Dictionaries say that “spring fever” is a lazy or restless feeling . People usually have the feeling on the first warm day of spring. Everyone has probably felt it at one time or another . people have talked about it for years.

          Recently, scientists have taken a good look at spring fever. What they found is quite surprising.

          In many places we live in , the winter months often seem dark and dreary. When spring comes late March , the world becomes colorful . The number of daylight hours grows with each passing day. According to many scientists, all the sunlight sets off chemicals in the brain (大脑). The chemicals make our feeling change and bring on spring fever.

 

(   ) 1. How do people who have spring fever feel ?

              A. active            B. awake           C. energetic       D. restless .

(   ) 2. Scientists think that ______________ cause(s) spring fever .

               A. colors           B. sunlight         C. dark           D. illness

      (   ) 3.According to the passage ,the underlined word “dreary ”means“__________” in Chinese.

               A. 沉闷的         B.暖和的           C. 晴朗的        D.明亮的

      (   ) 4. The best title for the passage is ______________ .

               A. How to Get Over Spring Fever          B. Spring Fever

               C. Darkness in winter                    D.Spring and winter

 

For years scientists have been arguing about whether nature or nurture (后天) decides what people will be like. Is it nature— what people are (41) with— that decides what they will be like? (42) is it nurture —what(43) to people when they are born —that decides what they will be like?
Scientists have been studying twins to (44) if they can find the answer, because twins start out with the (45) DNA. Sometimes twins don’t live together at birth and grow up in different (46) and different places— so the nature is the same for both, but the nurture is different.
When scientists (47) these twins in their later life, they some times find some surprising (48).
Jim Springer and Jim Lewis were adopted（收养）by two different families at birth. They first met each other again thirty-nine years (49) and discovered they had a lot in (50). Both had been (51) twice. Their first wives were both named Linda and their second wives were both named Betty!
Each twin had a son — one called his son James Alan and the (52) called his son James Alan, too. Their children each had a dog called “Toy”. They even arrived at their first (53) in the same color of car.
So far twin (54) seem to show that both nature and nurture are important. What we have from birth, and how and where we live help to build (55) we are.

【小题1】

A．born B．grown C．taught D．made

【小题2】

A．So B．And C．If D．Or

【小题3】

A．pretends B．happens C．falls D．depends

【小题4】

A．hear B．win C．see D．plan

【小题5】

A．nice B．same C．full D．free

【小题6】

A．families B．cities C．countries D．nations

【小题7】

A．believe B．suggest C．receive D．compare

【小题8】

A．numbers B．discoveries C．results D．decisions

【小题9】

A．ago B．later C．forward D．behind

【小题10】

A．common B．fact C．danger D．trouble

【小题11】

A．mentioned B．married C．succeeded D．interviewed

【小题12】

A．either B．else C．other D．only

【小题13】

A．competition B．education C．purpose D．meeting

【小题14】

A．studies B．movies C．challenges D．mysteries

【小题15】

A．what B．when C．where D．who

A group of people asked this question to a group 4-to-8-year-old children. “What does love mean?” The answers were surprising. The children would answer like they did below.
“When my grandmother hurt her knees (膝盖), she couldn’t bent (弯腰) over and paint her toenails (脚指甲) any more. So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands hurt too. That’s love.”
Rebecca–age 8
“Love is when someone hurts you. And you get so mad but you don’t shout at them because you know it would hurt her feelings.”
Samantha–age 6
“Love is what makes you smile when you’re tired.”
Terri–age 4
“I let my big sister pick on (捉弄) me because my mum says she only picks on me because she loves me. So I pick on my baby sister because I love her.”
Bethany–age 4
“I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new clothes.”
Lauren–age 4
“Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.”
Elaine–age 5
“My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don’t see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.”
Clear–age 5
“You really shouldn’t say ‘I love you’ unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.”
Jessica–age 8
【小题1】 The passage mainly tells us about ______.

A．what “life” means to children	B．what “family” means to children
C．what “friends” means to children	D．what “love” means to children

【小题2】Who told us the love between mum and dad?

A．Clear.

B．Elaine.

C．Rebecca.

D．Lauren.

【小题3】Which of the following is NOT true?

A．Rebecca’s grandmother ever couldn’t bend over.

B．Bethany is willing to be picked on by any other person.

C．If Samantha becomes angry, she will not shout at others.

D．Lauren prefers to wear her sister’s old clothes.

【小题4】What does Jessica mean about love?

A．Too much love is no love.	B．You should say love more often.
C．You mean what you think.	D．Say love more often if you have it.

【小题5】What is love according to Terri?

A．Love is the care between husband and wife.

B．Love is a rest when you are tired.

C．Love is what cheers you up when you are tired.

D．Love is a kiss from parents.

 For years scientists have been arguing about whether nature or nurture (后天) decides what people will be like. Is it nature— what people are (41) with— that decides what they will be like? (42) is it nurture —what(43) to people when they are born —that decides what they will be like?

    Scientists have been studying twins to (44) if they can find the answer, because twins start out with the (45) DNA. Sometimes twins don’t live together at birth and grow up in different (46) and different places— so the nature is the same for both, but the nurture is different.

    When scientists (47) these twins in their later life, they some times find some surprising (48).

    Jim Springer and Jim Lewis were adopted（收养）by two different families at birth. They first met each other again thirty-nine years (49) and discovered they had a lot in (50). Both had been (51) twice. Their first wives were both named Linda and their second wives were both named Betty!

    Each twin had a son — one called his son James Alan and the (52) called his son James Alan, too. Their children each had a dog called “Toy”. They even arrived at their first (53) in the same color of car.

    So far twin (54) seem to show that both nature and nurture are important. What we have from birth, and how and where we live help to build (55) we are.

    1.A. born     B. grown    C. taught     D. made

   2.A. So     B. And    C. If     D. Or

   3.A. pretends    B. happens    C. falls     D. depends

   4.A. hear     B. win    C. see     D. plan

    5.A. nice     B. same    C. full     D. free

    6.A. families     B. cities    C. countries     D. nations

    7.A. believe     B. suggest    C. receive    D. compare

   8.A. numbers     B. discoveries    C. results     D. decisions

    9.A. ago     B. later    C. forward     D. behind

    10.A. common     B. fact    C. danger     D. trouble

   11.A. mentioned     B. married    C. succeeded     D. interviewed

    12.A. either     B. else    C. other     D. only

   13.A. competition     B. education    C. purpose     D. meeting

    14.A. studies    B. movies    C. challenges     D. mysteries

    15.A. what     B. when    C. where     D. who

 

Alexis Rocha is a 13-year-old boy from California, US. He weighs 147 pounds (67 kg). But six months ago, he weighed more than 202 pounds (91 kg). How did he lose all that weight in only half a year?
“One day, I was surprised to find that I weighed about 200 pounds,” Rocha says. “I thought I had to do something.”
Rocha is from a boxing (拳击) family—his father and two older brothers are professional boxers. So he decided to start boxing. He began with simple exercises, like sit-ups and push-ups (俯卧撑). Then Rocha started jogging(慢跑). “No kid likes running,” he says. “I don’t want to do it, either, but I have no choice but to keep on.”
Months later, Rocha joined a boxing club in his city. He is always the first kid at the club to begin exercising, and the last to leave with sweat (汗水) on his face. Every day he boxes for about three hours.
“Rocha works very hard,” says his coach, Hector Lopez. “It’s surprising to see him lose the pounds so quickly. I’ve never seen anything like this in my 20 years of coaching.”
Rocha is very happy with his weight now. There is a family photo in his room from 18 months ago. “Each time I look at the photo, I laugh at myself. I was so big back then,” Rocha says. “I look 100 times thinner and 1,000 times stronger now.”
【小题1】How much weight did Rocha lose in six months?
A. At least 24 pounds.     B. At least 30 pounds.　　    C. At least 55 pounds.
【小题2】 Rocha said he had no choice but to keep on running because_______.
A. he liked running very much
B. he wanted to be thin and strong
C. he wanted to be a professional boxer
【小题3】What makes Coach Hector Lopez surprised?
A. Rocha lost weight so quickly.
B. Rocha was so fat 18 months ago.
C. Rocha comes from a boxing family.
【小题4】What’s the correct order of the following sentences?
a. He did some sit-ups and push-ups.
b. He lost the pounds quickly.
c. He joined a boxing club.
d. He began running.
f. He boxed for about three hours every day.
A. a-d-c-f-b     B. d-a-f-c-b     C. a-d-f-c-b 
【小题5】The writer mainly wants to tell us _______.
A. Rocha is a hardworking boy
B. it is important to get exercise
C. everything is possible if you work hard