Most of us spend our lives seeking the natural world. To this end, we walk the dog, play golf, go fishing, sit in the garden, drink outside rather than inside the pub, have a picnic, live in the suburbs, go to the seaside, buy a weekend place in the country. The most popular free time activity in Britain is going for a walk. And when joggers (慢跑者) jog, they don’t run the streets. Every one of them automatically heads to the park or the river. It is my firm belief that not only do we all need nature, but we all seek nature, whether we know we are doing so or not.
But despite this, our children are growing up nature-deprived (丧失). I spent my boyhood climbing trees. These days, children are robbed of these ancient freedoms, due to problems like crime, traffic, the loss of the open spaces and strange new ideas about what is best for children, that is to say, things that can be bought, rather than things that can be found.
The truth is to be found elsewhere. A study in the US: families had moved to better housing and the children were assessed for ADHD (多动症). Those whose housing had more natural views showed an improvement of 19%; those who had the same improvement in material surroundings but no nice view improved just 4%.
A study in Sweden indicated that kindergarten children who could play in a natural environment had less illness and greater physical ability than children used only to a normal playground. A US study suggested that when a school gave children access to a natural environment, the entire school would do better in studies.
Another study found that children play differently in a natural environment. In playgrounds, children create a hierarchy (等级) based on physical abilities, with the tough ones taking the lead. But when a grassy area was planted with bushes, the children got much more into fantasy play, and the social hierarchy was now based on imagination and creativity.
Most bullying (恃强凌弱) is found in schools where there is a tarmac (柏油碎石) playground; the least bullying is in a natural area that the children are encouraged to explore. This reminds me unpleasantly of Sunnyhill School, with its hard tarmac, where I used to hang about in corners dreaming about wildlife.
But children are frequently discouraged from involvement with natural spaces, for health and safety reasons, for fear that they might get dirty or that they might cause damage. So, instead, the damage is done to the children themselves: not to their bodies but to their souls.
One of the great problems of modern childhood is ADHD, now increasingly and expensively treated with drugs. Yet one study after another indicates that contact with nature gives huge benefits to ADHD children. However, we spend money on drugs rather than on green places.
The life of old people is much better when they have access to nature. The most important for the growing population of old people is in quality rather than quantity of years. And study after study finds that a garden is the single most important thing in finding that quality.
In wider and more difficult areas of life, there is evidence to indicate that natural surroundings improve all kinds of things. Even problems with crime and aggressive behaviour are reduced when there is contact with the natural world.
Dr William Bird, researcher from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, states in his study, “A natural environment can reduce violent behaviour because its process helps reduce anger and behavior that people might regret later.” Wild places need encouraging for this reason, no matter how small their contribution.
We tend to think human beings are doing nature some kind of favor when we are protecting nature. The error here is far too deep: not only do humans need nature for themselves, but the very idea that humanity and the natural world are separable things is damaging.
Human beings are a species of animals. For seven million years we lived on the planet as part of nature. So we miss the natural world and long for contact with non-human life. Anyone who has patted a dog, stroked a cat, sat under a tree with a glass of beer, given or received a bunch of flowers or chosen to walk through the park on a nice day, understands that.
We need the wild world. It is necessary to our well-being, our health, our happiness. Without other living things around us we are less than human.
【小题1】What is the author’s firm belief?

A．Find more effective drugs for them.

B．Provide more green spaces for them.

C．Place them under more personal care.

D．Engage them in more meaningful activities

A．They look on life optimistically.	B．They enjoy a life of better quality.
C．They are able to live longer.	D．They become good-humored

Most of us spend our lives seeking the natural world. To this end, we walk the dog, play golf, go fishing, sit in the garden, drink outside rather than inside the pub, have a picnic, live in the suburbs, go to the seaside, buy a weekend place in the country. The most popular free time activity in Britain is going for a walk. And when joggers (慢跑者) jog, they don’t run the streets. Every one of them automatically heads to the park or the river. It is my firm belief that not only do we all need nature, but we all seek nature, whether we know we are doing so or not.

But despite this, our children are growing up nature-deprived (丧失). I spent my boyhood climbing trees. These days, children are robbed of these ancient freedoms, due to problems like crime, traffic, the loss of the open spaces and strange new ideas about what is best for children, that is to say, things that can be bought, rather than things that can be found.

The truth is to be found elsewhere. A study in the US: families had moved to better housing and the children were assessed for ADHD (多动症). Those whose housing had more natural views showed an improvement of 19%; those who had the same improvement in material surroundings but no nice view improved just 4%.

A study in Sweden indicated that kindergarten children who could play in a natural environment had less illness and greater physical ability than children used only to a normal playground. A US study suggested that when a school gave children access to a natural environment, the entire school would do better in studies.

Another study found that children play differently in a natural environment. In playgrounds, children create a hierarchy (等级) based on physical abilities, with the tough ones taking the lead. But when a grassy area was planted with bushes, the children got much more into fantasy play, and the social hierarchy was now based on imagination and creativity.

Most bullying (恃强凌弱) is found in schools where there is a tarmac (柏油碎石) playground; the least bullying is in a natural area that the children are encouraged to explore. This reminds me unpleasantly of Sunnyhill School, with its hard tarmac, where I used to hang about in corners dreaming about wildlife.

But children are frequently discouraged from involvement with natural spaces, for health and safety reasons, for fear that they might get dirty or that they might cause damage. So, instead, the damage is done to the children themselves: not to their bodies but to their souls.

One of the great problems of modern childhood is ADHD, now increasingly and expensively treated with drugs. Yet one study after another indicates that contact with nature gives huge benefits to ADHD children. However, we spend money on drugs rather than on green places.

The life of old people is much better when they have access to nature. The most important for the growing population of old people is in quality rather than quantity of years. And study after study finds that a garden is the single most important thing in finding that quality.

In wider and more difficult areas of life, there is evidence to indicate that natural surroundings improve all kinds of things. Even problems with crime and aggressive behaviour are reduced when there is contact with the natural world.

Dr William Bird, researcher from the Royal Society for the Protection of Birds, states in his study, “A natural environment can reduce violent behaviour because its process helps reduce anger and behavior that people might regret later.” Wild places need encouraging for this reason, no matter how small their contribution.

We tend to think human beings are doing nature some kind of favor when we are protecting nature. The error here is far too deep: not only do humans need nature for themselves, but the very idea that humanity and the natural world are separable things is damaging.

Human beings are a species of animals. For seven million years we lived on the planet as part of nature. So we miss the natural world and long for contact with non-human life. Anyone who has patted a dog, stroked a cat, sat under a tree with a glass of beer, given or received a bunch of flowers or chosen to walk through the park on a nice day, understands that.

We need the wild world. It is necessary to our well-being, our health, our happiness. Without other living things around us we are less than human.

1.What is the author’s firm belief?

　　A. People seek nature in different ways.

　　B. People should spend most of their lives in the wild.

　　C. People have quite different ideas of nature.

　　D. People must make more efforts to study nature.

2.What does the author say people prefer for their children nowadays?

　　A. Personal freedom.　　            B. Things that are natural.

　　C. Urban surroundings.　　          D. Things that are purchased.

3.What does a study in Sweden show?

　　A. The natural environment can help children learn better.

　　B. More access to nature makes children less likely to fall ill.

　　C. A good playground helps kids develop their physical abilities.

　　D. Natural views can prevent children from developing ADHD.

4.Children who have chances to explore natural areas ________.

　  A. tend to develop a strong love for science　    

B. are more likely to dream about wildlife

　  C. tend to be physically tougher in adulthood　   

D. are less likely to be involved in bullying

5.What does the author suggest we do to help children with ADHD?

　　A. Find more effective drugs for them.　　   

B. Provide more green spaces for them.

　　C. Place them under more personal care.　　

D. Engage them in more meaningful activities

6. In what way do elderly people benefit from their contact with nature?

　　A. They look on life optimistically.　　    B. They enjoy a life of better quality.

C. They are able to live longer.            D. They become good-humored

E
Are you worried by the rising crime rate? If you are, then you probably know that your house, possessions and person are increasingly in danger of suffering from the great rise in the cases of burglary(入室行窃) and attack.
Figures indicate an ever- increasing crime rate but it is only too easy to imagine “it will never happen to me”. Unfortunately, numbers show that it really can happen to you and, if you live in a large city, you run twice the risk of being a victim(受害者).
Fortunately, there is something which you can do. Protect Alarms can help to protect your house with a burglar alarm system which is effective, simple to operate and easy to buy.
You must remember that possessing a burglar alarm is no indication that your house is filled with valuable possessions. It quite simply indicates to unwelcome visitors that yours is one house they will not break into easily so they carry on to an unprotected house where their job is made a lot easier.
Send now for our free leaflet(小册) telling you how we can Protect Alarm your house quickly, easily and cheaply. Complete and tear off the slip below and post it to us. Postage is free. Or telephone us on 327 6721 where we have a round-the-clock answering service, through which you can get the information any time you want. It costs nothing to find out about Protect Alarms.
72. It seems that people who live in large cities are ________.
A.more often sufferers than those living in other areas
B.of the opinion that numbers are wrong
C.twice as rich as people living in other areas
D.too poor to afford the protect system
73. The writers of this text want to give the impression that the PROTECT ALARMS system is _________.
A. free of charge      B. easy to use       C. complex       D. lasting
74. The article shows that having an alarm system will _______.
A.show burglars that you have something worth stealing
B.persuade burglars not to break into your house
C.make the burglar’s job less difficult
D.persuade burglars to try again another time.
75. In order to find out more information about this alarm system, one can _______.
A. buy a leaflet              B. write enclosing a stamped, addressed envelope
C. sign an agreement          D. phone at any time of day or night

Are you worried by the rising crime rate? If you are, then you probably know that your house, possessions and person are increasingly in danger of suffering from the great rise in the cases of burglary(入室行窃) and attack.

Figures indicate an ever- increasing crime rate but it is only too easy to imagine “it will never happen to me”. Unfortunately, numbers show that it really can happen to you and, if you live in a large city, you run twice the risk of being a victim(受害者).

Fortunately, there is something which you can do. Protect Alarms can help to protect your house with a burglar alarm system which is effective, simple to operate and easy to buy.

You must remember that possessing a burglar alarm is no indication that your house is filled with valuable possessions. It quite simply indicates to unwelcome visitors that yours is one house they will not break into easily so they carry on to an unprotected house where their job is made a lot easier.

Send now for our free leaflet(小册) telling you how we can Protect Alarm your house quickly, easily and cheaply. Complete and tear off the slip below and post it to us. Postage is free. Or telephone us on 327 6721 where we have a round-the-clock answering service, through which you can get the information any time you want. It costs nothing to find out about Protect Alarms.

72. It seems that people who live in large cities are ________.

more often sufferers than those living in other areas

of the opinion that numbers are wrong

twice as rich as people living in other areas

too poor to afford the protect system

73. The writers of this text want to give the impression that the PROTECT ALARMS system is _________.

   A. free of charge      B. easy to use       C. complex       D. lasting

74. The article shows that having an alarm system will _______.

show burglars that you have something worth stealing

persuade burglars not to break into your house

make the burglar’s job less difficult

persuade burglars to try again another time.

75. In order to find out more information about this alarm system, one can _______.

   A. buy a leaflet               B. write enclosing a stamped, addressed envelope

   C. sign an agreement          D. phone at any time of day or night

Are you worried by the rising crime rate? If you are, then you probably know that your house, possessions and person are increasingly in danger of suffering from the great rise in the cases of burglary(入室行窃) and attack.

Figures indicate an ever- increasing crime rate but it is only too easy to imagine “it will never happen to me”. Unfortunately, numbers show that it really can happen to you and, if you live in a large city, you run twice the risk of being a victim(受害者).

Fortunately, there is something which you can do. Protect Alarms can help to protect your house with a burglar alarm system which is effective, simple to operate and easy to buy.

You must remember that possessing a burglar alarm is no indication that your house is filled with valuable possessions. It quite simply indicates to unwelcome visitors that yours is one house they will not break into easily so they carry on to an unprotected house where their job is made a lot easier.

Send now for our free leaflet(小册) telling you how we can Protect Alarm your house quickly, easily and cheaply. Complete and tear off the slip below and post it to us. Postage is free. Or telephone us on 327 6721 where we have a round-the-clock answering service, through which you can get the information any time you want. It costs nothing to find out about Protect Alarms.

72. It seems that people who live in large cities are ________.

more often sufferers than those living in other areas

of the opinion that numbers are wrong

twice as rich as people living in other areas

too poor to afford the protect system

73. The writers of this text want to give the impression that the PROTECT ALARMS system is _________.

   A. free of charge      B. easy to use       C. complex       D. lasting

74. The article shows that having an alarm system will _______.

show burglars that you have something worth stealing

persuade burglars not to break into your house

make the burglar’s job less difficult

persuade burglars to try again another time.

75. In order to find out more information about this alarm system, one can _______.

   A. buy a leaflet               B. write enclosing a stamped, addressed envelope

   C. sign an agreement          D. phone at any time of day or night