Are you a dog person or a cat person?

With so many photos and videos of cats and dogs doing cute things online, it’s easier than ever to answer which of these furry friends you like more. There are many reasons why people prefer one type of pet over the other. So, have you ever wondered what your preference for cats or dogs says about you?

In fact, a 2010 study done by Sam Gosling, a psychologist at the University of Texas, US, and his graduate student Carson Sandy found that dog people are more extroverted (外向的), agreeable and conscientious (认真的) than cat people.

“Cats will occasionally engage in social activities, but usually after only a few minutes they will give up the game. Dogs, on the other hand, will often engage in play, like fetching a thrown ball, for hours at a time,” said Modern Dog magazine.

Just on the basis of dogs’ nature being more sociable than cats’, you may expect that the personalities of dog people also reflect higher sociability. And Gosling’s study found that dog people are generally about 15 percent more extroverted and 13 percent more agreeable, both of which are associated with social orientation (倾向).

In addition, dog people are 11 percent more conscientious than cat people. “Conscientiousness” is a tendency to show self-discipline, to complete tasks and aim for achievement. This trait also shows a preference for planned rather than spontaneous (一时冲动的) behavior.

In comparison, cat people are about 12 percent more anxious, but they are also 11 percent more “open” than dog people, due to a general appreciation for art, emotion, imagination, curiosity, adventure, unusual ideas and variety of experience. And people high on openness are more likely to hold unconventional beliefs.

Despite so many differences, there are some things that cat people and dog people have in common. “Both types of people consider themselves close to nature, dislike animal-print clothing and generally look on the better side of life,” noted Mother Nature Network.

21．What does the article mainly talk about?

A.Differences between dogs and cats in their personality traits.

B.Factors that influence people’s preference for dogs or cats.

C.How raising a pet helps shape your personality.

D.What your preference for dogs or cats tells about you.

22．The underlined phrase “engage in” in the fourth paragraph probably means ______.

A.get involved in              B.benefit from

C.take little interest in              D.perform well in

23．According to the study done by Sam Gosling, dog owners tend to ______ than cat owners.

A.be more imaginative and creative    B.live a more organized life

C.love to get close to nature more D.be more easygoing and adventurous

24．According to the article, both dog people and cat people ______.

A.are generally self-disciplined

B.are usually positive and care about nature

C.are likely to hold unconventional beliefs

D.like to wear animal-print clothing

There are two types of people in the world. Although they have equal degree of health and wealth and other comforts of life, one becomes happy and the other becomes unhappy. This arises from the different ways in which they consider things, persons, events and the resulting effects upon their minds.

People who are to be happy fix their attention on the convenience of things: the pleasant parts of conversation, the well prepared dishes, the goodness of the wine and the fine weather. They enjoy all the cheerful things. Those who are to be unhappy think and speak only of the opposite things. Therefore, they are continually dissatisfied. By their remarks, they sour the pleasure of society, hurt many people, and make themselves disagreeable everywhere. If this turn of mind was founded in nature, such unhappy persons would be the more to be pitied. The intention of criticizing and being disliked is perhaps taken up by imitation. It grows into a habit, unknown to its possessors. The habit may be strong, but it may be cured when those who have it realize its bad effects on their interests and tastes. I hope this little warning may be of service to them, and help them change this habit.

Although in fact it is chiefly an act of the imagination, it has serious results in life since it brings on deep sorrow and bad luck. Those people hurt many others; nobody loves them, and no one treats them with more than the most common politeness and respect. This frequently puts them in bad temper and draws them into arguments. If they aim at getting some advantages in social position or fortune, nobody wishes them success. Nor will anyone start a step or speak a word to favor their hopes. If they bring on themselves public objections, no one will defend or excuse them, and many will join to criticize their wrongdoings. These should change this bad habit and be pleased with what is pleasing, without worrying needlessly about themselves and others. If they do not, it will be good for others to avoid any contact with them. Otherwise, it can be disagreeable and sometimes very inconvenient, especially when one becomes mixed up in their quarrels.

25. People who are unhappy _______.

A. always consider things differently from others

B. always discover the unpleasant side of certain things

C. usually misunderstand what others think or say

D. usually are affected by the results of certain things

26. The phrase “sour the pleasure of society” most nearly means “_______”.

A. makes others unhappy                B. has a good taste with social life

C. tend to scold others openly          D. enjoy the pleasure of life

27. We can conclude from the passage that _______.

A. we should pity all such unhappy people

B. such unhappy people are dangerous to social life

C. people can get rid of the habit of unhappiness

D. unhappy people can not understand happy persons

  You’re in a department store and you see a couple of attractive young women looking at a sweater. You listen to their conversation:

"I can't believe it-Lorenzo Bertolla! They are almost impossible to find. Isn't it beautiful? And it's a lot cheaper than the one Sara bought in Rome."

  They leave and you go over to see this incredible sweater. It's nice and the price is right. You've never heard of Lorenzo Bertolla, but those girls looked really stylish. They must know. So, you buy it. You never realize that those young women are employees of an advertising agency. They are actually paid to go from store to store, talking loudly about Lorenzo Bertolla clothes.

  Every day we notice what people are wearing, driving and eating. If the person looks cool, the product seems cool, too. This is the secret of undercover marketing. Companies from Ford to Nike are starting to use it.

  Undercover marketing is important because it reaches people that don't pay attention to traditional advertising. This is particularly true of the MTV generation-consumers between the age of 18 and 34. It's a golden group. They have a lot of money to spend, but they don't trust ads.

  So advertising agencies hire young actors to "perform" in bars and other places where young adults go. Some people might call this practice misleading, but marketing executive Jonathan Ressler calls it creative. "Look at traditional advertising. Its effectiveness is decreasing." It is true, because everyone knows an ad is trying to persuade you to buy something. However, you don't know when a conversation you overhear is just a performance.

28. The two attractive young women were talking so that they could _____.

A. get the sweater at a lower price  B. decide on buying the sweater

C. be admired by other shoppers   D. be heard by people around

29. Lorenzo Bertolla is _____.

A. a very popular male singer  B. an advertising agency

C. the brand name of clothes   D. a clothing company in Rome

30. What can we infer from the passage?

A. Traditional advertising will soon disappear in the market.

B. The MTV generation tends to be more easily influenced by all kinds of ads.

C. Undercover marketing will surely be banned soon by the government.

D. That traditional advertising is too direct may lead to its decreasing effectiveness.

31. Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A. Two Attractive Shoppers        B. Lorenzo Bertolla Sweaters

C. Undercover Marketing          D. Ways of Advertising

  Each year millions of babies are born too soon and too small. Premature or preterm births mean births at less than thirty-seven weeks.

  Prematurity is the leading cause of death in newborn babies. More than one-fourth of the four million newborns who die each year around the world were born too early.

  Preterm babies that survive can suffer a lifetime of serious health conditions. The examples include cerebral palsy, blindness, hearing problems and learning disabilities. Families and communities face emotional, physical and financial costs.

  Christopher Howson is the vice president for global programs at the March of Dimes. His group and the World Health Organization recently published a report called “The Global and Regional Toll of Preterm Birth.”

  Christopher Howson: “Frankly the problem of preterm birth is under-recognized and undervalued. People fail to recognize how serious the problem is. I mean, this report shows that thirteen million babies are born every year preterm, and that over a million of those babies die as a result of being born too early.”

  And these are just estimates; the true numbers could be even higher. More than eighty-five percent of preterm births happen in Africa and Asia. Africa has the highest rate, with about four million cases each year.

  Christopher Howson says many of the causes of preterm births are related to poverty and weak health-care systems.

  Christopher Howson: “For example, the poor overall health and nutritional status of women. A high burden of infectious diseases. A lack of family planning – allowing a woman to decide when to start and end having children. And also the lack of good prenatal(产前) care programs that might identify problems early on in pregnancy.”

  Preterm births are a problem not just in the developing world. The combined rate in the United States and Canada is the second highest in the world. Preterm birth rates in the United States have increased thirty-six percent in the last twenty-five years.

  This has been largely the result of two reasons. One is an increase in pregnancies among women over age thirty-five. The other is an increase in the use of reproductive therapies（生殖治疗）.

32. This passage is mainly about ______.

A. the causes of people’s bad health throughout the world

B. how to improve people’s health throughout the world

C. premature or preterm births throughout the world

D. Christopher Howson, vice president for global programs at the March of Dimes

33. All of the following are causes of preterm births EXCEPT______.

A. too many deaths of newborn babies    B. poverty

C. Lack of family planning  D. the lack of good prenatal care programs

34. Which of the following is a TRUE statement according to the passage?

A. Preterm birth rates in developing countries are dropping and they are increasing in some developed countries like the US and Canada.

B. The increase in pregnancies among women over age thirty-five and the increase in the use of reproductive therapies result in the increase of preterm birth rates.

C. Fortunately, many people have already realized the seriousness of the problem of preterm births.

D. Preterm births must be a problem for only poor areas because of poverty.

35. Where can we probably read this article?

A. International news reports   B. History and political papers

C. Science magazines         D. World trade guides

How to Improve Your Study Habits

Perhaps your are an average student with average intelligence. You do well enough in school, but you probably think you will never be a top student.   36  Yes, even students of average intelligence can be top students without additional work. Here are some tips for you:

1.Plan your time carefully. Make a list of your weekly tasks. Then make a schedule or chart of your time. Fill in committed time such as eating, sleeping, meetings, classes, etc. Then decide on good, regular times for studying.   37  It’s important to set aside time for relaxation, hobbies, and entertainment as well. Furthermore, it will enable you to plan your activities so that you have adequate time for both work and play.

2.Find a good place to study. Choose one place for your study area. It may be a desk or a chair at home or in the school library, but it should be comfortable, and it should not have distractions. When you begin to work, you should be able to concentrate on the subject.

3.  38  Listening to what the teacher says in class means less work later. Sit where you can see and hear well. Take notes to help you remember what the teacher says.

4.Study regularly.   39  Review important points mentioned in class as well as points you remain confused about. If you review your notes and textbook regularly, the material will become more meaningful and you will remember it longer. Regular review leads to improved performances on test.

5.Develop a good attitude about tests. The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject. The world won’t end if you don’t pass a test, so don’t worry excessively about a single test. Tests provide more than grades.   40   

A.Be volunteer to raise questions.

B.Make good use of your time in class.

C.Go over your notes as soon as you can after class.

D.Those who make the best of their time study with more ease.

E.They also let you know what you need to spend more time studying on.

F.Of course, studying shouldn’t occupy all of the free time on the schedule.

G.This is not necessary the case, however. You can receive better grades if you want to.