My husband and I both were working in a lonely village in northern Thailand. There were many ________, particularly around our housing.
We ________ our house this past June. Shortly after, while we were working at the office, the ________ removed all the surrounding banana trees and the grass in order to raise the ground level — she had ________ on tearing down our house and building a new one after we left.
She brought in tons of ________. This left our house in a kind of moat(壕沟), and when the heavy rain came, our house ________. This was upsetting, but it turned into something ________, because when the headmaster at my school became ________ of it, he got my eighth-grade class to come to help ________ up.
The boys dug into the moat to drain the water, and built a path out to the street, ________ the girls mopped up the water inside and spread newspapers to ________ it. Before the problem was truly ________, however, we had another flood. This turned into a ________, with teachers and students again ________, and our host mother bringing lunch for everyone.
Another time, my husband suddenly got very ________. It was going to take the ________ two hours to reach our house, ________ my co-teacher arranged for a truck from the government office to take us to meet it--this truly helped greatly by ________ two hours off the ride.
There were many other ________ of care and kindness. This community is dear to our hearts, and there is no way we can ever ________ them. I plan to try my best to pay it forward by looking for people in need of help.
1.A. surprises B. disappointments C. difficulties D. challenges
2.A. picked out B. moved into C. set up D. bought
3.A. worker B. leader C. owner D. host
4.A. planned B. tried C. insisted D. carried
5.A. ash B. water C. dust D. dirt
6.A. was destroyed B. broke down C. was flooded D. fell down
7.A. frightening B. dangerous C. good D. interesting
8.A. aware B. careful C. afraid D. sure
9.A. catch B. stand C. grow D. clean
10.A. before B. while C. after D. unless
11.A. cover B. hide C. dry D. destroy
12.A. solved B. avoided C. discussed D. found
13.A. meeting B. quarrel C. failure D. party
14.A. helping out B. working out C. carrying out D. squeezing out
15.A. tired B. sleepy C. sick D. depressed
16.A. ambulance B. car C. headmaster D. volunteer
17.A. and B. so C. or D. but
18.A. saving B. sparing C. cutting D. putting
19.A. benefits B. meanings C. examples D. activities
20.A. reward B. return C. repay D. appreciate
To begin your study time, one biggest challenge is to get all necessary materials. 1.But if you prepare everything at one time, your studying will be more effective.
Kitchen can be noisy. 2.A bedroom may be full o distractions, such as favorite magazines, music, or television. If you can, find a corner of a guest room or study-or any room that is not a high traffic area.
3.Good lighting, a comfortable chair, a good writing surface, writing instruments, reference tools. If you find it easier to study with music playing in the background, pick soothing(使人宽慰的)music and keep it at a low volume. The phone is a definite no, as are video games, sports equipment, or anything else that can cause distractions.
For most students, one to two hours daily is enough. But sometimes you may have to study longer. 4.For example, some students like to study before dinner, others are early risers and find they can concentrate best in the morning. Tell all your family members when you will be in studying and ask them not to disturb you unless it’s absolutely necessary.
It can be difficult to start a standard study schedule, but the effort can pay off in better grades. 5. After a month of continual good study habits, treat yourself to spending time with good friends or doing something you enjoy as self-encouragement.
A. What will you absolutely need to help you study?
B. You will make your achievements known to others.
C. Being close to those tempting snacks won’t help with your process.
D. Set aside a period of time to concentrate on what you are learning.
E. Pick a time when you think your concentration level is the best.
F. Another is to find a place where you can concentrate.
G. Your teachers will notice your improvement.
It’s normal for teens to want to stay connected to friends and social circles, but in the middle of the night? The Journal of Youth Studies recently published new research indicating that one in five teens from 12 to 15 regularly wake during the night to have some form of social media. Not surprisingly, the research also indicated that these social night owls were three times more likely than their friends to feel tired at school and that girls were more likely than boys to be called to office.
The blue light produced by cell phones, tablets and computers signals the brain to stay awake, so it’s easy to see why a teen might be up all might. A 2016 study in Psychological Science noted the same brain circuits(脑回路)that are activated by eating chocolate and winning money are activated when teens see large numbers of “likes” on their posts or those of their peers.
Besides not catching enough snaps, by interrupting their sleep cycle, teens may never fully engage in REM sleep(快速动眼睡眠), the deepest stage of sleep that may be responsible for brain development and learning.
Considering about 72 percent of children from 6 to 17 sleep with some electronic media in their bedrooms, parents need to set boundaries sooner rather than later.
“Providing access to devices and thus to social media is a privilege that children can earn and also lose, ” Janie Feldman, a psychologist who treats sleep disorders, reminds parents that, “temporarily removing privileges can have important impact so long as the means of earning back the privileges is clear. Teens and parents should discuss and agree upon terms of use, timing, and access. Teenagers are most cooperative when they agree to the rules, so including them in defining rules makes for very effective parenting.
1.What does the new research indicate about teens from 12 to 15?
A. Some of them rely on social media for homework.
B. Some of them share their sleep experience online.
C. Some of them often use cell phones or tablets at midnight.
D. Some of them surf online for ways to protect animals.
2.How will teens’ brain react when they see many “likes” on their posts?
A. It will become too active for the teens to go to sleep.
B. It will inspire the teens to post something more online.
C. It will promote the teens for some restful time.
D. It will promote the teens to earn money with their posts.
3.What advice does Janie Feldman give parents of teens?
A. Forbid their children from using social media at night.
B. Get the children to have the right to social media with housework.
C. Never give the children access to social media if they break a rule.
D. Give back children’s media access when they correct their errors.
4.Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A. How to Win Back the Trust of Parents
B. Sleep Disorders and Social Media
C. REM Sleep and Brain Development
D. The Harm of Social Media on Teens
Even as we humans keep polluting the world. Nature somehow keeps finding a way to help correct our mistakes. First, there is a molecule(分子)that helps reduce global warming. Now, a team of Yale students may have discovered something equally amazing — plastic eating fungi(真菌).
Pestalotiopsis microspora(微孢子)is the only known fungus to be able to survive only on plastic. The plastic is so hard that it takes thousands of years to break down on its own.
The best part is that these fungi can do the job even in an oxygenless environment, which means that it could work perfectly even at the bottom of a landfill.
The discovery was the result of an effort between three Yale students who were part of the Rainforest Expedition and Laboratory Program, allowing a selected group of students to visit Ecuador’s rainforest and seek out fungi and bacteria that live inside plants without harming them, which could hold medical or scientific promise. The samples are then brought back to the University’s lab where they do wide testing to see if they are of any practical or scientific use.
In 2008, a student named Pria Anand gathered specimens for one purpose — to find a microbe that could eat plastic. That’s when she came across the Pestalotiopsis microspora. Though she did show the unbelievable characteristics of the fungi, she was unable to get the desired results by the time she graduated, in 2010.
Luckily for her Jonathan Russell, a 2011 graduating student, picked up right where she had left off. By combining her work with research performed by another of Pria’s classmates, Jeffery Huang, he was able to separate the enzyme(酶)in the fungus that is the most effective in breaking down plastic.
Hopefully, experts will take it up from here and make the project a reality and help reduce plastic!
1.What is the main character of Pestaltiopsis microspora?
A. It helps reduce global warming.
B. It needs less oxygen to produce.
C. It can break down plastic.
D. It can be buried in a landfill.
2.The underlined sentence in the passage may mean ________.
A. Jonathan continued to study what Pria failed
B. Jonathan drove to pick up Pria when she got off
C. Jonathan came across Pria at an unexpected place
D. Jonathan invited Pria to go on with her research
3.What can we know from the passage?
A. There are some kind of fungi that can eat plastic.
B. These fungi can only work in an oxygen environment.
C. The discovery was made by chance.
D. A group of students made the discovery that fungi can break down plastic.
4.The best title for the passage may be ________.
A. Fungi Love Plastic
B. Plastic Is Eaten by Fungi
C. Fungi Are Eaten by Plastic
D. Fungi Are Hidden in Plastic
My brother-in-law opened the bottom drawer of my sister’s bureau(衣橱)and picked out a wonderful skirt. “Jan bought this the first time we went to New York, at least eight or nine years ago. She never wore it. She was saving it for a special occasion. ” Well, I guess this is the occasion.
He took the skirt from me and put it on the bed. His hands touched the soft material for a moment, and then he shut the drawer and turned to me, “Don’t ever save anything for a special occasion. Every day you’re alive is a special occasion.”
I’m still thinking about his words, and they’ve changed my attitude to life. I’m spending more time with my family and friends and less time on committee meetings. Whenever possible, life should be a pattern of experience to enjoy, not suffer. I’m trying to recognize these moments now and treasure them.
“Some day” and “one of these days” are being lost from my vocabulary. If it’s worth seeing or hearing or doing, I want to see and hear and do it now. I’m not sure what my sister would have done if she had known she wouldn’t have tomorrow.
I think she would have called family members and a few close friends. She might have called a few former friends to apologize and mend her fences for past things. I think she would have gone out for a Chinese dinner, her favorite food.
If I knew that my hours were limited, those little things left undone would make me angry. Angry because I put off seeing good friends whom I was going to get in touch with some day. Angry and sorry because I didn’t tell my husband and daughter often enough how much I truly love them.
I’m trying very hard not to put off, hold back, or save anything that would add laughter to our lives. And every morning when I open my eyes, I tell myself that every day, every minute, every breath truly…, is a gift worth cherishing.
1.What kind of person do you think Jan is?
A. Mean and conservative.
B. Active and confident.
C. Economical and introvert(内向).
D. Indifferent and distant.
2.Which of the following is not the writer’s attitude to life?
A. Spending more time staying with the family.
B. Enjoying life and valuing every day.
C. Attending social activities as often as possible.
D. Trying to get along well with friends.
3.Which of the following can best explain the underlined expression “mend her fences for past”?
A. Break her word.
B. Try to be friendly again with someone.
C. Give up her point of view.
D. Keep her promise.
4.What can be inferred from the passage?
A. People are advised to treasure every day and the meaning of life.
B. People are encouraged to be hard on themselves for a bright life.
C. People are told to get rid of being angry and sorry in life.
D. People are persuaded to care for themselves more than others.
The earth is a mysterious place that never stops to amaze. There are many places completely unimaginable. The incapability to understand the real story behind some of these phenomena draws many people.
Blood Falls, Antarctica
How is it that the coldest and driest place on the planet has a blood-red waterfall pouring down slowly into the McMurdo Dry Valleys, some of the most extreme desert lands on Earth? What causes the mysterious flow was only recently discovered in a study. Scientists believed for many years red algae(红藻)gave it the unusual color. But now research has shown that iron oxide(氧化物)is responsible for it. The waterfall even contains strange bacterial life forms.
Magnetic Hill, Moneton, New Brunswick
Be very careful if you choose to drive to the bottom of this hill. Stories about what happens there have been around since early 1900s. As impossible as it sounds, your car will start to roll uphill. “And it doesn’t just work on cars-vans, trucks and even tour buses roll upward. ” according to Tourism New Brunswick.
Racetrack Playa, Death Valley, California
Located in a remote valley between the Cottonwood and Last Chance Ranges, Racetrack Playa is a place of real beauty and mystery. The Racetrack is a dry lakebed, best known for its strange moving rocks. It looks like they “sailed” through the valley. Although no one has actually seen the rocks move, the long moving tracks left behind in the mud surface of the Playa prove their activity. The most logical explanation so far is that ice forms covering the stones, causing them to move.
1.What’s special about Racetrack Playa?
A. The lakebed there is red.
B. The rocks there can move.
C. There is no living creature.
D. The rocks there can make sound.
2.Which of the following is true?
A. It is red algae that gives Blood Falls the unusual color.
B. These mysterious phenomena have been given exact explanations.
C. People have witnessed the rocks moving.
D. When you drive at the bottom of Magnetic Hill, your car will go up the hill.
3.What’s the purpose of the text?
A. To tell amazing stories.
B. To advertise new places.
C. To introduce distinguished places
D. To uncover mysterious phenomena.
