We’ve all seen them: perfectly toned famous people on late-night television telling us that we too can develop rock-hard abdominal muscles（腹肌）. It’s easy! Just pay $149.99 for the Torso Track or $149.75 for the Ad-Doer and watch those unwanted inches leave your waist. Americans spend tens of million of dollars on various products to firm up their fat around the waist.

And did they work? Not necessarily. Independent studies have concluded that most of these products-no matter who approved them or how expensive they are-shape your midsection no better than old-fashioned stomach crunches（仰臥起坐）. Some can even cause injury-like the $518.99 Body Shaper-Q8SP, which left electrical burns on some researchers at the University of Wisconsin, La Crosse. Others, like the popular Ab-Doer, trpically burn less energy than a gentle walk, according to a study to be published in September by the American Council on Exercise.

The fact is that many Americans don’t have the biological makeup to develop an obvious abdominal muscles. They are either unable to get the necessary muscle mass or they can’t lose enough fat to make a difference. Even if the underlying muscles are well developed, and it takes to hide it is one-sixteenth of tan inch of fat. That’s enough to dismiss most healthy women as well as plenty of guys who do crunches every day.

So what works best? In its new study, the exercise experts researched on the results of the popular Ab-Doer. A lengthy TV advertisement promises that just 10 minutes a day performing such movements as “Body Boogies” and “Good Mornings” will “help form those muscles the fun and easy way without diets.” Steven Loy, professor at California State University, Northridge, tested the promise by measuring the electrical activity produced by the abdominal muscles during three Ab-Doer movements. He and his colleagues then compared the results with those produced during traditional exercises. They determined that the muscles were no more active, and in some cases less so, when exercisers were using the Ab-Doer.

Taking a broader approach, researchers at San Diego State University compared 13 abdominal exercises for their ability to develop the central abdominal muscles. They concluded, in a report published in May, that the most effective exercises kept turning the body and worked the muscles the entire time. Among the winners: the bicycle movements-so called because it looks as if you are riding a bike while lying flat on the floor-and exercises performed on the “Captain’s Chair”, a product typically found in gyms that helps hold the body in the air while you raise your legs up toward your chest. Researchers suggested that a varied routine of the different exercises could deliver the best results.

1.Which of the following is the most effective in building abdominal muscles?

    A．Torso Track.                         B．Ab-Doer.

    C．Captain’s Chair.                                        D．Body Shaper-Q8SP.

2.According to the author, it’s difficult for many Americans to get visible firm abdominal muscles mainly because         .

    A．they do not put in enough efforts

    B．injuries interrupt their exercise frequently

    C．they change their exercise routine regularly

    D．how big their muscles will be is determined by birth

3.The author convinces the readers by        .

    A．describing successful eases          B．offering professional connects

    C．presenting findings of researches    D．comparing advertisements of products

4.What’s the main purpose of this passage?

    A．To research and develop in order to create the perfect stomach and exercise machine.

    B．To promote proven exercise techniques and to advise against false advertisements.

    C．To indicate that diet and exercises are necessary factors for a fit midsection.

    D．To sponsor rich healthy lifestyle based on advanced product research.

Sagrada Familia ( 2,056,448 visits/year)

Opening hours: 09:00—18:00 (October—March); 09:00—20:00 (April—September)

Admission: $ 11, or $ 10 with the Barcelona Card.

Disabled Access: Yes.

The temple have been under construction since 1882 and they’ve still got another 30 to 80 years to go before it will be finished. The project’s vast scale and its special design have made it one of Barcelona’s top tourist attractions for many years.

La Pedrera (1,133,220 visits/year)

Opening hours: November—February: 09:00—18:30; March—October: 09:00—20:00

Admission: $ 9.50. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card.

Disabled Access: No.

This building used to be called Casa Mila but nowadays it’s more commonly known as La Pedrera. It is a unique modernist building in Barcelona and was made of bricks and had colorful tiles (瓦). It was built between 1906 and 1912 by famous Catalan architect Antoni Gaudi (1852—1926) and in 1984 it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage site with other Gaudi buildings in Barcelona. Visitors to La Pedrera can see the amazing 800 square meters attic with 270 brick arches that give you a feeling that you are walking inside the skeleton (骨架) of a whale. The roof is equally impressive and is preserved exactly the way that it was built in 1912 with six staircases and seven chimneys each made in a unique style.

Barcelona FC Museum (1,032,763 visits/year) 

Opening hours: 6^th April—4^th October: (Monday to Saturday) 10:00—20:00; the rest of the year: 10:00—18:30

Admission: $ 8.50 for entry to the museum and $ 17 for a guided tour.

Disabled Access: Yes.

   When you buy your ticket you have two options. You can buy a ticket for the museum to see the football stadium or you can buy a dual (雙的) ticket for $ 15 where you get to see the museum and the scenes at the club.

Miro Museum (518,869 visits/year)

Opening hours: Check the web site for details as they vary depending on the time of the year.

Admission: $ 8. Save 20% with the Barcelona Card.

Disabled Access: Yes.

This museum has a wide range of Miro’s work dating back as far as 1914. This artwork collection not only includes his paintings but also a good selection of sculptures (雕塑).

L’Aquarium de Barcelona (1,375,271 visits/year)

Opening hours: 09:00—19:00 (October—March); 09:00—20:00 (April—September)

Admission: $ 7. Save 10 % on the entrance fee to the aquarium with the Barcelona Card.

Barcelona Aquarium is a popular Barcelona attraction to take the kids and young ones. I have to admit I love the aquarium.

Picasso Museum (887,958 visits/year)

Opening hours: Check the website for details as they vary depending on the time of the year.

Admission: $ 9 for main exhibition—extra for special showings. Save 50% with the Barcelona Card.

Disabled Access: Yes. The museum has arranged Picasso’s paintings in chronological order from his early days to his final works. Arranging the paintings in this way gives you a fascinating insight into the development of Picasso thinking over time and shows how he developed the distinctive designs that he is famous for today. Very popular art gallery.

1.Which of the following attractions is the most popular with people?

A. Sagrada Familia                     B. La Pedrera

C. Barcelona FC Museum            D.Picasso Museum

2.What do we know about the tourist attractions mentioned in the above passage?

A. Sagrada Familia is the largest building in Barcelona.

B. La Pedrera is well-known for its colorful material.

C. Barcelona FC Museum may attract football fans.

D. Miro Museum was built in 1914.

3.If you visit the stadium and the club with a tour guide in Barcelona FC Museum, you should pay ________.

A. $ 25.5                               B. $ 32                         C. $ 42.5                                 D. $ 34

4.What do the attractions have in common?

A. They are all famous for their architectural style.

B. They are available for the disabled people.

C. Their opening hours are changeable in different seasons.

D. Tourists can have a discount of 20% with the Barcelona Card.

Scores of farms across he country are opening up to overnight guests．The best have all the appeal of a first-rate inn（小旅館） — plus here a moo, there a moo．
Sure, you and your kids have a plan for the theme parks．In the meanwhile, why not make a little hay（干草）? Farm stays are fast becoming the great American alternative to the pre-packaged vacation．
LIBERTY HALL FARM
Rochester, Vt．; 802/767-3926; www．libertyhillfarm．com．Adults $75, teens $50, kids 12 and under $35, including breakfast and dinner; shared baths．
Beth and Bob Kennett run a farm straight out of a storybook．You’ll find Beth in the kitchen, rolling out dough（生面團(tuán)） for a pie．Bob’s busy with other work．Guests sleep in seven sunny bedrooms right in the farmhouse and can participate in any of the farm jobs．Maybe you and your kids won’t be up at 6 am to meet the milk truck, but you can help with the milking twice a day, collect eggs, and pick sweet corn and wild blackberries in season．
HULL-O FARM
Durham, N．Y．; 518/239-6950; www．hull-o．com; Adults $110, kids 10-14 $60, 5-9 $50, 2-4 $35, under 2 free, including breakfast and dinner; private baths．
It started in 1993 as a way to bring in some extra money at a time of falling milk prices．But soon after Frank and Sherry Hull opened their Catskill Mountains dairy farm to overnight visitors, they discovered they loved it．As you drive up, Sherry greets you on the porch（入口處） of the 1825 farmhouse with a cow-shaped cookie jar．Before long your kids are playing around with the cows, sheep, ducks, goats and getting ready for a hayride．
MERAMEC FARM CABINS
Bourbon, Mo．; 573/732-4765; http://www．wine-mo．com Doubles with private bath $75, $10 per additional person．Trail and riding fees extra．
Climb on the back of the Ford pick up and catch up with the herd．One gentle cow named Cricket will even let the kids sit on her back．At the barn（牲口棚） Carol will introduce you to the horses — 15 Missouri Fox Trotters — and lead you on a ride over the hills and down along the spring-fed Meramec River, where everyone swims．Grab a fishing pole and head back to the river．When you have your fill of the wild, try Carol and Dave’s favorite restaurants, within 20 miles of the farm．
【小題1】The underlined sentence in the first paragraph implies that _____．

信息匹配（共5小題；每小題2分，滿分10分）
請閱讀下列應(yīng)用文及相關(guān)信息，并按照要求匹配信息。請在答題卡56—60上將對應(yīng)題號的相應(yīng)字母涂黑。注意E涂AB，F(xiàn)涂CD。
首先，請閱讀下面的售貨廣告：
A. HORNSBY Demolition Sale 21 Steward Avenue Saturday and Sunday 9am-12am Furniture, and even the kitchen sink, new outdoor lighting and a lot more to go
B. HUGE SALE PENNANT HILLS,2a Pomona Street, Saturday 7th October ,8am-2pm,furniture,househole goods, variety of items.
C. HUGE Garage Sale, PYMBLE 80 Bannockburn road, Corner Rushall Street Saturday 30th September only. 9.00am to 2.00pm Nothing sold before! Gymnasium equipment. Hi-fis, Fridges, Cycles, Book Furniture and much more! Don’t miss it!
D. Last Sale Moving Sunday 1st October form 7am. Great variety of goods ,twin bedroom suite other furniture and tools.11 Bellamy Avenue , Eastwood
E. MOVING SALE HORNSBY HTS. Claros Close. Saturday 7Th Oct .from .9am. H/Hold items, furniture, & o/door furniture, TV, garden tools & equip .Every thing must go .Bargain prices.
F.MOVING SALE MT.COLAH Sale Lounge, Dining and Bedroom Furniture, Electrical and Whitegoods . Ph:0405 770 699
請閱讀下面購買者的信息，然后匹配他們可能購買的商品：
【小題1】 Ross ,a young man who has just found a job in a company. He rents a small apartment near the downtown and needs some bowls, plates and forks, ect.
【小題2】Joseph and his wife just moved into a new house with a big garden. Wild grass crawls all over the garden. They need some tools to make the garden tidy.
【小題3】 Roger, lives in a house 22 Bellamy Avenue, Eastwood. He needs a writing desk, a dining table, some chairs and a sofa.
【小題4】 Richard, a young man who likes sports and music. He would add something more to satisfy his interests at home.
【小題5】Mike, a private gymnasium owner. He has just increased several new tennis courts for his growing business. He is planning to open them at evening and needs the lighting.

Hee-haw! Scores of farms across the country are opening up to overnight guests. The best have all the appeal of a first-rate inn ----- plus here a moo, there a moo.

Sure, you and your kids plan to conquer the theme parks. In the meanwhile, why not make a little hay? Farm stays are fast becoming the great American alternative to the pre-packaged vacation.

LIBERTY HILL FARM

Rochester, Vt.; 802/767-3926; www.libertyhillfarm.com. Adults$75, teens $50,kids 12 and under $35, including breakfast and dinner; shared baths.

Beth and Bob Kennett run a farm straight out of a storybook. You’ll find Beth in the kitchen, rolling out dough（生面團(tuán)） for a pie. Bob’s busy with other work. Guests sleep in seven sunny bedrooms right in the farmhouse and can participate in any of the farm jobs. Maybe you and your kids won’t be up at 6 a.m. to meet the milk truck, but you can help with the milking twice a day, collect eggs, and pick sweet corn and wild blackberries in season.

HULL-O FARM

Durham, N.Y.; 518/239-6950; www.hull-o.com; Adults $110, kids 10—14 $60, 5—9 $50, 2—4 $35, under 2 free, including breakfast and dinner; private baths.

It started in 1993 as a way to bring in some extra money at a time of falling milk prices. But soon after Frank and Sherry Hull opened their Catskill Mountains dairy farm to overnight visitors, they discovered they loved it. As you drive up, Sherry greets you on the porch（入口處）of the 1825 farmhouse with a cow-shaped cookie jar. Before long your kids are playing around with the cows, sheep, ducks, goats and getting ready for a hayride（乘坐裝滿干草的牛車出游）.

MERAMEC FARM CABINS

Bourbon, Mo.; 573/732-4765; http://www.wine-mo.com Doubles with private bath $75, $10 per additional person. Trail and riding fees extra.

Climb onto the back of the Ford pickup and catch up with the herd. One gentle cow named Cricket will even let the kids sit on her back. At the barn（牲口棚）, Carol will introduce you to the horses ---15 Missouri Fox Trotters --- and lead you on a trail ride over the hills and down along the spring-fed Meramec River, where everyone swims. Grab a fishing pole and head back to the river. When you have your fill of the wild, try Carol and Dave’s favorite restaurants or wineries（釀酒廠）, within 20 miles of the farm.

1.The underlined sentence in the first paragraph implies that ___________.

A. you can enjoy the best cuisine at the first rate restaurant

B. some farm provide country experiences as well as good accommodations

C. farm work is hard, but you can enjoy it a lot, playing with the animals

D. if you want to hear a cow’s cry, please stay on a best farm

2.We can learn from the three ads that _____________.

A. Hull-O Farm was not built for overnight visitors

B. Frank and Sherry Hull run a farm out of a storybook

C. kids can sit on a gentle cow’s back on Hull-O Farm

D. you can’t milk a cow if you get up late on Liberty Hill Farm

3.The Browns have a 13-year-old son and 11-year-old daughter. If they stay on Liberty Hill Farm for one night, how much will they pay?

A. $175.                 B. $220.                C. $235.                D. $250.

4.Who will be most likely interested in the webpage?

A. Kids who want to find pleasure in the theme parks.

B. People who expect to be employed on the farm.

C. Researchers who are interested in raising cows on farms.

D. Those who plan to have family vacations on working farms.