Fright caught Spencer’s heart, as he saw his lifelong friend fall in the battle of World War I. He asked his Lieutenant(陆军中尉) if he could go out to bring his fallen companion back.
“You can go,” said the Lieutenant, “but don’t think it will be worth it. Your friend is probably dead and you may throw your life away.”
The Lieutenant’s words didn’t matter, and he went anyway.
Finally, he managed to reach his friend, raised him onto his shoulder and brought him back to their company’s trench(战壕).
The officer checked the wounded soldier, then looked kindly at his friend. “I told you it wouldn’t be worth it,” he said. “Your friend is dead and you are badly wounded.”
“It was worth it, Sir,” said Spencer.
“What do you mean by worth it?” responded the Lieutenant. “Your friend is dead.”
“Yes Sir,” He answered, “but it was worth it because when I got to him, he was still alive and I had the satisfaction of hearing him say “Man... I knew you would come!”
Many a time in life, whether a thing is worth doing really depends on how you look at it. Take up all your courage and do something your heart tells you to do so that you may not be sorry for not doing it.
1. What did Spencer do during World War I?A.He brought back the body of one soldier. |
B.He fought against enemies with all his courage. |
C.He successfully save the life of one fallen companion. |
D.He developed a lifelong friendship with another soldier. |
A.Because Spencer failed to earn his praise. |
B.Because Spencer didn’t follow his order strictly. |
C.Because Spencer would be punished for his action later. |
D.Because Spencer might have lost his own life in the action. |
A.generous and honest | B.brave and reliable |
C.easy-going and selfish | D.stubborn and self-centered |
A.do everything with your courage | B.catch the heart of your loved one |
C.choose what you think worthy to do | D.take up your courage to make friends |
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【推荐1】Every day since early July, Tiffany Wong has been painting a small watercolor of one woman and then sharing the printing on the Internet, providing background information about each woman. Wong started the project to give more people a chance to learn about the different roles of famous women in history, “We don’t really get to learn about them in our school as much,” Wong said. “I wanted to make the women’s history more available for people so that they wouldn’t have to do the research and they wouldn’t forget their achievements.”
Wong’ s interest in the women’s history started young. As a child in California, she read books about women, including scientist Barbara McClintock, doctor Elizabeth Blackwell and other outstanding women.
The idea to develop her own women’s history project was inspired in part by a free course through HarvardX, Harvard University’s developer of online courses. Wong has worked there for the past five years after learning international education policy from the university. The Schlesinger Library provided another inspiration for Wong. In 2018. she visited the library’s 75th anniversary exhibit, which told the stories of women through 75 documents and objects.
As an artist since childhood, Wong decided her project would include both paintings and research about the women. “The written part of the post consumes energy and brain and often takes longer than the painting,” Wong said. Whenever possible, she used original sources and quotes, often referring to papers and other documents.
None of the paintings includes the facial features of the women, which is a painting style that makes the paintings easier to do, while giving people an opportunity to see themselves in the image. “I wanted something open,” Wong said. “I wanted people to feel like they could also be these people.”
Her subjects occasionally notice her posts. In February, Wong wrote about the career of Merritt Moore, a physicist and dancer with an undergraduate degree from Harvard. Moore share the post with her own followers and left a comment for Wong. “Wong! I’m so touched — thank you! Love this!” Moore wrote.
1. What has Wong begun to do since early July?A.Paint well-known women in history. |
B.Learn to draw with a watercolor brush. |
C.Share a painting of herself on the Internet. |
D.Collect information about each woman she knows. |
A.The sources of motivation Wong got for her project. |
B.The cause of Wong’s making up the women’s stories. |
C.The aim of Wong’ s learning HarvardX’s online courses. |
D.The reasons for Wong s studying international education, |
A.Drawing the women’s facial features. |
B.Selling her paintings on social websites. |
C.Doing a questionnaire about famous women. |
D.Writing background information for the women. |
A.Fight for Equal Rights for Women |
B.Learn from Wong’s Artistic Career |
C.Draw Historical Famous Women to Remember Their Contributions |
D.Give Famous Women in History an Opportunity to Draw Themselves |
【推荐2】It was a normal day in Altitude, a town high in the mountains. People were going about their daily routines, not knowing the disaster that was soon to come. Suddenly, the ground under their feet began to shake. Then people were thrown off their feet and objects flew off shelves. The sound of breaking glass and falling buildings filled the air.
Alice, a young girl who was in her house when the earthquake struck, knew she had to act fast. She got her emergency kit, which included food, water, and a first-aid kit, and ran out of the house.
The streets were messy. Traffic lights were out, cars were overturned, and people were running in fear. Alice knew she had to get to higher ground. She headed for the nearest hill, joining a group of other people. As they reached the top, the full force of the earthquake hit, but Alice and the others managed to stay on top of the hill.
After what seemed like a century, the earthquake finally stopped. Alice looked down at the town she had called home. It was in ruins. Houses were destroyed, roads were cracked open, and a large crack had formed in the middle of the town square.
Alice knew she had to help. She joined hands with other survivors and they began the rescue effort. With simple tools and their bare hands, they dug through the stones and bricks to find anyone who might be trapped inside. In the following days, Alice and the other survivors worked tirelessly to help, providing food, water, and medical aid to those in need. With the help of rescue teams and volunteers from around the country, they slowly but surely began to rebuild their town.
Alice’s experience changed her forever. She realized that life was uncertain, but also that people could come together in times of difficulty. She determined to help others whenever she could and above all never to forget the power of community.
1. What did Alice do shortly after the earthquake hit?A.She stayed where she was. |
B.She rushed to a hill nearby. |
C.She helped others evacuate their homes. |
D.She hurried away without taking anything. |
A.The town was rebuilt overnight with others help. |
B.The earthquake had lasted a century before it stopped. |
C.The town people were fully prepared for the earthquake. |
D.Alice probably had learned how to survive an earthquake. |
A.Calm and helpful. | B.Warm and honest. |
C.Outgoing and kind-hearted. | D.Determined and creative. |
A.Earthquakes could be prevented. |
B.Helping others came first in disasters. |
C.Life was not uncertain or unpredictable. |
D.Community mattered in times of difficulty. |
【推荐3】When Liz Dixon-Spain got married in 1976, there was only one place where she wanted to hold celebrations. That was her parents' garden with the beautiful beech tree overlooking the festivities.
When she was a child, Liz often played around the tree and enjoyed watching it come to life as a “home to generations of wildlife”. After her husband passed away, she moved back to her childhood home, where she has been living ever since. She used to open up the garden to the public as part of the national garden scheme.
Liz has four grown-up sons, who spent their childhood playing on the grass in front of the tree.
One of her grandchildren, Frank, 10, lives in Hackeny, East London, but visits Liz often.
A.Her children and eight grandchildren live across the UK, in London, Scotland, Southport and Stamford. |
B.The bech tree inspired him to write poems. |
C.Liz is happy that everything is coming full circle. |
D.Visitors were impressed when they caught sight of the tree. |
E.The tree has also become a major part of her children's lives. |
F.She planted various flowers around it just for the special occasion. |
G.Holding wedding receptions in the garden has become her family tradition. |
【推荐1】Nelda Billie has been waiting to turn on lights in her home for 15 years. ''We've been living off those oil lanterns,'' she says. ''Now we don't have to have flashlights everywhere. All the kids have a flashlight. When they get up in the middle of the night to use the restroom, they have a flashlight to go to the outhouse. ''
Billie, her husband and their five kids live in a tiny, one-room cottage built with wood and mud, which is a traditional Navajo home. Their three sheep are on the green grass that carpets the rolling hills of Dilkon, Ariz., on the Navajo Nation, the largest Native American reservation in the US. They watch two men in a cherry picker hook the last power line to their home.
Billie says they've gone through too many electrical machines to count. ''My two boys, they have really bad allergies and they have asthma(哮喘), so sometimes they need the sprayer. '' Billie says. ''So we usually go to their grandma's house, travel in the middle of the night over there back and forth. ''
The Billies are not alone. About 10% of Navajos on the reservation live without electricity. And as much as 40% of them have to haul their water far away and use outhouses. A poll(民意调查) of Native Americans conducted by NPR, the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health found that more than a quarter of Native Americans have experienced problems with electricity, the Internet and with the safety of their drinking water.
Outside the Billies' home, the couple waits patiently for the workers to finish the job. Finally, after waiting for so long, the Billies watch the foreman turn on the meter behind their house and close the cover. Nelda then runs inside to open the switch. ''It's so exciting to finally have electricity here after so many years without it, '' Billie says. ''My kids are going to be so happy. They keep asking every day… They go, 'Mum, we're going to have light! We're going to finally have light! '''
Now the family will wait and pray for running water and the Internet.
1. Why did Billie's children have flashlights in the past?A.They used them as toys. |
B.They wanted to save electricity. |
C.They needed them to light up late at night |
D.They prepared these for going to grandma's house. |
A.The Billies lead a green but poor life. |
B.Electricity can bring about great changes. |
C.The situation of Native Americans is serious. |
D.There is an urgent need for electricity in Billie's house. |
A.By walking a long way to a friend. |
B.By producing electricity herself. |
C.By inviting workers to her house. |
D.By going to her mum's house. |
A.The Billies live far from cities but never feel lonely. |
B.More Navajos suffer greatly from no electricity. |
C.Only 10%of Navajos live without safe drinking water. |
D.A quarter of Navajos have experienced problems with electricity. |
A.The Disappearing Oil Lanterns | B.Poor People's Bright Future |
C.Electricity Bringing Hope | D.Power Lines Construction |
【推荐2】When I was growing up, we were not an “I love you” family. We certainly found such affection lovely. We just didn’t do it.
I was thinking about all of this on Saturday at my daughter Katie’s recital (演奏会). I had never insisted she do anything in her free time except learn how to play the piano. I carried this from childhood. My parents couldn’t afford these lessons. My daughter mostly accepted this demand with good humor. This has meant, through the years, that our house has been filled with a few muddled (混乱的) complaints mixed with versions of songs.
The day of the recital, I was listening to Katie practice The Entertainer, and one note was not good. I don’t know how to play the piano, but I did say, “Hey, Katie, maybe you should hold that note just a bit longer.” Then she played it again and again. I realized that I had done something unintended — I was making her think too much just a few hours before her recital.
So I told her not to worry about it, but it was too late. She kept at it for a little while longer until finally I said that she’d played it perfectly. I didn’t think we ever isolated that note; I felt pretty bad for even bringing it up.
Then it was time for recital. Katie was the first one to perform. She was dressed well. As I watched her play The Entertainer, all I could think was how grown-up she had become, and that I had already missed the four-, five-, six-year-old versions of her.
She got to the end of the song, and she reached the note we had talked about. And she held it. She held it so long that for an instant it broke her timing on the rest of the song. Then she finished the song, and she looked right at me. Then I hugged her. My parents are right. You don’t have to say the words “I love you”. Sometimes one note will do.
1. How did Katie react to the author’s request for learning piano?A.She refused to practice it at first. |
B.She practiced the piano unwillingly. |
C.She paid little attention to practicing. |
D.She felt delighted at the very beginning. |
A.was quite professional | B.had no practical effects |
C.made his daughter happy | D.brought trouble to his daughter |
A.They were strict with the author. |
B.They wanted the author to be perfect. |
C.They didn’t care about the author’s growth. |
D.They weren’t good at expressing love in words. |
A.It’s Not Necessary to Be Perfect |
B.One Note Will Express Your Love |
C.What Is Love |
D.My Daughter Experienced Learning Piano |
【推荐3】Kelsie Dolin’s grandmother always encouraged her to try new things, often pushing her out of her comfort zone. One way that her grandmother tried to push her out of her comfort zone was by encouraging her to sing more, especially in public. Kelsie gave it a shot, but it didn’t turn out like she’d hoped.
Kelsie couldn’t help but notice the unusual number of American Idol advertisements she’d come across that were made to get people to audition (试镜). Finally, it reached a point where she took it as a sign for her to take another chance on singing.
This was a big change for the shy, down-to-earth young woman who was only 18 at the time. As someone who grew up in Boone County, West Virginia and had never been on a plane before, just getting to the audition would mean experiencing a lot of firsts. But once her plane ride was over, it was time for her to step out of her comfort zone in a major way: Not only was she about to perform for the first time ever, but she was about to do so in front of judges Katy Perry, Luke Bryan, and Lionel Richie.
Kelsie chose to sing “Piece by Piece” by Kelly Clarkson, a fitting song since it comes from the first-ever winner of American Idol. The judges were impressed by her vocals (唱功), but they could tell that Kelsie’s nerves were holding her back. After much encouragement, they asked if she could sing the second song she had prepared: “When We Were Young” by Adele. At first, Kelsie’s confidence remained about the same. But as Perry shouted out instructions to cheer her up and bring her out of her shell, something magical happened.
As she reached the chorus (副歌), Kelsie found the strength to sing, bringing tears to Richie’s eyes. All three judges were so proud of Kelsie for her great first performance. They couldn’t help but say the magic words “You are going to Hollywood!”
1. What did Kelsie’s grandmother ask her to do?A.Sing at home. | B.Try something new. |
C.Watch advertisements. | D.Stay in her comfort zone. |
A.She became very shy. | B.She took a plane for the first time. |
C.She first showed in an advertisement. | D.She would experience many new things. |
A.To attract more audience. | B.To help her overcome nerves. |
C.To make her understand instructions. | D.To encourage her to remain the confidence. |
A.Kelsie was moved. | B.Kelsie’s effort paid off. |
C.The judges were tough. | D.The judges performed well. |
【推荐1】Researchers have found depression is linked to areas of the brain shrinking in size but when depression is paired with anxiety one area of the brain becomes greatly larger.
A new study, published in the Journal of Psychiatry and Neuroscience, looked at more than 10,000 people to find the effects of depression and anxiety on brain volume, The study shows depression has a pronounced impact on the hippocampus, the part of the brain linked to memory and learning, shrinking it.
In contrast, the study found that when depression and anxiety occur together, it leads to an increase in size of the part of the brain linked to emotions, the amygdala, “Many studies looking at the effects of depression on brain do not account for the fact that people who have depression often experience anxiety too,” study lead and Ph.D. researcher Ms. Daniela Oyarce said.
Depression is considered a serious medical condition worldwide, and one in six Ausualians currently experience depression, anxiety, or both, “We found people who have depression alone have lower brain volumes in many areas of the brain, and in particular the hippocampus,” Ms. Daniela Oyarce said. “This becomes even more relevant later in life because a smaller hippocampus is a risk factor for Alzheimer's disease and may speed the development of dementia.”
A particularly important finding of this research is that people who had both depression and anxiety had less shrinkage in many brain areas and even an increase in the amygdala. This indicates that the true effects of depression on the brain has been underestimated because of an opposite effect in the amygdala. “Anxiety lowers the effects of depression on brain volume sizes by three percent on average—somewhat hiding the true shrinking effects of depression,” Ms. Daniela Oyarce said.
“More research is needed into how anxiety lowers the effects of depression, but for the amygdala, perhaps anxiety leads to overactivity,” Ms. Daniela Oyarce added.
1. Which aspect of the brain is affected by depression?A.Surface | B.Function | C.Shape. | D.Volume. |
A.Repair. | B.Emotions. | C.Learning. | D.Language. |
A.The risk caused by depression. |
B.The symptoms of depression. |
C.The current situation of patients with depression. |
D.The relationship between depression and anxiety. |
A.The amygdala will shrink. | B.The amygdala will increase. |
C.The hippocampus will increase. | D.The brain volumes will shrink. |
【推荐2】CROSS COUNTRY
Name: Frederick Created: 04/16/2009
I’m a 33-year-old man riding the TransAmerica Trail west-to-east starting on May 18th of 2009 from Astoria, Oregon. I would like to ride about 90 miles per day and end up in Virginia in about 50 days. I will be riding self-supported and mostly camping and cooking under the stars with a few stays in motels along the way. Anyone is welcome to join me.<email: wilson_film@yahoo.com>
Name: Edmund Created: 03/30/2009
TransAmerica, west to east. My son (21) and I (52) are going to ride cross-country from 06/02/09 to 07/27/09 with a 30-foot recreational vehicle. Until a few days ago, we had a driver who was going to join us the last part of each day. Our plan is to take turns driving, so we’re looking for two more companions(同伴) to join us for all or part of the trip. We’ll spend nights in campgrounds and ride about 70 miles per day.<email: markimgrund@comcast.net>
Name: Willard Created: 03/20/2009
I’m planning on riding the TransAmerica Trail from west to east on or about May 15th 2009 from Astoria, Oregon. I would like to ride 85 to 100 miles per day and end up in Virginia 43 to 50 days later. Rest every 7-8 days. Traveling self-supported. Planning to camp with staying in motels when necessary. I’m an engineer. If interested, email me.<email:bickfordl@clearviewcatv.net>
Name: Caspian Created: 01/02/2009
Let's ride together! 32-year-old, looking forward to three months of trip. Cycling across the country along the TransAmerica Trail from east to west. I'm going to start in Maine and end in San Francisco. Traveling self-supported, depending mostly on camping and cooking. Planning to ride 50-60 miles a day. Looking at May 1 as a start date.<email: macondo176@gmail.com>
1. What is the purpose of the people in the passage?A.To discuss a sports game. | B.To look for cycling partners |
C.To develop camping skills. | D.To share traveling experience. |
A.Frederick and Willard. | B.Caspian and Edmund. |
C.Edmund and Frederick. | D.Willard and Caspian . |
A.an American cycling organization | B.a type of touring bicycle |
C.a bicycle route across America | D.a youth bicycle competition |
A.Three. | B.Four. | C.. Six. | D.Five |
A.July 1 | B.October 1 | C.September 1 | D.August 1 |
【推荐3】Carnival(狂欢节) is one of the most important national holidays in Brazil.It is not held to celebrate a big historical event,but it is a time of friendship and freedom(自由).Besides this,it's also a time when Brazilians don't have to work.People can choose to hold parties or just have a good rest instead.Most people hold parties,day after day,night after night.There is a fortyday period called Lent(大斋期)before Easter.During that period,Christians (基督教徒) can't eat meat or take part in any activities.
Carnival is held during the four days before the start of Lent.People put on their holiday clothes and go out to enjoy themselves. Some dance schools often hold activities to show their dances.Many people enjoy this festival.After Carnival,everything returns to the normal state,but some people don't respect its end.They always continue their parties.However,some people are not happy with this behavior and they feel it leaves a bad image of the holiday.I like Carnival.It's a time for people from all over the world to get together and understand each other better.It's a wonderful holiday and I hope more people will respect it.
1. Carnival usually starts ________.A.4 days after Easter | B.4 days after Lent |
C.44 days before Easter | D.44 days after Lent |
A.表演 | B.来源 |
C.印象 | D.信息 |
A.Carnival is a boring holiday in Brazil. |
B.People in Brazil do not have to work during Carnival. |
C.Carnival is celebrated to remember a famous person. |
D.People can not choose to hold parties during Carnival. |
A.some people don't respect Carnival well enough |
B.the writer often holds Carnival parties |
C.Carnival isn't traditional and is liked by few people |
D.All the people are happy with this behavior |
A.Different Cultures | B.Christians' Lives |
C.Carnival in Brazil | D.Carnival all over the world |
【推荐1】Whether it is for a special festival, to express thanks or to just let someone know that you care about them, giving gifts is a common custom. The purpose of giving gifts may be similar, but the tradition varies from country to country. A gift of respect in one place may be considered rude in another. Take a look at three unique gift-giving traditions.
India
If you’re invited to someone’s home in India, you should bring a small gift, whether it’s a box of chocolates or some flowers. Gifts shouldn’t be wrapped (包裹) in black or white colors. because they are considered unlucky. Instead, use bright colors such as green, red or yellow. When giving money for any occasion, it should have an odd number (奇数) value. That’s believed to bring good luck. Instead of receiving a gift with both hands, Indians generally only use their right hand because left hands are considered unclean.
Japan
For most Japanese, the ritual (礼节) of giving presents is more important than the gifts themselves. The correct way is to present or receive gifts with both hands. Every gift should be wrapped. That’s because uncovered gifts are considered disrespectful. To show politeness and thanks, those who are receiving the gift may turn it down once or twice before finally accepting it. Gifts should be given in pairs, but four should be avoided just like in China. Lucky numbers also include eight. Eight is said to bring prosperity.
Native America
While it may be common for guests to prepare gifts for hosts, this is different in Native American communities. From weddings to birthday celebrations, guests are the ones who receive gifts. Gifts are usually homemade arts and crafts that are made by hand to show love, respect and appreciation.
1. What kind of gift would you bring to an Indian home?A.Some chocolates in a green box. | B.Flowers wrapped in black paper. |
C.Sixty dollars in a yellow envelope. | D.Seventy-five rupees wrapped in white paper. |
A.To get another better gift. | B.To be more polite and thankful. |
C.To refuse one’s kindness. | D.To be more outgoing and active. |
A.To list some attractive festivals. | B.To compare some countries. |
C.To recommend some formal gifts. | D.To introduce some gift-giving traditions. |
【推荐2】Music is an art that almost everyone enjoys. Everyone can make sounds by singing,banging a stick, plucking(弹) a tight string or blowing through pipe. All over the world, many kinds of music have developed as people find out how to make sounds in different ways. There are so many kinds of music to hear that you can soon find a kind that you like.
People can get all kinds of feelings hearing music. Music can make you march of dance; it can make you feel happy or sad. More than other arts, music can affect your moods and feelings. This is why music is so popular.
Every country has its own kind of music. In France many people like dance music played on the accordion(手风琴), and many Americans enjoy banjo(班卓琴) music. Spain is famous for its guitar music, and India for the twanging sound of the sitar.
Many people like music in their own national style. But there are also people who enjoy classical music and pop music, which have spread throughout the world with the help of the record player and radio.
However, there are still great differences between the music of the west and that of the east. Many of the instruments are very different. The guitar and the sitar are both instruments in which strings are plucked by fingers, but they two not sound alike.
The musical differences between the east and the west are not only in the instruments, but also in ways the notes are put together.
1. Music is an art that is very popular in the world because ______.A.everybody can make a beautiful music |
B.people can get different feelings from music |
C.music can only make people happy |
D.music is much better than other arts |
A.America | B.France |
C.India | D.Spain |
A.all countries and races have the same kind of music |
B.the musical differences between the east and the west are only in the instruments |
C.all the French people enjoy dance music played on the accordion |
D.different people like different kinds of music |
A.Music | B.Music—the Best Art |
C.How to Enjoy Music | D.Different Music |
【推荐3】Most people nowadays own a device that features artificial intelligence, with the links of Siri always there to greet us with a friendly voice. But the Microsoft's XiaoIce is different. Launched in 2014 for the Chinese market, “she” has a creative edge over her competitors.
While most AI assistants simply read out information they get online, such as movie listings or weather forecasts, XiaoIce has realness that the others lack. Indeed, if you asked nicely, she could read you a poem from her new weekly column in West China City Daily. The newspaper has been printing XiaoIce 's self-penned poetry each week since Aug 19, taken from her own book of poems. The Sunlight that Lost the Class Window.
To turn XiaoIce into a master of poetry, Microsoft scientists “fed” her the works of over 500 influential modern poets, including those of Hu Shi, Lin Huiyin, Xu Zhimo, and Wen Yiduo, reported China Daily. This led to her figuring out a writing style of her own and creating over 70,000 original poems, with 137 used to produce the book.
Most of the poems are indistinguishable from those written by humans, and XiaoIce's book even got good feedback from experts. “XiaoIce's work carries a strange taste. The more you chew on it, the more interesting it becomes, Zhang Zonggang, a literature professor at the Nanjing University of Science and Technology, told the South China Morning Post. But it seems not everyone is a fan.
“The poems disgusted me with their slippery and rhythm. The sentences were aimless and superficial, lacking the inner logic for emotional expression,” Yuan-based poet Yu Jian told China Youth Daily.
This isn’t the first AI is to attempt poetry. Last year, Google’s Parsey McParseface made some poems of its own, although they were branded “miserable” and “mournful” by reviewers.
While it seems like AI is becoming more“intelligent” and less “artificial” all the time, when it comes to creativity, perhaps this is one job that software should leave to us humans.
1. What has made the Microsoft's XinoIce different from most AI assistants?A.Artificial intelligence | B.Emotional expression. |
C.Tone and thythm | D.Creativity and realness |
A.XinoIce imitates modern poets to write poems. |
B.All her poems are exactly like those written by humans. |
C.Everyone does not enjoy XiaoIce's works. |
D.XiaoIce is the first AI to write poems. |
A.Hopeful. | B.Doubtful |
C.Concerned. | D.Ambiguous |