Monthly Talks at London Canal Museum

    Our monthly talks start at 19:30 on the first Thursday of each month except August. Admission is at normal charges and you don’t need to book. They end around 21:00.

November 7^th

The Canal Pioneers, by Chris Lewis. James Brindley is recognized as one of the leading early canal engineers. He was also a major player in training others in the art of canal planning and building. Chris Lewis will explain how Brindley made such a positive contribution to the education of that group of early “civil engineers”.

December 5^th

Ice for the Metropolis, by Malcolm Tucker. Well before the arrival of freezers, there was a demand for ice for food preservation and catering, Malcolm will explain the history of importing natural ice and the technology of building ice wells, and how London’s ice trade grew.

February 6^th

An Update on the Cotsword Canals, by Liz Payne. The Stroudwater Canal is moving towards reopening. The Thames and Severn Canal will take a little longer. We will have a report on the present state of play.

March 6^th

Eyots and Aits-Thames Islands, by Miranda Vickers. The Thames has many islands. Miranda has undertaken a review of all of them. She will tell us about those of greatest interest.

             Online bookings:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/book

              More into:www.canalmuseum.org.uk/whatson

                       London Canal Museum

                12-13 New Wharf Road, London NI 9RT

            www.canalmuseum.org.uk   www.canalmuseum.mobi

                  Tel:020 77130836

21When is the talk on James Brindley?

A. February 6^th.     B. March 6^th.      C. November 7^th.      D. December 5th.

22. What is the topic of the talk in February?

A. The Canal Pioneers. 

B. Ice for the Metropolis 

C. Eyots and Aits- Thames Islands

D. An Update on the Cotsword Canals

23. Who will give the talk on the islands in the Thames?

A. Miranda Vickers    B. Malcolm Tucker   C. Chris Lewis      D. Liz Payne

    While your pet fish may appear to be unaware of your presence, chances are that it knows you extremely well and can probably even identify you from a crowd of human faces!

    To test if this was accurate, some scientists decided to study archerfish(喷水鱼). These animals don’t have a sophisticated(复杂的) brain that is necessary to recognize human faces.

    They began by presenting four archerfish with images of two human faces. Initially, the fish spit at both. However, they soon learned spitting water at the one selected by the researchers earned them a food treat. After that, they focused primarily on that image. The researchers then took the experiment one step further by introducing 44 other human faces to the mix.

    To the researcher’s astonishment, the trained archerfish were able to recall the learned image almost 81% of the time. And this accuracy improved to 86% when the researchers made the identification even harder, by replacing the colored photos with a set of black and white images and hiding the shape of the head.

    The results of the study suggest that though having tiny brains, archerfish may have developed high visual discrimination abilities. While it is contrary to the previous theory that a sophisticated brain is necessary to recognize human faces, the researchers believe they do not recognize faces by recalling complex facial information like gender and identity, but more likely by discriminating between detailed patterns. Even so, the fact that these archerfish could“ remember” those faces proves that they have an impressive memory for details that lasts much longer than the originally- thought 3 seconds!

    This is not the first time researchers have realized how “smart” fish are. Previous studies have shown that fish can recognize those fish they have “socialized” with previously, and evener call complex 3D maps of their surroundings.

29. What encouraged archerfish to spit at the selected photo?

A. A reward.      B. Another fish.       C. The music.       D. The color.

30. Why did the researchers test the fish with black and white images?

A. To help fish recognize more easily.

B. To prove fish can tell different colors.

C. To test whether fish like white or black.

D. To increase the difficulty of the identification.

31. How can archerfish recognize faces?

A. With a sophisticated brain.

B. Through a 3-second memory.

C. By distinguishing detailed patterns.

D. By recalling people’s facial information.

32. What can we infer from the text?

A. Fish are social animals.

B. The results are beyond people’s belief.

C. Fish have the ability to tell different shapes.

D. Fish are proved to be clever for the first time.

   1  . There are two pens which can write this book. One is writing growth, the other is writing caducity(衰老）. One is describing success, the other is presenting failure. In others words, one is drawing happiness and the other is showing sorrow as well.

Life is like a heavy truck, so happiness and sorrow are like the wheels. No cross,no crown. No pain, no joy.    2  . One is that to live a day is to leave a day. The other is that to live a day is to enjoy a day. Just one word difference, it has reflected the complete reverse(相反的） state of psychology. Life is like the course which is investing（投资） all the time.   3  .

When you have it, you should use it well and make it develop great actions. Please remember, the active attitude creates wonderful life, or the negative attitude waste lifetime.

  4   . When she was about to knock at the door, she heard someone speaking in the room. A little girl said," Would you like some braised(炖熟的） pork today?" Another girl said, "No. I would like some toasted chicken." Following the words, the lady knocked at the door and went into the room.   5  . To her surprise, there were only some pieces of thin and dry bread, two cold potatoes and a jar of water on the table. The lady asked them what was the matter . They said that they imagined that, so poor food was turned into many kinds of delicious food.

When the lady left the family, she had newly understanding of happiness.

A. She saw them sitting at a table.

B. Everybody wishes to live a happy life.

C. There are two different minds.

D. Life is like a book.

E. One day , a rich lady went to visit a poor, but happy family.

F. Happy life exists everywhere.

G. Therefore, for one sense, life is the capital.

----They haven’t finished all the work up to now.

    ----They ____________.

   A. should                                     B. ought to 

C. are supposed to               D. are supposed to have

    It happened at a weekend in the 1970's. Mum gave me two tickets for a film, telling me she was too busy to go together with me with the 71         (end)  housework. She told me to keep the money if I could sell the extra ticket. I was very happy. At that time, a ticket cost only 20 fen. But to me, a little girl of twelve, 20 fen seemed quite a lot. I reached the cinema 72         (hurry). Holding the ticket in my hand，I began to look for a buyer. Just then a handsome young man, 73_________ noticed me and the ticket, came towards me with a big smile，“You've got 74________ extra ticket? ”  “Yes,” I nodded.

    “That's great. Say how much？”

    “20 fen.”

“Oh,” he thought for a while and then took out a ten-­yuan note 75         his wallet.
    “I'm terribly sorry,  76         I've only got this note.” Seeing I was confused, he added, “Then how about waiting for a while 77         I have changed it in the cinema's store?”

 “Without much thinking, I agreed. Then we went to the cinema together. He walked very fast. I could hardly keep up with 78          . Soon he disappeared, I stood there 79          (puzzle). Suddenly I realized the handsome young fellow 80___________ (cheat) me.” Before long I found that he'd sold the ticket to a little boy. He earned 20 fen, but lost his honor!

A few months ago, I was picking up the children at school. Emily, another mother that I knew well, rushed up to me. She was full of __41__.

“Do you know __42__ you and I are?” she asked. __43__ I could answer, she gave out the reason for her question. She had just returned from renewing her  driver’s permit at a government office. The woman __44__ desk asked her what her “occupation” was. Emily hesitated, __45__ how to answer it. “What I mean is,” explained the woman, “do you have a job, or are you just a ...?” “Of course I have a job,” answered Emily. “I’m a (an) __46__.” “We don’t __47__ ‘mother’ as an occupation ----‘housewife’ covers it,” she said.

I forgot all about her story __48__ one day I found myself in the same situation. This time it was at our own Town Hall. The clerk was a woman.

“And what is your occupation?” she asked. What __49__ me say it, I do not know. The words simply jumped out. “I’m ... a (an) ___50___ in the field of Child Development and Human Relations.”

The clerk stopped, her ball-point pen ___51__ in mid-air. She looked up __52__ she had not heard right. I repeated the title(头衔) slowly.

“Might I ask,” said the clerk with new interest, “just what you do in your ___53__?” Coolly, I heard myself ___54__, “I have a continuing program of research in the laboratory and in the field I’m working for my masters (the whole family) and already have __55__ credits (令人增光的人或事物) (all daughters). I often work 14 hours a day (24 is more like it). The job is more challenging than most jobs and the __56__ are in satisfaction rather than just money.”

There was increasing __57__ in the clerk’s voice as she __58__ in the form. As I drove into our driveway(私家车道), I was __59__ by my lab assistants — ages 13, 7, and 3. Inside the house I could hear our new experimental model (six months) in the child-development program.

I felt successful. Motherhood...what a great __60__.

41. A. surprise       B. anger       C. joy           D. regret

42.A. who         B. what        C. how           D. why

43A. When        B. As          C. Before         D. Since

44.A. at            B. after        C. by             D. around

45. A. nervous      B. disappointed     C. eager        D. uncertain

46. A. mother       B. worker      C. teacher          D. doctor

47. A. think         B. list         C. expect           D. give

48. A. since         B. unless         C. until          D. when

49. A. got           B. caused        C .permit         D. made

50. A. researcher      B. manager     C. expert       D. lab assistant

51. A. frozen        B. reminded       C. dropped     D. broke

52. A. as if         B. even though    C. so that        D. now that

53. A. family         B. subject       C. study        D. field

54. A. spell          B. reply          C. shout       D. whisper

55. A. two           B. three          C. four        D. five

56. A. rewards        B. awards        C. profits      D. benefits

57. A. interest        B. respect        C. doubt        D fear

58. A. explained      B. passed         C. completed    D. filled

59. A. accepted       B. greeted        C. recognized    D. refused

60. A. person       B. astonishment      C. career        D. business

1. She now helps in a local school as a ______ (志愿者) three days a week.

2. People have various answers ________ the question “How satisfied are you with your life?”. (作为…的回应)

3. North Korea said on January 6 it _____ (test) a hydrogen bomb, which was criticized by its neighbors and the USA.

4. Nowadays, college students are encouraged to e_______(建立) their own business after graduation.

5. We should try to have these social problems _____ (solve) in time for the development of China’s economy.

6. I do not think that housework is a w_____  of time and energy or with negative influence on children.

7. The United Kingdom _______ Great Britain and Northern Ireland. (由…组成)

8. We ate some of the fish and ______  (freeze) the rest.

9. All students without e_______ (例外) must take the English examination.

10. How long do you spend online _______ every day?(平均)

11. China plans to land the first probe ever on the dark side of the moon in 2018, ____ (mark) another milestone in its space program.

12. A new study found that pears __________ lower body weight. A pear a day keeps the pounds away. (与…有联系)

13. ---We need to hurry if we want to see the 7:30 movie.

---We can _____and then go to the cinema. (赶紧吃点东西)

14. If you do not feel well then you can _______ (请一天假)

15. Nowadays the number of overseas students is huge, but the student ______ (质量) is mixed.

It was once common to regard Britain as a society with class(阶级) differences. Each class had unique characteristics. In recent years, many writers have begun to speak of the ‘decline of class ’ and ‘classless society ’ in Britain. And in modern day consumer society everyone is considered to be middle class.

  But a recent study of public opinion found 90 percent of people still placing themselves in a particular class; 73 percent agreed that class was still a vital part of British society; and 52 percent thought there were still sharp class differences. Thus, class may not be culturally and politically obvious, yet it remains an important part of British society.

  One unchanging aspect of a British person’s class position is accent. The words a person speaks tell her or his class. A study of British accents during the 1970s found that a voice sounding like a BBC newsreader was viewed as the most attractive voice. Most people said this accent sounds ‘educated ’ and ‘soft ’. The accents placed at the bottom in this study, on the other hand, were regional(地区的) city accents. These accents were seen as ‘common ’ and ‘ugly ’. However, a similar study of British accents in the US turned these results upside down and placed some regional accents as the most attractive and BBC English as the least. This suggests that British attitudes towards accent have deep roots and are based on class prejudice.

  In recent years, however, young upper middle-class people in London, have begun to adopt some regional accents, in order to hide their class origins. This is an indication of class becoming unnoticed. However, the 1995 pop song ‘ Common People ’ puts forward the view that though a middle-class person may ‘ want to live like common people ’ they can never appreciate the reality of a working class life.

28．A recent study of public opinion shows that in modern Britain_________.

A. it is time to end class distinction

B. most people belong to middle class

C. it is easy to recognize a person’s class

D. people regard themselves socially different

29．The study in the US showed that BBC English was regarded as _________.

A. unattractive     B. educated

C. prejudiced      D. regional

30．British attitudes towards accent_________.

A. have a long tradition

B. are based on regional status

C. are shared by the Americans

D. have changed in recent years

31．What is the main idea of the passage?

A. The middle class is expanding.

B. A person’s accent reflects his class.

C. Class is a key part of British society.

D. Each class has unique characteristics.

    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处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每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: 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。

Three years ago I was admitted to an ordinary school. Disappointing as I felt at the poorly-equipped classroom, I found the teachers patient and considerately. What’s more, I was very fond in the friendly atmosphere in class. I was determined to make best of it. I worked hard and get along well with my teachers and classmates. Whenever I had difficulties, they were always ready to helping me out. Soon, I became one of the top student in my class, which made me to become confident and motivated.

What I experienced in high school tell me that it is not what you are given but how you make use of it which determines who you are.

Dear Tom,

How are you doing? You    41   (ask) me in your last letter about my plan for the coming summer vacation.

I am sorry that I didn’t   42 _ delay. How I wish I   43   (read) and reply your email as soon as I received it.   44    , I was busy preparing for my final exam at that time,   45  is vital for me. As a result, I had no choice but    46      (focus) on my study completely. I believe that if you   47   (be) me, you would make the same choice。

By the way, I have a busy schedule for my summer vacation. First and foremost, I would do a part time job, so that my interpersonal skills   48   (improve). Additionally, I will take a short trip to Beijing to take a summer course in the New Oriental School. Last but not   49    (little), maybe I will work as a volunteer for the school as a teaching assistant.

These are my plan for the summer vacation. What’s yours? I am looking   50__to your earliest reply.

41.              42.               43.             44.          45.           

46.              47.               48.             49.          50.          

When it comes to benefits of volunteering, a lot of people think it’s all about the warm feelings after helping someone.     36    For example, volunteering……

1. Teaches you new skills

From helping make websites to teaching kids languages, to arranging events for charity, volunteering can really be almost anything.    37    And through overcoming these you learn and start to master completely new skills.

2. Can be relevant work experience

Something that seems to stop many is that experience often seems to be a prerequisite (必备条件) for some jobs.    38    There’s many a journalist that gets his or her start through volunteering for a college or university paper, and that’s not at all the only profession this applies to.

3. Can be therapeutic (治疗的)

One of my close friends has completely transformed since she started working for disabled kids.    39    It allows you to see the world and other people from a whole different point of view, which in turn can make you grateful for what you already have and see your own personal value.

4. Helps you expand your network

One of the great things for volunteering is that you meet a wide variety of people.     40    Sometimes it’s very convenient to have a broad network.

A. Volunteering helps you grow as a person.

B. As it turns out, that’s far from the only benefit.

C. Volunteering can actually help you get the experience you need.

D. Volunteering helps you look outside yourself and your problems.

E. It’s a way to prove that you’ve not just been sitting and doing nothing.

F. That means when you get involved in voluntary work, you will face many challenges.

G. You’re getting to know people involved in many different walks in life that you wouldn’t have had the opportunity to meet otherwise.

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 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.

25. The text is especially helpful for those who care about_______.

A. healthy diets                     B. house buying

C. their body shape                  D. their home comforts

26. A home environment in blue can help people_________.

A. reduce food intake                B. digest food better

C. regain their appetites               D. burn more calories 

27. What are people advised to do at mealtimes?

A. Use smaller spoons.               B. Turn down the lights.

C. Eat quickly.                      D. Play fast music.

28. What can be a suitable title for the text?

A. Is Your Home Environment Relaxing?

B. Is Your House Making You Fat?

C. Ways of Serving Dinner

D. Effects of Self-Consciousness 

Here are Important Travel Notices from United Airlines, March 20, 2016 7:12 AM. Information is updated as it is received.

◆    1. Travel and the Zika virus

If you have a ticket for travel to a country affected by the Zika virus (as listed on the CDC website) and have concerns, please contact the United Customer Contact Center with any questions or changes to your reservation. Customers advised to avoid the affected regions based on CDC guidance may change their destination or travel date without a fee or may choose to receive a refund（退款）if their tickets were booked before February 29, 2016. The new travel date must be within the validity of the ticket. Additional charges may apply if there is a difference in fare for the new travel route.

◆    2. Longer lines at security checkpoints

Procedural changes at TSA checkpoints throughout the United States may result in longer lines at security checkpoints. Please plan accordingly and allow for extra time at the airport. The TSA advises arriving at the airport two hours before your flight for US travel and three hours before for international travel. To save time at security, we encourage you to visit  www.tsa.gov.com and apply for TSA pre-check.

◆   3. Notice for flights departing the European Union, Norway and Switzerland

EU Regulation 261/2004 requires airlines to provide the following notice: If you are not allowed to board or if your flight is cancelled or delayed for at least two hours, ask at the check-in counter or boarding gate for the form, stating your rights, particularly about compensation and assistance.

1. Travelers have to pay additional fees when they want to        .

A．change their reservation                        B．change travel date

C．receive their refund                               D． change to a dearer route

2. What do we know from Notice 2?

A．Security check possibly takes time in the USA.

B．Security checkpoints are not available.

C．Security check wastes a long time.

D．Pre-check can easily be done online.

3. Compensation can be asked for when         .

A．passengers refuse to board the plane

B．passengers’ trip is cancelled in advance

C．passengers’ flight is delayed at least two hours

D．passengers miss their flight due to traffic jam

    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处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每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：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。

I have planned an autumn outing for my class the next week, and I’m writing to ask your permission.

First, the place where we’ve decided to visit – the Forest Park is not far away from the city. We can take a bus and ride a bike to get there. Second, the trip would provide us with a great opportunity to get closely to nature. Third, we need to spare some times to take some physical exercise. Some teachers will join us to make sure of our safe.

We are all looking forward to receive your permission. We would appreciate you if you could kindly give us an immediate reply.

When caught in a pouring rain without an umbrella, most people pick up their pace（步伐）. But an old tale advises that a person who runs in the rain gets wetter than one who walks.

It 41 reasonable that when someone runs up and down, the 42 is exposed to more drops of water.

   But several studies have 43 this saying to the test and found it not to be true. One such test was 44 in 1987 and was published in European Journal of Physics magazine. The Italian physicist who did the 45 said that if the distance is short enough, running gets a person 46than walking. But running only keeps you about 10 percent drier. That is to say, running isn’t 47 the effort.

Another study, published in 1995 by a British researcher, found that it 48  no difference  49  a person walked or ran.

Perhaps the final word 50 from two American scientists at the National Climatic Data Center in North Carolina recently. They thought that 51 studies overestimated（高估）the average walking pace. So, they did a 52   more careful experiment than any of the earlier ones.

They noticed that the direction of the wind really matters 53 the results of the experiment. They also found that runners like to 54  forward, hiding the front of their bodies from rain, but exposing the 55  .

The 56 used themselves as guinea pigs（豚鼠，供做实验的人或物）in the test. Over a 57 of 100 metres, they found that running in the heavy rain 58 them drier by as much as 40 percent.

The bottom line is that running in the rain probably keeps you drier than walking.  59 do remember to take an umbrella with you! For long distances, without an umbrella, the 60 is the same, no matter you run or walk.

41. A. listens       B. feels        C. sounds                  D. smells

42. A. head        B. back       C. chest            D. body

43. A. put          B. made       C. given             D. permitted

44. A. carried out   B. taken out   C. put out          D. made out

45. A. study         B. work       C. experiment    D. task

46. A. wetter       B. less wet    C. no drier           D. less dry

47. A. worth        B. sure        C. certain                  D. equal

48. A. took         B. made       C. had                D. owned

49. A. if              B. unless      C. how               D. whether

50. A. came         B. told          C. heard              D. learned

51. A. later                 B. latest        C. earlier            D. earliest

52. A. very                 B. much       C. any                 D. many

53. A. as                   B. for                C. to                 D. on

54. A. lean                 B. run                C. walk             D. stand

55. A. side                 B. head               C. back               D. bottom

56. A. researchers         B. runners           C. students                 D. workers

57. A. length               B. distance          C. width             D. height

58. A. kept                        B. took               C. brought           D. caused

59. A. And                  B. So                  C. But               D. Or

60. A. suggestion        B. result               C. conclusion      D. achievement

A lot of policemen were sent there to ____ the football fans from making trouble.

A. permit           B. prevent       C. protect           D. prove

These pictures will show you _______________ 50 years ago．

    A．how our city Dawukou looked like    B．what our city Dawukou looked like

    C．what did our city Dawukou look like   D．how did our city Dawukou look like

Danielle Steel, America’s sweetheart, is one of the hardest working women in the book business. Unlike other productive authors who write one book at a time, she can work on up to five. Her research before writing takes at least three years. Once she has fully studied her subjects, ready to dive into the book, she can spend twenty hours nonstop at her desk.

Danielle Steel comes from New York and was sent to France for her education. After graduation, she worked in the public relations and advertising industries. Later she started a job as a writer which she was best fit for. Her achievements are unbelievable: 390 million copies of books in print, nearly fifty New York Times best-selling novels, and a series of “Max and Martha” picture books for children to help them deal with the real-life problems of death, new babies and new schools. Her 1998 book about the death of her work shot to the top of the New York Times best-selling list as soon as it came out. Twenty-eight of her books had been made into films. She is listed in the Guinness Book of World Records for one of her books being the Times best-seller for 381 weeks straight.

Not satisfied with a big house, a loving family, and a view of the Golden GateBridge, Danielle Steel considers her readers to be the most important resource and has kept in touch with them by e-mail. While she is often compared to the heroines of her own invention, her life is undoubtedly much quieter. But, if she does have anything in common with them, it is her strength of will and her inimitable (独特的) style. There is only one Danielle Steel.

25. Danielle Steel is different from other writers because ________.

   A. she can write several books at the same time

B. she often does some research before writing a book

C. she is one of the most popular American women writers

D. she can keep writing for quite a long time without a break

26. Children who have read “Max and Martha” picture books may know ________.

   A. how to deal with affairs at school

B. what to do if Max and Martha die

C. what to do when new babies are born into their families

D. how to solve the difficult problems in their writing classes

27. One of Danielle Steel’s achievements is that ________.

   A. some TV plays were based on her books

B. her picture books attracted a lot of young men

C. one of her books became a best-seller in 1998

D. she wrote the Guinness Book of World Records

28. We can learn from the passage that Danielle Steel ________.

   A. lives an exciting life                B. values her readers a lot

C. writes about quiet women          D. is pleased with her achievements

_{New research says 35 percent of child deaths worldwide are caused by hunger.  The research comes from poor or middle-income countries in Africa,  Asia and Latin America.}    

_{Robert Black from the Bloomberg School of Public Health at Johns Hopkins University in Maryland is the lead writer of the research.  He says more than 3. 5 million mothers and children under five die in poor countries each year because of hunger.}    

_{He says about two million children die from underdevelopment,  either before or after birth.  Millions of others who survive face a lifetime of disabilities or early death and the effects are not just physical.  Poor mental development also results from hunger as children grow.  Then the cycle of poverty and hunger often continues for their children.}    

_{Doctor Black says hungry children can have conditions like high blood pressure and heart disease as a result of hunger.  He says the studies show that food programs need to place the greatest importance on the first two years of life.  Hungry children can suffer their whole-life damage from age two.}    

_{It is high time their diets were improved.  Diets should include foods rich in vitamin A and other vitamins and minerals.  The researchers say early help such as this could reduce child deaths by 25%.}    

_{This research has also faced some criticism.  A medical aid group says the researchers underestimate (低估) the number of child deaths due to hunger.  The researchers say there are findings that support this treatment but more studies are needed to compare it to hospital care.}

When Tom got home he saw a message on the table, _______ he would be back soon.

A. read         B. reads                C. to read          D. reading