1 . The Internet plays a big part in human life. We use it for work and pleasure. We use it to learn a new language. We find advice on it. We use it to connect with family and friends. We use it to stay in touch with events we care about. The list goes on and on.
Well, that train has left the station. This expression means there is no going back to an Internet-free life. But can using the Internet too much be bad for our health? It might be, researchers say. A new study finds that heavy Internet use may be connected to high blood pressure in an unlikely group: teenagers.
High blood pressure makes your heart and blood vessels work too hard. Over time, this extra pressure increases your risk of a heart attack. High blood pressure can also cause heart and kidney disease. It is also closely linked to a brain disease.
The Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit, Michigan did the study. 335 young people, from 14 to 17 years old , took part in it. 134 of the teens were described as “heavy Internet users.” And researchers found that out of these 134 teens,26 had high blood pressure. The researchers say the study is the first to connect heavy web use with high blood pressure. Other research has connected heavy Internet use with anxiety, depression and obesity.
The lead researcher is Andrea Cassidy Bushrow. She said, “Using the Internet is part of our daily life, but it shouldn’t ruin us.” Ms. Cassidy Bushrow adds that it is important for teens to take regular breaks from their computers or smartphones and do some kind of physical activity. She also suggests that parents limit their children’s use of the Internet to two hours a day, five days a week.
1. The expression “that train has left the station” in Para. 2 is used to show________.A.the Internet develops rapidly | B.no one can escape from the Internet |
C.the Internet can provide whatever we want | D.there is no going back to an Internet free life |
A.Causes of high blood pressure. | B.The harm of high blood pressure. |
C.The disadvantages of Internet use. | D.Ways to prevent high blood pressure. |
A.teenagers shouldn’t use the Internet |
B.the Internet will ruin human life in the future |
C.smartphones are more harmful than computers |
D.regular breaks are necessary when using the Internet |
A.Heavy Internet users are mostly teenagers | B.How to prevent teenagers from the Internet |
C.Too much Internet use may be bad for teenagers | D.Every coin has two sides—so does the Internet |
2 . With the young unable to afford to leave home and the old at risk of isolation(孤独), more families are choosing to live together.
The doorway to peace and quiet, for Nick Bright at least, leads straight to his mother-in-law, she lives on the ground floor, while he lives upstairs with his wife and their two daughters.
Four years ago they all moved into a three-storey Victorian house in Bristol - one of a growing number of multigenerational families in the UK living together under the same roof. They share a front door and a washing machine, but Rita Whitehead has her own kitchen, bathroom, bedroom and living room on the ground floor.
“We floated the idea to my mum of sharing at a house,” says Kathryn Whitehead. Rita cuts in: “We spoke more with Nick because I think it’s a big thing for Nick to live with his mother-in-law.”
And what does Nick think? “From my standpoint, it all seems to work very well. Would I recommend it? Yes, I think I would.”
It’s hard to tell exactly how many people agree with him, but research indicates that the numbers have been rising for some time. Official reports suggest that the number of households with three generations living together had risen from 325,000 in 2001to 419,000 in 2013.
Other varieties of multigenerational family are more common. Some people live with their elderly parents; many more adult children are returning to the family home, if they ever left. It is said that about 20% of 25-34-year-olds live with their parents, compared with 16% in 1991.The total number of all multigenerational households in Britain is thought to be about 1.8 million.
Stories like that are more common in parts of the world where multigenerational living is more firmly rooted. In India, particularly outside cities, young women are expected to move in with their husband’s family when they get married.
1. Who mainly uses the ground floor in the Victorian house in Bristol?A.Nick. | B.Rita. | C.Kathryn | D.The daughters. |
A.Positive. | B.Carefree. | C.Tolerant. | D.Unwilling. |
A.Family traditions. | B.Financial reports. | C.Published statistics. | D.Public opinions. |
A.Lifestyles in different countries. | B.Conflicts between generations. |
C.A housing problem in Britain. | D.A rising trend of living in the UK. |
3 . Philadelphia's Magic Gardens makes up a folk art center, gallery space, and a nonprofit organization showcasing the works of mosaicist(镶嵌设计师)Isaiah Zagar.
Zagar devoted himself to beautifying the South Street neighborhood in the late 1960s, when he moved to the area with his wife Julia. The couple helped the area by purchasing and repairing some old buildings, often adding colorful mosaics on both their private and public walls. The first such project was Julia's still-busy folk art store, the Eyes Gallery at 402 South Street.
Zagar started working on the Magic Gardens in 1994 in the deserted parking lot near his studio. He spent the next fourteen years sculpting multi-layered walls and decorating the 3, 000 square foot space. The installation(装置艺术),primarily consisting of found objects and contributions from the community, finally covers half a city block with countless patterns and colors. It shows Zagar's many artistic influences, as well as the events and experiences of his life.
In 2002,the owner of the once-unused parking lot decided to sell the land in response to rising South Street property values. Unwilling to witness the destruction of Zagar's neighborhood art environment, the community rushed to support the artist. His creation, newly titled Philadelphia's Magic Gardens, turned into a nonprofit organization with the intention of preserving and promoting Zagar's works at the site of the Magic Gardens and throughout the South Street region.
The Magic Gardens is now a permanent art institution that is open to visitors throughout the year. Trained guides are available to lead tours of the Magic Gardens and Zagar's surrounding public wall paintings. In addition, it offers monthly mosaic workshops led by Zagar himself, and regularly hosts concerts, dance performances, and other public events.
1. How did Zagar help the South Street neighborhood?A.He moved to the area with his family. |
B.He worked to improve its surroundings. |
C.He opened a folk art store with his wife. |
D.He managed to buy all the old buildings. |
A.Great achievements of Zagar. |
B.Special skills of installing art. |
C.Location of the Magic Gardens |
D.Early history of the Magic Gardens. |
A.They harm environment. |
B.They can bring in profits. |
C.They should be removed. |
D.They are precious treasures. |
A.Paint the walls on the spot. |
B.Put on music performances. |
C.Enjoy some Zagar's works. |
D.Attend some dance courses. |
4 . There are many universities that have been in existence for a long time and are still very popular for their quality education. The following are three of them.
University of Oxford, England
Founded in: 1096
The foundation year of this university is around 1096. There is evidence of teaching being undertaken then. It gained a lot of popularity in the early 1167, as Henry II put a ban on English students from entering the University of Paris. It is regarded as one of the best places to get a higher education today, and it consists of 38 different colleges specializing in various fields of study.
University of Salamanca, Spain
Founded in: 1218
This is the oldest university in Spain, and is located in the town of Salamanca, west of Madrid. It is the third oldest university in Europe that has been in continuous operation since it was founded. Today, it is the most important institution in the world for studying humanities and languages, Christopher Columbus is said to have consulted with its scholars when he was seeking a route to India.
University of Padua, Italy
Founded in: 1222
This is the chief university of Italy. It was started as a law school. It is said to be founded in
1222 by a group of students and professors. Theology (神学) and law were the first subjects taught here. The fields of botany, history, and theater are the most well-known and pursued courses here, and it has established its greatness in the educated world. In 2015, it was ranked as the best university among all Italian educational institutions for higher education.
1. How did the University of Oxford become quite popular?A.It received a lot of financial support from Henry II |
B.It decided to run more courses to educate more students. |
C.Henry II allowed the university to accept foreign students. |
D.Henry II forbade English students to attend the University of Paris. |
A.Scholars in the University of Salamanca are knowledgeable |
B.Columbus graduated from the University of Salamanca |
C.Columbus was grateful for the help provided by the university |
D.Some of his friends in the university held a farewell party for him |
A.It is located in the west of Madrid |
B.It is the third oldest university in Europe |
C.Theology and law were the first subjects taught there |
D.It is the premier institution in the world for studying humanities |
5 . If you want to convince the boss you deserve a pay rise or promotion, the solution could be simple --- eat the same food as they do. Psychologists have discovered managers are much more likely to instantly trust us if we choose the same dishes as them.
During experiments, discussions over wages and work conditions were much more successful if both sides chose to snack on the same treats. And shoppers were much more likely to buy a product advertised on TV by someone eating a similar food to them at the time.
The reason is thought to be the so–called similarity attraction theory --- where people tend to like others who have similar tastes or habits to themselves. But this is believed to be one of the first studies highlighting the role of food in this relationship. Researchers at Chicago University in the US conducted a series of experiments to examine food’s role in earning trust.
In a test, participants were told to watch TV --- where someone pretending to be a member of the public praised a certain product. The volunteers were given Kit Kat bars to nibble, while the TV people ate either a Kit Kat or grapes as they talked.
The results showed viewers were much more likely to express an interest in buying the product if the TV showed the other person eating a Kit Kat too. The researchers added, “Although similarity in food consumption is not a sign of whether two people will get along, we find consumers treat this as such. They feel more trusting of those who consume as they do. It means people can immediately begin to feel friendship and develop a bond, leading to smoother transactions from the start.”
Harley Street psychologist Dr. Lucy Atcheson said it was already known that wearing similar clothes could instantly create trust. But this was the first report that food had the same effect. She said, “This is really interesting. It makes sense as people feel they have common ground and can trust the other person. That means negotiations are more likely to be successful.”
1. According to the passage, customers are likely to buy a product from a dealer who ______.A.advertises his products on TV | B.has the same taste as them |
C.reduces the price of his products | D.pays attention to the quality of his products |
A.food plays an important role in earning people’s trust |
B.bosses like employees that have the same taste as them |
C.people who have similar tastes to their boss’s earn more |
D.people have less interest in buying products advertised on TV |
A.People who eat similar food are more likely to trust each other. |
B.People will get along with each other if they like to eat similar things. |
C.The effect of wearing similar clothes hasn’t been proved by researchers. |
D.People are more likely to make friends with those wearing the same clothes as them. |
A.Honesty is the best policy. | B.All good things come to an end. |
C.Birds of a feather flock together. | D.Where there is a will, there is a way. |
6 . In England, some food companies across the whole country have been told to carry out urgent (紧急的) tests on all beef products. Do you know why? That’s because some food companies used horse meat to make beef products.
There are some examples about the horse meat matter. In January, 2013, in a number of UK supermarkets, frozen hamburgers were found to havetracesof horse meat in them. Some frozen beef products made by food company FINDUS were found to contain horse meat. All of the beef products made by this company have been removed from sale.
The government said that there’s nothing to suggest any health risk from the products. Food minister David Heath said people should not throw away frozen meat products and carry on eating meat. The government will tell people not to eat meat if the meat is not safe.
Food safety has been an important matter all over the world. More and more countries plan to take some useful measures to ensure the safety of food.
1. In England, some food companies have been told to ________ urgently.A.stop making beef products | B.test all their beef products |
C.test all their products | D.remove all their products from sale |
A.Horse meat | B.Beef |
C.Fish | D.Chicken |
A.描绘 | B.追踪 |
C.痕迹 | D.探索 |
A.Send them back to the food companies |
B.Throw them away. |
C.Never eat them |
D.Go on eating them. |
A.Horse meat out of products | B.the food safety |
C.the test food | D.the food sale |
7 . Rich and Famous
Twenty years ago the most common ambition of American children was to be a teacher, followed by working in banking and finance, and then medicine. But today’s situation is quite different.
According to experts, young people desire these jobs largely because of the wealth and the fame.
In spite of these disadvantages, there is greater ambition than ever among young people to achieve that status. They are not satisfied just making a living—they want to be rich and famous. Globally, more and more TV shows provide talent competitions where winners can achieve their goals in just a few weeks or months.
While many people argue that there is nothing wrong with having such ambitions, others feel that this trend will finally lead to dissatisfaction as more and more people are unable to reach their goals.
A.In many ways this has been brought about by the celebrity culture. |
B.People no longer have a sense of satisfaction once their goals have been achieved. |
C.Besides, it can be difficult for them to adapt back to a normal everyday life. |
D.The younger generation don’t favor these professions any more. |
E.Unfortunately, they do not always have a positive effect on people’s life. |
F.The reason is that they don’t realize it takes talent and hard work to be rich and famous. |
G.This quick way of gaining wealth and fame creates a celebrity culture among people. |
8 . Have you ever run into a careless cell phone user on the street? Perhaps they were busy talking, texting or checking updates on WeChat without looking at what was going on around them. As the number of this new “species” of human has kept rising, they have been given a new name — phubbers(低头族).
Recently, a cartoon created by students from China Central Academy of Fine Arts put this group of people under the spotlight. In the short film, phubbers with various social identities(身份) bury themselves in their phones. A doctor plays with his cell phone while letting his patient die, a pretty woman takes selfie in front of a car accident site, and a father loses his child without knowing about it while using his mobile phone. A chain of similar events eventually leads to the destruction of the world.
Although the ending sounds overstated, the damage phubbing can bring is real.
Your health is the first to bear the effect and result of it. “Constantly bending your head to check your cell phone could damage your neck,” Guangming Daily quoted doctors as saying. “the neck is like a rope that breaks after long-term stretching.” Also, staring at cell phones for long periods of time will damage your eyesight gradually, according to the report.
But that’s not all. Being a phubber could also damage your social skills and drive you away from your friends and family. At reunions with family or friends, many people tend to stick to their cell phones while others are chatting happily with each other and this creates a strange atmosphere, Qilu Evening News reported.
It can also cost you your life. There have been lots of reports on phubbers who fell to their death, suffered accidents, and were robbed of their cell phones in broad daylight.
1. For what purpose does the author give the example of a cartoon in Paragragh2?A.To inform people of the bad effects of phubbing. |
B.To advertise the cartoon made by students. |
C.To indicate the world will finally be destroyed by phubbers. |
D.To warn doctors against using cell phones while treating patients. |
A.His social skills could be affected. |
B.His neck and eyesight will be gradually harmed. |
C.He will cause the destruction of the world. |
D.He might get separated from his friends and family. |
A.Supportive. | B.Opposed. |
C.Optimistic. | D.Objective. |
A.Advice on how to use a cell phone. | B.People addicted to phubbing. |
C.Measures to reduce the risks of phubbing. | D.Consequences of phubbing. |
In the age of the smart phone, there seems no reason to ask questions about: the weather forecast, a business’s phone number or directions, which can all be
This isn’t the first time that great changes
Try to be respectful no matter
According to the report, the picture of the earth in the year 2020 is not a
Food production will
A.learning | B.project | C.notice | D.study |
A.pleased | B.pleasant | C.safe | D.blue |
A.dangerous | B.beautiful | C.crowded | D.terrible |
A.no more than | B.as many as | C.as much as | D.as large as |
A.developing | B.developed | C.big | D.mountainous |
A.none | B.each | C.all | D.neither |
A.insist | B.reduce | C.increase | D.continue |
A.so | B.but | C.or | D.however |
A.already | B.hardly | C.partly | D.never |
A.wanted | B.lacked | C.found | D.expected |
A.destroying | B.protecting | C.disturbing | D.interrupting |
A.saved | B.lost | C.discovered | D.found |
A.Air pollution | B.Water pollution | C.Some diseases | D.All farmland |
A.animals | B.plants | C.forests | D.people |
A.must be true | B.will come true | C.can't be true | D.may be wrong |
A.happens | B.develops | C.exists | D.appears |
A.settling | B.working out | C.answering | D.dealing |
A.no | B.still | C.less | D.plenty of |
A.about | B.in | C.out | D.for |
A.working | B.suggesting | C.spending | D.waiting |