A letter to my children on their first day of school
Dear Olivia and Evan,
As I opened my eyes this morning, the realization that you will be starting a new school year at a new school today controlled my mind for a moment. As we went about our morning routine (例行事务), I thought of so many things I wanted to say to you.
As I quietly entered your room and softly kissed you awake—I wanted to tell you that I know what it’s like to be the new kid. I understand worrying about finding your way both physically and socially. You’ll spend a lifetime finding your way.
As I stood at the bathroom door while you brushed your teeth—I wanted to tell you to try not to look so nervous.
As we got in the car—I wanted to tell you not everyone will have things in common with you.
As I drove the few blocks to school—I wanted to tell you to listen when the teacher speaks, when someone new talks about themselves, etc.
As you got out of the car I gave you each a kiss and a hug and said — “Just be yourself, and remember how much I love you. I’ll be waiting to hear all about your experiences this afternoon.”
I realized that’s really all you needed to hear.
Love
Mom
| A．Never give up. |
| B．As you went to bed |
| C．As you ate your breakfast |
| D．Accept the differences happily. |
| E．It’s good to take notes while listening in class. |
| F．Listening is one of those skills that will come in handy later in life. |
| G．The simple act of smiling can be the beginning of a beautiful friendship. |
相似题推荐
【推荐1】What’s your favorite weather? Do you like sunny or rainy days? Many people like sunshine (阳光) a lot.
| A．When you daydream, you don’t have to think about other things. |
| B．Sunshine can make them feel good and happy. |
| C．When it rains, the ground is wet and muddy. |
| D．They don’t like rain. |
| E．Sunshine can make one run around and rain can make one keep quiet. |
| F．I enjoy the sound (声音) of rain. |
| G．They also like rain. |
【推荐2】How to Stay Active During the Holidays
Being physically active on a consistent basis can be challenging, especially during holidays, as we travel to see relatives or host friends in our homes.
Find something you enjoy.
This is the first rule of any sustainable exercise routine. If your workout feels like another task on your to-do list, it’ll be difficult to stick with.
Exercise doesn’t have to take place in a gym. Taking three 10-minute walks during the day — one in the morning, another during your lunch and another after dinner — produces similar benefits to spending 30 minutes at the gym. In other words, taking short movement breaks throughout your day makes for a more active lifestyle and helps meet your goals.
Be realistic.
Most are overly optimistic when first mapping out a workout plan.
Make it a priority.
Most of us are managing countless responsibilities every day, so it’s vital to consider physical activity an important part of your day. Put it on your schedule, just as you make an appointment with a doctor. And, let others know when you’ll be busy exercising and how they can help you find time to do so.
| A．Find breaks to move throughout the day. |
| B．Make full use of weekday breaks to work out. |
| C．It is necessary to avoid being injured in sports. |
| D．Therefore, be creative in finding physical activities. |
| E．Having the support from others is an essential element of success. |
| F．Additionally, schedules are often interrupted by holiday gatherings. |
| G．In fact, exercise isn’t necessarily at maximal intensity to be effective. |
【推荐3】
Well, the good news is that kids don’t just have to keep making the same mistakes over and over again.
| A．Everybody gets angry sometimes. |
| B．You don’t want to cause trouble. |
| C．Kids should be allowed to express their feelings,even angry ones. |
| D．You can train you temper. |
| E．In fact,they usually mean that a kid behaves badly when feeling angry. |
| F．Instead of thinking of the person you’re angry with,think of something else. |
| G．Some kids get angry more often or more easily than some other kids. |
【推荐1】When is the best time to exercise and what times will yield the best results?
For exercise in the afternoon or evening, it is strongly advised that you do not allow your stomach to start growing after a session of exercise either. The body requires about 2, 000 kilocalories per day, but when exercising, we will burn up to 500 kilocalories extra.
For those who do not have the time to exercise properly, it is advisable that you by to use stairs instead of lifts and walk to get your lunch rather than drive. Even though these activities will not burn as many calories as serious exercise, they will ensure that your muscles are working harder than usual.
| A．That is why eating breakfast is so important. |
| B．The best time for exercise is different for each person. |
| C．It’s said that people who work out early are most likely to stick with a routine. |
| D．The truth is that anytime you are available and prepared to exercise would be okay. |
| E．When this energy is running out, our bodies will send us a message that food is needed. |
| F．If these activities then become habits, they will have a positive effect on how well your body energy. |
| G．Not only will these activities help improve our physical wellbeing, they can increase productivity at work. |
【推荐2】My challenge for you is this: to read a book for 15 minutes every single day for a month.
Let me explain a bit, by telling you where the challenge came from. I have many things in common with my dad, like music taste and sense of humor, but sadly reading isn’t one of them. I can happily spend a whole day with a book, but my dad can’t read a book for longer than about 5 minutes. He reads emails, websites and papers for work, but not books. He’s busy, so I think sitting down to read for just 15 minutes a day is a good way to relax and to introduce him to reading.
My dad is not the only person who avoids books. I know lots of people would rather relax on their computers or in front of the TV. Everyone is different and has their own interests, but I think there are lots of benefits to reading, which screen-based activities don’t have.
Firstly, it’s better for your eyes. Looking at screens can be very stressful for your eye muscles, and clearly you should avoid looking at screens for an hour before bed, to get a good night’s sleep.
One thing I personally love reading, is being transported to another world—I often forget the time or things around me! Reading is a great way to switch off before you go to bed, because you think more about the world of the book, rather than the real world, so you can truly relax. I know you can be transported to a different world in a film or a TV show, but I think books do it better.
I also enjoy hearing what people are doing and finding out what they think. Reading gives me the chance to get to know hundreds of new people! It also teaches you to see things from other people’s point of view, and understand other people’s decisions or opinions. With a book, you can hear everything a character is thinking or feeling—you really can be inside someone else’s head!
So give it a go! Take 15 minutes when you are waking up, going to bed, eating lunch, or having a coffee. If you read a lot, why not try 15 minutes of an English book, or pass the challenge on to someone else? Good luck, and happy reading!
1. The author writes the text mainly basing on .| A．his personal experience | B．some scientific experiments |
| C．his father’s personal advice | D．knowledge from books |
| A．helping readers sleep well | B．making readers feel relaxed |
| C．transporting readers to a different world | D．reminding readers of the real world |
| A．Negative. | B．Uncertain. | C．Supportive. | D．Doubtful. |
Dear Sir or Madam,
I am writing with regard to the intensive English summer courses that you offer. I would be very grateful if you could send me some detailed information about the course that will be held in your school in Bristol this summer, as well as what kind of accommodation you provide. I would like to enquire about the price of the month course. I would be very interested in finding out more about activities students have in the summer school.
I am 16 years old and I have been learning English in China for nine years now. I would like to improve my written English and speaking skills. Do you have any courses for teenagers which offer a lot of speaking practice in small groups? As I am a student, I would be interested in details of any discounts that are available, and the full price of the course including accommodation. Finally, I would like to ask if I can pay for the course with a credit card and what kind of documents I need to be enrolled.
I look forward to receiving your reply.
Yours faithfully,
Mark
1: What is the purpose of this letter?
2: What kind of enquiries has the author made? (Give 2 examples at least.)
【推荐1】There is an unforgettable beauty to the Karoo, a vast semi-desert, that seems empty save for the stars overhead and sheep eating grass below. Economic opportunities here are few.
But the Karoo’s clear skies also draw some of the world's best scientists. A radio telescope project called the Square Kilometre Array (SKA) is under construction, with the latest group of 64 giant antennae（天线）due to be completed late next year. When finished, it will be the biggest radio telescope in the world and should allow scientists to peer into the origins of the universe.
Still, some sheep farmers are complaining. Because of the sensitivity of the telescope, the surrounding area must be kept free from radio interference（干扰）caused by everything from mobile phones to microwave ovens and some car engines. The SKA is buying up more farms than originally expected to ensure radio silence over an area of some 130,000 hectares. There will be no mobile phone signals allowed, except in the few towns in the area. Save the Karoo, an advocacy group, isn’t convinced by the bright future of groundbreaking astronomical discoveries. Its members fear the restrictions will make the Karoo “a cut-off and backward region”, and warn that people serving farms near the SKA site could face financial ruin. “I don't care about a black hole siting somewhere out in space,” says Eric Torr, an organiser with the group. “It does not put food on the table.”
Sky-high expectations in this down-at-heel area are also a problem. An SKA official complains that the locals expect the telescope to solve all their problems. Some jobs have been created, but few locals have the skills to find out the secrets of distant galaxies. Until recently the high school in Carnarvon, a nearby town, didn’t even have a maths and science teacher. The SKA organisation hired one, and is also offering scholarship to college students. Perhaps if the next generation's horizons are raised, they will be able to take advantage of the radio telescopes in their own backyard.
1. The project SKA is aimed at ______.| A．creating jobs for locals | B．exploring the universe |
| C．protecting the sheep | D．saving the Karoo |
| A．The shrinking of their farmlands. | B．Restrictions of radio signals. |
| C．The construction of the project. | D．Noises of car engines. |
| A．Food should be put on the table. | B．Eric faces financial difficulty. |
| C．The black hole is nowhere to be found. | D．The project makes no sense to Eric. |
| A．Telescope in the Backyard | B．Expectations of the Locals |
| C．Biggest Radio Telescope | D．Great Astronomical Discovery |
【推荐2】The Smart Treat Chocolate lovers know that eating chocolate makes them happy. Now it turns out that eating chocolate may also make them smarter. Dr. Bryan Raudenbush recently conducted a study to see how eating chocolate affects people’s brains. The U.S. researchers knew that chocolate contained several stimulants. But he wasn’t sure how those stimulants actually affected chocolate eaters. To find out, Raudenbush had a group of volunteers eat 85 grams of milk chocolate. He asked another group to eat no chocolate at all. After 15 minutes, he tested their memory and their ability to solve problems. The group that ate milk chocolate had higher scores. They were able to remember more words and pictures than the group that did not eat chocolate. Raudenbush concluded that the stimulants in chocolate increased mental alertness. Of course, eating chocolate doesn’t guarantee you’ll pass every test. You’ll still need to study!
1. We can learn from the passage that ________.| A．chocolate can help people pass every test |
| B．chocolate lovers are smarter than those who don’t love chocolate |
| C．chocolate can make people happy and cleverer |
| D．chocolate is loved by all the people |
| A．Because chocolate contains several stimulants. |
| B．Because chocolate made him happy. |
| C．To make himself smarter by eating chocolate. |
| D．To find out how people’s brains are affected by eating chocolate. |
| A．medicine | B．vegetable | C．commercial | D．identification |
| A．chocolate is good for health |
| B．chocolate tastes better with milk |
| C．people’s performance can be improved by eating chocolate |
| D．nothing else can be more tasty and effective than chocolate |
【推荐3】A new study found that some methods for measuring a species’ generation time might underestimate (低估) the likelihood that some species will die out.
A species generation time is how long it takes for a generation to be replaced by its mature offspring. This is different for every specie and dramatically impacts how quickly a species can respond to changes in their environment. The generation time of a mouse is only a few months, whereas the African elephant has a generation time of 22 years. The longer the generation time, the slower a species can adapt to environmental changes and may, therefore, be more likely to go extinct.
In some risk assessment models, population reduction is measured on the scale of three times a species generation time. If a species is believed to mature and produce offspring in five years, then how much its population has declined will be measured over a 15-year interval. But if a species generation time is underestimated, so is the threat status of the species.
We tested the influence of errors in different measures of generation time, including those used by the IUCN Red List assessments and found that these errors could potentially lead to an overly optimistic assessment of extinction risk for some species.
To overcome this, we compared different types of errors in seven commonly used measures of generation time. We propose a new estimate which predicts a species’ generation time from its body mass and reproductive lifespan.
Still, the lack of data is a thorny problem for making accurate calculations. We’re planning to explore how to fill some of these knowledge gaps by comparing survival and reproduction data from wild and captive populations, using data from nearly 1, 200 zoos and aquarium over 40 years, on more than 21,000 species.
1. What can we know from the second paragraph?| A．Elephants are less endangered than mice. |
| B．Mice have a longer generation time than elephants. |
| C．Mice are more adaptable than elephants. |
| D．Elephants are more advanced than mice. |
| A．15 years. | B．22 years. | C．44 years. | D．66 years. |
| A．Overestimating their survival. | B．Causing them to die out quickly. |
| C．Ignoring their danger to humans. | D．Accelerating their reproduction. |
| A．Doing experiments. | B．Analyzing more data. |
| C．Counting animals in zoos. | D．Popularizing animal knowledge. |
| Fun Day To celebrate the Year of the snake Organised by Lam Tin Youth Centre and Kwun Tong High School Date: 2 February 2013 Time: 10 am—5 pm Place: Kwun Tong Playground Fee: $20 (buy three get one free) Programmes: drama, lion dance, magic show and ballet performance Highlights: 1) enter the lucky draw to win a digital camera 2) learn to make festival food Join us on the Fun Day! All are welcome! Free Soft Drinks Note: ● Tickets are available at the General Office of Lam Tin Youth Center ● For those who would like to be a volunteer, please contact Miss Olivia Wong one week before the activity. |
1. What you have just read is a ________.
| A．note | B．poster | C．schedule | D．report |
| A．A big event to welcome a Chinese new year. |
| B．A social gathering to raise money for wildlife. |
| C．A party for close friends to meet and have fun. |
| D．A meeting of Kwun Tong High School students. |
| A．$20. | B．$40. | C．$80. | D．$60. |
| A．Tickets are sold in Kwun Tong High School. |
| B．Free digital cameras are provided for everybody. |
| C．It’s unnecessary to take soft drinks with you. |
| D．Festival food will be served without extra charge. |
【推荐2】An extreme sport is a popular term for certain activities regarded as having a high level of danger. These activities often involve sped, height, and a high level of physical effort. In the past, young athletes would play baseball. Today，they want risk and excitement--the closer to the edge, the better. They snowboard over cliffs and mountains, or bike down steep mountains.
Extreme sports started as an alternative to more expensive sports such as golf. A city kid who couldn’t afford expensive sports equipment could get a skateboard and have fun, but now it has become a whole new area of sports, with specialized equipment and high levels of skill. There is even an Olympics for extreme sports, called the winter X-game, which includes snow. Mountain biking and ice climbing.
What makes extreme sports so popular? People love the risk. City people want to be outdoors on the weekend and do something challenging. The new equipment is so much better that people can take more risks without getting hurt. Sure there's a risk. Once you go mountain biking or snowboarding, it’s impossible to go back to bike riding or skiing. It's just too boring.
Now even the older crowd is staring to join in. Every weekend, groups of friends in their early
30s get together. On weekdays they work as computer programmers in the same office. On weekends they rent mountains together.
Extreme sports are certainly no for everyone. Most people still prefer to play basketball or watch sports on TV. But it has been a fact that, extreme sports are gaining in popularity.
Nowadays more and more young athletes are taking part in the risky activities.
1. All the following sports are X-sports EXCEPT| A．ice climbing |
| B．snow boarding |
| C．skiing |
| D．mountain-biking |
| A．Risky. |
| B．Challenging. |
| C．Exciting. |
| D．Unskilled. |
| A．replacement |
| B．activity |
| C．equipment |
| D．competition |
| A．people can get better equipment to make sure they will not get hurt |
| B．people are not interested in the traditional sports any more |
| C．people want to do something risky after doing the same thing on weekdays |
| D．extreme sports are easy to learn and less expensive. |
| A．all young people like extreme sports |
| B．playing basketball is still a popular game |
| C．people prefer extreme sports to traditional sports |
| D．bike riding and skiing are boring sports. |
【推荐3】British people are famous for apologizing in almost every situation. Whether they are apologizing for asking a question, for their bad weather or because they sneezed, they are probably the number-one nation for apologies.
Brits pride themselves on their polite manners towards one another in public. As a result, they often use the word “sorry” quite a lot---even when they don’t really mean it! Usually, if they want to ask a stranger for the time, they would start by saying “Sorry to bother you. Do you know what time it is?” If they are five minutes late for an appointment, they would generally greet the person by saying “Sorry, I’m late!”
That they say sorry does not only mean they feel sad for someone else because of their problems or misfortunes. Another main dictionary definition of “sorry” is feeling regret because they have done something wrong. And now, think about this. Normally, when they want to ask a stranger a question, they start with “Sorry to disturb you”. In this situation, they aren’t saying sorry because they feel sad for that person or because they feel regret.
In the British culture, apologizing, in general, is a way to be polite, especially to people who they don’t know very well. Furthermore, it also can bring them other benefits in their daily life. In a recent experiment, an actor approached different strangers on a rainy day to ask if he could use their mobile phones to make a call. When he approached one group of strangers and asked them without apologizing first, he was only 9% successful in borrowing their phones. However, when he apologized to another group of strangers about the bad weather before asking if he could use their mobile phones, he was 47% successful.
1. Why do British people say “sorry” so much?| A．To respect others. |
| B．To show their politeness. |
| C．To express their regret. |
| D．To apologize for their mistakes. |
| A．It is used in more situations than before. |
| B．It is embarrassing to use sorry improperly. |
| C．It has different meanings in different situations. |
| D．It meaning is always hard to understand. |
| A．The benefits of saying “sorry”. |
| B．The ways of borrowing a phone. |
| C．The secrets to dealing with strangers. |
| D．The keys to being a polite man. |
