Over years, there’s one thing I’ve collected more than any other: books. They slowly piled up (堆积) around until I made a decision—to clear away some of them.
Then what was left were my favorites. Instead of taking over every corner in my home, my collection now includes two organized shelves.
I have some books set in New York. They take me back to the rush of early morning rides or of summer weekends. My San Francisco collection mainly includes Armistead Maupin’s Tales of the City. I pull them off the shelf when I feel disappointed in the place I now call home, and I let them take me to a happier view of this city.
The books that have earned their place on my shelf, however, are those I share a history with.
| A．It was really a painful activity. |
| B．Then there’s my row of Miami books. |
| C．I still read books that are set in places I haven’t lived in, of course. |
| D．I didn’t mean to keep the books connected with my previous experience. |
| E．I never know when I’ll find myself missing a place, so I stay with the books. |
| F．When reading them, I’m taken back to places where I once lived and the person I was. |
| G．With this new organization, I could see most books are novels set in places I’ve lived. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Washing habits have changed over the years. In the 16th century, most people had a bath once a month…if they were lucky. Up until the 1950s, it was once a week. Only just recently has the concept of daily showering become popular. But now, according to the New York Times, things are changing again.
The latest trend is known as “soap-dodging”. It basically consists of washing less, having fewer showers and using less soap. “I just wash my hair once a month now,” said Brett Dawson, a 32-year-old management consultant. “I have just one bath a week,” said Miriam Bayliss, a 28-year-old accountant.
And it appears to be growing in popularity. A poll last year for tissue manufacturer SCA found that 41% of British men and 33% of women don’t shower every day. And 12% of people have a proper wash just once or twice a week. Further research by Mintel found that more than half of British teenagers don’t wash every day-with many opting for a quick spray of deodorant (除臭剂) to mask any smell. But why?
There are a variety of reasons. Some claim that daily hair-washing is unnecessary. Commentator Matthew admitted that he hadn’t shampooed his hair for a decade. Others say they just don’t have the time. In 2008, the chemist Boots reported a 45% rise in sales of dry shampoo - a product that can be sprayed on hair between showers.
And some people want to help the environment. “I limit my showers to about twice a week,” said Nigel Hamerstone, a 42-year-old architect. “The rest of the time I have a sink wash.” he adds. “I believe that I’m as clean as everyone else, and it’s helped get my water consumption down to around 20 litres a day - well below the 100 to 150 average in the UK.”
So, will you be joining the new “washing revolution”?
1. Before the 1950s, how often did people have a bath?| A．Never. | B．Every day. |
| C．Frequently. | D．Once in a while. |
| A．Soap-dodging. | B．Taking a shower. |
| C．Washing hair. | D．The washing habit. |
| A．Deodorant variety. | B．British teenagers. |
| C．Bathing habits. | D．Shower products. |
| A．To save his time. | B．To avoid the trouble. |
| C．To save water resources. | D．To cut the cost of living. |
【推荐2】How to communicate better with other people
As people who live in society we need to communicate daily with other people——friends, families, co-workers, our partners and so on, regardless of whether we like social relationships.
Adapt your language. It is necessary that you know how to adapt your language to the training and educational level of the person you are speaking with and to the context where the conversation takes place.
Look into the eyes. If you do not look directly into the eyes when you speak, it can give the feeling that you would like to be somewhere else or that the conversation ends as soon as possible. But looking very fixedly without looking away can make the other person uncomfortable.
Make people feel comfortable when talking to you.
Practice active listening. Looking into the eyes, nodding or adding small comments is what is known as active listening. During the conversation, it is necessary to remain silent.
| A．Do not judge ahead of time. |
| B．Sometimes, people get nervous when talking to you. |
| C．Body language can help us solve this problem. |
| D．It is unnecessary to learn how to express yourself correctly. |
| E．However, it is more important to give signals that you are paying attention. |
| F．So the ideal is to find a balance, then forget about it and do it naturally. |
| G．Learning to make yourself understood and interact correctly with others is very important. |
【推荐3】Britons are increasingly entertaining guests at home with dinner, film and karaoke nights, inspired by television shows on cookery (烹饪术) and home entertainment, according to a survey.
More than half (53 percent) of the respondents to a poll (民意测验) of 1,000 Britons across the country said they now prefer to spend quality time with family and friends by inviting them over to their homes rather than meeting in bars and restaurants, the survey by mobile phone operator T-Mobile showed.
Popular television shows such as “Come Dine With Me,” where amateur chefs attempt to wow the audience with their culinary (烹调的) skills, “Master Chef” where ordinary people compete to cook to Michelin standards (米其林餐厅评分标准) and a number of celebrity cookery shows have inspired Britons to entertain at home.
The poll showed that nearly a third of respondents had spent money on home entertainment improvements such as sofas, dining tables and bigger televisions to impress the guests.
“Over the last couple of years, my clients have increasingly asked for home parties rather than ones at independent places,” party planning expert Liz Brewer said in a statement accompanying the poll’s results.
“This is not only due to a slowing of economic activity but because many have become increasingly house-proud and eager to show off their cooking skills, in addition to their latest home entertainment purchases.”
Celebrity chef Jamie Oliver was the top choice for dream host of respondents, while Prime Minister Gordon Brown was one of the least favored, alongside Conservative leader David Cameron.
1. Britons’ interest in entertaining guests at home is growing because of the impact of .| A．Michelin standards | B．television programs |
| C．fast economic development | D．mobile phone operator T-Mobile |
| A．fill | B．compare |
| C．impress | D．associate |
a. purchase certain furniture
b. improve their cooking skills
c. consult a party planning expert first
d. ask some professional chefs to help
| A．a and b | B．c and d |
| C．a and d | D．b and c |
| A．The service of most British restaurants is not satisfactory. |
| B．Politicians are the top choice for dream host of respondents. |
| C．Two thirds of Britons are willing to entertain guests at home. |
| D．Entertaining guests at home will strengthen the relationships. |
Most papers have several editions，especially on Sundays when the editions are larger than usual. There are，besides the front page with the most important news，the sports news，the society page，the amusement section，a business page and so on.
1. People read newspapers to ________.
| A．learn as much knowledge as they want |
| B．learn about the most important news |
| C．get some information |
| D．learn about whatever they want |
| A．look carefully |
| B．look quickly |
| C．look slowly |
| D．read word to word |
| A．what the articles are about |
| B．the most important news |
| C．what is going on in the world |
| D．the sports, the society |
| A．the business page |
| B．the amusement section |
| C．the society page |
| D．the sports section |
【推荐2】As France enters a strict four-week lockdown in order to prevent a dangerous second wave of coronavirus, its independent booksellers have requested the status of an essential service．
A statement announced by booksellers' association wants bookshops to be listed alongside supermarkets and drugstores as necessary to human well-being．Bookstores might not be the first thing that comes to mind when we think about what's needed in a dangerous situation, but they offer mental comfort that few other businesses can match．"Books satisfy our needs for understanding, reflection, sharing and communication, even in separation," says the statement．They appeal to the French government to "leave our bookstores open, so that social separation is not also cultural isolation．"
Bookstores have already established rules of conduct that allow shopping to occur in a safe, gem-free manner．They want curbside（路边）pickup to be allowed to continue, which means placing a customer's order to his car trunk without the buyer leaving his vehicle．The staff should wear a mask and maintain at least six feet of distance while delivering goods．
We also reached out to the American Booksellers Association（ABA）to learn whether American booksellers also view themselves as a much-needed service．CEO Allison Hill admits that booksellers "in no way outweigh healthcare workers during the stay-at-home period," but the role of bookstores and books should not be underestimated．Books are important to many people this year for various reasons, including homeschooling, education, emotional support, connection, and humanity．That is why "bookstores in the U．S．are given essential status during shutdowns so that they can continue offering curbside service．" Despite this, independent booksellers are struggling across the US, as they are in France．Hill said in a press release that one bookshop has closed per week since COVID-19 started and that 25% are in danger of closing by January．
1. Why did the association announce the statement?| A．To keep bookstores running． | B．To run bookshops near markets． |
| C．To compete with US booksellers． | D．To stress the benefits of books． |
| A．By providing home delivery． | B．By giving away free masks． |
| C．By offering less contact pickup． | D．By forcing buyers to leave the cars． |
| A．American bookstores are considered necessary． |
| B．The great importance of books is overlooked． |
| C．Booksellers are more important than doctors． |
| D．A quarter of bookstores have closed by January． |
| A．Books offer mental support in tough times． |
| B．Bookstores should be an essential service． |
| C．Bookstores are at the risk of closing down． |
| D．Booksellers contribute a lot during the pandemic． |
【推荐3】Ways to protect yourself from disinformation
There are so many news events, some true, some not. It can be hard to tell them apart. Many people take in media without thinking twice about it.
1.
You probably get much of your news from apps, sites and social media. Twitter, Facebook and Google are common ones. You should change that. These are technology companies, not news companies. They want to keep you on their sites in order to get money from ads. They show you the news you will like. It may be total lies or something that you have seen before.
2. Use Basic Math
News that can't be trusted often uses false numbers. Most readers won't take the time to check them.
3. Beware Of Biases (偏见)
News media are often called out for political biases. Bias is a lean toward or against an idea. News often favors the two major political parties: Democrats or Republicans.
There are other biases. One is toward the use of simple soundbites (摘录)or quick headlines
Following these steps can put you back in control.
| A．Concentrate on apps |
| B．Find News sources |
| C．Simple math can help you better spot lies |
| D．You can have more control over your news |
| E．So it is better to visit trusted news sites directly |
| F．These do not fully explain important problems |
| G．Seeing and hearing should not necessarily be believing |
