Whenever I moved to a new city, the first thing I did was to hire a bicycle. Why? 1. You travel much faster than on foot and you notice so much more of your surroundings than when in a bus or a car. It's more appealing to wander down small streets if they seem interesting, as you can quickly get back to the main road. Besides, I soon discovered more benefits of cycling.
A bicycle means that fewer places, especially in a small city like the one where I live now, feel far away. For example, cycling to work takes me half the time that it would to walk, 2.
Of course, there are obvious health benefits of cycling — a bit of extra movement as part of your daily routine can help you keep fit and healthy. Cycling on my way to work also makes me feel more energetic in the mornings.
3. While cars pollute the environment，bicycles are carbon neutral (碳平衡的). Furthermore, thanks to being petrol-free, bicycles are cheaper to run, buy and fix than cars. Even if you don't own a car，a bicycle can pay for itself when compared to the price of bus tickets.
4. Always wear a helmet, pay attention to other traffic and don't forget your lights at night. Make sure you know the road rules, especially in a new place. Some cities are more bicycle-friendly than others. 5. Luckily, where I live now is quite easy to ride a bicycle around, thanks to having lots of cycle lanes and not too many hills!
A.However, be careful when you are cycling.
B.But sometimes city roads are difficult for cyclists.
C.I should learn to ride safely on the right of the road.
D.Importantly, cycling also helps to decrease your carbon footprint.
E.Cycling to work is fit for whoever wants to save their pocket money.
F.Riding a bicycle also means you aren't limited by the bus timetables.
G.Seeing a city by bicycle is perfect for settling in and learning your way around.
My mom was a beauty who seldom spent time and money on her physical appearance—especially in terms of fancy clothes or hairstyles. She just kept beautiful in her way： rest, water, exercise, vegetables and laughter.
My mom would tell me her father had her run his little corner store from the age of ten. She saw poor people come in, looking for food and making hard choices, like meat or cheese. She took their coins with an eye on the bottom line. It was up to her to ensure the register balanced at the end of the day. So from a young age, my mom had her mind conditioned about money.
However, my mom had one weakness： diamonds. In 1958, my teenage dad gave her a diamond chip as an engagement（订婚）ring, which she proudly wore until she saved enough for an “upgrade". By then, she was in her thirties. Over the years, my mom also acquired other diamond pieces like earrings. Mom wore them proudly and she simply loved the way her diamonds sparkled（闪耀）.
On my parents' 50th wedding anniversary, I treated them to dinner at a restaurant. It made her happy, but Mom had her eye on a big diamond to mark the occasion. My dad found her a six-carat（克拉）one. Mom said each carat represented a decade that she loved my dad, plus one to grow on. For the next six years, she never took it off her finger.
Knowing how my mom loved that diamond made it more special when she left it to me. After wearing it on my hand for a year, I decided to set it into a necklace where it'd be closer to my heart. It reminds me of my mom every day, no matter what I'm doing, and it speaks to me in unique ways.
1.What can we know about Mom?
A.She spent much on her makeup. B.She was a vain beautiful woman.
C.She kept beautiful in a natural way. D.She was proud of her appearance.
2.What made Mom careful about spending money?
A.The words of neighbors.
B.Her life in a poor family.
C.The choice of the poor people.
D.Her experience in her father's store.
3.Mom most probably thinks of the diamonds as a sign of_____ .
A.luck B.love C.status D.wealth
4.What is the best title for the text?
A.Mother's Love for Diamonds B.Love Between Mother and Daughter
C.Memories of Beautiful Diamonds D.Strong Love for a Determined Mother
As people age, the body changes in all sorts of predictable ways. Brains can slow. Wounds take longer to recover. And sleep patterns (模式) shift, too. This can come as news to many, says Michael V. Vitiello, a psychologist at the University of Washington who is expert in sleep in aging.
The most noticeable—and often most annoying—changes are how sleep and wake-up times change and sleep gets lighter, often beginning in middle age. Gone are weekend sleep to 11 a.m. and the ability to sleep through a noisy garbage truck down the block. Older drivers take longer to fall asleep, and they wake up more often. They tend to stay in the deepest stages of sleep for less time than younger adults.
Studies have found that poor sleep can create a particular threat to older adults—Falls, depression and anxiety, problems with memory, and increased suicide (自杀) risk are among the effects of sleep issues in this population group that researchers have found. But scientists are still unsure why those risk connections exist.
What is clear is the connection between good sleep and psychological well-being in older adults. A 2010 study showed us that connection when it came to sleep quality, but sleep quantity didn't show the same effects.
Experts say this may be the key to understanding sleep as you age. If you're sleeping less, but don't feel negative effects out of bed, the changes you notice may just be normal age-related. If you experience a sudden change in your sleep, or poor sleep is affecting your daily life, changing your personality, or your bedmate says you stop breathing when you snore, that could be a sign of something more serious and it's worth visiting your doctor.
1.What is one of the changes in sleep patterns with aging?
A.People tend to wake up later. B.People sleep more at weekends.
C.People take longer to fall asleep. D.People stay longer in deep sleep.
2.What will probably happen if the elderly have poor sleep?
A.They may threaten others. B.They may become anxious.
C.They may have better memory. D.They may be unaware of their risks.
3.What does the 2010 study imply?
A.Both sleep quality and quantity matter with aging.
B.Sleep quantity is the key to older people's mental health.
C.Sleeping well is good for older people's psychological health.
D.The relationship between quality and quantity is not yet clear.
4.What is the main idea of the passage?
A.Bedtime pattern changes as people age.
B.Poor sleep is more dangerous for older adults.
C.Bedtime pattern changes are not a sign of trouble.
D.People's body changes in different ways with aging.
About six years ago, I was on a plane next to a talkative woman. I was tired and wanted to take a nap. But before I could go into “Ignore mode”, she tapped me on the shoulder to introduce herself and I knew she was called Helga.
While talking with Helga, I mentioned that I had started an organization in high school called R.A.K.E (Random Acts of Kindness, Etc.). As I described what we did, Helga got very serious and told me that she thought “there was nothing more important in the world than Kindness.” I was curious why she was so enthusiastic and, as the plane took off, she talked about her last fight to Arizona three years ago. Just as the plane was about to leave for Phoenix, her father’s doctor called to inform her that her dad had suddenly passed away. For the three hour plane ride, she sat in stunned silence around strangers. When she arrived the airport in Arizona, she walked to the nearest wall, sat down, and cried.
And here is the part I’ll never forget about Helga’s story. For two hours she sat and wept while thousands walked to and from at the airport. Helga looked at me and said, “Houston, nobody stopped and asked if I was okay that day. Not a single person. It was that day that I realized Kindness Isn’t Normal.”
Kindness Isn’t Normal. That has stuck with me all these years — especially now that I work in schools nationwide speaking about sympathy, kindness and love. I’m reminded all the time that, we spend so much time worrying about our problems and our lives that we walk by or ignore people in need of kindness every day. I’m often so worried about ME that I’m really bad at taking care of YOU.
So, I’ve made it my duty to do my part in making Kindness Normal. I share stories with students, teachers, and parents about our need for character and compassion. I provide young people with practical ways to exercise Kindness (they don’t always know what it looks like!).
1.If you go into “ignore mode” you ______.
A.pay no attention to others B.introduce yourself voluntarily
C.refuse to answer any questions D.start talking with other people
2.Why did Helga cry at the airport?
A.She knew that her father died. B.She felt sick after a long flight
C.She was surrounded by strangers. D.She arrived at a completely new city.
3.Helga’s story helps the author to_______.
A.teach more people in need B.set up the organization R.A.K.E.
C.pay more attention to his problem D.realize the present situation of kindness
4.What is the best title for the passage?
A.A Kind Woman B.Ways to Be Kind
C.Welcome to R.A.K.E. D.Make Kindness Normal
Online Event：What Happened at the Big Bang（爆炸）？
Over the past few decades, we've made unbelievable discoveries about how our universe developed over the past 13. 8 billion years. But we still know very little about what happened in the first seconds after the big bang.
In the latest New Scientist online event, the speaker Dan Hooper will examine how physicists are using experiments to re-create the conditions of the big bang, and to deal with mysteries like how our universe came to contain so much matter and so little antimatter.
•Early bird ticket offer £ 12, and your ticket includes:
—Live lecture lasting 40 minutes
—Question & Answer with Dan Hooper
—On-demand access to a recording of the lecture and Q & A, available（可得到的）to watch for 12 months —An additional 40-minute physics lecture
● About the speaker:
Dan Hooper is a senior scientist and the head of the theoretical astrophysics group at the Fermi National Accelerator Lab, as well as a professor of the University of Chicago. He is especially interested in questions about dark matter and the early universe.
●Event information:
This online event will start at 6 pm on Thursday, July 9 and will last for about one hour. Access to a recording of the event will be available from July 10 to ticket buyers for the 12 months following the live event.
●Booking information:
Tickets are only refundable（可退还的）if New Scientist stops this event. New Scientist Ltd has the right to change the event and its arrangement, or stop the event. Tickets are only available in advance through New Scientist website.
1.What benefit can the ticket buyers enjoy?
A.Interviewing the speaker face to face.
B.Taking someone else to attend the lecture.
C.Getting a video tape of a 40-minute physics lecture.
D.Watching a recording of the event within one year.
2.What can we know about Dan Hooper?
A.He works at a university.
B.He is a world-famous writer.
C.He is the head of New Scientist Ltd.
D.His study focuses on questions about online events.
3.What do you have to do if you want to attend the event?
A.Get in touch with Hooper. B.Buy a ticket ahead of time.
C.Arrive before 6 pm on the day. D.Get permission from the organizer.
假如你是李华，你在英国的笔友Peter写信来询问你在生活中最值得尊敬的人是谁。请你给他写一封回信，内容应包括：
1.你尊敬的人是谁；
2.他或她的主要事迹；
3.你尊敬他的理由。
注意:1．词数100左右;
2．可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯。
