A letter to Mum and her mince (肉末) pies
When I was a little girl, you and I loved decorating the living room and Christmas tree. After _________, we would bake cakes. “Make enough mince pies, because Santa likes them,” you would tell me.
Christmas Eve came and you would put me on my _________ made bed. I’d fall asleep until Christmas _________. I’d wake up and thrill at the _________ before me. At the bottom of my bed would be loads of presents. I’d scream in delight, _________ tearing the paper open. Running downstairs, I would _________ that Santa hadn’t just stopped in the _________ : there were also lots of _________ around the Christmas tree.
Many years later, the _________ continued. The only thing that __________ was the presents at the end of the bed – I grew out of them.
One afternoon while we were __________ extra mince pies as usual, it __________ hit me that the extra wasn’t for __________. I said, “Those extra mince pies were never for Santa, were they? They were for you!” You never said a word – a smile was your only __________.
Christmas changed in 1986, when you suffered a __________ brain disease. After __________ throughout Christmas, you passed away on the 29 December .
Only now am I starting to enjoy Christmas again, and while I don’t do the __________ any more, I do have mince pies in the house. I leave one out just for you, as if you were __________ a part of my Christmas. And I make sure I put up the decorations __________ you, and us. Thanks for the __________ memories of Christmas, Mum.
1.A. cooking B. decorating C. living D. resting
2.A. neatly B. specially C. quickly D. temporarily
3.A. Eve B. morning C. dinner D. vacation
4.A. pies B. mess C. decorations D. sight
5.A. violently B. deliberately C. excitedly D. casually
6.A. discover B. witness C. describe D. imagine
7.A. apartment B. lounge C. bedroom D. kitchen
8.A. decorations B. cakes C. leaves D. presents
9.A. tradition B. holiday C. celebration D. situation
10.A. helped B. stopped C. remained D. counted
11.A. making B. tasting C. purchasing D. delivering
12.A. heavily B. certainly C. suddenly D. frequently
13.A. Mum B. Santa C. Christmas D. guests
14.A. explanation B. opinion C. expression D. reply
15.A. mild B. curable C. severe D. common
16.A. suffering B. celebrating C. working D. decorating
17.A. laundry B. cleaning C. operation D. baking
18.A. still B. also C. even D. just
19.A. in praise of B. in memory of C. on behalf of D. on account of
20.A. short B. recent C. regretful D. wonderful
Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) isn’t supported by most Westerners. 1.
TCM will be included in the new version of the International Classification of Diseases (ICD), which will be published by the World Health Organization in 2019, Nature magazine reported. 2. Ryan Abbott at the Center for East-West Medicine at the University of California, Los Angeles, US, said this could benefit TCM.
3. For example, during the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, US swimmer Michael Phelps was seen with circular bruises(瘀青) on his body. Such bruises are caused by cupping, a traditional Chinese medicinal practice that has been around for more than 2,000 years.
In 2015, Chinese scientist Tu Youyou was awarded the Nobel Prize in Medicine for her discovery of artemisinin(青蒿素), a drug that can cure malaria(疟疾). She said she was inspired by traditional Chinese medicine.
4. Twenty-six TCM centers were set up overseas over three years, according to a 2017 report published by Xinhua News Agency.
TCM still faces many challenges, such as a lack of clinical evidence as to precisely how it works. 5. Some say that TCM methodology should be combined with modern scientific methods to make it more acceptable to people outside of China.
A. However, this is starting to change.
B. TCM has cured millions of people in the world.
C. China has made some efforts to promote TCM overseas.
D. TCM’s effectiveness has been difficult to study or provide evidence for.
E. Tried and tested over thousands of years, the effectiveness of TCM is clear.
F. TCM has seen some growth in other countries, with a number of famous people being known to use it.
G. This is the first time for TCM to be included in the ICD, which serves as the international standard for diseases and health conditions.
Experts like to say the best form of exercise is whatever kind you’ll actually do. But that may not always be the case; new research finds that people who combine exercise with their social lives may be at an advantage over solitary(独自) exercisers. Tennis, badminton and soccer are all better for longevity(长寿) than cycling, swimming, jogging or gym exercise, according to the research.
The study was based on data from about 8,500 adults who were part of the Copenhagen City Heart Study. They completed a health and lifestyle questionnaire, which included questions about type and frequency of physical activity, and were monitored by the researchers for around 25 years, a period during which about 4,500 of the subjects died.
Tennis came out on top in the research. Compared with people sitting all day, those who reported playing tennis as their main form of exercise could expect to add 9.7 years to their life time, followed by badminton (6.2 years), soccer (4.7 years), cycling (3.7 years), swimming (3.4 years), jogging (3.2 years) and health-club activities (1.5 years).
Tennis likely took the top spot because “it’s very interactive,” says study co-author Dr. James O’Keefe, a physician at Saint Luke’s Mid America Heart Institute. “At every point you’re talking. It’s just a very natural way to emotionally bond with people, besides getting your exercise.” But he adds that the study may not have been able to fully account for the fact that wealthier, better-educated people—who tend to be healthier to begin with—may be more likely to play tennis.
Activities like running and weight lifting still extend your life and offer plenty of other health benefits. But for the best possible benefits, O’Keefe says gym-goers may want to consider combining those workouts with activities that foster social connection.
O’Keefe, whose exercise typically includes running and weight lifting, says he’s even changed his own behavior because of the study: he and his family have taken up badminton.
“You can’t play badminton without feeling like a kid again,” he says. “It’s just pure fun.”
1.Which of the following is best for living a long life?
A. Cycling. B. Badminton.
C. Swimming. D. Gym exercise.
2.How many people were still living at the end of the research?
A. About 8,500. B. About 4,500.
C. About 4000. D. About 2500.
3.What matters most to the result of the research?
A. Family life. B. Social connections.
C. Frequency of exercise. D. Wealth and education.
4.What does O’Keefe do after the finding?
A. He puts the theory into practice.
B. He plays badminton just for fun.
C. He feels like playing badminton with kids.
D. He takes more exercise than before.
Scientists are trying to save Puerto Rico’s endangered Amazon parrots after Hurricane Maria destroyed the birds’ habitats and food sources(来源).
El Yunque is a large national forest on the eastern part of Puerto Rico. Just two of the 56 wild parrots that once lived there survived Maria, the Category-4 storm that struck Puerto Rico in September 2017. Scientists report other forests have seen great drops in parrot populations as well.
In the 1800s, there were more than a million of the bright green parrots living in the wild in Puerto Rico. By the 1970s, the number was down to just 13 birds after years of forest clearing.
A special program was started in 1972 to help increase the parrot population, which led to the creation of three breeding(繁殖) centers. Just weeks before Hurricane Maria hit, scientists counted 56 wild parrots at El Yunque. That was the highest number in the program’s history. Scientists say that even though several parrots have been born in captivity(笼养) and in the wild since Maria, the species is still in danger.
The Puerto Rican Amazon is the island’s only remaining native parrot. More than 460 of the birds are kept inside the breeding centers at El Yunque and the Rio Abajo forest. Scientists have not released(释放) any of the birds since Hurricane Maria. A third breeding center, in a forest in the western area of Maricao, has not been in operation since the storm.
Scientists are considering whether to catch some of the remaining wild parrots and put them in the same cage as the birds that are set to be released. This way, the captive birds can learn from the wild birds how to survive in the forests. Another consideration is to release some captive parrots in Maricao, which was not as heavily damaged by Maria.
1.Why has the parrot population greatly decreased in the past 200 years?
A. Because of Hurricane Maria.
B. Because of too much hunting.
C. Because of the loss of forests.
D. Because of lack of breeding centers.
2.Which of the following is true about Hurricane Maria?
A. It killed 56 wild parrots at El Yunque.
B. It greatly affected parrots in captivity.
C. It reduced the number of wild parrots.
D. It led to the creation of three breeding centers.
3.What can we infer about Amazon parrots in captivity?
A. They have the highest number in the history.
B. They have been released since Hurricane Maria.
C. They are used to living in the wild.
D. They are larger in number than those in the wild.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. Scientists Work to Save Puerto Rican Parrots.
B. Amazon Parrots are in Danger of Disappearing.
C. A Special Program Helps Increase the Parrot Population.
D. Hurricane Maria Reduced the Number of Amazon Parrots.
It’s apparently become a trend in schools around the world to ban students from using the term, “best friends,” according to psychologist Dr. Barbara Greenberg. The movement, which is believed to have started in Prince George's school in South London, isn't intended to discourage close friendships, but rather encourage a wider friend group, Greenberg says.
“Let’s face it. You can’t ban somebody from having a close relationship, and you can’t really ban somebody from having a best friend but what the schools are trying to do is foster the idea of kids having more than a single friend,” Greenberg said.
The idea is to increase the number of interactions a student may have with different members of his or her peer group. “I see kids come in all week long who are feeling awful because they are either nobody’s best friend or their best friend has moved on,” Greenberg says.
Jay Jacobs, who operates Timber Lake Camp in New York, stresses the downside of not fostering multiple relationships at a young age, for exactly that reason. “I think that there are problems in just having one friend,” Jacobs says. “Remember as you grow up, interests change, and children go in different directions.” Jacobs adds that teachers at Timber Lake, which changes positions between Glen Cove in winter and Shandake in summer, have made it a point to promote a more inclusive environment for years.
Jacobs reminds people that, “As you grow up, interests change, and children go in different directions,” so having only one friend can be risky. He holds the belief that children will be better set up for success later in life if they get used to having a wider friend group at a young age. “It’s about promoting kindness, looking to children to be kind to one another and to be aware of what it looks like when you’re not,” Jacobs says.
1.Why do schools ban the term “best friends”?
A. To make students concentrate on their studies.
B. To encourage students to make more friends.
C. To prevent students from falling in love at a young age.
D. To discourage students from having a close relationship.
2.Why are some kids feeling awful according to Greenberg?
A. Their best friends have moved house.
B. They are banned from making best friends.
C. They are under great pressure from study.
D. Their best friends have started new friendships.
3.What does the underlined word “downside” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Mistake. B. Difficulty.
C. Drawback. D. Burden.
4.What would be Jay Jacobs’ attitude to Greenberg’s idea?
A. Supportive. B. Doubtful.
C. Opposed. D. Unconcerned.
Four Free Mobile Apps to Help You Learn English Faster
Have you realized that you can put your smartphone to really good use for learning English? Here are 4 free mobile apps that will help you do just that.
Hello English
It covers all the aspects of language learning, including vocabulary, translation, grammar, spellings, spoken and reading skills. It uses interactive games to teach different English lessons and offers new audiobooks, latest news, and books. However, you should already understand basic English structures and alphabets, for the app can’t help you learn English from scratch(从零开始).
Duolingo
If you want to learn English from scratch, then this is the app you are looking for. Duolingo uses interactive games to help you learn English. For beginners, the app focuses on helping you learn verbs, phrases and sentences.
Lingbe
If you are ready to practice your spoken skills in the real-world, you’ll need Lingbe. It’s a community-based app where people help each other and share their native languages. It connects you with real people on call who are native English speakers.
HelloTalk
HelloTalk is similar to Lingbe as it connects you with native speakers to help improve your language skills. However, it adds a few extra functions that might interest you. You can view the information about users to find a match that interests you. Additionally, you can also send text and audio messages, and even do video calls with other people.
If you are a beginner, start from Duolingo and then use Hello English to take full command over the language. For fluent spoken English learners, you can try out Lingbe or HelloTalk.
1.What should you already understand to use Hello English?
A. Good reading and writing skills.
B. Basic listening and speaking tips.
C. Different English lessons and books.
D. English letters and basic structures.
2.Which app is the best choice for an English beginner at first?
A. Hello English.
B. Duolingo.
C. Lingbe.
D. HelloTalk.
3.What can you do on Lingbe?
A. Read the latest news.
B. Enjoy the interactive games.
C. Practice your spoken English.
D. Talk with native speakers in the flesh.
