Years ago,my wife and I volunteered at a homeless shelter in downtown Los Angeles,US,preparing meals for thousands of people.I got to talk with one of the guys in line,Albert.He said he liked my socks.“Want to see mine?”he asked,lifting his leg.He was barefoot.He said he had been meaning to buy a pair but he hadn’t got around to it.I felt a sinking feeling in my stomach.
The next day,after work,I stopped at Ross and filled up a cart with socks.I stuffed my trunk with them.That next morning,I set my alarm for 5 a.m.and drove over to Santa Monica’s Palisades Park,which is a common destination for homeless people.
I took one of the bags from my trunk.It was still darkout.I headed for a group of three men,standing around a tree,probably using it as a windbreaker.Two were asleep under heavy blankets,and the third was digging through his collection.As I walked toward him,he watched me,perhaps questioning my motives.“I thought you guys might need some fresh new socks,”I said,handing him a pair.He looked confused at first but took them and said,“Thank you.”I gave him two more pairs for his friends.
I moved on.An hour later,I had given out all the socks.Most people were sleeping,and I felt like Santa.I knew that when they woke up they would find a very meaningful present.
That was nine years ago.Every week I’ll hand out as many socks as I can.If I’m on vacation or on a business trip for more than a week,I bring a bag of socks with me and hand them out to the homeless on the streets in other states and countries.
It’s extremely satisfying to operate “under the radar” to help make some people’s lives a little bit easier.Part of me hopes to see Albert out there one of these days,but even if I don’t,I like to think one of the pairs will find him.
1.What caused the author to hand out socks to the homeless?
A. Albert’s desire to get free socks.
B. The approach of Christmas Day.
C. His hard work at a homeless shelter.
D. The conversation between him and Albert.
2.Which is true about the author according to the passage?
A. He believed it felt good to help the homeless.
B. He went to Ross to buy a pair of socks for Albert.
C. He handed out socks to the homeless as Christmas gifts.
D. He was often questioned about why he was giving out socks.
3.What could be the best title for the passage?
A. Santa Claus brings Christmas gifts
B. Kindness is rewarded with kindness
C. Every sock helps make somebody’s day
D. Socks are passed on from hand to hand
Many young people these days adore the advertised magazine body and become too focused on attaining this image instead of worrying more about what lasts and even grows over time. But could you imagine being considered beautiful for years, and suddenly being ugly after moving to another continent? It is a sad reality that people don’t realize how vacillating the idea of beauty can be from one country to another.
Think of the most typical American girl you know. Is she blonde haired with white skin and light eyes, and does she love shopping or sports? Now place this girl in the heart of Africa, a place where beauty is placed on what you can control. The Maasai tribe in Kenya focuses on how clean people are, and how stylish their piercings (穿孔) are. This tribe’s culture is to be a brave fighter, so they will cut their skin with patterns in it to show that they are strong. If you don’t look fierce, you are not beautiful.
Other countries like North Korea and South Korea have their own unique views on beauty. In an interview, a woman who has lived in both North and South Korea claims that beauty in North Korea is based more on your ability to be a good woman and wife. She says that women in North Korea are less concerned about fashion and beauty in the physical sense. She says they did have a time when big eyes were a big deal and everyone wanted to get double eyelid surgery. This is something extreme and could perhaps be influenced by Western culture. And the idea of getting surgery done to look more attractive is crazy.
1.What does the underlined word “vacillating” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A. Inconsistent. B. Reasonable. C. Unusual. D. Similar.
2.The Maasai tribe in Kenya is mentioned to show that in their eyes _______.
A. getting dirty is stylish
B. looking fierce is beautiful
C. strong people cut their skin
D. American girls love shopping
3.According to the woman interviewed, women in North Korea now_______.
A. care a lot about their appearance
B. put the beauty of eyes in the first place
C. pay great attention to their ability
D. are crazy about double eyelid surgery
4.What does the text mainly tell us?
A. Inner beauty is of great importance.
B. Ideas of beauty vary among culture groups.
C. Different ways are needed to admire true beauty.
D. Fashion magazines easily influence young people.
There are an unbelievable number of reasons to go to Greece;just like there are an unbelievable number of things to do once a traveler arrives there.Here is a look at just some of the great historical things to see when vacationing in Athens,Greece.
Agora
Agora lies in ruins now,but during its glory days it was a lively and active open marketplace where Greeks came to buy,sell,and exchange their goods and services.Agora has ties to common people of ancient Greece.Guided tours are available and there is also a small museum with many artifacts from this area on display.
Parthenon
One of the most famous landmarks in Athens is the legendary Parthenon.This building is still today admired by architects who are appreciative of the decorative design,as well as the engineering involved in its construction.Those interested in history will be impressed beyond belief with the opportunity to see this historic structure up close and personal.
Temple of Olympian Zeus
One of the most impressive monuments to see up close is the Temple of Olympian Zeus.Many people see this monument from far away,or even from the window of a taxi,and never stop for a firsthand look themselves.This is a huge mistake as the size of it cannot truly be appreciated without visiting it up close.
Odeum of Herodes Atticus
Built into the hillside and providing a nice view of Athens is the Odeum of Herodes Atticus.This theater was constructed in the second century and was an important gathering place for both the upper and lower classes.It holds a little over 5,000 people,is located just below the Acropolis,and is still used for performances to this day.
1.What did the ancient Greeks do in Agora?
A. They did business. B. They toured around.
C. They visited museums. D. They prayed for blessings.
2.Who will show the most interest in Parthenon?
A. Electrical engineers. B. Building designers.
C. Ordinary visitors. D. Religious people.
3.How can visitors fully appreciate the Temple of Olympian Zeus?
A. By approaching it. B. By looking in the distance.
C. By taking a bird’s-eye view. D. By seeing through a taxi window.
4.In what way is Odeum of Herodes Atticus different from the others?
A. It has great historical value. B. It has ties to common people.
C. It is famous for its architecture. D. It still serves its original purpose.
1.example例如
2.devote oneself 致力于
3.used sth.过去常常做某事
4.free免费
5.be fond喜爱，喜欢
6.look(on) 回忆，回顾
7.at the end在……的末端
8.satisfaction 满意地
1.adj.有乐趣的；令人愉快的
2.n.校长
3.vt.获得；赚，挣得
4.n．& vt.尊敬，敬重
5.vt.致力于；献身
6.n.文学
7.adj.一般的，普通的；平均的
8.n.难事；斗争；努力vi.奋斗，努力；挣扎
9.adj.具有挑战性的
10.n.鼓励
11.adj.额外的，外加的
12.n.雕像，雕塑
13.n.甜点
14.n.满意
15.n．& vt.经历，体验
16.n．& vt.交换；交流
17.adj.学业的，学术的
A student is learning to speak British English.He wonders(想知道)：Can I communicate(交际)with Americans？Can they understand me？Learners of English often ask：What are the differences between British and American English？How important are these differences?
Certainly，there are some differences between British and American English.There are a few differences in grammar.For example，speakers of British English say“in hospital”and“Have you a pen？”；Americans say “in the hospital”and“Do you have a pen？”．Pronunciation is sometimes different.Americans usually sound “r”s in words like“bird”and“hurt”．Speakers of British English do not sound “r” in these words.There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary.For example，“colour”and“honour”are British；“color”and“honor”are American.
These differences in grammar，pronunciation，spelling and vocabulary are not important，however.For the most part，British and American English are the same language.
1.According to this passage，a student who is learning to speak American English might be afraid that ______.
A. British people cannot understand him
B. American people cannot understand him
C. the grammar is too hard for him
D. the spelling is too hard for him
2.American English and British English are different in ________.
A. spelling B. pronunciation
C. grammar D. all of the above
3.What is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Whether there are differences between British English and American English.
B. Whether British English and American English are one language or two.
C. How the differences between British English and American English came about.
D. How important the differences are.
4.Most ______ say，“Do you have a watch？”
A. British people B. Americans
C. children D. teachers
5.According to this passage，British people and Americans have ________ difficulty in understanding each other.
A. little B. much
C. some D. great
