The stage lights dimmed(变昏暗), and I took a quick look from behind the heavy black curtains into the audience. Blinded by the lights, I quickly _______.It seems that a great number of eyes were looking at me. I took a deep _______ as the music of my dance began to play. I entered the stage and began my _______, the graduation test of the classical Indian dance.
After a decade of learning,I was finally ready to take on the most difficult act.The test is the most important _______in a dancer's life as it pays respect to all the factors in one's life that _______the dance form:one's culture and family.
The performance is undertaken only by the most_______and determined students.It is a difficult process that requires much _______For more than six months,I spent two to three hours every day _______ these dances.Many times,1_______myself to my physical and mental breaking point,but still I would not stop.I could not give up.There was always so much more to do and so much more to________.
I discovered a lot about myself in those tiring hours,and I forced myself to meet my ________.Even when I was at the end of my limit,there was always something ________ me on,forcing me not to give up.
Fortunately,I made it.What I had done ________ the success.It was in those hours that I learned what a dancer ________ is.Those time was evidence that I could achieve something I________out to do.
1.A.pulled back B.set off C.reached out D.broke away
2.A.sleep B.thought C.breath D.sorrow
3.A.career B.comprehension C.response D.performance
4.A.routine B.incident C.accident D.event
5.A.develop B.purchase C.introduce D.promote
6.A.focused B.beautiful C.intelligent D.considerate
7.A.talent B.strength C.devotion D.cooperation
8.A.recording B.practicing C.discussing D.designing
9.A.applied B.addicted C.treated D.pushed
10.A.forget B.design C.learn D.research
11.A.budget B.expectation C.expense D.impression
12.A.driving B.competing C.benefiting D.representing
13.A.increased B.deserved C.expanded D.exposed
14.A.completely B.chiefly C.truly D.distantly
15.A.put B.carry C.turn D.set
Thank You Notes: The Essential Life Lessons
There is no greater gift for any of us to give our friends and family than the gift of gratitude. 1.Take a quiet moment to think about the blessings of the season and write a thank you note to everyone who made it special for you. There are some life lessons from thank you notes.
2.Even a child can make some lines on paper, help pick out a pretty stamp, and lick the envelope. This helps create a sense of ownership, confidence, and contribution.
Thank you notes strengthen communication skills. Wherever you are, no skill matters more than the ability to communicate clearly and sincerely. It conveys reliability, confidence and thoughtfulness.3.
Thank you notes remind you about what matters.4. But when we write a thank you note we have to locate within ourselves some way to be grateful and find some way to express it. We do not find happiness in what we get. We find happiness in being grateful for what we have.
5. Not, “Thank you for the sweater. It is cool.” but “Thanks for the sweater!” Not, “Thanks for the game,” but “We had a blast playing that game.”
I think you will soon discover that the more thank you notes you send, the more you become aware of how much there is to be grateful for, and how good it feels to let people know you appreciate them.
A.Everyone can write a thank you note.
B.Maybe the gift was thoughtless.
C.And that can begin with thank you notes.
D.Thank you notes must have specific details.
E.There is no other way to convey this message.
F.You can even write to people you do not know.
G.Those are the qualities that inspire people to trust and respect you.
A breathtaking trick potentially left over from our ancestors might be found in us-the ability to sense oxygen through our skin.
Amphibians, animals such as frogs that can live both on land and in water, have long been known to be capable of breathing through their skin. In fact, the first known lungless frog that breathes only through its skin was discovered recently in the rivers of Borneo.
Now the same oxygen sensors found in frog skins and in the lungs of mammals have unexpectedly been discovered in the skin of mice. “No one had ever looked,” explained Randall Johnson, a biologist researcher. Mice and frogs are quite distant relatives, so the fact they have these molecules in common in their skin suggests they might well be found in the skin of other mammals, such as humans. “We have no reason to think that they are not in the skin of people too.” Johnson said.
These molecules not only detect oxygen, but help increase levels of vital red blood cells, which carry oxygen around the body. Normal mice breathing in air that is 10 percent oxygen-a dangerously low level similar to conditions at the top of Mount Everest, and about half that of air at sea level. However, mice that had the oxygen sensor HIF-la genetically removed from their skin failed to produce this hormone even after hours of such low oxygen.
These findings, if they hold true in humans, suggest one could raise the level of oxygen circulating inside the body. This could help treat lung diseases and disorders such as anemia without injecting drugs, which make up a multibillion- dollar market, Johnson said.
Athletes also often try to get more oxygen delivered to their muscles in order to improve their performance. They often do this by training at high altitudes or in low-oxygen tents. The new study suggests they might want to expose their skin as well as breathing in low-oxygen air to improve their performance. “It's hard to say what exactly might be done, however-there's a lot we don't know yet,” Johnson explained. The scientists detailed their findings in the April 18 issue of the journal Cell.
1.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Johnson believes that Oxygen sensors also exist in human skin.
B.People have to surf the Internet to read detailed findings.
C.It has been proved that these findings help treat lung diseases.
D.It has long been expected oxygen sensors exist in mice's skin.
2.One of the functions of the molecules mentioned above is
A.carrying-oxygen around the body
B.improving athletes'performance
C.detecting oxygen
D.increasing level of oxygen
3.What is Johnson's attitude to the application of the findings to the athletes'training?
A.Negative B.Pessimistic C.Positive D.Hesitating
4.The best title of the passage may be
A.Great Findings Benefits Athletes A Lot
B.Frogs And Mice Are Distant Relatives
C.First Known Animal Breathes Through Skin
D.Humans Might Sense Oxygen Through Skin
They may have text, email, Facebook and Twitter, but young people are still lonelier than any other age group. The Loneliness in New Zealand report, published by Statistics New Zealand, shows under 30s are more likely to feel lonely than older people because loneliness decreases with age.Loneliness and poor mental health were strongly related across all ages. Young people were not as likely to feel lonely because of financial hardship, but among older people, lack of money was a significant influence on loneliness. Women were more likely to feel lonely than men.
Philip Walker, spokesman for the General Social Survey, said because it was relatively new it was hard to know whether loneliness among young people was a new trend. But overseas research has found that levels of loneliness in youth today are growing.
Walker said the finding needed more exploration, including looking at the role of technology and social media. “It could be that people's expectations of connection have gone up, so we expect increased levels of connection.” he said. “While technology like cell phones could help young people stay connected, on the other hand for those who do get bullied, especially bullied online, it's quite isolating. A lot of the time potentially it is a big contributor to loneliness.”
Figures from online dating website Find Someone also confirmed more young people were looking for love. Manager Rick Davies, said younger dating hopefuls were the fastest growing group on the site.
Mr. Davies noted that since the report data was collected in 2010 there had been huge growth in smart phones, which meant people were online even more. He believed online tools, such as Skype, could help people stay connected. “People can keep in touch with a wide range of friends from all over the world much more easily now. It's like you're sitting in your living room having a chat with them.”
Bemardine Reid, operations committee chairwoman for Samaritans, which operates a free helpline, said many of their calls came from people who were lonely. “It might be that they've got some problem, just like all the things people would normally talk to a friend about, but people who are alone lack those normal contacts.” The Statistics New Zealand report also showed people who didn't have face-to-face contact with family and friends were more likely to feel lonely, as were those who lived alone.
1.Which of the following may Mr. Walker agree with?
A.High technology may become a reason for loneliness.
B.People shouldn't use the Internet to get to know strangers.
C.It's hard for people to get enough connection online as expected.
D.Social media should play an important role in helping lonely people.
2.From the last two paragraphs, we can conclude that .
A.Internet can keep people free from loneliness
B.people chatting a lot online tend to be optimistic
C.people living alone tend to have more connection online
D.people communicating less in the real-world risk loneliness
3.It can be inferred from the passage that .
A.Find Someone is a website where you can find old friends
B.without technology, young people would not feel lonely
C.high technology results in the older being lonely
D.those cheated or hurt online tend to feel lonely
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A.Loneliness around You B.Young People Online
C.Young but Lonely D.E-times and Young People
Black Friday
The day after Thanksgiving is the start of the holiday shopping season. Thanksgiving is always on a Thursday, so the day after is a Friday. This day has come to be known as Black Friday. It has been the busiest shopping day of the year since 2005.
Most stores offer great deals on Black Friday. They open their doors in the small hours of the morning. They try to attract shoppers with big discounts. Some items like TVs are much cheaper than usual. Stores may even lose money on these items. They hope that shoppers will buy gifts for other people while they are in the store.
Black Friday is a great time to get good deals. The problem is that there are not enough low-priced items to go around. Each store may only have a few. These items are in high demand. People stand in long lines to get such great deals. They may line up hours before a store opens. They may be hoping to get a low price on a TV or laptop, but not everyone who wants one will get one. Some people leave disappointed.
The situation can be tense. Some Black Friday events have been violent. Large, eager crowds have trampled workers. Fights have broken out over toys or people cutting in line. People have shot one another over parking spots. But most Black Friday events are safe and fun. Still, if you plan on going, expect large crowds and a bit of pushing and shoving.
So where does the name “Black Friday” come from? It was first used in Philadelphia in the 1950s. The police called this day Black Friday because of the heavy traffic it drew. In the 1960s, spread across the country. It seems that it is here to stay.
Now people all over the country take part in the event known as Black Friday. It is even spreading to other parts of the world. Stores have held Black Friday events in the U.K., Australia, and Brazil since 2012. In Costa Rica Black Friday is known as “Viernes Negro.” And in Mexico, stores offer an annual weekend of discounts. They call it “EI Buen Fin,” which means “the good weekend” in Spanish. I guess the language of savings is universal.
1.Why do stores set prices so low on some items that they lose money?
A.They want people to enjoy the holidays.
B.They are generous at the beginning of the holiday season.
C.They hope people will buy other gifts while they are in the store.
D.They are trying to get rid of old items.
2.Which best concludes the main idea of the third paragraph?
A.People stand in long lines on Black Friday.
B.Black Friday is a really disappointing time of the year.
C.Black Friday is the best time of the year to get good deals.
D.Black Friday deals are limited and not everyone will get one.
3.Which best describes the overall structure of the fifth paragraph?
A.Order of time. B.Problem and solution.
C.Order of importance. D.Compare and contrast.
4.Which title best expresses the author’s purpose in writing this text?
A.Black Friday: Stories from the Parking Lot
B.Black Friday: Why You Should Go This Year
C.Black Friday: The Stuff That You Should Know
D.Black Friday: How to Save Money on the Big Day
Want to explore new cultures,meet new people and do something worthwhile at the same time?You can do all the three with Global Development Association(GDA).Whatever stage of life you're at,wherever you go and whatever project you do in GDA,you'll create positive changes in a poor and remote community(社区）。
We work with volunteers of all ages and backgrounds.Most of our volunteers are aged 17-24.Now we need volunteer managers aged 25-75.They are extremely important in the safe and effective running of our programmes.We have such roles as project managers,mountain leaders,and communication officers.
Depending on which role you choose,you could help to increase a community's access to safe drinking water, or help to protect valuable local cultures.You might also design an adventure challenge to train young volunteers.
Not only will you help our young volunteers to develop personally,you'll also lean new skills and increase your cultural awareness.You may have chances to meet new people who'll become your lifelong friends.
This summer we have both 4-week and 7-week programmes:
GDA ensures that volunteers work with community members and local project partners where our help is needed.All our projects aim to promote the development of poor and remote communities.
There is no other chance like a GDA programme.Join us as a volunteer manager to develop your own skills while bringing benefits to the communities.
Find out more about joining a GDA programme:
Website:www.glodeve.org
Email:humanresources@glodeve.org
1.What is the main responsibility of volunteer managers?
A.To seek local partners. B.To take in young volunteers.
C.To carry out programmes. D.To promote cultural awareness.
2.The programme beginning in August will operate in______.
A.Egypt B.Algeria C.Kenya D.South Africa
3.The shared goal of GDA's projects to________.
A.explore new cultures B.protect the environment
C.gain corporate benefit D.help communities in need
