for that gnarled (多节的) carrots when selecting our produce at the local supermarket. That’s exactly why Americans waste up to 40% of eatable food every year. This unbelievable number has caused the “ugly food” movement, and inspired many companies to sell misshapen fruit and vegetables to consumers, rather than throw them in the trash.
One San Francisco organization is taking a unique approach to this idea. The Salvage Supperclub hosts fancy dinners inside dumper truck (自卸车) where they serve dishes entirely prepared with food that would have otherwise gone to waste.
Josh Treuhaft, founder of these ugly food dinners, originally came up with the idea to make people realize America’s food waste problem. “There is undeveloped possibility that their food is going to waste for some reason, not to their own fault,” he told Seeker’s Laura Ling.
Treuhaft isn’t alone in his effort to reduce America’s food waste. A Change.org last year called for Whole Foods to become part of the ugly food movement. They sold misshapen fruit and vegetables in Northern California stores.
Selling imperfect produce is still relatively rare right now, which can be partially due to a supply issue rather than a lack of willing participants. Raley’s, a Sacramento-based grocery chain, started an ugly food pilot program called “Real Good”, but discontinued it after 90 days saying they had “some challenges getting the product”. A grower might have large amounts of ugly produce one year due to terrible weather, but much less the next year if the weather has been more ideal. Harvests constantly vary and retailers are more likely to buy ugly produce in large number rather than just a few pounds at a time.
This is why organizations like Imperfect Produce and Salvage Supperclub are playing an important role in the prevention of food waste. Salvage Supperclub takes it a step further by not only buying the ugly produce, but turning it into a good dining experience as well.
1. What can we infer from Paragraph 1?| A．People usually prefer good-looking produce. |
| B．Gnarled carrots mostly appear in the supermarket. |
| C．Many companies find new business opportunities. |
| D．Americans eat less fruit and vegetables than expected. |
| A．To prove his fancy idea. | B．To advise people to dine in dumper truck. |
| C．To show waste can be eaten. | D．To remind people not to waste. |
| A．People should reduce the ugly food. |
| B．People should make full use of ugly food. |
| C．People should be more aware of food shortage. |
| D．People should develop their potential in producing food. |
| A．Retailers’ pursuing larger profit. | B．Lack of enough steady amounts of produce. |
| C．Bad harvests due to bad weather. | D．People’s unwillingness to buy imperfect produce. |
10 . I was speaking to the faculty (全体教师) at John F. Kennedy Elementary School in Canton, Massachusetts, a couple weeks ago. I arrived early and decided to take a walk.
There was a Little League field nearby. I spotted a sign on the fence .
The sign, posted by the Canton Little League, read:
PLEASE REMEMBER
·These are kids.
·This is a game.
·The coaches volunteer.
·You don’t play for the Red Sox (an American professional baseball team).
I had to laugh, especially at the joke about the Red Sox. But I think the sign is a good reminder to everyone connected with youth sports－kids, parents, coaches and the folks who run the leagues－what is important about the games.
First, kids who play are just kids. They are not mini professional athletes. So youth sports leagues and coaches should take it easy on them. Kids don’t need long schedules and lots of faraway games or high-pressure tournaments.
Adults should try to set up youth leagues so more kids play with and against kids from nearby schools and neighborhoods. They should make it easier for kids to play a sport for just a few months so that they can try other sports. Kids shouldn’t play one sport year-round.
And everyone should stop worrying about which team wins or loses. A friend of mine who coached a lot of youth teams once told me, “When you coach kids, it’s not how many you win or lose, but how many sign up for next season.” According to the Aspen Institute’s latest “State of Play” report, fewer kids are signing up. Research indicates a smaller percentage of kids ages 6 to 12 (37 percent) are playing team sports on a regular basis than in 2011 (42 percent).
The aim of youth sports should be to have fun, learn some skills and enjoy being part of a team. When we lose sight of those simple goals, the games suffer, and the kids stay away.
Maybe in 2021 every field or gym where kids play should have a sign like the one in Canton. All you would have to do is change the name of the team.
1. How might the author feel seeing the sign on the fence?| A．Relieved. | B．Worried. | C．Confident. | D．Disappointed. |
| A．Go easy on kids. | B．Choose youth leagues carefully. |
| C．Encourage kids to stick to one sport. | D．Make a year-round schedule for kids. |
| A．Kids today are less athletic. |
| B．Fewer youth leagues are being set up. |
| C．Youth group sports are losing popularity. |
| D．Kids are focusing more on succeeding than trying. |
| A．Give praise. | B．Express a wish. |
| C．Offer sympathy. | D．Show determination. |
