Here are suggestions for keeping busy this week . Dive in !

Take to the waves in Southampton

Always fancied trying your hand at sailing ? Now’s your chance. The Southampton Boat Show has plenty of opportunities for visitors to get out on the water to experience boat sailing, power boating or taking a ride on a RIB -----all for free.

Discover an island on the Thames

To celebrate Totally Thames, a month-long festival is held at various locations across London. We have discovered 21 of the river’s most fascinating islands ----- all of them with interesting stories to tell . Make the most of it with our map here.

Catch great films in Bristol

Over six days, Encounters Film Festival screens up to 400 films from over 60 different countries. The Bristol festival provides a platform for international filmmakers, and offer a gateway to the likes of the BAFTAs, Oscars and European Film Awards. See here for full details.

Get scientific in London

Experience the latest, best and most challenging science covering all areas of our lives and universe at New Scientist Live at ExCel London. New Scientist Live is a four- day festival full of ideas and discoveries from the team behind the world’s most popular science weekly magazine , featuring four zones------ Brain & Body, Technology , Earth and Universe ----- as well as talks from experts and over 200 exhibitors.

21.  Which is the most suitable for sailing lovers?

A.    Take to the waves in Southampton        B.      Discover an island on the Thames

C.    Catch great films in Bristol               D.      Get scientific in London

22.  What is New Scientist Live?

A.   A science weekly magazine

B.   A festival to celebrate great scientists

C.   An exhibition to show scientific discoveriesziyuanku.com

D.   A festival where ideas and discoveries are shared

23.  Where can you find the text?

A.   On a noticeboard                      B. On a website

C.   In a newspaper                        D. In a book review

Nine out of 10 people on the planet breathe polluted air, even outdoors, the World Health Organisation said. Some 92% of the population live in places where air pollution exceeds(超过) WHO limits.

Air pollution can contribute to lung cancer, heart disease. The Southeast Asia and Western Pacific regions account for nearly two out of every three such deaths, with poorer countries "getting worse". Around three million deaths every year are linked to outdoor air pollution. When "indoor" air pollution ---which includes contaminants like wood smoke and cooking fires - is added, air pollution is linked to one in every nine deaths worldwide, the WHO said. The air quality model used in the data measures the smallest particles(颗粒), less than 2.5 micrometres across，which can enter the bloodstream and reach the brain.

Country-by-country data showed that Turkmenistan is ranked first for the death rate connected to air pollution. Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, and Egypt rounded out the top five. "Rich countries are getting much better in improving the quality of the air," Dr Carlos Dora from the WHO told the Associated Press. "Poorer countries are getting worse. " However, he said, North America is doing better than Europe, mostly because Europe depends more on diesel fuel(柴油) and farming practices . China, the country with the sixth-highest death rate linked to air pollution, is relatively wealthy, but is bothered by smog in its cities and polluted air from industrial sources.

The WHO pointed to sustainable transport, waste management, and renewable energies as possible ways to reduce air pollution. It said its latest data represented the most detailed study it has ever released. The analysis combined satellite measurements and more than 3,000 monitoring stations on the ground with air transport models. The report is based on 2012 figures, which are the most recent data available.

24.  How is the text organized?

A.  Conclusions –Consequences –Examples –Solutions

B.  Facts –Reasons –Examples –Solutions

C.  Reasons –Effects –Solutions –Trends

D.  Trends –Opinion –Reasons – Solutions

25.  What does the underlined word in paragraph 2 refer to?

A.  Heating tools.                     B.  Indoor waste.

C.  Producing activities.                D.  Harmful substances.

26.  Which has the lowest death rate caused by air pollution?

A.  North America.      B.  Turkmenistan.     C.  Egypt.      D.  China.

27.  Which may the author advocate to reduce air pollution?

A.  Control the population.                     B.  Invent energies.

C.  Use air transport models.                   D.  Go green.

My family lived in a motel for two years. Like most families living there, we stayed in a two-bedroom suite. We were living from paycheck to paycheck, so when Christmas approached, we didn't know if we would be able to purchase gifts for our children.

A few days before Christmas someone dropped off presents for all the kids that lived at the motel. It brought so much joy to all the children, most of whom knew that they wouldn't be receiving anything.

Five years ago, we moved out of the motel. After that, my husband and I were working hard at Joe's Crab Shack to support our family. A few days before Christmas. I was working a "big top" and a single table. The man at my table could see the large tables was taking most of my time, but I was very patient and  friendly. Between drinks and food I was able to chat with him about his family and mine. He left me $ 10, then walked out. A bout 10 minutes later, I turned around and there he was again. He gave me a hug, and put something inside my apron, telling me " Have a Merry Christmas". I reached into my apron and pulled out $ 800.

I was so overwhelmed by his generosity that I burst into tears. He had given me more than enough money to help my family catch up on our bills. After discussing what we should do with the money we had left over. We decided to buy presents for the families living at the motel, so we could pass on the blessing that we had received. Since then, it has been a tradition for us to give Christmas gifts to the families in need.

Last year we were able to give presents to each of the 80 children at a school in our community, and throw a Christmas party for them. This year our goal is to add at least 20 children.

28.   What does the underlined part imply?    

 A.  They paid for checks non-stop.                 B.  They might struggle financially.

 C.  They were in heavy debt.                      D.  They had to save money for children.

29.   What did the author do?

 A.   She was a nurse.            B.   She was a party designer.

 C.   She was a waitress.          D.   She was a shop assistant.

30.   What did the author do with the 800 dollars?

 A.  She used all the money to improve their life.

 B.  She threw a Christmas party for schoolkids.

 C.  She bought some presents for poor families.        

 D.  She donated all the money to her community.

31.   The author wrote the article to ________

 A .  share her own experience            B.  stress the importance of love

 C.   call on readers to do good deeds      D.  express her gratitude to a stranger

Falling asleep is a routine process. However, though most of us fall asleep every night, we can’t say exactly how we do it. Like trying to see the 3-D image in a Magic Eye poster, the more you focus on it, the less likely it is to happen.

According to recent work by neuroscientists at Washington University, during the pre-sleep stage of the process , you're in bed with the lights off and your eyes closed, slowly "letting go" of the trials of the trials of the day. In this period the brain progressively disengages(脱离) from the outside world.

Then, at some crucial moment, you enter the transitional sleep stage, known as stage 1. Brain waves slow down, but you can occasionally sense that you’re still awake. Investigators asked subjects awoken from various stages of sleep whether they considered themselves asleep. Only about 10 percent of those aroused from stage 1 said that they had been asleep."

Next, your brain moves on to stage 2, the start of "true" non-REM (rapid eye movement) sleep—REM sleep is the stage when most dreams occur. All neuroscientists agree that this stage is sleep, though you still might not know it. In that same study of sleep arousal, about 60 percent believed that they had been asleep when awoken from stage 2. The other 40 percent would tell you they hadn't fallen asleep yet.

Next, we enter slow-wave sleep (also known as deep sleep, or stages 3 and 4), and finally, experience the REM sleep period. While stages 1 and 2 are difficult to notice, 90 percent of people recognize themselves as having definitely fallen asleep when awoken after entering stages 3 or 4. That means we've completed the transition. From then on, we spend the rest of the night circling between non-REM stages 2, 3 and 4, and REM sleep.

32.  What does the author use 3-D image to show?

A.  It is hard to fall asleep.                   B.  Falling asleep is a routine thing.

C   We cannot focus on falling asleep.         D.  Falling asleep is a puzzling process.

33.  Why are subjects woken up during the process of falling asleep?

A.  To instruct them to sleep well.             B.  To check if they thought they were asleep.

C.  To prevent them from deep sleep.          D.  To remind them they were doing experiments.

34.  At which stage do we have dreams?

A.  REM sleep.       B.  Stage 1.         C.  Slow-wave sleep           D.  Stage 2.

35.  What happens after we complete the process of falling asleep?

A.  We have deep sleep all night.              B.  We wake up and feel energetic.

C.  We repeat from stage 2 to REM sleep.       D.  We return to the transitional sleep stage.

   How to Help a Teenager Make Good Decisions

    Habitually poor decision making is actually common in teenagers. Naturally, such a

habit makes parent-teen cooperation difficult, especially when a parent wants his teen to

do what a " responsible adolescent" would do. A poor decision-making teenager can never

run away from his responsibilities.  36   

    ●  Distinguish real problems from acts of pure "teenagerism". Teens often make poor

decisions simply because they don-t have the experiences. By making small and harmless

mistakes, like a recently- developed habit of careless consuming,  a teen learns good

decision-making skills on his own via self-correction.__37  Don't think the teen is making

bad decisions just to challenge you.  It's more likely it is out of a real inability to determine

what's best for him.

    ●    38  Tell your teen you understand his decisions while simply emphasizing that you

don't have to agree with his decisions or treat his views as valid. By not judging his

opinions, tastes or style, you are opening the road for better communication and problem

solving opportunities.

    -  Set clear expectations.  39  For example, if your teen refuses to study for his math

final because "math is pointless," explain that you expect him to perform well in school,

even in the "pointless" classes.  Because you've already tolerated his opinion without trying

to change his viewpoint, you two can easily agree that math isn't so useful, yet avoid

saying "Let's just give up on math, then.””

    ●  Find a middle ground. Trade insignificant freedoms, such as clothing style for the

promise that he'll live up to academic and family responsibilities. _40_   Not only does giving

up a bit of control solve many conflicts, but the extra freedom you give him can also

improve his decision-making.

    A.  Show tolerance.

    B.  Learn to solve problems.

    C.  Point out your expectations and his responsibilities.

    D.  If your teen could realize it, allow him to be himself.

    E.  A responsible adolescent must have role models to learn from.

    F.  Therefore, it’s important to guide them with problem-solving strategies.

    G.  Next time, he'll be more likely to think twice before making his buying decision.