1 . It may be the decoration color of the moment, but painting your bedroom wall grey could actually keep you awake.
Grey isn't the only color you should avoid if you're reaching for a paintbrush. "Reds, browns and purples can all delay a peaceful night's sleep," says Natalie Armstrong, a sleep expert at mattress company Sealy.
She says, "While your room is dark when you go to sleep, many of us spend an hour or more in our bedrooms with the light on before going to sleep , which is the color of your bedroom can be so disruptive.
“Colors that are too bright can put your brain into a state of high alert, which can last long after you've turned the light off and can no longer see the color.”
Grey, white gentle, is also quite suppressive. The absence of any strong color has a depressive effect on the brain because it is a color typically used to represent sadness. While the current trend for grey is trying to change this, the deep rooted associations of grey as a dull color can make it a bad choice for bedroom decoration.
The real color champion when it comes to good sleep is blue, which is easily picked up by ganglion cells in the retinas of your eyes. The cells then send a message direct to your brain that you're in a calm environment.
And while the phrase "tidy house, tidy mind" might be ordinarily used in the daytime, it can be just as relevant at night-time. If you're trying to sleep in a room that' s heavy on clutter, you can carry that unsettled feeling into your subconscious when trying to fall into sleep, says Armstrong.
1. What's the main idea of this text?| A．The color of the bedroom walls affects sleep. |
| B．Dark colours can delay a peaceful night's sleep. |
| C．The decoration of the room plays an important role. |
| D．Grey isn't a suitable colour for bedroom decoration. |
| A．Grey is a dull colour. | B．Blue represents sadness. |
| C．Purple does good to our sleep. | D．Red can make people excited. |
| A．Because it upsets people. | B．Because people don't care. |
| C．Because it makes people feel stable. | D．Because people are fond of clean environment. |
| A．A medical book. | B．A health magazine. |
| C．A science report. | D．An advertisement brochure. |
2 . If Confucius(孔子)were still alive today and could celebrate his September 28 birthday with a big cake, there would be a lot of candles. He'd need a fan or a strong wind to help him put them out.
While many people in China will remember Confucius on his special day, few people in the United States will give him a passing thought. It's nothing personal. Most Americans don't even remember the birthdays of their own national heroes.
But this doesn't mean that Americans don't care about Confucius. In many ways he has become a bridge that foreigners must cross if they want to reach a deeper understanding of China.
In the past two decades, the Chinese studies programs have gained huge popularity in Western universities. More recently, the Chinese government has set up Confucius Institutes in more than 80 countries. These schools teach both Chinese language and culture. The main courses of Chinese culture usually include Chinese art, history and
philosophy(哲学). Some social scientists suggest that Westerners should take advantage of the ancient Chinese wisdom to make up for the drawbacks(缺陷)of Western philosophy. Students in the United States, at the same time, are racing to learn Chinese. So they will be ready for life in a world where China is an equal power with the United States. Businessmen who hope to make money in China are reading books about Confucius to understand their Chinese customers.
So the old thinker's ideas are still alive and well.
Today China attracts the West more than ever, and it will need more teachers to introduce Confucius and Chinese culture to the West.
As for the old thinker, he will not soon be forgotten by people in the West, even if his birthday is.
1. The opening paragraph is mainly intended to______________.| A．provide some key facts about Confucius |
| B．attract the readers' interest in the subject |
| C．show great respect for the ancient thinker |
| D．prove the popularity of modern birthday celebrations |
| A．have a great interest in studying Chinese |
| B．take an active part in Chinese competitions |
| C．try to get high scores in Chinese exams |
| D．fight for a chance to learn Chinese |
| A．Forgotten Wisdom in America |
| B．Huge Fans of the Chinese Language |
| C．Chinese Culture for Westerners |
| D．Old Thinker with a Big Future |
| A．a personal biography | B．a history paper |
| C．a cultural newspaper | D．a philosophy textbook |
3 . Teens and younger children are reading a lot less for fun, according to a Common Sense Media report published on Monday.
While the decline(下降) over the past decade is steep for teen readers, some data in the report shows that reading remains a big part of many children’s lives,and indicates how parents might help encourage more reading.
According to the report’s key findings, “the proportion(比例) who say they ‘hardly ever’ read for fun has gone from 8 percent of 13-year-olds and 9 percent of 17-year-olds in 1984 to 22 percent and 27 percent respectively(分别地) today.”
The report data shows that pleasure reading levels for younger children, ages 2-8, remain largely the same. But the amount of time spent in reading each passage has declined, from closer to an hour or more to closer to a half hour per passage.
When it comes to technology and reading, the report does little to suggest parents looking for data about the effect of e-readers and tablets on reading. It does point out that many parents still limit electronic reading, mainly due to concerns about increased screen time.
The most hopeful data shared in the report shows clear evidence of parents serving as examples and important guides for their kids when it comes to reading. Data shows that kids and teens who do read frequently, compared to infrequent readers, have more books in the home,more books purchased for them, parents who read more often,and parents who set aside time for them to read.
As the end of school approaches, and school vacation reading lists loom(逼近) ahead, parents might take this chance to step in and make their own summer reading lists and plan a family trip to the library or bookstore.
1. What’s the proportion of 17-year-olds who rarely read for fun today?| A．8%. | B．9%. | C．22%. | D．27%. |
| A．Buying e-books costs too much. | B．Children are addicted to e-books. |
| C．It is a waste of time to read e-books. | D．It may be harmful to children’s health. |
| A．Parents | B．teachers | C．interests | D．environment |
| A．Health. | B．Education. | C．Science. | D．Entertainment. |
4 . Almost everyone has heard the expression “the calm before the storm.” It is usually used to describe a peaceful period just before a very stressful situation or a tense argument.
British sailors coined the phrase in the late 1600s; they noted that before certain storms the seas would seem to become still and the winds would drop.
Science has given us the reason. According to US website HowStuffWorks, a calm period occurs because many storms, tornadoes and hurricanes draw in all the warm and humid(湿热的) air from the surrounding area. As this air rises into the storm clouds, it cools and acts as “fuel for the storm, like petrol in a car”. Once the storm has taken all the energy it can from the air, it is pushed out from the top of the storm clouds and falls back down to ground level. As the air goes down, it becomes warm and dry. Warm and dry air is stable, so once it covers an area, it causes a calm period before the storm. This same process also causes the “eye of the storm” in hurricanes and tornadoes. In these conditions, the calm occurs in the center of the storm because of the strong rotating (旋转的) winds.
The Weather Network has a tip for working out how far away a storm is. First count how many seconds there are between a flash of lightning and a clap of thunder, roughly three seconds equal one kilometer. So, for example, if you count nine seconds, the storm is about three kilometers away. A good method is that if your count is below 30 seconds, you should seek shelter straight away.
However, due to the complexity of storm system, not all storms take place after calm. Given the right conditions, some storms announce themselves with heavy rain and fierce winds.
So, your best bet is to keep yourself updated with weather reports for any predictions regarding a coming storm in your area. That's the most reliable way to predict the next display(展示) of nature's temper (脾气).
1. What is the function of Paragraph 3?| A．To describe how the eye of the storm comes into being. |
| B．To stress why tornadoes and hurricanes are destructive. |
| C．To explain why a peaceful period occurs before some storms. |
| D．To remind how dangerous a storm can be in certain situations. |
| A．one kilometer away | B．three kilometers away |
| C．four kilometers away | D．five kilometers away |
| A．Heavy storms don't usually last long. |
| B．It is not always quiet before a storm. |
| C．Storms have a big influence on our life. |
| D．Weather reports often fail to predict a storm. |
| A．A travel journal. | B．A science fiction. |
| C．A literature review. | D．A geography magazine. |
5 . After a day’s hiking, a comfortable place to bed down for the night feels like heaven. Here are four best places that offer more than just bed and breakfast. Click the websites for more if you’re interested.
The Old Rectory, Gwynedd
At the foot of Cadair Idris Mountains, the Old Rectory offers good walking around town of Machynlleth. Two of its four attractive lake-view rooms have big, free-standing baths, ideal for an end-of-walk bath.
Walks: An easy 2-mile trail loops around Tal-y-llyn Lake.
• Double from £100 B&B (bed and breakfast), rectoryonthelake.co.uk
Clachaig Inn, Scottish Highlands
This Glencoe inn is a Highlands legend. The 23 rooms are comfortable and simple, but more appealing are the live bands and the bar.
Walks: A gentle 1½-mile woodland route from the inn visits Signal Rock. An exposed 8-mile climb up Buachaille Etive Mòr.
• Double from £106 B&B, clachaig.com
Lee Byre, Devon
This barn house has three bright guest rooms. Owners are keen hikers and can give trail advice or lead guided walks, day and night. Breakfast features fresh-laid eggs and homemade honey.
Walks: Make a circuit across the wetland (11 miles). Hike from Mary Tavy to Wheal Betsy (5 miles).
• Double from £70 B&B; guided day walk £60 per person; guided star hike £30 per person; leebyre.com
Cottage Lodge, Hampshire
Christina Simons, owner of this comfortable hotel, has created several self-guided walking routes direct from the front door. The lodge has 16 rooms, two of which are dog-friendly.
Walks: To Lyndhurst via Standing Hat woods (7 miles), looking out for wild deer. A 3-mile walk through Keyhaven marshes, a good place to see migrating birds.
• Double from £75 B&B, cottagelodge.co.uk
1. Which place best suits walkers who enjoy lake view?| A．The Old Rectory | B．Cottage Lodge |
| C．Lee Byre | D．Clachaig Inn |
| A．Dogs are welcome to stay in all rooms there. |
| B．Walkers might see some wild animals during walks there. |
| C．Walkers can join in some guided walking at the front door. |
| D．It offers the lowest price and the most rooms. |
| A．A tour guide book. | B．A travel website. |
| C．A lifestyle magazine. | D．A local newspaper. |
