Earth Hour started in Sydney on March 31st, 2007. It calls on families and buildings to turn off the lights from 20:30 to 21:30 on the last Saturday night of March. In 2007 more than 2.2 million homes and businesses turned off their lights. 1. And it was supported by 50 million people from thirty-five countries. On March 28, 2010 over 2100 cities in another eight countries took part in it. 2.
In 2012 in China, there were many cities taking part in this activity, especially some large cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai.... In those cities, many people turned off lights in the hour. 3. In colleges some students held some activities to make all the students leave their dormitories.
It was 20:30, Beijing time. In Beijing some people were taking a walk with their families or friends. 4. And in Ningbo some young people were holding a party in a park,singing and dancing. The people from the three cities felt very relaxed.Earth Hour has a variety of activities, but the final goal is the same. That is focusing on (聚焦) climate change and protecting the environment for individuals.
A. Many people would feel bored without lights.
B. Earth Hour came to China on that day, too.
C. And without lights, they could also enjoy themselves.
D. In Shanghai some people were having a nice talk with their friends.
E. A year later, on March 29, 2008 Earth Hour became a global activity.
Tony Buzan’s grades were going down at university. Disappointed with his low marks, he went to the library to find a book on how to use his brain. He was directed to the medical section. Confused, he said to the librarian, “I don’t want to take my brain out, I just want to learn how to use it.” Her reply was simple: “There’s no book on that.”
“I thought to myself,” says Buzan, “if I buy a little radio, I get an instruction manual (说明书). If I buy a microwave, I get an instruction manual. But for the most important machine in the world, no instruction manual?”
Fifty years later, Buzan has become the world’s leading speaker on the brain and learning. In the late 1960s, he invented the mind map, a visual representation of thought processes.
This kind of thinking has become a popular tool for planning, organizing, problem solving, and communicating across the world. He has since authored and co-authored over 100 books that have appeared in more than 30 languages.
“I think in most cases, people use less than 1 percent of their brains,” he says.
But how do you expand this 1 percent? How do you become the best student you can be?
According to Buzan, the answer is simple. You take a section of whatever it is that you are trying to learn, he says, and you read it for its essence (精髓、要素). Then you make a mind map of all the important details. For a truly effective mind map, you start with a colored image in the center of your page. Draw the first image that comes to mind on the topic you are mind mapping. Branch off from your central image and create one of your main ideas. From your main branches draw some sub-branches and from those sub-branches you can draw even more branches. He emphasizes that you should use plenty of images and colors as these help with memory recall and encourage creativity.
By using this visual format (形式), according to Buzan, your mind will begin to make associations that will help you remember more information for longer periods of time.
Buzan believes that traditional note-taking methods, such as lists and summaries, do not stimulate the brain’s recall capacity or ability in the same way. Because of this, students will often find themselves locked away in their rooms for hours, trying hard to memorize separate details. Buzan believes that for a more effective and lasting way of studying, you must first understand how your brain works.
“Everyone is born smart,” he says. “You just have to learn how to learn.”
1.What is the main purpose of the first two paragraphs?
A．To show that Tony Buzan was worried about his study.
B．To invite us to think about the importance of manuals.
C．To prove that the mind map is a useful tool for the brain.
D．To show why Tony Buzan studies the brain and learning.
2.What does the word “stimulate” mean in the passage?
A．Excite. B．Improve. C．Encourage. D．Affect.
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A．If we learn the mind map, we will become the best student.
B．The mind map will help your brain connect separate details.
C．The mind map will be more effective if we put more details in it.
D．We will solve the problem if we make connections between ideas.
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A．How to make the mind map?
B．Is the mind map widely used?
C．Can your memory be mapped?
D．Is the mind map helpful in thinking?
Stay as safe as possible during an earthquake. Be aware that some earthquakes are actually foreshocks(前震) and a larger earthquake might occur. Reduce your movements to a few steps to a nearby safe place.
If you are indoors, do “duck, cover and hold”. Duck or drop down to the floor, under something strong, such as a table or a desk, cover your head and face with your arms and hands and hold on to that table or desk so that it does not move away from you as the ground shakes. Do this until the shaking stops and it is safe to move. Stay inside to avoid being injured by falling glass or building parts. If there isn’t a table or desk near you, cover your face and head with your arms and crouch(蜷缩) in an inside corner of the building.
Stay clear of windows, fireplaces, and heavy furniture that may fall over. Stay inside until the shaking stops and it is safe to go outside. Research has shown that most injuries occur when people inside buildings attempt to move to a different location inside the building or try to leave.
If you are outside, get into the open and stay there. Move away from trees, buildings, signs and power lines. Once in the open, stay there until the shaking stops. The greatest danger exists directly outside buildings, at exits and alongside exterior walls. Ground movement during an earthquake is seldom the direct cause of death or injury. Most earthquake-related casualties（伤亡） result from collapsing walls, flying glass, and falling objects.
If you are driving, you may not realize what is going on at first because the car may feel like it is going to blow up. Stop the car in as clear and open an area as possible and stay in it until the shaking stops. If it is a really bad quake, turn on the radio to find an emergency channel to get information. Follow the directions of people directing traffic.
If you are in a mountainous area, watch out for falling rock and other debris that could be loosened by the earthquake.
If you are at the beach, move quickly to higher ground or several hundred yards inland.
1.Which of the following pictures means “duck, cover and hold”?
2.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the text?
A．Ground movement during an earthquake is the main reason of death.
B．You should keep your windows, fireplaces and heavy furniture clear.
C．Stop your car in the clear area and get out of it if an earthquake happens.
D．Run away from the beach as quickly as possible if an earthquake happens.
3.The passage is mainly about ___________during the earthquake.
A．ways of keeping you safe
B．the importance of keeping safe
C．ways of finding safe places
D．researches on how to keep safe
A little girl walked to and from school every day. Though it was not fine and clouds appeared in the sky that morning, the little girl made her daily trip to school as usual. When school was over, winds became stronger and it began to rain.
The mother of the little girl felt worried that her daughter would be afraid and that lightning might frighten(惊吓) her child. Following the bright light of lightning, the mother quickly got into her car and drove to her child’s school.
As the mother drove along the road, she saw her little girl walking alone in the rain. To her great surprise, she found that when a lightning came, her daughter stopped, looked up and smiled. Another lightning came and then another followed. With each lightning, the little girl stopped, looked up and smiled.
Inside the car, the mother asked her daughter, “What were you doing? Why did you look up and smile when the lightning came?” The little girl answered with a smile, “Mum, you know, God was looking at me. Each time I felt a little afraid walking in the rain, God would take a picture of me. I knew he was playing a game with me.”
1.The little girl went to school __________ every day.
A．by car B．on foot C．by bus D．by bike
2.At first, the mother felt worried because .
A．she couldn’t look after her daughter
B．her daughter hadn’t taken her umbrella
C．she had something more important to do
D．her daughter might be afraid of lightning
3.According to the article, we can know that the little girl was .
A．proud B．shy C．brave D．nervous
1.The parents and children can select reading materials in _________.
A．East Hills B．Summer Reading Club
C．Green Island D．Readers’ Service Center
2.Students can take part in _______ activities in Summer Reading Club.
A．drawing B．singing C．swimming D．dancing
3.Story time activities are held on ________.
A．Friday 10:00 a.m. B．Tuesday 10:00 a.m.
C．Monday 10:30 a.m. D．Wednesday 10:30 a.m.
Each day I took the same route to work and passed by a security guard (保安）. 1 greeted everyone walking by and made small talk with many of the passers-by and wishing them well. His simple “hello” made people feel 2 . His cheerful smile became a part of my day. When he was absent, many people noticed it, and I felt a little bit empty.
The first few times, I didn’t say hello back to him when he greeted me. I was 3 in my own world. On Monday the security guard asked me:“How was your weekend?” I told him about my visit to California, to see my mother, who had colon cancer. I 4 how I visited her each month. “The time with my mother is so precious(珍贵的), 5 I know that each time may be the last.”
He listened like a close friend I’d known for years. He felt my 6 and my love. He shared how he had lost his father to cancer two years before. He said, “I understand what you are going through. My father passed away while I was serving in Germany. Because of some reasons I was unable to fly back in time. I was unable to say goodbye to him. I wish I could have been with him, given him a hug, and told him I loved him. You are really lucky to have the gift of 7 .”
As I walked away, I realized I did not even know his name. The following day, on my way to work, I said: “After we spent all that time 8 yesterday, I still don’t know your name.” He answered, “Gary.” I responded back, “I’m Deborah.”
After that, we talked and shared stories about our weekends, dreams and families.
Later, Gary got 9 a new job and moved away. It’s been several years since I last spoke to him, yet the memory feels like yesterday. Gary reached out to me, 10 me and made my morning the best part of the day. I experienced the beauty of friendship and love.
In the business of life, we often forget to wish a stranger hello although how easy it is, and how great and lasting a 11 it can make. When you say hello to a stranger you become like a pebble(鹅卵石) thrown into a pond. With each ripple (波纹）you create, you spread love that continues to 12 . Make a point of saying hello to a stranger today. You will give the gift that keeps on giving.
1. A．She B．They C．He D．I
2. A．nervous B．funny C．special D．surprised
3. A．lost B．left C．missed D．dropped
4. A．wondered B．shared C．realized D．found
5. A．because B．so C．and D．but
6. A．weakness B．illness C．sorriness D．sadness
7. A．god B．time C．nature D．friendship
8. A．thinking B．calling C．crying D．talking
9. A．offered B．afforded C．invited D．chosen
10. A．moved B．touched C．told D． helped
11. A．progress B．sense C．trouble D．difference
12. A．receive B．send C．give D．create
