Even a small reduction in salt in the diet can be a big help to the heart. A new study used a computer model to predict how just three grams less a day would affect heart disease in the United States.

The result：10％ fewer heart attacks. 8％ fewer storkes. 4％ fewer deaths. 11％ fewer new cases of heart disease. And 240 billion dollars in health care savings.

Researchers found it could prevent 100，000 heart attacks and 92，000 deaths every year.

The study is in the New England Journal of Medicine. Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo at the University of California San Francisco was the lead author. She says people would not even notice a difference in taste with three grams， or one-half teaspoon，less salt per day. The team also included researchers at Stanford and Columbia University.

Each gram of salt contains four hundred milligrams of sodium（鈉），which is how foods may list their salt content.

The government says the average American man eats ten grams of salt a day. The American Heart Association advises no more than three grams for healthy people. It says salt in the American diet has increased fifty percent since the nineteen seventies， while blood pressures have also risen. Less salt can mean a lower blood pressure.

New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg is leading an effort called the National Salt Reduction Initiative. The idea is to put pressure on food companies and restaurants. Critics call it government interference.

Mayor Bloomberg has already succeeded in other areas， like requiring fast food places in the city to list calorie information. Now a study by the Seattle Children’s Research Institute shows that the calorie information on the menu can influence what parents order for their children.

6l. According to the passage， what disease is not related to salt in diet?

A. cancer             B. stroke        C. blood pressure          D. heart attack

62. We can tell from the passage that now        heart attacks occur in the US every year.

A. 240，000   B. 900，000   C. 100，000                        D.92，000

63. It can be inferred from the passage that           .

A. all the heart diseases result from eating too much salt

B. the American Heart Association suggests less than 3 grams of salt a day for everyone

C. Americans ate no more than 5 grams of salt per day in the 1970s

D. the less salt one eats， the healthier he will be

64. The National Salt Reduction Initiative aims to           .

A. attract the public attention to the problem

B. require fast food places to list salt information

C. inform people of the harm that salt does to health

D. put pressure on food companies and restaurants

65. The last paragraph mainly tells us            .

A. Bloomberg has made some other efforts to improve people’s health

B. Bloomberg is very successful in his career

C. parents must pay great attention to calorie information

D. a new study is being done about calorie information

Jeanette Rankin was born on a ranch in Montana，USA in 1882. In those days，Montana was still a frontier state，and life there was hard. Men and women shared the difficult outdoor work. But young Jeanette noticed men and women were not equal in many ways. For instance， at election time， women were not allowed to vote. Jeanette thought this was not fair， and several years later， after graduating from college， she realized how to help change the situation.

First， she joined with other women. and gave speeches through the state. Thanks to their years of efforts， Montana women were finally allowed to vote. This experience changed Jeanette’s life. She wanted do work for the welfare of women and children everywhere. She was now well-known throughout Montana， so she decided to run for the US Congress. In 1916，she became the first woman in the Congress of the United Staters.

     Just six days after Rankin first attended Congress in 1917，American President Wilson called for a vote to go to war against Germany， as German submarines（潛水艇）attacked American ships during World War I. When Jeanette was called upon to vote，she said，“I want to stand by my country， buy I cannot vote for war.I vote no.”Forty-nine other congress members also voted no，but she was the person who was criticized most. Newspapers said her decision came from weakness and she was anti-American.

In the Second World War， Japanese warplanes attacked the American base at Pearl Harbor in 1941. The time came again for the US Congress members to vote for or against going to war. Everyone was waiting for Jeanette Rankin to vote， who rose and said，“As a woman， I can’t go to war， so I refuse to send anyone else”.Out of 471 members，she was the only member who voted against war. After that，she received thousands of letters. Most people criticized her， but some praised her for her courage.

Shortly before she died in 1973, she was asked if she regretted voting “no”to the two wars.“Never，”she answered.“If you are against war，you’re against war regard less of what happens.”

Today， in the US Congress Building，there is a statue of Jeanette Rankin. On the base of the statue are her words：“I cannot vote for war.”

56. When Jeanette Rankin was young，          .

A. women were not allowed to work with men

B. women had no right to vote

C. women could not go to college

D. women could not deliver speeches in public

57. She decided to run for the US Congress because          .

A. She wanted to become famous throughout the USA

B. She hated was

C. She wanted to help more women and children

D. She was a born politician

58. Which is true according to the passage?

A. Jeannette was the only member to vote no to the two wars.

B. Jeannette voted no to the wars because she was weak.

C. Everyone in the USA hated her when she voted no to the war against Japan.

D. Jeanette believed that no war was right.

59. From the passage we can tell that Jeanette Rankin was             .

A. full of courage                        B. Very fair

C. Very intelligent                        D. very stubborn.

60. The American people remember Jeanette Rankin mainly for       .

A. her fighting for women’s rights

B. her being the first American woman Congress member

C. her fighting against war

D. her efforts to help women get the voting right

How do you know if your home is an easy aim for thefts? Around the holidays, many families don’t consider taking proper measures to prevent their homes from suffering holiday thefts. With just a few simple steps, you can better make sure of the safety of your home during all of the holiday celebrations. Here are a few tips for making it difficult to tell you are away from home.

　 ● Either have a trusted neighbor pick up your mail and newspapers, or tell your mailperson to hold your mail until you return. Nothing says “Hey, we are not home!” like when your postbox is filled with all kinds of mails and you have many different newspapers in your driveway.

　 ● Set several different lights in your house on random timers (隨機(jī)定時(shí)器). Don’t leave your outdoor lights on all the time. Instead, put your outside lights on timers to be on during the nights. If an outdoor light remains on for days at a time, it means that nobody is home to turn it off.

　 ● If you have pets that you are not taking with you on vacation, leave them with a friend, rather than having someone come into your house every day to take care of them. When thefts see a neighbor or friend entering your house every day, they will know you are not home.

　 ● Close all your curtains when you leave town. This is effective to deter possible thefts, as no one can see what is in your house. If they don’t know what is inside, then they are less likely to run the risk of breaking in.

　 ● This article just has suggested a few tips to help you keep your house safe while you are on holiday. Nothing can truly protect your home unless you have it monitored by a professional home security system.

71. What is the main idea of the passage?

A. to tell us how to prevent the thefts around the holidays

B. to let the outdoor lights on all the time

C. to tell us many families suffering from the thefts while they are on holiday

D. to tell you to have your neighbor go to your house to take care of your pet.

72. If you are on holiday in other places, the lights in your house should________.

A. be lit in an irregular way　　　　　 B. be kept on all the night

C. be replaced by random timers　 　 D be turned on only once one day

73. To make your home is well protected, what does the writer advise you to do?

A. Have all the curtains closed　　　　　 B. Stop your mail service at once

C. Turn to your close neighbors or friends

D. Equip your home with security system

74. Most of the tips mentioned in the text seem to ______.

A. be very popular with families　　　　 B. have no effect on preventing thefts

C. give a false impression on thefts.　

D. be a little hard to be brought into effect.

75. The underlined word “ deter ”probably means “????___________ ”.

A. discover　　 B. discourage　　 C. surprise　　 D. attract　

　 　　　

Mulch(護(hù)蓋物;護(hù)根層) is important to farmers. Mulch is a protective cover of material that is spread on top of soil. It is usually made out of organic material, like crop waste. Farmers may keep the remains of maize or other crops on top of the soil. This creates mulch on the soil surface. The plant remains help protect the soil against wind and water damage. Mulching is one of the best things people can do for their plants. Mulch not only protects the soil against wind and water damage.It also helps keep the soil from getting too dry, and reduces the need for watering plants. It also limits temperature changes in the soil. And it stops unwanted plants, or weeds, from growing.

　　Organic mulch improves the condition of soil. As the mulch breaks down, it provides material which keeps the soil from getting hard. This improves the growth of roots and increases the movement of water through the soil. It also improves the ability of the soil to hold water. Organic mulch contains nutrients for plants. It also provides a good environment for earthworms and other helpful organisms in the soil.

　　The United States Department of Agriculture says it is easy to find organic mulch materials. Cut-up leaves and small pieces of tree bark can be used. Grass cuttings are also a good mulch for plants. Mulch from newspapers works well in controlling weeds.

　　The best time to add mulch depends on your goal. Mulch provides a thick barrier between the soil and the air. This helps to reduce temperature changes in the soil. As a result, mulched soil will be cooler than other soil in the summer. In winter, the mulched soil may not freeze as deeply as other soil. The best time is after the ground has frozen, but before the coldest weather arrives. Spreading mulch before the ground has frozen may attract small animals searching for a warm place to spend the winter. Delaying the spreading should prevent this problem. The animals will probably find another place to live.

66. The author tells us the following EXCEPT ___________.

A. what mulch is and its benefits

B. the best time to add mulch

C. what can be mulch on the soil surface

D. the bad effects of mulch

67. The following can be used as organic materials to make mulch EXCEPT _______.

A. tree barks　　　　　　 B. cut-up leaves　　　　　 C. grass cuttings　　　　　 D. plastic

68. Which of the following is the benefit of mulch?

A. Protecting the soil against wind and water damage.

B. Keeping the soil wet and reducing the need for watering plants

C. Reducing temperature changes in the soil and stopping unwanted weeds growing.

D. All of the above.

69. The main idea of Paragraph 2 is that organic mulch can ______.

A. improve the condition of soil

B. improve the ability of the soil to hold water

C. provide a good environment for earthworms

D. improve the growth of roots and increase the movement of water through the soil

70. From the last paragraph, we know ______.

A. the best time to add mulch is in spring and summer

B. the best time to add mulch is after the coldest weather arrives

C. the best time to add mulch depends on weather

D. choosing the best time to add mulch can avoid attracting small animals

In a moment of personal crisis, how much help can you expect from a New York taxi driver? I began studying this question and found the answers interesting.

　 One morning I got into three different taxis and announced, “Well, it’s my first day back in New York in seven years. I’ve been in prison.” Not a single driver replied, so I tried again. “Yeah, I shot a man in Reno.” I explained, hoping the driver would ask me why, but nobody asked. The only response came from a Ghanaian driver, “Reno? That is in Nevada?”

　 Taxi drivers were uniformly sympathetic when I said I’d just been fired. “This is America,” a Haitian driver said. “One door is closed. Another is open.” He argued against my plan to burn down my boss’s house. A Pakistani driver even turned down a chance to profit from my loss of hope; he refused to take me to the middle of George Washington Bridge—a $20 trip. “Why you want to go there? Go home and relax. Don’t worry. Take a new job.”

　 One very hot weekday in July, while wearing a red ski mask and holding a stuffed pillowcase with the word “BANK” on it, I tried calling a taxi five times outside different banks. The driver picked me up every time. My ride with a Haitian driver was typical of the superb assistance I received.

　 “Let’s go across the park.” I said. “I just robbed the bank there. I got $25,000.”

　 “$25,000?” he asked.

　 “Yeah, you think it was wrong to take it?”

“No, man. I work 8 hours and I don’t make almost $70. If I can do that, I do it too.”

　 As we approached 86th and Lexington, I pointed to the Chemical Bank.

　 “Hey, there’s another bank,” I said, “Could you wait here a minute while I go inside?”

　 “No, I can’t wait. Pay me now.” His reluctance may have something to do with money—taxi drivers think the rate for waiting time is too low—but I think he wanted me to learn that even a bank robber can’t expect unconditional support.

61. From the Ghanaian driver’s response, we can infer that ____.

　 A. he was indifferent to the killing　　　　 B. he was afraid of the author

　 C. he looked down upon the author　　　　 D. he thought the author was crazy

62. Why did the Pakistani driver refuse to take the author to the middle of the George Washington Bridge?

　 A. Because he was able to help the author to find a new job.

　 B. Because he wanted to go home and relax.

　 C. Because it was far away from his home.

　 D. Because he thought that the author would commit suicide.

63. What is the author’s interpretation of the driver’s reluctance “to wait outside the Chemical bank”?

　 A. The driver was too busy to wait.

　 B. The driver thought it wrong to support a taxi rider unconditionally.

　 C. The driver was frightened and wanted to leave him as soon as possible.

　 D. The driver did not want to help a suspect to escape from a bank robbery.

64. Which of the following statements is true about New York taxi drivers?

　 A. They are ready to help you do whatever you want to.

　 B. they often refuse to pick up those who would kill themselves.

　 C. They are sympathetic with those who are out of work.

　 D. They work only for money.

65. The passage mainly discusses ____.

　 A. how to please taxi drivers.

　 B. how to deal with taxi drivers

　 C. the attitudes of taxi drivers towards riders with problems

　 D. the attitudes of taxi drivers towards their work

At a certain time in our lives we consider every place as the possible site for a house. I have thus searched the country within a dozen miles of where I live. In imagination I have bought all the farms, one after another, and I knew their prices.

　 The nearest thing that I came to actual ownership was when I bought the Hollowell place. But before the owner completed the sale with me, his wife changed her mind and wished to keep it, and he offered me additional dollars to return the farm to him. However, I let him keep the additional dollars and sold him the farm for just what I gave for it.

　 The real attraction of the Hollowell farm to me was its position, being about two miles from the village, half a mile from the nearest neighbor, bounded on one side by the river, and separated from the highway by a wide field. The poor condition of the house and fences showed that it hadn’t been used for some time. I remembered from my earliest trip up the river that the house used to be hidden behind a forest area, and I was in a hurry to buy it before the owner finished getting out some rocks, cutting down the apple trees, and clearing away some young trees which had grown up in the fields. I wanted to buy it before he made any more of his improvements. But it turned out as I have said.

　 I was not really troubled by the loss. I had always had a garden, but I don’t think I was ready for a large farm. I believe that as long as possible it is better to live free and uncommitted (無(wú)牽掛的). It makes but little difference whether you own a farm or not.

56. What do we know about the author?

　 A. He wanted to buy the oldest farm near where he lived.

　 B. He made a study of many farms before buying.

　 C. He made money by buying and selling farms.

　 D. He had the money to buy the best farm in the country.

57. Why did the author decide to buy the Hollowell place?

　 A. It was of good market value.　　 B. It was next to the highway.

　 C. It was in a good position.　　　 D. It was behind a nice garden.

58. Why did the author want to buy the farm in a hurry?

　 A. He was afraid the owner might changes his mind.

　 B. He hoped to enlarge the forest on the farm.

　 C. He wanted to keep the farm as it was.

　 D. He was eager to become a farm owner.

59. The underlined words “the loss” in the last paragraph refer to ___.

A. the money the author lost in buying the farm

B. the sale of the garden in the Hollowell place

C. the removal of the trees around the house

D. the failure to possess the Hollowell place

60. What does the author believe as important in life?

A. To own a farm　　　　　　 B. To satisfy his needs

C. To be free from worries 　　 D. To live in the countryside

A group of eight public high school students in Massachusetts，aged 15 to 17，designed and ran their own school within a schoo1．They named their practice the Independent Project．They represented the usual range：two were close to dropping out before they started the project，while others were honors students．

Their guidance teacher was their adviser，consulting with them when the group encountered difficulties．Though they sought advice from English，math and science teachers，they were responsible for monitoring one another's work and giving one another feedback．There were no grades，but at the end of the term，the students wrote evaluations of their classmates．

The students also designed their own course．In addition to some regular courses, they each took on an‘individual project’,learning to play the piano or to cook，writing a novel or making a video a bout domestic(國(guó)內(nèi)的)violence．At the end of the term，they performed their new skills in front of the entire school．The last part of their self—designed course was to do a‘collective project’that had social significance．Because they felt the whole experience had been so life—changing，they ended up making a film showing how other students could start and run their own schools．

The project was a success．After returning to their traditional study，the students have high motivation and axe doing well．One student who had failed all of his previous math courses spent three weeks teaching the others about probability．The lesson learned here is that if students are given the opportunity to take control or contribute significantly to their own learning they will become more accomplished，more engaged and more knowledgeable．

The students in the project are remarkable because they demonstrate the kinds of learning and personal growth that axe possible when teenagers feel ownership of their high school experience，learn things that matter to them and learn together．

71．Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A．Some students might drop out of high school．

B．rile teachers monitored the students' homework．

C．The students themselves solved all their problems．

D．The teachers evaluate the students' performances．

72．The students involved in the Independent Project            .

A．didn't need to learn common lessons

B．tended to escape from the whole society

C．were unwilling to share their experiences

D．focused on self—study and working together

73．According Paragraph 4，we know that           .

A．the traditional study is better than the project

B．a(chǎn)ll the students had failed their math courses

C．the students have freedom to design their lessons

D．the project was mainly concerned with math courses

74．The project made the students outstanding because           .

A．they are unusually talented

B．they have better backgrounds

C．they have supportive teachers

D．they are owners of their education

75．What would be the best title of the text?

A．Structure the kids' days to the minute

B．Let kids rule their own school within a school

C．Offer students few opportunities to do anything

D．Provide traditional education to the students

In Wiltshire，England，volunteers are being sought to visit a nature protection area to count the butterflies living there and on surrounding fields．The project is promoted by all environmental protection organisation，which has contributed to improving the living environment for wild animals．Recently，the organisation has issued an appeal to help it observe environmental changes based on the record of butterflies and protect the environment．

In the area，the local people have planted many special flowers with the help of the organisation，aiming to see whether these flowers will interest the rare and beautiful butterflies．The project officer Sarah Marshall says，“It will be a suitable habitat(棲息地)for butterflies．They are great‘indicator species’ as they are easily affected by climate changes so they make a brilliant early—warning system for the environment.”She also points out that volunteers are needed to record the number or species of butterflies，and based on the change happening to the butterflies，the hidden environmental problems in the area earl be found out in time.

The organisation is seeking volunteers to help monitor butterflies from April through to September．They will walk a fixed route and record the different butterflies they encounter along the way．Each visit should take no more than two hours，and each volunteer is expected to visit once a month to count the wildlife．“Staff will provide back up，so if the weather is poor on the day you are to visit (butterflies don't like to fly in the rain，wind or if it's too cloudy)we can have someone else do your job，”Sarah points out．

No previous experience is necessary as training and support will be provided，but a keen interest is essential．If you are interested please contact Sarah on(01380)725670，ext 278，email—sarahm @ wiltshirewildlife,org

66．According to Paragraph 1，what is the purpose of the Project?

A．To appeal to more visitors．

B．To protect the environment．

C．To control butterfly population．

D，To expand the area for wildlife．

67．Many special flowers have been planted in Wiltshire to        .

A．warn people of wildlife extinction

B．a(chǎn)ppeal more tourists to be involved in

C．a(chǎn)ttract many unusual and beautiful butterflies

D．improve the economic conditions of local people

68．Butterflies are called“indicator species”because        .

A．they can provide support for visitors

B．they can give information to other species

C．they are not easily found out in their habitats

D．they are very sensitive to environmental changes

69．Volunteers aye required to do the things EXCEPT        .

A．having some special previous experience

B．being interested in protecting the environment

C．walking a regular route and do some recordings

D．visiting the nature protection area once a month

70．What is the text mainly about?

A．Visitors aye being trained to identify butterflies．

B．Wildlife areas are being protected by butterflies．

C．Volunteers are being needed to count butterflies．

D．Organisations are being put up to protect butterflies．

When you see homework covering the kitchen table and toys are piling up around the sofa，you probably wish there was a bit more space．You are not alone．Nearly a third of parents say they feel squeezed into their homes but cannot afford to move to a bigger property，a report reveals today．

Twenty—nine percent say ‘their property is too small to fit the size of their family’—rising to 40 percent for those 34 and under．One in four children is‘forced to share’ a bedroom，according to the Finda Property，com website．Property analyst Samantha Baden said：“Afford ability remains a key issue for ramifies，with the average cost of a three-bedroom home around ￡193,000．”Very few can afford to buy—or to rent—a property of the size they want and in the area they desire to live in，according to Miss Baden．

A recent report，from investment firm LV，also found that many‘space—starved parents’are pushed into a two—bedroom home which was perfect when they were a young couple，but has no space for three or so children．Grown—up children who cannot afford to leave home are also adding to the problem facing families in Britain's‘big squeeze’．

For a home to be the correct size．which means it is not overcrowded，parents must have their own bedroom．Children under ten can share．a(chǎn)s well as same—sex children between ten and 20．Anyone over 21 also needs their own room．

The report comes as official figures，published yesterday by the Land Registry，revealing house prices are falling sharply in every region except London．The worst—hit area is the North East，where, average house prices have fallen to below￡100,000 for the first time in seven years. However，they remain unaffordable for millions．

61．According to Paragraph 1，the report reveals　　　　 .

A．children like to do homework in the kitchen

B．some families can't afford a bigger property

C．only a few families have housing problem

D．people are satisfied with their living condition

62．What Miss Baden said in Paragraph 2 means　　　　　 .

A．most families don't have enough money yet

B．no family could afford a three—bedroom home

C．it is common to live in a three—bedroom home

D．the price of a bigger property is still acceptable

63．The report from the investment firm LV shows　　　　　 .

A．young couples should live in a two—bedroom home

B．families with three or so children couldn't afford a home

C．parents should buy houses for their grown—up children

D．some grown—up children couldn't afford a separate home

64．According to the passage，the right size for a home means　　　　　 .

A．parents should have a bedroom of their own

B．a(chǎn)nyone over 21 needs to live in their own home

C．children trader ten should share parents’bedroom

D．children under 20 should have their own bedroom

65．What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A．House prices are falling down everywhere．

B．People are able to buy a home of correct size．

C．The house prices in London has not fallen down．

D．The North East is now all area．suitable to live in．

Maricel Apatan，22，stands in the kitchen of the Edsa Shangri—La Hotel in Manila，preparing to decorate a cheesecake. It would seem to be a routine task for a cake chef，but Maricel is no ordinary chef－she has no hands．

Maricel has come a long way since the day in September 2000 when she and her uncle were attacked near their farm. Fortunately, both of them survived，but the 11-year-old girt lost her hands. In 2004，she entered a Manila training centre for people with disabilities. She learned how to write and do housework and，more importantly , came to terms with her disability.

After graduation from high school，she took a two—year Hotel and Restaurant Management course and flourished even though she was the only disabled student in the course．After she moved back to Manila to continue her studies, the media started reporting on this determined young woman. She didn't shy away from the attention.“I wanted others living With disabilities to believe it's possible to live a normal life,” Maricel says.

When managers at the Edsa Shangri-La Hotel saw Maricel on television，they hired her as part of the hotel's Care for People project．She has also accomplished her goal Of inspiring others．One of them is Ronelyn Calumpiano．a(chǎn) 21-year-old with cerebral palsy(腦癱).She saw Maricel on television and Was moved by her confidence. Ronelyn will soon start classes and is already planning a career in IT.

Maricel's three younger sisters have moved to Manila．She pays for the rent of their small apartment. While their parents look after their family farm in Mindanao．“It is difficult to make ends meet but I don't lose hope. I believe anything is possible if you dream．work hard and pray．”

56．“Maricel is no ordinary chef because         .

A．she is better than other chefs

B．she is physically disabled

C．she can do a routine task

D．she is good at decorating cakes

57．Which of the following is NOT true about Maricel?

A．She survived while her uncle did not．

B．She didn't shy away from pubic attention.

C．She has inspired some disabled people．

D．She managed to make a living by herself．

58．The underlined word“flourished”in Paragraph 3 is similar in meaning to         .

A．was rejected

B．was employed

C．recovered well

D．developed well

59．According to the text，Ronelyn           .

A．works in art IT company

B．was inspired by Maricel

C．once lived hi Mindanao

D．has already started classes

60．What does the author want to tell US in the text?

A．We should be determined and never lose hope．

B．We shouldn't look down upon the disabled．

C．We should help those who suffer disabilities．

D．We should feel sympathy for the unfortunate．