A decade ago, colored lights danced around the living room on New Year’s Eve and happy music was played. Upstairs, the children were asleep. But I wasn’t feeling happy. In mid-December, my husband and I had been informed that he had cancer and that he was going to die. He had less than a year left, the doctors said.
In the years since that painful season, I have come to look back upon New Year’s Eve. New Year’s Eve brings a halt to the endless commitments that fill our daily lives and a chance to reflect. New Year’s Eve is full of possibility and anticipation. What will be the surprising experiences and delightful successes in the coming year? But also, what disappointments are waiting for us in the next twelve months?
In many ways, New Year’s Eve and the days that surround it are a line between past and future. That line is made up of a series of moments of transition (过渡) that take us out of the old and into the new. Transition can be challenging for many of us. It’s about letting go of the familiar and diving headlong (迅猛地) into the unfamiliar.
Just as, back then, I had to face letting go of the life I had led with my beloved husband and stepping into a new world as a widowed mom, I find that each year I have to step out of the version of me that suited the year that is ending and ease into the version of me who will rise to the goals I am holding for myself for the year ahead.
Last year at this time, I sat in a chair in southern France and drank in the stillness (沉静) and beauty of the countryside around me. The three children I had brought into this world talked and laughed around the table beside me as we enjoyed a lunch of bread and cheese.
I was filled with a sense of joy and I had a glowing (热情洋溢的) heart that was full of hope. It was another ending and another beginning. May we all transition into the best of what lies ahead. May we all find happiness in this holiday season.
1.What causes author’s unhappiness on New Year’s Eve a decade ago?
A.The pressure she faced in her work.
B.The health problem her husband faced.
C.The information received from her family.
D.The relationship between her and her husband.
2.What does the underlined word “halt” most probably mean?
A.End.
B.Start.
C.Change.
D.Meaning.
3.What’s the author’s attitude towards the thing people should do at New Year?
A.Set challenging goals for the next year.
B.Break with daily routines and form a new habit.
C.Spend more time with family members.
D.Think about the past and get ready for the future.
4.What’s the main purpose of writing the passage?
A.To memorialize her husband.
B.To show how she got through a hard time.
C.To share her view of New Year’s Eve.
D.To remind us that uncertainty is part of life.
Compassion and love are concepts that are often thought to be felt by humans only. As the most intelligent creatures to ever walk the earth, we tend to assume that we are the only ones who can feel emotions. We forget that the speechless beings who live here with us - animals - also have the same capability.
During a cold night in Ontario, Canada, a passer-by spotted something on the side of the road that made her stop -a shaking dog curled up in the snow.
When she approached the pup, she discovered that she wasn’t alone-she was cuddling five orphaned black kittens to keep them warm.
The dog surely could have found a safer place to stay for the night, but she chose instead to help not just herself but other stray animals as well.
The Good Samaritan called Pet and Wildlife Rescue and an animal control officer picked them up. When they got to the shelter, it was apparent that a close bond had already been formed between the dog and the orphaned kittens. The staff decided to name the kind dog Serenity in honor of her selfless act.
“It’s truly heartwarming!” a shelter spokesperson told The Dodo. “It had been a very cold night so these kittens would have had a very hard time surviving.”
Aside from requiring treatment for worm and flea infections, the orphaned kittens are now safe. Just like a proud and doting mother, Serenity insisted on checking on her babies regularly to oversee their progress.
The good news is that the kittens are now living with a foster family who will care for them until they are old enough to be adopted. Serenity, on the other hand, is still looking for a family.
According to the shelter, she loves zooming around in the yard and is big on playing. She is also quite jumpy, so she would do best in a home without small children.
1.What did the passer-by see on the road?
A.A dog curled up in the snow.
B.Five kittens were in the snow alone.
C.A dog was warming five kittens in the snow.
D.A dog found a safe place to stay for the night.
2.What does the underlined word “she” in paragraph 3 refer to?
A.The passer-by. B.The dog.
C.The kitten. D.The spokesperson.
3.Where is the dog Serenity now?
A.Living in the shelter. B.Being adopted by a family.
C.Staying with the kittens. D.Playing with some children.
4.What can we draw from the story?
A.Animals and humans should live in harmony.
B.A sad end can be turned into a positive one.
C.Animals have the same capability with humans.
D.Animals can feel compassion and love like humans.
Vijay Gupta is known to classical music lovers across the United States. He serves as first violinist for the Los Angeles Philharmonic. In that job, he often plays to large crowds, including many very rich people. When he is not performing, he organizes concerts for homeless people. 'They have reminded me why I became a musician, he said.
Last week, Gupta was recognized for being a founder and the artistic director of Street Symphony. The group has performed at homeless shelters, jails and halfway houses for about eight years. Gupta is among the 25 winners of the 2018 MacArthur Fellowship, commonly known as the “genius grant.” Each winner will receive $625,000 over five years to use as they wish. The money is coming from a private group, the John D. and Katherine T. MacArthur Foundation. It awards grants (补助金)to people whose work it considers exceptional and that “inspires hope in us all.” Gupta said he got the idea for Street Symphony while teaching Nathaniel Ayers, a trained musician whose mental illness led to homelessness.
The 31-year-old grant winner said he does not know yet how he will spend the money. He has been a performer since age seven and the award will give him "space to breathe, plan and look ahead.”
Another winner is Rebecca Sandefur, an associate professor of sociology and law in the University of Illinois. The Associated Press says her research actively supports new ways to involve poor communities in the U.S. justice system.
47-year-old Sandefur created the first national mapping of civil legal aid providers. It shows which states had the financial resources to provide such aid and which did not. She also found that the cost of legal services is only one of the things preventing poor people from getting lawyers. Among the others are fears about unfairness in the legal system. Sandefur noted that a lot of attention has been paid to problems with the criminal justice system, but more attention must be paid to the civil side of the law, which also affects millions of people.
1.Why did Gupta win the award?
A.For his achievements in classical music.
B.For performing for large crowds.
C.For organizing a group playing for the homeless.
D.For the friendship with Nathaniel Ayers.
2.What do we know about Mac Arthur Fellowship?
A.It is founded by the government.
B.It offers $625,000 to 25 winners in 2018.
C.It allows the winners to use the money freely.
D.It awards people who make great contributions to society.
3.What was the extraordinary thing that Sandefiir did?
A.She made it easier to get legal help for the poor.
B.She made the legal system fairer.
C.She paid more attention to the criminal justice system.
D.She offered legal aids to the poor freely.
4.Which can be the best title for the passage?
A.Grants winners, inspiring the poor
B.The city homeless, in need of help
C.Vijay Gupta , an extraordinary violinist
D.MacArthur Foundation, awarding exceptional work
Being stuck at home doesn't mean that learning stops. In fact, it’s just the opposite. Here are some activities and resources to foster kids' imagination and build their curiosity at home.
Let's Get Down to the Science
The science lab at school may be closed, but you can still put on goggles and a white lab coat and learn at home. This Test Tube Experiment Kit will make you feel like a genius in no time. Kids will get the chance to learn about basic chemistry, physics, and more by creating pop-resistant bubbles, bouncy balls, and other objects.
To Infinity（无穷）and Beyond
Earth is a part of the Milky Way galaxy, but did you know there are around 100 million galaxies in the universe? There are so many fun and fascinating things to learn about space that the possibilities truly go to infinity and beyond. A great way start your child's educational space adventure is with this Real Life Sticker and Activity Book.
Take a Walk on the Wild Side
Biology class is in session! Here's your chance to get up close and personal with a great white shark without putting on a wetsuit. This 4D Great White Shark Anatomy Kit allows you to get an inside look at what makes these predators of the deep so powerful. And then take an even deeper dive into a shark's world with I Am Shark .
Take advantage of this time at home and find new ways to keep exploring the world around you.
1.What is common among these activities above?
A.They are all performed outdoors.
B.They are all associated with physics.
C.They are all carried out by the way of experimenting.
D.They all recommend some resources for kids to study.
2.Which book favors children interested in stars?
A.This Test Tube Experiment Kit.
B.Real Life Slicker and Activity Book.
C.4D Great White Shark Anatomy Kit.
D.I Am Shark .
3.The shared goal of the activities is to .
A.gain financial benefits B.save kids from boredom
C.explore new technologies D.inspire kids to study at home
假定你是李华，你的英国朋友Tim想在寒假时到中国旅游，发邮件向你征求旅游建议。请你回复邮件，内容包括：1. 推荐一个旅游城市；2. 给出推荐理由。
注意：
1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3. 开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Dear Tim,
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Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文， 请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误， 每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、 删除或修改。
增加： 在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧), 并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除： 把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改： 在错的词下画一横线， 并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意： 1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处， 多者(从第11处起)不计分。
It was raining hardly outside, which made it difficult for me to go home for lunch. Just as I was wondering what I should eat at noon, I saw a familiar figure passed by our classroom. I rushed out and found it was my mother, already in fifties, which brought me lunch in spite of the heavy rain. In China, many parents make great sacrifices for our children. But what had the children done in return? All too often, most children just take it for granted that their parent should serve for them unconditionally. My dear mum or dad, thank you very much for bringing me up. How shall I do for you?
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