Mother’s Day is the time to celebrate the great women who raised us.
Pick the gift of relaxation. For the mum who is always rushing around, looking after everyone but herself, a day of rest and relaxation at the spa is the perfect gift. Your mum deserves a break, and many spas offer special Mother’s Day packages with relaxing massages and facials.
Say it with flowers. Flowers are a classic Mother’s Day gift for a reason, and an arrangement of her favourite blooms is sure to bring a smile to her face.
Spend some quality time. It’s lovely to get presents, but what your mum probably wants more than everything is to spend some quality time with you. Treat her to a day out with an activity she’ll love, whether she’s into wine tasting or an elegant afternoon tea.
| A．Keep the gifts coming. |
| B．Show your gratitude with gifts. |
| C．Book her in for a day, or buy her a gift card. |
| D．Try to make something with her name or birthstone on it. |
| E．However, it can be difficult to find a gift to show your appreciation. |
| F．Or spend the day at home, letting her put her feet up while you cook. |
| G．You don’t have to spend hundreds on expensive bouquets in the flower shops. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】Criticism is harmful to healthy relationships.
Changing Your Behavior
●Think before you speak.
●Separate the individual from their actions. If you work on separating the person from the action, you may naturally want to criticize less. As you realize you cannot judge a person’s character based on a single choice or decision, you will be unable to call someone out for being rude or disrespectful.
●Focus on positives. Oftentimes, being critical results from how you’re choosing to see a situation. Everyone has shortcomings. However, the vast majority of people have good qualities that outweigh bad ones.
Communicating More Effectively
●
●Ask for what you want directly. Inefficient communication often results in heavy criticism.
●Consider the other party’s perspective. If you criticize others too often, you may be shutting out the other person’s point of view. Try to step in another person’s shoes before criticizing and you may get some new and special ideas.
| A．Give feedback rather than criticism. |
| B．However, there are ways to avoid criticism. |
| C．Try to focus on a person’s positive qualities over their negative ones. |
| D．If you find yourself making assumptions about a person’s character, stop yourself. |
| E．If you’re not telling someone what you want, that person cannot be expected to know. |
| F．Criticism should, ideally, be working towards an effective solution to a negative situation. |
| G．When you want to dish out criticism, pause and consider whether you really need to say anything. |
【推荐2】Raising teenagers can be both difficult and rewarding(有回报的). They are becoming young adults. Almost all teenagers will have some behavioral outbursts(爆发) with their families during this period of life.
Have meals together. Mealtime is when we check in with each other.
Find time to have fun together! What do you both enjoy? Playing chess? Going to the ballet? Volunteering in your community? Take time to have fun and enjoy each other’s company. No one wants the attention of people they love to be focused only on what not to do. This is true for teenagers, too.
| A．Talk with your teen. |
| B．Never try to control your child. |
| C．Parents have a role in keeping their teens safe. |
| D．Relaxing together helps them feel loved and valued. |
| E．This can be hard to do with busy schedules, but it is important. |
| F．Some teens learn this by playing in music bands or team sports. |
| G．But strong relationships can help teens and their parents through hard times. |
【推荐3】If you have children, you know that keeping peace in your family can be difcult.t One minute your children are getting along well and the next minute they’re mad with each other. So taking steps to encourage healthy sibling (兄弟姐妹) relationships is necessary.
Respect each child's unique needs
Treating your children the same way isn't always practical.
Avoid comparisons
Comparing your children's abilities can make them feel hurt and insecure.
Make sure your children understand what you consider acceptable and unacceptable behavior when it comes to interacting with each other, as well as the consequences of misbehavior. For example, discourage your children from quarreling and correcting each other.
Prepare for the problems
If your children can't settle a disagreement by themselves or they routinely fight over the same things, help them find a solution. For example, if you have young children Who have trouble haring, help them create a weekly sharing.
Listen too your children
Remember, all siblings fight or argue. Sibling rivalry(竞争) is normal and all you have to do is to help control conflict between your kids.
| A．Set the ground rules. |
| B．Being a sibling can be annoying. |
| C．Stay away from children's battles. |
| D．Focus on meeting each child's needs. |
| E．Explain the results of not following it. |
| F．Don’t discuss the differences between children in front of them. |
| G．When possible take your child aside to discuss his or her behavior. |
【推荐1】On New Year’s Eve a teenager escaped from a house fire, all thanks to the heroic actions of the family dog, Macho.
Nicole Evans, a mom, received a sad call while out of town, learning that her house was on a big fire. Macho, sensing danger, took action and woke up Nicole’s teenage son. Griffin, around 5: 30 a. m. , warning him of the fire.
“He just kept going at him and then he just gave him a light bite, a couple of them, and woke him up. And Griffin said, ‘What’s happening?’ And as soon as he turned around, there was just no doubt he had to go. He had to go quickly, ” Nicole told WFLA News. “It was probably the worst experience of my life not to be with the person you love the most while something’s happening to them that you can’t do something about,” she added.While the cause of the fire is still under investigation(调查), the family has completely lost their home. Although they lost a lot, Nicole praised the value of Macho’s quick thinking. “All those things are just things, and some of those things do matter. They do. but in the end, it’s all replaceable(可替代的). Griffin’s not replaceable, and my dog is not replaceable. There are no better results than this,” she expressed.
1. Where was Nicole Evans when the fire started?| A．At home. | B．At work. | C．At the store. | D．Out of the town. |
| A．By barking outside. | B．By calling the police. |
| C．By biting lightly. | D．By pulling him out. |
| A．She was relieved about being saved. | B．She regretted. being careless. |
| C．She was thankful for her saved house. | D．She valued lives over things. |
| A．Macho’s awareness. | B．The fire cause. |
| C．Time of the incident. | D．The effect of the fire. |
【推荐2】Every summer he came to our village on his cycle. The cycle was full of coconuts and on the handle was his small red money purse and the knife that he used to cut the coconuts. He was known for his toothless smile that tended to turn into a slight laugh.
He often announced the arrival of summer by standing under our village’s Gulmohar tree. During the first touch of summer, red flowers fell on the ground and welcomed him to out village; soon the red flowers turned into long sword-like fruits which hung above his head as he cut the coconuts.
He never ate anything except paan (a kind of leaf), which he always could be seen chewing, and he just sat under the tree until someone approached him. Then, he would choose the best coconut, and with expert skill, carve it so that the person could drink the satisfying liquid.
Nowadays, he doesn’t do much business. Kids no longer care for coconut water; they want soft drinks. I know his weak body will fail him in the coming years. He will not visit our village, and with him, all my memories of summer will disappear. No one will miss him apart from the Gulmohar tree, his only friend.
My friends and I have stayed in the same village our whole life. Now, in our mid-thirties, we don’t have time to talk about our childhood and the life beyond the chains of society.
I’ve made up my mind. Tomorrow I will talk with him. I will listen to him and preserve him in my memory. I will tell him how important he was for me, how he defined summer for me, and, during every summer, how he nurtured (滋养) me with the coconut water, which was filled with his love. I will take in his smile one last time — a remembrance of my childhood innocence. I will hug him until my tears mix with his.
1. Where did the coconut seller put the knife used to cut the coconuts?| A．Under the Gulmohar tree. | B．In the pocket. |
| C．In the front of his bike. | D．In his red money purse. |
| A．outgoing and kind | B．helpful and talkative |
| C．determined and brave | D．silent and skilled |
| A．Children don’t have a taste for coconut water. |
| B．He will move to our village soon. |
| C．His weak body has failed him during the past years. |
| D．Everyone will miss him besides the Gulmohar tree, his best friend. |
| A．He will buy the coconut water as before. | B．He will express his gratitude to the seller. |
| C．He will talk about the seller with others. | D．He will forget all his memories of summer. |
| Welcome to my Message Board! | |
| Subject Slimming down classics? | |
| Mr. Handsome  2007-5-12&24 AM | Orion Books,which decides there is a market in creating cut-down classics(经典著作)，is slimming down some novels by such great writers as L.Tolstoy,M.Mitchell and C.Bronte.Now,each of them has been whittled down to about 400 pages by cutting 30 to |
| Mr. Edwards  2007-5-12 9:40 AM | Well,I’m publisher of Orion Group.Thanks for your attention,Mr.Handsome. I must say,the idea developed from a game of “shame”in my office.Each of us was required to confess(承认)to the most embarrassing blanks in his or her reading.I admitted that I had never read Anna Karenina and tried but failed to get through Gone with the Wind several times.One of my colleagues acknowledged skipping(跳读)Jane Eyre.We realised that life is too short to read all the books you want to and we never were going to read these ones. As a leading publishing house,we are trying to make classics convenient for readers but it’s not as if we’re withdrawing the original versions.They are still there if you want to read them. |
Ms.Weir 2007-5-12 11:35 AM | I’m director of the online bookclub www.lovereading.co.uk Mr.Edwards,I think your shortened editions is a breath of fresh air.I’m guilty of never having read Anna Karenina,because it’s just so long.I’d much rather read two 300-page books than one 600-page book.I am looking forward to more shortened classics! |
| Mr. Crockatt  2007-5-124:38 PM | I’m from the London independent bookshop Crockatt & Powell. In my opinion,the practice is completely ridiculous.How can you edit the classics?I’m afraid reading some of these books is hard work,and that is why you have to develop as a reader.If people don’t have time to read Anna Karenina,then fine.But don’t read a shortened version and kid yourself it’s the real thing. |
1. According to the message board,Orinon Books_______.
| A．opposes the reading of original classics |
| B．is embarrassed for cutting down classics |
| C．thinks cut-down classics have a bright future |
| D．is cautious in its decision to cut down classics |
| A．make them easier to read |
| B．meet a large demand in the market |
| C．increase the sales of literary books |
| D．compete with their original versions |
| A．speaks highly of the cut-down classics |
| B．shows gailty of the original classics |
| C．feels guilty of not reading the classics |
| D．disapproves of shortening the classics |
| A．reading the classic works is a confusing attempt |
| B．shortening the classics does harm to the original |
| C．publishing the cub-down classics is a difficult job |
| D．editing the classic works satisfies children’s needs |
【推荐1】If you learned about Thanksgiving in an American elementary school, chances are that the holiday is in honor of how the Pilgrim（清教徒）of Plymouth, Mass, celebrated the harvest by enjoying a dinner with their friendly Indian neighbors. This story is inspired by a real 1621 meal, which reflects neither the 17th century nor the 21st century understanding of it.
An 1889 novel that described Thanksgiving as an outdoor feast became a best-seller. The growing ad industry helped spread popular images of the tale. By the 1920s, Thanksgiving was the most talked-about holiday in U.S. classrooms. The parts that made the colonists（殖民者）look bad were left out.
However, many classrooms are beginning to change. And on a recent Saturday morning in Washington D.C., about two dozens teachers went to the National Museum of the American Indian to learn a better way to teach the Thanksgiving story. When Gokey, the museum’s teacher-services worker, explained that early Thanksgivings celebrated the burning of a Pequot village in 1637 and the killing of Wampanoag leader Massasoit’s son, listeners felt shocked.
“I look back now and realize I was teaching a lot of wrong facts and ideas,” Tonia Parker, a second-grade teacher told TIME.
Teachers like the ones at the workshop know that change is coming, and state social-studies standards increasingly encourage students to look at history from multiple angles. Moreover, teaching a better lesson about thankfulness is something anyone can support.
At the workshop in Washington, after learning something new, participants learned to say Wado. That Cherokee word means “Thank you”.
1. What did Americans learn about Thanksgiving from the elementary school?| A．It was first celebrated in 1889. |
| B．It was a family feast for the Pilgrims. |
| C．It reflected the real history of the 17th century. |
| D．It showed the friendship between the Pilgrims and Indians. |
| A．To confirm the importance of the holiday. |
| B．To prepare for the changing of the classroom. |
| C．To find a more appropriate way to teach Thanksgiving. |
| D．To correct their misunderstanding about Thanksgiving. |
| A．Wado means “Thank you ”in Cherokee. |
| B．Lessons about thankfulness are increasingly popular. |
| C．Participants at the workshop learned to support each other. |
| D．Students are encouraged to see history from different aspects. |
| A．The Importance of Thanksgiving Education |
| B．Thanksgiving: a Holiday with a Hidden Truth |
| C．Thanksgiving: a Holiday Popularized by a Novel |
| D．The Reform of Education in American Classrooms |
【推荐2】Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti on Tuesday declared April 25 as La La Land Day in front of the LA City Hall,in honor of this Oscar-winning movie which was filmed across Los Angeles.
The dedication ceremony kicked off by a jazz band,followed by aerial dancers dressed as the characters from the movie,performing a dance medley off the side of City Hall.
"It (La La Land) inspires our heart and inspires our city,"Garcetti said at the announcement,"Have a great La La Land Day!"
Hundreds of citizens joined for the festivities by the film's Oscar-winning director Damien Chazelle,Oscar-winning composer Justin Hurwitz,and a few other filmmakers.
"We made this movie;we wanted to make a love letter to Los Angeles,"producer Jordan Horowitz told Xinhua at the celebration,"thank you for embracing the picture that is about romance and love and lacks any kind of cynicism（愤世嫉俗）,looking the world in a relative clear-eyed way." The movie-musical tells a love story of a jazz pianist and an aspiring actress in Los Angeles.
La La Land swept the 89th Academy Awards' winner list including the Best Director,Best Actress,Best Original Score and Best Original Song among other awards but failed to clinch the Best Film and Best Actor trophy（奖杯）.The film has grossed over 440 million US dollars at the global market.
1. Who acted in the movie La La Land?| A．Eric Garcetti and Damien Chazelle. |
| B．Justin Hurwitz and Eric Garcetti. |
| C．Damien Chazelle and Justin Hurwitz. |
| D．Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone. |
| A．A jazz band didn't appear in the dedication ceremony. |
| B．Many citizens of LA got inspiration from the movie. |
| C．People will not enjoy the songs and dances in the movie. |
| D．The movie succeeded in winning the award—the Best Film. |
【推荐3】The holiday season is supposed to be the most festival and fun time of the year, but all those plans and expectations of joy can turn together and more stressful than they sound. This is especially true for those of us who struggle with mental illness.
When you have a routine, it is easier to manage whatever mental struggles you may face, and when that routine is broken, it can trigger things you may not be ready to face.
During the holidays, I often feel as if I were supposed to be everywhere with everyone.
Trying to spend all of your time pleasing everyone else is not only exhausting — it is impossible. And you know why?
| A．I know it has for me. |
| B．The holidays break your routine. |
| C．There are many things crowding in your mind. |
| D．I will accompany my friends to go wherever they like. |
| E．I have the added guilt of knowing it’s the season of giving. |
| F．Just do whatever helps you calm down and gives you a break from the stress. |
| G．If you take a little time for yourself, you will be a much better company for those around you. |
