I was shopping in the supermarket when I heard the young voice. “Mom, come here! There’s this lady here, my_______!”
The mother rushed to her son; then she turned to me to_______.
I smiled and told her: “It’s okay.” Then I talked to the boy, “Hi, I’m Darry Kramer. How are you?” He_______ me from head to toe, and asked: “Are you a little_______?”
“Yes, I have a son,” I answered. “Why are you so little?” he asked.
“It’s the way I was_______,”I said. “Some people are little. Some are tall. I’m just not going to grow any bigger.” After I answered his other questions, I shook the boy’s hand, and left.
My life as a little person is filled with_______like that. I enjoy talking to children and explaining why I look different from their parents.
It takes only one glance to see my_______. I stand 114 cm tall. I was born a dwarf (侏儒)._______ so, I did all the things other kids did when I was growing up.
I didn’t_________ how short I was until I started school. Some kids picked on me, calling me names. Then I knew. I began to____________ the first day of school each year. New students would always stare at me as I ______________ to climb the school bus stairs.
But I learned to smile and____________the fact that I was going to be____________my whole life. I decided to make my uniqueness an advantage rather than a disadvantage. What I lacked in height, I____________ in personality.
I’m 47 now, and the stares have not______________as I’ve grown older. People are____________when they see me driving. I try to keep a good attitude. When people are rude, I____________myself: “Look what else I have — a great family, nice friends.”
It’s the children’s questions that make my life____________. I enjoy answering their questions. My______________is that people will accept their peers (同龄人), no matter what size and shape they come in, and treat them with____________
1.A.weight B.size C.shape D.personality
2.A.scold B.explain C.apologize D.reply
3.A.studied B.identified C.inspected D.checked
4.A.lady B.mummy C.person D.girl
5.A.raised B.viewed C.treated D.born
6.A.excuses B.pains C.stares D.stories
7.A.shortcoming B.difference C.ugliness D.shyness
8.A.Just B.Even C.If D.Or
9.A.admit B.care C.fear D.realize
10.A.hate B.tolerate C.forget D.ignore
11.A.determined B.struggled C.managed D.learned
12.A.refuse B.enjoy C.consider D.accept
13.A.exposed B.pitied C.noticed D.avoided
14.A.made up for B.ended up with C.kept track of D.made use of
15.A.increased B.decreased C.improved D.changed
16.A.scared B.satisfied C.amazed D.puzzled
17.A.remind B.inform C.warn D.praise
18.A.fantastic B.meaningless C.embarrassing D.special
19.A.promise B.intention C.hope D.advantage
20.A.respect B.frankness C.sympathy D.emotion
It's not always easy to run an energy efficient house. But there are some simple things anyone can do.
Go LED with your lighting.
There are sevenal benefis to switching to energy efficient light bulbs. One of them is saving money- though the LED bulbs might cost more than traditional bulbs, the average saving on LED bulbs is $ 75a year._ 1.LED bulbs can last years or even decades.
Don't run your air conditioner constantly
As the weather starts to warm, you might be thinking about the right time to turrn on your air conditioner. _ 2.Air conditioner units are among the most energy-consuming appliances in your home. Using electrical fans instead of your air conditioner is much more efficient and it's a big money saver, too.
3.
On those days when you treat a large crowd and are low on time，don't beat yourself up if you have to use disposable(一次性的) dishware. This method reduces your water usage and saves energy. And as a bonus, if your city offers roadside recycling, your paper plates may qualify.
Update your insulation(隔热)
All that work you're doing to save energy in your home could go to waste if it's not properly insulated. If you can't insulate the whole house, pay special attention to the roof: it reduces air flow from outide. By updating your insulation,you're saving money.4.
Take showers instead of baths
A full bathtub requires about 70 gallons of waler.5.Showers are quite dfferent---taking a five-minute shower uses only 10 to 25 gallons!
A.But do you really have to?
B.You should use your air conditioner smartly.
C.Tum off water when not using it.
D.Plus, you needn't change them frequenly.
E.Don't feel guilty about using paper plates.
F.And it's also easier to control your home temperature.
G.Even if you don't fill it to the top, it still uses much more water.
In the United States，the baby boomer generation(婴儿潮一代) include those who were born in the time after World War II. Those babies have retired or are now reaching the retirement age. As these adults age, many of their adult children worry about how to take care of their aging parents. In the United States it is not common for several generations to live under one roof. Once children grow up and get married, they move out, leaving their aging parents to care for themselves. When these aging parents can no longer take care of themselves because of age or illness, it is not uncommon for adult children in the US to place their elderly parents in a nursing home.
A nursing home is a place that offers care for the elderly and ill. As the name suggests，nursing homes have professionals including nurses, doctors and social workers to help aging adults deal with the challenges of daily life. And their mental health could be guaranteed for elderly people to get relaxed, accompanied by those of the same age. Most nursing homes also have social activities for the elderly to participate in and keep active. These activities range from games to dance classes, and movie nights. Nursing homes are supposed to provide three nutritious meals for their residents.
Nursing homes are controversial, however. There have been cases across the country of staff in nursing homes treating the elderly residents badly and even robbing them. There are different states and federal agencies that are supposed to oversee(监管) nursing homes. Some people feel that it should be the responsibility of family members, especially adult children, to care for their aging or sick parents. However, many adult children have their own children and families to take care of, and do not have the means to care for their elderly parents; others worry about medical skills needed if their elderly parents are seriously ill. And these problems of caring for parents are bothering more and more adults in the US at present.
1.The first paragraph mainly about___________.
A.when the baby boomer generation in the US were born
B.whether the elderly and their children should live together
C.why Americans put their elderly parents in nursing homes
D.how Americans look after their aging parents differently
2.How many advantages of nursing homes are mentioned?
A.Three. B.Four.
C.Five. D.Six.
3.What’s the writer’s attitude toward sending parents to nursing homes?
A.Indifferent. B.Understandable.
C.Favorable. D.Disapproving.
4.What’s the purpose of the text?
A.To discuss how to care for aging parents.
B.To ask the government to oversee nursing homes.
C.To prove nursing homes do more harm than good.
D.To show problems faced by American adult children.
Explorers started making navigation (导航) charts showing how wide the ocean was more than 500 years ago. But it’s much harder to calculate how deep it is.
In 1872 the HMS Challenger, a British Navy ship, set sail to learn about the ocean, including its depth. It carried 181 miles (291 kilometers) of rope to measure the depth of the ocean. During their four-year voyage, the Challenger crew collected samples of rocks, mud and animals from many different areas of the ocean. They also found one of the deepest zones, in the western Pacific, the Mariana Trench which stretches for 1,580 miles (2,540 kilometers).
Today scientists know that on average the ocean is 2.3 miles (3.7 kilometers) deep, but many parts are much shallower or deeper. To measure depth they use sonar, which stands for Sound Navigation And Ranging. A ship sends out pulses of sound energy and measures depth based on how quickly the sound travels back.
Ocean scientists like me study the sea floor because it helps us better measure the ocean. Our planet’s outer, layer is made of tectonic plates. The Hawaiian-Emperor Seamount chain, a line of peaks on the ocean floor, was created when a tectonic plate moved over a spot where hot rock welled up from deep inside the Earth. When two tectonic plates move away from each other underwater, new material rises up into Earths layer. This process, which creates new ocean floor, is called seafloor spreading. Sometimes super-hot liquids from inside the Earth shoot up through cracks in the ocean floor called hydrothermal vents.
Amazing fish, shellfish, tube worms and other life forms live in these zones. Between the creation and destruction of ocean plates, sediments (沉淀物) collect on the sea floor and provide an archive of Earth’s history, the evolution of climate and life that is available nowhere else.
1.Why did the HMS Challenger make the voyage?
A.To test navigation. B.To calculate the age of the ocean.
C.To explore the ocean. D.To do research into Mariana Trench.
2.How do scientists know the depth of the ocean?
A.By measuring it with ropes.
B.By studying samples of rocks and mud.
C.By analyzing the habitats of the animals.
D.By studying the returning speed of the sound.
3.What is the fourth paragraph mainly about?
A.Certain changes of the sea floor.
B.The layers that make up the Earth.
C.The way that a volcano comes into being.
D.Some definitions of the seafloor spreading.
4.What can be a suitable title for the text?
A.How Deep Is the Ocean? B.How Is the Ocean Studied?
C.Ocean: An Unknown World D.Nature: A Place for Wildlife
A few years ago, my husband Charlie and I had marital problems. Growing family responsibilities and financial worries took a toll on us and we began arguing frequently, often late into the night.
However, neither of us could take the step that would end our eleven-year marriage and bring heartbreak to our three young children. Deep down we knew we still loved each other, so we determined to work it out. Through countless discussions, we began to close the gulf. The more honest we were, the closer we became.
When I felt we were reaching solid ground, I asked my husband to give me an “eternity (永恒) ring”. It was not so much the ring I wanted; it was the reassurance (保证) I thought it would bring.
We went shopping on a beautiful summer day. We walked hand in hand along a row of jeweler’s shops. Finally I found a ring I liked. While waiting for it to be adjusted, the jeweler took my left hand and glanced at my engagement ring. “May I clean it for you?” he asked. “It really doesn’t sparkle like it used to.” Charlie said as I slipped the ring off my finger. A few minutes later the jeweler was back. The ring shone like new!
On the drive home, I didn’t take my eyes off it. I forgot all about the eternity ring. I just couldn’t believe how this old ring suddenly sparkled the way it had the day Charlie gave it to me. I had taken it for granted these past years, but with a little polish it could still make my heart beat fast.
And that’s the way it is with a marriage. You have to work at keeping it polished and new, or else the grime (污垢) of the passing years will hide the joy. I put my hand on the seat between us and spread my fingers. Charlie covered my hand with his. I felt I was lucky to be able to see the sparkle in something gold when I thought I needed something new.
1.Why did the author and her husband decide to solve the problems?
A.They were a famous couple. B.They didn’t want to divorce.
C.The problems were not serious. D.They had experience in doing so.
2.What does the underlined part in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.free of trouble B.arriving at a square
C.wealthy and generous D.in good relationship
3.Why did the author forget all about the eternity ring on their way back home?
A.Her husband kept it for her. B.They didn’t actually pay for it.
C.The old ring’s light attracted her attention. D.The couple were talking all the way merrily.
4.What does the author mainly want to express in the last paragraph?
A.We tend to prefer new objects to old ones.
B.One should remain thankful for what he has got.
C.Marriage should be constantly polished.
D.We should try to rediscover the true value of old objects.
Four Inspiring Movies
Forrest Gump（1992）
Forrest Gump is a simple man with a low IQ but good intentions. This movie follows the fictional story in which the simple man makes his way through some of the more turbulent（动荡的）times from the 1960s through 1980s. This film took home six Oscars, inspired a “Weird Al” song, and proves that a big heart is the most important thing.
It's a Wonderful Life（1946）
No movie list would be complete without a nod to the past. Let's go with this Christmas classic, about a man with serious financial troubles who intends to commit suicide（自杀）by jumping off a bridge. His guardian angel Clarence Odbody stops him and tells him what life would have been like for those close to him had he never been born. Realizing how much he means to others, he rushes back home and all sorts of happy, inspirational, Christmassy things happen.
Dead Poet's Society（1990）
John Keating（Robin Williams）is a high school English literature teacher at a famous all-male boarding school who gets into trouble with the school administration after encouraging his students to challenge authority and think for themselves. It is certainly inspirational, if not also frustratingly sad.
A Beautiful Mind（2001）
This movie tells the story of John Nash（Russell Crowe）, a professor at Princeton, a US university, who revolutionized the field of game theory and fell into madness as a result of paranoid schizophrenia（精神分裂症）. With the love and support of his family as well as the help of medical professionals, he managed to overcome his mental illness and continued to make contributions to the field of mathematics.
1.What can we know about It's a Wonderful Life?
A.It proves a big heart important.
B.It has a happy ending.
C.It tells a story of friendship.
D.It is famous for the leading role.
2.Which film are Robin Williams' fans more likely to watch?
A.Forrest Gump. B.I's a Wonderful Life.
C.Dead Poet's Society. D.A Beautiful Mind.
3.At the end of A Beautiful Mind，the professor___________.
A.became a famous expert in psychology
B.got his family's support for studying game theory
C.gained lots of experience in treating schizophrenia
D.defeated the disease and went on to pursue maths
