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Can you think of a day without music？We can hear music everywhere：in the streets and at home,over the radio and on TV，in the shops and in the parks.People all over the world are fond of music.They listen to music,they dance to music,and they learn to play musical instruments.
Music isn't only combination of pleasant sounds.It is an art which reflects life.There are lot of different kinds of music.Some of them appeared long ago,and some are modern.Folk music appeared long ago,but it is still alive.Folk songs are very pleasant to listen to.Classical music is often associated with the music of the past.Rap is a modern musical style where the singer speaks or shouts the words in time to music with a steady beat.
Great Britain has produced more popular music stars than any other country.British groups often set new trends in music.New styles,groups and singers continue to appear.Many of the new bands have been able to use changes in technology to develop their music such as computerised drum machines,synthesizers and other electronic instruments.
Tastes differ.So people's musical interests range from pop and rock music to classical music and opera.My favourite style of music is pop music,because it is full of energy.When I listen to pop music it makes me remember happy times and forget the problems of everyday life.I also enjoy listening to classical music.The music I hate is heavy metal,I find it noisy.When I listen to this style of music it presents to my mind pictures of dark days.My mother and father agree with my tastes in music.Though they prefer to listen to classical,they think that modern music is not too bad.
Music appeals to our hearts.It comforts our souls and enriches our minds.Music is beauty in sounds；it is our magic source of inspiration.



What is the first paragraph mainly about？ ______
A. Several types of music.
B. Different musical tastes.
C. The development of musical styles.
D. The importance of music in our lives.

How is the second paragraph developed？ ______

A. By giving examples.
B. By analysing reasons.
C. By describing courses.
D. By making comparisons.

Why does the author like pop music？ ______

A. It is played with electronic instruments.
B. It is characterised by a steady beat.
C. It is loud and strong.
D. It sounds energetic.

What is the author's parents' attitude towards his musical taste？ ______

A. Doubtful.
B. Supportive.
C. Dissatisfied.
D. Unconcerned.

It is known to us that male humpback whales（座头鲸）are skilled singers.Their songs are thought to attract females in high frequency（频率）sounds while to compete with other males in low frequency sounds.Research led by the Wildlife Conservation Society has now made a new discovery.
The study looked at the songs of two humpback whale populations,based on sound recordings collected from 2013 to 2018.One group was based in the South Atlantic,off the coast of Gabon,and the other in the Indian Ocean near Madagascar.Analysis（分析）of the recordings showed that the two groups picked up musical ideas from each other and borrowed phrases and themes into their latest song.This suggested that the males from the two groups came into touch with each other over the five years and shared songs.
To uncover this musical cooperation,researchers recorded the songs and transcribe them into more than 1，500 sounds and patterns,or song units.They found that the units were composed（谱曲）into larger phrases,which were then repeated to form themes.These themes were sung for hours at a time,or even days.By 2018，both populations have been singing largely the same songs.
"This similarity in the songs shows that these two populations come into closer contact than other southern populations"，explains Dr Melinda Rekdahl,leading author of the study.As well as being an interesting phenomenon（现象），she explains that those songs allow even greater understanding into the workings of the humpback whale populations.



What do people usually think of the purpose of male humpback whales' songs？ ______

A. To have fun.
B. To attract other fish.
C. To increase the population of their group.
D. To attract females and compete with other males.

How could the two groups of humpback whales in research sing similar songs？ ______

A. They were born with those songs.
B. The researchers composed similar songs for them.
C. The male whales from the two groups learned singing from each other.
D. The male whales taught the females songs from the other group.

What does the underlined word "transcribe" in Paragraph 3 mean？ ______

A. Change.
B. Describe.
C. Create.
D. Enjoy.

What is the best title for the text？ ______

A. A Kind of Magic Whales.
B. Male Humpback Whales Share Songs.
C. The Biggest Ocean Animals.
D. The Workings of Humpback Whale Populations.

I am standing outside my childhood primary school,near front gates and the teachers' car park.It is a bright sunny day and I am surrounded by my classmates.There must be more than a hundred of us.
I have a dim feeling that some of my teachers are nearby,but my attention is on two adults,neither of whom I recognize.I remember the details — from his hair to his golden sunglasses.The other man holds up some kind of device that emits a screaming.I drop to my knees with my hands against my ears.My schoolmates are all doing the same.The man is laughing.
I had that dream nearly 40 years ago,but I can remember the details as if it were yesterday.Ask me to relate anything from a dream I had earlier this week,however,and I draw a blank.
Sleep is more complicated than we once thought.Rather than being unconscious,our resting brains go through a roller-coaster of mental states.Dreaming is most closely associated with the sleep state known as Rapid Eye Movement（REM）.In REM sleep,the eyes twitch rapidly,and it's at this stage that our brains tend to dream.
"If you're the kind of person who leaps up out of bed and goes about your day,you're not going to remember your dreams.When you sleep in on Saturday or Sunday morning,that's an excellent time to remember dreams," says Harvard Medical School sleep researcher Stickgold.
Stickgold says,"I tell people to drink three big glasses of water before they go to bed.Not three glasses of beer,because alcohol is an REM suppressant（抑制剂）.You'll wake up three or four times in the night and you'll tend to wake up at the end of an REM cycle of sleep,which is natural."
And there is another piece of advice offered by some sleep researchers — that simply repeating to yourself as you drift towards sleep that you want to remember your dreams means you wake remembering them.



Why does the author mention his dream 40 years ago？ ______

A. To show off his great memory.
B. To tell readers his horrible past.
C. To get ready for an excellent story.
D. To introduce the topic of the passage.

What does the underlined word "twitch" in Paragraph 4 mean？ ______

A. To move quickly.
B. To close slowly.
C. To shed tears greatly.
D. To shine suddenly.

How can you remember your dream according to the writer？ ______

A. By sleeping in on the weekday's morning.
B. By drinking three big glasses of beer before going to bed.
C. By telling yourself you want to remember your dream before going to bed.
D. By writing your dream down at the beginning of a Rapid Eye Movement cycle.

What can we infer from the sixth paragraph？ ______

A. Remembering dreams is natural for us.
B. Drinking alcohol may cause fewer dreams.
C. Having water can help people have dreams.
D. Waking up at night is beneficial to our sleep.

Christian Eijkman,a Dutch doctor,left the Netherlands for the island of Java.Many people on the island had a disease called beri-beri.He was going there to try and find a cure.
At first,Eijkman thought some kind of germ （细菌） caused beri-beri.He raised some chickens.He didn't eat them,but made experiments on them.The local people were quite surprised at that.One day he noticed that his chickens became sick when they were fed the food most Javanese ate - refined white rice （精炼米）.When he fed them with unrefined rice,also known as brown rice,they recovered.Eijkman realized that he had made an important discovery - that some things in food could prevent disease.These things were named vitamins（维生素）.The Javanese were not getting enough vitamins because they had actually removed the part that contains vitamins.Later,other diseases were also found to be caused by the lack of vitamins in a person's food.
Today many people know the importance of vitamins and they make sure they have enough vitamins from the food they eat.If they don't,they can also take vitamin pills.



The underlined word "cure" in Paragraph 1 probably means ______ .

A. a medical treatment
B. a kind of vitamin
C. a kind of germ
D. a kind of rice

If a person doesn't get enough vitamins in his diet,he'd better ______ .

A. eat more rice
B. eat more meat
C. eat some chicken
D. eat vitamin pills

We can learn from the passage that ______ .

A. beri-beri was caused by chickens
B. the Javanese didn't like vitamins
C. Christian Eijkman's experiment was successful
D. the Javanese's disease was caused by a kind of germ

Why did Christian Eijkman raise some chicken？ ______

A. To eat them.
B. To give the Javanese a surprise.
C. To carry out his experiments.
D. To make money by selling them.

The running buffalo clover（a plant）used to spread across eight states,from Virginia to Arkansas.The more it was walked on by the buffalo the better it grew.
When buffalo disappeared,the plant was gone,too.Researchers believed the plant was extinct,which had not been spotted since 1940s—until a population was found in West Virginia in 1983.Now,after decades of protection,the small plant stands to be removed from the list of species protected under the Endangered Species Act.
Biologist Rodney Bartgis came across a patch of running buffalo clover in 1983.He was recording plants in West Virginia and was wandering around a car road in the New River Gorge when he spotted some "unique-looking" leaves,which he recognized as running buffalo clover.After the finding was confirmed,the clover was considered no longer extinct and placed on the endangered-species list in 1987.
Part of the reason it took a while to start to find the clover in the wild is that,unlike other rare plants,this one won't grow in unspoiled areas.It likes being run over.When the clover was first discovered,US Fish and Wildlife Services（USFWS） forest managers were told to avoid driving in the area populated by the plant.But this made the clover there disappear.In the Fernow Forest in West Virginia,Gundy,a research forester,realized the skidders used to pull trees had helped ensure the clover's growth before anyone knew it was there.So in her work monitoring the population in Fernow,Gundy runs over the clover with a skidder. "You need to remember to agitate it," she says.
Since 1987，researchers have found 154 populations.But it's not out of the woods yet.The clover still faces threats from invasive species.The USFWS will have a public comment period,when the clover's case for delisting will be reviewed.Even if it is delisted,biologists from the USFWS will observe populations for years closely to ensure that the species is secure.



What do we know about the running buffalo clover from the first two paragraphs？ ______

A. It has died out due to some human action.
B. It still needs careful protection from extinction.
C. It was considered extinct before its rediscovery.
D. It can grow better without buffalo stepping on it.

What do we know about Rodney Bartgis from the text？ ______

A. He discovered the clover by accident.
B. He noticed the clover in an unspoiled area.
C. He hardly recognized the clover when first seeing it.
D. He had searched for the clover for years before finding it.

How should we deal with the buffalo clover according to what Gundy said in paragraph 4？ ______

A. She advised we should keep away from it.
B. She suggested we should disturb it.
C. She told us to remember to water it often.
D. She asked us to plant more and more buffalo clover.

What can we infer from the text？ ______

A. The buffalo ate up the clover in the US.
B. The clover is almost free from natural enemies.
C. The USFWS is cautious of the protection of the clover.
D. The clover won't be removed from the protection list.

Just as humans are usually left- or right-handed,many animals favor one side of their body for certain tasks.The strength of this preference varies：some individuals are happy to use either side,while others strongly favor one side（known as being strongly "lateralized"）.
The University of Exeter study found that grey squirrels which strongly favored a side did less well on a learning task.They had to learn to use a paw（爪子），rather than their mouth,to get nuts.
"It has been suggested that being strongly lateralized makes brains more efficient,with each hemisphere（半球）focusing on different tasks," said Dr Lisa Leaver. "This could help animals survive,which would explain the evolution of laterality（向侧性）across the animal kingdom."
"In fish and birds,there is evidence that being strongly lateralized is linked to better cognitive（认知的）performance（brain function）.However,limited data from studies of mammals（哺乳动物）suggest a weak or even negative relationship.Our study measured speed of learning among grey squirrels and,in line with these previous mammal studies,suggests that strong lateralization is linked to poor cognitive performance," said Dr Leaver.
In the study,wild grey squirrels on the University of Exeter's Streatham Campus were presented with transparent tube containing peanuts.Squirrels usually collect food with their mouth,but the tube was too narrow to allow this,so they had to learn to use a paw.By measuring both how quickly squirrels learned and how strongly they favored a particular paw,the researchers could assess both learning and laterality.
More than 30 squirrels were observed,with 12 providing enough data for inclusion in the study.
The relationship between laterality and human cognitive performance is still unclear,though some research has suggested that less lateralized people may be more creative. "More research on mammals is needed to understand the complex relationship between laterality and cognitive performance," Dr Leaver said.



What did the University of Exeter study focus on？ ______

A. The effects of lateralization on learning.
B. The cause of strong lateralization.
C. The evolution process of laterality.
D. The habits of grey squirrels.

What can we know from the fourth paragraph？ ______

A. Fish and birds have similar brain structures.
B. Strongly lateralized birds are better at learning.
C. Most fish and birds have strong lateralization.
D. Strongly lateralized grey squirrels have a higher IQ.

How did the strongly lateralized squirrels act in the study？ ______

A. They were slower to get peanuts.
B. They got more peanuts than others.
C. They got through the tube quickly.
D. They used their paws more skillfully.

What can be a suitable title for the text？ ______

A. Left-handed animals prove more intelligent.
B. Laterality is connected with better brains.
C. Grey squirrels change their habits for food.
D. Strongly "handed" squirrels are less good at learning.

When kids sit down to eat lunch at school,fruits and vegetables may not be their first choice.But with more time at the lunch table,they are more likely to pick up those healthy foods.If we want to improve children's nutrition and health,ensuring longer school lunch breaks can help achieve those goals,according to research from the University of Illinois.
"Ten minutes of seated lunch time or less is quite common.Scheduled lunch time may be longer,but students have to wait in line to get their food.This means the amount of time children actually have to eat their meals is much less than the scheduled time," says Melissa Pflugh Prescott,assistant professor in the Department of Food Science and Human Nutrition. "During shorter lunch periods,children ate significantly less of the fruit and vegetable parts of their meal,while there was no significant difference in the amount of entrees （主食） they consumed.It makes sense that you might eat the part of the meal you look forward to first,and if there's enough time left you might go towards the other parts.But if there's not enough time,fruit and vegetables are likely to suffer," Prescott explains.
"Our findings support policies that require at least 20 minutes of seated lunch time at school," she states.School lunch time policies can be decided at the district level,with some room for individual schools to set their own standards；for example,schools can institute a longer lunch time than the district mandates （授权）.
Prescott notes that longer lunch time can also have beneficial effects for children beyond healthy eating. "The amount of seated time children have is also a really valuable time for them to connect with their friends；they might have limited opportunities to do so throughout the school day.We found significantly fewer social interactions during the 10-minute lunch time.That indicates other positive outcomes may come from longer lunch breaks as well," she concludes.



Why do students eat less of the fruit and vegetables according to Prescott？ ______

A. They are unwilling to wait in line.
B. They're not used to a balanced diet.
C. There is not enough time for them.
D. There is too much study pressure on them.

What does the underlined word "institute" in Paragraph 3 probably mean？ ______

A. Put off.
B. Set up.
C. Make use of.
D. Run out of.

What does the last paragraph mainly talk about？ ______

A. Key reasons for a longer lunch time.
B. The importance of a healthy diet.
C. Other benefits of a longer lunch time.
D. The detailed lunch time arrangements.

What can be the best title for the text？ ______

A. Eating lunch at school makes children healthier
B. Longer school lunch time enables children to learn better
C. Kids at school spend much time waiting in line for lunch
D. Longer lunch time helps kids eat more fruit and vegetables

Exercising regularly not only helps you keep slim,but also improves your overall health and well-being.Different exercises produce different results,as they focus on alternate parts of the body.There are four broad exercise categories：endurance,strength,flexibility,and balance.Many people often only focus on one exercise type,but including all four in your workout will produce better results and reduce your risk of injury.
Endurance
Endurance exercises increase your breathing and heart rate.By doing endurance exercises,you are working to keep your heart,lungs,and blood-flow system healthy while improving your total fitness.Over time these activities will make everyday activities seem easier.
Strength
If you want to build up your muscles,then strength exercises,which are also known as "resistance training"，are right for you.Even the slightest increase in strength can make a huge difference in your ability to carry out daily tasks.Developing strong muscles also reduces your risk of weak bones.
Flexibility
Flexibility exercises help stretch your body's muscles.This allows for more freedom of movement for other exercises and can also improve your range of motion,posture,ability to breathe deeply,and blood flow.Also it reduces the muscle tension caused by stress.
Balance
Balance exercises help prevent falls and are especially important to older adults,helping them stay independent.Most good balance exercises are ones that keep you constantly moving with your feet on the ground.Heel-to-toe walking and standing on one foot are simple ways to improve balance.



How can a person benefit most from their exercise routine？ ______

A. By combining different exercise types together.
B. By having sufficient rest between their workouts.
C. By concentrating on one training aspect at a time.
D. By increasing the frequency of their training gradually.

Which exercise types are most useful to improve a person's breathing function？ ______

A. Strength and Balance.
B. Flexibility and Balance.
C. Endurance and Strength.
D. Endurance and Flexibility.

Which part of the body plays the most important role in balance-related exercises？ ______

A. Arms.
B. Legs.
C. Waist.
D. Neck.

The history of microbiology begins with a Dutch cloth maker named Antoni van Leeuwenhoek,a man of no formal scientific education.In the late 1600s,Leeuwenhoek,inspired by the magnifying lenses（放大镜）he used to examine cloth,built some of the first microscopes.He developed a technique to improve the quality of tiny,rounded lenses,some of which could magnify an object up to 270 times.After removing some plaque from between his teeth and examining it under a lens,Leeuwenhoek found tiny twisting creatures,which he called "animalcules".
His observations,which he reported to the Royal Society of London,are among the first descriptions of microbes（微生物），Leeuwenhoek discovered an entire universe invisible to the human eye.He found different microbes in samples of pond water,rain water,and human blood.He gave the first description of red blood cells,observed plant tissue,examined muscle,and investigated the life cycle of insects.
Nearly two hundred years later,Leeuwenhoek's discovery of microbes helped French chemist and biologist Louis Pasteur to develop his "theory of disease".This concept suggested that disease originates from tiny organisms attacking and weakening the body.Pasteur's theory later helped doctors to fight infectious diseases including anthrax,diphtheria,polio,smallpox,tetanus,and typhoid.All these breakthroughs were the result of Leeuwenhoek's original work.Leeuwenhoek did not foresee this legacy.
In a 1716 letter,he described his contribution to science this way："My work,which I've done for alone time,was not pursued in order to gain the praise I now enjoy,but chiefly from a strong desire for knowledge,which I notice resides in me more than in most other men.And therefore,whenever I found out anything remarkable.I have thought it my duty to put down my discovery on paper,so that the scientific community might be informed thereof."



Which of the following best describes Leeuwenhoek？ ______

A. A trained researcher with an interest in microbiology.
B. A curious amateur who made pioneer studies of microbes.
C. A talented scientist interested in finding a cure for disease.
D. A bored cloth maker who accidentally made a major discovery.

The underlined phrase "this legacy" in paragraph 3 refers to ______ .

A. the discovery of microbes
B. Pasteur's theory of disease
C. Leeuwenhoek's contribution
D. the origin of the tiny organism

What does the quote from Leeuwenhoek's letter suggest？ ______

A. He admitted that many of his discoveries happened by chance.
B. He considered his work to be central to later medical breakthroughs.
C. He was greatly concerned with improving people's living conditions.
D. He believed the sharing of knowledge was a key to scientific progress.

What is the correct order for the following events？ ______
a.Magnifying lenses were built.
b.The "theory of disease" was put forward.
c.Microbes were discovered in samples of waters.
d.Leeuwenhoek's first microscopes were successfully developed.
e.Leeuwenhoek explained his thoughts upon his own contribution.

A. a-d-c-e-b
B. d-a-c-e-b
C. a-c-d-b-e
D. d-a-e-b-c

Your house may have an effect on your figure.Experts say the way you design your home could play a role in whether you pack on the pounds or keep them off.You can make your environment work for you instead of against you.Here are some ways to turn your home into part of your diet plan.
Open the curtains and turn up the lights.Dark environments are more likely to encourage overeating,for people are often less self-conscious（难为情）when they're in poorly lit places—and so more likely to eat lots of food.If your home doesn't have enough window light,get more lamps and flood the place with brightness.
Mind the colors.Research suggests warm colors fuel our appetites.In one study,people who ate meals in a blue room consumed 33 percent less than those in a yellow or red room.Warm colors like yellow make food appear more appetizing,while cold colors make us feel less hungry.So when it's time to repaint,go blue.
Don't forget the clock—or the radio.People who eat slowly tend to consume about 70 fewer calories（卡路里） per meal than those who rush through their meals.Begin keeping track of the time,and try to make dinner last at least 30 minutes.And while you're at it,actually sit down to eat.If you need some help slowing down,turn on relaxing music.It makes you less likely to rush through a meal.
Downsize the dishes.Big serving bowls and plates can easily make us fat.We eat about 22 percent more when using a 12-inch plate instead of a 10-inch plate.When we choose a large spoon over a smaller one,total intake（摄入）jumps by 14 percent.And we'll pour about 30 percent more liquid into a short,wide glass than a tall,skinny glass.



The text is especially helpful for those who care about ______ .

A. their home comforts
B. their body shape
C. house buying
D. healthy diets

A home environment in blue can help people ______ .

A. Digest food better
B. Reduce body intake
C. Burn more calories
D. Regain their appetites

What are people advised to do at mealtimes？ ______

A. Eat quickly.
B. Play fast music.
C. Use smaller spoons.
D. Turn down the lights.

What can be a suitable title for the text？ ______

A. Is Your House Making You Fat？
B. Ways of Serving Dinner
C. Effects of Self-consciousness
D. Is Your Home Environment Relaxing？