There have been a number of occasions through the years that I had to sit at the feet of a theologian (神学家).Some of those times, I came away wondering what on earth the man was talking about. That was not the case when I heard Dr. Randy Harris. He suggested that a lot of our day-to-day problems in the world be solved by simply keeping our promises. Too many people do not take such matters seriously. Are you serious in keeping your promises?
Some of my most anxious moments in over a half-century of ministry have come as a result of carelessness in failing to keep my word. Preachers (传道士) can say a lot of requests on any given Sunday. I have been asked to make hospital visits, write letters of recommendation(推荐), put people’s names on the prayer list, read books, make telephone calls, remember birthdays and anniversaries, come to special events, and put announcements in the church bulletin (公告).There was a time when I would foolishly agree to fulfill each request. I had the best of intentions, but I could not remember all I had agreed to do, much less find a way to do them all! Did I think I was “Super-Preacher”? The sad look of disappointed faces taught me that I was not. I hurt people, and they deserved better.
The Hebrew word of covenant (契约) means primarily “a cutting”. It refers to the custom of cutting an animal in half and having the parties making promises pass between the two halves. They were saying to each other, “If I don’t keep my word, may I be as this animal--be cut in two.”
If butchering (屠宰) were the result of breaking our word today, how many of us would be headed for the death? I think that, although we are not cut like animals for our failures to keep promises, there are serious results connected with our carelessness. It ruins our character and our reputation.
What can we do? It is simple. Stop making promises we cannot keep. Reduce promise lists, and be sure to carry out the commitments that remain on it. If after giving our word, we are unable to keep the appointment or whatever, inform and apologize as soon as possible.
Last weekend, I stood with a dressed-up couple at a wedding in another county. They made some serious promises to each other in a covenant of marriage. They made vows to be faithful to each other for as long as they live. I pray God that they will keep those vows and be an example for others to follow.
1.From the second paragraph we can learn that the author________.
A.lives a life of religious service B.dislikes making any promise
C.is a famous and busy theologian D.likes to recommend jobs for others
2.The author mentioned the custom of cutting an animal in half mainly to ________ .
A.show butchering is cruel
B.explain the meaning of covenant
C.express his disappointment with old customs
D.show breaking one’s promises is terrible
3.The author was a bit ________ about the new couple’s vows.
A.upset B.concerned
C.sad D.uneasy
Joshua，Helmut，and Bethlehem
Michelle O. Donovan
ISBN 9781462058679
Life is not easy for nine－year－old Joshua during World War Ⅱ. Because of his family's Jewish background，they are sent to live in the concentration camps(集中营). Scared and alone，Joshua one day makes friends with a little mouse he calls Bethlehem who becomes his closest friend.
Encourage Me!
Inspirational Poetry
Gloria Coykendall
ISBN 9781412027854
It is an easy－to－read collection of poems originally written to encourage in faith and to be a cure for chronic depression(长期抑郁)．.. cure to strengthen identity and purpose.
Seeking the Edge
Dr. Joseph L. Rose
ISBN 9781462031795
Seeking the Edge provides the tools and techniques to find that edge in one's life－driving readers to achieve success whether in your current job，finding a new job，in education，family，or even hobbies.
More Things in Heaven
Bill Bosworth
ISBN 9780595433582
In his More Things in Heave，Bill Bosworth presents the highlights of his 83 years of life，including his trips to India and the study of the writings of several great spiritual leaders. More Things in Heaven will appeal to anyone who insists on finding the deepest meaning for their existence based on their own experiences.
Creation or Evolution
Michael Ebifegha
ISBN 9781450289023
Were humans created，or did they evolve? How old is the Earth? The debate between science and religion continues to be heated. In Creation or Evolution，Michael Ebifegha examines these two opposed world views within the structure of empirical(实证的) science.
1.Who wrote the story about a little boy and a little mouse?
A.Bill Bosworth. B.Michelle O. Donovan.
C.Dr. Joseph L. Rose. D.Gloria Coykendall.
2.The ISBN for the book of poems is________．
A.9781462031795 B.9781412027854
C.9780595433582 D.9781462058679
3.What kind of readers will probably like reading More Things in Heaven?
A.Those who are searching for the meaning of life.
B.Those who are trying to be spiritual leaders.
C.Those who study the art of writing.
D.Those who like traveling abroad.
4.Which of the following books explores the origin of humans?
A.Seeking the Edge. B.Creation or Evolution.
C.Joshua，Helmut，and Bethlehem. D.More Things in Heaven.
King Midas used to love gold. One day he met a fairy who allowed him to make a wish for something. The king replied at once, ‘‘I love gold. I want everything I touch to change into gold”. ‘‘Very well, tomorrow morning, everything you touch will turn into gold.” Saying this, the fairy disappeared.
The king waited excitedly till the next morning. To his joy, everything he touched changed immediately into gold. ‘‘I’m the richest man in the world now.” He shouted.
Soon Midas became hungry. He sat down at his table. All the foods and drinks turned into gold in his hand. ‘‘I’m dying of hunger.” He cried.
Just then his daughter came running in. ‘‘Why are you so sad , dad ?” she asked, putting her arms around him. There and then she became a golden statue. The king loved his daughter very much. Seeing this, he began to cry. He looked up and suddenly saw the fairy before him. ‘‘Don’t you like the golden touch?” asked the fairy. ‘‘Please take it away,” begged the king, ‘‘give me back my daughter.” ‘‘Well, you have learned your lesson. Go and wash in the river. Then the golden touch will be gone.” The king ran quickly to the nearby river.
1.The fairy allowed the king to make a wish because ________.
A.she hoped to make the king the richest in the world. B.She loved gold too.
C.She wanted to teach the king a lesson. D.She wanted to turn the king’s daughter into gold gold.
2.When the foods and drinks turned into gold the king was ________.
A.excited B.hungry C.worried D. happy
3.Which of the following might have happened afterwards?
A.The king died in the river.
B.The king’s daughter changed back from gold to a lovely girl.
C.All the things the king had touched changed back into real ones.
D.Both B and C
4.What do you think the story tries to tell us?
A.Gold makes people unhappy.
B.More gold , more happiness.
C.Gold is not the thing that makes life happy.
D.People feel happy if they have not gold.
假如你叫李华，你的美国朋友David想来济南旅行。他给你发邮件询问相关情况。请你根据以下要点给他回信。
1.最佳旅行时间；
2.景点推荐；
3.相关准备。
注意：1. 词数80-100 之间；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头已经给出，不计入总数。
参考词汇：千佛山 Thousand Buddha Mountain；趵突泉 Baotu Spring；大明湖 Daming Lake
Dear David,
How is everything going? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
根据给出的英文释义和词性，在空白处填入正确的单词（注意：所有答案均须来自于课本Welcome Unit和Units1、2&3四个单元的黑体词汇）
1.____________ adj. making you feel embarrassed; difficult to deal with
2.____________ ad. towards a place or position that is in front
3.____________ vt. to advise sb. to do sth.
4.____________ n. / v. a person who offers to do sth.without being paid; to offer help willingly
5.____________ n. somewhere to live or stay, often also providing food or other services
6.____________ v. to respect sb. for what they are or for what they have done
7.____________ n. a person whose job is designing buildings
8.____________ n. a large sports field with rows of seats all around it
9.____________ n. a thing that happens, especially something important
10.____________ v. to behave in a particular way, in order to make other people believe sth. that is not true
阅读下面材料，在空白处填写适当的内容（1个单词）或括号内单词的正确形式
As a freshman in high school, Adam faced many challenges. First, he had difficulty 1. (choose) courses. Luckily, his adviser helped him choose the 2. (suit) one. Then, he was refused when he tried 3. (join) the school football team. Now, Adam decides he will work 4. (hard) than before and be well prepared for the future.
Peru is a country on the Pacific coast of South America. Unluckily, Spain 5. (take) control of it in the16th century and ruled until 1821. It is for this reason 6. Spanish is the official language of Peru. As the center of the powerful ancient Inca Empire, Peru is known to the world. Tourists today are greatly 7. (amaze) by the culture and buildings there.
Known as “Air Jordan”, Michael Jordan changed basketball with his graceful moves and jumps, but the mental 8. (strong) that he showed made him unique. When asked his secret 9. success, he says it is learning from his 10. (failure).
