Over the last week,a "poisonous kale（甘蓝菜）" theory has been going widespread after an article warned that the vegetable was associated with a variety of medical conditions.It's time to separate fear from fact on the health benefits of kale.
As a member of the cabbage family,kale is low in calories and rich in nutrients and minerals,especially vitamin A,C and K.Consumed for thousands of years,it's been a health plus for millions of eaters throughout the world.
However,numerous web articles have reported on some evidence offered by a medicine researcher.The researcher found that thallium（铊）was detected in a few people who were heavy consumers of kale.Thallium is a heavy metal often found in trace amounts（微量）in soil and minerals.His conclusion was that these medical conditions were connected to the impact that trace amounts of thallium detected in some kale samples had on the body.
I don't think the conclusion is based on a strict scientific basis.It's essential to point out that the original report was in a web magazine,not a scientific journal which is subject to peer review by other scientists.A scientific review includes a careful evaluation of how the findings and conclusions were made.Certain factors are critical before an evidence-based conclusion can be made,such as: how many people were in a study;how well controlled were other factors;how much kale was consumed and for how long;how much thallium was in the kale.
It is a fact that kale and other vegetables can absorb thallium from the soil.But the ability for a plant to absorb traces of a chemical does not automatically make it harmful to your health.And even finding measurable amounts of thallium in someone's body doesn't imply that the thallium is causing an ill health effect,according to the CDC.
But we can still learn a lesson from this.Plants grow in soil.Growers must continue to be careful in monitoring the quality of their soil.And what about consumers?Eat your kale—and include lots of other colorful fruits and vegetables.As with all things in nature,variety is key for good health.
1.What do you know about kale?
A. It is high in fat. B. It is low in calories.
C. It is poor m nutrients. D. It is rich in protein.
2.The medicine researcher made a conclusion that .
A. these medical conditions were related to thallium
B. trace amounts of thallium had little effect on the body
C. thallium was found in trace amounts in the minerals
D. kale had a lot of health benefits on human bodies
3.According to the writer,the original report m a web magazine is .
A. scientific B. essential
C. unreliable D. popular
4.The writer thinks that kale is .
A. safe to consume B. poisonous to eat
C. hard to conserve D. terrible to smell
On the day the tornado hit,there was no indication that severe weather was on its way—the sky was blue and the sun bad been out.The first alert my husband,Jimmy,67,and I,65,got came around 9 p.m.,from some scrolling text on the TV Jimmy was watching.He ran upstairs to find me in our third-floor bedroom,and we changed the channel from the presidential primary debate I had been watching to our local Pensacola,Florida,station.
No sooner had we found coverage of the tornado than it was on top of us.It was the loudest thing I have ever heard.The bones of the house shook,and the power went out.The wind began to roar through the house,most likely through blown-out windows and the door to our garage.We had three flights of steps to navigate to get to the relative safety of the first floor,because the cupboard down there is underneath a brick staircase.
I didn't know how or if we would make it down the steps.It felt as if there were no floor underneath me as the wind lifted me off my feet.I tried to move forward,but this intense pressure held me in place.
As we reached the last flight of steps,our front door blew out.Pieces of glass that looked like crushed ice flew everywhere.Suddenly,a three-foot-long tree branch crashed into the door frame.It flew over our heads,missing us by inches.Had we been one step up,it would have hit us.
By the time I reached the cupboard,the tornado had been over us for about a minute.Jimmy pushed me down to the cupboard floor,but he couldn't get inside himself because of the wind.I held Jimmy's arm and tried to bring Jimmy with it.My knees were full of glass,but at that moment,I felt no pain.If I had let go,Jimmy would have flown right out the back of the house and into the bay.
All of a sudden,Jimmy lifted off his feet like people in tornadoes do in the movies.I thought he was gone.And then everything stopped.He landed on his feet.In those first quiet moments,I couldn't believe it was over,Jimmy said he'd go outside to check."No,"I said."Don't leave me.Don't leave me."
Our neighbor says the storm lasted four minutes.In that time,four of the twelve town houses in our unit were completely destroyed.Of the houses left standing,ours suffered the most damage.Amazingly,none of us were severely injured.
1.What does the underlined word coverage mean?
A. power B. description
C. arrival D. delay
2.Which of the following sentences is NOT true about the passage?
A. There was not any symbol of the tornado's coming.
B. A three-foot-long tree branch hit the couple.
C. Both of the couple couldn't get into the cupboard floor.
D. Jimmy didn't fly right out the back of the house.
3.Why didn't the wife feel pain?
A. Because she didn't get any hurt when the storm hit.
B. Because she was too scared to feel pain.
C. Because she devoted all her strength to holding on to her husband.
D. Because she had reached the cupboard and she was safe.
4.The author wrote the passage to .
A. share with us her experience of surviving a tornado
B. warn us of the danger caused by tornados
C. show us how to fight against a tornado
D. tell us how to protect us from dangerous tornados
A culture's values can be mirrored by its humor.Humor has been evaluated by many great minds such as Thomas Hobbes,who,in"On Nature",disliked humor,"Laughter is nothing else but sudden glory arising from sudden thought of feeling far better than others."He thought humor to be a negative quality of human narrow-mindedness.
However,Mordechai Gordon,PhD of Education,insists,"Humor allows us to view the world from an angle that is amusing rather than serious."I agree with Gordon.Learning to look at the world through humor is important.
In the United States,every four years an election occurs.Without humor as a way to express their feelings,how would Americans be willing to support the election?Television shows like "The Daily Show" have become important parts of American culture.They are mothering the masses by unconsciously inputting politics into our mouths.They make politics fun.
Of course, politics is only one type of humor.Social humor helps people through the twists and turns of the human condition.American pop culture promotes an unhealthy self image.On the topic of self-image,Hari Kondabolu stands out.He has a joke about the popular musical group "The Pussycat Dolls",describing their hit song "Don't Cha" as a negative representation of women.He points out an obvious offence in American culture.
A study from Loyola University of Maryland has shown that humor is one determining factor for selecting a mating partner.Amongst other things,mates look for an outstanding funny bone in a potential partner.
Of course,humor is not always used for good purposes.Humor can be linked to vulgarity（粗俗）and racism,but, like everything else,it has potential to unite human beings by allowing us to laugh at ourselves,our failures and our connection with one another.
Though life may seem tough and depressing at times,all I have to do is look in the mirror at my increased wrinkles（皱纹）to know that there is a comedy out there that even Chaplin wasn't aware of.
With that in mind,remember to laugh with humanity and sometimes at humanity.
1.Hobbes believes that humor_______.
A. resulted in narrow-mindedness of human beings
B. was only a way to laugh at others to make oneself feel better
C. had the power to mirror personal glory and national values
D. was for people to view the world from another angle
2.What is the author's attitude towards political humor?
A. Worried B. Disappointed
C. Curious D. Appreciative
3.The fourth paragraph is developed mainly______.
A. by process B. by example
C. by comparison D. by classification
4.What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A. Chaplin wasn't aware of being laughed at
B. The author feels helpless and sad about getting older
C. Never be the one who laughs at other people
D. The author is determined to face life with a sense of humor.
Get involved!Make a donation!
So what is rewilding?
Imagine our natural habitats growing instead of shrinking.Imagine species thriving,instead of declining.That's rewilding.Rewilding is ecological restoration and a little bit more.Rewilding offers hope for wildlife,humans and the planet.
Why is rewilding essential for Britain?
●Our ecosystems are broken.The places where you would expect wildlife to thrive have been reduced to wet deserts.The seabed has been damaged and stripped of its living creatures.
●Our wildlife is disappearing.Many wonderful British species have declined catastrophically over the past century.We've lost more of our large mammals than any European country except Ireland.
●We need keystone species.These vital species,including top predator（食肉动物）,drive ecological processes. Their loss in Britain and around the world has worsened our living systems.
●Nature looks after us.Good ecosystems can provide us with clean air and water,prevent flooding,store carbon, and attract visitors.Rewilding can leave the world in a better state than it is today.
What are challenges?
Our "rewilding britain" is a long-term project.Of course it has its challenges.Many of us feel indifferent,because we have got used to the lack of native forests.Many farmers oppose the idea.They thought it a crazy idea to bring back predators to the country because they would start killing farm animals.It takes time to educate them.Above all, we need money!So we need your help!
Make a donation
Help us bring back Jiving systems and restore wild nature in Britain!
With your help we can...
●Open up new opportunities for rewilding and push for change.
●Develop tools to educate,influence and spread the word.
Thanks for your support.
1.What can we know from the result of rewilding?
A. A lot of species decline.
B. Species become various.
C. Ecosystems are greatly destroyed.
D. The seabed has been damaged.
2.What's the greatest challenge at present?
A. People's indifference
B. Farmers' opposition
C. Shortage of time
D. A lack of fund
3.What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To persuade people to change their mind.
B. To call on people to make a donation.
C. To convince people to care for predators.
D. To warn people of the bad ecosystem.
假设你是新华中学的学生会主席。近来，随着网络的普及，学生的汉字书写能力降低。为了保护传统民族文化——汉字，校学生会提出倡议。请你根据以下内容提示，为学校《英语沙龙》的同学们写一封倡议书。
内容要点：1.少上网，多读书、勤记笔记；
2.养成练书写和写日记的习惯；
3.自拟一项其他方面的倡议内容。
注意：短文字数不少于100词。 参考词汇: 汉字Chinese characters
Dear friends,
In recent years, many of us spend a lot of time on the Internet with its popularity.
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Let's take action now!
Students' Union
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下短文。短文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在此符号下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
One day, a young man, whom couldn't get back home, came into my office to ask for help. He said his mother was disabled. His phone had stolen with his wallet and he hadn't contacted her for the past two days. However, his job was assessing housing applications, not provide money for travel. I asked him to wait outside unless I finished my work. After work I drove him all the way home. We arrive at his mother's house at 10:30 p.m. .She was in a wheelchair and she answered a door. I saw tears in her eye as she thanked for me. I just hoped that if my son experienced nothing similar, someone would be nicely enough to bring him home to me.
