假期英语任务型阅读.doc

假期英语任务型阅读TEST 1Men arent as tough as they think they areFrailty（脆弱）, your name is man. So said Chinas doctors Sunday on the eighth Mens Health Day.Men in China are widely affected by bad living habits, a lack of awareness about mental and physical health issues, and a lack of exercise.Shan Li, a psychologist with the DRM Professional Counseling, said men are more heavily burdened with social responsibilities.They live in poorer mental circumstances and have poorer life quality than women in general, often frustrated but dont feel free to vent their emotions, Shan said.Zhang Kan, a psychologist, said: Men have shorter life expectancy than women an undeniable part of the reason lies in the psychology.Professor Gu Jun from the Shanghai University said men frequently are burdened with the pressure of work, marriage troubles, and at times difficulties with children.Shanghai Womens Federation (SWF) found that some 20 percent of complaints it received were from men.This has sparked calls that there was a need for a federation for men.Other statistics show men have a general laxsidasical attitude towards health issues. Figures from the 411 Hospital in Shanghai showed that 90 percent of men dont know they should or believe they should have an annual health check.Twenty percent of men never do any kind of physical exercise.Many claimed they did not want to exercise because they were busy, tired, or focused too much on other more important matters.Men, more than women are also more likely drink, smoke and get ill.A urologist with 411 Hospital said occurrences of male diseases such as prostate（前列腺） problems and male sterility(不育) were rising.1._with men in ChinaDetails to 3_7_for the situationThe men in China are widely affected by bad living habits, 2_ of mental and physical health issues and a lack of exercise.1). They are often frustrated but dont feel free to 4_ their emotions.2). Men have shorter life 5_ with women in general.3). Many of them 6_ to SWF.4). They are more likely to get ill.5). prostate problems and male sterility are rising.1). Men are 8_ with the pressure of work, marriage troubles and difficulties with children.2). Most of them dont have 9_ their health checked.3). 20 percent of them never do any kind of exercise.4). Many of them are 10_to drinking or smoking.TEST 2 Farmers might think the idea of growing food for fun sounds strange. But there are some people who do it all the time. They grow some vegetables because their natural color or shape is pleasing to see. They grow others because scientists have developed new colors or different size for traditional vegetables. One example is the bell pepper (胡椒). Seed companies sell seeds for several different kinds of bell peppers. One pepper is a weak yellow color when it begins to grow. Then its color changes to white. As it grows, it changes color two more times - to orange, then red. Another unusual plant is known as the yard-long bean or snake bean. It grows up to one meter in length. It is an important part of the food supply in areas of Asia. American farmers like it because it is different, yet tastes very much like the green beans they traditionally grow. Each bean has from ten to twenty seeds. The outside or pod can be eaten. Some of the very long beans are green outside but have black-and white or red seed. Gourds (葫芦) are plants that people like to grow because of the many different shapes. They also have many uses. Some round gourds are dried, painted and made into containers. Others have long necks and big bodies. These are dried, cut and made into pour drinking water. Another kind of gourd is used to make sponges (海绵). When it is fully grown, it is removed from the vine and permitted to dry for a few weeks. Then it is placed in water for a few hours. The outer shell is then removed. The gourd is placed in the sun to dry. When it is fully dry, it is cut into pieces for use as sponges. They have a rough surface. They can be used to clean away dead skin cells, which makes them a popular skin-care product.Title: (1) _ vegetablesItemsVegetablesColors or shapesA kind of pepper changes its color several times during its (2) _.The yard-long bean or snake bean grows as long (3) _ one metre.Gourds grow (4) _ differently, among which one kind are of long necks and big bodies.(5) _Pepper is pleasing to see.The yard-long bean or snake bean can be nice to (6) _ at.Gourds can be made (7) _ into containers or for sponges.UsesPepper is used as a kind of flavor.The yard-long bean or snake bean is used as an important food supply.Having been (8) _, Gourds can be made to pour drinking water or as a popular skin-care product.A phenomenon (9) _ knowingPeoples attitude(10) _ than for eating, some people grow some vegetables for fun. TEST 3The farm economy of the United States has changed a lot in the last seventy years. In the 1930s, twenty-five percent of the nations population lived on farms. Today less than one percent of Americans do.Farm incomes have changed over the years too. For example, in 1933, people living and working on farms had much less money to spend than other Americans. At that time, farm families had about one-third the income of non-farmers after all necessary expenses had been paid. By the late 1970s, however, that difference had almost disappeared. In 2004,farmers had their best year ever. The average farm family earned about eighty-one thousand dollars. That is more than the average American family, which earned about sixty thousand dollars.The Department of Labor measures the pay of industrial workers differently. It measures the average hourly and weekly pay for industrial workers. This is because factory workers are generally paid by the hour unlike farmers who earn income from their farm businesses. Generally, the average hourly pay for all industrial workers is about sixteen dollars. And the average weekly pay, about five hundred fifty dollars.Industrial and other services employ about eighty-six percent of the labor force.Title: 1 in the U.S.Farm workersChanges in timesIn the 1930sIn the 2 In 2004 3 in income25% of the farm families had about 4 the income of the non-farmer familiesAlmost equal The average farm family earned $ 5 _ more than the average American familyIndustrial workersPercentage of the 6 forceAbout 7 About 14%Ways to 8 By the hour By the 9 The amount at per unit$ 10 $ 550 TEST 4When people talk about the civilization of ancient Babylon, the Hanging Gardens must be brought into their discussion. It was not until the reign (统治时期) of Naboplashar (625605 BC) of the Neo-Babylonian Dynasty that the Babylonian civilization reached its top honor. The ancient city of Babylon must have been a wonder to travelers. Nebuchadnezzar II (604-562 BC), son of Naboplashar, then came to power and ruled for 43 years. It is he who is believed to have built the legendary Hanging Gardens. The Gardens were built to please his homesick wife. She found the dry, flat ground of Mesopotamia boring. In the place where she grew up, there was green grass and mountainous plains. The King wanted to recreate her homeland. A lot of people still believe in the existence of the Hanging Gardens, despite the fact that most descriptions of the Gardens come from Greek historians while Babylonian records remain silent on the Hanging Gardens. Even the historians who gave detailed descriptions of the Hanging Gardens never saw them. Modern historians argue that it was Alexanders soldiers that made up the story. When they reached the rich land and saw Babylon, they were impressed with the beautiful scenery. When they later returned to their poor homeland, they told about the amazing gardens in Babylon. And it was the imagination of poets and ancient historians that mixed up all these elements to produce one of the worlds wonders.Some of the mysteries surrounding the Hanging Gardens were not solved until the twentieth century. Archaeologists are still struggling to gather enough evidence before reaching the final conclusions about the location of the Gardens, their water supplying system, and their true appearance. Some recent researchers even suggest that the Hanging Gardens were built by Senaherib who ruled 100 years earlier than Nebuchadnezzar II did.The Hanging GardensNebuchadnezzar II is believed to (2) _ built the legendary Hanging Gardens during his rule of ancient Babylon for 43 years.To please his homesick wife, he wanted to recreate her homeland, (3) _ there was green grass and mountainous plains.Many people feel certain that there (4) _ the Hanging Gardens, though no historians saw them and Greek (5) _ than Babylonian historians described them.Modern historians held the opinion that it is the story made up by Alexanders sol