This is my son Matthew’s last night at home before college. I know that this is good news. I feel proud that Matthew will go to a great school. I know that this is the finest hour. But looking at the suitcases on his bed sends me out of the room to a hidden corner where I can’t stop crying.
Through the sorrow, I feel embarrassed. “Pull yourself together!” I tell myself. There are parents sending their kids off to battle zones. How dare I feel so shocked and upset?
One of the great gifts of my life has been having my boys, Matthew and John Owen. Through them, I have explored the mysterious, complicated bond between fathers and sons. As my wife and I raised them, I have discovered the love and loss between my father and me. After my parents’ divorce, I spent weekends with my dad in Ohio. By the time Sunday came around, I was unable to enjoy the day’s activities because I was already afraid of the goodbye of the evening.
Now, standing among Matthew’s accumulation of possessions, I realize it’s me who has become a boy again. All my sadness and longing to hold on to things are back, sweeping over me as they did when I was a child.
His bed is tidy and spare. It already has the feel of a guest bed. In my mind I replay wrapping him in his favorite blanket. That was our nightly routine until one evening he said, “Daddy, I don’t think I need a blanket tonight.” I think of all the times we lay among the covers reading. I look at the bed and think of all the recent times I was annoyed at how late he was going to sleep. I’ll never have to worry about that again, I realize.
For his part, Matthew has been a rock. He is treating his leaving as just another day at the office. And I’m glad. After all, someone’s got to be strong. I’m proud that he is charging into the first chapter of his adult life with such conf idence.
1. What does the writer mean by “Pull yourself together!”?| A．Get up! | B．Take up! | C．Cheer up! | D．Wake up! |
| A．the writer is accustomed to sleeping early |
| B．Matthew doesn’t get on well with his father |
| C．the writer wasn’t brave enough to face his parents’ divorce |
| D．Matthew is ready for his new life |
| A．Worried. | B．Grateful. | C．Relieved. | D．Bittersweet. |
| A．Sweet Memories | B．Unavoidable Goodbye |
| C．A Glorious Moment | D．Unconditional Love |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Why is Optimism Important In Your Life?
Our minds are powerful—they can make us or break us. When we water our minds with healthy and positive thinking, we will enjoy our personal and professional life.
There are many types of research done to understand the effectiveness and impact optimism has on a person’s life. Some of the benefits of optimism are:
Better Health
Many studies show that optimistic people are more likely to have better physical health than pessimists.
Better Resilience (恢复力)
Better Emotional Health
In some researches, it was found that in cognitive therapy or therapy that includes reframing a person’s thought process, optimism can be beneficial in treating depression.
Lesser Stress
Optimistic people are less stressed because they see minor problems either as opportunities or as minor setbacks that can be easily overcome.
| A．Optimists don’t like to give up when faced with a problem. |
| B．Optimism can help you decrease the risk of heart disease by 50%. |
| C．The importance of optimism in your life should not be ignored. |
| D．Depression often accompanies negative and pessimistic thinking. |
| E．Optimism is a mental state which can be defined as hope, confidence, and positivity. |
| F．But when we stop nourishing them, we will get unhappy and constantly put ourselves down. |
| G．Pessimistic people, on the other hand, focus on a problem rather than look for ways to overcome it. |
【推荐2】Five ways to get through homesickness
Whether you moved for work, school, or just to explore a new area, moving away from your family can be really hard. Experiencing homesickness after moving away from your family is totally normal.
Bring along comforts from home.
Maybe you have a favorite blanket that you used to sleep with. Maybe you could grab a recipe for your favorite dessert. It won’t be exactly the same, but you can take some creature comforts with you to make yourself feel more at home.
Reach out to friends.
When you’re feeling down, see if a friend wants to go grab a drink or a cup of coffee. Let them know that you’re missing your family members, and see if they can relate(理解；有同感).
Stay busy.
What’s something you’ve always wanted to try? Maybe you’ve never been rock climbing before, or maybe your friend invited you to play video game with them. A fun new hobby can help distract you from your feelings and make you happier in your new place. Joining clubs and hobby groups is also a great way to meet new people in a brand-new area.
| A．Try out a new hobby. |
| B．This is especially true if you’re in college. |
| C．You won’t have time to be sad if you’re busy. |
| D．It will stop sadness from taking over your life. |
| E．You could also carry on some family traditions. |
| F．If you feel like you need to cry a little bit, do it! |
| G．Here are five things you can do to help yourself get through the hard time. |
【推荐3】Picture this: you’re between video meetings, and skimming your social media. Headlines like “Death rate continues to rise”, and “COVID-19 may cause long-term health risks” flash across your screen. Your mood takes a dive, but you can’t stop.
If this rings true for you, you’re not alone. Research on the effects of bad news on mood suggests exposure to negative COVID news is likely to be harmful to our stable emotion. For instance, one study conducted in March 2020 involving more than 6,000 Americans found that the more time participants spent consuming COVID news in a day, the unhappier they felt.
To find out more, researchers conducted a study where they showed hundreds of people real-world content on either Twitter or YouTube for two to four minutes. The Twitter feeds and YouTube videos featured either general news about COVID, or news about kindness during COVID. Researchers then measured these participants’ moods using a questionnaire, and compared their moods with participants who did not engage with any content at all.
The result was shocking. People who were shown general COVID-related news experienced lower moods than people who were shown nothing at all. Meanwhile, people who were shown COVID news stories involving acts of kindness didn’t experience the same decline in mood, but also didn’t gain the boost in mood they’d predicted.
These findings suggest that spending as little as two to four minutes consuming negative news about COVID-19 can have a harmful impact on our mood. Although researchers didn’t see an improvement in mood among participants who were shown positive news stories involving acts of kindness, this may be because the stories were still related to COVID. In other researches, positive news stories have been associated with improvements in mood.
So what can we do to look after ourselves, and make our time on social media more pleasant? One option is to delete our social media accounts altogether. Figures show almost half of Facebook users in the UK and the US considered leaving the platform in 2020. Or it may be more realistic to seek out or spread content that makes you happy. This may be images of cute kittens, beautiful landscapes, delicious food videos or something else.
1. What does paragraph 3 mainly tell us about the research?| A．The conclusion. | B．The reason. | C．The procedure. | D．The problem. |
| A．A brave Chinese teacher saved a drowning boy. | B．Japanese volcanic eruption killed many people. |
| C．A big fire broke out in French St Paul’s Cathedral. | D．Beijing Olympic Committee held a press conference. |
| A．People feel negative because of the news online. |
| B．Positive stories greatly improved participants’ mood. |
| C．Research shows COVID news may make people feel sad. |
| D．50% of the Facebook users have stopped using Facebook. |
| A．COVID-19 and Health Risks | B．Proper Ways to Use Social Media |
| C．Social Media’s Effect on Our Mood | D．Virtual Social Media and Real World |
【推荐1】Schoolchildren across the United Kingdom will learn how to fend off loneliness. In January, British Prime Minister Theresa May appointed the first “minister of loneliness”. This week, her administration released an 84-page plan detailing the actions it will take to prevent loneliness. Starting in primary school, students will have lessons in “relationships education”.
The Brigham Young University psychologist Julianne Holt-Lunstad, one of the foremost scholars on loneliness in the United States, warns that the U.S.has a significant loneliness problem of its own and that schools desperately need to follow the U.K.’s lead and include preventive measures into their lessons.
Indeed, according to a recent report by the health-care company Cigna, nearly half of adults in the U.S. reported feeling alone. Marriage rates and religious-participation rates are also dropping and both are risk factors for social isolation and loneliness. The prevalence (普遍) of loneliness seems to be especially acute among young adults. One study found that Americans aged 21 to 30 reported feeling lonely twice as many days as adults aged 50 to 70. Studies suggest loneliness results in a variety of health issues, such as decreased immunity to viral infections, poor sleep, and cardiovascular (心血管的) issues．
The ideal school curriculum (课程) for teaching loneliness prevention would target social isolation as well as the cognitive processes that make people feel lonely. “Recognizing that it’s something that we need to take seriously for our health is a primary and critical step,” Holt- Lunstad says. She advocates for a sort of “social education” that would be put into existing health-education curriculum to teach students how to build and maintain friendships and relationships.
1. How does Holt-Lunstad find the loneliness problem in the United States？| A．It is not serious and easy to deal with. |
| B．It is serious and needs measures to control. |
| C．It is not as serious as in the United Kingdom. |
| D．It is more serious than it is in the United Kingdom. |
| A．Popular. | B．Average. | C．Severe. | D．Frequent. |
| A．Poor sleep. | B．Higher religious-participation rates. |
| C．Lower marriage rates. | D．Increased immunity to viral infections. |
| A．Finding the Cause of Loneliness. |
| B．Learning to Fight Loneliness at School. |
| C．Loneliness — the Cause of Many Health Problems. |
| D．Loneliness — a Serious Problem in Modern Society. |
Over the next few days，there were other prisoners responding to the cat．Every yard period，a group of prisoners gathered there．They stood around talking and taking turns petting the cat．These were guys you wouldn’t usually find talking to each other．Several times I saw an officer in the group，not chasing people away, but just watching and seeming to enjoy along with the prisoners．Bowls of milk and water appeared along with bread, wisely placed under the edge of the dustbin to keep the birds from getting it．
The cat was obviously homeless and in pretty bad shape．People said that the cat came to the right place．He's getting treated like a king．This was true．but as I watched I was also thinking about what the cat was doing for us．There was a lot of talk about what's wrong with prisons in America．We need more programs．We need more psychologists or treatment of various kinds．Some may even talk about making prisons more kind．But I think what we really need is a chance to practise our own kindness．Not receive it，but give it．After more than two decades here，I know kindness is not a value that's encouraged．It's often seen as a weakness．
Instead，the culture encourages keeping your head down，minding your own business，and never letting yourself be weak．
The cat did my heart good to see the effect he had on me and the men here．By simply saying，”I need some help here”，he did something important for us．He needed us．And we needed to be needed．I believe we all do．
1. Which of the following statements is true?
| A．The cat was dirty because it was kept in prison． |
| B．The officer in the prison enjoyed petting the cat． |
| C．The prisoners prepared food for both the cat and birds． |
| D．The author realized the importance of practising kindness． |
| A．showing love to others can make prisoners strong |
| B．the American prison culture will be improved |
| C．the author is not content with the prison culture |
| D．caring for others is encouraged in American prisons |
| A．Caring Makes US Human． | B．Prison Culture is Important． |
| C．Animals Need Care． | D．Everyone Needs to be Cared for． |
| A．show us the officer and prisoners get along well with each other |
| B．show us the American prison culture does need improvement |
| C．show us the officer and prisoners all like cat |
| D．show us the American prison culture is great |
【推荐3】Although Paris is often considered the city of romance, close to a million adult who call it home are single. Many single people say that France’s capital is one of the most difficult places to meet people. The complaints of this lonely group have inspired a new phenomenon known as “supermarket dating.” At Galerie Lafayette Gourmet, singles can shop for more than just the items on their grocery list. They can look for someone who has blue eyes, brown hair, and is 1.8 meters tall, or whatever may be on their romantic shopping list.
At this Paris location, single people of all ages can schedule their shopping for Thursday nights between 6:30 and 9:00 p.m. When they walk through the door, they pick up a purple basket to advise that they are looking for love. They try to arrive early because the baskets disappear quickly, and then they have to wait in line for their turn to wander the store aisles.
With purple baskets in hand, shoppers can consider their romantic options while they pick out their groceries. When they are ready to pay, they can go to the checkout line for singles who want to chat.
Most of the people who look for love in the supermarket are skeptical of Internet dating. They know that it is easy to embellish（美化）one’s appearance or to lie about one’s age over the Internet. The supermarket, on the other hand, is considered a safe and casual environment in which to meet a potential match. In addition, what one finds in another’s grocery basket can say a thing or two about that person’s character or intentions. Buying pet food can be a man’s way of showing a potential match that he has a sensitive side. Women who fill their baskets with low-fat food show their healthy style of living. These days it’s possible to find much more than food at a grocery store.
1. What do many single people in Pairs complain about?| A．The difficulty in meeting people. |
| B．The idea of supermarket dating. |
| C．The items on their grocery list. |
| D．The inconvenience in shopping. |
| A．The dating supermarket is located in Paris. |
| B．The dating supermarket is open only on Thursday evenings. |
| C．People looking for love must get a basket of a particular color |
| D．The dating supermarket has very good business. |
| A．They schedule their meeting in advance. |
| B．They go through a special checkout. |
| C．They pick out their groceries with great care. |
| D．They dial the phone numbers on their shopping items. |
| A．The supermarket dating is more convenient. |
| B．The supermarket dating is more casual. |
| C．The supermarket dating can be trusted more. |
| D．The supermarket dating is less expensive. |
【推荐1】We found him a few weeks ago when we were walking along the country road. He was jumping around between cars. We thought maybe his family was camping somewhere nearby, so we passed him by. A few hours later, on our return trip, he was still there, trying to get someone to stop for him.
We stopped and took a good look at him. He had no collar (项圈) and he was really thin. We guessed that he was abandoned (遗弃). He was clearly on the road for some time. He was covered with scars and new wounds. We thought that some of them were from fights with wild dogs or other wild animals.
So we took him home, cleaned him and fed him a lot over the next two weeks. He gained over 10 pounds. Then we took him to the vet, who said he appeared to be in good health. The vet said the dog was about two or three years of age, according to the condition of his teeth. And the vet gave him all the required shots.
We really loved this dog. He had obviously been mistreated but he was still so sweet. He had no manners, but he was a quick learner. He no longer tried to get on the bed, but he liked sitting in the chair. We thought he wanted to avoid being underfoot when our daughter was dancing, which she did often. She had stepped on him a few times. When that happened, he simply moved. He did not growl (狂吠) or bare his teeth.
Since then, he had become a member of our family.
1. When the author first saw the dog, it_________.| A．was in poor health |
| B．was dying from serious wounds |
| C．was fighting with some wild dogs |
| D．was looking around for his family |
| A．The dog was abandoned on purpose. |
| B．The author’s daughter did not like the dog. |
| C．The dog was well treated by the author’s family. |
| D．It cost the author much to treat the dog’s disease. |
| A．look for the dog’s owner |
| B．introduce a new family member |
| C．show the friendship between humans and animals |
| D．express her dissatisfaction with those who abandon dogs |
【推荐2】Leaving junior high school,and going up to the high school was a very frightening change for me. I went there with no friends. The only two people who came from my previous school were two girls, Donna Davis and Sakjinda Rai, but I developed little friendship with them. At first I was scared and looked stupid. But after a few months, I tried keeping my arms open and making friends with people around me.
After an unsuccessful relationship with Amit Sharmar, who ran away from me whenever I said hello to him, Sher Bhachu joined me, and we seemed to have a bit in common. So I made my first friend, and I wasn’t on my own any more! But after a few days, he broke his leg,and was off for a couple of months! I was on my own again!
Anyway, when Sher finally did return, I introduced him to another friend of mine, Graeme Parker. They got on like a house on fire, but unfortunately that little threesome (三人一组) only managed to last about a week or two before they had a bit of fight, and poor Graeme went his own way. Shortly after that we met and later joined with another gang. Others later joined at various stages,including: Chris Elemen, Venay Maru, Amandeep Vidhani, Yaser Ghauri and Paul Barrance. It was with these people that I spent most of my life in senior high school.
1. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?| A．The author didn't like Sakjinda Rai at all. |
| B．The author's junior high school was not very good. |
| C．The author felt frightened in the new school with no friends. |
| D．The author had tried his best to make friends with Donna Davis. |
| A．they quarrelled about something | B．his friend was off because of injury |
| C．the author moved to another school | D．they found they had nothing to share |
| A．the author made more friends as time went on |
| B．the author missed his little threesome |
| C．the author and Graeme had a fight |
| D．Graeme Parker and Sher Bhachu were close friends |
| A．introduce some friends to readers |
| B．prove senior high school life is hard |
| C．tell readers his friendship in senior high school |
| D．show his attitudes toward life in senior high school |
【推荐3】Ross Salvo, a 12- year -old boy from Newtown, Connecticut, was very special in the way he served, cared about others and overcame challenges.
Ross suffered from various serious health problems. Shortly after birth, Ross had a brain injury. By the time Ross was two months old, he had already had one heart surgery and three brain surgeries. Ross survived his first days of life, but his health kept worsening. However, none of those stopped Ross from becoming the best version of himself and making a big influence on the people around him. The key was his amazing attitude, faith and spirit.
Ross wanted to be like everyone else. Where others saw differences, he saw things they had in common. As he once said to a kid who was mean to him,“so I have walking sticks... what's the difference?”His family always said he did not have a disability, but a "differability(不同的特性)”.
Ross was willing to try anything! And he did! He played soccer, basketball, and was an active member of the youth group at St. Rose of Lima church.
Ross enjoyed serving others. His parents were both Emergency Medical Technicians(EMTs). Ross trained himself in EMT and volunteered to help his parents train others at Westport Volunteer EMS.
Ross was also a great friend to many. He really cared about others and always tried to spread his great attitude to those around him. When people were struggling, he would encourage them,
His teacher, Amy LaRusso, said, “Ross had his challenges, but he never gave up. I am a better teacher because I had the honor of having him teach me.”
While Ross is physically gone from the earth, his spirit lives on. It is the wish of his family to have it spread further.
1. What has made Ross Salvo so extraordinary?| A．His poor health. | B．His first aid skills. | C．His unhappy life. | D．His attitude to life. |
| A．Ross had a very supportive family. | B．Ross was proud of his walking sticks. |
| C．Ross' parents just ignored his disability. | D．Ross' playmates were not kind to him. |
| A．Grateful. | B．Sympathetic. | C．Proud. | D．Annoyed. |
| A．Ross Salvo Had a Painful Childhood | B．The Inspiring Ross Salvo Lives on |
| C．My Sweet Memories of Ross Salvo | D．My Awesome Student Ross Salvo |
【推荐1】One day, a college student was taking a walk with a professor. As they went along, they saw lying in the path a pair of old shoes. They supposed the shoes belonged to a poor man who was employed in a field close by, and who had nearly finished his day’s word.
The student turned to the professor, saying, “ Let us play the man a trick: we will hide his shoes, and hide ourselves behind those bushes, and wait to see his confusion when he cannot find them”.
“My young friend,” answered the professor, “we should never amuse ourselves at the expense of the poor. But you are rich, and may give yourself a much greater pleasure by tricking on the poor man. Put a coin into each shoe, and then we will hide ourselves and watch how the discovery affects him.”
The student did so, and they both placed themselves behind the bushes close by. The poor man soon finished his work, and came across the field to the path where he had left his coat and shoes. After he slipped his foot into one of his shoes, he felt something hard. He bent down to feel w hat it was, and found the coin. Astonishment and wonder were seen on his face.
He fixed his eyes on the coin, turned it round, and looked at it again and again. He then looked around him on all sides, but no person was to be seen. He now put the money into his pocket, and continued to put on the other shoe; but his surprise was doubled on finding the other coin. His feelings overcame him. He fell upon his knees, looked up to heaven and cried a sincere thanksgiving, in which he spoke of his wife, sick and helpless, and his children without bread, Whom the timely help, from some unknown hand, would save from dying．
The student stood there, deeply affected, and his eyes filled with tears．“Now,”said the professor,“are you not much better pleased than if you had played your intended trick？” The youth replied,“You have taught me a lesson which I will never forget．
1. The student wanted to play the poor man a trick to _________________．| A．find the truth | B．show his wisdom |
| C．amuse himself | D．teach him a lesson |
| A．helpless | B．interested |
| C．peaceful | D．Thankful |
| A．wise | B．rich |
| C．humorous | D．Serious |
| A．A small act of kindness brings great joy． |
| B．God helps those who help themselves． |
| C．Where there is a will, there is a way． |
| D．Actions speak louder than words． |
【推荐2】A Massive Open Online Course (大规模开放在线课程) — known as a MOOC — is a kind of online platform offering various lessons to the public, which brings opportunity and help to those who are eager to learn more. Many countries are active participants in developing online courses, and China is not an exception.
In the past few years, China has made great progress on online education and the country is in a leading position worldwide. The China Internet Network Information Center said that 144 million people had taken up online education up to June 2017.
According to the Ministry of Education, there are more than 10 MOOC platforms in China, providing 3,200 online courses — which make China the world’s largest online course provider. 490 of them are high quality and national-level courses, and another 3,000 will be added by 2020. High quality online courses have raised students’ enthusiasm for learning and given them more freedom to choose subjects.
However, the explosive increase in the number of lessons and users also brings problems in lesson quality and network security. In addition, online courses are not properly combined with on-campus courses. Therefore, the ministry intends to roll out a development plan for online education at Chinese colleges, along with regulations and standards.
The ministry will create policies encouraging professors to use MOOCs in their teaching, and set rules on how college students gain credits(学分) for taking such courses in an effort to promote the training of talented people in Chinese institutions of higher education and to bridge the country’s regional inequality in education. Besides, professors who use MOOCs in their teaching can enjoy the same sense of honor as those who innovate teaching in other ways. At the same time, strict supervision will be used to stop the spread of harmful information and users’ personal information will also be protected. China will do more to make its online courses go global and show the world the country’s achievements in this field.
1. What can we learn about MOOCs?| A．They are gaining more and more users and courses. |
| B．They are designed for college students. |
| C．Just a few countries are developing them. |
| D．They are just free for the poor students. |
| A．Students have little freedom to choose courses. |
| B．Different problems arise in online courses. |
| C．Many professors don’t use online courses in their teaching. |
| D．Online courses are not practical for college students. |
| A．Truth. | B．Teaching. |
| C．Themes. | D．Rules. |
| A．A diary. | B．A magazine. |
| C．A novel. | D．A bulletin board. |
【推荐3】As you move around your home, take a good look at the things you have. It is likely that your living room will have a television set and a video, and your kitchen a washing machine and a microwave oven. Your bedroom drawers will be filled with almost three times as many clothes as you need. You almost certainly own a car and possibly a home computer, holiday abroad at least once a year and eat out at least once a week.
Now, perhaps, more than ever before, people are wondering what life is all about, and what it is for. Seeking material success is beginning to trouble large numbers of people around the world. They feel that the long hours work culture to make more money is eating up their lives, leaving them very little time or energy for family or pastimes. Many are turning to other ways of living and downshifting is one of them. Six percent of workers in Britain took the decision to downshift last year.
One couple who downshifted is Daniel and Liz. They used to work in central London. He was a newspaper reporter and she used to work for an international bank. They would go to work by train every day from their large house in the suburbs, leaving their two children with a nanny. Most evenings Daniel wouldn't get home until eight or nine o'clock and nearly twice a month he would have to fly to New York for meetings. They both earned a large amount of money but began to feel that life was passing them by.
Nowadays, they run a farm in the mountains of Wales. "I always wanted to have a farm then," says Daniel, “and we took almost a year to make the decision to downshift.
It's taken some getting used to, but it's been worth it. We have to think twice now about spending money on car repairs and we no longer have any holidays. However, I think it's made us stronger as a family, and the children are a lot happier.
Liz, however, is not quite sure. "I used to enjoy my job, even though it was hard work and long hours. I am not really a country girl, but I suppose I'm gradually getting used to looking after the animals. One thing I do like, though, is being able to see more of my children. My advice for other people wanting to do the same is not to think about it too much or you might not do it at all.”
1. The passage tells us that____________.| A．people seldom work long hours to make money |
| B．people hardly buy more things than necessary |
| C．people are sure everything they own is in the right place |
| D．people realize there is more to life than just making money |
| A．People work long hours to earn their living. |
| B．To make more money through hard work is the aim of people's life. |
| C．Long hours of hard work occupy too much of people's life. |
| D．People spend too much time and money eating meals. |
| A．was easy to organize | B．has improved family life |
| C．was extremely expensive | D．has been a total success |
| A．Child-caring | B．Liz's advice | C．Downshifting | D．Liz's job |
