How far would you be willing to go to satisfy your need to know? Far enough to find out your possibility of dying from a terrible disease? These days that’s more than an academic question, as Tracy Smith reports in our Cover Story.

There are now more than a thousand genetic（基因的）tests, for everything from baldness to breast cancer, and the list is growing. Question is, do you really want to know what might eventually kill you? For instance, Nobel Prize-winning scientist James Watson, one of the first people to map their entire genetic makeup, is said to have asked not to be told if he were at a higher risk for Alzheimer’（老年痴呆症）.

“If I tell you that you have an increased risk of getting a terrible disease, that could weigh on your mind and make you anxious, through which you see the rest of your life as you wait for that disease to hit you. It could really mess you up.” Said Dr. Robert Green, a Harvard geneticist.

“Every ache and pain,” Smith suggested, could be understood as “the beginning of the end.”“That ’s right. If you ever worried you were at risk for Alzheimer’s disease, then every time you can’t find your car in the parking lot, you think the disease has started.”

Dr. Green has been thinking about this issue for years. He led a study of people who wanted to know if they were at a higher genetic risk for Alzheimer’s. It was thought that people who got bad news would, for lack of a better medical term, freak out. But Green and his team found that there was“no significant difference”between how people handled good news and possibly the worst news of their lives. In fact, most people think they can handle it. People who ask for the information usually can handle the information, good or bad, said Green.

71.The first paragraph is meant to__________.

A. ask some questions                        B. introduce the topic

C. satisfy readers’ curiosity                 D. describe an academic fact

【答案】B

【解析】通过两个问题引出话题。

72.Which of the following is true of James Watson？

A. He is strongly in favor of the present genetic tests.

B. He is more likely to suffer from Alzheimer’s disease.

C. He believes genetic mapping can help cure any disease.

D. He doesn’t want to know his chance of getting a disease.

【答案】D

【解析】根据第二段Nobel Prize-winning scientist James Watson, one of the first people to map their entire genetic makeup, is said to have asked not to be told if he were at a higher risk for Alzheimer’。“James Watson要求如果他的基因表明他有很高的老年痴呆症的可能不要告诉他。”

73.According to Paragraphs 3 and 4, if a person is at a higher genetic risk, it is__________.

A. advisable not to let him know          B. impossible to hide his disease

C. better to inform him immediately      D. necessary to remove his anxiety

【答案】A

【解析】根据这两个自然段可知，如果你提前被告知你将来可能患某种可怕的疾病会mess you up。

74.The underlined part“freak out”in Paragraph 5 is closest in meaning to“_________”.

A. break down                     B. drop out            C. leave off            D. turn away

【答案】A

【解析】根据下文But的转折，以及no significant difference可知，freak out的意思是A（精神垮掉）。

75.The study led by Dr. Green indicates that people__________.

A. prefer to hear good news         B. tend to find out the truth

C. can accept some bad news              D. have the right to be informed

【答案】C

【解析】根据第五段内容 In fact, most people think they can handle it可知答案选C.

 

Win a week in England!

You still don’t know what to do this summer? Well, here’s your chance to win a one-week language course in Kent, England! Free4Fun and ETC (English Travel Connections) are giving  away two trips to Rochester. This historic city is less than an hour’s drive from London and close  to the sea resort of Herne Bay. It is also the home of one of England’s most famous writers,  Charles Dickens. The town of Rochester is in Southeast England. Charles Dickens often wrote  about it in his books. His home, Gad’s Hill, is there, too. A popular attraction is Rochester Castle, a large Norman fortress（堡垒）. It was built in the 11th century and rebuilt during the 14th century. Other attractions are Rochester Cathedral, which was built during the 13th century, and Dickens Centre. It has got its name in honour of Dickens himself.

The trip to England includes:

*  travel by train (via the Eurotunnel) to and from any railway station in Germany

*  room and full board with a guest family for one week

*  language course in small groups

*  two trips to London

*  large choice of sports and entertainment

*  German-speaking advisors available 24 hours a day

Interested? All you have to do is to answer the following question:  When was Charles Dickens born?

So, take the chance and send your answer by 1 May to:

Free4Fun "Rochester"

Free4Fun, 24 Elphinstone Road, Hastings, 2FQ6VJ

fax: 089 / 85 763-103    e-mail: free4fun@netlight.com

The two winners will be contacted directly before 5 May. They will also be announced in the June issue of Free4Fun. Good luck!

For further information, contact:

phone: (03212) 144 43    fax: (03212) 144 42       e-mail: info@etc. com

1.What activities can you participate in during the trip?

A. Working as a language advisor.                         B. Learning the German language.

C. Traveling by train with a guest family.              D. Enjoying sports and entertainment.

2.If you want to win a prize you have to send your answer to          .

A. the June issue of Free4fun                                       B. free4fun@netlight. com

C. info@etc. com                                                             D. ETC

3.The persons         are likely to win the free trip.

A. who know the birth date of Charles Dickens     B. who are attracted by Rochester Castle

C. who are contacted and announced by Free4Fun and ETC

D. who know more about Charles Dickens’ works

4.This ad was probably designed to target            .

A. Italians                                B. Europeans                 C. Germans                    D. Americans

 

Directions: Read the following three passages. Each passage is followed by several questions or unfinished statements. For each of them there are 4 choices marked A,B,C and D. Choose the one that fits best according to the information given in the passage.

Zoo Lights

6pm---10pm Thursdays through Wednesdays, through Jan. 7. The Phoenix Zoo’s 15^th-annual holiday light festival features more than 2 million lights and light displays throughout the zoo, as well as a new arctic exhibit and jingo, the talking giraffe. Phoenix Zoo, 455 N. Galvin Parkway, $7 ahead of time. Phoenix. $8 at gate. (602)273-1341. www.phoenixzoo.org.

Cowboy Christmas

5pm---9pm Thursdays, 5pm---10pm Fridays and Saturdays, 5pm---9pm Sundays through Wednesdays, through Jan 1. Rawhide’s Main Street will be lit with 150,000 lights, including a 100-foot tall “tree of lights” and nightly lighting ceremony. Rawhide at Wild Horse Pass, 5700 W. North Loop Road, Gila River Reservation. FREE. (480) 502—5600. www.rawhide.com.

Arizona Celebration of Lights

6pm---9pm Thursdays, 6pm---l0pm Fridays and Saturdays, 6pm---10pm Sundays through Wednesdays, through Jan.1. A 2-mile drive featuring 300 light displays with more than 5 million lights. Community Church of Joy, 21000 N. 75th Ave., Glendale. $12 per car, $8 for adults, free for kids aged 4 and younger, $2 discount with canned food or toy donations. (623)561—0500. www.joyonline.org.

Glendale Glitters Quiet Nights

6pm---10pm Thursdays through Wednesdays, through Jan.6. A display featuring 1.4 million lights decorates downtown Glendale. It also features an animated musical light show in the north part of town. The center of the display is at Murphy Park. Murphy Park, 5850 W. Glendale Ave. Glendale. FREE. (623)930—2820.

Valley of Lights

6pm---12pm Thursdays through Wednesdays, through Dec. 30. A one-mile drive through exhibits featuring more than 100,000 lights and animated displays. Donations accepted. Fain Park, 2200 N. Fifth St., Prescott Valley. FREE. 1一(928)一759—3090. www.pvchamber.org.

These ads are all about__________.

A. night light displays in the Phoenix Zoo      B. celebrations of lights

C. Christmas activities all over the world      D. advertisements of some products

Which of the following websites can offer you further information about the 100-foot tall “tree of lights”?

A. www. pvchamber. org.                     B. www. joyonline. org.

C. www. rawhide.com.                   D. www. phoenixzoo.org.

If Mr. Smith and Mrs. Smith drive to Arizona Celebration of Lights with their son aged 5, most probably how much will they pay for the visit at least?

A. $34.                     B. $36.          C. $28.                    D. $26.

According to the text, which of the following offer animated displays?

A. Zoo Lights & Cowboy Christmas.

B. Valley of Lights & Cowboy Christmas.

C. Zoo Lights & Arizona Celebration of Lights.

D. Valley of Lights & Glendale Glitters Quiet Nights.

What’s the purpose of the text?

A. To attract more visitors to these activities.

B. To collect more donations from the visitors.

C. To let kids have an interesting Christmas Day.

D. To earn more money.

In November of 2007, NBC Universal launched its first official Green Week. Throughout the week, NBC Universal presented over 150 hours of environmentally themed content across multiple platforms.

Now, NBC Universal is proud to present Green Week 2009. With a new theme and message of "Green Your Routine," Here at NBC and NBC.com we celebrate our talent in the "The More You Know" PSA campaign, presenting green-themed tips in several of our daytime life, among several other features here on the "Green Your Routine" site.

Fashion & Beauty

Throw a clothes swap party! Dying for that sweater your friend wore the other day? Well, maybe she'll trade for that old T-shirt you have. Here's a website that helps you organize a swap party (www.swapstyle.com), or just plan your own!

Go natural with organic make-up. Applying unnatural products directly on your skin wasn't exactly what nature intended. Try switching to a line of organic make-up and cosmetics for a different way to bring out your natural beauty.

Home

Drop a brick in your toilet tank! Literally! According to the EPA, flushing makes up 30 percent of a household's water use (about three to six gallons per flush). By placing a brick in your toilet tank, you can help to conserve the amount of water used during each flush.

Wash clothes efficiently. 90 percent of the energy used in washing clothes is to heat the water. You can reduce your energy bill by washing in cold water and hanging items to dry.

Work

Print smarter. Printing and copying can be one of the most costly operations in any office. To save on ink and paper costs, print double-sided and try to fit more than one page on a sheet. More printing tips can be found here: lifehacker.com

Turn off your computer. Do you leave your computer on overnight? If so, you're using up a good amount of electricity. When you can, try turning off your computer and the power strip it's connected to. If you can't, at least shut off your monitor. Remember, screen savers don't save energy.

Transportation

Organize a carpool. There are many benefits to carpooling. You save on gas, reduce wear and tear on your car, and you get to ride in the HOV lanes. Get connected with your neighbours and co-workers to start sharing rides and check out this website for more tips: www.erideshare.com.

Lose the car, get a bike. If you live close to where you work, try taking a bike instead of driving. You'll keep in shape and save on gas!

Every small step and effort makes a difference! Be sure to GREEN YOUR ROUTINE!

NBC Universal holds Green Week activities ___________.

A. in a university          B. in a park           C. in an office          D. on the internet

This year, Green Week welcomes ____________.

A. advice on how to improve the website                  

B. suggestions about how to make their activities more interesting

C. tips on what to do to make our life greener

D. opinions on whether we should have campaigns

If you want to carpool with somebody, you can find more advice and information at______.

A. www.swapstyle.com                                            B. www.erideshare.com

C. www. lifehacker.com                                           D. www. NBC.com

Which is NOT recommended(推荐) by Green Week this year?

A. Using things like cucumbers to beautify your skin.

B. Reducing the room of your toilet tank to save water when flushing.

C. Giving away your old clothes to those in need of them.

D. Printing and using computers in an economical way.

In November of 2007, NBC Universal launched its first official Green Week. Throughout the week, NBC Universal presented over 150 hours of environmentally themed content across multiple platforms.

Now, NBC Universal is proud to present Green Week 2009. With a new theme and message of "Green Your Routine," Here at NBC and NBC.com we celebrate our talent in the "The More You Know" PSA campaign, presenting green-themed tips in several of our daytime life, among several other features here on the "Green Your Routine" site.

Fashion & Beauty

Throw a clothes swap party! Dying for that sweater your friend wore the other day? Well, maybe she'll trade for that old T-shirt you have. Here's a website that helps you organize a swap party (www.swapstyle.com), or just plan your own!

Go natural with organic make-up. Applying unnatural products directly on your skin wasn't exactly what nature intended. Try switching to a line of organic make-up and cosmetics for a different way to bring out your natural beauty.

Home

Drop a brick in your toilet tank! Literally! According to the EPA, flushing makes up 30 percent of a household's water use (about three to six gallons per flush). By placing a brick in your toilet tank, you can help to conserve the amount of water used during each flush.

Wash clothes efficiently. 90 percent of the energy used in washing clothes is to heat the water. You can reduce your energy bill by washing in cold water and hanging items to dry.

Work

Print smarter. Printing and copying can be one of the most costly operations in any office. To save on ink and paper costs, print double-sided and try to fit more than one page on a sheet. More printing tips can be found here: lifehacker.com

Turn off your computer. Do you leave your computer on overnight? If so, you're using up a good amount of electricity. When you can, try turning off your computer and the power strip it's connected to. If you can't, at least shut off your monitor. Remember, screen savers don't save energy.

Transportation

Organize a carpool. There are many benefits to carpooling. You save on gas, reduce wear and tear on your car, and you get to ride in the HOV lanes. Get connected with your neighbours and co-workers to start sharing rides and check out this website for more tips: www.erideshare.com.

Lose the car, get a bike. If you live close to where you work, try taking a bike instead of driving. You'll keep in shape and save on gas!

Every small step and effort makes a difference! Be sure to GREEN YOUR ROUTINE!

1.NBC Universal holds Green Week activities ___________.

A. in a university              B. in a park                C. in an office              D. on the internet

2.This year, Green Week welcomes ____________.

A. advice on how to improve the website                         

B. suggestions about how to make their activities more interesting

C. tips on what to do to make our life greener

D. opinions on whether we should have campaigns

3.If you want to carpool with somebody, you can find more advice and information at______.

A. www.swapstyle.com                                                          B. www.erideshare.com

C. www. lifehacker.com                                                          D. www. NBC.com

4.Which is NOT recommended(推荐) by Green Week this year?

A. Using things like cucumbers to beautify your skin.

B. Reducing the room of your toilet tank to save water when flushing.

C. Giving away your old clothes to those in need of them.

D. Printing and using computers in an economical way.