Maya Angelou once called the poet Sonia Sanchez “a lion in literature’s forest. When she writes she roars, and when she sleeps other creatures walk quietly.”
As a leading figure in the 1960s Black Arts movement and one of the first people to set up a Black Studies program at an American university, Sanchez’s life and work have established her as one of the greats in American poetry.
Last month, she won the Dorothy and Lillian Gish Prize -a 250, 000 lifetime achievement honor given to “a highly accomplished artist from any discipline who has pushed the boundaries of an art form, contributed to social change, and paved the way for the next generation.”
Combining Black slang, traditional forms and jazz music on stage
Born in Birmingham, Alabama, Sanchez wrote her very first poem around the age of five, and she’s still going. This spring, she published her Collected Poems -a book that lasts four decades of work.
Sanchez draws deeply on Black oral traditions, skillfully mixing blues bars with traditional Japanese forms like haiku and tanka. She’s known to bring jazz musicians, drummers, and other musical guests on stage to aid and elevate her performances.
Lifting Black voices through art and then education
Simmons says that the spoken word and its power to create change is at the core of Sanchez’s work. That’s evident in her involvement with the Black Arts movement: Inspired by Malcolm X, Sanchez and her contemporaries-other legendary writers like Toni Morrison, Nikki Giovanni, and Amiri Baraka-worked vigorously to lift Black voices through art. And when they spoke, Sanchez says, “people would jump up, I mean literally jump up and stamp their feet.”
Influencing a generation of younger poets
Part of Sanchez’s power comes from advocating for her people-and from lighting a trail for poets who came after her. Honoree Fanonne Jeffers, who now has five poetry collections and a novel, says she learned how to lean into her power through Sanchez.
1. Why did Maya Angelou compare Sonia Sanchez to a lion?| A．She was cruel to animals. | B．She won a literature prize. |
| C．She had an effect on literature. | D．Her works were popular. |
| A．Bringing about social change. | B．Completing and publishing many poems. |
| C．Laying the foundation for younger poets. | D．Promoting the development of an art form. |
| A．Casually. | B．Attentively. | C．Regularly. | D．Energetically. |
| A．She admires Sonia Sanchez. | B．She’s very popular. |
| C．She’s very ambitious. | D．She teaches poetry. |
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【推荐1】Work starts early on White Gate Farm in East Lyme, Connecticut. By 7 a. m., farm manager Dan Wood was at the East Lyme Post Office dropping off a box of fresh produce that later in the day would be delivered by mail to Chelsea Gubbins, who lives across town.
White Gate Farm is a member of Farmers Post, a pilot programme that enables smallholder farms across eastern Connecticut to ship fresh produce and other farm products to local households through the United States Postal Service (USPS). Farmers Post takes advantage of a USPS programme called Connect Local that allows small businesses to offer same-day and next-day delivery at a fixed low cost.
Food remains in the fields because either market prices are too low or the cost of the workforce is too high, or because the size and shape of the produce make it unattractive to stores. Each year, around 10 million tons of crops never get harvested, causing about 16% of total US food loss and waste.
“Food that is wasted has a much larger influence than just the loss of the food itself,” says Julia Kurnik, senior director of Innovation Start-ups at WWF. “Everything that went into growing it goes out the window as well—the water, the land, and the energy. And as the food breaks down, it produces greenhouse gases. The bad effects amplify greatly.”
Besides reducing food waste, selling farm products directly to local customers cuts down on the cross-country shipping of food grown in California or elsewhere. This reduces the so-called food miles that researchers believe cause about 6% of the world’s greenhouse gases. Fruits and vegetables, which are often transported out of season and require refrigeration, produce lots of greenhouse gases between farms and people’s plates.
Wood understands that Farmers Post can help to end that waste. “Farming is kind of like cooking for a big group.” he says. “This is helping us get right on the money, using almost 100% of what we grow and harvest.”
1. Why was Farmers Post started?| A．To provide professional modern farming methods. |
| B．To create more delivery jobs for local people |
| C．To pick up and carry customers to different farms. |
| D．To make the delivery of produce easier and cheaper. |
| A．The limited need for farm products. | B．The shortage of workers and harvesting tool. |
| C．Their low value and poor quality. | D．Bad weather and road conditions. |
| A．Increase. | B．Slow. | C．Switch. | D．Weaken. |
| A．The Food Safety Movement Has Met Some Challenges |
| B．A Farm-to-Table Programme Helps Reduce Food Waste |
| C．Farmers Post Explores Ways to Make High-Quality Products |
| D．Small Farms Play a Leading Role in Serving Communities |
【推荐2】Paris is the capital of the European nation of France. It is also one of the most beautiful and most famous cities in the world.
Paris is called the City of Light. It is also an international fashion center. What women are wearing in Paris will be worn by women all over the world. Paris is also a famous world center of education. For example, it is where the headquarters of UNESCO, the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization.
The Seine River divides the city into two parts. Thirty-two bridges cross this beautiful river. The oldest and perhaps most well-known is the Point Neuf, which was built in the sixteenth century. The Sorbonne, a famous university, stands on the left bank of the river. There are many other famous places in Paris, such as the famous museum, the Louvre, as well as the Notre Dame. However, the most famous building in this city is Eiffel Tower.
Paris is named after a group of people called the Parisii. They built a small village on an island in the middle of the Seine River about two thousand years ago. This island, called the lle de la Cite, is where Notre Dame lies. Today around eight million people live in the Paris area.
1. This article mainly tells us about ________.
| A．the buildings in Paris | B．the general situations of Paris |
| C．the center of the world | D．the famous buildings along the Seine River |
| A．tall buildings | B．research center | C．important areas | D．main office |
| A．the clothes worn by women in Paris are liked by women all over the world |
| B．women in Paris sell their clothes all over the world |
| C．women from all over the world go to Paris and wear their own clothes |
| D．women from all over the world like to go to Paris to buy clothes |
| A．UNESCO | B．the Pont Neuf | C．Eiffel Tower | D．Notre Dame |
| A．Paris is the capital of the European nation of France. |
| B．Paris is called the City of Light. |
| C．The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization is located in Paris. |
| D．The most famous building in this city is the famous museum., the Louvre. |
【推荐3】People born in winter are more likely to suffer mental health disorders, according to a recent study carried out by researchers at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee.
Researchers raised baby mice from birth to weaning in either “summer” light cycles of 16 hours of light and 8 hours of dark or “winter” cycles of 8 hours of light and 16 hours of dark. A third group experienced 12 hours of light and 12 hours of dark a day.
Then half the winter mice stayed in a winter cycle, while half switched to a summer schedule. The summer mice were similarly split. The mice raised in equal periods of light and dark were split into three groups, one of which stayed on the 12hour schedule, one of which joined the winter group, and one of which joined the summer group.
After 28 days, it turns out the summerborn mice behaved the same whether they stayed on the summer cycle or switched to winter. But among the winterborn mice, those that stayed in winter kept their previous schedule, while those that switched to summer stayed active for an extra hour and a half, which indicates that mice born and weaned in a winter light cycle showed dramatic disruptions in their biological clocks.
The finding is the first of its kind in mammals, and it could explain why people born in winter are at higher risk for mental health disorders.
“We know that the biological clock regulates mood in humans,” said study researcher McMahon. “If the mechanism similar to the one that we found in mice operates in humans, then it could not only have an effect on a number of behavioral disorders, but also have a more general effect on personality.”
1. What’s the main idea of the text?| A．The biological clock regulates mood in humans. |
| B．Being born in winter has a negative effect on people’s mental health. |
| C．People born in winter are at higher risk for physical health disorders. |
| D．The length of light will influence the behavior of the mice. |
| A．divided | B．torn |
| C．hit | D．ended |
| A．A jobhunter. | B．A student in the university. |
| C．A newlymarried couple. | D．An experienced dentist. |
【推荐1】Over the years Ruth Soukup has taught me much about topics ranging from blogging to dejunking to productivity. She’s an inspiring, enthusiastic person who writes for the average woman from the heart. Besides that, she’s fun and authentic (可信的).
In her new book Do It Scared: Finding the Courage to Face Your Fears, Overcome Adversity, and Create a Life You Love, Ruth explains something she’s been talking about for years: courage is acting despite your fears instead of being immobilized (使不动) by them. She describes various kinds of fears, shares hard-won principles of courage, and outlines tested ways to turn the ideas into action.
After conducting an extensive survey, Ruth and her team identified seven “fear archetypes (典型)”, ways of letting fear rule your life. She discusses these in detail, explaining how each one of them has positive attributes (属性), how they can hold us back and how we can overcome them.
In the second section of the book, Ruth shares seven principles of courage. She’s encouraging but also tough, because reality is tough. Most of us know these principles of courage, but it is always good to be reminded of them and to see examples in action.
Finally, because the biggest practical antidote (对抗手段) to fear is action, she discusses ways to turn courage into action. Ruth discusses goal setting, motivation, action plans, positive relationships, comparisons, excuses, and celebrating wins. Ruth's personal take, her research, and her suggestions are actually more likely to help you achieve your goals.
Do It Scared is a very positive book. It is also grounded in reality. It's meant to be a practical encouragement to those who are unable to follow their callings because they are paralyzed with fear, and such encouragement is valuable.
Yes, we will have to think for ourselves and evaluate the things Ruth says in the book, but reading Do It Scared could be one step toward learning how better to love those around us. I recommend it to all.
1. What does the author say about Ruth?| A．She is serious but helpful. |
| B．She struggles with her life. |
| C．She is an inspiration to women. |
| D．She lacks productivity and innovation. |
| A．By providing detailed descriptions of personal experiences. |
| B．By combining research, examples and personal opinions. |
| C．By giving quotes taken from famous speeches. |
| D．By explaining the causes and effects of fear. |
| A．Principles of courage. |
| B．Various kinds of fears. |
| C．Methods of replacing fear with action. |
| D．Suggestions on setting achievable goals. |
| A．It is worth reading. |
| B．It is purely theoretical. |
| C．There is no book worse than it. |
| D．There is room for improvement. |
【推荐2】Jane Austen, a famous English writer, was born at Steventon, Hampshire, on December 16, 1775, and died on July 18, 1817. She began writing early in life, although the prejudices of her times forced her to have her books published anonymously (匿名).
But Jane Austen is perhaps the best known and best loved of Bath’s many famous local people and visitors. She paid two long visits here during the last five years of the eighteenth century and from 1801 to 1806, Bath was her home. Her deep knowledge of the city is fully seen in two of her novels, Northanger Abbey and Persuasion, which are largely set in Bath. The city is still very much as Jane Austen knew it, keeping in its streets and public buildings the well-ordered world that she described so well in her novels. Now the pleasure of learning Jane Austen’s Bath can be enhanced (增强)by visiting the Jane Austen Centre in Gay Street. Here, in a Georgian town house in the heart of the city, you can find out more about Bath in Jane Austen’s time and the importance of Bath in her life and work.
The Centre has been set up with the help and guidance of members of the Jane Austen Society. After your visit to the Centre, you can look round the attractive shop, which offers a huge collection of Jane Austen related books, cards and many specially designed gifts. Jane Austen quizzes are offered to keep the children busy.
You can also have walking tours of Jane Austen’s Bath, which is a great way to find out more about Jane Austen and discover the wonderful Georgian city of Bath. The tour lasts about one and a half hours. The experienced guides will take you to the places where Jane lived, walked and shopped.
1. Jane Austen paid two long visits to Bath________.| A．in her early twenties | B．in her early teens |
| C．in her late twenties | D．in her late teens |
| A．Bath has greatly changed since Jane Austen’s death. |
| B．The city has changed as much as Jane Austen knew it. |
| C．Bath remains almost the same as in Jane Austen’s time. |
| D．No changes have taken place in Bath since Jane Austen’s time. |
| A．attract readers to visit the city of Bath |
| B．ask readers to buy Austen’s books |
| C．tell readers about Jane Austen’s experience |
| D．give a brief introduction to the Jane Austen Society |
| A．to get to the Jane Austen Centre in Gay Street |
| B．to buy Jane Austen related books, cards and gifts |
| C．to find a guide to take you to the Centre |
| D．to look around the city of Bath on foot |
【推荐3】Beverly Cleary, the celebrated children’s author whose memories of her Oregon childhood were shared with millions through the likes of Ramona and Beezus Quimby and Henry Huggins, has died. She was 104.
Trained as a librarian, Cleary didn’t start writing books until her early 30s, when she wrote Henry Huggins, published in 1950. Children worldwide came to love the adventures of Huggins and his neigh-bours Ellen Tebbits, Otis Spofford, Beezus Quimby and her younger sister, Ramona. They live in a real street in Portland, Oregon, the city where Cleary spent much of her youth.
Ramona, perhaps her best-known character, first appeared in Henry Huggins with only a brief mention. “All the children appeared to be only children, so I threw in a little sister and she didn’t go away. She kept appearing in other books, ” Cleary said.
Cleary herself was an only child and said the character wasn’t a mirror. “I was a well-behaved little girl, not that I wanted to be, ” she said. “At the age of Ramona, in those days, children played outside. We played hopscotch(跳房子)and jump rope and I loved them and always had wounded knees. ”
Cleary stopped writing recently, because she said she felt it was important for writers to know when to quit. “I even got rid of my typewriter. It was a nice one but I hate to type. When I started writing I found that I was thinking more about my typing than what I was going to say, ” she said in 2016. Although she put away her pen, Cleary re-released three of her most treasured books with three famous fans writing fore- words for the new editions.
Cleary’s books have been translated into more than a dozen languages and inspired many programmes, such as a 10-part PBS series, Ramona and the 2010 film Ramona and Beezus. Cleary was asked once what her favourite character was. “Does your mother have a favourite child? ” she responded.
1. What do we know about Cleary?| A．She was a late starter as an author. |
| B．She wrote true stories in her books. |
| C．She published her first book in the 1930s. |
| D．She drew writing inspiration from her neighbours. |
| A．She was a well-behaved little girl. |
| B．She was an only child of her family. |
| C．She had an impressive first appearance. |
| D．She played an increasingly bigger role. |
| A．Strange. | B．Active. | C．Lonely. | D．Quiet. |
| A．She translated her books into other languages. |
| B．She learned to type quickly and correctly. |
| C．She added her fans’ words to her books. |
| D．She made TV programmes based on her books. |
