Today’s students are surrounded by information. The ability to figure out exactly why authors write—and not accept every opinion as fact—is a key skill. 1. The following strategies teach them how to figure out why authors really write.
Start with why. “Why did the author write this piece?” is the key question asked to identify author’s purpose. To help students expand their understanding of “why,” post various types of nonfiction (an advertisement, opinion article, news article, etc.) around your classroom and have students quickly identify a purpose for each. 2.
Talk about structure. Authors use different structures for different purposes. For example, one author may use time order to explain an event, while another author uses compare and contrast to put that event into context.
3.Often when authors write, they’re trying to get readers to feel a certain way. Perhaps the author of an article about whale conservation wants readers to feel sad about the difficult situation of whales. Or the author of a letter may want to make the recipient feel better about a situation. After students read a text, stop and ask: How do you feel? And how did the author get you to feel this way?
Connect it to students’ own writing. It doesn’t have to be said that writing and reading go hand in hand. 4. When students are asked to write about a topic that they think everyone should know about, to explain a procedure or to share a personal memory, they’ll become more conscious of how authors approach writing.
Observe how purpose changes within a text. Author’s purpose is often studied through the text as a whole, but authors have different reasons for writing within texts as well. 5. Then, they may launch into a list of facts that make the reader feel discouraged about the situation. And finally, they may conclude with an appeal. Take a short article and break it apart, identifying the different purposes so that students see how author’s purpose changes as they read.
A. Get to the heart.
B. Identify the topic.
C. The readers may get more advanced in their work with informational text.
D. For example, an author may include a funny anecdote (轶事) to draw the reader in.
E. In particular, they'll need to figure out author’s purpose and draw their own conclusions.
F. Expand students' awareness of why people write by having them write for different purposes.
G. Or keep a running Author's Purpose board with a list of the various reasons that authors write.
Rescue workers had collected 820 birds from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, the majority of them already dead. The current spill promises to be the largest in US history, and as cleanup efforts stretch across the summer, it's clear that more oiled birds will be found, stuck and suffering in the black stick liquid. And as they do with every oil spill, rescue workers will go to great lengths to capture and clean the survivors hoping to restore them to their natural habitat.
Is it worth the effort? Some scientists aren’t so sure. Because the stress of being captured and bathed is as significant as the horror of being immersed in oil, and because research suggests that many rescued birds die shortly after being released, some experts say euthanasia (安乐死) is a more humane option.
Clean bird feathers repel water (防水) and regulate body temperature while dirty ones don't. Oil in particular makes feathers heavier and decreases their ability to trap air, which in turn makes birds weak and become easier to drowning, overheating and organ damage. Of course, being captured and cleaned is no picnic either. Some birds wind up returning to their destroyed habitats only to fall victim to the oil again. And those who manage to avoid a second oil bath suffer dramatically shortened life spans (跨度) and lower reproductive success. Of the thousands of birds that were rescued from the Prestige oil spill off the coast of Spain in 2002, only 600 were released into the wild; most of the rest died after just a few days in captivity.
However, bird rescuers say they have learned a lot about how to best help oil-soaked birds, and that therefore, survival rates stand to increase this time around. In the past, birds were cleaned right away, and volunteers often worked through the night bathing rescued birds. But now, captured birds are left to rest for a day or two before being cleaned, and only washed during the day, so as not to disrupt their circadian (生理的) rhythms. But part of that increase may be due to greater selectivity on the part of rescuers. The workers do blood tests right in the field now and birds that are loaded with hydrocarbons (碳氢化合物) or don’t look like they’re going to make it are put down right away, rather than subjected to the stress of captivity and cleaning.
And so far, while release rates may be improving, there is little evidence of better medium or long-term survival, especially for the more-difficult-to-save species. There still aren’t good protocols (协议) for repairing the internal organ damage. Anyway, rescue efforts will continue in large part because the public demands that. Euthanasia is a difficult thing to do, especially for people who have built their lives around saving animals.
1.Why do some scientists doubt the effort to rescue oiled birds?
A.Because it has cost too much time and money.
B.Because human may be infected with the bird virus.
C.Because it is torture followed by death to birds.
D.Because migrant birds may broaden the pollution.
2.The case of Spain coast spill is mentioned to indicate ________.
A.thousands of birds were polluted by oil
B.the survival rate of oiled birds was very low
C.the efforts to rescue oiled birds were ineffective
D.captivity is an impractical method to rescue binds
3.Why do the survival rates of oiled birds increase?
A.Oiled birds are kept in warm water for one or two days
B.The second cleaning of the oiled birds in daytime is not permitted
C.The rescuers often select the birds that are likely to survive
D.Hydrocarbons are removed to rescue the oiled birds
4.Why does oiled birds' rescue remain a controversial problem?
A.Oiled birds’ internal organ damage is permanent.
B.Euthanasia is a difficult and heart-aching operation.
C.The more-difficult-to-save species will die by cleaning.
D.The rescue is oiled birds’ suffering while seeing them die is cruel.
Valentine's Day is supposed to be about love and romance. But unfortunately, it can be just the opposite. Because of that, Feb. 15th starts the busy season for divorce lawyers, as people who were unhappy with their marriages heading into the day often decide that they no longer want to be with the one they used to love.
A study of divorce filings (档案) in New York, Illinois and California by AttorneyFee. com, a legal referral (推荐) site, found that February is the busiest month of the year for divorce filings, up about 18% from the average month. And those seeking referrals for a divorce lawyer on the site increase 38% following the holiday, with the biggest rise on the day after Valentine’s.
Another legal site, Avvo. com, reports a 40% increase in those seeking information and advice about divorce in the period right after Valentine’s Day.
“There's a very large number of people who are considering the divorce all the time, deciding whether or not to file," said Richard Komaiko, a co-founder of AttorneyFee. “On Valentine’s Day, this thing is carefully considered.”
Komaiko said February has factors other than the holiday that could lead to an increase in divorces. January is the busiest month of the year for bankruptcy (破产) filings, highlighting the financial problems that often divide couples. In addition, the cold weather of February can keep couples that are having trouble indoors and closer to each other, adding to problems.
But Alton Abramowitz, president of the American Academy of Matrimonial Lawyers, believes the holiday itself often worsen the relationship for couples who are having trouble. "There’s always the clients who come in a day or two after saying ‘I can’t believe it. I made this beautiful dinner for my husband for Valentine’s Day, but he called to say he was stuck in the office and then didn't come home at all.’" Abramowitz said, “the day can create problems that lead to them finally getting caught."
1.What makes Valentine’s Day convey the meaning opposite to love and romance?
A.Valentine's Day won't bring people love and romance.
B.Many divorce filings change the nature of Valentine's Day.
C.Couples having troubles tend to break up after Valentine's Day.
D.Divorce lawyers dislike the atmosphere of Valentine's Day.
2.According to the study made by AttorneyFee. com, divorce filings are ________.
A.occurring most after the new year B.less connected with Valentine's Day
C.more likely to be handled online D.at the height of popularity in February
3.People intending to divorce may make use of Valentine’s Day to ________.
A.reflect on the divorce B.take legal action
C.make negotiations D.put the divorce aside
4.According to Komaiko, why do divorces grow in number in February?
A.Because financial problems and cold weather may bring more problems.
B.Because the long winter holiday makes couples hard to get through.
C.Because the husband is too busy with work to spend the day with his wife.
D.Because Valentine’s Day gets couples into financial trouble.
Osaka, Japan—Defending champions China lifted the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup trophy（奖杯）with perfect 11 straight wins after easing past Argentina 3-0 here on Sunday. With their eleventh win at the 2019 FIVB Volleyball Women’s World Cup, China won the FIVB Women’s Volleyball World Cup.
This year, the World Cup has been played across different cities, and Team China had training sessions even on traveling days when some participating teams chose to rest up after a tiring flight.“Coach Lang focuses on details of the technique in the training sessions, and I feel our team has become more balanced.” Captain Zhu Ting said. This firm approach explains how China managed to turn the table against the United States at the World Cup. Never quit, especially in adversity. That’s what the spirit of Chinese women’s volleyball means.
When the team struggled, Zhu was always there, doing whatever was needed to carry the team forward. That’s why she has become a national volleyball icon, just like “Iron Hammer” Lang. As for Lang, she took over the flag from her former coach Yuan Weimin, who was behind China’s rise in the beginning. From coach Yuan to coach Lang, and spiker（主攻手） Lang to spiker Zhu, the flag bearers may have changed over time, but the craving for championships and the steely desire and determination remain the same.
Volleyball is a team sport and behind the on-court team, there is always a supportive coaching team and staff. Lai was one of the members, shouldering responsibilities as both vice director of China’s Volleyball Management Center and as assistant coach. Apart from coordinating between coaches and players, Chinese coaches and foreign coaches and sometimes within Chinese coaches, she also has to do chores. During Rio 2016, assistant coach Yuan Lingxi headed for the arena（竞技场）at 6am every day to film the matches and would return to the Olympic Village at 2am when he would start analyzing China’s opponents and file reports. There are many Lais and Yuans that are not known by the public, but who remain indispensable for the team to overcome difficulties and reach their peak.
1.What does the spirit of Chinese women’s volleyball mean according to paragraph 2?
A.Being a special team. B.Sticking to the end.
C.Winning every game. D.Training hard every day.
2.Why does Zhu Ting become a national volleyball icon?
A.She wins many awards in the World Cup.
B.She keeps strong desire and determination.
C.She takes lots of training after the tiring flight.
D.She does almost everything to help the team forward.
3.What does the author intend to convey in the last paragraph?
A.Hard work is vital in volleyball matches.
B.The coach has a great influence on players.
C.The staff behind the on-court team is also essential.
D.Understanding opponents is necessary to win the game.
I work as the reception manager at my hotel.
A booking came in a few weeks ago with a note attached that a guest would be travelling with her deaf father. This note helped us in preparing for their arrival. As they would be here for a number of days, his daughter wanted to make his trip to Ireland as smooth as possible.
Upon seeing this note and knowing I would be the one to check them in, I decided to learn some very basic sign language. I greeted the guest in my usual fashion, asking for the surname on the booking. Once I heard the name，I immediately realized who was standing in front of me.
I had been learning for two weeks how to say: “Welcome to Ireland. My sign language is terrible, but please, if you need anything during your stay, just let me know and we will help you.”
I smiled at the father and daughter in front of me. Turning to the father, I greeted him in ASL (American Sign Language) and began the bit I had learned for him. His daughter broke down crying and told me I was sweet. But the father just smiled and was so happy. Honestly, seeing his reaction was enough for me. It was absolutely worth the last few weeks of learning basic ASL.
Sadly, I wasn’t working the day they checked out, but they left a gift for me, a small box with some chocolates and a book on ASL. Inside was a note saying: “Thank you very much for what you did. My father has been in amazing spirits from the time you checked us in and insisted we get you a gift before we left. You have no idea how much this meant to my father and me, and we can’t thank you enough. You've made his trip very special with one simple gesture.”
I cried for a solid five minutes when I came into work the next day and found this gift in my locker.
1.The daughter left a note when booking the hotel in order to __________.
A.ask for special service for herself
B.give some useful advice to the hotel
C.express gratitude to the hotel manager
D.make her father’s trip more comfortable
2.The daughter cried when they checked in because __________.
A.the author’s sign language was really terrible
B.her father was unwilling to live in that hotel
C.she appreciated what the author had done for her father
D.the author wouldn’t be working when they checked out
3.Seeing the father’s reaction during check-in, the author probably felt __________.
A.thankful B.satisfied
C.disappointed D.regretful
4.From this passage, we can know that __________.
A.the author made the daughter’s check-out smooth
B.the author was deeply moved by an unexpected gift
C.the daughter cried for five minutes before they left
D.the daughter asked the author to learn sign language
假定你是李华。你的美国朋友Sam得知你最近参加了由学校组织的研学旅行活动，来信向你咨询相关情况，请你给他回信，内容包括：
1. 活动目的；
2. 活动地点和内容；
3. 活动感受。
注意：
1. 格式已为你写好，不计入总词数; 2. 词数：100左右。
参考词汇：研学旅行study trip
Dear Sam,
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
