In grade school during the 1970s, I loved reading the Peanuts paperback collection. Then in 1975, I started _______ my own comics in class. My classmates became my readers. My teacher would _________ me not to draw in class while throwing my _______ into the waste basket.
I learned the rejection was my hobby, so I cartooned anyway — very _______ in order not to get caught by the teacher. The comics I created had readers _________ my middle school, junior high, senior high school, and college years.
_______ college, my job as a manager left me feeling ___________ inside. This wasn’t my life, I thought. I was born to cartoon. I was ___________ of feeling emptiness. I simply quit my ___________. I spent the next year drawing or creating my comics at local coffee houses. Later, I went on a journey to the Cartoon art Museum in San Francisco to ____________ myself further. A series of parking tickets made that trip ____________ — forcing me to hang out in Santa Rosa instead.
When I ____________ Santa Rosa, I went into a place called The Warm Puppy Café ________ I heard that ________ cartoonist Charles Schulz was seated at a table having breakfast. I eventually went over and introduced myself. He took me to his ____________. The next half hour was like a dream. The famous cartoonist even ____________ me to redesign my cartoon characters.
When I was ____________ his work room, Schulz told me “Never, never give up.” Now I am celebrating 41 years of cartooning as a cartoonist. My website BunsComic.com has ______________ around the world. I __________ how it all started from my simple drawings in class. I just put together a cartoon slideshow (幻灯片) called “My Life Should be Better!” I’m hoping to ____________ others to realize their dreams with this message.
1.A.showing B.selling C.enjoying D.drawing
2.A.warn B.force C.persuade D.ask
3.A.book B.work C.homework D.notebook
4.A.simply B.naturally C.politely D.quickly
5.A.along B.throughout C.among D.besides
6.A.Until B.Since C.After D.Before
7.A.useless B.free C.empty D.strange
8.A.tired B.afraid C.full D.sure
9.A.smoking B.cartoon C.game D.position
10.A.introduce B.improve C.educate D.remind
11.A.short B.unique C.boring D.exciting
12.A.found out B.knew of C.heard about D.arrived in
13.A.if B.though C.because D.while
14.A.well-informed B.lucky C.well-known D.crazy
15.A.class B.studio C.school D.home
16.A.helped B.hired C.allowed D.wanted
17.A.designing B.noticing C.visiting D.leaving
18.A.authors B.readers C.workers D.artists
19.A.doubt B.wonder C.recall D.imagine
20.A.inspire B.teach C.get D.enable
Hotels in Shanghai are requested to stop offering disposable toiletries (一次性洗漱用品) unless customers ask, in order to make efforts to reduce waste and pursue (追求) green development.1.. The move is stated in a set of regulations on garbage sorting and recycling that went into effect in Shanghai.
Under the new regulations, most household plastic wastes should be sorted and recycled. The city also encourages individuals and companies to reduce their use of disposable plastic products. Kunlun Jing An hotel is one of those that answered the government call that “not offering disposable toiletries unless asked”.2.. “Shanghai is taking a lead in the country to fight against plastic waste,” said Gerd Knaust, general manager of Kunlun Jing An hotel. “Hotels should make contributions to sorting and recycling garbage.3..”
4.. “It is a good thing to reduce waste in daily life,” said Zhang Wei, 40, from east China’s Shandong Province who checked in the hotel for a business trip. He brought a reusable toothbrush after being informed by the hotel in advance.
At least 6.5 million sets of disposable toiletries are said to be used every day if the occupancy rate is 50 percent for the 13 to 15 million hotel rooms across China, said Du Liangliang of the Hotel Business Unit of Ctrip, China’s leading online travel agency. “5.,” Du said.
A. The new measure will help reduce plastic waste, the hotel said
B. Guests are encouraged to use recyclable toiletries during their stay
C. If hotels stop offering disposable toiletries, it will be great progress
D. It is one of the steps that the government takes to protect our environment
E. Also, we should encourage customers worldwide to lead an eco-friendly life
F. The hotel has informed people of the change through online and offline means
G. Plastic products harm our environment so greatly that we shall reduce their use
That untouched plate and look of disgust on your child’s face at mealtime might be a sign of much bigger issues. Picky eating, even at moderate levels, is linked with psychiatric (精神疾病的) problems, including anxiety and depression in kids, according to a study in the journal Pediatrics. It found that the mental problems worsened as picky eating became more severe. The issue is serious enough that health care providers should intervene (干预), the paper concludes.
For parents, the issue can be a nightmare as children skip entire food groups like fruit and vegetables. “We need to do a better job of giving advice to these parents,” said Nancy Zucker, study co-author. “The first key message is that you are not to blame. The second key message is that it is more complicated than we think.”
The study screened more than 1,000 children aged 2 to 5, and found 20 percent were picky eaters. The researchers stress this goes beyond kids who just hate onions or have certain dislikes. More than 17 percent of kids were classified as moderate picky eaters: These children had a very limited range of foods they would eat and they would not try anything else. About 3 percent were considered severe picky eaters: Their sensitivities to smell or taste were so strong that even eating outside of the home was difficult. As they get older, it could be hard for them to go out with friends or eat at school.
Picky eaters are more sensitive to the smell of food, and have a stronger sense of disgust than other kids, the study found. This ability to experience the world more intensely may also make it harder for them to control their emotions or focus, the researchers suggest. “These are just sensitive kids, they see things more intently (专注地), they feel things more deeply and that is both in their own internal experience and the world around them. So they have more vulnerabilities (脆弱性) to experience taste more vividly, but also more emotions more strongly,” Zucker said.
The researchers also note that the term picky eating may now be obsolete (过时的). They suggest that the condition might be better described as avoidant/restrictive food intake disorder (ARFID).
1.The study tends to indicate that mild picky eating ____.
A.doesn’t affect kids’ health or lessons
B.may not be caused by mental problems
C.is unavoidable to become more severe
D.is also harmful and should be treated timely
2.According to Nancy Zucker, parents ____.
A.should have done more for their kids
B.should give more advice to their kids
C.must have their kids eat more fruit and vegetables
D.don’t need to feel guilty about their kids’picky eating
3.What can we know from the passage?
A.Picky eaters are weaker and not very determined.
B.Picky eaters can’t control their emotions or behaviours.
C.Picky eaters are more sensitive to the world around them.
D.Picky eating affects a person’s contact with others seriously.
4.Why do the researchers tend to say “ARFID” instead of “picky eating”?
A.Picky eating is actually a disease, not a habit.
B.ARFID is a much more technical expression.
C.The term picky eating has been used for too long.
D.The term picky eating tends to hurt kids’feelings.
Pineapple is a kind of fruit that is rich in vitamins, enzymes and antioxidants (酶和抗氧化剂). The nutritional content of canned pineapple is different from that of raw pineapple. According to United States Department of Agriculture (USDA), canned pineapple is typically higher in calories and sugar. It also contains fewer vitamins and minerals. If you choose canned pineapple, try to get it with no added sugar or look for a variety that is canned in fruit juice instead of sweet liquid.
Pineapple contains a great amount of vitamin C, a water-soluble antioxidant that fights cell damage. This makes vitamin C a helpful fighter against problems such as heart disease.
Pineapple may help you keep standing tall and strong. One cup of raw pineapple pieces contains 2.6 mg of manganese, a mineral that’s important to developing strong bones. A 1994 study suggested that manganese, along with other small amounts of minerals, may be helpful in preventing bones becoming weak and breaking easily in aged women.
Pineapple can help reduce the risk of macular degeneration, a disease that affects the eyes as people age, due in part to its high amount of vitamin C and the antioxidants it contains. Like many other fruits and vegetables, pineapple contains dietary fiber, which is important and necessary for keeping you regular and in keeping your intestines (肠) healthy.
“Because pineapple is a great meat tenderizer, eating too many can lead to the pain of the mouth, including the lips and tongue,” said San Diego-based nutritionist Flores. “But, it should disappear within a few hours.” But if the feeling continues, or if you experience breathing difficulties, you should seek medical help immediately, as you could have a pineapple allergy.
Flores pointed out a possible negative to pineapple’s high levels of vitamin C. “Because of the high amount of vitamin C that pineapple contains, eating large quantities may cause some serious problems,” she said. Eating undeveloped pineapple or drinking undeveloped pineapple juice is dangerous. Undeveloped pineapple is poisonous to humans and can lead to severe diarrhea (腹泻) and vomiting.
1.Considering nutrition, raw pineapple _____.
A.is both higher in calories and sugar
B.has less advantage than other fruits
C.has an advantage over canned pineapple
D.can be used in a variety of processed foods
2.What can we learn about pineapple from the passage?
A.It benefits people’s health very much.
B.It can help people reduce the risk of cancer.
C.It likes to grow in wet lands and has low production.
D.It is popular among old people because of its sweetness.
3.What’s the result of eating too much pineapple?
A.It can make the tongue unable to taste.
B.It can lead to increased blood pressure.
C.It can bring about an allergy to other fruits.
D.It can result in the pain of mouth and even allergic conditions.
4.What is the author’s purpose in writing the passage?
A.To introduce nutrition facts of pineapple.
B.To show medical advantages of pineapple.
C.To encourage people to eat more pineapple.
D.To present health benefits and harm of pineapple.
When Stephen Mills spotted a dusty old safe (保险箱) in a museum in Canada, he thought he’d try to crack the code (破解密码), “just like in the movies”. But when he began turning the dial, he wasn’t expecting a Hollywood ending.
For years, anyone who visited the Vermillion Heritage Museum in Alberta would have passed by a large, black metal box. Staff knew it had come from the long-gone Brunswick hotel and was donated to the museum in the 1990s, but its code and contents remained a mystery for decades — until Mills unexpectedly cracked the code.
Mills, who lived in Fort McMurray, Alberta, was visiting the museum with his family last month over a holiday weekend. As they wandered around the exhibits with the museum guide, Tom Kibblewhite, they spotted the safe.
Kibblewhite told the family what he told all other guests: the 900kg black box with a silver dial had remained closed for generations. For years, the safe has confused volunteers at the museum. The manufacturer was unable to provide advice on how to open its thick door.
A locksmith (锁匠) once suggested that years of inactivity might have slowed down the gears, making it inoperable. But Mills, who is a “mechanically-minded person”, asked whether he could give it a try. “Kibblewhite kept saying no one had opened it and that it was a mystery what was inside,” Mills said. “I thought this would be a great thing to do for a laugh for the kids. Maybe they can find some interesting historical things in it — like a time capsule.”
After pressing his ear against the cool metal, he began spinning the dial. With numbers ranging from zero to 60, he turned clockwise (顺时针方向地) three times to 20, counter-clockwise two times to 40, and then clockwise one time to 60. He was astonished to hear a click. “I jumped up and told everyone I’m buying a lottery ticket (彩票),” he said.
1.What does the underlined sentence in the first paragraph mean?
A.He didn’t think he would open the safe.
B.The museum trip was like a Hollywood film.
C.He didn’t want to turn the dial in the beginning.
D.It was unbelievable for him to win a lottery ticket in the end.
2.What do we know about the safe?
A.The dial on the safe was broken.
B.It was a donation from a rich businessman.
C.It was one of the most valuable exhibits in the museum.
D.It has been long closed since it was brought to the museum.
3.Why did Mills compare the safe to a time capsule?
A.To tell people how fast time flies.
B.To remind visitors of the time limit.
C.To indicate the safe’s special meaning.
D.To explain the content of the safe.
4.What can we infer from the last paragraph?
A.Mills won a prize for cracking the code.
B.Mills had plenty of luck to break the code.
C.Mills knew what the code was in advance.
D.Mills tried a dozen times until he cracked the code.
Offering Free Homestay in Singburi Thailand in Exchange for Short Term ESL (非母语英语课程) Teaching Peetim’s ESL Homestay offers volunteers lodging (寄宿), food, laundry and Thai culture in exchange for teaching English in her private schools. Peetim’s homestay is in a village near Singburi, a small town about 2 hours’ drive north of Bangkok. Her home is spacious, safe, clean, and quiet. There are several bedrooms, bathrooms, and classrooms — and some refrigerators in different spots. Every room has reliable, fast wifi. It’s only 10 minutes’ drive to KFC and 5 minutes’ drive to a large supermarket. Besides, several small stores are within walking distance. A motorbike into town is 60 baht (铢，泰国货币单位) roundtrip.
Peetim’s husband has a large mat for teaching Thai boxing. You can prepare your lessons and Peetim can provide you with curriculums. Student skill level is pretty low, so plan to teach basic vocabulary and simple conversations. Pictures and videos are great. For the younger learners, use plenty of games and songs. Peetim’s housekeeper doesn’t speak English, but Peetim is fluent. She can provide you with an invitation letter to get a volunteer visa for up to 3 months at 2700 baht. The homestay is free, but many volunteers pay Peetim as much as several thousand baht per month. Utilities (公用事业) in Thailand are 1000-3000 baht, depending on electricity use. Food in Thailand is 100-300 baht, depending on your diet and appetite. Peetim communicates through Facebook rather than by email.
Phone: 080779479
Facebook website addresses:
http://www.peetimhomestay.com/
If you have a lot of luggage, you can ship most of it using Kerry Logistics express mail service. They are fast, reliable, and surprisingly cheap.
Ship packages to: Peetim Homestay
45 Moo, 6 Phromburi
Singburi, THAILAND
1.Who is the advertisement mainly intended for?
A.Young English learners. B.Local college students.
C.Native English speakers. D.Foreign tourists.
2.In Peetim’s school, roomers are required to _______.
A.teach the students basic English
B.sing and dance with the students
C.prepare the curriculum themselves
D.teach the students with Peetim together
3.What can we learn about Peetim?
A.She can speak English a little.
B.She is a user of Facebook.
C.She will cook for roomers.
D.She offers roomers free shipping.
