It's often said that you can judge a person by looking at what's on their bookshelves. Well, when l asked myself this question a few years ago, I made a (n) _______ discovery. Pretty much all the _______ on my bookshelves were written by British authors, and there was almost nothing in translation from other _______ .What a shame! So, I decided to launch my _______ reading project.
But how could I find books from much of the rest of the world? I had to ask for _______. So in October 2011, I started my blog, and 1 _______ a short appeal online. Within hours, people began to _______ . At first, it was friends and colleagues. Then it was friends of friends. And soon, it was _______ .
Four days later, I got a(n) _______ from a woman called Rafidah in Kuala Lumpur. She said she loved my project, ________ if she could go to her local English-language bookshop and choose my Malaysian book and post it to me. I accepted ________ , and a few weeks later, a package ________ containing no one, but two books—Rafidah's choice from Malaysia, and a book from Singapore that she had also ________ for me. At the time, I was ________ that a stranger more than 6,000 miles away would go to such lengths to help someone she would probably never ________ .
But Rafidah's kindness ________ to be the pattern for that year. Time and again, people went out of their ________to help me. And books often came from ________ sources. A writer even emailed me an unpublished translation of his novel to me, allowing me to become one of the ________ people ever to read that book in English.
That year, thanks to kind strangers from the four ________ of the world. I read books from over 100 countries.
1.A.pleasing B.shocking C.exciting D.touching
2.A.books B.dictionaries C.photos D.discs
3.A.accents B.cultures C.backgrounds D.languages
4.A.national B.global C.official D.beneficial
5.A.money. B.direction C.help D.permission
6.A.posted B.returned C.received D.searched
7.A.come into view B.get in touch C.take no notice D.come to life
8.A.stars B.writers C.strangers D.adults
9.A.parcel B.gift C.envelope D.message
10.A.wondering B.doubting C.worrying D.realizing
11.A.cautiously B.unwillingly C.enthusiastically D.intentionally
12.A.rose B.arrived C.dropped D.fell
13.A.picked out B.come across C.given away D.dealt with
14.A.confused B.embarrassed C.terrified D.amazed
15.A.meet B.attract C.hurt D.ignore
16.A.appeared B.happened C.proved D.claimed
17.A.home B.company C.business D.way
18.A.useful B.surprising C.familiar D.ordinary
19.A.best B.first C.last D.latest
20.A.corners B.squares C.oceans D.sides
Those who are good at expressing gratitude often practice the following.
Don't avoid the negative.
Expressing gratitude may generate more optimism. 1. Emmons, a gratitude researcher and psychology professor at the University of California, says that while we often associate gratitude with focusing on the good and avoiding the bad, the key to leading a thankful life is embracing setbacks as part of your overall journey. Emmons suggests recalling a hard time you once experienced. Chances are that you'll start to feel grateful for your current state and overcoming former challenges.
Spend time with loved ones.
2. They make it a habit to spend time with those people who matter most. "Gratitude really helps us connect to other people," Emmons says. "It actually strengthens relationships and relationships are the strongest predictors of happiness and coping with stress."
3.
There's power in the small, ordinary moments, like catching the subway before the doors close or your pet greeting you happily when you get home. Look for a few things to add to your gratitude list.
Volunteer.
Everyone needs a little help sometimes and grateful people know there's no other way to acknowledge this than by actively doing something about it. In his book, Thanks! Emmons wrote, ” 4.” As research published in BMC Public Health points out, volunteering can result in lower feelings of depression and increased overall well-being.
Love yourself.
Grateful people know that their thankful attitude can also fuel self-compassion. A study published in the journal Personality and Individual Differences found that higher levels of gratitude were associated with greater self-esteem. And it's no wonder: When your well-being is a priority, you can't help but feel great. Thankful for being the person that you are5.
A.Know the value of the little things.
B.Since service to others helped them to find their own inner spirituality, they were grateful for the opportunity to serve.
C.Help others appreciate the value of the little things.
D.However, thankful people also don't shy away from the negative.
E.That should be at the top of your gratitude list.
F.Thankful people know they didn't get to where they are by themselves.
G.Gratitude and fitness can go hand-in-hand.
Pangolins (穿山甲) are the most trafficked (非法交易) mammals in the world and are facing extinction. To draw attention to these scaly (有鳞片的), anteater-like animals, a new wildlife documentary, Eye of the Pangolin, is attempting a unique way to inspire action and conservation. Partnering with the non-profit organization Pangolin. Africa, the documentary was made available on YouTube in May 2019. The intention is to reach communities wherever the Internet is available, especially African communities, who live near the animal’s habitats.
Over two years, the documentary crew traveled to South Africa, Ghana, Central African Republic and Gabon in search of the four unique species of pangolin, which has never been achieved before. Filmmakers Bruce Young and Johan Vermeulen say that they went into the shoot knowing relatively little about pangolins, but grew to respect and appreciate the animals. Getting close to the creatures over two years was a crash course in these secretive creatures. Johan Vermeulen said, "One thing however that might seem unimportant is that they are actually quite fussy eaters. You would think they would eat any type of ant, but they all prefer a specific type ant."
Pangolins are hunted illegally across Africa for their scales, which are used for traditional medicine, and their meat. In April 2019, Singaporean customs officials conducted two separate seizures of 24 tons of pangolin scales, which equals to the death of 69,000 pangolins.
Though the documentary focuses less on the trafficking of pangolins, and more on the animals in their natural habitat, the aim of the documentary is to inspire viewers around the world to call for action to end trafficking and protecting these unique creatures.
Filmed on location in South Africa, Ghana, Central African Republic, and Gabon, this powerful documentary is the story of two men on a mission to get all four species of African pangolin on camera for the very first time.
1.What is the purpose of the documentary?
A.To study the situation of pangolins.
B.To collect fund to protect pangolins.
C.To raise awareness of pangolin protection.
D.To propose setting up pangolin reserves.
2.What is the meaning of the underlined word “fussy” in paragraph 2?
A.Picky. B.Messy.
C.Showy. D.Heavy.
3.What’s the documentary mainly about?
A.The illegal trade of pangolins.
B.The medical function of pangolin's scales.
C.The life of pangolins in their natural habitats.
D.The efforts of Pangolin, Africa to save pangolins.
4.Where is the text most likely from?
A.A brochure. B.A diary.
C.A novel. D.A magazine.
Would you carry around an electronic ID, not in your pocket, but in your body? Does this idea scare you or make you feel safe?
The first computer ID chip(芯片) that could be planted under a person’s skin might be marketed very soon.
Developed by Applied Digital, an American technology company based in Florida, the device(发明物) could meet the need for public security(安全) after the September 11 attacks.
For airports, nuclear power plants(核电站) and other high security facilities, the immediate effects are obvious.
The technology could help put an end to false ID cards, because it would be difficult to remove and copy a tiny computer chip. The chip is as small as a grain of rice.
The technology would also allow satellites to track a person’s every movement and store medical records.
These uses are already attracting interest for tasks like fighting against kidnappings(绑架), or helping with medical operations.
But some people are afraid of the loss of privacy(隐私).
“You always have to think about what the device could be used for tomorrow,” said Lee Tien, a senior privacy lawyer in the United States.
“At first a device is used for applications we all agree are good, but then it slowly starts being used for more than it was intended,” he said.
However, Applied Digital says it will soon apply for government permission for the device. It says that the first people to use the chip will be volunteers.
Getting the implant(需移植的芯片) would go something like this:
A person or company buys the chip from Applied Digital for about US $ 200. And the company encodes(编码) it with the desired information.
The customer then takes the chip to their doctor, who can plant it with a large needle.
The device has no power supply, rather it is activated(使活动, 使运行) by a scanner(扫描仪) running across the skin above it. Without a scanner, the chip cannot be read.
Even with the privacy concern, some are already eager to use the product.
Jell Jacobs from Florida hopes to become the first buyer of the chip to store his medical records. Suffering from a serious illness, he wants to make sure doctors can help him quickly.
Eight Latin American companies have also shown interests in the device. It could help to find any tourists who are kidnapped.
1.The best title for the passage is _______.
A.Why Is the New ID Necessary B.Getting a New Kind of ID Under Your Skin
C.An Advertisement for Chips D.Where to Buy the Chip
2.Which of the following is true according to the text?
A.In some airports and factories such device is already being used.
B.The information on the chip can be read when it has its power supply.
C.The technology could help put an end to false ID cards.
D.The first computer ID chip has already come into the market.
3.What is the advantage with the electronic ID according to the passage?
A.It can store people’s medical records and help with medical operations.
B.With this people will have no fear of losing privacy.
C.It’s cheap to buy and easy to get.
D.It is developed by Applied Digital in Florida.
4.What can we learn about Jeff Jacobs?
A.He’s a worker in Applied Digital, a company in Florida.
B.He’s a doctor who helps plant tile chips on people.
C.He fears if he uses the chip he will lose privacy.
D.He’s suffering from a serious illness and wants to buy the chip.
I wanted a change of pace, a break from routine. The past few years found me working long hours at my marketing job while my husband, Steven, put in equally full days as a physics tutor. We were both burned out from the constant boredom.
Vacation experiences at first glance seem a little difficult for us. How do you find comfort in an ever-changing environment? And I, someone who enjoys more planned fun, had to adapt.
But I was surprised at how easily I was able to adapt to a new mode of operation, a more relaxed version of myself who wasn’t worried where we’d park and sleep each night. The fact that we both became so accustomed to sleeping in the back of a cargo van is another surprise we experienced on this journey. The van was our main transportation and, with a full-size bed in the back, it also provided us with a bit of comfort that made us continue. At first, every sound outside was foreign, and we both took longer to fall-and stay-asleep. But, after a couple of weeks into van life, we let the sounds fade into soft background music.
Over the course of our seven- month trip, one of our big goals was to come away from each park with one spectacular image. That shared goal placed us on the same team: It brought us together, even more than before, gave us more to talk about, and encouraged us to motivate each other along the way.
By this point, you’re probably wondering how we paid for all of this, or maybe you’re assuming we come from wealthy backgrounds. The truth is, we actually managed this entire adventure on a middle-class budget. Steven did part-time remote work about 10 hours per week for his employer from the road. I ended up finding some temporary jobs through the trip. We also continued our photography business, setting up an online shop to sell our landscapes.
We only visited some parks in the 48 states. And the experience would still be worth every penny. It is really a chance to lose and find ourselves in our nation’s park lands.
1.Why did the author want to change?
A.Because she wanted a rest from daily routine.
B.Because she was interested in travelling.
C.Because she fell ill with long working hours.
D.Because she didn't like her marketing job.
2.What did the author think of the vacation before the journey?
A.Exciting. B.Helpful.
C.Doubtful. D.Boring.
3.What can we infer from the last but one paragraph?
A.The couple visited 48 states during the trip.
B.The couple tried different jobs to maintain their trip.
C.The husband worked harder than the wife.
D.The couple came from a middle-class family.
4.What is the passage mainly about?
A.Introducing a couple’s daily life.
B.Sharing a couple’s travel experience.
C.Showing the importance of traveling.
D.Advising some travel plans to readers.
Celebrate Take Your Child to the Library Day with free events
Libraries across Long Island will offer a variety of face painting, crafts, games and shows this Saturday in celebration of Take Your Child to the Library Day.
Here is how libraries around Long Island will celebrate:
Harborfields Public library
Young children can spend the morning singing and dancing with Ms. Diane Young. Children of all ages can participate in a get — to — know — your — library hunt from 12 p.m. to 2 p.m. and 2 p.m. to 4:30 p.m., with a prize awarded to everyone who finishes the hunt.
When: 11 a.m. - 4:30 p.m.
Where: 31 Broadway, Greenlawn
More info: Free and open to all, tickets are required for the magic and comedy show; 631-757-4200, harborfieldslibrary.org
Patchogue-Medford library
Spend the day with the very hungry caterpillar taking photos, playing games and making caterpillar crafts. A library representative will be on hand to talk about library programs and services. “it’s a chance for families to come and connect with the library and to learn all about the services that we offer and good for families to spend time together,” said Patchogue-Medford Library children’s librarian Elizabeth Ramos.
When: 1 p.m.-3 p.m.
Where: 54-60 East Main Street, Patchogue
More info: Free and open to all; 631-654-4700, pmlib.org
Henry Waldinger Memorial library
Children 3 months to 13 years can color and create bookmark crafts. The first 25 children will receive a free book. The library will also raffle off (抽奖) a basket of books and other goodies.
When: 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
Where: 60 Verona Place, Valley Stream
More info: Free and open to all, preference given to Valley Stream library cardholders; 516-825-6422, valleystreamlibrary.org
Connetquot Public library
Kids can spend the morning making crafts and taking green screen photos. There will also be a balloon artist and raffles.
When: 11 a.m. -12:30 p.m.
Where: 760 Ocean Avenue, Bohemia
More info: Free and open to all; 631-567-5079, connetquotlibrary.org
1.Which activity needs tickets for admission?
A.The magic and comedy show. B.Taking green screen photos.
C.The morning singing and dancing. D.A get — to — know — your — library hunt.
2.Which phone number will you ring to join in family activities?
A.631-757-4200. B.631-654-4700.
C.516-825-6422. D.631-567-5079.
3.Which library will offer some free books?
A.Harborfields Public Library. B.Patchogue-Medford Library.
C.Henry Waldinger Memorial Library . D.Connetquot Public Library.
