[1] More than 40 million Americans move each year, but not always by choice. Whether you relocate because of a new job or school for you or your spouse, for a lower cost of living, or for better opportunities, adjusting to life in a new place can be scary and difficult--especially when you’re not in love with your new city. Here are some tips on how to make the most of your relocation and find happiness in your new home.
[2] Treat it as an adventure
Living in a new place is a great opportunity to experience new things and to grow as a person. So stay positive, and get out there and explore! Sample the local cuisine. Visit landmarks and museums. Try local activities that weren’t available or popular in your former city, such as skiing if you came from a beach town or surfing if you lived in the mountains. You may discover a talent or interest you never knew you had.
[3] Get involved
Attend local events that interest you. Visit the weekly farmer’s market or the neighborhood yard sale. Volunteer. Take a class. Join a sports league. All of these things will help you meet people and feel connected to your new town.
[4] Locate the necessities
Driving, riding, or walking around your new neighborhood is the best way to learn where everything is. So head out and take note of the nearest supermarket, pharmacy, post office, library, etc.
[5] Keep pieces of your old home
To keep from getting too homesick, subscribe to your former city magazine or newspaper. Display photos of or souvenirs from your favorite places in your old town. Hang decorations from your former home. Just don’t go overboard—hanging on to too much from your past will keep you from moving forward and really enjoying your new home.
[6] _________
It takes time to get to know a new place, so don’t expect to feel comfortable right away. Give yourself time to adjust. To help the process and to meet new people, find a support group near you at Just Moved.org.
1.What does the passage mainly talk about? (within 15 words.)
2.What does the underlined word “it” in the last paragraph refer to? (within 7 words)
3.According to the passage, what can you do to learn where everything is?( within 5 words)
4.Fill the blank with proper words. (within 5 words)
5.If you are a new comer, where to find a support group near you based on this passage? (within 3 words)
I was brought up in the British, stiff upper lip style. Strong feelings aren’t something you display in public. So, you can imagine that I was unprepared for the outpouring of public grief(悲伤) at a Chinese funeral.
My editorial team leader died recently after a short illness. He was 31. The news was so unexpected that it left us all shocked and upset. A female colleague burst into tears and cried piteously at her desk. Somehow we got through the day's work. The next day was the funeral.
Our big boss stepped forward to deliver a eulogy(悼词) and was soon in tears. She carried on, in Chinese of course, but at the end said in English: "There will be no more deadlines for you in heaven." Next came a long-term colleague who also dissolved in tears but carried on with her speech despite being almost overcome by emotion. Then a close friend of the dead man paid tribute(哀悼), weeping openly as he spoke. Sorrow is spreading. Me and women were now sobbing uncontrollably. Finally, the man's mother, supported between two women, addressed her son in his coffin. At one point, the mother almost collapsed and had to be held up. We were invited to step forward to each lay a white rose on the casket. Our dead colleague looked as if he was taking a nap. At the end of the service I walked away from the funeral parlor stunned at the outpouring of emotion.
In the UK, families grieve privately and then try to hold it together and not break down at a funeral. Here in China it would seem that grieving is a public affair. It strikes me that it is more cathartic to cry your eyes out than try to keep it bottled up for fear of embarrassment, which is what many of us do in the West.
Afterwards, a Chinese colleague told me that the lamenting at the funeral had been restrained(克制) by Chinese standards. In some rural areas, she said, people used to be paid to mourn noisily. This struck me like something out of novel by Charles Dickens. But we have all seen on TV scenes of grief-stricken people in Gaza and the West Bank, in Afghanistan, Iraq and the relatives of victims of terrorist bombings around the world. Chinese grief is no different. I realized that it's the reserved British way of mourning that is out of step with the rest of the world.
It was our newspaper's production day. We were bussed back to the office to resume work. No more deadlines for our former colleague, but we had to pull together to put the newspaper to print. The boss invited the team to go out for dinner after work. We relaxed, smiled, joked. There was no mention of the funeral or our poor colleague. Enough sorrow had been shed already. We needed a break.
1.The underlined words “stiff upper lip style” in Paragraph 1 mean “________”.
A．cold-blooded B．warm-hearted C．light-hearted D．self-controlled
2.At the funeral, ________.
A. five individuals made speeches
B. the boss’s speech was best thought of
C. the writer was astonished by the scene
D. everyone was crying out loudly
3.According to the writer, people in the West ________.
A. are not willing to be sad for the dead
B. cry their eyes out at the public funeral
C. prefer to control their sadness in public
D. have better way to express sadness
4.It is implied that ________.
A. Chinese express their sadness quite unlike other peoples
B. the English might cry noisily for the dead in Dickens’ time
C. victims of terrorist bombings should be greatly honored
D. English funeral culture is more civilized than the others
5.This passage talks mainly about________.
A. an editor’s death B. bad funeral customs
C. cultural differences D. western ways of grief
Chinese media and Internet users on Monday condemned(谴责) a lack of morals in society after a toddler(学步的小孩)was struck twice by two different vans and left bleeding on the road as more than a dozen bystanders did nothing to help the seriously injured girl.
The incident, captured by a surveillance camera and aired by Southern Television Guangdong (TVS), showed the two-year-old girl was knocked down and run over by a white van on a narrow market street on the afternoon of Oct. 13, in Foshan City of Guangdong Province.
The driver fled the scene of the accident, leaving the girl to bleed on the sidewalk. Over the next six minutes, more than a dozen people walked by the girl, yet not one individual did anything to help her. The girl was then hit a second time by another van before an elderly trash collector came to her aid and brought the attention of the girl’s mother, according to the video and eyewitnesses.
Doctors said that the girl, who was put on life support after being hospitalized, remains in a deep coma. The girl’s parents, who are migrants living in the city, are now with her. Police said the drivers of both vehicles have been arrested. However, the indifference of the bystanders shown in the video has shocked the public, as Internet forums have boiled with anger, and people are questioning the morality of society.
High moral standards were once triumphed as national pride in China where individuals known for selflessly helping others were adored by the public. But in recent years, the perception of a decline of morals has become a hot topic as profit and materialism are recognized to be affecting society’s values.
On Sept. 2. an 88-year-old man in central China collapsed, his face striking the pavement. Yet, no one came to his aid, and he ended up choking to death on the blood from his nose. Some have linked the absence of good models to a previous case in which a man trying to help an elderly woman who fell was accused of harming her.
A strong chorus of opinion on the Internet says laws should exempt（免除）models from responsibility, yet laws themselves cannot solve society’s morality dilemma.
Cao Lin, a China Youth Daily commentator, said in a signed article published on Monday that the worry of responsibility should not be an excuse for not helping, and this case exposes the decline of humanity in Chinese society.
1.What happened to the two-year-old girl?
A. Nobody helped her after she was struck by two different vans.
B. She died immediately after she was hit a second time.
C. An old trash collector saved her and attracted her mother’s attention.
D. Journalists from TVS captured her story by using a camera.
2.From the passage, what would happen if someone helped others selflessly in the past?
A. The public would feel proud of him/ her and showed love and respect for him/ her.
B. He/she would be awarded by the government.
C. He/she would be condemned by the public.
D. He/she would have to worry about legal responsibility.
3.In recent years, society’s values are believed to be affected by________.
A. people’s awareness
B. the indifference of bystanders
C. profit and materialism
D. the morals of society
4.According to Cao Lin, what is the fundamental reason for not helping the girl?
A. The worry of responsibility.
B. Lack of laws that exempt role models from responsibility.
C. The fear of being accused of harming her.
D. The decline of humanity in society.
5.Where is the article probably taken from?
A. A news report. B. A fashion magazine.
C. A science fiction. D. An education column.
Bedazzling (眼花缭乱) with their bright colors and eye-catching displays, fireworks light up our night skies during the holidays. However, these crowd-pleasers can have some damaging side effects.
Once a firework is set off, it only takes a couple of seconds before smoke, dust and harmful chemicals are let out into the atmosphere. The loud booming noises are caused by gunpowder. While the sounds may excite some people, they can be frightening to domestic and wild animals—as well as some humans.
The pretty colors you see are a result of more chemicals. Barium, added to make green, is known for its poisonous and radioactive qualities. Blue comes from copper compounds. Cadmium, lithium and lead—all found in fireworks—have been linked to diseases, such as allergies and skin rashes in both humans and animals. Acid rain has been linked to gases given off by fireworks, which sometimes go beyond the toxin(毒素) limits of the United States Clean Air Act.
Once all those chemicals come back down to the ground, they can cause problems too. Debris (碎片) from the fireworks falls to the ground, where animals can burn their paws or noses on piping hot pieces. Humans also are at risk of stepping on or picking up something sharp or hot. Meanwhile, debris that finds its way into waterways can damage animal habitats and water supply sources.
Instead of setting off fireworks, try to come up with some new ways for fun. Here are some ideas to get you started:
• Sky lanterns—a tradition that originated long ago in the most-populated Asian country.
• Party crackers—a favorite in the United Kingdom—give you noise and surprises without the mess of fireworks. You can make your own or buy eco-friendly crackers.
• Want noise excitement with less volume? Consider a fireworks sound recording beforehand or break out the party horns (号角) and blow up a storm!
1.The advantages of fireworks can be seen below EXCEPT that _____.
A. the special sounds of fireworks excite people
B. debris from fireworks can even find its way into water
C. the pretty and bright colors add to the beauty of night skies
D. fireworks are enjoyed as one of the crowd-pleasers
2. Which of the following is NOT true according to the passage?
A. Copper compounds are needed to make green in fireworks.
B. Chemicals in fireworks are both poisonous and dangerous.
C. Too much gases from fireworks can result in acid rain.
D. Chemicals in fireworks are harmful in the air and on the ground.
3. All the italicized (斜体的) words are probably ____.
A. mineral materials B. tiny solids C. chemical elements D. broken pieces
4. What is implied from the passage?
A. Gunpowder in fireworks makes loud booming noises.
B. It must be Indians who first started to hang sky lanterns.
C. Fireworks does less harm in the air than on the ground.
D. Fireworks can even break the balance of nature.
5. What can be concluded as the writer’s attitude towards fireworks?
A. It is not allowed to set off fireworks except during the holidays.
B. Fireworks should be banned and replaced by some other means.
C. Night is the best time to set off fireworks and see the pretty colors.
D. You cannot set off fireworks unless you come up with new ways.
Once there was a man who liked to eat mangoes(芒果). One day he decided to get the sweetest mango from the very top of the tree. Mangoes which are exposed to the sun the most are the sweetest.
So he climbed up to the top, where the branches were thin. He managed to pick up a few sweet reddish fruits, but, in an attempt to climb down, he slipped and started falling towards the ground. Fortunately, he caught the branch as he was falling and remained helplessly hanging on the tree. Then he started to call nearby villagers for help. They immediately came with a ladder and sticks, but could do little to help him.
Then after some time one calm and thoughtful person arrived - a well-known sage who lived in a simple hut nearby. People were very curious to see what he would do, as he was famous in solving many people’s problems in the area and sometimes very complicated ones.
He was silent for a minute and then picked up a stone and threw it at the hanging man. Everybody was surprised. The hanging mango lover started to shout: What are you doing?! Are you crazy? Do you want me to break my neck?” The sage was silent. Then he took another stone and threw it at the man. The man was very angry: “If I could just come down, I would show you!”
That’s what everybody wanted - that he came down. But how? Now everybody was tense(紧张), as to what would happen next! Some wanted to punish the sage, but they didn’t. The sage picked another stone and threw it again at the man, even more forcefully. Now the man on the tree was enraged and developed a great determination to come down and take revenge（报仇）.
He then used all his skill and strength and somehow reached the branches which were safe to start going down. And he made it! Everybody was amazed.
However, the rescued man found the sage gone. He stood there, realizing that the man really helped him because he induced him to try his best and save himself.
“I should be thankful and not angry.”
1.What happened after he had picked a few sweet reddish mangoes?
A．He remained hanging helplessly on the tree.
B．He slipped and fell to the ground suddenly.
C．He was climbing down quickly but carefully.
D．He shouted loudly for help but no one helped.
2.How did the man feel when the sage hit him with a stone?
A．He was nervous. B．He kept silent. C．He was angry. D．He felt surprised.
3.What do you think motivated the man to climb down?
A．Courage. B. Assistance. C．Carefulness. D．Revenge.
4.From the story we know that the sweetest mango must be the one .
A．on the tree for the longest time B．hidden in the middle of a tree
C．on the very top of the a tree D．exposed to sunlight less often
5.The best title of this passage will be _____.
A．Anger saves one’s life. B．Wisdom does count.
C．Skill and strength count. D．Anger is the biggest enemy.
A little part of me thought about going to another checkout line．This one had the shortest ，there was only one guy in it，but he was in a and there seemed to be some difficulties ．
We stepped in behind him．At first, he to be having difficulty getting his groceries onto the counter．But after a while，I realized that what he was actually doing was it into two parts．
I offered to help，but he and the checkout lady had it under ．He asked Julie if she would mind putting his basket away．Then he for his wallet which was in a bag on one side of his chair．The he was positioned and the fact he only had one usable arm this troublesome for him，so I helped there．
The checkout operator came around and gave him his and the goods he needed to have to hand．She one bag of groceries over a handle at the back of his chair．
I offered to get the other bigger bag and he said，“No． you could do me a favor．Take that bag along to the entrance and give it to Angela．"
Angela，it ，was collecting food for people who might go hungry! I hadn’t even her before.
This guy，in spite of the limitations，had bought more than twice as shopping as he needed—and given the bigger bag away to help people!
He didn’t let the fact that he needed help him from being a help．He may have been limited ，but his heart was more than able to overcome all that．
1.A．queue B．space C．figure D．time
2.A．supermarket B．wheelchair C．helmet D．uniform
3.A．going on B．holding on C．paying off D．setting down
4.A．happened B．seemed C．used D．pretended
5.A．selecting B．wrapping C．handing D．separating
6.A．charge B．control C．improvement D．settlement
7.A．empty B．heavy C．large D．broken
8.A．felt B．searched C．reached D．seized
9.A．spot B．direction C．distance D．way
10.A．caught B．carried C．made D．solved
11.A．basket B．bag C．wallet D．change
12.A．arranged B．hung C．loaded D．connected
13.A．And B．But C．So D．Or
14.A．turned out B．found out C．pointed out D．put out
15.A．already B．always C．otherwise D．fairly
16.A．noticed B．known C．understood D．greeted
17.A．many B．much C．few D．little
18.A．wealthy B．ordinary C．other D．normal
19.A．stop B．require C．lead D．persuade
20.A．financially B．morally C．mentally D．physically
