Early this morning we were waiting eager...

Lots people stress out（紧张） about talking in front of the class or getting laughed at if they make a mistake in front of an audience._71_ The “stress hormones” that your body produces at times like these can actually help you focus.

But when worry and stress about performing get to be too much, these hormones give people that “red alert(紧急状态)”---the one that causes you to feel cold or sweaty, or get butterflies in your stomach._72__

Be prepared. __73_ Rehearse(排练) as much as you can and practice in front of others at every opportunity. Most of all, think positively. Tell yourself “I’ll be OK” or “I can do this” even if you are not 100% sure of it.

Look after yourself. Before big performances, it’s easy to let taking care of yourself slip as you spend too much time on rehearsals and practice. __74__ Exercise can also can also help you feel good, and along with sleep and nutrition, is an excellent way of keeping those stress hormones from getting out of control.

Find out what the experts do. You can find books, DVD, and online information about how to give your best when you perform, depending on what type of performance you’re preparing for._75_ Or ask the cast of your school play or your drama or music teacher how they beat stage fright. And if your parents or grandparents ever performed, they may have their own secrets to share.

A Confidence helps beat stress hormones.

B The following tips can help you avoid that feeling.

C You’re less likely to freeze up if you’re well prepared.

D You can do this whether you’re performing alone or as part of a group.

E Check out stories about Olympic gymnasts or your favorite star to get their tips.

F Feeling nervous before a performance is part of body’s way of helping you do your best.

G You’ll look and feel your best if you get enough sleep and eat healthy meals before your performance.

D

Knowing the best way to study will help you to be a better student. By using your time properly, you can do your homework more quickly. Learning to study is not difficult.

The first thing to remember is that you must be willing to learn. It doesn’t mean that you must always like the subject. It does mean, however, that you must be willing to do whatever is necessary to learn. Try to understand why it is important and how it will help you now and later to do and learn other things. Knowing mathematics facts will be useful in your whole life.  Knowing how to spell makes any kind of writing easier. Sometimes subject that you think is going to be uninteresting will be exciting when you begin to work at it and understand it more clearly. Learning things can be fun if you are willing to work with them.

Here’s some advice for you: have a certain time each day and a quiet place with good lighting for study, so that you can concentrate on your study without interruptions(中断); have everything ready before you sit down to study, a dictionary, paper, a pen and books; be sure you understand what you should learn before you start; read carefully and pay special attention to the most important things; when memorizing, first find out the main parts and then recite the whole thing; check your homework after you finish it; never forget the importance of review and preview.

1.The main purpose of the article is______

2. We learn things because______

3.Which of the following is NOT the advice given in the article?

New research shows sheep are clever

People often make jokes about how dull sheep are, but new research shows they may be cleverer than we think. Researchers at the University of Cambridge discovered that Welsh mountain sheep have brainpower that equals rodents (啮齿动物). Tests found that the sheep can map the area they live in, and some may even be able to plan ahead.

Young fish prefer noisy neighbors

A new study has shown that young fish like to live on reefs with noisy neighbors! Researchers from the universities of Auckland and Bristol found that young fish looking for a home choose areas where other noisy fish live. The scientists produced all kinds of sounds which had been recorded in different natural environments. The young fish seemed to prefer the sounds of natural reefs, complete with noisy animals! The scientists compared the choice to a music fan wandering around at a music festival, choosing to set up a tent closest to the music they like best!

Butterflies are disappearing

A new study has shown that 17 species (物种) of butterfly found in Europe have dropped by 70% in the last 20 years. The information collected from 3,000 sites across 15 countries shows it may be caused by the loss (减少) of grasslands covered with flowers. You can encourage butterflies to come into your garden by planting flowers.

1.What is the passage mainly about?

2. According to the first paragraph, we may infer that sheep _____.

3. Which seems to have to do with the number of butterflies?

4.In which part of a newspaper can we most probably read the passage?

B

Have you ever considered all the English expressions that include words about clothes? Let’s have a look．

People wear pants to cover the lower part of their bodies．We sometimes say that people who are nervous have ants in their pants．Sometimes，people may get caught with their pants down．They are found doing something they should not be doing．And，in every family，one person takes contro1．Sometimes a wife tells her husband what to do．Then we say she wears the pants in the family.

Pants usually have pockets to hold things．Money that is likely to be spent quickly can bum a hole in your pocket．Sometimes you need a belt to hold up your pants．If you have less money than usual，you may have to tighten your belt.

I always praise people who can save their money and not spend too much. l really take my hat off to them. Yet, when it comes to my own money, I spend it at the drop of a hat, which means I immediately spend it.

Boots are a heavy or strong kind of shoes. People who are too big for their boots think they are more important than they really are. I dislike such people.

My father is an important person. He runs a big company. He wears a suit and tie, and a shirt with sleeves that cover his arms. Some people who do not know him will think he is too serious and never shows his feelings openly. But I know that my father wears his heart on his sleeve.                                                                                                                               

1.What is this passage mainly about?  

2.Which of the following expressions can show someone is nervous?

3. If we say someone has to tighten his belt, we probably mean he        

4.Someone who spends his money at the drop of a hat most probably_           

A

My friend Robert started a new job this week and he’s been in the training class for two days. The employer has a very strict dress code—dark blue shirts and pants.

On the first day, an older gentleman in his class did not have the proper clothes and he was strictly told that he would be fired if he didn’t have the right clothes the next day. He explained, “Sir, I had not been told about this. Because of my larger size, it’s sometimes difficult to find the right clothing for a price I can afford.”

Last night, Robert and I decided that this old man shouldn’t lose the chance of work simply because he couldn’t afford the clothes. I had some cash on hand and Robert took it with him this morning just in case it was needed.

When training started this morning, the trainer was ready to fire the older gentleman. “You have 10 minutes to be in proper clothes,” he was told. At this point, Robert spoke up and asked if he could have 10 minutes to get him the clothes. He then ran out to the store and bought the proper-sized pants and a shirt; he returned with both and gave them to the older man.

The older gentleman began to cry and told him that he couldn’t accept such a gift from a stranger. Robert told him he had to because he had lost the receipt(收据) and couldn’t return them—a little white lie. The pants were a perfect fit, the shirt was a bit tight but he was able to keep his job.

“My wife and I tried to gather together some money last night, but we didn’t have enough to buy the clothes,” he told Robert. “It’s unbelievable to me that anybody would do such a thing for only knowing me a day!”

More unbelievable is how good it has made Robert and me feel to do this.

1.If the older man did not have the proper clothes, he would _____

2. The money which was paid for the clothes belonged to _____

3.How did Robert persuade the older man to accept the clothes?

4.What might be the best title for the passage?