In general, the ancient Romans were a practical people. They cared less about philosophy and pure mathematics than did the Greeks. The Romans were the best of the ancient engineers and architects. They were brilliant students of Greek geometry and trigonometry, and they applied their knowledge to the construction of fine bridges, roads, and public buildings.
They knew about the smelting of iron ore, but they used the iron they produced mainly for spears, swords, and shields, rather than for building construction.
While the Romans accomplished practical wonders, they did very little theoretical scientific thinking. Because of their frequent wars, many of their inventions were no more than improvements in the design of Greek weapons with which they were familiar.
There are two reasons for the Roman neglect of philosophy and pure mathematics. First, they were apparently too busy conquering nearby nations and forming them into a rapidly growing empire to waste much time on abstract thinking. Secondly, they were handicapped by the rigidity of their numerical system. (Try to multiply XI by LVII or to divide CXLIII by IX; it simply cannot be done with pencil and paper.) The Romans did all of their arithmetic on an abacus, the ancient counterpart of the modem computing machine. Their number system discouraged the study of pure mathematics.
1.The author calls the Romans “practical" because they________.
A.they didn't care about philosophy
B.they just learned from Greek geometry
C.they applied what they learned to construction
D.they thought little of theoretical scientific thinking
2.According to the passage, the Romans excelled in________.
A.smelting iron ore B.engineering and architecture
C.improving Greek weapons D.producing spears, swords, and shields
3.The underlined word “counterpart" in the last paragraph means ________.
A.equivalent B.calculator
C.appearance D.partner
4.The passage mainly talks about ________.
A.why Romans ignored mathematics
B.Romans' discouraging number system
C.how Romans accomplished practical wonders
D.Romans who neglected theoretical thought
"How do you account for your remarkable accomplishment in Queen Victoria of the UK asked Helen Keller. "How do you explain the fact that even though you were both blind and deaf you were able to accomplish so much?"
Ms. Keller's answer is a tribute (致敬) to her dedicated teacher. "If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown.”
According to speaker Zig Ziglar, "Little Annie" Sullivan, as she was called when she was young, was no stranger to hardship. She was almost sightless herself and was, at one time, diagnosed as hopelessly "insane" by her caregivers. She was locked in the basement of a mental institution outside of Boston. On occasion, Little Annie would violently attack anyone who came near. Most of the time she generally ignored everyone in her presence.
An elderly nurse believed there was hope, however, and she made it her mission to show love to the child. Every day she visited Little Annie. For the most part, the child did not acknowledge the nursed presence, but she still continued to visit. The kind woman left cookies for her and spoke words of love and encouragement. She believed Little Annie could recover, if only she were shown love.
Eventually, doctors noticed the change in the girl. Where they once witnessed anger and hatred, they now noted a gentleness and love. They moved her upstairs where she continued to improve. Then the day finally came when this seemingly "hopeless'' child was released.
Anne Sullivan grew into a young woman with a desire to help others as she herself was helped by the kind nurse. It was she who saw the great potential in Helen Keller. She loved her, disciplined her, played with her, pushed her and worked with her until the flickering candle that was her life became a beacon of light to the world. Anne Sullivan worked wonders in Helen's life; but it was a loving nurse who first believed in Little Annie and lovingly transformed an uncommunicative child into a compassionate teacher.
“If it had not been for Anne Sullivan, the name of Helen Keller would have remained unknown." But if it had not been for a kind and dedicated nurse, the name of Anne Sullivan would have remained unknown.
1.The dialogue between Queen Victoria and Helen Keller is mentioned mainly to .
A.show a deep admiration for Helen Keller
B.prove that Helen Keller made a great contribution
C.begin telling the story of Helen Keller teacher Anne Sullivan
D.get the reader interested in how Helen Keller achieved so much
2.What is the hardship mentioned in the third paragraph?
A.Sullivan had a strange disease.
B.Almost everyone ignored Sullivan.
C.Sullivan was kept away from her parents.
D.Sullivan was believed to have a mental problem.
3.What can we conclude from the article?
A.Sullivan liked the nurse from the very beginning.
B.Sullivan experienced firsthand how terrible the life of a deaf child was.
C.The elderly nurse had no doubt that Sullivan would be a great teacher.
D.Without the nurse, Sullivan couldn't have helped Helen Keller later.
4.Which of the following would be the best title for the article?
A.The Power of Love
B.Making a Difference
C.The Secret to Being a Good Teacher
D.Similarities Between Anne and Helen
Camp Fire USA
Camp Fire USA is a youth agency serving children from Pre-K through 12th grade. Camp Fire provides opportunities for youth to learn life skills, build their self-esteem, serve their communities, experience the outdoors, make friends, and have fun. Camp Fire programs are available to all people without regard to race, gender, creed, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, economic status or mental or physical disabilities.
Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteers are needed to help with local events, child care for children with various needs, summer day camps, our Youth Volunteer Corps program, answering phones, clerical work, group activities, and program delivery.
Minimum Age: 11, depending upon task
Minimum Commitment: Varies; range is from 2 hours/month to 1 day/week
Contact: Program Manager
Address: 1635 NE 87th St, Ste B8 Redmond, WA 98052
Phone: 425-885-0477
FAX: 425-885-0201
Email: info@campfire-usa.org
Web: www.campfire-usa.org
Business Hours: By appointment or Friday 9 am-3 pm
Seattle Aquarium
The Seattle Aquarium's mission is to inspire conservation of our marine environment. Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteers are needed as interpreters to speak to guests about our exhibits, lead guided tours, lead activities for children, and assist with special events during the school year and summer
Minimum Age: 16
Minimum Commitment: School Year 一 Two weekend days per month (9:30 am - 5:15 pm); Summer 一 Two half day shifts per week (9:30 am - 1:45 pm or 1 pm - 5:15 pm).
Contact: High School Volunteer Supervisor
Address: 1483 Alaskan Way Seattle, WA 98101
Phone: 206-386-4351
FAX: 206-386-4328
Office Hours: Sun-Thurs, 8:30 am 一 5:30 pm
Aquarium Hours: Fall/Winter, Daily 10 am-5 pm; Spring, Daily 9:30 am - 5 pm Summer. Daily 8:30 am ~ 7 pm
Homeward Pet
Homeward Pet animal shelter provides food, shelter, medical attention, and love to homeless adoptable cats and dogs until permanent homes are found.
Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteers are needed to help take care of homeless dogs and cats by cleaning cages, feeding, petting, exercising, and playing with the animals.
Minimum Age: 16
Minimum Commitment: 3 months
Contact: Volunteer Coordinator
Site Address: 18800 Woodinville-Snohomish Rd., Woodinville, WA 98072
Mailing Address: PO Box 2293, Woodinville, WA 98072
Phone: 425-488-4444 ex 407
FAX: 425-481-6867
Business Hours: Wed - Fri, 3 pm - 7 pm; Sat - Sun, 1 pm ~ 6 pm
KidsQuest Children's Museum
KidsQuest Children's Museum provides interactive exhibits and programs integrating art, science, technology, and daily experiences to inspire life-long learning in children and families.
Volunteer Opportunities: Volunteers are needed to assist with community events, leading hands-on activities with children and their families, birthday parties, workshops, and programs.
Minimum Age: 14
Minimum Commitment: None
Contact: Community Connections Manager
Site Address: 4091 Factoria Blvd SE Bellevue, WA 98006
Phone:425-637-8100
FAX: 425-747-7178
Business Hours:
Tues一Thurs, 10 am-5 pm; Fri, 10 am - 8pm; Sat, 10 am-5pm
1.Cat lovers will probably be willing to volunteer at________.
A.KidsQuest Children's Museum B.Homeward Pet
C.Camp Fire USA D.Seattle Aquarium
2.If you volunteer to work at Camp Fire USA, you'll have to work at least________.
A.two weekend days per month B.three months
C.two hours per month D.one school year
3.If you are disabled and interested in volunteering, the first choice among those posted here is to call __________.
A.425-637-8100 B.425-488-4444
C.425-885-0477 D.206-386-4351
假定你是晨光中学的学生李津，你和几位同学成立了一个英语俱乐部，开展了为期两个月的活动。现在，你将代表俱乐部在课堂上进行经验交流，请写一篇发言稿，内容如下：
1.简要描述俱乐部开展的相关活动（如观看英文电影、阅读英文经典等方面）；
2.谈谈你们开展该活动的收获和感想；
3.表达期望。
注意：1.短文词数不少于100 ;
2.可适当加入细节，使内容充实、行文连贯；
3.不能出现本人真实信息；
4.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear friends,
How time flies!
_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Thank you!
阅读表达
Why do Americans struggle with watching their weight while the French, who consume rich food, continue to stay thin? Now a research by Cornell University suggests how life style and decisions about eating may affect weight. Researchers conclude that the French tend to stop eating when they feel full. However, Americans tend to stop when their plate is empty or their favorite TV show is over.
According to Dr. Joseph Mercola, a health expert, the French see eating as an important part of their life style. They enjoy food and therefore spend a fairly long time at the table, while Americans see eating as something to be squeezed between the other daily activities. Mercola believes Americans lose the ability to sense when they are actually full. So they keep eating long after the French would have stopped. In addition, he points out that Americans drive to huge supermarkets to buy canned and frozen foods for the week. The French, instead, tend to shop daily, walking to small shops and farmers' markets where they have a choice of fresh fruits, vegetables, and eggs as well as high-quality meats for each meal.
After a visit to the United States, Mireille Guiliano, author of French Women. Don’t Get Fat, decided to write about the importance of knowing when to stop rather than suggesting how to avoid food. Today she continues to stay slim and rarely goes to the gym.
In spite of all these differences, evidence shows that recent life style changes may be affecting French eating habits. Today the rate of obesity among adults is only 6%. However, as American fast food gains acceptance and the young reject older traditions, the obesity rate among French children has been growing.
1.What does the research by Cornell University show? (No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
2.What do the French think of eating according to Dr. Joseph Mercola? (No more than 15 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
3.Why do you think Mireille Guiliano can stay thin though she rarely goes to the gym? (No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
4.What does the underlined sentence mean in the last paragraph? (No more than 15 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
5.Do you think enjoying food has close connection with getting fat? Give your reasons. (No more than 25 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
It's amazing how we grow from careless kids to responsible teens. What happens in the course that makes us responsible now? It’s the seed that we sow in the beginning which grows and becomes a huge tree.
As a kid, I used to read a lot of story books. In one particular book, I read a story of a bird. It described a male bird which takes a lot of pain to build a nest and the female bird takes shelter in it and nourishes the baby. When the bird learns to fly, the whole family flies off to a different place leaving behind the beautiful nest for other birds to grow their family in it. It made me wonder. How could they so easily sacrifice their house built with so much effort?
One night, when I was deep in sleep, I got this particular dream. I was walking miles on the endless road, totally isolated but lined with beautiful trees on either side. I happened to stop upon seeing something. It was a wonderful house with every corner touched artistically and lovingly. I don’t know why I felt that it was done lovingly. Maybe because, things turn out to be beautiful only when we put our love into it - just like the food prepared by mom which tastes more delicious with her love.
I explored the house only to fall more in love with it. There was a sloping roof which matched with the greenery around; the large central open courtyard reminded me of the activities that might have taken place there which felt lively even now when it is completely deserted. The small water body that kept the house cool added to the beauty of the house - of course, it was all dried up now. It's really wonderful how such things add life to the spaces which otherwise just become structures. Such liveliness and happening turns the house into a home.
When I woke up from the dream, I was clear about everything. I realized where that mile of walk was intending me to lead. I realized what message my dream wanted to convey me. And years later, when finally my turn of choosing my destination came, I simply closed my eyes. When I opened my eyes, I was sure what to do. I decided to choose the road - less traveled. Yes, I took up architecture as my profession because this is what I am destined to do. I wanted to do the same thing that the male bird in the story did, to take pain in building a beautiful house and let others stay in it.
1.When the writer read the story of the bird, he probably felt _______.
A.upset B.confused
C.amazed D.amused
2.To the writer, ''the seed that we sow in the beginning'' (Paragraph 1) is _______.
A.the story of the bird B.his mother's food
C.the house in his dream D.his story books
3.Mom's food always tastes better because _______.
A.mom cooks with her love B.we are so familiar with mom's food
C.moms are better cooks than fathers D.mom is experienced in cooking
4.In the writer's dream, what part of the house attracted him most?
A.The greenery surrounding the house.
B.The body of water that keeps the house cool.
C.The liveliness he sensed around the house.
D.The fact that the house was very large.
5.The above passage is mainly about _______.
A.how the writer finally becomes an honest citizen
B.where the true meaning of responsibility lies
C.what we need to do when we are seeking fortune
D.why the writer takes up architecture as his career
