A teacher once told each of her students to bring a clear plastic bag and a large bag of potatoes to school. For every person that the students refused 1.(forgive) in their life, they 2.(choose) a potato, wrote on it the name of that person and the date, and then put it in the plastic bag. Some of their bags were quite heavy.
They were then told to carry these bags with them everywhere for one week, 3.(put) them beside their beds at night, on their car seats 4.driving, and next to their desks at work.
During this time, as they carried the bags around with them, they realized 5.a weight they were carrying, and how they needed to pay attention all the time, so as not to forget them or leave them in 6.(embarrass) places. Of course, the potatoes were becoming rotten, and 7.(smell) very bad.
This is the same 8.the price we pay for keeping our pain and 9.(happy) with us! Forgiving others is not only a gift to them, but also a very good gift to 10.(our)！
For most teens, bedtime is just a childhood memory. Keep in mind the risks that come along with a lack (缺乏) of shut-eye; don’t wait to reintroduce a bedtime, and be sure to pass along these five ways to get a better sleep.
Don’t stay up late to study.
Teens are often found staying up late to study. Studies show sleep helps you understand and remember information. 1.If you think you badly need to study more, get up early and study in the morning instead.
2.
Sleeping with your smartphone nearby results in 21 minutes less sleep each night. If your phone is easy to reach, you’ll probably end up using it when you should be dreaming.
Turn your phone on airplane mode (飞行模式).
Even if your phone is out of reach, you may want to get up and check it when you hear it. Turn your phone on airplane mode. 3.
Create a bedtime routine (常规).
4.Having a bedtime routine will cause your body to prepare for sleep around that time each night. Set a time you think is proper and stick to it.
Use your desk for working and your bed for sleeping.
Getting into bed to do homework, read, or check your phone may make you feel good. 5.
A. Bedtimes aren’t just for babies.
B. Don’t sleep right by your phone.
C. Besides, sleeping by your phone may be harmful to your health.
D. But getting into bed should be a sign for sleep, not other activities.
E. Your texts won’t come until you turn airplane mode off in the morning.
F. That’s why teens often get poor grades when they cannot get enough sleep.
G. After all, your bed is likely one of the most comfortable spaces in your home.
Competitive eating has become big business. The International Federation of Competitive Eating (IFOCE) holds events for competitive eating all around the world. One of the most popular contests (竞赛) is held every 4th of July on Coney Island in New York. Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest started in 1916 and the event has been dominated (占据优势) by Takeru Kobayashi. The Japanese competitor set his first record in 2001, when he ate 50 hot dogs in 12 minutes and has won the contest six years in a row.
The main types of food eaten in the contests are fast food. Hot dogs, chicken wings, pickles, corndogs and pizza are main foods of the contests. The contests usually last from around 8 to 12 minutes. Now most of the competitors are men, but there are also women who take part in competitive eating.
Being large and overweight isn’t necessarily an advantage in competitive eating. The biggest advantage a competitor can have is the ability to actually stretch (扩张) their stomach. Many competitors will drink plenty of water over a period of time in order to achieve this. Apart from having an unusually stretchable stomach, another important thing seems to be hand to mouth speed.
The IFOCE has very strict safety guidelines laid out regarding competitive eating. Competitions must take place in a controlled area and only competitors over the age of 18 are allowed to enter. They also advise against any type of home training. There has been much talk regarding the inclusion of competitive eating as an Olympic sport. Although the IFOCE has talked about that with the Olympic committee, it seems that they will not agree to it at present.
1.Nathan’s Hot Dog Eating Contest _____.
A. has a history of over 200 years
B. takes place once a year in Japan
C. is becoming less popular than before
D. has made Takeru Kobayashi famous
2.What do we know about eating contests?
A. Fast food is the only type of food.
B. They usually last ten minutes or so.
C. Only men are allowed to enter a contest.
D. They are open to competitors of all ages.
3.What is the third paragraph mainly about?
A. How to win an eating contest.
B. The history of competitive eating.
C. Safety guidelines from the IFOCE.
D. The disadvantages of eating too much.
4.What’s the main purpose of the text?
A. To report. B. To advertise. C. To introduce. D. To warn.
New research has found that even if you give up smoking, the damage it has done to your genes (基因) will stay there for a much longer time.
In the research, a team of US scientists studied the blood of 16, 000 people. Among them, some were smokers, some used to smoke, and the rest were nonsmokers. Scientists compared their genes and found that more than 7, 000 genes of smokers had changed—a number that is onethird of known human genes.
According to NBC News, both heart disease and cancer are caused by genetic changes. Some people may have had the changes when they were born, but most people get them in their daytoday lives while doing things like smoking.
When you stop smoking, a lot of these genes will return to normal within five years. This means your body is trying to heal (治愈) itself of the harmful effects of smoking. But the changes in some of the genes stay for longer. They can stay for as long as 30 years. It’s almost like leaving a footprint on wet cement (水泥) — it will always be there, even when you’ve walked away and when the cement becomes dry.
Although the study results may make people unhappy, there is a bright side:the findings could help scientists invent medicine to treat genetic damage caused by smoking or find ways to tell which people have heart disease or cancer risks.
1.The function of Paragraph 1 is to ______.
A. give an example
B. arouse readers’ interest
C. make an argument
D. give the main idea of the passage
2.Most genetic changes happen because of _______.
A. people’s condition at birth B. environmental pollution
C. people’s bad living habits D. heart disease and cancer
3.The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 4 refers to _______.
A. the cement B. the footprint
C. the harmful effects D. the genetic change
4.Which of the following statements is true？
A. The findings are the fruit of more than three years’ research.
B. The findings have prevented more people from starting smoking.
C. The findings offer evidence that a damaged gene can heal itself.
D. The findings help to find cures for genetic damage caused by smoking.
A supermarket checkout assistant was praised as striking a blow for (拥护)modern manners and a return to the age of politeness after refusing to serve a shopper who was talking on her mobile phone.
Sainbury’s was forced to apologize to the customer who complained when she was told her goods would not be scanned unless she hung up. Jo Clark, 26, said, “I don’t know what she was playing at. I couldn’t believe how rude she was. When did she have the right to give me a lecture on checkout etiquette (礼节)? I won’t be shopping there again.
But users of social media sites and Internet forums were very angry that the store gave in and the public appeared to be rallying (支持) behind the angry checkout worker. “Perhaps this is a turning point for mobile phone users everywhere. When chatting, keep your eyes on the folk around you. That includes people trying to serve you, other road and pavement users and especially people behind you on the stairs,” was a typical post.
“It’s about time checkout staff fought back at these people incessantly chattering on their phones. They can drive anyone crazy. It’s rude and annoying. I often want to grab someone’s phone and throw it as far as I can, and I am not even a checkout girl, just a passer-by,” said another.
WillNorman of The Young Foundation said that the majority of people still valued good manners very highly, despite growing pressures from work, mobility and technology. “Being civil to each other is part of the oil which makes communities work. In our research taxi drivers and shop workers described being invisible which is fine as a one-off but day after day it makes people feel undervalued and undermined. It is quite simply rude,” he said. “New rules and codes of conduct take a while to develop and we are still in a development phase for mobile phones,” he added.
Siobhan Freegard, founder of parenting site Netmums.com said, “While clearly this checkout operator doesn’t have the authority to order customers to switch off the phone, you can see why she felt so frustrated. No matter how busy you are, life is nicer when you and those around you have good manners.”
1.According to Jo Clark, the checkout assistant ________.
A. lacked the knowledge of checkout manners
B. played with a mobile phone while at work
C. deserved praise for her modern manners
D. had no right to forbid her to use her mobile phone
2.Paragraphs 3 and 4 imply that the public ________.
A. are used to chatting on their mobile phones
B. are driven crazy by constant mobile calls
C. seemed to support the checkout assistant
D. ignored the existence of mobile phone users
3.WillNorman seems to support the idea that ________.
A. people are confused about what good manners are
B. technology makes people feel undervalued
C. the use of mobile phones should be reduced
D. good mobile phone manners are still developing
4.The passage is mainly about ________.
A. how we talk on mobile phones while shopping
B. what good manners mobile phone users should have
C. when we can develop new rules for mobile phone users
D. whether it is rude to talk on your mobile phone while shopping
Music festivals in Europe
Visiting a festival abroad can be a great reason to travel and a way to experience different cultures. These days there is such a number of choices that it’s possible to spend the whole summer watching live music in exciting places. Of course, it’s also a chance to meet people from across the world.
Melt! Festival, Germany
This festival takes place on the site of an open air museum for industrial machinery. There’s also a lake which can be used for swimming when it’s hot. This year’s line-up has over 120 different bands (乐队). Around 90% of the people attending the festival are German providing a perfect chance to practise speaking the language.
Exit Festival, Serbia
Set on the banks of the Danube in an old fortress (城堡), the festival began as a way to show people’s dissatisfaction with the government. These days it’s less political (政治的) but still worries about people who are poor, ill, old, etc and tries to help them. This year’s festival will host many famous bands. From electronic music and dance music to hard rock, there is something for everyone to enjoy.
Open’er Festival, Poland
Held in an airfield near the northern city of Gdansk, each year Open’er has a seriously good selection of bands. This year is no exception, with many famous bands set to play. Not only are there amazing artists, but both Poland and the festival itself also provide very excellent value for money.
Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival, Scotland
Set on a Scottish estate (庄园) near Inverness, this year Belladrum will welcome artists from around the world. The most enjoyable part of the weekend is the ceilidh (traditional Scottish dance and party) which is always a lively event. It doesn’t even matter if you’re a beginner because the band teaches you each dance.
1.What is special about Melt! Festival?
A. It provides German lessons. B. It is held by a local museum.
C. The bands are from 120 countries. D. Most of the festival goers are German.
2.Why did Exit Festival begin?
A. For political reasons. B. For personal reasons.
C. To help stop a fight. D. To offer help to the poor.
3.What makes Belladrum Tartan Heart Festival different from the others?
A. It falls in summer.
B. It is a live music festival.
C. It teaches people Scottish dances.
D. It invites the most famous bands.
