Recently I invited a homeless man to have lunch with me at the Soup Plantation so that he could eat as much as he wanted to fill his stomach. I met him over the phone when I was calling Father Benno’s, a soup kitchen. Something within stirred me to invite him to lunch. Since he did not have a car, I offered to pick him up.
We had a wonderful four-hour lunch. I learned a lot about his struggles but more importantly, I finished lunch, feeling greater gratitude(感激) for a roof over my head, a warm shower, a comfortable bed , and food on the table—all of which we may not think twice about. He, too, enjoyed the connection, his lunch, and a rest from spending his afternoon on the streets.
I learned long ago that one person alone cannot solve the problem of the homeless people in California or the United States of America. However ,each person can make an effort to help the homeless in their own way. Do you know that 40% of the U.S. population live paycheck (薪水) to paycheck? Should a sudden financial(财务的) case appear, any one of those 40% can end up homeless in the streets.
For this holiday season, perhaps you may want to try something new. Buy a meal for the person asking for money instead of giving them spare change. If you can make the time and find courage, invite them to share a meal with you. Jesse Jackson once said, “Never look down on anybody unless you are helping them up,” and Rumi told us, “When we practice loving kindness and pity, we are the first one to benefit from it.”
1.What does the underlined word “stirred” in the first paragraph probably mean?
A.Limited. B.Allowed. C.Begged. D.Encouraged.
2.What was the author thankful for?
A.The homeless man. B.The length of the lunch.
C.The condition of his life. D.The connection with the man.
3.What does the author think of those who live on paycheck?
A.They live a comfortable life. B.They just make ends meet.
C.They are really homeless people. D.They look down upon the homeless.
4.Which of the following doesn’t the author advise us to do?
A.Try something new. B.Buy a meal for a person.
C.Give money to the homeless. D.Invite a person to share a meal.
These Children’s Books Written by Celebrities(名人) Are Perfect for Your Little Kids
Kelly Clarkson Wrote a Book Inspired by Her Daughter
When Kelly Clarkson wrote River Rose and the Magical Lullaby, she named the main character after her young daughter. The story follows Rose, who finds herself in a magical dream world, guided by the voice of her mother. Writing the book offered the American Idol winner a new challenge. She said, “It’s so helpful with learning.”
Jim Carrey Is on a Roll with This Book
Jim Carrey’s 2013 book, How Roland Rolls, however, is very much for the little ones. The winner of the 2013 Gelett Burgess Children’s Book Award, How Roland Rolls is about a wave who worries about what will happen when he finally hits the beach. His fear disappears when he realizes he’s more than just a wave, but he’s the entire ocean! Coming up, this horror film star isn’t trying to scare(使害怕) any kids with her book.
Jamie Lee Curtis Has Been Writing Since the 1990s
You might know her best from the Halloween series movie. This Is Me is a story about immigration(外来移民). Curtis says she has no political intentions with her book, saying, “Every person has an immigrant story about their ancestors, and we’re losing that. I thought it was important to connect that thread back to who we are.”
Steve Martin’s Books Prove He’s a Comedian for All Ages
You may have ever read one of his books, like Shopgirl. If you’re a fan of his and you have kids, you’ll be happy to know that now your kids can read his books, too. Since getting into children’ literature, Martin has written and published several books, including Late for School and The Alphabet From A to Y with Bonus Letter Z. Each letter of the alphabet is paired with a poem by Marin.
1.Which book describes a character that is not a human being?
A.This Is Me. B.Late for School.
C.How Roland Rolls. D.River Rose and the Magical Lullaby.
2.What can This Is Me remind readers of when they read it?
A.Their roots. B.Their dreams. C.Their children. D.Their school life.
3.Who wrote a book about the English alphabet?
A.Jim Carrey. B.Steve Martin. C.Kelly Clarkson. D.Jamie Lee Curtis.
阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。
In September 1960, I woke up one morning with six hungry babies and just 75 cents in my pocket. Their father was gone. My boys were from three months to seven years, and their sister was two.
I cleaned up the kids until they looked brand new, and then put on my best homemade dress. I put them into the old car and drove off to find a job. The seven of us went to every factory, store and restaurant in our small town. No luck.
The last place we went to was now called the Big Wheel, and an old lady named Granny owned the place. Finally she told me she needed someone to work from 11 at night to seven in the morning. She paid 65 cents an hour, and I could start that night. I returned and left the children at home.
Then I left to start my new job at the Big Wheel. As the weeks went by, the tires(轮胎)on the old car began to leak(漏气). I had to fill them with air on the way to work and again every morning before I could go home.
One cold fall morning, I dragged myself to the car to go home and found four tires in the back seat. New tires! There was no note, just those beautiful brand new tires.
Christmas was coming, and I knew there would be no money for toys for the kids. So, I found a can of red paint and started repairing and painting some old toys. Then I hid them in the basement so there would be something for Santa to deliver on Christmas morning. Clothes were a worry too. I was sewing patches(补丁)on top of patches on the boys’ pants, and soon they would be too far gone to repair.
假定你是李华，你的美国网友John来信询问你一周当中最喜欢哪一天。请用英语写一封回信，内容包括：
1. 你喜欢哪一天；2. 喜欢这一天的原因。
注意：1. 词数80左右；2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear John,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
I just ended a six-year relationship. I found myself alone, feeling ________, often with an empty room for company（陪伴）on weekends. For the first time, I wondered if I had a mental ________.
After weeks of feeling ________ and sitting on my sofa crying, I decided to take action to turn my ________ around. I realized I didn’t have disease. I just hadn’t been meeting my basic needs in a ________ and balanced way.
After taking action to ________ a new diploma（文凭）, I reflected（思考）on how much better after I was meeting my basic needs, and how happy and ________ I felt as a result. I also recognized that I was meeting the ________ in a new way. People were amazed when I told them what I was ________.
Seven years later, I never ________ the basic need. At the moment I am ________ for my third marathon. People tell me how ________ I am when I am running. I feel very happy, so I look after my body better. I have achieved a goal, and I go on to do something ________ with my time to meet other needs.
My dear friends, as we head into the New Year, I’d like to ________ you to spend an evening together, ________ some music you enjoy, look at each of the different needs and check how well you are meeting each one of your needs.
1.A.excited B.joyful C.curious D.lonely
2.A.enjoyment B.disease C.determination D.energy
3.A.helpless B.cheerful C.fortunate D.content
4.A.body B.sofa C.life D.title
5.A.strange B.broad C.healthy D.traditional
6.A.get B.make C.sell D.mend
7.A.alone B.alive C.asleep D.awake
8.A.condition B.friend C.stranger D.need
9.A.studying B.buying C.teaching D.missing
10.A.forget B.misunderstand C.ruin D.gain
11.A.training B.searching C.reporting D.watching
12.A.intelligent B.troublesome C.confident D.tiresome
13.A.generous B.unimportant C.violent D.positive
14.A.allow B.invite C.order D.employ
15.A.put off B.put away C.put down D.put on
Can a bowl of chicken soup help fight a cold? Maybe. But will going outside with wet hair make you sick? No. 1. Here are some more.
Feed a cold, starve a fever. Being sick often makes you eat less. But force-feeding won't help. What will help is drinking more water and getting enough calories. A 2008 study found that mice having flu took longer to recover and were more likely to suffer ill effects if they were dieting. 2.
Vicks VapoRub(薄荷膏) in your socks treats coughs. A widely spread post on line once suggested putting Vicks VapoRub on feet at night and covering them with socks to treat coughs. 3.VapoRub is usually used on a child's chest or throat to reduce cough. So it would not work in your socks. Still, some fans stand by this treatment.
4. Colds and flu are caused by viruses. They do spread during cold-weather seasons, but you're more likely to pick them up inside than out. In fact, going outside and getting more physical activities-and not just during cold and flu season-may help prevent sickness.
A wet head can make you sick. You'll probably feel cold if you don't blow your hair dry on a cold day, but not much else will happen. 5. Unless you are so cold that you get a low temperature, which could make you sensitive to flu, wet hair or clothes won't increase your possibility of catching a cold.
A.It became an internet popularity.
B.You'll get sick if going out without a coat.
C.Again, colds are caused by a virus.
D.That's just an incorrect traditional belief in cold.
E.But you have to actually wear it for the health benefits.
F.Experts suggest adding medicines three times a day to your meal.
G.The researchers' suggestion is to stop dieting until after flu season.
