My parents moved from Mexico to South Texas in the early 90s with the hope for a brighter future for their family of nine---my parents, four boys and three girls. My parents have always wanted the best for us and they have done everything possible to encourage us to get a university degree. Never did they think that by pushing us that direction, it also meant encouraging us to move away and be distant from each other.
Initially(起初), getting accustomed to the American culture and lifestyle was very difficult for my parents. They come from a culture where kids grow up together, go to school together and most of the time live in the same neighborhood. From our point, American family values were a bit different. Typically in the US, when you turn 18, you are expected to graduate from high school, move out, find a university, possibly find a partner, get married and start a life together. Most of these decisions take you away from home; usually you have to follow opportunity and wherever that will take you.
This is my family’s current situation. I graduated from Bethel College in Indiana in 2010, and in order to fulfill my financial responsibilities of paying off student loans, I moved to Washington State for my job with Experience Mission. Ideally my parents wanted me to come home to South Texas, but that wasn’t where my opportunity took me.
Currently, my sister Jennifer lives in Waco, Texas, about eight hours from my parents. My two younger brothers also decided to go to college at Bethel and are away from my parents. More than likely, when they graduate, they will probably not move back home to South Texas.
My parent never imagined that their dream for a better future would separate our family this way.
Facebook has played a crucial(决定性的) role in the way we communicate while living in different places. Since we all use Facebook, we have found a place to connect and feel as if we were there together with each other.
1.We can infer from the first paragraph that ________.
A. the writer’s family are immigrants to America
B. the writer’ family came to America for a better future
C. the writer’ parents’ didn’t want their children to get a university degree
D. the writer’ parents pushed their children away from each other
2. The writer’s parents found it hard to be used to American life because ________.
A. they were strangers in America
B. they suffered from a culture shock
C. the local people disliked their family
D. different countries have different lives
3.The writer didn’t return to work in South Texas after graduation because ________.
A. he owed a lot of money while studying at college
B. he didn’t graduate from university
C. he found his opportunity in Washiongton State
D. his father couldn’t find him a job in South Texas
4.What will probably be talked about in the paragraph after the last?
A. The writer’s parents’ life in Texas.
B. How the parents learn to use Facebook.
C. What the writer’s brothers’ and sisters’ lives are like.
D. How the writer’s family communicate through Facebook.
It is never too early, or too late, to encourage a child to read. With the chill(寒冷) of winter upon us, the following is a list of wonderful stories with winter and or snow themes.
Waiting for Winter
It was written by Sebastian Meschenmoser. A little squirrel(松鼠), who has never seen snow, is determined that he will not miss it this year. He gets the help of his good friends, a bear and a hedgehog, trying to stay awake until they can all see the first snowfall of winter. This book is a wonderful story to read aloud to young children or for older children to read by themselves.
The Snowy Day
The Snowy Day by Ezra Jack Keats is a short read, but since its first publication it has been loved by millions. It tells about a beautiful story about the magic and possibility of the first snowfall of winter, which appeals to young and older children.
The Polar Express
Popularized by the 2004 Warner Brothers all-digital film, The Polar Express was first published in 1985. The hero of this story is a boy who is given the opportunity to receive a gift from Santa himself. A magical train appears outside his bedroom window, taking him away on a fantastic journey to the North Pole.
Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
It was written by Robert E. Barry. Mr Willowby orders a lovely new Christmas tree, and when it is delivered to his home he finds it far too tall. He has the top of the tree cut off in order to make it just the right height. This book follows the treetop on its journey through the forest, where it brings the joy of the holidays for some woodland creatures. This book teaches us a valuable lesson about the joy of giving, and happiness that it can bring to the hearts of recipients(接受者).
1.Waiting for Winter and The Snowy Day are similar in that ________.
A. they are intended for older children and adults
B. they are centered around the first snowfall of winter
C. they are short novels and are loved by millions
D. they are fairy tales about talking animals
2.Which of the following was made into a popular film?
A. Waiting for Winter B. The Snowy Day
C. The polar Express D. Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree
3.What can we learn about Mr. Willowby’s Christmas Tree?
A. it tells us giving can bring pleasure for us.
B. it was written by Sebastian Meschenmoser.
C. it tells about a boy’s journey through the forest.
D. it tells us Mr Willowby received a magic gift from Santa.
There is a scene in the movie The Descendants and it went something like this ---George Clooney’s character Matt King has a daughter who may be 9 or 10. She said something bad to a girl at her school that made her cry. The mother of that girl made Matt and his daughter come to their house to apologize. “Sorry,” said his daughter very casually. She was clearly not sorry for her actions and the girl’s mother complained she didn’t take her apology seriously. Matt shrugged(耸)his shoulders. What was he supposed to do? His daughter apologized as asked. He couldn’t make her mean her words.
I always think of this story when my daughter is asked by other adults to apologize for her wrong doings. I know my daughter is being taught to say “sorry” with all the best intentions. They are teaching her to be polite. But she is apologizing because she is being forced to please the adult or to avert punishment.
This situation has happened on a few occasions and it really bothers me. Here are three reasons why I don’t think it’s a good idea to teach children to say sorry: 1. My daughter is being taught to say things that are not from her heart. 2. She is being taught insincerity(不真诚) is valued over genuineness. 3. She is being taught she needs to please others to be loved.
These messages make me uncomfortable and I will not ask my children to apologize. Instead, this is what I think people should teach children:
teach them behavior that is acceptable and to practice positive behavior.
teach them how their actions affect others.
give them space to think about the situation and ask them to suggest ways to make the situation better.
help them make healthy choices
lead by example and show them how to fix wrong doings
1. The story in Paragraph 1 mainly shows that ________.
A. sometimes people don’t take their apology seriously
B. The Descendants is a good film that is worth seeing
C. forcing a child to apologize may not get expected results
D. parents should punish their children for their mistakes
2.What does the underlined word “avert” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A. Suffer B. Avoid C. Deserve D. Get
3.From Paragraph 3 we can learn that the author ________.
A. doesn’t like apologizing to other people.
B. doesn’t think apologizing is important to children
C. doesn’t think her daughter has done anything wrong
D. thinks forcing a child to apologize has disadvantages
4. According to the last paragraph, the author suggests people should ________.
A. teach children how to become independent
B. teach children how to apologize in the correct way
C. teach children to behave well instead of forcing them
D. teach children how to set a good example to others
学校校报面向在校高三学生组织英语征文活动,请以我的高三生活为主题写一篇英语短文,具体内容如下：
1. 生活安排；
2. 学习计划
3. 理想的大学和专业。
My last year in the senior high school has already started.
_____________________________ __
_____________________________ __
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短文改错（共10小题；每小题1分,满分10分）
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文,请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共
有10处错误,每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(Λ),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。
修改：在错的词下划一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意： 1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Dear Tom,
How is everything going recently? That has been a long time since we meet in China last time. Having passed the finally exams, I am busy planning a two-weeks trip to the US during this winter holiday. Do you have any suggestions about the choice of America cities? I prefer to big and modern cities. I guess I'd better pre-order a hotel. What is the price for single boy like myself?
Is it easy to find Chinese food? What is the traffic like, after I travel between cities in the US?
Hope to hearing from you. Thank you!
Best regards!.
Li Hua
In order to know a foreign language thoroughly, four things are necessary. Firstly, we must understand the language when we hear 1.______spoken. Secondly, we must be able to speak it ourselves correctly with confidence and without hesitation. 2.______, we must be able to read the language, and fourthly, we must be able to write it. We must be able to make sentences that are grammatically correct.
There is no easy way to success 3.________ language learning. 4._______good memory is a great help, but it is not enough only 5.________(memorize) rules from a grammar book. It is not much use learning by heart long lists of words and 6._________ meanings, studying the dictionary and so on. We must learn by using the language.
7.________ we are satisfied with only a few rules we have memorized, we are not really learning the language. “Learn through use” is a good piece of 8._______(advise) for those 9._______are studying a new language. Practice is important. We must practice speaking and 10.________ (write) the language whenever we can.
