1 . A new Japanese research has suggested that regularly eating mushrooms could help lower the risk of cancer. The researchers found that the men who consumed mushrooms once or twice a week had an 8 percent lower risk of developing cancer, regardless of how much fruit and vegetables, or meat and dairy products they ate—compared to those who ate mushrooms less than once per week. Eating mushrooms more often appeared to bring even bigger benefits, with those who consumed mushrooms three or more times per week showing a 17 percent lower risk than those who ate mushrooms less than once a week.

Eating mushrooms also appeared to be particularly beneficial among those who ate a large amount of meat and dairy products, little fruit and few vegetables. The findings, published in the International Journal of Cancer, are the first to suggest that there may be an association between eating mushrooms and a lower risk of cancer.

“Test-tube studies and studies conducted on living organisms have shown that mushrooms have the potential to prevent cancer” said lead researcher Shu Zhang. “To the best of our knowledge, this is the first study indicating the cancer-preventive potential of mushrooms at a population level.” Zhang added that, “mushrooms are a good source of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, especially L-ergothioneine,” which is believed to help fight against stress, and that is cell imbalance caused by lifestyle choices such as poor diets and exposure to environmental poisons. This imbalance can lead to chronic inflammation, resulting in chronic diseases such as cancer.

“Considering the average American consumes less than 5 grams of mushrooms per day, which is lower than that consumed by the participants in this study (7.6 g/day), one would expect that even a small increase in mushroom consumption can offer potential health benefits,” said Zhang. However, Zhang added that, “Although our study suggests regular consumption of mushrooms may reduce the risk of cancer, we also want to emphasize that eating a healthy and balanced diet is much more important than filling your shopping basket with mushrooms.”

1. What is the new Japanese research about?

A．Healthy lifestyle reduces the risk of cancer.

B．Often eating mushrooms reduces the risk of cancer.

C．Drinking dairy products is good for our health.

D．Eating fruit and vegetables makes us healthier.

2. Who seem to especially benefit from eating mushrooms?

A．People who are over fat and having a poor diet.

B．People who are feeling over stressed.

C．People who consume much meat but few vegetables and little fruit.

D．People who consume many dairy products and suffer cancer.

3. Why can the mushroom help reduce the risk of cancer?

A．It avoids the stress from a disease.

B．It reduces environmental poisons.

C．It hell helps reduce weight.

D．It has a source of cancer-preventive.

4. What does the underlined word “inflammation” probably means?

A．A state of being physically healthy.

B．A state of keeping body balance.

C．A physical condition that someone needs to be on a diet.

D．A condition that a part of the body becomes red, sore and swollen.

2 . Workers are returning to their careers, or starting new ones after age 65.

More than ever, work is where many of us get our sense of purpose. That doesn’t end at age 65. After being retired for only three months, Sue Ellen King returned to work at the University of Florida Health in Jacksonville, Florida, where she had been a care nurse and nursing educator for 38 years. She is now working part-time in a position created just for her. “It’s perfect,” she told The New York Times. “I get the satisfaction of having people appreciate what I do.” With the average life span for those who reach age 64 now getting all the way to 84 years old, those who reach retirement age still have many potential years of work to go.

Job sites connected toward part-timers, temporary positions, and some can also turn up opportunities that may lead to longer-term work. Fred Dodd tried a part-time job after his unemployment as a clerk for large banks at age 63. He’d thought about retiring then. “But part of me just wanted to keep working partly for the money, but more just because I felt I wanted to do more in my career,” he said.

The retired have the advantage of not needing to focus on the earnings potential of whatever jobs they take on, so these older workers are attracted to more meaningful work. And since they are voluntarily putting their skills and experience to good use, they may well have more flexibility than mid-career people. Two-thirds of retirees who’d come back to the work world were doing meaningful work they enjoyed. Legal work and community service were popular choices, as was teaching—all areas in which older workers might have an opportunity to make their own schedules.

Earning more money rarely seems like a bad idea, but it can cause issues for retirees, including effects when they claim Social Security (申请社会保障) benefits early.

1. How does Sue Ellen King like her work?

A．Interesting.	B．Satisfying.
C．Boring.	D．Encouraging.

2. What does the second paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Giving an example of successful returning to work after retirement.

B．Why Sue Ellen King found a nursing job.

C．What is Sue Ellen King’s work.

D．Giving an example of working full-time in a university.

3. What was the main reason for Fred to have a part-time job?

A．He was out of work.	B．He could help large banks.
C．He had personal crisis.	D．He liked continuing working.

4. Why do the retired like meaningful jobs?

A．These jobs have more flexibility.

B．These jobs have lots of potential.

C．They don’t care much for salary.

D．They can’t do very hard jobs.

3 . Four Best Countries to Visit in Europe

Germany

As the world’s largest beer festival, Oktoberfest attracts a large number of beer lovers from all over the world every September. In addition to the beer, during the Oktoberfest every year, a dress parade is held in the streets of Munich. There are nearly 10,000 people to take part in the parade.

Greece

The city Santonia in this country is the most popular tourist city in Europe, because there is a very romantic Aegean Sea. Every year there are a lot of couples or newlyweds, who will come here for their honeymoon. Greece is famous for its fresh air and pleasant climate. Mountains and sea, bright sunshine, ever green plants, olives, bananas, grapes and other fruit trees are everywhere. It is a popular tourist destination in the world. September to October is the best time to visit Greece.

Italy

November is getting colder in Europe, but Italy on the Mediterranean is having its best season. Not many tourists, the scenery is still. Hotels are cutting prices to welcome quiet tourists. Without the noisy crowds, Rome, Venice and Florence would truly lift their veil (面纱).

Norway

In December, the Earth entered the cold winter, but there are always some people liking different travel. Norway is the best place to visit. Norway is seen by many as a ski paradise (天堂), and not just because of the long ski season and excellent skiing conditions. The main reason is that there are children’s slopes to play on, red slopes to slide on, vast snow fields in the mountains to chase and, importantly, real fun to ski on.

1. When should you go to Germany if you are a beer lover?

A．In September.	B．In May.
C．In July.	D．In October.

2. Which place is the most suitable for a couple’s honeymoon?

A．Munich.	B．Venice.
C．Santonia.	D．Rome.

3. What can tourists do in December in Norway?

A．They can take part in a beer festival.

B．They can take part in a dress parade.

C．They can enjoy ever green plants.

D．They can have excellent snow fields to ski.

4 . A beautiful and very successful actress (女演员) was the star for a new musical show. Her home was in the countryside, but she did not want to go back there every night, so she bought an expensive house in the centre of the city, got some beautiful furniture and got a man to paint the rooms in new colours.
It was very difficult to get tickets for her show, because everybody wanted to see it. So she decided to give the painter two of the best seats. She hoped that this would make him work better for her. He took the tickets without saying anything, and she heard no more about them until the end of the month, when she got the painter’s bill (账单). At the bottom of it were these words: “ Four hours watching Miss Hall sing and dance : 3 pounds,” with this note: “ After 5 p.m. I get 15 shillings (先令) an hour instead of 10 shillings.”
1. The actress bought a house in the centre of the city because _______.

A．she liked to live in the busiest place.

B．she didn’t like to live in the country.

C．her home was far away from where she worked.

D．she didn’t want to go back to her hometown any longer.

2. . In order to make the painter work better for her, the actress ___________.

A．gave him two tickets for her show

B．sang and danced for him for hours

C．paid him 3 pounds

D．decided to pay him 15 shillings an hour

3. . The actress got the painter’s bill ______.

A．to ask for the money of his painting work.

B．to ask her to pay for his watching her show

C．in which he showed his thanks for the tickets

D．in which he expressed his dissatisfaction

4. . It can be learned from the text that one pound is___________ shillings.

A．10

B．12

C．20

D．15

5. . What kind of man was the painter?

A．He was a careful man.	B．He was a poor man.
C．He was not friendly to others.	D．He knew little about music and dances.