Health experts have long worried about the increasing rate of obesity in kids. It’s an important concern: Being very overweight or obese during childhood can lead to serious problems normally seen in adults, such as diabetes and high blood pressure. Poor diets and a lack of exercise are usually the causes. But would you ever have imagined there might be a connection between the bacteria that lived in your guts （內(nèi)臟）when you were a baby and the chance that you would become overweight?
Scientists in Finland recently found just such a link. In a recent study, they showed that overweight kids had different species of bacteria living in their guts.
You probably think of bacteria only as germs that can make you sick. While it’s true that some bacteria can make people ill, your body actually depends on some types of bacteria to help you digest food and extract nutrients from it. These “good” bacteria live in your guts, where they process the food you eat.
Human babies get these bacterial helpers from their moms. When a baby is born, some of the bacteria in the mother move into the baby’s body. Growing babies get additional “good” bacteria from the milk their mothers produce. And it turns out the bacteria might play an important role in regulating weight just six years later.
So how could these bacteria affect weight? The researchers still haven’t tested that question, but future tests might lead to an answer.
小題1:The “l(fā)ink” in Paragraph 2 refers to the relationship between _______.

A．bacteria and the chance of being overweight	B．obesity and diabetes
C．diets and the chance of being overweight	D．bacteria and exercise

小題2:Which of the following is NOT the function of “good” bacteria?

A．Helping to digest food.	B．Helping to take nutrients from food.
C．Helping to regulate weight.	D．Making a person ill.

小題3:The purpose of writing this passage is to _______.

A．introduce the role of bacteria in children’s weight

B．a(chǎn)nalyze the influence of obesity on kids

C．give advice on how to lose weight quickly

D．explain the function of bacteria in foods

Coffee experts are willing to pay large sums of money for high-quality coffee beans. The high-end beans, such as Kona or Blue Mountain, are known to cost extraordinary sums of money. Then there is Kopi Lowak (translated as “Civet Coffee”), the world’s most expensive coffee, which sells for as much as US $50 per quarter-pound.
This isn’t particularly surprising, because approximately 500 pounds a year of Kopi Lowak make up the entire world supply. What is surprising is why this particular coffee is so rare. In fact, it’s not the plants that are rare. It’s the civet droppings. That’s right, the civet droppings—the body waste of the palm civet. Coffee beans aren’t Kopi Lowak until they’ve been digested(消化) and come out in the body waste of the palm civet.
Palm civets are tree-dwelling, raccoon-like little animals, native to Southeast Asia and the Indonesian islands. They also have a love for coffee cherries. According to Kopi Lowak suppliers, palm civets eat the fruit whole, but only digest the outer fruit, leaving the beans intact(完好無損). While the beans are not destroyed, they undergo a transformation in the animal’s body. A chemical substance in the digestive system of the palm civet causes some changes to the beans to give them a unique flavor(味道). However, this is not the only explanation why coffee beans retrieved from civet droppings have a special flavor all their own. Another possible reason is that palm civets have an unfailing instinct for picking the coffee cherries at the peak of their ripeness.
Kopi Lowak is reported to have a character in taste unlike any other coffee, complex with caramel undertones and an earthy flavor. Currently, most of the world’s supply of Kopi Lowak is sold in Japan, though a few US markets are also starting to stock up on Kopi Lowak.
小題1:What does “This” in the second paragraph refer to?

A．Civet Coffee.	B．Blue Mountain coffee.
C．The high price of Kopi Lowak.	D．The unique taste of Kona.

小題2:Why is Kopi Lowak expensive?

A．There is a very limited supply of the beans.

B．The coffee trees that grow the beans are scarce.

C．It takes a long time for the coffee beans to ripen.

D．Only a few experts know how to produce the beans.

小題3:What is the main point discussed in the third paragraph?

A．Why palm civets like the coffee beans.

B．Where Kopi Lowak is mainly harvested.

C．What chemicals are found in the civet’s digestive system.

D．How palm civets change coffee fruit to Kopi Lowak beans.

小題4:Which of the following statements is true, according to the passage?

A．Little palm civets eat only the outer layer of the coffee cherries.

B．Palm civets somehow know the right time when the coffee fruit ripens.

C．Kopi Lowak is most popular in Southeast Asia and the Indonesian islands.

D．Kona and Blue Mountain are the most expensive coffees but only of average quality.

Have you ever stayed up late? If so, you know that not getting enough sleep can leave you tired and grumpy . Not sleeping enough can also make it harder to think clearly the next day.
Sleep experts have long known that getting a good night’s sleep is important.
It helps kids perform their best during the day. A recent study shows that sleep helps improve problem--- solving skills and creative thinking.
For the study, two groups of volunteers answered a math problem. The group that slept for eight hours solved the problem correctly more often than the group that did not get enough sleep.
While you sleep, your brain is busy doing its “homework”. It sorts out information from your day. Getting enough sleep each night can boost your brainpower. That will help you do your best in school. Experts say that, in return, can lead to better grades.
小題1:What is the best title for the passage?

A．Too Much Sleep	B．It’s Homework Time
C．Sleep to Succeed	D．Math Problems

小題2:The underlined word “boost” in paragraph 5 means ________.

A．reduce	B．improve
C．disturb	D．worsen

小題3:Why is sleep important?

A．It can improve problem-solving skills and creative thinking

B．It will help you do your best in school

C．It helps your brain sort out information from your day.

D．All of the above

小題4: What did the results of a recent sleep study show?

A．People who sleep enough are good at math

B．Sleep is important for learning

C．If you get enough sleep, you don’t have to do your homework

D．Adults need more sleep than kids

Hilton English Language Center
Information for New Students
CLASS TIME: 9:00a.m.---10:30a.m., 11:00a.m.---12:30p.m., 1:30p.m.---3:00p.m.. The Language Center is open from Monday to Friday. Each class has one afternoon free per week. On the first day, go to the lecture hall to check your timetable.
SELF-ACCESS: The language laboratory (Room 1110) is open Monday to Friday from 3:15p.m. to 5:00p.m. for all full-time students.
You can learn how to use computers for language games or word-processing（文字處理）. There are tapes for students to borrow to practice their English. Go in and ask the teacher to show you. If you plan to take public examinations, there are dictation（聽寫）and listening comprehension tapes for you to practice with. There are cloze exercises on the computers. Ask your class teacher for a list of past exam essays. Students can borrow tapes to take home but they must be returned after two days.
ATTENDANCE（出勤）：All students are expected to attend classes regularly. Students who do not attend classes will be reported to OSS. Eighty percent attendance is required for students to receive their certificates（證書）when they finish their courses. It is also required by OSS for an extension to your visa.
BOOKS: If students are given course books, the books are their responsibility. If a book is lost, the student will be expected to pay for it.
If students wish to buy books, there is a bookshop in the college specializing in English books (Room 3520).
小題1: When do classes begin and end on a full day?

A．9:00a.m. ---1:30p.m.	B．9:00a.m. ---3:00p.m.
C．9:00a.m. ---3:15p.m.	D．3:15p.m. ---5:00p.m.

小題2: How many afternoons does a class meet each week?

A．Two.

B． Three.

C．Four.

D．Five.

小題3:Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．No teachers are in the language lab.

B．90% attendance is required for the students.

C．Books can’t be taken out of the center.

D．Students can prepare for exams by listening to tapes.

小題4: Timetable can be seen in _____.

A．the lecture hall

B．Room 3520

C．the classroom

D．Room 1110

Healthy Diet“An apple a day keeps the doctor away.” Similarly, if we drink a little more water ever day, we may find that we need to go to the doctor a lot less often. A healthy diet is made up of water and a great many different kinds of foods. We know that healthy foods like fruits, vegetables and fish, are important as they provide us with energy and fibre, without giving us too much fat and sugar. But why is water important?
The human body needs water to survive. Water is important as it carries poisons and waste out of our bodies. However, doctors advise us to drink plenty of water, much more than the small amount we need to stay alive.
Some doctors believe that water is important for our health in all kinds of ways. They believe that a great many illnesses and health problems stars as a result of dehydration—a lack(缺少) of water in the body. Most people are dehydrated at least some of time, although they probably don’t know it. It is surprising to learn that if we feel thirsty, we are already in the first stages of dehydration. In fact, we are advised to drink water before we feel thirsty.
These doctors think that health problems such as headaches, high blood pressure and asthma could be helped if people drink more water. They also believe that drinking more water can help people who are overweight. Water contains no calories so it will not make us put on weight. If we drink water, we will probably drink less sugary soft drinks such as Coca-cola. Doctors also believe that drinking more water may stop people from overeating. They say that many people think that they are hungry when they are, in fact, thirsty. Doctors suggest, therefore, that we eat less food and drink more water.
There are still many health problems that cannot be solved by drinking water, so we should not stop going to seeing the doctor completely. However, if we make a decision to drink water every day, we may find that we need to go to the doctor a lot less often.
小題1:We need _____for a healthy diet.

A．fibre

B．food

C．water

D．Water and different foods

小題2:From the text, we know water can carry_________.

A．energy and fibre in our bodies

B．fruit, vegetables and fish in our bodies

C．sugar and fat out of our bodies

D．poisons and waste out of our bodies

小題3:Some doctors think that________.

A．people eat too much sugar

B．water is not important for our health

C．we should go to the doctor less often

D．some health problems are caused by a lack of water

小題4: Lack of water caused people to put on weight too much because_______.

A．they think they are hungry and eat too much

B．they think they are thirsty and eat less

C．water has no calories

D．it makes them hungry

Do you have a sore throat, a running nose and a headache? Do you keep coughing and sneezing? If you do, the chances are that you have a cold or perhaps flu--- but which one? Although both colds and flu are caused by viruses, they are very different illnesses.
Colds, which usually last about a week, affect the nose most. They commonly cause a runny nose and sneezing. Sometimes, they cause a headache, a cough and slightly aching muscles.
Flu is much more serious illness and is caused by different group of viruses. People with flu usually get all the symptoms described above. However, they also get a high fever, a dry cough and much worse aching. Fever is one of the typical symptoms of the flu for all ages. The symptoms also last much longer. Sometimes they don’t disappear for at least two weeks.
Flu can be a deadly disease. The elderly, who are weaker and less healthy than most younger people, can die from flu. This is one reason why old people are advised to have a flu injection before the start of winter when flu is most common. This injection is inexpensive and definitely worth it.
If you have a cold or flu, you must always deal with used tissues carefully. Don’t leave dirty tissues on your desk or on the floor. Someone else has to pick these up and viruses could be passed on. And finally, remember to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze！You don’t want to see the small drop of liquids blown out of your nose and mouth when you sneeze, do you? Disgusting, eh? Now you can understand why it’s a good idea to cover your nose and mouth when you sneeze!
小題1: In paragraph 4, we learn that ______.

A．flu injection can cause death	B．most old people die from flu
C．flu is most common in summer	D．flu can kill old people easily

小題2:Dealing with used tissues properly is important because ______.

A．it helps keep your classroom tidy	B．people hate picking up dirty tissues
C．it prevents the spread of colds and flu	D．picking up lots of tissues is hard work

小題3:Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A．Both colds and flu last the same time.

B．Both colds and flu can be prevented by injection.

C．Both colds and flu are caused by the same viruses.

D．Both colds and flu have an aching symptom.

小題4:Which is probably the best title for the passage?

A．Cold or Flu?	B．The Different Symptoms of a Cold and Flu
C．Prevention Is Better Than Cure	D．Cover Your Nose and Mouth When Sneezing

閱讀下列短文，從每題所給的四個(gè)選項(xiàng)中(A、B、C和 D)中，選出最佳選項(xiàng)，并在答題卡上將該項(xiàng)涂黑。
A
Most of us feel upset if we miss just one meal, and if we try to go without food for 12 hours we would really be uncomfortable. But there are some people who seem able to “fast” for very long periods.
Various records are claimed for long fast, but in most cases there is no medical proof and so the records are doubtful. One South African woman claimed that she lived for 102 days on nothinig but water and soda water.
There are great differences among living things in the ability to survive without food. For example , a tick（扁虱）, which lives on animals, may survive a whole year. Warm-blooded animals use up their stores of food in the body more quickly.
In fact, the smaller and more active the animal, the more quickly it uses up its reserves. A small bird starves to death in about five days, a dog in about twenty. In general, we can say that a warm-blooded creature will die when it has lost about half its normal weight.
This matter of weight is important. Man and other creatures live in a state of metabolic equiplibrium（新陳代謝的平衡）which means maintaining the body weight once a certain point has been reached. This regulation of body weight is done by thirst, hunger, and appetite.
When your blood lacks nutritional materials, this registers（記錄）in the hunger center of the brain and you feel “hungry”. The body is crying out for any kind of fuel(food). And it is our appetite that sees to it hat we chooose a mixed diet, which is the kind the body needs.
小題1:According to this passage, a man will die _________.

A．when a certain point in losing weight has been reached.

B．when his blood lacks nutritional material

C．when his normal weight is lost

D．when he goes without food for more than 12 hours

小題2:The word “fast” in Paragraph 1 can best be replaced by ________.

A．eat no food	B．live merely on water and soda water
C．live on nothing	D．remains alive for a long time without food

小題3:A tick can survive much longer than a bird because ________.

A．a(chǎn) tick lives on animals	B．a(chǎn) tick is much smaller
C．a(chǎn) bird is more active	D．both B and C

小題4:A person feels hungry _________.

A．if he doesn’t choose a mixed diet

B．because his body cries out for food

C．when soemthing is wrong with regulation of body weight

D．if there are not enough nutritional in his blood

小題5:From the passage we can infer that the author ________.

A．believes the South African woman very firmly

B．does not believe the South African woman at all

C．is not certain whether the South African woman’s claim was true.

D．is doubtful whether there was such a South African woman

A team of US psychologists have found that talking to another person for ten minutes a day helps with memory.
"Socializing is just as effective as more traditional kinds of mental exercise in boosting memory and intellectual performance," Oscar Ybarra, a psychologist at the University of Michigan Institute for Social Research, said in a statement.
In one investigation, they analyzed data on 3610 people, aged 24 to 96.
They found that the higher their level of social interaction (交流), the better their cognitive (認(rèn)知的) functioning.  Social interaction includes getting together or having phone chats with relatives, freinds and neighbors.
In another experiment, the researchers conducted lab tests on 76 college students, aged 18 to 21, to evaluate how social interactions and intellectual exercises affected the results of memory and mental performance tests.
The students were divided into three groups: the social interaction group had a discussion of a social issue for 10 minutes before taking the tests; the intellectual activities group completed three tasks (including a reading comprehension exercise and a crossword puzzle) before the tests; and a control group (對照組) watched a 10-minute clip (電源片段) of the Seinfeld television show.
"We found that short-term social interaction lasting for just 10 minutes improved participants’ intellectual performance as much as engaging in so-called ’intellectual’ activities for the same amount of time," Ybarra said.
The study was expected to be published in the February issue of the journal Personality and Social Psychology Bulletin.
小題1:The underlined word "boosting" in the second paragraph can be replaced by ______.

A．improving

B．decreasing

C．preventing

D．training

小題2:Which is not included in social interaction?

A．Having a talk with a neighbor.	B．Attending a birthday party.
C．Watching TV at home alone.	D．Calling your classmates

小題3:What’s the purpose of the experiment on 76 college students?

A．To judge the effect of social interaction on memory and intelligence.

B．To find out what is real social interaction.

C．To learn how much time is needed for social interaction.

D．To show the function of people’s cognition.

小題4:Which of the following questions may be asked in the social interaction group in the experiment?

A．What does the author want to show us?

B．Do you like living in a big city or a small one?

C．Which word can be used to fill in the blank?

D．What is the main idea of the second paragraph?

小題5:What’s the main idea of the passage?

A．Intellectual exercises improve memory.

B．Different people have different ways of communication

C．Communicating with others keeps you healthy.

D．Social interaction makes you smart

Are you nervous about climbing because you think it’s too dangerous? Do you feel you’re not fit enough to climb? Do you know how to start climbing?
Let’s consider the idea that climbing is dangerous. Being afraid is natural, but if you use suitable ropes and other climbing equipments you will feel completely safe. Climbers are usually very careful because they know what they are doing is dangerous. Accidents happen, but when they do, they tend to attract a lot of publicity. As a result, people think there are many more accidents than there are in reality.
You cannot expect to start climbing straight away. Climbing is a challenge and challenges take time. It is necessary first of all that you achieve a good level of fitness. Begin as soon as you become interested in climbing—go to the gym, go swimming, take up jogging and continue to do so throughout your training period.
Discover as much as you can about climbing. Visit the library and find books especially for beginners or buy climbing magazines and look for articles which describe your situation. Look up information on the Internet. Find out about equipment, methods and places to go.
Next, take a course on a climbing wall. There are plenty of climbing walls all over the country which have trained and qualified people as instructors. Call your local leisure centre to find out if there is one in your area. These training sessions are a quick way to get experience and you are likely to meet other beginners. After this, you can do an outside course or join a club where you can meet climbers of all abilities and eventually join in group-climbing events.
At first you may not understand the importance of a good training period, but after you have completed your first climb and you are standing safely at the top of a rock feeling thrilled, then you will know it was the right thing to do.
小題1:The article is written by ______.

A．a(chǎn) doctor	B．a(chǎn)n experienced climber
C．a(chǎn) beginner	D．a(chǎn) fitness instructor

小題2:The writer thinks a new climber should ______.

A．begin by becoming fit

B．be aware of the causes of the accidents

C．have the courage to meet the challenges

D．do enough sports to get interested in climbing

小題3:By climbing walls you can ______.

A．join a club you like	B．become qualified instructors
C．gain controlled experience	D．take part in group-climbing events

小題4:The underlined word “it” in the last paragraph probably means ______.

A．the climb

B．the training

C．the equipment

D．the achievement

For centuries, the body's blood has been linked closely with the emotions．People who show no human emotions or feelings, are said to be cold-blooded killer．For example, the police are searching for a cold-blooded killer．He seems to kill for no reason, and no emotion, as if taking someone's life as nothing．
Cold can affect other parts of the body．The expression "get cold feet" has nothing to do with cold or your feet．The expression means being afraid to do something you have decided to do．For example, you agree to be president of an organization．But then you learn that all the other officers have resigned, and all the work of the organizations will be your responsibility．You are likely to get cold feet about being president when you understand the situation.
The expression "give someone the cold shoulder" probably comes from the physical act of turning your back toward someone, instead of speaking to him face to face．You may give a cold shoulder to a friend who has not kept a promise he made to you．Or, to someone who has lied about you to others.
A cold fish is not a fish．It is a person．But it is a person who is unfriendly, unemotional and shows no love or warmth．A cold fish does not offer much of himself to anyone．Someone who is a cold fish could be cold-hearted．Now a cold-hearted person is someone who has no sympathy．Several popular songs in recent years were about cold-hearted men or cold-hearted women who, without feelings, broke the hearts of their lovers.
"Out in the cold" means not getting something that everybody else got．A person might say that everybody but him got a pay raise——he was left out in the cold．And it is not a pleasant place to be.
小題1:When you refuse to speak to a man and treat him in a distant way, you may express by "_____"．

A．I give him the cold shoulder	B．I think he is a cold-blooded man
C．I think he is a cold fish	D．I'm likely to get cold feet

小題2:If Sue shows absolutely no reaction to those awful pictures of starving children in Africa, you will say ______．

A．she is a cold-blooded killer	B．she gets cold feet
C．she is a cold fish	D．she is out in the cold

小題3:We can use the expression "_____" to describe a man who abandons or hurts his lover without mercy．

A．cold-blooded

B．cold shoulder

C．cold feet

D．cold-hearted

小題4:The topic of this passage is about _____．

A．the relationship between cold and our body	B．some expressions about friendship
C．some expressions connected with cold	D．how cold weather comes into being