Cycling isn’t always easy. Busy streets, honking horns, and inadequate bike lanes can make it an uphill battle. But not even these difficulties can stop Europeans’ passion for cycling. According to BBC, bicycles outsold cars in most of the European Union’s states last year.
There are traditional bicycle capitals”, such as Amsterdam in the Netherlands and Copenhagen in Denmark. But in many other traditionally car-made countries, the shift to bikes is striking. Italians, for instance, bought 1.6 million bikes against 1.4 million cars in 2012.
So what has led to cycling’s growing popularity in Europe?
The economic crisis has played an important role in the issue. “The economic crisis has had an effect on all areas of people’s lives, including on transport,” Giulietta Pagliaccio, head of the Italian cycling federation FIAB, told the Australian Associated Press.
Since the European debt crisis broke out in 2009, more people lost their jobs while the cost of living, including fuel costs, continued to rise. It forced many people to give up driving to save money, the Guangzhou-based New Express commented. Take Greece, a country seriously hit by the crisis, for example. It sold 320,000 bikes last year against 58,000 cars.
More importantly, people have changed their views toward cars and bikes. Cars are losing their appeal as status symbols. Yet, cycling is now seen as “a safe, clean, healthy, inexpensive way to get around town”, the Daily Star concluded. “It not only reduces traffic jam and pollution, but also contributes to public health.”
However, with more and more people turning to cycling, questions remain about traffic and safety problems.
To ease people’s worries, dozens of cities have joined a European Union to make bicycles equal to cars as a form of urban transport. Quite a few cities now offer well-marked bike lanes, such as the cycling super-highway marked in blue in London. It runs all over the city, from the center to the suburbs.
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2 . A diet to save humankind
When I was a child, my family would always sit down together for meals. My favourite was among the simplest: pasta in tomato sauce. We ate fresh vegetables and fruit, and, starting in our teenage years, sipped a glass of red wine. We ate together. I indulged with a few slices of Italian ham and practised a wide variety of outdoor sports. This centuries - old Mediterranean diet kept me fit and trim - and turned out to be good not just for my personal well-being, but for the planet’s health too.
In 2021 we will celebrate the tenth anniversary of UNESCO’s designation of this Mediterranean diet as a ”Cultural Heritage of Humanity“.
Poor nutrition is a global problem, not just an Italian one. The fact that it’s hitting Italy, the land where the Mediterranean diet originated, represents a dangerous paradox(矛盾)- one of many troubling the world of food. After years of decline, hunger is back on the rise. Globally, some 821 m people still do not have enough to eat. Yet while the poor south starves, the rich north gorges: some 2bn people are overweight or obese. We waste one-third of global food production.
The UN’s Sustainable Development Goals can show us the way. They aim to ”end hunger, achieve food security and improved nutrition and promote sustainable agriculture.“ These goals are ambitious but achievable.
Governments must provide incentives to support sustainable agriculture, slash food waste and meet nutritional challenges. This does not just mean taxing unhealthy foods.
We must change our diet. A food and environment pyramid which highlights the close links between food’s nutritional value and environmental impact has been devised. This ”double pyramid“ is based on the traditional Mediterranean diet of my childhood. Everyone can and must continue to have fun at the dinner table - while eating what is good for our health and our planet.
| A．Without a change in our diets, this disastrous cycle will worsen. |
| B．Farmers should use fertilizers more efficiently and reduce costs. |
| C．It is a diet full of vegetables, fruits and whole grains, with only occasional meat. |
| D．Farm animals consume an estimated two-thirds of all the land dedicated to agriculture and contribute about half of farming-related greenhouse-gas emissions. |
| E．Unfortunately, Italians have been turning away from their traditional healthy diet. |
| F．A more effective policy is to make healthy food, accessible and affordable for consumers and profitable for farmers. |
3 . Over the last 25 years, British society has changed a great deal. In some ways, however, very little has changed. Ideas about social class whether a person is “working-class” or “middle-class” are one area in which changes have been extremely slow.
In the past, the working-class tended to be paid less than middle-class people, such as teachers and doctors. As a result of this and also of the fact that workers’ jobs were generally much less secure, distinct differences in life-styles and attitudes came into existence. The typical working man would collect his wages on Friday evening and then give them to his wife, leaving a little for drinking or betting.
The type of what a middle-class man did with his money was perhaps nearer the truth. He was and still is likely to take a longer-term view. Not only did he regard buying a house to provide him and his family with security. Only in very few cases did workers have the opportunity (or the education and training) to make such long-term plans.
Nowadays, much has changed. In a large number of cases factory workers earn as much. Social security and laws have made it less necessary than before to worry about “tomorrow”. Working-class people seem slowly to be losing the feeling of inferiority (自卑感) they had in the past. In fact there has been a growing tendency in the past few years for the middle-classes to feel slightly ashamed of their position.
The changes in both life-styles and attitudes are probably most easily seen among younger people. They generally tend to share very similar tastes in music and clothes. They spend their money enjoying themselves, and save for holidays or longer-term plans when necessary. There seems to be much less difference than in previous generations. Nevertheless, we still have a wide gap between the well-paid and the low-paid. As long as this gap exists, there will always be a possibility that new problems will appear between different groups.
1. Which of the following is seen as the main cause of class differences in the past?| A．Life style and occupation. | B．Attitude and income. |
| C．Income and job security. | D．Job security and hobbies. |
| A．the description of middle-class ways of spending money is quite real |
| B．working-class ways of spending the weekend remain the same |
| C．working-class drinking habits differ from the past |
| D．middle-class attitudes towards their positions have changed greatly |
| A．They had to save money for security. |
| B．They couldn’t make long-term plans. |
| C．They could make as much money as they do now. |
| D．They didn’t have the sense of inferiority. |
| A．they are provided with social security |
| B．they can get much income |
| C．better jobs are available for all of them |
| D．the government offers legal protection |
| A．Changes are slowly taking place in all aspects of the British society. |
| B．The difference between working-class and middle-class young people is narrowing. |
| C．The gap in income between the two classes will still remain. |
| D．Middle-class people may sometimes feel a little inferior. |
| A. public B. inadequate C. lowered D. released E. disappointment F. casting G. possibility H. objective I. desperately J. balance K. compared |
Why Aren’t Women Happier?
Why aren’t women happier these days?
That’s the question raised by a thought-provoking study, The Paradox of Declining Female Happiness,
The research, by University of Pennsylvania economists Stevenson and Wolfers, and made
One theory for the decline in happiness is that expectations for workplace and general advancement were raised too high by the women’s movement and women might feel
The researchers acknowledge that’s a
“If the women’s movement raised women’s expectations faster than society was able to meet them,” the paper says, “they would be more likely to experience
Readers, why do you think women are unhappier than in the past? Do you think that if expectations for “having it all” were
5 . In America, after middle school comes high school, which includes grades 9 through 12. Students are required to take compulsory subjects like English, social studies, math, science, and physical education. In addition, they choose among elective subjects (选修科目) to complete their high school education. Electives include subjects in technology, music, art, and foreign languages.
Each student in the school has their own locker (储物柜) for books and personal items. This convenience saves students from carrying textbooks, and allows students a small space they can decorate with (以……装饰) posters and favorite objects.
Cheating in any form is strictly prohibited (禁止) in American schools. And in fact, high school students usually don’t cheat. If they are caught cheating, they will have to face severe punishment.
Each school holds certain yearly activities for all school students, such as homecoming (返校节), prom night (学年舞会), holiday celebrations, etc.
Most high schools have at least one sports team that competes in local games, and all students are encouraged to take part in athletics. Schools often offer football, baseball and softball, basketball, volleyball, tennis, and soccer. Some may even have sports like golf, swimming, gymnastics and cross-country skiing.
Many high school students have part-time jobs by the age of 15 or 16, some even earlier. Their first jobs are often babysitting or cutting lawns (草坪), but later they will likely get a job at a fast-food restaurant, video store, or clothing shop.
Sixteen years old is legal (法定) driving age in most states, and students usually want to own a car as soon as they can. Some parents allow their children to drive a family car, and may even buy a car as a graduation present. Others prefer that their sons and daughters earn enough to buy a used car. Many teenagers feel it’s necessary to own a car, and will do whatever it takes to be able to drive.
1. Which statement is right according to the passage?| A．Cheating is strictly banned (禁止) only in American high schools. |
| B．Teenagers in America can be allowed to drive after sixteen years old. |
| C．Schools encourage all students to take part in sports. |
| D．English, social studies, math, science, and physical education are elective subjects. |
| A．voluntary | B．difficult | C．optional | D．necessary |
| A．all high school hold some activities for students every year, like homecoming. |
| B．American parents usually buy cars as graduation presents for their children. |
| C．if the American boys and girls can earn enough money they can buy a used car to drive. |
| D．high school students must have part-time jobs by the age of 15 or 16. |
| A．a locker can give students a small space to save money. |
| B．students can share their lockers. |
| C．students can put their posters and favorite objects in the lockers. |
| D．school provides students lockers to keep their books and personal things. |
1. Where does the man know about homeless population?
| A．From an article. | B．From the radio. | C．From TV. |
| A．One million. | B．Two million. | C．Three million. |
| A．France. | B．America. | C．Germany. |
7 . Libraries
Britain’s First Public Library
The first public library in Britain opened in Manchester in 1852. Its first librarian was a man called Edward Edwards. Edwards attended the library’s opening ceremony and two famous writers called Charles Dickens and William Thackeray were there too.
How to Join a Library
To join a library, go to your local library and fill in a form. You’ll receive a library card which is needed when using library services.
Library Services
Modern public libraries have something for everyone. Most of them have audio books, CDs, newspapers and DVDs as well as books to borrow.
All Aboard the Library!
A school in London didn’t have space for a library inside the building. However, everybody agreed that it was still important to have a school library. So, the head of the school, Graham Blake, decided to park an old bus in the school parking area and change it into a library. Pupils helped to paint the bus, and after eight months, the new library was ready.
1. Who was the first librarian of the first public library in Britain?| A．Charles Dickens. | B．William Thackeray. |
| C．Edward Edwards. | D．Graham Blake. |
| A．Playing DVDs. | B．Listening to audio books. |
| C．Borrowing books. | D．Selling books. |
| A．Because parents offered the school an old bus. |
| B．Because pupils thought it was fun to read on a bus. |
| C．Because the school didn’t have enough money to buy books. |
| D．Because the school didn’t have enough space inside the building. |
8 . Seeking a suitable university for you? The University of Waikato is the right one. It is internationally recognized for its excellence and achievements. It will help you develop advanced research skills. As a university student you can get first-class research facilities with trained teachers to help, support and advise you in your study. We pride ourselves on our high standards, our research success and our international recognition. For further information: inf@waikato.ac.nz
●Degree
We offer a wide choice of bachelor’s degrees for international students, which include: Arts, Communication Studies, Social Sciences, etc. Bachelor of Music and Bachelor of Education are only for New Zealand citizens. For further information: deg@waikato.ac.nz
●Tuition Fees
Tuition fees are different from department to department, generally from $5,000 to $6,000 a year. For further information: tui@waikato.ac.nz
●Accommodation
You can have a room in a 4-bedroom flat, which will cost about $100 a month with other regular living costs of about $150 a month for one person. For further information: ave@waikato.ac.nz
●Health
The Student Health Service provides excellent medical services for students. The Medical centre is open five days a week, including student holidays with four doctors and nurses to meet your medical needs. For further information: heal@waikato.ac.nz
●Sports
The Centre is a great place to have sports activities. Trained exercise teachers can help you work out a training plan and keep you active. The sports hall has volleyball, basketball and indoor football courts and a swimming pool as well. There are also a large number of sports clubs at Waikato. For further information: sport@waikcato.ac.nz
1. You have to pay at least a year if you study at the University of Waikato.| A．$5,250 | B．$8,000 | C．$9,000 | D．$11,000 |
| A．Go to a hospital nearby. | B．Buy some medicine in a drug store. |
| C．See a doctor at the school medical centre. | D．Try to get help from your classmates. |
| A．introduce the University of Waikato to readers |
| B．instruct readers to choose a right university |
| C．persuade readers to choose the University of Waikato |
| D．show how proud the author is of the university |
9 . There is a popular saying in the English language: “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” Well, that is not true. Unkind words, name-calling or even the so-called “the silent treatment” can hurt children as much as being physically hit, sometimes even more so. A recent study of middle school children showed that verbal (言语的) abuse by other children can harm, the development in the brain. The study was a project of researchers at Harvard Medical School in Massachusetts. Researcher Martin Teicher and his team studied young adults, aged 18 to 25. These young men and women had not ever been treated in a cruel or violent way by their parents. The researchers asked the young people to rate their childhood exposure to verbal abuse from both parents and other children. Then the researchers performed imaging tests on the brains of the subjects.
The images showed that the people who reported suffering verbal abuse from peers in middle school had underdeveloped connections between the left and right side of the brain. The two sides of the brain are connected by a large bundle of connecting fibers called the corpus callosum. This was the area that was underdeveloped.
The middle school years are a time when these brain connections are developing. So, unkind, hurtful comments from children or adults during this period have the greatest effect. The researchers tested the mental and emotional condition of all the young people in the study. The tests showed that this same group of people had higher levels of fear, depression, anger and drug abuse than others in the study.
The researchers published their findings online on the American Journal of Psychiatry's website.
Parents cannot control what other people say to their children, but they can prepare their children.
1. Why does the author use the popular saying at the beginning?| A．To show the power of words. |
| B．To introduce an opposite view. |
| C．To prove the author's argument. |
| D．To show ancient people's wisdom. |
| A．They were hurt by unkind words. |
| B．They performed poorly in imaging tests. |
| C．They had their brain slightly damaged. |
| D．They experienced no physical abuse at home. |
| A．Comments on the findings. |
| B．Approaches to further studies. |
| C．Suggestions to parents. |
| D．Different opinions on the matter. |
| A．Unkind words hurt the brain. |
| B．Verbal violence should be stopped. |
| C．The way we speak matters. |
| D．Words are worse than sticks and stones. |
10 . Bullying (欺凌)can happen to anyone. A great many children around the world are bullied every year, but there are things that can be done to help.
What is bullying?
Bullying is when someone makes you feel bad of hurts you again and again. Bullying can happen at school, out of school and online. Bullying includes:
·calling people mean (恶意的)names
·laughing at people
·telling lies about people
·taking someone’s things without permission
·not telling someone play in a group
·hitting people
What is cyberbullying?
Cyberbullying includes:
·sending bad messages online
·sharing photos online without permission
·not letting someone be part of an online group
·spreading lies online
What can you do?
If someone is not kind to you, tell an adult that you know and like. For example, talk to a parent or a teacher.
If you get bad messages, don’t reply. You should save them and give them to your teacher, your family, or the police. Ask an adult for help. Don’t share something before you make sure it is true. That will help stop the cyberbullying.
Talk to your parent or teacher or an adult if you see bullying or if you are worried about a friend.
Say sorry if you are not kind to someone. You can write a message or talk to the person.
And always remember: think about how to be kind in the future.
For more information, visit our home page at www.kidsword.com.
1. According to the passage, the followings are bullying EXCEPT:| A．laughing with people | B．hitting people |
| C．telling lies about people | D．calling people mean names |
| A．at school | B．at home | C．on the Internet | D．on the street |
| A．share them with friends | B．keep them as your secrets |
| C．reply to them at once | D．give them to your teacher |
