Any dog’s love and devotion can feel like a miracle(奇迹). In a sense, Mason, a one-year-old dog, may be the most amazing one on the earth.

The long-legged dog in North Smithfield, Alabama, was caught in a storm in his family’s garage last spring. His family thought he would be safe there, but the storm broke the garage door and Mason disappeared.

Dozens of people died that day. Mason’s family were grateful just to be alive. But they were heartbroken at the thought that their sweet, playful companion had died. They combed the neighborhood, but Mason didn’t turn up.

Three weeks after the disaster, Mason’s family were surprised to find Mason on the front door, so ecstatic to see his family.

Where had Mason landed during the windstorm? What did he eat for those long weeks? How did he find his way back home?

There were no answers to those questions and no time to work them out. Mason was terribly thin and couldn’t stand properly. The family quickly sought help and learned their beloved dog had crawled(爬) home on broken front legs. “He was simply on his elbows(肘),” says Dr. Doster.

Doster had spent days reuniting pets with their owners and took an instant liking to the brave dog. He contacted Dr.William Lamb of Vulcan Park Animal Care in Birmingham, who volunteered to perform the needed surgery for free. Lamb inserted two metal plates and 17 screws(螺丝钉) in an operation that lasted more than five hours.                  

Mason’s injuries were so significant that he required weeks of recovery to heal. By the time he returned home to his family in September, he was jumping around again. “There were no ill effects at all, which is a miracle in itself,” Doster says.

1. The best title for the passage is probably__________ .

A.A new miracle came up

B. Mason—the miracle dog

C. What creates a miracle

D. How can miracles happen

2. What does the underlined word “ecstatic” in Paragraph 4 mean?

A. Surprised.   B. Excited.       C. Fantastic.           D. Lifeless.

3. What can we know about Mason?

A. Mason had the longest legs in the world.

B. Mason was a female dog with great courage.

C. Mason was seriously hurt in the storm.

D. Mason was deserted in the garage by design.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that____ .

A. Mason sheltered himself from the storm

B. some kind people had offered Mason food

C. it took three weeks for Mason to recover

D. Mason’s operation was a tough one for Dr.Lamb

  Well, it’s time for Words and Their Stories. We present more expressions about food from Elnir Scardueli, a listener in Brazil.

   My mother believes you are what you eat. Then she’d always give us nutritious food. She likes serving us meat and potatoes, which can also mean the most important part of something. Here’s another expression about meat: one man’s meat is another man’s poison—one might like something very much while another person might hate it.

My father’s a good and honest person. People say he’s the salt of the earth. He’d never pour salt on a wound, or make someone feel worse about something. However, sometimes he tells us a story that seems bigger than life. So we have to take it with a grain of salt.

My husband makes enough money to support our family. So we say he brings home the bacon. He can cut the mustard(芥末), or do what is expected of him at work. Besides, he stands almost two meters tall, so it’s easy to find my husband in a crowd. He is a tall drink of water.

I take the train to work. It is not a pleasant ride because the train is so crowded that we are packed like sardines(沙丁鱼).

When we fail to see problems at work, my boss tells us to wake up and smell the coffee. We need to pay more attention and fix the problem.

I once made a big mistake at the office and felt foolish. I had egg on my face.

Over the weekend, my friend invited me to watch a football game on television. But I do not like football. It is not my cup of tea.

We hope this has given you food for thought and stay with us next time. Thank you.

5. The passage is mainly about _______.

A. words created by mum some                                B. words and their stories

C.  phrases in the kitchen                                         D. idioms about food   

6. The phrase “you are what you eat” suggests that ______.

A. eating plays the most important part in our daily life

B. meat and potatoes are basics

C. rich nutrition holds the key of a meal

D. a good diet is important for good health

7. When you doubt something, you might ______.

A. bring home the bacon                                   B. have egg on your face

C. take it with a grain of salt                                     D. wake up and smell the coffee      

8. The passage is probably taken from a ______.

A. public lecture               B. TV show                            C. radio program                   D. personal statement

   It has long been hailed(宣称) as the most crucial meal of the day, vital for getting the body going and preventing overeating later on. But breakfast may not be so vital after all, if new research is to be believed. Contrary to popular belief, the study found the first meal of the day had little impact on snacking or portion sizes later in the day. It also had no effect on metabolism(新陈代谢).

The researchers, from the University of Bath, now suggest the better health of people who eat a good breakfast may be due to their general, wider, diet regime(养生法). They found there was no change in metabolism after six weeks between those who ate nothing for breakfast and those who consumed 700 calories before 11am.The major difference was that those who abstained from breakfast ate fewer calories over the whole day.

This goes against the long-held theory that people who skip breakfast simply make up for it by gorging on food later on. However, breakfast eaters were likely to expend more energy - around 442calories - by being active, mainly in the morning after eating. They also had more stable blood sugar readings, especially by the end of the trial.

The research added: “The belief that breakfast is ‘the most important meal of the day is so widespread that many people are surprised to learn that there is a lack of scientific evidence showing whether or how breakfast may directly cause changes in our health. It is certainly true that people who regularly eat breakfast tend to be slimmer and healthier but these individuals also typically follow most other recommendation for a healthy lifestyle, so have more balanced diets and take more physical exercise. ”

In another study published this month, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham divided volunteers into three groups. One skipped breakfast, others always ate it and a third continued with their current regime. Four months later, no one in any group had lost much weight.

9. According to he new research, the people who eat breakfast tend to __________.

  A. prevent overacting later on        B. expend more energy

  C. have more balanced diets          D. lose more weight

10. If you want to be healthier and simmer, you should _______.

   A. not eat breakfast                B. snack as frequently as possible

   C. eat general, wide breakfast        D. have a healthy lifestyle

11. The underlined phrase “abstained from” in Paragraph 2 means ___________.

   A. didn’t have           B. had          C. had more          D. had less

12. The best title of the passage is __________.

   A. whether to have breakfast or not                   B. no expected good to have breakfast

   C. difference between having and not having breakfast    D. healthy diet

    Food serves as a form of communication in two fundamental ways. Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trusts. Food can also have a specific meaning, and play a significant role in a family or culture's celebrations or traditions. The foods we eat—and when and how we eat them—are often unique to a particular culture or may even differ between rural (农村的) and urban areas within one country.

Sharing bread, whether during a special occasion (时刻) or at the family dinner table, is a common symbol of togetherness. Many cultures also celebrate birthdays and marriages with cakes that are cut and shared among the guests. Early forms of cake were simply a kind of bread, so this tradition hits its roots in the custom of sharing bread.

Food also plays an important role in many New Year celebrations. In the southern United States, pieces of corn bread represent blocks of gold for prosperity (兴旺) in the New Year. In Greece, people share a special cake called vasilopita. A coin is put into the cake, which signifies (预示) success in the New Year for the person who receives it.

Many cultures have ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a child, and food can play a significant role. In China, when a baby is one month old, families name and welcome their child in a celebration that includes giving red-colored eggs to guests. In many cultures, round foods such as grapes, bread, and moon cakes are eaten at welcome celebrations to represent family unity.

Nutrition is necessary for life, so it is not surprising that food is such an important part of different cultures around the world.

13. According to the passage, sharing bread______.

A. indicates a lack of food                       B. can help to develop unity

C. is a custom unique to rural areas          D. has its roots in birthday celebrations

14. The author explains the role of food in celebrations by______.

A. using examples                                  B. making comparisons

C. analyzing causes                                   D. describing processes

15. What is the passage mainly about?

A. The custom of sharing food.                  B. The specific meaning of food.

C. The role of food in ceremonies.             D. The importance of food in culture.

   Are you new to experiencing relationships? Well, let me give you advice on having a healthy and possibly long-term relationship.

   __16  Do not hide things from them, and do not lie. Don’t be afraid to say things that aren’t very flattering about yourself. Getting them to trust you is the most important element in any relationship. If there's no trust, there's nothing there. So please be honest and they’ll learn to open up to you.

     Make sure you give them respect. Now, respect isn't just simply treating them nicely. There’s a lot more to it. You have to learn to adjust to their liking.  17   Don't just think about yourself, but think about what your partners need out of it as well.

    ____18  Always be willing to help them and give them honesty and positive at the time. Make them feel you are someone they can really count on and build a future with. This is an important step in a relationship. Your partners have to be able to count on you when needed. 

     Make sure you' have a good sense of humor with them. Laughter is the key to happiness. Laugh a lot with them，and joke with them. Laughter may seem silly, but it's the secret to a lot in life. It will keep the sparks alive. 19     

    Make sure the communication is good. This goes along with trust, but always communicate how you feel even if it's something that upsets you. Instead of screaming, talk to them.   20    It's important to communicate

this to them, not to keep it bottled up.

A. Show them your personality.   

B. Be an honest person with them.

    C. Make sure you are encouraging to your partners.

    D. Laughter keeps the relationship strong and lasting.

E. Don't start to neglect them and make them feel unwanted.   

F. Basically, learn to study your partners’ moods, wants and needs.

    G. If they did something that made you unhappy, tell them about it in a respectful manner.