Advice About Stress: Don’t Let It Ruin Your Life!

There are many reasons why people suffer from stress.   16   We give you advice on how to find the cause or causes of your stress, and more importantly —how to deal with it.

For some, dealing with stress is a relatively simple matter, providing you really want to.   17   If the latter is the case, then don’t refuse forms of alternative medical advice and treatment.

18  It can help you to perform or even out-perform in certain situations. Athletes use it to great advantage to help them through that barrier that will put them on top! It can also help you in everyday life. However, if it is part of life’s routine, then something some where will suffer in body or mind —or both.

One of the important factors in treating stress, is firstly admitting, accepting—or even discovering — that you are stressed. Only then can the causes of that stress be isolated. Harmful stress comes from a lot of causes. Our advice about stress is based upon medical facts, and of course common sense.   19   Getting the wrong advice can cause more harm than good.

It can be beaten in most cases, and can nearly always be controlled, or even turned to your own advantage. Firstly, determine if you are stressed or suffering any form of stress —take our stress test to find out. It may surprise you ! Secondly, sort out what you can actually do to relieve the causes of your stress.  20   Thirdly, work on a change of lifestyle or whatever needs to be done to fight the causes that you have identified.

A. Stress can also be good!

B. Getting the right advice is not always easy.

C. Stress is a totally normal function of the body.

D. Accidents are often prevented by the stress reactions.

E. Surprisingly, some suffer from stress but are not even aware that they are doing so!

F. For others, stress can be so severe that it might need medical attention.

G. Like all illnesses, suffering from stress is an illness. Prevention is always better than cure.

The city of Los Angeles is finally getting serious about retrofitting(翻修) the soft wood frame apartment buildings and the weak concrete ones that are at risk of collapsing during a substantial earthquake. A concrete building without adequate steel reinforcement can crumble to the ground, as some did in the 1971 Sylmar earthquake, killing dozens.

The first step is to take a list of the 29,000 apartment buildings that were built before 1978, when the building code was changed to require stronger wood frame and concrete buildings. The second step will be the analysis of those buildings by structural experts to see if they should be  retrofitted, which needs essential professionalism. Then comes the stage to decide who pays for the work that needs to be done, Landlords? Renters? Taxpayers?  The step posed the biggest obstacle to all parties involved. 

Actually Under L.A.'s rent control law, property owners can pass on 100% of the cost of ‘essential’ retrofitting work to renters. Some favor this pass-through move, arguing that many mom-and-pop landlords of small buildings are as cash-strapped as one can imagine, if not more so.

However, the reality is that, like many landlords, the insolvency of most renters will finally make the retrofitting an empty talk. Besides, the cost of retrofitting should not fall on any one group as this work is done to prevent people from being killed in earthquakes. Protecting buildings serves the interests of renters, property owners and the city as a whole, which qualifies it as a matter of public safety issue so that L.A. government needs to find ways to shoulder some burden of the cost.

It has been decided by the city government that the government will get involved, trying to find ways to reduce costs for landlords for the retrofitting projects, and the government is establishing a law to create a tax reduction for retrofitting for landlords. It's not clear at this point how much tax the state could afford to give up, or how much tax cut owners can get.  Some even say that the actual financial assistance landlords can get is far less than is expected.  However, what it’s known definitely now is that Los Angeles must not allow retrofitting to be put off although the money issue poses a big problem. The bottom line is the human life rather than money.

74. According to the passage, which issue is the most essential in deciding the future of the city’s retrofitting project?

   A. Having all the parties involved aware of the importance of retrofitting.

   B. Making a list of all the buildings that were built before a certain date.

   C. Deciding professionally on whether the listed buildings need retrofitting.

   D. Working out adequate ways to provide financial support for retrofitting.

75. According to the passage, the underlined word insolvency is closest in meaning to ______.

   A. not having enough money to pay debts

   B. poor relationship with landlords

   C. unwillingness to participate

   D. unfair treatment received

76. Which of the following is implied about the retrofitting project?

   A. Most L.A. apartments are of Soft wood frame or of weak concrete.

   B. According to L.A. rent law, landlords and renters share the cost for retrofit work. 

   C. According to government decision, owners will mainly be responsible for the retrofit.

   D. Government will pay mainly for the retrofitting work as it relates with people’s life.

77. What is the main idea of the passage?

   A. The likelihood of weak apartment falling in big earthquakes.

   B. The background of LA apartment retrofit and its financial solution.

   C. The argument between landlords, renters and governments over money issues.

    D. The importance of LA government’s involvement in life-saving projects.

    Every Australian child is brought up on Vegemite(维吉米特黑酱)!Yes, this dark colored food paste made from yeast extract(酵母膏)is put on fresh bread and toast as a snack, breakfast, lunch on the run or when there's basically nothing else left in the house to eat. It takes time to adapt to it for those not used to it. Simply watch overseas visitors make faces when tasting it for the first time found in every indigenous Australian home! In fact, it is considered a national food and cultural sign.

    Vegemite has an interesting history. More than ninety years ago, a leading Australian food technologist was given the challenge of creating a food item from a by-product of the beer manufacturing process. This by-product was developed into a pure vegetable extract spread for use on bread and toast. It has since found its way into many Australian homes.

    Before World War II it was confirmed by the British Medical Association for its medicinal benefits as a nutritionally balanced food for patients. It became very important during World War II. As a result of the heavy demand by the armed forces, the supplies to civilians were rationed(限量)with the following message given by the government：Vegemite fights with the men up north! If you are one of those who don't need Vegemite medicinally, then thousands of the injured are asking you to deny yourself of it for the time being. After the war, with many babies born, Vegemite was confirmed as a necessary source of Vitamin B1, B2 for babies.

29．What does the underlined word “indigenous” in Paragraph 1 mean?

A．Rich.    B．Native.    C．Remote.    D．New.

30．What's the purpose of the message given by the government?

A．To encourage Australians to fight for their nation.

B．To tell people Vegemite has high nutritional value.

C．To suggest that people leave Vegemite to the army.

D．To inform Vegemite has medical functions.

31．The author is trying to show us the fact that Vegemite ________.

A．has been a part of Australian history

B．is a kind of popular food for babies only

C．is popular in every English-speaking country

D．has become a favorite food for overseas visitors

He came on stage and bent to the audience before he began his performance. If you have ever been to his concert, you know that getting on stage is no small  41  for him. He was  42  with a serious disease as a child, and so he walks with the aid of two walking-sticks.

The audience sat quietly  43  he made his way across the stage to his chair and began his play. But this time,  44  went wrong. Just as he finished the first few pieces, one of the strings on his violin  45  . We thought that he would have to stop the concert. But he didn’t.  46  , he waited a moment, closed his eyes and then  47  the conductor to begin again.

The orchestra began and he played with such  48  and such power as they had never heard before. Of course, anyone knows that it is  49  to play a harmonious work with just three strings. I know that, and you know that, but that night the violinist  50  to know that.

When he finished, there was a(n) awesome silence in the room. And then people rose and cheered. There was an extraordinary outburst of  51   from every corner of the auditorium. He  52    , and then said in a quiet tone, “You know, sometimes it is the artist’s task to  53   how much music you can   54  make with what you have left.”

This powerful  55   has stayed in my mind ever since I heard it. Perhaps that is the  56   of life — not just for artists but for all of us. He had  57  all his life to make music on a violin of four strings, but  58   , in the middle of a concert, he found himself with only three strings; so he made music with three strings, and the music he made that night was more   59  , and more memorable.

So, perhaps our  60  on the stage of life is to make music, at first with all that we have, and then, when that is no longer possible, to make music with what we have left.

41. A. shame                            B. pleasure                 C. privilege                D. achievement

42. A. stricken                         B. suffered             C. survived             D. impacted

43. A. while                            B. before                C. unless              D. although

44. A. nothing                          B. everything           C. something            D. anything

45. A. lost                             B. bent                     C. broke                    D. stretched

46. A. Instead                      B. However              C. Therefore            D. Moreover

47. A. ordered                          B. signaled                 C. prevented              D. promised

48. A. pride                            B. despair                  C. passion              D. stress

49. A. strange                      B. probable             C. important            D. impossible

50. A. seemed                   B. refused                  C. pretended            D. attempted

51. A. anger                            B. laughter                 C. scream                  D. applause

52. A. wept                             B. smiled                   C. sighed                   D. whispered

53. A. find out                 B. show off         C. get through          D. turn out

54. A. just                         B. even                     C. still                    D. yet

55. A. note                         B. figure                   C. impression           D. line

56. A. routine                          B. definition               C. adventure              D. incident

57. A. prepared                     B. devoted              C. scheduled            D. accustomed

58. A. naturally                    B. generally                C. suddenly         D. hopelessly

59. A. embarrassing         B. beautiful        C. tiresome         D. sorrowful

60. A. way                      B. state                    C. task                     D. program 

 请以Chances always favor those who are prepared为题，结合生活中的事例，用英语写一篇短文，要求如下：①除诗歌外，文体不限；

②文中不得透露个人姓名和学校名称；

③词数不少于120，注意：文章的标题已给出（不计词数）。

Injuries and deaths caused by driving after drinking are preventable. Sadly, actions by the police can only catch a small number of drunk drivers on the roads. It is up to each person to make the decisions.   36   So we should help guide our friends and persuade them to avoid driving after drinking. Here are some tips.

Start talking to the person early. With every drink, judgment becomes increasingly uncontrolled.   37   So as soon as your friend starts drinking, you should try to persuade him to make a plan to get home safely. Remember, after he gets drunk, he may not listen to you.

Help the person realize he is drunk. Talk to him and show him that he is increasingly clumsy.   38   For example, ask who you can call to pick him up, or what public transport he would like to use. If he knows he is drunk, he may follow your advice.

Make last efforts. If all else fails and a drunk person wants to drive home, threaten to call the police or take his keys.   39   When he is not concentrated, take his keys. This may make it easier to convince him to take a cab home. Remember, don’t give him the keys even if he’s angry.

40   If you once drove home after you got drunk, your friend may not listen to you. So in order to succeed in persuading your friend to avoid driving after drinking, you should behave yourself first.

A. Ask him where his keys are.

B. Set a good role model.

C. Give him an alternative way to get home.

D. But it isn’t easy to make the right decisions.

E. Make him realize drinking makes him look like a fool.

F. The police will come to help you out once you call them.

G. It means the more one drinks, the less likely that he will listen to you.

 --- It seems that Westerners seldom give their friends financial help.

   --- Maybe. For them ______ friendship is mostly ______ matter of providing emotional   

      support and spending time together.

  A. /; the                    B. the; a                       C. /; a                          D. a; the

星光中学（Xingguang High School）近期举行了一次登山活动。假定你是学校英语报记者，请写一篇短文，报道此次活动。内容包括：

1. 时间与地点：4月10日，大青山（Daqing Mountain）；

2. 活动的过程；

3. 你对于这次活动的评论。

注意： 1. 词数100左右。

2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

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LOS ANGELES, March 20 (Xinhua) -- Disney's Zootopia got a weekend box office from 3,740 theaters in North America of 38 million dollars, securing its   61  (lead) position, industry data showed on Sunday.

Zootopia accounted for nearly 32 percent of the weekend's top 12 movies' total of 119 million. The animated film's domestic overall   62  (reach) 201.8 million, while   63  (global) it has got 591.7 million dollars.

It grossed 173.4 million dollars in China in around half month after it debuted   64  March 4, becoming   65  most successful animated film of all time.

The new comer Allegiant of The Divergent Series did not meet the   66   (expect) of Lionsgate on the opening weekend,   67  (take) in only 29 million dollars. It was down over 44 percent from its predecessor Insurgent.

Ranking in the   68   (three) place of the North American box office was Sony's   69   (late) faith-based feature Miracles from Heaven,    70   gave the studio a big pleasant surprise with 15 million dollars.

Not all great meals come from restaurants. Some are served from carts and stalls, and eaten on the go. So-called street food is not only delicious, but can be found in nearly every country, rich or poor, says Carla Diamanti, co-author of Street Food: Authentic Snacks from Around the World. “It's a way to get to know the people and the flavor of a place,” says the Italian writer, who has nibbled her way around the globe. She shares some favorite snacks and snacking places with us.

Naples, Italy

Pizza: Pizza may be the closest thing to a global food, but Diamanti says there's nothing like the way it's prepared in Naples. The dish is often ordered from a window counter and quickly baked for customers. If you're eating it on the go, you fold it up for pizza al portafoglio, literally wallet style. “Our pizza is quick and simple,” she says. www.inaples.it

New York

Hot dogs: When foreigners first visit America, one of the first things many want to try is the country's typical snack food, the hot dog. “It's like the flag of America—both inexpensive and democratic,” Diamanti says. “You expect to see kids queuing at a hot dog stall.” 212-484-1200; www.nycgo.com

Japan

Bento boxes: Diamanti says the best time and place to eat this portable Japanese meal is under a blooming cherry tree in the spring. Bento boxes are filled with different dishes: often fish, meat, pickled vegetables, rice or tofu. “It's really just a taste,” she says. While the containers are often elaborate wooden serving trays, they can be also cardboard boxes ordered to go. 212-757-5640; www.jnto.go.jp

Jamaa el Fna Square, Marrakech, Morocco

Food stalls: When the sun begins to set, this central square comes to life as crowds gather to sing, dance and eat. Hundreds of stalls serve grilled meat, chicken and rice. “There is plenty of smoke with hundreds of people cooking at the same time,” Diamanti says. 212 - 221 -1 583; www. visitmorocco.com/index.php/eng/

21. It can be learned from the text that Carla Diamanti ________.

A. doesn't like street food.                          B. has traveled a lot .

C. has set up the website www.inaples.it.   D. likes the pizza most.

22. What is special about the pizza in Naples, Italy?

A. its attractive taste.                                B. its low price.

C. its unique ingredients.                           D. the way it's prepared.

23. For those who want to eat under blooming cherry trees in the spring, they'd better go to _____.

A. Naples, Italy       B. New York            C. Japan               D. Morocco

 — If our team gets the first place, we will get a bonus. With that bonus, I will go for a trip with my girl friend. 

— _______.

A. Great minds think alike

B. Never judge a book by its cover                       

C. An old dog cannot learn new skills

D. Don’t count your chickens until they are hatched                               

On “Super Bowl Sunday”, millions of Americans are glued to their TVs. They are eating pizza, chicken wings and chips and cheering every move. They’re watching the Super Bowl.

Why are Americans so crazy about American football? Well, it is more exciting than other sports. One team can lose possession of the ball in a minute, which may allow their opponents to make a touchdown(触地得分). Then that team may win the game unexpectedly.

The Super Bowl also entertains its audience with a great halftime show. The football field is turned into a stage. Then an impressive performance of dancing and singing with special effects occurs.

Since the Super Bowl is the most-watched TV program in America, commercial airtime is also very expensive. Big money is also spent on commercials. They draw the viewers’ attention and advertise their image or products during the commercial break.

After football season, the “March Madness” begins. The NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) competitions begin with 68 men’s college basketball teams. They play until the field is reduced to the “Final Four”. The winning team becomes the national champion. The NBA (National Basketball Association) All-Star game is also held in February. The best players from all the teams play in this game.

Baseball is no doubt American’s national sport. From grandpas to young kids, whole families go to ball games together. They wear their favorite team’s caps or even carry their mascot(吉祥物). Our family went to watch Wang Chien-Ming play in D.C. once. We ate hot dogs, waved flags and sang during the 7th inning(棒球的一局) stretch.

If you are not a sports fan yet, come and pick a sport or a team. Go to a ball game with your family, and cheer your team on. Sports are definitely a part of American culture one should not miss.

13. According to the passage, the Super Bowl is _____.

   A. an expensive American sport            B. a well-received American football game    

   C. an impressive TV performance                          D. a most-watched TV series

14. Which of the following may be one of the reasons for the popularity of the Super Bowl?

   A. Its results are too exciting to meet viewers’ expectations.

   B. People can eat pizza, chicken wings and chips when watching it.

   C. The performances during its halftime show are appealing to viewers.

   D. Its commercials are expensive enough to draw viewers’ attention.

15. The passage is mainly written to _____.

   A. inform readers of the three popular sports in America

   B. teach readers how to understand the sports culture in America

   C. show readers the importance of sports in young people’s life in America

   D. encourage readers to fit in with American culture through sports

 He is such a person ______ always helps others without claiming a reward, ________ makes   him popular in the community.

  A. that; that            B. that; which     C. which; which    D. as; which 

   Have you ever tasted or perhaps heard of sugar painting? As fewer people choose to make this kind of painting, the traditional Chinese folk craft might have become a   61  (distance)memory in some ways.   62  , a 38-year old craftsman, Li Jianzhong, is committed to   63   (keep)the art of sugar painting alive.

   Li worked as a miner for more than ten years. After   64  mine closed down, Li turned to housing decoration, until he   65   (force) to give that up due to a finger injury. Earlier this year, he discovered sugar painting, something he really had an interest in and a strong desire to learn.

   Since there was no sugar painting craftsman in his village, he studied by   66   (he) through large quantities of videos and information on the internet. Li loved painting when he was young, and he found it easy   67   (learn) the skill in sugar painting. He soon mastered the skill and could make a   68   (vary) of sugar paintings. A sugar painting is made with melted brown or white sugar. Craftsmen   69   (normal) paint animals and flowers on a stone board with the syrup(糖浆). When the sugar cools down,   70   appears is a piece of sugar art.

 Mum will make some sandwiches ______ her child gets hungry.

A. now that       B. in case              C. even if                           D. ever since

 If we _____ the other road, we might have arrived here in time for the meeting.

A. had taken   B. take    C. took    D. have taken

The two countries are going to meet to ________ some barriers to trade between them.

A.make up B.use up C.turn down D.break down

 ____, he doesn’t study well.

     A. As he is clever   B. He is as clever    C. Clever as he is   D. As clever he is