I used to believe in the American Dream, which meant a job, a mortgage (按揭), credit cards, and success. I wanted it and worked toward it like everyone else, all of us ________ chasing the same thing.
One year, through a series of unhappy events, it all fell ________. I found myself homeless and ________. I had my truck and $56. I _______ the countryside for some place I could rent for the ________ possible amount. I came upon a shabby house four miles up a winding mountain road over the Potomac River in West Virginia. It was ________, full of broken glass and rubbish. I found the owner, rented it, and ________ a corner to camp in.
The locals knew nothing about me, ________ slowly, they started teaching me the ________ of being a neighbor. They dropped off blankets, candles, and tools, and began sticking around to ________. They started to teach me a belief in a ________ American Dream – not the one of individual achievement but of ________.
What I had believed in, all those things I thought were _______ for a civilized life, were nonexistent in this place. Up on the ________, my most valuable possessions were my ________ with my neighbors.
Four years later, I moved back into ________. I saw many people were having a really hard time, ________ their jobs and homes. I managed to rent a big enough house to ________ a handful of people. There are four of us now in the house, but over time I’ve had nine people come in and move on to other places. We’d all be in ________ if we hadn’t banded together.
The American Dream I believe in now is a shared one. It’s not so much about what I can get for myself; it’s about ________ we can all survive together.
1.A. separately B. equally C. violently D. naturally
2.A. off B. apart C. over D. out
3.A. awesome B. priceless C. alone D. passionate
4.A. crossed B. left C. toured D. searched
5.A. fullest B. largest C. fairest D. cheapest
6.A. occupied B. abandoned C. emptied D. robbed
7.A. turned B. approached C. cleared D. cut
8.A. but B. although C. otherwise D. for
9.A. benefit B. lesson C. nature D. art
10.A. chat B. fight C. struggle D. perform
11.A. wild B. real C. different D. remote
12.A. neighborliness B. happiness C. friendliness D. kindness
13.A. unique B. expensive C. rare D. necessary
14.A. mountain B. downtown C. river D. countryside
15.A. cooperation B. relationships C. satisfaction D. appointments
16.A. reality B. society C. town D. life
17.A. creating B. losing C. quitting D. finding
18.A. put in B. turn in C. take in D. get in
19.A. yards B. shelters C. camps D. cottages
20.A. when B. what C. whether D. how
When your pet is sick, you know it needs medication. But pets, like babies, don’t know the pill you want them to take will help them. 1. Here are some tips to help get your pet to take liquid medicine.
2. If the answer is yes, then your easiest path is to mix it with canned food. First give your hungry pet a small amount of canned food without the medication. It’s important that the pet nibbles (啃) at the food and sees that there's nothing wrong.
Next, while the pet is still hungry, mix the medication in a small amount of food and present it. Repeat as necessary to get the entire dose (剂量) down. 3. If the pet decides not to finish the meal, the dose will be wasted.
If the chemist says the medication cannot be taken with food, you need a syringe (注射器) or a dropper to get the liquid down your pet’s throat.
4. Keep a cheerful tone in your voice so the pet doesn’t sense your stress or hesitation. Position your pet where it cannot run away, perhaps having a dog sit with his back against a wall or chair – or a cat on your lap.
5. Use your other hand to insert the syringe or dropper between the cheek and back teeth. Slowly squeeze the medication so the pet won’t choke. Try to keep your pet’s mouth closed for about 30 seconds until you see it has swallowed. If your pet is being obstinate (倔强的) , stroke its throat gently or blow on the face.
Be sure you end the process with praise and perhaps a treat so your pet will not associate medication with a bad experience.
A. Before you call your pet in, be sure to have the medication and any other materials you’ll need ready.
B. Once the pet is in position, use one hand to gently open the pet’s mouth from above, tilting back the head slightly.
C. Ask the vet if the liquid medication can be given with food.
D. You should know the reason why the pet refuses to take medicine.
E. Never mix the medication with the full meal.
F. They just know it smells funny and they don’t want it.
G. Don’t force your pet to swallow all the medicine.
Being sociable looks like a good way to add years to your life. Relationships with family, friends, neighbours, even pets, will all do the trick, but the biggest longevity(长寿) boost seems to come from marriage or an equivalent relationship. The effect was first noted in 1858 by William Farr, who wrote that widows and widowers(鳏夫) were at a much higher risk of dying than their married peers. Studies since then suggest that marriage could add as much as seven years to a man’s life and two to a woman’s. The effect holds for all causes of death, whether illness, accident or self-harm.
Even if the odds are stacked against you (the conditions are not favourable), marriage can more than compensate. Linda Waite of the University of Chicago has found that a married older man with heart disease can expect to live nearly four years longer than an unmarried man with a healthy heart. Likewise, a married man who smokes more than a pack a day is likely to live as long as a divorced man who doesn’t smoke. There’s a flip side, however, as partners are more likely to become ill or die in the couple of years following their spouse’s death, and caring for a spouse with mental disorder can leave you with some of the same severe problems. Even so, the odds favour marriage. In a 30-year study of more than 10,000 people, Nicholas Christakis of Harvard Medical School describes how all kinds of social networks have similar effects.
So how does it work? The effects are complex, affected by socio-economic factors, health-service provision, emotional support and other more physiological mechanisms (机制). For example, social contact can boost development of the brain and immune system, leading to better health and less chance of depression later in life. People in supportive relationships may handle stress better. Then there are the psychological benefits of a supportive partner.
A life partner, children and good friends are all recommended if you aim to live to 100. The best social network is still being mapped out, but Christakis says: “People are interconnected, so their health is interconnected.”
1.Which one of the following is TRUE according to the text?
A. The married men live seven years longer than the unmarried.
B. Marriage can help make up for ill health.
C. The unmarried are more likely to have heart disease than the married old men.
D. Unmarried people are likely to suffer in later life.
2.According to the context, what does the “flip side” in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. The disadvantages of being married.
B. The emotional problems arising from marriage.
C. The responsibility of taking care of one’s family.
D. The consequence of a broken marriage.
3.What does the author say about social networks?
A. They contribute a great deal to longevity.
B. They help develop people’s community spirit.
C. They provide timely support for those in need.
D. They help relieve people of their life’s burden.
4.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A. It’s important that we develop a social network when young.
B. To stay healthy, one should have a proper social network.
C. Getting a divorce means risking a reduced life span.
D. We should share our social networks with each other.
There is an old Chinese proverb that states “One Generation plants the trees; another gets the shade,” and this is how it should be with mothers and daughters. The relationship between a mother and daughter is sometimes confusing. If close, the relationship can be similar to friendship. However, the mother and daughter relationship has unique characteristics that distinguish it from a friendship. These characteristics include a hierarchy(等级) of responsibility and unconditional love, which preclude mothers and daughters from being best friends.
Marina, 27 years old, says, “I love spending time with my mom, but I wouldn’t consider her my best friend. Best friends don’t pay for your wedding. Best friends don’t remind you how they carried you in their body and gave you life! Best friends don’t tell you how wise they are because they have been alive at least 20 years longer than you.” This doesn’t mean that the mother and daughter relationship can't be very close and satisfying.
While some adult relationships are still troubled, many find them to be extremely rewarding. This generation of mothers and adult daughters has a lot in common which increases the likelihood of shared companionship. Mothers and daughters have always shared the common experience of being homemakers, responsible for maintaining and passing on family values and traditions. Today contemporary mothers and daughters also share the experience of the workforce and technology, which may bring them even closer together.
Best friends may or may not continue to be best friends, but for better or worse, the mother and daughter relationship is permanent, even if for some unfortunate reason they aren’t speaking. The mother and child relationship is closer than any other. There is not an equal relationship. Daughters should not feel responsible for their mother’s emotional well-being. It isn’t that they don’t care deeply about their mothers. It’s just that they shouldn’t be burdened with their mother’s well being.
The mother and daughter relationship is a relationship that is not replaceable by any other. Mothers never stop being mothers, which includes frequently wanting to protect their daughters and often feeling responsible for their happiness. Mother always “trumps”(王牌) friend.
1.What does the underlined word “preclude” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A. Differ. B. Prevent.
C. Benefit. D. Change.
2.What do we know from the text?
A. The mother and daughter relationship can be replaced by a best friend.
B. A mother’s love brings her and her daughter a close friendship.
C. The mother and daughter relationship goes beyond best friends’ friendship.
D. Marina has a troubled relationship with her mother.
3.How does the author mainly prove his statements?
A. By listing data. B. By giving explanations.
C. By quoting sayings. D. By making examples.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. How to be a good mother and daughter？ B. Who is a mother’s best friend?
C. Mother or friend? D. Can a mother be a daughter’s best friend?
That cold January night, I was growing sick of my life in San Francisco. There I was, walking home at one in the morning after a tiring practice at the theater. With opening night only a week away, I was still learning my lines. I was having trouble dealing with my part-time job at the bank and my acting at night at the same time. As I walked, I thought seriously about giving up both acting and San Francisco. City life had become too much for me.
As I walked down empty streets under tall buildings, I felt very small and cold. I began running, both to keep warm and to keep away any possible robbers. Very few people were still out except a few sad-looking homeless people under blankets.
About a block from my apartment, I heard a sound behind me. I turned quickly, half expecting to see someone with a knife or a gun. The street was empty. All I saw was a shining streetlight. Still, the noise had made me nervous, so I started to run faster. Not until I reached my apartment building and unlocked the door did I realize what the noise had been. It had been my wallet falling to the sidewalk.
Suddenly I wasn’t cold or tired anymore. I ran out of the door and back to where I’d heard the noise. Although I searched the sidewalk anxiously for fifteen minutes, my wallet was nowhere to be found.
Just as I was about to give up the search, I heard the garbage truck pull up to the sidewalk next to me. When a voice called from the inside, “Alisa Camacho?” I thought I was dreaming. How could this man know my name? The door opened, and out jumped a small red-haired man with an amused look in his eyes. “Is this what you’re looking for?” he asked, holding up a small square shape.
It was nearly 3 a. m. by the time I got into bed. I wouldn’t get much sleep that night, but I had got my wallet back. I also had got back some enjoyment of city life. I realized that the city couldn’t be a bad place as long as people were willing to help each other.
1.How did the writer feel when she was walking home after work?
A. Cold and sick. B. Lucky and hopeful.
C. Satisfied and cheerful. D. Disappointed and helpless.
2.According to Paragraph 1, what was the writer busy doing?
A. She was solving her problem at the bank.
B. She was taking part in various city activities.
C. She was learning acting in an evening school.
D. She was preparing for the first night show
3.On her way home the writer____________.
A. lost her wallet unknowingly
B. was stopped by a garbage truck driver
C. was robbed of her wallet by a man with a knife
D. found some homeless people following her
4.What can we infer from the text?
A. The writer would stop working at night.
B. The writer would stay on in San Francisco.
C. The writer would make friends with the man.
D. The writer would give up her job at the bank.
Best Western Ilford Hotel
Best Western Ilford is just 20 minutes away from Central London via subway or train, putting you within touching distance of all that the capital has to offer!
It is a 3-star hotel, offering luxury as well as comfort. From the stylish, convenient setting to the latest multi-media facilities, we’re well connected in more ways than one!
Our multi-lingual(多语言的) staff will do everything they can to make your stay as memorable as possible and you might pick up some handy new phrases along the way! If you want to see the sights and get the most out of London while you’re here, they’ll be happy to recommend the city’s best bits, and tell you the best way to get there too.
Even though near central London, there’s more countryside scenery near the hotel. Just minutes away, you can enjoy the beautiful Epping Forest and ride a horse along the famous Centenary Walk path. The English lakes and gardens in the nearby Valentines Park are simply stunning(极好的), and the popular Fairlop Waters is perfect for birdwatchers!
● Location:
3-5 Argyle Road, Ilford, England, IG1 3BH, United Kingdom
● Getting there:
Nearest motorway: M11, Ja406, 2.4kilometres
Nearest train station: Ilford, 0.8 kilometres
Nearest tube station: Gants Hill, 70 kilometres
Nearest airport: London City, 4.5 kilometres
● Meeting, Conferences and Events
The meeting and conferences facilities at the Best Western Ilford are second to none. We can cater for business meetings, training sessions, seminars and product launches, so be our guest!
● For your reference:
Twenty-Four Hour Service. No Lift. Hotel does not sell alcohol; however, soft drinks are available.
1.What do we know about the staff in Best Western Ilford Hotel?
A. They will communicate with you only in English.
B. They can show you around Central London freely.
C. They can teach you English for days free of charge.
D. They do everything they can for you and offer best service.
2.Which of the following places is the farthest away from the hotel?
A. Argyle Road. B. Epping Forest.
C. Gants Hill. D. Valentines Park.
3.What is the purpose of the last paragraph of the text?
A. To draw your special attention. B. To introduce their best service.
C. To advertise the soft drinks. D. To tell about the hotel’s history.
