I joined the army as an infantryman (步兵) instead of as a helicopter pilot because I only had the literacy (读写) level of an 11-year-old. I had no idea that I had a reading level that _______; I had just _______ words when I didn’t know them, and usually ended up getting them wrong.
It was just before I turned 19 that I _______ my very first book. I can vividly remember the sense of _______ and achievement I felt. It was meant for primary school children but I didn’t _______. I had read a whole book, and I was _______. From then on I read anything and everything I could get. I just wanted to get as much _______ as I could.
I learned in those days at the _______ education center. There are always people looking forward to helping you and _______ you stuff. But you are never going to ________ unless you keep learning. The unbelievable educational ________ that the army offers make it one of the few places that can help you climb up the ladder of social classes in the UK.
For me, improving my literacy level had another more surprising ________. When I left the army, I was asked to write a(n) ________ of the Bravo Two Zero Mission and that led to the unexpected career change of becoming a(n) ________.
I have spent quite a bit of time over the past few years ________ schools, and workplaces, as well as army bases and businesses, to talk about my past and ________ others to start reading and writing like me. The ________ I give to all the people that I chat to is that if I can do it, anyone can. If that is a message that even one of them accepts and ________, then it has been ________. My experience shows that the best soldier out there is the one with a ________ card.
1.A.high B.new C.low D.senior
2.A.gone over B.made up C.put down D.taken back
3.A.wrote B.received C.bought D.read
4.A.pride B.beauty C.duty D.security
5.A.panic B.care C.doubt D.agree
6.A.depressed B.puzzled C.trapped D.hooked
7.A.wealth B.knowledge. C.support D.freedom
8.A.community B.nursery C.army D.health
9.A.showing B.selling C.lending D.teaching
10.A.progress B.climb C.graduate D.manage
11.A.expenses B.backgrounds C.opportunities D.requirements
12.A.trouble B.burden C.outcome D.challenge
13.A.email B.diary C.scheme D.report
14.A.athlete B.typist C.author D.porter
15.A.visiting B.attending C.constructing D.inspecting
16.A.permitting B.encouraging C.commanding D.preferring
17.A.message B.story C.impression D.influence
18.A.changes B.uses C.questions D.ignores
19.A.valuable B.useless C.ridiculous D.worthwhile
20.A.library B.credit C.business D.fitness
Both men and women are living longer these days in industrialized countries. 1. In general, they can expect to live six or seven years more than men. One reason for this is biological.
One important biological factor that helps women live longer is the difference in hormones between men and women. 2. Between the ages of about 12 and 50, women produce hormones that are involved in fertility(生育能力). These hormones also have a positive effect on the heart and blood flow. In fact, women are less likely to have high blood pressure or to die from heart attacks.
3.They help the body defend itself against some kinds of infections. This means that women generally ger sick less often and less seriously than men. The common cold is a good example: women, on average, get fewer colds than men.4.Scientists are still not exactly sure how influence aging, but they believe that they do. Some think that a woman’s body cells have a tendency(向) to age more slowly than a man’s. Others think that a man’s body cells have a tendency to age more quickly.5.
A.However, women, on average, live longer.
B.The biological factor plays an important part.
C.Women are also helped by their female genes.
D.The female hormones also protect the body in another way.
E.Recent research seems to support both of these possibilities.
F.Therefore, women are more healthy than men and can live a better life.
G.Hormones are chemicals which are produced by the body to control carious body functions.
One day, I was taking a nap in the red chair in my office when I woke up to the sound of a car crash. I sat up and looked, immediately, out my window. Across the street, in a parking lot, a car had just backed into a chain-link fence. The car must have been moving fast, because it was in bad shape: Its hood had popped up. The fence was damaged, bent out in exactly the shape of the car’s back end.
I watched the driver get out of the car. He was strong with a shaved head; he wore cargo shorts and a flannel (法兰绒) shirt unbuttoned to expose his chest hair. I disliked him immediately. After a few seconds of assessing the damage, he attempted to pull the ruined fence back into place, but it wouldn’t move. He tried to push the fallen piece of bumper back onto his car, but that only made the rest of his bumper fall off too.
I sat in my red chair, looking out my window, silently cheering. I think I laughed out loud. This was a ridiculous masterpiece. He climbed out from under the collapsed fence and limped back to the apartment building above the lot, rubbing his elbow. The man—that disgusting man—was going to leave all the chaos behind for someone else to clean up.
But the man appeared a few minutes later with some tools. He got to work immediately, removing one of the fence’s bent support bars and hammering it straight on the asphalt (沥青). For the next hour, I watched out my window as he doggedly(固执地) fixed the fence, even improved it. Now the fence would be extra secure, stronger than before, impossible to damage.
This strange man was actually a hero. I was the lazy one, with my kneejerk (应激反应) judgments, my superiority (优越感) from three stories up. My ugly assumptions, I realized, were all about myself. I would never have fixed that fence; I would have panicked and run away.
Years later, I still look out my window at that fence almost every day. It still looks brand new, It makes me wonder what else that man has improved, and how I can make myself more like him.
1.Why did the driver leave a bad first impression on the writer?
A.Because he badly damaged the fence.
B.Because he acted rudely and impolitely.
C.Because he escaped and left the mess to others.
D.Because he had a strange appearance and dressed casually.
2.The last two paragraphs tell us that ________.
A.if the writer were the driver, he thought he would do better
B.the writer gave a quick judgment from his previous experiences
C.the driver acted like a hero and had a great influence on the writer
D.the writer looks out his window often and expects to see the driver again
3.Which of the following words can best describe the driver?
A.Rude but honest. B.Lazy but strong-minded.
C.Impatient but generous. D.Ordinary-looking but responsible.
4.What can be the best title of the text?
A.Don’t Judge a Book by Its Cover
B.One’s Thinking Directs One’s Actions
C.Treat Other People As You Hope They Will Treat You
D.The Environment Depends on What You Think in You Mind
A bunch of strangers showed up at the gym in the early morning of the last Sunday of April. A few athletes were already stretching their arms, but most of us could barely focus. As I was burning off last night’s wrong decision-a big meal, I spotted a poster about a gym’s 21-day workout challenge, and I immediately signed up. I always wanted to train for a marathon, so I considered this as my warm-up. Besides, I needed to stop being lazy and this was my chance to make a change.
It was easy to promise on paper, but three weeks of recommended exercise routines and diet restrictions wouldn’t be easy, I stuck to working out 30 minutes a day, and I didn’t disturb my normal routine. Instead, I had to be faced with the tough work of being more creative in my spare time, thus breaking some bad habits.
Overcoming weaknesses with willpower was my goal for the next part of the journey. But the difficult part about making a challenge is realizing that “wanting” and “doing” are two very different things. Just like a career, you have to physically work for it rather than just wait for it to happen. But that’s hard. Throughout the 22 days, I often told myself that the challenge was meaningless and tried to sabotage myself from exercising. However, finally I overcame that negative thought and kept working out.
At the end of the challenge, I learned something even more important: Feeling the results is better than seeing them. I had fewer headaches and more energy, and was simply happier. I even felt a little smarter as I researched which foods were better for my body, and learned how to make healthier meals. I felt a sense of accomplishment, too, because even though I wanted to give up dozens of times, I didn’t. I felt my waist got smaller and my arms got stronger, and I no longer felt guilty after having a piece of cake or a drink.
1.What is paragraph 2 mainly about?
A.Some of the author’s bad habits.
B.Some ways of the author’s killing his spare time.
C.The importance of sticking to the normal daily routine.
D.The difficulty of the author’s keeping on with the workout plan.
2.What does the underlined word“sabotage”in paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.prevent B.hear
C.improve D.distinguish
3.What did the author learn from the workout challenge?
A.Eating healthy food is more important than exercising.
B.Overcoming a challenge could bring good feelings to him.
C.It’s more important to see what he likes than just feel it.
D.There was no need to feel guilty about things he disliked to do.
Booking a vacation has never been more convenient than with Vacations Made Easy, which has everything you need to book an unforgettable getaway. If you aren't sure where to go, check out our most popular destinations:
Myrtle Beach SC
If coastal views and oceanic adventures are up your alley, then Myrtle Beach, SC is the place for you! This city is known for its stunning beaches and adventures that offer up unique opportunities to create the most unforgettable memories. Set out on the sparkling waters to look for dolphins on the Myrtle Beach Dolphin Sightseeing Cruises. The Legends in Concert show is sure to be a blast as well!
Nashville TN
It is the capital of the state as well as the capital of country music. Affectionately nicknamed ‘Music City’, Nashville is where many of the most legendary performers got their start. There are many amazing activities to enjoy here. Country music lovers can witness a show at the legendary Grand Ole Opry.
Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg TN
Home to the Great Smoky Mountains, filled with natural wonders and amazing shows, the Pigeon Forge & Gatlinburg TN is a must-see. Create new memories and enjoy the beauty of the Smokies when you visit these cities! There are also plenty of fun opportunities for outdoor adventure and more in this area!
San Antonio TX
Home to rich Texan and American history, San Antonio, TX is a great place to visit for a combination of history and modern attractions. Whether you want to get in some thrills at SeaWorld or see the shops, restaurants and entertainment of the Riverwalk, your trip to San Antonio will be a blast.
1.At Myrtle Beach SC, you can do all the following except _____________.
A.Searching for dolphins. B.Enjoying coastal views.
C.Joining oceanic adventures. D.Attending a concert.
2.What is special about Nashville TN?
A.It has double statuses with a nickname.
B.Many legendary performers were born here.
C.It will give you the most unforgettable memories.
D.There are many amazing sports activities here.
3.Where should you go to explore the history of USA?
A.Nashville TN B.San Antonio TX
C.Pigeon Gorge & Gatlinburg TN D.Myrtle Beach SC
阅读下面短文，根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要。
In our modern world, when something wears out, we throw it away and buy a new one. The problem is that countries around the world have growing mountains of rubbish because people are throwing out more rubbish than ever before, which, of course, raises the public’s concern of our living environment.
How do the society become a throwaway one? First of all, it is now easier to replace an object than to spend time and money repairing it. Thanks to modern technology, companies are able to produce products quickly and inexpensively. Products are plentiful and cheap, and it’s more convenient to get them delivered nowadays.
Another course is our love of disposable (一次性的) products. As busy people, we are always looking for ways to save time and make our lives easier. Companies produce thousands of different kinds of disposable products: paper plates, plastic cups and cameras, to name a few. It seems that disposable products have become a common part of our life.
Longing for new products also leads to the problem. We are used to buying new things and are always talked into buying something we don’t need. Advertisements persuade us that newer is better and that we will be happier with the latest products. The result is that we throw away useful belongings to make room for new ones. To decrease the amount of rubbish and to protect the environment, more governments are requiring people to recycle materials. However, this is not enough to solve our problem. Maybe there is another way out. We need to repair our belongings instead of throwing them away, we also need to rethink our attitudes towards spending. Repairing our belongings and changing our spending habits may be the best way to reduce the amount of rubbish and take care of our environment.
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