An old lady in a plane had a blanket（毯子）over her head and she did not want to take it off. The air hostess spoke to her, but the old lady said, “I have never been in a plane before, and I am frightened. I am going to keep this blanket over my head until we are back on the ground again!”

    Then the captain came. He said, “Madam, I am the captain of this plane. The weather is fine, there are no clouds in the sky, and everything is going very well. ”But she continued to hide.

    So the captain turned and started to go back. Then the old lady looked out from under the blanket with one eye and said, “I am sorry, young man, but I don't like planes and I am never going to fly again. But I'll say one thing, ”She continued kindly, “You and your wife keep your plane very clean!”

根据短文内容，选择最佳答案，并将选定答案的字母标号填在题前括号内。

    The popular smartphone application Instagram (照片分享) has changed the way we look at photography, even our world. The photo-worthy moments we share serve as an important function in cultivating the photographic artistic eye.

    Instagram has got people to start noticing the art in their everyday life. It has also allowed us to share the artful moments in our lives with others. Clearly, making people focus on beautiful moments in their lives and how to share them is a positive takeaway from Instagram.

    Not only has Instagram changed the way we look at things around us, but it has also changed the way people view professional photography. Instagram has turned everyone with a smartphone into an artist. Opening up art to the general community is a groundbreaking (创新的) aspect of this application. Making artistic attempts accessible for everyone to discover their artistic talents and explore creatively is something that has made people find the beauty in the everyday. However, this accessibility has also created questioning around art and respect deserved by professional photography.

    The art in a professional photograph versus an Instagram can sometimes be hard to notice at a quick glance. But photographs taken by true professional photographers hold something that Instagram's can't match in terms of photographic quality, or advanced compositional knowledge.

    This is not to say Instagram is a lesser art. Aesthetic qualities of art are a personal matter and how good an artwork is depends on personal preferences. Good is a very arbitrary term in the art world. For example, I may find one photo more pleasing than another, but not everyone has to agree with me.

    The point I am trying to make is that professional photography should not be lost, but instead approached with a new, enhanced level of respect and admiration—despite how accessible, common and fun Instagram now makes the taking and sharing of photos.

    An interesting study posted on Facebook recently shows how men and women develop new interests as they mature(成熟).

    While women tend to take exercise seriously from the age of 34, men will wait until their 45th birthdays before working hard to get in shape.The average woman spends more time talking about sports, politics, career and money as she gets older.

    Women's interest in books reaches its peak(顶峰) at the age of 22, while that of men does so when they are in their 50s.

    Men start to change their focus from the workplace to other things after age 30, while women do not do so until eight years later. Both, however, care most about fashion at age 16.

    The research used anonymous(匿名的) data donated by thousands of Facebook users, recording the statuses, 'likes' and 'interests' they had posted on their profiles.

    It found the average woman talks about television most at 44, while men peak much younger, at age 31.

    Men are also most likely to see a film in a cinema at age 31, while women go out to see films most when they are only 19.

    Men are most interested in travel at 29, women at 27, while women talk most about food and drink at 35, and men at 38.

    And if you are middle aged, a safe topic for any audience is the weather, which is a key interest for many as they approach 60.

    Stephen Wolfram, the British scientist who carried out the research, says, “It's almost shocking how much this tells us about the changes of people's typical interests.

    “People talk less about video games as they get older, and more about politics.”

    Researchers found that compared with young people who spent much of their free time in front of TV sets, those who were physically active often had higher self-respect, better grades and were less likely to have risky behavior like taking drugs, smoking, or drinking. The findings, based on a national survey of nearly 12, 000 middle and high school students, were published in a journal（期刊）.

    “Across the board, children who engaged in any kind of activity were better off than kids who watched a lot of TV,” said study co-author(合著者) professor Penny Gordon Larsen of the University of North Carolina.

    Other studies have linked certain content of television programs, such as violence and sex, to children's behavior. But beyond this issue, Gordon Larsen said that kids who spend hours watching TV” miss opportunities” to develop skills, learn teamwork and have other experiences that their more active peers(同辈) benefit(受益) from

    That doesn't mean, however, that kids have to be on the football team. The study found that some activities like skating and skateboard(滑板)——which adults sometimes frown upon——were also related to better self-respect and less risk-taking.

    That skaters were better behaved than TV-watchers might come as a surprise to some adults who consider these teens to be bad, according to Gordon Larsen. Skateboarding is forbidden in many public areas, and some communities(社区) disagree to build skating parks. But if kids who like to skate have nowhere to do it, “ it's a shame,” said Gordon Larsen.

    Not only should parents encourage their kids to engage（参与） in the physical activities they enjoy, she said, but schools and communities should also do more to create opportunities for children to be active.

    Scientists have found what they believe are pieces of a meteor(流星)that fell to the earth last year. The objects were discovered off the coast of the United States in the Pacific Ocean.

    The crew of the Nautilus, a private research ship, recovered the rock particles(颗粒).The Nautilus is operated by the Ocean Exploration Trust. The group says its aim at present is to examine areas of the ocean that have never been explored before.

    The search was launched after US government weather stations observed a large meteorite exploding some months ago. The explosion lit up the sky and sent the rock particles to the earth. The meteorite fall was the largest recorded over the United States in at least 20years. The team includes scientists from NASA, the Olympic Coast National Marine Sanctuary and the University of Washington. The scientists examined what they believe were two small meteorite fragments. Further testing is needed before they can confirm that the material came from the explosion.

    The Nautilus is equipped with two remotely operated vehicles(ROVs), called Hercules and Argus. These robotic submarines help researchers find and collect materials from the seafloor. The fact that the particles landed in the ocean, instead of on land, means larger pieces may have survived and can be studied. For this reason, scientists decided to launch the first intentional search for meteorites from the ocean. Until the latest research, scientists had only accidentally discovered a small number of meteorites from drilling operations.

    The objects recovered from the bottom of the sea likely came from the recent explosion for two main reasons. First, meteorite particles are basically made of glassy materials that do not tend to last long in seawater. Secondly, they came from what looked like a small hole on the seafloor. Some evidence shows that they came from something that fell.

    Homestay in Sydney, Australia

    Linda:

    Our big home is in Sydney, about 300 meters from Sydney University and 450 meters from the train station. The train ride is about 30 minutes to the CBD. Now we only have a small bedroom for a female student.

    The cost is $260 per week, which includes all meals when at home and laundering(洗烫) of clothes.

    E-mail: markalarms @optusnet. com.au

    John:

    I have a lovely single room for homestay (male, non-smokers only). The apartment is located across the road from a bus station. A sports field is only a two-minute walk away.

    The room is for both short and long stays. The cost is $220 per week, including breakfast and lunch on weekdays. There is no washing machine at home. Do your own laundry in the apartment block's facilities.

    E-mail: ainsley gilkes@yahoo.com.au

    Eric:

    I live in the northern suburbs of Sydney--quiet for studying and relaxing, yet close to Sydney University & NCELTR & SIBT. The subway station is nearby.

    All facilities of the house including a living room with a TV can be used. Owners are very open and friendly, and treat students as part of the family.

    The prices include all meals (breakfast, lunch and dinner) and cleaning. The fee is $300 per week. E-mail: mineanny@hotmail.com

Rose:

    Hi, everyone! I have one room for homestay (girl students only) in a house which is very close to Sydney University (SIBT) & WSU in the northern district of Sydney. There is a bus station across the road. Travel time to the centre of the city is 40 minutes by train. We only have one homestay at a time. Therefore, our family can take good care of you. The fee is $230 per week. We are looking forward to having you in our home.

    E-mail: cliqi9239@hotmail com