It was New Year's night. An aged man was standing at the window. The days of his youth appeared like dream before him, and he _____ the serious moment when his father placed him at the ____ of the two roads: one leading to a peaceful, sunny place _____ with flowers, fruits and resounding with soft, sweet songs, and the other leading to a deep dark cave which was ______, and where poison flowed and snakes crawled.
He looked towards the sky and cried ___ Oh youth, return! Oh, my father, place me once more at the entrance to life and I'll ___ the better way! "But both his father and the days of his youth had ___ .
He saw the lights flowing away in the darkness, and these were the days of his wasted life. He saw a star __ from the sky and disappeared, and this was the _____ of himself. His ______, which was like a sharp arrow, struck deeply into his heart. Then he remembered his friends in his childhood, which entered life together with him. But they had made their way to _____ and were now ______ and happy on this New Year's night.
The clock in the high church tower struck and the sound made him remember his parents' early____for him. They had taught him and prayed to God for his good. But he chose the wrong way with ___and grief so that he dared no longer to look towards the __ where his father lived. His __ eyes were full of tears, and with a despairing（绝望的）effort, he burst out a cry:" Come back, my early days! Come back!"
And his youth did _____ ,for all this was only a dream which he had on New Year's night. He was still young though his faults were real. He had not yet entered the deep dark cave, and he was _______free to walk on the road which leads to the peaceful and sunny land.
Those who still linger on（徘徊）the entrance of life _____ to choose the bright road, remember that when years are passed and your feet stumble（绊倒）on the dark mountains, you will cry bitterly, but ______ ."Oh youth return! Oh give me back my early days! ”
1.A.recorded B.recalled C.doubted D.dreamt
2.A.entrance B.end C.middle D.top
3.A.filled B.covered C.grew D.dropped
4.A.bright B.amazing C.Common D.endless
5.A.loudly B.painfully C.happily D.continuously
6.A.abandon B.build C.choose D.change
7.A.washed away B.passed away C.ran away D.broke away
8.A.fall B.rise C.freeze D.shine
9.A.quality B.harvest C.means D.symbol
10.A.sword B.regret C.pride D.feeling
11.A.success B.cave C.failure D.reality
12.A.worried B.deserted C.honored D.frightened
13.A.love B.misleading C.anxiety D.scold
14.A.joy B.heart C.care D.shame
15.A.heaven B.cemetery C.hell D.house
16.A.dried B.darkened C.lighted D.satisfied
17.A.disappear B.remain C.return D.promise
18.A.never B.still C.hardly D.always
19.A.hesitating B.deciding C.refusing D.claiming
20.A.in brief B.in surprise C.in use D.in vain
Those who are good at expressing gratitude often practice the following.
Don't avoid the negative.
Expressing gratitude may generate more optimism. 1. Emmons, a gratitude researcher and psychology professor at the University of California, says that while we often associate gratitude with focusing on the good and avoiding the bad, the key to leading a thankful life is embracing setbacks as part of your overall journey. Emmons suggests recalling a hard time you once experienced. Chances are that you'll start to feel grateful for your current state and overcoming former challenges.
Spend time with loved ones.
2. They make it a habit to spend time with those people who matter most. "Gratitude really helps us connect to other people," Emmons says. "It actually strengthens relationships and relationships are the strongest predictors of happiness and coping with stress."
3.
There's power in the small, ordinary moments, like catching the subway before the doors close or your pet greeting you happily when you get home. Look for a few things to add to your gratitude list.
Volunteer.
Everyone needs a little help sometimes and grateful people know there's no other way to acknowledge this than by actively doing something about it. In his book, Thanks! Emmons wrote, ” 4.” As research published in BMC Public Health points out, volunteering can result in lower feelings of depression and increased overall well-being.
Love yourself.
Grateful people know that their thankful attitude can also fuel self-compassion. A study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences found that higher levels of gratitude were associated with greater self-esteem. And it's no wonder: When your well-being is a priority, you can't help but feel great. Thankful for being the person that you are5.
A. Know the value of the little things.
B. Since service to others helped them to find their own inner spirituality, they were grateful for the opportunity to serve.
C. Help others appreciate the value of the little things.
D. However, thankful people also don't shy away from the negative.
E. That should be at the top of your gratitude list.
F. Thankful people know they didn't get to where they are by themselves.
G. Gratitude and fitness can go hand-in-hand.
I used to believe that love meant putting everyone else and their needs first, before my own. While I do think there is some truth to that, in the sense that being a giving person is one of the ultimate acts of being a loving person, I came to realize that I must give to and love myself first and foremost.
Here's why. When you put everyone and everything else above you, you are no longer valuing yourself and your needs. And when you are not meeting your needs, and you don't take care of yourself （emotionally, physically, mentally, spiritually）, you can't be the best version of yourself to the special people in your life. So in fact, you don't love them at your full potential!
Here are some things to consider. Are you physically taking care of yourself? Do you nourish yourself with the right foods? Do you get enough sleep and exercise? Are you at a healthy weight, and on top of your check-ups? If not, I bet your energy is low, you're tired and stressed, and your confidence isn't the highest （because you probably don't feel your best）. Now think about how much more you could give to others when you aren't exhausted, you're happy with what you see in the mirror, and you aren't on edge with stress.
Are you emotionally and mentally healthy? As humans, we're so complex and having ups and downs is normal. But in general, assess where you stand emotionally. If it's in a healthy place and you can manage your emotions in a healthy way - great! But if you self-soothe（自我安慰）in destructive ways and have a negative attitude and energy about you, realize that it's not just affecting you, but others too. When you aren't an emotionally and mentally healthy person, that energy pours into everything you do, and everyone you're around will feel the effects, too.
How's your spirituality? In this sense, spirituality is about having an ultimate purpose and being in tune with your true self. Do you wake up every day excited for what your life is about, and have gratitude for all the abundance you already have? If not, you may not be listening and living to what your heart truly desires. Living this way long term, may affect the essence（本质）of your inner being and, in turn, may not allow you to show up your very best for the world.
Be kind to yourself. It can be difficult to put your health and well-being first when life is demanding between your career, family, friendships, relationships, and so on. If you can think of any ways to improve your well-being and love yourself more, start today! Take a baby step towards this. Perhaps try getting an hour more of sleep. Move your body in a way that feels good. Take time for yourself to be with your thoughts and without distractions and feel that peace.
1.Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?
A.Put Others Above Yourself B.Keeping Physically Healthy
C.Meeting Your Own Demands D.Taking Good Care of Yourself
2.According to the passage, it can be concluded that .
A.only if you are at your best can you love your loved ones best
B.if on top of your health index, you're tired and stressed
C.being kind to yourself means being cruel to others
D.physical health is more important than mental health
3.Keeping spiritually healthy means .
A.dissatisfaction with what you have B.waking up in time every day
C.showing up your best for the world D.agreeing with your true self
4.Which of the following shows the right structure of the passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
Fifteen years ago, I took a summer vacation in Lecce in southern Italy. After climbing up a hill for a panoramic(全景的) view of the blue sea, white buildings and green olive trees, I paused to catch my breath and then positioned myself to take the best photo of this panorama.
Unfortunately, just as I took out my camera, a woman approached from behind, and planted herself right in front of my view. Like me, this woman was here to stop, sigh and appreciate the view.
Patient as I was, after about 15 minutes, my camera scanning the sun and reviewing the shot I would eventually take, I grew frustrated. Was it too much to ask her to move so I could take just one picture of the landscape? Sure, I could have asked her, but something prevented me from doing so. She seemed so content in her observation. I didn’t want to mess with that.
Another 15 minutes passed and I grew bored. The woman was still there. I decided to take the photo anyway. And now when I look at it, I think her presence in the photo is what makes the image interesting. The landscape, beautiful on its own, somehow comes to life and breathes because this woman is engaging with it.
This photo, with the unique beauty that unfolded before me and that woman who “ruined” it, now hangs on a wall in my bedroom. What would she think if she knew that her figure is captured(捕捉) and frozen on some stranger’s bedroom wall? A bedroom, after all, is a very private space, in which some woman I don’t even know has been immortalized(使……永存). In some ways, she lives in my house.
Perhaps we all live in each others’ spaces. Perhaps this is what photos are for: to remind us that we all appreciate beauty, that we all share a common desire for pleasure, for connection, for something that is greater than us.
That photo is a reminder, a captured moment, an unspoken conversation between two women, separated only by a thin square of glass.
1.What happened when the author was about to take a photo?
A.Her camera stopped working.
B.A woman blocked her view.
C.Someone asked her to leave.
D.A friend approached from behind.
2.According to the author, the woman was probably___________.
A.enjoying herself
B.losing her patience
C.waiting for the sunset
D.thinking about her past
3.In the author’s opinion, what makes the photo so alive?
A.The rich color of the landscape.
B.The perfect positioning of the camera.
C.The woman’s existence in the photo.
D.The soft sunlight that summer day.
4.The photo on the bedroom wall enables the author to better understand ____________.
A.the need to be close to nature
B.the importance of private space
C.the joy of the vacation in Italy
D.the shared passion for beauty
Dear Mom,
The big question which shocked parents often ask their child after a confrontational（冲突） moment is, "Where did you get this attitude from?" I know you hate to admit it, but I get much of my determined and strong-willed nature from you.
Mom, I know it's hard dealing with the teenage anxiety and the ever-changing moods that come with raising a child. But you should also marvel at the fact that I've made it this far, that I'm healthy and happy.
When I was small, I would attend barbecues and family events and wander away from my parents. It wouldn't be long before someone would stop me to ask whether I was my mother's daughter.
"Your mom is Melissa," they'd say, a warm smile on their faces. "Is that Tight?” I would nod. I think parents feel much hurt when their child talks back or defies them, I was shocked at this statement. To me, I acted nothing like you, Mom.
No one says, ”I know you're Melissa's daughter because of your eyes and nose". It's the character traits（特点）that seal the deal. Dry wit, intelligence, and yes, maybe a little bit of attitude-these are the things I am grateful I have received from you. There's nothing wrong with having attitude.
Like for most black individuals, attitude is what defines you and me, and it's what keeps us from being mentally oppressed and defeated. Attitude is a non-violent form of protection and confrontation-where would we be in the world without this tool? Surely not where we are.
Mom, when people ask me where I get my attitude from, I tell them: you. And when they ask me where I got my drive, my work ethic, my good hair, and my sense of humor, I say you as well. I will always say this.
When I'm asked why I am the way I am, why I refuse to allow others to hurt me with their words or actions and why I think and speak about things openly and without fear. I'll tell them it's because of you.
I'll complain to you about the arguments between us that leave me wondering about how God made us so much alike that we hardly even noticed. But I'll tell them about you.
Love,
Malahni
1.In this letter, Malahni mainly expressed her to her mother.
A.complaint B.love
C.argument D.anxiety
2.People recognized Malahni as Melissa's daughter mainly because of her .
A.appearance B.behavior
C.character traits D.race
3.The underlined word "defies" in the 4th paragraph most probably means
A.refuses to obey B.agrees with
C.takes pride in D.tries to understand
4.Malahni can be a woman .
A.easy to be oppressed and defeated B.hard to get along with
C.with a positive attitude towards life D.with violent confrontation
Amazing Kids! Wild Jungle Writing Contest 2020
Amazing Kids' Magazine is proud to announce that we will be hosting a Wild Jungle Writing Contest this fall! Send us your best jungle-themed stories using this starter: "I had no idea why they were standing there.
This contest is open to grades K-12, with three groups of K-3, 4-8, and 9-12. Three winners from each age group will be chosen to win Amazing Kids' prizes, along with an official certificate verifying（证实）their winning entry. All participants will receive a certificate of participation in the contest.
Submit all entries by September 30 to be considered! Email editor@amazing-kids.org for more questions about rules and specifications.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: How should I format my entry?
A: Stories should be written in English, with submissions of less than 1,200 words. Please submit your entry as a Microsoft Word document.
Q:How do I submit my entry?
A: E-mail your submission to editor@amazing-kids.org. Each e-mail submission will receive a return message verifying that the essay was received.
Q:Is there just one prize?
A: No. Nine separate prizes will be given out, with a cash value of $20 for first place, $15 for second place, and $10 for third place in each age group. Certificates of participation will also be awarded to each participant in the contest.
1.Which of the following stories suits the contest most ?
A.A couple lost their way in the jungle. B.A teenager caught a thief in a cave.
C.A pupil met a bear while searching the forest. D.A soldier saved a drowning boy.
2.A champion will receive .
A.a cash value of $15 B.a thank-you letter
C.only a certificate D.a prize and a certificate
3.What type of writing is the passage?
A.News. B.Summary.
C.Announcement. D.Guide.
