As a teen myself, I’ve seen first-hand the pleasing effects of poetry. Not too long ago, I went on stage to read my poetry at writing workshop, thinking anxiously to myself: Would the audience understand me? More than being nervous about the quality of my poem, I felt anxious about what my voice would sound like. At the time, I was 14, and still suffering from a speech disorder (语言障碍) that had affected me since began talking. As I stood, I experienced a sudden appreciation for the blinding lights. I couldn’t see everyone’s face! That made things much easier. I opened my book and began to read.
After the writing workshop, I gained the confidence to read my own work aloud. I learned that writing wasn’t about pronunciation, but about style and the author’s voice. This lesson helped me grow on endless occasions in my life, convincing me that poetry can have an astonishing influence when taught to teens.
One organization that I am part of, WriteGirl, through monthly creative writing workshops, gives girls the skills they need for a brighter future. Although WriteGirl doesn’t only focus on poetry, the organization still uses poetry to teach, inspire and empower girls all across Los Angeles. While the high school graduation rate in Los Angeles is only 80 percent, every year 100 percent of WriteGirl teens not only graduate from high school, but go to college.
But are these advantages becoming needless with the fast development of technology being placed in young hands?
It seems the answer is quite the opposite—technology has opened whole new world for young poets and writers. On KidBlog, young students can post their poems as a blog post on which others can leave their opinions. The Internet makes it easier for viewers to read poetry. Many people are discovering or rediscovering that poetry is fun and creates many opportunities for self-expression.
As I stepped up to read my writing at the workshop, I learned that poetry is about having a voice, and the courage to use it. With this courage, we free ourselves and become able to influence others.
1.How did the workshop influence the author?
A.It aided her in making a long speech.
B.It contributed to her personal growth.
C.It improved her communication skills.
D.It made her begin to take speech disorder seriously.
2.What can we learn about WriteGirl?
A.It is beneficial to girls’ studies.
B.It brings out girls’ poetic skills.
C.It encourages girls to teach poetry.
D.It helps girls become famous writers.
3.Which of the following may the author agree with?
A.Poetry is old-fashioned in modern times.
B.Technology makes creating poetry easier.
C.Technology serves as a useful tool for poetry.
D.The Internet slows down the development of poetry.
4.What is the best title of the text?
A.How poetry gave me a voice
B.Why teens don’t read poetry
C.Approaches to learning poetry
D.Influence of technology on poetry
Can you think of a day without music? We can hear music everywhere: in the streets and at home, over the radio and on TV, in the shops and in the parks. People all over the world are fond of music. They listen to music, they dance to music, and they learn to play musical instruments.
Music isn’t’ only combination of pleasant sounds. It is an art which reflects life. There are lot of different kinds of music. Some of them appeared long ago, and some are modern. Folk music appeared long ago, but it is still alive. Folk songs are very pleasant to listen to. Classical music is often associated with the music of the past. Rap is a modern musical style where the singer speaks or shouts the words in time to music with a steady beat.
Great Britain has produced more popular music stars than any other country. British groups often set new trends in music. New styles, groups and singers continue to appear. Many of the new bands have been able to use changes in technology to develop their music such as computerised drum machines, synthesisers and other electronic instruments.
Tastes differ. So people’s musical interests range from pop and rock music to classical music and opera. My favourite style of music is pop music, because it is full of energy. When I listen to pop music it makes me remember happy times and forget the problems of everyday life. I also enjoy listening to classical music. The music I hate is heavy metal, I find it noisy. When I listen to this style of music it presents to my mind pictures of dark days. My mother and father agree with my tastes in music. Though they prefer to listen to classical, they think that modern music is not too bad.
Music appeals to our hearts. It comforts our souls and enriches our minds. Music is beauty in sounds; it is our magic source of inspiration.
1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A.Several types of music. B.Different musical tastes.
C.The development of musical styles. D.The importance of music in our lives.
2.How is the second paragraph developed?
A.By giving examples. B.By analysing reasons.
C.By describing courses. D.By making comparisons.
3.Why does the author like pop music?
A.It is played with electronic instruments. B.It is characterised by a steady beat.
C.It is loud and strong. D.It sounds energetic.
4.What is the author’s parents’ attitude towards his musical taste?
A.Doubtful. B.Supportive.
C.Dissatisfied. D.Unconcerned.
Claire Lomas, who broke her back in horse-riding accident, has raised over ￡575,000 for charity through a number of events, and became the first person to complete a marathon in her ReWalk Suit—a robotic exoskeleton that enables her to walk.
In her latest challenge, Lomas continued throughout the day and night without sleep to walk the race in Portsmouth with the aid of the suit and pair of crutches.
She was met with cheers and applause as she crossed the line, having posted regular updates on Twitter as she battled wind and rain.
Lomas said the fact that this was her first long-distance race without stopping meant “it was a little bit unknown” whether she could finish, and added that she was “really grateful to everyone that supported me... I had a few tears.”
At the halfway stage, Lomas remained in high spirits and posted video of herself singing Bon Jovi’s Livin’ on a Prayer. And she showed the exhausting effects of the race with a mile to go when she tweeted: “Help me get to the last mile as I’m so tired.”
Her effort has so far raised more than ￡4,000 for the Nicholls Spinal Injury Foundation. After collecting her award, she said, “My accident was 10 years ago in May. When I think back to that first year or two I would have loved for someone to tell me what the future had in store—back then, everything felt so bleak with so many dark days. I forced myself to take small opportunities and they have led on to bigger things. It has taken a lot of small little steps to get here.”
1.What do we know about Claire Lomas?
A.She failed to reach the end. B.She got injured in a marathon.
C.She walked the race with a special suit. D.She earned ￡575,000 for herself in the race.
2.What did Claire Lomas say about the race?
A.She was unwilling to take part in it. B.She believed that she could complete it.
C.She had confidence in winning an award. D.She felt uncertain about the result of the race.
3.What does the underlined word “bleak” in the last paragraph probably mean?
A.Special. B.Hopeless.
C.Interesting. D.Unnecessary.
4.What can we learn from Claire Lomas’s experience?
A.Every dog has its day. B.Charity begins at home.
C.Many hands make light work. D.Every cloud has a silver lining.
RAF Flypast
Tuesday, central London
raf. mod. uk
More than one hundred airplanes, from Spitfires to the Lightning, will be coming together. The amazing once-in-a-lifetime display is expected to pass over Buckingham Palace at around 1 pm.
Petfringe
Sunday, Petworth, West Sussex
petfringe. co.uk
Petworth, home of the 17th-century Grade I listed Petworth House, is the setting for this definitely-not-animal-related festival, featuring everything from classical music to theatre and film screenings. Petfringe also hosts the final of its Comedian Of The Year competition, where the winner will take home ￡10,001—the UK’s largest stand-up prize.
Fast Fringe
Monday, Underbelly Festival, Southbank, London
underbelly festival. com
Imagine going to the Edinburgh Fringe but don’t know who to see? This will help—it’s a showcase (展示) of 28 Scotland-bound acts each performing three-minute-teasers of their sets. Acts include Lost Voice Guy, who has already been an overnight success thanks to his “Britain’s Got Talent” win.
Henley Festival
October 11-15, Henley-on-Thames
henleyfestival. co.uk
There’s’ much to enjoy here, whether you’re fond of comedy, the arts, or opera (歌剧). Black tie is a must, as is drinking Pimm’s.
As You Like It
October 28, Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park, London
openairtheatre.com
Bill Shakespeare’s comedy in the Forest of Arden is directed by Max Webster, and comes to Regent’s Park. It features new music too.
1.Which event includes airplane shows?
A.Petfringe. B.Fast Fringe.
C.RAF Flypast. D.Henley Festival.
2.What do we know about Petfringe?
A.It is held on Monday. B.It is festival for animal lovers.
C.It sets up an award for comedians. D.It hosts “Britain’s Got Talent” competition.
3.What do Henley Festival and As You Like It have in common?
A.They are suitable for comedy fans. B.They are planned by Max Webster.
C.They will take place on the same day. D.They require visitors to wear black tie.
假设你是Rose，你的朋友Jane向你询问如何保持健康，请你根据以下内容给她写一封100词左右的回信。信的开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
1.注意合理饮食。多吃新鲜蔬菜和水果，鱼、肉、豆类等也要合理食用，甜食不要过量。
2.注意锻炼身体。劳逸结合，多参加体育活动，例如游泳或者跑步。
3.保证充足的睡眠时间。不要熬夜，每天至少睡8个小时。
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线（＼）划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意：1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
One afternoon, I was wandering on the street when I saw my brother by the chance. He was behaving very strange. He looked around before going quickly into a shop. When he came down, he had a box in his hand. I knew some villagers turned to steal because they were poor. The thought whether my brother could be one of them drove me crazily. I was determined to find out the truth. When he questioned, tears filled his eyes. He said he was collecting beer bottle from kind shopkeepers, but would feel embarrassing if he was seen by others. I was very sorry that I have misunderstood my brother.
