Why do some Chinese people balance eggs during the Spring Equinox, the most lively days of spring? This year, the Spring Equinox, the fourth of the 24 solar terms, falls on March 20. It marks the point when daytime and night equally(平等地) divide the whole day. After this day, daytime will last longer than night. Therefore, it is not only important in China, but also in many other countries around the world. Spring Equinox Day is a public holiday in Japan. In Iran, it is called “Nowruz”, also known as the Iranian New Year.
Spring Equinox is the best time for going outside, admiring flowers and flying kites in China. There are also activities that have been kept over centuries, such as balancing eggs. The idea is that on Spring Equinox, Earth’s axis (轴) is perpendicular (垂直的) to the sun. So Earth is supposed to be more balanced on this day. It’s usually very difficult to balance an egg because the yolk(蛋黄) is off-center. But on Spring Equinox, it is believed that there are some special forces that can help.
However, balancing an egg only on that day isn’t true. If you focus long enough, you can actually balance an egg on its end any day of the year. All you need is a lot of patience.
But balancing eggs is still traditional for people in China. It’s very fun. In some places, people paint the eggs in many colors and hold egg-balancing competitions. Do you want to give it a try?
1. When daytime and night equally divide the whole day, the point2. According to the passage, we know that the Iranian New Year is usually on
3. It is believed that some special forces can help people balance an egg more
4. According to the passage, to balance an egg, you need to
5. The passage mainly talks about a
Many parents worry that their children will follow the bad side of their idols (偶像)．And many young people are often disappointed to discover that their favorite idols have feet of clay.But the lucky thing is that they don't have to behave exactly like their idols.
Celebrities (名人) are fun to watch and admire, but the best idols are often the people you see in your everyday life：your family, your neighbors and your teachers.②这些就是教你如何诚实及与他人相处的人。
1. Are the celebrities' everyday lives always the same as their public part lives?
2. Why are many young people often disappointed about their idols?
3. Who are the best idols according to the passage?
4. 将画线句子①译成汉语。
5. 将画线句子②译成英语。
Ask for help
Talk to your parents, your teachers, or your friends. (1)Talking to someone about test anxiety can make you feel better. Describe what happens to you when you’re taking a test and these people may help you out.
Stop bad thoughts
Don’t send yourself any bad messages about the test such as” I’m not good at taking test” or “（2）如果我考差了我会很难过”. These thoughts can make anxiety worse and make it harder for you to do well in the test.
Breathe better
Do you know that breathing exercises can help make you less nervous? Here’s how to do it: breathe in slowly and deeply through your nose, and then breathe out slowly through your mouth. Do this two to four times when you’re taking a test, and you might feel better.
Accept mistakes
Everyone makes mistakes. If you have prepared for the test and done your best, that’s enough.
1. How should we do the breathing exercises?
2. How many ways can learn to lessen the text anxiety from the passage?
3. Is accepting mistakes a good choice?
4. 请将(1)处译成汉语：
5. 请将(2)处译成英语：
4 . You either have it, or you don’t－a sense of direction. But why is it that some people could find their way across the Sahara without a map while others can lose themselves in the next street?
Scientists say we’re all born with a sense of direction, but it is not properly understood how it works. One theory(推测) is that people with a good sense of direction have simply worked harder at developing it. Research being carried out at Liverpool University supports this idea and suggests that if we don’t use it, we lose it.
“Children as young as seven have the ability to find their way around,” says Jim Martland, research director of the project. “However, if they are not allowed out alone or are taken everywhere by car, they never develop the skills.”
Jim Martland also emphasizes(强调) that 1 He makes the following suggestions:
If you are using a map, turn it so that it relates to the way you are facing.
2 ----something easy to recognize. Note landmarks on the route as you go away from your bike. When you return, go back along the same route.
Simplify(简化) the way for finding your direction. Using lines such as streets in a town, streams, or wells in the countryside to guide you. Count your steps so that you know how far you have gone, and note any landmarks such as tower blocks or hills which can help to find out where you are.
Now you will never get lost again!
1. How old are the children when they have the ability to find the way around.2. Did people understand how a sense of direction works?
3. How many simple ways for finding direction are mentioned in the last second paragraph?
4. 将句（1）译成英文。
5. 将句（2）译成中文。
