We bought a Shamrock trailer (房车) in the fall of 2019 in anticipation (期待) of our three-month journey to Baja, Mexico. The camper (露营车) would be home base for all the fun and adventure our family, myself, my husband and our three teenagers, would have all the way.
It took three days to drive from Calgary to Las Vegas and the temperature went from negative 30 to 15 °F-a miracle! But by the time we made it to San Diego, California, we had visited two RV mechanics to fix water leaking from the water tank and a bed heater blowing up. Thankfully, while we waited for repairs, we could listen to waves lapping on the shore.
Eventually, we crossed the border into Mexico at Tijuana and pushed our way down the shore coast. While we swam, ate Mexican food and watched sunsets, the Shamrock kept throwing us surprises. We all learned to savor (尽情享受) the good moments while dealing with the bad.
Driving through Utah, our truck began making noises. The truck’s engine had completely broken, and we needed a new one. We holed up (躲) in St. George, Utah, to wait for repairs. One evening, we were heating up dinner when the oven let out a big WHUMP! The whole camper shook.
After a few weeks, we left our truck in Utah—the engine repair wasn’t going too well—and drove home to Calgary. There could not have been five travelers so happy to stay in their house for two weeks.
Eventually, we hired someone to drive our truck and the Shamrock to Calgary, but he arrived with just the truck. The camper was causing problems, and the keys got lost, so it was left in Idaho. It’s still there; we recently marked its one-and-a-half-year anniversary of storage.
This brings me to the point of this essay: For Sale: A lively 30-foot Shamrock camper. Keeps you on your toes! Sleeps five. $9,000. Pick-up is somewhere in Idaho. Bring some tools to break into it.
1. What can we learn about the author’s self-driving tour?| A．The tour lasted for about one month. |
| B．They drove a Shamrock all the way during the tour. |
| C．Their truck stopped working when they arrived at San Diego. |
| D．They enjoyed the tour despite some unexpected problems. |
| A．Breakdowns. | B．Beautiful scenery. |
| C．Amazing functions. | D．Quality after-sales service. |
| A．Unhappy. | B．Serious. | C．Amusing. | D．Exciting. |
| A．To suggest the places to travel. |
| B．To advertise her Shamerock camper. |
| C．To record the happy moments in life. |
| D．To complain about her campers. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】London is a huge city with more things to do than anywhere else. With the London Pass, you get free entry to over 50 specially selected places with one purchase. In the list you'll find:
·19 historic buildings
·22 museums and art galleries
·8 tours, cruises (乘船游览) and walks and entertainment activities
·13 places of interest including boats and aquariums (水族馆)
·12 restaurants and services
The London Pass not only offers great value and convenience, but also enables you to beat the queues at selected attractions.There are also special offers such as discounts at restaurants and theaters, where the attraction is normally free to the public.The London Pass also gives you great offers such as a free guided tour.So whether you prefer museums or cinemas, galleries or ice skating or zoos, with The London Pass there really is something for everyone.
You can buy Adult or child passes for 2,3 or 6 days.See all ticket prices bellow and choose what you need.
Description | Price |
London Pass 2 days Adult-Item E-036 | $87 |
London Pass 3 days Adult-Item E-037 | $104 |
London Pass 6 days Adult-Item E-038 | $140 |
London Pass 2 days child (5-15 years) | $62 |
London Pass 3 days child (5-15 years) | $72 |
London Pass 6 days child (5-15 years) | $100 |
You can contact us by sending emails or making calls.Please call 1-888-254-0637.Outside the Us please call 00-800-84468370 or +1210 507 5997.
VIP reservations: Contact a Customer Service representative at 1-866-270-2849.
NOTE:If your reservation is made prior to November 15th, 2020 email sales@previewhotels.com.
1. According to the passage, with the London Pass you can probably do all the following things for free EXCEPT_________.| A．stays at hotels | B．see famous buildings |
| C．go boating | D．join in entertainment activities |
| A．$174 | B．$236 | C．$244 | D．$270 |
| A．The London Pass has discounts for students. |
| B．16 years olds can enjoy the London Pass 2 days Child. |
| C．Children under 5 don't need the London Pass. |
| D．The London Pass can't be bought on weekends. |
| A．1-888-254-0637 | B．00-800-84468370 |
| C．+1210 5075997 | D．1-866-270-2849 |
【推荐2】It was not turning out to be the great fishing trip we had imagined. It certainly was not the one Father had promised.
All day the rain beat against the roof of our cabin.
Father sat at the window, looking out over the lake. My older brother Jeremy, who had recently turned sixteen years old, lay on the bed, looking up at the ceiling. I paced the room, occasionally glancing toward Father to see if there was any sign that the rain would let up.
“I wish we’d never come out to his boring place,” Jeremy said.
I stopped pacing and looking at Father. He gave no sign that he had heard, and I hoped he hadn’t. This trip meant a lot to him. He used to come out here with his own father.
I started pacing again.
“I mean, if we’d stayed home, at least I could watch television, or I could be out with my friends or playing my guitar.” Jeremy continued.
I looked at Father. He kept at his long-distance staring over the lake, the rain breaking its surface. This was his only week off for the entire year.
Silence continued for some time. I kept pacing, imagining the trip I had dreamed of before the bad weather had set in. I saw us in the boat, anchor dropped in a calm bay, casting our lines toward shore, the way Father had described it when he was trying to convince Jeremy to come along.
Father stood up and turned to face us. He smiled at me. “Come on, get up. Jeremy.” he said. “Let’s go fishing, boys.”He picked up his fishing rod and the tool box, opened the door, and walked out into the rain.
Jeremy and I watched Father walk down the pathway toward the dock, the wind whipping at his hair, the rain wetting his clothes. Jeremy shock his head. “He’s crazy if he thinks I’m going with him,” he said. “Maybe I would have when I was a little kid, but not now,”he said.
I waited for a while, unsure of what to do, looking out the open door at Father, who was walking onto the dock, facing against the storm. Jeremy couldn’t believe it when I picked up m rod and walked out into the storm after Father. I couldn’t quite hear what Jeremy said because of the wind in my ears, but I heard his footsteps behind me as he began to follow me out to the boat.
1. What does the underlined phrase “let up” in paragraph 2 mean?| A．Pour down | B．Stop | C．Set in | D．Hit |
| A．He had never fished in the rain. |
| B．It’s his son Jeremy’s first fishing trip. |
| C．He and his own father usually went fishing there. |
| D．He wanted to have a better relationship with his sons. |
| A．He cared little about his father and brother |
| B．He dislikes outdoor activities |
| C．He really expected the fishing trip |
| D．He showed no interest in the fishing trip |
| A．A Trip to the Sea | B．Fishing in the Rain |
| C．Like Father, Like Son | D．A Great way to Remember |
【推荐3】China is a big country, and there is no simple answer to the question “When is the best time to visit China? ” There are two best times to visit China, depending on your preference.
October
Things to do: hike on the Great Wall, photography tour
Places to visit: Beijing, Xi’an, Shanghai, Guilin,Jiuzhaigou, Chengdu
The best time to go to China is early autumn (October).
Most of China has warm temperatures, and the summer rains have stopped (apart from around HongKong and Sanya) so it’s pretty dry. The autumnn colours are also amazing. It is quiet at tourist attractions for most of the month, as the summer holiday travel crowds have gone. But try to avoid October 1 st -7 th, which is the Chinese National Day holiday, as attractions, transport and hotels are packed with Chinese tourists and prices go up a lot.
Late Spring (April to May)
Things to do: appreciate flowers, Li River cruise, ethnic festivals
Places to visit: Beijing, Xi’an, Guilin, Huangshan, GuiZhou, Zhangjiajie
The second-best time to travel to China is probably in April and May, when the flowers are in bloom and the temperatures are warming up. In late spring, temperatures across China are getting into the 20s (℃), except the extreme northwest and northeast. While the North of China is still dry, the summer rains have already begun in the South. This could actually improve the view in the form of mountain fog in mountainous areas like the Li River and the Yellow Mountains.
Ethnic festivals in GuiZhou are concentrated in April and May, such as the Sisters’ Meal Festival. If you are interested in Miao and Dong ethnic cultures, this is a good time to visit.
Travel prices are average: cheaper than June to October, but more expensive than the lower season from November to March.
1. Which time is best if you want to attend the ethnic festivals in GuiZhou?| A．April 25 th. | B．June 17 th. | C．October 1 st. | D．November 9 th. |
| A．Beijing and Zhangjiajie. | B．Shanghai and GuiZhou. |
| C．Xi’an and Guilin. | D．Huangshan and Jiuzhaigou. |
| A．Because the summer rains haven’t come yet. |
| B．Because the wet weather adds to its beauty. |
| C．Because there are several special festivals there. |
| D．Because the prices are the lowest of the year. |
"He inspired me to fight against my cancer," said Walter, now 17, a football player. Then one day, Walter saw a Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles shirt at a mall, which made him decide to search out Ryan. Back home, Walter typed in "Ryan Lake in the Hills brain cancer" on his computer, and a link to a Facebook page for Ryan came up. But, the news was shocking.
Ryan had died on Sept. 8, 2005. He was 6. The Facebook page was for the Ryan Lamantia Foundation, a non-profit organization that Ryan's family formed after his death to raise money for brain cancer research.
Walter left this message right away: ."Ryan is my hero. My trips to the hospital were always horrible, until the day I met Ryan."
Ryan's mom's eyes were filled with tears as she read Waiter's message. "We always knew Ryan was special, but to hear it from somebody else, it really means the world to us," Lamantia said.
Walter wasn't the only person who was greatly impressed with Ryan.
"He was a little superhero," said Wendy Stellpflug, a nurse at Children' s Memorial Hospital. "Ryan always kept his spirits high, even after he suffered hearing loss and experienced 14 operations."
"Ryan didn’ t let his illness stop him. He always had a smile on his face," said Dr. Stewart Goldman, the doctor who treated Ryan.
Walter and his family have been in touch with the Lamantias for the past few weeks. And last week, they met for the first time since Ryan's death. The families told stories of being affected by cancer so young and Walter expressed his hope to volunteer with Ryan' s foundation.
1. Walter and Ryan_________.
| A．first met in 2005 |
| B．suffered severe illnesses |
| C．were in the same hospital for a long time |
| D．both liked the Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles costume |
| A．he saw the news about Ryan on the Internet |
| B．he wanted to thank Ryan in person |
| C．an object reminded him of Ryan |
| D．he raised money for Ryan |
| A．proud of her son |
| B．grateful for his help |
| C．happy about his recovery |
| D．sad again at her son' s death |
| A．Determined and considerate. |
| B．Optimistic and brave. |
| C．Friendly and patient. |
| D．Brave and proud. |
| A．survived the cancer |
| B．experienced 14 operations |
| C．searched for Ryan on the Facebook |
| D．founded the Ryan Lamantia Foundation |
【推荐2】When I started teaching in school, I was sure I would change the world and touch children who needed love.
Although most of my students seemed to respond pretty well to my teaching, there was a small group of teenage girls who became more and more hostile (敌对的) toward me.
One day a fight happened in my classroom. Attempting to end it, I stepped in to face one of these hostile young women, who started hitting me in the face. Two boys jumped up to control the girl, but the damage was done.
While the girl was suspended for a few days, I was determined that she would not return to my classroom. But I also prayed. I wanted to see all the students right there in my daily work at school.
On the top of my daily lesson-plan book, I wrote this statement, “To see all the children in my classroom is always beautiful.” It was the first thing I saw each day when I started teaching. With this view I could expect healing in my heart of any anger toward the girl.
After her suspension, she returned to my classroom. The student’s young mother was trying to raise six children while her husband was away in the war overseas. The mother and I agreed to work together to help her eldest daughter.
There were no more incidents of anger the rest of the year. In fact, in the seven years I remained at that school, I taught all six of this family’s children. When the youngest was in my class, the mother told me, “Our family loves you. Every year one of my kids says, ‘I hope I’m in her classroom!’”
The standard of seeing each of my students as perfect was the best teaching tool I had, which led to success in the classroom.
1. At the beginning of teaching, the author ________.| A．was full of confidence in herself |
| B．doubted if she could be a good teacher |
| C．was sure to win love from her students |
| D．decided to change her students’ life |
| A．A girl fought with two boys. | B．She was hit by a girl. |
| C．She hit a girl in the face. | D．She fought with several girls. |
| A．She was sent to another class. |
| B．She was driven out of school at once. |
| C．She had to stay at home for a few days. |
| D．She was beaten heavily by her mother. |
| A．she apologized to the author |
| B．she took her mother to school |
| C．the author was still angry with her |
| D．the author treated her with love |
| A．the author got along better with boys |
| B．the author tried to let the girl come to her class |
| C．the girl’s mother was very thankful to the author |
| D．all the six kids of the woman are hard to teach |
【推荐3】In the winter of 2015, I felt totally overwhelmed (被压垮的). As a result, I searched on the Internet and came across some short videos of very young babies laughing. Suddenly, my whole body began to relax as I began to smile and laugh with them. I replayed the videos. And then I played more similar videos. It astonished me how much better I felt for laughing.
I started to research laughter. This is how I discovered laughter yoga. Dr Madan Kataria, a medical doctor from Mumbai, is the founder of the Laughter Yoga movement, which started in 1995. He started with just five people in a public park in Mumbai, and now there are more than 6,000 laughter yoga clubs in over 60 countries. Dr Kataria’s wife is a yoga teacher, and the use of the breathing exercises led to the use of the word “yoga”.
I joined a laughter yoga club and my life totally changed. After that I felt I needed to put laughter yoga in front of more people who could really benefit from it. Laughter yoga clubs are becoming more popular, but are more readily found in the larger cities in the UK. So I trained to become a laughter yoga facilitator (促进者). I supported people, of all ages and from all walks of life, to prolong (延长) their laughter.
Life continues to have its ups and downs but, for me, laughter is an important daily form of support. Just as I finish writing this article, my son, wearing headphones, watches a video and is overcome with a huge belly laugh. I laugh along. The magic and power of laughter found me in a big way and has completely changed my life. And, now, I have the best job in the world.
1. Why did the author search on the Internet in the first place?| A．To find ways to feel better. |
| B．To learn about laughter yoga. |
| C．To do some research on laughter. |
| D．To find videos of babies laughing. |
| A．It was started about 60 years ago. |
| B．It was inspired by Dr Kataria’s wife. |
| C．It is now popular in many countries worldwide. |
| D．It requires people to have difficult yoga practices. |
| A．The author founded a laughter club in the UK. |
| B．The laughter yoga clubs are only found in the larger cities in the UK. |
| C．The author hope the people who walk to work prolong their laughter. |
| D．The laughter yoga had a great impact on the author’ life. |
| A．We should change our work as often as possible. |
| B．We can laugh more to enjoy a better mood. |
| C．We can make friends with various people. |
| D．We should search the Internet for news. |
【推荐1】I grew up knowing that I was different, and I hated it. I was born with a cleft palate, and when I started to go to school, my classmates -who were constantly teasing- made it clear to me. I couldn’t even blow up a balloon without holding my nose, and when I bent to drink from a fountain, the water spilled out of my nose.
When my schoolmates asked, “What happened to your lip?” I’d tell them that I’d fallen as a baby and cut it on a piece of glass. Somehow it seemed more acceptable to have suffered an accident than to have been born different. By the age of seven I was convinced that no one outside my own family could ever love me. Or even like me.
And then I entered second grade, and Mrs Leonard’s class. She was round and pretty. Everyone adored her. But no one came to love her more than I did. And for a special reason.
The time came for the annual “whisper test” given at our school. I was barely able to hear anything out of one ear, and was not about to show yet another problem that would single me out as different. And so I cheated.
I had discovered in kindergarten that nobody checked to see how tightly the untested ear was being covered so I merely pretended to block mine.
As usual, I was last, but all through the testing I wondered what Mrs Leonard might say to me. I knew form previous years that the teacher whispered things like “The sky is blue” or “Do you have new shoes?”
My turn came. I turned my bad ear to her, plugging up the other solidly with my finger, then gently backed my finger out enough to be able to hear. I waited, and then came the words, seven words that changed my life forever.
Mrs Leonard said softly, “I wish you were my little girl.”
1. What do we know about the author at school?| A．She was the target of joking. | B．A piece of glass cut her lip. |
| C．She was too weak to blow up a balloon. | D．She used her nose to drink water. |
| A．feared | B．loved | C．praised | D．helped |
| A．Her speech problem. | B．Her love for her teacher. |
| C．Her hearing disability | D．Her cheating shame. |
| A．The whisper test was really necessary. | B．Her cheating behavior was found finally. |
| C．Mrs Leonard wanted to have a daughter. | D．Someone really loved her in the world. |
【推荐2】Kylie Kirkpatrick was getting ready for work when her 9-year-old son, Ryan Kyote, burst into her bedroom. The Napa, California-based third-grader had just watched a news story about a kindergarten student in Indiana who was forced to return her school lunch because her account balance couldn’t cover the meal.
“Ryan was upset,” Kirkpatrick told TODAY Parents. “He said, ‘Mom, how does something like this happen?’ Then he asked what he could do to help.”
After a bit of brainstorming, Kyote—pronounced “coyote”—decided he would use six months’ worth of allowance he had saved up to pay off the lunch debt of his entire class at West Park Elementary School. The bill came up to $74.50.
Though Kyote had been eyeballing a new pair of basketball sneakers, this was far more important to him. So, on May 24, he happily donated his six months of savings to the Napa Valley Unified School District food services department.
“Ryan told them, ‘Please let my friends know that they no longer owe any money,’” Kirkpatrick recalled. “Lunch is his favorite part of the day and it broke his heart to think that it’s a stressful time for some children.”
The fourth-grader-to-be wanted his act of kindness to be unknown to others, but his proud mother couldn’t resist sharing a photo on Twitter, where it spread quickly.
“Give this kid his money back. No child should be covering lunch debt for his class with his allowance,” wrote one person. Added another: “Love this story... Special kid.”
Practicing good deeds is nothing new for Kyote. “I’ll go into the garage and Ryan’s bike is missing because he gave it to a friend in need,” Kirkpatrick, a sign-language interpreter, told TODAY Parents. “One time, a friend didn’t have any shoes that fit, so Ryan gave him a pair of his own shoes.”
Recently, an investor got wind of what Kyote had done for his classmates and he contacted Kirkpatrick. “He wanted to give Ryan money to put in his savings account,” she said.
Kyote, who recently lost his father to ALS, had another idea.
“Ryan told the man to pay it forward,” Kirkpatrick said. “So he made a donation to the ALS Association. I can’t even begin to tell you what that meant to Ryan. All he wants is to make the world a better place.”
1. Instead of buying a new pair of sneakers, Ryan was more concerned about ________.| A．his school lunch | B．his account balance |
| C．his six months of savings | D．his classmates’ lunch debt |
| A．He tried his best to help his friends in need. |
| B．He couldn’t resist sharing his photos on Twitter. |
| C．He accepted a donation from the ALS Association. |
| D．He argued against negative reviews on social media. |
| A．Life is always tough for school children. |
| B．A kid can make a difference in the world. |
| C．Social media can make young people popular. |
| D．Friendship is an important part of being a youth. |
【推荐3】Alvin Bamburg was deep in the woods when something caught his eye. As Bamburg approached, he found it was a broken balloon with a note: “Dear Santa, my name is Luna. I am four years old. I live in Liberal, Kansas. This year I have been nice. I would like candy, Frozen doll, dog. With love, Luna.”
Bamburg felt his heartbeat quickened. Ever since he was a child, he had dreamed of this. “Years ago,” he says, “classes at school released balloons with notes. I’ve always wanted to find one.” He believed this was his childhood wish coming true. And he knew he would make Luna’s wish come true too.
On January 2, 2021, Bamburg posted a photo of the balloon and the Christmas list on his Facebook page, asking for help locating the sender. At first, he wasn’t confident the strategy would work. But as he saw the number of people sharing his post increase by the hundreds, “My hope grew into expectations,” Bamburg says.
At around the same time, Leticia Flores, the mother of four-year-old Luna, had no idea that such an effort was underway. One day last December, Luna had an idea of sending letters to Santa by balloon. Flores helped her write the letters, put the notes into festive red balloons and took her outside to release the wishes.
One day in early January, Flores got a call from a friend, saying “Someone found Luna’s balloon.” “It’s unbelievable!” Flores says. She was more than touched when Bamburg drove 600 miles to send a dog and other gifts to them in April.
Bamburg was happy and decided to attend a Santa Claus training school, hoping to bring fun to more kids.
1. What did Alvin Bamburg’s dream of since childhood?| A．Having some balloons sent to the sky. |
| B．Having his own wish realized by balloons. |
| C．Picking up a balloon with wishes on a note. |
| D．Making others’ wishes come true in person. |
| A．Sharing Luna’s wishes. | B．Making a Christmas list. |
| C．Collecting likes for the post. | D．Finding out where Luna lives. |
| A．Confident. | B．Responsible. |
| C．Caring. | D．Creative. |
| A．A special New Year gift. | B．Kindness from a stranger. |
| C．A balloon’s magic journey. | D．The great function of Facebook. |
