Nowadays parents and their children are spending less and less time communicating with each other.1.It is reported that American parents today spend about 40 percent less time with their children than parents did a generation ago. To keep your family time creative and enjoyable, below is a list of helpful family time tips.1. Eat together & listen to each otherMost children today don’t know the meaning of a family dinnertime. Yet thecommunication and unity built during this time is necessary to a healthy family life. Sharing a meal together allows parents and their children the opportunity to talk about each other’s lives.2..2. Read oftenIt’s important for parents to read to their children. The latest research shows that reading to your children develops an interest in knowledge and contributes to language development. It also increases their concentration on things and helps them become more curious.3.After reading, ask questions about what the books are about.3. Start a hobby or projectChoose a fun activity that your children are interested in. Activities like cooking, fishing or biking can be their great hobbies.4.. Once a child learns a new skill, let him or her take the lead under your direction.4. Plan a family outing5.. Jump into the family car and go for a drive. Prepare a picnic lunch and visit a local park. Take time to play or ride a bike. A slow and relaxing walk in the woods will help parents communicate with their children better. Also, a visit to the zoo or museum will inspire enthusiasm in a child and lead to long discussions.
A.It is very important for children to exercise.
B.They can open the door to exciting family time.
C.Sometimes getting out of the house is important.
D.Look for books that your children would enjoy reading.
E.New technology has made video games more popular with children.
F.This is also a time for parents to listen and give advice to their children.
G.As a result, many children are getting less love than their parents once got.
The wildfires damaging parts of Australia can be seen from space in new satellite images released by NASA. Australia's capital, Canberra, was enveloped in a smoky haze Sunday and air quality at midday was measured at 10 times the usual dangerous limit. The damaging fires have killed at least 24 people in Australia and destroyed almost 2,000 homes. The early and damaging start to Australia’s summer wildfires, fed by drought and the country's hottest and driest year on record, has also been catastrophic (毁灭性的) for the country's wildlife, likely killing nearly 500 million birds, reptiles and mammals in New South Wales alone, Sydney University ecologist Chris Dickman told the Sydney Morning Herald.
Under such extreme conditions, the fires have been generating enough heat to create their own weather systems, including fire-generated thunderstorms and fire tornadoes. Thousands of firefighters continued to fight the flames that have burned millions of acres in New South Wales, Victoria and South Australia, an area twice the size of Maryland. In New South Wales, the rural fire service (RFS) said as of Sunday there were 150 fires active in the state, 64 of them uncontrolled.
On Saturday, Prime Minister Scott Morrison announced that, for the first time in Australian history, 3,000 army, navy and air force reservists (后备军人) will battle against the fires. He also committed $14 million to hiring fire-fighting aircraft from overseas. On Sunday, cooler temperatures and lighter winds brought some relief to threatened communities, a day after thousands were forced to escape as flames reached the suburban areas of Sydney. Thousands of firefighters fought to contain the fires, but many fires continued to burn out of control, threatening to wipe out rural townships and causing almost incalculable damage to property and wildlife.
1.What does the underlined phrase “fed by” mean ?
A.get food from someone B.be strengthened by something
C.be destroyed by something D.under control of something
2.Why were there thunderstorms and tornadoes ?
A.Because the fires generated thunderstorms and tornadoes.
B.Because there was rainy weather.
C.Because the fires generated enough heat to create extreme weather.
D.Because the weather systems is easy to change.
3.What can we learn form the last paragraph ?
A.Many soldiers will fight against the fires as they have done before.
B.Fires were controlled due to cooler temperatures and lighter winds.
C.A lot of people moved out of the suburban areas.
D.Damage to property and wildlife is limited.
4.What would be the best title for this passage ?
A.Australia's destructive wildfires B.Soldiers fought against the fires
C.Wildlife died form the fires D.Australia’s wildfires was under control
When Ariyah Georges was born 15 weeks early, she weighed only one pound 12 ounces. Her mother, Jovan, knew how important breastfeeding (母乳) was, especially for a premature (早产的) baby like Ariyah, so she began pumping milk to feed her through a tube. But two days later, Jovan felt dizzy and feverish —104 Fahrenheit degrees, in fact. She had a blood disease and was close to full shock.
She was separated from others for nearly two weeks at the regional Northern Virginia hospital where she’d delivered. During that time, she could still pump breast milk, but Ariyah couldn’t consume it because of the risk of infection (感染). Without it, the newborn was particularly easily affected by diseases. There are many cases like this, which creates the need for the milk donation.
Enter donor (捐献者) milk — breast milk purchased by hospitals for mothers who aren’t able to produce enough milk on their own, due to health complications, stresses, or other factors. The milk comes from milk banks, organizations that collect and screen breast milk from those women willing to donate. Usually processed in intensive-care units, the milk is only available by prescription (处方).
In recent years, both milk banks and the use of donated human milk have risen swiftly in the United States. In 2011, 22 percent of NICUs used donor breast milk; four years later, that number doubled to nearly 40 percent, and went even higher for the most intensive NICUs — as much as 75 percent. There are 23 milk banks in the United States recognized by the Human Milk Banking Association of North America, or HMBANA, double the number that existed five years ago.
But as the demand for donor milk rises, banks must find more charitable donors — a task made more complicated by informal networks of milk sharing that happens online. And many of the most vulnerable (脆弱的) infants are still not being reached.
1.Jovan couldn’t feed her baby Ariyah on her breast milk because _______.
A.Ariyah was a premature baby B.Jovan couldn’t produce enough milk
C.Jovan was in poor health D.Jovan was separated from others
2.By telling the story of Ariyah and her mother, the writer wants to______.
A.introduce the topic of an increasing need for donated human milk
B.remind us of the importance of breastfeeding the newborn
C.tell us what to do if mothers cannot produce enough milk
D.warn us against the risk of the newborn being affected by diseases
3.How is the writer’s idea mainly developed in Paragraph 4?
A.By following time order. B.By making predictions.
C.By giving examples. D.By listing data.
4.What problem are milk banks now faced with?
A.It’s difficult to find enough charitable donors.
B.Networks of milk looking for donors online are informal.
C.The milk purchased from milk banks cannot reach infants’ home.
D.The number of women willing to donate breast milk are decreasing.
In her 17 years on this earth, Shreyaa Venkat has done more to help the planet and the people living on it than many adults. The non-profit organization she founded, NEST4US, has helped tens of thousands of people in the United States. Through it, it’s served over 12,000 homeless people in the Washington, D.C. area by providing food and other supplies.
Venkat’s passion for helping others started as soon as she could walk, as her parents, active volunteers themselves, brought her along on their various projects, like some creative ways to volunteer. By fifth grade, she’d developed such enthusiasm for it that she started organizing her own service projects in her community.
NEST4US was born when she realized how much food waste there is, how many hungry people there are, and how simple it would be to use the former to help the latter. “There was a homeless man standing on a corner in D.C. and he was holding a sign that said ‘Hungry Need Food’,” she recalls. “So I gave him my lunch and his whole face just lit up. It was so easy, it only took me 30 seconds, and it really helped him.”
As NEST4US took off, with hundreds of volunteers helping to feed thousands of hungry people, Venkat decided to branch out with her volunteer efforts, starting three other branches of NEST4US. Serving others had become such a way of life for her that she even celebrated her 13th birthday at a homeless shelter, bringing the party to them instead of expecting gifts for herself.
As much as she has helped others, they’ve helped her too. Not only does she get a lot of joy and personal satisfaction from her volunteer work but running NEST4US has taught her important life skills like time management, public speaking, writing, and leadership. “What it’s really given me is this opinion of putting other people first,” she says.
1.What can we infer about NEST4US from the first paragraph?
A.Its main aim is to make money. B.It offers people cheap supplies.
C.It takes in all homeless people. D.It is a charity organization.
2.What caused Venkat to set up NEST4US?
A.Her parents’ constant suggestion. B.The memory of her hard childhood.
C.Her experience of helping a hungry man. D.Volunteers’ great influence on her.
3.Why did Venkat spend her 13th birthday at a homeless shelter?
A.She held a grand party for many people.
B.She could receive many nice gifts there.
C.She got much personal satisfaction from it.
D.She saw helping others as part of her life.
4.Which of the following best describes Shreyaa Venkat?
A.Caring. B.Ambitious.
C.Humorous. D.Demanding.
Since the modern Olympics began in 1896, it has been held in more than 40 different cities. That gives Olympic fans quite a few possible travel destinations to choose!
Beijing, China
Olympic fans should consider visiting the Beijing Olympic Park to check out the special buildings of the so-called “Bird’s Nest” and “Water Cube”—the national stadium and aquatics center built for the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Popular historic places in Beijing include the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace, and Tian’anmen Square.
Innsbruck, Austria
Located in the heart of the Alps, Innsbruck is known as a great winter destination—which explains why it has hosted not one but two Winter Olympics. Known for its mountainous views, Innsbruck is the perfect stop for outdoor adventurers.
Mexico City, Mexico
This wonderful travel destination offers a wide number of popular museums, historic buildings, and public parks. People will love shopping for fresh meat and produce at the markets, taking a cooking class, and generally eating their way through Mexico City, which is especially known for its culinary (烹饪的) experiences that include both globally well-known restaurants and locally favored street carts.
Melbourne, Australia
Nearly half a century before Sydney hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics, Melbourne became the first Australian host city in 1956. Head to the “cultural capital of Australia”, located in Victoria on the southeastern coast, for an energetic cafe culture and art scene, Melbourne offers something for every type of traveler and everyone can enjoy an evening at one of the city’s many rooftop bars or a day of wine tasting.
1.Where will you go if you are fond of adventure?
A.Beijing, China. B.Mexico City, Mexico.
C.Innsbruck, Austria. D.Melbourne, Australia.
2.What can visitors do in Mexico City?
A.Enjoy wonderful culinary classes. B.Buy beautiful clothes and shoes.
C.Admire beautiful mountainous views. D.Visit special stadiums for the Olympics.
3.What can we know about Melbourne?
A.It is famous for all kinds of wine. B.It has many world-famous hotels.
C.It hosted the Summer Olympics twice. D.It can satisfy different travelers’ needs.
阅读下面材料，根据其内容和所给段落开头语续写两段，使之构成一篇完整的短文。续写的词数应为150左右。
For many years, I had a recurring (重复出现的) dream. I was a little girl again, rushing about, trying to get ready for school.
“Hurry, you'll be late for school,” my mother called to me.
“I am hurrying, Mom! What did I do with my books?”
Deep inside I knew where the dream came from. It was about some unfinished business in my life. As a kid, I loved everything about school. I loved books, teachers, tests and homework. Most of all 1 longed to someday march down the aisle (通道) to receive my diploma. That seemed more appealing even than getting married.
But at 15, I had to drop out because my parents couldn't afford tuition. My hope of getting a diploma(毕业证书) was dead, or so I thought. Pretty soon, I married and had three children, and I thought: “There goes my diploma.”
Even so, I wanted my children to be educated. But Linda, our youngest child, had juvenile arthritis (幼年型关节炎) in her hands and knees, which made it impossible for her to function in a normal classroom. I felt really sorry for her and I didn't want her to live her life with regret. I didn't give up hope of her being back to school in some way.
One day, I saw an ad in the newspaper for evening courses. “That's the answer,” I said to myself. Linda always feels better in the evening, so I'll just sign her up for night school.
Linda was busy filling out enrollment (入学) forms when the secretary said: “Mrs. Schantz, why don't you come back to school?”
I laughed: “There's no way! I'm 55!” But he persisted, and before I knew what I had done, I was enrolled for classes in English and crafts. “This is only an experiment,” I warned him, but he just smiled. So, I told myself to try for just a semester and to see if it would work. Anyway, my dream was still there in my heart.
Paragraph 1:
It was exciting to go to school again but it was no game.
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Paragraph 2:
Linda and I helped each other through the time.
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