When one asks students the question "Who likes grammar?" perhaps few dare to raise their hands. In many   1   this is understandable in Britain. Yet,   2  , the study of grammar is one of the fastest growing areas of research in universities all over the world.
  3  more so is the fact that many students who do not like grammar in school choose   4   as their subject of study in the university.

The rather strange state of affairs   5   an explanation. On the whole, students consider the study of grammar uninteresting, and grammar is   6   taught in most British middle schools. However, language, which would be impossible without grammar, is an important part of human society.   7  , it is the foundation(基础)on which our society builds itself. And it is our ability(能力)to use language that makes it possible for us to let   8   know our thoughts and aims,   9   , to communicate(交流思想、交际). A large part of our ability even to   10   depends on language.

1. A. reasons         B. ways         C. subjects           D. ideas

2. A. strangely        B. suddenly      C. completely        D. excitingly

3. A. Ever           B. Even          C. What's           D. Indeed

4. A. education       B. grammar       C. language         D. anything

5. A. makes          B. asks          C. needs            D. suggests

6. A. poorly          B. carefully      C. successfully       D. attentively

7. A. But            B. In fact         C. As a result        D. On the other hand

8. A. ourselves       B. yourselves        C. others            D. other countries

9. A. to the point     B. to our joy          C. in pulic           D. in other words

10. A. talk          B. think          C. review            D. consider

The whole body is covered with skin.The surface of the skin is dead(like the hair and the nails),but it is made from a living layer(层)just under the surface.The outside dead layers wear off(磨损)all the time,with new ones replacing them,and the body forms a totally new skin every three weeks.

The skin protects the body from the outside world and it passes information from the outside.It helps to keep water in the body and to keep the body at the same temperature.Becteria(细菌)can’t get in through the skin unless it is damaged.

If the weather is cold,the blood vessels(血管)in the skin squeeze down,or contract(收缩),so that as little blood as possible comes near the surface.This means that less warmth is lost to the outside.This makes the skin look pale,or even “blue”.At the same time,the hairs on the skin are pulled upright by tiny muscles.

When it is hot,the blood vessels expand(扩大),or get wider again,to allow plenty of blood to run near the surface of the skin.This helps the body to lose heat,and the skin may look red.At the same time,the sweat glands(汗腺)produce more sweat,which cools the skin.

If your skin has ever been numb(麻木的),you will realize how important the feeling from the skin is.Nerves(神经)in the skin are sensitive(敏感的)to heat and cold,sharpness,hardness and softness,wetness and dryness and pain.If one is not able to feel these things,which can act as warnings,he is likely to be burned,cut or hurt in other ways.

The colour of the skin depends on special colour cells(细胞).These are just below the top layers of the skin.They are needed as protection from some harmful ray of the sun.The stronger the sun is,the more important it is to have a dark skin.People with pale skins may “tan”(晒黑)in the sun.This happens when the body produces extra colour cells in the skin for protection.In the sun,the skin produces a vitamin(vitamin D)which is needed for strong bones.

Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A.Our hair and nails are dead like the surface of the skin.

B.There is skin all over our body.

C.The skin of our bodies will be completely different in three weeks.

D.The surface of the skin is made of a living layer.

The second paragraph mainly tells us about______.

A.the functions of the skin

B.the information from the outside

C.the water in the body

D.the temperature of the body

Bacteria will get in through the skin______.

A.when one’s skin is numb

B.when one is ill

C.when the skin is cut

D.when the sweat glands produce more sweat

When the weather is cold,the skin will contract in order to______.

A.allow more blood near                                     B.make the skin look blue

C.keep warmth                                              D.help the body lose heat

The colour of the skin is determined by______.

A.the rays of the strong sun                                 B.colour cells

C.top layers of the skin                                       D.vitamin D

We were standing at the top of a church tower. My father had brought me to this spot in a small town not far from our home in Rome. I wondered why.
“Look down, Elsa,” father said. I gathered all my courage and looked down. I saw the square in the center of the village. And I saw the crisscross (十字形) of twisting, turning streets leading to the square. “See, my dear,” father said gently. “There is more than one way to the square. Life is like that. If you can’t get to the place where you want to go by one road, try another.”
Now I understood why I was there. Earlier that day I had begged my mother to do something about the awful lunches that were served at school. But she refused because she could not believe the lunches were as bad as I said.
When I turned to father for help, he didn’t say anything. Instead, he brought me to this high tower to give me a lesson. By the time we reached home, I had a plan.
At school the next day, I secretly poured my luncheon（午餐）soup into a bottle and brought it home. Then I asked our cook to serve it to mother at dinner. The plan worked perfectly. She swallowed one spoonful and sputtered（喷溅出）“ The cook must have gone mad！” Quickly I told her what I had done, and Mother stated firmly that she would take up the matter of lunches at school the next day!
In the years that followed I often remembered the lesson father taught me. I began to work as a fashion designer two years ago. I wouldn’t stop working until I tried every possible means to my goal. Father’s wise words always remind me that there is more than one way to the square.
【小题1】The author’s father took her to the top of a church tower to ____________.

A. enjoy the beautiful scenery of the whole town

B. find out how many ways lead to the square

C. inspire her to find out another way to solve her problem

D. help her forget some unpleasant things earlier that day

【小题2】What did the author want her mother to do earlier that day?.

A. Do something delicious for lunch.

B. Taste her awful lunch.

C. Dismiss the mad cook.

D. Speak to the school about lunch.

【小题3】The underlined sentence in the fifth paragraph suggests that__________________.

A. the cook agreed to serve the soup to the writer’s mother.

B. the author’s mother was angry with the cook.

C. her father persuaded her mother successfully.

D. the method the author thought of was effective.

【小题4】What did the author’s mother think of her luncheon soup after she tasted it?

A. It was delicious.	B. It wasn’t so bad as the author said.
C. It is terrible..	D. It was as good as her cook did.

【小题5】By sharing her own experiences, the author tries to tell us ____________.

A. when one road is blocked, try another

B. how bad the lunch of her school is

C. how wise her father is

D. about the church tower near her home

 

  Moods (心情), say the experts, are feelings that are likely to become fixed, having effects on one’s outlook(way of looking at things) for hours, days or even weeks. That’s great if your mood is a pleasant one, but a problem if you are sad, anxious, angry, or simply lonely.

  Perhaps the best way to deal with such moods is to talk them out; sometimes, though, there is no one to listen. Scientists offers a lot of tranquilizers(镇静剂) and anti-anxiety drugs. What many people don’t realize, however, is that scientists have discovered the effectiveness of several non-drug methods to make you free from an unwanted mood. These can be just as useful as drugs, and have the added benefit of being nonpoisonous(无毒的). So next time you feel out of sorts, don’t head for the drug store―try the following method.

  Of all the mood-changing self-help techniques, aerobic exercises (有氧运动) seem to be the best cure for a bad mood. “If you could keep the exercise, you’d be in high spirits,” says Kathryn Lance, author of Running for Health and Beauty.

  Researchers have explained biochemical and various other changes that make exercises compare favorably to drugs as a mood-raiser. Physical work such as housework, however, does little. The key is aerobic exercises – running, cycling, walking, swimming, or other repetitive and sustained activities that increase the heart rate and circulation(循环), and improve the body’s use of oxygen. Do them for at least 20 minutes a time, three to five times a week.

It can be inferred from the passage that __________.

 A. when one is in a bad mood, he or she must not work very well.

 B. the best way to overcome a bad mood is to talk to oneself

 C. some drugs are more effective than physical exercises

 D. taking drugs is at risk of being poisonous

The phrase "feel out of sorts", as is used in the second paragraph, could be best replaced by ____________.

   A. put things in order                               B. are in a bad mood    

   C. search for tranquilizers                             D. want a mood-raiser

Which of the following best describes the organization of this passage?

 A. An exercise and its importance are explained     

 B. A problem is examined and solutions are given

 C. Two different views of a problem are presented   

 D. Recent developments in medicine are described

We were standing at the top of a church tower. My father had brought me to this spot in a small town not far from our home in Rome. I wondered why.

"Look down, Elsa," Father said. I gathered all my courage and looked down. I saw the square in the center of the village. And I saw the crisscross (十字形) of twisting, turning streets leading to the square. "See, my dear," Father said gently. "There is more than one way to the square. Life is like that. If you can't get to the place where you want to go by one road, try another."

Now I understood why I was there. Earlier that day I had begged my mother to do something about the awful lunches that were served at school. But she refused because she could not believe the lunches were as bad as I said.

When I turned to Father for help, he would not help. Instead, he brought me to this high tower to give me a lesson. By the time we reached home, I had a plan.

At school the next day, I secretly poured my lunch soup into a bottle and brought it home. Then I asked our cook to serve it to Mother at dinner. The plan worked perfectly. She swallowed one spoonful and sputtered, "The cook must have gone mad! "Quickly I told what I had done, and Mother said firmly that she would take up the matter of lunches at school the next day!

In the years that followed I often remembered the lesson Father taught me. I began to work as a fashion designer two years ago. I wouldn't stop working until I tried every possible means to my goal, Father's wise words always remind me that there is more than one way to the square.

1.

What did the author want her mother to do earlier that day? _______           

     A. Do something delicious for lunch.       

     B. Ask the father to taste her awful lunch.

     C. Dismiss the mad cook.                  

D. Speak to the school about lunch.

2.

 The underlined sentence in the fifth paragraph means ______ . 

     A. the cook agreed to serve the soup to Father

     B. the matter of lunch hasn’t been settled

     C. her father persuaded her mother successfully

     D. the method the author thought of was effective

3.

By sharing her own experiences, the author tries to tell us________.   

     A. when one road is blocked, try another 

B. how bad the lunch of her school is

     C. how wise her father is                 

D. about the church rower' near her home