When the 28-year-old farmer Ureta met 17-year-old Graciela in his hometown Pampa, they fell in love. Two years later, they ____ and settled down (定居)on the farm where Ureta had been brought up.
Graciela had many big ____ for the farm in her mind. One day when she was on a ____over Pampa, Graciela suddenly ____that another farm looked like a milking pail (桶). Graciela thought her family could create something even more ____on their own farm-a huge forest ____ like her favorite musical instrument-the guitar.
But Ureta didn't take his wife's ____seriously, saying, "We'll talk about it later. " Later ____ came. In 1977, Graciela died suddenly of brain cancer at the _____ age of 25 while carrying their fifth child. After his wife's death, Mr. Ureta _____ not satisfying her wish. A few years later, Ureta decided that the best way to honor his wife would be to ____ the big work of art.
After the local government ____ to help with the project, Ureta and his children took it on their own. One by one, they ____ about 7,000 trees into the "shape of a guitar". It took a few seasons for the trees to take roots(生根),but Ureta's ____ paid off.
Watching the forest grow over the years gave Graciela's children______ "It was the closest thing possible to having my mother alive," Maria Julia, Ureta's second daughter, said.
1.A.got prepared B.got married C.became well-known D.became stressed
2.A.tests B.tasks C.reasons D.plans
3.A.train B.flight C.cloud D.bridge
4.A.noticed B.remembered C.recognized D.expected
5.A.expensive B.funny C.attractive D.important
6.A.treated B.described C.considered D.shaped
7.A.style B.personality C.idea D.adventure
8.A.hardly B.never C.still D.always
9.A.young B.old C.common ' D.special
10.A.kept B.suggested C.enjoyed D.regretted
11.A.copy B.paint C.create D.change
12.A.promised B.decided C.volunteered D.refused .
13.A.planted B.carried C.put D.collected
14.A.small dream B.hard work C.big success D.private money
15.A.pleasure B.comfort C.support D.care
Tips for Developing Your Artistic Talent
Everyone has an artistic talent. You might not even know it. 1.. However, in fact, there are a lot of different ways to express your artistic side. You don't necessarily have to be a professional(专业人员). You can enjoy art just for its own value. Check out a few tips for developing artistic skills.
1. Art takes a variety of forms
Most people think that art can only be found in museums and is only for the elite(精英). You can look around you.2.. They may be found in nature, and even in usual advertisements and posters. Just start to look at such sides as line, color, composition and style.
2. Try things out
If you want to develop your artistic talent, start trying things out.3.
3. Appreciate
4.. Almost anything can be used for inspiration. Visit museums and galleries, or look at art books. When you look around you, you develop your artistic appreciation and use it to work on developing your own skills.
4.5.
Don't expect to create a masterpiece(杰作)with your first try. There must be mistakes. Many artists spent years studying and perfecting their skill. You might not want to reach their level, but don't feel shy about your work. Even if it's not perfect, it will be. Try out，learn from your mistakes, and improve your skills.
A.Take art classes
B.Don't be afraid to make mistakes
C.You'll find art and beauty are everywhere
D.You might have always thought that you don't have any skills in the arts
E.Another way to develop your artistic talent is to learn how to use your eyes
F.There are many things you can try from painting, costume, dance and singing
G.Discuss the art with other art lovers to see what they think and then form your own opinion
Stories play a vital role in the growth and development of children. The books they read and the characters they get to know can become like friends. It's also good for children to understand that books are a useful source of information and that good reading skills are important for success in their future lives.
Children who can read well are more likely to have higher confidence levels. This will benefit them in school as they’ll feel able to participate fully in activities. Another part of building confidence is to know where you fit into the world. Stories can help with this process by showing children what people's lives are like where they live and in other parts of the world.
Stories are a great way to introduce new words and ideas into a child's language--starting with picture books for the very young, working up to more complex novels for teenagers. Fiction based on real life can also help children with their own life experience--it shows them how diverse the world is and that some people's lives are vastly different from theirs. And the process is done in a natural way. There's no actual teaching involved at all, but they learn from simply reading the story.
Reading helps children understand that there are other children who feel the same way and they are not alone. This helps children understand that feelings are normal and should be expressed. Watching their responses to the feelings of the characters in the stories will give you some idea of how a child feels about certain situations and emotions. For example, how the child responds to the character in the story feeling sad or scared will give you some idea of how the child thinks.
As you can see, children's stories are important for a number of reasons and form a vital part of the growing process. Being part of that process can bring children a sense of satisfaction as well as being great fun. So, go and get your children some wonderful books to allow them to enjoy a relaxing bedtime story.
1.What can we know from Paragraph 1?
A.Reading stories benefits children a lot.
B.Reading is the best way to gain information.
C.Reading stories helps children make more friends.
D.Reading skills should be developed at a young age.
2.How could reading stories raise children's confidence?
A.Inspiring children to get good grades.
B.Supporting children's language development.
C.Aiding children with living in a better family environment.
D.Allowing children to explore their suitable positions in society.
3.What does the author think about learning through reading?
A.Unrealistic.
B.Effective.
C.Time-saving
D.Expensive.
4.What can be inferred from the text?
A.Most teenagers are fond of complex novels.
B.Picture books are lacking in real life situations.
C.Most children have difficulty in expressing themselves.
D.Parents can know kids better from kids' reading responses.
Shinrin- yoku means"forest bathing".Forest bathing doesn't mean you take a bath in the forest;rather,you simply go for a walk in the woods or a city park,where you slacken by using all your senses to experience nature.
Yoshifumi Miyazaki,from Chiba University,is among a growing number of scientists who have begun studying the science behind the effects of nature on human health.In his book Shinrin-yoku:The Japanese Art of Forest Bathing,Miyazaki explains the techniques of forest bathing.
Miyazaki has an interesting theory about why shinrin-yoku is so effective.He points out that for more than 99,99%of the time,humans have lived in a natural environment.In fact,in 1800,only 3%of the world's population lived in cities,and by 2016,this figure reached 54%. This is only going to get worse;officials predict that by 2050,66%will live in cities.
This suggests we live in our modern society with bodies that are still used to the natural environment,he writes in the book,because"genes cannot change over just a few hundred years".The science behind the research studies he presents in the book makes a convincing case that forest bathing is an effective method for reducing stress in today's world.
Now city planners are becoming increasingly aware of the importance of nature and are creating new kinds of "parks”out of empty spaces.There' re also more city gardens where people can grow vegetables.For kids,kitchen gardens in schools are becoming popular.As Miyazaki stresses,you don't have to find a formal park or garden to practice shinrin-yoku. Instead,you can enjoy the effects of nature wherever there' re plants.
Better yet,he says,we can bring nature closer to where we spend most of our time.Miyazaki's research has shown that just increasing the amount of plants in a room can affect the relaxation benefits of the room.What's more,even when people simply look at flowers,their bodies relax and stress levels decrease.
1.What does the underlined word in Paragraph 1 mean?
A.Behave. B.Entertain.
C.Anticipate. D.Relax.
2.How does the author mainly develop the third paragraph?
A.By giving examples.
B.By listing figures.
C.By making remarks.
D.By presenting research findings.
3.Why does forest bathing work effectively according to Miyazaki?
A.Human genes can change easily. B.Nature is part of the modern society.
C.Human body can integrate into nature. D.People can always get excited in nature.
4.Which of the following will Miyazaki agree on forest bathing?
A.It is easy to operate.
B.It is meant for gardeners.
C.It is unaffordable in the city.
D.It is inconvenient to practice.
A dog spent the last four years of his life waiting a crossroad in the Thai city of Khon Kaen as if waiting for someone. People originally thought the dog had been abandoned, but then realized that he looked healthy, so people asked around about him. It turned out that the dog had indeed been spending most of his time around that crossroad, but a woman had been coming round regularly to bring him food and water.
One day, while photographing the dog everyone called Leo, a reporter met the woman who had been taking care of him. She had come to drop off some food. After learning the story about the dog and the woman, the reporter decided to share the story on social media. The post soon went viral and the photos of Leo got shared hundreds of times. And the photos reached the eyes of Leo’s former old owner.
Nang Noi Sittisarn, a 64-year-old woman from Thailand’s Roi Et Province, almost had a heart attack when her daughter showed her a photo of the beloved dog named BonBon she had lost during a car trip. When she learned that he had been waiting for her in the same spot for the last four years，her heart melted(融化).
Auntie Noi told her daughter to drive her to where the dog was waiting. When she got there and called his name. BonBon，the poor dog started wiggling(扭动)his tail and came to her，but when she tried to take him home with her, he was unwilling to follow. She didn’ t want to force the dog to come with her so she agreed to leave him with his new master. However, she and her daughter will come to visit him regularly.
1.Why did the dog look healthy after separation from his former owner?
A.He walked around the crossroad constantly.
B.He was kept at a woman’s home all the time.
C.A local reporter brought him food and water.
D.A woman looked after him on a regular basis.
2.What does the underlined phrase “went viral” in paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.Changed surprisingly. B.Spread quickly.
C.Appeared gradually. D.Fell directly.
3.How did Nang Noi Sittisam feel about the dog's waiting for her?
A.Shocked. B.Regretful. C.Touched. D.Proud.
4.What can we mainly learn from the story about the dog?
A.Unbelievable success is worth waiting for.
B.We should adjust ourselves to environments.
C.We need to learn to be faithful and thankful.
D.No one knows the result until the last minute
FITNESS CENTRE
The fitness centre offers a variety of activities for members of all ages throughout the week.
Activities for Monday 12 July, 2017:
Learn to swim. Classes for preschool children aged five and under start at 10:00 am. Classes last 30 minutes and parents must attend with their children. Don’t forget to book in advance, as places are limited, and to pack some warm clothes for after the lesson.
Woman’s aerobics (有氧运动). Sessions are for one hour and begin at 10:45 am, led by Melissa. Come along and join us every Monday for an exhilarating hour of exercise and fun. Leave your kids at the nursery and take time out for yourself. Wear a track-suit or something similar.
Lunchtime yoga. Take a break at lunchtime (1:00—2:00 pm) for an hour of meditation and yoga. Enjoy the peace and quiet of our meditation room, and relaxing sessions designed for active people with busy lives. Use your own mat for floor work or hire one from us for a small sum.
Family Shootaround. 10:00—5:30 pm. Family Shootaround is open for members and guests to bring the family out for basketball. Half court games are only during this time. There are no full court games during Family Shootaround hours. All participants must sign in at the front desk and wear a wristband during the play.
1.When will Melissa be working?
A.From 10:00 am to 10:30 am. B.From 10:45 am to 11:45 am.
C.From 1:00 pm to 2:00 pm. D.From 10:00 am to 5:30 pm.
2.Which activity may need extra fees?
A.Lunchtime yoga. B.Learn to swim.
C.Women’s aerobics. D.Family Shootaround.
3.What is the common requirement of the activities?
A.The need to sign in. B.The need to bring something.
C.The need to book in advance. D.The need to become a member.
