Gift buying for 11 to 14-year-olds can produce memories of that classic complainer. “This gift is too old.” “This gift is too young.” “This gift was popular, like, five minutes ago.” Don’t stress. Our fun gifts are sure to make you smile.
—Judy Sutton Taylor
Snowball Launcher
The kids on your list will be happy to drop their electronic devices and head outside during the next big snowstorm thanks to this gift that launches snowballs up to 70 feet. A practice target is included to ensure they’re ready for a hard battle. $16.97 at amazon.com
Nintendo Switch
Gamers went crazy for this mixed gaming system when it was released last spring, and it was in consistently short supply until now. The device allows users to play solo or with a friend, connect it to a TV to play on a big screen, unfold the stand for tabletop competitions, or use it for hand-held play. $299.99; links to licensed retailers at nintendo.com or amazon.com
Mertritte Animal Headphone
Tunes will no doubt sound sweeter to lovers of any music genre when they5re coming from these cute-as-can-be headphones designed by celebrity stylists Emily Current and Merritt Elliott. The gold finish adds some fun flare (闪光装置) that is sure to inspire copycats. $59 at pbteen.com
BBOP Balls
If there s a more entertaining way to settle sibling differences than having warring brothers and sisters bump into each other putting on mega-sized bubble armor (盔甲), we’d like to know about it. Chances are, even what may seem like the most catastrophic conflicts will end in belly laughs after a few rounds wearing these. $69.98 for a set of two at hearthsong.com or amazon.com.
1.What will be the best choice for a video game enthusiast?
A. Snowball Launcher. B. Nintendo Switch.
C. Mertritte Animal Headphone. D. BBOP Balls.
2.What can we learn from a BBOP Ball?
A. It is a device for belly dance.
B. It is the most expensive toy mentioned.
C. It is suitable to entertain brothers and sisters.
D. It may cause conflicts among brothers and sisters.
3.Who does the text specially appeal to?
A. Pupils and Teenagers. B. Music Lovers.
C. School Teachers. D. Gift Buyers.
假如你是刘明，中国传统节日春节快到了，你的美国朋友Jack来信表示对新春和对联很感兴趣，请你写一篇回信，邀请他参加对联展，要点如下：
1. 新春在门上贴红色对联是中国传统，表达对新的一年的美好祝愿；
2. 新春对联展从2月10号开始一直持续一周；
3. 活动包括对联欣赏，自创对联比赛，获奖者将免费获赠对联；
4. 邀请Jack来参加，体验中国传统文化。
注意：词数100左右；
参考词汇：新春对联：spring festival couplets；贴：paste
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假定英语课上老师要求同桌中间交换修改作文，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。
China is an ancient civilization with culture dated back more than 4,000 year. Basic elements for a modern world such as paper, gunpowder, or the magnetic compass originated in China.
Today, China is again at the forefront of the world, with Chinese goods reaching all parts of the world. The Chinese culture have also fascinated many people. In the Shaolin Monasteries or the Forbidden City of Beijing, China has its unique art and architecture that what draw thousands of visitors every year. The Chinese food is equal popular around the world and it is loved by many non-Chinese. In China, the food can be found in great varieties and was different region to region. So join we and experience all these.
dWolf Warrior IIis putting China in the global spotlight. It’s also the first film 1. (taste) success both in terms of box office（票房）earnings and promoting Chinese values.
Since its release on July 27, it 2. (earn) an unimaginable 4.5 billion yuan, setting a record for domestic movies at the box office. The film focuses on a rescue operation in Africa, 3. (lead) by former special forces soldier Leng Feng — played by Wu Jing helps Chinese workers and local Africans flee a war-torn（受到战争破坏的）and plague-ravaged（瘟疫肆虐的）country.
Wolf Warrior II links（联系）art to reality, and reminds people 4. the massive evacuation（撤离）of Chinese people from Libya when civil war 5. (break) out there in 2011, and from Yemen in 2015, as well as the challenges the Ebola virus created in West Africa from 2013 to 2016.
The film describes 6. the Chinese government aims to protect overseas Chinese citizens. Just 7. the message at the end of the film reads, “Citizens of People’s Republic of China, when you encounter danger in a foreign land, do not give up! Please remember, at your back 8. (stand) a strong motherland.”
Thanks to China’s increasing participation（参与）in global affairs, the president could 9. (consider) as a modern Chinese hero. “10. (hold) up a banner（信仰）of peace, friendship and responsibility, Wolf Warrior II should be seen as a brave effort to promote Chinese values around the world.
On Dec. 13, 2014, Nubia Wilson turned 16. But instead of ________ with an exciting Sweet 16 birthday party, the California teen devoted this milestone to ________ the lives of orphans in Ethiopia.
Through several summers of volunteer work at an Ethiopia orphanage（孤儿院）, Nubia learned firsthand the severe poverty so many children ________. In an email to The Huffington Post, Nubia said that she was ________ struck by the children’s lack of ________ to education — their school only went through the fourth grade.
Over the course of her volunteer work, Nubia became interested in one ________, Hermela. She writes:
Out of the many students in the kindergarten class, Hermela became close and ________ to me to a point where it was becoming ________ for both of us to leave each other. She is now in the second grade. The thought of Hermela not being able to have her meal and ________ education after the fourth grade became ________ and I knew I had to do something.
That’s when Nubia decided that she didn’t want a traditional Sweet 16. ________, she wanted to use the money her parents would have spent on a party to establish ________ grade class for Hermela and other kids.
“The money could provide a (n) ________ solution that will serve for many years compared to the one-day ________ of my party, “Nubia wrote to Huffpost Live. ________, I want Hermela to continue ________.”
After ________ friends and family her plan, Nubia ________ a donation page “Keep Hermela Smiling” on CrowRise. Her ________ will raise funds for the Fregenet Foundation（基金会）, which funds education and community services in Ethiopia.
So far, Nubia has raised $2,781 of her $10,000 goal. Nubia says her parents have been extremely ________; they’re selling most of their Ethiopian artifacts to help raise funds.
Nubia’s birthday may not have been a party, but it’s truly a celebration.
1.A. communciating B. corresponding C. celebrating D. compromising
2.A. improving B. experiencing C. enjoying D. rescuing
3.A. face B. describe C. concern D. discuss
4.A. slightly B. apparently C. especially D. urgently
5.A. image B. priority C. access D. enthusiasm
6.A. parent B. student C. doctor D. teacher
7.A. condemned B. addicted C. exposed D. attached
8.A. possible B. boring C. difficult D. strange
9.A. provide B. leave C. finish D. receive
10.A. unimportant B. uncomfortable C. unimaginable D. unnecessary
11.A. Besides B. However C. Instead D. Therefore
12.A. fifth B. third C. fourth D. sixth
13.A. technical B. early C. simple D. lasting
14.A. relief B. trouble C. honor D. pleasure
15.A. In turn B. In short C. In particular D. In relief
16.A. smiling B. crying C. yelling D. whispering
17.A. speaking B. saying C. telling D. talking
18.A. broke up B. pull up C. set up D. took up
19.A. school B. family C. story D. campaign
20.A. creative B. effective C. supportive D. sensitive
Parents Model Healthy Eating
It should come as no surprise that the more stressed parents are at work, the greater the burden on their family is. 1. After all, the more time parents spend working, the less time and energy they have to plan and prepare healthful meals.
For years, most studies have focused on the role of working mothers while fathers were ignored. They didn’t look at the family as a whole. 2., adds a new wrinkle（褶皱）to the relationship between work stress and family nutrition.
Mom’s work related stress is still a central factor in low well families eat because they typically do most of the food shopping and cooking. 3. The study found that when mom or dad experience high levels of work related stress, their families are eating one-and-a-half fewer family meals per week, and the parents themselves report eating fewer fruits and vegetables, more fast food, and are less likely to eat breakfast regularly.
It’s worth nothing that the study looked mainly at low income families who belonged to ethnic（民族的）or minority groups. 4. But the implications are wide ranging.
5. Teaching kids, especially teenagers, to help with grocery shopping and to cook actual meals, instead of just putting a frozen pizza in the microwave, could be an important piece of the puzzle in helping families improves their eating habits.
A. And the role of fathers in particular
B. But dad’s work related stress has a large impact, too.
C. Yet, the kids’ stress may influence the families’ nutrition, too.
D. So the findings don’t necessarily apply directly to other types of families.
E. When it comes to family nutrition, the entire family plays a role even kids.
F. It’s also probably not a surprise that this can negatively affect a family’s nutrition.
G. It is parents who give their kids a good model to develop a good eating habit.
