I lost my sight when I was four years old by falling off a box car in a goods yard in Atlantic City and landing on my head. Now I can dimly remember the _________ of sunshine and what color red is. It would be wonderful to see again, but a(n) _________ can do strange things to people.
It ________ to me the other day that I might not have come to love life as I do if I hadn't been blind. I believe in life now. I am not so sure that I would have believed in it so deeply, _________. I don't mean that I would prefer to _______ without my eyes. I simply mean that the loss of them made me appreciate the more what I had ________.
Life, I believe, asks a continuous series of _________ to reality. In ________ of the fact they are never easy, I had my parents and teachers to help. The hardest lesson I had to learn was to believe in myself. If I hadn't been able to do that, I would have ________ and become a chair rocker on the front porch for the rest of my life. When I say belief in myself I am not talking about _________ the kind of self confidence that helps me down an ________staircase alone. That is part of it. But I mean something bigger than that: an assurance that I am, despite __________, a real, positive person; that there is a special place where I can make myself _______.
It took me years to discover and _________ this assurance. It had to start with the most elementary things. Once a man gave me an indoor baseball. I thought he was laughing at me and I was hurt. “I can't use this.” I said. “Take it with you，” he urged me, “and roll it around.” The words ________ in my head. “Roll it around！” By rolling the ball I could hear where it _______. This gave me an idea how to achieve a goal I had thought ________: playing baseball. At Philadelphia’s Overbrook School for the Blind I invented a successful variation of baseball. We called it ground ball.
All my life I have set ahead of me a series of goals and then tried to achieve them, one at a time. I had to learn my _________. It was no good crying for something that I knew at the start was wildly out of ________ because that only __________ the bitterness of failure. I would fail sometimes anyway but on the average I made progress.
1.A. attraction B. brightness C. warmth D. charm
2.A. crash B. experience C. catastrophe D. memory
3.A. struck B. happened C. occurred D. appealed
4.A. eventually B. therefore C. meanwhile D. otherwise
5.A. choose B. stay C. go D. see
6.A. left B. forgotten C. lost D. heard
7.A. changes B. references C. trials D. adjustments
8.A. terms B. favour C. spite D. place
9.A. collapsed B. cried C. sighed D. escaped
10.A. possibly B. simply C. frankly D. inevitably
11.A. unbelievable B. unstable C. unfamiliar D. unlikely
12.A. fear B. imperfection C. concern D. unfairness
13.A. fit B. live C. stand D. realize
14.A. abandon B. strengthen C. broaden D. regain
15.A. stuck B. hit C. slipped D. jumped
16.A. stopped B. fell C. bounced D. went
17.A. reasonable B. realistic C. impossible D. potential
18.A. dreams B. abilities C. limitations D. achievements
19.A. control B. pity C. charge D. reach
20.A. proposed B. invited C. included D. extended
All of my five children played team sports in middle school and high school, and four of them are in college. 1..
Teenagers may get into bad habits. 2. According to a study in Archives of Pediatric & Adolescent Medicine, a survey of more than 14,000 teenagers found that those who had taken part in team sports were less likely to smoke or have unhealthy eating habits.
As children get older, they naturally develop their own lives and there will be fewer ways for parents to be involved（参与）. Some teenagers shut their parents out of their room.3..
Sports build strong and healthy bodies. Children who compete know that they are only at their best if they eat and rest well.4. In sports, strength and speed are wanted. Team sports help kids avoid obesity（肥胖） problems even better than activities like running or biking.
5. The joy of a sports season stays with us long after the season is over. Our children may forget who was in their English class or which math teacher they had in the 10th grade one day. But they will never forget their sports teams.
A.Team sports can bring lifelong memories.
B.Team sports make a child’s social world wider.
C.As a matter of fact, doing sports makes us a better family.
D.However, they still want their parents to attend their games.
E.Cigarettes and drugs harm their performance and every athlete knows that.
F.But teenagers who often take part in team sports have less time for bad behavior.
G.From their experiences, I’ve learned it’s important for children to play team sports.
Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Saturday in October as a day to make someone happy. It is an occasion which offers all of us an opportunity to remember not only the sick，the aged，and children who have lost their parents，but also friends，workmates，relatives and neighbors whose helpfulness and kindness we have enjoyed.
Over 60 years ago，when a Cleveland man noticed that some people，such as children who lost their parents and patients who lay in bed，too often felt forgotten and neglected，he developed in his mind the idea of showing them that they were remembered. He did this by giving them small gifts. With the help of his friends and neighbors，he gave those people small gifts on a Saturday in October. During the years that followed，other Clevelanders began to take part in the celebration，which came to be called "Sweetest Day". Over time，the Sweetest Day's idea of spreading cheer to the poor，the sick and children who had lost their parents was broadened（扩大）to include everyone，and became an occasion for remembering others with a kind act or a small gift. Soon the idea spread to other cities all over the USA.
Sweetest Day is not based on any single group's religious beliefs or on a family relationship. It is a reminder（提醒人记忆之物）that a thoughtful word or deed enriches life and gives it meaning. Because of many people remembering to take the form of gift giving，Sweetest Day offers us the opportunity to show others that we care，in a positive way.
1.What can we learn from the first paragraph？
A. Sweetest Day is a day to bring happiness to others.
B. Sweetest Day is just an occasion for caring about disabled people.
C. Sweetest Day is an occasion for lovers to express love.
D. Sweetest Day is celebrated on the third Sunday in October.
2.Which of the following has little relationship to Sweetest Day?
A. Visiting sick people in the hospital.
B. Visiting children who have lost their parents.
C. Giving friends small gifts.
D. Giving flowers to sweethearts.
3.The underlined word "neglected" in the second paragraph means" __________".
A. remembered B. hated
C. paid little or no attention to D. disappointed
4.What do most people usually do to show their care to others according to the passage？
A. Give them some money.
B. Give them gifts.
C. Send them their regards.
D. Offer help directly.
Encouraging pupils to keep noise to a minimum should be a valuable component of all children’s education, according to new research.
Dr. Helen Lees, from Stirling University’s school of education, says that “enforced silence” is seen as a punishment and often acts to suppress children’s natural ability. But she says that teaching children about the benefits of “enforced silence”—deliberate stillness that gives them the opportunity to focus and reflect in a stress-free environment—can have a significant effect on pupils’ concentration and behavior.
It is the latest in a string of researches to establish a link between the classroom environment and pupils’ academic ability.
A study almost a decade ago in London found that children’s exam results were cut by as much as a third if they were taught in noisy classrooms. Teaching unions have also called for a limit of 26℃ to be put on classroom temperatures because teachers and pupils struggle to work in hot conditions, and some educationalists claim that too much clutter on classroom walls can prevent children from concentrating.
Dr. Lees said, “When we take some research on school settings and put it all together, what we see is that education without silence does not make much sense. In areas of better learning outcomes, better self- confidence and well-being measures, enforced silence in a person’s life and an individual’s education is shown throughout the relevant research to be a benefit.”
Dozens of schools across Britain have already introduced periods of “reflective silence” into the timetable.
Kevin Hogston, head of Sheringdale Primary, south London, has just introduced a minute’s silence at the start of twice-weekly meetings in which children are taught breathing techniques and encouraged to reflect. The school plans to introduce it into classrooms every day.
1.According to Dr. Helen Lees, “enforced silence” ＿＿
A.is an effective way of punishment B.does not make much sense in class
C.can improve pupils’ confidence D.makes pupils more creative
2.The underlined word “suppress” in the second paragraph probably means “_________”.
A.prevent B.improve
C.apply D.reveal
3.What can be inferred from the research on school settings?
A.Students are more active if taught in noisy classrooms.
B.Silence makes a great difference to pupils.
C.Clutter on the walls can help students concentrate.
D.Most schools are not satisfactory in terms of classroom temperatures.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A.Arranging classroom settings benefits studies
B.Achieving silence is beneficial for people
C.Using enforced silence is effective punishment
D.Keeping quiet in class improves academic performance
Just a year ago, the colors were bright under the waves. Now it’s gray — the Maldivian reef is dead. The coral is killed by the pressure of rising temperatures.
Coral reefs are areas underwater where small creatures live. The coral is hard material formed on the bottom of the sea by the skeletons of those creatures. But the world has lost about half its coral reefs in the last 30 years. Scientists are working to prevent their destruction. Due to global warming, over 90 percent of corals are expected to die by 2050. “To lose coral reefs is to fundamentally undermine the health of a very large proportion of the human race,” said Ruth Gates, director of the Hawaii Institute of Marine Biology.
Why are coral reefs important? Coral reefs support a fourth of all marine species, as well as half a billion people worldwide. They serve as barriers to protect coastlines from the storms. They provide billions of dollars from tourism, fishing and other trade. They are also used in medical research for cures for diseases. “Everyone should be concerned,” said biologist Ove Guldberg at Australia’s University of Queensland. “This is not just some distant dive destination. This is the basic structure of the ecosystem we depend on.”
The ocean is getting warmer. A rising temperature of just one to two degree Celsius can force coral to expel the algae (驱逐海藻) that live there. This leaves their white skeletons uncovered. It is a process called “bleaching”. Sixteen percent of the world’s corals died of bleaching in 1998. The problem has become much worse in recent years.
“We’ve lost 50 percent of the reefs, but that means we still have 50 percent left,” said Ruth Gates, who is working in Hawaii to breed corals that can better withstand increasing temperatures. She is also trying to “train” corals to survive rising temperatures. Gates says it is time to start “thinking outside the box”— find creative ways to help them.
1.The underlined word “undermine” in paragraph 2 means ___________.
A.weaken B.regain C.promote D.overlook
2.What’s the major concern of the scientists like Ove Guldberg?
A.People won’t find a dive destination in the future.
B.The effort to save corals will turn out to be fruitless.
C.The destruction of coral reefs will affect the earth ecosystem.
D.The bright sea has lost its charm because of those dead corals.
3.The fourth paragraph is mainly about ___________.
A.the harm of algae B.the process of “bleaching”
C.the importance of coral reefs D.the change of ocean temperature
4.Ruth Gates’ attitude towards the protection of corals is ___________.
A.proud B.cautious C.optimistic D.casual
Welcome to Arundel Castle which is situated in West Sussex, England. The castle has a history of nearly 1000 years and has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the world. Arundel Castle also plays a starring role in many films.
The Gardens
The White Garden is planted with soft white Iceberg Roses, and Snow White Lilies.
The Rose Garden is newly planted with lovely old-fashioned English roses that are at their very best in June and July.
The Organic Kitchen Garden produces a wide range of seasonal fruit and vegetables, pears, cherries and apples.
The Castle Shop
In the Castle Shop, you will discover a wide and interesting range of gift ideas for everyone. It offers gifts and souvenirs designed to appeal to all tastes and pockets. Foods, china, books, and stationery (文具)are all available. Many are sold in this Castle Shop only.
At Arundel Castle we pride ourselves on supporting local suppliers and actively encourage environmentally friendly products.
The Arundel Festival 2014
Saturday 16th to Monday 25th August
The annual Arundel Festival gets bigger and better every year. It is one of the most amazing, diverse and easily accessible arts festivals in the UK, offering a mix of visual arts, music, theatre and street entertainment.
Parking
Coaches and mini-buses can drop off at the main Castle entrance in Mill Road and park in the main town car park that is opposite the Castle entrance. Please inform us when making your booking of how many parking permits are required.
1.When visiting the castle, you can___.
A.get old-fashioned English roses as gifts B.see how the local gifts are being made
C.get seasonal fruit and vegetables for free D.buy eco-friendly products in the Castle Shop
2.Where can you park the coach?
A.In Mill Road B.Inside the Castle
C.In the main town car park D.At the main Castle entrance
3.How long does the Arundel Festival last this year?
A.10 days B.One week C.16 days D.One month
