Below is a selection from a popular science book.

If blood is red, why are veins（靜脈）blue?

Actually, veins are not blue at all. They are more of a clear, yellowish colour. Although blood looks red when it’s outside the body, when it’s sitting in a vein near the surface of the skin, it’s more of a dark reddish purple colour. At the right depth, these blood-filled veins reflect less red light than the surrounding skin, making them look blue by comparison.

Which works harder, your heart or your brain?

That kind of depends on whether you’re busy thinking or busy exercising. Your heart works up to three times harder during exercise, and shifts enough blood over a lifetime to fill a supertanker. But, in the long run, your brain probably tips it, because even when you’re sitting still your brain is using twice as much as your heart, and it takes four to five times as much blood to feed it.

Why do teeth fall out, and why don’t they grow back in grown-up?

Baby (or “milk”) teeth do not last long; they fall out to make room for bigger, stronger adult teeth later on. Adult teeth fall out when they become damaged, decayed and infected by bacteria. Once this second set of teeth has grown in, you’re done. When they’re gone, they’re gone. This is because nature figures you’re set for life, and what controls regrowth of your teeth switches off.

Do old people shrink as they age?

Yes and no. Many people do get shorter as they age. But, when they do, it isn’t because they’re shrinking all over. They simply lose height as their spine(脊柱)becomes shorter and more curved due to disuse and the effects of gravity（重力）. Many (but not all) men and women do lose height as they get older. Men lose an average of 3—4 cm in height as they age, while women may lose 5 cm or more. If you live to be 200 years old, would you keep shrinking till you were, like 60 cm tall, like a little boy again? No, because old people don’t really shrink! It is not that they are growing backwards—their legs, arms and backbones getting shorter. When they do get shorter, it’s because the spine has shortened a little. Or, more often, become more bent and curved.

Why does spinning make you dizzy(眩暈的)?

Because your brain gets confused between what you’re seeing and what you’re feeling. The brain senses that you’re spinning using special gravity-and-motion-sensing organs in your inner ear, which work together with your eyes to keep your vision and balance stable. But, when you suddenly stop spinning the system goes out control, and your brain thinks you’re moving while you’re not!

Where do feelings and emotions come from?

Mostly from an ancient part of the brain called the limbic system. All mammals have this brain area—from mice to dogs, cats, and humans. So all mammals feel basic emotions like fear, pain and pleasure. But since human feelings also involve other, newer bits of the brain, we feel more complex emotions than any other animals on the planet.

If exercise wears you out, how can it be good for you?

Because our bodies adapt to everything we do to them. And as far as your body is concerned, it’s “use it, or lose it”! It’s not that exercise makes you healthy; it’s more that a lack of exercise leaves your body weak and easily affected by disease.

1.What is the colour of blood in a vein near the surface of the skin?

A. Blue B. Dark reddish purple

C. Red D. Light yellow

2.Why do some old people look a little shrunken as they age?

A. Because their spine become more bent.

B. Because they are more easily affected by gravity.

C. Because they keep growing backwards.

D. Because their spine is in active use.

3.Which of the following statements about our brain is true?

A. The brains of the other mammals are as complex as those of humans.

B. When our brain senses the spinning, we will feel dizzy.

C. In the long run, our brain probably works harder than our heart.

D. Our feelings and emotions come from the most developed area in our brain.

4.. In this article, we can know except _____.

A. it takes four to five times as much blood to feed our brain as to feed our heart.

B. when adult teeth are gone, they cannot grow back.

C. the reason why spinning make us dizzy.

D. how we can grow taller.

5. What is the main purpose of the selection?

A. To give advice on how to stay healthy.

B. To report the latest discoveries in medical science.

C. To challenge new findings in medical research.

D. To provide information about our body.

The Batsquatch is described as a great winged bat. It’s reported that it lives in the shadows(陰暗處) of Mt. Saint Helens. It has purple skin, red eyes and the character is quite similar to the bat’s. Since reports tell it likes eating small animals like chickens, goats and pigs, some believe that it is actually a flying primate(靈長目動物). But researchers say that it is more closely related to the fruit bat of northern America.

Fear still fills the hearts of men, women and children of Washington. In May of 1980 during the eruption of Mount Saint Helens, the Batsquatch showed itself in the shadows of clouds from the eruption. In 1994, a local mountaineer was able to take pictures of the Batspuatch making the rumor(謠言) seem real. During this event some farm animals seemed to disappear though luckily no humans were reported missing at the time. The local mountaineer told about his meeting with the Batsquatch. When he suddenly heard a loud deep voice from the shadows, the mountaineer was knocked down. He tried to look for the creature(生物) that had made the sound. He saw a great creature with purple wings in the sky. It looked like it was about 30 feet tall.

The mountaineer kept this story a secret in fear of being laughed at by others but when new stories came in about the Batsquatch he shared his story.

The reality of the Batsquatch can no longer be ignored. It is only a creature that is trying to live. Respect! This is how we should take news such as this. Respect for a living creature instead of fear.

1.The rumor about the batsquatch makes people of Washington full of______

A.joy B. surprise

C. fear D. anger

2. Why did people believe the rumor of the Batsquatch was real?

A. Because it was reported in the newspaper

B. Because it was seen by many local people

C. Because someone once caught one

D. Because someone took its picture

3.When the Batsquatch appeared, the mountaineer_______.

A. heard nothing strange

B. shouted at it to frighten it away

C. was lying on the ground, relaxing

D. found it was a 30-foot-tall creature that could fly

4. The mountaineer didn’t tell others his story because he________.

A. was afraid of being laughed at

B. was too frightened to tell others

C. couldn’t believe what he saw

D. didn’t want to make fun of others

5. The purpose of the last paragraph is to tell readers_______.

A. the Batsquatch is being endangered

B. the Batsquatch is a dangerous creature

C. respect should be given to the Batsquatch

D. the news about the Batsquatch is real

Ideally speaking, criticism(批評) is the act of making comments on someone or something with the purpose of improving products or service. However in daily life, you will meet some people criticizing with the negative purposes,

What should you do when you are being criticized? Actually, you should take it positively. It is possible that the person who criticizes you has rightly drawn your attention to something which needs improving. If this is the case, be thankful to the person because he is helping you to know where to improve.

However, there is also a chance that the criticism is being done just to make you sad. So if necessary, ask one of your friends or workmates what he thinks of this criticism. If the criticism is really meant to hurt you, pay no attention to it and don’t allow it to disturb your peace of mind.

When you are criticizing someone or something, always remember that negative criticism causes negative energy, so try to criticize in a positive manner. Do not become the “full stop” for someone’s creativity

Whenever you are about to criticize, ask yourself whether your purpose is to help the person or if you are just going to spread negativity which will damage someone’s creative skills.

If you really want to criticize someone, do it in an encouraging way. Try to give your comments in this way so that he can put your suggestions into corrective(改正的) actions. What’s more, you should remember the fact that complaining is taking criticism to the next level which is even more damaging and dangerous. So try to remain inside the limits of criticism instead of complaining.

Title: On criticism

I. 1. _____________

Generally, criticism means 2. ________ on somebody or something to improve products or service. However, not all people criticize with positive purposes.

II. How to 3. _________criticism against you

● Thank someone who criticizes you positively because he helps you know 4._________

● Ask for 5.________ from friends or workmates to know the purpose of criticism

●6.________ negative criticism and protect your peace of mind

III. What to do when you want to criticize

● Try to criticize positively in order not to damage 7._________

● Ensure that your criticism is 8. __________ to the person

● Criticize someone in an encouraging way to get him to act 9._________accordint to your suggestions

● Just criticize and don’t 10. __________

請以“One Thing I’m Proud of”為題，用英語寫一篇100—120個詞的短文，記述一件你自己認為得意的事情。要求如下：

1. 記述事情經(jīng)過；

2. 簡要說明你感到得意的原因或從中得到的啟示。

注意：文章的標題已給出（不計詞數(shù)）。

One Thing I’m Proud of

Maybe Mr. Green is really in ______ debt, for he is losing ______ weight quickly.

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

I’ll never forget the good trick my classmates ________ on me when I was in the primary school.

A. paid B. acted C. played D. made

The rescuers _______ to work as soon as they arrived at the spot of the accident.

A. set out B. set off C. set up D. set in

The great _______ of my plan is that it’s so cheap compared to the others.

A. power B. strength C. energy D. force

The news that he failed in the exam _______ his unhappiness this morning.

A. accounted for B. accounting for C. had accounted for D. to account for

After five hours’ drive, they reached _______ they thought was the place they had been dreaming of.

A. that B. where C. which D. what