My eldest son Simon and a group of his good friends were going to a snowfield and go skiing.
However, their car wouldn’t _______, so I offered to _______ them out by taking them there in my car.
A round trip was 900 kilometers and it would take 10 hours to finish it._______I was happy to make the trip, I thought such a _______drive within one day was a tiring one, especially when I wanted to _______ and make preparations for the coming busy week.
That morning as we_______to the snowfield, Simon and I talked about everything under the sun. I found it_______ to have this time with him as we hardly had spent five continuous _______ together.
As I made the_______ trip back home, I had strange sense of __________without them in my car, so I spent the next five hours listening to my favorite CDs and __________ the issues I had in my business and how they should be __________.
By the time I __________ home I had developed a plan for one important issue I had deal with next week.__________, after my long trip home I was refreshed, even though I was physically tired.
This unplanned trip to the snowfield gave me two unexpected __________. The first was that we can__________from spending quality time with our loved ones. The second was that a(n) __________in our environment, even for a short time,can provide us with the opportunity to look at something in a__________way and come out with a resolution.
I look forward to my next__________ event and many more opportunities to spend quality time with those who are important to me and make my life more __________.
1.A.change B.follow C.pass D.start
2.A.help B.make C.pick D.let
3.A.Because B.Before C.Though D.If
4.A.free B.long C.terrible D.lonely
5.A.recover B.escape C.relax D.quit
6.A.Looked B.referred C.walked D.drove
7.A.natural B.great C.hard D.strange
8.A.weekends B.weeks C.days D.hours
9.A.return B.sightseeing C.group D.family
10.A.achievement B.pride C.regret D.loneliness
11.A.dealt with B.thought of C.came across D.worked out
12.A.created B.solved C.assessed D.accepted
13.A.examined B.hurried C.reached D.cleaned
14.A.Surprisingly B.Generally C.Probably D.Gradually
15.A.cases B.relations C.choices D.lessons
16.A.benefit B.result C.suffer D.keep
17.A.event B.change C.visit D.attitude
18.A.abstract B.mysterious C.predictable D.different
19.A.unexpected B.incredible C.predictable D.specific
20.A.personal B.familiar C.rewarding D.social
A gratitude journal is a great way to keep yourself in a positive state of mind.This article will offer some tips for starting and keeping one.
Make it a rule to write down things you are thankful for per day1.This will make writing the journal more challenging as time goes on, but that's how your awareness and thankfulness will grow. You'll find new things to be thankful for that you hardly noticed before.
Write about extended material things in your life. 2.For example,if you love to paint, you maybe grateful for the paints that you have.Or,if you like music,you may be grateful for your CD collections.
3.You can start by feeling grateful to be alive.Avoid the trap of being grateful for something that is better than what others have.Instead,compare whatever you are grateful for with how you would feel if you didn't have it.
Think about your abilities.You may start with basic abilities,like your ability to see and hear. 4.Think about skillful things like dancing and singing,and your character like your skills in cheering up people or your skills in being a good friend.
Consider the people in your life.Think about all the people you are grateful to and write down the reasons.It's also good to write about the people that you don't really like and find a reason to appreciate them.5.After all,there is good in everyone.
A.Avoid repeating the same things.
B.Describe how you are grateful for what you have.
C.This can be difficult but very uplifting.
D.Then progress to those that are unique to you.
E.Feel grateful for any advantage you may have.
F.These things vary greatly depending on your interests.
G.In this way,everything will become more heartwarming.
Haw wondered why he had always thought that a change would lead to something worse.Now he realized that change could lead to something better.
“Why didn't I see this before?”he asked himself.
Then he raced through the Maze with greater strength and agility.Before long,he found a Cheese Station and became excited as he noticed little pieces of New Cheese near the entrance.
They were types of Cheeses he had never seen before,but they looked great.He tried them and found that they were delicious.He ate most of the New Cheese bits that were available and put a few in his pocket to have later and perhaps share with Hem.He began to regain his strength.
He entered the Cheese Station with great excitement.But,to his disappointment,he found it was empty.Someone had already been there and had left only the few bits of New Cheese.
He realized that if he had moved sooner,he would very likely have found a good deal of New Cheese here.
Haw decided to go back and see if Hem was ready to join him.
As he retraced his steps,he stopped and wrote on the wall:
The quicker you let go of old cheese,the sooner you find new cheese.
After a while,Haw made his way back to Cheese Station C and found Hem.He offered Hem bits of New Cheese,but was turned down.
Hem appreciated his friend's gesture but said,”I don't think I would like New Cheese.It's not what I'm used to.I want my own Cheese back and I'm not going to change until I get what I want.”
Haw just shook his head in disappointment and reluctantly went back out on his own.As he returned to the farthest point he had reached in the Maze,he missed his friend,but realized he liked what he was discovering.Even before he found what he hoped would be a great supply of New Cheese,if ever,he knew that what made him happy wasn't just having Cheese.
He was happy when he wasn't being run by his fear.He liked what he was doing now.
Knowing this,Haw didn't feel as weak as he did when he stayed in Cheese Station C with no Cheese.Just realizing he was not letting his fear stop him,and knowing that he had taken a new direction,nourished him and gave him strength.
Now he felt that it was just a question of time before he found what he needed.In fact,he sensed he had already found what he was looking for.
He smiled as he realized:
It Is Safer To Search In The Maze Than Remain In A Cheseless Station
Haw realized again,as he had once before,that what you are afraid of is never as bad as what you imagine.The fear you let build up in your mind is worse than the situation that actually exists.
He'd been so afraid of never finding New Cheese that he hadn't even wanted to start looking. But since starting his journey,he had found enough Cheese in the corridors to keep him going. Now he looked forward to finding more.Just looking ahead was becoming exciting
His old thinking had been clouded by his worries and fears.
But that had changed in the days since he had left Cheese Station C.
Now he realized it was natural for change to continually occur,whether you expect it or not change could surprise you only if you didn't expect it and weren't looking for it.
When he realized he had changed his beliefs,he paused to write on the wall:
Old Beliefs Do Not Lead You To The New Cheese
Haw hadn't found any Cheese yet,but,as he ran through the Maze,he thought about what he had already learned.
Haw now realized that his new beliefs were encouraging him to behave in a new way.He was behaving differently from the way he had when he had kept returning to the same cheeseless station.
He now knew that when you change what you believe,you change what you do.
You can believe that a change will harm you and resist it.Or you can believe that finding New Cheese will help you,and embrace the change.
It all depends on what you choose to believe.
He wrote on the wall:
When You See That You Can Find New Cheese,You Change Course
1.From the first eight paragraphs,it can be concluded that
A.Haw was eager to eat up all Cheese bits.
B.Haw cared much more about himself than Hem.
C.Haw had been reluctant to change himself before.
D.Haw has been dreaming of himself enjoying Cheese.
2.The sentences Haw wrote on the wall are intended to show
A.Haw would inspire others to make changes with him.
B.Haw had a strong desire to find New Cheese to share with Hem.
C.Haw wanted Hem to find him by following the tracks on the wall.
D.Haw has been changing his mind and action to reach his goal gradually.
3.Which of the following can express the main idea of the passage?
A.Old habits die hard.
B.A diversity leads to prosperity.
C.Action speaks louder than words.
D.Someone barks up the wrong the tree.
4.From the passage, which words can be used to describe Haw?
A.Stubborn but selfless.
B.Caring and ambitious.
C.Outgoing and humorous.
D.Persistent but indifferent.
Air pollution may be causing baldness, scientists have shown for the first time. A new study found that fine particulate matter emitted by cars would damage the skin that holds hair follicles (毛囊) in place. A series of laboratory tests on human cells showed that levels of the crucial proteins needed for hair to grow and be retained decreased when they were exposed to pollution particles. While there is a growing body of evidence showing how these tiny particles can damage internal health, including by entering the bloodstream through the lungs, this is the first to demonstrate such a risk to the surface of the body.
The study was conducted by exposing cells from the human follicle dermal papilla cells(HFDPCs), to various concentrations of PM10-like dust and diesel particles (柴油颗粒). After 24 hours the researchers performed a process, known as western blotting, to detect the levels of specific proteins in the cells.
The results showed that the presence of PM10 and diesel particles decreased levels of B-catenin, the protein responsible for hair growth. The study also revealed that the levels of three other proteins — cyclin D1, cyclin E and CDK2, which are responsible for hair growth and hair retention, were decreased by PM10-like dust and diesel particles in a “dose-dependent” manner.
Dr Hyuk Chul Kwon, who led the study at the Future Science Research Centre, said, “While the link between air pollution and serious diseases such as cancer and lung diseases is well established, there is little-to-no research on the effect of particulate matter exposure on the human skin and hair in particular. Our research explains the mode of action of air pollutants on HFDPCs, showing how the most common air pollutants lead to hair loss.”
Sources of PM include the burning of fossil fuels — petrol and diesel, as well as other solid fuels,and other industrial activities such as building, mining and the manufacturing of building materials like bricks.
“While it is difficult to escape from the surrounding pollution, limiting the time for walking in busy streets, especially during rush hour, should help reduce exposure,” said Dr Kwon. “If you are exercising outdoors, try to do so in areas that are less polluted and do not spend too much time waiting at traffic hot spots such as traffic lights.”
1.What did the new study find?
A.Air pollution can do great harm to our lungs.
B.The color of our skin can be influenced by air pollution.
C.Serious air pollution can probably prevent hair from growing.
D.Air pollution can affect hair growth by entering the bloodstream.
2.What is western blotting used to do?
A.To discover the protein helpful for hair growth.
B.To show the protein contents in the cells.
C.To compare different proteins in the cells.
D.To analyze the composition of hair cells.
3.What can we learn from Dr Hyuk Chul Kwon’s words?
A.His new research is superior to previous research.
B.The research he conducted is really of great importance.
C.The results of his new research need to be further improved.
D.A link between air pollution and diseases needs to be established.
4.What does Dr Kwon advise us to do?
A.To do as much exercise as possible.
B.To take action to reduce air pollution.
C.To avoid being exposed to air pollution.
D.To take public transport to avoid traffic jams.
Cells in our brain usually send a “stop eating” signal when we've eaten enough. But in a study, researchers found that after mice ate fatty food for just two weeks, their brains brake on overeating failed.
Researchers at the University of Washington in Seattle conducted the study.They shared their findings in Science.Garret Stuber is a professor at the University of Washington.He and his team mainly focused on one brain area known-to be connected with eating behavior.This brain area contains many different kinds of cells.Researchers noticed big differences between the glutamatergic nerve cells(谷氨酸神经细胞)of the fat mice and those of the thin mice.And the earlier work by Stuber's group had suggested that these cells act like a brake on overeating.When the researchers stopped these cells from working,mice suddenly overate.They also fattened up. But it wasn't clear how these cells' activity changed as the mice changed from being slim to being fat.
“Being fat doesn't just happen overnight,”notes Stuber.To study that gradual fattening up,his group did a new study.They fed mice with high-fat food.Now and again,they used a microscope to look at how well the animals 'glutamatergic nerve cells could send out signals.During the process,they found the activity of these glutamatergic nerve cells slowed,even before the mice became fat.That cell sluggishness(怠惰)continued as the mice grew larger over a 12-week period.
The results suggest that the high-fat diet is removing the brake on overeating and becoming fat,”says Stephanie Borgland,a professor at the University of Calgary in Canada. Stuber's group doesn't know whether these brain cells will go back to normal if the mice stop eating the fatty food and slim down.It would be hard to keep monitoring the same cells over the months it would likely take for the mice to return to a healthy body weight,”explains Stuber.And it's hard to say whether similar cells control the same thing in humans.
“Having high-fat diets probably affects a much wider family of cells than those studied here,” Stuber notes. “Changes,” he says, “are probably happening across the brain.” Understanding those things might help us find better ways of limiting overeating.
1.What did researchers find in the study?
A.Mice tended to become sluggish if they often overate.
B.Having high-fat diets affected many kinds of brain cells.
C.Mice began to overeat after eating fatty food for a period.
D.The number of brain cells would drop when mice overate.
2.Why was a new study conducted?
A.To prove that fatty food was bad for health.
B.To know more about that gradual weight-gain.
C.To collect more information about the mice 's cells.
D.To observe how long it would take for the mice to grow fat.
3.What does the last but one paragraph mainly show?
A.It's still difficult to answer some questions.
B.It's hard to find the similar brain area in humans.
C.It's wrong to apply what suits animals to humans.
D.It's necessary to keep monitoring the mice for long.
4.Where is this text most likely from?
A.A personal diary.
B.A useful guidebook.
C.A science magazine.
D.An adventure novel
Fire Prevention Information
The University of Adelaide employs a full-time staff of fire prevention professionals. They inspect all campus buildings and test and maintain all sprinkler(喷水灭火装置)systems, fire alarms and fire extinguishers(灭火器).They also provide educational programs or fire safety in the residence hall. Whenever you move to a new area, you should locate the fire alarm purl stations and the two exits nearest your room.
Fire Alarms
The floors of all campus buildings are equipped with manual fire alarm systems which include fire alarm pull stations and pipes.Most are also equipped with automatic fire alarm systems consisting of heat detectors,smoke detectors and sprinklers.For your safety,never tamper with(胡乱摆弄)these systems.False fire alarms are illegal and may lead to imprisonment.
Fire Drills
A fire drill will be conducted in your residence hall every semester.During a fire drill,please do the following:
Take your room key and ID,close and lock the door to your room.
Exit immediately from the nearest emergency exit;do not use a lift.
Meet outside of your residence hall and wait for further instructions.
Fire Extinguishers
Fire extinguishers are located on each floor and in each apartment.Use a fire extinguisher only if you have been trained to do so.Irresponsible use of a fire extinguisher can create a dangerous situation for other residents and could result in damage to personal property.Misuse of a fire extinguisher will result in fines.
Smoke Detector
A smoke detector is on the ceiling in your room.Some buildings also have heat detectors on the ceilings.Do the following to ensure the safe operation of your smoke detector:
If your smoke detector is working properly,the red light should be on.If the red light is not blinking(闪动)，contact residence hall staff immediately.
Do not cover or block your smoke detector in any way.
If a smoke detector sets off an alarm and there is no fire or smoke,inform your hall staff.
1.What is the main duty of the fire prevention professionals?
A.To provide part-time jobs for students.
B.To lead the students to the nearest exits.
C.To check and maintain fire prevention equipment.
D.To train teachers to be fire prevention professionals..
2.What do the automatic fire alarm systems include?
A.Pipes and smoke detectors.
B.Smoke detectors and sprinklers.
C.Fire alarm pull stations and pipes.
D.Sprinklers and fire alarm pull stations
3.What do we know about the use of fire extinguishers?
A.Using them wrongly results in punishment.
B.Irresponsible use of them can damage them.
C.Improper use of them can destroy the apartment.
D.Using them without a trainer present is forbidden.
