A couple of weeks ago, my grandfather was explaining his favorite expression, “Nothing is ever easy.” The following day, as I tried to complete my day’s work, I happened to notice a bumble-bee on the skylight (天窗). The skylight was particularly high up, but I thought removing the bee would take no more than five minutes. An hour later, the bee still remained. All that had changed was that the living room was a mess and that I was dizzy from looking up into the sunlight. I did not expect to waste an hour on an insect so tiny, but by doing so, I understood what my grandfather meant.
It is not only time that we tend to underestimate we don’t account for unexpected costs. We often imagine what can work in our favor, but we seldom think of all the negative things that could affect us. However, it is important to remember that your day or week or year might not go as planned, and that is completely normal. It is perfectly acceptable to feel challenged even at a task you thought was simple because that is part of life.
If you can accept that nothing will ever be easy, then 1ife might seem slightly more manageable. In middle school, I thought high school might be easier because I could choose the classes I wanted to take. In high school, I thought college might be easier because I could have a schedule best suited for myself. Yet each time, I was both wrong and disappointed. After accepting that school wouldn’t be easy, I found myself with a more positive attitude and improved results.
Of course, there should be preparations made to account for expenses or time. Doing so can only help you accomplish your goals in a better way. However, there is no need to beat ourselves up (过分自责)when something stands in our path. Maybe we cannot see a bee coming our way, but we can always give ourselves the extra time to catch it.
1. Why did the author mention his experience of removing a bee?A.To share something unforgettable with us. |
B.To lead us to what the author learned from of it. |
C.To show the unexpected costs it caused. |
D.To tell us how easy it is to waste our time. |
A.We often don’t take time seriously. |
B.We tend not to have enough money. |
C.Unexpected things can happen. |
D.It is easy to feel challenged. |
A.To show how annoying it is. |
B.To tell us we need to catch it. |
C.To link back to the beginning. |
D.To use it as a representative of luck. |
A.To encourage people to make greater efforts. |
B.To explain how to make preparations. |
C.To tell us what to do when something gets in our way. |
D.To persuade us not to expect things to be easy. |
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【推荐1】One day, Opossum(负鼠) was walking in the woods around sunset when he saw Raccoon(浣熊). Opossum had always admired Raccoon because he had a beautiful tail with rings all around it. So Opossum went up to Raccoon and said, “How did you get those pretty rings on your tail?” Raccoon stroked his fluffy(披着绒毛的) long tail and said, “Well, I wrapped bark around the tail here and here and here,” he pointed, “then I stuck my tail into the fire.The fur between the strips of bark turned black and the places underneath the bark remained white, just as you see!”
Opossum thanked the Raccoon and hurried away to gather some bark. He wrapped the bark around his furry tail, built a big bonfire, and stuck his tail into the flames.The bonfire was too hot and too fierce.It instantly burnt all of the hair off the Opossum’s tail,leaving it entirely bare.
Opossum wailed and moaned(呜咽) when he saw his poor tail, but there was nothing he could do but wait for the fur to grow back.Opossum waited and waited and waited.But the tail was too badly burnt by the fire and the fur did not grow back. Opossum’s tail remained bare for the rest of his life.
Opossums’ tails have been bare ever since.
1. Opossum failed to have the similar tail to that of Raccoon because ______.A.he made the bonfire too hot and too fierce |
B.he did not collect enough bark to make a proper fire |
C.his tail was different from that of Raccoon at the very beginning |
D.he did not wrap the bark around his tail as well as Raccoon did |
A.Serious. | B.Humorous. |
C.Objective. | D.Subjective. |
A.Why Opossum Has a Bare Tail |
B.How to Make a Raccoon’s Tail |
C.Opossum and Raccoon’s Story |
D.Liar in the Woods—Raccoon |
【推荐2】When I was 6,my elder brother brought me to the local BMX (自行车越野) track to ride in a kids' race for the first time. The hill out of the starting gate looked so scary that I backed off. My parents took me back for another try the next week. I fell almost immediately but still managed to win the second place. I've loved racing ever since.
I turned pro at 15, which isn't possible now. You have to be 17 to compete professionally. Around the time I went pro, BMX became an Olympic sport and I decided to pursue it after high school. I'm the youngest woman with a professional title in the United States.
BMX isn't judged on tricks or how you handle barriers, but it's an extreme sport. It's like horse racing mixed with riding a roller coaster. It starts with a huge burst of speed — I go 40 mph by the time I'm two and a half seconds out of the gate. Then I try to come out in front of seven competitors at the end of the track, which includes 40-foot jumps. I keep chasing the high that comes from prestart nervousness, big jumps, and that feeling of crossing the finish line first.
Strength and balance are key in competition, so I work out at least five days a week to prepare. I do tons of resistance and agility (灵活) training, both on and off the bike. I also do mental drills with a sports psychologist to make sure I'm focused and confident going into competition. If I make a mistake on the course, I have to move on. Everyone is out to beat me; I need to concentrate on winning so my competitors can't capitalize on an error and pass me!
I was so proud to win a silver medal at the Olympics in Rio, but I felt I was capable of gold, so that will push me to do better. I'm continually working to reach my potential in the sport. Until I feel completely satisfied, I'll keep coming back.
1. What do we know about the author?A.She withdrew from her first BMX race. |
B.She became the youngest BMX rider in America. |
C.Her parents forced her to turn BMX professional. |
D.Her efforts resulted in BMX entering the Olympics. |
A.jump highest | B.focus her attention |
C.play tricks | D.keep balanced all the way |
A.make up for | B.keep an eye on |
C.take advantage of | D.take notice of |
A.Proud and serious. | B.Optimistic and generous. |
C.Ambitious and hard-working. | D.Independent and cooperative. |
【推荐3】Roger Rolls was the first black governor in the history of New York State, USA. He was born in one of New York’s dishonorable slums (贫民窟). The children born here rarely did good work after they grew up. However, Roger Rolls was an exception, for he was not only admitted to the university, but also he became a governor.
At one of the press conferences, a reporter asked him, “What made you become the governor?” Faced with more than 300 journalists, Rolls did not mention his struggle but only spoke of his primary school schoolmaster---Pierre Paul.
In 1961, Pierre Paul was engaged as the director and principle of Nobita Primary School. When he entered this school, he found the children here didn’t cooperate with the teachers. Pierre thought up many ways to guide them, but none was effective. Later, he found these children were very superstitious(迷信的), so when he gave lectures, he added a program of palm reading as a means of fortune-telling, with which he encouraged the students.
When Rolls jumped to the platform with his small hands stretched out, Pierre Paul said, “As soon as I see your slim little fingers, I know you will be the governor of New York State in future.” At that moment, Rolls was shocked because only his grandmother inspired him once, saying that he could become captain of a five-ton ship. This time, Pierre Paul said he could become governor of New York State, so he remembered that remark and believed him.
From that day on, the “New York State Governor” was like a banner (旗帜) that constantly inspired him to study energetically and make progress. Rolls no longer stained his clothes with mud, nor did he speak in foul language. He began to straighten his back when he was walking. In the next more than 40 years, he demanded himself according to the identity of a governor. At the age of 51, he finally became the governor of New York State.
Put up a banner of faith for yourself and you will have the drive to struggle and the dynamism of life!
1. Pierre Paul read palms for the kids to __________.A.practice his fortune-telling skills | B.find a governor for the future. |
C.get them to cooperate with him. | D.inspire them with clever tricks |
A.He put up a banner in one of the slums. |
B.He had more faith in his grandmother. |
C.He became captain of a five-ton ship. |
D.He started to pay attention to his own image. |
A.encouragement and faith make for success. |
B.education plays an important role in life. |
C.superstitious people are easy to persuade. |
D.it is not necessary to get an acceptable job. |
A.foreign | B.professional |
C.unpleasant | D.local |
【推荐1】Life affects friendships. As we grow, marry, fight in wars, move across the country or change jobs, old friendships fall away and new ones form. As long as we live, the things around us change, and as long as things change, friendships are affected.
When we were children, we had best friends. No matter what happened we were still friends. We live our lives, however, and do what life calls for us to do, and as we get older, memories fade, faces blur(变得模糊),and even friends’ names from childhood are forgotten.
Do you have a question about friendship?Do you wonder what to do with a friend who is no longer friendly? Perhaps you will see that you can’t control others. If some people want to be your friends, it is their choice. All you can do is treat them well and do the best for them when you are with them. Then you wish them well when they leave.
You can talk to old-timers and they will tell you that life is full of incredible(难以置信的)joy and incredible sorrow, and that what bothers you today will one day become a memory and the pain will be gone. Seniors might tell you that you will learn more as you get older. They will tell you that friendships come and friendships go. Sometimes when they go it will hurt you, but you will be okay with it. It’s theway life works, after all.
1. According to the text, what can we learn about friendship?A.Friendship cannot be easily affected by one’s family. |
B.Friends are always around us and will never go away. |
C.Friends in childhood are sometimes forgotten by us. |
D.Friends in childhood are the best no matter what happens. |
A.Care about them and do the best for them when we are together. |
B.Forget them and make new friends who have a lot in common with us. |
C.Find the reason why our friendship has changed. |
D.Do our best to control them and make them listen to us. |
A.make you have no good friends |
B.help you have healthy understanding of friendship |
C.remind you to always help your friends |
D.lead you to be a powerful man WNIW HH |
A.How to share happiness with friends |
B.How to deal with unfriendly people |
C.How to make good friends |
D.How to face the changes in friendship |
【推荐2】When young, I loved going on trail(小路) runs. It was my favorite way to escape stress. So, when I was back in my hometown after a tough first year of my Ph. D. program, I thought a trail run was just what I needed. But instead of helping me relax, the run did just the opposite.
After I moved to the city for college, where my runs were on flat concrete paths instead of winding dirt trails, I used a GPS watch. When I went on trail runs again in the country, it constantly reminded me of the fact that I wasn’t keeping up with my usual pace. I turned my watch off, thinking that would allow me to enjoy my surroundings and find the peace I expected, but I worried I was underperforming. “Why can’ t I let go and just enjoy myself?” I wondered. But after some introspection(反省), I realized why I was struggling—both on trail runs and in graduate school.
Going into my Ph. D. , I had thought that my solid undergraduate track record would set me up for instant success. To my surprise, I was wrong. I lacked confidence in my research abilities which I thought stopped me performing well and I constantly felt my progress was too slow. Other students’ self-confidence and their excellent results made me feel insecure. Finally, one day I broke down in tears in my adviser’ s office.
Then came my visit home: I was having trouble because I hadn’ t properly adjusted my expectations to the differences between an urban run and a trail run.
A Ph. D. is like a trail run: Sometimes you can run fast. Sometimes you might find yourself climbing up a steep, winding trail at a snail’ s pace. And that’ s OK. Barriers are unavoidable, and success looks and feels different on a challenging trail than it does on a smooth, flat path. Sometimes it’ s best to take a deep breath and do your best to meet the challenge.
1. How did the author feel when he was on trail runs again?A.Relaxed. | B.Tired. |
C.Anxious. | D.Happy. |
A.His lack of confidence. | B.His lack of hard work. |
C.His poor research abilities. | D.His poor track record. |
A.His desire for success. | B.His confidence of trail runs. |
C.His expectations in his study. | D.His realization after the trail run. |
A.Failure is the mother of success. |
B.Working out regularly is beneficial. |
C.It’ s important to make necessary adjustments. |
D.It’ s vital to turn to others for help. |
【推荐3】I was 17 when I discovered shooting stars.
I loved them so much that I invited my high school friends to my family farm and spent an August night in our sleeping bags on the hillside to watch them together.
I can’t help but think of that as the final night of my childhood. I always managed to squeeze in a week or two of vacation before starting back at school, and I’d see shooting stars and remember that brilliant night on the hill. While still marveling at them, I’d work at convincing myself that the joy I’d experience from my accomplishments in college would soon replace my longing for some quiet time beneath a vast sky. But always, I returned to college life in August with deep sadness in my heart.
I’ve given lots of reasons over the past 13 years for my choice to live an independent life on a distant farm and homeschool my daughters. But deep down, I think the shooting stars had a lot to do with it. I couldn’t bear to gaze up at them and think that they were a finale(演出的终场)to be witnessed before returning to the demands of school and careers.
So I said “no” to all of it: no jobs, no school. And I decided to lead a life tied to the seasons, where shooting stars were just one of many gifts from nature.
I changed my life to make room for them and I’m starting to learn the difference between fulfillment and accomplishment.
Accomplishment is a child’s successful test scores. Fulfillment is loving and forgiving each other through times table (乘法表) and written words.
Accomplishment is the publication of 20 essays per year and six books. Fulfillment is the hours spent researching, then walking through the woods to think about each word and thought.
Accomplishment is making enough income to cover my taxes. Fulfillment is sitting outside at 3 am in August, watching the shooting stars, no longer sad at the passage of childhood, but thrilled for the joy of the stars.
It is learned that accomplishment is merely a mark in the book made as a result of following fulfillment above all else.
1. What does the author think marks the end of her childhood?A.Leaving home for college. | B.Encountering shooting stars. |
C.Watching shooting stars with friends. | D.Sleeping in a sleeping bag on a farm. |
A.The need to live on a farm. | B.The wish for a life connected to nature. |
C.The desire for independence. | D.The demands of school and careers. |
A.Winning a gold medal in a sports competition. |
B.Spending quality time with family members. |
C.Holding a high position in a famous company. |
D.Buying a big, lovely and comfortable house. |
A.School or Careers | B.Watch Shooting Stars |
C.Live a Life of Fulfillment | D.Accomplishment or Fulfillment |
【推荐1】In this semester, Professor Van Rijnsoever of Utrecht University of the Netherlands is to teach “Dutch Culture in the World”, in English.
The language is the university’s choice. Actually sixty percent of masters’ programs at Utrecht University are in English. At higher degrees' level, no courses are taught in Dutch at all.
Utrecht is not alone.
The University of Eindhoven has even completely kicked the Dutch language out of its campus. Even the sandwiches in the stores there are sold as cheese rather than with the Dutch word “kaas”.
As a result, the Netherlands has one of the world’s highest levels of English proficiency (流利)among non-native speaking countries, second only to Sweden.
But not everyone is happy with that .
“I don't mind. Most of the literature is in English,” says Professor Van Rijnsoever. “As a teacher it’s not that much of a problem because we also do research in English. For the students, you see they are struggling to express themselves properly.”
He added “We aren’t as good at English as they think we are. We shouldn’t use a weaker language in education. If we use just English in higher education, Dutch will get worse. We add a bit of English and we lose a bit of Dutch. We cannot master Dutch and English at the same time.”
Actually, English is so widely used in Dutch universities that a group of lecturers are worried about a possible “linguicide” and demanded that the universities stop creating more courses in English until an official research has been carried out.
“Dutch is our mother tongue. Our culture is based on Dutch,” says Annette de Groot, a lecturer at the University of Amsterdam. “What would happen to our identity(身份)if our mother tongue is no longer the main language of higher education?”
“It is high time for an honest debate.” said a teacher from the University of Erasmus.
1. Which university teaches all its courses in English?A.Utrecht. | B.Eindhoven. | C.Amsterdam. | D.Erasmus. |
A.The highest level of English proficiency in the Netherlands. |
B.The teaching of “Dutch Culture in the World" in English. |
C.The kick out of the Dutch language from all schools. |
D.The widespread use of English in the Dutch universities. |
A.The all- English courses might weaken the mastery of Dutch. |
B.Students can learn two languages equally well at the same time. |
C.The stress on English can help the spread of Dutch culture. |
D.The students of Utrecht are happy with the all-English courses. |
A.The birth of a language. | B.The loss of one’s cultural identity. |
C.The war between cultures. | D.The popularity of a language. |
【推荐2】I had just delivered a memorized speech that I had labored over for months, and I was about to learn how the experts judged my performance. The polite audience leaned forward in their folding chairs. Silence fell across the room and the drum rolled in my mind.
The contest organizer announced the third-place winner. Alas, the name was not mine. Then the second, and once again it was not me. At last, the moment of truth came. Either I was about to be bathed in the warmth of victory or regretted the last several months spent preparing. While neither of these came to pass, my heart just sank.
Losing is a part of life, but it was an indescribable depression to drive 200 miles round trip, get up early on a freezing Saturday morning, and yet still finish fourth out of four contestants. After Lincoln lost the 1858 Illinois Senate race, he reportedly said, “I felt like the 12-year-old boy who stubbed his toe. I was too big to cry and it hurt too bad to laugh.” Oh yeah, I could relate.
Months before the contest, I had spent hours in front of a computer and in libraries doing research for the Lincoln Bicentennial Speech Contest. As I read through several biographies, one idea stood out: Lincoln was handed many sound defeats, but he never allowed them to permanently stop his spirit or ambition. I thought “failing successfully” was a very appropriate topic, given the many letdowns Lincoln experienced, and so this became the title of my speech.
Never mind the lost prize money and praise — I did gain a new perspective. Through learning about Lincoln, I discovered that I could fail successfully. Now, whenever I’m faced with a failure, I remember what Lincoln said after his unsuccessful 1854 Senate race, “The path was worn and slippery. My foot slipped from under me, knocking the other out of the way, but I recovered and said to myself, ‘It’s a slip and not a fall.’”
1. How did the author feel when waiting for the announcement of the result?A.Relieved. | B.Thrilled. | C.Nervous. | D.Desperate. |
A.To show Lincoln’s determination to win Senate race. |
B.To present his research findings of Lincoln’s biographies. |
C.To compare what they had in common in their experiences. |
D.To indicate that he drew inspiration from Lincoln’s failures. |
A.Favorable. | B.Optimistic. | C.Concerned. | D.Amazed. |
A.A Successful Failure | B.A Slippery Path |
C.An Unexpected Speech | D.An Impressive Example |
【推荐3】Happiness is an abstract (抽象的)concept. When one thinks of a typically happy person, smiling, laughing and cheering are what usually come to mind. However, if people stop smiling or laughing, it doesn't necessarily mean that they are unhappy. Happiness has many different levels, and it is difficult to place the word in one type.
Many people believe as people grow older, they will feel more happiness. However, I just find they are not always so. When my twelve - year - old sister was asked what made her happy, she initially told me that sleeping made her happy, and then she looked at me for a reaction. When I had none, she changed her answer to food, then to fashion, and then finally to family. Each time she glanced at me, she looked for affirmation (肯定)that she had given a “right answer”
My younger cousin, Who is even younger than my sister, gave me an answer that surprised me. It wasn't eating candy or watching TV that made her happy; It was love. Considering the clear differences between my sister and cousin in their answers, I came to see that age didn't always largely contribute to happiness.
When I asked my grandmother what brought her happiness, she immediately answered my family” without hesitation. This is something I expected, as my grandma Is always a family -centered person. This is also consistent (一致的)with her culture, being from Italy and growing up during the 50s, when family values were at its highest point in society.
Asking myself this question, I think carefully about my answers. Sure, my family, friends and pets make me happy, but so do reading, writing and watching movies. This is why I have no answer to my own question.
There is no one single thing that makes me the happiest, because like everybody, my mood depends on many factors. Happiness depends on external factors as well as one's personality and age. This is why I have come to the conclusion that the journey of happiness cannot truly be defined, and that there isn't one thing above all that makes everyone the happiest.
1. What do we know about happiness from Paragraph 1?A.It is valued by nearly all people* |
B.It is easy to describe it with words. |
C.Its highest level is often expressed with laughing. |
D.It may have nothing to do with one's expressions. |
A.happiness comes from very small things |
B.happiness doesn't always depend on age |
C.little kids can sometimes give us inspiration |
D.some abstract things can make people happier |
A.Extreme happiness is hard to achieve. |
B.Happiness is determined by many factors. |
C.The happiest people are often open - minded. |
D.One fs family gives him the most happiness. |
【推荐1】Like any new ninth-grader on the first day of school, Joemar Class had ninth-grader feeling. He’s not used to school in Hartford. He’s used to going to school in his home town of Florida, used to seeing his friends, used to having class in Spanish.
“Nervioso,” he said in Spanish.
We first met Joemar in mid-October in the San Juan Airport. His father, Guillermo Class, had sold his car to buy plane tickets to get his kids and fly them up from Puerto Rico. The island was almost destroyed by the deadly storm—Hurricane Maria.
Now, they are settling into their new home in Hartford’s South End. A week later, and, using his wife’s car, Class drove 16-year-old Joemar to his first day at Bulkeley High School. After a short ride, he got out in front of his new school. Inside, he met Gretchen Levitz—the school’s program director.
“I see you have new uniform,” Levitz said. “You look great. Are you ready for a good first day?”
Then he met couple of teachers.
“Hello,” they each said in Spanish. They asked where he’s from, and told him they were happy to see him. Then Levitz took him on a quick tour of the school before classes began—to her office, the school store, the library, and the dining hall.
A total of 19 languages are spoken in Bulkeley High School. “We have so many new students coming here from other countries every single day,” Levitz said. “So it’s not like he’s the only one who has that feeling.”
“You could tell he’s little worried,” Guillermo said as we left. “But, at the same time, he’s looking forward to it.”
1. What does the underlined word “Nervioso” in paragraph 2 probably mean?A.Frightened. | B.Excited. | C.Relaxed. | D.Nervous. |
A.His old school closed down. | B.His town was hit by a terrible storm. |
C.He wanted to see his mother. | D.He expected to have a new life. |
A.He had a short look around his new school. | B.He learned some simple Spanish words. |
C.He said hello to some of his classmates. | D.He had a long talk with his father. |
A.It has no library. | B.It plans to open Spanish classes. |
C.It is an international school. | D.It requires all students to wear uniforms. |
【推荐2】Barbican Art Gallery
A world-class arts and learning center, the Barbican pushes the boundaries of all major art forms including dance, film, music, theater and many visual arts from Egypt.
Tickets:
Adult: £10 online/£12 at the door
13-17 years old: £6 online/£8 at the door
Children aged 12 and under: Free
Opening Times:
Sat.—Wed.: 10 a.m.—6 p.m.; Thu.一Fri.: 10 a.m.一9 p.m.
Review by Laura Miller: I have just watched To Kill a Mockingbird here. The play and actors were fantastic. Nice and clean ladies' toilets with hot water. During the interval, they were selling the usual ice cream and drinks. Not all staff were friendly, but most were. I would come again to watch another show or even the same one.
The British Museum
A museum of the world, for the world. Discover over two million years of human history and culture. Some of the world-famous objects include the Rosetta Stone, the Parthenon sculptures and Egyptian mummies.
Admission and opening times:
Free, open daily 10 a.m.—17:30 p.m.
The Museum is closed on Jan. 1, Good Friday (April 10, 2020) and Dec. 24, 25 & 26, but open every other day of the year.
Review by Robert James: I arrived at the main entrance line at 10:45 a.m., waited patiently as it rolled forward for a few minutes. Now 11:30 a.m. with two thirds of the line to go, another 30 minutes to wait and with knowledge that I had to go downtown shopping by 1 p.m., I turned on my heels and left.
1. How much will a couple with kids of 11 and 14 pay for online tickets of the Art Gallery?A.£20. | B.£26. |
C.£32. | D.£36. |
A.Dance. | B.Film. |
C.Music. | D.Theater. |
A.Both offer free admission. | B.Egyptian exhibits are on display. |
C.They're open all year round. | D.They're located downtown. |
【推荐3】A study shows exposure(暴露)to more light during the day and less light at night is important for people to get healthy sleep because it helps to keep the right body clock. The results suggest that in the office environment, being exposed to either sunlight or electric lights that are rich in short wave blue light may be important for the health of workers.
To see whether the office workers get enough light to regulate(调节)their sleep wake cycle, researchers found the participants(参与者)in five government office buildings across the United States. A total of 109 people working at the offices wore light-measuring devices(仪器)for one week to do an experiment in summer, and 81 of these participants reduplicated the experiment in winter once again. The office workers wrote down their sleep and wake time. They also answered questions of their mood and sleep quality at the end of each study period.
Researchers found that people who were exposed to lots of sunlight during the morning hours, between 8 am and noon, fell asleep more quickly at night compared to those exposed to low light in the morning. Office workers who were exposed to high levels of light all day, from 8 am to 5 pm, also fell asleep more quickly.
Poor-quality sleep has been linked to health problems. Researchers say there are many easy things we can do during the day to increase our exposure to sunlight, such as looking out of the window and walking out for light during the day, especially during the morning and lunch time.
1. Where did the participants of the experiment work for?A.The government. | B.The car factory. |
C.The local school. | D.The airline company. |
A.Reused. | B.Released. |
C.Repeated. | D.Requested. |
A.Eat much food. |
B.Drink lots of water at night. |
C.Talk with friends before sleeping. |
D.Expose themselves to sunlight during the day. |
A.Looking outside at night is helpful in falling asleep. |
B.Staying outside all day is bad for people's health. |
C.The quality of sleep influences people's health. |
D.The sunlight makes people hungry during the day. |