Once a month, I volunteer at a meal center to help serve food to people who are in need. Despite the many other things that I need to do, I really look forward to meeting and serving these people, even if only briefly. Although my motivation begins with wanting to help others and be grateful for what I have been given, it is joy that helps bring me back when I am very busy. I first noticed this some time ago: at the end of our shift, after the kitchen and dining room have been cleaned up, I would experience a lightness of being.
A few years ago, as I was researching how kindness affected health, I came to learn that volunteerism was associated with a markedly lower risk of dying. One recent and large European study found that self-reported health scores were apparently better in volunteers than non-volunteers. Depending on the study, the decrease in death rates ranged between 20 to 60 percent or so.
How could volunteering decrease the risk of death? There are several factors at play. The first, and most primary, is decreased symptoms of stress and uplifted mood. Many studies have provided evidence that volunteering is good for depression, well-being, and social networking, among other effects. Secondly, people who volunteer regularly also make more effort to take care of themselves. They manage to pay visits to their doctor for preventive health care. Finally, people who volunteer may be more physically active. Volunteers have an obvious increase in walking each day compared to those who did not volunteer.
To try to tie this together, volunteering likely exerts its positive health effects by connecting people to others and to an activity that they find meaningful. Achieving connection, purpose, and meaning is critical to reducing stresses of life — particularly loneliness. Since stress is a major cause of disease, especially heart disease, the ability to satisfy the need for connection, purpose, and meaning can bring about beneficial changes for people. And when there is purpose and we are connected to others, we take care of ourselves.
1.How does the author feel about doing a volunteer job?
A.Pleased. B.Tired.
C.Surprised. D.Annoyed.
2.What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A.A study on volunteerism.
B.The health scores of volunteers.
C.The relationship between kindness and health.
D.Volunteerism’s positive effect on volunteers’ health.
3.Volunteering decreases the risk of volunteers’ death mainly by ___________.
A.making them more physically active
B.making them visit doctors frequently
C.pushing them to take care of themselves
D.reducing their stress and uplifting their mood
4.What does the underlined word “critical” in the last paragraph mean?
A.Different. B.Equal.
C.Important. D.Contrary.
If you’re planning on hitting up a festival this summer, make sure you check out the latest packing guide to camping music festivals.
Quebec City Summer Festival
When: July 4-14
Where: Toronto, Quebec
300 shows, 10 places and 11 days of music make this festival one of Canada’s biggest music festivals. Every year, this festival attracts over one million festivalgoers to Quebec City’s historic district for concerts by international superstars and top new talent.
Center of Gravity
When: July 28-30
Where: Kelowna, British Columbia
Canada’s hottest beach festival is back! Now in its 10th year, the biggest and exciting festival to hit the Okanagan includes three days packed with extreme sports, sandy beaches, and some of the biggest DJ names in the world.
Future Forest
When: August 5-7
Where: Fredericton, New Brunswick
Future Forest is an outdoor camping festival with a focus on electronic music. The festival originated in 2012 as a fundraiser for a brilliant DJ, Jay Hamilton, who was diagnosed with cancer. Future Forest proudly shows the idea that there are no audience at the event but rather participants who in some way contribute to the overall experience.
Shambhala Music Festival
When: August 9-10
Where: Salmo River Ranch, British Columbia
This is Canada’s earliest electronic music festival. Cutting edge talent, lights and sound come together to give life to this event. Seeing it for yourself is the only way to understand exactly what is Shambhala.
1.What can people do in the Quebec City Summer Festival?
A.Do some extreme sports.
B.Play on the sandy beaches.
C.Learn about Quebec City’s history.
D.Enjoy the performances of superstars.
2.What was Future Forest set up for at first?
A.To honor a brilliant DJ.
B.To promote electronic music.
C.To raise money for a cancer patient.
D.To provide outdoor camping activities.
3.Which festival is Canada’s earliest electronic music festival?
A.Quebec City Summer Festival.
B.Center of Gravity.
C.Future Forest.
D.Shambhala Music Festival.
假定你是李华，你校英文报“外国文化”栏目拟刊登美国节日风俗和中学生生活的短文。请给美国朋友彼得写信约稿，要点如下：
1. 栏目介绍。
2. 稿件内容；
3. 稿件长度：约400词汇
4. 交稿日期：6月28日前天
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯的；
3. 开头语已为你写好。
根据括号里的中英文提示用正确形式填空
1.Scientists have made many discoveries simply out of _______. (curious)
2.The new boss has tried to give the restaurant a friendlier _____.（氛围）
3.These scientists ______(puzzle) about how to solve the problems these years.
4.This room _______(measure) 5meters across and 8 meters in length.
5.As for his performance, he is a ____(失败者); but he succeeded as a singer.
6.His writing is good but his _____(speak) English is rather bad.
7.More than one student _____ (be) interested in such games.
8.I waited for my friends at the _______(入口) to the park.
9._______ (expose) to different cultures does a lot of good to children.
10.No one can get the ______ (admit) to the museum without a ticket.
Finishing their shopping at the supermarket, a middle-aged couple found their new car1.(steal). They filed a report2.the police station and a detective drove them3.to the parking lot（停车场）to look for evidence.
To their4.(amaze), the car had been returned and there was a note in it ,5. said: “I apologize for taking your car. My wife was having a baby and I had to send her to the hospital as soon as possible. Please forget the6.(convenient). There are two tickets7.tonight’s Rowan Atkinson concert.”
Their faith in humanity restored(恢复). The couple attended8.concert. But9.they returned home, they immediately found that their house had been ransacked (洗劫). On the bathroom mirror was10.note: “I have to put my kid through college somehow, don’t I?”
Four brothers left home for college, and they became successful doctors and lawyers. Some years later, they____after having dinner together. They discussed the____they gave their elderly mother who lived far away in another city. The first said, “I had a____house built for Mama.” The second said, “I had my Mercedes-Benz dealer（经销商）send a____to her.” The third said, “I built a beautiful____for Mama.” The fourth said, “You know____Mama loved reading poems and you know she can’t read any more because she can’t____very well. I met a____who had a parrot（鹦鹉）that can recite many poems. It took him 12 years to____it to speak and he earns his living by renting it out. I had to pay him $100,000 a year for twenty years,____it is worth it.” On hearing that, the other brothers were____by his good thought.
After the holidays their mother____her thank-you notes, which read:
“Milton, the house you built is so huge. I only live in one room, but I have to____the whole house. It’s a tiring job. Thanks anyway.”
“Marvin, I am too old to____I stay home and have my foods delivered, so I’ll____use the car. The____was good, although not practical. Thanks.”
“Michael, you gave me an expensive building for 50 people to____plays or watch movies in it, but all my friends are dead. I’ve almost____my hearing and I’m nearly blind. I won’t use it. Thank you all the same.”
“Dearest Melvin, you were the____son to have the good sense to give a little thought to your gift. The chicken tasted so____I liked it very much. Thank you.”
1.A.fought B.talked C.studied D.slept
2.A.gifts B.chances C.wishes D.challenges
3.A.warm B.big C.safe D.lonely
4.A.book B.bike C.car D.bag
5.A.station B.museum C.library D.theater
6.A.what B.how C.why D.when
7.A.listen B.feel C.see D.walk
8.A.nurse B.writer C.businessman D.lawyer
9.A.protect B.beat C.raise D.teach
10.A.but B.so C.unless D.although
11.A.treated B.impressed C.threatened D.hurt
12.A.sent out B.put up C.took out D.picked up
13.A.sell B.borrow C.clean D.visit
14.A.learn B.work C.exercise D.travel
15.A.never B.often C.regularly D.sometimes
16.A.future B.hobby C.idea D.program
17.A.create B.enjoy C.bring D.record
18.A.lost B.admired C.remained D.discovered
19.A.same B.last C.next D.only
20.A.strange B.unpleasant C.bitter D.delicious
