Losing weight comes with a lot of health benefits—including making your brain sharper.
Yes, it turns out that overweight may damage cognitive functions (認知功能) such as memory and attention. There have been few studies of overweight and cognitive functioning, possibly because it is generally believed that it is not a primary risk cause for poor cognitive performance. Losing weight, therefore, may help improve these mental functions, according to a new research led by John Gunstad, assistant professor of psychology at Kent State University.
Growing evidence suggests that being fat is linked to cognitive deficits (缺陷). So Gunstad and his team guessed that losing weight might improve mental function. For their study, they measured memory and attention in a group of 150 overweight participants, some of whom had some kind of operation for weight loss and some did not. All of the volunteers completed mental skills tests to assess their abilities of memory and attention at the beginning of the study, and again 12 weeks later. To begin with, about 24% of the patients showed damaged learning and 23% showed signs of poor memory when tested. At the end of the study, those who had lost weight after operation improved their scores into the average or above average range for cognitive functions. Scores for the volunteers who didn’t lose weight dropped even further.
The study helped Gunstad to find out whether losing weight had any effect on mental function. Now that he’s seen the positive effect that weight loss can have on memory and attention, he says he will next study those who choose to lose weight by the traditional way—eating healthier and getting more active. He expects that losing weight in this way will have a similarly positive effect on the brain. “If we can improve the condition with operations, then we can probably produce the same change with behavioral weight loss as well,” he says.
小題1:There is less research on overweight and cognitive functions because researchers _____.

A．believe overweight only affects our body

B．have focused on ways to sharpen people’s mind

C．do not consider overweight a main cause for low cognitive ability

D．a(chǎn)re clear about the relation between weight and mental functions

小題2:The result of Gunstad’s study shows that ______.

A．losing weight has little effect on people’s memory

B．losing weight can improve people’s mental functions

C．overweight people are likely to have psychology problems

D．overweight people’s abilities of concentration differ greatly

小題3:What is Gunstad planning to prove next in his research?

A．Slim people are smarter than overweight people.

B．Healthy diet is better than exercise in losing weight.

C．Traditional ways of losing weight are better than operation.

D．Overweight people will get smarter by taking more exercise.

小題4:Which of the following is the best title for th e text?

A．Body Weight and Health

B．Losing Weight by Operation

C．Ways to Improve Mental Functions

D．Losing Weight to S harpen Your MindD

Although considered an excellent exercise, jumping rope has never received widespread acceptance because of two reasons. First, most people recognize jumping rope as an excellent form of cardiovascular(心血管的)exercise, but they also believe that it is simply too difficult. In other words, they don’t think they’ll be able to continue jumping for the near 20 minutes in order to achieve a beneficial physical effect. Second, many regard it as somewhat boring and overly repetitive(重復乏味的)—not as something fun or enjoyable.
As a matter of fact, jumping rope can be great fun as long as you find a proper way to practise it. Instead of doing the usual two-foot bounce(跳)over and over again, players good at rope-jumping often change their pattern every 10 or 20 jumps: a single bounce, a double-bounce, a skip, a knee-up, side swings, as well as a variety of other easy-to-learn free-style rope-jumping.
Nowadays researchers are discovering that jumping rope also prepares the brain for learning. It is an exercise allowing both brain hemispheres(半球)to perform equally to each other.
In short, jumping rope can be a life-long activity requiring little equipment, time and space, yet leading to a much healthier life.
小題1: One reason that can explain why rope-jumping has not spread widely is that
　　　.

A．it benefits the cardiovascular system

B．it is too difficult for people to learn to jump

C．it is believed to be boring and repetitive

D．it requires little equipment, time and space

小題2: The first sentence in Paragraph 2 means that　　　in rope-jumping.

A．there is only one proper way to follow

B．the usual way should not be used again

C．the easiest way is always the best one

D．there are different kinds of ways to follow

小題3:According to the researchers, jumping rope　　　.

A．only prepares the brain for learning

B．is suitable for students only

C．helps both brain hemispheres work together

D．can be dangerous for old people

小題4:What does the writer think of rope-jumping?

A．He is strongly against it.

B．He is for it.

C．The passage doesn’t mention it.

D．He knows little about it.

Comera is the only place in the world which has a whistle(口哨)language. We do not know how and why it began because we do not know the complete history of the island. But we can certainly imagine the reasons for the beginning of the whistle language. There are many deep valleys on the island. A person on one side of valley cannot easily shout to a person on the other side. But he can whistle and be heard from four miles away, and the record is seven miles. The people who live on the island usually have good teeth, and this helps them to whistle well. They must also have good ears so that they can hear other whistlers.
We can understand why the whistle language continues. It is very useful on the island, and quite easy to learn. When somebody is hurt or ill, the whistle language takes the place of the telephone. If the sick person is a long way from the town, boys and men pass the news from one to another. A boy guarding cattle on a hillside whistles to a man fishing from his boat. The last one is able to describe the trouble fully and exactly to the doctor in town. People help each other in the same way when a car breaks or a cow is lost.
The whistle language is hundreds of years old, and probably it will continue to live for hundreds of years more. Radio and TV often kill the special ways of speaking in the different parts of a country. But on Comera island you are nobody if you cannot whistle. Perhaps soon after TV arrives on the island, the people there will be whistling the news and other facts and opinions.
小題1:If a person on Comera island is ill, 　　　.

A．others will phone the doctor in town

B．the whistle language will pass the news to the doctor

C．his family will take him to the doctor

D．people will take him to the hospital

小題2: From the passage we know radio and TV　　　at that time.

A．killed the special ways of speaking

B．whistled all the news and opinions

C．helped Comera people to communicate

D．did not appear on Comera island yet

小題3: Comera island is special in that　　　.

A．it attracts visitors every year

B．no visitors have ever been there

C．people there have special ears to hear whistles

D．people there use the whistle language to communicate with each other

小題4: Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?

A．It is not easy for a person to live on Comera island if he cannot whistle.

B．The whistle language can only be found on Comera island.

C．The whistle language has been used for hundreds of years on the island, but will not be used any longer.

D．The record shows that one best whistler can be heard by others seven miles away.

There was a sweet smell of incense (香) in the air as the well­muscled man moved his legs into a position well behind his head.It was something that the human body really should not be able to do.But what else would you expect at the First World Yoga Championships?
On September 25，the world’s leading yoga experts arrived in the US to find out who was the best.But the real prize was to turn yoga into a proper Olympic event.
“Yoga is a combination of bodybuilding，Miss World，Mr Universe and gymnastics，” said championship organizer Bikram Choudhury.“There are some 70 people from more than 20 countries competing in this event.Why not have yoga at the Olympics？”
The public cannot decide whether or not Choudhury’s dream will come true.But he is right about one thing：yoga has become popular with young and old people all over the world.In the US alone,15 million people practise yoga.Everyone is at it，including Madonna and Ricky Martin.
Yoga started in India more than 5,000 years ago.The name means “to join together”．That is to bring the body and mind together into one pleasing experience.The whole system of yoga is built on three things：exercise，breathing and meditation (沉思)．
The yoga that we know today is mostly physical yoga.It’s seen as a type of exercise，but is different from sports like football or running.When we do yoga，we move our body into positions that stretch the muscles and joints，making them stronger.
One of the best things about yoga is the fact that everyone can do it.To women，it means a flat stomach，more shapely legs and a graceful body.To men，it is a way of becoming stronger and more athletic.
There are also specially­designed yoga classes for pregnant women or children suffering from mental disabilities，such as autism (孤獨癥)．As for teenagers，meditation and simple breathing exercises can help them learn to calm down，relax and concentrate better.But teenagers under  16  are  not supposed to do the body exercises as it could have a bad effect on their natural growth.
小題1:What does the first paragraph mainly tell us?

A．Something sportsmen should not do in practising yoga.

B．Basic skills that are required in performing yoga.

C．The performance of the sportsmen at the First World Yoga Championships.

D．The unique setting where yoga is performed.

小題2:What is Choudhury’s dream in the passage?
A．Turning yoga into a proper Olympic event.
B．Making all Americans practise yoga.
C  Winning the First World Yoga Championships.
D．Getting the public support for promoting yoga.
小題3:Why does the author mention Madonna and Ricky Martin in the fourth paragraph?

A．To compare the differences between the young and the old.

B．To describe the extensive popularity of yoga in the US.

C．To emphasize the importance of practising yoga.

D．To explain the strong influence of public figures in the US.

小題4:Which statement is NOT true about yoga?

A．It is a type of exercise which benefits the body and mind.

B．It makes muscles and joints stronger by stretching.

C．It contains exercise，breathing and meditation.

D．It is similar to the sports like football or running.

小題5:According to the passage，who does not need to pay special attention in practising yoga?

A．Women to be mothers.	B．Teenagers under 16.
C．Adult men.	D．Children with autism.

"Can I get a light?" This question is among the most common between smokers. What if this question was to come from an unusual source? In April 2014, the National Health Promotion Foundation uploaded an anti-smoking advertisement onto YouTube. The anti-smoking ad has quickly been known as the "most powerful anti-smoking ad."
The anti-smoking video, called the "Smoking Kid," features children walking up to adult smokers asking for a light. The children in the ad are actors but the adults smoking are unsuspecting participants in the project.
The video begins with the statement "adults know that smoking is harmful, but don’t remind themselves of this fact " Once a "smoking kid" approaches the adults, every adult asked is shocked that a child with a cigarette in hand is asking for a light. The first adult starts by saying, "I’m not giving it to you," and the video goes on to state "every adult filmed said no and reminded the children that smoking is bad."
Before going away, the kid hands each adult a booklet after being turned down for a light. The booklet says, "You worry about me, but why not about yourself?" Each adult looks around for the child as their faces are filled with confusion and discomfort.
The video shows that a few of the smokers quickly threw away their cigarettes or put their cigarettes away, showing that this experiment was affective at that moment.
The most influential element in the ad isn't the use of children or the responses from the smoking adults. It comes down to something much simpler than that. Why is it that we worry about other people, forgetting to worry about ourselves?
小題1: According to the text, the anti-smoking ad is ______.

A．unusual

B．shocking

C．influential

D．encouraging

小題2:The underlined word "unsuspecting" (in Para. 2) probably means ______

A．uninformed

B．unwilling

C．unfortunate

D．unacceptable

小題3: What are the adults，reactions to the children asking for a light?

A．They pay no attention to children's request.

B．They reject kids，request and educate them.

C．They look around for children's parents.

D．They quickly throw children's cigarettes away.

小題4:The best title of the text might be ______.

A．Give up smoking, for your own sake	B．Keep away from smoking, adults
C．Tell your children not to smoke	D．Reject a child asking for a light

There have always been a lot of commonly believed but false ideas about being fat and doing exercise. Some people believe that they can’t help putting on weight as they get older, while others hold that if they stop exercising, their muscles will turn into fat. Here are some more myths:
I’ll never lose weight --- I come from a fat family
Wrong! While we can’t change the body type we are born with, we can’t blame our genes for making us fat. There’s plenty of evidence that fatness runs in families, and the main reason is that they share the same habits of eating too much and exercise too little.
I am fat because I burn calories slowly
Wrong! Fatness is not caused by a slow metabolism（新陳代謝）. If fact, although fat people consume more energy that slim people, they also fail to realize how much they eat! Keeping a diary can help you work out your daily food intake more accurately.
Exercise is boring
Wrong! Anything will become boring if you do it repetitively. The key is to develop a balanced and varied program that’s fun as well as progressive. If you enjoy a Sunday walk, take a different route. If you do Yoga, try a tai chi class. If you like swimming, set yourself a distance or time challenge.
No pain, no gain
Wrong! Exercise is not meant to hurt. Indeed, pain is your body telling you something’s wrong, and continuing to exercise could lead to serious injury. You may experience mild discomfort as you begin to exercise regularly, but this your body adapting to the positive changes in your lifestyle and the aches should disappear relatively quickly. If you don’t, rest and seek medical advice.
小題1:What does the author think about being fat?

A．It is the family genes that make people fat.

B．People are fat because they consume too little energy.

C．A diary of exercise can prevent people from becoming fat.

D．It is the consequence of people’s unbalanced lifestyle.

小題2:According to the author, how can we make exercise more interesting?

A．By taking varied exercise.

B．By choosing simple exercise.

C．By doing regular exercise.

D．By sticking to outdoor exercise.

小題3:What is the author’s opinion about “No pain, no gain” in exercising?

A．Keeping fit is essentially a painful experience.

B．Exercise should be stopped if continuous pain is felt.

C．Pain in exercise is a precondition for reaching your goal.

D．Getting used to pain leads to positive changes in your body.

小題4:What is the purpose of the passage?

A．To declare the importance of keeping fit.

B．To clarify some misconceptions about fatness and exercise.

C．To confirm what has long been believed about keeping fit.

D．To explain some medical facts about being fat and doing exercise.

Depressed people can be very difficult to be around，and yet they need more than the usual amount of support and understanding from their friends and family.
The anger and lack of concern that a depressed person may have for people close to him or her can be very disturbing to someone who's trying to help.At such times，the sincerity of a friend or a family member is questioned when the depressed person doesn't feel worthy of someone's friendship.Withdrawal from others can make it nearly impossible to encourage a depressed person to enter into activities that may help pull him or her out of the depression.
It is frequently difficult for a depressed person to carry on a conversation.Attempts to help may be met with defensiveness and verbal attacks.While being supportive and understanding，the friend of a family member must be careful not to do too many things for the depressed person.There is a very thin line between being supportive and being overly protective.Too much“doing for” can be a disservice(幫倒忙)．
You can best help a friend or relative who is depressed by considering the following points：
◆Do not moralize.Don't pressure him or her to “put on a happy face，” or to “snap out of it.” Often the person will feel even worse after hearing such words.
◆When you are alone with your depressed friend，you might say something like，“I've noticed lately that you seem down.I care about you and would like to listen to what you're thinking about.” Then be a good listener.
◆Don't say，“I know exactly how you feel.” You probably don't.But if you've had similar experiences，sharing those may help.Say things like，“This happened to me.It might help you.” Or “I know some of what you must be feeling.”
◆Urge him or her to get professional help if necessary.Offer to accompany your friend on the first visit if it will be easier for the person.
小題1:．The above passage is mainly intended for ________.

A．a(chǎn) doctor who works with a depressed person

B．a(chǎn) depressed person

C．one who lives with a depressed person

D．a(chǎn)n expert who gives advice to a depressed person

小題2:Too much “doing for” can ________.

A．cause more severe depression

B．give the depressed person courage

C．result in defensiveness from the depressed person

D．be of no help to the depressed person

小題3:What are you advised to say to a depressed person?

A．Try to look happy and you'll be better.

B．I know exactly how you feel.

C．I had a similar experience.And it might help you.

D．Cheer up and get rid of your depression.

小題4:We can infer from the second paragraph that a depressed person ________.

A．is willing to appreciate the sincerity of a friend or a family member

B．has a sense of pride of his own

C．may do something unreasonable to your friendship

D．is likely to doubt the purpose of a friend or family member

Children and teenagers who spend lots of time in front of screens---especially TVs---are   easier to get more weight as they grow, according to a new study.
The findings agree with the research suggesting all that inactive sitting and always watching   advertisements may lead to poor eating habits.
Researchers used results from a long-term study of children who took part in the surveys every two years. Children were between ages 9 and 16 when the study started. Out of 4,300 girls in the   study, 17 percent were overweight or obese（肥胖的）. Twenty-four percent of the 3,500 boys   were also above a healthy weight.
The surveys included questions about their height and weight as well as how much time they spent watching TV and DVDs and playing computer and video games.
From one survey to the next, each one-hour increase in children’s daily TV watching was in connection with an increase of about 0.1 points on a body mass index (BMI)（體質(zhì)指數(shù)）, which measures weight in connection with height. There’s an increase of about half a pound in weight per extra hour of TV.
“The weight of the evidence is so strong that television watching is connected with unhealthy changes in weight among youth,” says Jennifer Falbe, who led the study while at the Harvard School of Public Health in Boston.
“It's important for parents to know that all the obesity-causing（引起肥胖的）screens really should be limited in their children's lives.” Falbe says. “When children watch TV, there are many food advertisements on TV that might lead them to eat a cookie or drink a soft drink.” What's more, she says, “they can get into a hibernating(冬眠) state on the sofa, even if children are sitting down while playing a computer game.”
小題1:Which of the following statements can be the best title for the text?

A．A new study on screens.

B．TVs do harm to children.

C．The less TV time, the fatter.

D．Too much screen time leads to obesity.

小題2: How many children took part in the study?

A．4,300	B．3,500
C．7,800	D．9,800

小題3:According to the study, one extra hour screen time will cause children about ______ pound
fatter.

A．0.1	B．0.5
C．0.3	D．0.7

小題4:According to Falbe , what should parents do to stop children getting fat?

A．Limiting the time of children watching TV.

B．Buying children food advertised on TV.

C．Not allowing children to watch TV.

D．Encouraging children to play computer games.

Birthday parties, Christmas and Easter can be difficult times for grandmothers and parents as they rush around trying to arrange the perfect celebration or making everyone as happy as possible! What’s better than a birthday party that makes your grandchild smile throughout or a celebration that impresses relatives and close friends?
That is why Granny Look has supplied in this section, one of the most comprehensive guides to making these special occasions that happen perhaps once a year a real success.
From a selection of Advent calendars to party planning or Christmas-stocking fillers we have all the possibilities covered so that your children and grandchildren will really have a memorable time with attractive gifts and original ideas.
Bring that festive spirit to all those traditional days, and ensure you are always ready for any possibility. Granny Look’s extensive links are bound to make every special occasion an entirely different experience from the year before and allow everyone to feel entertained and content.
CHRISTMAS-STOCKING FILLERS
LOOK no further!! Granny Look helps the family to prepare in time for FATHER CHRISTMAS. Give SANTA CLAUS some ideas. He can fill all the children’s Christmas-stockings with goodies! Unique Christmas gifts for children - stocking fillers.
A Granny Look favorite!
ADVENT CALENDARS
All children love the build-up to CHRISTMAS! What is better than choosing one of Granny Look’s selection of Advent Calendars! Here you will find a list of websites to buy traditional or fun Advent calendars for children at Christmas time.
A Granny Look favorite!
BIRTHDAYS
LOOKING for a SPECIAL BIRTHDAY GIFT? Explore Granny Look’s selection of PRESENTS, PARTYPLANNING, PARTY TOYS and PARTY GAMES for your Children and Grandchildren’s BIRTHDAYS.
Plan and organize the KIDDIE’S PARTIES ahead of time!!
Don’t forget the PERSONALISED INVITATIONS!
CHRISTMAS
LOOK and BOOK now!! Granny Look’s selection of CHRISTMAS GIFTS for children.
Some guides to “What’s on in your area” … for the kids. PANTOS, SHOWS, THEATRES … at Christmas time!
UNIQUE Christmas gifts for Children. Spend QUALITY TIME with your Children’s Children this FESTIVE SEASON!
61. From the text, we know that “Granny LOOK” is __________.
A. a person who guides you to make your yearly celebration a real success
B. a magazine that helps the family to prepare for special occasions
C. a company that sells all sorts of products on the Internet
D. a website that helps you to prepare for special occasions
62. The purpose of the text is _________.
A. to make children have a memorable holiday
B. to show you how to shop on the Internet
C. to give you some information about Granny Look
D. to introduce some goods 
where will you search for the information?
A. At Birthdays.                              B. At Advent Calendars.
C. At Christmas-stocking fillers.                   D. At Christmas.
64. You will fail to find any information at Christmas when you need _________.
A. Christmas cards                              B. fun Advent calendars
C. Christmas gifts                                  D. tickets for theatres
65. If your son wants a traditional Advent calendar, you should search _________.       
A. Birthdays                                     B. Advent Calendars
C. Christmas-stocking fillers                         D. Christmas
本篇主要介紹Granny Look網(wǎng)的辦網(wǎng)宗旨以及各種各樣的網(wǎng)址鏈接。

A twisted sense of humor and a strong voice cast（演出人員） make "Open Season" fun for kids and adults. It's a great start for Sony's animation studio.
Boog is a full-grown grizzly（灰熊）bear that has been raised among humans by park ranger Beth. He has a warm place to live, all the food he wants, and is safe from hunters.
However, when he crosses paths with the spastic(大腦性麻痹的) mule deer Elliot, all that changes. Thanks to a series of misunderstandings, everyone believes Boog is dangerous and out of control. Beth is forced to release(釋放) him back into the wild.
Once Boog finds himself in the great outdoors, he has no idea what to do. He gets lost, can't find food, and is attacked by unfriendly forest cutters. Boog is forced to rely on the idiotic Elliot to help him find his way back to civilization(文明). But can they make it before open season begins for hunting?
The movie also has a really strong voice cast. Martin Lawrence voices Boog, and his attitude and persona（人格面具）perfectly fit the bear. The same goes for Aston Kutcher as Elliot. Even if you can't stand him in the real world, you'll be surprised how well he brings the annoying deer to life in the movie.
The animation in "Open Season" is also excellent. The characters are quite cartoonish, but the hair is realistic looking and the movements are fantastic. The body language adds a lot to the performances of the characters.
小題1:What’s the key factor(因素) that the Boog need to survive himself in the wild?

A．He wants to seek a comfortable settlement.

B．It’s thought that the Boog is beyond control.

C．The Boog is required to find enough food.

D．The Boog is eager to make new friends.

小題2:Who is the enemy of the Boog?

A．Elliot

B．Beth

C．hunter

D．Martin

小題3:How can you understand the underlined word “make it” in the fourth paragraph?

A．come to

B．succeed in

C．turn out

D．hold out

小題4:The text in general is about _________.

A．“ Open Season ” to bring fun for kids and adults.

B．The funny bear Boog and the annoying deer Elliot.

C．The grizzly beer Boog and the park ranger Beth.

D．A really strong voice cast of the “ Open Season ”