“You'll never be a successful lawyer. Ev...

    Ask people to name a safe place and most will say “home”. But every year the British Government produces its official Home Accident Survey, which shows that home can be a dangerous place. Last year 7 British citizens died while putting up their Christmas decorations. Over 1,600 needed medical help after falling off their chairs. And 70 people had fatal accidents while lying in bed. 1.

Modern societies are designed to be safe. 2. “Extreme sports”, such as bungee jumping and skiing down cliffs(悬崖), are becoming more and more popular. Psychologists call this “ self-actualization”. They mean a desire to be different and stand out from the crowd.

3. But they will take risks in other areas. For example, they risk failure when they start new businesses. This is a more acceptable risk than mountain climbing. Even when people fail, they are still alive. It is possible to say that the whole world economy simply consists of people deciding whether to take risks or not.

Maybe it is safer to keep your head down at work. Perhaps now is not the time for that great business idea. Shouldn't we just play it safe? But this too is risky. 4. This is why, according to the Home Accident Survey, twice as many people fall from short ladders as from long ones.

5. It sharpens up the mind's decision-making processes. This may date from the onrigins of human civilization. Our remote ancestors were faced with a choice. Leaving their cave might mean being eaten by wild animals. But staying in the cave meant starving for certain. They took the risk and society was born.

A.Most people do not want to risk their lives.

B.It may well be that we need risk as a kind of mental training.

C.It is safe to say that no activity is without danger.

D.If we refuse to take any risks then we limit our ability to think clearly.

E.Yet this produces a desire in some people to look for danger.

F.Maybe you will try to keep away from what is too dangerous.

G.This proves that danger is usually caused by people themselves.

    For many people, remembering to take their daily medicine can be the difference between life and death. Yet, people forget all the time. Now a study from North Carolina State University has found that changes in daily behavior have a significant effect on whether we remember to take our medicine-and that these changes influence older and younger adults differently.

“We've found that it is not just differences between people, but differences in what we do each day, that affect our ability to remember to take medicine,” says Dr. Shevaun Neupert, lead author of a paper describing the research. “This is the first time anyone has looked at the effect of daily changes in how busy we are affects our ability to remember medicines.”

“For example, young people do the best job of remembering to take their medicine on days when they are busier than usual,” Neupcrt says. “But older adults do a better job of remembering their medicine on days when they are less busy.”

The researchers evaluated study participants who were on daily medicines. The participants were divided into two groups: younger adults(between the ages of 18 and 20) and older adults(between the ages of 60 and 89).

For both age groups, the researchers found that participants were more likely to remember to take their medicines on days when they performed better than usual on “cognition(认知)tests”-which evaluate memory and critical thinking.

“We found that cognition is an important factor in remembering medicines,” Neupert says. “but that how busy we are is also important." This has very real applications for helping people remember to take medicines that can be essential to their health and well-being.

“We've found such a disparity between young and old adults, that it's clear we need to tailor our messages to these two groups.” Neupert says. “For example, it is important for young people to stay busy and be active. That will help them, remember to take their medicines. However, we need to let older adults-know that they need to give particular attention to remembering medicines on days when they expect to be busier than usual.”

1.Which shows what is new about the research on remembering medicines?

A.Age differences. B.Differences between people.

C.Changes in the amount of work. D.Changes in the types of work.

2.What does the underlined word “disparity” in the last paragraph probably mean?

A.Difference. B.Disadvantage.

C.Connection. D.Coincidence.

3.What should old adults do when they are likely to forget their medicine?

A.Keep themselves busy. B.Take a cognition test.

C.Always remind themselves about it. D.Think of their health and well-being.

4.What does the research on remembering medicines focus on?

A.One's daily medicine and daily work.

B.The time and place to take medicine.

C.The connection between medicine and health.

D.Changes in daily behavior and age differences.

    For as long as they can remember, Jynne Martin and April Surgent had both dreamed of going to Antarctica. This winter, they each made it to the icy continent as guests of the National Science Foundation (NSF). But they didn't, as scientists. Martin is a poet and Surgent is an artist. They went to Antarctica as participants in the NSF's Artists and Writers Program, which makes it possible for artists, including filmmakers and musicians, to experience Antarctica and contribute their own points of view to our understanding of the continent.

“It's important for scientists and artists to work together,” says Surgent, who spent six weeks at Palmer Station, the smallest of the U.S. research bases. “You need a lot of different ways and points of view to explain the world.”

Martin followed four scientific teams on the ice and wrote articles and poems inspired by her experience. “Each day was the new ‘best day of my life’.” said Martin, who said she also loved spending time in the library at the McMurdo Station reading the journals of early explorers.

Today's scientists write articles for scientific journals. Unlike the early explorer's journals, scientific papers can now be very difficult for non-scientists to understand. Writers in Antarctica work to explain the research to the public. Peter Rejcek is editor, writer, and photographer for the Antarctic Sun, an online magazine devoted to news about the U.S. Antarctic Program. He goes to the South Pole every year, interviewing the scientists about their research.

Antarctica is full of stories and wonders that are scientific, historical, and personal. People such as Martin, Surgent, and Rejcek are making an effort to bring those stories to as many people as they can.

“Some people are going to be scientists, some people are going to be artists, some people are going to be journalists, but we can all work together,” says Surgent, "to celebrate this extraordinary place.”

1.What is the main purpose of the NSF's Artists and Writers Program?

A.To increase people's understanding of Antarctica.

B.To develop a relationship between scientists and artists.

C.To encourage artists and writers to learn science.

D.To make the scientists in Antarctica known to the public.

2.Which of the following best explains why scientists and artists work together?

A.The world is full of different people. B.The world should move in harmony.

C.The world is full of different opinions. D.The world should be seen in different ways.

3.Where is the library in which Martin spent time reading?

A.At the Antarctic Sun. B.At a research base in the USA.

C.At a research base in Antarctica. D.At the National Science Foundation.

4.It can be inferred from the text that articles by writers about Antarctica        .

A.are hard for people to understand B.are easy for people to understand

C.have nothing to do with the research D.are mainly about early explorers

    “A blue whale's heart is as big as a Volkswagen Beetle(大众甲壳虫),” I told a group of wide-eyed, open-mouthed second-graders. “It is so big that you could walk around inside of it.” Then I asked a big question-“Why does a blue whale have such a big heart?”—and let the adventure begin.

I was bringing SOLE to my classroom-the Self-Organized Learning Environment.

My students began their investigations and, after 40 minutes, they shared their discoveries.

“Blue whales can call to each other over almost a thousand miles.” said Heavenly. “They need a big heart to talk to each other.”

“They swim all over the world,” said Ki'ara. “So they need a big heart to be their motor.”

“They swim together in pairs.” said Amare. “So they need huge hearts to care for each other.”

“Yeah,” said Isaac. “That's true. It takes a huge heart to care for somebody.”

“Hmmm,” I said. “How can we have big hearts for each other instead of small hearts?”

Then the students made a list of it.

I was teaching compassion—to model ways we can care for each other and other living things. This SOLE lesson took a beautiful turn when Amaze connected the heart of the blue whale to community and to caring.

Perri Klass, in a brief essay for the New York Times titled “Understanding How Children Develop Compassion”, writes about the importance of modeling compassion to children so those things are part of their experience long before they know the word.

Around my school, however, nine out of 10 families live in a destructive poverty that makes it difficult to model compassion, to nurture community and caring. My students often come to school knowing more about the survival of the fittest than the survival of the kindest. Yet here were my 7 and 8-year-olds working together in a community, talking about caring for each other and exploring ways we can have big hearts instead of small hearts for each other.

On that day, the blue whale and the second-graders modeled compassion for all of us. This SOLE lesson brought heart to my classroom.

1.How did the students get the answer in the SOLE class?

A.By looking at a blue whale. B.By finding the answer themselves.

C.By questioning each other. D.By taking a dangerous a trip.

2.What was the list made by the students about?

A.The ways to care for each other. B.The ways to learn from each other.

C.The disadvantages of having small hearts. D.The importance of having big hearts.

3.What does the underlined part “the survival of the fittest” imply?

A.The students were used to SOLE lessons. B.The students were mostly from poor families.

C.The students had too much to do at school. D.The students were fond of working together.

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A.SOLE Lessons-a Way to Care for Each Other

B.Discoveries about a Blue Whale's Heart

C.How Blue Whales Taught Children about Compassion

D.How Children Learned Science in SOLE Lessons

    Hi, Dave Gieber here. Are you seriously thinking about starting a comic book(连环漫画册)collection yourself? Then “Comic Book Collecting, a Starting Point” was written just for you. This book was designed to help you jump-start your collection using Internet resources!

See what others are saying!

Dave,

As a layperson totally green about comic book collecting, the information provided in your book would allow someone like me to basically start a collection from the very beginning. The steps defined on what to look for and where to look when starting a collection are invaluable to a beginner. In addition, you provide information that not only appeals to those starting out but for those collecting for a long time as well. Great job.

Lorraine Cote

Dave,

I'm thinking it's a little long on history, but I am so impressed by all it presents. Wow! Quite an interesting read. I found the pieces on the Artists particularly interesting.

This is a great piece of work! I love artwork, and did a lot of watercolor work myself and was often fantasizing about comic book penciling myself someday.

If I have one negative thing to say about it…It has to be that I wish I had written it! Congratulations. Dave. This is a real winner.

James D. Tyler

Dear Dave,

Congratulations on a fine book. It is essential reading for people who want to turn their hobby into a money-making venture. I Only wish that I had had this information 40 years ago when I took 6 empty pop(汽水)bottles into the corner store and purchased my first comic book.

I'm amazed at the fact that 40 years ago 10 cents could buy a loaf of bread or the very first issue of The Fantastic Four. Today, 10 cents cannot buy you anything, but a near mint(未损坏的)copy of that comic book could bring you up to$35,000! Thanks for the good read.

Ian McBride

1.What do we know about Lorraine Cote?

A.She is inexperienced in comic book collecting.

B.She has been collecting comic books for years.

C.She asks for information about comic book collecting.

D.She knows nothing about comic book collecting.

2.What is the main reason James D. Tyler writes to Dave?

A.He enjoys reading. B.He wishes to write a book.

C.He is interested in history. D.He is interested in artwork.

3.What can be inferred about Ian McBride's first comic book he bought 40 years ago?

A.He bought it with the money for pop. B.He bought it after he got six bottles of pop.

C.He made a lot of money by selling it later D.He didn't realize its economic potential then.