Plan your answers beforehand
The holiday season is a favorite for many. There are always parties with family, friends, relatives or work colleagues. 1. But at the same time, it can also make you feel unhappy, especially because there is always the chance that you will be asked to answer awkward questions during these gatherings.
I think you had better have a general idea of who you might meet or the questions some people may ask you. You may prepare answers to some awkward questions. 2. Think of ways you might be comfortable answering questions, and have some basic answers in your head.
My family and I recently attended a holiday event. 3.However, because I knew several people who would most likely be attending the event, I was able to take some time to think about how I wanted to answer the questions they could ask me. This doesn’t mean that I spent the days before the party memorizing answers and recited the answers to the questions like a robot. 4.
5.So I found it most effective to prepare by having several stories and answers, or even questions for your companion, in order to make sure the conversation runs smoothly.
A. Ask some questions of whoever you are speaking with.
B. Communicating with others around you can be fun.
C. And you may even practice a bit beforehand if necessary.
D. You have no way of knowing exactly what questions you may be asked.
E. Some awkward questions might be asked at the holiday parties.
F. I was asked a few awkward questions about my work situation.
G. Rather, I simply decided what I was comfortable telling them.
Halloween is a holiday full of tricks and treats and all things frightening and fun. But what happens when you trade your sweets for a scare? The result is always healthier than candy.
Being frightened can be good for you. Think about your favorite scary books or movies. You are scared but you just can’t resist reading or watching them. Being frightened makes your brain flood with healthy chemical substances that excite your mood and release feelings of great excitement.
When you’re frightened, your body also produces a chemical called oxytocin, which helps people bond with one another. So, if you’re at a haunted(闹鬼的) house with some pals, that experience can help strengthen your friendship. “Watch people walking out of a haunted house, and you’ll see lots of smiles and high fives,” says Dr. Margee Kerr, a sociologist who studies fear.
There is also some evidence that being scared can help a person manage stressful situations. Things like giving a presentation in front of your class or performing in a school play can make us fearful and anxious. But these experiences help build a sort of endurance to fear that makes us more confident. “You become more comfortable with the physical experience of fear, and so you’re better able to work through it during tense situations,” Kerr explains.
Though some haunting may be healthy, it’s important to remember that people experience fear in different ways. What may be fun for one person could be too scary for another. And Kerr notes that kids younger than six and or seven can’t separate real and make-believe, so seeing something frightening could have lasting, negative effects.
1.Halloween is mentioned in Para 1 to ______.
A. raise a question B. make a suggestion
C. introduce a topic. D. introduce a festival
2.What does the underlined words “high fives” in Para 3 mean?
A. Putting hands up to give in.
B. Hitting palms together to show happiness.
C. Waving hands to say goodbye.
D. Folding palms together to express thanks.
3.How is the text mainly developed?
A. By giving examples. B. By analyzing reasons.
C. By making comparisons. D. By providing statistics
“Fast fashion” means clothes which are inexpensive but look like the latest designs. One reason for the success of fast fashion is the rise of the social media. A report by the investment research firm Bernstein found that Millennials— people born in the 1980s and 90s— wanted to wear a variety of clothes in the photos they posted on social media. As a result, many businesses which offer trendy and low-cost clothes are growing.
But the situation is changing now. Maxine, a woman in her early thirties, looks in her closet full of clothes, but she has nothing to wear.She says she hates always shopping for what is in style. Instead, she wants to buy fewer clothes that she can wear over and over. “Other people want the same thing.” she says.
So Maxine and a business partner, Soraya, started a “slow fashion” clothing company called Zady. “Slow fashion” means clothes that last a long time. They often feature classic colors and shapes, and are made from natural materials.
The terms “fast fashion” and “slow fashion” are related to “fast food ” and “slow food”: fast food is still popular in the U.S., but many restaurants increasingly offer high-quality, more expensive and relaxed meals.
Like slow food, slow fashion also aims to use sources that are good for the environment and workers.Maxine says people in her generation want to know where their clothes come from and who is making them. To answer Millennials’ demand for information about the products they buy, Ms Maxine’s company, Zady, includes details about the history of the brands. It also describes the process in which the clothes are made. Maxine says Zady aims to tell shoppers where their clothes come from, where they go, and how they impact the world.
The international business H&M is answering Millennials’ demands in another way. It has created a recycling program for clothes. Shoppers who bring clothes they no longer want to H&M stores can receive a discount on new things they buy. An H&M spokesman says, “We have a clear vision to avoid and minimize waste that goes into landfills.”
1.About Millennials, which of the following statements is not true?
A. Most of them are in their twenties or thirties.
B. They are crazy about fashionable and cheap clothes.
C. They contributed a lot to the rise of fast fashion.
D. They may have a taste for clothes of classic colors and shapes now.
2.“Slow food” is mentioned in the passage to tell us______.
A. it is healthier than fast food B. why fast food is so popular in the U.S.
C. it is a kind of slow fashion D. why slow fashion comes now
3.What can we learn about the program of H&M in the last paragraph?
A. It can benefit the environment
B. the company only sells clothes made of recycling materials.
C. customers may receive a discount if they buy some outdated clothes.
D. It will take the lead in the latest fashion.
4.Which is the best title of the text?
A. Fast Fashion, Good or Bad B. Slow Fashion is in Fashion
C. Fast Food or Slow Food D. What is out of Fashion
When Chris moved in across the hall from Norma Cook four years ago in a Los Angeles-area apartment complex, the 31-year-old actor waved to his 85-year-old neighbor for a few weeks before finally knocking on her door and introducing himself. “The day I entered her apartment and spoke with her face to face was the day my life was changed forever,”Chris said.
He learned that Cook had no family living in California and that she suffered from a long list of illnesses, including leukemia (白血病). The pair quickly became close friends, as Chris took her to doctor’s appointments, cooked with her and they ran errands (差事) together. He shared their adventures on social media. But recently, Cook’s health declined and she was in and out of the hospital several times. She once spent weeks in the hospital fighting pneumonia and breathing issues. Eventually Cook was told by one of her doctors that she could no longer live at home unless she had 24-hour care. Because Cook had no money saved to pay her health care costs, Chris started a Go Fund Me account to help cover her bills.
But caretakers are expensive and Cook quickly ran out of the $34,445 they raised. Knowing her days at home were limited, Chris invited Cook to move in with him to save money.“She loves it! I do most of my work at home so I am here most of the time to care for her. It only made sense to both of us.” Chris wrote. “She is my adopted grandmother after all and I am her grandson she never had.”
“Cook still has weekly hospice health care visits and regular visits from caregivers, so any funds raised cover those expenses,”he wrote. Though doctors say Cook’s days are very limited, the pair are enjoying spending time together drinking champagne and snuggling with her cat, Hermes, who also made a move.
“She does not want to change,” Chris told Today. “My apartment was the only place she would have moved. She has strong opinions about where she wants to carry out the rest of her days, and she wants to stay here.” Chris says he feels like the relationship was fate. “Moving her in....it feels as though it was meant to be all along, ” he said. “It’s really fulfilling to be there for her.”
1.Which of the following statements is true about Cook?
A. She was an 85-year-old actress four years ago
B. She invited Chris to her apartment the day he moved here
C. She was in a poor state of health and wealth
D. She had a grandson of the same age as Chris
2.Chris invited Cook to live with him because she ______.
A. had no other family members B. was told not to live at home by the doctor
C. had no money to pay the rent D. was unable to afford 24-hour care
3.From the passage, we can learn that Chris______.
A. paid Cook’s expensive health care costs
B. collected money for Cook’s private care
C. worked as an actor for Go Fund Me
D. was legally adopted as Cook’s grandson
4.Which of the following words can best describe Chris?
A. kind and thoughtful B. optimistic and generous.
C. patient and hardworking. D. moody and outgoing.
Did you know that badminton is also a fast-paced competitive sport? Badminton has been a Summer Olympic sport since 1992. Para-badminton will be included in the 2020 Summer Olympic Games in Tokyo. Here’s what you need to know if your child is interested in badminton.
Badminton is played on a 44-foot-long rectangular (矩形的) court that is 17 feet wide for singles and 20 feet wide for doubles. It is divided in the middle by a net placed 5 feet off the ground, like volleyball, not at ground level like tennis.
In competition, each match is a set of three games played to 21 points. There is a one-minute break when a player or team reaches 11 points, and a two-minute break in between the first and second games and the second and third games.
Age kids can start: About 6 years old.
Best for kids who: Have good skills, are patient and hardworking, and can handle the pressure of one-on-one or two-on-two competition.
Team or individual: Matches can be singles (one-on-one) or doubles (two-on-two).
Fun fact: Badminton is the only sport that has mixed doubles event in the Olympic Games.
Costs: Beginners are expected to pay $30 to $40 for an entry-level racket (球拍). Badminton shoes are similar in price to other athletic shoes. Join a club or team for lessons and court time. A one-hour group lesson for beginners should cost $20 to $25, with costs increasing as your child moves up the ranks. You will also pay entry fees for competitions.
Time commitment required: Beginners will play for just an hour or two per week.
Potential for injury: Players have a very low risk of injury. Players who wear glasses should use eye protection.
1.From the first two paragraphs, we can learn that ______
A. Badminton is a fast-speed competitive sport which began in 1992
B. Para-badminton has become an event in the Summer Olympic Games
C. The net for singles is 3 feet lower than that for doubles off the ground
D. Tennis rather than volleyball is divided by a net at ground level
2.How many minutes in all will a player have for a rest in a set of three games?
A. 3. B. 7. C. 11. D. 21.
3.According to the passage, the beginners .
A. start to learn badminton at the age of sixteen
B. play for only an hour or two every day
C. pay $30 to $40 for a racket to be used for competitions
D. pay at least $20 for a one-hour group lesson
4.The passage is written mainly to ______
A. get readers to know how badminton became an Olympic event
B. provide some practical advice for beginners to become successful athletes
C. inform parents of some relevant information about badminton
D. make an advertisement for a badminton club
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.What is the speaker talking about?
A. The importance of learning English.
B. The approaches to learning English.
C. The difficulties in learning English.
2.What are you advised to do to change attitude?
A. Go abroad. B. Realize your goal. C. Learn through the Internet.
3.What is the purpose of exposing yourself?
A. To develop a taste.
B. To create an English atmosphere.
C. To accept new concepts
4.What does the speaker encourage learners to do by mentioning David Beckham?
A. To learn from him.
B. To broaden learner’s horizons.
C. To care less about mistakes.
