If you have a cat, you already know that a cat isn’t a dog that doesn’t have to be walked. If you’re about to bring a cat into your family, you need to understand that basic fact. The common wisdom is that dogs are friendlier than casts.
In recent years, scientists who have done DNA studies have offered a better way to understand cats. Unlike other animals that people feed, cats domesticated themselves, and, in a way, trained humans. Cats decided to live close to humans because doing so benefited the casts themselves.
Studies show that cats have lived with humans for about 12,000 years, since people first settled down and started farming. When people started storing grain, mice arrived and started eating the grain. Clever cats figured out that mice settlements where people stored grain were easy for hunting, so they started hanging around. Cats did what they needed to do to get the people to let them stay, but they kept up their independence. Over time, cats allowed humans to get a bit closer to them. Later, the farmers did befriend the cats. Certainly, it didn’t do them any harm because they could see the cats were really helping them out by eating mice.
Today, about a third of American families have cats. In most of those homes, the cats are still more interested in pleasing themselves than in pleasing their human families. A dog may do anything it can to make you happy, but kitty will teach you to make kitty happy.
1.Compared with dogs, cats are______.
A. colder B. friendlier
C. more warm-hearted D. more frightening
2.According to the text, why do cats decide to stay close to humans?
A. To be useful to themselves B. To protect grain from mice
C. To rely on humans for food D. To keep up their independence
3.What may be the best title for the text?
A. A common point between dogs and cats
B. The reasons why people like dogs
C. A disadvantage of raising cats
D. The basic fact about cats.
Most children are now working longer hours than their parents with some saving for over 46 hours a week, according to a new survey.
The research shows that parents are creating crazy schedules for their children with after school activities in addition to school tasks. This means children are actually working harder than the average parents who only work for 37.5 hours a week.
The average child already completes 30 hours and 50 minutes a week at school from Monday to Friday, as well as seven hours and 51 minutes of clubs and homework. Actively reading with parents daily takes a further five hours and 49 minutes a week. The Center Parcs study of 2,000 parents also found the average child also helps with housework for up to an hour and 37 minutes each week.
Colin Whaley, marketing director from Center Pares, said, “We made this report to further understand family life and what challenges parents and children are facing and overcoming, so we can always make sure we’re offering what they need. What has undoubtedly come out of this is the need for families—parents and children alike—to take time out to relax.”
In response to the findings, Center Parcs let child psychologist(心理学家)Dr Sam Wass to develop a Recommended Daily Allowance (RDA) for free time which needs three hours and 51 minutes every day. The RDA provides a variety of free-time activities, which will allow children to use their imagination and develop creative thinking. The RDA really creates the best environment to relax and the best short break possible for children.
1.According to the survey, what problem are most children faced with?
A. They spend little time in doing homework
B. They spend too much time enjoying after-school activities
C. They have no time to help their parents around the house.
D. They are working more hours than their parents each week
2.It takes children the most time in a week_____
A. to say at school B. to do housework
C. to read with parents D. to finish their homework
3.In the opinion of Colin Whaley,______.
A. schools should increase the time of activities
B. both parents and children need spare time to relax
C. parents do right things for their children all the time
D. parents should spend more time keeping children company
4.Who can gain the greatest benefit from the RDA?
A. Teachers B. Psychologists.
C. Parents D. Children
A woman was caught trying to get her boyfriend out of Puente Ayala prison by packing him in a large suitcase. They almost got away with it, but guards became suspicious after seeing the woman struggling with the suitcase.
25-year-old Souda arrived at the Puente Ayala prison in Barcelona, Venezuela, last weeks, to visit her boyfriend, Jose Antonio, who was serving a sentence of 9 years and 8 months for stealing cars. She had brought their six-year-old daughter and a large pink suitcase, which is common for an overnight stay by family members in South American prison. Little did the guards know that Souda and Jose Antoni were planning to leave the prison together the next day, as a big happy family.
Their plan seemed to go smoothly as the woman carrying the bright pink baggage didn’t attract the guards’ attention, but it failed when they finally noticed the short woman struggling to pull the seemingly light suitcase out of the door. They stopped Souda and asked her to open the suitcase so they could check its items. Left with no choice but to meet the guards’ demand, the woman opened the suitcase to show young Jose Antonio looking like a professional contortionist (专业柔术演员)and covered with different clothing items.
Puente Ayala guards sent the car thief back to the prison. Souda has been caught by guards and is waiting for official charges, and the couple’s six-year-old daughter, Mary, has been placed in the care of social services.
If only Souda had gone to the gym to improve her strength before going through escaping from prison with her lover, things might have gone differently.
1.The underlined word “suspicious” in Paragraph 1 can be best replaced by_____.
A. pleased B. doubtful
C. worried D. violent
2.Where did Souda put her husband while leaving the prison?
A. In a car. B. In a box
C. In a suitcase. D. In a bag
3.Mary lives in the care of social services because______.
A. she broke the law
B. her parents’ marriage has ended
C. her parents are both caught by guards
D. her mother is busy building up her body
4.What can we learn from the text?
A. Souda and her daughter stayed in the prison for a night
B. Souda has escaped from punishment by law
C. Jose Antonio made a living by selling cars once
D. Jose Antonio was a professional contortionist.
You Skate, They Donate, We Can Fill a Plate
This holiday season, Contra Costa Oncology has once again partnered with Walnut Creek on Ice to help raise funds for the Food Bank. For every ice skating ticket that is collected, Contra Costa Oncology will donate to the Food Bank. For more information, visit www.icesktewalnutcreek.com
Souper Bowl of Caring
Help fight against hunger! The Souper Bowl of Caring is a national movement of youth working to fight against hunger. Churches, schools and other organizations simply take up a collection(many use a soup pot) asking for one dollar or for a food item for people in need.
For more information, call Kimberly at (925)676-7543 x 252.
Family Food Sort---Fairfield
Look to do something fun and meaningful with your children? Do you want to introduce your young family members to the charity? Families will bag fresh vegetables for the Food Bank’s Produce Program. This is a first come, first served opportunity, and the number is limited to 30 people at a time. All volunteers must be scheduled.
For more information, visit foodbankccs. org/familyfoodsort.
Dutch Luv Day!
Dutch Bros. Coffee in Oakley and Fairfield will be joining in Dutch Luv Day. On Valentine’s Day, Dutch Bros. will be spreading the love by donating $ 1 to the Food Bank for every drink sold. Not only will you get a delicious drink, you will also get the satisfaction of knowing that you are helping your neighbors in need of food.
Fairfield Location:
1420 W Texas St, Fairfield, CA 94533
Oakley Location:
1092 Main St, Oakley, CA 94561
1.What’s the common aim of the four activities?
A. To educate the poor B. To collect more food
C. To fight against disease. D. To help people in need
2.If you want to give away fresh vegetables, you should______.
A. visit www. iceskatewalnutcreek. com
B. visit foodbankccs. org/family foodsort
C. call Kimberly at (925) 676-7543 x 252
D. go to 1092 Main St, Oakley, CA 94561
3.Which activity probably requires people to sign up in advance?
A. Dutch Luv Day!
B. Souper Bowl of Caring
C. Family Food Sort—Fairfield
D. You Skate. They Donate. We Can Fill a Plate.
4.What can you do for the charity work on Valentine’s Day in Oakley?
A. Go to skate B. Go to churches
C. Drink at Dutch Bros. Coffee D. Buy fresh vegetables in Fairfield
假定你是李华。你校下周将迎来一批英国的交换生，学校选派你在欢迎仪式上发言。请你
用英语写一篇发言稿，主要内容包括：
1．简介学校概况；
2．期待相互帮助；
3．表达美好祝愿。
注意：
1．词数100左右；
2．面以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3．开头语已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear everyone,
Welcome to our school.
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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处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅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（∧），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。
Last month, I gave some of my clothes to a girl who needed it because her parents didn't have money to buy her newly clothes. In school, this girl was the victim of bullying because of the clothes that she wears.S0 1 went home and was told mom that I'd like collect something for her. Knew what she suffered in the school broke my heart. Sometimes young people are so mean to others which don't have the money to buy some expensive thing. This has to change because it is not clothes or shoes that makes a person. It is what we have in our heart but our soul that matters.
