“Life is speeding up. 1.. ” Picture this:You're rushing to finish your homework on the computer. Your mobile phone rings. Suddenly the computer blanks and you lose all your work. Now you have to stay up to get it done.2. .
3. . Due to these inventions, we are often left feeling stressed and tired. Why do you think people who live far away from noisy cities often seem to be happier? Perhaps because they lead a simple life.
One family in the UK went “back in time” to see what life was like without all the inventions we have today, The grandparents, with their daughter, and grandsons Benjamin, 10 and Thomas, 7, spent nine weeks in a house dating back to 1940.4..
The grandmother, Molly, said, “It was hard physically, but not mentally.” She believed life was less materialistic. “5.. ” she said. The boys said they had less to fight over, their computer, for example. Benjamin also noticed that his grandmother had changed from being a trendy, beer —drinking granny to one who liked cooking things.
A.Are you faced with a completely different situation?
B.Hardly can you succeed in doing something in a perfect way
C.Everyone is getting unwell
D.How can you feel calm and happy?
E.Inventions have speeded up our lives so much
F.They had no microwave, computer or mobile phones
G.The more things you have, the more difficult life becomes
In an era when fashion trends can change in a nanosecond(纳秒), people want to keep pace. They'll wear a look a few times and then move on to the next one. In reality, most people can't really afford this.
To meet this demand, online clothing rental services are growing in popularity. Shoppers can pay money online to rent the clothes they need, says the Fashion United website. The first company to put this idea into practice is Rent the Runway. The United States — based company has hit a $ 1 billion valuation. CEO Jennifer Hyman credits its success to the concepts of the sharing economy. She believes that the clothing rental business and the idea of dynamic ownership is a trend in the young generation. “The millennium generation(千禧一代)，the consumer, is so ready to adopt this behavior.” Hyman told CNBC.
She also points out that working women make up one of the biggest consumer groups subscribing to their services. They want more clothes but they have limited space and ability to purchase new fashion. “Rent the Runway can be a solution for them,” Hyman told CNBC, “where they can dress for the job they want and save money and time.”
Although the clothing rental business has many advantages, people still have some concerns. Journalist and author Elizabeth Cline wrote in Elle that “Renting the clothes is not as sustainable as it seems.”
Take shipping, for example, which has to go two ways if an item is rented—receiving and returning. Cline writes that consumer transportation has the second largest footprint of our collective fashion habit after manufacturing. Then there's the burden of washing, which has to happen to every item when it's returned, regardless of whether or not it was worn. For most rental services, this usually means dry—-cleaning, a high— impact and polluting process. “They can produce hazardous waste and air pollution if not handled correctly, and they're often paired with stain removers that are more toxic than the solvents themselves,” she told the Fashion Platforms website.
1.What is the article mainly about?
A.The fast changes of fashion trends.
B.The development of the sharing economy.
C.What contributes to the popularity of online clothing rental services.
D.The advantages and disadvantages of online clothing rental services.
2.What is behind the success of Rent the Runway according to Hyman?
A.Different fashion tastes. B.Growth of delivery services.
C.The trend of the sharing economy. D.The financial pressures facing consumers.
3.What is the main problem of online clothing subscription services, according to the text?
A.Consumers tend to rent more than they need.
B.They could lead to other unsustainable fashion habits.
C.The shipping and washing involved are not environmentally friendly.
D.People can catch infectious diseases by renting clothes from sick people.
4.According to the passage, the author's attitude towards the rental service is
A.supportive B.indifferent
C.objective D.passive
Antarctica is known for being a vast land of ice and snow, a place too cold for most life. Despite this, the continent is slowly starting to turn warm. According to the Guardian, the Antarctic has registered a new high temperature for the first time on record, prompting fears of climate instability in the world's iciest place.
On Feb 9, Brazilian researchers at Seymour Island reported a temperature of 20.75℃ on the icy continent of Antarctica. It was almost a full degree higher than the previous re- cord of 19. 8℃ , taken on Signy Island in January 1982.
This record — breaking reading was taken at a monitoring station in the northern part of Antarctica. According to Brazilian soil scientist Carlos Schaefer, the temperature was documented during a 20-year-long research project. The focus of this project is to study the effect that climate change has on the permafrost(永久冻土) within the region. Permafrost is soil that stays frozen for at least two years. Although this is a first record high for Antarctica, Schaefer stressed that “We can't use this to anticipate climatic changes in the future. It's simply a signal that something different is happening in that area.”
But in fact, the last high temperature reading was in the 19℃range. These higher temperatures can cause ice and glaciers in Antarctic regions to melt. The Antarctic peninsula—the long finger of land that stretches towards Argentina—is most dramatically affected. Scientists saw glaciers that have retreated by more than 100 meters in Discovery Bay where the snow melted in little more than a week, leaving dark exposed rock. This melted ice leads to a rise in sea levels that can threaten the safety of coastal areas. It's believed to be behind an alarming decline of more than 50 percent in chinstrap penguin(帽带企鹅) colonies, which are dependent on sea ice.
Like American writer Ernest Hemingway once said, “The Earth is a fine place and worth fighting for.” We should do everything we can to help save our planet. Otherwise, it may become too hot for us to fix.
1.What did Brazilian researchers report on Feb 9?
A.Seymour Island is the warmest region in the Antarctic.
B.Antarctica hit a record high temperature of 20. 75℃.
C.The average temperature of Antarctica ranges from 19. 8°C to 20. 75℃.
D.Antarctica's new record temperature is a full degree higher than the previous decade.
2.What's the main purpose of the 20-year-long research project?
A.To predict possible climatic change in the future.
B.To monitor Antarctica's contributions to world climate change.
C.To explain why the permafrost may cause glaciers to melt.
D.To examine how the permafrost is influenced by climate change.
3.What does the underlined word “retreated” probably mean?
A.moved backward. B.increased in size.
C.covered a certain area. D.stretched in an opposite direction.
4.According to the text, the melted glacier may lead to .
A.the pollution of ocean water B.the release of various viruses
C.threats to penguin habitats D.disappearances of coastal cities
I've been taking time this week to smell the roses. Literally, I bend over in my neighbors' front yard, check that nobody is watching, and then bury my head in the flowers.
I've also been walking into bakeries and walking around without buying anything. After having surgery on my broken nose 18 months ago, I haven't been able to smell or taste things. This week, however, my nose is back in business. I've been overwhelmed by smells, and it's given me a new way of thinking. Scent is just one of the little bits and pieces that make life enjoyable, but which we often ignore. I remember once, when my son was five months old, I was carrying him down the street. Wind swept through and almost tipped us over. He threw his little head back and giggled. He'd never felt the wind on his face. When is the last time I laughed at the weather?
The first time I ate bacon, I rushed home to my parents, determined that we ate this deliciousness at every meal. My father smiled and agreed. Do you recall when you learned that the voice actors of Mickey and Minnie Mouse were married in real life? Do you enjoy sleeping in new clean bedsheets? Is there someone on the radio whose voice is as smooth as velvet?
We don't write postcards about the small things. We don't frame them in photo-graphs. They aren't that great or grand, but without them, life is altogether too loud. These quiet experiences give us a chance to enjoy the simple fact of being alive. As my sense of smell returns to me, it's like I'm smelling things for the first time. They're full of memories and magic. Food tastes better, and the air is indeed sweet. I know what the poets mean now. It almost makes my broken nose worthwhile. Now, I am waiting for this bandage to come off. There's an itch I can't reach!
1.The writer in the passage mainly tries to _______.
A.discuss how to enjoy leisure time B.show that she loves doing secret things
C.give examples of how she kills time D.persuade readers to enjoy small things in life
2.According to the writer, “a new way of thinking” in the second paragraph means _______.
A.the ability to discover the joy of small things B.the habit of overcoming ignorance
C.the ability to fully use our limited attention D.the habit of making personal reflections
3.The writer recalls that _______.
A.her father enjoyed sleeping in new clean bedsheets.
B.her son was frightened when feeling the wind on his face.
C.she couldn't resist temptation when eating bacon for the first time.
D.she always ignored the great things in life.
4.One small thing mentioned in the last paragraph is _______.
A.a joyful memory B.a quiet experience
C.the sense of smell D.the simple fact of being alive
Foods to Eat to Burn More Calories
WATERMELON
Watermelon is brimming with B vitamins which boost your energy levels and curb your need to munch on an extra snack. A cup of diced watermelon contains 46 calories and virtually no fat. Watermelon is a rich source of potassium, dietary fiber, protein, vitamin A, magnesium, vitamin C, and iron.
Watermelon is one of powerful foods to eat to burn more calories. Watermelon is also high in lycopene, the antioxidant that lower your risk of macular degeneration, heart disease, and cancer. With 90 percent water, watermelon is filling you up but are not filling you out. Enjoy fresh watermelon juice, smoothie, or use it any summer fruit salad you like.
GRAPEFRUIT
Grapefruits speed up your metabolism and help burn a lot of calories. This fruit will help feel full faster and longer. According to the U. S. Department of Agriculture National Nutrient Database, one half of a grapefruit contains around 53 calories. Moreover, grapefruit is rich in fiber that may help stabilize your blood glucose levels. You can add grapefruit to your fruit salad, smoothies or drink a grapefruit juice.
CELERY
The secret of celery is very simple： it contains less calories and helps burn more than you eat. Celery mostly consists of water and that's why it is good as a part of a balanced diet
However, this food is not suitable for celery diet only as your body won't get the necessary minerals and nutrients. So the best decision will be to combine it with some other foods.
WHOLE GRAINS
Studies show that whole grains are healthier than refined grains and that they lower the risk of getting a chronic disease. This type of grains is also a good part of a diet as it takes more time to digest and you won't get hungry for a longer period of time. Whole grains are rich in various vitamins, minerals and carbohydrates but low in fat.
GREEN TEA
Rich in antioxidants green tea boosts your metabolism and helps lose weight, which is just fantastic for ladies, isn't it? Simply enjoy a cup of hot fragrant green tea and do a great favor to your body.
1.To balance blood glucose levels, you'd better take in regularly.
A.green tea B.whole grains
C.watermelon D.grapefruit
2.From the passage we can know that _______.
A.grapefruit contains more calories than watermelon.
B.whole grains are healthier because they contain more water and various minerals.
C.both grapefruit and green tea can help speed up metabolism for those who are eager to lose weight.
D.having celery diet before a cup of green tea can help get enough nutrients to lose weight.
3.Which column can we read this passage in the newspaper?
A.Book Review B.Health
C.Entertainment D.Learning Kit
假定你是某中学的学生李华。请用英语给出版社的编辑写一封信,表达你对现在使用的英语教材的看法,内容主要包括:
优点:1.话题广泛;
2.图片丰富;
3.有助于提高学习兴趣。
建议:适当降低词汇难度。
注意:1.词数100左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯;
3.开头语已为你写好,不计入总词数。
Dear Editor,
As a student reader, I am writing to talk about the English textbooks published by your house.
