Christopher Thomas, 27, was a writer by night and a teacher by day when he noticed he was always tired and was losing weight fast. Diagnosed with diabetes(糖尿病), Thomas would need to inject himself with insulin(胰岛素) three times a day for the rest of his life or risk nerve damage, blindness, and even death. And if that weren't bad enough, he had no health insurance.
After a month of feeling upset, Thomas decided he'd better find a way to fight back. He left Canton, Michigan for New York, got a job waiting tables, nicknamed himself the Diabetic Rockstar, and created diabeticrockstar.com, a free online community for diabetics and their loved ones—a place where over 1,100 people share personal stories, information, and resources.
Jason Swencki’s son, Kody, was diagnosed with type diabetes at six. Father and son visit the online children's forums(论坛) together most evenings. "Kody gets so excited, writing to kids from all over," says Swencki, one of the site's volunteers. "They know what he's going through, so he doesn't feel alone."
Kody is anything but alone: Diabetes is now the seventh leading cause of death in the United States, with 24 million diagnosed cases. And more people are being diagnosed at younger ages.
These days, Thomas's main focus is his charity（慈善机构）, Fight It, which provides medicines and supplies to people—225 to date—who can't afford a diabetic's huge expenses. Fight-it.org has raised about $23,000—in products and in cash. In May, Thomas will hold the first annual Diabetic Rockstar Festival in the Caribbean.
Even with a staff of 22 volunteers, Thomas often devotes up to 50 hours a week to his cause, while still doing his full-time job waiting tables. "Of the diabetes charities out there, most are putting money into finding a cure," says Bentley Gubar, one of Rockstar's original members. "But Christopher is the only person I know saying people need help now."Which of the following is true of Christopher Thomas?
| A．He needs to go to the doctor every day. |
| B．He studies the leading cause of diabetes |
| C．He has a positive attitude to this disease. |
| D．He encourages diabetics by writing articles. |
Diabeitcrockstar.com was created for _________.
| A．diabetics to communicate | B．volunteers to find jobs |
| C．children to amuse themselves | D．rock stars to share resources. |
According to the text, Kody ______.
| A．feel lonely because of his illness |
| B．benefits from diabeticrockstar.com |
| C．helps create the online kid’s forums |
| D．writes children’s stories online |
What can we learn about Fight It?
| A．It helps the diabetics in financial difficulties. |
| B．It organizes parties for volunteer once a year. |
| C．It offers less expensive medicine to diabetics. |
| D．It owns a well-known medical website. |
The last paragraph suggests that Thomas ______.
| A．works full-time in a diabetes charity | B．employs 22 people for his website |
| C．helps diabetics in his own way | D．ties to find a cure for diabetes |
Brenda Linson never goes anywhere without an empty spectacles case. It is as vital to her as her purse. Yet, she doesn’t wear glasses. The reason she cannot do without it is that she cannot read and she cannot write. If ever she gets into any situation where she might be expected to do either of these things, she fishes around in her bag for the spectacles case, finds it’s empty, and asks the person concerned to do the reading for her. Until a few months ago hardly anybody knew about her problem. Her husband didn’t know and her children didn’t know. The children still don’t.
She had many tactics for hiding her difficult—for example, never lingering near a phone at work, in case she had to answer it and might be required to write something down.
It has never occurred to the children that their mother cannot read. She doesn’t read them stories, but then their father doesn’t either, so they find nothing surprising in the fact. Similarly they just accept that Dad is the one who writes the sick notes and reads the school reports. Now that the elder boy Tom is quite a proficient reader, Brenda can skillfully get him to read any notes brought home from school simply by asking,“What’s that all about, then?”
Brenda’s husband never guessed the truth in ten years of marriage. For one thing, he insists on handling all domestic correspondence and bills himself. A salesman for a large company, he travels a great deal and so is not around so much to spot the truth. While he’s away Brenda cores with any situations by explaining that she cannot do anything until she’s discussed it with her husband.
Brenda was very successful in her job until recently. For the last five years she had worked as waitress at an expensive restaurant, and had eventually been promoted to head waitress. She kept the thing a secret there too, and got over the practical difficulties somehow. Brenda’s children have never found out about her problem as__________.
| A．she isn’t often at home. |
| B．they are too young to guess the truth. |
| C．they find it normal to ask their father for everything. |
| D．they think it natural that short-sighted people like their mother don’t do much reading or writing. |
What most probably made Brenda try hard to hide her difficulty?
A. Her desire to be successful in her job.
B. Her fear of losing face.
C. Her deceitful nature.
D. Both A and B.Of the following suggested titles, which is the most appropriate?
| A．Brenda and Her Family |
| B．A Woman Who Doesn’t Wear Glasses |
| C．A Woman with an Empty Spectacles Case |
| D．The Miserable Life of a Waitress |
We are looking for teachers for our private secondary school in Nigeria. This is a Christian school and we are looking for Christian teachers. Accommodations are provided and salaries can be discussed. Volunteers are welcome to apply but those with teaching qualifications and experience will be first chosen. Subjects: English, French or Art. Those who teach other subjects are also welcome.
Applicant 1 Modupe Bvuma
I have a master's degree in Managerial Psychology and know a little French. I'm looking for a job either as a teacher or as a personnel manager. I'm a Christian and live in Nigeria, Africa and I'd be glad to be given the opportunity.
Applicant 2 Rachel Moore
I'm an Australian and have experience in working with children in the local church, although I don't believe in Jesus. I have bachelor's degrees in both Art and Education. I have relinquished my job with my pupils and now have settled in Nigeria, Africa to look for a job teaching English or French.
Applicant 3 Mwanyimi Bushabu
I've been in Africa for 5 years as a banker. It is advantageous for me to teach French at your school since it's my mother tongue, I am a Church member and promise I shall keep the Christian standards at your school.
Applicant 4 Freddie Matthews
I am to graduate from the University of Nottingham, England. I have gained teaching experience by tutoring children in lots of families and will have a teaching qualification. I'm interested in your job.
Applicant 5 Adelaide White
I am an Egyptian living in San Francisco, the USA. I'm a Christian. I have been a teacher of English and French for 12 years. I am currently an advisor in schools. Besides my master's degree, my post bachelor's degree is in Pupils Personnel Service Credentials. I want to return to my continent.According to the passage, for teachers to work in the mentioned secondary school in Nigeria, ________.
| A．their salary will be determined by the school. |
| B．the housing issue is left for further discussion. |
| C．their religious belief ought to be confirmed. |
| D．they must have got related qualifications. |
Supposing the school needs an African to teach French, who would be the best choice?
| A．Modupe Bvuma. | B．Mwanyimi Bushabu. | C．Rachel Moore. | D．Adelaide White. |
Which of the following can best replace the underlined word “relinquished” in the passage?
| A．quit | B．discussed | C．reconsidered | D．shared |
Which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Mwanyimi Bushabu is a Christian and works as a banker in his motherland. |
| B．It is not probable for Rachel Moore to be employed as a teacher by the school. |
| C．Adelaide White has 12 years' teaching experience but now is out of work. |
| D．Freddie Matthews has gained experience in teaching in a university. |
On Thursday afternoon Mrs. Clarke, dressed for going out, took her handbag with her money and her key in it, pulled the door behind her to lock it and went to the Over 60s Club. She always went there on Thursdays. It was a nice outing for an old woman who lived alone.
At six o’clock she came home, let herself in and at once smelt cigarette smoke. Cigarette smoke in her house? How? Had someone got in? She checked the back door and the windows. All were locked or fastened, as usual. There was no sign of forced entry.
Over a cup of tea she wondered whether someone might have a key that fitted her front door—“a master key ”perhaps. So she stayed at home the following Thursday. Nothing happened. Was anyone watching her movements? On the Thursday after that she went out at her usual time, dressed as usual, but she didn’t go to the club. Instead she took a short cut home again, letting herself in through her garden and the back door. She settled down to wait.
It was just after four o’clock when the front door bell rang. Mrs. Clarke was making a cup of tea at the time. The bell rang again, and then she heard her letter box being pushed open. With the kettle of boiling water in her hand, she moved quietly toward the front door. A long piece of wire appeared through the letter box, and then a hand. The wire turned and caught around the knob on the door lock. Mrs. Clarke raised the kettle and poured the water over the hand. There was a shout outside, and the skin seemed to drop off the fingers like a glove. The wire fell to the floor, the hand was pulled back, and Mrs. Clarke heard the sound of running feet.Mrs. Clarke looked forward to Thursday because__________.
| A．she worked at a club on the day |
| B．she lived alone |
| C．she visited a club on Thursdays |
| D．a special visitor came on Thursday Clarke |
If someone had made a forced entry,________.
| A．Mrs. Clarke would have found a broken door or window |
| B．he or she was still in the house |
| C．things would have been thrown about |
| D．he or she would have needed a master key |
According to the passage, which of the following is right?
| A．She is about more than 50 years old. |
| B．The next day after she found something unusual in her house, she stayed at home. |
| C．The man who tried to enter her house wore a pair of gloves. |
| D．Mrs. Clarke was in an attempt to trick the thief when she noticed something unusual. |
The wire fell to the floor________.
| A．because Mrs. Clarke refused to open the door |
| B．when the man’s glove dropped off |
| C．because it was too hot to hold |
| D．because the man just wanted to get away |
Many children would start school hungry without breakfast clubs, teachers have claimed. A new survey suggests these clubs are the only way many students can get a meal before lessons.
About 54% of the 552 school staff questioned by the Association of Teachers and Lecturers(ATL)said their school provides a breakfast club for pupils. The biggest reason for them to attend these clubs is that their parents or carer goes to work early, cited by 76.8% of those questioned.
About 22.6% said children attended due to lack of money at home because parents or carers are unemployed and 15.2% said lack of money at home due to changes or cuts to benefits.
About 17.6% said pupils mainly attend breakfast clubs to socialize.
The survey found that teachers believe that offering breakfast to pupils often helps improve their concentration and ability to learn. One primary school teacher said: “Although there is a charge for our breakfast club, we have accessed funding for those pupils on free school meals and the breakfast club had an effect on their attendance, concentration and being in school for the start of lessons.
ATL general secretary Dr Roper said a nutritious meal at the start of the day has a huge impact on pupils’ ability to learn. “Many schools do everything they can to ensure children eat well during school term-time. But there are many children living in poverty, who we fear won’t be getting a decent meal a day in the holidays and this is something the government needs to address,” she said.
A Department for Education spokesman said: “We know how important it is for children to
have a good breakfast. We want schools and local authorities to use their budgets to best meet the needs of their children. Many provide breakfast clubs which offer a free meal to children from poorer families. The Pupil Premium, which will double to ￡ 2.5 billion in 2014-2015, targets extra money to help schools to provide support such as this to the most disadvantaged children. The free school meal scheme also ensures that these children have access to a nutritious lunch every day.How many factors are mentioned which can account for the popularity of breakfast clubs?
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
By getting breakfast offered by breakfast clubs, pupils can______.
| A．perform better in their study |
| B．know how they can save money |
| C．eat better for their lunch and supper |
| D．make more friends with their classmates |
The pupil Premium and the free school meal scheme are mentioned in order to show_____.
| A．every child should get access to a nutritious meal |
| B．breakfast clubs play a key role in children’s growth |
| C．many efforts are made to provide a good and free meal |
| D．many schools can’t offer a good and free meal to children |
In which part of a magazine can we probably read this passage?
| A．Entertainment. | B．Education. | C．Culture. | D．Health. |
A woman was walking her dog along a beach in New Zealand in late June when she saw something that looked like a white ball in the sand. It turned out to be a young Emperor penguin that was lost. At his age, he should have been close to Antarctic, swimming for fish and playing on the ice floes(冰川). But this penguin started swimming north and just kept going.
The penguin attracted a lot of attention in New Zealand. It has been 40 years since an Emperor penguin was last seen there. Researchers at the Department of Conservation were called in. They decided to watch the penguin closely, but not to disturb it in any way. Many New Zealanders came to Peka Peka Beach to look at the elegant penguin. They were careful to keep their dogs away from it so it wouldn’t be frightened.
The public nicknamed the animal Happy Feet. Researchers started to notice that Happy Feet didn’t seem well. It turns out that he had been eating the sand from the beach, likely thinking it was snow.
The public raised more than 11,000 pounds for an operation to get the sand out of his stomach. The operation was a success, and Happy Feet was taken to a zoo in Wellington, NZ. A group of experts met to decide how to help Happy Feet return to the wild.
Last Sunday, they put him on a boat called the Tangaroa, in a specially built ice-filled box and took him out into the Southern Ocean, southeast of New Zealand. There, they released him into the ocean, which is his natural habitat. He took one last look at his human helpers and then dived into the ocean.
“Emperor penguins spend their first five years at sea,” said Peter Simpson of New Zealand’s Department of Conservation. “ What happens now is up to the penguin.”
Happy Feet was fitted with a satellite transmitter(发射机)so they can monitor his progress using the Internet. So far, the trackers shows that he swam northeast for a little while before getting his bearings and heading south.Where is the young penguin supposed to appear?
| A．On the sunny beach. | B．Near the Antarctic. |
| C．Inside the hole in the ice. | D．In the depths of the ocean. |
The public collected some money to______.
| A．build a home for the penguin |
| B．get the sand out of the penguin’s belly |
| C．do some research on the penguin |
| D．return the penguin to his habitat |
What does Peter Simpson mean by saying “ What happens now is up to the penguin.”?
| A．The penguin needs no protection from human. |
| B．Human beings can do noting to help penguins. |
| C．No one knows what will happen to the penguins. |
| D．Whether the penguin can survive depends on himself. |
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