We get it : You're tired. You're busy. And your shoes are way over there. Excuses are OK sometimes, but not every day - and especially not today. So put on your sneakers, get up off the couch, and let us kick your excuses to the curb(路牙子).

"I ... dislike ... panting(气喘) !"

Being really out of breath may mean you're trying too much too soon, which will kill your confidence. But you don't have to be huffing and puffing to get a workout. Active doesn't have to mean high-intensity(高强度). It's just about moving.

"I hate exercise."

It may seem unbearable, but you just have to get started. Exercise releases(释放) endophins(your brain's own feel-good chemicals), which can be habit-forming. What's the best exercise? The one you’ll do regularly. So you may hate running. Don't run! Ride your bike or just dance. Even cleaning your room is active. As long as you're moving and getting your blood pumping, it counts. So get creative.

"I don't have time."

You may not have lots of time to. spare when you're busy with schoolwork, but we bet you can find 10 minutes. Bonus: An activity break will send oxygen to your brain, making you super-alert(超级警觉的) and more creative too. Famous thinkers like Aristotle and Steve Jobs liked "walking meetings," and you can follow in their footsteps by moving around while you brainstorm about a tough task or memorize your English vocabulary.

"I never see results!”

Even if you train with the help of a professional, you won't see results right away. But you will feel them almost immediately. Don't focus on how your body looks - focus on how you feel. Keep a journal of when you exercise (or don't ) and how you feel that day:Stressed? Focused? Tired? When you start noticing the amazing effects of exercise, you’ll have no excuses.

21. The underlined part "huffing and puffing" in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by “        ”.

A.moving around                         B. breathing heavily

C. feeling confident                        D. wearing nice shoes

22. In the author's eyes, the best exercise is the one that         .

A. is very relaxing                         B. you will stick to  .

C. produces good results                    D. you can spare time on

23. Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A. Exercise excuses we are not buying           B. Benefits of regular physical activity

C. The best exercise and fitness routines       D. How to get started with an exercise plan

In the United States of America, the legal voting（投票,选举）age is 18 years. Though some Americans have expressed interest in raising the voting age, saying that these important decisions should not be left in the hands of a teenager, I disagree. I believe that those who are 18 years old are ready to take on the responsibility for voting.

We all know that in the United States, 18 is the age when an individual is considered an adult by the government.Being an adult in the eyes of the law is quite different than simply being a juvenile. Punishments for illegal activities become much heavier.Additionally, at 18,an individual can join the army without receiving permission from his parents to do so.So,when a citizen tums 18, the politics of the country start affecting him in a completely different way. It is unfair to let one lead a severer lifestyle and not allow him any choice in the matter.

Furthermore, by allowing a teenager to vote, we are helping to ensure that he will become more politically minded at a younger age. I didn't care at all about the politics of my country when I couldn't vote. As I couldn't do anything about the politics at the time, I couldn't see why I should care. It wasn't until I turned 18 years of age that I started actively trying to understand who ran my government and the way in which it was governed. By allowing 18-year-olds to vote, we are getting them engaged in the world of politics much sooner.

In addition, teenagers today are much smarter than we think. Today's society is much more technologically advanced than it was in the past. Teenagers have access to all kinds of information through the Internet and their smart phones. So, teenagers have enough knowledge to make good decisions.

Therefore, I think 18 is indeed a proper age to make important political decisions and those who are 18 should be allowed to make important decisions that will affect their nation.

24.The underlined word “'juvenile" in Paragraph 2 probably means        .

A. child           B. soldier         C. teenager        D. criminal    .

25.When reaching 18, the author        .

A. loved his country more than before

B. changed his attitude towards politics

C. worked in a governmental institution

D. called for a reduction in the voting age

26.The author believes "teenagers today are much smarter than we think" because they        .

A. are quick-minded

B. are well-informed

C. can use modern technologies on their own

D. can act according to changing circumstances

27. Which of the following shows the structure of the text?

A.  B.  C.  D.

CP: Central Point              P: Point

Sp: Sub-point (欢要点)  C: Conclusion

    The other day, I was thinking about the phrase "It's a dog's life". According to my dictionary, this means "life is hard and unpleasant", but that definition is surely obsolete. A dog's life these days, at least in my house, is extremely comfortable.

    This is by no means the only phrase in the English language that suggests a dog's life is a sad one. When we become less successful than we were in the past, we "go to the dogs";when we do something very badly, we make a "dog's breakfast" of it; if we feel really bad,we're "as sick as a dog". Unattractive or unpleasant people are considered "such a dog"!      .

    Cats do no better. They are described as humourless and cruel rulers ("While the cat's away, the mouse will play") or as self-satisfied ("The-cat that got the cream"). They are also related to unspeakable horrors. For example, "There's not enough room to swing a cat".

"Cat" is a short form of the cat-o'-nine-tails (九尾鞭). The phrase probably originated at sea,where unfortunate sailors were beaten in tiny spaces. Despite all the above, "the cat's whiskers(须)” are the most desirable whiskers.

    How our lovely companions entered the language in this way remains a mystery, but there are some explanations. "To let the-cat out of the bag" probably refers to traders who tried to pass off（冒充） an old cat as a nice juicy little pig. "It's raining cats and dogs",meanwhile,is related to cats with the mysterious(神秘的) force controlling the weather and dogs with the wind. Other sources suggest that it dates from the time when inner-city gutters（排水沟） overflowed with rubbish and dead animals.

    Many of these phrases reflect a time when cats and dogs were not as cherished as they are now. My own personal motto "Love me; love my dog" dates back as far as 1485, when it was recorded in a book called Early English Miscellanies. Although originally it may imply

"If you really love me, you will have to accept my boils and scars(疤痕), it now means "If you love me, you will get to play with my little doggies, too".

28.The underlined word "obsolete" in Paragraph I probably means        .

A. wrong         B. out of date       C. unclear        D. beyond recognition

29.If someone goes downhill, we can say he        .

A. is such a dog            B. is as sick as a dog

C. has gone to the dogs      D. has made a dog's breakfast

30.In what way is "the cat's whiskers" different from the other phrases in Paragraph 3?

A. Its origin is unknown.               B. It is not used anymore.

C. It presents a positive image of cats.    D.Its meaning has changed over the years.

31.One of the origins of "It's raining cats and dogs" is associated with        .

A. fairy tales                       B. a mysterious event

C. animals' poor conditions           D. a dishonest businessman

    When a bee stings（蜇） you, it doesn't just ruin your fun. The insect puts venom（毒液）into your skin, causing pain and swelling. But a chemist in Denmark believes he's come up with a simple device that will draw the venom back out of the wound, bringing victims(受害者)relief.

    Martin Wenckens got the inspiration for the Bee-Patch（蜜蜂膏药）from a home treatment he saw shown on a Danish television program. After getting stung, a person would put a slight wet sugar cube over the wound. The idea is that through osmosis(渗透) -- the movement of a fluid(液体) from an area with a lower concentration of molecules(分子)to an area with a higher concentration - fluid moves from the small hole up into the sugar cube,

carrying the venom along ,with it.

    Because exposed sugar may attract more insects, Wenckens thought he could improve on the treatment. He put sugar inside a patch that can be worn like a bandage. The side touching the skin has a thin layer through which fluid can move. "After you get stung, place the patch on the injured skin and leave it for one hour," Wenckens says. "This will lower both pain and swelling." He cautions that people with insect allergies should continue to. use medications

(药物治疗) recommended by their doctors.

    Wenckens designed the Bee-Patch especially for children, but he reports that lifeguard and soccer players are also using it. "In many schools in Denmark the Bee-Patch is already a part of first aid kits," he says. "To have invented a small patch that can be used by so many people of course makes me very proud."

32.Wenckens was inspired by        .

A. his childhood                                     B. a TV program

C. a sugar producer                                   D. his private doctor

33.What's the advantage of the Bee-Patch over the original home treatment?

A. It is much safer                                        B. It is more natural.

C. It is much cheaper.                                       D. It is more effective.

34.The Bee-Patch created by Wenckens        .

A. is not recommended to lifeguards

B. may not be helpful for some victims

C. will protect victims from bees for an hour

D. has an immediate effect on the injured skin

35.The Bee-Patch is widely used        .

A. by adults                                        B. in hospitals

C. by students                                      D. on football fields

    All around the world, people are working ha rd to make their cities safer and more pleasant for pedestrians. Cities have painted crosswalks on their streets, made streets narrower, put in traffic lights and speed bumps（减速带） and made plans to help more kids walk or bike to school.

    Many- people have learned from a man from Brisbane, Australia named David Engwicht.His book Reclaiming Our Cities and Towns has a simple message.  36  Kids played there, and neighbors stopped there talk.

    But now, streets are just for cars and trucks. People stay inside to get away from the.noise and dangerous traffic, and we lose contact with our neighbors.  37  People need to take back their streets. Engwicht travels around the' world, helping people think differently about pedestrians, streets, and neighborhoods.  38  He has worked in neighborhoods from Honolulu to Scotland.

    While Engwicht was writing his book, he learned how neighbors in the city 'of Delft, in the Netherlands, stopped dangerous traffic on their street. They put old couches, tables, and planters in the street.  39  When the police arrived, they saw how these illegal actions made the streets safer. Soon city officials started planning ways to make cars slow down, and "calm"the traffic.

    Engwicht says we should think about streets as our "outdoor living room". 40  In the future, streets will be safe places for children again, and our neighbors will become our friends.

A. Cars and pedestrians crowded the street.

B. Calming the traffic is just the beginning.

C. Cars could still pass, but they had to drive slowly.

D. He says that in the past, streets belonged to everybody.

E. It's hard to take measures to solve the traffic problems.    '

F. Besides his books and articles, he gives many speeches.

G. Engwicht says that we should use streets for more than just transportation.