People these days always complain how they suffer stress from their daily life. With drugs widely available in the market today, it is still advisable that we consume the best kind of medicine for our body, that is natural drugs.
One of the natural resources for a relaxation drug is the Valerian Root Extract. Scientifically known as Valeriana Officinalis, this plant is a flowering type with heads of pink and white flowers mostly blooming in the summer months. Native in Europe and in small parts of Asia, the plant became popular worldwide because of its sweet scent and unique health benefits.
Past research suggests that the valerian root has healing characteristics that focus on the neurotransmitter of the brain, which makes the brain cells function well. Other researches about this herb suggest that it can keep a person free of anxiety. Although there are various types of valerian root products in the market today, modern medical studies have concluded that further research has to be taken into consideration before acknowledging the so-called benefits of Valerian Root Extracts.
One sample of the so-called benefits is the treatment for anxiety disorder called “social anxiety disorder” or SAD. The benefit has insufficient evidence to support its claim as an alternative relief for anxiety. However, many patients said that they felt improvements on their nervous conditions, stress and overall mental ability.
Valerian Root Extract can be acquired as a tea, tablet, or liquid extract. It is recommended that you consult your physician about this herbal plant if it can really benefit your health.
1.What does the author intend to do in the passage
A. To tell readers how to reduce stress.
B. To introduce a natural anxiety treatment.
C. To analyze the benefits of plants.
D. To advertise for the new product.
2.What do we know about Valeriana Officinalis?
A. It is also called Valerian Root Extract.
B. It is blooming all the year around.
C. It is only grown in European countries.
D. It is well received for its health benefits.
3.The underlined word “insufficient” in the passage means ______.
A. too much B. pretty plentiful
C. not enough D. well tested
The next time you get caught jumping on your bed you can tell your parents with a straight face that you are not playing, simply getting ready got a promising career in “Mattress Jumping”. Believe it or not, there are some people who actually get paid to do that! According to Reuben Reynoso, a professional mattress tester at San Francisco’s McRoskey Mattress Factory that still makes every mattress by hand, it is real work and needs some training. For a start, it’s not all about jumping to new heights or doing tricks like professional athletes, but rather about feeling each area of the mattress carefully to detect the filling. In order to do it right, every bit of the mattress has to be tested slowly and deliberately.
Over the years, Reynoso has figured out the perfect routine. He begins by placing a protective mat over the mattress so that it doesn’t get dirty or absorb the smell from his feet. Then begins the fun---he steps to the middle of an edge and then takes five steps back and five steps forward. In this way, he slowly but surely, covers the entire surface. The key according to him is to find the perfect number of jumps---Too many and he will end up destroying the mattress completely. Too few And it will not fit into the giant machine for that final sewing! Who knew a job that sounds so simple could have so many skills!
While Reuben will not reveal how he got into this profession, he will admit that it is more fun than being a carpenter, roofer, construction worker and railroad engineer---all jobs he has tried previous to finding his true profession!
1.We learn from the text that the McRoskey Mattress Factory ______.
A. is the world’s oldest mattress factory
B. make mattresses for sports
C. produces mattresses by hand
D. hires athletes as mattress testers
2.The protective mat is used to ______.
A. prevent the tester getting hurt
B. keep the mattress as clean as possible
C. protect the mattress from being destroyed
D. make the mattress fit into the sewing machine
3.According to Reynoso, the most important thing in his work is ______.
A. the timing of his jumps B. the height of his jumps
C. the number of his jumps D. the frequency of his jumps
4.We can learn from the text that Reynoso ______.
A. has been injured several times in his work
B. liked mattress jumping in his childhood
C. didn’t choose mattress testing as his first job
D. dreamt about becoming a jumping athlete
Four days after Dad’s 67th birthday, he had a heart attack. Luckily, he survived. But something inside him had died. His enthusiasm for life was gone. He refused to follow doctor’s orders, and his sour attitude made everyone upset when they visited him. Dad was left alone.
So I asked Dad to come to live with me on my small farm, hoping the fresh air would help him adjust. Within a week after he moved in, I regretted the invitation. He criticized everything I did. I became frustrated. Something had to be done.
One day I read an article which said when given dogs, depressed patients would be better off. So I drove to the animal shelter that afternoon. As soon as I got there, a pointer’s eyes caught my attention. They watched me calmly.
A staff member said: “He got here two weeks ago and we’ve heard nothing. His time is up tomorrow.”
I turned to the man in horror. “You mean you’re going to kill him”
“Ma’am,” he said gently. “We don’t have room for every unclaimed dog.”
The police’s calm brown eyes awaited my decision. “I’ll take him,” I said.
I drove home with the dog on the front seat beside me. I was helping it out of the car when Dad walked onto the front porch. “Look what I got you!” I said excitedly.
Dad wrinkled his face. “I don’t want it,” he muttered, turning back towards the house. Then, suddenly, the dog pulled free from my grasp. He sat down in front of my Dad.
Dad’s anger melted, and soon he was hugging the dog.
This was the beginning of a warm friendship. Dad named the dog Cheyenne. Together they spent long hours walking down dusty lanes and relaxing on the banks of streams.
Dad’s bitterness faded, and he and Cheyenne went on to make many friends. Then, late one night two years later, I felt Cheyenne’s cold nose burrowing (搜寻) through my bed covers. He had never before come into my bedroom at night. I ran into my father’s room and found that he had passed away.
Two days later, my shock and grief deepened when I discovered Cheyenne lying dead beside Dad’s bed. As I buried him near their favorite stream, I silently thanked the dog for restoring Dad’s peace of mind.
1.After the author’s father survived the heart attack, he ______.
A. ignored everyone who visited him
B. became unpleasant toward other people
C. was left alone to get full rest
D. no longer wanted to live
2.Why did the author take the pointer home?
A. It was a type that is known for its friendliness.
B. Its eyes made her think it was the best dog available.
C. It was good at getting people’s attention and entertaining them.
D. It caught her attention right away and she didn’t want it to be killed.
3.From the last two paragraphs we can conclude that _______.
A. the author’s father and Cheyenne formed a real connection
B. friendship and care is much more efficient than the medicine
C. more attention should be given to old people
D. dogs are so loyal that they usually die for their friends
4.Which section of a newspaper is the source of the passage?
A. Friends B. Entertainment
C. Education D. Health
假定你是李华，你校正在开展“心怀感恩”教育活动。请你结合个人经历和下列要点，为校报的英语园地写一篇短文。
1、感动你的人和事。
2、表达感恩和祝福。
注意：1.词数100 左右；
2.可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
3.开头语已为你写好。
Looking back on the past years(回首过去的几年),______________________________________________
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假定英语课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。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（∧），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：在错的词下画一横线，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。
My friend Lin Tao was born in Liaoning Province to the northeast of China. He met with a traffic accident when he was younger. As a result, he lost one of his legs. Although he suffered a great deal, he never loses his heart. Lin Tao has been published a book. He enjoys playing his guitar and listen to music. He does excellent job in school. But he is always ready to help those in trouble. He wins the respects of his classmates and his teachers.
In my opinion, Lin Tao is extreme brave and he sets a good example to we all.
The only survivor of a shipwreck(失事船)was washed up on a small, uninhabited island. He prayed worriedly for God to rescue(营救)him, and every day he scanned the horizon for help, but 1.seemed forthcoming(即将来临的). Exhausted, he 2.(eventual)managed to build a little hut(小屋)out of driftwood(漂浮的木头)to protect him3.the bad weather, and to store his few possessions(财产). But then one day, after searching for food, he arrived home to find his little hut in flames, the smoke4.(roll)up to the sky. The worst had happened; 5.was lost. He was almost fainted(昏倒)with grief and anger. “God, how could you do this on me!” he cried. Early the next day, however, he was awakened by the sound of a ship that 6.(approach)the island. It had come to rescue him. “7.did you know I was here?” he asked one of his rescuers. “We saw your smoke signal,” they replied.
It is easy to get discouraged when things are going bad. But we8.lose heart, 9.God is at work in our lives, even in the middle of pain and suffering.
Remember, next time your little hut is burning to the ground it just may be 10.smoke signal from the grace(恩泽)of God. For all the negative things we have to say to ourselves. God has a positive answer for them.
