Hi Danny,
Greetings from the Great Barrier Reef! I’m riding on a sailing boat with some relatives as I write this. We’re diving here all next week. The reef is located in the Coral Sea that is off the northeast coast of Australia.
The reef is made up of many corals. Corals are very hard and made of many tiny animals called “polyps” that look like underwater flowers. The corals need help to eat. They have a special relationship with other small animals, “algae” (藻类), that take in sunlight and make energy for the coral. It’s the algae that give color to the corals. Because algae need sunlight, the corals are very close to the surface of the water.
Together, the many corals create a magical environment. They make a home for the animals that live in the sea. When I went diving the other day, I saw all types of different animals-dolphins, turtles (海龟) and sea snakes. I was surprised at being able to see some fish I see only in movies, like clown fish (小丑鱼). As I am diving, I can feel the spirit of this magical place. It seems that these animals aren’t surprised to see me. Maybe they think I’m another fish!
Sadly, according to scientists, the Great Barrier Reef is dying because the water is getting warmer due to global warming. As the ocean gets warmer, the algae that live in the corals are cut off from the food they need for making energy. As a result, they leave the corals, and the corals die and lose their color. We see many dead white corals when we dive. We need to stop global warming and keep the water from getting hotter!
See you soon,
Gloria
1.Where is Gloria writing from?
A.A sailing boat. B.Great Barrier Reef.
C.A hotel room. D.A relative’s house.
2.What do algae do for corals?
A.They give sunlight to the corals.
B.They make energy for the corals to grow.
C.They capture fish for the corals to eat.
D.They allow the corals to move around.
3.Why is the coral reef described as “magical”?
A.The author had never been there before.
B.The area can allow the animals to do magical things.
C.It’s another world with many animals and colors.
D.Corals grow only at the Great Barrier Reef.
4.Why is the writer sad about the future of the corals?
A.She fears they will eventually die from global warming.
B.When corals die, they lose their color and turn to a boring white.
C.Not enough people will have a chance to see this magical place.
D.She’s sad that the corals and algae will break their relationship.
Forget losing weight or saving money—we suggest one simple task to add to your list of inspiring New Year's decisions: read a book. Trust us, and your brain will thank you. Not only does reading increase the amount of daily pleasure in your life, but it could also delay dementia (痴呆) and even help you live longer.
But still, picking the perfect novel isn't easy. Thankfully, Business Insider asked a Harvard professor to recommend the one book he thinks every student should read in 2019—and we suggest adding it to your list, too. (No time for all the books on your list? Here's a shortcut: Read the endings to some of the world's most famous books, instead.)
Steven Pinker, Professor of Psychology at Harvard, recommends The Internationalists by legal scholars Hathaway and Shapiro. The book makes a surprising statement that the Kellogg-Briand Paris Peace Pact (条约) of 1928, which declared war illegal, has caused a steady drop in war throughout history.
“But in their fascinating and evidence-rich book, they make a lifelike case,” Pinker said. “And like The Clash of Civilizations and The End of History, the book presents a sweeping vision (视野) of the international scene, making sense of many developments in the news and recent history.”
Other professors at Harvard recommended classics like Anna Karenina by Tolstoy, as well as Just Mercy by Stevenson, The Theory of Moral Sentiments by Adam Smith, and Robot-Proof by Joseph Aoun.
So, go ahead and give (at least) one of these books a read in 2019! And while you're at it, you should add the following 20 books you really should have read by now to your list, too…
1.Which has the closest meaning to the underlined word “shortcut” in the 2nd paragraph?
A.A time-saving way to read books.
B.A lazy person's way to read books.
C.A quick way to know about endings of books.
D.A wise way to deal with too many books to read.
2.What or who has reduced the number of wars throughout history?
A.The Paris Peace Pact. B.The Internationalists.
C.Hathaway and Shapiro. D.A wide vision of the international scene.
3.What may be written in the next or last paragraph of the passage?
A.More advice on reading books.
B.The names of the 20 books recommended.
C.The main contents of the 20 books recommended.
D.The brief introduction of the 20 books recommended.
Student Accommodation (住处) to Let in London
One - bedroom flat
Riverside Gardens, W6 £ 1,250 pcm
This one - bedroom top floor flat is located at Riverside Gardens in Hammersmith. It is perfectly located for shopping and entertainment. Walking distance to Hammersmith Broadway, Ravens Court Park & the River Thames.
Key features (特点): Spacious living area; Fully equipped kitchen
Two - bedroom flat
New Orient House Chelsea, SW6 £ 1,148 pcm
This flat has easy access to West Brompton station where a quick change to the District Line will allow you to make good use of the London Underground. This means that you are within easy access of 21 higher education institutions including Imperial College London and Kings College London.
Key features: Excellent social spaces: movie room, games area and dining area
Private halls
Nido West Hampstead, NW6 £ 1,664 pcm
Our modern student accommodation is near West Hampstead Tube Station, allowing you to easily explore London. It is close to all major universities in the city. Our house team will look after you during your stay, all you need to worry about is living your best student life.
Key features: In - house gym (健身房)
Rooms for the 2019/2020 academic year start from just £ 229 pp/pw.
(pcm: per calendar month pp/pw: per person per week)
1.What will Tom who works part - time in a restaurant by Ravens Court Park probably choose?
A.The flat next to West Brompton station. B.An apartment at Nido West Hampstead.
C.The flat at Riverside Gardens. D.The flat at New Orient House Chelsea.
2.Who are most likely to choose the flat at New Orient House Chelsea?
A.Nature lovers. B.Party lovers.
C.Shopping fans. D.Gym fans.
3.How much will Jane spend at least each month, if she is going to live at Nido West Hampstead from Sept 1st, 2019?
A.£ 1,250. B.£ 1,148. C.£ 916. D.£ 229.
假如你叫李华，你的初中好友小明来信说他在高中第一个学期的学习中有很大的压力。寒假即将来临。希望你给他提供一些好的减压建议和方法。请你参考以下要点给他写一封回信。
1. 高中学习任务重，有压力是常有的现象；
2. 可以向身边的人求助，寻求有益的建议；
3. 也可以用适当的方式自我调节（self-adjustment）。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.可适当增加细节使行文流畅；
3.开头已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Xiaoming,
I am writing this letter to offer you some help to reduce your pressure.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（\）划掉。
修改：在错词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：
l.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词：
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
Dear Mrs Jones,
How is everything going?
Knowing your sixteenth birthday is coming, I'd like to say "Happy birthday" to you! I go to London and lived in your family one year ago. As a exchange student, I couldn't adapt(适应) ourselves to the new living environment and lifestyle there at first. It was you which told me not to be nervous and helped me get used them. Stay with you has become the most unforgettably experience for me now. Would you like to come to China to have visit me? If so, I'll show you around my city but take you to taste local delicious food. I'm sure you will like it.
I am looking forward to your early reply.
Yours,
Li Hua
Doing housework can make us keep life in order and get some exercise. As for me, I learn and get a lot 1.(much) than that.
I used to be lazy at home. Seeing this, my mother came up with 2. idea - I have to earn my pocket money by 3.(do) housework.
It changed me a lot. I have to manage my time to balance(平衡) schoolwork 4. house- work. For example, when I can't work5. a math problem, I prefer to sweep the floor or tidy up my room 6.(clear) my mind. I will make a good plan for every coin I earn. I keep an account (账目) to check 7. something is worth buying. Once my mother told me to buy some toiletries(洗漱用品). I 8.(quick) made a list, compared prices and 9.(buy) products that were on sale. I now have a habit of managing money and I know it's great 10. my mother to look after my family so well!
This is how I learn and get from doing housework - it's a skill that lasts a lifetime.
