1 . What do Leonardo da Vincii, Marie Curie, and Albert Einstein have in common? They were all left-handed, along with other famous people including Brad Pitt Prince William, and Barack Obama. In fact, an estimated 13 percent of the world's population may be left-handed and still most people around the world are right-handed.

What makes a person become right-handed rather than left-handed? As yet no one really knows for sure. One simple idea suggests that people normally get right-handedness from their parents. Studies have found that two right-handed parents have only a 9.5 percent chance of having a left-handed child, whereas two left-handed parents have a 26 percent chance of having a left-handed child. Another common theory is that left-handed people suffer mild brain damage during birth, which makes them left-handed. However, if this theory were true, it would not explain why the percentage of left-banded people is so similar in every society, when birth conditions vary so much from society to society.

Whatever the reasons behind it, people's attitudes toward left-handedness have changed a lot over the years. Statistics show that although 13 percent of young people (10-20 years old) are left-handed, only 6 percent of the elderly are left-handed. Left-handed children used to be punished until they began using their right hand like other children, but today people who are left-handed are no longer looked down on nor are they considered abnormal. For most people today, either case is perfectly acceptable.

1. What makes one right-handed?

A．The environment.

B．Mild brain damage during birth.

C．The reason is uncertain.

D．Other people.

2. Why is the number of young people who are left-handed bigger than that of the elderly?

A．Because the elderly are forced to become right-handed.

B．Because left-handed people are considered abnormal.

C．Because left-handedness can be cured.

D．Because the young are easily damaged.

3. What does the text mainly talk about?

A．Left-handed people are looked down upon.

B．General facts about left-handed people.

C．Some famous left-handed people.

D．The reasons why people are left-handed.

2 . Tips for protecting your eyes during the winter

We usually worry about staying warm during the winter months, and think less about protecting our eyes.    1    . Here are three things you can do to protect your eyes during winter months.

Tip 1:    2    .

During the winter, our eyes are often exposed to blowing, dry, hot air that can cause them to become dry. Here are a few treatments:    3     . Keep yourself away from direct heat sources while sitting. Use a humidifier(加湿器) to help reduce dryness.

Tip 2: Wear sunglasses with UV(紫外线) protection.

UV rays in the winter can harm our eyes.     4    . Wear sunglasses when you’re outside, or driving, to protect your eyes from UV rays. This is especially important as days lengthen into spring and the sun gets stronger.

Tip 3: Goggles(护目镜) protect in many ways.

Goggles not only protect our eyes from UV rays, but they also help keep our eyes from drying out from the winter wind. In addition, think about all those branches, leaves, and dirty snow that can severely injure our eyes upon contact.    5    . Don’t forget them!

A．Clean your eyes carefully

B．Goggles protect the eyes from the wind

C．Don’t let your eyes dry out

D．However, the winter months can be as hard on our eyes as the summer months

E．In fact, they can do even more harm when they’re reflecting(反射) off snow

F．It is wise to wear quality goggles

G．Keep eye drops at hand to wet your eyes

3 . Do you know that you have “body amour（防弹衣）”? Yes, you do.     1     Here are three protective body parts and how they work.

Skin

Your skin might not feel much like the outside of an armoured tank, but it really gives you a lot of protection.     2     Skin also protects our bones, muscles and insides by covering them up. Our skin may not be that tough when we touch it, but it can be very tough when it counts.     3     The skin may get scraped（擦伤）and become bruised（青肿的）, but it helps to keep our bones safe so that they don't break easily.

Eyelashes（眼睫毛）and Eyelids

The little soft eyelashes attached to our eyelids are constantly working to blink（眨眼）away dust that would hurt our eyes. Our eyelashes and eyelids use reflex actions to close when danger comes near. Actually if we had to tell our eyelids to close, we could not do it fast enough to offer any real protection for our eyes. When our eyes and brain notice something that might be dangerous, they use lightening fast reflexes to close.     4    .

Hair

    5     This is a kind of body amour that is very useful, since the sun shines down on our heads all day. Without this covering of hair it would be easy for us to get sunburnt on the top of our heads. We lose about 50 individual hairs from our scalp every day. But most of us have lots of new ones that are replacing them.

A．Think about what happens when we fall.

B．This protection keeps our eyes safe and sound.

C．But you might not know how the armour works.

D．Some of your personal armour might affect you.

E．The hair on our heads protects our soft scalps（头皮）.

F．By closing eyes, your eyelashes block out light closer to you.

G．Our skin is the biggest organ in our entire body and it helps to keep us safe.

4 . The vast majority of us spend our entire lives pulled down by gravity. Then there are astronauts.

This small population of space travelers has given researchers a rare look at what happens to the human body when it’s able to spend large amounts of time outside the downward pull of the Earth. This week, a study on one of the largest groups of astronauts yet ---34 participants---was published in The New England Journal of Medicine.

In the new study, a team of international radiologists supported by NASA looked at MRIs of the brains of astronauts before and after their trips to space. The scientists found that upon returning to Earth, many of the astronauts’ brains had become repositioned inside their skulls, floating higher than before. In addition, the space between certain brain areas appeared to have shrunk. The changes were more common in astronauts who took longer trips into space.

The team characterized astronaut trips as short (an average of less than 14 days) or long (an average of about 165 days). Radiologists who didn't know each astronaut's duration（持续时间）in space compared MRIs from before and after their trips.

Of the 34 total astronauts involved in the study, 18 took long trips to space—spending most of that time on the International Space Station —and of those, 17 returned to Earth with smaller areas between the frontal lobe（脑前额叶）and parietal lobe（顶叶）. The same area of the brain also shrank for three of the 16 astronauts who took shorter trips with the US Space Shuttle Program. The researchers also found that 12 of the ISS astronauts and six of the space-shuttle astronauts returned home with their brains sitting slightly higher in their skulls than before.

It’s not clear what, if anything, these brain changes mean for the health of space travelers. In general, it appears the human body tolerates space travel fairly well: the time astronauts have spent in zero-gravity environments so far doesn’t seem to have had any strong or long-lasting effects.

1. What is the finding of the study?

A．Astronauts have great brain power.

B．Astronauts’ duration in space is updated.

C．Astronauts’ skulls expand after space trips.

D．Astronauts return to Earth with raised brains.

2. How did the scientists draw the conclusion?

A．By analyzing astronauts’ symptoms.

B．By comparing each astronaut’s MRIs.

C．By monitoring astronauts’ brain activities.

D．By observing countless astronauts’ behaviors.

3. What does the author say about the changes inside astronauts’ skulls?

A．They are totally harmless.

B．Their effects are hard to assess.

C．Their occurrence is unavoidable.

D．They will heavily influence astronauts.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Effects of zero gravity

B．Valuable experiences of space travel

C．Space travel changes astronauts’ brains

D．Flying long house increases health risks

5 . Women in East Asia are putting tiny pegs into their nostrils so their nose could look more European. The beauty trend apparently started from South Korea about two years ago and has spread to Japan, Chinese mainland and Taiwan, where women with a pointier European nose are considered more attractive.

The beauty trend, however, has sparked serious health concerns. In a recent case from China, a woman reportedly swallowed a peg by accident and the small item was later found in her stomach.

The non-surgical nose-lifting trend apparently involves a set of tools which are popular on shopping websites in East and South-east Asia. A typical set consists of two small curved pegs, measuring two to three centimetres long, as well as one adjusting hook.

The most popular brand seems to come from South Korea, but various other copycat products have cropped up and sell for as little as 1 pound. According to the instructions online, users should first insert the two pegs into their nostrils respectively. The pegs are said to be made with silicone. Then they should use the hook to adjust the pegs so they stand in a 45-degree angle inside the nose. One seller on China’s popular shopping site, Taobao, claimed that because the product was invisible, it could be a woman’s secret weapon in getting a beautiful nose without surgery.

An advertisement posted by the seller said the product, said to be “anti-bacteria”, could change the shape of a nose in less than 10 seconds and is safe to use. However, potential customers are advised not to wear them for more than eight hours.

Although the nasal pegs are popular among beauty-conscious females, they have also brought health issues to the customers. Last November, a 25-year-old woman in Taipei nearly lost her nose after a peg poked through her nasal membrane and caused a bacterial infection, according to Apple Daily.

1. Why do women put tiny pegs into their nose?

A．To be a European.	B．To look more appealing.
C．To follow the trend.	D．To be smarter.

2. According to the seller on Taobao, what advantage does the peg have?

A．It is made from silicone.	B．It is a bacteria-free product.
C．It is hidden and non-surgical.	D．It costs as little as 1 pound.

3. What message does the passage mainly convey to people?

A．The most popular brand peg comes from South Korea.

B．Women in East Asia are putting tiny pegs into their nostrils.

C．People should be cautious about using beauty pegs.

D．A pointier European nose is in fashion at present.

4. Who are intended readers of the passage?

A．Girls in their teens.	B．Beauty-conscious females.
C．Scientists and doctors.	D．Potential peg producers.

6 . Kids seem to spend endless hours on smartphones, computers and tablets these days. The best thing parents can do to prevent it is to encourage youngsters to spend more time outdoors in the sunlight.

There has been a massive rise around the globe in short-sightedness—or myopia as it’s officially known—over recent decades. Myopia or short-sightedness is becoming more common. Lack of natural light seems to be the key issue. “The main factor seems to be a lack of exposure to direct sunlight, because children who study a lot and who use computers or smartphones or tablet computers a lot have less opportunity to run around outside and are less exposed to sunshine and because of that children seem to be at more risk of developing shortsightedness.”

Professor Hammond says, “It may be there’s no coincidence that in East Asian countries, the most myopic ones all relate may to be the that maths league tables(排名表). These kids are being pushed with very intensive education from a very young age and spend a lot of time indoors studying close up. Therefore the concern is that all close work—like playing with the iPhone—carries the potential that it could make them more shortsighted.”

The best thing to do, say the experts, is to get children playing outside as much as possible. “In a perfect world, probably on average across the week and the weekend, two hours a day outdoors is protective of becoming short-sighted in children. Healthy diet is really also important—in terms of getting oily fish, green vegetables, green leafy vegetables as much as possible.

“What we need to look at is ways of modifying the impact that these activities have on their visual development.” Professor Hammond said, “There are eye drops and other treatments to slow myopia progression. But in terms of preventing myopia itself, there isn’t any data out there at the moment in terms of the question, ‘Could the drops we use slow progression or stop myopia developing at all? ‘ ”

1. What does the underlined word “that” in Paragraph 2 refer to?

A．Much natural light.	B．Running around outside.
C．Computers or smartphones.	D．Less exposure to sunshine.

2. What does Professor Hammond think of short-sightedness among East Asian children?

A．It appears quite by chance.	B．It is not serious enough.
C．It largely relate to iPad or iPhone.	D．It connects with their study pressure.

3. What can be inferred from the last paragraph?

A．The myopic students will decrease in the future.

B．Researchers have found methods to reduce myopia.

C．It’s still a hard job to control the children’s myopia.

D．Researchers needn’t collect any more data on myopia.

4. What is the best title for the text?

A．Common troubles of students

B．Problems caused by short-sightedness

C．Staying outdoors more to keep good eyesight

D．The importance of protecting kids

7 . Up to 90% of school leavers in major Asian cities are suffering from myopia — short-sightedness, a study suggests. Researchers say the “extraordinary rise” in the problem is being caused by students working very hard in school and missing out on outdoor light.

Eye experts say that you are short-sighted if your vision is blurred(模糊的) beyond 2m. It is often caused by an elongation (拉伸) of the eyeball that happens when people are young. According to the research, the problem is being caused by a combination of factors — a commitment to education and lack of outdoor light.

Professor Morgan who led this study argues that many children in South East Asia spend long hours studying at school and doing their homework. This in itself puts pressure on the eyes, but exposure to between two and three hours of daylight helps maintain healthy eyes.

Cultural factors also seem to play a part. Across many parts of South East Asian children often have a lunchtime nap. According to Professor Morgan they are missing out on natural light to prevent short-sightedness.

A big concern is the numbers of the students suffering from “high” myopia. One in five of these students could experience severe visual impairment(障碍) and even blindness. These people are at considerable risk-sometimes people are not told about it and are just given more powerful glasses-they need to be warned about the risk and given some self-testing measures so they can get to an ophthalmologist and get some help.

For decades, researchers believed there was a strong genetic component to the condition. But this study strongly suggests an alternative view. “Any type of simple genetic explanation just doesn’t fit with that speed of change; gene pools just don’t change in two generations. Whether it’s a purely environmental effect or an environmental effect playing a sensitive genome, it really doesn't matter, the thing that’s changed is not the gene pool—it's the environment.”

1. As is mentioned above, which factor mainly results in students' myopia in South East Asia?

A．Lack of research into the problem.	B．Genetic faults of the people.
C．Elongation of the eyeball.	D．The shortage of outdoor light.

2. Which of the following statements do you think Professor Morgan agrees with?

A．A lunchtime nap is helpful in reducing myopia.

B．Glasses keep myopia from getting even worse.

C．It's necessary to treat myopia with an operation.

D．It's of vital importance to reduce educational pressure.

3. What's the main idea of the last paragraph?

A．Short-sightedness has nothing to do with changes in gene pools.

B．Gene remains the main cause of the long-standing problem.

C．An environmental effect playing a sensitive genome counts.

D．The environment is to blame for the extraordinary rise in myopia.

4. What's the best way to take care of your eyes according to the passage?

A．Look at the sun from time to time.	B．Do eyes exercise regularly.
C．Spend more time in the open air.	D．Equip the classroom with better lights.

8 . 听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1. Which age group do the two speakers most likely belong to?

A．Young.

B．Middle-aged.

C．Old.

2. Which part of the body is probably OK with the woman?

A．Her arms.

B．Her back.

C．Her leg.

3. Why can’t the man do gardening a lot?

A．Because of his back trouble.	B．Because of his leg trouble.
C．Because of his arm trouble.

9 . Eyesight plays a very important role in our daily life. Every waking moment, the eyes are working to see the world around us. Over forty percent of Americans worry about losing eyesight, but it's easy to include steps into our daily life to ensure healthy eyes. Here are five suggestions for a lifetime of healthy eyesight:

·Schedule yearly exams.     1    Experts advise parents to bring babies 6 to 12 months of age to the doctor for a careful check. The good news is that millions of children now can have yearly eye exams and following treatment, including eyeglasses.

·Protect against UV rays (紫外线). Long-term stay in the sun creates risk to your eyes. No matter what the season is, it's extremely important to wear sunglasses.     2    

·    3    Two-thirds of Americans spend up to seven hours a day using computers or other digital (数字的)products.   This frequent eye activity increases the risk for eye tiredness. Experts recommend （建议）that people practice the 20/20/20 rule: every 20 minutes, take a 20-second break and look at something 20 feet away.
·    4      As part of a healthy diet, eat more fruits and vegetables each day. Vitamins   C and E help protect eyesight and promote eye health.

·Practice safe wear and care of contact lenses (隐形眼镜). Many Americans use contact lenses to improve their eyesight. While some follow the medical guidance for wearing contact lenses, many are breaking the rules and putting their eyesight at risk.      5       Otherwise, you may have problems such as red eyes, pain in the eyes, or a more serious condition.

A．Have your eyes checked as early as possible.

B．Give your eyes a break.

C．Parents usually don’t care about their own eyesight.

D．They can properly protect your eyes.

E．Stay in good shape by taking more vitamins.

F．Always follow the doctor’s advice for appropriate（恰当的；合适的）wear.

G．Eat your greens.

10 . Researchers at Brigham found about one in five teenagers now have some degree of hearing damage. The researchers did not say why hearing loss has risen, but other experts have strong suspicions. One likely culprit, they say, is MP3 players.

An MP3 player can be dangerous to hearing when its decibel level is turned up too high. High-decibel sounds can damage nerve endings, called hair cells. If a sound is loud enough, the damage can be permanent. A loud sound can shake the membrane (薄膜) on which the hair cells sit- “like an earthquake”. That shake can break or even uproot hair cells. When that happens, the hair cells are finished. Human ears cannot regrow hair cells. Therefore, when listening to an MP3 player, set a volume limit and avoid exposure to loud sounds.

On the other hand, the loudness of today’s music may not be totally under your control. Music companies have been purposely turning up the volume. It’s a trend called the fight for loudness.

Play a CD from the 1990s. Then play a newly released tune. Don’t touch the volume control. You’ll probably notice that the new CD sounds louder than the old one. Why? Sound engineers who create CDs are using dynamic range compression (压缩), a technology that makes the quiet parts of a song louder and the loud parts quieter. The overall effect of compression is a louder recording.

Many musicians and sound engineers aren’t pleased. They say that compression is driving down the quality of today, s music, making it sound flat and blaring. Gray Hobish, a sound engineer, explains that music should be a combination of loudness and softness. But music companies want to make music louder so it will stand out. That’s important in the competition among recording companies.

What about listeners? Many teenagers listen to music on the go in noisy places and through headphones, all of which reduce sound quality. So young listeners may not notice the poorer quality of modem recordings. “To their ears,” says Hobish, “the music sounds fine. And they are not aware of the hidden threat of the music they are enjoying.”

1. The phrase “like an earthquake” in Para. 2 aims to explain       .

A．that volume can strongly affect parts of the ear

B．how our body is unable to regrow hair cells

C．how much damage the ear can avoid

D．that hair cells are easily damaged

2. What can we learn about today’s music business?

A．New technology improves the quality of music.

B．Young listeners today prefer louder sound.

C．Music companies sacrifice quality for loudness.

D．Sound engineers face tough competition.

3. What is probably the best title for the passage?

A．The Loudness War

B．Your Hearing Is Going!

C．The Damaged Ears

D．Are You a Good Listener?