1 . On July 28, I retired from my position. After teaching for many years, I looked forward to kayaking (划独木舟) with my grandsons, seeing friends and traveling for leisure with my husband. But my body had other plans for me. A broken spine (脊椎) in my back took me down a path that upended my plans.
I have long had back pain. However, I pushed through the pain to do my work, which worsened my condition. Doctors urged an operation when increased disability meant I could not sit, stand or walk for a long time. But I wanted to see whether physical therapy (治疗) could create an easier option.
Indeed, hard work with a great physical therapist has let me improve my mobility, sitting and standing. But X-rays told a different story. My spine was unstable and bending. After careful consideration and a second opinion from another professional, I agreed to surgery yet in the near term. Needless to say, the past months have been tough and the way ahead will be even tougher. Kayaking with my grandsons in the peacefulness of the lake is all out of reach, for now.
When I met my physical therapist for the first time, I was a mess. He listened to me outline my history with tears and then calmly said, “You have to make friends with your body.” I have repeated that line to myself daily and worked to embrace my body. I have focused on gratitude. I’m grateful that I do not have a fatal disease. I’m grateful that the body I have remains alert to the world, loved by family and friends. I’m grateful that I am still myself.
I don’t know exactly how the future will play out. The surgeon assures me that I should be able to get in my kayak by summer. But I may have to make friends with a different body, one that is mine regardless of the shape.
1. Why did the author’s condition become worse?| A．She disliked physical therapy. |
| B．She hurt her back when kayaking. |
| C．She still worked despite back pain. |
| D．She was unwilling to have an operation. |
| A．She forgot to kayak with her grandsons. |
| B．She decided to accept an operation right away. |
| C．She completely recovered after physical therapy. |
| D．She asked another doctor for advice on the operation. |
| A．Her wish to enjoy retirement life. |
| B．Her physical therapist’s advice. |
| C．Her worsening physical condition. |
| D．Her love for her family and friends. |
| A．Learning to accept my body |
| B．Enjoying my retirement life |
| C．Fighting against my back pain |
| D．Being grateful for what I have |
2 . What is the best sleep position for your health?
It’s difficult to control what sleeping position we naturally fall into, as our body will subconsciously all into the most comfortable position for us. However, some positions are better for you than others and come could hold back your health and wellbeing.
If you sleep on your side
More than 60 per cent of people sleep on their side. Often our body naturally moves to this position, which is linked to when we were in the womb in the foetal(胎儿的) position.
If you sleep on your back
Lying on your back is the second most popular sleeping position and offers just as many benefits as side sleeping. When you’re sleeping on your back, it’s easy to keep alignment and to also evenly distribute your weight.
If you sleep on your stomach
Sleeping on your stomach is the least common sleeping position.
| A．This also helps to prevent any neck and back pain. |
| B．Sleeping on your side is probably the best position |
| C．Side sleeping would be particularly beneficial for older people. |
| D．There are more negatives to this position compared to positives. |
| E．Determining the sleeping position for you is personal preference. |
| F．Here, this article reveals exactly how your sleep position is affecting your health. |
| G．This is mostly likely because it is one of the most comfortable sleeping positions. |
3 . If you’re a primate (灵长目动物) or a koala, you have something different compared to other animals: fingerprints. Now, a new study explains how our fingerprints help us keep a grip on the surfaces that we come into contact with — and it’s all to do with regulating moisture (水分). Researchers decided to investigate this using advanced laser imaging technology and discovered a finely tuned system controlling how wet or dry our fingertips are. That means our fingers are able to react to the various types of surfaces they’re pushed up against, making the grip as strong as possible with everything from a phone to an umbrella,and preventing “catastrophic slip”where we lose hold of objects.
Close-up (特写镜头) laser imaging of volunteers touching glass showed that when fingertips make contact with hard, impermeable surfaces, extra moisture is released to increase friction and grip. However, the sweat pores are eventually blocked off to avoid contacts that are too slippery.
This sweat-pore-blocking technique is combined with an accelerated evaporation process, controlled by the ridges (隆起) of the fingerprint, that comes into play when excessive moisture needs to be removed-again,with the ultimate aim of keeping a strong contact between finger and object.
Working together, the two biological mechanisms are able to adapt to surfaces whether our fingers are originally wet or dry: They provide the keratin(角质) skin layer with just the right amount of hydration (水合作用). That gives us skills that smooth-handed and smooth-footed animals don’t have.
Besides telling us more about the human body, the research is likely to help product designers who need to design a gadget (小装置) that humans need to interact with, such as a smartphone.
Further down the line, the findings might even benefit the development of grip on prosthetic (假体的) limbs and robotic equipment, as well as devices that are used to explore virtual reality environment (where the sensation of touch might need to be simulated).
1. Why does the author refer to a koala?| A．To explain different species are often in conflict. |
| B．To indicate people know little about its fingerprints. |
| C．To introduce the newly discovered function of fingerprints. |
| D．To highlight its reliance on fingerprints. |
| A．Transparent. | B．Waterproof. | C．Uneven. | D．Invisible. |
| A．The sweat pores are closed for a while when we hold things. |
| B．The time when the sweat pores work is controlled by the ridges of the fingerprint. |
| C．The ridges of the fingerprint are insensitive to excessive moisture. |
| D．Prosthetic limbs and robotic equipment benefit most from the findings. |
| A．No Fingerprints, No Grip |
| B．Irreplaceable Benefits of Fingerprints |
| C．Two Biological Mechanisms Matter for a Grip |
| D．Fingerprints Give a Better Grip |
4 . Be at your best!
What does your brain need to work well? Here are some things it needs.
Good food
Experts say that breakfast is much more important than any other meal.
A regular supply of energy
Your brain needs a regular supply of energy, so you need to eat carbohydrates (碳水化合物). They’re found in bread, rice, pasta and beans.
A continuous supply of oxygen (氧气)
Your brain needs oxygen, which it gets from exercise.
Water
Your brain needs several hours’ sleep, so it can ‘update’ itself, just like a computer. Experts say that when you study for a test or an exam, you should get some sleep as quickly as possible after you’ve finished studying. This helps you to remember what you’ve learned.
| A．A short break |
| B．A good night’s sleep |
| C．It works best in the morning. |
| D．Exercise improves your memory too. |
| E．Water is much better than sweet drinks. |
| F．Your brain works better when you have eaten. |
| G．Chocolate, biscuits and sweets are not good for your brain. |
5 . Are you happy with your teeth? Becca, a 15-year-old girl from the US is not. She decided her teeth needed to be whiter. "They weren't that bad, but I wanted to make them all the same colour", she said.
In the last five years, teeth whitening has become very popular among young Americans. Now the trend（潮流）has come to China. If you turn on the TV you can see the Hong Kong pop star Karen Mok showing her bright white teeth, saying, "want to be like me? Use white teeth strips（牙贴）!" You may even have decided to buy one.
But wait a minute. Dentists have something to say. They think that kids should not use whitening products until they are 16 or even older.
"We don't know what will happen yet," says Dr. Nasrin Azim, a dentist in Chicago. "Studies have not been done on young people. I wouldn't do teeth whitening on anyone under 18."
The problem with whitening lies in the pulp（牙髓）, the innermost（最深处的）part of the tooth. It has the tooth's nerve（神经）ending. When we eat very hot or cold things, it's the pulp that hurts. Kids have larger pulps. The larger pulp might make teeth more sensitive（敏感的）to whitening and get hurt.
Another problem is that the gums around the teeth usually change shape（形状）with age. So, if someone whitens his or her teeth during childhood, the darker, natural color might show later around the gum line. At that time, your teeth will show two colors. And the darker color is difficult to whiten.
So, wait another few years before you make your teeth whiter. Or if you really want to do it, ask your dentist. They'll give you useful advice.
1. This passage mainly talks about ________.| A．how to whiten your teeth | B．the new trend of whitening teeth |
| C．Americans with white teeth | D．dentists' advice on tooth whitening |
| A．Notice | B．announcement | C．advertisement | D．talk |
| A．it is inside the teeth | B．it is sick |
| C．it is rich in nerves | D．it is not used to this kind of food |
| A．Their teeth may show two colors later. | B．Their gums may change shape with age. |
| C．Their teeth may get darker. | D．They may lose their teeth. |
| A．dentists like very much the idea of tooth whitening |
| B．more and more people in China will get their teeth whitened |
| C．it's necessary for children to whiten their teeth |
| D．tooth whitening will certainly bring good results for people |
6 . How to Protect Yourself from the Sun
It can be fun to get out and enjoy sunshine, and the vitamin D provided by the sun can help with your overall health.
Using Sunscreen
Choose a sunscreen with a safe SPF. You should wear sunscreen each time you go out during the day, even when it’s overcast. Make sure you select a sunscreen with a strong enough sun protection factor (SPF) to protect you from UV rays.
Apply sunscreen 20 to 30 minutes before leaving your home. Do this each time you leave your house during the daytime when the sun is out.
Protecting Yourself with Clothing
Wear sunglasses.
Avoiding the Sun
Seek shade between 10 am and 4 pm.
| A．Wear clothing that covers more skin. |
| B．Smooth sunscreen over rather than rubbing it. |
| C．However, too much sun can be damaging. |
| D．Sunglasses should be worn year-round, and not just in the summer. |
| E．During warmer months, longer clothing may be uncomfortable. |
| F．During these hours, the sun is at its peak. |
| G．This is especially important if you’ll be exposed to the sun for more than 30 minutes. |
7 . It is bad to have food stuck between your teeth for long periods of time. This is because food attracts germs; germs produce acid, and acid hurts your teeth and gums. Flossing (使用牙线) helps to remove the food that gets stuck between your teeth. This explains why flossing helps to keep your mouth healthy, but some doctors say that flossing can also be good for your heart.
It may seem strange that something you do for your teeth can have any effect on your heart. Doctors have come up with a few ideas about how flossing works to keep your heart healthy. One idea is that the germs that hurt your teeth can leave the mouth and travel into your blood Germs that get into the blood can then attack your heart. Another idea is based on the fact that when there are too many germs in your mouth, the body tries to fight against there germs. For some reason, the way the body fights these mouth germs may end up weakening the heart overtime.
Not every doctor agrees about these ideas. Some doctors think that the link between good flossing habits and good heart health is only a coincidence. The incidence (发生率) of two or more events is completely random, as they do not admit of any reliable cause and effect relationship between them. For example, every time I wash my car, it rains. This does not mean that when I wash my car, I somehow change the weather. This is only a coincidence. Similarly, some doctors think that people who have bad flossing habits just happen to also have heart problems, and people who have good flossing habits just happen to have healthy hearts.
The theory that flossing your teeth helps to keep your heart healthy might not be true. But every doctor agrees that flossing is a great way to keep your teeth healthy. So even if flossing does not help your heart, it is true to help your teeth. This is enough of a reason for everyone to floss their teeth every day.
1. From the passage, we know that________.| A．food stuck between your teeth may hurt your teeth |
| B．all of the doctors agree that flossing is good for your heart |
| C．doctors’ judgment about flossing is based on medical research |
| D．not every doctor thinks flossing helps to keep your teeth healthy |
| A．1 | B．2 | C．3 | D．4 |
| A．the numbers of rainstorms occurring whenever someone washes his car |
| B．The popular ideas that people should have good flossing habits |
| C．The doctors who don’t think flossing helps keep the heart healthy |
| D．The links between a healthy heart and good flossing habits |
| A．There ia an argument about whether flossing is good for your heart. |
| B．Keeping your heart healthy can keep your teeth in a good stale |
| C．Even if flossing is only good for your teeth, you should still do it regularly |
| D．People should think about the relationship between flossing and their health. |
8 . As we all know, the spine (脊柱) stands at the center of your health, providing your body with structure and support. It also contains your spine cord, a massive collection of nerves sending electric signals from the rest of your body to your brain.
Maintaining good posture is one of the most important things you can do to keep your spine healthy. Proper posture means standing or sitting while keeping your spine straight, except for its natural curves. Posture comes into play even when you are asleep. Sleeping on your side puts less stress on your spine than most other positions.
Finally, your diet affects the health of your spine because many vitamins are necessary for bones and nerves. In particular, vitamins B and D are essential to keep bones healthy, so you may want to consider taking a supplement.
Many of the actions necessary to keep your spine healthy are the same as those used to keep your health in other ways.
| A．It can be hard on your back to stay still for too long |
| B．So, to have a healthy spine, you should take the following factors into account |
| C．Try the following exercises to keep your spine more flexible |
| D．So protect your back, the rest of the body will benefit |
| E．Exercise is also an important factor in your spine’s health |
| F．Doing yoga to protect your spine is also a necessary step |
| G．However, the latter can also be absorbed from sunlight |
9 . Take care of your spine（脊柱）
The spine stands at the center of your health, providing your body with structure and support. It also contains your spine cord, a massive collection of nerves conveying electric signals from the rest of your body to your brain
Maintaining good posture( 姿势) is one of the most important things you can do to keep your spine healthy. Proper posture means standing or sitting while keeping your spine straight, except for its natural curves. Posture comes into play even when you are asleep. Sleeping on your side puts less stress on your spine than most other positions.
Finally, your diet affects the health of your spine because many vitamins are necessary for bones and nerves. In particular, vitamins B and D are essential to keep bones healthy, so you may want to consider taking a supplement.
Many of the actions necessary to keep your spine healthy are identical to those used to preserve your health in other ways.
| A．However, the latter is also absorbed from sunlight. |
| B．Staying still for too long can be hard on your back. |
| C．So protect your back, the rest of the body will benefit. |
| D．Protecting your spine with yoga is also a necessary step. |
| E．Try the following exercises to keep your spine more flexible. |
| F．Exercise is also an important factor in the health of your spine. |
| G．So you should take the following factors into account to have a healthy spine. |
10 . This all started a few months ago, when I had a dull pain in the back of my mouth, around where one of my wisdom teeth was supposed to be coming in. I thought it was a pain that I could live with for a while.
However, during the next few weeks, the pain became more intense, spreading to my teeth, gums and jaw. I was told I had seven wisdom teeth.
Yes, you read that correctly, seven — three more than a normal person. My first reaction when I heard was to laugh. It’s just my luck. My mouth wanted to do more work than it had to.
Focusing on the positive, one of the great things about having extra teeth is watching people’s reactions when they find out. So far, I haven’t grown tired of repeating myself.
The extra teeth are also a good excuse for me being tongue-tied. I can now blame it on my overcrowded mouth rather than my slow brain.
Of course, with wisdom teeth come the intellect jokes. My parents say my intelligence comes from my extra teeth and not my hard work. My friends agree that once the teeth are pulled, my brain will be that of a 5-year-old.
I’ve also thought about how I might profit from this. If only I still believed in the tooth fairy, I could make a lot of cash. Maybe I could sell my extras to someone in need. Advertisement: Seven teeth for sale, unused, in almost perfect condition.
Don’t be fooled by my jokes. I am worried about having surgery. I’m also going to be sad to see the Lucky Seven go. I’ve developed quite an attachment to them over the past two days. Once they’re removed, I’ll just be normal again, and who wants that?
1. When the author found that she had three more wisdom teeth than a normal person, she ________.| A．found it quite funny | B．dealt with the pain calmly |
| C．was confused and anxious | D．kept it secret from others |
| A．persuade the author not to remove her wisdom teeth |
| B．advise the author to work hard to improve her intelligence |
| C．make fun of the author in a light-hearted way |
| D．let the author know why she is often tongue-tied |
| A．thought she could rely on it to make a living |
| B．had already made up her mind to make money |
| C．believed that her wisdom teeth were in perfect condition |
| D．was deeply aware that the idea couldn’t become reality |
| A．People’s different reactions to the author’s wisdom teeth. |
| B．How the author has gotten on with her extra wisdom teeth. |
| C．The author’s ideas for making use of her wisdom teeth. |
| D．How the author has decided to remove her wisdom teeth. |
