Learn new skills
Study a new language that interests you. 1.. You’ll need to go over your vocabulary and grammar daily, so this will help you achieve your goal of learning something new every day. You can take a class at a community college, with a private tutor, or use online software. Choose a language that will benefit you in some ways. If your company has a branch in Japan, you might consider learning Japanese. If you’d love to travel to Italy, learn some basic Italian.
2.. Taking care of plants is a useful way to learn a new skill. You’ll need to learn how to select plants for your climate, figure out how to plant them, and how to care for them. You can find tips online, at your local gardening center, or by joining a local gardening club.
Improve your cooking skills for a useful hobby. Cooking is a skill that you can work on and learn about each day. If you’re a beginner, start slow. You might start by learning how to make scrambled (炒) eggs. 3., you can challenge yourself by trying new techniques and recipes.
Play a musical instrument if you love music. Learning to play a musical instrument requires daily practice. Each day, you can challenge yourself by learning new notes, new scales, or even a whole new song. 4..
Try dancing for a fun activity. Dancing is another skill that takes a lot of hard work. 5.. You can practice your steps at home and continually learn new routines. You can also watch dance videos online to learn to develop new skills.
A. You might travel abroad on holidays
B. If you show interest in learning cooking
C. Start a garden if you like the outdoors
D. When you begin to get the hang of it
E. Pick an instrument that you can access easily
F. Try taking dance classes at a nearby community center or dance school
G. Learning a new language is a great way to expand your knowledge
The sun is going to expand into the orbit of Mercury (水星) according to scientific calculations, which will result in the entire Earth catching fire, destroying all life. In order to survive, the United Earth Government prepares 10,000 giant engines on Earth to drive it away from its original orbit. The whole trip is expected to last 2,500 years.
This imaginative tale is at the heart of the science-fiction movie The Wandering Earth. The original novel was written by Liu Cixin, one of China’s most outstanding science-fiction writers and a prize winner of the Hugo Award in 2015 for his novel The Three-Body Problem.
Perhaps thanks to Liu’s fame, as well as the huge marketing efforts of the movie team, The Wandering Earth posted ticket sales of 670 million yuan when it was shown on the first day. More importantly, The Wandering Earth is the first “made-in-China” science-fiction movie on the big screen, as the director, Guo Fan, is also Chinese.
As a fan of Liu, having read almost all of his science-fiction books, I should mention the movie follows a rather different form from his novel. Actually, it only borrows from the novel the idea of the Earth having to escape the solar system. That’s just the point. It means Chinese movie production teams have grown enough to develop new ideas on the creative basis of science-fiction writers, while the writers are willing to work together with movie productions so that the film results in the best possible performance.
Liu may be a highly regarded science-fiction writer in China, but he is not the only one. There are many writers with rich imaginations, and their works can be adapted into movies, too. Someone has predicted that 2019 will mark the starting year of success for Chinese science-fiction movies. Only time will tell whether that prediction will come true. But if more professional movie teams and creative writers could work together, we can certainly expect more success for the domestic (国内的) science-fiction movie industry.
1.Why does the Earth have to escape from its original orbit in the story?
A.Because the sun is about to hit the Earth.
B.Because its original orbit will be occupied by Mercury.
C.Because the giant engines’ strong power will drive it away.
D.Because it has to avoid being destroyed by the coming disaster.
2.What can we learn about the movie from the passage?
A.It is adapted from a science-fiction novel.
B.Its author was once awarded for The Wandering Earth.
C.It achieved huge success mainly because of its author’s fame.
D.Its director Guo Fan is also a famous science-fiction writer in China.
3.What does the underlined word “it” in the fourth paragraph refer to?
A.The unexpected success of the movie.
B.The great success of the original novel.
C.The creative adaptation from the novel.
D.The imaginative idea from the novel.
4.What does the author think of the future of Chinese science-fiction movies?
A.There is a long way to go.
B.They will definitely success.
C.They have great potential.
D.It cannot be predicted.
Although we can’t know for certain how the earliest human beings kept track of the time, scientists believe they probably relied on the natural world around them. For example, historically, humans have relied upon the movement of the sun across the sky to track time. The ancient Egyptians built tall obelisks (方尖碑) that would cast shadows to help divide the day into sections.
These obelisks worked in much the same way as sundials (日晷), which were a popular means of timekeeping long ago. Of course, sundials didn’t help much at night or on cloudy days. To help keep time when it wasn’t sunny, ancient people also learned to track the movement of the planets and constellations (星座) after dark.
Other devices were developed over time, including hour glasses and water clocks. These devices relied upon the time it would take a particular substance (物质), such as sand or water, to move from one part of a container to another. Rather than clocks, though, these devices were more like timers.
How did people long ago set up a meeting at a certain time in the future? Some historians believe many people relied on a technique as simple as pointing to an area of the sky. When the sun reached that point, that’s when you would meet the next day.
Of course, humans, being the clever creatures we are, relied on a variety of natural solutions to the problem of timekeeping. For example, many people simply trained their bodies to wake up at the first light of dawn. Others may have relied upon animals, such as roosters, as alarm clocks.
If people had to be up before dawn, they might have depended on the full bladder (膀胱) method. By drinking a lot of water before going to bed, they would be assured of waking up in the middle of the night to go to the bathroom!
1.What do the examples suggest in Paragraph 1?
A.It was hard for people to track time.
B.The sun was important to people’s life.
C.People tracked time by the natural world.
D.The sun had something to do with time.
2.What might be helpful when people get together in the day?
A.The animal calls.
B.The shadows of obelisk
C.The position of the sun.
D.The planets and constellations.
3.Why did some people drink too much water at night?
A.To get up on time. B.To wake up at dawn.
C.To prevent thirst. D.To go to the bathroom.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A.When did Clock Appear?
B.Why is the Sun Important?
C.Where does Clock Come From?
D.How did People Keep Time before Clock?
Can you imagine being a billionaire at the age of 21? Entrepreneur (企业家), social media star and model Kylie Jenner has done just that. According to the business magazine Forbes, Ms Jenner has become the world’s youngest self-made billionaire. She is so successful that she became a billionaire two years younger than Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg. She made the majority of her fortune from her best-selling cosmetics (化妆品) business Kylie Cosmetics, which she started at the age of 15. She founded and owns the beauty company, which is estimated to be worth around $900 million.
Kylie Jenner was born in August 1997. She got into business at a young age. When she was 14, she created a line of clothing for a fashion brand. A year later, she launched her own cosmetics line called Kylie Lip Kits, which transformed into Kylie Cosmetics.
Jenner has been on TV screens since she was 10. Time magazine listed her as one of the most influential teens in the world. Today, Ms Jenner also has successful careers as a model, TV reality show star and social media personality.
When the magazine first reported last summer that Jenner would take over the title, she was met with debate from critics who argued over whether her success was “self-made” or merely because of being born into an already famous and wealthy family.
“I can't say I’ve done it by myself. I don’t have any inherited (通过继承得到的) money, but I have had a lot of help and a huge platform,” Jenner told Forbes when talking about her billionaire status. “I didn't expect anything. I did not foresee the future. But the recognition feels really good. That’s a nice pat on the back.”
1.Where was the majority of Kylie Jenner’s wealth from?
A.Her family. B.Social media.
C.Her modelling career. D.Her cosmetics business.
2.What did Kylie Jenner do in 2012?
A.She started her own cosmetics business.
B.She created a line of clothing for a fashion brand.
C.She began her career as a model and social media star.
D.She became the world’s youngest self-made billionaire.
3.What did critics argue about?
A.Whether Kylie Jenner was really that wealthy.
B.Whether Kylie Jenner would achieve greater success.
C.Whether Kylie Jenner succeeded in life all on her own.
D.Whether Kylie Jenner was among the most influential teens in the world.
4.What does the underlined phrase “a nice pat on the back” probably mean?
A.A huge challenge. B.A great encouragement.
C.An accurate prediction. D.A special requirement.
Located just steps from the Downtown Disney District, the Disneyland Hotel is a short walk to both Disneyland Park and Disney California Adventure Park.
Want to Visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge?
Guests staying at one of the three Disneyland Resort hotels between May 31 and June 23, 2019 will receive a reservation to visit Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge during their stay (one reservation per guest); valid (有效的) theme park admission is required.
During the reservation period, access to the experiences in Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge is subject to capacity. If the hotel reservation is cancelled, the Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge reservation will be cancelled.
Modern Accommodation with a Magical Touch
Rooms at the Disneyland Hotel are both traditional and creative, paying loving tribute (致敬) to the classic years of Disneyland Park. Special Disney decoration provides a stay that your entire family will enjoy.
Themed Pools with Waterslides
Make a splash (溅水) at our two towering waterslides — themed after the classic park attraction and featuring a fun water play area.
For a more peaceful swim, cool off in the E-Ticket and D-Ticket pools — and then stretch out on a nearby chaise longue (躺椅). Or soak up the sun in the Mickey Spa and Minnie Spa pools and enjoy an even more comfortable experience. For an additional fee, spend the day in a private cabin next to the pools.
Dining for Every Taste
Fine dining and fantastic themed restaurants are all on the menu at the Disneyland Hotel. Dine at Steakhouse 55, where tasty steaks, seafood and an impressive selection of wines are yours to taste nightly. Wanting something more magic? Meet Goofy for breakfast at Goofy’s Kitchen, a delightful all-you-care-to-enjoy buffet (自助餐) with character.
Why Stay at a Disneyland Resort Hotel?
Guests with valid theme park tickets can enjoy early admission to Disneyland Park or Disney California Adventure Park and experience the well-known quality and service of Disney.
1.When can guests get a reservation for Star Wars: Galaxy’s Edge from the hotel?
A.On April 23rd B.On June 3rd
C.On May 23rd D.On July 31st
2.What can you do at the themed pools?
A.Sunbathe in the Minnie Spa pools.
B.Have tasty steaks on a chaise longue.
C.Stay at a private place all day for free.
D.Make a splash in the E-Ticket and D-Ticket pools.
3.Which of the following is an advantage of staying at a Disneyland Resort hotel?
A.Getting a reservation for Star Wars movies all year around.
B.Staying in a room decorated with Disney characters.
C.Eating together with Goofy at Steakhouse 55.
D.Entering Disneyland Park without a ticket.
假如你是李华，正在带领来自英国的朋友游览故宫。他们对宫殿里龙的装饰图案 感到惊叹不已，但让他们不解的是，在西方文化中龙是一个恶魔的象征，而龙却是中华民族的图腾,故要求你用英文向他们简单介绍龙的相关信息。
内容包括：
1. 中国人自称龙的传人的原因；
2 .你如何看待这种文化差异。
注意：1.词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇:传人descendants；图腾totem；皇帝的，至高无上的imperial
_______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
