阅读理解

　　Would you eat a ready meal from the fridge rather than cook from scratch?Have you been doing internet shopping rather than going to the stores?What can’t you be bothered to do?

　　A study into how lazy British people are has found more than half of adults are so lazy they’d catch the lift rather than climb two flights of stairs．

　　Just over 2000 people were quizzed by independent researchers at Nuffield Health, Britain’s largest health charity．The results were astonishing．

　　About one in six people surveyed said if their remote control was broken, they would continue watching the same channel rather than get up．

　　More than one third of those questioned said they would not run to catch a bus．Worryingly, of the 654 respondents with children, 64％ said they were often too tired to play with them．

　　This led the report to conclude that it’s no wonder that one in six children in the UK are classified as obese(very fat)before they start school．

　　Dr Sarah Dauncey, medical director of Nuffield Health, said：“People need to get fitter, not just for their own sake, but for the sake of their families, friends and evidently their pets too．”

　　“If we don’t start to take control of this problem, a whole generation will become too unfit to perform even the most rudimentary of tasks．”

　　And Scotland’s largest city, Glasgow, was shamed as the most inactive city in the UK, with 75％ surveyed admitting they do not get enough exercise, followed closely by Birmingham and Southampton, both with 67％．

　　The results cause serious challenges for the National Health Service, where obesity-related illnesses such as heart disease and cancer have been on a steady increase for the past 40 years and are costing billions of pounds every year．

阅读理解

　　The world of the science-fiction 3-D film Avatar is so perfect that the line between fact and fiction has become somewhat blurred(模糊)．

　　Movie-goers have admitted being annoyed by depression at not being able to visit the planet Pandora．Set in the future when Earth’s resources have been used up, director James Cameron’s film tells the story of a company trying to exploit a rare mineral on a new planet．The humans clash with the natives －a peace-loving race of 7-foot-tall, blue-skinned creatures called the Na’vi, who exist in perfect harmony with nature．

　　Fans have flooded the Internet with their confused feelings．On the site Avatar Forums(论坛), the topic“Ways to deal with the depression of the dream of Pandora not being able to come true”has more than 1,000 posts．In a similar forum, Louis, one user, wrote：“When I woke up this morning after watching Avatar for the first time yesterday, the world seemed grey．It just seems so meaningless．I still don’t really see any reason to keep doing things at all．I live in a dying world．”On the Avatar site Naviblue, a fan calling himself Jorba has even asked others to join him in starting a real Na’vi tribe．

　　This fantasy world, with its wonderful plants and animal life, is brought to life by using impressive special effects．Many people believe that 2010 is the breakthrough year for the technology helped by 3-D movies such as Avatar．“It has taken the best of our technology to create this virtual world and real life will never be as perfect as it seems on screen．It makes real life seem more imperfect．”

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　　“A survey was conducted in Shanghai where interviewees were asked if they wanted to be a factory worker”．One percent of all people interviewed said“YES,”Wang Hongjun, a technician, said, raising his voice for dramatic effect．“But I can tell you, only a small part of that 1 percent are telling the truth．”

　　I’ve met colorful people like Wang all over China．They are cynical(玩世不恭的)yet warmhearted, plain spoken but smart．And many of them are confined(局限于)to work in factories．

　　Wang is a top technician but also represents manual factory workers, who are China’s most important natural resource．Their energy is powering China’s economic boom, and their muscle is turning the wheel of the world’s factory．

　　But does their unskilled labor give their life meaning?At school, did they tell their friends：“When I grow up I want to work in a factory making socks?”Did you?

　　Factory work has always been a stepping-stone from farm life to the city and a modern life．It’s been happening for centuries, but today, with our space-age technology, it’s outdated．Earning 1,200 yuan(＄169)per month working in a factory is better than that on a farm, but as Wang points out, it’s not a dream career．There should be better ways to earn your rice．

　　Many modern factories no longer have production line workers．Robots do the assembly(装配)．People just do the monitoring．In this age of technology, in which China is now working smarter and not just harder, why are people still standing in production lines?

　　But life is cheap in China．So why not continue to exploit the low-cost labor situation and keep the economy growing fast, some entrepreneurs may ask．

　　But have these businessmen ever labored in a factory?

阅读理解

　　TIJUANA, Mexico－A powerful earthquake swayed(摇动)buildings from Los Angeles to Tijuana, killing two people in Mexico, blacking out cities and forcing the evacuation(疏散)of hospitals and nursing homes．One California city closed off its downtown due to unstable buildings．

　　The 7.2-magnitude quake centered just south of the US border near Mexicali was one of the strongest earthquakes to hit region in decades．

　　“It sounds like it’s felt by at least 20 million people,”USGS seismologist Lucy Jones said．“Most of Southern California felt this earthquake．”

　　Sunday afternoon’s earthquake hit hardest in Mexicali, a commerce center along Mexico’s border with California, where authorities said the quake was followed by at least 20 smaller aftershocks, including ones of magnitudes 5.1, 4.5 and 4.3．

　　“It has not stopped trembling in Mexicali,”said Baja California state Civil Protection Director Alfredo Escobedo on Monday．

　　Escobedo said one man was killed when his home collapsed just outside of Mexicali and another died when he rushed into the street in panic and was struck by a car．At least 100 people were injured in the city, most of them struck by falling objects．Power was out in virtually the entire city．

　　Susan Warmbier was putting away groceries in the San Diego suburb of Chula Vista when her husband asked,“Is the house moving?”

　　Elsewhere in San Diego, there were reports of shattered windows, broken pipes and water main breaks in private buildings, but no reports of injuries, San Diego Fire-Rescue Department spokesman Maurice Luque said．Coronado Bridge over San Diego Bay was briefly closed as a precaution．

　　Across the border in Tijuana, Mexico, the quake caused buildings to sway and knocked out power in some areas．No tsunami warning was issued, but hundreds of people on Tijuana’s crowded beach feared the worst and fled when they felt the ground shake．

阅读理解

　　When Toyota’s president, Akio Toyoda, apologized for the recalls that have harmed Toyota’s reputation, he talked not just about his company’s fate, but also his nation’s．

　　“I hope to return Toyota to profit and contribute to the revitalization of Japan,”he said．

　　Once a leading symbol of Japan’s rise to global economic might, Toyota has become one of the most obvious signs of its decline．And even before the recalls, Japan’s rivals(竞争对手) from South Korea and China had started overtaking Japan in key industries from semi－conductors to flat-panel televisions．And Toyota on Tuesday issued another damaging recall, this time of its popular Prius car．

　　“At this rate, Japan will sink into the sea,”said Masatomo Tanaka, a professor at the Institute of Technologists．“If Toyota is not healthy, then Japan is not healthy．”

　　Many economists and business leaders say they hope that Toyota’s trouble will be the wake－up call that Japan needs to understand that its reliance on manufacturing(制造业) and industrial exports, which served the country so well after World War II, is no longer wise．

　　Yukio Noguchi, a professor of finance at Waseda University in Tokyo, said Japan must finally step into a post - industrial, service-based economy－a painful shift that the United States and Great Britain underwent in the 1980s．Others said Japan should focus on high-end, high-profit products, like robots and fuel cells, rather than mass-produced goods subject to quality-control issues．

　　“Even Toyota can fail．Even Lexus, even Prius,”said Mr．Noguchi．“Our world-leading manufacturing industry may no longer world-leading．This has a strong impact on the national psyche．”

　　According to the Cabinet Office, manufacturing accounted for 22％ of Japan’s entire economic output in 2008, down from 28％ in 1990．however, manufacturing’s share of the economy still remains far above the level of 12％ in the US．And few economists or journalists here advocate abrupt shifting．Rather, the feeling is that Japan needs to find a new balance by replacing its traditional industries with more information technology and software industries in which it is weak．

　　Yet this shift will be hard for Japan, where many policy makers and experts still seem to cling to the old model of heavy industries and consumer goods．If Japan can pull it off, it could serve as a model for other export－dependent Asian nations, which will also eventually face the same choice．

　　“I hope that Toyota will change our way of looking at our economy,”Mr Noguchi said．“We cannot survive if we continue to stick to the old type of industries．”

阅读理解

　　An analysis by Mount Sinai researchers of over eight years of dietary data from more than 400,000 people has found that the relationship between high consumption of fruits and vegetables and a reduced risk of cancer is not as strong as commonly thought．The study is published online April 6, 2010 in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute．It is widely believed that a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can reduce the risk of cancer．In 1990, the WHO recommended eating five servings of fruits and vegetables a day to prevent cancer and other diseases．However, although many studies have been conducted since then, none have been able to confirm an association between fruit and vegetable intake and cancer resistance．

　　Paolo Boffetta, MD, MPH, lead author of the study and Deputy Director of The Tisch Cancer Institute at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, and colleagues analyzed data from the EPIC study to evaluate relationships between cancer risk and intake of total fruit and vegetables combined．

　　The EPIC followers, which are ongoing and organized by professor Elio Riboli at Imperial College in London, included 142,605 men and 335,873 women surveyed between 1992 and 2000 from 10 Western European countries．Detailed information on their dietary habits and lifestyle differences was obtained．After 8.7 years of follow－up, more than 30,000 of the study's participants were diagnosed with cancer．

　　Dr．Boffetta and colleagues found a small but significant opposite relationship between high intake of fruits and vegetables and overall cancer risk．In this population, an increase of 200 grams a day of fruits and vegetables resulted in a reduction of about 3 percent of cancer risk．Vegetable consumption by itself also afforded a modest benefit but was restricted to women．Heavy drinkers who ate many fruits and vegetables had a somewhat reduced risk, but only for cancers caused by smoking and alcohol．

　　“The bottom line here is that, yes, we did find a protective effect of fruit and vegetable intake against cancer, but it is a smaller connection than previously thought,”said Dr．Boffetta．“Any cancer protective effect of these foods is likely to be modest, at best．”

　　“However, eating fruits and vegetables is beneficial for health in general and the results of this study do not justify changing current recommendations aiming at increasing intake of these foods,”said Dr．Boffetta．

阅读理解

　　It is love that makes the world go round．And it is also love that has such power to overcome all difficulties．So we say：“Love will find a way．”As smile is a facial expression showing pleasure, affection, and friendliness, it is the commonest way to show our good will perfectly without saying anything．A Chinese saying runs：“never hit a person who is smiling at you．”It is a time-proven fact that the smile is a language all its own－a universal language－understood by the people of every nation in the world．We may not speak the same tongue as our foreign neighbors, but we smile in the same tongue．We need no interpreter for thus expressing love, happiness, or good will．

　　One day while shopping in a small town in southern California, it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk whose personality contradicted mine．He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase．I bought nothing, and marched angrily out of the store．My anger toward that grew with each step．Outside, standing at the corner, was a dark-complexion young man in his early twenties．His expressive brown eyes met and held mine, and in the next instant a beautiful, dazzling smile covered his face．I gave in immediately．The magnetic power of that shining smile drove away all bitterness within me, and I found the muscles in my own face happily responding．“Beautiful day, isn’t it?”I remarked, in passing．The, suddenly something inside me sent me turning back．“I really owe you a debt of gratitude,”I said softly．His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer．A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby．The woman stepped forward and eyed me inquiringly．“Carlos, he no speak English,”she volunteered．“You want I should tell him something?”In that moment I felt transformed．Carlos’ smile had made a big person of me．My friendliness and good will to ward all mankind stood ten feet tall．“Yes,”my reply was enthusiastic and sincere,“tell him I said‘Thank you!’”“Thank you?”The woman seemed slightly puzzled．I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave．“Just tell him that,”I insisted．“He’ll understand．I am sure!”Oh, what a smile can do!Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning．

　　From that day on, I became smile－conscious, and I practice the diligently, anywhere and everywhere, with everybody．When I got excited in traffic, taking the right－of－way (公路用地) from the other car with my stupid mistake, I’d smile and shrug my shoulders apologetically．This action on my part would always draw a good－natured smile in return．If the other fellow was at fault－and if I could remember my resolution in time!He’d get a broad smile of understanding．This took a bit of doing at first．I’ll admit it wasn’t always easy, but it was fun．The results were sometimes amazing．Many times, a broad, friendly smile would completely turn aside ill－feeling and tension．I’m wondering now how many tragic add dents could be avoided on our overcrowded highways, if every driver remembered to smile!

阅读理解

　　[AP Eeb．8] Costa Ricans have elected their first woman president as the ruling party candidate Laura Chinchilla won in an election after campaigning to continue free market policies in Central America’s most stable nation Sunday night．

　　[Reuters Feb．19]The leader of Niger’s military junta(军政府)made his first public appearance on Friday, a day after toppling(推翻)President Mamadou Tandja, but made no mention of any timetable to elections．

　　[Reuters Feb．20] The Dutch coalition(联合)government collapsed on Saturday after the two largest parties disagreed over whether to withdraw the 2,000 Dutch troops from Afghanistan as planned this year．

　　[The Guardian Feb．25]Viktor Yanukovych took the oath of office in the Verkhovan Rada, the Ukrainian parliament, iv Kiev today, with the ceremony coming after weeks of protest(抗议)over claimed cheating following his victory in February’s president election．

　　[The Guardian Feb．27] One of the world’s most powerful earthquakes in a century struck Chile on Saturday, killing at least 214 people, knocking down buildings and causing a tsunami that threatened Pacific coastlines as far away as Hawaii and Japan．

　　[AP Mar．8]Kathryn Bigelow made Oscar history Sunday night, becoming the first woman to win best director at the Academy Awards for her Iraq War movie“The Hurt Locker”, which earned six Oscars, including one for best picture．

　　I don’t like getting up too early unless I have to．When you’re filming, you’ve got make-up on, which doesn’t happen often．As I’m not filming at present I’ll get up at 8.30．

　　Work normally means Matt coming over to my house about 10 am．We’re writing at the moment．We’ll chat for a bit before going to my study．One of us will have an idea for a sketch(梗概), we’ll talk about the characters and when we feel we have enough we’ll start writing．

　　Matt and I met at the National Youth Theatre in 1990 and started doing shows together in 95, at the Edinburgh Fringe festival．We know we’re onto something if we’ve made each other laugh, and that’s a really special moment．It’s not always like that, but we’re comfortable enough with each other that we can be honest and go．Some days you’re not in the mood to be funny－like writing when my dad was dying of cancer, or when Matt was separating from his partner．

　　We stop for lunch and sometimes go to Wagamama in Camden, but the last time we were followed by paparazzi(狗仔队), which gets you down－who wants to be pictured eating noodles?

　　When I’m not writing with Matt I work on other projects．My second children’s book comes out later in the year．It’s called Mr．Stink．The first one I dedicated to my three-year-old nephew, Eddie．Both books have been illustrated by Quentin Blake; it’s been a thrill to work with him－like 20 years ago reading a Roald Dahl book and looking at those drawings, then one day that person illustrates your work…magical．

　　At 5 I go swimming in Soho．My trainer makes me do horrible exercises, but I always feel better after．

　　Being in all day, I like to go out in the evening and look smart, but not like I’ve come out of the City．I’m a tall, broad guy and well-dressed．

　　For dinner I’ll meet friends．When you’re a single guy it’s great to have some good female friends．Or I might take my mum to the theatre, as I know she really appreciates it．I like watching TV comedy shows to see what everyone’s doing．When you see something impressive it makes you work harder．I also love Larkin’s poems：they don’t try to transcend(超越)the commonplace; they’re much more straightforward．

　　Poetry is great to dip into before going to bed, rather than falling asleep reading a novel and being confused over what you’ve read or not．I haven’t had a good night’s sleep in seven years; unfortunately, I rely on pills．I’ve tried everything．If I could wish anything for myself, I’d wish I could sleep better．

　　How has smoking been controlled in recent years?

　　People were asked to stop smoking in a range of public places－such as doctors’ surgeries, cinemas, theatres and churches－over the second half of the 20th century but it was after the King’s Cross Underground fire on November 18, 1987, caused by a cigarette end which resulted in 31 deaths, that restrictions on smoking in public places gained rapid and widespread acceptance．

　　How did a ban on smoking in public places come into place?

　　In 1998 the Smoking Kills White Paper set out a national strategy to reduce smoking prevalence(流行)and passive smoking, including in public places．The measures were voluntary and poorly carried out．After a public conference in England in 2004, the Government decided to choose for lawmaking．Scotland went first, with a ban in 2006, followed by the other nations a year later．

　　What is the current law?

　　Any person who smokes in enclosed public places, including pubs, offices, on public transport and work vehicles, is breaking the law．It does not extend to private houses．It is also an offence for people in charge of premises(营业场所)to permit others to smoke in them．

　　How was it received?

　　It was welcomed by most organizations－except for some pub owners and restaurateurs．Many workplaces in the UK had already introduced smoke-free policies consistent with the legislation(法律，法规)before it was carried out, while others have gone beyond its basic requirements．

　　All railway facilities, including platforms, footbridges and other areas－whether or not fitting the definition of an enclosed public space－are covered, as are all football grounds and some cricket and athletics stadiums．School grounds are not required to be smoke-free under the legislation, but the majority now are．

　　How has it been forced?

　　Compliance(服从)in public premises has been high, with inspections suggesting that 99 per cent of places were sticking to the rules．The number of people charged for smoking in cars has been very low, which was due to the problems defining and identifying“work”vehicles．They said that a total ban on smoking in vehicles would end this confusion．

　　Has it improved health?

　　Studies in early adopters of the law, including in Scotland, suggest a reduction in hospital admissions for heart disease, which has been shown to be linked to passive smoking．There is also strong evidence of improved rates of smoking end and a drop in the number of cigarettes consumed by those who continue to smoke．