Sometimes we can get so caught up in the stress and worry of our personal lives that our minds become too confused to operate effectively.This is especially dangerous in a test-taking situation.After hours of reading and studying,our brains can lock up in a state of overload.
In a stressful situation it's often a must to clear your mind completely to allow your brain to refresh itself and recalibrate all of its functions.But when you're tense,clearing your mind isn't so easy!Try this relaxation technique if you think your brain has seized up from information overload.
1.Set aside at least five minutes for quiet "clearing" time.If you're at school,see if you can put your head down somewhere or find an empty room or quiet space.If necessary,set a watch (or phone) alarm or ask a friend to tap you on the shoulder at a designated time.
2.Think of a time or place that puts you into a complete state of peace.This place will vary from person to person.Have you ever sat on the beach watching the waves come in and realized you've "zoned out" fora while?This is the sort of experience you're looking for.Other experiences that make us zone out could be: Sitting in the dark and staring at Christmas tree lights—remember how peaceful that feels?
3.Cover your eyes and go to your "place".If you are at school preparing for a test before class,you may simply rest your elbows on the desk and put your hands over your eyes.For some people,it may not be a good idea to put your head down.(You might fall asleep!)
Don't let any thoughts creep into your head.As soon as you start to think about a test problem,clear away the thought and concentrate on your peaceful place.
4.Snap out of it!Remember,this is not nap time.The point here is to refresh your brain.After five or ten minutes of clearing time,take a brisk walk or take a drink of water to re-energize your mind and body.Stay relaxed and resist the urge to think about the things that are stressing you out or clogging your brain.Don't let your brain go back to freeze-out.
Now go on with your test or study session refreshed and ready!
Title: How to clear your mind to stay relaxed? | |
Present situation | ●We are stuck in stress and worried about our personal lives,stopping our brains working1.. ●If you feel stressed,it's often2.to clear your mind to leave your brain refreshed. |
3.to clearing your mind | 1.Set aside at least five minutes for quiet "clearing" time. ●When at school,see if you can put your head down somewhere or stay in a quiet space. ●If necessary,set a watch (or phone) alarm or ask a friend to tap you on the shoulder at a designated time. |
2.Think of a time or place allowing you to feel completely4.. ●This place will vary from person to person. | |
3.5.your eyes and go to your "place". ●When making6.for a test at school,you could cover your eyes with your hands to have a rest. ●If you put your head down,you will fall7.. ●Make sure not to be8.by any thoughts and concentrate on your place. | |
4.Snap out of it! ●Clearing time does not9.nap time. ●Stay relaxed and avoid the things that made you stressed out. | |
Conclusion | It's time you10.your test or study session refreshed and ready! |
Six years ago at the age of 35,I suddenly decided I wanted to learn the cello（大提琴）.Straight away I rented an instrument and appeared before Wendell Margrave,professor of musical instruction.
"You can be as good as you want to be,"Margrave said rather mysteriously.On a piece of paper he drew the notes E and F.He showed me where to put my fingers on the neck of the cello and how to draw the bow.Then he entered my name in his book: 10 am,Tuesday.Tuesday followed Tuesday,and soon it was spring.
Thus began my voyage out of ignorance and into the dream.E-F,E-F,we played together—and moved on to G.It was a happy time.I was again becoming something new,and no longer trapped as the same person.Surely the most terrible recognition of middle life is that we are past changing.We do what we can already do.The cello was something I couldn't do.Yet each Tuesday this became less and less true.Riding home on the bus one snowy night and learning the score of Mozart's C-Major Quintet(莫扎特的C大调五重奏),I felt the page burst into music in my hands.I could by then more or less read a score,and was humming（哼唱）the cello line,when suddenly all five parts came together harmonically（和谐地） in my head.The fellow 
sitting opposite stared.I met his glance with tears,actually hearing the music in my head for the first time.Could he hear it too, perhaps?No,he got off at the next stop. As the years slipped by,my daughter grew up,playing the piano well.My goal was that she and I would one day perform together.I also wanted to perform in public with and for my peers,and to be secretly envied.I continued to play,to perform,but it is not the same.Before,when I heard a cello,it was all beauty and light.Now,as the TV camera gets close to Rostropovich's face,I recognize that his smile shows his incredible determination.Even for him,the cello is a difficult instrument that doesn't respect your ambitions.I picked up my cello and practiced.As good as I wanted to be,I am as good as I'm going to get.It is good enough.
1.From the first two paragraphs,we can learn that_______ . .
A. the author already knew some cello basics
B. the author went to a cello lesson every Tuesday
C. the author bought a cello after he decided to learn it
D. Wendell Margrave was a famous but mysterious professor
2.The author writes that "it was a happy time" in Paragraph 3 mainly because .
A. he felt very bored with his new life
B. it was beautiful to be able to hear the music in his mind
C. Professor Margrave made learning the cello very easy for him
D. he enjoyed the feelings of growth and getting closer to his dream
3.From the last paragraph,it can be inferred that the author .
A. put on shows with his daughter
B. was determined to catch up with Rostropovich
C. is happy to have kept up his personal development
D. was confident that his peers would envy him for his cello playing ability
4.The purpose of the article is mainly to .
A. show his deep gratitude to his cello tutor
B. advise readers on how to improve their cello skills
C. describe his incredible efforts to overcome difficulties
D. encourage readers that it's never too late to pursue their dreams
An American company has built a new drone（无人机）that could improve the speed of deliveries（送交的货）.
The drone is very different from other unmanned aircraft.It is made almost completely out of cardboard and has no motor.It can be packed with materials and sealed up with tape.
Because the drones do not have a motor,they are designed to be dropped from airplanes.Hundreds of drones could be sent out at once.Then they could be automatically guided to where they are supposed to go.The company says these drones could then complete deliveries to different places over an area covering hundreds of kilometers. The drones look bigger than the paper airplanes we used to make as kids.But this light flyer is not a toy.It is aerodynamically designed and equipped with a small computer,a battery and sensors to guide it to the ground.
The drones are being developed by Otherlab—a technology research company in San Francisco,California.It calls the drone a "Sky Machine."
The company says it can travel about 150 kilometers at speeds up to 88 kilometers an hour.Now,it can carry materials weighing up to one kilogram,but future models are expected to carry larger loads.
One of the drone's main advantages is that it does not have a heavy motor or large battery.This allows more room for materials and makes the drone cost less to build and operate.
The Otherlab development team has called its invention the "Ikea of drones."This is because it is packaged similarly to products from the Swedish furniture maker Ikea.The drone arrives as flat pieces of pre-cut cardboard that can be quickly and easily put together.
The technology that guides the drone can make it land within 10 meters of its target,according to Otherlab. Unlike other drones,even a crash landing is acceptable.The company says the drones can also be reused.
Once the drone completes its delivery,it can be thrown away and the cardboard material will likely break down within a few months.
The company has received money from the U.S. Department of Defense to carry out research on the drones.The money came from the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency.The agency is attempting to find the best delivery vehicles that can disappear after their missions are complete.The U.S. military has a need for delivery drones.But it wants to simplify and lower the cost of using them.Otherlab's Sky Machines are an attempt to fill that need.
Military drones can also be stolen and studied by others if found after use.Before they can truly disappear,the electronic materials inside must also somehow disappear.Researchers are still working on ways to get the technology itself to self-destruct.
1.What does Paragraph 3 mainly talk about?
A. Why the new drone is invented.
B. What the new drone is equipped with.
C. How can the new drone get to the ground.
D. Why the new drone is designed like paper airplanes.
2.Why is the invention called the "Ikea of drone"?
A. Because it's a product made by Ikea.
B. Because it uses the idea from Ikea.
C. Because it's built at a low cost like furniture of Ikea.
D. Because it's made up of pre-cut cardboard.
3.Which of the following statements is the advantage of the new drone?
A. It can land near its target.
B. It has a light motor inside.
C. A crash landing is not acceptable.
D. Its load weighs far more than one kilo.
4.What about Otherlab's Sky Machines can be inferred from the last two paragraphs?
A. They have been built by the US military.
B. Research is being carried out on their improvement.
C. They are now often stolen and studied by others after deliveries.
D. The electronic materials inside will destroy themselves after use.
Leaving Hanoi on a fiercely hot summer day,after an hour by air,Luang Prabang gradually appears below our airplane wings.From a few hundred meters above,my first impression of this UNESCO-listed heritage（遗产）is an area of green land and mountains,surrounded by snaking rivers.
Encircled by mountains,the former royal capital of Luang Prabang is more than just the country's picture-perfect showpiece.
Travelers will be attracted to Luang Prabang by the city's timeless peacefulness with its shiny Buddhist temples, French colonial architecture and friendly people.
Tourists visiting Luang Prabang shouldn't miss the chance to see one of the most sacred（神圣的）Lao traditions, tak bat,or the Buddhist almsgiving ritual（仪式）,which dates back to the 14th century.
As the sun rises in Luang Prabang,hundreds of Buddhist monks depart from their temples to gather their daily offerings,which most commonly are rice,fresh fruit and traditional sweet snacks.The daily alms gathering begins on the main street before spreading to all the side streets.
Our group of six got out of our comfy beds at 5 am to join other local residents and tourists to offer alms to the monks.We kneeled by the roadside in front of the 3 Nagas Hotel on the main street with big baskets of steamed sticky rice,waiting quietly until monks of all ages passed by to accept our gifts.
The daily ritual gives you a wonderful opportunity to experience an ancient Lao tradition.However,there are some strict rules if you wish to join the event.
Firstly,shoulders,chests and legs must be covered in modest clothing as a mark of respect.You should also remain a suitable distance from the monks.Photographs may be taken,but from a distance and never use a camera flash.The ritual has to be performed in silence.Talking to or touching the monks at any time,even when making an offering,is not allowed.
Another must-do morning activity is to visit the local market,where you can see the generosity that Mother Nature offers this dreamy land.While walking through the morning market,located within a long and narrow hamlet,I was excited to see all kinds of products from the nearby river and jungle: some ill-fated squirrels lying next to fresh bamboo shoots,different kinds of wild mushrooms and vegetables displayed on banana leaves and giant river catfish in baskets.
Although Luang Prabang is small,there are many things to see here.Active travelers can get up close and personal with Laos' gentle giants at the elephant conservation camp or take in some scenes of riverside life with a cruise or kayak excursion on the rivers.Two waterfalls that are perfect for picnicking in the foothills nearby,and classes are available in traditional crafts.
1.What can we learn about the tak bat?
A. The daily alms gathering begins on all the side streets.
B. Tourists take photographs,using a camera flash if too dark.
C. Tourists kneel by the roadside,waiting quietly for monks' gifts.
D. Tourists remain a suitable distance from the monks and keep silent.
2.What impression will Luang Prabang most probably leave on tourists?
A. Ancient and attractive. B. Modern and charming.
C. Large and mysterious. D. Distant and poor.
3.If you visit the local market in Luang Prabang,you will find .
A. people there are very generous
B. products are sold through a sacred ritual
C. products there are sold only in the morning
D. products sold by locals are from the surroundings
4.The author introduces Luang Prabang to readers mainly by .
A. commenting on Buddhism B. referring to peaceful ritual
C. describing its characteristics D. emphasizing its specific location
The tough economy is bringing new shoppers to the secondhand market.Plato's Closet in Charlotte,NC is a private company,which mainly buys and sells used clothes.While Charlotte has outstanding secondhand stores offering high-end and graceful brands for women,most of their stock applies to adults.Plato's closet targets teens and those in their 20s.
Plato's Closet,with stores in Matthews and the university area,sells clothes and accessories（装饰品）that are currently popular at about one third the retail（零售）prices.
The two hottest brands,for buying and selling,are Hollister and Abercrombie & Fitch.Even though the offerings tend to be suitable for young people,there are a variety of shoppers at Plato's Closet of varying ages.Women in their 30s,40s,and older could easily find a purse,jacket or piece of jewelry they like.
If you are selling
Unlike higher-end resale stores which usually work on consignment（寄售）,Plato's Closet buys on the spot.
Items can be gently used,but must be in very good condition.
Clothes should be less than two years old and styles should be the same as those still being sold at the shopping center.
There is no negotiation;prices are set company-wide.If what you sell amounts to $30 or less,they'll give you cash.More than that,you'll get a Visa cash card.
Secondhand success
Don't get discouraged if you can't find something on your first trip.Resale shops are always getting new lists of goods and change their styles with each season.
Be sure to check each piece carefully before buying.
Price comparison
Jackets: New York & Company black blazer,$12; retail: $37.
Pants: Express Editor-style pants,$12; retail: $69.90.
Shoes: Nine West black peep-toe pumps,$12; retail: $89.
Jewelry: Necklaces,$3-$5; retail: $18-$30.
1.Plato's Closet is different from other secondhand stores in that .
A. its offerings are more expensive
B. its target customers are young people
C. its stock mainly applies to female adults
D. it only offers high-end brands for women
2.If you want to sell something at Plato's Closet,you .
A. are surely paid by cash B. can bargain with buyers
C. should sell on consignment D. should make sure it's in good condition
3.If you buy a pair of Express Editor-style pants in Plato's Closet,you can save .
A. 57.9 dollars B. 15 dollars
C. 77 dollars D. 25 dollars.
I have always considered myself a positive optimist,trying to find the best in every situation.I've recently become aware of how two little____have had a great impact on people.
My son____to tell me about a house he was interested in.I said,"Honey,I am glad that you've found something you like,___…"There,I continued,"Don't you think,with the gas prices,you might want to buy one____to your work?"As he told me all about the possible house,I could hear the____in his voice.The moment I spoke the word, BUT,it was____I pricked a balloon with a needle（针）.I could hear him slowly deflate（泄气）.I____that if I had used the word AND—"Honey,I'm glad you found a house in your____range,AND I'm happy for you."—he wouldn't have been____,and we'd have both hung up feel better.
My daughter____at my door dressed like a princess on her way to the prom.I told her how graceful looked and I was____of the young lady she has become,and I said,"Sweetheart,you____having a great time,but please don't drink tonight."I know she doesn't engage in____behavior;she's responsible and sensible.She looked as though I'd snatched her crown."Mom!"The tone of her voice indicated how I'd____her feel.How I wish I'd said,"I want you to have a great time,AND I____you."
My husband helps around the house.I was____he had lightened my work load.I told him how wonderful he is, and I used that naughty word again."BUT,why did you____crumbs（面包屑）all over the counter?"Why?Why?Why didn't I say,"Thank you,ANDI am____or all you do around the house."
I've been doing some____.I am going to remove that naughty little word from my____and replace it with the word AND.This is a decision I intend to keep!
1.A. tips B. words C. acts D. choices
2.A. called B. attempted C. waited D. decided
3.A. or B. so C. and D. but
4.A. due B. special C. cheap D. close
5.A. puzzle B. hesitation C. excitement D. impatience
6.A. even if B. only if C. what if D. as if
7.A. believe B. imagine C. doubt D. forget
8.A. distance B. ability C. price D. plan
9.A. away B. off C. out D. down
10.A. opened up B. showed up C. stood up D. made up
11.A. aware B. proud C. jealous D. fond
12.A. allow B. consider C. deserve D. fancy
13.A. risky B. bitter C. selfish D. unfair
14.A. ignored B. seen C. helped D. made
15.A. love B. miss C. trust D. defend
16.A. amazed B. delighted C. relieved D. annoyed
17.A. forget B. throw C. mess D. leave
18.A. shameful B. anxious C. sorry D. grateful
19.A. self-reflecting B. self-promoting C. self-controlling D. self-learning
20.A. dictionary B. experience C. vocabulary D. memory
