There’s a whole lot of things that people fill their stomachs with. Some of them keep people alive. Some of them taste good to people. Some of them help people win pie-eating contests. Alcohol does none of these things. Why do people keep drinking it? And what does it do once it gets to their stomachs?
There are all kinds of alcohol molecules (分子), but the one that people most often pour down their throat is ethanol (乙醇). Ethanol is very tiny and it dissolves in water, so it gets into all sorts of places that it’s not supposed to. Alcohol heads for the digestive system. Because it dissolves in water, it can get into the water in the bloodstream. Because ethanol, to a certain extent, can pass through cell membranes(膜). It can go almost anywhere. It spreads through the muscles, and is sweated — unmetabolized(未经新陈代谢的) and whole — through the skin. It gets into the heart. It even takes a walk through the brain, and this is the secret of its powers.
Alcohol depresses the nerves, and the nerves affect almost every area of the body. Enough alcohol makes people sleep, so people who become unconscious choke on their own vomit (呕吐物). Most worryingly, enough alcohol can shut down those parts of the brain just like any other parts. People become unconscious and their brains simply forget to breathe.
Alcohol is broken down in the liver. Alcohol doesn’t destroy the liver, but products that the liver breaks the alcohol into do cause damage. A glass of wine per day can not do any harm. Instead, it can prevent heart attacks or can make someone functionally young. And it is kind of nice to know that sometimes, relaxation and cheer can be bottled. All that’s needed is to take care how much alcohol is let into a person’s brain.
1.How does the author introduce the topic of the text?
A. By statement.B. By question.
C. By arguing.D. By explaining.
2.Why can alcohol reach the brain?
A. Because it can move through water molecules in the blood.
B. Because it is small enough to get through any narrow space.
C. Because it is so light that the bloodstream can transport.
D. Because it is absorbed only by the cells in the stomach.
3.What’s the main idea of Paragraph 3?
A. Alcohol affects the work of the nerves.
B. Alcohol has an effect on people’s breath .
C. People are drunk when their brains get drunk.
D. Drinking too much is quite dangerous.
4.From the passage, we can know ________.
A. many people like a drink when they feel relaxed
B. enough alcohol can control the brain activities
C. alcohol damages the liver indirectly
D. proper alcohol may lead to better sleep
No one can deny that buttons are an important clothing device. But, can they rise to the level of art? Organizers of an exhibit in New York think so.
Peter Souleo Wright organized “The Button Show” at Rush Arts Gallery in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan. Eleven artists used the small, ordinary objects to create sculptures, portraits and wearable art. Some of the works are political, some are personal and others are just fun.
Wright said each artist reimagines and repurposes the buttons to make art. “What I tried to do with this show,” he said , “was to look at artists who were promoting that level of craft.”
He said he wanted the button art to be comparable to a painting “because of the amount of detail and precision in the work”.
Artist Beau McCall produced “A Harlem Hangover”. It looks like a wine bottle that fell over on a table. A stream of connected red buttons hang over the side, like wine flowing down. Similar red buttons form a small pool on the floor.
McCall layers buttons of different shapes and sizes to create the bottle. The stitching that holds them together is also part of the artistic design.
For San Francisco-based artist Lisa Kokin, buttons are highly personal. After her father died in 2001, she created a portrait of him using only buttons. That memorial to her father led to other button portraits, including those of activists Rosa Parks and Cesar Chavez.
Others use buttons for details. Artist Amalia Amaki of Tuscaloosa, Alabama, placed them on and around old photographs. Los Angeles artist Camilla Taylor attached buttons to three large sculptures that look like headless animals with long , narrow legs.
“The Button Show” ends at March 12. The Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundation paid for the exhibition. The foundation was created in 1995 by the Simmons brothers: artist Danny, hip-hop producer Russell and rapper Rev. Run. The foundation seeks to bring the artists to urban youth and to provide support for new artists.
1.Why did Wright organize “The Button Show”?
A. To show the importance of buttons.
B. To support the new artists.
C. To raise the button show to the level of art.
D. To create sculptures and portraits.
2.Whose works are personal?
A. Peter Souleo Wright.B. Beau McCall.
C. Lisa Kokin.D. Amalia Amaki.
3.If you want to see “The Button Show”, you should ________.
A. buy tickets before March 12
B. phone Peter Souleo Wright before March 12
C. go to Rush Arts Gallery
D. go to the Rush Philanthropic Arts Foundationn
Two of the saddest words in the English language are “if only”. I live my life with the goal of never having to say those words, because they convey regret, lost opportunities, mistakes, and disappointment.
My father is famous in our family for saying, “Take the extra minute to do it right.” I always try to live by the “extra minute” rule. When my children were young and likely to cause accidents, I always thought about what I could do to avoid an “if only” moment, whether it was something minor like moving a cup full of hot coffee away from the edge of a computer, or something that required a little more work such as taping padding (衬垫) onto the sharp corners of a glass coffee table.
I don’t only avoid those “if only” moments when it comes to safety. It’s equally important to avoid “if only” in our personal relationships . We all know people who lost a loved one and regretted that they had foregone an opportunity to say “I love you” or “I forgive you”. When my father announced he was going to the eye doctor across from my office on Good Friday, I told him that it was a holiday for my company and I wouldn’t be there. But then I thought about the fact that he’s 84 years old and I realized that I shouldn’t give up an opportunity to see him. I called him and told him I had decided to go to work on my day off after all.
I know there will still be occasions when I have to say “if only” about something, but my life is definitely better because of my policy of doing everything possible to avoid that eventuality(可能发生的事). And even though it takes an extra minute to do something right, or it occasionally takes an hour or two in my busy schedule to make a personal connection, I know that I’m doing the right thing. I’m buying myself peace of mind and that’s the best kind of insurance for my emotional well-being.
1.Which of the following is an example of the “extra minute” rule?
A. Start the car the moment everyone is seated.
B. Leave the room for a minute with the iron working .
C. Wait for an extra minute so that the steak tastes better.
D. Move an object out of the way before it trips someone.
2.The author decided to go to her office on Good Friday to ________.
A. keep her appointment with the eye doctor
B. meet her father who was already an old man
C. join in the holiday celebration of the company
D. finish her work before the deadline approaching
3.The underlined word “foregone” in Paragraph 3 is closed in meaning to “________”.
A. abandonedB. lackedC. avoidedD. wasted
4.What is the best title for the passage ?
A. The Emotional Well-beingB. The Two Saddest Words
C. The Most Useful RuleD. The Peace of Mind
书面表达
关于学生做家务,有人支持有人反对。现在请以Is it good for students to do some housework?为题,谈一谈你对学生做家务的看法。
注意:1、字数要控制在100词左右。
2、不要出现你的真实姓名。
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综合填空
阅读短文,根据短文内容及首字母提示,在空白处填入一个适当的单词。
Years ago in Scotland, the Clark family had a dream. The couple worked and saved, making 1.p__________ for their nine children and themselves to travel to the USA. It had taken years before they saved enough money and got everything 2.r__________ for the trip.
The whole family was excited about their new life. However, seven days 3. b__________ they left for the USA, the youngest son was bitten by a dog. The doctor treated the boy, 4.b__________ because there was a possibility of rabies(狂犬病), they would be kept away from others for fourteen days.
The family’s dream could not come 5.t__________. They would not be able to make the trip to America as they had planned. Watching the ship leave—without the Clark family, the father was quite 6.a__________ with both his son and God for their bad luck.
Five days later, a piece of sad news7.s__________ throughout Scotland—the strong and powerful ship, Titanic, had gone down, taking 8.h__________ of lives with it. The Clark family was to have been on that ship, but because the son was bitten by a dog, they were left 9.b__________ in Scotland.
When Mr. Clark heard the news, he thanked his son for saving the family. He thanked the God for 10.t__________ a sad thing into a good one.
Although we may not always understand, all things happen for a reason.
阅读下面短文,用括号内所给动词的适当形式填空 (必要时可加情态动词或助动词)。
Jane Scott is fourteen years old and last year she 1.______ (begin) to study in a middle school. She likes 2._________ (dance) and singing and spends a lot of time on them. But she hates math and 3.__________ (not study) hard at it. She thinks it difficult to learn math. Once she failed the math exam, and now she decides to give it up. Her father is angry with her when he knows about it.
It was Sunday. Mr. Scott gave a call to his sister. She teaches math in another school. He hoped she 4.________ (come) and tell his daughter how5._______ (learn) math. The woman came quickly and said, “You’re a clever girl, Jane. I’m sure you’ll soon do well in math if you work hard at it. ”
“I'm afraid I can’t, Aunt,” said Jane. “I am not interested in math at all.”
“I don’t think so.” said the woman. “You 6. ________ (be) good at it if you try your best. You 7. ________ (do) more exercises and practice a math problem again until you make it. Well, here’s a math problem. Think it over and practice it again and again, then you 8.________ (work) it out. ”
“OK,” said the girl, “Let me 9.________ (have) a try.”
About an hour later Jane took the exercise book to her aunt and said, “I 10. _______ (do) the problem ten times by now.”
“Well done!” her aunt said happily, “What answers did you get?!”
“Ten answers.”