My brother Gene was four years older than me. By the time I turned four, I was upset that he could read but I couldn’t. I burned with ______ to read a book like my brother. I begged: “Teach me to read, Mom! Please, please?!” Finally, Mom set aside time after lunch ______ reading lessons, and soon after my fifth birthday, I was reading.
I longed for my father, who was a great storyteller, to read me the books that I couldn’t yet read on my own. But my father worked three jobs to feed the family. He didn’t have the time or ______ in the evening to read to me. _______, every Sunday morning, my brother and I lay next to him in bed, waiting for him to tell stories about his ______. I can still hear my father’s voice ______ the cold winters on the family farm in Poland. His family didn’t have enough money to burn wood in the fireplace all night. He told us that he always volunteered to help with ______. I can smell the soup made by my grandma and ______ my father cutting onions, carrots and tomatoes for salad, and when no one was looking, putting a piece into his mouth. “I was always ______,” he explained. Hearing my father’s stories ______ me closer to the books and the stories they held.
One Saturday afternoon when I was seven, we walked two blocks to the small ______ in our neighborhood, and my dad filled out forms for a card. That Saturday ______ my life: I met Mrs. Schwartz, the librarian, and my dad said, “You’re ______ enough to walk to the library yourself.” And so I did—almost every afternoon.
In my mind, Mrs. Schwartz was “the keeper of books and the guardian of stories.” Some days she read aloud to a small group of us ______. Most of time, Mrs. Schwartz let me _______ myself with books I pulled from the shelves and look through them to see which ones I’d ______ out. I remember that sometimes she’d ______ a book and tell me a part of the story. But she always let me choose. Books became my ______ who were my comfort when I felt lonely.
Yes, reading changed me. It gave me the ______ to study hard so I could become a teacher, and share my _____ of reading with my students. And inside my head, I can still hear the voices of my mother, father, and Mrs. Schwartz, which are with me every time I open the first page of a new book.
1.A. anger B. worry C. desire D. interest
2.A. for B. before C. in D. until
3.A. ability B. ambition C. courage D. energy
4.A. Still B. Then C. Therefore D. Finally
5.A. workplace B. childhood C. farmland D. neighborhood
6.A. explaining B. describing C. introducing D. interpreting
7.A. living B. reading C. farming D. cooking
8.A. catch B. discover C. notice D. picture
9.A. busy B. poor C. hungry D. tired
10.A. laid B. drew C. taught D. left
11.A. library B. bookstore C. office D. club
12.A. saved B. changed C. tested D. anything
13.A. near B. ready C. old D. free
14.A. graduates B. regulars C. candidates D. communicators
15.A. surround B. familiarize C. examine D. reward
16.A. find B. lend C. check D. sign
17.A. write B. recommend C. study D. reserve
18.A. teachers B. assistants C. listeners D. companions
19.A. drive B. dream C. order D. chance
20.A. lesson B. time C. love D. plan
Travelling is a very enjoyable experience as it provides an opportunity to see new things. 1.The following article discusses the advantages of traveling. Traveling gives you the opportunity to disconnect from your regular life. People all have crazy schedules, work and a family to take care of, and traveling alone or with some friends can give you distance and perhaps even make you realize how important these people are to you. 2.
Another great benefit is the relaxation you get. 3.When you come back you feel energetic and you are happy to be back to your daily routine. 4.They will create a bond that nothing can erase no matter what happens to the friendship/relationship. You can create photo albums and when you feel nostalgic (对往事怀恋的) you can experience the trips again by looking at your pictures.
It’s never been this cheap to travel. With increasing oil prices the cheap travel era might be coming to an end. 5.
With the Internet and all the new technology, you can plan your trip exactly the way you want it. You can choose your budget, the duration of the trip and what you want to do.
A. It’s nice to enjoy a stress-free time.
B. As the saying goes, you never know what you have until you lose it.
C. When traveling with friends or family it creates memories of a lifetime.
D. Discovering different values and ways to get by in life is really interesting.
E. Going on a trip means that you are most likely going to spend time outside.
F. However, there are still many budget airlines fighting for your dollar right now.
G. There are many benefits other than enjoying yourself that can be realized when you travel.
Self-driving cars are so popular that the University of Michigan has even established a town called Mcity to allow car manufacturers to safely test their autonomous cars.
While Mcity can be used to simulate(模拟) many real-life road conditions, it cannot help test gestures drivers use to communicate their intention to other drivers, pedestrians or cyclists. To find a solution, US car manufacturer Ford, with researchers from Virginia Tech, initially considered using text as a way to communicate the car's intention, but decided it would probably not work universally. The option of using symbols was also discarded, because research shows that a majority of people do not have a good understanding of what they mean.
Finally, the researchers settled on light signals. A white light warned that there were no humans in the car. A slow blinking one indicated that the car was coming to a stop, while a rapidly flashing light cautioned passersby that the car was about to accelerate.
Then came the big challenge-testing the signals on real roads. “We needed to try out this new lighting to communicate the intention of the vehicle, but if you’ve got a driver behind the seat, you still have natural communication between humans,” said Andy Shaudt, who led the Virginia Tech research team. “So we needed to make it look like a driverless ear.”
The team designed a car seat costume(戏装) that the driver would wear to cover his/her face and upper body. Of course, the drivers could see very clearly. The researchers then equipped the car with cameras to capture human reactions to a light bar on the windshield(挡风玻璃), which flashed one of the three signals when appropriate. Six drivers, all keeping their hands low on the wheel so as not to be detected, took turns to test driving the car through the busy streets.
The overall reaction to the flashing lights was very encouraging. Who knew costumes could be useful for more than Halloween?
1.What did the team first consider using as a way to communicate the car's intention?
A. Light B. Language
C. Symbols D. Sound
2.The underlined word “they” in the second paragraph refers to .
A. svmbo1s B. drivers
C. researchers D. flashes
3.What does a rapidly flashing light mean?
A. The car was coming to a stop B. There was no driver in the car
C. The car was about to speed up D. The car was about to slow down
4.The car seat costume was intended to .
A. amuse the driver B. attract the pedestrians
C. warn the cyclists D. confuse the people
The subway system in the U.S. city of Boston will soon be equipped with train cars "Made in China," which will be shipped to the city in December. The current train cars in Boston have been running for decades and are too old to provide a modern trip experience.
Made in northeastern China's Jilin Province, the new cars can run at a speed of 102 kilometers per hour. Although designed according to the U.S. standard, the producing method of the cars is owned by a Chinese company named CRRC, the China Railway Rolling Stock Corporation. The final products match the Boston subway's strict maximum weight requirement of 34 tons per car, which barred a lot of world-famous companies from getting the order form. "The cars have to be solid, but light-weight at the same time," technology manager of the project Hong Haifeng told CCTV's Mandarin news channel. "And they have to be compatible with the century-old facilities in Boston."
This is the first time for Chinese rail equipment to be used in the United States. The new cars are designed to run for 30 years. CRRC showcased the model car in Boston on April 3. CCTV reported that the model was praised by the local leaders and citizens, including the governor of Massachusetts Charlie Baker. "We're really looking forward to putting these in transit," he said, adding that the upgrades will bring the Boston subway into the modern era.
1.Why Boston choose train cars made in China?
A. They can offer the local people a modern trip experience.
B. They can run at a higher speed.
C. They meet the Boston subway's strict requirements.
D. They are of higher quality.
2.What does the underlined phrase "be compatible with" in paragraph two mean?
A. match B. compare C. be competitive with D. be competent of
3.What's the attitude of the local people towards the model car?
A. negative B. doubtful C. skeptical D. optimistic
4.What may be the best title for the text?
A. Boston Will Replace Its Old Train Cars
B. The Advantages of Train China-made Cars
C. China-made Train Cars Will Come Into Boston
D. Bostonians' Preference for China-made Products
My love for dogs goes as far back as my first memory. As a little girl，I collected dog toys. At 5 years old，I was ready and willing to run away with the family dog after the threat of giving him away when he chewed up the sofa. Luckily he stayed and my affection for man's best friend continued. As an adult，my reasons for wanting to adopt a dog were purely selfish. I wanted a companion. I wanted a young，energetic dog that would need long walks or runs to help keep mc active to stick to an exercise routine.
Little did I know that my four﹣legged friend and love for dogs would help me feel more at home in and fall in love with my Shanghai community. It seemed to me that being a tall blonde didn't already attract a lot of curious stares；add a 12﹣kilogram black dog that believes everyone is his best friend to the picture and locals seem even more intrigued. The decision to adopt Xiao Hei definitely fulfilled those early selfish desires，but the experience has also brought me closer to my neighbors and made me feel more at home.
A few months after I first brought Xiao Hei home，I spotted the group of elderly Chinese people who gather at the park. After realizing they go there most weeknights，I decided it would be a good way to help Xiao Hei socialize with other dogs. After a few visits，it was not only an opportunity for him to play but also a chance for me to practice my Chinese. "Most Chinese give their dogs English names，but you've given him a Chinese name. Very interesting，"they laughed. With that simple laugh，it seemed that barriers were broken and with each visit I felt more a part of the community.
1.Why did the author want to adopt a dog？
A. To practice Chinese.
B. To understand Chinese culture.
C. To feel at home．
D. To find a companion．
2.Who is likely to be the author of the text？
A. A Shanghai native.
B. A Chinese dog lover.
C. A foreigner in Shanghai.
D. A researcher on Chinese culture.
3.The underlined word "intrigued" in Paragraph 2 probably means_____.
A. interested B. excited C. satisfied D. frightened
4.What can be inferred from the text'？
A. The author once left home with her dog.
B. The author gets along well with her neighbors.
C. The author is good at the Chinese language.
D. The author will settle in Shanghai forever.
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So what is rewilding?
Imagine our natural habitats growing instead of shrinking.Imagine species thriving,instead of declining.That's rewilding.Rewilding is ecological restoration and a little bit more.Rewilding offers hope for wildlife,humans and the planet.
Why is rewilding essential for Britain?
●Our ecosystems are broken.The places where you would expect wildlife to thrive have been reduced to wet deserts.The seabed has been damaged and stripped of its living creatures.
●Our wildlife is disappearing.Many wonderful British species have declined catastrophically over the past century.We've lost more of our large mammals than any European country except Ireland.
●We need keystone species.These vital species,including top predator（食肉动物）,drive ecological processes. Their loss in Britain and around the world has worsened our living systems.
●Nature looks after us.Good ecosystems can provide us with clean air and water,prevent flooding,store carbon, and attract visitors.Rewilding can leave the world in a better state than it is today.
What are challenges?
Our "rewilding britain" is a long-term project.Of course it has its challenges.Many of us feel indifferent,because we have got used to the lack of native forests.Many farmers oppose the idea.They thought it a crazy idea to bring back predators to the country because they would start killing farm animals.It takes time to educate them.Above all, we need money!So we need your help!
Make a donation
Help us bring back Jiving systems and restore wild nature in Britain!
With your help we can...
●Open up new opportunities for rewilding and push for change.
●Develop tools to educate,influence and spread the word.
Thanks for your support.
1.What can we know from the result of rewilding?
A. A lot of species decline.
B. Species become various.
C. Ecosystems are greatly destroyed.
D. The seabed has been damaged.
2.What's the greatest challenge at present?
A. People's indifference
B. Farmers' opposition
C. Shortage of time
D. A lack of fund
3.What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To persuade people to change their mind.
B. To call on people to make a donation.
C. To convince people to care for predators.
D. To warn people of the bad ecosystem.
