（浙江）新目标版初中英语九年级下册期中复习（题型专练）：阅读...

Mars is an empty planet, but that could change. Someday, it might have farms where fruit and vegetables could grow.

Growing food on Mars has always seemed hard. But scientists think they have found a way to do it. They put sheets(薄膜) of material on the ground. The sheets could change the cold, dry planet into land for farming.

Robin Wordsworth worked on the sheets at Harvard University in Massachusetts. He said the sheets could let people live on another planet. On Mars, the conditions are not good, though. Most importantly, the planet is cold and dry. The soil might have polluted parts, and the air does not have much nitrogen(氮气) that plants need to grow.

The sheets do not solve all the problems. Still, they could help to set up a place for plants. The plants would grow only under the sheets. So there is less worry about harming the rest of Mars. The sheets would cover the plants.

The scientists worked with sheets about an inch thick. Those allowed light through for plants. They also warmed the ground and trapped enough heat to melt ice on Mars. Placing the sheets over icy parts of Mars could let plants alive there. Their study was printed in Nature Astronomy. The sheets could be on the ground to grow water plants and they also could be hung. That would give room to plants to grow on land below them.

Wordsworth said, "You can imagine this being used in a number of ways. It could be used for visitors to Mars. Later it could be for people who live there. However, it's a pity that the sheets are being studied in the lab."

    Do sugary drinks cause overweight? While we know that sugary drinks have calories (卡路里), which are believed to cause overweight, many questions remain. For example, is soda any better? Do you need a sports drink after going to the gym? Here are the facts to some common misunderstandings.

Misunderstanding 1: Clear soda (无色汽水) is healthier than dark soda.

    The truth: The dark color of teeth has something to do with the coloring (着色剂) in soda. Lisa R. Young, a professor of Nutrition at New York University said. But the big difference between clear and dark sodas is the caffeine content (咖啡因含量). Since a bottle of soda, whether Coca-Cola or Sprite (雪碧), has less caffeine than that in a cup of coffee, most soda drinkers probably don't need to worry about what to choose.

Misunderstanding 2: If you need caffeine to cheer you up, you should choose an energy drink rather than coffee.

    The truth: There are more sugar than caffeine in energy drinks such as Red Bull (红牛). Energy drinks may be easier to drink. But a cup of coffee has between 95 and 200 milligrams (毫克) of caffeine while Red Bull has about 80mg per the same amount, according to US medical research group Mayo Clinic.

Misunderstanding 3: If you go to the gym, you need a sports drink.

    The truth: It would be easy to think that you need a sports drink any time you sweat (出汗). But the truth is that the energy in your body won't be used up until you've done more than an hour of training. So you only need to drink some water after a 45-minute exercise on the running machine.

I opened the door. "Where are you going, Mom?" my elder son asked me. And his little brother asked, "Can we come, too?" "I'm going for a coffee," I answered. "And no, you can't come." Then I ran away before they could say something, But the guilt(内疚的) feelings slowly went away.

Being a mom is hard work. There's always something new to do to make my kids happy. Sometimes, I need to do something just for.me. It teaches my kids an important lesson: I matter, too.

I know parenting articles often tell us it's OK to take time for ourselves. But it's so much harder to walk the talk. Of course, we should put ourselves first sometimes. And not just when we are sick. I'm talking about putting ourselves first in other ways. For example, tell the baby that after thirty minutes of reading to them, you are going to read your own book or eat at your favorite restaurant. These selfish moments are good ways to teach our children that we are important too.

When you ask my kids "What does mom like?" They can answer with some of my interests and favorite things: reading books, watching movies, taking care of animals and then. They often see me do the things I enjoy, so they understand me and would stay with Dad. This understanding is good for our children." She's a mom" shouldn't be the only way your child describes you. If it is, it's time to be a little selfish, Moms.

    The Spring Festival is celebrated not only in China but also in other parts of the world. The traditional holiday is the most important to Chinese both at home and abroad.

    When you think of money, you probably think of “cash”(现金). These are the paper notes and metal coins you use to buy things with. The first paper money was invented in China, and has been used for thousands of years. But in the near future, we may not use this type of money anymore. Does this mean the end of money?

    In fact, only a small percentage(百分比) of money is cash. Over 90% of money today exists(存在) inside computers at banks. It is mostly digital, just numbers. We also use cash less and less. Since the credit card was invented in the 1950s, people have used their "plastic" to pay for things more and more. Using a card is quick and easy. You don't have to carry around heavy change and count it. We also do more and more shopping online, so we don't need cash for that.

    In the near future, we probably won't use plastic cards, either. All payments will be digital. We can already use our smartphones to pay. Soon, there will be shops we can walk in, take what we want and walk out，without waiting or counting money. Technology in the shop will know what we take, and just charge（记在账上） the cost to our bank accounts.

    Of course, money will always exist in some forms. People will always need a way to buy and sell things and store their wealth. But the days of cash are numbered. This will make things easier, but it is also a pity. Paper money and coins are nice to look at and they show us something about where we are. It is also true that using cash makes us spend less money, because we feel we are losing something when we spend it. However, when we make plastic or digital payments, we don't feel this, and so spend more.

    Debt is something necessary, but it can be a big problem. Whatever money looks like in the future, we shouldn't spend money we don't have!

    ①Some people like to be scared! Choosing to be scared can be fun. Dr. Margee Kerr, a sociologist, explained the science of fear. "Some people like to be scared because they like the way their body changes." she says.

    ②Being scared is not always fun. When a balloon pops, we may jump. Our heart beats faster and harder. How does the body have the reactions?" When we meet something startling, our brain and body start making changes to help prepare us for the unknown." Dr. Kerr explains, "These changes are caused by the senses（感官）, which always send information to the brain. It gives out chemicals into the bloodstream, and those chemicals act on different parts of the body. At the same time, the brain decides whether or not the danger is real."

    ③Fear is a tool that the brain uses to keep the body safe. It helps a person to hide, run away, or protect oneself. Our memories also help protect us. As we grow, we learn what's unsafe, and our brains keep those memories. Then our brains use fear to warn us of dangers. Dr.Kerr says, "_______________________________. "

    ④However, too much fear can be harmful because experiences can lead to long-lasting fears that may stop a person from trying new things. A long-lasting fear can mean you've had a bad experience, and your brain doesn't want you to have it again.

    ⑤Many people have beaten their own fears. Instead of listening to their imagination, they learn the facts about anything that seems scary. Knowledge can help a person feel less afraid. Dr. Kerr grew up on a farm. She was scared of black bears in the woods before. She says," After I read a lot about them, I knew for sure what to do if I ever met a bear and how to protect myself."

It was the last day of the final examination in acollege. On the steps of buildings, a group of engineering students werewaiting for the last exam. On their faces was confidence.

They knew the exam would be easy. The professor hadsaid they could bring any books or notes during the test.

Right after they came into the classroom, theprofessor handed out papers. There were only five questions on it.

Three hours passed. Then the professor began tocollect the papers. The students no longer looked confident. On their faceswere nervous expression. The professor watched the worried faces before him,and then asked, "How many of you have completed all five questions?" Nohand was raised. "How many of you have answered four?" Still nohands." Three? Two?" the students moved restlessly in their seats. "One,then? Certainly somebody has finished one." But the class kept silent. Theprofessor said, "That is exactly what I expected. I just want to make youknow clearly that even though you have completed four years of engineering，there arestill many things about the subject you don't know. These questions you couldnot answer are common in everyday practice." Then, smiling, he added, "Youwill all pass this course. But remember your education had just began."

The yours hasobscured the name of thisprofessor, but not the lesson he taught. The students will remember it clearlyforever.

    One night, when I was eight, my mother gently asked me a question I would never forget. "Sweetie, my company wants to promote me but needs me to work in Brazil. This is like your teacher telling you that you've done well and allowing you to skip a grade, but you'll have to leave your friends. Would you say yes to your teacher?" She gave me a hug and asked me to think about it. I was lost in thought. The question kept me wondering for the rest of the night. I had said "yes" but for the first time, I realized the difficult decisions adults had to make.

    For almost four years, my mother would call us from Brazil every day. Every evening I'd eagerly wait for the phone to ring and then tell her everything happened during the day. A phone call, however, could never take her place and it was difficult not to feel lonely at times.

    During my fourth-grade Christmas break, we flew to Rio to visit her. Looking at her large empty apartment,   ▲   It was then I started to understand the difficult choices she had to make. She needed to think about both family and work. Faced with difficult decisions, she used to tell me, you wouldn't know whether you make the right choice, but you could always make the best out of the situation, with a positive attitude.

    Back home, I reminded myself that what my mother could do, I could, too. If she managed to live in Rio all by herself, I, too, could learn to be independent. I learn how to take care of myself and set high but achievable goals.

    My mother is now back with us. But I will never forget what the experience has really taught me. I've learned a lot because of this separation(分离). There are lots of difficult decisions that we have to face in our life. We need to have a positive attitude no matter what happens.

If you ever see a man in a suit sitting on top of a packed car with a teddy bear, don't be surprised. He is Mr. Bean, everyone's favorite British comedy character, who just celebrated his 25th birthday earlier this month. On that day, Atkinson, who played Mr. Bean, was dressed up as this famous character again and brought British people back to the funny old times. Though Atkinson is 60 years old now he looks just like the old Mr. Bean.

Mr. Bean first starred in a sitcom in 1990, and since then the funny guy has been a hit around the world. He is such a cultural idol that he even appeared at the 2012 London Olympics Opening Ceremony.

Mr. Bean is described as“a child in a grown man's body". He is clumsy (笨拙的) and hopeless in society. He causes trouble everywhere he goes, and the British think this is very funny.

He goes to the beach and tries to take off his trousers without a man standing close by seeing him. It turns out the man can't see at all.

For many Britons, making fun of yourself is a way of showing strength (长处) of character. People say Mr. Bean shows that Britons are good at laughing at themselves. It is a culture where mocking (嘲讽) is part of everyday life. If you fall over while walking with a British friend, instead of worrying about you, your friend may say, "Have a nice trip!"

French journalist Agnes Poirier thinks that Mr. Bean speaks for "Brutishness" to people around the world. "He is suffering all the time, making a fool out of himself and mocking others. He seems quite British because he's ill at ease(局促不安的) but extremely funny as well."

    How time flies! The 9th graders are going to graduate soon. We invite them to write about their school memories.

    Let's share some of them.

—Ms. Rosen