The West is full of fast food and large amounts of food which contribute to many women’s being fat. While many are fat, thin women are admired and seen as healthier. This has led to a culture of gym-going, strange dieting methods and, frequently, eating disorders. In the East, women tend to be smaller and many women take pills to keep their slim figures as they get older. However, you’re mistaken if you think thinness is the beauty standard all over the world. The BBC reports that in Mauritania, Africa, the opposite is true.

In Mauritania, mothers force their daughters to eat a lot of food so that they get as fat as possible. The fatter they are, the more likely they are to marry well. Fat is also considered healthy, because in a country where HIV/AIDS is a very real problem, thin people are often sick and dying. However, “healthy” fat women are suffering from some problems of their own and many are dying in their 40s of weight-related diseases.

The Mauritanian government is trying to warn its people of the dangers of being overweight but it’s not easy to change cultural views. Many women worry that if they lose weight, their husbands will leave them for fatter, more attractive women.

       It seems that while education about the dangers of being too thin and too fat is very important, what the world really needs is to become less pre-occupied with the size, shape and weight of women’s bodies. The promotion of healthy practices is easy but changing cultural beauty standards takes more time, imagination and effort.

52. According to the article, why are women usually fatter in the West?

       A. They don’t exercise enough.  
       B. Large food portions and fast food are common.

       C. They use unhealthy dieting methods. 
       D. They believe that being fat is beautiful.

53. What examples does the writer give of unhealthy weight-loss methods in the East and West?

       A. Strange dieting methods, exercising, taking pills and eating too much.

       B. Taking pills, watching what you eat and exercising.

                  C. Strange dieting methods and warning people about the dangers of  

            being overweight.

       D. Gym-going, strange dieting methods, eating disorders and taking pills.

54. Why are girls forced to eat a lot of food in Mauritania?

       A. They believe that fat people won’t get HIV/AIDS.

       B. They believe that they can lead healthier lives.

       C. They believe if they grow fat, they may possibly marry good husbands.

       D. They believe that they won’t get sick very often.

55. According to the article, why do some women in Mauritania not want to lose weight even though they know being fat is unhealthy? 

       A. They worry that their husbands will leave them if they’re thin.

       B. They really like being beautiful.

       C. They really like eating a lot of food and being fat.

       D. The government forces them to eat a lot so they won’t get sick.

56. Does the writer think it’s important to educate people about the dangers of eating too much or too little?

       A. Yes, the writer thinks it should be taught in schools.

       B. No, the writer thinks that people should learn for themselves.

       C. Yes, but the writer thinks that other changes are also necessary.

                     D. No, the writer thinks it’s more important to change cultural beauty                      standards.

阅读理解E

   Do you have a sore throat, a running nose and a headache? Do you keep coughing and sneezing? If you do, the chances are that you have a cold or perhaps flu---but which one? Although both colds and flu are caused by viruses, they are very different illnesses.

   Colds, which usually last about a week, affect the nose most. They commonly cause a running nose and sneezing. Sometimes, they cause a headache, a cough and slightly aching muscles.

   Flu is a much more serious illness and is caused by different groups of viruses. People with flu usually get all the symptoms(症状) described above. However, they also get a high fever, a dry cough and much worse aching. Fever is one of the characteristic symptoms of the flu for all ages. The symptoms also last much longer. Sometimes they don’t disappear for at least two weeks.

   Flu can be a deadly disease. The elderly(年长的), who are weaker and less healthy than most younger people, can die from flu. This is one reason why old people are advised to have a flu injection(预防针) before the start of winter when flu is most common. This injection is inexpensive and definitely（明显地）worth it.

   If you have a cold or flu, you must always deal with used tissues(手巾纸) carefully. Don’t leave dirty tissues on your desk or on the floor. Someone else has to pick these up and viruses could be passed on. And finally, remember to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze! You don’t want to see the small drops of liquids blown(喷) out of your nose and mouth when you sneeze, do you? Disgusting(令人作呕), eh? Now you can understand why it’s a good idea to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze!

【小题１】 In paragraph 4, we learn that ________.

    A. flu injection can cause death            B. most old people die from flu

    C. flu can kill old people easily           D. flu is most common in summer

【小题１】 Dealing with used tissues properly(正确地) is important because ________.

    A. it helps keep your classroom tidy        B. it prevents the spread of colds and flu

        C. people hate picking up dirty tissues     D. picking up lots of tissues is hard work

【小题１】 Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

    A. Both colds and flu last the same time.   

B. Both colds and flu can be prevented by injection.   

C. Both colds and flu are caused by the same viruses.

D. Both colds and flu have an aching symptom.

【小题１】Which is probably the best title for the passage?

    A. Colds and Flu               B. The Different Symptoms of a Cold and Flu

    C. Prevention Is Better Than Cure

D. Cover Your Nose and Mouth When Sneezing

 

Millions of people around the world cook their food over smoky fire every day.It is often difficult to find wood for the fire .People who do not have wood must spend large amounts of money on cooking fuel. However, there is a much easier way to cook food using energy from the sun.

Solar cooker, or ovens,have been used for centuries.A Swiss scientist made the first solar oven in seventeen sixty-seven. Today ,people are using solar cookers in many countries around the world. People use solar ovens to cook food and to heat drinking water to kill bacteria and other harmful organisms.

There are three kinds of solar ovens.The first is a box cooker, It is designed with a special wall that shines or reflects sunlight into the box .Heat gets trapped under a piece of glass or plastic covering the top of the cooker. A box oven is effective for slow cooking of large amonts of food.

The second kind of solar oven is a panel cooker. It includes several flat walls.or panels.that directly reflect the sun’s light onto the food. The food is inside a separate container of plastic or glass that traps heat energy. People can build panel cookers quickly and with very few supplies. They do not cost much.In Kenya ,for example ,panel cookers are being manufactured for just two dollars.

The third kind of solar oven is a parabolic cooker.It has rounded walls that aim sunlight directly into the bottom of the oven .Food cooks quickly in parabolic ovens .However, these cookers are hard to make.They must be re-aimed often to follow the sun .Parabolic cookers can also cause burns and eye injuries if they are not used correctly.

You can make solar ovens from boxes or heavy paper. They will not catch fire. Paper burns at two hundred thirty-two degrees Celsius. A solar cooker never gets that hot. Solar ovens cook food at low temperatures over long periods of time. This permits people to leave food to cook while they do other things.

1.What is the main purpose of the author in writing the passage?

A.To tell the readers how to make solar ovens.

B.To advertise the solar ovens.

C.To give the readers brief introduction of solar ovens.

D.To help readers to save cost on fuel.

2.According to the passage we can conclude that ______.

A.panel cooker is the cheapest oven of the three

B.panel cooker is easy to make

C.box cooker is easy to make

D.box cooker is the most effective oven

3.If you have much food to cook ,you’d better choose      .

A.a box cooker	B.a panel cooker
C.a parabolic cooker	D.a paper cooker

4.From the passage we know that      .

A.solar cookers are dangerous to use

B.solar cookers don’t burn while cooking

C.solar cookers cost less than other cookers

D.Swiss often use solar cookers while cooking

 

今年12月1日是世界第十八个艾滋病日，其主题是Stop AIDS，Keep the Promise。围绕这个主题，《中学生英文报》举办征文竞赛。请根据以下内容，写一篇征文。

1.根据下列图表，说明我国艾滋病的现状。

2.为了遏制艾滋病的蔓延和关爱艾滋病患者，作为中学生，我们应该：

(1)认识艾滋病的危害；(2)自尊自爱，远离毒品；?(3)……?；(4)……

(第3、4小点请自己发挥。)

要求：1.短文需包括所给要点； 2.短文的开头与结尾已为你写好。3.词数100左右。

AIDS is a deadly disease,which is spreading fast throughout our country.

____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Let’s remember:Stop AIDS,Keep the Promise.

Long long ago, there was a man who was good at shooting arrows．He asked the king to declare him as the greatest archer（射手） of the country．The king was about to do so when an old servant of the king said，“Wait，sir．I know an old man who lives in the forest．He is a much greater archer．Let this young man go to him and learn from him for at least three years．”
The man could not believe what the servant said，but he went and found the old man and he was! For three years he learned from him．Then one day，when he thought he had learned everything，the thought arose in him：“If I kill this old man，then I will be the greatest archer．”
The old man had gone to cut wood and he was coming back carrying wood on his shoulder．The young man hid behind a tree，waiting to kill him．He shot an arrow．The old man took a small piece of wood and threw it．It struck the arrow and the arrow turned back and wounded the young man very deeply．The old man came，took out the arrow and said。“I knew that some day or other you were going to do this．That’s why I have not taught you this secret．There is no need to kill me．My Master is still alive，and I’m  nothing before him．You must be  with him for at least thirty years．And he is very old，so go fast! Find the old man!”
【小题1】The young archer wanted to kill the old man because_______.

A．he could then become the greatest archer

B．he had nothing more to learn from him

C．the old man refused to teach him everything

D．the king’s old servant ordered him to do SO

【小题2】What do you think would most probably happen next?

A．The young archer died from the wound soon after．

B．The king declared the young man the greatest archer．

C．The young archer found the old man’s master and killed him．

D．The young archer set off to look for the old man’s master．

【小题3】What lesson can you learn from the story?

A．Always use a piece of wood to protect yourself from an arrow．

B．You must never try to become better than your teacher．

C．The older a man is，the better archer he usually becomes．

D．There’s always someone better than you in this world．