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Grandparents Answer a Call As a third－generation native of Brownsville, Texas, Mildred Garza never planned to move away.Even when her daughter and son asked her to move to San Antonio to help with their children, she politely refused.Only after a year of friendly discussion did Ms.Garza finally say yes.That was four years ago.Today all three generations regard the move as a success, giving them a closer relationship than they would have had in separate cities. No statistics show the number of grandparents like Garza who are moving closer to adult children and grandchildren. Yet there is evidence suggesting that the trend is growing.Even President Obama’s mother-in-law, Marian Robinson, has agreed to leave Chicago and move into the White House to help care for her granddaughters. According to a study by grandparents.com, 83 percent of the people said Mrs.Robinson's decision will influence grandparents in the American family.Two－thirds believe more families will follow the example of Obama’s family. “In the 1960s we were all a little wild and couldn't get away from home far enough or fast enough to prove we could do it on our own,”says Christine Crosby, publisher of Grand, a magazine for grandparents. “We now realize how important family is and how important it is to be near them, especially when you’re raising children.” Moving is not for everyone. Almost every grandparent wants to be with his or her grandchildren and is willing to make sacrifices, but sometimes it is wiser to say no and visit frequently instead.Having your grandchildren far away is hard, especially knowing your adult child is struggling, but giving up the life you know may be harder. 1.Why was Garza’s move a success? A.It strengthened her family ties. B.It improved her living conditions. C.It enabled her to make more friends. D.It helped her know more new places. 2.What was the reaction of the public to Mrs.Robinson’s decision? A.17% expressed their support for it. B.Few people responded sympathetically. C.83% believed it had a bad influence. D.The majority thought it was a trend. 3.What did Crosby say about people in the 1960s? A.They were unsure of themselves. B.They were eager to raise more children. C.They wanted to live away from their parents. D.They had little respect for their grandparents. 4.What does the author suggest the grandparents do in the last paragraph? A.Make decisions in the best interests of their own. B.Ask their children to pay more visits to them. C.Sacrifice for their struggling children. D.Get to know themselves better.
Whoever has made a voyage up the Hudson River must remember the Catskill Mountains. They are a branch of the great Appalachian family, and can be seen to the west rising up to a noble height and towering over the surrounding country. When the weather is fair and settled, they are clothed in blue and purple, and print their beautiful shapes on the clear evening sky, but sometimes when it is cloudless, gray steam gathers around the top of the mountains which, in the last rays of the setting sun, will shine and light up like a crown of glory(华丽的皇冠). At the foot of these mountains, a traveler may see light smoke going up from a village. In that village, and in one of the houses (which, to tell the exact truth, was sadly time-worn and weather-beaten), there lived many years ago, a simple, good-natured fellow by the name of Rip Van Winkle. Rip’s great weakness was a natural dislike of all kinds of money-making labor. It could not be from lack of diligence, for he could sit all day on a wet rock and fish without saying a word, even though he was not encouraged by a single bite. He would carry a gun on his shoulder for hours, walking through woods and fields to shoot a few birds or squirrels. He would never refuse to help a neighbor, even in the roughest work. The women of the village, too, used to employ him to do such little jobs as their less helpful husbands would not do for them. In a word, Rip was ready to attend to everybody’s business but his own. If left to himself, he would have whistled life away in perfect satisfaction; but his wife was always mad at him for his idleness(懒散). Morning, noon, and night, her tongue was endlessly going, so that he was forced to escape to the outside of the house — the only side which, in truth, belongs to a_________ 1.Which of the following best describes the Catskill Mountains? ________ A.They are very high and beautiful in this area. B.They are on the west of the Hudson River. C.They can be seen from the Appalachian family. D.They gather beautiful clouds in blue and purple. 2.The hero of the story is probably__________. A.hard-working and likes all kinds of work B.gentle, helpful but a little idle C.simple, idle but very dutiful D.idle and hates all kinds of jobs 3.The underlined words “henpecked husband” in the last paragraph probably means a man who__________. A.likes hunting B.is afraid of hens C.is afraid of his wife D.loves his wife 4.What would be the best title for the text? ________. A.Catskill Mountains. B.A Mountain Village. C.A Dutiful Husband. D.Rip Van Winkle.
HOLIDAYS The Bay Hotel. It's a quiet, comfortable hotel overlooking (俯瞰) the bay in an uncommercialised Cornish fishing village on England's most southerly point. If pop music is no longer your strong point, and you are considering a relaxing holiday where the scenery is breathtaking and the sound of the sea is live music to your ears, come and stay with us. For adults only. Sssh! Don’t tell everyone! 01326 280464 Willapark Manor Hotel. Peaceful situation in 14 acres of separated gardens and woodland, overlooking picturesque bay. Close to coastal path and beach. Excellent cuisine. Our excellent service brings our guests back year after year. Children (reductions) and pets welcome. 01840 770782 The Country Garden Hotel. Delightful hotel set in lovely gardens; calm Island of Wight near Tennyson Downs, Great food! Garden, sea view and ground floor rooms. Please call for brochure (服务指南) and sample menu. Adults only and pets welcome. 0800 980 1943 Boscastle. Romantic 17th Century farmer's cottage in countryside with splendid coastal views. Well equipped. Sleeps 5. Regret no pets/smoking. Garden with furniture. Brochure: 01633 450417 Godshill. 4 star self-served units. Non smoking. Sleeps 2 -4. Open all year. Good walks. Close to pubs. Peaceful. Cosy. No pets. Brochure (服务指南): 01983 840371 The Blakeney Hotel. Overlooking harbour, traditional privately owned friendly hotel with 60 bedrooms, lift, heated indoor pool, spa bath and saunas. Relax, walk, sail, play golf, explore the Norfolk villages, countryside and coast. Special seasonal midweek price for aged citizens. 01263 740797 S W France. Rural setting near Cordes. Two beautifully repainted old houses sleep 4/5 and 6. Gardens, woodland, pool, views, excellent walks. Available all year round. Outstanding. 01962 776967 1.All of the following hotels are close to the sea EXCEPT __________. A.S W France B.The Blakeney Hotel C.Willapark Manor Hotel D.The Country Garden Hotel 2.If you want to take your children and your dog with you on holiday, you can choose ______. A.The Country Garden Hotel B.Willapark Manor Hotel C.The Bay Hotel D.Boscastle 3.One of the hotels offers special price for __________. A.young people B.elderly people C.foreign guests D.students 4.The purpose of the passage is to ______________. A.warn B.advise C.describe D.advertise
Speaking Up I never looked up when my friends were talking and joking about the ratarded (智障的) boy a few tables away. It didn’t even cross my mind that he might feel _______when people whispered about him. So I just let them talk. Then came the day when I learned my little brother Martin’s testing for autism (自闭症) came out positive (阳性). I had never thought about him like that. I broke_______, crying. Everything had just changed. He was no longer a(n) _______little boy. Over time, I was able to accept his _______a little more. We had to_______because Martin needed treatment. So Martin and I both started at a new school. One day, I was standing in the bus line waiting when a “ short ” bus (for the retarded) came and_______up some kids. The children in the other line started making_______about the “ retarded ” on that bus and I felt a _______feeling in my heart. I said quietly that those comments weren’t very nice, _______no one listened. My family moved again. In the new school I got a ________ to speak up pretty soon. That day, in a band class, my teacher _________our playing to make some comments, “ …Guys, we’re playing like the kids on the short bus! Come on! ” The entire room was laughing loudly. I felt very ________. Then, I raised my hand. I wasn’t sure what I was going to say but I wanted to be heard. The whole class ________down. My mouth opened and this came out: “ I don’t think we should make fun of the short bus, because there are people on that bus who have a lot in common with us and have the same feelings as we do.” I could feel my________getting louder. “So I would________it if you didn’t make fun of them.” The room was very quiet and everyone stared at me. My teacher ________for his words and then started the song again. At the end of the class, everyone was giving me strange looks. But I didn’t _________because I knew three things: I had spoken the ________, I had taught everyone something, and while everyone in the classroom was being a follower, I had ________to take a different path since I wanted to become a ________and a role model. 1.A.amazed B.hurt C.uncertain D.cold 2.A.off B.in C.down D.away 3.A.normal B.noisy C.outstanding D.impressive 4.A.pain B.interest C.opinion D.illness 5.A.change B.move C.quit D.study 6.A.set B.took C.brought D.picked 7.A.jokes B.complaints C.choices D.discoveries 8.A.violent B.strange C.confusing D.clear 9.A.because B.if C.but D.so 10.A.chance B.position C.topic D.point 11.A.encouraged B.bothered C.enjoyed D.stopped 12.A.bad B.embarrassed C.tense D.guilty 13.A.sat B.slowed C.quieted D.looked 14.A.pace B.voice C.pulse D.breath 15.A.excuse B.appreciate C.stand D.permit 16.A.apologized B.fought C.allowed D.argued 17.A.understand B.notice C.return D.care 18.A.wisdom B.importance C.matter D.truth 19.A.helped B.decided C.agreed D.hoped 20.A.reporter B.thinker C.leader D.trainer
— Do you know everyone ________ came to the party? — No, I donˈt know the one ________ you had a long talk with. A./; whom B.which; that C.that; which D.who; /
I’m really interested in _____ you have said. Can we discuss some things in detail? A.all that B.all what C.that D.which
In the game yesterday, our class ______ against Mark's class and we won. A.had competed B.competed C.has competed D.was competing
Since my parents went to Shanghai, I _________ with my aunt. A.live B.lived C.have been living D.was living
— Let's go shopping for some new clothes this Sunday. — I want to, but I can't. I _______ money for a new computer. A.am saving B.have saved C.saved D.was saving
— Have you finished your homework? — Not yet. I _______ it after dinner. A.do B.am doing C.have done D.will do
The book is popular because the author wrote it in friendly and _________ language. A.confusing B.difficult C.ordinary D.special
The company wants to _______ its leading position in business. A.maintain B.leave C.recognize D.balance
Students can ________ knowledge from teachers and books. A.approach B.illustrate C.acquire D.prove
The picnic was __________ because of the rain. A.allowed B.postponed C.maintained D.hung
Despite their different _________, they become best friends. A.personalities B.qualities C.accents D.types
He felt relaxed and comfortable to be back in _________ surroundings. A.famous B.difficult C.unusual D.familiar
Students feel ______ when they have some difficulties in study. A.regretful B.anxious C.odd D.disappointing
They set out to ____ food to a distant village. A.direct B.destroy C.deliver D.disqualify
My uncle has such a great ______ that he can still tell every detail of the movie that he watched three years ago. A.memory B.heart C.thought D.behavior
You should be _________ for every word you have said in court. A.responsible B.thankful C.known D.confident
__________, Americans eat turkey for Thanksgiving and Chinese people have moon cakes for Mid-Autumn Festival. A.Actually B.Surprisingly C.Obviously D.Typically
— I had a great time playing basketball with you today. — Then let's do it ________. How about every Sunday? A.currently B.enormously C.regularly D.hardly
I believe we will solve the problem ______. We just need to think harder and try more. A.somewhat B.sometimes C.somehow D.somewhere
Kate _______ his grandfather because he seems to know everything. A.supports B.admires C.remembers D.encourages
假设你是红星中学高三学生李华。上周你们班组织了一次班会，邀请去年毕业的同学回校交流。请根据以下四幅图的先后顺序，写一篇英文周记，记述整个过程。 注意：词数不少于60。
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假设你是红星中学高三学生李华。你的英国朋友Jim给你发邮件询问为什么北京能举 办2022年冬季奥运会。请根据下列要求，给他回复邮件，内容包括： 1．北京可以举办冬季奥运会的条件； 2．邀请他届时来北京。 注意：1．词数不少于50； 2．开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。 提示词：冬奥会 Winter Olympics Dear Jim, _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Yours, Li Hua
Plogging Plogging is a new way to jog while cleaning up the planet. It's a craze that began in Sweden in 2016 and the motivation behind it includes reducing the load of plastic litter in our environment, as well as keeping fit while running. 1.If you love outdoor exercise, enjoy exercising with others, and care about removing litter from our environment, then this might just be the sport for you. Make good preparations before plogging. Dress suitably for the environment in which you are running. This will vary depending on the weather and surroundings, but the basics are comfortable running clothes and closed-toe running shoes. Suitable gloves are a wise and useful addition, as picking up litter can be dangerous in some situations. 2.This might be a standard trash bag, easy to carry and capable of containing litter that might have sharp edges. Organize your plogging group. If you're lucky enough to have ploggers already in your area, seek them out. Join up and make new friends with a shared interest. Check out such meeting groups at Meetup or ask at a local sports store to find out what opportunities exist where you live. If you don't have a group, create one. Use social media, notices on bulletin boards, or place signs in the windows of sports stores to find fellow ploggers. 3. Collect safely. One key suggestion for staying safe while collecting litter is to avoid picking up broken glass or sharp items. If you must collect such an item, only do so when you can find a very safe way to collect it without harming yourself. If in doubt, leave it and get better equipment to remove it. 4.If an item of litter presents a potential safety risk, try to mark the item clearly to encourage people to avoid it. 5. It is a way of combining individual achievement via exercise with community and environmental care. You're part of the growing movement of people who are giving back to the world at the same time as honoring self care, a sustainable and healthy way to balance your life. This could be a fantastic opportunity to show people that individual action makes a big difference. A. Taking some photos during the process is also necessary. B. You can also ask for assistance from the local authorities. C. Usually performed as part of a group run, it's also a social exercise. D. You also need to find a suitable carry bag for collecting the litter in. E. Plogging is a great way to feel motivated as it has more than one benefit. F. If you find a natural area with litter problem, this might be a suitable place. G. With some advertising effort, you are likely to connect with a few interested people.
According to a new study， teens focus on rewards and have a hard time learning to avoid punishment or consider the consequences of alternative actions. University College London researchers compared how teens and adults learn to make choices based on the available information. They tracked the way in which 18 volunteers aged 12-17 and 20 volunteers aged 18-32 completed tasks in which they had to choose between abstract symbols. Each symbol was consistently associated with a fixed chance of a reward, punishment, or no outcome. As the trial progressed ， participants learned which symbols were likely to lead to each outcome and adjusted their choices accordingly. Teens and adults were equally good at learning to choose symbols associated with reward， but teens were less good at avoiding symbols associated with punishment. Adults also performed significantly better when they were told what would have happened if they had chosen the other symbol after each choice， while teens did not appear to take this information into account. “From this experimental lab study we can draw conclusions about learning during the teen years. We find that teens and adults learn in different ways， something that might be relevant to education," said lead author Dr. Stefano Palminteri. " Unlike adults, teens are not so good at learning to adjust their choices to avoid punishment. This suggests that incentive systems based on reward rather than punishment may be more effective for this age group. Additionally, we found that teens did not learn from being shown what would have happened if they made alternative choices." To interpret the results, the researchers developed computational models of learning and ran simulations （模拟）applying them to the results of the study. The first was a simple model, one that learned from rewards, and the second model added to this by also learning from the option that was not chosen. The third model was the most complete and took the full context into account, with equal weight given to punishment avoidance and reward seeking. For example, obtaining no outcome rather than losing a point is weighted equally to gaining a point rather than having no outcome. Comparing the experimental data to the models, the team found that teens" behavior followed the simple reward-based model while adults" behavior matched the complete, contextual model. “Our study suggests that teens are more receptive to rewards than they are to punishments of equal value, ” said senior author Dr. Sarah-Jayne Blakemore. “As a result, it may be useful for parents and teachers to frame things in more positive terms.” 1.It can be learned from the study that . A.adults made choices faster than teens B.adults understood rewards better than teens C.teens reacted better to reward than punishment D.teens were aware of the outcome of each choice 2.What do we know about the three computational models? A.They reflected people’s strong desire for punishment avoidance. B.They gave circumstances different degrees of consideration. C.They paid equal attention to reward and punishment. D.They shaped the behavior of people at different ages. 3.The underlined word “receptive" in the last paragraph probably means . A.accustomed B.opposed C.sympathetic D.responsive 4.According to the writer, which of the following statements works best for teens? A.“If you insist on doing things in this way， you will lose ten points. " B.“If we had talked about this earlier， you wouldn’t have made the mistake. " C.“ If you hand in your assignment ahead of time， you will get an extra bonus." D.“If you want to approach a problem differently ， you can talk to your parents. "
What is the most meaningless thing every Texan will do at the same time this weekend? You guessed it. We will “fall back” when our clocks are set backward one hour in observance of daylight saving time. This strange practice has an interesting history. In 1784, Benjamin Franklin published a critical essay in a French newspaper suggesting that Parisians could save $200 million through “the economy of using sunshine instead of candles”. Therefore ， many people owe the origin of the idea of daylight saving time to our Founding Father's writings. In the United States, the clock-changing practice began just over 100 years ago, in 1918, when Congress decided to control time by passing the Standard Time Act to save energy and create time zones. Back then, coal was our top energy source and ensuring that Americans had more daylight working hours made sense. In 2008, the U. S. Department of Energy assessed the effect of observing daylight saving time on national energy consumption. It found that resetting our clocks amounts to a reduction in our total energy consumption of 0. 02%. The study also determined that sticking with one time could actually save about 0.5% of electricity per day nationwide. Apart from this, the risk of heart attack increases 10% in the days following springing forward, most likely caused by the interruption of biological rhythms. Studies also indicate we are more likely to get sick, we are less productive, and frankly we are just exhausted directly following the time change. It is hard to explain why we still change our clocks. Perhaps it is due to special interests. Congress passed the Energy Act of 2005, which extended the length of daylight saving time an extra week in the fall, in large part due to an effort by candy producers to allow for an additional daylight hour on the night of Halloween for trick -or - treating. This May, we sought to end this ancient practice. It would have allowed Texans to vote whether to stay on standard time year-round or daylight saving time year-round. Our proposal passed the House （众议院）133-9. Sadly, once the bill reached the Senate （参议院）,it was never referred to a committee. The proposal died in the Senate without even a word spoken about it on the floor. I'm moving forward with plans to file the legislation （ 立 法） again in 2021. I urge you to contact your state legislators to move this legislation forward so that this weekend will be one of the last times we have to “fall back.” 1.The possible origin of the idea of daylight saving time is . A.the ancient legal act B.the influence of other countries C.the need for time zones D.the advice from a famous politician 2.What does Paragraph 4 mainly talk about? A.The reasons for health problems. B.The downsides of setting clocks back. C.The changes in energy consumption. D.The solutions to electricity shortages. 3.It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that . A.daylight saving time will last for another two years B.the author will continue what he has been doing C.Texans voted for standard time year-round D.state legislators are for the proposal 4.The passage aims to . A.analyze the practice of daylight saving time B.explain the consequences of daylight saving time C.convince people of the necessity of daylight saving time D.persuade people to make efforts to stop daylight saving time
Jeremy Locke, who owns a roofing and construction company in Glace Bay, Nova Scotia, had always been wanting to repair the roof of Jeanette MacDonald's home. Whenever he drove past the woman's home, he assumed that the roof was under repair because the job had already been taken on by another group of repairmen—but as the weeks wore on, the roof continued to worsen without any signs of repair. “ I had it in my mind that if no one steps up to help this lady in our community, I’d be more than happy to,” Locke told CBC. When Locke finally reached out to MacDonald about fixing her roof for free, however, she politely declined his offer because she did not like to accept charity. That being said, she had already applied for a government grant （补助金） to fix the roof and she said she was more than happy to hire Locke once her grant application was approved. Unfortunately, MacDonald never received the approval. As the stubborn （固执的） Canadian senior refused to accept any assistance from Locke, the sympathetic construction worker played an innocent trick in order to get her to accept his help. He invited MacDonald to enter a raffle （抽奖活动）that his business was holding for a free roof. After the grandmother — of — four accepted one of the raffle tickets, Locke told her that she was the winner—because she was the only one who had entered the raffle. Thanks to his sweet little plan, Locke and his crew are starting work on the roof this week, which is expected to cost his company about $9, 000. MacDonald, meanwhile, told CBC that she doesn't know how to express her gratitude to Locke, saying that he is her “guardian angel”. "There's nobody out there like him," she added. 1.What did Locke desire to do for MacDonald? A.Repair her roof. B.Find a repairman. C.Run a charity. D.Raise money. 2.Why did MacDonald refuse Locke's offer initially? A.She didn't trust him. B.She had won a raffle. C.She didn't like free help. D.She had got an official grant. 3.How did Locke finally make MacDonald change her mind? A.He persuaded her to give up her application. B.He invited her to enter his business. C.He gave her about $9, 000. D.He told her a white lie. 4.Which of the following words best describe Locke? A.Stubborn and tricky. B.Wealthy and innocent. C.Determined and warm-hearted. D.Different and ambitious.
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