Down on the beach of Dover, 56-year-old Channel swimmer Jackie Cobell bravely set off for Calais. The time was 6:40 am. 28 hours and 44 minutes later the exhausted, successful mother from Kent crawled (爬行) to the shore and walked proudly into the record books. After five years in training, Mrs Cobell became the slowest person to cross the Channel under her own steam. The previous record for the slowest crossing, set by Henry Sullivan at 26 hours and 50 minutes, has stood for 87 years before Mrs Cobell started at Dover Saturday morning.
She had struggled through changing tides that swept her first one way, then the other. It turned the 21-mile crossing into a 65-mile one. She declared, “Time and tide wait for no man—and they certainly didn’t wait for me. I was fully expecting it to get dark before I got to Calais but I never imagined I’d also see the dawn again. But I wasn’t going to give up.”
Her feat(壮举) raised more than $2,000 in charity sponsorship for research into Huntingdon’s disease, a sum that was continuing to grow as news of her achievement spread. That was why she did it. “I don’t really know myself,” she said. “ I just kept thinking of all the people I’d be letting down if I stopped.”
Mrs Cobell took to the water so well at school. But after bringing up two daughters, she started to gain weight. Five years ago she took up swimming again and decided to prepare for the Channel challenge to lose weight. She became much fitter. Then came the big swim. “I practiced on Windermere lake,” she said. “it’s about half the distance of the Channel so I just doubled it, added some extra time, and worked out I could probably get to Calais in about 16 hours.”
Her husband David, trainer, official observer and friend sailed alongside her on a boat. She said, “I sang to keep myself going. When they told me I was a record breaker I thought they were just having a joke—until I realized it was the record for the slowest crossing. But maybe next time I might be a bit quicker.”
1.According to Paragraph 1, Mrs Cobell_____________.
A. started to learn swimming five years ago
B. arrived at Calais on late Sunday morning
C. wanted to break the record for the slowest crossing
D. was too exhausted to move after crossing the Channel
2. Why did Mrs Cobell spend so much time crossing the Channel?
A. Because the tides changed her direction.
B. Because she was not in good condition.
C. Because she wasn’t good at swimming.
D. Because the winds kept her from swimming fast.
3.Mrs Cobell crossed the Channel for the main purpose of____________.
A. taking a risk
B. losing more weight
C. raising money for charity
D. becoming famous worldwide
4.How did Mrs Cobell feel about the record she set?
A. Dissatisfied B. Excited C. Annoyed D. Proud
For about three years now, I have been writing poetry. It was not until my junior year in high school that I developed an interest, love and skill for writing poetry.
Back in elementary school, I loved to write stories. I would write stories on post-it notes and anywhere I could. Yet when I had to write a limerick(五行打油诗) for an assignment, I could not wrap my head around poetry. I had a very hard time figuring out how to rhyme words and have the words make sense. I eventually tossed the paper with the attempted limerick in the trash. I did not try my hand at poetry again until several years later.
Many years later in my freshman year of high school, my English teacher gave my class a poetry project as an assignment. I still remember my limerick assignment and was afraid of doing the poetry project. For the project, we had to analyze a poem and write a response to it. I chose to respond to Robert Frost’s poem Fire and Ice. I also wrote my own poem first. I became really excited when writing the poem.
Two years later, I started writing poetry as a hobby and for fun. To learn how good or bad my poems were, I handed them in to some magazines and contests. I won second place in the North Carolina Poetry Society’s Sherry Pruitt Award Contest with a poem called The Ocean, and had my two poems published as high merit(优等) poems. I have continued to write poetry, and have even self-published three collections of poetry in both print and e-book formats, which can be found at my store on Lulu.
Now, I love writing poetry, but I don’t hate writing short stories. I just find it more difficult and not my style of writing, even though I still write short stories occasionally.
1.When the author was a pupil, he ___________.
A. liked writing stories
B. was good at writing poetry
C. could understand poetry well
D. was often praised by his teacher
2.When given the poetry project in high school, the author was___________.
A. excited B. annoyed C. confident D. worried
3.The author took up writing poetry as a hobby when he____________.
A. was in Grade Three in high school
B. worked as a storekeeper
C. was in Grade One in high school
D. was at college
4.How did the author increase his confidence in writing poetry?
A. He wrote a lot of poems and asked advice from his teacher.
B. He published three collections of poetry by himself.
C. He submitted his poems to magazines and contests.
D. He gave up writing stories and only wrote poetry.
With the popularity of Harry Potter novels, the number of children applying to boarding schools has risen, many of them hoping to find their own version of Hogwarts. However, others have interpreted this trend as a reaction to longer working hours and the break up of more marriages. The boarding schools of fiction are presented as one long midnight feast with pillow fights making firm friendships. However, some people say the reality is children having more homesickness and a lack of individual attention. Modern boarding schools have done much to get rid of the image of the mass dormitories with 40 or more beds in one room, some going as far as providing private rooms with bathrooms. Similarly, they make great announcements for their academic advantage, particularly in light of the increase in exams, homework and university entrance requirements facing children wishing to succeed in the modern world.
Alongside these more conventional schools, two types of boarding schools have also become more popular recently. Sports academies and stage schools seek to cater for children with particular interests and talents, while so-called troubled-teens have been able to turn to a range of religious or wilderness schools to solve their problematic behavior.
Boarding schools allow children a safe space in which to accomplish greater control and independence over their daily lives. Teachers and staff can look after and support but they are unlikely to be over-protective. This can be a great preparation for university or for working away from home in later life as it provides an intermediate step between childhood and full independence.
However, Parents are a child’s most natural support and best role models to learn from. If they are separated from them for long periods of time, this may damage their relationship and leave the child feeling anxious or alone. Schools are unlikely to be able to copy the detailed knowledge of each individual child that a parent has and therefore cannot be as effective in supporting the child.
To sum up, boarding schools have both their advantages and disadvantages, so it is up to you to decide whether to send your children to boarding schools or not.
1.. What do we know from the passage?
A. More and more children go and visit Hogwarts on their own.
B. Pillow fights in boarding schools make firm friendships in reality.
C. More children want to go to boarding schools because of Harry Potter novels.
D. There aren’t special schools for the particularly talented children.
2. What kind of schools may be the most suitable for the so-called troubled-teens?
A. sports academies B. Wilderness schools
C. Conventional schools D. Stage schools
3.We learn from Paragraph 4 that __________.
A. teachers of boarding schools are the best examples for children to learn from
B. children can be more independent if they are separated from their parents
C. parents know their children better than teachers of boarding schools
D. schools are much more effective than parents in supporting children
4. What is the author’s opinion of boarding schools?
A. Neutral B. Negative C. Positive D. Critical
Does your pet have a slim figure? According to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), about half of all dogs and nearly 60% of all indoor cats are overweight. Larry Kornegay, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, says he sees an overweight pet nearly every day, and unusually the owner is overweight. So talking about the topic can be touchy. “I talk about their pet’s health. Still, some clients take it personally.”
Here are some tips for pet weight loss:
See the vet(兽医). Have your vet put together a plan and treat any existing medical problems. Pain relief and diet changes may be required for arthritic(患关节炎的) pets, which will allow for exercise to at least begin.
Skip the crash diet (an attempt to lose weight quickly by strictly limiting the diet). A special weight-loss diet may be suggested. For example, look for the supplement which burns fat and builds muscle mass in foods. Never place any pet on a crash diet, especially cats, which can suffer a potentially fatal liver disease as a result. There’s a safe weight-loss drug for dogs you can ask your vet about.
Dine alone. “Cut out treats and resist temptation by keeping pets out of the room you’re dining in,” says Chicago vet Sheldon Rubin. You can buy low-calorie treats for dogs and cats. Rubin also recommends mini carrots, small apple slices or blueberries for dogs. What’s important is finding other ways, aside from food, to show your love. Play with your cat using an interactive toy, and take your dog for walks. Walks are great for bonding, and good for you. Studies show people are actually more willing to lose weight themselves if it also will help their pet.
Feed pets at special times. Pre-measure food carefully—don’t give them a larger meal than ever—and leave it in various places, so pets sniff it out and use the stairs. It’s fun, and it’s good exercise.
1.. The underlined word “touchy” in Paragraph 1 probably means__________
A. sensitive B. exciting C. moving D. pleasant
2.. What can be inferred from the passage?
A. Overweight people usually like overweight pets.
B. Pets’ weight is easier to lose than humans’.
C. Cats have a greater chance of serious liver disease.
D. Overweight people often ignore their pets’ weight.
3. Which of the following methods is healthy for your pets?
A. Providing them with mini carrots or blueberries.
B. Keeping them with you when you’re dining.
C. Supplying them with larger meals or drinks.
D. Leaving the food in a fixed place for your pets.
4.. What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. How to feed pets without a crash diet.
B. The importance of pet weight loss.
C. How to help pets lose weight.
D. The problems that pets will meet.
If you plan on visiting to Fiji, you are probably looking for some fun things to do. Below are four unusual places.
The Poseidon Resort
The Poseidon resort is an underwater resort that gives visitors a beautiful view of sea life. This resort covers 255 acres. It’s covered and surrounded by a lagoon (咸水湖) that covers 5,000 acres and is about 90 feet under water, giving you a beautiful view of sea life right before your eyes. This resort even has a hotel for those who would prefer to have the unusual experience of sleeping and waking up to the beautiful scenery all around them.
The Sabeto Mud Pool
If you’re looking for something unusual to do, you can’t pass up the mud pool at Sabeto. It is located in a mountain range with a huge group of Geothermal (地热的) pools full of nice, warm mud. Getting down and into the mud in the pool is believed to have benefits for healthy skin. This is unusual, but adults and especially kids will love it.
Fire Walking
Fire walking in Fiji is believed to have originated on the island of Beau. Fire walking is when you walk on white-hot stones barefoot. To do this, you have to be mentally prepared for it. Trust me; there is a lot of preparation and strict rules that travelers follow in order to do this safely.
The Fiji Museum
The Fiji museum is unusual due to all the amazing artifacts you’ll see dating back 3,000-4,000 years. This museum has a certain attraction that makes it funny—a shoe. It’s been said that a man named Thomas Baker was eaten by the locals several centuries ago and the only thing left was his shoe. This unusual museum is a great idea if you bring the whole family to Fiji.
1.Visitors who have the unusual experience of sleeping at the Poseidon resort can _________.
A. enjoy the excellent service in the hotel
B. open windows to see sea life swimming
C. see sea life around them in the room
D. only watch videos about sea life
2.Why do adults like to get down into the mud pool?
A. To float on the warm mud
B. To make them strong
C. To play with the warm mud
D. To keep their skin healthy
3.Which of the following things needs more courage and stricter rules?
A. Trying fire walking
B. Visiting the Poseidon resort
C. Getting into the Sabeto Mud Pool
D. Visiting the Fiji museum
4.The underlined word “artifacts” in Paragraph 5 means__________.
A. historic things made by man
B. things invented not long ago
C. things that look very strange
D. useful things in people’s daily life
When I was a law professor, a student reported that I made an error in grading his exam by giving him too many points. He was 36 , and after thanking him for his honesty, I changed the grade in my 37 . His beaming (欢笑的) face turned to shock. “You’re 38 my grade?” he said angrily. “I would never have come in 39 ……”
He didn’t finish the 40 , but it was obvious that his display of honesty was 41 . He thought he’d have it all—praise and the higher grade.
Several colleagues thought I should have let the higher grade 42 because all I’d accomplished was to discourage him from being 43 in the future. And every time I tell this story some people agree with this 44 .
But I can’t see how I could give good reason for worsening my 45 in grading by undermining (损害) the honesty of all my grades by failing to 46 an error. The grade itself would be a dishonest 47 of his knowledge and it would have been 48 to other students. How could I 49 give a student a gift of an unearned grade?
I know 50 reporting an error in one’s favor is unusual, but, like 51 too much change, it’s clearly the right thing to do. People of character, those with real honesty, hate to give up 52_ as much as anyone else. The difference is that for them a good conscience and reputation is _53 enough to give reason for the cost of doing the right thing.
Perhaps lowering the student’s grade did 54 him from being honest in the future, but bribing (贿赂) him to be honest so that he does the right thing when it’s cost-free would have _55
him even more. The duty to be honest is about right and wrong, not risks and rewards.
1.A. wise B. right C. grateful D. upset
2.A. files B. books C. records D. notes
3.A. lowering B. correcting C. changing D. making
4.A. though B. why C. where D. if
5. A. sentence B. work C. exam D. lesson
6.A. good B. false C. special D. impressive
7.A. remove B. change C. stand D. add
8.A. brave B. adventurous C. successful D. honest
9. A. remark B. complaint C. praise D. achievement
10. A. crime B. mistake C. doubt D. guilty
11.A. make B. find C. correct D. avoid
12.A. reaction B. sense C. sign D. reflection
13. A. unfair B. cruel C. tough D. funny
14.A. reluctantly B. responsibly C. impossibly D. impatiently
15.A. actively B. secretly C. voluntarily D. curiously
16.. A. receiving B. paying C. earning D. returning
17. A. benefits B. honors C. awards D. gifts
18.. A. pleasure B. reward C. content D. honor
19.A. protect B. influence C. discourage D. separate
20.A. improved B. encouraged C. blamed D. ruined
