“Joe, did you book your ticket yet?” I asked. “No. I changed my mind. I’m not going to go.”“What? You aren’t going to Australia? We’ve been planning this vacation for months!”“Yeah, I don’t feel like it. We’ll go some other time.”
Over the coming weeks, I tried to get my friend to reconsider, but failed. Our trip to Australia was off. And none of my friends wanted to replace him. If I wanted to travel, it would have to be on my own.
It’s taught me that if I wait for others, I’ll never go anywhere. But there are places I want to visit, people to see, experiences to have, and food to try—and only so much time to achieve it all. So I refuse to wait. I won’t let others keep me from realizing my dreams. It can be scary travelling alone, especially then you’ve never done it before. But, to me, growing old without experiencing everything you want from life is more frightening.
If you’re been putting off a trip because you’re waiting for someone to go with—stop. Just go. Don’t let others hold you back from your dreams. Trust me, along the way you’ll make plenty of friends. More than that, travelling alone gives you real freedom. You wake up and it’s just you—what you want, where you want, when you want. In that freedom and great space of possibility, you meet yourself.
It’s sink or swim and you have to learn how to survive—who to trust, how to make friends, how to find your way around alone. That’s the greatest reward（奖赏） of travelling alone. Each time you go away, you learn to become a little more independent and confident.
Travelling alone is not for everyone. Some people return home soon after starting off, some cry for weeks before accepting it, and others just accept it right away. But you’ll never learn that if you don’t travel once by yourself. Whether a weekend away, a two-week vacation, or a trip around the world, try it at least once.
1.What does the writer think is more frightening?
A. Travelling alone for the first time.
B. Changing your mind all the time.
C. Waiting for others during a long trip.
D. Failing to experience life in your growth.
2.The underlined words “hold you back from your dreams” in Paragraph 4 probably mean“______”.
A. get you out of trouble B. stop you from travelling
C. keep you waiting for them D. wake you up from your dream
3.According to the writer, the best reward of travelling alone is _____.
A. the experience of travelling
B. the freedom to go anywhere
C. the chance to taste delicious food
D. the possibility of meeting new people
4.The passage is mainly about__________.
A. where to travel B. when to travel
C. how to travel safely D. why to travel alone
Next time you hear yourself wishing for something better in your life, remember the word “SMART”. When you’ve decided to take action, read the following first.
S is for specific (具体的): For example, instead of setting a goal (目标): of “I want to lose weight”, set yourself a specific goal like “I want to lose five kilograms”. If you want to climb a high mountain, start your research, set a date and train for the climbing fitness.
M is for measurable (可测量的): Don’t try to “become healthy”, instead, set a goal that can be measured while carrying out an improved eating, exercise or lifestyle plan. For example, try to go to the gym for an hour three times a week, to visit your grandma once a week for an evening meal, or to eat no more than 200 grams of chocolate a week.
A is for achievable(可完成的): If you’ve never exercised in your life, don’t try to take part in the 2020 Olympics. Rather, get walking with a specific goal of how many steps to take a day. No need to try for the stars—baby steps are good.
R is for relevant (恰当的): Many of us choose goals that seem right, but are in fact wrong. They may go on for a few weeks before they fail. Try to avoid making the same mistake—rather choose goals that really speak to you.
T is for time-conscious (心中有数的): Finally, be very clear in your mind about how much time you are giving yourself to achieve the goal. That way, you know when you’ve succeeded, failed or whether you need to work harder to finish it before the last day.
1.According to the passage, the writer tells us how to_______.
A. lose weight B. take exercise
C. set a goal D. spend time.
2.What does the word “SMART” mean in the passage?
A. Five exercise plans. B. Five suggestions.
C. Five training steps. D. Five big letters.
3.Which of the following is not true according to the passage?
A. Specific numbers should be included in the goals you set.
B. You should begin with small steps while achieving a goal.
C. In order to make the goal fit for you, you should be careful.
D. More time should be given for you to achieve your goal.
Nowadays, many teens are badly addicted to using phones. It probably won’t surprise you that teens are texting more than ever before.
Instead of sleeping, Kenny Alarcon, 16, often texts with his friends through the night. Frances Garcia, a high school senior, sends and receives about 1000 texts each day. Both Frances and Kenny wake up several times during the night to text. Kenny even sleeps with his phone under his pillow.
Dr.Elizabeth Dowdell, a professor at Villanova University in Pennsylvania, says that it’s common for teens to be interrupted by texts while sleeping. “If they often lose sleep,” Dr.Dowdell says, “teens may become angry, or depressed. A lack of sleep can lead to weight gain and even obesity because many people turn to junk food for quick energy when they are tired.”
Some experts are worried about how texting is affecting teenagers’ lives. One concern is that students might not learn correct grammar and spelling if most of the writing they do is made up of text messages. Some people also worry that teens don’t spend enough time talking with others face-to-face, which could be hurting their relationships with friends and family. Moreover, all that texting takes away hours that could be spent studying, exercising, taking up a hobby, or just relaxing.
According to Dr. Dowdell, teens need to learn that they can and should turn off their phones sometimes. She had Kenny and Frances do an experiment. These were the rules: No phone for 48 hours. No computer or Internet either, unless it was for schoolwork.
After 48 phone-free hours, Kenny and Frances were interviewed. “Wow, it was pure torture(折磨),” Kenny joked. Kenny missed his friends, and he was sad at times. But he also felt relief from the constant texting. He spent time reading books and talking with his family, which he really enjoyed. Frances had an even happier result. “I loved it!” she said, “I was going to the gym and hanging out with friends and playing basketball. I had a wonderful experience.” Frances decided to continue the experiment for a while. “I think I’ll be so much smarter and healthier,” she explained, “everybody in the world should try it.”
1.If teens keep waking up to text while sleeping, they may _____.
A. get overweight B. become happier
C. disturb their parents D. feel more relaxed
2.What is Paragraph 4 mainly about?
A. Mistakes in teens’ text writing.
B. Time wasted on meaningless texting.
C. Worries about how texting affects teens.
D. Encouragement to teens’ talking face-to-face.
3.The writer mentions the experiment on Frances and Kenny to _____.
A. advise people what to do without phones
B. show teens can live well without phones
C. explain phones are important in teens’ lives
D. introduce how they make good use of phones
Zoos are hugely popular attractions for adults and children alike. But are they actually a good thing?
Those people who are against zoos, would argue that animals often suffer（遭受痛苦）physically and mentally by being enclosed. Even the best man-made environments can’t come close to matching the space, diversity（多样性）, and freedom that animals have in their natural homes. This causes many zoo animals to become sick. Catching animals in the wild also causes much suffering by separating with dolphinh family. Some zoos make animals behave unnaturally. For example, ocean parks often force dolphins and whales to perform. These sea animals may die years earlier than their wild relatives.
On the other hand, by bringing people and animals together, zoos can educate the public about animal protection and encourage people to save animals and their homes. Some zoos provide a safe environment for animals which have been mistreated in circuses, or pets which have been given up and no longer wanted. Zoos also carry out important research into subjects like animal behavior and how to treat illness.
One of the most important modern functions of zoos is supporting international breeding（繁衍）programs, especially for endangered species（物种）. In the wild, some of the species have difficulty in finding mates and breeding, and they might also be hurt or even killed by people. A good zoo will enable these species to live and breed in a safe environment. In addition, as numbers of some wild species drop, there is an increased danger of populations becoming too genetically（基因上） similar. Breeding programs provide a safeguard: zoo-bred animals can be put into the wild to increase genetic diversity.
However, those people who are against zoos say that many zoo-bred animals are not put back into the wild. A lot of animals are sold not only to other zoos but also to circuses in the US or wild parks in South Aften, these some people are willing to pay a lot of money for the chance to kill a helpless animal. Often, where animals are familiar with humans and have very little chance of escaping.
So, are zoos good for animals or not? Perhaps it all depends on how well zoos are managed, and the benefits of zoos can surely outweigh their harmful effects. However, it is understandable that many people believe enclosing animals for any reason is simply wrong.
1.According to Paragraph 2, some sea animals may die earlier than wild relatives because _____.
A. they were born in the ocean park
B. they don’t have enough living space
C. they are forced to behave unnaturally
D. they suffer from family separation
2.What is the main purpose of international breeding program?
A. To increase genetic diversity.
B. To protect mistreated animals.
C. To free enclosed animals.
D. To do research on animal behavior.
3.What’s the author’s opinion for zoos?
A. He doubts the value of zoos.
B. He is a true supporter of all kinds of zoos.
C. He is against the idea of having zoos around.
D. He sees the importance of the zoo management.
Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well in all your schoolwork-everything from taking tests to researching a paper.
If your teacher writes notes on the board, that’s bonus: You can copy them down. If not, write down the most important points in class. For example, does your history teacher mention the date of the Second World War? Or repeat a piece of information? Write it down! It can take time to learn how to listen to the key information, so keep trying and don’t give up.
If you want to write down every word that’s said in class, you’ll be mad. So it’s necessary to develop your own signs, for example, “pics” for “pictures,” or “hw” for “homework”. They can help you take notes more quickly. And if you pay too much attention to getting your notes right, you might miss listening to what the teacher is saying. Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher to repeat something you miss. If you don’t want to ask in class, see your teacher after class.
It is easy to miss information while taking notes, so compare your notes to what the textbooks says—you can add to your notes as you read. Go over your notes with a friend and compare what the two of you have put down. It will make you two be able to notice mistakes and reinforce what you’re learning. It can also help you remember information when it’s time for a test.
Even if you don’t have a test coming up, you’d better look over your notes within 24 hours of taking them. Your brain will start absorbing(吸收) the information while it is still fresh in your mind. Then when you study in the days before a test, you will be able to recall the information much better. Instead of simply reading your notes to yourself, say them aloud. Studies show that speaking aloud helps in memorization. When you speak, try paraphrasing(意译) sometimes rather than reading directly. Paraphrasing and speaking aloud requires your brain to do more work, making it more likely that you will understand what you’re studying.
Good note-taking takes time. But the time you spend writing and reviewing notes pays off. Not only can this help you do better in a test, it’s also a great confidence supporter when you’re studying and find yourself saying, “Hey, I remember that!”
1.If a teacher doesn’t write notes on the blackboard, students should ______.
A. read the textbook and underline the important points
B. write down the information repeated by the teacher
C. listen carefully without taking notes
D. copy a friend’s notes in class
2.What can we learn from the passage?
A. Writing down words in short helps avoid missing important information.
B. Students should try their best to make sure the notes are right in class.
C. Reading the notes aloud can help students find out mistakes in notes.
D. Students need to spend time practising the skills of taking notes.
3.What’s the fifth paragraph mainly about?
A. The ways to review notes. B. The skills of correcting notes.
C. The methods to perfect notes. D. The necessity of taking notes.
My friend Mary came to school wearing a brand-new pair of Zee jeans. “Your new Zee jeans are so cute!” I said.
“My grandma took me clothes shopping last weekend,” Mary said. “The Zee jeans were on sale. They have cool pockets and are unbelievably comfortable. When you’re at my house after school, try them on and see for yourself.”
“Hmm.” I didn’t think so. But when I tried them on, I couldn’t help agreeing. “I’m totally taking these!” I said. As soon as I got home, I told my mom that I had to get some Zee jeans.
Mom said, “You already have three pairs of perfectly good jeans. There is no way Dad and I are paying that much for a pair of pants. If you want to buy them with your own money, I would be happy to make a long list of extra chores you can do.”
“I’ll start this minute,” I said.
It took me three weeks to save enough money. I changed kitty litter, watched my little brother and sister, and cleaned refrigerator. The refrigerator cleaning was the worst because one of the shelves fell while I was taking everything out. Food and milk splashed all over the floor. It took me one and a half hour to clean it up!
Anyway, I finally bought my Zee jeans, and I loved them even more than I thought I would. I loved them half because they had cool pockets and super comfortable, and half because I had worked so hard to earn the money to buy them myself.
1.Who bought the new Zee jeans for Mary?
A. Her mother. B. Herself. C. Her friend. D. Her grandmother.
2.Why did mom not want to buy a pair of Zee jeans to the writer?
A. She didn’t like the writer.
B. She thought the writer was lazy.
C. She thought that the writer had enough jeans.
D. She didn’t have enough money.
3.How did the writer buy the new jeans?
A. She got money from her mom.
B. She made money by doing housework.
C. She borrowed money from Mary.
D. She asked her grandma to buy them for her.
