1 . Landslides and earthquakes are even more dangerous now than in the past because around half of the world’s population now live-in cities. Many people in cities and towns in South America and Asia are at risk from landslides. In April 2017,the city of Mocoa in Colombia was hit by a landslide, leaving many dead and injured. A great number of people live at risk from earthquakes too. These have claimed more than 1.6 million lives in the last hundred years.
Most disaster experts believe that things could get a lot worse. Professor Hou Ming of Peking University studies volcanoes. He warns that the world has not seen the worst yet. The worst eruption in human history was probably Mt Tambora in 1815,in Indonesia. Dust from the volcano rolled across the Earth’s skies. There was no summer in Europe and America the following year. But evidence shows that 73,000 years ago there was a much greater eruption. “It reduced temperatures by maybe 6°C in some places, and the whole planet was sent into winter for years. And there are about two of these events every 100,000 years...”
Why is Mt Tambora mentioned in the text?
| A．To demonstrate the world could get worse. |
| B．To show volcano eruptions have taken many lives. |
| C．To explain a natural disaster by showing an example. |
| D．To describe the worst volcano eruption in human history. |
2 . Proper Ways to Stay Happy
Happiness can seem really hard to find, especially given the uncertainty (变化无常) in our world right now. However, the key to staying happy often lies in your thoughts, decisions and daily habits.
Take notice of all the people who appear in your life. Ask yourself whether these people really make you happy. If you stay with loving and positive people, you will likely have great fun.
Spend time pursuing your passion.
Think about what really makes you happy. Do your best to measure out some time in your schedule for these interests. If you spend your time doing things you enjoy, you will experience a lot more happiness in the long run.
Search online for volunteer opportunities in your area. Look for charities and organizations that support causes you believe in. If you donate your time and money to helping others, you can feel more than happy that you have made a difference.
Take a few minutes each day to get in workout, whether it’s running, swimming or jogging. When you do sports, your brain releases (释放) several chemicals, leaving you feeling happy. The more regular exercise you take, the happier person you will find yourself.
A. Exercise on a regular basis.
B. Stay out if you are feeling stressed.
C. Spend your free time helping others.
D. Surround yourself with caring and loving people.
It is bad for your health to get angry in life, but how can you control your anger? Here are some ways to deal with it.
If you expect too much and can't get it, you will be disappointed. So change what you want and need, and you are less likely to become angry.
Think of the other person—try and understand his or her position.
Why are they behaving like that? How would you feel if you were in their shoes? Can you agree to their reasons for being angry? Once you see things from their point of view, your anger many be replaced by concern (关心).
When you get angry, take a deep breath and stop the thoughts that are making you angry. Think of something happy instead, something you like and enjoy. Your anger will gradually become less.
Surround yourself with positive people.
The more people around you show that they are calm and happy, the calmer and happier you become too.
Imagine doing something terrible to the person who is annoying you and change your anger into your imagination. Then you are free to act calmly and reasonably on the surface.
| A．Change what you expect. |
| B．Think of something positive. |
| C．Read books about controlling anger. |
| D．Use your imagination, not your voice. |
Scientists say that hobbies can make kids smarter, healthier and even more successful when they grow up. How?
When you have a hobby, you learn new things. You have to read instructions. You look at websites, magazines and books to get more information about your hobby. More reading makes you a better reader and a better learner.
They Help You Be Creative
For many hobbies, such as building model cars and making pottery, you have to use your brain as well as your hands. We learn by doing things and by touching things. These kinds of activities make people more creative.
Having a hobby makes you feel good. Scientists say, “When you make something, the ‘feel-good’ part of your brain gets a message. It makes you feel happy.” When we feel happy, we have less stress. Too much stress can make people sick.
People with hobbies learn how to set goals and solve problems. Learning these skills when you are young can help you when you grow up. For some kids, having a hobby can be the first step to finding a satisfying job in the future.
A. They Help You Be Relaxed
B. They Help You Be Confident
C. They Help You Learn
D. They Help You Build Skills
6 . Chocolate is good for your heart, skin and brain. Usually, people think that chocolate is bad for their health. They describe chocolate as “something to die for” or say “death by chocolate”. Now they should bite their tongues! Evidence(证据)is showing that some kinds of chocolate are actually good for you in the following ways:
Scientists at Harvard University recently examined 136 studies on cocoa—the main ingredient(成分)in chocolate and found that it does seem to strengthen the heart.
Better blood pressure
Jeffrey Blumberg from Tufts University recently found that people with high blood pressure who ate 3.5 ounces(盎司) of dark chocolate per day for two weeks saw their blood pressure drop quickly.
Muscle magic
.
German researchers found that chocolate helped protect and increase blood flow to the skin, improving its appearance.
| A．Better for your skin |
| B．A happier heart |
| C．Chocolate milk may help you recover after a hard workout |
| D．Look after your appearance |
How to improve your eyesight
Since we live in a world that requires your eyes to stare at small type and images on cell phones, computers, and televisions, it’s important that you take steps to improve your eyesight.
Eyes are like any other part of the body - they need nutrition to function well. So, a diet high in fruits and vegetables and low in sugar and fatty foods will go a long way in maintaining healthy eyes.
Adjust the lighting
Keep your room softly lighted. When reading, try to keep your light source located behind you and keep the light directed on the paper or the task you’re working on.
Exercising your eyes daily will help you maintain healthy eyes. Plan to exercise your eyes when you wake up, before going to bed, or when your eyes are tired. Make sure your hands are clean and your mind is relaxed before doing eye-protecting exercises.
Examine your eyes
See your doctors regularly, based on age, health and risk of eye problems. If you have nearsightedness or farsightedness, you need treatment as soon as possible.
Since you use your eyes every waking moment, give them lots of rest and relaxation by taking breaks throughout the day and getting enough sleep every night. A lack of sleep will weaken your vision health.
A. “Feed” your eyes
B. Exercise your eyes
C. Limit computer usage
D. Rest and relax your eyes
How to deal with anxiety before exams? Here are some dos and don’ts that might help you with your exams.
Don’t arrive too early.
You probably arrive early before an exam, but getting there too early is not a good idea. When you’re reviewing with friends you might get more anxious. Instead, try to get there five to ten minutes earlier and keep yourself from talking about the exam to anybody.
Lack of sleep is a huge factor in increasing anxiety. When your nervous system is not rested, it’s too late, and this will make you anxious. Also, you will have a harder time concentrating. So, instead of studying deep into the night, you should work on getting a regular sleep pattern.
If you’ve worked hard, and you are ready, you don’t need this. Reviewing on the day of the exam might make you feel like you’ve missed out on some topics. And to be honest, if that’s the case, it’s too late, and this will make you anxious. So you had better just be rested and relaxed for the exam and do your best.
Do eat well.
Don’t forget to have a good meal. We tend to forget to eat when we’re too anxious, but eating is essential. Your brain needs sugar to function properly. You have to eat something before attending an exam. It will give you more energy and lower your anxiety level.
Before and during an exam, don’t think about the result. Stay focused on the present. You should not, think about your grades, your chances of getting into college, and your family’s opinion, etc. The only thing that matters is you and the exam. Try to separate yourself from anything else.
A. Do sleep well.
B. Do listen to your teachers.
C. Don’t think about the result of the exam.
D. Don’t review on the day of the exam.
