In North America, people are always in __31______ hurry. Children have special lessons or sports activities __32________ school. Parents often work late and ___33________ get home until 7 or 8 o’clock at night. Most North American families don’t have time to prepare a meal. That is __34_________ fast food is so popular in North America. People _____35_____ about 40% of their dollars on fast food.
People usually buy fast food from restaurant chains such as Pizza Hut, McDonald’s, or KFC,__ 36______ they can enjoy pizza, sandwiches, fried chicken, and so on. Fast food saves work and time, but it is not __37_________ (nutrition).
Fast food is popular in many countries. American fast-food companies now have restaurants all over the world. But not __38________ is happy about the spread(扩展) of North American fast food. A group of people in Italy want to fight __39_______ the spread of American fast food. They don’t like the idea of more fast food chains __40__________(open) restaurants in their country.
(Reuters) - The search for missing Malaysia Airlines Flight MH370 is likely to drag on for years, a senior U.S. defense official told Reuters on Friday, as an underwater search for any trace of the plane off west Australia appeared to have failed.
The official, speaking under condition of anonymity（匿名）because he was not authorized to comment on the search effort, said two weeks of searching the Indian Ocean floor with a U.S. Navy had turned up no wreckage（残骸）．
He said the search for the plane, which disappeared on March 8 with 239 people on board, would now enter a much harder phase of searching broader areas of the ocean near where the plane is believed to have crashed.
”We went all-in on this small area and didn't find anything. Now you’re got to go back to the big area," the official said. "And now you're talking years.”
On Friday, the undersea drone. Bluefin-21 is expected to finish what may be the last of its 16-hour trips to depths of more than 4.5 km (2. 8 miles) searching a 10 square km (6.2 square mile) area of the seabed about 2,000 miles northwest of Perth.
Authorities had identified the area as their strongest lead in determining the plane's final resting place after detecting what they suspected was a signal from the plane's black box recorder on April 4.
But the U. S. official said Malaysia would have to decide how to continue the search, including whether to bring in more underwater drones, even with the understanding that the search could continue for years without a refined (精确的) search area.What does the passage mainly talk about? ( no more than, 12 words)
Where did the recent search for the plane take place? ( no more than, 3 words)
Why didn't the official want others to know his name? ( no more than 11 words)
What led people to determine the plane's final resting place? ( no more than 9 words)
According to the passage, which country is in charge of the arrangement of the search? (1 word)
STEVE EMBER: And I'm Steve Ember with People In America in VOA Special English. Today we remember the singer and actress Lena Horne. During her sixty-year career performing, Lena Horne entertained people with her beauty and rich, emotional voice. She used her fame to fight social injustices toward African-Americans.
Lena Horne was born in New York. At sixteen, Lena became a dancer at the famous club in New York City in 1933. After taking voice lessons, she soon became a singer. In 1940, Lena Horne became the first African-American to perform with an all-white jazz hand. After performing at a club in Hollywood, California, she caught the attention of filmmakers. She soon began making movies. Her films became very popular. In the 1940s, Lena Horne was the first African-American in Hollywood to sing a long -term contract with a major movie studio. Her deal with MGM stated that she would never play the role of a servant. She refused to play roles that represented African-Americans disrespectfully.
Lena Horne once said that World War II helped make her a star. She was popular with both black and white soldiers. She sang on army radio programs and traveled to perform for the troops. These experiences led to Lena Horne's work in the civil rights movement.
Lena Horne sang at rights gatherings. She took part in the march on Washington protest in 1963. It was during this event that Martin Luther King gave his "I have a dream" speech. She protested racial separation at the hotels where she performed. She took action so that she and her musicians would be allowed to stay in those hotels. B1ack musicians at the time generally stayed in black neighborhoods.
At the age of eighty, she said she did not have to act like a white woman that Hollywood hoped she would become. She said: "I'm me, and I'm like nobody else."
Lena Horne died in New York in 2010. How old was Lena Horne when she died?
| A．93 years old. | B．98 years old. |
| C．86 years old. | D．88 years old. |
We can infer from the passage that_____
| A．black women were forbidden to perform in the film in the 1940s |
| B．Lena Horne didn't make any films in the 1960s |
| C．Lena Horne liked staying at hotel very much |
| D．black actresses often played roles of servants in the film in the 1940s |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Lena Home became the first African-American in Hollywood in her forties. |
| B．Dena Horne was a friend of Martin Luther King. |
| C．Lena Horne was involved in civil rights activities in the 1960s. |
| D．Lena Horne took an active part in sports activities. |
This text is developed
| A．by space | B．by time |
| C．by process | D．by comparison |
The concept of homeschooling is not a new one. Homeschooling means educating children at home instead of sending them to public or private schools. Nowadays, homeschooling has become popular in many countries for a variety of reasons. One of them is poor quality of education in public schools and it’s also because private schools are quite expensive. Some parents believe that because they know their child’s strengths and weaknesses, they can teach him or her better. Some parents prefer homeschooling so as to prevent their children from getting into bad company. There is another group of people who choose to educate their children at home because they want them to learn spirit and values of the family and also their religious beliefs. They also think that homeschooling would help in development of strong family bonds(家庭纽带).
However, there are some negative effects of homeschooling on students as well as parents.
Homeschooling is a full-time job and not fit for parents who have their own careers. It takes a lot of time for parents’ side to make homeschooling a success. Other family members’ responsibilities may also be affected. They may give their full attention to the needs of their children. Besides, a parent may have high educational qualifications, but that does not make him or her a good teacher. Teaching is an art, which requires the ability to understand the needs of the children. It is likely that the parent might have forgotten what he or she has learned, and the curriculum(课程) of the children would also be different. This would make it difficult for the parents to explain the concepts to their children. Parents also have the responsibility of designing the curriculum of students.
In today’s world, competition(比赛) is seen in every field, and school prepares children to face these competitions. However, homeschooling does not give the children a chance to compare with other kids. They will also not be aware of where they stand in educational position among their classmates. This may affect their future lives. Education is not the only thing that the children need to become successful human beings. It is necessary that they learn to communicate in the society, and public school provides them with such an environment, where they meet many people. Schools also provide children with a chance to take part in variety of activities to improve their overall development.
It is true that it has many benefits, but one must realize that school teaches children skills to face and survive.
Homeschooling
| Definition |
Educating children at home instead of in |
| Reasons for the |
Poor quality of education in public schools and Children are taught Children are kept away from bad company. Homeschooling is |
| Negative |
For parents: They can’t They can’t be good |
| For children: They can’t get chances to They lack an environment where they meet many people. They can’t join in |
Many people often lose their chance to live life to the fullest because of procrastination, which means that they always delay（拖延）doing something that must be done at once. Moreover, because they often put off their plans till “tomorrow”, they are less likely to achieve their goals and will give up their dreams and goals finally. As a result, we can say that procrastination is the enemy of a progressive lifestyle.
Now that we know procrastination is something bad, why do some people not take immediate action? Well, there are some things that result in procrastination. Depending on someone else rather than doing by oneself is one of the things. Whenever you wait for something to happen before you act, you make it easier to delay your goals and dreams until “someday”. Another cause of procrastination is that people do not value each moment in their day. Actually, it’s surprising how much you can do if you just decide to do little things with the little time you have. Also those who often procrastinate can always find a good reason for something they refuse to do at once.
If you are one of those who often delay, then it’s time for you to make a decision to act now because things happen only when we decide to act. Get down to doing something like losing weight, saving money or spending more time with family. Don’t let these things continue to be a desire（欲望）for you to do “someday”, but make a decision to do it now.
Once you have made your decision, write down the plan and take action immediately. Making plans can help you think carefully about how you are going to do what you need to do. After understanding how to do what you want to do, get doing with the plan. It doesn’t matter how small the move you make is as the little things you do accumulate（累积）over time and move you to be closer to your goals. So, don’t wait until tomorrow; instead, start now! Just make use of every moment you have to do something that is helpful in realizing your dreams and goals.
Here is a challenge that will also move you to be closer to your dreams and goals if taken seriously. Make a list of ten things you have been putting off. It could be anything from getting a health examination, calling a friend or family member, to getting the car fixed and cleaning out the garbage, etc. And then try to develop the habit of doing them immediately!
| Stay away from procrastination |
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| Paragraph outline |
Supporting details |
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| Problems with procrastination |
Procrastination can make one Procrastination can Some people don’t make progress just because of procrastination. |
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| People who delay doing things are usually not People don’t realize that each Procrastination also has something to do with making |
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| Ways to stop procrastination |
Make a decision. |
If you want to do something, do it |
| Plan and act. |
By making a plan, you Spend your time doing those |
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| Make a list. |
List ten things you like to delay. Make it a(n) |
Many people believe that classical music has nothing to do with young people today. However, this issue(问题) frequently causes heated debate.
Some people say that classical music is associated only with old people. For example, if you look at the audience at a classical concert, the majority is over the age of fifty.
Others say it is more popular than we first imagine. Many young people listen to classical music without realizing it. It is often used in films and advertisements. For example, a famous piece of classical music was used as the theme music for the 1990 World Cup. Not many people could have given its name, but millions enjoyed it.
Also, some people point out that young people produce new music based on classical ideas: for example, it is said that rap(说唱) music was invented by a classical musician in 1912, but it is now used by young people in pop music.
However, young people point to the fact that classical music has been outstripped(超越) by technology. To play a classical instrument, such as a violin, you need to study hard and practice for hours. Nowadays, you don’t need to get aching arms from practicing. A teenager can write and make music using a computer program in the comfort of their own bedroom.
A final point to bear in mind is that the term "classical music" is used to refer to a great variety of music, from jazz to pieces for large orchestras. This makes it even more difficult to say whether classical music is relevant（与…相关） to young people.
So, it may be only a minority of young people who play classical instruments, but when it comes to enjoying classical music, it depends on the piece of music. It may be more relevant to young people in the modern world than they realize!
| Title |
Classical Music |
|
| Introduction |
The issue of whether classical music is |
|
| Opinions |
Evidence |
|
| ★ Classical music is associated only with old people. |
☆ |
|
| ★ Many young people don’t |
☆ Classical music is often found in films and advertisements. |
|
| ★ Classical ideas provide a |
☆ Young people now |
|
| ★Technology has put classical music at a |
☆ A young man can write and make music on a computer |
|
| ★ “Classical music” can refer to various |
☆ Classical music |
|
| Conclusion |
Classical music may still be |
|
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