Remembering My Father’s Vest(背心)
People get into trouble because they don’t know enough to keep cool. As a child, I had a lot of ______ that had been held back and not released. Worse still, I was not good at ______ .
Once as I was getting ready for school, my mother ______ me my father’s vest instead of mine. This was around the time when I was going to be larger in ______ than my father, so as I put on the vest, I felt like I was being choked（使窒息） in it! I ______ that it was a small oversight(疏忽) on my mother’s part, but ______ the feeling of being choked drowned me and I got very angry.
I took my anger out on my mother ______ thinking much. I was so upset when she had handed me the wrong vest, and I ______ by violently tearing it apart from my chest!
Later, my mother shared her own _____ with my father: “ See what your son has done.”
Instead of scolding or abusing me, my father ______ responded by asking my mother to ______ the vest. He then wore it to work the next day.
When my mother told me about my father’s response much later, when I had ______ from my burst, I immediately felt a great sense of ______ for my violent behavior, just ______ that he was spending the entire day wearing a(n) ______vest. At the same time, I was filled with great ______ for my father, whose gentle kindness taught me a life lesson I would treasure forever.
On that day, I made a ______ never to let anger get the better of me. I learn to ______ others when I think that they behave in an unfair, cruel, or unacceptable way, ______ forgiveness is a tool to turn anger off. And whenever I have difficulty ______ my strong emotion, I try to remember my father’s vest.
1.A. pressure B. anger C. stories D. tears
2.A. listening B. debating C. communicating D. working
3.A. handed B. sent C. delivered D. carried
4.A. weight B. size C. height D. mind
5.A. expected B. discovered C. suspected D. realized
6.A. anyway B. somehow C. somewhat D. however
7.A. without B. beyond C. besides D. despite
8.A. performed B. agreed C. reacted D. declined
9.A. excitement B. frustration C. enthusiasm D. failure
10.A. calmly B. politely C. attentively D. anxiously
11.A. save up B. give away C. hold back D. sew up
12.A. recovered B. changed C. developed D. benefited
13.A. disappointment B. sympathy C. panic D. shame
14.A. hoping B. joking C. imagining D. supposing
15.A. old B. broken C. torn D. worn
16.A. curiosity B. pride C. envy D. admiration
17.A. choice B. decision C. requirement D. wish
18.A. respect B. assist C. appreciate D. forgive
19.A. and B. but C. for D. so
20.A. controlling B. expressing C. treasuring D. monitoring
How to stay focused in class
● 1. No matter how much you want to sit with your friends during the class, try your best to avoid them. Talking with friends is not going to help you stay focused in class and will cause trouble, too.
● Look at the teacher. Your teacher is not just standing up there talking — they're trying to give you an acceptable education. Show the teacher that he or she has your full attention, by looking him or her in the eye. 2.
● Take notes. By taking notes, you'll be able to “get into” the lesson. 3. Listen for key phrases such as, “This is important,” “This is the main idea,” etc. This can help you listen more intently (专心地); you'll have something to do and focus on.
● Get involved (参与) in class discussions. This is a wonderful way to become a more focused and successful student. When a teacher asks a question, offer to answer it. 4. This shows the teacher that you're listening intently during the class.
● Ask a question. 5. This really shows your teacher that you want to be better, and can recognize the things you're having difficulty with. Chances are, someone else in the class has the same question (and is too afraid to ask!). They'll be relaxed — and so will you.
A. Do your best.
B. Avoid sitting with friends.
C. Don't try to finish your old notes in class.
D. Write down key points as your teacher speaks.
E. If he or she asks for an opinion, share your own.
F. If you don't understand something, never be afraid to ask.
G. This person should have your full attention at all times in class.
Newborns begin to develop language skills long before they begin speaking. And, compared to adults, they develop these skills more quickly. People have a hard time learning new languages as they grow older, but babies have the ability to learn any language easily.
For a long time, scientists have tried to explain how such young children can learn the complicated (复杂的) grammatical rules and sounds of a language. Now, researchers are getting a better idea of what’s happening in the brains of the tiniest language learners. This new information might help kids with learning problems as well as adults who want to learn new languages. It might even help scientists who are trying to design computers that can communicate like people do.
Most babies go “ma ma” by 6 months of age, and most children speak in full sentences by age 3. For many years, scientists have wondered how the brains of young children figure out how to communicate using language. With help from new technologies, scientists are now finding that babies begin life with the ability to learn any language. They get into contact (接触) with other people, listen to what they say and watch their movements very closely. That is why they quickly master the languages they hear most often.
Studies show that, up to about 6 months of age, babies can recognize all the sounds that make up all the languages in the world. Starting at around 6 months old a baby’s brain focuses on the most common sounds it hears. Then, children begin responding only to the sounds of the language they hear the most.
In a similar way older babies start recognizing the patterns that make up the rules of their native language. For example, English children who are about 18 months old start to figure out that words ending in “-ing” or “-ed” are usually verbs, and that verbs are action words.
1.Which of the following opinions does the author agree with?
A. Babies are really good language learners.
B. Adults should learn languages like babies.
C. It’s better to learn a new language at an early age.
D. Babies should be trained to improve language skills.
2.The researchers found out that babies learn a language mainly by _____.
A. repeating the words of other people
B. remembering the full sentences they hear
C. hearing and closely watching others speak
D. figuring out the meaning of different sounds
3.In the last two paragraphs, the author explains _____.
A. why babies pay more attention to sounds
B. how babies respond to what they hear most often
C. why verbs in a language attract the most attention of a baby
D. how babies master the grammatical rules of their native language
Inside Out is one of my favorite Disney / Pixar movies. The story is about a young girl named Riley who moves from Minnesota to San Francisco with her family and how she deals with her emotions (情感) through the move. These five emotions in Riley's brain are Joy, Fear, Anger, Disgust (厌恶) and Sadness. These emotions play a very important role in her life. I can understand because I am an 11-year-old girl and I am very in touch with my emotions and pre-teen feelings.
The film is extremely beautiful and you couldn't ask for better direction from Pete Doctor. The use of the right colors for the characters is great. For example, Joy is yellow, Sadness is blue, Disgust is green, Fear is purple and Anger of course is red. Sadness plays a main role in the story and it makes me wonder why we are told not to be sad. I think it's important to be sad when the time comes. The end of the movie pretty much got me and the whole audience (观众) (families, couples and even elderly people) in tears and I cried very hard.
I recommend (推荐) this movie for anyone from 8 to 18 because it has enough joy in it for younger kids to like it even though it does have some sad moments. I believe that adults will like it too. And I give it 4 out of 5 stars because it connects to an older audience even though it is designed for a younger audience. I think younger children can see this, but a parent would have to explain some things to them after the movie.
1.The author feels connected with the movie because she and the character Riley _____.
A. enjoy the same movie B. have the same feelings
C. have the same move experience D. have a similar family background
2.What does the author think of Pete Doctor's job?
A. Wonderful. B. Just so-so.
C. Bad. D. Disappointing.
3.After seeing the movie, the author has a new understanding of _____.
A. fear B. sadness
C. anger D. joy
4.In the author's eyes, the movie _____.
A. won't attract people over 18 B. is really unsuitable for children
C. will be popular among kids and adults D. can easily be understood by younger kids
On a dark winter day in Russia in 1896, Sergei Prokofiev sat by a piano next to his mother. She was helping him compose (作曲) his first piece of music. Sergei was only five years old.
He had overheard his parents discussing a terrible famine (饥荒) in India. The picture Sergei had of those hungry people in his mind caused him to write a story, in the form of musical notes. Sergei could not read music, so he picked out a tune on the piano keys, and his mother recorded the notes. Sergei titled it “Indian Gallop.”
Sergei's mother began giving him piano lessons for 20 minutes a day, and his ability grew quickly. She had a great love for music, too, and Sergei often lay awake in bed at night and listened to her play the piano.
Sergei's parents found a famous music teacher for him. The teacher shouted at Sergei when he didn't practice reading and playing music. Sergei later wrote, “I wanted to compose great musical plays, and instead I was given all sorts of boring tasks.” Yet he persisted with his studies and grew up to be a great composer.
In 1936 a children's theater asked Sergei to write music that would teach children about different instruments. He was happy and wrote the piece in a week, calling it Peter and the Wolf.
Sergei's Peter and the Wolf was enjoyed by children as well as adults. The first time Sergei played the piece on the piano, the children listening to it loved it so much that they made him play the ending three extra times. He was excited.
Today Sergei Prokofiev is remembered not only for his contributions (贡献) to classical music, but also for his sense of fun.
1.When he was five, Sergei _____.
A. could read music B. experienced a famine
C. created his first composition D. wrote a story about his parents
2.What does the underlined part “persisted with” in Paragraph 4 mean?
A. Hurried up. B. Continued with.
C. Put up with. D. Walked away from.
3.The piece of music Peter and the Wolf _____.
A. was a great success
B. was one of Sergei's early works
C. was written to teach children about the piano
D. was played three extra times when first played
4.What's the text mainly about?
A. The greatest 20th-century composer. B. Sergei's contributions to music.
C. Musical plays in Russia. D. Sergei's musical stories.
Riding School:
You can start horse-riding at any age. Choose private or group lessons any weekday. There are 10 kilometers of tracks and paths for leisurely rides across farmland and open country. You will need a riding hat.
Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m. (3:30 p.m. on Saturdays)
Phone:(412)396-6754 Fax:(412)396-6752
Sailing Club:
Our Young Sailor's Course leads to the Stage 1 Sailing qualification. You will learn how to sail safely and the course also covers sailing theory and first aid. Have fun with other course members afterwards in the clubroom. There are 10 weekly two-hour lessons.
Opening Hours: Tuesdays: 6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
Phone:(412)396-6644 Fax:(412)396-6644
Diving Centre:
Our experienced instructors offer one-month courses in deep-sea diving for beginners. There are two evening lessons a week, in which you learn to breathe underwater and use the equipment safely. You only need swimming costume and a towel. Reduced rates for couples.
Opening Hours: Monday and Friday: 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
Phone:(412)396-6312 Fax:(412)396-6706
Medical Center:
The staff of the Medical Center aim to provide convenient and comprehensive medical care to students and staff of the university. The center is well equipped and the staff here are trained to deal with a broad range of medical problems. Both female and male doctors as well as nursing staff are available for consultation. Also, all kinds of medicines are sold here and are cheaper for students than other drugstores.
Opening Hours: 24 hours from Monday to Sunday
Phone:(412)396-6649 Fax:(412)396-6648
Water sports Club:
We use a two-kilometer length of river for speedboat racing, and water-skiing. A beginners’ course consists of ten 20-minute lessons. You will learn to handle boats safely and confidently, but must be able to swim. The club is in a convenient central position and is open daily from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with lessons all through the day.
Opening Hours: Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.
Phone:(412)396-6899 Fax:(412)396-6890
1.If you want to swim and enjoy activities which are fast and a bit dangerous, you should join________.
A. Diving Centre B. Riding School
C. Water sports Club D. Sailing Club
2.If you want to experience a new activity in the countryside in the mornings, you may fax____.
A. (412)396-6752 B. (412)396-6648
C. (412)396-6890 D. (412)396-6706
3.If you are planning to explore the ocean depths, you should attend your lessons at________.
A. Monday through Friday: 9:00 a.m.-8:30 p.m.
B. 24 hours from Monday to Sunday
C. Tuesdays:6:00 p.m.-8:00 p.m.
D. Monday and Friday: 6:30 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
4.Which is NOT the convenience that the Medical Center provides?
A. Well trained staff members.
B. Nursery for newly-born babies
C. Good equipment.
D. Various less expensive medicines.
