“Quick, quick, slow, slow,” my husband said as I was trying to focus. We frequently stepped on each other’s feet. Both of us were being rhythmically(有节奏地)challenged, and we figured a series of lessons might help us look somewhat skilled on the dancing floor. However, it didn’t.
It didn’t matter that the lessons didn’t pay off. Our learning something new together gave us a string of good memories, such as taking a Thai cooking class on a cold Chicago night and learning how to make a classic cocktails in a common bar. These experiences are my best memories from the past 10 years. We always have such a great time when we’re trying something new together. It seems to have strengthened our relationship, and makes me feel like we have a closer connection.
It turns out my theory as such is backed by research. One study shows that learning new things with your spouse(配偶), friends, or partners, can strengthen your connection or friendship. But how exactly does this work? The key is weakness. “Learning new things together strengthens connection because it is at those moments that we can show our weakness to one another,” says Dr. Hisla Bates. “When we are learning a new task, misfortunes and failures are sure to happen. In those moments when we fail, the other party can be there in favor of us. We can Work together to find a solution, and working together helps deepen the connection.”
The benefits gained from learning new things with your partner can come from activities as small as hiking, trying a new diet, going boating in the local lake or taking a fitness class together. You don’t have to bungee jump or skydive to grow closer. Try selecting activities that both partners are unfamiliar with, as this will ensure you’re on the same page.
Trying to learn something new together once a month will benefit you and your spouse or friends . Overall, some of my best memories with my husband are the moments when we are learning something new together.
1.What were the author and her husband doing in Paragraph 1?
A.Playing sports. B.Practising dance. C.Teaching lessons. D.Taking a walk.
2.The underlined word backed (in Paragraph 3) can be probably replaced by_______.
A.judged B.made C.doubted D.supported
3.The purpose of writing this passage is to show us _______.
A.the challenge of gaining new knowledge
B.the advantages of taking different lessons
C.the power of learning new things together
D.the importance of improving people’s connections
假定你是李华，在报纸上得知Shelly-Ann下周会来到中国，她是有史以来最伟大的女子短跑运动员之一。请你给她写一封邮件，邀请她近期到你校做一次演讲。内容包括：
l.说明邀请她的原因；
2.告知演讲的时间和地点；
3 询问对方能否前来。
注意：1.词数 100词左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.开头和结束语已为你写好.
参考词汇:短跑运动员 sprinter
Dear Miss Shelly-Ann,
______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
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：l.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。
When I was a little boy, I see a science fiction film. It was about the future world, in that the way people lived was so astonished. What made me especially surprised was that I could drive cars in the sky! Since now, I have been curious the future world. Just about 100 years ago, flying in the sky seemed totally impossible, but now we can travel around a world by plane. With the latest achieve in technology, we can deal with most of our problem. Now we can even pay our bills online. I believe that the future world will become a much more nicer place than what it is.
I was sending my mum and sister off at the train station after their holiday visit. On the way I saw a man in a _______ in an empty place. It looked like he wasn't _______ shoes. _______ saying goodbye to my family, I went back to the place and he was there. His chair was on the incline（斜坡）leading to the street and it looked like he was _______ with his bare（赤裸的） feet to keep from _______ into the street.
I asked if he wanted me to _______ him back up. He nodded. I asked him to _______ his feet and pulled him back up into the place. He didn't answer me when I asked if this was _______ enough. Then, I opened the box I had _______ with me. It was a shoe box with an old pair of shoes that I had kept in my car. When I passed the shoes to him, you could have imagined the ________ on his face. First it was ________﹔and then it was happiness. When he spoke, I couldn't ________ what he said, but I knew he was thanking me ________.
On the way back to my car I saw a couple who were badly ________ and gave them a couple of my.________bags. As I drove past the ________ man, I saw he had already ________ one shoe and was working on the other.
Keeping old pairs of shoes and unused bags in my car for ________ like this is so much more important than ________ them out or selling them at a yard ________.
1.A.car B.restaurant C.wheelchair D.room
2.A.repairing B.wearing C.making D.cleaning
3.A.After B.Before C.During D.While
4.A.walking B.competing C.dashing D.struggling
5.A.sliding B.breaking C.turning D.bursting
6.A.push B.pull C.teach D.hit
7.A.look out B.take off C.put on D.pick up
8.A.long B.high C.far D.wide
9.A.brought B.taken C.bought D.borrowed
10.A.dirt B.look C.mark D.injury
11.A.sadness B.disappointment C.Suffering D.surprise
12.A.record B.believe C.understand D.miss
13.A.truly B.doubtfully C.clearly D.curiously
14.A.on B.off C.down D.away
15.A.unused B.worn C.new D.fashionable
16.A.old B.homeless C.first D.fortunate
17.A.put on B.turn off C.change into D.give away
18.A.accidents B.situations C.troubles D.behaviors
19.A.taking B.letting C.leaving D.throwing
20.A.sale B.amusement C.party D.game
Shyness is more common than you think, and it is stopping millions of people just like you from living more excitingly. 1. Here is how to break free from shyness.
Set realistic expectations.
Everyone wants something different. 2. As you learn these skills, it is important to be very clear about what you want and what it looks like. The goal here is to get you to feel good about being who you are and connecting with people.
3.
The most effective way to overcome shyness is to change your focus from you to them. Remember the last time you were in a situation and you were nervous or shy? I'd be willing to believe you were focusing on yourself; how you looked, what you were going to say, or how different you were from everyone else. Sure, it's important to be aware of how you are being thought, but people always remember how you make them feel. 4. People that shine are focusing on delivering, serving and benefiting others in some way.
Be interested instead of trying to be interesting.
Make the focus of every conversation about someone else at first. 5. Asking questions and caring about what the person says immediately gets you out of your own head and makes the person feel special.
A.Focus on sharing.
B.Remember not to stop others.
C.However, there is no reason you can't shine in your own way.
D.This will take the pressure off you and make them feel important.
E.Trying to pretend that you are not nervous makes people nervous.
F.To make them feel good, you must focus on sharing with them and helping them.
G.Some want to be on stage while others want to be comfortable in a business meeting.
If you have traveled a lot before, you might know that there are huge differences in communication between people from one country to another. In some cultures, people are loud, direct and even stop others speaking during a conversation. In others, people are usually soft-spoken, use flowery or indirect language and wait patiently for others to finish their talk.
During a business meeting, these differences are likely to come out. Try to get used to the way your business partners communicate, e. g. When calling and greeting your business partners and your boss, always use their last names and titles unless you are invited to do otherwise.
Hierarchies（等级制度）may have a great influence on the communication style in your new environment, so it is important to keep an eye on this. In some cultures, the elder business partner may be the one who is making the decisions at a meeting. Failing to know their identities within the company or to greet them with respect can leave a bad impression.
Generally speaking, well-dressed and arriving at a business meeting well-prepared are two very useful parts for your success in international business. Whether you are in France or in China, your business partners will appreciate your efforts to make a good impression.
Cultural differences also become obvious in different understanding of time. A popular example: Everyone would agree that Germans are well-known for their being on time. In many African and South American countries, however, agreed time is often treated like a general guideline rather than something one has to be strictly observed. Therefore, it is necessary to ask yourself; Is the time for a meeting unchangeable, or does it allow for some flexibility（灵活性）?Will you ruin a business deal by arriving late, or is it perfectly acceptable to let family matters over business meetings? Seeing how some cultures care about time more than others, it is always best to be on time at first.
1.What kind of difference is mentioned in paragraph l as an example?
A.Ways of talking. B.Language. C.Travel. D.Decoration.
2.What should you do when you are at a business meeting according to paragraph 3?
A.Speak loudly and listen carefully. B.Call the businessmen's last names.
C.Show respect for the elder partner. D.Pay attention to the first impression.
3.What will be appreciated by business partners in France?
A.Gentle whispering. B.The most popular dressing up.
C.Casual communication skills. D.Necessary preparations for meetings.
4.What can we learn from the example in paragraph 5?
A.Germans don't take fixed time seriously.
B.Most Africans are always on time in general.
C.It is wise to be on time wherever at the beginning.
D.Being late cannot be accepted in South American countries.
