Food serves as a form of communication in two fundamental ways. Sharing bread or other foods is a common human tradition that can promote unity and trust. Food can also have a specific meaning, and play a significant role in a family or culture's celebrations or traditions. The foods we eat and when and how we eat them--are often unique to a particular culture or may even differ between rural and urban areas within one country.
Sharing bread, whether during a special occasion or at the family dinner table, is a common symbol of togetherness. Many cultures also celebrate birthdays and marriages with cakes that are cut and shared among the guests. Early forms of cakes were simply a kind of bread, so this tradition has its roots in the custom of sharing bread.
Foods also plays an important role in many New Year celebrations. In the southern United States, pieces of corn bread represent blocks of gold for prosperity in the New Year. In Greece, people share a special cake called vasilopita. A coin is put into the cake, which signifies success in the New Year for the person who receives it.
Many cultures have ceremonies to celebrate the birth of a child, and food can play a significant role. In China, when a baby is one month old, families name and welcome their child in a celebration that includes giving red-colored eggs to guests. In many cultures, round foods such as grapes, bread, and moon cakes are eaten at welcome celebrations to represent family unity.
Nutrition is necessary for life, so it is not surprising that food is such an important part of different cultures around the world.
1.According to the passage, sharing bread
A. can help to develop unity
B. indicates a lack of food
C. is a custom unique to rural areas
D. has its roots in birthday celebrations
2.What does the coin in vasilopita signify for its receiver in the New Year?
A. Trust. B. Togetherness
C. Health. D. Success
3.The author explains the role of food in celebrations by
A. making comparisons B. using examples
C. analyzing causes D. describing processes
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A. The custom of sharing food. B. The importance of food in culture
C. The role of food in ceremonies. D. The specific meaning of food.
Parents who help their children with homework may actually be bringing down their school grades. Other forms of parental involvement, including volunteering at school and observing a child's class, also fail to help, according to the most recent study on the topic.
The findings challenge a key principle of modern parenting where schools expect them to act as partners in their children's education. Previous generations concentrated on getting children to school on time, fed, dressed and ready to learn.
Keith Robinson, the author of the study, said, "I really don't know if the public is ready for this but there are some ways parents can be involved in their kids' education that leads to declines in their academic performance. One of the things that was consistently negative was parents' help with homework." Robinson suggested that may be because parents themselves struggle to understand the tasks. "They may either not remember the material their kids are studying now, or in some cases never learnt it themselves, but they're still offering advice. "
Robinson assessed parental involvement performance and found one of the most damaging things a parent could do was to punish their children for poor marks. In general, about 20% of parental involvement was positive, about 45 % negative and the rest statistically insignificant.
Common sense suggests it was a good thing for parent to get involved because "children with good academic success do have involved parents" admitted Robinson. But he argued that this did not prove parental involvement was the root cause of that success. "A big surprise was that Asian-American parents whose kids are doing so well in school hardly involved. They took a more reasonable approach, conveying to their children how success at school could improve their lives. "
1.The underlined expression "parental involvement" in Paragraph 1 probably means________.
A. parents' expectation on children's health
B. parents' control over children's life
C. parents' participation in children's education
D. parents' plan for children's future
2.What is the major finding of Robinson's study?
A. Modern parents raise children in a more scientific way.
B. Parental involvement is not so beneficial as expected.
C. Punishing kids for bad marks is mentally damaging.
D. Parents are not able to help with children's homework.
3.The example of Asian-American parents implies that parents should
A. help children realize the importance of schooling
B. set a specific life goal for their children
C. spend more time improving their own lives
D. take a more active part in school management
Surviving Hurricane Sandy
Natalie Doan, 14, has always felt lucky to live in Rockaway, New York. Living just a few blocks from the beach, Natalie can see the ocean and hear the waves from her house. “It’s the ocean that makes Rockaway so special," she says.
On October 29, 2012, that ocean turned fierce. That night, Hurricane Sandy attacked the East Coast, and Rockaway was hit especially hard. Fortunately, Natalie's family escaped to Brooklyn shortly before the city's bridges closed.
When they returned to Rockaway the next day, they found their neighborhood in ruins. Many of Natalie's friends had lost their homes and were living far away. All around her, people were suffering, especially the elderly. Natalie's school was so damaged that she had to temporarily attend a school in Brooklyn.
In the following few days, the men and women helping Rockaway recover inspired Natalie. Volunteers came with carloads of donated clothing and toys. Neighbors devoted their spare time to helping others rebuild. Teenagers climbed dozens of flights of stairs to deliver water and food to elderly people trapped in powerless high-rise buildings.
"My morn tells me that I can't control what happens to me, “Natalie says, "but I can always choose how I deal with it. "
Natalie's choice was to help.
She created a website page, matching survivors in need with donors who wanted to help. Natalie posted information about a boy named Patrick, who lost his baseball card collection when his house burned down. Within days, Patrick's collection was replaced.
In the coming months, her website page helped lots of kids: Christopher, who received a new basketball; Charlie, who got a new keyboard. Natalie also worked with other organizations to bring much-needed supplies to Rockaway. Her efforts made her a famous person. Last April, she was invited to the White House and honored as a Hurricane Sandy Champion of Change.
Today, the scars(创痕) of destruction are still seen in Rockaway, but hope is in the air. The streets are clear, and many homes have been rebuilt. “I can't imagine living anywhere but Rockaway, “Natalie declares. My neighborhood will be back, even stronger than before. "
1.When Natalie returned to Rockaway after the hurricane, she found
A. her neighborhood was destroyed
B. some friends had lost their lives
C. her school had moved to Brooklyn
D. the elderly were free from suffering
2.According to Paragraph 4, who inspired Natalie most?
A. The people trapped in high-rise buildings.
B. The people helping Rockaway rebuild.
C. The volunteers donating money to survivors,
D. Local teenagers bringing clothing to elderly people,
3.How did Natalie help the survivors?
A. She built an information sharing platform.
B. She took care of younger children.
C. She called on the White House to help.
D. She gave her toys to other kids.
4.What does the story intend to tell us?
A. Technology is power. B. A friend in need is a friend indeed.
C. East or west, home is best. D. Little people can make a big difference.
Do you want to get home from work knowing you have made a real difference in someone's life?
If yes, don’t care about sex or age! Come and join us, then you'll make it!
Position：Volunteer Social Care Assistant (No Pay with Free Meals)
Place：Manchester
Hours: Part Time
We are now looking for volunteers to support people with learning disabilities to live active lives! Only 4 days left. Don't miss the chance of lending your warm hands to help others!
Role:
You will provide people with learning disabilities with all aspects of their daily lives. You will help them to develop new skills. You will help them to protect their rights and their safety. But your primary concern is to let them know they are valued.
Skills and Experience Required:
You will have the right values and great listening skills. You will be honest and patient. You will have the ability to drive a car and to communicate in fluent written and spoken English since you'll have to help those people with different learning disabilities. Previous care-related experience will be a great advantage for you.
1.The text is meant to .
A. carry an advertisement B. send an invitation
C. present a document D. leave a note
2.What does the underlined part mean?
A. You'll succeed in getting this job.
B. You'll arrive home just in time from this job.
C. You'll earn a good salary from this job.
D. You'll make others' lives more meaningful with this job.
3.The volunteers' primary responsibility is to help people with learning disabilities
A. to get some financial support
B. to realize their own importance
C. to learn some new living skills
D. to properly protect themselves
4.Which of the following can first be chosen as a volunteer?
A. The one who can drive a car.
B. The one who can use English to communicate.
C. The one who has patience to listen to others.
D. The one who has done similar work before.
假定你是学生会主席李华，邀请交换生Peter参加你校在本月举行的文明校园（civilized campus）创建活动。请根据以下要点，给他写一封电子邮件。
1 活动目的；
2 活动内容（倡导语言美、行为美、环境美）；
3 表示欢迎。
注意：1 词数100左右；
2 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
Dear Peter,
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
LiHua
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。
As is reported that 7 billionth baby was born in October 31st, 2011. However, people don’t seem to be happier about the news. The earth had become too crowed. People are suffering from various problems such as lack for resources, poverty, starvation and so on. Great damage has been causing to earth as human beings struggle for more living space.
I am worried the future of our planet. I hope all the country cooperate and take measures to prevent the population from growing too fast. Besides, people should use natural resources more effective. After all, we have the only one earth.
