Every living thing has genes. Genes carry information. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} They make sure that humans give birth to humans and cows give birth to cows. They also make sure that a dog doesn't give birth to a frog, or an elephant to a horse. However, genetic engineers take genes from one species-for example, a snake, and transfer them to another-for example, corn. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Such new life forms have been described, by some scientists as a real-life Frankenstein(科幻怪人).

    Genetic engineers put duck genes into chicken to make the chickens bigger. They put hormones(激素) into cows to make them produce more milk. They put genes from flowers into beans and from fish into tomatoes. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} It just makes them easier and faster for the farmer to grow.

    The effects of genetic engineering on the natural world may be disastrous. The engineers may create strange life beings, or monsters. that we cannot control. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} They'll have to find one, fight for one-or kill for one. It may be your land they fight for-or you that they kill. Moreover, the effects of these experiments can often be cruel. In America, pigs were given human genes to make them bigger and less fatty. The experiment failed. The pigs became very ill and began to lose their eyesight. We would all like a better, healthier and longer life, and genetic engineering might give us this. On the other hand, it may be a dangerous experiment with nature. In the story of Frankenstein, the doctor created such a terrible and dangerous monster that he had to destroy it. {#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. The information tells us what to do or what not to do

B. We must make sure that this tale remains a story-and no more than that

C. This doesn't make them cheaper, tastier, or healthier

D. The new life forms have no natural habitat or home

E. Then they feed the tomatoes to the fish

F. In this way a new life form is created

G. They are passed on from generation to generation

    At what age does a child became an adult?{#blank#}1{#/blank#}Here are a few examples.

    First, in some North American Indian culture, a boy became a man around the age of 13. At that time, he would go into the woods alone, without food or water, for several days.{#blank#}2{#/blank#}Girls became adult women as soon as they were old to have babies, also around the age of 12 or 13.

    In the Jewish religion, children spend years studying their history and religion. Then, at age of 13 for boys and 12 for girls, they go through an important religious ceremony.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

    In Japan today, young people become legal adult at age 20. Each year on January 15th, they celebrate “Coming-of-Age Day”, when the 20-year-olds in a town are invited to attend to special ceremony.{#blank#}4{#/blank#}

    Finally, in the United States, the passage into adulthood takes several years. American teenagers look forward to their 16th birthday because in most states that is the age when can get a driver's license. The legal age of adulthood is 18, when Americans can vote, get married and work full-time. However, they must wait until age 21 to buy alcohol.{#blank#}5{#/blank#}

A. Many people celebrate their 21^st birthday by having a drink with friends in a bar.

B. It's hard to answer the question.

C. The answer depends on your culture or religion.

D. From that day, they are adults, and they become responsible for their own religious development.

E. When he returned safely, he became an adult man.

F. The teenagers are not allowed to drink alcohol.

G. They wear traditional clothes, listen to speeches and visit old friends.

    Sometimes in your life, you may be asked to speak in front of a large group of people．Although it sounds a little scary, even those with stage fright can speak successfully to the group with adequate preparation．

    ⒈Practice your speech before the big day．{#blank#}1{#/blank#}If possible, practice the speech in front of a friend or family member to get used to saying it to real people．If you feel you must have note cards, limit the amount to about three cards．This will force you to keep your speech concise and help you keep your eyes focused on your audience．

    ⒉Remember why you've been invited to speak．If you're battling fear over speaking to a large group of people, keep your mind on the fact that you were selected for this important role．The speech organizers must have seen something valuable in you or your expertise

{#blank#}2{#/blank#} 

    ⒊Remember that fear of public speaking is very common.{#blank#}3{#/blank#}

Most of the people in the audience would be feeling the same fear and stress that you do in your position．Knowing this may make you feel better．

    ⒋{#blank#}4{#/blank#}What you say should be tailored to why you're there and who you're speaking to in order to avoid sounding general．If speaking to a charity group, mention the good work certain specific individuals have done for the cause．If speaking at a business conference, briefly state why you want to help these people．

    ⒌Keep eye contact with the crowd．{#blank#}5{#/blank#}Pick one person in each section and look at him while you're speaking．After each important point in your speech, switch your focus to another section．When you focus only on one person at a time, the size of the crowd isn't as frightening．

A．A good memory is really helpful．

B．Show appreciation to your audience．

C．Mention your audience in your speech．

D．The more you have it memorized, the better．

E．In fact, it's normal to feel nervous or stressed out before a big speech．

F．Separate the crowd into three sections mentally as you get up to speak．

G. The knowledge of other people's respect for you should reduce some of the fear．

    Entering a university is an important part of a person's life. Today, many people go to a university to study and train for a future job in subjects like law, medicine or education. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} An important one started in Egypt over one thousand years ago.

    The world's oldest surviving university, AL-Azhar, is in Cario, Egypt. It was first built as a mosque for religion (宗教寺院) in A.D.972. A few years later, learners and teachers began meeting in the mosque. They read and talked about the subject of religion and law. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} Leaders in the city of Cario decided to create a school for higher learning and soon after that, and AL-Azhar University was founded.

    {#blank#}3{#/blank#} For these teachers at AL-Azhar, they needed to think about what courses to teach and how to teach them. The earliest courses were in law and religion. In a course, students read and studied with the teachers, but there was also free discussion. Often, students and teachers had interesting discussions, and there was no ‘right' answer. In the years that followed, the new university interested scholars from around the world. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} At AL-Azhar, people studied the past, but it was also a place for sharing new ideas.

    Over a thousand years later, AL-Azhar is still an important university in the world. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} Today, many of the world's most important universities such as Oxford and Harvard still follow the same traditions as they do at AL-Azhar.

A. However, the university is not a modern invention.

B.There are many reasons to study in Egypt.

C.They came here to teach and do research.

D.Around the year 988, a new decision was made.

E. Its library contains many of the world's oldest and most valuable books.

F. The cost of university education is increasing year by year.

G. A university was a new idea at that time.

Diet Myths — Get the facts, or your diet may fail!

    Dieting is hard work, and there are plenty of "helpful" diet tricks that can make weight loss even harder. {#blank#}1{#/blank#}

    Carbs(含碳水化合物的食物) are bad for you. Carbohydrates are actually an important source of energy. There are good carbs and bad carbs. Some foods, like white bread or white rice, are example of bad carbs. Good carbs include whole wheat bread and brown rice. They're rich in fiber and really good for you!

    {#blank#}2{#/blank#} On the contrary, studies show that people who eat breakfast will eat fewer calories throughout the day. And if you know you're going to be eating a big meal later, don't starve yourself in order to save you calories. You'll just eat more during the meal because you're so hungry! Instead, eat smaller meals a couple days before and after, and exercise more.

    You can control where your body loses weight. Bad news – if you want a flatter stomach, just exercising your stomach won't work. {#blank#}3{#/blank#} Cardio(有氧运动) exercises will help burn fat, while weight training helps build muscles. Your "trouble areas" might not be the first to slim down, but keep exercising!

    Your weight depends on your genes. {#blank#}4{#/blank#} While a "fat gene" does exist, its influence on your size is small. Smart eating and exercise have a much greater effect than your genes. Only 25 percent of your weight is controlled by genes – the rest is up to you.

    Say "no" to junk food. Many people think that the key to losing weight is cutting out all bad foods. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} To lose weight and keep it off, eat great 80 percent of the time, but allow yourself in a treat or two the other 20 percent.

A. You can't target where you lose weight.

B. But the more strict your diet is, the more likely you are to break it – and in a big way.

C. Here are some common myths about losing weight and the truth behind them.

D. Skipping meals helps you lose more weight.

E. If you and your family have problems with obesity, you're not sure to be fat.

F. Don't miss meals but exercise.

G. Instead of choosing a difficult diet, find one you can manage and stick to it every day.

Race walking (竞走) has become more and more popular in recent years. {#blank#}1{#/blank#} For example, it can make a person stronger and more patient.

Race walking is different from running. The race walker should take the correct running posture (姿势). He must never be completely out of contact with the ground, which means the back foot cannot fully leave the surface until the front foot has touched the ground. In addition, the leg carrying the race walker's weight must remain completely straight until his body has passed over it. {#blank#}2{#/blank#} If not, he will be warned (警告) by judges (裁判) and even lose the chance to continue the competition.

{#blank#}3{#/blank#} Some race walkers can reach a speed very close to that of professional runners. In 2008, the men's 20 km race walk world record was one hour sixteen minutes and forty-three seconds, while the current world record for a 20 km run was fifty-five minutes and forty-eight Seconds.

Race walking has become an important Olympic event. At first, only men were allowed to take part in race walking in the Olympics. Some years later, women were also allowed to take part in it in the Olympics. Women are typically slower than men in race walking. {#blank#}4{#/blank#}

If you want to learn it, you can read some books or watch videos to find out the basics of race walking. {#blank#}5{#/blank#} You'll receive good guidance on the skills of race walking.

A. But their record scores are fairly close.

B. The correct posture is not easy to stick to.

C. The race walker must follow these basic rules.

D. It's a sport helpful to people's health and mind.

E. Or you can turn to a race walking coach directly.

F. Learning race walking can be tiring in the beginning.

G. The speed of race walking can be even as fast as that of running.