Why do you think people who live in some hot countries eat very spicy(辛辣的)food? Is it because the spices make the food taste better? Is it just because their parents and grandparents and great-grandparents liked hot food，or is there some connection between spices and healthy food?
Researchers from Cornell University think that it is because spice plants have some important chemicals(化学物质)．These chemicals can kill bacteria(细菌)which spoil food．
“Most common spices can kill 75 to 100 percent of the bacteria in food，”explains one of the scientists．The bacteria grow more easily and spoil food more quickly at higher temperatures．For this reason，it is more difficult to keep food from spoiling in hot climates，
Do you like your food spicy? Your answer probably tells something about the country you come from．If you like spicy food，it is possible that hundreds of years ago，when there were no fridges，people in your country started using spices to keep the food from spoiling．The traditional spicy dishes helped those people to live longer，healthier lives．Today，in a time of fridges，the spices just make the food taste good．
【小题1】The chemicals in spices keep food from spoiling by_________．

A．making food taste better

B．making food hotter

C．killing bacteria in food

D．preventing bacteria getting into food

【小题2】Food goes bad more quickly in hot climates because_______．

A．high temperature makes more bacteria

B．high temperature helps bacteria grow faster

C．bacteria get used to hot food

D．bacteria spoil food only at high temperature

【小题3】According to the passage，spices are useful in an the following things except_______．

A．replacing fridges

B．helping you to live longer

C．helping to keep you healthier

D．making your food taste better

Now satellites are helping to forecast the weather. They are in space, and they can reach any part of the world. The satellites take pictures of the atmosphere（大气）, because this is where the weather forms. They send these pictures to the weather stations. So meteorologists（气象学家）can see the weather of any part of the world. From the pictures, the scientists can often say how the weather will change.

　　Today, nearly five hundred weather stations in sixty countries receive satellite pictures. When they receive new pictures, the meteorologists compare them with earlier ones. Perhaps they may find that the clouds have changed during the last few hours. This may mean that the weather on the ground may soon change, too. In their next weather forecast, the meteorologists can say this.

So the weather satellites are a great help to the meteorologists. Before satellites were invented, the scientists could forecast the weather for about 24 or 48 hours. Now they can make good forecasts for three or five days. Soon, perhaps, they may be able to forecast the weather for a week or more ahead（提前）.

1.Satellites travel ___________.

A．in space	B．in the atmosphere
C．above the ground	D．above space

2. Why do we use the weather satellites to take pictures of the atmosphere?

Because ________.

A．the weather satellites can do it easily	B．clouds form there
C．the weather forms there	D．the pictures can forecast the weather

3.Meteorologists forecast the weather ________.

A．when they have received satellite pictures

B．after they have compared new satellite pictures with earlier ones

C．before they received satellite pictures

D．during they study satellite pictures

4.Maybe we’ll soon be able to forecast the weather for ________.

A．one day	B．two days
C．five days	D．seven days or even longer

5.The main idea of this passage is that satellites are now used in ______.

A．taking pictures of the atmosphere

B．receiving pictures of the atmosphere

C．doing other work in many ways

D．weather forecasting

 

Now satellites are helping to forecast the weather. They are in space, and they can reach any part of the world. The satellites take pictures of the atmosphere（大气）, because this is where the weather forms. They send these pictures to the weather stations. So meteorologists（气象学家）can see the weather of any part of the world. From the pictures, the scientists can often say how the weather will change.
Today, nearly five hundred weather stations in sixty countries receive satellite pictures. When they receive new pictures, the meteorologists compare them with earlier ones. Perhaps they may find that the clouds have changed during the last few hours. This may mean that the weather on the ground may soon change, too. In their next weather forecast, the meteorologists can say this.
So the weather satellites are a great help to the meteorologists. Before satellites were invented, the scientists could forecast the weather for about 24 or 48 hours. Now they can make good forecasts for three or five days. Soon, perhaps, they may be able to forecast the weather for a week or more ahead（提前）.
【小题1】Satellites travel _____________.

A．in space

B．in the atmosphere

C．above the ground

D．above space

【小题2】Why do we use the weather satellites to take pictures of the atmosphere? Because ________.

A．the weather satellites can do it easily	B．clouds form in the atmosphere there
C．the weather forms in the atmosphere	D．the pictures can forecast the weather

【小题3】Meteorologists forecast the weather __________.

A．when they have received satellite pictures

B．after comparing the pictures with earlier ones

C．before they received satellite pictures

D．while they study satellite pictures

【小题4】 The main idea of this passage is that satellites are now used in _________.

A．taking pictures of the atmosphere	B．receiving pictures of the atmosphere
C．doing other work in many ways	D．weather forecasting to the pictures

Climate is the average weather usually taken over a 30-year time period for a particular region and time period. Climate is not the same as weather, but rather, it is the average pattern of weather for a particular region. Weather describes the short-term state of the atmosphere (大气).
The climate is changing. Many agreed that climate change may be one of the greatest threats (威胁) facing the planet. Recent years show increasing temperatures in various regions, and/or increasing extremities (极端性) in weather patterns.
Is the Earth getting warmer? Yes! The Earth has warmed by about 1°F over the past 100 years. But why? Well, scientists are not exactly sure. The Earth could be getting warmer on its own, but many of the world’s leading climate scientists think that things people do are helping to make the Earth warmer.
Global Warming may be a big problem, but can you make a difference? Yes! There are several little things you can do to make a difference. Try carpooling. This will help reduce the amount of fossil fuels going into the atmosphere. Whenever you use electricity, you help put greenhouse gases into the air. Turn off lights, the television, and the computer when you are through with them. Also, planting trees is fun and a great way to reduce greenhouse gases. Trees absorb carbon dioxide, a greenhouse gas, from the air. Finally, don’t forget about recycling.
【小题1】Climate is         weather.

A．the same as	B．different from
C．a kind of	D．part of

【小题2】 The Earth has warmed by about 1°F over the past 100 years         .

A．only because of human activities

B．but scientists are not exactly sure of the reasons.

C．and we can do nothing to it.

D．and it’s getting warmer on its own

【小题3】Global Warming may be a big problem, but we can do the following things to make a difference except          .

A．carpooling	B．saving electricity
C．cutting down more trees	D．recycling

【小题4】What can be the best title of the article?

A．Climate and weather.

B．Weather and climate changing.

C．Climate changing and global warming.

D．Weather and global warming.

Friends are important to the children. Research shows that children who have no friends can suffer from difficulties later in life. Friendship provides children with more than just fun. In making friends, children learn how to get in touch with the others and solve problems. Having friends even does good to children’s study for they can help each other during the class.
If the parents care about their children whether they made many friends，what matters is that the child is comfortable and happy with his friends. Parents need to understand the steps children take in building friendships. First of all, be a friend to your child. Good friendships start at home. Children begin to develop the necessary ability to go out and meet others through getting with their parents. Greet the child warmly and let him know you are glad to see him. Children learn a lot from how their parents stay with them and other people.
Teach children how to solve conflicts(争端). Being able to work out conflicts is an important skill in getting along with others. If parents know the children have a conflict, let them work it out on their own. Only step in if it is really necessary, for example, an argument is getting physical.
Give children chances to practice staying together. Have children play games that require team work and group problem solving skills. For example, races are fun and provide plenty of practice in teamwork. “In what ways didn’t you work well together? What might you do differently next time?” For these ideas, see books such as Games Book by Terry Orlick, Energizers by Carol Apacki, and Team-Building Activities for Every Group by Alanna Jones.
Encourage children to show thanks to the others. The parents can encourage children to do this by setting the example for them.
【小题1】According to the article, if one child has no friend, he will               .

A．have some troubles in the future	B．worry about everything in the future
C．not know the importance of making friends	D．not find anybody to help him

【小题2】Friendship can be helpful to the children EXCEPT              .

A．providing a lot of fun	B．getting in touch with others
C．solving the problems	D．helping to trick in the exams

【小题3】The writer’s purpose of writing the article is to               .

A．tell what parents should do to help the children make friends

B．show friends even does good to children’s study during the class

C．tell the parents need to understand the steps of children’s friendship

D．show how important the friendship is to the children

【小题4】When the children disagree with each other, the parents should                 .

A．let them fight with each other until they find who is the winner

B．do nothing to the children and believe in their abilities

C．let them work it out by themselves and help if necessary

D．talk with them and try to find good ways to stay together