1 . As we age, even if we’re healthy, the heart just isn’t as efficient in processing oxygen as it used to be. In most people the first signs show up in their 50s or early 60s. And among people who don’t exercise, the changes can start even sooner.

“Think of a rubber band. In the beginning, it is flexible, but put it in a drawer for 20 years and it will become dry and easily broken,” says Dr. Ben Levine, a heart specialist at the University of Texas. That’s what happens to the heart. Fortunately for those in midlife, Levine is finding that even if you haven’t been an enthusiastic exerciser, getting in shape now may help improve your aging heart.

Levine and his research team selected volunteers aged between 45 and 64 who did not exercise much but were otherwise healthy. Participants were randomly divided into two groups. The first group participated in a program of nonaerobic (无氧) exercise—balance training and weight training—three times a week. The second group did high-intensity aerobic exercise under the guidance of a trainer for four or more days a week. After two years, the second group saw remarkable improvements in heart health.

“We took these 50-year-old hearts and turned the clock back to 30-or 35-year-old hearts,” says Levine. “And the reason they got so much stronger and fitter was that their hearts could now fill a lot better and pump (泵送) a lot more blood during exercise.” But the hearts of those who participated in less intense exercise didn’t change, he says.

“The sweet spot in life to start exercising, if you haven’t already, is in late middle age when the heart still has flexibility,” Levine says. “We put healthy 70-year-olds through a yearlong exercise training program, and nothing happened to them at all.”

Dr. Nieca Goldberg, a spokeswoman for the American Heart Association, says Levine’s findings are a great start. But the study was small and needs to be repeated with far larger groups of people to determine exactly which aspects of an exercise routine make the biggest difference.

1. What does Levine want to explain by mentioning the rubber band?

A．The right way of exercising.	B．The causes of a heart attack.
C．The difficulty of keeping fit.	D．The aging process of the heart.

2. In which aspect were the two groups different in terms of research design?

A．Diet plan.	B．Professional background.
C．Exercise type.	D．Previous physical condition.

3. What does Levine’s research find?

A．Middle-aged hearts get younger with aerobic exercise.

B．High-intensity exercise is more suitable for the young.

C．It is never too late for people to start taking exercise.

D．The more exercise we do, the stronger our hearts get.

4. What does Dr. Nieca Goldberg suggest?

A．Making use of the findings.	B．Interviewing the study participants.
C．Conducting further research.	D．Clarifying the purpose of the study.

2 . Over the last seven years, most states have banned texting by drivers, and public service campaigns have tried a wide range of methods to persuade people to put down their phones when they are behind the wheel.

Yet the problem, by just about any measure, appears to be getting worse. Americans are still texting while driving, as well as using social networks and taking photos. Road accidents, which had fallen for years, are now rising sharply.

That is partly because people are driving more, but Mark Rosekind, the chief of the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, said distracted（分心）driving was "only increasing, unfortunately."

"Big change requires big ideas." he said in a speech last month, referring broadly to the need to improve road safety. So to try to change a distinctly modern behavior, lawmakers and public health experts are reaching back to an old approach: They want to treat distracted driving like drunk driving.

An idea from lawmakers in New York is to give police officers a new device called the Textalyzer. It would work like this: An officer arriving at the scene of a crash could ask for the phones of the drivers and use the Textalyzer to check in the operating system for recent activity. The technology could determine whether a driver had just texted, emailed or done anything else that is not allowed under New York's hands-free driving laws.

"We need something on the books that can change people's behavior,” said Félix W. Ortiz, who pushed for the state's 2001 ban on hand-held devices by drivers. If the Textalyzer bill becomes law, he said, "people are going to be more afraid to put their hands on the cell phone."

1. Which of the following best describes the ban on drivers' texting in the US?

A．Ineffective.	B．Unnecessary.
C．Inconsistent.	D．Unfair.

2. What can the Textalyzer help a police officer find out?

A．Where a driver came from.	B．Whether a driver used their phone.
C．How fast a driver was going.	D．When a driver arrived at the scene.

3. What does the underlined word "something" in the last paragraph refer to?

A．Advice.

B．Data.

C．Tests.

D．Laws.

4. What is a suitable title for the text?

A．To Drive or Not to Drive? Think Before You Start

B．Texting and Driving? Watch Out for the Textalyzer

C．New York Banning Hand-Held Devices by Drivers.

D．The Next Generation Cell Phone: The Textalyzer-

3 . We journalists live in a new age of storytelling, with many new multimedia tools. Many young people don’t even realize it’s new. For them, it’s just normal.

This hit home for me as I was sitting with my 2-year-old grandson on a sofa over the Spring Festival holiday. I had brought a children’s book to read. It had simple words and colorful pictures — a perfect match for his age.

Picture this: my grandson sitting on my lap as I hold the book in front so he can see the pictures. As I read, he reaches out and pokes (戳) the page with his finger.

What’s up with that? He just likes the pictures, I thought. Then I turned the page and continued. He poked the page even harder. I nearly dropped the book. I was confused: Is there something wrong with this kid?

Then I realized what was happening. He was actually a stranger to books. His father frequently amused the boy with a tablet computer which was loaded with colorful pictures that come alive when you poke them. He thought my storybook was like that.

Sorry, kid. This book is not part of your high-tech world. It’s an outdated, lifeless thing. An antique, like your grandfather. Well, I may be old, but I’m not hopelessly challenged, digitally speaking. I edit video and produce audio. I use mobile payment. I’ve even built websites.

There’s one notable gap in my new-media experience, however: I’ve spent little time in front of a camera, since I have a face made for radio. But that didn’t stop China Daily from asking me last week to share a personal story for a video project about the integration of Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei province.

Anyway, grandpa is now an internet star — two minutes of fame! I promise not to let it go to my head. But I will make sure my 2-year-old grandson sees it on his tablet.

1. What do the underlined words “hit home for me” mean in paragraph 2?

A．Provided shelter for me.	B．Became very clear to me.
C．Took the pressure off me.	D．Worked quite well on me.

2. Why did the kid poke the storybook?

A．He took it for a tablet computer.	B．He disliked the colorful pictures.
C．He was angry with his grandpa.	D．He wanted to read it by himself.

3. What does the author think of himself?

A．Socially ambitious.	B．Physically attractive.
C．Financially independent.	D．Digitally competent.

4. What can we learn about the author as a journalist?

A．He lacks experience in his job.	B．He seldom appears on television.
C．He manages a video department.	D．He often interviews internet stars.

4 . Children’s Discovery Museum

General Information about Group Play

Pricing

Group Play $7/person

Scholarships

We offer scholarships to low-income schools and youth organizations, subject to availability. Participation in a post-visit survey is required.

Scholarships are for Group Play admission fees and/or transportation. Transportation invoices (发票) must be received within 60 days of your visit to guarantee the scholarship.

Group Size

We require one chaperone (监护人) per ten children. Failure to provide enough chaperones will result in an extra charge of $50 per absent adult.

Group Play is for groups of 10 or more with a limit of 35 people. For groups of 35 or more, please call to discuss options.

Hours

The Museum is open daily from 9:30 am to 4:30 pm.

Group Play may be scheduled during any day or time the Museum is open.

Registration Policy

Registration must be made at least two weeks in advance.

Register online or fill out a Group Play Registration Form with multiple date and start time options.

Once the registration form is received and processed, we will send a confirmation email within two business days.

Guidelines

●Teachers and chaperones should model good behavior for the group and remain with students at all times.

●Children are not allowed unaccompanied in all areas of the Museum.

●Children should play nicely with each other and exhibits.

●Use your indoor voice when at the Museum.

1. What does a group need to do if they are offered a scholarship?

A．Prepay the admission fees.	B．Use the Museum’s transportation.
C．Take a survey after the visit.	D．Schedule their visit on weekdays.

2. How many chaperones are needed for a group of 30 children to visit the Museum?

A．One.

B．Two.

C．Three.

D．Four.

3. What are children prohibited from doing at the Museum?

A．Using the computer.	B．Talking with each other.
C．Touching the exhibits.	D．Exploring the place alone.

5 . Nowadays, in many places of the world, kids play soccer less than before.     1     Besides, many parents don’t know soccer’s real help to kids. Here are some reasons why kids should play the beautiful game.

Soccer is a team sport.

Teamwork is a life skill that kids need to learn. Being part of a team isn’t just about learning how to work together and share talents. It’s also about teaching kids how to face failure. It doesn’t end there, either. Being part of a team lets kids know how to take responsibility for their behavior.    2    

Soccer shapes motor skills (运动技能).

Nowadays, many kids prefer to stay in their rooms to have fun through TV, video games and smartphones.    3    It can cause them to lose out on valuable motor skills. By playing youth soccer, kids get a chance to develop their physical strength and motor skills.

    4    

Soccer can improve students’ concentration (专注) in the classroom. Besides, soccer is a fast-paced game, so kids can learn how to solve problems quickly. Plus, soccer is a sport which involves getting the ball from point A to point B. So kids’ visual-spatial (视觉空间) ability can be improved when they play the game, which can help them learn subjects like Physics.

Soccer improves the personal character.

The World Health Organization recommends kid get at least 60 minutes of exercises daily. This isn’t only for the physical benefits but also for the benefits to the personal character.     5     And these kids often have more self-confidence.

A．Youth soccer helps improve family relationships.

B．So they have less time outdoors for sports.

C．Soccer plays a part in school performance.

D．Being part of a team can help you make many friends.

E．One cause is that many kids are busy with their studies.

F．Usually kids who like sports such as soccer are more outgoing.

G．After all, if one player performs badly, the rest of the team will suffer for it.

6 . 阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。

I've always loved the ocean. In the    1     (seven) grade,I started volunteering at the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. I was upset to learn that many sea animals eat plastic garbage,     2     (think)it is food.

I decided to do something     3     (educate) people about this problem. I held presentations at schools to teach kids about plastic waste. I wanted to reach businesses too. I decided that if I learned of a company    4     used a lot of plastic, I'd send it an email urging it to cut back.

One day, I saw a commercial for a health-care company. People in the ad were using plastic straws （吸管）.   I found the contact information of the company    5     emailed its president. I told him how     6     (harm) plastic could be to the environment and asked him to consider using more eco-friendly options. I was so    7     (excite) when he wrote back to me.He said he would make sure that the company cut its use of plastic straws in half.

I kept going. Whenever I heard of businesses using plastic, I'd send an email. One of the biggest companies I wrote to     8     (be) Alaska Airlines Paris. A company     9     (represent) wrote back and told me the airline was switching over     10     plastic to paper cups on all of its 1,200 daily flights.

7 . Over the past 38 years, Mr. Wang has pretended to be someone else many times,and has even learned to ________ different dialects (方言), leading to him being described as an “Oscar-winning actor”.

The 60-year-old is not an actor, but a ________ However,he is more devoted to his “________ ” than any real actor.

In the 1990s, a group of thieves often sold stolen goods with the help of some beggars. To look into the ________, Wang disguised (伪装) himself and ________ the beggars. Dirty shorts and old shoes gave him the ________ of a real beggar and his convincing dialect soon won him the ________ of the beggars.

“I often ________ them to drink alcohol. Once they were ________,they began to talk a lot,"Wang said. “I'd then ________ myself to use the toilet, ________ what the beggars said, and send the ________ to my teammates.”

Wang, who is often in ________ situations, is also a judo (柔道) master.   “As long as I get close enough, no criminal can ________ from me,” he said.

Wang's ________ won him several honors, including a National May Day Labor Medal and 11 Citations of Merit.

1.

A．teach

B．compare

C．assess

D．speak

2.

A．lawyer

B．doctor

C．policeman

D．businessman

3.

A．role

B．study

C．family

D．audience

4.

A．minor

B．case

C．future

D．question

5.

A．interviewed

B．joined

C．arrested

D．assisted

6.

A．challenge

B．experience

C．appearance

D．freedom

7.

A．vote

B．sympathy

C．permission

D．trust

8.

A．invited

B．forced

C．helped

D．expected

9.

A．drunk

B．deserted

C．bored

D．lost

10.

A．guide

B．persuade

C．excuse

D．allow

11.

A．refer to

B．note down

C．ask about

D．miss out

12.

A．plan

B．agreement

C．direction

D．information

13.

A．awkward

B．dangerous

C．unfortunate

D．strange

14.

A．separate

B．recover

C．escape

D．hear

15.

A．courage

B．honesty

C．kindness

D．optimism

8 . If the only reading you ever do is the novel or magazine, the speed at which you read -probably does not matter very much. But if you have to read a great deal for study, you will appreciate the benefits of being able to read more quickly.     1    

·Before you open the book, make sure that you are comfortable. You need a seat which supports your back and the book should be at the right distance from your eyes.     2    

    3     Look at the table of contents, the preface, the chapter heading,etc.This will help you to decide whether you really need to read the whole book or only certain parts of it. Ten minutes spent in this way could save you quite a lot of time in the long run.

If you decide that you need to read the whole book, decide how much you can read at a time.     4     A history book which may contain the facts in story form will be easier to read than one dealing with scientific subjects. In the former case you may be able to read a chapter. In the latter you may only be able to read one page.

Always keep a pencil and paper beside you.     5    Note also the facts important for your purpose as well as anything which leads you to further research. You don't have to write these things in detail. It is enough to put the page number and one or two words as a reminder .

A．Stop to have a rest now and then.

B．Spend a few minutes looking through the book.

C．This depends on the type of book you are reading.

D．Here are some tips to help improve your reading speed.

E．Make a note of any page which is of special importance.

F．You may find yourself having to learn something by heart.

G．Keep the room cool rather than warm to avoid feeling sleepy.

9 . An Australian professor is developing a robot to monitor the health of grazing cattle, a development that could bring big changes to a profession that's relied largely on a low-tech approach for decades but is facing a labor shortage.

Salah Sukkarieh, a professor at the University of Sydney, sees robots as necessary given how cattlemen are aging. He is building a four-wheeled robot that will run on solar and electric power. It will use cameras and sensors to monitor the animals. A computer system will analyze the video to determine whether a cow is sick. Radio tags (标签) on the animals will measure temperature changes. The quality of grassland will be tracked by monitoring the shape, color and texture (质地) of grass. That way, cattlemen will know whether they need to move their cattle to another field for nutrition purposes.

Machines have largely taken over planting, watering and harvesting crops such as com and wheat, but the monitoring of cattle has gone through fewer changes.

For Texas cattleman Pete Bonds, it's increasingly difficult to find workers interested in watching cattle. But Bonds doesn't believe a robot is right for the job. Years of experience in the industry - and failed attempts to use technology - have convinced him that the best way to check cattle is with a man on a horse. Bonds, who bought his first cattle almost 50 years ago, still has each of his cowboys inspect 300 or 400 cattle daily and look for signs that an animal is getting sick.

Other cattlemen see more promise in robots. Michael Kelsey Paris, vice president of the Oklahoma Cattlemen's Association, said a robot could be extremely useful given rising concerns about cattle theft. Cattle tend to be kept in remote places and their value has risen, making them appealing targets.

1. What is a problem with the cattle-raising industry?

A．Soil pollution.	B．Lack of workers.
C．Aging machines.	D．Low profitability.

2. What will Sukkarieh's robot be able to do?

A．Monitor the quality of grass.	B．Cure the diseased cattle.
C．Move cattle to another field.	D．Predict weather changes.

3. Why does Pete Bonds still hire cowboys to watch cattle?

A．He wants to help them earn a living.	B．He thinks men can do the job better.
C．He is inexperienced in using robots.	D．He enjoys the traditional way of life.

4. How may robots help with cattle watching according to Michael Kelsey?

A．Increase the value of cattle.	B．Bring down the cost of labor.
C．Make the job more appealing.	D．Keep cattle from being stolen.

10 . I have worked as a keeper at the National Zoo, Paris for 11 years. Spot and Stripe are the first tiger cubs that have ever been born here. Globally, a third of Sumatran cubs in zoos don't make it to adulthood, so I decided to give them round-the-clock care at home.

I've got two children—the younger one, Kynan, was extremely happy about the tigers arriving - but all of us really looked forward to being part of their lives and watching them grow. I wasn't worried about bringing them into my home with my wife and kids. These were cubs. They weighed about 2.5 kg and were so small that there was absolutely no risk.

As they grew more mobile, we let them move freely around the house during the day, but when we were asleep we had to contain them in a large room, otherwise they'd get up to mischief. We'd come down in the morning to find they'd turned the room upside down, and left it looking like a zoo.

Things quickly got very intense due to the huge amount of energy required to look after them. There were some tough times and I just felt extremely tired. I was grateful that my family was there to help. We had to have a bit of a production line going, making up “tiger milk”, washing baby bottles, and cleaning the floors.

When Spot and Stripe were four months old, they were learning how to open doors and jump fences, and we knew it really was time for them to go. It was hard for us to finally part with them. For the first few days, Kynan was always a bit disappointed that the cubs weren't there.

I'm not sad about it. I'm hands-on with them every day at the zoo, and I do look back very fondly on the time that we had them.

1. Why did the author bring the tiger cubs home?

A．To ensure their survival.	B．To observe their differences.
C．To teach them life skills.	D．To let them play with his kids.

2. What do the underlined words “get up to mischief” mean in paragraph 3?

A．Behave badly.

B．Lose their way.

C．Sleep soundly.

D．Miss their mom.

3. What did the author think of raising the tiger cubs at home?

A．Boring.

B．Tiring.

C．Costly.

D．Risky.

4. Why did the author decide to send Spot and Stripe back to the zoo?

A．They frightened the children.	B．They became difficult to contain.
C．They annoyed the neighbours.	D．They started fighting each other.