What is a lifestyle and how is that different from a life? A lifestyle is about brand names and buying identity or fame. Lifestyle gives a false sense of peace and acceptability that comes from others recognizing what you’ve bought into (as well as bought). If your car, clothes, and home are expensive, you’re sophisticated(世故的) and stylish. If you have the right kind of job or go to the right social gatherings, then you receive the insincere approval of others. This means that your self-esteem(自尊) is always at the mercy of others, with no appreciation of you as an individual.
A life, on the other hand, is very different. A life is what you lead when you know what matters most to you. It is very simple and comes from being connected to what you know is important and being willing to put that first, no matter what others may think. When you create a life vs. a lifestyle, your self-esteem comes from what’s inside you, not what others think about you.
Lifestyle is expensive financially and personally, because it costs a great deal to keep up appearances and do what you think is socially acceptable. A life is not expensive. Rather than using personal or financial resources, a life generates energy and staying power. It’s about liberating yourself from the mindless consumption that society expects. It is about making the choices that are in line with your values, instead of using up your bank account or energy for no heart-driven reason.
How can you make the change? Understand the difference between a life and a lifestyle. Analyze your current lifestyle to see what is costing you in money, time, stress, and energy to maintain it. Let go and make room for what is really important to you, what supports you and brings you joy. Remember who you are from within, not what you own!Which of the following examples best explains “what is life about”?
| A．We work long hours in a job that we do not enjoy. |
| B．We focus on what we wear, or what kind of car we drive. |
| C．We find out what our true beliefs and values are and choose to live by these. |
| D．We think that how others see us is more important than what we think of ourselves. |
What method does the author use to explain his opinion in the third paragraph?
| A．Making comparison. |
| B．Giving an example. |
| C．Giving a definition. |
| D．Giving a reason. |
To make the change, we need to______________________.
| A．be directed from within |
| B．be directed from outside |
| C．be driven by social values |
| D．be driven by others’ opinions |
What is the author’s purpose of writing this passage?
| A．To describe what life is. |
| B．To introduce what lifestyle is. |
| C．To promote life instead of lifestyle. |
| D．To tell the differences between life and lifestyle. |
To son, Cecil,
Just a quick note before I start in earnest. When I wrote this, you were 8, still a little boy. In 2002, I was called to active duty in the Marine Corps in the war on Terrorism (恐怖主义). On the 11th of September 2001 when America was attacked, I knew that I would eventually(最终) have to go and I was filled with a deep sense of sadness. That night as you and Keiko were asleep, I looked at your little faces and couldn’t help but fight the tears. I knew it would be hard for you because I had a similar experience. When I was a little boy aged 6, my dad, your Grandpa Cawley, was sent to Vietnam during the war there. I remember how much I missed him, too. But now unfortunately I have come to realize just how difficult it must have been for Grandpa to be away from his children for a year. Thinking about this, I wanted to put my thoughts and feelings down for you and your sister. I am so sorry that I had to leave for such a long time. There is no place I would rather be than with you and Keiko. You two are the lights of my life. I have known no greater joy than in the few years since you two were born. I hope to have many more years with you. If this doesn’t happen, then know that I love you more than words can express. If for some reason I don’t make it home, I will need you to take care of your little sister and your Mom. You will be the man of the Cawley family. Be good my son and God will watch over you as he has me. I will be waiting impatiently for the time when we can all be together again.The writer of the letter may be ______.
| A．an American policeman |
| B．an American soldier in the battle field |
| C．a soldier in the Vietnam War |
| D．a postman working far away from home |
Keiko is the ______ of the writer.
| A．wife | B．son | C．daughter | D．sister |
One of the experiences the writer and his son had in common is that ______.
| A．they both experienced the Vietnam War |
| B．their fathers had to leave them and fight abroad. |
| C．they used to study in the same school |
| D．they were both eight when the fathers had to leave them |
We can infer(推断) that ______.
| A．the writer was a devoted son |
| B．the writer was a brave soldier |
| C．the writer realized he might die in the battle field |
| D．the writer’s wife was suffering from a terrible illness. |
A meteor(陨星) that exploded over Russia’s Ural mountains and sent burning to earth has set off a rush to find fragments of the space rock which hunters hope could fetch thousands of dollars a piece.
Friday’s explosion and following shockwave shattered windows, injured almost 1200 people and caused about $33 million worth of damage, said local authorities.
It also started a “meteorite rush” around the industrial city of Chelyabinsk,where groups of people have started combing through the snow and ice.
“The price is hard to say yet… The fewer meteorites that are discovered, the higher their price is.” Said Dmitry Kachkalin, a member of the Russian Society of Amateur Meteorite Lovers.
Meteorites are parts of a meteor that have fallen to earth.
Scientists at the Urals Federal University were the first to announce a significant find-53 small, stony, black objects around Lake Chebarkul, near Chelyabinsk, which tests confirmed were small meteorites.
The fragments were only 0.5 to 1 cm across but the scientists said larger pieces may have crashed into the lake, where a crater in the ice about eight metres wide opened up after Friday’s explosion.
“We just completed tests and confirm that the pieces of matter found by our experts around Lake Chebarkul are really meteorites.” said Viktor Grokhovsky, a scientist with the Urals Federal University and the Russian Academy of Sciences.
Many other people were in the area just hoping to find a meteorite after what was described by scientists as a once-in-a-century event.
Residents of a village near Chelyabinsk searched the snowy streets, collecting stones they hoped prove to be the real thing. But not all were ready to sell.
“I will keep it. Why sell it? I didn’t have a rich lifestyle before, so why start now?” a woman in a woollen hat and winter jacket, clutching a small black pebble(小圆石), told state television.
The Internet was filled quickly with advertisements from eager hunters hoping to sell what they said were meteorites - some for as little as 1,000 roubles ($33.18).
One seller of a large, silver-hued rock wrote in an advertisement:” Selling an unusual rock. It may be a piece of meteorite. It may be a bit of a UFO. It may be a piece of a rocket!”According to the passage, lots of people rushed to find meteorites for_____.
| A．fun | B．money |
| C．research | D．fame |
The underlined phrase in the third paragraphmeans ______.
| A．striking hard |
| B．enjoying the happiness of |
| C．searching carefully |
| D．making a place tidy and clean |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The price of meteorites will be very high without doubt. |
| B．A meteor exploded over Russia’s Ural mountains on Friday. |
| C．All meteorites hunters want to sell what they found and become rich. |
| D．People from all across Russia have rushed to Ural mountains to find meteorites. |
Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?
| A．How to identity a meteorite |
| B．To sell or to keep your meteorite |
| C．Meteorite rush around Chelyabinsk |
| D．Meteor explosion caused great damage |
A strong imagination does children a lot of good. The following are 5 benefits of encouraging children’s imagination. As children play different roles, they explore relationships between family members, friends and co-workers and learn more about them. For example, playing a doctor, they imagine how doctors care for their patients; playing house, they learn more about how parents feel about their children.
Build self-confidence. Young children have very little control over their lives. Imagining oneself as a builder of tall buildings or a superhero defending the planet is giving power to a child.
Help intellectual（智力的）growth. Children who can see a king’s castle in a mound（堆）of sand are learning to think in an abstract（抽象的）way. This skill is important in school.
Kids who play with their friends do a lot of talking. This helps increase their vocabulary, improve sentence structure and communication skills.
Work out fears. When children role-play about the big, bad monster under the bed, they gain a sense of control over him and he doesn’t seem so big or so bad.
| A．Develop social skills. |
| B．Practice language skills. |
| C．Be willing to share. |
| D．It helps them develop confidence in their abilities. |
E. Imagination can help children help each other.
F. Using the imagination is the beginning of abstract thought.
G. Playing roles can help children work out their fears and worries.
When we were very small, we realized that having friends was important.Some of us even had imaginary(想象中的)friends. The need for friends continued as we grew into our teens.Friends played a big part in forming our personalities(性格). As adults，it is still important for us to have friends.
True friends are people who like us though we made mistakes and who listen to us and tell us the truth. Friends support our decisions and tell us when we’re foolish. They laugh with us and share our sadness. They are our partners and share interests with us. They stimulate us when we are feeling down. They are people we aren’t afraid of telling our secret wishes to or what is really on our minds.
Friends are our supporters. When you can depend on friends, you feel safe and warm. Friends offer acceptance and emotional(情感的)support. At times, they also help with our everyday lives, cooking a meal, doing chores, or giving us a lift when we need one. Friends also are there to offer advice, an ear to listen, or a shoulder to cry on.
Friends also help us reduce stress. Not only do they listen to us when we feel stressed, but they also discuss what is stressing us. Sharing interests and doing activities with friends help us forget about problems at work or at home. For a short time, we can lose ourselves in a pleasant activity and perhaps laugh and breathe more easily.What is the best title for the passage?
| A．How to Reduce Stress |
| B．How to Make New Friends |
| C．The Importance of Friends |
| D．The Qualities of Good Friends |
The underlined word“stimulate” in Paragraph 2 probably means________.
| A．educate | B．encourage |
| C．surprise | D．dislike |
We can learn from the third paragraph that friends always________.
| A．laugh at us when we’re foolish |
| B．tell us other people’s secrets |
| C．share our sadness and interests |
| D．support us when we need help |
We can learn from the passage that________.
| A．people should make friends anytime |
| B．friends are people who allow you to cry |
| C．a friend helps you in many ways |
| D．good friends are always difficult to meet |
From Japan to Indonesia, a certain kind of pop culture is very hot. But it doesn’t come from Hollywood—it’s Hallyu(韩流), the wave of Korean pop culture that has washed over Asia. It has influenced everything from music to television. And thanks to the Internet and social media, it’s now spreading worldwide.
South Korea produces all types of entertainment, the most popular being music, soap operas and films. What makes Hallyu so hot in Asia? One reason is that its products are of high quality and much cheaper than western products. Another reason is that eastern cultures are similar to each other, although there are language differences.
Korean pop music, or “K-pop”, ranks the first everywhere. Fans love the songs and the attractive stars. Companies like SM Entertainment, JYP Entertainment and YG Entertainment help many K-pop stars, such as Super Junior, Big Bang and Rain, to succeed. They are not only popular in Asia but also enjoy popularity in the West. In 2011, Big Bang’s mini-album Tonight reached the top 10 on U.S. Tunes Top Pop Albums. When SM Entertainment took their 2010 world tour to Los Angeles, only 30 percent of the 15,000 fans were Korean. Half of the audience wasn’t even Asian!
One important reason for the success of Hallyu is simply the Internet. A little more than 10 years ago, Korean soap operas, movies and music reached the outside world quite slowly. They began in Korea, and then gradually spread outward, appearing in its neighboring countries where local TV and radio companies would play them. Now they are played around the world online at the same time.
YouTube is another major way to get Korean entertainment to fans everywhere. It is an inexpensive and valid way for artists to introduce their work to a larger audience. In 2010 the YouTube channels for the top three Korean entertainment groups together had nearly 800 million views from 225 different countries.Hallyu is very hot in Asia partly because________.
| A．languages in Asia are similar to each other |
| B．the culture is the most fashionable in the world |
| C．South Korea’s products are the cheapest in Asia |
| D．the quality of South Korea’s products is high |
The author shows the popularity of K-pop in the West_______.
| A．by giving examples |
| B．in order of space |
| C．by listing reasons |
| D．in order of time |
The last two paragraphs mainly tell us________.
| A．how important the Internet is |
| B．Hallyu is popular worldwide |
| C．the Internet helps Hallyu spread quickly |
| D．how popular and effective YouTube is |
What does the underlined word valid (in Para. 5) mean?
| A．slow | B．useless |
| C．successful | D．necessary |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．K-pop Ranks the First Everywhere |
| B．Hallyu Makes Waves across the World |
| C．YouTube Helps Korean Cultures Spread |
| D．Korean Soap Operas Are Growing in Popularity |
Everywhere I look outside my home I see people busy on their high-tech devices（装置）, while driving, walking, shopping, even sitting in toilets. When connected electronically, they are away from physical reality.
People have been influenced to become technology addicted. One survey reported that “addicted” was the word most commonly used by people to describe their relationship to iPad and similar devices. One study found that people had a harder time resisting the allure of social media than they did for sleep, cigarettes and alcohol.
The main goal of technology companies is to get people to spend more money and time on their products, not to actually improve our quality of life. They have successfully created a cultural disease. Consumers willingly give up their freedom, money and time to catch up on the latest information, to keep pace with their peers or to appear modern.
I see people trapped in a flu-like relationship with time-sucking technology, where they serve technology more than technology serves them. I call this technology servitude. I am referring to a loss of personal freedom and independence because of uncontrolled consumption of many kinds of devices that eat up time and money.
What is a healthy use of technology devices? That is the vital question. Who is really in charge of my life? That is what people need to ask themselves if we are to have any chance of breaking up false beliefs about their use of technology. When we can live happily without using so much technology for a day or a week, then we can regain control and personal freedom, become the master of technology and discover what there is to enjoy in life free of technology. Mae West is famous for claiming the wisdom that “Too much of a good thing is wonderful.” But it’s time to discover that it does not work for technology.
Richard Fernandez, a former CEO at Google acknowledged that “we can be swept away by our technologies.” To break the grand digital connection people must consider how life long ago could be fantastic without today’s overused technology.The underlined word “allure” in Paragraph 2 probably means ______.
| A．advantage | B．attraction |
| C．adaptation | D．attempt |
From the passage, technology companies aim to ______.
| A．attract people to buy their products |
| B．provide the latest information |
| C．improve people’s quality of life |
| D．deal with cultural diseases |
It can be inferred from this passage that people ______.
| A．consider too much technology wonderful |
| B．have realized the harm of high-tech devices |
| C．can regain freedom without high-tech devices |
| D．may enjoy life better without overused technology |
What’s the author’s attitude towards the overusing of high-tech devices?
| A．Objective | B．Positive |
| C．Disapproving | D．Sympathetic |
After I made it to the city center, I started to feel it might be easy for a foreigner to deal with the great size of Beijing. With growing confidence, I decided to take the subway to the hotel, not realizing that the network didn’t go that far. Impressed with the cleanliness of the station, I bought a ticket and boarded the first train that came along.
After a few minutes I asked in English of course a young man seated next to me where I should get off closest to the Friendship Hotel. Wearing a smart business suit and tie, he would surely speak English, wouldn’t he? Unfortunately, he couldn’t understand me but seemed very friendly. I showed him the room card with all the information of the Friendship Hotel in Chinese characters. He looked at it, and then his eyes moved quickly to the carriage （车厢） subway map. Next, he raised three fingers of his right hand.
In Australia, raising fingers at someone is not usually nice, but this man wasn’t smiling. At the next station he showed me two fingers. Now in Australia, that’s really rude, but I got the message. When we stopped at the third station, he didn’t just point to the door, but got up, took me out of the train, and led me to the top of the stairs, and out onto the street. Then he stopped a taxi and told the driver where to take me.
All this came from a man who couldn’t speak my language, and I couldn’t speak his. I was now speechless, especially when he refused my offer of money. I felt a little embarrassed having even thought he would accept a tip.
This experience made it clear I had to learn some Chinese quickly or my adventures might start turning into bad luck.The author decided to take the subway because ________.
| A．he lived near the city center |
| B．the network covered most of the stops |
| C．he believed in his ability to deal with the trip |
| D．he had a good impression of its cleanliness |
Having been shown the room card, the young man_________.
| A．understood the author well |
| B．still remained puzzled |
| C．answered the author directly |
| D．pointed at the subway map |
Which of the following can’t be used to describe the young man?
| A．helpful | B．rude |
| C．warmhearted | D．caring |
The author’s purpose of writing this passage is mainly to ________.
| A．prove the importance of being careful |
| B．appreciate the kindness of the young man |
| C．complain some cultural misunderstanding |
| D．describe one of his adventurous experiences |
While I was in my 4th month of pregnancy（妊娠期）with my second child，we were preparing for a trip to Louisiana，where Marshall’s family live，to celebrate Jane’s 2nd birthday．Two days before we were to leave，we got the shocking news that I was going to lose the baby．Not knowing when this would happen，we decided to continue with our trip．
Since Marshall’s family lives on a 600-acre cattle farm，you often find that you have a lot of time to yourself to think when you are there．That is precisely what I did not want to do at this time．I told Marshall that I needed to get a good book to get lost in while I was there．I told him I heard the Harry Potter books were good，so he went out and got the first one for me．
During that trip，I totally got lost in the book，which was of great help during a time when I needed a distraction to forget about the sadness．In the book，I noticed the name “Seamus”．I vaguely remembered it was pronounced “Shamus” and I liked the sound of that．I mentioned it to Marshall and he liked it too．Toward the end of the trip，I had just 5 chapters left and I knew I was about to finish the first book，which I was pretty excited about．
Soon after we put Jane down to bed，I had started labor（分娩），so I was unable to read．The labor lasted 5 and 1/2 hours，but Marshall stayed there with me，sitting beside me and reading aloud the last 5 chapters of Harry Potter．I can never fully explain how much that helped me through the experience．And ever since then，Marshall and I both have been fans of the Harry Potter books．We remember how they helped us get through that time of our lives．
We were sad to have lost the baby，but the name Seamus started our journey toward adoption．And we gave this name to our adopted son．Though our Seamus doesn’t have a drop of Irish blood in him，the name fits him perfectly．Why did the writer want a good book during the trip?
| A．Because the trip to Louisiana would take a long time． |
| B．Because she didn’t want to think of losing her baby． |
| C．Because she had nothing else to do except reading． |
| D．Because a good book could help her enjoy her trip． |
According to the story，we can know that the Harry Potter books _________________．
| A．made the family’s trip more exciting |
| B．include five books all together |
| C．have someone called Seamus in them |
| D．can help people deal with their problems |
The writer named her son Seamus because ___________________．
| A．she wanted to keep her trip in memory |
| B．she loved this name very much |
| C．her son doesn’t have Irish blood |
| D．it is a perfect name for a boy |
Which is the best title for the passage?
| A．Funny Stories of My Family |
| B．Seamus And Harry Potter |
| C．How We Got To Louisiana |
| D．How My Son Got His Name |
“Mommy, I’m a funny bird,” Jack, my almost-4-year-old tells me. He moves his little fingers like wings.
“You are?” I say. I’m sitting across from him while he eats breakfast at our table. I smile; he says the greatest things. A week ago, however, when he had chocolate on his face and I licked (舔) my finger to wipe it off, he said, “Don’t put your dirty water on me.”
A week ago, I wouldn’t have been sitting here with him during breakfast. I wouldn’t have been up, emptying the dishwasher, cleaning the kitchen, or answering emails. We always had dinner together at the table, but other meals got much less attention. I work from home, and my husband owns an advertising agency and often travels. We were so busy that we had to do the chores during breakfast or lunch.
Why was I not sitting down with my son? It could take Jack an hour to eat a meal, during which I could feel the tug (猛拉) of unanswered emails, a deadline, and the unswept floor each minute.
Then we went to visit friends for a weekend. They have two kids. They are busy, professional, and good parents. And at every meal -- not just dinner -- we all sat down at the table and ate. When we got home, my husband said, “Maybe we should be doing that.”
I took this as criticism. My husband works a lot, so mealtimes are mostly under my charge. The “we” he was talking about was me.
Then, I remembered myself that I’m a big girl, and took his comment the way it was meant. We both want what’s best for Jack. Yes, I thought. I’m home. I have to eat, too. My husband is Jack’s favorite, which delights and moves me, but I am Jack’s constant. Constants are there. Constants sit down.
So I’ve been sitting. And, surprise, I haven’t missed a deadline. The house has been clean. And Jack seems to like having me there. Two days ago, over lunch, he smiled and stared at me.
“What?” I asked, amused.
“Mommy, I love you so much and I can’t stop loving you.”
I could have missed that.
God, I could have missed that. Before visiting the friends, Jack _________.
| A．didn’t like chocolate |
| B．couldn’t eat by himself |
| C．was sometimes rude to his mom |
| D．preferred his mother to his father |
After visiting the friends, the author _________.
| A．was determined to learn to cook |
| B．asked her husband to have every meal with her |
| C．decided to have dinner together with her family |
| D．was advised by her husband to learn from the friends |
What does the underlined word “that” in the last paragraph refer to?
| A．The best time to visit friends. |
| B．Jack saying sweet words to his mom. |
| C．A deadline for answering emails. |
| D．Jack having lunch with his mom. |
There’s a small town in the central part of England called Gotham. Some say it’s a town of fools. Others say all the villagers are wise. Let me tell you about the people of Gotham so you can decide for yourself.
Long ago, England was ruled by a cruel king named John. One day, the people of Gotham heard that King John and his men would soon be riding through their town.This worried the villagers, for they knew the greedy king would demand food and accommodation for his men. What’s more, if he saw anything to his liking, he would surely take it.
A town meeting was called. After much discussion, the townspeople decided to cut down a number of huge trees to block the roads leading into Gotham. When King John and his men reached the outskirts of the village, they could not pass. Angry, King John ordered his men to go into the town and punish the villagers.
When the king’s officers finally made their way over the trees, they found a village of fools. Some say that was because the people of Gotham had a plan—they had decided to act like fools since they had never heard of anyone being punished for being a noodlehead. Others say that’s just the way they were.
In the village, the king’s men encountered a man riding a donkey. The man was bent over because he carried a huge bag of grain on his own shoulders. He looked exhausted. One of the king’s men approached him and asked, “Why, in heaven’s name, are you carrying that bag? Why don’t you just put it behind you on your donkey’s back?”
“You see,” replied the man from Gotham, “my donkey is feeling poor today. It’s bad enough that she has to carry me, so I decided to lighten her burden by carrying the bag myself.”
The king’s men said, “But sir, don’t you see that if you’re riding on top of the donkey, she’s
still carrying the weight of the bag?” The man didn’t reply. He just looked at the king’s men as if they were crazy and went on his way. The king’s officers giggled at the foolishness of the man. Before long, they passed a pond where they found a number of villagers in the midst of a great argument. Two of them were holding a big eel. “Quiet down,” commanded one of the king’s men. “What’s the problem here?”
One of the villagers stepped forward and said, “Last year we took all the extra fish we [caught and put them in this pond so they would multiply. But this year when we came back, all we caught was this one huge eel. Obviously it has eaten all of our fish! Since then, we have argued long and hard over how to punish this bad eel. But we have finally agreed on the perfect punishment. We are just about to drown the eel in this very pond!” The king’s officers couldn’t believe their ears. Drown an eel whose home is in the water? These men were sillier than the first man they met!
Before long, they reached the center of the village, where they were in for another surprise. There they found the rest of the townspeople building a towering stone wall. When the soldiers inquired what was going on, one of the villagers replied, “Every spring a cuckoo comes to live in our village. It always brings warm weather. When it leaves, the cold weather returns. Last year we decided that if we could get the cuckoo to stay here all year, we would always have warm weather. We built this stone wall, but it obviously wasn’t high enough because the bird flew away. This year we’re determined to build it so high that the cuckoo can’t escape.”
The king’s officers had heard enough. They couldn’t bring themselves to punish such stupid people. They returned to King John and told him all about the fools of Gotham. Whether it’s fair or not, the people of Gotham have been known as fools ever since.
What do you think? Were the villagers of Gotham wise or foolish?This story is most like___________.
| A．a news article | B．a folktale |
| C．realistic fiction | D．historical fiction |
The story is set in___________.
| A．A city | B．A forest |
| C．A royal palace | D．A small village |
Why do the townspeople cut down the trees?
| A．To make room for their crops. |
| B．To block the roads to the village. |
| C．To create a gift for the king’s men. |
| D．To build accommodation for the king’s men. |
The townspeople are worried about the king’s visit because he will___________.
| A．laugh at them |
| B．cut down their trees |
| C．take anything he wants |
| D．want to move to their town |
Based on the story, why might the townspeople be considered wise?
| A．They trick the king’s men into thinking they are fools. |
| B．They think ahead by putting their extra fish into a pond. |
| C．They make sure their donkeys are healthy enough to work. |
| D．They realize the importance of warm weather to their crops. |
You still don't know what to do this summer? Well, here's your chance to win a one-week language course in Kent, England! Free4Fun and ETC (English Travel Connections)are giving away two trips to Rochester. This historic city is less than an hour's drive from London and close to the sea resort of Heine Bay. It is also the home of one of England's most famous writers, Charles Dickens. The town of Rochester is in Southeast England. Charles Dickens often wrote about it in his books. His home, Gad's Hill, is there, too. A popular attraction is Rochester Castle, a large Norman fortress (堡垒). It was built in the 11th century and rebuilt during the 14th century. Other attractions are Rochester Cathedral, which was built during the 13th century, and Dickens Centre. It has got its name in honour of Dickens himself.
The trip to England includes:
* travel by train( via the Eurotunnel)to and from any railway station in Germany
* room and full board with a guest family for one week
* language course in small groups
* two trips to London
* large choice of sports and entertainment
* German-speaking advisors available 24 hours a day
Interested? All you have to do is to answer the following question: When was Charles Dickens born?
So, take the chance and send your answer by May 1 to:
Free4Fun "Rochester"
Free4Fun,24 Elphinstone Road, Hastings ,2FQ6VJ
fax :089/85-763-103
e-mail :free4fun@ netlight, com
The two winners will be contacted directly before May 5. They will also be announced in the June issue of Free4Fun.
Good luck!
For further information contact.
phone: (03212) 144-43
fax: (03212) 144-42
e-mail :info@ etc. comRochester Cathedral was built in the .
| A．1400s | B．1300s | C．1200s | D．1100s |
What activities can you participate in during the trip?
| A．Enjoying sports and entertainment. |
| B．Learning the German language. |
| C．Traveling by train with a guest' family. |
| D．Working as a language advisor. |
If you want to win a prize you have to send your answer to .
| A．the June issue of Free4fun | B．ETC |
| C．info@ etc. com | D．free4fun@ netlight, com |
This advertisement was designed to target .
| A．Italians | B．Germans |
| C．Europeans | D．Americans |
I learned a long time ago that hair has meanings—plenty of meanings. Growing up in the 1960s, my friends and I struggled without parents’ control over the length and style of our hair.
At the time, hair represented our need to break free from adults in our lives. Long hair represented our freed inner selves.
My clients are often surprised when I asked them questions about their hairstyle—why they choose it, how else they’ve worn their hair, how they feel about it, and so on. However, while it may seem to be a simple topic, even today our hairstyles still have many psychological and emotional meanings. Understanding some of those meanings can lead to understanding of many different aspects of a person’s mind. How we view our hair, for example, can show something about how we view ourselves.
Our hair can show physical and emotional wellbeing, desirability, and even social and financial status. When it becomes dull or fragile, it can communicate emotional and physical diseases. But hair can also show unrecognized and often unspoken daydreams about oneself and one’s world. One woman—a successful professional—wore her long hair in a thick bun(发髻).
But one day she showed me that tangled(缠结的) hair was kept in the bun. She said that she never brushed out the tangles because the hair showed her secret image of herself as a helpless, disturbed woman, like Ophelia in the play Hamlet.
Another woman came to therapy in a huge shirt and huge pants that she believed they could hide the weight she had put on since the birth of her child. She talked about how much she hated her body and how helpless she felt about doing anything about it. But her hair was always beautifully coloured and decorated. When I pointed out that she seemed to have a different relationship with her hair from she did with her body, she said that her hair had been thinning and that she was trying to make it look as good as she could. I pointed out that what she was doing with her hair and her body was kind of contradictory, and wondered if she had any thoughts about that.
She was surprised. But as we talked about her contradictory attitudes towards different parts of her physical self, we began to open up all sorts of other thoughts and ideas about her inner self.
And interestingly, as we continued opening those internal doors, changes started to happen. She started eating differently and exercising regularly. One day some months later, she appeared in my office in skinny jeans and a tight sweater, and her hair was pulled back in a ponytail. “I decided to see what would happen if I stopped trying to hide myself, ” she said with a big smile.
“And…? ” I asked. “People keep smiling at me in the street. My husband hugged me this morning for the first time in ages. And I feel good! ”
Besides, selfrespect in both men and women can be damaged by thinning hair；they may feel alone even though they are really not. Given our cultural focus on physical appearance, youth, and health, hair loss can be unpleasant for both men and women. The market is filled with hairenhancing treatments, but there are those who have decided to be against the system and change to the “bald is beautiful” position. But it is much harder for women to take the “bald is beautiful” approach to hair loss. We tend to try to hide it in one way or another.
But no matter what approach you use, it is important to remember that the thickness of your hair has nothing to do with your value in the world. Remember that you have nothing to be ashamed of if you have thinning hair. Thinning hair may not be something you can change, but it doesn’t have to control how you represent the person who lives underneath it.In the 1960s, long hair represented___________.
| A．fashion | B．honesty | C．peace | D．freedom |
Why does the author ask clients questions about their hairstyle?
| A．Because this topic can reduce clients’ pain. |
| B．Because the hairstyle can reflect one’s inner self. |
| C．Because it’s a simple topic to start a conversation. |
| D．Because this is a topic most people are interested in. |
The author mentioned stories of two women in order to___________.
| A．prove her idea |
| B．introduce the topic |
| C．make comparisons |
| D．stress the importance of good hair |
What can we know about the woman wearing her long hair in a thick bun?
| A．She had long but thinning hair. |
| B．She was helpless and disturbed. |
| C．She was too busy to brush her hair. |
| D．She loved the play Hamlet very much. |
What does the author advise us to do in the last two paragraphs?
| A．Not to be affected by thinning hair. |
| B．To take the “bald is beautiful” position. |
| C．To find suitable treatments for thinning hair. |
| D．Not to pay too much attention to our physical appearance. |
He was once referred to as the Picasso of poetry. Beloved by Chileans of all classes, he is one of the most widely read and respected poets in history. And this year is the 100th birthday of Pablo Neruda(1904—1973)．
Born with the name Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basolto, he was a tall, shy and lonely boy. He loved to read and started to write poetry when he was ten. The American poet Walt Whitman, whose framed picture Neruda later kept on his table became a major influence on his work.
However, his father did not like the idea of having a poet for a son and tried to discourage him from writing. To cover up (掩饰) the publication of his first poem, he took the pen name Pablo Neruda.
In 1924 Neruda gained fame with his most widely read work “Twenty Love Poems and a Song of Despair.” Yet his rich experience as a diplomat and exile(流犯) made him go beyond the theme of love. His work also reflected the political struggle of the left and development of South America. He was awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1971.
Neruda loved the sea which he saw as creative, destructive and forever moving. He found inspiration in the power and freedom of the waves and the seabirds on the coast. “I need the sea because it teaches me,” he wrote. “I move in the university of the waves.” He loved how the sea forever renewed itself, a renewal echoed in his work. The underlined word “Picasso” can probably be replaced by“________”．
| A．most important person |
| B．famous person from Picasso |
| C．freedom fighter in Picasso |
| D．poem fans |
Neftali Ricardo Reyes Basolto took the pen name Pablo Neruda because________.
| A．literary greats usually used the pen name |
| B．his father encouraged him to use the name |
| C．he wanted to prevent his father knowing the publication |
| D．he was greatly influenced by other poets |
Which of the following is not the theme of his works?
| A．Love. | B．Political struggle. |
| C．Social reform. | D．Development of South America. |
The last paragraph mainly tells us________.
| A．the sea gave Neruda vast writing inspiration |
| B．the beautiful scenery along the Chile coast |
| C．Neruda's poems were widely read overseas |
| D．Neruda loved to write his poems near the sea |
As I grew older, my dad and I grew further apart. We always had totally different opinions. He thought that college was a waste of time, but for me it was important to finish college. He wanted me to work my way to the top as he had done in his field, but I wanted a different life. There was a time when we did not talk with each other.
A few months ago, I heard that my 84-year-old dad was in poor health. When he called and asked whether I could move from Colorado back to Tennessee to help him, I knew he was seriously ill. I am his only child and so it was time to meet my father's requirement.
Two weeks after moving back，we bought a boat and started fishing again. Fishing was one of the few things that we did while I was young and that we both enjoyed. It is strange but true that as we are fishing we are able to put things that have kept us apart for so many years behind us. We are able to talk about things that we have never talked about before. Fishing has been healing the old wounds that have kept us apart.
It is not important how many fish we catch. It is about enjoying the relationship that we have not had for years. I' m 62 and he is 84. When we are on the lake fishing, it is like enjoying life. It is far better to find a way to put the unhappy past behind. I am so lucky to spend the happy time with my father in his last years. Now my heart is filled with love. A smile always graces my lips.The author and his father became further apart because .
| A．they lived very far from each other |
| B．they seldom went see each other |
| C．they only communicated by phone |
| D．they had different views on things |
Why did the author come back to Tennessee?
| A．Because his father invited him to work there. |
| B．Because he decided to live in a different city. |
| C．Because his father was ill and needed caring. |
| D．Because he regretted being rude to his father. |
For the author, fishing with his old father .
| A．helps cure his father’s disease |
| B．makes him realize the importance of relaxation |
| C．is a good way to get close to nature |
| D．provides a chance for them to communicate |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
| A．Fishing Brings Us Together | B．Forgiving Is Difficult |
| C．Memories of Old Days | D．My Beloved Father |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号