The earliest form of writing appeared about 5,500 years ago. In the past, hand writing was an important subject in school. Now, many students sometimes do homework on a computer and turn in their tasks online.
Many people think typing (打字) is quick and easy to read, while writing by hand may take longer than typing. But others say writing with a pen and paper is more valuable. Writing by hand has big advantages. Research shows that when we write down ideas with a pen or pencil, we make the brain active to help us learn, remember and think. Writing by hand lets people show their creativity. No two people have the same handwriting. Writing by hand can also help people concentrate. When using a computer, people can go online or play computer games easily.
Handwriting may be pretty. However, people can get their ideas and thoughts down more quickly when they type. Typing can also make it easier for people to change. Once something is written by hand, you can’t delete it. If you want to make a change, you have to write it all over again. What’s more, some people’s handwriting may be hard to read. Typing makes everything clear, and no one will have to worry about their words being clear enough.
根据短文内容，回答下列问题。1. When did people begin to write?
2. How is the brain when we write by hand?
3. What’s the main idea of paragraph 2?
4. How many advantages of typing are mentioned in paragraph 3?
5. If you need to write a report, will you type or hand write it? Why? (Give 2 reasons.)
相似题推荐
Oceans make up about 71% of the earth’s surface. They’re important to the health of the earth and human beings. However, up to now, just 5% of the ocean has been explored and less than 10% has been mapped using modern technology. If we can send satellites（卫星）millions of miles into space, then why has so little of the ocean been studied?
One reason is that the ocean is not as simple as it seems to be. We’ve always been able to study the ocean’s surface. But we’ve only just started looking into the deep ocean within the past thirty years. Satellites have helped us study the ocean’s surface. If we want to dig deeper, more advanced（高级）technology is needed. But when we reach the deep ocean about 200 meters or more below the ocean’s surface, we will enter complete darkness. At these great depths, it’s very dark and cold and the pressure is deadly.
As you can see, deep sea exploration is difficult. But there is still hope to learn more. Many organizations arc making efforts in ocean exploration. “Scientists arc supported to study unknown and little-known areas”, a spokesman from one organization said. It’s hard to protect our ocean if we know so little about it. And there are many reasons why we should protect it. The main reason is that the ocean produces more than half of the world’s oxygen（氧气）.
1. How much of the ocean has been mapped up to now?2. Are humans looking into the deep ocean nowadays?
3. What is the ocean like at the great depths?
4. Who are supported to study unknown and little-known areas?
5. Why should we protect the ocean according to the passage?
Dian cha is a tea art from the Song Dynasty（960—1279）. It begins with pouring water over fine powdered（粉状的）tea, and then adding more hot water, whisking（搅动）it with a bamboo（竹子）whisk. It is believed that the art later spread to other parts of East Asia.
Han Zheming has been interested in the culture of Song Dynasty since childhood because of his mother. In 2016, Han began learning more about the tea culture of the dynasty and tried to bring the art of dian cha to life.
The 40-year-old man has used tea and a spoon to create nearly 200 patterns（图案）based on ancient paintings over the past six years. “Dian cha gives people a stronger sense of occasion（仪式感）so drinking tea is more fun.” he said.
“Drawing”on the tea foam（泡沫）is not a simple thing. It is quite different from traditional paintings. Creating patterns on the tea foam is careful but quick work. “Usually, it takes a year of practice to be able to do it.” Han added. The whole process has to be finished within 10 minutes. It is perfect when the tea's temperature is around 40° C.
To spread dian cha culture, Han has made some videos on social media platforms, including Bilibili and Douyin. These videos show us the process of tea-whisking and drawing. Some of his videos have even received more than 300, 000 views.
1. Where did dian cha later spread after it appeared in Song Dynasty?2. Who inspired（启发）Han Zheming to learn the culture of Song Dynasty?
3. What are Han Zheming’s patterns based on（以……为基础）?
4. Is it easy to “draw” on the tea foam?
5. Why has Han made some videos on social media platforms?
In recent times, the COVID-19 pandemic has destroyed the age-old habit of shaking hands. It is most widely used as a greeting, but when did shaking hands become the standard greeting?
The handshake dates all the way back to the 9th century BC. King Shalmanesar III ruled over Assyria, an empire（帝国）of the ancient Middle East. Archaeologists（考古学家）found a throne base from that time. It shows two people holding hands. In the 5th century BC, in Greece, this was a symbol of peace, showing that neither person carried a weapon. The handshake also makes an appearance in Homer’s ancient poem, the lliad（荷马史诗）. In it, two characters “shook each other’s hands”.
However, these handshakes were not used as greetings. The earliest reference to a handshake greeting is in the 16th century novels by French writer Francois Rabelais, says Dutch sociologist Herman Roodenburg.
Even so, the most widely accepted theory about the handshake’s origin is that it survived through a group called the Quakers, who were devoted to equality and peace. As the movement spread, so did the handshake, eventually becoming standard among the working class in the mid-1700s.
However, this was not the case everywhere, according to Roodenburg. Some French people described it as a vulgar（平民）English greeting, so many maintained（维持） “la bise”, the traditional peck（轻吻）on two cheeks, which was widely used until the COVID-19 outbreak. In many countries, people have started touching elbows or ankles to greet each other instead of shaking hands, as this is believed to be safer.
Title: The
| Different | |
| In the 9th century BC | A throne base found by archaeologists shows two persons |
| In the 5th century BC | Greek people thought the handshake was a |
| In the 16th century | In Francois Rabelais’ novels the handshake was |
| In the mid-1700s | The handshake |
| Shaking hands was widely used around the world | |
【推荐1】Whales are the biggest animals in the world. They are quiet and friendly. They live happily in the sea. But some countries hunt (捕杀) whales. Japan is one of them. Japan is a small country. Many people go fishing in Japan. Some schools even cook whale meat for students.
Whales are important to the sea. They swim up and down. They bring up things for other sea animals and plants to eat. Many animals and plants live on them. When whales die (死亡), small animals can eat them for as long as one hundred years.
Now, the number of whales is going down. Many people have hunted whales. Fishermen from Japan, Norway and other countries hunt whales. Every year, they kill around 1,500 large whales. Some whales like blue whales have died out because of hunting. They are in great danger. How can we help them?
根据短文内容回答问题。
1. What do people think of whales?
2. What does the underlined word “them” in Paragraph 1 refer to (第一段中划线词“them”指的是)?
3. How long can small animals eat the whales when they die?
4. Why are many whales in great danger around the world?
5. What will the passage talk about next?
Plastic straws (吸管) cause danger to the environment. They’re so small and they easily find their way into the ocean, where they can harm animals because they may eat them. Then, what can you use instead of plastic straws to protect the environment? Here are some choices.
Bamboo straws
Fast-growing bamboo is ideal for making drinking straws. Many companies now produce bamboo straws, often without the use of chemicals (化学物质). Bamboo straws can be washed by hand and used again and again. When they do wear out, they break down easily.
Glass straws
Glass straws can also be reused, and if they’re clear, it’s easy to see whether they’re clean or not. Some companies make bent glass straws, which means you don’t have to tip (倾斜) your glass to drink with them. They are available in different colors and widths, so customers have many choices to choose from.
Bottles that come with straws
Many water bottles come with built-in straws. Although that straw may be made of plastic, you keep it and use it repeatedly. That means it probably won’t end up in the ocean any time soon. Water bottles can also replace (替代) paper cups, which cuts down on waste even more.
No straw
For many drinks, straws aren’t required; people can drink straight out of a cup. Businesses can cut down on the number of straws they use by just asking people if they want one. Many people hardly notice whether they have a straw or not.
Plastic straws are far from the only way to enjoy your favorite drink. Giving them up is an easy way to help take care of our planet.
1. Why do plastic straws do harm to animals in the ocean?2. How many choices are mentioned to replace plastic straws in the passage?
3. How can businesses cut down the numbers of straws they use?
4. What is the passage mainly about?
5. What do you think of giving up plastic straws?
【推荐3】Peter could not sleep well and he woke up several times during the night, so he went to see a doctor. His doctor gave him sleeping tips（小窍门）.
★Have regular（有规律的）sleep
Wake up at the same time and go to bed at the same time every night. This can make your sleep a little better.
★ Turn off the TV
Don’t watch TV for more than half an hour before you decide to sleep. Studies show that it is bad for the quality of your sleep. Read a book or listen to some light music to prepare（准备）your body for sleeping.
★Have a clean and comfortable bedroom
A clean environment（环境）helps people to be happy. Make sure that you have turned off all lights that might come into your room.
★ Do some exercise
Exercising will help you to fall asleep more easily so walk for 20 minutes every day and you will sleep better at night. But don’t do it just before you go to bed, or you won’t be able to sleep.
1. Peter could not sleep well and he woke up several times2.
3. To prepare his body for sleeping, he can
4. Exercising will help him to fall asleep more
5. The doctor gave Peter
