第二部分 閱讀理解（共20小題，每小題2分，滿(mǎn)分40分）

A

Watching television more than two hours a day early in life can lead to attention problems later in adolescence, according to a study released on Tuesday.

      The roughly 40 percent increase in attention problems among heavy TV viewers was observed in both boys and girls. The link was established by a long-term study of the habits and behaviors of more than 1,000 children born in Dunedin, New Zealand, between April 1972 and March 1973.

      The children aged 5 to 11 watched an average of 2.05 hours of weekday television. From age 13 to 15, time spent in front of the tube rose to an average of 3.1 hours a day.

      "Those who watched more than two hours, and particularly those who watched more than three hours, of television per day during childhood had above-average symptoms of attention problems in adolescence," Carl Landhuis of the University of Otago in Dunedin wrote in his report, published in the journal Pediatrics.

      Young children who watched a lot of television were more likely to continue the habit as they got older, but even if they did not the damage was done, the report said.

      "This suggests that the effects of childhood viewing on attention may be long lasting," Landhuis wrote.

      Landhuis offered several possible explanations for the association.

      One was that the rapid scene changes common to many TV programs may over stimulate（刺激）the developing brain of a young child, and could make reality seem boring by comparison. "Hence, children who watch a lot of television may become less tolerant of slower-paced and more mundane tasks, such as school work," he wrote.

      It was also possible that TV viewing may supplant other activities that promote concentration, such as reading, games, sports and play, he said.

      Previous studies have linked the sedentary固定不動(dòng)的）habit of TV watching among children to obesity and diabetes, and another study in the same journal cited the poor nutritional content of the overwhelming majority of food products advertised on the top-rated US. children's television shows.

      Up to 98 percent of the TV ads promoting food products that were directed at children aged 2 through 11 "were high in either fat, sugar, or sodium," wrote Lisa Powell of the University of Illinois in Chicago.

56. The recent survey shows that _________.

A. watching TV can cause all kinds of diseases for children

B. TV sets have played an important part in our daily lives

C. Watching TV over 2 hours a day early in life can cause attention problems later in adolescence

D. watching TV has side effects on children’s future

57. People used to think that _________.

A. watching TV more than 2 hours every day did good to children’s health

B. the sedentary habit of TV watching among children could easily lead to obesity and diabetes

C. the children wasn’t patient with their homework because of watching TV too much

D. it was very important for children to watching TV early in life

58. The underlined word “Hence” means _________.

A. In that case    B. And yet    C. On the contrary    D. For this reason

59. In Landhuis’ opinion, _________.

A. attention problems caused by watching TV during childhood may be hard to get rid of

B. how to develop children’s attention problems is a lasting problem

C. the key of settling attention problems is not watching TV too much

D. there shouldn’t have many food products ads on children's television shows

C

Patients and doctors alike have long believed in the healing (治療) power of humor. It is claimed that humor not only affects patients’ moods, but can actually help them recover faster.

Several studies seem to support this. Patients in better spirits are known to have higher immune cell counts. Some have even claimed to have healed themselves of serious illnesses by reading comics and watching comedies.

Despite all this, many researchers are not convinced. They point out the fact that many sufferings have been known to disappear naturally, with or without a daily dose of laughter. They also say that while optimism in general does seem to be related to better health, it is hard to tell which comes first.

Humor in times of stress, however, clearly makes us feel better. On one level, it takes our minds off our troubles and relaxes us. On another, it releases powerful endorphins, a chemical produced by your body that reduces pain.

There are cases where the appreciation of a good joke is indeed directly related to a person’s health. It can show, for example, whether a person has suffered damage to one particular area of the brain: the right frontal lobe (額葉).

Scientists confirmed this by having people read jokes and asking them to choose the funniest endings from a list. Subjects with normal brains usually chose endings that were based on a relatively complex synthesis (綜合) of ideas. Subjects with specifically located brain damage, however, responded only to slapstick (鬧劇) endings, which did not depend on a particular context. When pressed, the brain-damaged subjects saw the logic in the correct endings. They simply did not find them funny.

Of course, humor is largely an individual matter. Next time your friend does not get one of your jokes, there is no need to accuse him of being a lamebrain. However, you might suggest that he lighten up—for the health of it.

63. We can infer from the passage that ________.

A. all researchers have agreed on the healing power of humor

B. people seldom accuse their friends of not understanding jokes

C. the author holds a positive attitude to the healing power of humor

D. reading comics will surely become a popular way of treating diseases

64. Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A. Many researchers are not convinced of the healing power of humor.

B. Patients in bad moods are known to have higher immune cell counts.

C. Optimism in general does seem to be related to better health.

D. People should try their best to cheer up for their good health.

65. Scientists had some people read jokes and asked them to choose the funniest endings from a list to confirm that ________.

A. the brain-damaged people are different from those with normal brains

B. a person with a normal brain usually responds to slapstick endings

C. a person suffering certain brain damage doesn’t appreciate a good joke

D. humor takes our minds off our troubles by releasing powerful endorphins

66. Which would be the best title for the passage?

A. Which comes first, humor or health?             B. Humor can cure different illnesses

C. People need humor in times of stress         D. Humor contributes to good health

任務(wù)型閱讀（滿(mǎn)分10分）

Stress is an uncomfortable feeling in the mind from any situation or thought that makes you feel frustrated, angry, or anxious. Stress if often accompanied by physical symptoms, including twitching or trembling, muscle tension, headaches, sweating, dry mouth, difficulty swallowing, rapid or irregular heart rate, rapid breathing, fatigue, loss of temper, sleeping difficulties and nightmares, decreased concentration.

Stress is a normal part of life. In small quantities, stress is good – it can motivate you and help you be more productive. However, too much stress, or a strong response to stress, is harmful. It can cause general poor health as well as specific physical or depression. Persistent and never-ceasing stress often leads to anxiety and unhealthy behaviors like overeating and abuse of alcohol or drugs.

Certain drugs can lead to symptoms of stress due to side effects. Such drugs include caffeine, alcohol, nicotine, cocaine and diet pills. A poor diet – for example, low levels of vitamin B 12 – can also contribute to stress or anxiety. Performance stress is related to specific situations, like taking a test or making a presentation in public. Posttraumatic stress develops after an unforgettably shocking event like war, physical attacks, or a natural disaster.

Any effective ways to cope with your stress or anxiety? One step is to make a list of what you think might be making you ‘stress out’: What do you worry about most? Is something constantly on your mind? Does anything in particular make you sad or depressed?

Then, find someone you believe in who will listen to you. Often, just talking to a friend or loved one is all that is needed to relieve anxiety. Most communities also have support groups and hotlines that can help. Social workers, psychologists, and other mental health professionals may be needed for therapy and medication (療法和打坐).

Also, find healthy ways to deal with stress. For example, eat a well – balanced, healthy diet, don’t overeat, get enough sleep, exercise regularly, limit caffeine and alcohol. Don’t use nicotine, cocaine, or other recreational drugs. Learn and practice relaxation techniques like yoga and tai chi. Take breaks from work. Make sure to balance fun activities with your responsibilities. Spend time with people you enjoy. Find self – help books at your local library or bookstore.

Title: Stress

From         astonished look on his face, I came to realize that he had never thought the performance would turn out to be such      great success.

       A．the; a       B．the;不填   C．a(chǎn)n; 不填  D．a(chǎn)n; a

 He didn’t put the things where they belonged, in         case everything was out of order.

       A．that   B．what  C．whose       D．Which

Only after being attacked by the Japanese in Pearl Harbor ___in the Second World War thoroughly.

       A. had America involved            B. was America involved      

C. America had involved                     D. America was involved

She ignores the fact ____ there are two other channels, ____ we find very silly.

A. that; which      B. that; that        C. which; which        D. which; that

117. The large stretch of land on the edge of desert is a ____ land, where trees as many as possible should be planted.

A. tasteless                B. wet                    C. thirsty                D. Rich

97. You’d better stay at school now. Look! The sky is overcast with dark clouds. I’m afraid _____ rain is going to fall.

 A.large                       B. big                          C. great                        D. Heavy

77. The old man received a lot of respect for his ________ character.

 A. grand                            B. noble                       C. high                         D. Splendid