With big handbags becoming a key fashion accessory(配饰) for working women, health experts are warning they can also become a key health concern.

Bags for women have become bigger and heavier as designers combine briefcases with handbags and straps have become longer, resulting in many users complaining of neck, shoulder and back problems.

 “I see so many women with neck pains and headaches and what I usually do is look for their purse and pick it up,” said Jane Sadler, a family practice physician at Baylor Medical Center in Garland, Texas. “We take it over to the scale and weigh it and usually they’re anywhere from 7 to 10 pounds. We’re really going to see women with more and more problems later on if we continue the big purse craze.”

William Case, a physical therapist(临床医生)in private practice in Houston, Texas, urged designers “to place a cute, educational caution tag(标签) on all bags to inform buyers of potential neck and shoulder dangers.” Above all, he suggested correct posture while carrying big purses, keeping the head and shoulders upright. Patients should also often change the size and weight of purses carried.

“The extra-large purses are quite extraordinary. They look beautiful when the women wear them, but I don’t know how aware they are of the potential problems,” Case said.

Placing objects on one shoulder was one of the least efficient(高效率的) ways of carrying a load, according to a professor from Cornell University in New York State. “This causes a great imbalance,” he said. “If a big bag is a fashion accessory, then occasional and symbolic use is fine. If not, then keep it light.”

1.    Jane Salder would “look for their purse and pick it up” in order to see whether the purses                        .

  A. contained enough                     B. were worth a lot of pounds

  C. were too heavy                       D. were too large

2.    Which correctly explains the meaning of the underlined word “posture” in the 4th paragraph?

  A. The way you position your body.

  B. The part of your body where you place a weight.

  C. The strength you use to carry a weight.

  D. The height of the weight you carry.

3.    None of the experts advised big bag users to             .

  A. be aware of the big-bag problems      B. wear big bags in the right way

  C. avoid using big bags very often        D. give up the fashion to keep fit　

BEIJING, China(CNN)—Chinese workers and army soldiers were racing to sweep snow-covered highways and railway routes for millions of travelers trapped by cold weather.

More than 67 million people have been affected by the weather and economic losses are expected to reach as much as $3 billion, Chinese officials say.

In the past week, the snowstorms have hit the provinces in central, eastern and southern China—places that used to have mild winters.

 “We’ve never seen such a cold weather lasting for such a long time,” said Tang Shan, a man in his 70s Changsha, Hunan Province. “The last time we had one here was over 50 years ago, and not this bad.”

The snow has blocked roads, railways and airports, leaving tens of millions of travelers stranded(滞留)，officials say. Many of them are going home ahead of the traditional Lunar New Year, also known as the Spring Festival.

The Lunar New Year travel is China’s busiest travel period of the year. But the snow is changing travel plans. Railway and highway routes have been brought to a pause, a situation in which all activity or movement has stopped and several regional airports have been closed.

In the southern city of Guangzhou, as many as 500,000 train passengers were stranded in the past few days when a power failure in neighboring Hunan seriously damaged the regular train services, local officials said. About 100,000 passengers crowded the square in front of the train station, while others found shelter in schools and other public buildings while waiting for their trains.

More terrible weather is expected. China’s weather office on Monday issued a warning of more severe(恶劣的) snowstorms in the coming days. If so, the number of stranded travelers will surely increase.

4.  What would be the best title for the passage?

  A. Travelers in China

  B. Snowstorms Cause Economic Losses

  C. Dealing with Terrible Weather

D. Snowstorms Hit Parts of China

5.  The word “trapped” underlined in Paragraph 1 can be replaced by“       ”.

  A. beaten          B. disturbed         C. blocked       D. destroyed

6.  We can know from the passage that     .

  A. the coming snowstorms will leave more people stranded

  B. there will be more snowstorms next year

  C. snowstorms usually cause a power failure

  D. more people are going home for Lunar New Year this year

7.  The passage is probably taken from a   .

  A. guidebook      B. news report        C. science magazine   D. textbook

Since 1989 University of Phoenix Online offered online degree programs to working adults around the country. You attend classes whenever and wherever you want via the Internet for complete flexibility(机动性) and convenience.

Earn your degree via the Internet for more career opportunities and higher income potential(潜在的) with University of Phoenix Online.

Many of our students complete their degree in about 2 to 3 years. With over 99000 online students, University of Phoenix Online has one of the most successful online degree programs in the country.

There is no need for residency(居住) in the United States, since 100% of the coursework is done online.

Bachelor’s Degree Admission Requirements:

● A high school diploma(毕业文凭) or equivalent.

●Student must be 21 years of age or older.

●A minimum score of 550 on the paper-based exam or 213 on the computer-based exam of the Test of English as a Foreign Language (TOFEL) for non-native speakers of English.

● Current employment or access to an organizational environment.

Master’s Degree Admission Requirements:

●A regionally accredited US bachelor’s degree or equivalent.

●A cumulative undergraduate GPA of 2.5 or better

●Three years significant working experience.

●A minimum score of 550 on the paper-based exam or 213 on the computer-based exam of the

Test of English as Foreign Language (TOFEL) for non-native speakers of English.

● Current employment or access to an organizational environment.

For further information, please click www.Uophx.edu.

8.    The passage is     ?             .

  A. a story            B. a fable           C. a piece of news        D. an ad

9.    Which of the following conditions is a must if you want to earn either of the two online degrees?

  A. You have to rent an apartment in the United States.

  B. You must take part in an exam of English language if you are a non-native English speaker.

  C. You must be at least 21 years old.

  D. You must be employed and have a few years’ working experience.

10.  Who will not apply for the program?

  A. Those who will go to the States to study.

  B. Those who want better income.

  C. Those who are adults.

  D. Those who are not English native speakers.

11.  What’s the main advantage of the program?

  A. It’s free.                             B. It costs little.

  C. Courses online.                       D. No entrance exams.

Nothing can spoil a vacation quicker than losing your money or credit cards. A few simple steps before you head out of the door can help protect your cash, card and personal information while you’re traveling.

Paul Stephens, a policy analyst San Diego, notes that people spend a lot of time planning their trips, from buying guidebooks to finding just the right beach outfits（装备）.“But their eyes glaze（呆滞）over when the subject of keeping money safe comes up,” he said.

  “Why not take a few minutes to do something that could probably save your vacation?” Stephens asked. ”In most cases, they can go on your to-do list with ’buy travel bags’ and everything else,” he added.

The top recommendation is to clean your wallet. Remove unnecessary credit cards and any other unneeded documents that could compromise（危及...的安全）your identity if lost or stolen while you’re on vocation.

Then make a photocopy of the cards you’ve decided to take along and keep it in a secure location with you（not in your wallet）or leave it with a trusted relative or friend back home. Then you will know who you need to contact and how to reach it if your wallet is missing.

‘Travelers should never leave their wallets or any identifying documents in their hotel room when they’re not there,” he said.” Choose a hotel with a safe to keep your valuable things in. Or keep your wallet and documents with you at all times. ”

12．According to passage, _______can destroy one’s vacation the most quickly.

   A．being lost on vacation     B．losing money or credit cards

       C．living in a bad hotel.     D．losing contact with family

13．What does the underlined word stand for?

   A．The people who are going traveling.

   B．The outfits that are prepared for traveling.

   C．The suggestions on what to buy when traveling.

    D．The steps to avoid losing money or credit cards.

14．What should people do with their wallet before they go on vacation?

   A．Take it with them all the time.

   B．Put it in a safe place at the hotel

       C．Remove unnecessary cards and documents.

      D．Leave it with family or friend.

15．What is the topic of the passage?

   A．How to prepare for travel.

      B． How to be happy during your vacation.

   C．How to keep cash and cards safe on vacation.

   D．How to protect your luggage on vacation.

Five Ways to Go Green and Save Green

Climate change is in the news. It seems like everyone's “going green.” We're glad you want to take action, too. Luckily, many of the steps we can take to stop climate change can make our lives better. Let's start now.

Save energy to save money.

Set your thermostat（恒温器）degrees lower in the winter and a few degrees higher in the summer to save on heating and cooling costs.

    16   As much as 85 percent of the energy used to machine-wash clothes goes to heat the water.

Unplug (拔掉……的电源插头) electrical equipment when you're not using it. 

Save water to save money.

Take shorter showers to reduce water use. This will lower your water and heating bills too.

Plant drought-tolerant (耐旱的) native plants in your garden.   17   Find out about these plants in your area.

Fix a low-flow showerhead. They don't cost much, and the water and energy savings can quickly pay back your money.

    18      

Walk or bike to work. This saves on gas and parking costs while improving your health and reducing your risk of being fat.

Eat smart.

If you eat meat, add one meatless meal a week. Meat costs a lot at the store and it's even more expensive when you consider the related environmental and health costs.

19     Purchasing from local farmers keeps money in the local economy.

Avoid bottled water.  

20     

Use a water filter (过滤器) to make drinking water instead of buying bottled water. Not only is bottled water expensive, but it causes large amounts of container waste.

A. When speaking of something to eat, try local products whenever you can.

B. Our grandchildren and their children will thank us for living green. 

C. Bring a reusable water bottle with you when traveling or at work. 

D. Wash clothes in cold water whenever possible. 

E. Less gas = more money and better health! 

F. Move a little nearer to your work. 

G. Many plants need little watering.