Fun doesn’t have to be expensive
Everyone likes to have fun, but not everyone has much money to spend. Here are some free or cheap ways to enjoy yourself.
Go outside
Going outside in good weather can be a lot of fun if you don’t want to stay at home. 1. If you live in a city, you can go window-shopping. Or you can explore an old part of town and admire the buildings.
Try a hobby
While you’re out, take pictures of things you find. Planning and taking pictures can make you aware of the beauty all around you. Photographic equipment can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be. You probably already own a camera or a cell phone that can take pictures. Other creative hobbies can also be done with basic materials. 2.
Find an event
Libraries often hold free public events. 3. And while you’re there, borrow a book or movie for free. Museums and universities also hold free events.
If you can’t find a free event, you can volunteer at an event that requires tickets. People who organize concerts and plays need help. 4. Sometimes they reward volunteers with free tickets.
Meet a friend
Relationships are often the best things in life. 5. For example, invite a friend for a walk, an event or a time working on your hobby. Hosting doesn’t have to be difficult. If your friend comes in the afternoon, you don’t have to serve a meal. You can sit and talk, play board games or card games or watch a movie together.
A. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
B. Stop by one to find out what’s going on.
C. Hike or bicycle with a friend on a nearby path or in a park.
D. Whatever you do, find a friend to share it with.
E. It’s a good idea to stay at home to watch a movie.
F. You can set up or take down chairs or greet visitors.
G. Drawing and writing require nothing more than a pencil and paper.
A new study suggests that washing dishes by hand is healthier than using a dishwasher.
Nobody likes doing the dishes, but it turns out that doing this task might pay off in an unexpected way. According to a new study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, washing dishes by hand instead of using a dishwasher might prevent the development of allergies (过敏).
Researchers in Sweden surveyed the parents of 1,029 children aged 7 and 8. They discovered that children whose families hand-washed the dishes instead of using a machine were less likely to have allergies.
Earlier research has shown that dishes washed by machine are cleaner than those washed by hand. So why would kids who eat with slightly dirtier plates be better when it comes to preventing allergies? One explanation is based on a theory known as the “hygiene hypothesis,” which says the reason why kids develop allergies is that their environment is actually too clean. Your immune system keeps you healthy by fighting germs like viruses and bacteria. But when you have allergies, it overreacts and tries to fight ordinary things like pollen(花粉) or certain foods.
Being exposed to germs, especially early in life is good training for the immune system, says the lead author of the study, Dr. Bill Hesselmar of Queen Silvia Hospital in Sweden. “You stimulate the immune system in various ways and it becomes tolerant.”
This study shows that while using the dishwasher might be easier, the old-fashioned method of cleaning up could be better for your health.
1.What is the benefit of washing dishes by hand?
A. Hand-washed dishes are cleaner than those washed by machine.
B. Washing dishes by hand is easier than washing by machine
C. Washing dishes by hand costs less time than washing by machine
D. Washing dishes by hand might reduce the chance of developing allergies
2.What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 4 refer to?
A. bacteria B. germs
C. the immune system D. allergy
3.Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Using a dishwasher can prevent us from having allergies.
B. Exposure to germs early in life may improve kids’ immune system.
C. Our immune system can only fight bacteria and viruses.
D. Children should use dirty plates when they have meals.
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A. The clean environment accounts for kids’ developing allergies.
B. Whether parents should wash dishes by hand or use a dishwasher.
C. Washing dishes by hand may prevent kids from getting allergies.
D. What “hygiene hypothesis” is and how our immune system works.
Blind imitation is self-destruction. To those who do not recognize their own unique worth, imitation appears attractive; to those who know their strength, imitation is unacceptable.
In the early stages of skill or character development, imitation is helpful. When I first learned to cook, I used recipes and turned out some tasty dishes. But soon I grew bored. Why follow someone else’s way of cooking when I could create my own? Imitating role models is like using training wheels on a child’s bicycle; they help you get going, but once you find your own balance, you fly faster and farther without relying on them.
In daily life, imitation can hurt us if we subconsciously (下意识地）hold poor role models. If, as a child, you observed people whose lives were bad, you may have accepted their fear and pain as normal and gone on to follow what they did. If you do not make strong choices for yourself, you will get the results of the weak choices of others.
In the field of entertainment, our culture praises and admires celebrities. Those stars look great on screen. But when they step off screen, their personal lives may be disastrous. If you are going to follow someone, focus on their talent, not their bad character or unacceptable behaviors.
Blessed is the person willing to act on their sudden desire to create something unique. Think of the movies, books, teachers, and friends that have affected you most deeply. They touched you because their creations were motivated by inspiration not desperation. The world is changed not by those who do what has been done before them, but by those who do what has been done inside them. Creative people have an endless resource of ideas. The problem a creator faces is not running out of material; it is what to do with the material knocking at the door of imagination.
Study your role models, accept the gifts they have given, and leave behind what does not serve you. Then you can say, “I stand on the shoulders of my ancestors’ tragedies and declare victory, and know that they are cheering me on.”
1.Imitation proves useful when you _______.
A. know you are unique B. lose the balance of life
C. begin to learn something new D. get tired of routine practice
2.To avoid the bad result of imitation, we should _______.
A. forget daily fear and pain B. choose the right role models
C. ask others for decisions D. stay away from stars
3.According to the author, the world moves on because of those who are _______.
A. desperate to influence others with their knowledge
B. ready to turn their original ideas into reality
C. eager to discover what their ancestors did
D. willing to accept others’ ideas
4.What is the author's purpose in writing this passage?
A. To highlight the importance of creativity.
B. To criticize the characters of role models.
C. To compare imitation with creation.
D. To explain the meaning of success.
I had been following the yellowish-green markers for a “popular and easy” three-mile out-and-back hike. Immediately after the trailhead(山道的起点), the trail became very rocky and steep. But having read information about the hike, I knew within five minutes, I was supposed to reach the hike’s first overlook.
However, the overlook never arrived. Instead, I found myself lost in the woods. Pulling out my cellphone, I saw it read “no service”. I checked the last text message I’d sent to my mom. It read, “Conference ended…going for a small hike before my flight home this afternoon.” I put my phone away and kept moving and yelling, “Help! Is anybody out there?” Every so often, I’d stop to listen, but I never heard a reply.
I got out my phone again. The battery was running out fast as it searched for a signal. I struggled to find a place where I could get service. When I did, I called my mom. It went through! In a shaky voice, I said, “Mom?” And then the call dropped. More than 1,500 miles away, my mom instantly knew something was wrong. She called the Denver Police Department and was directed to the US Forest Service.
This was how I was introduced to John, an operator from the US Forest Service. Following John’s instruction on the phone, I finally escaped from the woods. I breathed a sigh of relief. Then my phone rang, and it was John, making sure I was still going in the right direction. “By the way,” he said, “we’ve had your mother on hold this whole time. We know once you get down the mountain, you will absolutely want to give her a call.”
1.What did the author do while finding the trail rocky and steep?
A. He yelled for help. B. He continued walking.
C. He returned to the start. D. He found the first overlook.
2.When did the author tell his mom about the hiking?
A. After he got lost. B. After John’s call.
C. After a conference. D. After the call dropped.
3.How did the author’s mom know he was in danger?
A. The author called and told her about it.
B. The author’s flight didn’t arrive on time.
C. She learned it from the US Forest Service.
D. She sensed something unusual on the phone.
4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A. The author’s mom was on line waiting.
B. John came to the woods for the author.
C. John lost touch with the author’s mom.
D. The author went in the wrong direction.
A group of cultural calendars, with creative designs, informative content and delicate printing, were hot sellers last year and now posting photos of the calendars has become a new fad on social networks. Many people posted photos of their cultural calendars with their comments to arouse memories of traditional knowledge. Though the cultural calendars are a return to traditions, designers are racking their brains to make the calendars appear more attractive.
| What’s black and white and fun all over? Penguins, of course! These friendly, odd-looking creatures have a universal appeal. Twelve vivid, full color photographs show us various species of penguins surviving in their harsh environment. The Penguins 2016 Wall Calendar features daily grids（格子） with ample room for notes and reminders. U.S. and international holidays are also included. |
| Most of the typeface(字体) for The Palace Museum’s Datebook came from the ancient copies of Kai calligraphy and Li calligraphy, as well as pictures of classic Chinese paintings and artworks. More than 50,000 volumes of it were sold on the November 11 Singles Day, and since then it has remained a best-seller among the art books on JD.com, an online marketplace. |
| The cover for The Red Chamber Dream Calendar was made using a special kind of paper with a red woven design, which symbolizes the joyous and prosperous new year. Inside the datebook, poems, ancient paintings from the classic novel, Dream of the Red Chamber, as well as the inclusion of traditional customs, festivals and solar terms make the datebook seem elegant and informative. |
| Calendar: Beauty of Chinese Characters, however, has 12 themes for the year and tells about the origin of Chinese characters, other interesting information about Hanzi, the name for the characters. By reading the whole book, one can gain a complete knowledge of Hanzi’s history. |
1.The underlined word “fad” in paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to “________”.
A. invention B. content
C. design D. fashion
2.If you are interested in conventional customs, which calendar should you refer to?
A. The Red Chamber Dream Calendar
B. The Palace Museum Datebook
C. Calendar: Beauty of Chinese Characters
D. The Penguins 2016 Wall Calendar
3.According to the description of The Palace Museum’s Datebook, ________.
A. you can find the information about the origin of Chinese characters
B. it has been and remains a best-seller on online marketplaces
C. ancient paintings and poems are included inside the datebook
D. you can appreciate ancient Chinese calligraphy in it
I was doing a big clean-up recently and my kids were helping when my son, Freddo, came across a knotted handkerchief with an old dark brown coin inside. “Mum, can I have this? Can I play with this Coin?” he asked I took one look and was immediately transported to another time.
In 1991, there was a time when my friend and I worked in a backward African country, Niger, hit by sandstorms and burning heat. There were many things I found difficult about this place—the climate and beggars were my biggest headaches. So after finishing five months of nursing work there, we moved on to work at a health clinic in neighbouring country, Burkina Faso. “It's much greener in Burkina. Even the Coke tastes better,” the locals assured us.
Yet the fact was quite the opposite. Arriving by taxi at our destination in Burkina, we began to unload. I was reaching for my larger piece of luggage when, out of the darkness, a motorbike with two men approached slowly. Without warning, one of the men grabbed my daypack as the motorbike swept close by. Within seconds, the pair were out of sight, swallowed up by the night.
With my passport, money, traveller's cheques all in the bag, I was in deep trouble. How frustrating! All I wanted was to leave this hellhole! Then, walking through Burkina's streets one day, I was stopped by an old woman who thrust her hand in my face. “Cadeau (‘gift’ in French)! Cadeau!”she cried. I'd had enough! I was extremely tired of the country: its poverty, its thieves, the heat, the dust and...everything! I told her angrily and firmly in French, “I have no ‘cadeau’. I have no money. A thief stole all my money two weeks ago and now I can't get out of your country. I cannot give you anything. NOTHING!”The beggar woman listened attentively. To my great surprise, after hearing my words, she gave a broad smile.
注意：
1.所续写短文的词数应为150左右；
2.应使用5个以上短文中标有下划线的关键词语；
3.续写部分分为两段，每段的开头语已为你写好；
4.续写完成后，请用下划线标出你所使用的关键词语。
She reached into the pockets of her dress.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________
There was slight touch on my hand; looking down, I saw my son looking at me, curious.
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________
