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    Have you ever wished you could grow fresh fruit in your garden but worry about there not being enough space, or it won’t look pretty, or it’s too difficult?

What if I was to tell you that even a beginner can successfully grow a wide variety of fruit from apples and pears to cherries, blueberries and raspberries, and possibly even figs or nectarines?

The first thing you need to know: the sweeter the fruit, the more sun it will require. If you have a sunny wall it’s an ideal place to train a sun-loving fruit tree like a peach or an apricot. Plant the tree at the base of the wall but not too close (about 30cm is about right) in soil enriched with fertilizer (肥料). As it grows, splay (整枝) the branches evenly and attach them to the wall. As the plant grows gradually cut out old untidy branches and tie in new healthy branches. The idea of splaying or “fanning” is that as much sun as possible gets to the fruit, so it can ripen beautifully and maximize your crop.

Choose a variety that won’t grow too large. In slightly shadier spots you can grow gooseberries or raspberries. Most of these come in compact (紧凑的) varieties and can also be fan-trained against a wall if space is an issue.

I have a tiny orchard (果园) of space-saving apple, pear and plum trees bought as single vertical stems (茎) which I grow in pots. They grow to a maximum of 2m high and no wider than 45cm. My children love them! Simply cut back the side stems to about 10cm at this time of year and you’re good to go. Just remember that pot-grown plants rely totally on you for their food and water.

As a gardener I was quite late to fruit-growing, but I realized quickly that it becomes an addictive hobby. And as a complete bonus I’ve noticed a definite increase in my bee population over the past few years. There’s free food, and it’s good for the environment too. What could be better?

1.How does the author attract readers’ attention to the topic?

A. By making comparisons. B. By raising some questions.

C. By listing some general rules. D. By telling interesting stories.

2.What should you do to make your peach tree bear sweet fruit?

A. Do the splaying regularly. B. Use fertilizer frequently.

C. Choose some compact varieties. D. Plant the tree far from your wall.

3.What do we know about gooseberries and raspberries?

A. They are sun-lovers. B. They are space savers.

C. They can grow very large. D. They may die from splaying.

4.How are pot-grown fruit trees different from field-grown ones?

A. They bear more fruits. B. They are more dependent.

C. They need more water and food. D. They are more popular with kids.

    Young people’s mental health is of increasing interest and concern to researchers, policymakers, and families alike－but can treating teenagers’ mental health problems also improve the wellbeing of their parents? New research suggests that it can. The study, conducted by Kelsey Howard, a doctoral candidate at Northwestern University, found that regardless of which treatment teenagers were using for their depression, the mental health of their parents improved too.

Older findings say that there is a link between mothers’ depression and major depression in their teenagers, although it seems not to be biological. However, the latest research suggests that the relationship between parents’ and their children’s mental health might work in the other direction too.

While Howard’s research hasn’t evidenced a clear reason for this trend, she told The Atlantic: “If the family members interact with (交往) each other well, the kid will be more pleasant to be around and make less negative statements, which will affect how other family members think.”

Tom Madders, director of campaigns at YoungMinds, told HuffPost UK that for parents, watching their children go through mental health problems can be difficult, especially if they feel responsible. Madders also noted that parents often make big lifestyle changes, say, giving up their jobs, to support their children with depression, particularly in cases where their children have to leave school because of their mental health problems. However, Madders thought this can only make things worse. “Parents’ sacrifice adds pressure to the delicate shoulder owners,” he said.

The process of waiting to get treatment can also be an added stressor: “Every day we get calls to our helpline from parents whose children have been waiting months for an initial assessment, or left on long waiting lists for treatment that they need … that’s why it’s important that the Government commits to long-term extra investment in children’s mental health services.”

1.What has the latest research found?

A. The problem of depression might be biological.

B. Teens’ negative statements harm family relationships.

C. The number of teens suffering depression is increasing.

D. Teens’ depression may cause mental problems in their parents.

2.According to Howard, how can parents help kids with depression be more positive?

A. By building a pleasant family atmosphere.

B. By praising them as much as possible.

C. By teaching them to be responsible.

D. By being soft with their homework.

3.What does the underlined part “the delicate shoulder owners” refer to?

A. Children. B. Parents.

C. Teachers. D. Doctors.

4.From which column of a newspaper is the text most probably taken?

A. Entertainment. B. Health.

C. Economy. D. Education.

    Author Avi, winner of a Newbery Award, a Scott O’Dell Historical Fiction Award, and several Boston Globe-Horn Book Awards, may have seen his first children’s book published in 1970, but that doesn’t mean he’s lost his talent for connecting with young fans.

The American writer, born in 1937, agrees that getting involved with his readers is one of the key reasons he keeps writing, and that he’s been fortunate enough to hear directly from readers about the impact (影响) his books have had. “I have been touched many times by readers who find some special connection between their lives and something I have written: the Danish girl who read something of mine in Danish, and struggled to communicate that in her poor English; the autistic (自闭症的) boy who somehow found something meaningful about my books that reached his own inner life; the women who have told me how important The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle was to them when growing up.”

Beyond his fans’ questions about the characters he’s created, the writer’s most commonly heard question may be about his own use of the single name “Avi.” “As a young adult, I was a reader of French literature, which has that one name tradition: Moliere, Racine, Anouilh, Gide, and so on,” he explains. “Avi was given to me by my twin sister when we were very young children, and it stuck. Then my family discouraged me from taking up writing as a career because they considered my writing poor. By using Avi, I was showing my determination to them.”

Although he believes－and has the awards to show－that his writing skills have improved, writing still doesn’t come easily to him, despite having over sixty books to his credit. “I never studied writing in any formal sense. I taught myself to write by reading, and by imitating what I was reading,” he says.

The writing task may be tough, but the payoff is big. “To create, share, and support the gift of reading and literature, is to give young people the gift of many worlds, within and without,” Avi states.

1.What do the readers mentioned by Avi have in common?

A. They often seek help from him.

B. They can find themselves in his books.

C. They have been influenced by his works.

D. They have offered helpful suggestions to him.

2.What’s the main reason why author Avi uses the name Avi?

A. It was given to him by his parents.

B. It is used in memory of his sisters.

C. It encourages him to achieve his dream.

D. It is the name of one of his favorite characters.

3.What do we learn about Avi from the text?

A. He is a self-made writer.

B. He often sends his readers gifts.

C. He considers writing an easy job.

D. He is against copying other writers’ styles.

4.What is the text mainly about?

A. How Avi looks at his fans.

B. Some important book awards.

C. How Avi improves his writing skills.

D. A popular writer among young readers.

▲Sunday Cushion Concerts

Times: 10 am.&11am.

Tickets: $5 per person

The regular Sunday Cushion Concerts introduce children and their families to different instruments and styles of music. Bring your own cushions and secure places by booking in advance! Tickets are available to book over the phone 01865 325325.

▲Christmas Show: The Elves (精灵) and the Shoemaker

17-22 December 2019

Tickets: $7 per person

A poor shoemaker is down on his luck, but as Christmas draws close, a simple act of kindness inspires some magical elves to offer their services. Their amazing shoes attract customers from far and wide, earning the shoemaker fame and fortune! But how will he ever repay them?

This classic story is brought to life for 3- to 7-year-olds and their families. Please book in advance to secure places! For other details, call us at 01865 325331.

▲Moving Music

Michaelmas Term Concert: 6 October 2019

Times: 11:30am & 2pm

Tickets: $5 per person

Please reserve your places in advance, and pay on the door.

This series of concerts is designed especially for people living with dementia(痴呆), and their families, friends, and carers, to enable them to enjoy a concert experience together and to help unlock memory and movement through the power of music. Concerts are held approximately every three months.

For more details or to arrange access for transport: Phone 01865 286660.

▲Turtle Key Opera

Friday mornings in Trinity Term: April-June 2019

Turtle Song is FREE to all participants. To sign up or for more information contact Turtle Key Arts on 01865 525265.

Turtle Song is an opportunity to compose and sing your own songs with professional musicians. The group will meet weekly over a nine-week period between April and June 2019. The aims are to help people with all forms of dementia and people with memory problems.

1.Which event should you choose if you want your kid to learn about different styles of music?

A. Moving Music.

B. Turtle Key Opera.

C. Sunday Cushion Concerts.

D. Christmas Show: The Elves and the Shoemaker.

2.Which number should you call if your 4-year-old girl likes magical stories?

A. 01865 325325. B. 01865 325331.

C. 01865 286660. D. 01865 525265.

3.What’s the similarity between the last two events?

A. They are both free of charge.

B. They are both held every three months.

C. They both benefit people with dementia.

D. They both allow people to sing their own songs.

阅读下面短文，根据所给情节进行续写，使之构成一个完整的故事。

It was a Saturday afternoon. The color of the sky was changing, first light gray, then dark gray, and finally dark and dense. The wind was blowing heavily, and the trees were swaying in the strong wind. It began to rain cats and dogs. Soon, the road was filled with puddles from the rain.

On such a stormy afternoon, my mother took my five-year-old brother, Christopher, and me to a new big toy store she had read about in the newspaper. “So many toys,” the advertisement had shouted in full and flashy color, “that we had to get a huge warehouse to fit them all!”

Christopher and I couldn’t have been more excited. We ran across the parking lot, through the cold and biting rain, as fast as our little legs could carry us. We left our mother outside to battle with the frustrating umbrella, which never worked when she wanted it to. “Christine! Take care of your young brother!” Mother shouted at the top of her voice.

“Christine! I’m going to find the Lego section (乐高积木区)! There’s a new pirate ship I want, and I have four dollars! Maybe I can buy it!” Christopher exclaimed and ran off excitedly. I only half heard him. I took a right turn and, to my wide-eyed delight, found myself in the midst of the Barbie (芭比) World.

I was studying a Barbie and doing some simple math in my head when suddenly an earthshaking clap of thunder roared from the storm outside. I jumped at the noise, dropping the doll to the floor. The lights flickered (闪烁) once and died, covering everything in a blanket of blackness. Thunder continued to shake the sky and lightning illuminated the store for seconds, casting frightening shadows on my mind.

注意:

1. 所续写短文的词数应为150左右；

2. 至少使用5个短文中标有下划线的关键词语；

3. 续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；

4. 续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。

Paragraph 1:

“Oh no,” I thought, “Where’s Christopher?”

_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Paragraph2:

“Christine, I’m here.”

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