1 . While learning the science lessons, I used to get a doubt-why ears, nose, tongue and eyes should be called as special senses? The basic reason is that these are the channels through which we maintain contact with the surroundings. Though apparently it may feel like these are individual sensory organs, they do show some connectivity. Interestingly, our hearing is less sharp after we eat a heavy food. Isn't it good for a sound nap after a stomach-full meal? That does not mean we go deaf after a meal, but the hearing pitch does change after a heavy meal.

We usually give credit of the taste to our tongue, but do you know that unless saliva dissolves something, our tongue cannot recognize the taste of the food eaten？Taste is nothing but the food chemicals dissolved in the saliva being sensed by the taste buds present on the tongue. Try to dry off your tongue and mouth with a tissue paper and then taste something.

Women are much better smellers than men. They are born with this characteristic ability and can correctly pinpoint the exact fragrance of the sample. We all can store almost 50, 000 different scents, which are strongly tied to the memories.

Pupils do not respond to light alone, but to the slightest bit of noise around too. Thus surgeons, watchmakers and those professionals who have to perform a much delicate job do prefer to have a sound-free environment. Even a small noise can dilate their pupils, change the focus and blur their vision. If you do not wear glasses or contact lens due to having a 6/6 vision, you are just among the one third of the human population. It is now statistically proved that only one third of the population has perfect vision, the rest all are either wearing glasses or are trying to read with a compromised vision.

Each and every one of us has a particular or individualistic or characteristic smell, which is unique to us, except for the identical twins. This smell is very subtle yet can be sensed even by a newborn. It may be due to this scent that the newborn recognizes the presence of his parents around. Many of us can pinpoint the smell of our significant friends and colleagues. A significant part of this phenomenon is guided by genetics but it is also changed by the environment, diet and personal hygiene. This all together creates the unique chemistry that is individualistic for each person.

1. What does the example of “heavy meal and hearing” in the first paragraph prove?

A．Every sensory organs has its specific function.

B．We easily fall asleep after eating a heavy meal

C．We feel the world through our eyes, ears, nose and tongue.

D．All the individual sensory organs are actually connected.

2. What does the underlined sentence in the second paragraph mean?

A．Our sense of taste becomes sharper when our tongue is dry.

B．The chemical dissolved in the saliva helps digest food eaten.

C．Saliva plays an important role in identifying the taste of food.

D．The taste buds works better when there is less saliva in the mouth.

3. Which of the following person prefers a quiet environment?

A．A craftsman who is working on a diamond.	B．An actor who is doing rehearsal.
C．A pilot who is flying a plane.	D．An engineer who is checking machines.

4. According to the passage, how does a newborn sense his parents are with him?

A．The identical genes guide him.	B．He can recognize their unique smell
C．He can hear their individual voices.	D．The sensor in his brain picks them out.

5. What is the text mainly about?

A．The discovery of special senses.	B．The functions of sensory organs.
C．The connectivity of our organs.	D．The differences in sense among people.

2 . Imagine your body is like the house you live in. Every day, your family creates rubbish. The rubbish builds up until it is put out for the weekly garbage collection.

Now, say you put three bags of garbage out, but because one of the collectors was away sick, only two bags are collected. You take the leftover bag inside to be put out again next week. The following week you put on another three bags, plus the leftover bag from last week. But again, only two bags are collected. Imagine this cycle is repeated over the following weeks.

This is a simple description of what happens to your body when your kidneys (肾脏) don’t work efficiently. Your body is not thoroughly emptied of waste products. Other areas of the body such as blood pressure and red blood cell production are affected and the insidious process that may lead to kidney failure begins.

It’s not uncommon for people to lose up to 90% of their kidney function before developing any symptoms. There may be no warning signs. This makes early detection (诊查)difficult.

Kidney ’s main job is to remove toxins (毒素) and unwanted water from our blood.Every day our kidneys clean an average of 200 litres of blood. Kidney failure may be a gradual and silent process, going unnoticed because there is no obvious pain.

Research shows that more than 35% of the patients requiring dialysis (透析) do not see a kidney specialist before they have to do so. Some risk factors for kidney disease such as age and genetic make-up are out of our control; however, some changes in lifestyle may help prevent kidney damage. Two major risk factors for kidney disease, diabetes (糖尿病) and high blood pressure, have been on the rise over the last few decades. Both conditions are chiefly affected by being overweight and not getting enough exercises, which are the potential (潜在的) risk factors for the kidney disease.

1. The author gives the example of the house we live in to indicate that ______.

A．it doesn’t matter much if the waste in our body is not emptied in time

B．our body will not produce any waste if our kidneys work efficiently

C．it’s important for our body to empty the waste in time every day

D．it’s safe and harmless for our body to keep some waste

2. The underlined word “insidious” in Paragraph 3 means ______.

A．smooth and safe	B．clear and fast
C．gradual and unnoticed	D．long and painful

3. We can infer that when we find some symptoms related to our kidneys, ______.

A．the kidney failure begins	B．the kidneys can still work properly
C．we have lost about 10% of kidney function	D．the kidneys may have been seriously damaged

4. How many risk factors of kidney disease are mentioned in the passage?

A．Six.

B．Five.

C．Four.

D．Two.

5. Which of the following helps prevent kidney damage most effectively?

A．Go to see a kidney specialist shortly before dialysis starts.

B．Take enough exercise and make early detection of kidney disease.

C．Try to keep low blood pressure and a stable lifestyle.

D．Go to hospital whenever you find any warning signs.

3 . 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