Do you want to live a happier, less stressful life? Try laughing for no reason at all. That’s how thousands of people start their day at Laughter Clubs around the world — and many doctors now think that having a good laugh might be one of the best ways to stay healthy.
The first Laughter Club was started in Mumbai, India, in 1995 by Dr. Madan Kataria. “Young children laugh about 300 times a day. Adults laugh between 7 and 15 times a day,” says Dr. Kataria, “Everyone’s naturally good at laughing. We want people to feel happy with their lives.” There are now more than 500 Laughter Clubs in India and over 1,300 worldwide.
Many doctors are also interested in the effects of laughter on our health. According to a 5-year study at the UCLA School of Medicine in California, with laughing there is less stress in the body. Laughter improves our health against illness by about 40%.
So, what happens at a Laughter Club? I went along to my nearest club in South London to find out. I was quite nervous at the beginning of the class, to be honest — I wasn’t interested in laughing with a group of strangers, and I was worried about looking stupid. Our laughter teacher told us to clap our hands and say “ho ho ho, ha ha ha,” while looking at each other. However, our bodies can’t tell the difference between fake laughter and real laughter, so they still produce the same healthy effects.
Surprisingly, it works! After ten minutes everybody in the room was laughing for real — and some people just couldn’t stop! At the end of the class I was surprised by how relaxed and comfortable I felt. So if you’re under stress, then start laughing. You might be very pleased with the results!
【小题1】The first Laughter Club was started in _____.

A．Britain

B．America

C．Australia

D．India

【小题2】The writer felt _____ at the beginning of the class?

A．surprised

B．pleased

C．nervous

D．stressful

【小题3】The people in the club began to laugh for real _____?

A．after ten minutes

B．after ten hours

C．after a few seconds

D．after ten days

【小题4】Which of the following is true according to the passage?

A．Fake laughter and real laughter are both good for health.

B．40% of the people in Laughter Clubs are good friends.

C．Adults laugh more often than children in a day.

D．Laughing is the best way to prevent illness.

Welcome to this short tour of London. In this square we are standing in the middle of London. Opposite 对面) is the National Gallery, a museum with lots of famous paintings. Go along the red street to Buckingham Palace. The queen (后) lives here.

    Turn left and go to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Opposite you can see the London Eye. It takes you 135 meters above the River Thames. You can see most of London on a clear day.

    When you are tired, the best way to see London is by boat. You can get the boat near Big Ben. As you go along the river, the London Eye is on your right, near the Railway Bridge.

    Get off the boat at Tower Bridge. Then you can see the Tower of London next to the bridge. The Tower of London is the city’s oldest palace. It is nine hundred years old.

    Take the boat back along the river. Get off the boat and go past the station and walk along the street. Opposite is the old fruit and vegetable market. They don’t sell fruit and vegetables now. There are stores and restaurants, and lots of street musicians. Turn left into King’s Street, and go past the church. You’re now back where you started, at the square. Now you finish your tour.

1.If you go to visit the National Gallery, what will you find?

A. lots of lovely animals               B. lots of valuable plants

C. lots of famous paintings                 D. lots of interesting books

2. Where can you get the boat?

A. Near Buckingham Palace.              B. Near Big Ben.

C. Near Tower Bridge.                   D. Near King’s Street.

3. ______ is London’s oldest palace.

        A. The Tower of London                  B. The National Gallery

        C. Buckingham Palace                    D. The Houses of Parliament

4. ______ is the London Eye.

c

b

d

e

        A.                 B.               C.             D.         

 

5.You will not go past ______ on your way back.

        A. the station  B. the square      C. the park        D. the church

 

Welcome to this short tour of London. In this square we are standing in the middle of London. Opposite 对面) is the National Gallery, a museum with lots of famous paintings. Go along the red street to Buckingham Palace. The queen (后) lives here.

    Turn left and go to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben. Opposite you can see the London Eye. It takes you 135 meters above the River Thames. You can see most of London on a clear day.

    When you are tired, the best way to see London is by boat. You can get the boat near Big Ben. As you go along the river, the London Eye is on your right, near the Railway Bridge.

    Get off the boat at Tower Bridge. Then you can see the Tower of London next to the bridge. The Tower of London is the city’s oldest palace. It is nine hundred years old.

    Take the boat back along the river. Get off the boat and go past the station and walk along the street. Opposite is the old fruit and vegetable market. They don’t sell fruit and vegetables now. There are stores and restaurants, and lots of street musicians. Turn left into King’s Street, and go past the church. You’re now back where you started, at the square. Now you finish your tour.

1.If you go to visit the National Gallery, what will you find?

A. lots of lovely animals               B. lots of valuable plants

C. lots of famous paintings                 D. lots of interesting books

2. Where can you get the boat?

A. Near Buckingham Palace.              B. Near Big Ben.

C. Near Tower Bridge.                   D. Near King’s Street.

3. ______ is London’s oldest palace.

        A. The Tower of London                  B. The National Gallery

        C. Buckingham Palace                    D. The Houses of Parliament

4. ______ is the London Eye.

c

b

d

e

        A.                 B.               C.             D.         

 

5.You will not go past ______ on your way back.

        A. the station  B. the square      C. the park        D. the church

 

 

The 2012 London Olympic Games are on the wa3'. You may have a nice trip in London with the help of the following information.

Getting around in London
By underground	The underground is   The underground is fast and convenient. There is a station every few blocks. Underground trains run from 5:30 a.m. to 12:00 midnight. You can get to any place e  1.    .
By bus	Travelling by bus is a good way to see the city-, especially from the top of a double-decker bus. There is always a bus stop nearby. There are special tickets for c   2.    under the age of 12.
By train	Take a train to visit places outside London, like Hampton Court and Windsor Castle. You can use a Travelcard on the underground, buses and most trains. To p   3.    your journey, get a map from the railway stations, take some time to think about the places you want to visit.
By taxi	London's black taxis are f   4.   . Many visitors to London know they are good and comfortable. They Will cost you a few pounds, though. Take a taxi once, for the experience.
By b5.	The "river bus" leaves from Westminster Pier and stops at different places between Westminster and Greenwich Pier. A good way to see the city from the River Thames.
By car	Don't drive your car in London! Car parks are very e   6.  . You have to pay a special congestion charge (拥堵费) to drive your car into the city centre.
By bike	There aren't many good bicycle lanes in London. Cycling with a large guided group is better than r   7.    alone.
On foot	The best way to visit the city! But look right and left before you cross a street. There are many beautiful sights waiting for you.

 

As soon as you land at London Heathrow airport, you will see it is easy for you to ride the subway or take a bus to your hotel. However, if you are planning on touring London, it would be the best idea for you to rent a car so that you can go wherever you wish to visit freely and you don’t have to run to catch a bus or a train. Remember that the trains in London are always very crowded. So a rental car is the easiest and most comfortable way to travel.

London has so many different attractions（旅游景点） to offer and the same is true for England itself. In London you can find Buckingham Palace, which you can also visit during summer time when the Queen of England goes to one of the castles（城堡）around the country. If you are interested in history and art, you can’t miss the National Gallery, which is right in front of Trafalgar Square. Not far from Trafalgar Square, there is the House of Parliament that faces the Thames River. If you wish to have a good view of London, then the best idea would be to take a ride on the London Eye, the tallest Ferris wheel（摩天轮）of Europe. The tour takes about half an hour so you can sit comfortably and take pictures of London from above.

London is not too far from other major cities and attractions in England. For example, a drive of only one hour and a half will take you to Cambridge and with even less time than that you can reach Stonehenge to see the stones that have been there for centuries.

1.According to the passage, the best way for you to tour London is ______________.

A．to take the subway                      B．to take buses

C．to take the train                        D．to rent a car

2.If you wish to take pictures of London from above, you’d better ______________.

A．pay a visit to the National Gallery

B．visit Buckingham Palace

C．take a ride on the London Eye

D．take a plane

3.Among these attractions, _____________ are in London.

①Buckingham Palace

②The London Eye

③Stonehenge

④Trafalgar Square

A．①②③           B．②③④           C．①②④           D．①③④

4.Which of the following is NOT true?

A．By visiting the National Gallery, you can learn much about history and art.

B．The House of Parliament lies by the Thames River.

C．Cambridge is just one and a half hours’ drive from London.

D．The stones in Stonehenge have been there for only a hundred years.