Researchers at UCLA Medical Center in Los Angeles， California found that a 12-minute bed-side visit with a dog can help reduce anxiety levels by 24percent in heart failure patients， compared to a 10percent drop when patients had a visit from a human volunteer， and no drop in patients who had no visit． Results of the 76-patient study were presented last week at the American Heart Association's yearly Scientific Sessions in Dallas， Texas． The study was supported by the Pet Care Trust Foundation， a non-profit（非赢利）organization which promotes human-animal interaction and connection． In the study， effects of dog and volunteer visits were compared with those of volunteers only， and with patients who had no visits and stayed at rest． Heart pressures were monitored and patients were asked to answer a list of anxiety assessment questions before and after the visits． Although critical pressure measures also fell， suggesting improved heart function， the most obvious reaction was seen in anxiety levels． "The first thing you notice is that the patient's facial expression， changes to a smile and the stress of the world seems to be lifted off their shoulders，" study author Kathy Cole said． Feelings of disappointment and helplessness are common among heart patients， Cole said， and just three nights in a hospital is enough to make some patients feel anxious and uncomfortable． During the visit， the furry friend is allowed to lie on the bed next to the patient with its head within two feet of the patient's． Most patients petted the dog， while others talked about the dog with human volunteers in conversation． Dogs used in the study are specially trained animal-assisted therapy dogs that go through a series of trainings， assessments and certifications（认证）to qualify as therapy dogs． There are different kinds of dogs． Researchers used everything from Bernese mountain dogs to small schnauzers． However， a dog doesn't have to be specially trained to have a calming effect on a person． In fact， the animal doesn't even have to be a dog in order to help． "As long as the animal has meaning to the patient， or a relationship with the patient， it can help calm the patient，" Cole said．（1）We learn from the text that heart patients benefit most from visits by ____ ．A． a volunteer on his own B． a well-trained dog aloneC． a non-profit organization D． a volunteer with a dog（2）The study shows that， for heart patients， ____ ．A． their recovery depends on contact with animalsB． their heart pressure reduces if they stay at restC． their contact with animals improves their conditionD． their anxiety is reduced if they stay longer in hospital（3）According to Cole， the change of patients' expression on the face indicates that ____ ．A． they are mentally comfortedB． they are happy with the experimentC． their treatment time may be shortenedD． their heart function is returning to normal（4）This report concentrates on ____ ．A． the treatment of heart diseaseB． the cure power of animalsC． the relationship between dogs and humans D． the promotion of human-animal interaction

A.) He will be off duty the whole day. B.) He will be working somewhere else. C.) He will have to have his car repaired. D.) He will be too busy to spare any time.

Task 2Read the following passage. Choose the best answer.What kind of shopper are you?Do you love a good bargain? Or do you prefer to buy things on impulse? Read on to find out more about your shopping style.The bargain shopperBargain shoppers love discount codes and sales. If you’re a bargain shopper, you’ll always be able to find the lowest price in town, whether in a brick-and-mortar store or online.The impulse shopperDo you have a closet full of clothes you’ve hardly worn? Is your apartment running out of space to accommodate your purchase? Have you ever woken up with not enough money to buy breakfast but a beautiful antique lamp beside your bed? If so, you’re an impulse shopper—someone who sees something they like and buys it without thinking.The rese******You want to buy a new TV. So you buy some consumer magazines and visit 15 ***evision review websites. You then spend six months researching every brand and model of TV. When you have all your information together, you might make a decision. Or you might wait till next year’s models come out, because once you make the purchase you can’t research TVs anymore.The negotiator“Never believe the price tag.” That’s the negotiator’s motto. If you’re a negotiator, you will argue the price of every single item in every shop you visit. A shopping trip isn’t the same without a few polite arguments along the way.Can you think of any more shopper ****s? Add your ideas in the comments below.(1) (单选题)6. Which of the following sentences describes a bargain shopper?A.They enjoy shopping alone or with friends.B.They are good at finding high ******* items.C.They are always able to find the cheapest price.D.They usually prefer brick-and-mortar stores.(2) (单选题)7. Which sentence is true of an impulse shopper?A.They spend too much money on things they don’t need.B.They will wear everything they buy.C.They will find good bargains in furniture stores.D.They like to shop in groups.(3) (单选题)8. A “rese******” is someone who _______.A.likes to buy TVs and electrical equipmentB.doesn’t really enjoy shopping very muchC.never pays the full price for any itemD.spends time finding out about a product before they buy it(4) (单选题)9. According to the writer, why might a rese****** decide not to buy something in the end?A.They might not manage to find any good reviews about a product.B.They don’t enjoy spending money, and would rather save for something bigger.C.They want to wait until new models come out, so they can read more reviews.D.They haven’t been able to find a cheap enough price.(5) (单选题)10. What is a negotiator’s goal when he/she goes shopping?A.To spend as much money as possible.B.To have angry arguments with salespeople.C.To pay less than the marked price.D.To buy things which are original and unusual.

The zookeepers were ______ enough to make additional arrangements to help the tigers enjoy an even cozier winter.A. consciousB. considerateC. idealD. considerable

33.根据以下材料，回答26-30题As the latest crop of students pen their undergraduate application form and weigh up their options, it may be worth considering just how the point, purpose and value of a degree has changed and what Generation Z need to consider as they start the third stage of their educational journey.Millennials were told that if you did well in school, got a decent degree, you would be set up for life. But that promise has been found wanting. As degrees became universal, they became devalued. Education was no longer a secure route of social mobility. Today 28 percent of graduates in the UK are in non-graduate roles, a percentage which is double the average among OECD countries.This is not to say that there is no point in getting a degree, but rather stress that a degree is not for everyone, that the switch from classroom to lecture hall is not an inevitable one and that other options are available.?Thankfully, there are signs that this is already happening, with Generation Z seeking to learn from their millennial predecessors, even if parents and teachers tend to be still set in the degree mindset. Employers have long seen the advantages of hiring school leavers who often prove themselves to be more committed and loyal employees than graduates. Many too are seeing the advantages of scrapping a degree requirement for certain roles.For those for whom a degree is the desired route, consider that this may well be the first of many. In this age of generalists, it pays to have specific knowledge or skills. Postgraduates now earn 40 percent more than graduates. When more and more of us have a degree, it makes sense to have two.It is unlikely that Generation Z will be done with education at 18 or 21; they will need to be constantly up-skilling throughout their career to stay employable. It has been estimated that this generation, due to the pressures of technology, the wish for personal fulfilment and desire for diversity, will work for 17 different employers over the course of their working life and have five different careers. Education, and not just knowledge gained on campus, will be a core part of Generation Z's career trajectory.Older generations often talk about their degree in the present and personal tense: I am a geographer 'or' I am a classist. Their sons or daughters would never say such a thing; it's as if they already know that their degree won't define them in the same way.the author suggests that Generation Z should____ A.B. A. be careful in choosing a college? C.D. B. be diligent at each educational stage? E.F. C. reassess the necessity of college education? G.H. D. postpone their undergraduate application

How can you tell the difference between a problem that will go away on its own and one that should be attended to as soon as possible Here are six symptoms that you should call your doctor about. 1. Persistent Headaches Everybody gets headaches now and then. If you’’ve had the same pattern of headaches for years, chances are that it’’s going to continue that way for years more. But if your headaches are so severe that you miss work or social gatherings, or if over-the-counter painkillers don’’t help, see your doctor. There are new treatments now that work well, even for disabling migraines (偏头痛). If you have an unfamiliar type of headache that’’s persisted for three days or longer and is associated with vomiting or visual changes, it could indicate an abnormality in or near the brain, such as a blood clot. If you have an unremitting (不间断的) headache on only one side of your head, near the temple or above the ear, it may be a condition called temporal arthritis (颞动脉炎). It can be cured with cortisone (可的松) or steroids (类固醇) , but, left untreated, it can lead to blindness. The most important thing to remember: Any new or extremely painful headache should prompt you to call your doctor. 2. Chest Pain Colds and respiratory infections often result in inflammation of the cartilage (软骨) next to the ribs, which can cause chest pain. Pneumonia or pleurisy (胸膜炎), an inflammation of the lining of the lungs, can also lead to chest or rib pain. So if your chest hurts, don’’t panic, but do look into it. Chest pain can indicate something as simple as a gas bubble in the stomach, or it could be a heart attack. Sometimes it’’s hard to distinguish between the two. When a nerve near the heart (called the vagus nerve) becomes irritated because of a heart attack, it can cause stomach symptoms. If the pain goes away with an antacid (抗酸剂), it’’s less likely to be related to the heart. Most times, it’’s probably not a heart attack, but if dull, pressure-like chest pain comes on for no reason, call an ambulance and get to an emergency room. Why an ambulance rather than your neighbor For two reasons: Many ambulances now come equipped with sophisticated monitoring equipment, and emergency personnel are trained to administer necessary medication at a time when every minute counts. A number of doctors also recommend that you take an aspirin to protect your heart from a blood clot while the ambulance is on its way. 3. Abdominal (腹部的) Pain All of us suffer abdominal pains occasionally, and their causes are many. In fact, there are entire medical textbooks on how to evaluate this particular type of pain. In most cases, it’’s something that can be easily cured. Abdominal pain that occurs before meals and is relieved by food can indicate an ulcer (溃疡). Treatment is generally simple, so why suffer If the pain occurs when you eat, it might mean gastritis (an inflamed stomach) , or a problem with the gallbladder (胆囊) or pancreas (胰腺). The pain related to each of these conditions has somewhat different characteristics, so your doctor will probably ask such questions as where the pain radiates, what eases it, what makes it feel worse, and whether the pain comes on when you lie down. More serious causes of abdominal pain can include problems with blood vessels that nourish the intestines (肠) or with the aorta (the artery that distributes oxygen-containing blood from the heart to other parts of the body), gallstones, obstruction of the intestine, an infection, or cancer. Whatever the possible cause, have the pain checked out. 4. Bruising and Bleeding If you bump into something and get a bruise, it generally turns blue-purple over a day or two and then slowly fades to yellow over the course of another four or five days. That’’s normal and is nothing to be concerned about. In addition, many of us develop mysterious bruises from time to time and don’’t remember bumping into anything. But if you develop spontaneous recurrent bruises in places that aren’’t prone to being bumped, it could signify a disorder of blood clotting (凝结). It could also be because you’’re taking medications that predispose you to bruising, such as wayfaring (徒步), which is a blood thinner, or aspirin. If you cut yourself or brush your teeth too vigorously, you’’ll start to bleed. Put an antiseptic (抗菌剂) on the cut or ease the pressure on your toothbrush and you’’ll be fine. However, if you notice any rectal (直肠的) bleeding, any vaginal bleeding after menopause (更年期), any blood in your urine, or any blood when you vomit or cough, make an appointment with your doctor to find out the cause. It might be a simple problem, or it might possibly be serious. 5. Breathing Problems If you have a cold, sinus (静脉窦) problem, or allergies that cause nasal congestion, you may find it difficult to breathe. A cold will generally clear up on its own in a week, and you’’ll be back to normal in short order. But if a sinus problem or allergies continue to distress you, call your doctor for an appointment. A simple medication will often do me trick, and you’’ll be smelling the roses soon. People who are out of shape certainly find strenuous activity more difficult than those who exercise regularly, so difficulty breathing on exertion can be a sign that it’’s time to start exercising. But it could also raise a red flag that indicates lung problems, heart problems, asthma, or even anemia. Also, if you become short of breath when you’’re lying down and have to prop yourself up on two or three pillows to sleep comfortably, it might signal heart failure. Call your doctor. 6. Sadness I don’’t know a single person who hasn’’t felt blue or sad from time to time. These feelings are a normal component of human emotion and deserve attention and recognition, but not necessarily medical intervention. So if you’’re blue because a friend moved away or someone close to you is ill, that’’s unfortunate, but it’’s not a reason to call your doctor. If you feel sad or irritable most of the day for at least two weeks, however, and you take less interest in activities that once gave you pleasure, then it’’s time to seek help. You could be suffering from depression, which is a painful and disabling problem. Other signs of depression include crying spells for no apparent reason, unexplained aches and pains that won’’t go away, difficulty in making decisions, an inability to concentrate, and a feeling that the future looks grim. Many people believe that persistent feelings of hopelessness are part of aging. That’’s not true. So by all means talk to your doctor. Fortunately, depression is treatable. Nobody should have to suffer from it, and nobody should have to live with it.There are two types of headache; one is_______; the other is the unfamiliar type.

Part IIIReading Comprehension (40 minutes)Section ADirections：In this section， there is a passage with ten blanks. You are required to select one word for each blank from a list of choices given in a word bank following the passage。 Read the passage through carefully before making your choices。 Each choice in the bank is identified by a letter。 Please mark the corresponding letter for each item onAnswer Sheet 2with a single line through the centre。 You may not use any of the words in the bank more than once.Questions 36 to 45 are based on the following passage。Some performance evaluations require supervisors to take action. Employees who receive a very favorable evaluation may deserve some type of recognition or even a promotion. If supervisors do not acknowledge such outstanding performance,employees may either lose their________and reduce their effort or search for a new job at a firm that will________them for high performance. Supervisors should acknowledge high performance so that the employee will continue to perform well in the future.Employees who receive unfavorable evaluations must also be given attention. Supervisors must________the reasons for poor performance。 Some reasons, such as a family illness, may have a temporary adverse________on performance and can be corrected。 Other reasons， such as a bad attitude, may not be temporary. When supervisors give employees an unfavorable evaluation， they must decide whether to take any________actions。 If the employees were unaware of their own deficiencies, the unfavorable evaluation canpinpoint（指出) the deficiencies that employees must correct. In this case, the supervisor may simply need to monitor the employees________and ensure that the deficiencies are corrected。If the employees were already aware of their deficiencies before the evaluation period， however， they may be unable or unwilling to correct them。 This situation is more serious, and the supervisor may need to take action。 The action should be________with the firm's guidelines and may include reassigning the employees to new jobs,________them temporarily, or firing them。 A supervisor’s action toward a poorly performing worker can________the attitudes of other employees. If no________isimposed on an employee for poor performance, other employees may react by reducing their productivity as well.注意：此部分题请在答题卡2上作答.Section BDirections：In this section, you are going to read a passage with ten statements attached to it. Each statement contains information given in one of the paragraphs. Identify the paragraph from which the information is derived。 You may choose a paragraph more than once。 Each paragraph is marked with a letter. Answer the questions by marking the corresponding letter onAnswer Sheet 2。The College Essay: Why Those 500 Words Drive Us CrazyA) Meg is a lawyer—mom in suburban Washington, D.C., where lawyer—moms are thick on the ground. Her son Doug is one of several hundred thousand high—school seniors who had a painful fall。 The deadline for applying to his favorite college was Nov。 1,and by early October he had yet to fill out the application。 More to the point, he had yet to settle on a subject for the personal essay accompanying the application. According to college folklore, a well-turned essay has the power toseduce(诱惑） an admissions committee. “He wanted to do one thing at a time，" Meg says, explaining her son’s delay。 “But really, my son is a hugeprocrastinator(拖延者). The essay is thehardest thing to do, so he’s put it off the longest。" Friends and other veterans of the process have warned Meg that the back and forth between editing parent and writing student can betraumatic(痛苦的).B) Back in the good old days-say， two years ago, when the last of my children suffered theordeal（折磨）—a high-school student applying to college could procrastinate all the way to New Year’s Day of their senior year, assuming they could withstand the parentalpestering(烦扰)。But things change fast in the nail—biting world of college admissions.The recent trend toward early decision and early action among selective colleges and universities has pushed the traditional deadline of January up to Nov. 1 or early December for many students。C) If the time for heel-dragging has been shortened, the true source of the anxiety and panic remains what it has always been。 And it’s not the application itself。 A college application is a relatively straightforward questionnaire asking for the basics: name, address， family history employment history。 It would all be innocent enough—20 minutes of busy work—except it comes attached to a personal essay。D） “There are good reasons it causes such anxiety，" says Lisa Sohmer, director of college counseling at the Garden School in Jackson Heights, N.Y。 “It’s not just the actual writing. By noweverything else is already set。 Your course load is set， your grades are set, your test scores are set。 But the essay is something you can still control， and it’s open—ended。 So the temptation is to write and rewrite and rewrite。" Or stall and stall and stall.E） The application essay, along with its mythical importance, is a recent invention. In the 1930s,when only one in 10 Americans had a degree from a four—year college， an admissionscommittee was content to ask for a sample of applicants’ school papers to assess their writing ability。 By the 1950s, most schools required a brief personal statement of why the student had chosen to apply to one school over another。F） Today nearly 70 percent of graduating seniors go off to college, including two—year and four—year institutions. Even apart from the increased competition, the kids enter a process that has been utterly transformed from the one baby boomers knew. Nearly all application materials are submitted online， and the Common Application provides a one-size-fits form accepted by more than 400 schools, including the nation’s most selective.G) Those schools usually require essays of their own, but the longest essay， 500 words maximum， is generally attached to the Common Application. Students choose one of six questions。 Applicants are asked to describe an ethical dilemma they’ve faced and its impact on them， or discuss a public issue of special concern to them, or tell of a fictional character or creative work that has profoundly influenced them。 Another question invites them to write about the importance (to them， again） of diversity―a word that has assumed magic power in American higher education。 The most popular option： write on a topic of your choice。H) “Boys in particular look at the other questions and say, ‘Oh， that’s too much work，’” says John Boshoven, a counselor in the Ann Arbor， Mich., public schools。 “They think if they do a topic of their choice， “I’ll just go get that history paper I did last year on the Roman Empire and turn it into a first-person application essay！’ And they end up producing something utterly ridiculous。"I) Talking to admissions professionals like Boshoven, you realize that the list of “don'ts” in essay writing is much longer than the “dos。”“No book reports, no history papers， no character studies,”says Sohmer。J) “It drives you crazy， how easily kids slip intoclichés(老生常谈）,”says Boshoven. “They don't realize how typical their experiences arc. ‘I scored the winning goal in soccer against our arch—rival。’‘My grandfather served in World War II, and I hope to be just like him someday.’ That may mean a lot to that particular kid. But in the world of the application essay， it's nothing. You'll lose the reader in the first paragraph。”K） “The greatest strength you bring to this essay," says the College Board’s how—to book， “is 17 years or so of familiarity with the topic: YOU。 The form and style are very familiar, and best of all， you are the world—class expert on the subject of YOU 。.。 It has been the subject of your close scrutiny every morning since you were tall enough to see into the bathroom mirror.” Thekey word in the Common Application prompts is “you.”L） The college admission essay contains the grandest American themes―status anxiety, parentalpiety（孝顺)， intellectual standards-and so it is only a matter of time before it becomes infected by the country's culture of excessive concern with self—esteem。 Even if the question isostensibly（表面上) about something outside the self (describe a fictional character or solve a problem of geopolitics), the essay invariably returns to the favorite topic： what is its impact on YOU?M）“For all the anxiety the essay causes,” says Bill McClintick of Mercersburg Academy in Pennsylvania, “it's a very small piece of the puzzle。 I was in college admissions for 10 years. I saw kids and parents beat themselves up over this。 And at the vast majority of places, it is simply not a big variable in the college’s decision-making process。”N) Many admissions officers say they spend less than a couple of minutes on each application， including the essay。 According to a recent survey of admissions officers， only one in four private colleges say the essay is of “considerable importance” in judging an application。 Among public colleges and universities, the number drops to roughly one in 10。 By contrast， 86 percent place “considerable importance” on an applicant’s grades, 70 percent on “strength of curriculum。”O） Still, at the most selective schools, where thousands of candidates may submit identically high grades and test scores， a marginal item like the essay may serve as a tie—breaker between two equally qualified candidates. The thought is certainly enough to keep the pot boiling under parents like Meg, the lawyer—mom, as she tries to help her son choose an essay topic. For a momentthe other day, she thought she might have hit on a good one. “His father’s from France，” she says. “I said maybe you could write about that, as something that makes you different. You know： half French, half American. I said, ‘You could write about your identity issues。' He said, ‘I don’t have any identity issues!’ And he’s right。 He’s a well-adjusted, normal kid。 But that doesn’t make for a good essay, does it?"2013年12月大学英语六级考试真题（第1套)

The new _______ of the program comes with a much better user interface than original.A. victimB. vesselC. versionD. volume

Remember that making a friend is just the beginning of the journey into friendship. Friendships take time to form and even more time to deepen. In order to move from acquaintances to friends, you need to nurture that relationship. It’s a process that requires time, effort, and a genuine interest in the other person.Be friend that you would like to have. Treat your friends just as you want them to treat you. Be reliable, thoughtful, trustworthy, and willing to share.Be a good listener. To develop a solid friendship with someone, you should listen and support them just as you want them to listen and support you.Invest in friendships. No friendship will flourish without regular attention. Find things you enjoy doing with your friends and commit the time to them, even when you’re busy or stressed.Give your friends space. Don’t be too clingy or needy, and be sure not to abuse your friend’s generosity. Everyone needs space to be alone or spend time with other people as well.Don’t set too many rules and expectations. Instead, allow your friendship to evolve naturally. You’re both unique individuals so your friendship probably won't develop exactly as you expect.Be forgiving. No one is perfect and every one makes mistakes. No friendship develops smoothly, so when there’s a bump in the road, try to find a way to overcome the problem and move on. It will often deepen the bond of friendship between you.(1) (单选题)The author’s main purpose in this article is .A.to define what friendship is　B.to explain how to be a good friendC.how to make friends with parentsD.how to make friends with teenagers(2) (单选题)Which of the following is NOT true?A.Treat your friend just as you want them to treat you. 　B.e ready to listen to your friend.C.Invest a lot of money in the friendship.D.Your friend needs his own space and time.(3) (单选题)“Invest in friendships”means __________________.A.you should spend a lot of money on friendshipsB.you should spend a lot of time on friendshipsC.you should find things to do with your friendD.you should buy stock with your friends(4) (单选题)In order to be a good friend, you should .A.be strict with your friendB.do the same things as you want your friends to doC.make much progressD.give your friend money(5) (单选题)Developing friendships requires 　　.A.spaceB.making mistakesC.expectationsD.genuine attention

13.That country has not come out from the economic ____ that has lasted nearly three decades.A. dumpB. pumpC. plumpD. slumpaccomplish important