When my daughter was in grade school, she brought home four tiny twigs one day. They were small _______given to the students to plant. None of them looked very hardy, but with a _______ for the future, I planted them in our backyard. Over the years the _______ soil brought an end to three of them.
All that was _______ was a single evergreen. It never got very tall and _______ to one side. Then, I noticed that it was starting to _______. The lower branches were becoming brown. Only the top ones of the tree were still _______.
I did my best to _______it by feeding it a lot of fertilizer (肥料), but it seemed hopeless. One morning I went out and looked at it again, _______ if it would be better to just cut it down. As I walked over to take a closer look at it, ________, I noticed something moving among the branches. It was a bird ________ building a nest (巢) in the topmost branches. I smiled and ________ that maybe this old tree had some life and usefulness left in it yet. It may not be healthy or pretty, but it was still giving a bird a ________.
This tree ________ me that all of our lives have a purpose. It doesn’t matter if we are young and strong, or old and sick. Until our last ________ we still have things to do: love for us to give, and joy for us to share. We can help to make this world a better and lovelier place.
1.A.flowers B.seeds C.trees D.vegetables
2.A.life B.hope C.chance D.end
3.A.rich B.soft C.poor D.deep
4.A.left B.gone C.deserted D.planted
5.A.turned B.bent C.sank D.flew
6.A.take B.lose C.grow D.die
7.A.green B.brown C.tiny D.pretty
8.A.change B.cut C.use D.save
9.A.regretting B.asking C.wondering D.knowing
10.A.however B.therefore C.moreover D.otherwise
11.A.freely B.busily C.gently D.vividly
12.A.whispered B.shouted C.decided D.wished
13.A.home B.purpose C.branch D.way
14.A.upset B.reminded C.ensured D.affected
15.A.night B.lesson C.word D.breath
When you felt thankful, you can consider writing a thank - you note. It’s a good way to show and share your gratitude. The person you are writing will be happy to know that their actions made a difference. 1.
Use a greeting.
2. It addresses the person who is being written to. “Dear…” is a popular greeting. You might want to use this if you’re writing to a teacher, a caregiver or another grown - up. If you’re writing a note to a friend or classmate, you can use a casual greeting, such as “ Hello …” “ Hi …”.
3.
In a thank you note, it’s a good idea to get right to your point! Begin your letter with a sentence that states that you are thankful and what you are thankful for. Here are a few ideas for how to begin this first sentence: “Thank you so much for…” “I am grateful for. . .” “I want to express my gratitude for... ”
Be specific.
After you’ve explained what you are grateful for, use details. Specific examples will help explain why you are grateful. The details here will depend on your own experience. The most important part is sharing how the person’s behavior made you feel. It’s okay to be brief! You don’t have to write pages and pages. 4.
Use a complimentary close.
Sign off with a complimentary close. That’s the word or phrase that appears right before your signature at the bottom of a letter. Popular closings include “Sincerely,” “Warm Wishes” and “With Gratitude. ”
Finally, double - check that there are no errors. 5. Once your note is on its way to the reader, you can just enjoy the good feelings that follow when you practice gratitude.
A.Write a draft on paper first.
B.Open with a thankful statement.
C.When you’re done, it’s time to send it off!
D.Receiving the note will brighten their day.
E.The greeting of a letter goes at the very top.
F.A short note can still be specific and heartfelt.
G.Here are a few tips for writing a thoughtful thank you note.
Australia’s bush fires are threatening the country’s unique wildlife —from koalas to native birds to bees —and researchers fear that some species are being pushed to the brink of extinction. The fires have killed at least 26 people, burned thousands of homes and could shave as much as 0. 4% of economic growth, according to some experts.
More than 13,000 head of livestock have been killed by the fires in New South Wales state, where more than 20,000 square miles of land has been burned. The fires threaten to rage on into February—summer - time in Australia —or longer.
Scientists say at least six species are in danger. “There’s great concern that these fires may have pushed species closer to extinction or potentially over,” said Deakin University wildlife ecologist Euan Ritchie. “We won’ t know until we get into the areas,” he said.
Some scientists are concerned about a metallic - green bee that lives exclusively in areas that have been ravaged by fire, along Australia’s east coast and on Kangaroo Island in the south. Researchers suspect the green carpenter bee has been wiped out on Kangaroo Island.
“The species is likely to be in terrible conditions, as all of its habitat has now either burnt or is threatened by fire,” said Katja Hogendoorn, a bee expert at the University of Adelaide, who has been working for half a decade to preserve the population of green carpenter bees on Kangaroo Island.
1.What can we learn from Paragraph One?
A.The wildlife is well protected in Australia.
B.The fires also damage Australian economy.
C.The bush fires have lasted for a long time.
D.The bush fires are frequent in Australia.
2.How might Euan Ritchie feel about ecological losses?
A.Curious. B.Concerned.
C.Unexpected. D.Surprised.
3.Why are scientists worried about the metallic - green bee?
A.It will all be burnt to death. B.It is gradually dying out.
C.It might lose its natural home. D.It will move to other places.
4.Where might you find this text?
A.In a story book. B.In a textbook.
C.In a newspaper. D.In a traveling guide.
In 1826, a Frenchman named Niepce needed pictures for his business, but he was not a good artist. So he invented a very simple camera. He put it in a window of his house and took a picture of his yard. That was the first photograph.
The next important date in the history of photography was 1837. That year, Daguerre, another Frenchman, took a picture of his studio. He used a new kind of camera and a different process. In his pictures, you could see everything very clearly, even the smallest details. This kind of photograph was called a daguerreotype.
Soon, other people began to use Daguerre’s process. Travelers brought back daguerreotypes from all around the world. People photographed famous buildings, cities and mountains. In about 1840, photographers could take pictures of people and moving things. Mathew Brady was a well - known American photographer. He took many pictures of famous people. He was also the first person to take pictures of a war. His 1862 Civil War pictures showed dead soldiers and ruined cities. They made the war seem more real and more terrible.
In the 1880s, new inventions began to change photography. Photographers could buy films ready - made in rolls. So they did not have to make the film themselves. The invention of the small handheld camera made photography less expensive. With the small camera, anyone could be a photographer. They took pictures of their families, friends and favorite places. They called these pictures “snapshot”.
Photographs became very popular in newspapers in the 1890s. Soon magazines and books also used documentary photographs. These pictures showed true events and people. They were much more real than drawing.
Photography also turned into a form of art by the end of the 19th century. Some photographs were not just copies of the real world. They showed ideas and feelings, like other art forms.
1.What was special about Daguerre’s pictures?
A.They were used for his business.
B.They were clearer than Niepce’s.
C.They were the first colored pictures.
D.They were for an artistic purpose.
2.What can we learn about Mathew Brady?
A.He took pictures of American Civil War.
B.He was the first to photograph people.
C.He invented a new type of camera.
D.He was a hero during the Civil War.
3.What made photography accessible to common people?
A.The handheld camera.
B.The ready - made films in rolls.
C.Newspapers and magazines.
D.Popularity of travelling.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.The history the film industry.
B.The invention of camera.
C.The development of photography.
D.The role of photographs.
We know it’s good to learn another language，and it’s fun too. But to improve our language skills, many of us have to endure hours of school lessons or evening classes, with our heads buried in textbooks. It’s no wonder that technology appears to be providing a better and more accessible way of learning.
There is certainly a huge demand for language learning, and having a smart phone means you can have a virtual teacher with you wherever you go. Many app developers are keen to earn money on the demand, and there are numerous learning apps available.
Some educational apps offer languages not popular enough to be taught at evening classes, or at most universities. And others offer “invented” language courses in Esperanto, Elvish and Star Trek’s Klingon — lessons you might not find in a traditional classroom. Whatever you want to learn, apps allow you to go at your own pace and fit learning around other tasks. But they’re not perfect — you might not get your head round the grammar and will lack the partner support you could get in a classroom environment.
So, does technology imply the end of traditional classrooms and teachers? Guy Baron, head of modern languages at Aberystwyth University, thinks not. He thought that apps should be used alongside traditional classroom methods. And he adds: “The apps are not formal. . . they’re not designed for degrees, but they could be additional resources.”
Certainly, technology is going to help in and outside the classroom. But attending a real lesson, facing a real teacher, probably forces you to be more devoted. Motivation can be a problem when using an app. But if you have a genuine and practical reason to learn another language, you will no doubt stick with it.
1.What is the benefit of language learning apps?
A.You can learn with a partner.
B.You needn’t pay any money.
C.They provide grammar lessons.
D.They meet your personal demands.
2.What do the underlined words refer to in Paragraph 3?
A.Languages. B.Learning apps.
C.Universities. D.Teachers.
3.What is Guy Baron’s opinion about the learning apps?
A.They are of no help to learners.
B.They will replace traditional teaching.
C.They provide the most effective resources.
D.They should be combined with classroom methods.
4.Which does the author think is important in using the learning apps?
A.The instructor. B.Confidence.
C.The classroom. D.Motivation.
Teenage summer camps
We helped on a nature reserve (保护区) for a week. We did different things every day, including cutting the reeds (芦苇) by the lake. Every day, we took turns to cook, in teams of five. When it was our team’s turn, we made a simple dinner of pasta and salad for everyone. Judging by the fact that there was none left, we didn’t do too badly!
—Adam
We stayed with families who had kids of our own age, and because they were on a mid - term break, they came with us on all the trips. So except when we were actually in a language class, we were spending time with our new friends. It was a great way to practice English we had been working on in the classroom.
—Oliver
Every morning we had the same breakfast, and then cleaned up the camp. When it was all completely tidy, we could head off for the day. The first time we went into the city, we were put into teams and given lists of things to spot, like statues, squares and other landmarks. With some help from the locals, my team found almost all of the things on our list and came second. We went to different museums and galleries in and around the city every day. It was a great chance to learn about another country and its history.
—Sarah
1.What do we know about the food Adam’s team made?
A.It didn’t taste good. B.It was very popular.
C.It was healthy. D.No one liked it.
2.What did Oliver find great?
A.Staying with the local families. B.Helping the kids learn English.
C.Making friends with the locals. D.Practising English with the native.
3.What did Sarah’s team do?
A.They helped protect wild animals. B.They took a language course.
C.They made a cultural tour. D.They enjoyed the natural scenery.
