We all know a picky(挑剔的)eater or two. Maybe you have that one friend who refuses to step foot in a sushi restaurant even though she’s never tried it. Or the one who turns her nose up at anything green.
Experts suggest your DNA and upbringing are to blame for your picky eating habits. A group in Finland looked at what we call food neophobia, which means "fear of the new", and found there is some genetic basis for this. But neophobia can be greatly influenced by the surroundings. Parents unwilling to try anything new will expose(暴露)their kids to fewer new food.
People less adventurous may be more unlikely to try new foods. It’s normal for children to go through a picky stage when they’re toddlers, maybe two or three years old, and that makes sense evolutionarily. (When our ancestors first tried new foods, they had to be cautious to avoid being poisoned.) But as we get older, if we continue to avoid new food, pickiness can last.
For those who are simply picky, certain social situations like cocktail parties with all those foods full of mystery ingredients can cause anxiety. They’re often sort of embarrassed to admit that they eat like a child, so they will just say: "My stomach’s upset. " or "I had a late lunch. ".
Your taste buds can change over time, but that requires taking a chance on new foods. But to be less picky, you definitely have to be determined. The most common reason for wanting to change is social.
Expanding your eating horizons can make everything from a party to a vacation easier and more enjoyable.
1.The underlined part in Paragraph 1 means "________".
A. likes the smell of B. doesn’t like the smell of
C. dislikes and refuses D. shows interest in
2.Which of the following plays a role in deciding whether one is picky?
A. Ancestors. B. Surroundings. C. Social relations. D. Age.
3.According to the author, if you want to change your picky eating habit, you should________.
A. go out eating with a friend unwilling to try anything new
B. eat various foods when you are a toddler going through the picky stage
C. avoid embarrassment in social situations to make yourself feel at ease
D. try new foods to allow your taste buds to change over time
4.The main purpose of writing the article is to________.
A. describe phenomena of picky eating habits
B. present facts about picky eating habits
C. clarify misunderstandings of picky eating habits
D. criticize picky eaters for their bad eating habits
If you want to live longer and lower the risk of heart disease, a move to the mountains may help. Research by scientists in Greece shows that living in the mountains is good for the heart and longevity (长寿). People living at higher altitude have lower possibility of dying from heart disease than those closer to sea level, even if they have factors (因素) that could increase their risk. “Residence (居住) in mountainous areas seems to have a ‘protective effect’ from heart disease,” said Dr Nikos Baibas of the University of Athens. He and his colleagues guess that the increased exercise from walking up mountainous area gives the heart a good workout and enables it to deal with lower levels of oxygen.
Researchers studied the health records and death rates of 1,150 Greeks who lived in three villages near Athens over 15 years. One village was 1,000 meters above sea level and the other two were in low-lying areas. Although men and women living in the mountainous village had higher blood pressure rates and other risk factors than people in the other villages, they had a lower rate of death from heart disease and other causes after a fifteen year follow-up. “The contrast was more evident among men than among women,” Baibas added in a report in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Heart disease is one of the world’s top killers. Smoking, high blood pressure, raised cholesterol (胆固醇) levels, being overweight and a family history of the illness increase the possibility of developing the disease.
1.That people living at higher altitude have lower chance of dying from heart attack may because they
A. have good dieting style B. live more happily
C. often climb mountains D. know how to keep healthy
2.What does the underlined word “evident” in the last paragraph mean?
A. Clear. B. Good.
C. Hopeful. D. Lucky.
3.According to the text, people are more likely to die from .
A. smoking B. heart disease
C. high blood pressure D. being overweight
4.What can we infer from the text?
A. People often climbing mountians won’t be ill.
B. The research of the Greeks lasted about 10 years.
C. Four other illnesses reduce the chance of developing heart disease.
D. A person smoking often has a chance of developing heart disease.
VENICE，a small，waterside city in northeast Italy，boils with happiness and excitement once every year.Between February 21 and March 4，carnival(狂欢节) hits the streets.
For most people，carnival means large parties and feasting(盛宴).But in Venice，it also means traditional masks and clothes.
These costumes were first meant to hide personal identities.Then，different social classes could mix in a sea of happiness.
Along the waterways，people greeted each other with “Good morning Ms. Mask！”
Today，people in Venice still dress up in the strangest ways—as armed soldiers，butchers and fishermen，for example.
Bars and cafes are filled with partygoers who come to show off their beautiful clothes.Their designs and creations are made by special studios.Readymade costumes are not acceptable.
“In the months before the carnival we work overtime to meet the demand，”said a maskmaker.“Many kilometres of silk and lace(花边) are made into costumes.For shopkeepers，carnival is the best time of year.”
The Venice carnival dates back to the Middle Ages.At that time，the city was one of the wealthiest in Europe.
The tradition of celebrating with masks and costumes is thought to have been started by the “Stocking Companies”.These were groups of young men who organized parties and festivals and wore colourful stockings to distinguish(区分) themselves.
By the 18th century，the carnival had reached its top.It all came to an end when Napoleon controlled Venice in 1797.But in 1979，local people brought the old traditions back to life.
Now the Venice carnival attracts huge crowds from all over the world.This year，about 700,000 people are taking part in.Hotels were fully booked months in advance，and bars and restaurants overflow every day.
The city certainly benefits—a whole industry has been built up around the carnival’s masks and clothes.
“The Venice carnival is a magical time！It’s such a great experience，” said one French tourist.
1.What might you infer from the article?
A. People in Venice like parties.
B. Venice was a happy city.
C. There used to be strong feelings of social class in Venice.
D. Venice was a city of silk and lace.
2.When was the carnival the biggest?
A. In the Middle Ages B. In the 18th century C. In 1797 D. In 1979.
3.Who started the tradition of wearing masks and costumes?
A. Napoleon. B. Young men.
C. The hotel industry. D. The silk and lace makers.
4.What is the main idea of the article?
A. How the carnival is celebrated in Venice.
B. The story of how the carnival began in Venice.
C. The history of the carnival in Venice.
D. What to see and do during the carnival time in Venice.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What does the speaker sometimes have for breakfast?
A. A piece of bread. B. A sandwich. C. Tomatoes.
2.When does the speaker have her main meal of the day?
A. In the morning. B. At noon. C. In the evening.
3.What does the speaker like to have at the end of the dinner?
A. A cookie. B. Ice-cream. C. A piece of fruit.
4.What do we know about the speaker?
A. She likes oranges. B. She loves meat. C. She is on a diet.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the probable relationship between the speakers?
A. Brother and sister. B. Classmates. C. Father and daughter.
2.What does the girl want to do the next three weeks?
A. Prepare for an exam. B. Have a rest. C. Go camping.
3.Why does the girl need a break from her friends?
A. She doesn’t get along well with them.
B. She’d like to have some time for her study.
C. She has different interests from her friends.
4.Why doesn’t the girl help Mr. Atkins with the horse?
A. She is too young. B. She has no time. C. She doesn’t love to do that.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.How did the woman know about the hotel?
A. From a friend. B. From a newspaper. C. From the Internet.
2.When will the woman’s family leave the hotel?
A. On August 23rd. B. On August 30th. C. On September 6th.
3.What do we know about the woman?
A. She has one child.
B. She takes the man’s advice.
C. She will book rooms next to each other.
