Where did your family eat dinner last night? In the car on the way to sport? At McDonald’s? Or at the dinner table? A survey taken a few years ago found that 28% families ate dinner together at home seven nights a week. Another quarter said they ate together three or fewer nights a week.
Once upon a time the situation was different. 1. Plates, forks and spoons would be laid out. As dinner time approached, an increasing number of hungry mouths would begin to appear with the question, “What’s for dinner”?
2. The data seems to point to two main issues: overworked parents and over-scheduled children. When mum or dad do get home in the evening, they are soon in the car again to send the children to soccer, music, tutoring, and a host of other events.
This nightly ceremony around the dinner table is both vital and fruitful; it is what keeps a family together. Sure, the conversation is not always significant and children argue. And sometimes the deepest and most meaningful times in a family are not at the table at all. 3.The dinner table is the place where a family builds an identity. Stories are passed down, jokes are exchanged and the wider world is examined through the lens（镜头） of a family’s values. Children pick up vocabulary and a sense of how conversation is structured. 4. Dinner time is “family time”. Coming back daily to the same place helps gain familiarity.
The significance of dinner time is more than above. Studies show that the more families eat together, the less likely the children are to smoke, drink, get depressed, and develop eating disorders, and the more likely they are to do well in school and learn how to socialize. One professor at Rutgers University in New Jersey stated, “A meal is about civilizing children. 5.”
So start by planning some stay at home family dinners together. Just family talk.
A. It’s a time to teach them to be a member of their culture.
B. Each night the dining table would be set with a simple cloth.
C. Why not cut back on a few activities and have dinner with your family?
D. What accounts for this decline in families eating together today though?
E. They also learn good table manners, something that will benefit them for life.
F. It was important for children and parents to sit down together and get to know each other.
G. However, there is still something unique about the time a family spends around the dinner table.
By now, we are all aware that social media has had a powerful influence on our culture, in business, on the world at large. Social media websites revolutionized the way people communicate and socialize on the Web. However, besides seeing your friends' new baby on Facebook, or reading about Justin Bieber's latest conflict with the law on Twitter, what are some of the real influences?
Social networks offer the opportunity for people to reconnect with their old friends and acquaintances, make new friends, share ideas and pictures, and many other activities. Users can keep pace with the latest global and local developments, and take part in campaigns and activities of their choice. Professionals use social media sites like Linkedln to improve their career and business development. Students can work together with their peers to improve their academic and communication skills.
Unfortunately, there are a few downsides too to social networking. If you are not careful, immoral people can target you for cyber bullying(网络欺凌) and disturbance on social sites. School children, young girls, and women can fall victim to online attacks which can create tension and suffering. If you are a victim of cyber bullying, do not take it lying down, but try to take appropriate legal action against the attacker.
Many companies have blocked social networks as addicted employees can distract (分心)themselves on such sites, instead of focusing on work. In fact, studies show that British companies have lost billions of dollars per year in productivity because of social media addiction among employees.
Also, what you carelessly post on the Net can come back to trouble you. Leaking personal information on social sites can make users easily harmed to crimes like identity theft, stalking(尾随犯罪), etc. Many companies perform a background check on the Web before hiring an employee. If a potential employee has posted something embarrassing on social media, it can greatly affect their chances of getting the job. The same holds true for our relationships too, as our loved ones and friends may get to know if we post something undesirable on social networks.
Social media has its advantages and drawbacks as each coin has two sides. It is up to each user to use social sites wisely to improve their professional and social life, and exercise caution to ensure they do not fall victim to online dangers.
1.Paragraph 2 mainly shows that social networks .
A.benefit users in various ways B.offer professionals good chances
C.guide users to make right choices D.help students finish their homework
2.Faced with problems caused by social media, some companies .
A.take legal action against the attackers
B.avoid posting embarrassing information
C.refuse to hire potential addicted employees
D.forbid the use of social networks during work time
3.The main purpose of this passage is to .
A.remind people to wisely use social media B.provide some advice on social problems
C.raise public awareness of social problems D.share experiences in using social media
4.Which of the following shows the development of ideas in this passage?
I: Introduction P : Point Sp : Sub - point (次要点 ) C : Conclusion
A.
B.
C.
D.
“When I grow up, I want to be a runner.” These words are spoken by thousands of Kenyan children. 50 percent of the Kenyan top runners are members of Kalenjin, one minority race of the country. They make up less than two percent of Kenya’s population. This fact has puzzled sports scientists. They have spent considerable time and effort trying to answer one question: What enables the Kalenjin people to run so fast?
Although the question seems simple, finding the answer has proven to be difficult and controversial. A team of Danish sports scientists spent 18 months and discovered the Kalenjins had remarkably slow heart rates even when running long distances. The Kalenjins live in high-elevation（高海拔） villages in the Rift Valley in western Kenya. People living at high elevations produce more red blood cells, which aid in the transport of oxygen throughout the body. Because the air is thinner and contains less oxygen at high elevations, the body produces more red blood cells. Scientists believe there is a connection between increased red blood cells and low heart rates and that both may enable high-altitude athletes to outperform those who train at low altitudes. The Danish scientists also studied the bodies of the Kalenjins and compared them to those of the Danes. They found that the Kalenjins have longer “birdlike” legs. The Kalenjins also have lower body mass indexes (a measure of body fat based on weight and height) and shorter bodies than Danish people.
As a result of the Danish study, some scientists made the conclusion that the Kalenjins possess what is called a “speed gene(基因)”. However, Kenyan runners were offended by this conclusion They credited their success to hard work and endless hours of training.
Although the controversy over the “speed gene” remains unsolved, British runner Mo Farah’s experience offers an interesting perspective on the subject. In 2005, he realized he wasn’t meeting his potential as a runner. A group of Kenyan runners were training in England then. After he accidentally observed the Kenyans’ strict training routines and dedication to their sport, Farah said it was like a switch had been turned on in his head. He began eating healthy foods, going to bed early, and training harder than he had ever trained in his life. As a result, Farah’s running career exploded. He has won seven world and Olympic titles in the 5000m and regularly beats Kenya’s top runners!
Farah’s story proves what Kenyans have known all along. Regardless of genetics, their success would not be possible without hard work, dedication, sacrifice, and mental toughness. Their “secret” is simple. Train hard, run fast, and never give up.
1.What interested the sports scientists?
A.Kenyan sports history.
B.Kanlenjins’ running ability.
C.Kanlenjins’ training methods.
D.Kenyans’ enthusiasm for sport.
2.According to Danish scientists, what leads to the Kanlenjins’ success?
A.Physical condition. B.Hard training.
C.Living style. D.Strong will.
3.How did Kenyan runners think about Danish research result?
A.Convincing. B.Astonishing.
C.Unacceptable. D.Important.
4.Why is Mo Farah’s story mentioned in the passage?
A.To show running methods count.
B.To encourage British athletes.
C.To prove effort pays off.
D.To support gene theory.
When I was 17, I read a magazine article about a museum called the McNay, once the home of a watercolorist named Marian McNay. She had requested the community to turn it into a museum upon her death. On a sunny Saturday, Sally and I drove over to the museum. She asked, “Do you have the address?” “No, but I’ll recognize it; there was a picture in the magazine.”
“Oh, stop. There it is!”
The museum was free. We entered, excited. A group of people sitting in the hall stopped talking and stared at us.
“May I help you?” a man asked. “No,” I said. “We’re fine.” Tour guides got on my nerves. What if they talked a long time about a painting you weren’t that interested in? Sally had gone upstairs. The people in the hall seemed very nosy (爱窥探的), keeping their eyes on me with curiosity. What was their problem? I saw some nice sculptures in one room. Suddenly I sensed a man standing behind me. “Where do you think you are?” he asked. I turned sharply. “The McNay Art Museum!” He smiled, shaking his head. “Sorry, the McNay is on New Braunfels Street.” “What’s this place?” I asked, still confused. “Well, it’s our home.” My heart jolted (颤动). I raced to the staircase and called out, “Sally! Come down immediately!”
“There’s some really good stuff up there.” She stepped down, looking confused. I pushed her toward the front door, waving at the family, saying, “Sorry, please forgive us. You have a really nice place.” Outside, when I told Sally what happened, she covered her mouth, laughing. She couldn’t believe how long they let us look around without saying anything.
The real McNay was splendid, but we felt nervous the whole time we were there. Van Gogh, Picasso. This time, we stayed together, in case anything else unusual happened.
Thirty years later, a woman approached me in a public place. “Excuse me, did you ever enter a residence, long ago, thinking it was the McNay Museum?”
“Yes. But how do you know? We never told anyone.”
“That was my home. I was a teenager sitting in the hall. Before you came over, I never realized what a beautiful place I lived in. I never felt lucky before. You thought it was a museum. My feelings about my home changed after that. I’ve always wanted to thank you.”
1.What do we know about Marian McNay?
A.She passed away.
B.She worked as a community leader.
C.She helped in the museum.
D.She wrote articles for magazines.
2.Why did the author refuse the help from the man in the house?
A.She disliked people who were nosy.
B.She felt nervous when talking to strangers.
C.She knew more about art than the man.
D.She mistook him for a tour guide.
3.How did the author feel about being stared at by the people in the hall?
A.Puzzled and annoyed. B.Concerned and anxious.
C.Frightened and upset. D.Delighted and excited.
4.What could we learn from the last paragraph?
A.People should have good taste to enjoy life.
B.People should spend more time with their family.
C.People tend to be blind to the beauty around them.
D.People tend to educate teenagers at a museum.
Pacific Science Center Guide
◆Visit Pacific Science Center’s Store
Don’t forget to stop by Pacific Science Center’s Store while you are here to pick up a wonderful science activity or souvenir to remember your visit. The store is located(位于) upstairs in Building 3 right next to the Laser Dome.
◆Hungry
Our exhibits will feed your mind, but what about your body? Our café offers a complete menu of lunch and snack options, in addition to seasonal specials. The café is located upstairs in Building 1 and is open daily until one hour before Pacific Science Center closes.
◆Rental Information
Lockers are available to store any belongings during your visit. The lockers are located in Building 1 near the Information Desk and in Building 3. Pushchairs and wheelchairs are available to rent at the Information Desk and Denny Way entrance. ID required.
◆Support Pacific Science Center
Since 1962, Pacific Science Center has been inspiring a passion(热情) for discovery and lifelong learning in science, math and technology. Today, Pacific Science Center serves more than 1.3 million people a year and brings inquiry-based science education to classrooms and community events all over Washington State. It’s an amazing accomplishment and one we cannot achieve without generous support from individuals, corporations, and other social organizations. Visit pacificsciencecenter.org to find various ways you can support Pacific Science Center.
1.Where can you buy a souvenir at Pacific Science Center?
A.In Building 1.
B.In Building 3.
C.At the the Laser Dome.
D.At the Denny Way entrance.
2.What does Pacific Science Center do for schools?
A.Train Science teachers.
B.Distribute science books.
C.Inspire scientific research.
D.Take science to the classroom.
3.What is the purpose of the last part of the text?
A.To encourage donations.
B.To advertise coming events.
C.To introduce special exhibits.
D.To tell about the Center’s history.
Music to My Ears
Robby was 10 for his first piano lesson in my class. Much as he tried, he ______even the basic rhythm. However, he dutifully reviewed the pieces that I required.
Over the months he tried and tried while I ______and encouraged him. At the end of each lesson he'd always say, "My mom's going to hear me play some day." ______ it seemed hopeless.
I only knew his mother from a ______ as she waited in her aged car to pick him up. Then one day Robby stopped coming. I was secretly ______ that he stopped because of his lack of ability.
Weeks later I informed the students, including Robby, of the coming recital（独奏）. To my _____, Robby asked me if he could be included. I told him he really did not qualify because he had _______ out. He said his mom had been sick and unable to take him to lessons but he was still ______ .
“I've just got to play!" he _____. Something inside me let me allow him to.
Then came the recital night. The gym was _______ with parents. I put Robby up _______, thinking that I could save his poor performance through my “curtain closer（谢幕）.”
The recital went off smoothly. Then Robby came up on stage. His clothes were wrinkled and his hair was ______. "Why didn't his mother at least make him comb his hair for this special night?" I thought.
Robby pulled out the piano bench and began. I was not _______ for what I heard next. His fingers were _______ on the keys. Never had I heard Mozart played so well by people of his age. After he ended, everyone was ________ their feet in wild applause.
In _______ I ran up on stage and put my arms around Robby. "I've never heard you play like that, Robby! How did you _______ it?"
Robby explained, "Well, Miss Hondorf…remember I told you my mom was sick? …________ she had cancer and passed away yesterday. She was born deaf, so tonight she could hear me play in heaven. I wanted to make it special."
There wasn’t a _______ eye in the house. That night I felt he was the teacher and I was the pupil, for it was he who taught me the meaning of perseverance and ______.
1.A.had B.lacked C.showed D.got
2.A.learned B.checked C.listened D.played
3.A.And B.But C.So D.Or
4.A.conversation B.performance C.distance D.picture
5.A.guilty B.anxious C.glad D.sad
6.A.surprise B.relief C.pleasure D.satisfaction
7.A.stepped B.worn C.run D.dropped
8.A.acting B.practicing C.performing D.recording
9.A.insisted B.suggested C.complained D.threatened
10.A.packed B.lined C.piled D.covered
11.A.least B.most C.first D.last
12.A.cool B.messy C.neat D.dull
13.A.eager B.concerned C.prepared D.grateful
14.A.hesitating B.crawling C.touching D.dancing
15.A.over B.under C.in D.on
16.A.chaos B.return C.silence D.tears
17.A.find B.feel C.make D.like
18.A.Gradually B.Suddenly C.Frequently D.Actually
19.A.bright B.curious C.dry D.wet
20.A.love B.talent C.regret D.courage
