“Dad,” I say one day, “let's take a trip. Why don't you fly out and meet me?”
My father had just retired after 27 years as a manager for IBM. His job filled his day, his thought, and his life. While he woke up and took a warm shower, I screamed under a freezing waterfall in Peru. While he tied a tie and put on the same Swiss watch, I rowed a boat across Lake of the Ozarks.
My father sees me drifting aimlessly, nothing to show for my 33 years but a passport full of funny stamps. He wants me to settle down, but now I want him to find an adventure.
He agrees to travel with me through the national parks. We meet four weeks later in Rapid City.
“What is our first stop?” asks my father.
“What time is it?”
“Still don't have a watch?”
Less than an hour away is Mount Rushmore. As he stares up at the four Presidents carved in granite (花岗岩),his mouth and eyes open slowly, like those of a little boy.
“Unbelievable.” he says, “How was this done?”
A film in the information center shows sculptor Gutzon Borglum devoted 14 years to the sculpture and then left the final touches to his son.
We stare up and I ask myself, “Would I ever devote my life to anything?”
“No directions, no goals.” I always used to hear those words in my father's voice. Now I hear them in my own.
The next day we're at Yellowstone National Park, where we have a picnic.
“Did you ever travel with your dad?” I ask.
“Only once,” he says, “I never spoke much with my father. We loved each other—but never said it. Whatever he could give me, he gave.”
The last sentence—it's probably the same thing I'd say about my father. And what I'd want my child to say about me.
In Glacier National Park, my father says, “I've never seen water so blue.” I have, in several places of the world. I can keep travelling. I realize—and maybe a regular job won't be as dull as I feared.
Weekes after our trip, I call my father. “The photos from the trip are wonderful.” he says. “We heve got to take another trip like that sometime.”
I tell him I've decide to settle down, and I'm wearing a watch.
1. We can learn from Paragraph 2 and Paragraph 3 that the father ________.| A．followed the fashion | B．got bored with his job |
| C．liked the author's collection of stamps | D．was unhappy with the author's lifestyle |
| A．hopes to give whatever he can to his father | B．learns how to communicate with his father |
| C．comes to understand what parental love means | D．wants his children to learn from their grandfather |
| A．A Journey with Dad | B．Reflections on Nature |
| C．Benefits from Travelling | D．Deep Love from a Father |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】I am thinking today about my new favorite thing. It’s an app that my husband told me a few years ago that helps me bypass all the obstacles (障碍) in my way: potholes, heavy traffic, and even speed cameras.
To be honest, when my husband first told me about it, I didn’t pay much attention. I was only going to places I already knew how to get to. Plus, I learned to drive from my father—who never turned to a map. I think I mistakenly absorbed the message that real drivers didn’t need a map; you somehow just magically knew where to go. It was only later that I realized that just getting a driver’s license didn’t mean you knew how to get to places—that was lesson one. Lesson two came when my kids started playing on two different travel teams. The drivers in our household suddenly had the need to head in different directions on the same day.
Suddenly my app became very meaningful to me. How did I ever manage to get to strange playing fields hidden somewhere without it? But the crazy thing I have also noticed is how often I just don’t listen to it. Why might that be? Do I just prefer the old routes, even if they are actually worse? I see an analogy (类比) to the present moment. There is evidence that some old ideas and some long familiar ideas will send us into a boring unchanging lifestyle. But for some reason we like them better than an unfamiliar new route that might take us into areas we’ve never heard of, let alone visited.
It can be hard to admit we don’t know everything. As a person who still drives an 8-year-old stick shift and who has never stood in line for anything new, I certainly understand that. But I also try to remember the times I let go of my ego (自负), or my fear, and learned that life could be better. Not perfect—but better. I am glad I finally listened to my husband about that app. He was right.
1. What did the author think of the app at the very beginning?| A．It was magical. | B．It was practically valueless. |
| C．It was powerful. | D．It was not as good as a map. |
| A．Her desire to explore alone. | B．Her doubt about the new device. |
| C．Her preference for the new routes. | D．Her refusal to experience changes. |
| A．She is willing to challenge herself. | B．She cares little about others’ comments. |
| C．She recognizes her problems easily. | D．She is too inflexible to make any change. |
| A．Real Drivers Know Their Way | B．It Pays to Take a New Route |
| C．New Apps Make Life Perfect | D．It Matters to Listen to Inner Voice |
【推荐2】We all love scenic views of the ocean, lakes, streams and even ponds. There just seems to be something calming about water, and people everywhere stop to look when they see even a painting where water is featured. Beachfront vacations are the most popular around the world because we associate water with relaxation. It is certain that water is good for the soul.
Then, what is it about water that gives it the power to improve mental health? Well, it could be the ocean air. A couple of hundred years ago, ocean air was prescribed by doctors when patients were not doing well. Sometimes the only remedy they could suggest was to take the patient to the ocean for an extended period of time. There were times when this did not work, but for some people, the ocean air was what they needed to get well.
Tides(潮水) could also help improve mental health. No matter what’s going on in your life, or in the world, the ocean never stops. Tides come in and out every day, right on time，regardless of what is happening. Waves continually come crashing to the shore, no matter what is going on inside or outside of the water. When we hear the crashing of waves by the ocean, the sound of waves can change the brain’s wave patterns and contribute to a relaxed state of mind. Even simply observing the movements of water can lead to a lowering of depression, a lowering of stress levels and anxiety, and can promote better mental health. When your brain is in this relaxed state, it is more open to creative thoughts.
So, if you’re looking to clear your head, then look for some blue space. Actually, there are still things you can do if it is impossible for you to live near water. You can invest in some pictures or paintings of the ocean and display them in your home. And then you can put ocean sounds on and spend a few minutes each day looking at these scenes. This way you still get the sights and sounds of the ocean, even though you can’t physically be there. You can also rent a cottage for a few days in summer. Spend a few days at a nearby lake as often as possible. If your cottage is close enough to a lake, you can even go for walks along the beach in any season. When you have the opportunity to be near water, take it. You’ll be amazed at what it’ll do to improve mental health.
| Title: Water is good for the soul | |
| Introduction | People have a preference for water, which is calming and can |
| Why water can help improve mental health | ◆Breathing the ocean air used to be viewed as a good way to help patients get well. ◆ The sound of waves can lead to the ◆ By watching the movements of the water, we can feel less depressed, less stressed and less ◆We can think clearly and |
| ◆Buy pictures of the ocean and display them in the room. ◆ ◆Stay in a rented cottage ◆Walk along the beach whatever the | |
【推荐3】I enjoy throwing stuff away. I’d love to go full minimalism (极简主义), but my wife and two teenage kids do not share my dream of a house with almost nothing in it. I have tried. When the kids were little, I taught them my two favorite games – “Do We Need It?” and “Put It in Its Place”— and made them play every few months. Their enthusiasm never matched mine.
If I’m going to be honest, my own tidying skills are not as great as I’d like. My “discarded” pile is never quite the trash mountain I want because I make up excuses for why things are useful. I consider this unhealthy. I want to be better at moving on.
So, this time I found help—the classics for people like me: The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up, by Marie Kondo. Kondo’s commitment to her craft is astonishing. Her philosophy is only to keep things you love. Can I go full Kondo? I will try. One central idea is to clean by category. You start by collecting all clothes and gathering them together for consideration. It makes you rethink how you organize. Next, hold each item and ask if it brings you joy. This way you’re choosing what to keep. And that’s how I find myself with all my clothes on my bedroom floor. My wife walks by and gives me a look that says I’m nuts. She’s probably not wrong.
Somewhere near the bottom of this chaos is my special jacket. I move through the pile: pants, shirts, suits and shoes. Then my last category: jackets. I haven’t worn it in about 30 years. Somehow, it has survived. Now, has its time come?
I hold it in my hand. There is a tear just below the collar that widens as I hold it. It’s literally falling apart. Will I ever wear it again? Not a chance. Does it feel good to wear? Does it bring me joy? Actually, yes. At this moment, my daughter walks in. She asks about the jacket. I tell her the story. She thinks I should keep it. It’s cool and unique and full of memories. She is arguing that nostalgia (怀念) is the very reason.
I’m not entirely convinced by my daughter’s arguments. I believe in looking ahead, not backward. Nevertheless, sometimes it’s hard to let go. So I gently place the jacket on the “keep” pile.
1. What can we learn about the author’s family members from Paragraph1?| A．They can’t tolerate what the author insists on. |
| B．They are less passionate about full minimalism. |
| C．They are strongly opposed to full minimalism. |
| D．They completely support what the author does. |
| A．abandoned | B．disposable | C．organized | D．classified |
| A．To learn how to categorize. | B．To develop a passion for minimalism. |
| C．To persuade his family members. | D．To improve his tidying skills. |
| A．The importance of categorizing skills | B．The changes brought by minimalism |
| C．The author’s efforts to go minimalism | D．An inspiration got from the book |
【推荐1】When I was a senior in college, I came home for Christmas vacation and anticipated a fun-filled fortnight with my two brothers. We were so excited to be together and we volunteered to watch the store so that my mother and father could take their first day off in years. The day before my parents went to Boston, my father took me quietly aside to the little den behind the store. He took out a cigar box, opened it and showed me a little pile of newspaper articles.
“What are they?” I asked.
Father replied seriously, “These are articles I’ve written and some letters to the editor that have been published.”
As I began to read, I saw at the bottom of each neatly clipped article the name Walter Chapman. “Why didn’t you tell me you’d done that?” I asked.
“Because I didn’t want your mother to know. She has always told me that since I didn’t have much education, I shouldn’t try to write. I wanted to run for some political office also, but she told me I shouldn’t try. I guess she was afraid she’d be embarrassed if I lost. I figured I could write without her knowing it, and so I did. When each item would be printed, I’d cut it out and hide it in this box. I knew someday I’d show the box to someone, and it’s you.”
He watched me as I read over a few of the articles and when I looked up, his big blue eyes were moist. “I guess I tried for something too big this last time,” he added.
“Did you write something else?”
“Yes, I sent some suggestions in to our church magazine on how the national nominating committee could be selected more fairly. It’s been three months since I sent it in. I guess I tried for something too big.”
This was such a new side to my fun-loving father that I didn’t quite know what to say, so I tried, “Maybe it’ll still come.”
“Maybe, but don’t hold your breath.” father gave me a little smile and a wink and then closed the cigar box.
The next morning our parents left on the bus to the railway station where they took a train to Boston. When I ran the store with my two brothers, I thought about the box. I’d never known my father liked to write. I didn’t tell my brothers. It was a secret between father and me.
Early that evening I looked out the store window and saw my mother get off the bus—alone.
“Where’s Dad?” We asked together.
“Your father’s dead,” she said without a tear.
She told us they had been walking through the Park Street Subway Station in the midst of crowds of people when father had fallen to the floor. A nurse bent over him, looked up at mother and said simply, “He’s dead.” Mother had stood by father stunned, not knowing what to do as people tripped over him in their rush through the subway.
Mother told us the shocking tale without shedding a tear. Not showing emotion had always been a matter of discipline and pride for her. We didn’t cry either and we took turns waiting on the customers.
One steady patron asked, “Where’s the old man tonight?”
“He’s dead,” I replied.
“Oh, too bad,” and he left.
I’d never thought of father as an old man. He’d always been healthy and happy and he’d cared for frail mother without complaining and now he was gone. No more whistling, no more singing hymns while stocking shelves. “The old man” was gone.
On the morning of the funeral, I sat at the table in the store opening sympathy cards and pasting them in a scrapbook when I noticed the church magazine in the pile. Normally I would never have opened it, but maybe that sacred article might be there—and it was.
I took the magazine to the little den, shut the door, and burst into tears. I had been brave, but seeing Dad’s bold recommendations in print was more than I could bear. I read and cried and then I read again. In the magazine I also found a two-page letter to my father from Henry Cabot Lodge, Sr., thanking him for the campaign suggestions. I took out the box and put them in it.
I didn’t tell anyone about the box.
1. Who was Walter Chapman in the passage?| A．A writer of detective stories | B．The author’s father |
| C．An edition of a newspaper | D．A customer in the store |
a. My father showed me a little pile of newspaper articles.
b. Our parents took a train to Boston.
c. My father’s article to the church magazine was published.
d. I came home for Christmas vacation.
e. My father died in an accident.
f. My father sent some suggestions in to the magazine.
| A．f-d-a-b-e-c | B．d-a-f-b-e-c |
| C．d-f-c-a-b-e | D．f-d-b-a-c-e |
| A．she is unwilling to share her feelings with others |
| B．she is too proud to express her feelings |
| C．she is used to being serious |
| D．she is an emotional person |
| A．Because he thought of father’s whistling and singing hymns. |
| B．Because his father’s article to the church magazine was published. |
| C．Because the box full of his father’s articles was yet unknown to people. |
| D．Because he was moved by the funeral and the sympathy cards. |
| A．He was ashamed of his writing so he hid the box. |
| B．He was proud of his talent in writing. |
| C．He was interested in writing and found it great fun. |
| D．He took writing as a means to make a living. |
| A．The Death of My Father | B．Father and I |
| C．The Mystery of a Hidden Box | D．A Sad Christmas Vacation |
【推荐2】What makes a gift special? Is it the price you see on the gift receipt? Or is it the look on the recipients’ face when they receive it that determines the true value? What gift is worth the most?
This Christmas I was debating what to give my father. My dad is a hard person to buy for because he never wants anything. I pulled out my phone to read a text message from my mom saying that we were leaving for Christmas shopping for him when I came across a message on my phone that I had locked. The message was from my father. My eyes fell on a photo of a flower taken in Wyoming, and underneath a poem by William Blake. The flower, a lone dandelion standing against the bright blue sky, inspired me. My dad had been reciting those words to me since I was a kid. That may even be the reason why I love writing. I decided that those words would be my gift to my father.
I called back. I told my mom to go without me and that I already created my gift. I sent the photo of the cream-colored flower to my computer and typed the poem on top if it. As I was arranging the details another poem came to mind. The poem was written by Edgar Allan Poe; my dad recited it as much as he did the other. I typed that out as well and searched online for a background to the words of it.The poem was focused around dreaming, and after searching I found the perfect picture. As I watched both poems passing through the printer, the whiter paper colored with words that shaped my childhood, I felt that this was a gift that my father would truly appreciate.
Christmas soon arrived. The minute I saw the look on my dad’s face as he unwrapped those swirling black letters carefully placed in a cheap frame, I knew I had given something worthy.
1. The idea for a special gift began to form when the author was____________ .| A．doing shopping. | B．having a debate |
| C．reading a message | D．leaving for Wyoming |
| A．the father | B．the author |
| C．William Blake | D．Edgar Allan Poe |
| A．searching for the poems online. | B．drawing the background by hand． |
| C．painting the letters in three colors． | D．matching the words with pictures． |
| A．The Best Poem Forever | B．The Perfect Gift |
| C．The Best Christmas | D．The Gift Shaped the Childhood |
【推荐3】Last night, when I went to see my grandmother, she was sitting alone at the nurse station with her word search book. My grandmother was sitting at the desk with her book but no pencil just staring at the letters as if she was trying to find the word. I came to her and said hello.
Usually, she at least knows I am connected to her somehow but this time, she looked at me with doubt. I introduced myself and told her that I was her granddaughter. “I don’t know who you are,” she said.” Do you want to go outside?” I asked. “okay,” she said.
We got her things and I wrapped it all in a blanket we would use as a tablecloth. I asked her if she could hold it while I pushed her wheelchair and held her cup of tea.
She held her hands out and I placed the cloth bundle (捆) on her lap. I put the cloth on the table and she helped smooth it down-then I put the rest of the items on the cloth..
Now she was just staring at me as if confused, as if trying to figure me out. “Do you know who I am?” I asked. She said, “I don’ t really know.”“ I am your granddaughter,” I said. “I am not sure what that is. I don’t know, I don’t know you,” she said.
I think of my friend whose mother has not known him for years, has no recollection (记忆), and doesn’t speak any more. It is a painful sight for all those living who remember. I am grateful that my grandmother is still so present. I have a sinking feeling that our days are numbered.
For now, she is still here, still says thank you, and still loves me from a deep and secret place. Tomorrow, I will see her and she may or may not know me-and that will be okay. I still know her.
1. What was the author’s grandma doing when she visited her?| A．She was writing stories. | B．She was training herself. |
| C．She was preparing to eat out | D．She was waiting for the author. |
| A．Her grandma didn’t trust her. | B．Her grandma refused her help. |
| C．Her grandma didn’t recognize her. | D．Her grandma could look after herself. |
| A．had only a few days to live | B．was in a better condition |
| C．was treated the way he did | D．had a similar experience to his mother |
| A．Treasuring the present. | B．Expecting the future. |
| C．Feeling hopeless. | D．Loving life. |
【推荐1】For the last several months, in the midst of a bitter cold Northeast winter, teenager Michael Ferrara, has been running on the side streets of New Jersey. Ferrara’s water bottle continually freezes over, his legs and arms sometimes hurt due to the cold temperatures, and the fear of hitting black ice sits in the back of his mind as he runs. However, it hasn’t stopped him from training for the 50-mile Pistol Creek Ultra-Marathon to raise money for VetREST.
Last year, Ferrara teamed up with the nonprofit after meeting its CEO, Robert F. Vicci, who retired from the military after 34 years. The nonprofit is focused on helping veterans (老兵) while providing farming opportunities “in safe and supportive environments where they can achieve wellness themselves and produce healthy food for our nation”. Their mission resonated (共鸣) with Ferrara who’s been helping homeless veterans for over four years through various initiatives.
He also ran the Marine Corps Marathon in 2021 to Houses for Warriors, a Colorado-based nonprofit that helps get homeless and at-risk warriors off the streets. But after running that race, the high school student wanted to do more. In November 2021, he started his 20-week training programme in preparation for the night race that will take place in Alcoa, Tennessee on March 19.
“I really do want to help the veterans of our country,” he said. “They have put their blood, sweat and tears into fighting for our freedoms and for them to end upon the streets I think is totally unacceptable.”
“Normally, the organization works with veterans to find out what the root cause of their PTSD (创伤后应激障碍) in order to not only give them guidance on what else can be done to help them, but if we can put the money in places that will help them get through their situation, we find that is the best cure,” he continued.
1. Why does Michael Ferrara run Ultra-Marathon?| A．To raise money for veterans. | B．To win a prize in the game. |
| C．To get an offer from VetREST. | D．To stay warm in the cold. |
| A．It makes profits for its owner. | B．It provides farming jobs. |
| C．It has been running for four years. | D．It aims to help homeless teenagers. |
| A．He wants to fight for freedom. | B．Veterans should have an easy life. |
| C．He works under great pressure. | D．Veterans often cry for the country. |
| A．Uncaring. | B．Objective. | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
【推荐2】Even before my father left us, my mother had to go back to work to support our family. Once I came out of the kitchen, complaining, “Mom, I can’t peel potatoes. I have only one hand.”
Mom never looked up from sewing. “You get yourself into that kitchen and peel those potatoes,” she told me. “And don’t ever use that as an excuse for anything again!”
In the second grade, our teacher lined up my class on the playground and had each of us race across the monkey bars, swinging from one high steel rod(棒) to the next. When it was my turn, I shook my head. Some kids behind me laughed, and I went home crying.
That night I told Mom about it. She hugged me, and I saw her “we’ll see about that” look. The next afternoon, she took me back to school. At the deserted playground, Mom looked carefully at the bars.
“Now, pull up with your right arm,” she advised. She stood by as I struggled to lift myself with my right hand until I could hook the bar with my other elbow. Day after day we practiced, and she praised me for every rung I reached. I’ll never forget the next time, crossing the rungs, I looked down at the kids who were standing with their mouths open.
One night, after a dance at my new junior high, I lay in bed sobbing. I could hear Mom come into my room. “Mom,” I said, weeping, “none of the boys would dance with me.”
For a long time, I didn’t hear anything. Then she said, “Oh, honey, someday you’ll be beating those boys off with a bat.” Her voice was faint. I peeked out from my covers to see tears running down her cheeks. Then I knew how much she suffered on my behalf. She had never let me see her tears.
1. Which of the following expressions can be used most suitably to describe Mom’s attitude when she made the child peel potatoes?| A．Cruel. | B．Serious. | C．Cold. | D．Strict. |
| A．Mom believed every aim could be achieved if you stuck to it. |
| B．The race across monkey bars was not difficult enough for a child to give up. |
| C．Mom was determined to prove she herself was better than the teacher. |
| D．What the child had said brought Mom great attraction and curiosity. |
| A．they felt sorry for what they had done before |
| B．they were afraid the author might fall off and get hurt |
| C．they were astonished to find the author’s progress |
| D．they wanted to see what the author would do on the bars |
| A．the last incident was sad enough to make Mom weep |
| B．the child’s experience reminded Mom of that of her own |
| C．Mom could solve any problem except the one in the last paragraph |
| D．in fact Mom suffered more in the process of the child’s growth |
【推荐3】In my hometown of Idaho Falls, beneath the elevated train tracks that paralleled West Yellowstone Highway, there was a hidden gem that aroused my curiosity. A small opening in the hill, easily missed if one wasn’t attentive, attracted me with its half-moon shape and stone-framed edges. Although it looked pointless, brilliant light poured through, creating a tapestry of thin trees covered in delicate, light green leaves — a symbol of freshness and new beginnings — and illuminating the space.
That image remains vivid in my mind, evoking a fanciful notion of a gateway to a secret world where wood nymphs and fairies have fun. I imagined an embrace of beautiful light, a peaceful place where I would feel secure and understood.
As a teenager, armed with a driver’s license, I fantasized about driving to that spot and finally stepping through the opening. However, I knew deep down that the moment I ventured closer, the enchantment (魔法) would disappear like morning mist.
Even in adulthood, I had a knack for summoning enchantment. I could marvel at drifting clouds, sensing their magical dance. Old forests showed an otherworldly wisdom, and seemingly coincidental events held a mystical fascination. But the pandemic, like a thief in the night, robbed me of that gift. Confined to our homes, the cries of our children merged with our own as we wrestled with teaching them reading and math. Weeks stretched into months, and months into years, eroding my ability to find enchantment in the boring life, leaving only the residue of a COVID-infected existence.
So when I picked up Katherine May’s newest book and read this bit, it felt really familiar:
“I have lost some fundamental part of my knowing, some basic human feeling. Without it, the world feels like tap water left overnight, flat and chemical, short of life. I am like lightning seeking earth. Uneasy. I need a better way to walk through this life. I want to be enchanted again.”
May has written an entire book about this, appropriately titled Enchantment: Awakening Wonder in an Anxious Age. I dog-eared almost every page in this book, as they mirrored my own experiences. It was a confirmation I desperately needed- the realization that I wasn’t alone in my struggle. May’s exploration of curiosity, imagination, and the quest for meaning in our lives became a profound reminder of the path I yearned to rediscover. Therefore, I can’t wait to recommend this book to you. You won’t be disappointed; you have my word.
1. The first three paragraphs talk about ________.| A．how the author discovered a hidden opening in her hometown |
| B．what role a secret world plays in kids fascinated with fairy tales |
| C．how the author holds onto a sense of wonder as a curious child |
| D．why there is an inevitable loss of enchantment upon inspection |
| A．draining up | B．calling up | C．stepping up | D．filling up |
| A．The author identifies with the content in May’s newest book. |
| B．The author enjoys reading books in the company of her dog. |
| C．The pandemic has taken away the author’s ability to read. |
| D．May’s newest book serves as a reminder of the boring past. |
| A．compare ways to find enchantment in life | B．recommend May’s newest book to readers |
| C．explain why a sense of wonder is important | D．introduce the author’s fascinating childhood |
【推荐1】Splash (落水声)! Did you hear that? Can you guess what it is? Can you figure it out? If you guessed the ocean, then you’re correct! I believe that my organization, Reef Check, is the most worthy of receiving the Chocolate Heart money. Do you want to know why? Well, soon you’ll find out.
First of all, Reef Check needs the money to repair and clean coral reefs (珊瑚礁) which are home to millions of sea animals. Reef Check hopes to educate the public about the value of reef ecosystems (生态系统) and the danger that sea animals and plants are facing. Based in Los Angeles, Reef Check has volunteer teams in more than 90 countries, making community volunteers, businesses, universities, and other non-profit organizations work together. It works to create a worldwide network of volunteer teams trained in Reef Check’s scientific methods that survey coral and rocky reefs and report on reef health. Also, Reef Check takes action to protect remaining ancient reefs and repair reefs in danger worldwide.
For example, imagine you are a poor sea animal, whose home just got destroyed or wasn’t clean. What would you do? What could you do? Nothing much, really. But that’s exactly Reef Check’s job! To clean and protect these homes for many sea animals!
Furthermore, in 1997, Reef Check carried out the first-ever survey of coral reef health that provided scientific evidence that our coral reefs were in danger because of overfishing, illegal fishing, and pollution. The results surprised many biologists who had not realized the seriousness of human influence on reefs. In August 2002, Reef Check presented its report, The Global Coral Reef Crisis - Trends and Solutions, at the World Summit in South Africa. The report warned that there was no reef in the world that remained untouched by human influence, such as overfishing, pollution, and climate change.
In short, everyone should have a home including animals from the sea. So don’t leave them out! Be generous and give them a home!
1. What do we know about Reef Check?| A．It is a team of scientists. |
| B．It mainly studies sea animals. |
| C．It is a non-profit organization. |
| D．It is run by the US government. |
| A．To show the role of Reef Check. |
| B．To show the importance of reefs. |
| C．To show how poor sea animals are. |
| D．To show the seriousness of sea pollution. |
| A．Reefs would die out in the near future. |
| B．Humans and reefs depended on each other. |
| C．Overfishing influenced the oceans seriously. |
| D．Reefs were at risk because of human activities. |
| A．To describe what Reef Check is. |
| B．To introduce a dangerous but important job. |
| C．To explain why Reef Check needs support. |
| D．To educate the public to care for the environment. |
【推荐2】At the age of 86, agriculture teacher Gerald Bonds has seen plenty of crises during his career. He sees no reason to leave the profession over the coronavirus crisis. Bonds is in his 58th year of teaching at Farmington High School in Farmington, New Mexico. Like most teachers in his state, he has been instructing his students from home, which he truly dislikes.
“I hate it. I want to see the students face to face and talk to them,” Bonds told reporters with The Associated Press. Some teachers have retired early or taken leave because of the difficulties of distance learning and the health risks of in-person teaching. But many longtime instructors like Bonds are choosing to stay.
The states of New Mexico and Maine have the oldest teachers in the country, with one in four older than 55. That information comes from a 2018 study of teachers and school leaders by the National Center for Education Statistics. Almost six percent of New Mexico’s educators are 65 or older, notes the New Mexico Public Education Department.
With few exceptions, New Mexico’s schools have been providing only distance learning. So far, this has saved many teachers from dealing with the health risks of being in classrooms with students. Ryan Stewart is the New Mexico Education Secretary. He told the AP that his state is making health and safety number one. Teachers whose health is at a high risk can ask for low-contact or no-contact teaching work, he said. For some parts of the state, this will cause a shortage of teachers and make it harder to return to in-person learning, he noted.
1. Which words can best describe Gerald Bonds?| A．Dutiful and devoted. | B．Diligent and talented. |
| C．Adaptable and learned. | D．Capable and dynamic. |
| A．Because they have no passion to teach. |
| B．Because they have been past retirement age. |
| C．Because they’re afraid of the high risk of infection. |
| D．Because they failed in conducting distance teaching. |
| A．Distance learning results in the lack of teachers. |
| B．Distance learning has saved many infected teachers. |
| C．Returning to in-person learning has been raised in the agenda. |
| D．New Mexico attaches great significance to teachers’ health and safety. |
| A．Lifestyle. | B．Culture. | C．Health. | D．Education. |
【推荐3】John and Mary had a nice home and two lovely children. John had just been asked to go on a business trip to another city for several days and Mary would go with him too. They hired a reliable woman to care for their children and returned home a little earlier than they had planned.
As they drove into their hometown, they found a home on fire. After having a look, Mary said, “Oh well, it isn’t our fire. Let’s go home.” But John drove closer and said, “That home belongs to Fred Jones who wouldn’t be off work yet. Maybe there is something we could do.”
John noticed an old lady screamed to him, “A children! Get the children!” John grabbed (抓住) her by the shoulder saying, “Get a hold of yourself and tell us where the children are!” “In the basement,” cried the lady.
In spite of Mary’s disagreement, John soaked (浸湿) his clothes and ran to the basement which was full of smoke. He found the door and grabbed two children. As he left he could hear some more cry. He sent the two badly frightened children into the waiting room and asked how many more children were down there. The told him two more and Mary grabbed his arm and screamed, “John! Don’t go back! It’s dangerous! That house will fall down in any second!”
But he shook her off and went back. It seemed a very long time before he found both children and started back. As he climbed up the endless steps the thought went through his mind that there was something strangely familiar about the little bodies next to him, and at last when they came out into the sunlight and fresh air, he found that he had just rescued his own children. The baby-sitter had left them at this home while she did some shopping.
1. The old lady screamed to John to .| A．ask him to get away from the fire |
| B．ask for his help to save the children |
| C．ask him to rescue her from the fire |
| D．ask him to take out valuable things from the fire |
| A．She disagreed with it. | B．She supported it |
| C．She was unconcerned about it. | D．She misunderstood it. |
| A．It was clean. | B．It was burned down. |
| C．It was dangerous. | D．It was under repair. |
| A．Two heads are better than one. |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C．Helping others means helping ourselves. |
| D．God helps those who help themselves. |
