1 . A lifetime of active exercise will let you keep the body of a 20-year-old well into your 70s, scientists have found.
The physical decline (衰退) thought to be an unavoidable part of ageing is actually the result of not exercising enough, according to the research, which found that regular cyclists kept the muscles, lungs, and even the immune system (免疫系统) of people years younger. Besides, many serious health problems could be prevented if people became more active, researchers insist.
Janet Lord, a leading researcher, said, “Our findings prove the false belief that ageing automatically(自动地) makes us weaker. We now have strong evidence that encouraging people to do regular exercise throughout their lives can solve the problem that we are living longer but not healthier.”
She looked at 125 cyclists aged 55 to 79 who had been exercising regularly for 25 years and compared them with 75 ordinary people of a similar age and 55 people aged 20 to 36. On a series of physical measures, the cyclists showed no difference from people much younger in their immune systems and making T cells.
Now Professor Lord aims to discover how much exercise people need to do to stay young. “You needn’t work out a lot. It may be intensity (强度) that helps—like going up and down the stairs ten times a day.”
While there is no magic method of staying mentally and physically fit in later life, the benefits of keeping active can never be ignored, whatever your age or state of health.
1. According to the research, what is the reason for physical decline?| A．The failure of lungs. | B．The lack of regular exercise. |
| C．The poor state of health. | D．The increase of physical activity. |
| A．The intensity of exercise matters in slowing down ageing. |
| B．People need a large amount of exercise to stay young. |
| C．Ageing automatically makes people increasingly weaker. |
| D．What people need to stay fit in later life is a magic method. |
| A．To discuss the benefits of regular cycling. |
| B．To explain the effects of the immune system. |
| C．To introduce the ways to stay healthy. |
| D．To stress the importance of being physically active. |
3 . Seven years ago, our daughter, Alle Shea, was born. All of our family were excited with the new arrival. After she was given to me by a nurse from the delivery room, I
However, our joy
Watching my daughter
We had two
| A．held | B．pulled | C．lifted | D．pushed |
| A．surprising | B．unforgettable | C．miraculous | D．mysterious |
| A．left | B．lasted | C．stopped | D．waited |
| A．smile | B．speak | C．sleep | D．walk |
| A．cure | B．examination | C．experiment | D．treatment |
| A．born | B．equipped | C．filled | D．infected |
| A．fried | B．boiled | C．opened | D．cracked |
| A．suffering | B．yelling | C．sleeping | D．tolerating |
| A．hurried to | B．refused to | C．had to | D．longed to |
| A．delightful | B．painful | C．powerful | D．regretful |
| A．grew up | B．calmed down | C．gave in | D．passed away |
| A．choices | B．opportunities | C．reasons | D．decisions |
| A．blessing | B．positive | C．disadvantage | D．difficulty |
| A．tirelessly | B．aimlessly | C．carelessly | D．helplessly |
| A．allowed | B．instructed | C．contacted | D．forced |
| A．winning | B．enjoying | C．fighting | D．overcoming |
| A．wasted | B．volunteered | C．saved | D．donated |
| A．started | B．controlled | C．invented | D．delayed |
| A．solution | B．success | C．comfort | D．life |
| A．support | B．envy | C．pride | D．gratitude |
4 . You may have heard the term self-awareness, but what is it and why does it matter?
Being self-aware can influence how you feel in your job and in your personal life. Daniel Goleman takes that connection much further, saying self-awareness is the key to success. He describes self-awareness as “knowing one’s internal (内在的)states, preference and resources”, and then monitoring that “inner world” information as it comes up. If you can be as aware of your feelings and thoughts, you’ll be better able to deal with new situations. Because you know yourself better, you’ll be more accepting of yourself, your thoughts and your feelings, Goleman says.
But self-awareness doesn’t stop at how you see yourself. It’s also understanding and acknowledging how others see you. Tasha Eurich, an organizational psychologist, explains that self-awareness has two parts — internal and external (外部的). Internal self-awareness means we can clearly see our own values, thoughts, passions and feelings. External self-awareness is clearly seeing how others see us. People who are externally self-aware tend to be better leaders.
So how do you know if you’re self-aware or not? Eurich developed a short online quiz to help. You’re not the only one who has to take it. Someone who knows you well also has to answer questions about you.
In a recent TED Talk, Eurich refers to self-awareness unicorns. This group makes up only a small part of all the people she has studied. These are people who not only believe they are self-aware, but other people who know them would agree. Additionally, these unicorns would say they have improved their self-awareness in their lives and again, those who know them well would agree.
Thankfully, anyone can become more self-aware, as long as they’re willing to devote some time and effort to the cause.
1. According to Daniel Goleman, a self-aware person ________.| A．feels dissatisfied with his life | B．has a burning desire for success |
| C．avoids challenging new situations | D．handles his self-information well |
| A．External self-awareness. | B．Clear thinking. |
| C．Sharp understanding. | D．Internal self-awareness. |
| A．By setting criteria for answers. |
| B．By measuring others’ reactions. |
| C．By analyzing only quiz-takers’ questions. |
| D．By matching internal and external opinions. |
| A．They are born experts. | B．They fail to get approval. |
| C．They are rare talents. | D．They try to please others. |
5 . One day, I was sitting in a local coffee shop, and staring at this man in a wheelchair. He could move his head and parts of his fingers but nothing else. He had a servant who cut up his food and placed it on a special mechanically powered fork that he would use to eat.
He saw me staring at him and invited me to join him at his table. His name was Stephen. For several hours we sat at that table and we got to know each other on a deeply personal level. I had never known a man who was more radiant (容光焕发), more energizing to talk and get to know than Stephen.
Stephen used to be a very successful businessman in Denver. He was in the natural gas business. Thirteen years before, when he was forty, he was waiting for news of a natural gas discovery to occur any moment.
He said, “I had so much nervous energy. I saw the storm clouds gathering, and I decided to clean out the gutters (檐沟）rather than sitting around waiting for this gas well to come in.”
He climbed up the ladder to clear the piles of pine needles on the roof. As he backed up, he accidentally fell off the roof. He landed on his back. He was paralyzed (瘫痪) for the rest of his life, except for his head and his hand.
I asked him, “How do you do it all? How do you suddenly stop hiking, fishing, and running marathons?”
He said, “There are three things you have to do when something like this happens. The first thing you have to do is adjust. The second thing you do is adjust. And the third thing you do is adjust.”
He said, “By adjusting to your abilities, Bill, you have to change your self-expectations. If you can’t be a physical athlete any longer, then perhaps you can be a spiritual athlete.” He was.
1. The author noticed Stephen at the coffee shop because________.| A．he cut up his food | B．he ate in a special way |
| C．he was staring at the author | D．he looked very energetic |
| A．He accepted himself as he was. | B．He turned to the author for help. |
| C．He gave up exercising regularly. | D．He made new friends everywhere. |
| A．humorous and sensitive | B．sympathetic and caring |
| C．faithful and easygoing | D．optimistic and open-minded |
6 . Brave dog wasn’t always his name. When we
To Mattie, he was Pretty Dog. She talked to him, played with him and fed him. He followed her everywhere. Both
One cold winter day, Dad went
A few hours later, Dad came home with some fish. “Where is Mattie?” Dad asked. Mom and I were in confusion(困惑地), both
We were so
Suddenly, some dog barks(犬吠)
| A．ignored | B．greeted | C．saw | D．liked |
| A．pretty | B．stubborn | C．smart | D．dusty |
| A．hardly | B．usually | C．actually | D．really |
| A．even if | B．as if | C．so that | D．even so |
| A．Leave | B．Keep | C．Touch | D．Catch |
| A．that | B．what | C．how | D．why |
| A．keeping | B．helping | C．studying | D．walking |
| A．secretly | B．specially | C．entirely | D．carefully |
| A．shouted | B．asked | C．added | D．advised |
| A．fishing | B．shopping | C．boating | D．hiking |
| A．realize | B．refuse | C．allow | D．care |
| A．thinking | B．seeing | C．remembering | D．saying |
| A．So | B．And | C．Unless | D．But |
| A．concerned | B．crazy | C．angry | D．serious |
| A．Instead | B．However | C．Finally | D．Anyway |
| A．came | B．went | C．began | D．rose |
| A．standing | B．jumping | C．playing | D．lying |
| A．walk | B．follow | C．run | D．go |
| A．asleep | B．warm | C．happy | D．calm |
| A．Pretty Dog | B．That dog | C．Clever Dog | D．Brave Dog |
7 . TOKYO - A powerful typhoon is heading northeast to Japan’s main island of Honshu on Sunday after sweeping parts of the country’s southern islands with heavy rains and winds that caused flooding and some light injuries.
Typhoon Tapah was passing near Nagasaki in southern Japan on Sunday afternoon, after hitting other parts of southern Japan, including Okinawa, the two former days. Okinawa government had made an evacuation advisory(疏散警告) to nearly 334,000 people.
Japan’s Meteorological Agency said the storm was moving northeast at a speed of 30 kilometers per hour, with the strongest winds of 162 km/h. It would travel through the sea between Japan and the Korean Peninsula before moving toward northern Japan on Monday, when it is expected to be weak and slow the pace, the agency said.
More than 400 flights were stopped because of the storm, according to NHK. The typhoon hit Okinawa on Friday and Saturday and left 21 people with not serious injuries. The storm upset air and train travel in this area during what is a three-day weekend.
In Nobeoka City in Miyazaki, a strong dangerous wind believed to have been triggered by the typhoon damaged at least one house and injured two people a little, according to the Fire and Disaster Management Agency. The coming typhoon also caused fears in parts of Chiba, near Tokyo, which was hit hard by another typhoon earlier this month. That typhoon damaged many houses and electrical power stations, causing widespread electricity’s being cut off in the area.
1. What can we learn from paragraph 2 and 3?| A．Few people in Okinawa suffered from the typhoon. |
| B．Tapah passed Okinawa after it swept Nagasaki in southern Japan. |
| C．The storm had traveled in Japan for three days before it headed towards north. |
| D．Tapah would slow down on Monday according to Japan's Meteorological Agency. |
| A．caused. | B．hit. | C．damaged. | D．weakened. |
| A．People in parts of Chiba, near Tokyo, became concerned. |
| B．Lots of houses and electric stations were damaged. |
| C．Many flights and trains had to be stopped in Okinawa. |
| D．The electricity was cut off in some train stations in Miyazaki. |
| A．A travel journal. | B．A newspaper. | C．A diary. | D．A nature magazine. |
8 . This holiday season, it’s expected that more than 45 million people will get on airplanes by the time the year ends. With that many people on the move, delays are not able to be avoided, and with them come upset and unhappy passengers.
That space between happy passengers and unhappy passengers is where Fred Taylor Jr. worked for 15 years in customer relations with Southwest Airlines.
“My job was to say sorry by sending letters to customers whose flights have been put off or stopped,” the 47-year-old said. His daughter Olivia tells her friends he is “the Sorry Man.”
I don’t think I can explain reasonably to you for the delays that happened with your December 1st flight from ...
“For me, I’m used to saying ‘I’m sorry’ ,” Fred told his wife, Julie. “It’s been a way of life.”
Of course, you have to know your audience, he explained.
“You know, there are some travelers who may get upset pretty quick,” he said. “If an engine shuts down because parts of the fan blade(风机叶片) break and you can see plumes of(一缕缕) fire, there will be fears, worries, regrets or other emotions. My job was to calm them down: Hey, this wasn’t as serious as what it may have seemed like.”
And I know whatever I say now cannot change the poor service you were given that tiring day ...
But Fred has other ways to turn sadness into joy.
“When my dad died and you wrote a eulogy(悼词), I can remember hearing the people behind me crying. And then you started with the funny stories, and I could hear the people behind me laughing. It was just perfect. You put people at ease.” Julie said.
“So, you’re more than just ‘the Sorry Man,’ ”she said with a laugh.
1. What’s the author’s purpose in writing paragraph 1?| A．To lead in the topic of Fred’s job. |
| B．To tell us that the world is becoming smaller than before. |
| C．To show us the wide use of airplane in today’s world. |
| D．To show that people are always upset about their flights. |
| A．Because she is tired of her father. |
| B．Because she wants to make fun of her father. |
| C．Because her father’s job is to say sorry by sending letters. |
| D．Because her father often makes mistakes. |
| A．Julie thinks Fred is a wrong man. |
| B．Julie thinks Fred is just “the Sorry Man”. |
| C．Julie looks down upon Fred. |
| D．Julie praises what Fred has done. |
1. 当他是个孩子的时候，他梦想当一名歌手。（dream of）
2. 他经常假装是一位明星，为家人和朋友表演。（pretend）
3. 中学时，他组建了自己的乐队，他们中的大多数人都是音乐爱好者。（most of …非限制定语从句）
4. 在朋友的鼓励和帮助下，依靠自己的自信和努力, 他取得了很大的成功。（rely on）
5. 现在，他的声音为每个人所熟悉。（be familiar to）
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“Heart beats harder, time escapes me,” I sang as I played along with my guitar. It was sunset at the beach and no one was around — my favorite time to play.
Just as I got to the chorus, I heard a voice join in with mine in perfect harmony. I turned around to see who it was and came face to face with Liam Payne! Shocked, I stopped singing.
“Hey, you don’t have to stop,” he said in his cute British accent. I tried to reply, but nothing came out. “Here, sit,” he said, walking toward a beach towel. Tripping over my feet, I sat down beside him. I didn’t know what to say, so I just stared at the ground.
“So what’s your name?” he asked.
“Issy,” I replied.
“I’m Liam. Did you ever think about playing that song in another chord(和弦)?” he asked.
“No, I’m not good with higher chords,” I said.
“We should try it together,” he said, showing me how to play the chord. With his beautiful and unique voice, along with impressive chords, he began to sing my favorite song.
“Liam!” I heard Harry’s voice calling as the rest of One Direction came toward us.
“Hi guys, this is Issy,” he said. They all said hi and Harry asked Liam if he was ready to go.
“Yeah, but hey, Issy, do you want to come hang out with us?” Liam asked me.
“Sure!” I replied eagerly.
We grabbed our things and I followed the guys to a nearby campfire they had set up. I sat down in a lawn chair next to him.
“You must be chilly,” Liam turned to me. “Here, take my sweater.”
I put it on and began singing, laughing, and telling scary stories with One Direction. As we got familiar, I told them that I loved singing but didn’t know whether I could make it.
“You’ve got potential,” Liam looked at me seriously. “Why not have a try?”
Lying on bed after we parted, I was lost in thought.
注意：
1. 所续写短文的词数应为150词左右；
2. 应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
Paragraph 1:
“Have I really got potential?” I kept asking myself.
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Paragraph 2:
That night, I made up my mind to chase my dream —
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