On Christmas Eve 2020, fire trucks rushed to Chittle’s home in the sleepy little town of Manton, Michigan. But it wasn’t because of a Christmas nightmare. Far from it.
Winters can be long and tough in this far north, Scott Chittle knew something had to be done to bring some cheer to the 1,555 people in Manton.
Chittle, 51, lives in a big yellow house with his mother and two children. When he was three, his father built an ice skating rink (溜冰场) in their backyard, where Chittle and his friends would spend endless hours over the coming years playing hockey. That, Chittle thought, is what the children in this community need.
One problem was that Chittle had no clue how to build an ice rink. Luckily, after watching a tutorial (教程) in YouTube, he smoothed out a 3,000-square-foot section of his yard and ordered a huge tarp (防水布) large enough to cover it. Now he needed the ice. That’s where those fire trucks came in. It took 12 of them to spray enough water to fill the plot. Then he waited for Mother Nature to do the rest.
It wasn’t long before Chittle’s backyard became a Manton hot spot. The smell of baked hot dogs and burning firewood filled the air. And the laughter and screams of children playing hockey made their parents smile.
But the kindness didn’t stop with Chittle. When word got out that he’d spent $1,400 out of his own pocket to build his rink of dreams, neighbors, strangers and businesses donated $3,000 to cover the costs and more.
For Chittle, the ice rink was always about more than kids blowing off some steam. It was about surviving even the darkest times. “I want to show the rest of the world,” says Chittle, “what a little effort one person and the community can do, not only for others but for the souls of all.”
1. Why did Chittle build the ice rink?| A．To develop a hot spot. | B．To play hockey himself. |
| C．To entertain local people. | D．To meet the businesses’ demands. |
| A．He was expert at building an ice rink. |
| B．He was injured in building the ice rink. |
| C．He built the rink completely by himself. |
| D．He enjoyed playing hockey in his childhood. |
| A．By supplying enough water. | B．By helping him cover a huge tarp. |
| C．By saving him from a terrible fire. | D．By rushing him to the nearest hospital. |
| A．Indifferent. | B．Doubtful. | C．Unwilling. | D．Supportive. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Underwater Ice Hockey（曲棍球）is a new sport that began in Austria and is increasingly popular among free divers.
Not to be confused with underwater hockey,which is played in indoor swimming pools,underwater ice hockey is practiced in a 6 meters wide by 8 meters long place under the icy surface of a frozen lake.After cutting a square hole in the thick ice,players wearing wetsuits,which are worn in cold water,try to move a puck（冰球）into their competitor's goal.Think of it as an upside-down game of hockey.
Underwater ice hockey players need to have excellent breath-holding abilities,considering they are not allowed to play with any kind of breathing equipment.Considering matches can get pretty physical,players need to surface about every 30 seconds for a breath of fresh air.Divers can easily get lost during a game.In case one of them is too tired to reach the hole,or can't find it,four divers equipped with oxygen tanks watch every match.Underwater ice hockey periods last 10 minutes,and players are allowed 10-minute breaks to warm up.
The world's first ever Underwater Ice Hokey World Cup was held in Weissensee,Austria and was won by a team from Finland.Because of the special conditions it's played in,fans present at the scene have to watch the underwater action on monitors.
1. Compared with underwater hockey,underwater ice hockey is .| A．more exciting | B．more popular |
| C．more difficult | D．more interesting |
| A．judge the game | B．save the players in trouble |
| C．search for the puck | D．replace the weak players |
| A．sit on the ice | B．dive into the water |
| C．watch it on screens | D．swim with the players |
【推荐2】Since last year, Where Are We Going, Dad? has become the most popular TV shows. On the show, the five fathers and their children traveled around China riding camels through the western deserts, fishing on the east coast, and selling vegetables for their bus fare home in southwestern Yunnan province.
One dad doesn’t know how to do his daughter’s hair, so some people try to help him. Another one must survive with his son for three days in the desert because the father can’t cook, they only eat instant noodles (方便面).
"Why is Where Are We Going, Dad? so popular? Because it is about how Chinese parents look after their kids. The show makes modern parents think about what they should do with their kids.” In traditional Chinese culture, the father is strict and the mother is kind. But on the show, we see fathers who are much gentle on their kids and more involved in their upbringing (成长),” said Li Minyi, a professor of early childhood education.
In the past, children were taught their parents’ wishes and look after them in their old age. But today Chinese parents increasingly realize that respecting their children’s choices may be a better way to prepare them for modern society. As they raise their children, parents are growing up at the same time.
1. According to the passage, what didn’t the fathers and their children do on the show?| A．Rode camels. | B．Climbed the mountains. |
| C．Sold vegetables. | D．Fished on the east coast. |
| A．there aren’t ant vegetables in the desert |
| B．they think instant noddles are the most delicious |
| C．the father can’t cook |
| D．they have no money to buy something to eat |
| A．modern parents |
| B．the parents in the past |
| C．the five fathers on the show |
| D．the children in the old days |
| A．Because it’s about how to sell vegetables. |
| B．Because there are many famous stars on the show. |
| C．Because it’s about how to help the poor. |
| D．Because it’s about how Chinese parents raise their children. |
【推荐3】Icebike is a term used for winter bicycling? particularly in snowy or icy conditions on roads or tracks. It can also refer specifically to ice bike racing.
Biking during the winter can generally be referred to as icebike. Ideal weather conditions typically range from cool and rainy, to cold and dry, to cold and snowy or icy.
In milder winter conditions? a regular road or mountain bike is often enough for icebiking. For snowy or icy roads and tracks, special tires may be necessary. Icebikers may use tires with screws（螺丝）inserted from the inside.
Other equipment may be necessary for winter cycling whether or not there is snow and ice. Fenders（挡泥板）can prevent water or snow from being thrown up onto a cyclist.
| A．Biking at any time is possible. |
| B．Bike lights are required for cycling after dark. |
| C．A cyclist must have a good knowledge of icebike. |
| D．Icebike can also refer to either road biking or track biking. |
| E．Appropriate clothing for outdoor winter exercise is important. |
| F．Other options for wintery tires include tire chains and tire wires. |
| G．In this condition race courses are marked out on solid sheets of ice. |
【推荐1】A new study shows that getting half of American 8-to 11-year-olds into 25 minutes of physical activity three times a week would save ＄21.9 billion in medical costs over their lifetimes.
The increase from the current 32 percent to 50 percent of kids taking part in exercise, active play, or sports would also result in 340,000 fewer overweight teenagers.
“Physical activity not only makes kids feel better and helps them develop healthy habits, it’s also good for the nation’s bottom line,” says Bruce Y. Lee, executive director of the Global Obesity Prevention Center at Johns Hopkins University. “Our findings show that encouraging exercise and investing in physical activity when kids are young pays big dividends as they grow up.”
The study, published in the journal Health Affairs, suggests an even bigger advantage if every 8 to 11-year-old in the United States exercised 75 minutes over three times in a week. In that case, the researchers estimate (估计), ＄62.3 billion in medical costs over the course of their lifetimes could be avoided and 1.2 million fewer youths would be overweight. And the money would increase if not just current 8-to-11 year olds, but every future elementary school child joined their game.
Exercise at least 25 minutes a day, three days a week, is a guideline developed for kids by the Sports and Fitness Industry Association. An overweight person’s lifetime medical costs average ＄62,331. For the overweight person, these amounts are great.
“Even a little increase in physical activity could cause billions of dollars in savings,” Lee says. He also says there are other benefits of physical activity that don’t affect weight, such as improving bone density, improving mood, and building muscle.
Lee says “We need to be adding physical education programs and not cutting them. We need to encourage kids to be active, to reduce screen time and get them running around again. It’s important for their physical health and the nation’s financial (经济的) health.”
1. Which of the following is the best title of the passage?| A．Getting kids to run would save money. |
| B．Physical activity is important for kids. |
| C．Physical education programs: adding or cutting? |
| D．Overweight person’s lifetime medical costs are increasing. |
| A．Pays much money. | B．Pays little money. |
| C．Plays an important part. | D．Is a serious question. |
| A．The number of American kids from 8 to 11 who take part in physical activity is increasing. |
| B．Physical education programs should be cut to encourage the nation’s financial health. |
| C．25 minutes of physical activity three times a week may result in fewer overweight teenagers. |
| D．Physical activity can only make kids feel better but can’t help them develop healthy habits. |
【推荐2】The last attempt of Ken Campbell to run could date back to high school. When his wife, Susan, injured her foot, she needed support to rejoin her running group, so Campbell went along to keep her company in the recovery. “We were just walking at the beginning,” he says, “I was heavy, and weighed over 90kg.” But as the weeks and months passed, the weight fell away, Susan recovered and Campbell’s abilities grew. At the age of 63, he ran 50 km, and at 70, he completed a 100 km ultramarathon (超长距离马拉松赛跑).
So how does someone with no experience of running become an ultradistance runner in his 60s and 70s? Susan had run marathons (马拉松比赛) before her injury, but for Campbell, the turning point came when Susan’s Fleet Feet running group started training near their home.
Campbell went out to visit Susan’s group, and “the paths were a terrible mess. It had been raining, and I was slipping, sliding and falling. But I thought, well, I like this a lot.” What he liked above all was the feeling of “being wrapped by the path, being hugged by the closeness of the plants and the nearness of the river”.
Running the 100 km ultramarathon took Campbell 16 hours. When Campbell crossed the finish line, Susan handed him a 100 km sticker to display on the back of his truck. “It is a public statement that you are part of this community,” he says. “Wherever we park, I see a line of vehicles with their various stickers and I feel that we are a community.”
Campbell suffered from arthritis before he started running, and was “waiting for knee replacement”, but for now, he no longer needs an operation. It can put an end to the running—but the “sense of wellbeing and achievement will carry me on forever,” he says, “If I can’t run, I will walk.”
1. What is Paragraph 1 mainly about?| A．Why Campbell attempted to run marathon. |
| B．What led to Campbell’s weight loss. |
| C．What made Campbell start running. |
| D．What Campbell did for Susan’s recovery. |
| A．His visit to Susan’s group. | B．Feeling free in nature. |
| C．Falling down when training. | D．Susan’s starting training. |
| A．A sense of achievement. | B．Encouragement from his wife. |
| C．A sense of belonging. | D．Display of his happiness. |
| A．Well begun is half done. | B．Actions speak louder than words. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. | D．It is never too late to begin. |
Health experts used to say you needed to exercise for at least ten minutes at a time to gain any benefits.
Lifting your voice in a choir (合唱团) has cognitive (认知的) benefits, according to a Finnish study published in Plos One. The study found that elderly singers had better verbal fluency compared to non-singers. This makes sense, since it’s a hobby that requires attention, information processing, linguistic output, learning and memory.
Parkinson’s patients should hit the links.| A．Choir singing boosts the brain. |
| B．Developing hobbies improves memory. |
| C．Short bursts of exercise will benefit the health in the short term. |
| D．However, evidence has shown that anything is better than nothing. |
| E．The patients playing golf saw their balance and walking ability improve. |
| F．Exercise is one of the most powerful treatments for people with Parkinson’s disease. |
| G．Examples include a few push-ups, 60 seconds on an bike, or a jog up a flight of stairs. |
【推荐1】It was New Year time, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. That winter, my mother and my stepfather moved our family to Southern California. My brother and I were leaving our rural Alabama behind. This would be our first New Year away from Alabama. My mother took to California like a swan to a royal lake. My athletic little brother, Paul, was keyed up at a climate that allowed him to go to the beach whenever he wanted.
I, however, was a fat child with heavy southern pronunciation. On my first day in the new class, I introduced myself in a low voice. All I said was my name and where I was from. The class burst into laughter, “He talks funny.” I was so helpless that I went to place a call to Granny Smith after school, who was my biggest support. But I didn’t get through.
On Sunday evening, the phone rang. It was Granny. She often took advantage of the discounted long-distance rates on Sundays. She said she’d shipped a New Year package. Sure enough, it arrived. Surprised at the box, large enough to hold a small refrigerator, we eagerly tore it open. The smell of Granny’s house filled the room: a combination of fried meat, sausages, furniture polish and decorations. Her house was tiny and always filled with tacky holiday decorations and homemade food before New Year. But in my childhood eyes, it was precious and fantastic.
There were countless tins and containers. We opened them to discover piles of holiday treats. She even included our traditional candy bars. The box was as bottomless as a magical box. There, beneath all these, was my familiar holiday.
Every New Year that we spent in California, the postal service could call and say our package arrived. Over the years, many treasures arrived in the box. For me, it’s always been the best part of the holiday.
1. Which statement is true according to the passage?| A．The author wasn’t surprised at the package’s arrival from Granny. |
| B．My little brother disliked the climate of Southern California. |
| C．My mother took us to a lake to see a swan after we moved to California. |
| D．The box was in poor quality, even without a bottom. |
| A．He looked overweight. | B．He made a humorous talk. |
| C．He had a strong accent. | D．He spoke in a very low voice. |
| A．Patient and determined. | B．Lonely and grateful. |
| C．Selfless and confident. | D．Economical and caring. |
| A．Our Move to California | B．Granny’s Care Package |
| C．An Unforgettable Holiday | D．A Telephone Call from Granny |
【推荐2】The following sad but true tale concerns my great-uncle, a wonderful, jolly, beloved man who was over six feet four and probably weighed close to three hundred pounds. He was also well-educated and in the early 1900s became a full-time Baptist minister. A kindly, gentle man despite his size, Uncle Alden Bentley’s only real fault seemed to be that he was terribly clumsy. As a young minister, he was paying a pastoral call one day on a woman in Dillon, South Carolina, when he accidentally sat on her Chihuahua, Twinkle, and killed it. As the lady searched for and called for her dog throughout the house, Uncle Alden felt underneath his hip and, realizing what he had done, panicked and slipped the dead dog into his coat pocket. Although he was devastated, he could not bring himself to tell the woman what had happened.
Five years later, he returned to the same home for an overnight visit and resolved to unburden himself by finally telling the woman exactly what had happened to Twinkie. She had just had the guest room prepared and had hung brand-new curtains. To make Uncle feel welcome, she had placed on the bedside table a large pitcher of ice water and a glass, as well as a pen and a bottle of ink, so he could work on his sermon before retiring.
Uncle liked to sleep with the window open and got up in the night to open it. As he did, he knocked over what he assumed to be a full glass of water. Then, groping along the walls in an unsuccessful search for the light switch, he retraced his steps several times before raising the window and settling back on the bed for the night. When he opened his eyes the next morning, he was horrified. The fresh wallpaper on two walls was covered with great black stains. The crisp white curtains were thoroughly spoiled with the prints of Uncle's huge paws. It had not been the water glass he'd overturned during the night-it had been the ink bottle.
In a shaken state of mind and knowing he must face the hostess, Uncle dressed hurriedly and started down the stairs outside the guest room. As he approached the landing, his foot slipped.
"Are you hurt?" His hostess cried as she rushed to Uncle's side.
"No," said Uncle as he rose to his feet, "but I have devastated your home." With that he quickly walked out the front door and, at the end of the walk, turned and said to his hostess with deep respect, "Twinkie had a Christian burial."
He then retired from the ministry and became a teacher of philosophy for many years at a private preparatory school in Massachusetts.
1. What was the job of Uncle Alden when he was visiting the lady’s home?| A．A government official. | B．A teacher. |
| C．A house agent. | D．A churchman. |
| A．giving up work | B．pulling back |
| C．going away | D．going to bed |
| A．He suffered from a guilty conscience after the first visit to the lady’s home. |
| B．His rudeness led to a mess of the guest room during the second visit to the lady’s home. |
| C．He kept the death of Twinkie as a secret from the hostess all through the two visits. |
| D．His visits to the lady’s home always ended with rage and fury. |
| A．Sympathetic | B．Critical |
| C．Humorous | D．Indifferent |
【推荐3】Have you ever thought how good it would be if an unfinished handwork project, which stopped because the owner passed away, could be lovingly completed?
Friends and knitters (编织者) Jennifer Simonic and Masey Kaplan started the Loose Ends Project in September 2022. The pair match “volunteer finishers” with unfinished projects online so they can carefully complete them and then return them to the people they were being made for.
It all started when founders, Simonic and Kaplan, realized that they had both been asked by friends to finish knitting hats, sweaters or other unfinished projects by their moms. When more friends asked them for help, they felt it would be a good idea to “have strangers be able to finish things for each other”.
Helping strangers this way, which also assists (帮助) them to get through their grieving process, was something that the two had happily agreed to do, understanding how wonderful it feels to be dressed in something a loved one has created.
Adding a moving couple of extra steps, once the finishers receive the project, they may highlight (突出) the last stitch (针) worked by the dead maker in a special way before they restart the work.
In just a few months, Loose Ends has built up a global team of over 7, 000 volunteers. New volunteers are asked to share their skill sets and interests. When Loose Ends receives a project, the founders determine a good fit based on these skills. The Loose Ends team will let the volunteers try the work to “check if they’re feeling it too”, as Simonic and Kaplan never want the work to be a boring task.
Volunteers do not charge for their work, while families are only asked to cover the delivery costs. The group tries to match projects to volunteers living nearby to reduce the delivery costs to the lowest.
1. What is the goal of the Loose Ends Project?| A．To promote handwork art. | B．To sell handwork products online. |
| C．To complete unfinished handwork projects. | D．To recycle good handwork projects. |
| A．Touching | B．Amazing | C．Unforgettable | D．Painful |
| A．They may make a special design for the last stitch. |
| B．They may mark the original maker’s last stitch. |
| C．They may add receivers’ information on them. |
| D．They may sign their names on the works. |
| A．Quick | B．Tiring | C．Safe | D．Thoughtful |
