完型填空

　　What would life be like without television?Would you spend more time 　　1　　, reading, or studying?Well, now it's your chance to turn off your TV and 　　2　　!TV-Turnoff Week is here．

　　The goal of TV-Turnoff Week is to let people leave their TV sets 　　3　　 and participate in activities 　　4　　 drawing to biking．The event was founded by TV-Turnoff Network, a non-profit organization which started the event in 1995．In the 　　5　　, only a few thousand people took part．Last year more than 7.6 million people participated, 　　6　　 people in every state in America and in more than 12 other countries!This is the 11^th year in which 　　7　　 are asking people to “turn off the TV and turn on 　　8　　．”

　　According to the TV-Turnoff Network, the average 　　9　　 in the US spend 　　10　　 time in front of the TV(about 1,023 hours per year)than they do in school(about 900 hours per year)．Too much TV 　　11　　 has made many kids grow fat．　　12　　, in 2001's TV-Turnoff Week, US Surgeon General David Satcher said, “We are raising the most 　　13　　 generation of youngsters in American history．This week is about saving lives．”

　　Over the years, studies have shown that watching a lot of TV 　　14　　 poor eating habits, too little exercise, and violence．Frank Vespe of the TV-Turnoff Network said that turning off the TV “is or 　　15　　, part of a healthy lifestyle”．

　　“One of the great lessons of 　　16　　 TV-Turnoff Week is the realization that 　　17　　 I turn on the TV, I'm deciding not to do something else,” Vespe said．

　　TV-Turnoff Week seems to be making a 　　18　　．Recent US Census(人口普查)data 　　19　　 that about 72 percent of kids under 12 have a limit on their TV time．That's 　　20　　 about 63 percent ten years ago．

阅读理解

　　I have a rule for travel：Never carry a map．I prefer to ask for directions．

　　Foreign visitors are often puzzled in Japan because most streets there don’t have names．In Japan, people use landmarks in their directions instead of street names．For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner．Turn left at the big hotel and go pass a fruit market．The post office is across from the bus stop．”

　　In the countryside of the American Midwest, usually there are not many landmarks．There are no mountains, so the land is very flat(平坦的)．In many places there are no towns or buildings within miles．Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distance．In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles．Turn east, and then go another mile．”

　　People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map：They measure distance by means of time, not miles．“How far away is the post office?” you ask．“Oh, ” they answer, “It’s about five minutes from here．” you say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They don’t know．

　　People in Greece sometimes do not even try to give directions because visitors seldom understand the Greek language．Instead of giving you the direction, a Greek will often say, “Follow me．” Then he’ll lead you through the streets of the city to the post office．

　　Sometimes a person doesn’t know the answer to your question．What happens in this situation?A New Yorker might say, “Sorry, I have no idea．”But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers, “I don’t know．”People in Yucatan think that “I don’t know” is impolite．They usually give an answer, often a wrong one．A visitor can get very, very lost in Yucatan!

　　One thing will help you everywhere－in Japan, in the United States, in Greece, in Mexico, or in any other place．You might not understand a person’s words, but maybe you can understand his body language．He or she will usually turn and then point in the correct direction．Go in that direction, and you may find the post office!

完形填空

　　I’m a newspaper reporter．I don’t have 　　1　　 money, but I meet a lot of interesting people．Some are rich, 　　2　　 are poor．One or two are dishonest, but the others tell the truth most of the time．On the whole, I like my job and I am good at it．I type fast．I have a good 　　3　　．I don’t talk, but I’m a good 　　4　　．I’m probably the best listener in the entire city and I 　　5　　 stupid．I have a very stupid face．People look at me, and then they explain things to me very slowly．Other reporters ask people a lot of questions and 　　6　　 them angry, but I just look stupid and soon I am getting a lot of 　　7　　：many uninteresting ideas, many irrelevant(不相关的)facts, but always 　　8　　 interesting news for my newspaper．

　　I have a method for 　　9　　 news from the ordinary men in the street．Let me give you 　　10　　．Yesterday afternoon I needed information about recreation for elderly 　　11　　 people in the city．I went to the park, sat on a bench 　　12　　 the sun, and waited．Soon, an old lady came and sat next to me．She carried two large paper bags and an old handbag．I sat quietly beside her for about ten minutes, and then I 　　13　　 a chocolate bar slowly．I made a lot of 　　14　　 with the paper wrapping．Next, I offered her a piece of my chocolate．After that, she told me about 　　15　　．She doesn’t have real home．She and two friends sleep in the bus station; on warm days she comes to the park with her few belongings in two paper bags．Later, we went to a restaurant for a cup of coffee and a sandwich．I 　　16　　, of course, I didn’t 　　17　　 any notes．I asked her a few questions about recreation, but she wasn’t interested in 　　18　　．She needed money and a place to live in, she said．She told me a lot about the bus station．I gave her a dollar and some 　　19　　．Finally, I 　　20　　 her in the park, went back to the office, and typed up some notes for my newspaper．