The annual marathon in my town usually occurs during a heat wave. My job was to _________ behind the runners in an ambulance in case any of them needed medical attention.
As the athletes began to _________themselves, the _________ runners started to disappear. It was then that my eyes were _________ the woman in blue silk running shorts and a baggy white T-shirt. Her feet were turned in, yet her left _________ was turned out. Her legs were so disabled that it seemed _________ for her to be able to walk, let alone run a marathon.
I watched in _________ as she slowly moved forward. I didn’t say a word. As I watched her _________ to put one foot in front of the other, I found myself breathing for her and _________ her forward.
__________, she was the only runner left in sight. Tears __________down my face as I sat on the edge of my__________and watched as she pushed forward with __________ determination through the last miles. When the __________ line came into sight, trash lay everywhere and the cheering __________ had long gone home.
I do not know this woman’s __________, but that day she became a part of my life---- a part I often depend on. For her, it wasn’t about __________ the other runners or winning the prize, it was about finishing what she had __________ to do, no matter what. When I think things are too __________ or too time-consuming, I think of the last runner. Then, I __________ how easy the task before me really is.
1.A.follow B.run C.walk D.drive
2.A.march B.wander C.pace D.walk
3.A.last B.front C.back D.disabled
4.A.occurred to B.held to C.drawn to D.taken to
5.A.eye B.knee C.hand D.arm
6.A.likely B.probable C.impossible D.unfair
7.A.silence B.practice C.theory D.public
8.A.manage B.struggle C.mean D.tend
9.A.urging B.shouting C.discouraging D.pushing
10.A.Immediately B.Instantly C.Firstly D.Finally
11.A.flood B.pour C.put D.stream
12.A.seat B.desk C.stand D.stadium
13.A.weak B.firm C.tender D.fixed
14.A.finish B.bottom C.starting D.dead
15.A.runners B.judges C.coaches D.crowds
16.A.age B.height C.name D.hobby
17.A.defending B.beating C.winning D.awarding
18.A.set in B.set off C.set out D.set about
19.A.different B.simple C.painless D.difficult
20.A.realize B.occur C.imagine D.reflect
How to Survive Anything
Stay calm. We're going to get through this together. Here, our experts' guide for dealing with life's everyday frustration and scariest danger.
How to Survive an Awkward Conversation
Somehow, you're sitting next to the only person at the party you've never met, and the mood is definitely uneasy. How do you draw him or her out?
♦ 1.. The other person will fell a wave of positive feelings, and you will be more likely to remember him or her later as the person with the ''nice hat''. Win-win.
♦ Have an escape plan. The phrases ''I won't keep you'' and ''Give my regards to mutual acquaintance'' are your friends. 2.
How to Survive a Plane Crash
The smallest bump (颠簸) feels like an earthquake at 35,000 feet. 3.-----and with a few simple precautions, you can make it a little lower.
♦ Forget first class. Passengers seated behind the wings had a 69 percent chance of survival,4. That’s the finding of a recent study of 20 commercial jet crashes. If you truly fear flying, it's worth giving up the legroom for some peace of mind in the back.
♦ Don't take masks lightly. During a loss of cabin pressure, 5. Listen to your flight attendants: Always secure your oxygen mask before helping others. You can't help if you can't breathe.
A.Open with praise
B.Try to like the other person
C.But the plane crash death rate is at an all-time low
D.compared with just 49 percent for those in first class
E.When the conversation reaches a dead end, employ them
F.you ought to pull yourself together and stay calm under such situation
G.the drop in oxygen can knock you unconscious in as little as 20 seconds
Role models are powerful. No matter what stage of life you’re at, it’s good to have someone who encourages you to be the best version of yourself. Recent winners of national commendations mean we have a wider range of possible role models.
As part of the celebration of the 70th anniversary of the founding of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), President Xi Jinping signed a presidential decree (主席令) on Sept 17 to award 42 people the Medal of the Republic, the Friendship Medal and national honorary titles, China Daily reported. Recipients come from various backgrounds, including scientists, lawmakers, educators, artists, model workers and six non-Chinese individuals. All have made big contributions to the nation’s construction and development.
Chinese scientist Tu Youyou is one of the eight who were awarded the Medal of the Republic. Tu, who won the 2015 Nobel Prize for her discovery of the malaria drug artemisinin (抗疟药物青蒿素), is the first Chinese citizen to win a Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine. She has saved millions of lives worldwide. She has also made important scientific innovation in traditional Chinese medicine.
“It is my dream that Chinese medicine will help us conquer life-threatening diseases worldwide and that people across the globe will enjoy its benefits,” Tu once wrote in the science journal Nature Medicine.
Tu is not the only one who has given her life to the country’s development. Nan Rendong, before his death in 2017, led the research and development of China’s Five-hundred-meter Aperture Spherical Telescope, the world’s largest radio telescope. He worked on the project for more than 20 years. The facility he designed helps humans search for extraterrestrial civilizations (外星文明) and marked a Chinese technological milestone. His contributions to Chinese astronomy earned him the title, “the people’s Scientist.”
Also receiving awards are six foreign friends who have lent their hands to assist with China’s prosperity. Former French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin, an honoree of the Friendship Medal, is an advocate of the Belt and Road Initiative. Having worked to strengthen the friendship between French and Chinese people in the past decades, he told Xinhua that he is “sincerely pleased” with the honor. “To work for this friendship is to work for peace,” Raffarin said.
Thanks to the great efforts made by these heroic figures, we can live in a prosperous and peaceful country. Hopefully these role models can also light the way for future nation buildings.
1.What’s the main purpose of the article?
A.To express thanks to national heroes.
B.To tell readers what makes a good role model.
C.To describe the national honorary titles awarded recently.
D.To introduce some of the people who won national awards.
2.What do we know about Tu Youyou?
A.She is the only woman to be awarded the Medal of the Republic.
B.She won a Nobel Prize for her discovery of artemisinin 2017.
C.She has helped millions of people around the world defeat malaria.
D.She has helped traditional Chinese medicine gain popularity worldwide.
3.Nan Rendong was awarded for his contributions in the field of________.
A.Medicine B.agriculture
C.astronomy D.education
4.Why did Jean-Pierre Raffarin receive an award?
A.He introduced Chinese education To France.
B.He has helped improve China-France relations.
C.He has organized many cultural activities in China.
D.He has devoted himself to China’s economic development.
The fact that your hair turns grey because of stress is nothing more than an old wives' tale. It's true that stress isn't good for you, but it's not going to turn you into a silver fox just yet. In fact, the answer comes from the cells in your hair. These are what decide the color and, eventually, the fade to grey.
Most of us start to notice our first grey hairs by the time we hit our thirties. A general rule to go by is that by the age of 50, half of the population will have lost the color in 50 percent of their hair.
But why does it happen? Firstly, we need to understand how hair gets its color.
Your hair is made up of cells called melanocytes (黑色素细胞) which produce pigments (色素) as they grow into the hair fiber. There are two different types of melanins: eumelanins and pheomelanins. The former produces black and brown pigments, while the latter produces red and yellow pigments. The exact amount of these pigments decide whether a person has black, brown, blonde or red hair.
As we age, the ability of the melanocytes to produce more pigments weakens. That's because our hair grows in different periods.
The growing period lasts between three and five years, after which our follicles (毛囊) turn off for about three months to rest and get ready to grow more hairs. This goes round and round and, after a time, our bodies aren't as good at producing new hairs.
Scientists are continuing to try and find ways to prevent greying hair. A team of scientists in France is working to try and stop the melanocytes from being damaged at the end of each hair cycle. They are trying to use a special enzyme (酶) to protect the cells from damage. If successful, it could lead the way for new products that keep our hair full of color for years to come.
1.What does the phrase ''an old wives' tale'' in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A.A wrong belief B.A useful talk
C.A scientific rule D.A helpful experience
2.What do we know about red hair?
A.It doesn’t turn grey as people get older.
B.It contains more pheomelanins than eumelanins.
C.The amount of pigments in it doesn't change over time.
D.People with red hair have weaker ability to produce pigments.
3.What do the French scientists aim to do?
A.To repair damaged hair follicles.
B.To protect hair cells against damage.
C.To shorten the hair cycle to protect the hair.
D.To study the relationship between health and hair color.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.Grey Hair: a Symbol of Huge Pressure.
B.Grey Hair: a Symbol of Declining Health.
C.Cells: the Cause of New Hair Growth.
D.Cells:the Cause of Color Change of Hair.
Emilia Dobek traces her interest in space and the universe back to third grade when she and her father watched a blood moon — a total lunar eclipse (月食)---on the roof of their house.
Now a seven-grader at East Prairie Elementary School, Dobek recently won the national Discovery Education Beyond Challenge by designing a space station for traveling to Mars. She says that night watching the lunar eclipse launched a passion in her that has yet to run out of fuel.
So, when her teacher, Andrea Smeeton, received information about the national challenge, Smeeton said she immediately had one student in mind. “I knew she would love the challenge and that she would go way beyond in her research,” Smeeton said. “She immediately started researching bone density of astronauts and how to have sustenance on Mars.”
“My design will ensure the safety of the astronauts but also make sure their comfort is out of this world,” said Dobek. Dobck’s design calls for building the MSS or Mars Storage Station to accommodate the need for abundant supplies. She explains how her spacecraft—the Adventurer—will get into a space station before flying to the MSS to get supplies. Her design includes the SGF or SelfGrowing Farm, and she details how it would work with the elements on Mars.
Then there is physical and leisure activity for the astronauts under Dobck’s design. A. simulator (模拟器) allows astronauts to choose their exercise machine and virtual reality environment. Rooms have circular ceilings, she says, so astronauts will be able to watch downloaded shows and even see places on Earth, such as their homes. Chief among her immediate goals, she said, is to inspire with this project. want to tell other kids to follow their passions,” Dobek said. “Whatever they want to do, they should kind of just push for it. They should always try their best.”
1.What launched Dobek’s passion for space and the universe?
A.Winning the national challenge.
B.Observing the lunar eclipse with her father.
C.Studying with her teacher Andrea Smeeton.
D.Designing a space station for traveling to Mars.
2.How can astronauts entertain themselves in Dobek’s design?
A.By exercising in outer space. B.By playing virtual reality games.
C.By appreciating places on Earth. D.By enjoying shows of their homes.
3.What is Dobek’s major aim with her project?
A.To realize her immediate goals.
B.To create a leisure design for astronauts.
C.To get inspired by the national challenge.
D.To encourage others to pursue their interest.
4.What is the best title for this passage?
A.New Space Station Design
B.Leisure Activities for Astronauts
C.7th-grader Won National Prize
D.Patient Teacher Motivated Innovation.
Knowing what not to do at checkout and properly preparing for it can turn a potentially heated situation into a quick thank you and goodbye. Below we compiled a list of things you should remember at hotel checkout.
1. Don’t be late to checkout
Hotels may add an outrageously high price for being just a half-hour late. If you know you won’t make the cutoff time, it never hurts to call ahead and try to negotiate a potential charge.
2. Don’t forget to double check the room and safe
Make sure you don’t leave anything behind. If you have an early flight or checkout time, pack up as much as you can the night before so that last-minute rush isn’t too hurried. Also, be sure to take out anything in the room safe.
3. Don’t freak out
Spitting venom (毒液) at the assistant manager standing behind the front desk probably won’t help when dealing with an unexpected item on the bill. Being empathetic about how difficult it can be to deal with annoyed customers will likely go much further.
4. Don’t pay with cash or debit card (借记卡)
Disputing your bill after paying with cash is a lot harder than working with a credit card company to get a charge back. If you pay with a debit card, you may not have the protection to challenge a charge.
5. Don’t have the hotel call you a cab
If you want to save a few dollars, plan ahead and check if a ride-sharing service is going to be cheaper than a cab to the airport.
1.What may the hotel do if you are late for the checkout?
A.Negotiate a potential price.
B.Call ahead and cancel the reservation.
C.Charge extra money.
D.Give the room to other customers.
2.What should you do when the receptionist meets angry customers?
A.Spit at the assistant manager. B.Argue with the front desk.
C.Show understanding to the situation. D.Go much further away from it.
3.Why is it a good idea to use a ride-sharing service to get to the airport?
A.It helps the cab save dollars.
B.It reduces the burden of the hotel.
C.It is easy to get a charge back.
D.It costs the customers less money.
