The idea of being able to walk on water has long interested humans greatly. Sadly, biological facts prevent us ever accomplishing such a thing without artificial aid—we simply weigh too much，and all our mass pushes down through our relatively small feet, resulting in a lot of pressure that makes us sink.
However, several types of animals can walk on water. One of the most interesting is the common basilisk Basilicusbasilicus, a lizard (蜥蜴) native to Central and South America. It can run across water for a distance of several metres, avoiding getting wet by rapidly hitting the water's surface with its feet. The lizard will take as many as 20 steps per second to keep moving forward. For humans to do this, we'd need huge feet that we could bring up to our ears in order to create adequate “hitting”．
But fortunately there is an alternative: corn flour. By adding enough of this common thickening agent to water (and it does take a lot), you can create a “nonNewtonian” liquid that doesn't behave like normal water. Now, if the surface of the water is hit hard enough, particles(粒子) in the water group together for a moment to make the surface hard. Move quickly enough and put enough force into each step, and you really can walk across the surface of an adequately thick liquid of corn flour.
Fun though all this may sound, it's still rather messy and better read about in theory than carried out in practice. If you must do it, then keep the water wings handy in case you start to sink—and take a shower afterwards!
1.What do we know about Basilicusbasilicus from the passage?
A. It is light enough to walk on water.
B. Its huge feet enable it to stay above water.
C. It can run across water at a certain speed.
D. Its unique skin keeps it from getting wet in water.
2.What is the function of the corn flour according to the passage?
A. To create a thick liquid.
B. To turn the water into solid.
C. To help the liquid behave normally.
D. To enable the water to move rapidly.
3.What is the author's attitude towards the idea of humans' walking on water?
A. It is risky but beneficial.
B. It is interesting and worth trying.
C. It is crazy and cannot become a reality.
D. It is impractical though theoretically possible.
Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight, while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers conclude that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favourite TV show is over.
According to Dr Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers' markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as highquality meats for each meal.
After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of FrenchWomenDon'tGetFat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.
In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity—or extreme overweight—among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has reached 17%—and is growing.
1.In what way are the French different from Americans according to Dr Joseph Mercola?
A. They go shopping at supermarkets more frequently.
B. They squeeze eating between the other daily activities.
C. They regard eating as a key part of their life style.
D. They usually eat too much canned and frozen food.
2.This text is mainly the relationship between ________．
A. Americans and the French
B. life style and obesity
C. children and adults
D. fast food and overweight
3.Where does this text probably come from?
A. A TV interview. B. A food advertisement.
C. A health report. D. A book review.
There are many superstitions(迷信) in Britain, but one of the most widelyheld is that it is unlucky to walk under a ladder—even if it means stepping off the pavement into a busy street!
①Walking under a ladder
If you must walk under a ladder you can avoid bad luck by crossing your fingers and keeping them crossed until you've seen a dog. Alternatively, you must lick your finger and make a cross on the toe of your shoe, and not look again at the shoe until the mark has dried.
②Umbrella
Another common superstition is that it is unlucky to open an umbrella in the house—it will either bring misfortune to the person that opened it or to the household. The superstition could date from the old time when its purpose was to act as a sunshade. If opened indoors, it might be considered to be an attack on the sun. Anyone opening an umbrella indoors in fine weather is unpopular, as it inevitably brings rain!
③Number 13
The number 13 is said to be unlucky for some, and when the 13th day of the month falls on a Friday, anyone wishing to avoid an inauspicious event had better stay indoors.
④Seven years bad luck
The worst misfortune that can befall you is caused by breaking a mirror, as it brings seven years of bad luck! The superstition is supposed to have originated in ancient times, when mirrors were considered to be tools of the gods.
⑤Black cat
In the UK, black cats are generally considered lucky in the UK, even though they are connected with witchcraft(巫术)：You are said to be lucky if a black cat crosses your path.
1.Which experience is considered to be lucky according to the passage?
A. walking under a ladder
B. opening an umbrella in the house
C. breaking a mirror
D. a black cat crossing your path
2.Which of the followings is RIGHT in UK according to the passage?
A. Opening an umbrella in the rain is not acceptable or unpopular.
B. Black cats are generally considered unlucky because they have something with witchcraft.
C. Bad luck brought by walking under a ladder cannot be avoided using certain ways.
D. If you are to open a clothes store on May 13 in Britain, you had better change the date.
3.Which two superstitions are related to history?
A. ①② B. ②④
C. ④⑤ D. ③④
4.It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A. breaking a mirror will cause bad luck because it shows your disrespect(不敬)for the God
B. crossing your fingers and keeping them crossed can help avoid bad luck brought by walking under a ladder
C. number 13 is always unlucky in any situation
D. opening an umbrella indoors might be considered to be an attack on the sun
1.我们的钱快花光了(run out of)
2.明早这时候爷爷就和我们一起坐在厨房啦。
3.下决心吧，否则你会错过机会的。
4.他把大部分钱都捐赠给希望工程。（give away）
5.尽管病情妨碍了他的学习，但他还是通过了考试。
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作文。
文中共有10处语文错误，每句中最多有两处。错误仅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（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：在错的词下面一横线，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。
Last Sunday, I showed Tom, the friend from the USA, around the city. This was the first time that Tom visited my hometown, and he found the trip excited.
Early in the morning, I took her to the park near my home. He was astonished to seeing so many people did exercise in the park. Then, we went to the museum. From the exhibitions, he learned a lot at the history of the city. After leaving the museum, we went downtown and found it was crowded with quite a lot of building. On our way to home, Tom said he was really amazed by that he found. But he hoped that he would have chances to come here again.
1.Plastic is a widely used ____________.(材料)
2.There are many students _______(毕业) from high school every year.
3.He is always looks_________ even in defeat.(乐观的)
4.It took us all day to reach our ____________(目的地)．
5.I will go if my health ___________(允许)．
6.Always ask for a _________(收据) from a taxi driver so that you can complain if you have been over-charged.
7.This wounded soldier was _________（无意识的）from his loss of blood.
8.I think you should go back to your ______(最初的)plan.
9.The price of this type of computer ________（变化）in different shops.
10.They sat on the hillside, __________ (凝视)out across the valley.
