On a recent Wednesday morning, I woke up like a little kid on Christmas morning, filled with joy and excitement for the day ahead. The reason why I was so happy was that my 15-year-old daughter was coming home from overnight camp that day after being gone for four weeks.
That afternoon, as I watched her drop off the bus and run into my arms，my emotions took over and I started crying. As we hugged each other, I thought, “I'm never sending her back there again. This is just too much.” But who am I kidding? Not only is she planning on going back next year, she wants to go for eight weeks.
Sending my kid to a Wisconsin town five hours away and having no communication with her other than a few handwritten letters (no cell phones are allowed at camp) still freaks me out. But I have to say overnight camp was one of the best parenting decisions I’ve ever made.
It all started when my daughter was in middle school and going through the typical social problem that comes up around that age. She would come home crying so often because she felt constantly left out. Concerned about her unhappiness and lack of self-confidence, I felt like I had to do something. One day, it hit me: Overnight camp.
That first year we put her on the bus was terrifying. With her cell phone in a desk drawer at home, we said goodbye knowing we would have to wonder for 28 days how she really was.
Would she miss us so much that she'd cry every night? Would she be frightened? Would the girls be mean to her? We really had no idea what to expect, but we knew that if something was really wrong, we'd get a call. It turned out that that never happened, and the letters we got from her all shined with positivity. The changes I saw in my daughter’ s personal growth were immeasurable.
1.What does the underlined part “freaks me out" in Paragraph 3 mean?
A.cheers me up. B.gets me angry.
C.tires me out. D.makes me nervous.
2.What can we infer from Paragraph 4?
A.Parents were all concerned about their children.
B.The author's daughter had a tough time at school.
C.Overnight camp was really of great value for her daughter.
D.The author sent her daughter to overnight camp for compromise.
3.What does the author's daughter think of overnight camp?
A.It has ruined her life. B.It puts her in low spirits.
C.It has benefited her a lot. D.It leaves her with little personal time.
4.What is the theme of the text?
A.To recommend overnight camp. B.To share a story of the author.
C.To show the importance of education. D.To demonstrate her love for her daughter.
Great Activities for Nature Lovers
Hiking
One of the easiest and most accessible ways to get close to nature is by setting out on a good old fashioned hike. Hiking generally doesn’t require any fancy equipment or special skills, just a piece of map and a thirst for adventure. This activity can be as relaxing as you make it.
Backcountry Camping
Why limit yourself to just a day hike when you can have a full weekend (or longer) adventure? Backcountry camping involves packing your tent, sleeping gear, food, and water on your back to set up camp in a remote location. If you’re an experienced hiker and camper, this is an excellent way to test your survival skills and explore the wilderness.
Mountain and Road Biking
Unlike long hikes through the woods, biking allows you to cover more ground and travel farther in nature. Mountain biking typically involves riding up and down steep slopes, between trees, and over rocks. If this sounds too intense or your tires aren’t suited for rugged terrain, consider taking a road bike on paved trails through forest preserves or along country roads.
Gardening
Contrary to popular belief, you don’t have to travel beyond your own backyard to experience the beauty of nature every day. If your personality is less adventurous or your mobility restricted, consider planting a garden to grow your own vegetables, fruits, herbs, or flowers. There’s something truly satisfying about mixing up a salad with fresh ingredients you grew yourself. One of the best parts about spending time in nature is that it doesn’t have to break your budget and anyone can do it.
1.What does hiking need for hikers?
A.A world map. B.A strong desire.
C.Practical skills. D.Necessary equipment.
2.Where will you go to show your survival potential in the wild?
A.To a backyard. B.To a forest.
C.To a mountain. D.To a distant place.
3.Which of the following can take you to travel farthest?
A.Hiking B.Backcountry Camping
C.Gardening. D.Mountain and Road Biking
假定你是李华，请给你校爱好戏剧文化的外教Connie写一封电子邮件，邀请她一起去观看皮影戏。邮件的内容包括：
1. 观看皮影戏的时间和地点；
2. 皮影戏简介（一门古老的传统民间艺术；是世界电影的祖先；给人们带来欢乐等）；
3. 期待回复。
注意：1. 词数100左右；
2. 可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
参考词汇：皮影戏shadow play
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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：在错的词下划一横线，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。
I took part in an English Speech Contest last week. As only competitor from our class, I had to compete with 14 other excellent participants selecting from the whole school. When it is my turn, I got a little bit nervous at first, but soon I calmed me down at the thought of my English teacher’s instructions. Then anything went smoothly. I performed so good that the judges and audiences gave me a big round of applause. Although the question-and-answer section was the most challenging, but I managed to get through properly. When the judge announced the finally result, I was excited that I won first prize, that was totally beyond my imagination.
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
Besides Cambridge, could you imagine a more beautiful university town? 1. its narrow medieval passageways and 801-year-old university, this small English city is packed with history.
Cambridge is less than 2. hour from London by train. And once you’ve arrived, you’re going to want to do what the locals do and get yourself a bike. Cambridge 3. (consider) the cycling capital of the UK. Bike hire shops are everywhere and parking is easy.
In the center of Cambridge is one of the world's most well-known and respected universities. Founded in 1208, Cambridge University is the fourth oldest university in the world still 4. (teach). One of the jewels in the university’s crown is 5. (it) library. Cambridge University Library holds around 8 million books, maps and journals.
One of the best ways to see Cambridge’s 6. (hide) spots is by boat, or punt (平底船), to be exact. Punting began in the early 20th century and remains the best way 7. (explore) the River Cam and its many bridges—25 in all.
There are plenty of 8. (place) to stay in the city but if you want to get some country air, just a short drive out of town is Clopton Courtyard, 9. you can rent your own barn and enjoy the 10. (peace) and pleasant life in the countryside.
It all started 4 years ago. My wife would see a _________ man near where she worked. It was the week before _________ and she said she wanted to buy him a new _________. His was _________ and very old. We don’t have a lot of _________; really we are a step away from being homeless ourselves but we try to _________ when we can.
We bought him a coat. I thought since we are giving him a coat, let’s look at what else he might _________. We brainstormed and decided to fill a _________ with useful things, a toothbrush, soap, wash clothes, some food, and a Christmas card.
A few days later, a _________ came in the mail. It was completely __________. A company I worked for was sued (起诉) and they had to __________ us for travel time, etc. It was not much, a few hundred dollars, but didn’t it come at the __________ time?
I had been reading kind stories and was moved by the __________ of strangers. We thought, let’s prepare backpacks and give them out on Christmas Eve to people who would otherwise have nothing to __________.
We __________ what that’s like. We haven’t had money to exchange __________ for Christmas in many years too. It feels __________ to have someone thinking of you at Christmas and truth be told, I’ve always been a little __________ when friends ask “What did you get for Christmas?” It always makes my wife feel bad that she can't __________ to give me anything and I feel the same. But that year we could __________ say what we gave to others and that’s exactly what happened.
1.A.hungry B.homeless C.desperate D.sad
2.A.Christmas B.New Year C.Halloween D.Thanksgiving Day
3.A.suit B.jacket C.sweater D.coat
4.A.lost B.stolen C.torn D.wet
5.A.choices B.money C.power D.suggestions
6.A.help B.improve C.plan D.reply
7.A.request B.take C.like D.need
8.A.box B.basket C.backpack D.bag
9.A.check B.letter C.magazine D.newspaper
10.A.secret B.satisfying C.unexpected D.puzzling
11.A.prepare B.pay C.beg D.ask
12.A.perfect B.wrong C.real D.present
13.A.loneliness B.selfishness C.admiration D.generosity
14.A.pray B.open C.eat D.celebrate
15.A.know B.predict C.imagine D.study
16.A.goods B.ideas C.gifts D.experiences
17.A.peaceful B.wonderful C.thrilling D.humorous
18.A.cautious B.excited C.disappointed D.embarrassed
19.A.seek B.attempt C.afford D.promise
20.A.naturally B.normally C.eagerly D.proudly
