There's an old saying that laughter is the best medicine. No matter whether it's caused by a good joke, a cute child or pet, or a pie in the face of a comedian, the simple act of laughing offers medical benefits. Laughter has been shown to reduce stress and help people lose weight. It's a special tonic (滋补品)for older people, who are prone to loneliness and sad thoughts.

In fact, in more than 1,000 American communities, and a couple thousand more around the world, entire clubs have been formed so that people can get together and laugh! U.S. clubs have names like "Laugh-a-holics," "the Ha-Ha Spa," "Granite State Giggles(傻笑)," and "Judy's Joyful Laughter Club."

The idea started in India, where laughing is an oral yoga（瑜珈）exercise using discipline, mind power and a good belly laugh. Laughter is certainly contagious(传染性的). Only a determined grouch（脾气坏的人）could avoid at least smiling when others around him are laughing till it hurts. That's why members of laughing clubs don't just get together to howl with laughter themselves. They meet on street corners, in train stations, and other public places, laugh their fool heads off, and invite everyone around them to join in.

Laughing clubs have become so popular that one can even get training as a "certified laughing leader." And the key qualification? You have to be really good at these, chortling, chuckling, howling, snickering, cackling, tittering, giggling and sniggling.

1．The following are the benefits offered by laughing EXCEPT _____.

　 A．benefiting the older people

　 B．reducing pressure

　 C．helping people keep fit　　

　 D．helping people have a good appetite

2．Why do members of laughing clubs meet in public places instead of in private rooms?

　 A．Because they want to cause others to laugh.

　 B．Because they want to show off their special skills.

　 C．Because they would like people to share their happiness.

　 D．Because they need a large space to laugh.

3．The words in the last sentence “chortling, chuckling, howling, snickering, cackling, tittering, giggling and sniggling” are _____.

　 A．conditions of a laughing leader　　　　　　 B．manners you must follow when laughing

　 C．all forms of laughing　　　 D．tips of laughter

4．Which of the following is the best title?

　 A．Laughter Is More and More Popular in the USA

　 B．Laughter Linked to Health, Happiness

　 C．How We Laugh

　 D．Laughing, an Oral Yoga Exercise

 

Life is not always smooth． There was a man who had　 36　 numerous failures in his life． But he said, "One success is　 37　 for me!"

　 When he was five years old, his father died of illness without leaving him any　 38　 ． Since then, his mother worked outside 39　 he had to stay at home and take care of his siblings, He learnt cooking since then．

　 When he was fourteen, he dropped 40　 and began his life of roving．

　 When he was eighteen, he married a girl, who, 　41　 , sold out all his properties and went back to her home several months after their marriage．

　 When he was twenty, he 　 42　 his job from electrician to ferry staff to railway worker． All his jobs were 　43　 for him．

　 When he was thirty-five, misfortune again 　44　 on him． When he was driving across a huge bridge, the steel ropes along the edge of the bridge were broken and he fell into the river with his car． He suffered such severe injuries that he could no longer continue his　 45 ．

　 When he was　 46 　, he opened a gas station in a town． However, he　 47 dispute（争端）because he beat his competitors 　 48　 the billboard hanging problems．

　 When he was forty-seven, he　 49 his second wife, which had　 50　 stricken his three children．

　 When he was sixty-six, he made a living by　 51　 his chicken-frying techniques to various restaurants in different places．

　 When he was seventy-five, he felt 52 to maintain his company, so he transferred his brand and patent to others． The new owner suggested giving him ten thousand stock shares as part of the purchasing price． But he　 53　 the suggestion． Later the price of the stocks of the company soared and he lost the chance of being a billionaire．

　 When he was eighty-eight, he achieved great success and became well-known to the whole world．

　 He was exactly the founder of Kentucky Fried Chicken, Ha Lunde Sandoz． He often said, "People always complain about the bad 54　 ． Actually it is not bad at all． As long as you are　 55 and confident all the time, you will have a good weather every day．"

36．A． achieved　　　　　　　 B． undergone　　　　　　 C． tried　　　　　　　　　　 D． undertook

37．A． great　　　　　　　　　　 B． important　　　 C． valuable　　　　 D． enough

38．A． words　　　　 　 B． money　　　　 C． property　　　　 D． families

39．A． while　　　　 　 B． but　　　　　　 C． when　　　　　 D． so

40．A． in　　　　　　　　　　　　 B． out　　　　　 C． down　　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D． up

41．A． meanwhile　　 　 B． moreover C． however　　　 D． therefore

42．A． started　　　　　　　　 B． took　　　　　 C． lost　　　　　 D． changed

43．A． fit　　　　　 　 B． tough　　　　　 C． unusual　　　　 D． adequate

44．A． fell　　　　　 　 B． hit　　　　　 　 C． put　　　　　 D． rested

45．A． life　　　　　 B． major　　　　 C． job　　　　　　 D． education

46．A． forty　　　　 　 B． thirty-five　　　 C． fifty-three　 　 D． seventy

47．A． went through　 B． came into　　　 C． came about　　 D． went against

48．A． contributing to 　 B． judging from　 　 C． owing to　　　 D． leading to

49．A． changed　　　 B． married　　　　 C． missed　　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　 D． divorced

50, A． deeply　　　　 　 B． highly　　　　 C． generally　　　 D． thickly

51, A． learning　　　 　 B． promoting　　　 C． developing　　 D． teaching

52．A． powerless　　 　 B． depressed　　　 C． disappointed　　 D． hopeless

53．A． turned up　　 　 B． turned to　　 　 C． turned down　　 D． turned in

54．A． difficulties　　 B． misfortune C． life　　　　　　 D． weather

55．A． hard-working　 B． brave　　　　　 C． cautious　　　　 D． optimistic

阅读理解

　　“Let's go down one more , push your enter key…” says a young man helping senior citizens work a web site on the Internet.

　　David Lansdale has found a way to light up the lives of the elder. He gets them wired to the Internet. “If you hit your enter key , it will bring up this particular e-mail….”

　　Pauline Allen is one of those who have started using the Internet. “I thought I was through with life; I was ready for a rocking chair, because I was 86 years old. And I haven't found the rocking chair yet. ” “You found the key-board?” asks the reporter. “That's right, I found the key-board.”

　　The average age of Lansdale's students is around 68. All are in nursing or assisted care homes. He used family relationships to introduce them to the World Wide Web.

　　David Lansdale says, “Here they are in California; the family are in New York. The chance to connect, to cross the time and space, is very good chance to them. ”

　　“I hear you are so beautiful. ” Lillian Shier writes an e-mail to a newborn great granddaughter. Working with one another, the seniors learn as a group. They learn to master the Internet and to overcome what Lansdale calls the maladies of the institutionalized: loneliness , helplessness , and loss of memory.

　　Mary Harvey says, “Bingo just doesn't interest me. But this does, believe me, this does. ”

　　Ninety-four-year-old Ruth Hyman is a star pupil and instructor. She says , “When I send a letter to my grandchildren , and great granddaughter , they hang it up in their offices , just as I used to hang their drawings on my refrigerator. Ha, ha!”

　　David Lansdale says , “There's a collective benefit （得益） . There is a way of treatment. Remember we started as a support group. ”

　　Dixon Moorehouse says , “I just wish I were 15 years old and getting to learn all this. ” The seniors call their weekly meeting Monday Night Live. And many say the meetings have given them new life.

　　Ruth Hyman says , “Three years ago , they told me I wasn't going to live. But I showed them , and got work, and I've worked ever since. ”

1．The purpose of David Lansdale's work is to ________.

[　　]

A．popularize the use of computers among the seniors

B．help the seniors connect with their families

C．organize the seniors as a group to work

D．keep the health of the mind of the seniors

2．The phrase “the maladies of the institutionalized ” in the sixth paragraph means “________”.

[　　]

A．the difficulties in learning

B．the problems of the old

C．the treatments of the old

D．the worries about getting old

3．How many examples does the writer give to prove the seniors enjoy the Internet?

[　　]

阅读理解

　　“Let’s go down one more, push your enter key… ”says a volunteer helping senior (老年的) citizens work a web session on the Internet.

　　David Lansdale has found a way to light up the lives of the elderly. He gets them wired to the Internet. “If you hit your enter key, it will bring up this particular email… ”

　　Pauline Alien is one of those who have started using the Internet. “I thought I was through with life, I was ready for a rocking chair, because I was 86 years old. And I haven’t found the rocking chair yet. ”“You found the keyboard? ”asks the reporter. “That’s right. I found the keyboard. ”

　　The average age of Lansdale's students is around 68．All are in nursing or assisted care homes. He used family relationships to introduce them to the World Wide Web.

　　David Lansdale says, “Here they are in California, the family are back in New York, the opportunity to connect, to cross the time and space, is precious to them. ”

　　“I hear you are so beautiful. ”Lillian Shyer writes an email to a newborn great-granddaughter. Working with one another, the seniors learn as a group. They learn to master the Internet and to overcome what Lansdale calls the maladies of the institutionalized: loneliness, helplessness, boredom and loss of memory.

　　Mary Harvey says, “Bingo just doesn’t interest me. But this does, believe me, this does. ”

　　Ninety-four years old Ruth Hyman is a star pupil and instructor. She says, “When I send a letter to my grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, they hang it up in their offices, just like I used to hang their drawings on my refrigerator. Ha, ha. ”

　　David Lansdale says, “There’s a collective benefit. This is a treatment. Remember we started as a support group. ”

　　Dixon Moorehouse says, “I just wish I was 15 years old and getting to learn all this. ”The seniors call their weekly meeting Monday Night Live. And many say the meetings have given them new life.

　　Ruth Hyman says, “Three years ago. they told me I wasn't going to live. But I showed them, and got work. and I've worked ever since. ”

1．The purpose of David Lansdale's work is to ________ .

[　　]

A．keep the health of the mind of the seniors

B．popularize the use of computers among the old

C．organize the seniors as a group to work

D．help the seniors connect with their families

2．The underlined words“the maladies of the institutionalized”used in the passage refer to ________ .

[　　]

A．the difficulties in learning

B．the problems caused by getting old

C．some kinds of treatments

D．the worries about the Internet

3．How many examples does the writer give to prove that the seniors enjoy the Internet?

[　　]

4．It can be inferred that Ruth Hyman’s younger generations hang her mails up ________ .

[　　]

A．in order not to lose the letters

B．in order not to forget something important

C．to make the offices more beautiful

D．to take pride in their grandmother’s work