D

When one person gains weight, their close friends often follow. Researchers have just offered evidence in a study that says obesity(肥胖)appears to spread through social ties. But the findings might also offer hope.

If friends help make obesity acceptable, then they might also be influential in losing the fat. The researchers note that support groups are already and effective tool in dealing with other socially influenced problems, like alcoholism.

The findings appeared in the New England Journal of Medicine. The researchers used information collected from 12, 000 people. It was collected between 2003 and 2008 as part of the Framingham Heart Study.

The information was highly detailed. There was even contact information for close friends of the people in the study.

The researchers examined more than 40, 000 social ties. They found a person’s chances of becoming severely overweight increased by 50% if a friend had become obese.

A sister or brother of a person who became obese had a 40% increased chance of becoming obese. The risk for a wife or husband was a little less than that.

Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School was a lead researcher in the study. He says there is a direct causal relationship between a person getting fat and being followed in weight gain by a friend.

The study found that the sex of the friends was also an influence. In same-sex friendship, a person had a 71% increased risk of becoming obese. Men had a 44% increased risk of becoming obese after weight gain in a brother. In sisters, it was 67%.

The researchers also considered the effect of where people lived in relation to each other. James Fowler of the University of California was the other lead expert. He says a friend who lives a few hundred kilometers away has as much influence as one in the same neighborhood. He says the study demonstrates the need to consider that a major part of people’s health is tied to their social connections.

Both researchers say their research shows that obesity is not just a private medical issue, but a public health problem.

67. What does the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 mean?

A. Obesity is a negative influence on close friends.

B. Friends might also play a part in losing weight.

C. One might have a positive influence on one’s friend.

D. Friendship may have little to do with one’s health.

68. Which of the following statements would Nicholas Christakis agree to?

A. If one gains weight, his friends are likely to get fat.

B. Social problems like alcoholism are easy to deal with.

C. Friends usually don’t follow each other to lose weight.

D. One might influence others on their social behavior.

69. James Fowler seems to believe that　　.

A. a friend who lives nearby affects us most

B. one’s health has nothing to do with his friends

C. social connections have effects on one’s life

D. a friend living far away also has influence on us

70. The author’s view is　　.

A. a major part of people’s health is based on their genes

B. friends living closer have greater influence on one’s health

C. social relationship is closely connected with people’s health

D. people’s physical condition is subject to social connections

C

　Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logically. Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lot of inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past and even now.

Many household items have been the result of inventions of people who desired better functioning of the existent products. Every individual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invention of a new tool or device. Many new household inventions are made almost every day and there are specific companies, which particularly keep a record of all these inventions.

A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field. These products are patented(专利)and have trade mark licenses. The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effective method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long. Vanity PC is a type of computer furniture that specifically hides all the computer wires and keeps a clean and good look. All the outdoor dust, mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing(安装)the dirt drain(排水管)at the entrance of the door. Another important invention is the automatic toilet night-light, in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed.

These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people. Thus, a variety of new household items are invented every day, which help in a better functioning of household chores and in a more useful manner.

64. The first paragraph is intended to　　.

A. stress the importance of inventions

B. introduce the topic of the article

C. show the advantages of modern lifestyle

D. tell the differences between human beings and animals

65. It can be inferred that the sliding cinch is used to　　.

A. prevent your shoulder from being over-pressured

B. keep your shoulder safe and sound in an accident or an operation

C. help you practice your shoulder more often and reduce shoulder pains

D. cover your shoulder and make it stronger to resist the outside strike

66. The passage mainly talks about　　.

A. the correct use of household facilities

B. different ideas about household inventions

C. the history of household inventions

D. household inventions and their influence

B

In Singapore, most of us love window-shopping while some others enjoy having a picnic at East Coast Park or Changi Beach on sunny days. Singaporeans are never bothered by the occasional thunderstorm. However, we know that if it rains for long continuous periods, there will be more serious effects. Just recently the main shopping street of Orchard Road was flooded and some part of Bukit Timah was impassable to traffic. People reacted by writing in to the newspaper to complain about this! We forget that other countries suffer much worse effects. Elsewhere, heavy tropical(热带的)storms often result in floods that ruin crops especially in Thailand and Malaysia. This in turn usually means that the price of rice and vegetables here in Singapore will rise because we import these products from them. If there is a typhoon or tsunami, thousands of lives are lost too. This happened in Indonesia and Phuket in Thailand in 2004 and it serves to remind us of how Mother Nature can cause great damage.

Weather patterns in general have changed dramatically in recent years. Scientists believe that global warming and the resulting melting of the polar ice-cap has caused the level of the ocean to rise. This in turn causes flooding of low-lying areas in countries where the land is rather flat and some parts of which is below water level. It is believed that human activities have caused Mother Nature to show her extreme anger, so it is now important that we really work together to cut down on harmful activities, for example, illegal logging(伐木)or irresponsible forest-burning to clear land for farming.

60. From Paragraph 1, we can see that most Singaporeans love　　.

A. making complaints

B. going out for picnics

C. doing window-shopping

D. traveling along the coast

61. What will happen in Singapore if there are floods in its neighboring countries?

A. Heavy tropical storms will follow shortly.

B. The price of rice and vegetables will go up.

C. Many people will write in to the newspaper.

D. More rice and vegetables will be imported.

62. The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 1 refers to　　.

A. the arrival of heavy tropical storms

B. the import of rice and vegetables

C. the rising price of rice and vegetables

D. the loss of lives in natural disasters

63. Which of the following shows how the low-lying areas are flooded?

a. global warming

b. the rise in ocean level

c. harmful human activities

d. the flooding of low-lying areas

e. the melting of the polar ice-cap

A. c→a→e→b→d　　　 B. a→c→e→b→d

C. c→a→b→e→d　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 D. d→a→c→b→e

A

Australians have been warned they face a life or death decision over their water—drink recycled sewage(污水)or die.

With the drought(干旱)continuing, the country is set to be forced to use purified(净化的)waste water for drinking, even though there is great opposition to the measure.

Queensland has become the first state to introduce the policy after a warning from its premier.

“I think in the end, because of the drought, all of Australia is going to end up drinking recycled purified water, ”said Peter Beattie.

“These are difficult decisions, but you either drink water or you die. There’s no choice. It’s liquid gold, it’s a matter of life and death. ”

Beattie said Australia’s second largest state would become the first to use recycled water for drinking.

Water is recycled in Britain and parts of northern Europe along with the US and Israel.

But Australians have never liked the idea.

To try to change the way Australians think, Prime Minister John Howard and Environment Minister Malcolm Turnbull have adhered to Queensland’s move.

“I am very strongly for recycling and Mr. Beattie is right and I agree with him completely, ”Howard said.

“Australian cities, all now facing water shortages because of the worst drought on record, must start to use recycled water. ”added Turnbull, “All of our big cities have to widen the range of water sources to include sources which are not dependent on rainfall. ”

56. What is the text mainly about?

A. Continuing drought forces Australians to drink recycled sewage.

B. Australians face the choice of life and death.

C. Premier Beattie is worried about his people’s health.

D. We should avoid drinking recycled water to keep healthy.

57. What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A. Australians have never liked drinking purified waste water.

B. Australians should develop more water sources to live through the hard time.

C. Australians can’t depend upon rainwater, which is not suitable for drinking.

D. Australian government has no ability to solve the problem of water shortage.

58. The underlined phrase “adhered to” in Paragraph 9 probably means　　.

A. disliked　　　　　　　 B. gone against

C. supported　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. doubted

59. It can be inferred from what Premier Peter Beattie said that　　.

A. he gives orders to drink purified waste water

B. it is painful for him to see his people drink recycled sewage

C. if the decision is made, people won’t survive the drought

D. it’s up to you to either make a life or death decision

第二节　完形填空(共20小题; 每小题1. 5分, 满分30分)

A person’s nose is important for breathing and smelling. The nose is also used in many popular　36　.

Some people are able to　37　others by the nose. For example, if a wife leads her husband by the nose, she makes him do whatever she　38　him to do.

Some people are said to be hard-nosed. They will not　39　their opinions on anything, 　40　they will not pay too much money for an object or service.

It’s　41　helpful when people keep their noses out of others’　42　. They don’t interfere(干涉)others’ matters. The　43　of this is someone who noses around all the time. This kind of person is　44　in others’ private matters. He is considered nosey.

One unusual expression is that it’s no skin off my nose. This means that I am not　45　or concerned by a situation. We also say sometimes a person　46　his nose to spite(恶意伤害)his face. That is, he makes a situation worse for himself by doing something　47　because he is angry.

More problems can　48　if a person looks down his nose at someone or something. The person acts like something is　49　or worthless. This person might also turn up his nose at something he considers not good enough. This person thinks he is　50　than everyone else. He has his nose in the air.

In　51　, some students thumb their noses at(嗤之以鼻)their teachers. They　52　to obey orders or do any homework. Maybe they don’t know the correct　53　. My mother always told me, if you　54　hard, the answers should be right under your nose and easily　55　. So that’s what I did.

36. A. songs　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. passages

C. expressions　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. stories

37. A. catch　　 　　　 B. push　　 　　　 C. beat　　　 　　　　　 D. lead

38. A. begs　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. wants

C. forces　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. promises

39. A. change 　　　 B. get　 　　　　　 C. have　　 　　　 D. show

40. A. because　　 　　　 B. until　　 　　　 C. unless　 　　　 D. and

41. A. never　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. sometimes

C. always 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. seldom

42. A. mistake　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. happiness

C. success 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. business

43. A. opposite　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 B. truth

C. key 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. difficulty

44. A. disappointed　 　　　　　　　　 B. interested

C. rich 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. weak

45. A. accepted　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 B. praised

C. affected　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. respected

46. A. cuts off　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. picks up

C. puts down 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. throws away

47. A. useless 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. foolish

C. correct 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. great

48. A. develop　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 　　　 B. disappear

C. return　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. stop

49. A. dirty　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. funny

C. dangerous　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. unimportant

50. A. more beautiful　　　 　　　　　　　　　　　 B. stronger

C. more excellent 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. taller

51. A. family　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. school

C. company　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. hospital

52. A. refuse　 　　　 B. begin　　 　　　　　 C. hope　　 　　　 D. hate

53. A. lines　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. answers

C. manners　　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. decisions

54. A. run 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. follow

C. study　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. climb

55. A. carried 　　　 B. spelt　　 　　　　　 C. told 　　　　　 D. seen

35. Many experts stick to the view　　teachers’ development is the key to the education quality.

A. which　 　　　　　 B. what　　 　　　　　 C. that 　　　　　 D. where

34. The constant rise of meat price requires that effective measures　　by the government.

A. must be taken 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. be taken

C. will be taken　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. should take

33. You can stay at my cottage in the country　　you like.

A. wherever　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. whoever

C. whenever　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. however

32. Hearing the strange sound, 　　with a gun in his hand.

A. out rushed he　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 B. did he rush out

C. out he rushed　 　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　 D. had he rushed out