Americans love cars. They go everywhere in them. 8 5％of people in the US go to and from work by car. And most adults have driving licenses. Why does this car culture exist?
How it started
America’s love of cars started after the war(战争)when soldiers returned home from World War II to rebuild their lives. They borrowed money from the government to buy houses and cars which became the symbols of status(地位). The more money they had, the bigger their cars were.
Making of roads
During the war, President Eisenhower noticed what good roads Germany had. He decided to build new four-lane(四车道)roads in America. He said if something happened suddenly, the two-lane roads wouldn’t be able to carry all the cars that would suddenly leave the cities. Car and oil companies liked his idea and building started.
Car lover
Not just teenagers are crazy about cars. Some Americans love their cars so much that they paint their cars beautifully. These are called Art Cars. Every April there is an activity in Houston, Texas, where they show their cars.
Pollution
Cars have polluted the environment. American President Bush refused a worldwide law that is against pollution. Many countries were angry about it. Bush said he had to think of the American economy(经济)and all the American people that make money from cars. Factories say they want to make cars that pollute less. But others say making cars that pollute less will never be as good as having fewer cars.
【小题1】When did Americans begin to love cars?| A．Before the new two-lane roads were built. |
| B．After World War II. |
| C．During World War II. |
| D．Before World War II. |
| A．in Germany | B．by car and oil companies |
| C．in America | D．when something suddenly happened |
| A．companies | B．soldiers’ lives | C．houses | D．roads |
| A．They agreed with him. | B．They showed anger to it. |
| C．They paid no attention to it. | D．The passage doesn’t tell us. |
| A．It’s better to have fewer cars. |
| B．It’s better to make cars that pollute less. |
| C．It’s easier to make cars that pollute less. |
| D．It’s easier to make people have fewer cars. |
In fact, these muscle twitches (肌肉抽搐) in the arms, legs or other parts of the body are called hypnic jerks (入睡抽动) or sleep starts. And they are very common. Up to 70 percent of people experience them sometimes, Huffington Post reported. But what causes it?
There are some theories(理论). Some scientists believe that the feeling of falling comes from the body relaxing itself, especially if the person is anxious or unable to get comfortable. As you’re about to sleep, your muscles become relaxed. But your brain stays awake. It misunderstands the relaxing of your muscles as a sign that you’re falling.
Then the brain jerks the body awake as if it’s trying to protect you.
Other scientists believe that different phases of sleep might cause the hypnic jerks. When we sleep, we experience two phases: non-rapid eye movement (NREM) and rapid eye movement (REM). During REM, our heart rate (心率), breathing and nervous system can act irregularly (不规律地). If the body experiences flashes (一瞬间) of REM while entering sleep, these irregularities could cause twitches.
If you don’t want to experience hypnic jerks, scientists have some suggestions. When you become deeply relaxed, you can learn how to reconnect slowly by moving your fingers and toes a little bit. Then start to move your head and open your eyes, while being aware of yourself as you get out of the relaxed state.
But experts agree that hypnic jerks, though sometimes scary, are harmless. If it wakes you up, simply roll over and go back to sleep. But keep in mind: a caffeinated (含咖啡因的) drink, exciting evening activities or stress may make hypnic jerks happen more often.
【小题1】The third paragraph mainly tells us_____________.
| A．there are all kinds of theories about hypnic jerks |
| B．different phases of sleep might cause hypnic jerks |
| C．People sometimes get anxious or uncomfortable |
| D．the feeling of falling comes from the body relaxing itself |
| A．Two | B．Four | C．Three | D．Five |
(1)Drinking caffeinated drink (2)Singing songs for a long time before sleep
(3)Too much stress (4) Reading a book quietly
| A．(1)(2)(3) | B．(1)(2)(4) | C．(2)(3)(4) | D．(1)(3) (4) |
| A．How to Experience Hypnic Jerks | B．What causes Hypnic Jerks |
| C．Feelings of Falling While Going to Sleep | D．Sleeping Is Good for Our Health |
①Chemistry is everywhere in our daily life. Sometimes it's easy to see. At other times, it can be very hard to see the everyday chemistry at work, but nearly everything you touch has some chemicals (化学物质) in it.
②Chemistry helps to make products for use. Something as simple as toothpaste has at least three chemicals that keep your teeth clean. Other things in your daily life are created by chemistry, such as hair products and soap. Without chemistry, we would never have known that we need soap to get the oil out of clothes.
③Chemistry also helps us understand the world around us. Thanks to chemistry, we know bleach (漂白剂) can't be mixed with vinegar (醋), because the mixture can produce harmful gas.
④Chemistry plays a big role in food preparation. Cooking food causes it to go through a chemical change. That is the reason why cooked food often tastes different from uncooked food. Too much or too little of any chemical material makes a difference to the result of baking (烘焙). For example, the cake can be too soft or too hard.
⑤Chemistry isn't something that just lives in a laboratory; it's something that you meet hundreds of times in life. Knowing how chemistry works will give you a greater understanding of the life.
【小题1】What can the chemistry in soap help us?| A．To clean the teeth. | B．To make the teeth strong. |
| C．To clean the oil off clothes. | D．To make the clothes new. |
| A．we can mix bleach with vinegar | B．the mixture can produce useful gas |
| C．we can't mix bleach with vinegar | D．chemistry can't help us make products |
| A．cooked food is much better than uncooked food |
| B．chemistry plays a big role in food preparation |
| C．there are no chemical changes while we are cooking |
| D．the cake can't be too soft or too hard with chemistry |
A． | B． | C． | D． |
| A．Chemistry and food. | B．Chemistry around the world. |
| C．Chemistry and products. | D．Chemistry in everyday life. |
Welcome home! On April 16, astronauts Zhai Zhigang, Wang Yaping and Ye Guangfu safely came back to Earth from the Tiangong space station. There are many interesting facts about their landing. Let’s take a look!
Speedy return
When the Shenzhou XII came back from the space station in 2021, it took about 28 hours. This time, Shenzhou XIII took just 9 hours to return!
Landing upright
The re-entry capsule (返回舱) landed upright (直立的). This landing position is rare (稀少的) in China’s space flight history. Only Shenzhou VI and Shenzhou XIII have successfully done so.
Keeping seated
The astronauts felt good after landing. But they still needed to sit on chairs. ▲ Their muscles (肌肉) and bones became weaker. In the next few months, they will gradually get used to Earth’s gravity (重力).
First meal
The astronauts said they missed food on Earth a lot! A tasty and healthy meal was waiting for them. It included noodles, porridge, shredded potatoes with vinegar (醋溜土豆丝), Sichuan sausages and yogurt.
【小题1】How long did it take Shenzhou XII to return?| A．9 hours. | B．28 hours. | C．10 hours. | D．15 hours. |
| A．The astronauts missed food on Earth very much. |
| B．The astronauts will get used to Earth’s gravity in a few days. |
| C．The landing position of Shenzhou XII is not common in history. |
| D．Three Chinese astronauts returned from the space station on April 16. |
| A．They must stay calm and at all times, especially in the face of some challenges. |
| B．To achieve this, astronauts must let go of the parachute (降落伞) at the right time. |
| C．Landing upright makes sure that astronauts have the softest landing. |
| D．This was because the long space journey changed their bodies. |
| A．Space Heroes Returned from Space | B．Life on Tiangong Space Station |
| C．Stories of the Space Heroes | D．Many Interesting Facts |
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