Albert Einsein said，“Only a life lived for others is worth living.”
How does this job offer sound? You’ll need to be available on short notice，including late at night and on weekends. You could be asked to do anything from helping at community events to responding to life-threatening emergencies (sometimes putting your own safety at risk). This job also involves a lot of regular training. Oh, and you won't be paid for any of this. Would you take the job?
This job might not necessarily appeal to everyone, but if this sounds like an opportunity you’d eagerly accept，then you’d fit right in with Western Australia’s 26,000 emergency service volunteers. The emergency services aren't the only industry benefiting from volunteers. Across both Australia and America, between a quarter and half of the population volunteer each year in areas including education, sports, health, religion, and social services.
What motivates people to volunteer? Yes, volunteers don't get paid. But it doesn't mean people don't get benefits from volunteering. Indeed, research shows there are significant mental health benefits coming with volunteering. It can be a means to make new friends, build new skills or try things out of your comfort zone. It can also be a means to help loved ones. A case is someone close to me who recently lost her husband to a disease. When her husband was admitted to a nursing facility, she decided to volunteer for the patient advocacy committee. She found great support and felt she could make a difference in the lives of the patients. After her husband's passing, she decided to continue volunteering for the committee not only as a way to show gratitude for the great care her husband received but also because she made friends there. She found a way to put her career skills to use for the common good and keep active after retirement.
There are countless ways to volunteer. No matter how you do it, it is definitely worth every minute you put into it.
1.If we are committed to “this job” described in Para. 2, we are _______.
A. always in danger of losing our lives
B. on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
C. busy providing first-aid training in communities
D. going to work on weekends and rest on weekdays
2.What does the author mainly tell us in the third paragraph?
A. Not everyone is fit to be a volunteer.
B. Many industries in the world need volunteers.
C. Many emergency services exist in Western Australia.
D. Many people devote themselves to volunteering in Australia and America.
3.We can come to the conclusion that volunteering _______.
A. is a win-win situation
B. benefits both the body and the mind
C. spreads quickly among people
D. is hard to stick to without rewards
4.The author's friend kept volunteering after her husband's death _________.
A. for her interest to learn career skills
B. to stay helpful and related to people
C. as a means to get over her great loss
D. because it was her husband's last will
5.What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?
A. To encourage volunteering.
B. To advertise a job opportunity.
C. To express gratitude to volunteers.
D. To give advice on volunteering.
In some islands north of Scotland, if head lice (头虱) left their host, he became sick and feverish. Therefore, sick people had lice put in their hair intentionally. There was a method in their madness： As soon as the lice had settled in again, the patient improved. The story explains the confusion of cause and effect. If the lice leave the sick host, it is because he has a fever and they simply get hot feet，and when the fever breaks，they return. Such false causality (假因果关系）misleads us every day.
Consider the headline: “Fact: Women Who Use Shampoo XYZ Every Day Have Stronger Hair.” It says very little -- least of all, that the shampoo makes your hair stronger. It might simply be the other way round: women with strong hair tend to use Shampoo XYZ -- and perhaps that’s because it says “especially for thick hair” on the bottle.
Another example: Scientists found that long periods in the hospital did harm to patients. But, clearly, patients who are dismissed immediately are healthier than those who must stay on for treatment.
Recently I read that students get better grades at school if their homes contain many books. This study was surely a shot in the arm for booksellers, but it was also false causality. This simple truth is that educated parents tend to value their children's education more than uneducated ones do, and they often have more books at home. In short, a dust-covered copy War and Peace alone isn't going to influence anyone's grades; what counts is parents' education levels, as well as their genes.
There was also the supposed relationship between the birth rate and the numbers of stork (鹳）pairs in Germany. Both were in decline, and if you plot (描绘） them on a graph (曲线图)，the two lines of development from 1965 to 1987 appeared almost the same. Does this mean the storks actually bring babies? Obviously not. This was a purely accidental connection.
In conclusion: Connection is not causality. Take a closer look at linked events: Sometimes what is presented as the cause turns out to be the effect, or just the other way round， and sometimes there is no link at all -- just like with storks and babies.
1.According to the first paragraph, people in some islands north of Scotland _________.
A. found a way to get rid of head lice
B. used an effective method to keep flt
C. made head lice a part of their life
D. died due to infections with head lice
2.Which is an example of false causality?
A. Women with strong hair tend to use a certain shampoo.
B. The birth rate and the stork population are connected.
C. Longer periods in the hospital benefit patients.
D. Lice can make a person sick and feverish.
3.The underlined phrase “ a shot in the arm” in Paragraph 4 means _______.
A. pain B. defeat
C. guidance D. encouragement
4.According to the author, students get better grades probably because ______.
A. their homes are full of books
B. they have read War and Peace
C. their educated parents value education
D. their parents are successful booksellers
5.We can draw the conclusion from the passage that _______.
A. connection arc pure accidents
B. cause and effect are interdependent
C. connections are mostly cause and effect
D. linked events may turn out to be unrelated
The Governor’s School is described as a unique opportunity for high school students to involve themselves in math, science, and technology. When I signed up for computer programming, I expected to learn about coding (编程). However, what I didn’t expect was that I would also learn how to build strong friendships.
Just before I went there, I didn't know what to expect in the school, feeling quite at a loss. A sense of uncertainty about my future was flooding over me. On the first day, the students awkwardly moved around at the opening ceremonies. Although it is embarrassing to admit, I hadn't been able to succeed in my friendship in the past because I was too focused on myself. This time, I got rid of the desire to share personal stories and instead was eager to ask others about themselves.
After sunset on the second night, I heard three girls trying to recall the schedule for an upcoming museum trip. After effective communication, I knew they were Bree, Megan and Avery. Bree and Avery were in environmental science， and Megan was studying mathematics.
We had a lot in common among us four, such as our love for movies, which strengthened our friendships. Meanwhile, we were able to introduce each other to new activities. Bree introduced us to anime (日本动漫). Enthusiastically, Megan encouraged us to play tennis. Avery and I kept the other two motivated to work out at the gym. The fact that none of us was particularly skilled with equipment resulted in shared laughter almost every day.
After four weeks, I left with the ability to successfully code an educational computer game. More importantly, I also left with knowledge about the code of friendship -- the fact that I could make more friends in a month by showing interest in them than I could in a year by trying to attract others’ interest in me.
1.The author went to the Governor's School to originally learn how to _______.
A. code computer programs
B. make friends with others
C. develop her personal hobby and interest
D. share her personal stories with others
2.The author had failed in her friendship mainly because _________.
A. she was embarrassed to stay with her friends
B. she cared little about others
C. she longed to know about others
D. she focused her attention on her study
3.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Avery studied mathematics in the school.
B. The four girls had a wonderful time at school.
C. Though the four girls had nothing in common, they became good friends.
D. Before going to the Governor's School, the author had the basic knowledge about computers.
4.According to the author, the success code of friendship is _____.
A. getting others to be interested in her
B. adding more laughter to others’ life
C. keeping others motivated by stories
D. becoming more interested in others
5.What does the author tell us in the passage?
A. Her interest in the Governor’s School.
B. A close relation with three schoolmates.
C. Her experience in the Governor’s School.
D. Big changes in her study.
Beaches are not only great for lying on and doing water sports，and in fact one of the best ways of enjoying them is a classic beach walk. Here at iWantSun.co.uk we’ve been searching the globe to find you the world’s best and most famous beach walks，and here’s our pick of the top. Click on the most interesting walks and join our tourist program.
The Footpath of the Gods, Amalfi Coast，Italy
The name says it all really and you truly feel excited there, walking along this wonderful mountain path, which offers some of the most striking views on (he planet. The path begins at the town of Bomerano to charming Positano along the UNESCO World Heritage area of the Amalfi Coast. The whole walk will take you about four and a half hours to complete and pass over narrow rocky paths.
Sydney's Great Coastal Walk, Australia
Sydney's coastline is one of the most beautiful and diverse landscapes in the world. Here you have national parks, historic sites, shining and quiet beaches all in one place. Sydney's Great Coastal Walk runs all the way from Barrenjoey in the north to Royal National Park in the south and takes an unbelievable seven days to complete. However, if you're not up to doing the full walk, there are many different parts of the walk that you can do right in the city itself. Walking from the city9s famous Bondi Beach to the sweeping curve (大半径曲线）of Brone Beach takes just an hour, which takes in some top sceneries.
Great Ocean Walk, Australia
The Great Ocean Walk covers 104 km along Victoria's famous Great Ocean Road, located on the southern coast of Australia, from the holiday town Apollo Bay to the splendid Twelve Apostles. The Twelve Apostles are the area's famous stone landmarks which stand out like giants from the sea. The walk passes through a range of landscapes and sights, from national park, famous surfing spots and deserted beaches, to wild coastlines, waterfalls, lush (茂盛的）forests, historic lighthouses. Day walks and shorter three-hour walks such as The Wreck Beach Walk or the Lighthouse Cemetery and Lookout Walk can also be enjoyed.
So next time when you're looking for a beach holiday, don't just think about the holiday towns and the sand, but consider a more active sun holiday. If you have interest in any of the above places, please contact us, and we can give you the best services.
1.When you arrive at Amalfi Coast,_________.
A. the scenic beauty can fill you with charm
B. the walking can be started from Positano
C. you must be fed up with the footpath
D. narrow rocky paths may trap you
2.What are the distinct characteristics of Sydney's Great Coastal Walk?
A. It takes more than a week to complete the walk.
B. It provides visitors with a variety of great landscapes.
C. It really has the longest coastline in the world.
D. It starts from Royal National Park in Che south.
3.From the Great Ocean Walk, Australia we can know that _______.
A. most visitors have to finish the 104 km walk quickly
B. the Twelve Apostles stand below the surface of the sea
C. Apollo Bay is at the end of the Great Ocean Walk
D. visitors have various walking choices there
4.Where can we probably read the passage?
A. travel magazine. B. A handbook to tourists.
C. An online advertisement. D. A poster in a foreign travel agency.
5.The author intends to ________.
A. introduce the beautiful beaches in Australia
B. present the wonderful beaches in the world
C. tell us the ideal tourist destination for health
D. ask us to join the tourist program
As a teenager dreaming of a writing career, I was inspired to discover that two of my favorite movies were both written by a female team: Kirsten and her writing partner, Karen.
I didn’t think they’d take a young writer like me __ . But still, I wrote Kirsten an email letting her know that I had an idea I wanted to __ with her and Karen, and asked if they’d be __ to meet with me.
I didn’t even expect a(an) __ to my email. However, 12 days after I sent it, I received a(an) __ reply from Kirsten.
Her email included this line, which made me __ up from my computer chair: “Karen and I would be honored to __ you and to hear more about everything you're working on.” We met for ___the following week, and after a three-hour meal __ laughs and sisterly advice, a friendship was born.
___, Kirsten and Karen __ the idea I shared with them.
Their __ in my ideas at the earliest stage of my career is something I’ll never forget; it’s what made me believe that I could be a good __ too, just like them. And more importantly, our __ is still going strong all these years later.
In fact, Kirsten is the first person who ever suggested I __ a novel. Actually, she gave me this __ while we were standing on the Teens section of Barnes & Noble, a bookstore where several years later, our __ would sit together on the shelves.
I wish every young writer had someone like Kirsten in their life to help __ them on their way. As I looked at our books hanging out together on the bookstore shelf, I once again though how glad I was that I sent that __ years ago.
If you too have an idol who you would love to learn from, simply __ out and ask them. That might be all it takes to set you on the path to your dreams.
1.A. proudly B. seriously C. surprisingly D. kindly
2.A. share B. work C. experiment D. compare
3.A. ready B. hesitant C. willing D. satisfied
4.A. introduction B. comment C. suggestion D. response
5.A. accurate B. reliable C. convincing D. warm
6.A. jump B. throw C. turn D. look
7.A. call B. visit C. meet D. teach
8.A. training B. fun C. business D. dinner
9.A. replaced by B. filled with C. involved in D. based on
10.A. Amazingly B. Certainly C. Ridiculously D. Naturally
11.A. criticized B. doubted C. understood D. loved
12.A. improvement B. practice C. belief D. pride
13.A. actress B. writer C. director D. judge
14.A. friendship B. confidence C. difficulty D. pressure
15.A. write B. read C. buy D. lend
16.A. present B. chance C. advice D. task
17.A. books B. friends C. goods D. photos
18.A. remind B. comfort C. challenge D. guide
19.A. question B. paper C. email D. novel
20.A. watch B. reach C. drop D. stretch
______ for the fire at Notre Dame de Paris, a church famous for its large collection of art treasures, I would be there for a visit this summer vacation.
A. Had it not been B. Should it not be
C. Were it not be D. If it had not been
