1 . Humans were designed to stand upright(直立). And yet in this modern world, too many of us spend our days with our heads lowered for a simple reason: we’re staring at the tiny screen of a smartphone.

People spend an average of 2 to 4 hours each day with their neck bent while shooting off emails or texts. That’s 700 to 1,400 hours a year. The success of social media has led to a rapid development of bad smartphone posture(姿势). That’s 700 to 1,400 hours a year. The success of social media has led to a rapid development of bad smartphone posture.

The average adult head weighs 10 to 12 pounds when it’s in the upright position. However, because of the gravity, bending your head at a mere 15 degree puts 27 pounds of pressure on your spine(脊椎); a 30 degree neck bend could equal 40 pounds of a pressure; a 45 degree bend adds the force of 49 pounds, according to research from Dr. Kenneth Hansraj from New York. These stresses may lead to many problems.

It’s no secret that correct posture is better for your back. According to the researchers, good posture is described as ears aligned(成一条直线) with the shoulders. In proper alignment, spinal stress disappeared. It is the best position for the spine. Standing tall doesn’t just make you look better; it improves your health, too. Other studies have found good posture has even been connected to ways of behaving. People who have poorer posture often have poorer physical and emotional(情绪上的) health.

The researchers describe bad posture as “the head in a forward position and the shoulders dropping forward in a rounded position”. Bad posture has been connected to many medical problems, including headaches and other problems, depression and heart disease. This is why Hansraj said it’s important to be mindful of your smartphone posture. While it is nearly impossible to avoid the technologies that cause these problems, people should make an effort to look at their phones with a correct posture.

1. Through the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 the author wants to show that _______.

A．the social media have its bad side

B．the social media have made a great success

C．people have to use social media unavoidably

D．more and more people are using smartphone

2. What does the third paragraph mainly tell us?

A．It’s healthy to bend your back regularly.

B．Your back is getting exercise as you bend it.

C．The average weight of an adult head always changes.

D．The more you bend your neck, the heavier the head becomes.

3. What is the correct posture?

A．Bend your head within 15 degree.

B．Raise and lower your head in turn.

C．Drop your head forward in a rounded position.

D．Keep the positions of the neck and shoulders in a line.

4. It can be learnt a correct posture can ________.

A．cure many diseases	B．make one behave differently
C．cause no stress to the spine	D．prevent one from gaining weight

2 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. What part of the woman’s body hurts?

A．Her neck.

B．Her back.

C．Her arms.

2. What does the man suggest the woman do?

A．Take regular breaks.

B．Spend less time on the computer.

C．Relax her arms every half hour.

3 . Feifei, an 11-year-old boy from Xuzhou, Jiangsu Province, suffered from a sudden acute eye disease which has almost led to blindness. The disease was caused by excessive(过度的)eye fatigue(疲劳)during the winter vacation, during which he played computer games for continuous 10 days and nights.

Many youngsters in China nowadays are increasingly addicted to computer games and other electronic products. This is followed by a series of health problems, with the most typical case being myopia, or nearsightedness.

According to the latest research report released by the World Health Organization (WHO), the myopia     rate among Chinese teenagers ranks first in the world—70 percent of high school and college students. The rate is nearly 40 percent in primary school students, while it is only 10 percent for their peers in the United States.

There are at least 10 million people in China with severe myopia, and they are likely to get pathological(病理性的)myopia in middle age. Pathological myopia can't be treated with glasses or surgery, and it is one of the biggest factors that lead to blindness, Xu Xun, director of the ophthalmology(眼科学) department at Shanghai General Hospital, pointed out.

Experts explain that two major factors lead to the high rate of myopia among Chinese people. One is high academic pressure, and the other one is excessive use of electronic devices over a long period of time. Genetics, on the other hand, are not the main reason, as only 20 percent of Chinese people had myopia in the 1960s.

"Teenagers are now faced with severe academic pressure, which means they often study without natural light. This increases their risk of becoming nearsighted," Xu said.

Experts suggest that youngsters maintain a proper balance between study and rest so as to protect their eyesight, and parents should play an active role in the process.

1. Why does the author mention Feifei's experience in the first paragraph?

A．To advise people to protect their eyes.

B．To introduce the topic of nearsightedness.

C．To inform people of the cause of blindness.

D．To show that Feifei developed an eye disease.

2. What can be learnt from the passage?

A．Nearsightedness may cause other health problems.

B．There are more nearsighted students in the United States.

C．70 percent Chinese students in primary school are nearsighted.

D．Pathological myopia is most likely to cause blindness.

3. Which of the following can be a main reason for myopia?

A．Genetics factors.

B．Low academic pressure.

C．Overuse of electronic devices.

D．Reading in natural light.

4. What will be probably discussed in the following paragraph?

A．The significance of protecting eyesight.

B．Youngsters’ bad behavior leading to myopia.

C．The relationship between youngsters and their parents.

D．Parents’ role in helping youngsters protect their eyesight.

4 . How to Care for Your Ears?

Ears not only let us hear, but they also play a role in maintaining our balance, which is vital to our ability to function in daily life. Yet, we ignore them. We can't even see our ears, except in a mirror. We take it for granted what they do for us day in and day out—until we notice something wrong, such as when an earache strikes or when we start having to ask people to repeat what they say.    1    

◆Clean your ear with a washcloth—covered finger only.

Never put anything inside your ear canal, including cotton swabs(药签).    2    

◆Leave earwax（耳垢）alone.

Wax is your ear's way of eliminating（消除）anything foreign that gets into the ear canal.    3    If you find you have too much earwax, use a few drops of earwax remover in the canal. After a few minutes, wash the ear with warm water.

◆Avoid noisy places.

Rock concerts and construction sites are just a few places that frequently have noise levels that can damage hearing. Any place where you have to shout to be heard should be avoided.

◆    4    

Be careful not to play MP3 too loud, especially if using earphone.

◆Be careful with illness and medications.

Respiratory（呼吸的）illnesses should be treated to avoid their spread to the ears. Certain medications can damage hearing, so follow the directions carefully before taking them.

See your doctor if you suffer from sudden hearing loss or hear noises in your head.    5    

A．Turn the volume(音量) down.

B．Avoid using earphones while listening to MP3.

C．In such case, go to see a doctor as soon as possible.

D．This article will show you how to care for your ears.

E．Most people don't need to clean wax out of their ears.

F．Your ear canal is very narrow and a swab can damage it.

G．These can be symptoms of a serious illness which needs to be treated.

5 . Easy Ways to Keep Your Brain Sharp

Everyone is forgetful, but as we age, we start to feel like our brains are slowing down a bit- -and that can be a very annoying thing.     1    Read on for some techniques worth trying.

1.     2    

People who regularly made plans and looked forward to upcoming events had a 50 percent reduced chance of Alzheimer’s disease (早老性痴呆症)，according to a recent study.     3    Something as simple as setting a goal to have a weekly coffee date with a friend will do. There’s evidence that people who have a purpose in life or who are working on long or short-term goals appear to do better. In other words, keep your brain looking forward.

2. Go for a walk.

Mildly raised glucose (葡萄糖) levels can harm the area of the brain that helps you form memories and physical activity can help get blood glucose down to normal levels. In fact, exercise produces chemicals that are good for your brain.     4    

3. Learn something new.

Take a Spanish class online, join a drawing club, or learn to play cards. A study found that mental stimulation (刺激) limits the weakening effects of aging on memory and the mind. But the best thing for your brain is when you learn something new and are physically active at the same time.     5    Or go dancing with your friends.

A．Focus on the future.

B．This can be especially harmful to the aged.

C．It should be something like learning gardening.

D．So take a few minutes each day to do some reading.

E．But don’t worry if your schedule isn’t filled with life changing events.

F．Luckily, research shows there is a lot you can do to avoid those moments

G．In other words, when you take care of your body, you take care of your brain.