英语听力原文

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Barbie, the world's most famous doll, is having a dramatic makeover. The classic stick-thin frame that generations of girls have been so familiar with now looks a bit more like the rest of us. Mattel, Barbie's manufacturer, announced Thursday that it will begin selling Barbie in three new body shapes –curvy, tall and petite, and in seven skin tones, 22 eye colors and 24 hairstyles. Mattel spokeswoman Michelle Chidoni said the product is evolving to \"offer more choices\" to make \"the line more reflective of the world girls see around them.\"

The launch of new diverse options came after years of criticism that its original impossibly busty Barbie with a narrow waist has misled girls with an unrealistic ideal. \"We believe we have a responsibility to girls and parents to reflect a broader view of beauty,\" Michelle Chidoni said in a company statement.

In face of fierce competition from other dolls and electronic toys, Barbie sales fell 14 percent in the most recently reported quarter, with worldwide sales falling every year since 2012.

Mattel said the company will continue to sell the original 11.5-inch Barbie launched in 1959. The new versions will begin arriving on U.S. shelves in March, 2016.

Q1: What is the news report mainly about?

Q2: What is the main reason for people's criticism of the original Barbie?

Q3: When will the new Barbie go on sale according to the news?

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If you think that you have to live up a remote mountain in

order to live a long and healthy life, a religious community in Loma Linda, California, may prove you wrong. Its members are a group of Christians known as the Seventh-day Adventists. The Adventists enjoy a much higher life expectancy than average Californians. Adventist men can expect to live about seven years longer than other Californian men. Adventist women are likely to live around four years longer than other Californian women. The Adventists also act much younger than they are and see doctors much less than ordinary people.

So what's the secret of the Adventists' longevity? It is not all in their genes. Nor is their good health a mere accident. The Adventists live longer partly because they have a vegetable-based diet. Around 35 percent of them are vegetarian, and around one half eat meat only rarely. Tobacco and alcohol consumptions are discouraged. So are rich or spicy foods, meat, and drinks containing caffeine. The Adventist diet is high in fruit and vegetables. It also includes plenty of whole grains, nuts, seeds and beans, and water is the drink of choice.

The longevity of the Adventists is also related to their lifestyle and natural environment. They believe in having regular exercise, helping others, and maintaining strong social and familial ties. They live in a mild climate with warm summers and cool winters. Interestingly, the air quality of Loma Linda, however, is not as good as in other longevity hot spots. This should give us all hope, as it suggests that we don't have to have every single factor in place in order to achieve excellent health. Despite this, the Adventists' good health certainly provides strong evidence that diet and lifestyle choices have a great impact on health and longevity.

Q1: In what way are the Adventists different from ordinary

people?

Q2: How much longer do Adventist women expect to live than other Californian women?

Q3: What is characteristic of the Adventists' diet? Q4: What is the main idea of the passage? 3

Educators across the US are calling for major changes to the admissions process in higher education. The National Center for Educational Statistics reported that US colleges and universities received more than nine million applications between 2013 and 2014. The schools admitted more than five million students in that time.

David Hawkins is the Executive Director for Educational Content and Policy at the National Association for College Admissions Counseling. He says that most colleges and universities require many things from students when they apply. Schools usually require an essay describing a student's interests or why they want to study at that school. The schools also ask for letters from teachers or other adults describing why a student is a good candidate. But, Hawkins also says that schools are most concerned with a student's high school grades and standardized test results.

Q1: What is the news report mainly about?

Q2: What are schools most concerned with according to Hawkins?

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A new museum entirely dedicated to laziness has opened in the capital city of Colombia. But you have to hurry if you want to see the exhibits and find out about being lazy because the exhibition lasts only for one week. The unusual show displays a

whole range of things such as sofas, beds and anything that makes you feel like taking a rest. There are also plenty of televisions for those visiting couch potatoes to watch as they move around relaxingly in the museum.

It is no coincidence but rather an intentional decision for the museum to have opened right after the holiday season. The idea is for people to think about laziness, and perhaps change their behavior and lifestyle throughout the rest of the year. It offers a practical experience to make us think about laziness in our high-speed, fast-paced societies.

The museum's founder Marcela Arrieta said she wanted people to rethink about laziness and decide whether it really is a bad thing. She told the media that people today always think about laziness as an enemy of work. For example, they may feel guilty if they sleep late, or they may feel they are wasting time after taking a nap or having a holiday.

Ms. Arrieta may not be proposing that we should have a shorter working week, but she could have a point in that we do need more leisure time than our jobs allow us, and change our lifestyle to a type that is more relaxing. Besides, according to scientists, avoiding the pressure and stress of work can make us healthier and live longer. So, why not try out Ms. Arrieta's advice for yourself, slow down, and think about being lazy?

Q1: Why should visitors be hurried if they want to see the exhibits in the new museum in Colombia's capital?

Q2: What are exhibited in the new museum? Q3: What is the purpose of the exhibition?

Q4: What did the museum's founder advise us to do? 5

What's longer than five Boeing 747 jetliners, and uses robot

bartenders to pour your drinks? That'll be Royal Caribbean's new Quantum of the Seas, which the cruise brand bills as the world's most technologically advanced cruise ship.

The highly hyped ship is now in the middle of its inaugural voyage, an eight-day cruise from the UK port of Southampton to New York.

The cruise line says Quantum of the Seas, which weighs about 168,000 gross registered tons, has 16 guest decks filled with 2,090 of the brand's largest and most advanced staterooms, which can accommodate 4,180 guests.

In terms of connectivity, Royal Caribbean claims to offer \"more bandwidth than every other cruise ship in the world combined.\"

Other high-tech features include the use of electronic wristbands that serve as room keys and allow passengers to navigate the ship and make onboard purchases.

Q1: What do we learn about the first voyage of Quantum of the Seas?

Q2: What is the electronic wristband used for?