Dogs wag(搖擺) their tails in different directions depending on whether they are excited and wanting to move forward or threatened and thinking of moving back,a study has found.
Researchers in Italy examined the tail wagging behaviour of 30 dogs,catching their responses to a range of stimuli(刺激物) with video cameras.To conduct the study they chose 15 male dogs and 15 female ones aged between one and six years.The dogs were all family pets whose owners had allowed them to take part in the experiment at Ban University.The dogs were placed in a large wooden box with an opening at the front to allow for them to view various stimuli.They were tested one at a time.
The researchers led by Professor Giorgio Vallortigara of the University of Trieste found that when the dogs were shown their owners—a positive experience—their tails wagged energetically to the right side.When they were shown an unfamiliar human they wagged to the right,but with somewhat less enthusiasm.The appearance of a cat again caused a right-hand side wag,although with less intensity again.The appearance of a large unfamiliar dog,similar to a German shepherd,changed the direction of tail wagging to the left.Reseachers supposed the dog was thinking of moving back.When the dogs were not shown any stimuli they tended to wag their tails to the left,suggesting they preferred company.While the changes in the tail wagging were not easily noticed without the aid of video,it was thought that the findings could help people judge the mood(心情) of dogs.Computer and video systems,for example,could be used by professional dog trainers to determine the mood of dogs that they were required to approach.
【小題1】The video cameras were used to catch the dogs’ responses because _______.

   Does your pet have a slim figure? According to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), about half of all dogs and nearly 60% of all indoor cats are overweight. Larry Kornegay, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, says he sees an overweight pet nearly every day, and unusually the owner is overweight. So talking about the topic can be touchy. “I talk about their pet’s health. Still, some clients take it personally.”

   Here are some tips for pet weight loss:

   See the vet(獸醫(yī)). Have your vet put together a plan and treat any existing medical problems. Pain relief and diet changes may be required for arthritic(患關(guān)節(jié)炎的) pets, which will allow for exercise to at least begin.

   Skip the crash diet (an attempt to lose weight quickly by strictly limiting the diet). A special weight-loss diet may be suggested. For example, look for the supplement which burns fat and builds muscle mass in foods. Never place any pet on a crash diet, especially cats, which can suffer a potentially fatal liver disease as a result. There’s a safe weight-loss drug for dogs you can ask your vet about.

   Dine alone. “Cut out treats and resist temptation by keeping pets out of the room you’re dining in,” says Chicago vet Sheldon Rubin. You can buy low-calorie treats for dogs and cats. Rubin also recommends mini carrots, small apple slices or blueberries for dogs. What’s important is finding other ways, aside from food, to show your love. Play with your cat using an interactive toy, and take your dog for walks. Walks are great for bonding, and good for you. Studies show people are actually more willing to lose weight themselves if it also will help their pet.

   Feed pets at special times. Pre-measure food carefully—don’t give them a larger meal than ever—and leave it in various places, so pets sniff it out and use the stairs. It’s fun, and it’s good exercise.

1.. The underlined word “touchy” in Paragraph 1 probably means__________

A. sensitive            B. exciting           C. moving          D. pleasant

2.. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Overweight people usually like overweight pets.

B. Pets’ weight is easier to lose than humans’.

C. Cats have a greater chance of serious liver disease.

D. Overweight people often ignore their pets’ weight.

3. Which of the following methods is healthy for your pets?

   A. Providing them with mini carrots or blueberries.

   B. Keeping them with you when you’re dining.

   C. Supplying them with larger meals or drinks.

   D. Leaving the food in a fixed place for your pets.

4.. What does the passage mainly tell us?

   A. How to feed pets without a crash diet.

   B. The importance of pet weight loss.

   C. How to help pets lose weight.

   D. The problems that pets will meet.

“If you run for more than five minutes at any time, you might need a pair of running shoes,” advises Stephen Pribut, a US sports medicine expert. Running shoes are highly technical footwear. They provide stability（牢固）while bearing up to three times the wearer’s body weight. But it’s not easy to find the right pair. Finding the right running shoes is something of an art, or a science and a feel.

The science part begins with the shape of the arch（弓）of your foot, which anyone can find out at home with this quick experiment: Put your foot in water and place it on a piece of brown paper. If you see a “C” shape on the paper when you remove your foot, you have a rare high arch. If the shape looks more like a rectangle, that means you have flat feet. See something in between? That’s a normal arch.

Conveniently for shoppers, shoe companies nowadays divide their shoes in three categories: neutral(for high arches), stability(for normal or low arches) and motion control(for flat arches). So you will know which type suits you.

At this point, most people would just grab an appealing shoe and try it on. But professionals would do a few quality-control tests. First, you bend the shoe toe to heel to see where it bends. If it’s not at the forefoot---where the foot actually bends, be afraid. Then you grip both ends and twist in opposite directions. If you can twist it like a towel, it means there’s zero support. Finally, you squeeze(擠)the heel in both directions. A stable heel won’t cave in.

Now you need to check the mold(模子)that shapes the inside of the shoe: whether it’s wide or narrow in the mid-foot, how it sits on the heel and how roomy the toe box is.

It’s wise to hold off until the afternoon to make the shoe purchase, to allow for any swelling(腫脹) that your feet do throughout the day. Toes also decide sizing choice. The rule is you need a finger’s width from your longest toe (whether that’s your big one or not) to the end of the shoe.

What is the main idea of this passage?

    A．Advantages of wearing running shoes fitting you.

    B．Ways to get to know about the shape of the arch of your foot.

    C．Advice on how to choose the right pair of running shoes.

    D．Best time to buy a pair of running shoes.

If the arch of your foot looks like a “C” shape, you have _________.

    A．a(chǎn) normal arch    B．a(chǎn) high arch C．a(chǎn) flat arch D．a(chǎn) low arch

．The underlined phrase “cave in” most probably means ______.

    A．bend     B．stretch C．shake    D．crash

．Why is the late afternoon the ideal time to go shopping for shoes?

    A．We are likely to be more patient in the afternoon.

    B．Feet usually become large late in the day.

    C．The toes become longer late in the day.

    D．The arch of our feet will be in best shape in the afternoon.

An allowance is an important tool for teaching kids how to budget, save and make their own decisions. Children remem­ber and learn from mistakes when their own dollars are lost or spent foolishly.
How large an allowance is appropriate? Experts say there is not right amount. Actual amounts differ from region to re­gion, and from family to family.
To set an appropriate allowance for your child, work up a weekly budget. Allow for entertainment expenditures such as movies and snacks. Next, include everyday expenses such as lunch money, bus fare, school supplies. "If you make the child responsible for these ‘ ills’," says Josephine Swanson, a consumer specialist, " he or she will learn to budget for nec­essary expenditures."
Finally, add some extra money to make saving possible. If you can, keep your child’s allowance in line with that of his friends. A child whose purchasing power falls away below his peers’ can feel left out.
It can be tough, but avoid excusing your children when they make a mistake with their allowance. When Brooke Ste­phens was ten and growing up in Jacksonville, her mother gave her $5 a week, $1.75 of which was for bus fare and lunch." If you lose your money," Brooke’s mother told her, "you walk home."
One week the girl spent all her allowance in a candy store, then she called home for a ride. " Mom made me walk home," recalls Stephens, now a financial planner in Brook­lyn. " At first I was angry. But I finally realized that she was trying to teach me an important lesson. "
Experts advise that an allowance should not be tied di­rectly to a child’s daily chores. Kids should help around the house not because they get paid for it but because they share responsibilities as members of a family. You might, however, pay a child for doing extra jobs at home, which can develop his or her initiative.
63. Which of the following is the possible title of the passage?
A. How to develop a child’s initiative.
B. How to work up an amount of pocket money.
C. How to teach a child to save money.
D. How to teach a child about money.
64. It can be inferred from the passage that if a child is given an allowance, he or she may ________.
A. spend all the money very soon             
B. be spoiled and finally ruined
C. feel responsible and careful about money
D. lost the money and can not return home
65. In Paragraph 4, the words “his peers” refer to ________.
A. his parents      B. his teachers       C. his financial experts      D. his friends
66. The author implies in the passage that ________.
A. paying children for their housework is no good
B. a child’s initiative can be developed if he or she is paid for all the housework
C. children may feel lost and lonely if they have no pocket money
D. children may learn to put aside some money if they are given a great amount of pocket money

The first thing to remember about homework is that it needs to be done as soon as you get home from school. Since many parents do not give doses to help you sleep at night, the homework MUST be done first. If you have after-school activities, the homework should be done as soon as you get home. It is fine to allow for a snack break and also to allow for stretching breaks. Every kid of you really needs these little breaks.
Also, you should remember that it is your responsibility to do your homework. Next time you tend to depend on Mom and Dad for a roadmap, please try to struggle with it first, because it is good for you.
When you have questions, especially something about a science or a math problem, don’t always turn to your teacher! It is a good idea to struggle with them first and try to work them out. Sometimes, if this doesn’t work, look at the materials in the back of the book. They may guide you to pages and and understanding everything completely.
At last, while doing homework, don’t be looking away but continue working. Setting time limits often helps with this. Different ages decide different fair amounts of time. 10-15minutes is good for a child that’s age 6-8. A time of 20-30 minutes is about right for a child aged 9-12. Kids can achieve 30-45 minute intervals of study at age 13-15. This, of course, depends on your abilities to concentrate and stay on task.
60. The passage mainly tells children ________.
A. to do their homework quickly and properly
B. to limit their time of doing homework
C. not to turn to teachers when doing homework
D. not to look away while doing homework
61 Which of the following may have the same meaning as “struggle with them”?
A. fight against them         B. study them carefully
C. break away from them      D. show great interest in them
62. If you are a girl aged 14, the proper length of the homework time should be________.
A. 14 minutes    B. 25 minutes    C. 35 minutes     D. 50 minutes
63. The author seems to think ________.
A. children should finish their homework at school
B. parents had better help children with their homework
C. doing homework all alone is more important
D. homework in science needs more time