Early one morning, more than a hundred years ago, an American inventor called Elias Howe finally fell asleep. He had been working all night on the design of a sewing machine but he had run into a very difficult problem: It seemed impossible to get the thread to run around the needle without any problems.

    Though he was tired, Howe slept badly. He turned and turned. Then he had a dream. He dreamt that he had been caught by terrible savages whose king wanted to kill him and eat him unless he could build a perfect sewing machine. When he tried to do so, Howe ran into the same problem as before. The thread kept getting caught around the needle. The king flew into the cage and ordered his soldiers to kill Howe. They came up towards him with their spears raised. But suddenly the inventor noticed something. There was a hole in the tip of each spear. The inventor awoke from the dream, realizing that he had just found the answer to the problem. Instead of trying to get the thread to run around the needle, he should make it run through a small hole in the center of the needle. This was the simple idea that finally made Howe design and build the first really practised sewing machine.

   Elias Howe was not the only one in finding the answer to his problem in this way. Thomas Edison, the inventor of the electric light, said his best ideas came into him in dreams. So did the great physicist Albert Einstein. Charlotte Bronte also drew in her dreams in writing Jane Eyre.

   To know the value of dreams, you have to understand what happens when you are asleep. Even then, a part of your mind is still working. This unconscious(无意识的), but still active part understands your experiences and goes to work on the problems you have had during the day. It stores all sorts of information that you may have forgotten or never have really noticed. It is only when you fall asleep that this part of the brain can send messages to the part you use when you are awake. However, the unconscious part acts in a special way. It uses strange images which the conscious part may not understand at first. This is why dreams are sometimes called “secret messages to us”.

21.The problem Howe was trying to solve was________.

A. what kind of thread to use    

B. how to design a needle which would not break

C. where to put the needle   

D. how to stop the thread from getting caught around the needle

22.Thomas Edison is spoken of because________.

A. he also tried to invent a sewing machine  B . he got some of his ideas from dreams

C. he was one of Howe’s best friends        D. he also had difficulty in falling asleep

23.Dreams are sometimes called “secret messages to ourselves” because ________.

A. strange images are used to communicate ideas

B. images which have no meaning are used

C. we can never understand the real meaning  

D. only specially trained people can understand them

The “melting pot” in American cuisine(菜肴。烹饪法) is a myth, not terribly unlike the idea of a melting pot of American culture, notes chef Dan Barber. “Most cultures don’t think about their cuisine in such monolithic(统一的) terms,” he says. “French, Mexican, Chinese, and Italian cuisines each consist of dozens of distinct regional foods. And I think ‘American’ cuisine is moving in the same direction, becoming more localized, not globalized. ”

American cuisine is shaped by the natural wealth of the country. Having never faced agricultural hardship, Americans don’t have to rely on rotating crops, such as the Japanese, whose food culture now showcases buckwheat (荞麦) alongside rice, or the Indians, or the French and Italians, who feature beans alongside wheat. “That kind of negotiation with the land forced people to incorporate(接受) those crops in to the culture,” says Barber. And so eating soba noodles becomes part of what it means to be Japanese, and eating beans becomes part of what it means to be French.

So if what we eat is what we are, what are Americans? Well, meat. “If Americans have any unifying food identity, I would say we are a mostly white meat culture,” says Barber. “The protein-centric dinner plate, whether you’re talking about a boneless chicken breast, or a 16-ounce steak, as an everyday expectation is something that America really created, and now exports to the rest of the world.”

Every single culture and religion uses food as part of their celebrations, says Ellen Gustafson, co-founder of the FEED Project and The 30 Project, which aims to deal with both hunger and overweight issues globally. “The celebratory nature of food is universal. Every season, every harvest, and every holiday has its own food, and this is true in America as well. It helps define us.”

24.According to the first paragraph, American cuisine ________.

A. consists of varieties of regional foods     B. is becoming more and more globalized

C. has absorbed a lot from Chinese cuisine   D. is not as unified as its culture

25.What has made American cuisine different from other cuisines according to the article?

A. Relying on rotating crops    B. The difficulty of planting crops

C. The US’ melting pot culture  D. The US’ agricultural wealth

26.We can conclude from the article that _____ has become part of what it means to be American.

A. eating rice  B. eating beans  C. eating white meat  D. eating soba noodles

27. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?
A. American cuisine is healthier than other cuisines.

   B. American cuisine hasn’t changed much over time.

   C. Americans use food as part of their celebrations.

   D. Americans are quite proud of their own cuisine.

In a time when a dangerous number of people are overweight, many people seem to have forgotten the most important way to keep healthy and slim---exercise. And as a new study carried out on mice in the lab has shown, exercise done early in life can reward you in your adult years.

A team of researchers at the University of California studied the effects of early exercise on adult physical activity, body mass and eating. They found that early-age exercise in mice has positive effects on adult levels of voluntary exercise in addition to reducing body mass.

“These results may have an effect on the importance of regular physical education in elementary and middle schools,” said Theodore Garland, a professor of biology, who led the research project. “If kids exercise regularly through their school years, then they may be more likely to exercise as adults, which could have far-reaching positive effects on human health and well-being.”

Although the positive effects of early-life exercise lasted for only one week, it is important to note that one week in the life of a mouse is the same as about nine months for humans. “Our results suggest that any positive effects of early-life exercise on adult exercise will need to be kept up if they are to be long-lasting.”

His team of researchers found, too, that all mice that had access to early exercise were lighter in weight than non-exercised mice.

Garland explained that, in general, exercise will stimulate appetite sooner or later. However, it is possible that certain types of exercise, done for certain periods of time or at certain light levels, might not stimulate appetite much, if at all, at least in some individuals.

“If we could understand what sorts of exercise these might be, then we might be able to tailor exercise recommendations in a way that would bring the benefits of exercise without increase in appetite, leading to a better chance of weight loss,” he said.

28.How long do the positive effects of early-life exercise last for a mouse?

A. One day       B. One week     C. One month      D. Nine months

29. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the article?

A. More study is needed to better understand the effects of different types of exercise.

B. Early-life exercise has life-long positive effects on people

C. Kids should be encouraged to do exercise as early as possible to ensure physical health.

D. The new study on mice mainly focused on how exercise affects appetite.

30. The underlined word “stimulate” in the last but one paragraph is closest in meaning to _______.

A. decline         B. improve      C. vary            D. harm

31. What is the article mainly about?

A. New ways to fight against being overweight.

B. The positive effects of mice

C .The possible risks of doing exercise

D. The positive effects of early- life exercise.

In the latest romance-drama, Descendants of the Sun (《太阳的后裔》), a handsome soldier Yoo Shi-jin（柳时镇） (Song Joong-ki)(宋仲基) meets the pretty doctor Kang Mo-yeon（姜暮烟） (Song Hye-kyo)（宋慧乔） in a hospital, and he doesn’t hesitate to hit on her.

The dialogue, which takes place early in the first episode, immediately indicates that this is no ordinary South Korean drama. There’s no family feud, or secret crush, or love tangles, or guesses and misunderstandings. The 16-episode show is set in the fictional war-torn country of Uruk（乌鲁克）. Song Joong-ki is the leader of a special warfare command unit, while Song Hye-kyo plays a doctor who works for a humanitarian medical organization. Both are sent in the midst of disaster and disease as part of their work with UN peacekeeping troops. Both know and show clearly what they want and what they hate.

But what stands out the most are Song’s skills as a pick-up artist（撩妹技能）.

Boldness and creativity are the key weapons in his arsenal. When Kang invites Yoo to drink wine with her, Yoo, who is not allowed to drink alcohol as a soldier, says, “There is a way” before kissing her. Forget about the “eighth-episode rule”. This kiss happens in the fourth.

Humor also does the trick. On their first date in a cinema, Yoo says, “This is the most exciting moment of my life. The moment I am with a beautiful woman before the theater lights go out.” When Kang tries to give Yoo a hard time, Yoo jokes, “I mistook you for a beautiful woman because it’s dark.”

And actor Song Joong-ki, who just came back from two years of military service last May, makes sure he delivers his pick-up lines just right.

“In Deep Rooted Tree (《树大根深》) and The Innocent Man (《善良的男人》), he [Song Joong-ki] showed he had the steel to play fearless and heartless men – that he could be taken seriously as an actor, despite his pretty face. In Descendants, he hits the emotional core of every scene, whether he has to be bold and amorous, guarded and mysterious, or sad,” said critic Foong Woei Wan in The Straits Times.

32.What is the relationship between Song Joong-ki and Song hye-hyo?

   A. lover           B. colleague           C. actor          D. doctor-patient

33.Why say that the Descendants of the Sun is no ordinary South Korean drama?

   A. Because actors know and show clearly what they want and what they hate.

   B. It broke the previous Korean old story.

   C. It exits family feud and love tangles.

   D. The pick-up artist is unique and special.

34. When the Descendants of the Sun tells us that heterosexual（异性） contacts is important to have some quality including____________。

   ① humor       ② Boldness and creativity   ③bold          ④emotional

   A. ①②           B. ①②③            C.②③④           D. above all

35. What is the article mainly about?

   A. Introduce a drama called the Descendants of the sun.

   B. Song Zhongji could be taken seriously as an actor, despite his pretty face.

   C. The Descendants of the sun open a new pattern to pick-up woman.

   D. The reason why the Descendants of the sun gain success.

The Best Ways to Offer Support and Encouragement

Whether it is a friend, family member, or coworker, at some time or another somebody will need support and encouragement. This could be the result of a disappointing change in life, a health change or other similar challenges.  36  Even if you do not think that you have the ability to offer the proper support and encouragement，your willingness to be there and to listen may be enough.

Each situation is different，and each would require different levels of both support and encouragement.  37  Helping keep up someone's spirits when they are feeling helpless just by letting them know you are there，can make a serious difference in their lives.[

  38  For people in this situation, often a telephone call, or dropping in to say “hello” is more than enough. You may not feel that you are doing much of anything，but to the person who is feeling isolated the effort you take to stop and see them，or call them can make a big difference. For someone who has recently lost a job，you may be able to offer support by helping them network effectively. Or, you may be able to help them craft a new resume，apply for benefits，or a number of other “small” things that may seem insignificant to you， but to them can be a very significant event.

  39  However，if you let them know that you are there for them，and make it a point to check in with them regularly，they may soon feel more comfortable and share them with you. Take for example a person who is suffering with depression.

  40  They may not be willing to admit that there is something wrong. However，if you trust your instincts(直觉) and take a little extra care to support and encourage them even in little ways，you can make a huge difference in their overall outlook.

A. You know that there is something wrong.

B. All too often，people feel isolated and do not know where to turn.

C. So you may need support and encouragement to pull through.

D. You may not always understand all of the issues going on in someone's life.

E. In such cases，it is natural for you to reach out and offer your support and encouragement.

F. You know better than anyone the best ways to support and encourage someone who is going through a difficult time.

G. The support you offer could be as simple as helping with simple household tasks, running errands(跑腿儿)，or even being available for telephone calls.