In July, I took my kids on vacation to Los Angeles. A month later, I went to Las Vegas for my birthday. I had a lot on my plate and was under a lot of stress. I just wanted to get away and _______for a while.
While I was sitting by the pool, an _______ suddenly came to me. I'd always wanted to see the Eiffel Tower. Therefore, the idea of a two-week _________ alone was born. It was something I never thought I'd be planning this soon in my life. I had always thought, if it did ever happen, it would be _______ I was retired and old.
I would lie if I said I wasn't _______ I'd driven alone across the US before, from California _______New Jersey, but traveling to other countries whose languages weren't the same as _______ terrified me. I was worried that I wouldn't be able to communicate with anyone, especially if I got _______ somewhere.
_______ I soon realized that if I wanted to follow my dreams, I had to step out of my comfort zone. And I ________ realized that I was scared, and if I let fear take control of me, I'd never get anywhere.
As I searched for other places to visit on my trip, I found the best part was the ________ ride to Venice. As I rode on the bus and enjoyed every new thing I saw, I was having the time of my life. And it was nice to see people, ________and old, riding their bikes to wherever they needed to go. I thought the scenery of the city was so wonderful, but seeing people doing ________routine was the best part for me.
Some people might say, "It's not a big ________ , it's just Venice. Thousands of people go there every day. " But it was more than that to me. It was about having a dream and when it was time for it to ________ , not to be afraid to let it happen. When I did, the reward was more than I could have possibly imagined.
1.A.eat B.sleep C.play D.relax
2.A.idea B.expression C.opinion D.introduction
3.A.Asian B.European C.African D.American
4.A.as B.because C.when D.since
5.A.satisfied B.scared C.surprised D.excited
6.A.in B.by C.to D.of
7.A.his B.mine C.yours D.theirs
8.A.lost B.dressed C.married D.annoyed
9.A.And B.So C.But D.Then
10.A.only B.just C.still D.also
11.A.bus B.train C.horse D.bike
12.A.short B.tall C.young D.beautiful
13.A.her B.his C.our D.their
14.A.deal B.cake C.case D.city
15.A.deal with B.think over C.go on D.come true
To be a Successful Online Learner
You may be one of the increasing number of students who is doing the online learning. Follow these tips to help you be a successful online learner.
1.Many students think that online classes require less work and are much easier. In fact, online classes have similar requirements to the traditional courses. Be prepared to do at least six hours of work a week in an online course. During the weeks of finals and midterms, you need to make far more efforts.
2. Every course has learning objectives. Course objectives are the basic thing for the course. Activities, tasks, and test—in fact, everything in a course is from the objectives. If you understand the course objectives, you will understand what is expected of you in the class.
3. Students learn in different ways, and the teachers often use different kinds of teaching skills to meet the needs of different learning styles. Give new ways of learning a try, even if they seem different from what you're used to. Try to use technology to make learning better.
4. Most communication in an online course happens through the written word. Discussion board, written tasks, and emails are all common ways of communication in online courses. This is different from traditional classes, where a lot of communication is by talking face to face. Be prepared to read and write a lot in online courses.
5. If you have questions or have problems in understanding, ask your teachers for help. Your teacher won't know if you don't understand something unless you tell him or her. Don't wait until you've missed the chance to be a better learner.
If you follow the suggested tips, you can succeed at online learning, and enjoy the experience all at once.
A.Be open to the new ways of learning
B.Pay attention to the course learning objectives
C.Do not lower your self- requirements
D.Make a new timetable for the online learning.
E.Try to use the ways of learning actively.
F.Be ready to ask questions in time.
Most of us don't like about food until we start feeling hungry, but eating important in life. To talk about food and eating is to talk about one of the most common subjects we know. Eating is just like breathing or sleeping, so every day, so ordinary, it does not receive much notice.
However, what, where, when, how, and with whom we eat say a great deal about who we are. Do you use chopsticks? Do you hold the knife backward? Do you chew with your mouth open? All these eating habits say something about you. They are messages even when we are not trying to say anything. Food and the ways we eat it, like clothes and the way we wear them, tell who and what we are.
We learn our eating habits very early in life. We usually have strong feeling about our childhood foods. Foods we learn to like our early years probably have a special meaning for us forever because they are connected to people and things we love. Mom's cheers or the way Dad cuts the bread crusts just right bringing up feelings of love and comfort.
People use food and eating to mark the seasons and the important moments in life （such as growing up and getting married）, or to honor gods, and to say something about themselves. People will eat different foods for different holidays. Sometimes people ever explain why they eat certain things on certain days. Americans do that sort of explaining at Thanksgiving. They eat Turkey, corn, and Indian pudding because their ancestors（祖先）ate them at the first Thanksgiving. Those foods mean something to Americans.
As you can see, food and eating mark people's shared experiences, but they can also mark the differences. In the sense, we truly are what we eat.
1.You can probably read the article from a magazine about _______________.
A.traveling B.food and culture
C.clothes and fashion D.sports
2.Why do people have strong feeling about childhood foods?
A.Because the foods may connect to the beloved people or things.
B.Because most of the people like eating cheese and bread.
C.Because the cheese made by Mom and Dad tastes delicious.
D.Because people learn the eating habits very early.
3.Which of the following shows the proper structure of this passage?
A.
B.
C.
D.
4.What does the sentence "we truly are what we eat" mean according to the passage?
A.We need to eat healthy food to keep fit. B.The way we eat tells a lot about us.
C.We eat some special food on special days. D.It's the food that makes us different.
From video games and museums to medical training, VR（virtual reality, 虚拟现实）has been changing our lives for the better. However, this wonderful new technology has a so-far unsolvable problem: It may make people feel sick from the VR experience. The feeling of sickness, caused by VR, is called cybersickness.
"With modern VR systems, the possibility of cybersickness after only 15 minutes' experience is from 40 to 70 percent," Thomas Stoffiregen, a researcher at the University of Minnesota, US said. This sickness is probably caused by sensory conflict （感觉冲突），explained Stoffregen. When you are wearing a VR headset, your body's motion sensors cannot match the information received by your eyes. For example, when we wear a VR headset and ride a virtual roller-coaster, we think we are going up and down, but our bodies stay still. It leads to the loss of balance. Sickness is from our bodies' natural reaction to the experience. Adding to this problem, women are more likely to feel sick from the VR experience than men.
According to a study by Bas Rokers, a scientist at the University of Wiscons in-Madison, US, one reason could be the headsets. To work properly, VR headsets must match up with your PD （pupil distance, 瞳距）. Since they are designed larger PD, not everyone gets the best experience. Rokers found the larger PD distance is, the greater discomfort will cause. Based on his studies, about 90 percent of women have a shorter PD than the headset is made and that's the reason why women are more likely to have cybersickness.
Cybersickness prevents the widespread use of VR technology. Once it becomes comfortable and easy to use, however, it could play a great role in our lives.
1.Which is Right about cybersickness?
A.It's a common problem with VR technology. B.It is caused by one's poor sense of direction.
C.It's more possible for young people to feel sick. D.It only happens to women and children.
2.The example of riding a virtual roller-coaster is used to _________.
A.tell what it is like to have cybersickness B.explain how cybersickness is caused
C.tell people how to avoid cybersickness D.show how cybersickness influences people
3.Why are women more likely to have cybersickness?
A.They have a poor sense of direction. B.VR headsets are only made for men.
C.VR headsets are too large for their PDs. D.They are easy to lose balance.
4.What does the writer think of the VR technology?
A.The VR technology has already played a great role in our lives.
B.There is still something to do before VR technology plays a great role.
C.The VR technology is comfortable and easy to use for everyone.
D.It's impossible for VR technology to be popular in the future.
Natalie Doan, a teenager in America, has always felt lucky to live in Rockaway, New York. Living just a few blocks from the beach, Natalie can see the ocean and hear the waves from her house. " It's the ocean that makes Rockaway so special," she says.
On October 29, 2012, the ocean turned extremely terrible. That night, Hurricane（飓风）Sandy hit the East Coast, and Rockaway was hit especially hard. The next day, Natalie and her family found their neighborhood in ruins. Many of Natalie's friends had lost their homes and people were having the most difficult time, especially the elderly.
To help others rebuild. Teenagers climbed stairs to send water and food to elderly people trapped（困住）in powerless high buildings. Natalie was deeply moved by all these things and decided to do something.
"My mom tells me that I can't control what happens to me," Natalie says," but I can always choose how I deal with it. " Natalie's choice was to help. She created a website page, matching people in need with people who wanted to offer help. Natalie posted information about a boy named Patrick, who lost his baseball card collection when his house burned down. Within days, Patrick got a new collection. In the coming months, her website page helped lots of kids: Christopher, who received a new basketball; Charlie, who got a new keyboard. Natalie also worked with other organizations to bring much-needed things to Rockaway. Her efforts made her a famous person. She was later invited to the White House and honored as a Hurricane Sandy Champion of Change.
Today, the streets are clear and many homes have been rebuilt. "I can't imagine living anywhere but Rockaway," Natalie says, "Because of everyone's efforts in making a better home, Rockaway will even be stronger than before. "
1.The phrase "in ruins" Paragraph 2 means the neighborhood was ______________.
A.clean and tidy B.in a mess
C.just the same as usual D.even better than before
2.How did Natalie help the people in need?
A.She gave her toys to other kids. B.She took care of younger children.
C.She called on the White House to help. D.She built an information sharing website.
3.Which of the following is probably the best title of the passage?
A.little people can make a big difference. B.A friend in need is a friend indeed
C.East or west, home is best. D.Technology is power
The National Beekeeping Centre Wales is a free visiting place in the countryside that teaches children about the importance of honeybees - with the chance to try lots of local honeys. The Welsh honeybees are in danger because of the environmental change and the loss of their living land. The center helps to raise visitors' attention to environmental problems and show the 4,000-year history of beekeeping and honey-making, from the ancient Egyptians to the Romans. If you want to be a beekeeper, you may also take a paid course here.
Please check out the information below and make your trip a pleasant one!
| Choices for lunch Don't miss the chance to taste delicious food in our restaurants! •Furnace Tearoom: hamburgers (£9), fruit salads (£7) and coffee (£2). •Pavilion Restaurant: baked potatoes (£5), daily specials (£10), bread rolls (£6), coffee (£2) and cakes (£3). |
| The wonderful gift shop There are all kinds of bee-themed gifts in our gift shop! •Bee toy (£2) •Wooden honey candy (£2) •Different kinds of honeys all made by Welsh producers (£5) •The bestselling Bodnant honey (£8) |
| Value for money Visits and activities for kids are free, though donations are welcome! Taster (试吃) days: £60 per person The weekend beekeeping course: £80 per person |
| Opening hours Monday to Friday: 10 a. m. - 4 p. m. Saturday and Sunday: 11 a. m. - 3 p. m. It is volunteer -run, so phone ahead to check! |
1.In National Beekeeping Centre Wales, you can ____________.
A.learn the history of ancient Egypt and Rome B.take a beekeeping course for free
C.become a beekeeper without training D.have a chance to try local honeys
2.If you are hungry, you can buy ____________at the Furnace Tearoom.
A.bread rolls B.fruit salads C.baked potatoes D.local casseroles
3.How much would you have to pay for the weekend course and two bee toys?
A.£64 B.£76 C.£84 D.£96
4.The Smiths want to visit the National Beekeeping Centre Wales this Saturday. It's better to go there _____________.
A.at 10 a. m. with a phone ahead B.at 10 a. m. without a phone ahead
C.at 12 a. m. with a phone ahead D.at 12 a. m. without a phone ahead
