I grew up in a house where the TV was seldom turned on and with one wall in my bedroom entirely lined with bookshelves, most of my childhood was spent on books I could get hold of. In fact, I grew up thinking of reading as natural as breathing and books unbelievably powerful in shaping perspectives (观点) by creating worlds we could step into, take part. in. and live in.
With this unshakable belief, I, at. fourteen, decided to become a writer. Here too, reading became useful. Every writer starts off knowing that he has something to say, but being unable to find the right ways to say it. He has to find his own voice by reading widely and discovering which parts of the writers he agrees or disagrees with, or agrees with so strongly that it reshapes his own world. He cannot write without loving to read, because only through reading other people's writing can one discover what works, what doesn't and, in the end, together with lots of practice, what voice he has.
Now I am in college, and have come to realize how important it is to read fiction (文学作品)．As a. law student, my reading is in fact limited to subject matter-the volume (量) of what I have to read for classes every week means there is little time to read anything else. Such reading made it all the clearer to me that I live in a very small part in this great place called life. Reading fiction reminds me that there is life beyond my own. It allows me to travel across the high seas and along the Silk Road, all from the comfort of my own armchair, to experience, though secondhand, exciting experiences that I wouldn't necessarily be able to have in my lifetime. What can be inferred about the author as a child?
| A． He never watched TV. |
| B． He read what he had to. |
| C． He found reading unbelievable. |
| D． He considered reading part of his life |
The underlined word "voice" in the second paragraph most probably means "_______".
| A． an idea |
| B． a sound quality |
| C． a way of writing |
| D． a world to write about |
What effect does reading have on the author?
| A． It helps him to realize his dream. |
| B． It opens up a wider world for him. |
| C． It makes his college life more interesting. |
| D． It increases his interest in worldwide travel. |
Which of the following can be the best title of this text?
| A． Why do I read? |
| B． How do I read? |
| C． What do I read? |
| D． When do I read? |
What’s a “gift”? If you look it up in the dictionary, you’ll see that it’s another word for a present. For example, “They brought him some gifts.” However, if you’re German, “gift” means something completely different: poison!
This word “gift” is an example of a false friend--- a word that looks the same in two languages, but which actually has two different meanings. As English is basically a mixture of German, French and Latin, there are many words that are similar in these languages. For example, the English word “education” is “education” in Spanish. And the English words “word, book, nine, house” are “Wort, Buch, Neun, Haus” in german.
These similar-looking words can be very helpful when learning other languages --- they’re our “friends”. However, sometimes they can turn out or be “false friends”. Here are a few examples.
In English, someone who is “sensible” thinks before they act and shows good judgement. For example , “The sensible thing to do would be to consult a lawyer.” However, in Spanish, “sensible ” means “sensitive” (showing understanding of other people’s problems, needs or feelings).
The English word “coin” refers to a piece of money made of metal. For example, “I had a few coins in my pocket.” But the French word “coin” means “corner”.
The English word “library” is a place where you can go to borrow books. For example, “I borrowed six books from the library.” But the Spanish word “libreria” refers to a bookshop (where you buy books).
The English word “actually” means “in fact”. For example, “Actually I’m not Italian, I’m form American.” But the Spanish word “actualmente” means “currently” or “at the moment”.
Finally, the English word “embarrassed” means “ashamed”. For example, “They looked a bit embarrassed.” However, the Spanish term “embarazada” means “pregnant” (with a child).
| A．is easy to master |
| B．is simpler than Spanish |
| C．has a complex background |
| D．has changed greatly throughout history |
| A．Nine and Neun. | B．Library and libreria. |
| C．Actually and actualmente. | D．Embarrassed and embarazada. |
| A．“coin” means “corner” |
| B．“gift” refers to something negative |
| C．“educacion” simply means “book” |
| D．“sensible” doesn’t necessarily means “wise” |
| A．following the order of space | B．comparing different ideas |
| C．providing typical examples | D．analyzing the cause and effect |
You may have heard about the many benefits of yoga, but a recent New York Times story, has stirred up more than a little controversy in the yoga community.
"How Yoga Can Wreck Your Body," by science writer William J. Broad, quotes a long-time yoga teacher who "...has come to believe that 'the vast majority of people' should give up yoga altogether. It's simply too likely to cause harm." He goes on to describe a number of cases where people have been injured doing yoga, including himself.
The research in the article isn't groundbreaking: doing any form of exercise you could potentially hurt yourself. If you look at the injury rates of other physical activities, the number of injuries sustained from yoga would pale in comparison.
Practicing yoga is just like anything in life: You have to push yourself in order to grow. But you also have to know your limits and when you're breaking them. If you stick to your comfort zone, you'll never be able to increase your flexibility. If you push to the point where you're not only uncomfortable, but in real pain, you'll likely injure yourself.
The reasons that yoga causes "serious injury”, according to the Times story, range from students' physical weaknesses to inexperienced teachers pushing too hard to the growing number of inflexible "urbanites who sit in chairs all day" trying hard to twist themselves into difficult postures.
Yoga is called a "practice" for a reason. You don't have to be perfect. You don't have to tackle every pose. It doesn't matter if you can touch the floor with your palms during your first forward bend or your thousandth, or if you never get there.
We go to the mat to learn to better listen to what our bodies are telling us, and to better hear that quiet inner voice drowned out by the noise of our busy lives. It's a shame to discourage the majority of people from practicing yoga and missing out on all of the mind-body benefits that going to the mat has to offer.The underlined word is best replaced by __.
| A．Injure | B．Benefit | C．Push | D．Shape |
What does author mainly want to tell us in the 3rd paragraph?
| A．All physical activities are equally harmful. |
| B．Yoga causes much less injuries than other physical activities. |
| C．Similar researches have been done before. |
| D．Yoga, like any other form of exercise, can hurt people. |
Which is not mentioned among the reasons for yoga being likely to cause injury?
| A．Teachers lack the knowledge of students’ limits. |
| B．Modern lifestyle decreases our flexibility. |
| C．The body doesn’t tell when you are in real pain. |
| D．Students themselves might not be in good physical condition. |
What is the author’s attitude towards practicing yoga?
| A．It’s a shame not to practice yoga. |
| B．One should push the limits in order to be perfect. |
| C．The majority should give up yoga for it may cause harm. |
| D．One should enjoy the physical and mental benefit that yoga brings. |
Gray hair is simply a part of the normal aging process, and the rate you go silver is genetically predetermined. Going gray is not associated with earlier death, and premature graying is not, generally speaking, a sign of an illness or ill health in younger adults. There are, however, some specific health conditions associated with gray or white hair, but for most of us, going gray is just a fact of life.
Hair color comes from the pigment melanin(黑色素), which determines your individual shade. Hair without any melanin is pure white. The pigment is produced in cells called melanocytes, which inject pigment into the hair. At some point in everyone's lifetime, these cells slow down and eventually stop producing color. Scientists have yet to identify the exact mechanism by which melanocyte cell death occurs.
A study of more than 4,000 women and men from 20 countries determined that about 75% of people between the ages of 45 and 65 have some gray hair. In general, people of European descent gray earliest followed by Asians and Africans. It's interesting to note that a lucky 1 in 10 has no gray hair by retirement age. Beginning at age 30, your chances of having gray hair go up 10-20% per decade.
It may feel like you have more grays after a stressful event, but that's probably because middle age is basically a series of anxiety-ridden events. Between working, raising kids, and caring for older parents, the "sandwich" years of 45-65 can be stressful, especially for women. They are also when we naturally start to look older.
At this point, there is still no silver bullet to keep away the grays. What would be the best title for this passage?
| A．Going gray. | B．Tips to make hair color last |
| C．Why does hair turn gray? | D．Gray hair is in fashion. |
Which of the following is a true statement according to the passage?
| A．Scientists have found out how to prevent hair from turning gray. |
| B．Europeans are more likely to gray than Asians and Africans. |
| C．Gray hair means poor health or a sign of illness. |
| D．Everyone will inevitably get gray hair by retirement age. |
Which is not among the reasons for hair turning gray according to the passage?
| A．Being physically weak. | B．Stress from different sides. |
| C．Death of melanocyte cell. | D．Genetic factors. |
What does “silver bullet” in the last paragraph probably mean?
| A．Make-up | B．Scientific research. | C．Chemical weapon. | D．Cure. |
LIKE many teachers, Cristi Derow and Jennifer Bradley have spent most of their careers giving classroom lectures to students who sat passively in their seats.
The Lewisvillle, Texas, school teachers were aware that the hours they spent on preparing lessons were too often wasted on many students. So Forestwood High School, Texas, used the “flipped (翻转的) classroom” method of instruction. “We’ve completely done away with our lecture,” Derow said. And homework assignments “are all done in class,” Bradley said.
With the flipped concept, a student’s usual homework assignment is to watch pre-recorded lectures on their computers or smart phones.They walk into class ready to discuss the topic, collaborate(合作) with other students and work on assignments based on what they learned from the video. Free from lecturing, the teachers can use class time to look deeper into the subject and focus on difficult concept. As students change from a passive to an active role, they learn critical thinking skills, learn to collaborate and become independent learners.
Instead of doing homework assignments alone at home, students are now “working together, talking about it,” Bradley said. “If they don’t agree on an answer, they debate it and have to justify their answers. It’s a higher level of learning.”
Her students give the flipped classroom high marks.
Sarah Lee, 14, watches the 30-minute videos on a home computer. She likes the ability to rewind the tapes if she doesn't understand a concept. She also likes being able to watch the lessons on her own schedule.
One of her classmates, Dawson Depperschmidt has the same idea and thinks the time she spends in the classroom is more productive. “It gives us more time to learn at school,” Dawson said. “You get more in-depth in class.What can we conclude from the first two paragraphs?
| A．Teachers in Lewisville enjoyed giving classroom lectures. |
| B．It takes time for students to concentrate and understand in class. |
| C．Many students took an inactive part in lecture-style classes. |
| D．Teachers in Lewisville found that there was no need to prepare lessons. |
What difference does the “flipped classroom”method make to students?
| A．They have more arguments with classmates. |
| B．They have to be independent and cooperative. |
| C．They need to do more homework at home. |
| D．They have to prepare lectures by themselves. |
What does the underlined word “productive” mean?
| A．reducing difficulties | B．trying new methods |
| C．achieving a lot | D．causing troubles |
What are the benefits of the “flipped classroom” method?
a. Teachers have time to solve deeper problems
b. Students are engaged in a higher level of learning.
c. Students study according to their own schedule.
d. Teachers don’t have to design homework for students
| A．a, b, c, | B．a, c, d | C．b, c, d | D．a, b, d |
This charming table lamp is a wonderful way to add customized color and accented lighting to a room. Turn on this light and give your home the soft glow while adding a natural style to your home. The lamp comes with an on/off switch for easy lighting control.
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You Save: $ 520.99What is the purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To make advertisements for the three items. |
| B．To attract more and more tourists. |
| C．To make more money from the goods. |
| D．To make preparations for an auction. |
What’s the advantage of the coffee table?
| A．It is worth collection. |
| B．It makes the room more convenient. |
| C．Its top is purely made of silver metal. |
| D．Its shape can be easily adjusted. |
We can infer from the passage that the Home Office Desk is ___.
| A．totally made of dark walnut wood |
| B．meanwhile sold with a personal computer |
| C．designed to protect individual privacy |
| D．only allowed to be used at home |
Which of the above goods has the least discount?
| A．A charming table lamp. | B．The Home Office Desk |
| C．The lovely coffee table. | D．None of them |
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