Voluntourism
Volunteering to help people in need combined with travelling to faraway places is a new trend in the travel industry. It is called voluntourism. People travel to other countries, learn languages and gain new experiences. 1..
Recent statistics show that in the past few years voluntourism has been one of the fastest-growing areas of tourism. More than 1.6 million people around the world are volunteers in other countries. They help build schools, assist in hospitals and do farming work in developing countries. 2.. They keep in touch with their host families after they return home, and many return to visit.
There are many reasons why people want to engage in voluntourism. When people choose to join a voluntourism program, they are joining a global network of volunteers who are living and working with diverse cultures on projects that have a positive effect. The volunteers come from all over the world, and they will share the passion for giving back and the desire to broaden horizons. Some students also see it as a gap year after school, while others simply want to take time out from a job and do something else. 3.. However, many voluntourists do not see volunteering as what it is. They think it is a cheap way of travelling and don’t really want to get involved in hard work.
While voluntourism has been around for over a century, modern volunteering started with the Peace Corps, a program that the US government started in the 1960s. From then on, voluntourism has become more and more popular. Many organizations start similar projects. 4.. And they have hundreds of different types of programs for people to choose from in more than 30 developing countries. The programs run year round and each volunteer chooses when they want to start and the duration they would like to stay for.
5.. They say that if people really want to help those in need, there are many opportunities in their own community to do this. On the other side, volunteers are often not skilled enough for the tasks that they do. Travel experts point out that in some cases voluntourists are often taken advantage of by the organization that sets up the trips.
A. Not everyone sees voluntourism in a positive way.
B. Some of them establish lasting bonds with people there.
C. And there are those who are bored and merely seek adventure.
D. Most voluntourism organizations employ people from similar fields.
E. They find it is the best way to get the best of the world.
F. By participating in voluntourism, they are contributing to local economy.
G. They offer voluntourism trips to suit people’s interest, experience level or age.
It is quite reasonable to blame traffic jams, the cost of gas and the great speed of modern life, but manners on the road are becoming horrible. Everybody knows that the nicest men would become fierce tigers behind the wheel. It is all right to have a tiger in a cage, but to have one in the driver's seat is another matter.
Road politeness is not only good manners, but good sense. It takes the most cool-headed drivers great patience to give up the desire to beat back when forced to face rude driving. On the other hand, a little politeness goes a long way towards reducing the possibility of quarreling and fighting. A friendly nod or a wave of thanks in answer to an act of politeness helps to create an atmosphere of good will and becomes so necessary in modern traffic conditions. But such behaviors of politeness are by no means enough. Many drivers nowadays don’t even seem able to recognize politeness when they see it.
However, misplaced politeness can also be dangerous. Typical examples are the driver who waves a child crossing the street at a wrong place into the path of oncoming cars that may not be able to stop in time. The same goes for encouraging old ladies to cross the road wherever and whenever they want to.
An experienced driver, whose manners are faultless, told me it would help if drivers learnt to correctly join in traffic stream without causing total blockages(堵塞) that give rise to unpleasant feelings. Unfortunately, modern drivers can’t even learn to drive, let alone master the roadmanship (公路驾车技能). Years ago, experts warned us that the fast increase of the car ownership would demand more give-and-take from all road users. It is high time for all of us to take this message to heart.
1.According to the passage, troubles on the road are often caused by_______________ .
A. the great speed of modern life B. traffic jams
C. terrible road conditions D. the behavior of the drivers
2.In the writer’s opinion, a good driver should________________ .
A. beat back when forced to face rude driving
B. show road politeness properly
C. join in traffic stream quickly however other people feel
D. encourage old ladies to cross the roads whenever they want to
3.The following statements are right EXCEPT that______________.
A. Some modern drivers are not good at driving
B. Road politeness is good sense as well as good manners
C. A friendly driver should nod or wave thanks in answer to an act of politeness
D. It is also right to have a tiger in the driver's seat
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A. Road politeness B. Traffic problems
C. Good manners D. Modern drivers
People who often eat nuts appear to live longer, according to the latest study of its kind. The findings, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, suggested the greatest benefit was in those eating them on their daily diet.
Eating nuts was linked to a healthier lifestyle including being less likely to smoke or be overweight and more likely to exercise. The British Heart Foundation said more research was needed to prove the link, “While this is an interesting link, we need further research to make sure if it's the nuts that protect heart health, or other sides of people’s lifestyle.”
The study followed nearly 120,000 people for 30 years. The more regularly people ate nuts, the less likely they were to die during the study. People eating nuts once a week were 11% less likely to have died during the study than those who never ate nuts. Lead researcher Dr. Charles Fuchs, from the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute and Brigham and Women’s Hospital, said, “The most obvious benefit was a decrease of 29% in deaths from heart disease, but we also saw a significant reduction of 11% in the danger of dying from cancer.”
They suggest nuts are lowering cholesterol(胆固醇) and insulin resistance(胰岛素抗性). Nuts contain unsaturated fat(不饱和脂肪), protein(蛋白质) and several kinds of vitamins and minerals and they can take the place of snacks like chocolate bars, cakes and biscuits.
Victoria Taylor, senior expert at the British Heart Foundation, said, “This study shows close connection between regularly eating a small handful of nuts and a lower risk of death from heart disease.” Choosing plain, unsalted foods rather than sweet, salted, or chocolate-covered will keep your salt and sugar intake down.
1.According to the passage, what kind of people benefit most from eating nuts?
A. Those who eat most nuts at a time. B. Those who eat most nuts.
C. Those who eat nuts on their daily diet. D. Those who eat less nuts.
2.Which kind of disease had a most decrease for regular nuts eater?
A. Cancer B. Heart disease
C. Stomach disease D. Unknown.
3.The writer developed the article mainly by__________________.
A. the order of time B. specific examples
C. listing data D. comparing the difference
4.Which section should the passage be taken from the newspaper?
A. Science section B. Health section
C. Entertainment section D. Tech section
One day when I was five, my mother scolded me for not finishing my rice and I got angry. I wanted to play outside and not be made to finish eating my old rice. In my angry movement to open the screen door with my foot, I had kicked back about a 12-inch part of the lower left hand corner of the new screen door. But I had no remorse, for I was happy to be playing in the backyard with my toys.
Today, I know if my child had done what I did, I would have scolded my child, and told him about how expensive this new screen door was, and I would have delivered a spanking for such behavior. My parents never said a word. They left the corner of the screen door be, creating an opening, a breach (裂缝) in the defense against unwanted insects.
For years, every time I saw that corner of the screen, it would constantly remind me of my mistake. For years I knew that everyone in my family would see that hole and remember who did it. For years, every time I saw a fly buzzing in the kitchen, I would wonder if it came in through the hole that I had created with my angry foot. I would wonder if my family members were thinking the same thing, silently blaming me every time a flying insect entered our home, making life more terrible for us all.
My parents taught me a valuable lesson, one that a spanking or stern (严厉的) words perhaps could not deliver. Their silent punishment for my behavior delivered a hundred stern messages to me. Above all, it has helped me become a more patient person and not burst out so easily.
1.The underlined word “ remorse” in Paragraph 1 most probably means_____________.
A. injury B. sense
C. regret D. notice
2.When the author damaged the door, his parents_____________.
A. scolded him for his bad behavior B. gave him a spanking
C. told him how expensive it was D. left the door unrepaired
3.How did the author feel every time he saw the damaged door?
A. He felt it destroyed the happy atmosphere at his home.
B. He found that his family members no longer liked him.
C. He felt ashamed of his uncontrolled anger at that time.
D. He felt he had to work hard to make up for the damage.
4.What is the main idea of this text?
A. Silent punishment may have a better effect on educating people.
B. What the best way to become a more patient person is.
C. Adults should ignore their children’s bad behavior.
D. Parents are the best teachers of their children.
● Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy by Karen Foxlee
Type: Fantasy
When Ophelia moves to a strange city where it never stops snowing, she discovers a boy locked away for 75 years in a museum. She must help the boy before the Snow Queen freezes the world. Along the way, Ophelia learns how to believe in things she cannot see.
Targeted readers: People who like fairy tales would enjoy this book.
● A Hundred Horses by Sarah Lean
Type: Mystery
The wooden horse Nell brings along during her visits to aunt and cousins is stolen by a girl named Angel. As Nell finds out Angel’s true identity, a bond grows between them and a group of 99 horses. Word has it that the 100th horse is magical. But where is it? Nell doesn’t know, but Angel might know.
Targeted readers: Kids who like animals and nature will be sure to find this book exciting.
● How to Catch a Bogle by Catherine Jinks
Type: Fantasy
Birdie is an orphan who is good at trapping monsters with her singing voice. She is the only goblin hunter in the forest. When kids go missing, it’s up to her to figure out why.
Targeted readers: Anyone who is looking for monsters will take great pleasure in this book.
● I Even Funnier: A Middle School Story by James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
Type: Fiction
After a car accident Jamie loses his family, so he moves in with his aunt, uncle and his cousin Stevie, whose basic aim is to trick Jamie. But Jamie keeps having a positive attitude and running after his goals. He has been recently honored the Funniest Kid Comic of New York State.
Targeted readers: This book would be great for anyone who is fond of humorous books.
1.Which writer tells a story about a girl saving the world?
A. Karen Foxle B. Sarah Lean
C. Catherine Jinks D. James Patterson and Chris Grabenstein
2.Nature lovers may take interest in _______________ .
A. Ophelia and the Marvelous Boy B. A Hundred Horses
C. How to Catch a Bogle D. I Even Funnier: A Middle School Story
3.Who goes through life challenges without losing heart?
A. Ophelia B. Nell
C. Birdie D. Jamie
假如你是李华，是红星外国语学校的学生会主席，根据双方约定，你们打算今年夏天去英国Studio School进行四个星期的学习和旅游．请你写信给Studio School，就下面事宜进行通告．
1．你们一行有30人，其中2位教师，18位男生，10位女生，希望他们安排home﹣stay家庭；
2．你们的计划为上午，上课，下午到图书馆学习，晚上自由活动，周末安排旅游，
3．盼望对方尽早发出正式邀请，以便办理正式手续．
注意：1．可以适当增减细节，使其连贯完整；
2．词数100左右，信的开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总词数．
参考词汇：
办理手续go through all the procedures 正式邀请函formal invitation
Dear Sir，
I'm Li Hua， Chairman of the Students' Union of Hongxing Foreign Language School．
__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Best wishes !
Yours sincerely，
Li Hua
