1 . My First Marathon（马拉松）
A month before my first marathon, one of my ankles was injured and this meant not running for two weeks, leaving me only two weeks to train. Yet, I was determined to go ahead.
I remember back to my 7th year in school. In my first P.E. class, the teacher required us to run laps and then hit a softball. I didn’t do either well. He later informed me that I was ＂not athletic＂.
The idea that I was ＂not athletic＂ stuck with me for years. When I started running in my 30s, I realized running was a battle against myself, not about competition or whether or not I was athletic. It was all about the battle against my own body and mind. A test of wills!
The night before my marathon, I dreamt that I couldn’t even find the finish line. I woke up sweating and nervous, but ready to prove something to myself.
Shortly after crossing the start line, my shoe laces(鞋带) became untied. So I stopped to readjust. Not the start I wanted!
At mile 3, I passed a sign: ＂GO FOR IT, RUNNERS!＂
By mile 17, I became out of breath and the once injured ankle hurt badly. Despite the pain, I stayed the course walking a bit and then running again.
By mile 21, I was starving!
As I approached mile 23, I could see my wife waving a sign. She is my biggest fan. She never minded the alarm clock sounding at 4 a.m. or questioned my expenses on running.
I was one of the final runners to finish. But I finished! And I got a medal. In fact, I got the same medal as the one that the guy who came in first place had.
Determined to be myself, move forward, free of shame and worldly labels(世俗标签), I can now call myself a ＂marathon winner＂.
1. A month before the marathon, the author ____________.| A．was well trained | B．felt scared |
| C．made up his mind to run | D．lost hope |
| A．To acknowledge the support of his teacher. |
| B．To amuse the readers with a funny story. |
| C．To show he was not talented in sports. |
| D．To share a precious memory. |
| A．He made it. | B．He quit halfway. |
| C．He got the first prize. | D．He walked to the end. |
| A．A man owes his success to his family support. |
| B．A winner is one with a great effort of will. |
| C．Failure is the mother of success. |
| D．One is never too old to learn. |
2 . The Government’s sugar tax on soft drinks has brought in half as much money as Ministers first predicted it would generate, the first official data on the policy has shown.
First announced in April, 2016, the tax which applies to soft drinks containing more than 5g of sugar per 100ml, was introduced to help reduce childhood obesity (肥胖). It is believed that today’s children and teenagers are consuming three times the recommended level of sugar, putting them at a higher risk of the disease.
Initially the sugar tax was expected to make £520m a year for the Treasury. However, data of the first six months showed it would make less than half this amount. At present it is expected to generate £240m for the year ending in April 2019, which will go to school sports.
It comes after more than half of soft drinks sold in shops have had their sugar levels cut by manufacturers (制造商) so they can avoid paying the tax. Drinks now contain 45 million fewer kilos of sugar as a result of manufacturers’ efforts to avoid the charge, according to Treasury figures. Since April drinks companies have been forced to pay between 18p and 24p for every litre of sugary drink they produce or import, depending on the sugar content.
However, some high sugar brands, like Classic Coca Cola, have accepted the sugar tax and are refusing to change for fear of upsetting consumers. Fruit juices, milk-based drinks and most alcoholic drinks are free of the tax, as are small companies manufacturing fewer than 1m litres per year.
Today’s figures, according to one government official, show the positive influence the sugar tax is having by raising millions of pounds for sports facilities (设施) and healthier eating in schools. Helping the next generation to have a healthy and active childhood is of great importance, and the industry is playing its part.
1. Why was the sugar tax introduced?| A．To collect money for schools. | B．To improve the quality of drinks. |
| C．To protect children’s health. | D．To encourage research in education. |
| A．They turned to overseas markets. | B．They raised the prices of their products. |
| C．They cut down on their production. | D．They reduced their products’ sugar content. |
| A．Most alcoholic drinks. | B．Milk-based drinks. | C．Fruit juices. | D．Classic Coke. |
| A．It is a short-sighted decision. | B．It is a success story. |
| C．It benefits manufacturers. | D．It upsets customers. |
3 . The Lake District Attractions Guide
Dalemain Mansion & Historic Gardens
History, Culture & Landscape(景观). Discover and enjoy 4 centuries of history, 5 acres of celebrated and award-winning gardens with parkland walk. Owned by the Hasell family since 1679, home to the International Marmalade Festival. Gifts and antiques, plant sales, museums & Mediaeval Hall Tearoom.
Open:29 Mar-29 Oct，Sun to Thurs.Tearoom，Gardens & Gift Shop:10:30-17:00(16:00 in Oct).
House:11:15-16:00(15:00 in Oct)
Town: Pooley Bridge & PenrithAbbot Hall art Gallery & Museum
Those viewing the quality of Abbot Hall’s temporary exhibitions may be forgiven for thinking they are in a city gallery. The impressive permanent collection includes Turners and Romneys and the temporary exhibition programme has Canaletto and the artists from St Ives.
Open: Mon to Sat and Summer Sundays. 10:30 -17:00 Summer.10:30 -16:00 Winter.Town: Kendal
Tullie House Museum & Art Gallery
Discover, explore and enjoy award-winning Tullie House, where historic collections, contemporary art and family fun are brought together in one impressive museum and art gallery. There are four fantastic galleries to visit from fine art to interactive fun, so there’s something for everyone!
Open: High Season 1 Apr – 31 Oct: Mon to Sat 10:00 – 17:00, Sun 11:00 – 17:00.Low Season 1 Nov – 31 Mar: Mon to Sat 10:00 – 16:30, Sun 12:00 – 16:30.
Town: CarlisleDove Cottage & The wordsworth Museum
Discover William Wordsworth’s inspirational home. Take a tour of his Lakeland cottage, walk through his hillside garden and explore the riches of the collection in the Museum. Visit the shop and relax in the café. Exhibitions, events and family activities throughout the year.
Open: Daily, 09:30 – 17:30 (last admission 17:00).
Town: Grasmere
1. When is the House at Dalemain Mansion & Historic Gardens open on Sundays in July?| A．09:30-17:30. | B．10:30-16:00. | C．11:15-16:00. | D．12:00-16:30 |
| A．Enjoy Romney’s works. |
| B．Have some interactive fun. |
| C．Attend a famous festival. |
| D．Learn the history of a family |
| A．Penrith. | B．Kendal. | C．Carlisle. | D．Grasmere. |
4 . If you are already making the time to exercise, it is good indeed! With such busy lives, it can be hard to try and find the time to work out.
Your productivity is improved. Exercising makes you more awake and ready to handle whatever is ahead of you for the day.
Your metabolism(新陈代谢) gets a head start.
There are a lot of benefits to working out, especially in the mornings. Set your alarm clock an hour early and push yourself to work out! You will feel energized all day long.
| A．You will stick to your diet. |
| B．Your quality of sleep improves. |
| C．You prefer healthy food to fast food. |
| D．There is no reason you should exercise in the morning. |
| E．You can keep your head clear for 4-10 hours after exercise. |
| F．After you exercise, you continue to burn calories throughout the day. |
| G．If you are planning to do exercise regularly, or you’re doing it now, then listen up! |
5 . Today's world is not an easy adjustment for young adults. Key skill set for success is persistence (毅力), a characteristic that researchers say is heavily influenced by fathers. Researchers from Brigham Young University discovered that fathers are in a unique position to help their adolescent children learn persistence.
BYU professors Laura Padilla-Walker and Randal Day arrived at these findings after following 325 American families over several years. And over time，the persistence gained through fathers led to higher achievement in school.
"There are relatively few studies that stress the unique role of fathers，"Padilla-Walker said. "This research also helps to prove that characteristics such as persistence-which can be taught-are key to a child's life success.”
Researchers determined that dads need to practice an "authoritative" parenting style. Authoritative parenting is not authoritarian:rigid，demanding or controlling. Rather，an authoritative parenting style includes some of the following characteristics:children feel warmth and love from their father；responsibility and the reasons behind rules are stressed children are given an appropriate level of autonomy(自主权).
In the study，about 52 percent of the dads exhibited above-average levels of authoritative parenting. A key finding is that over time，children raised by an authoritative father were significantly more likely to develop persistence，which leads to better outcomes in school.
This particular study examined 11 to 14-year-olds living in two-parent homes. Yet the researchers suggest that single parents still may play a role in teaching the benefits of persistence，which is an avenue of future research.
1. What is special about the BYU professors' study?| A．It centered on fathers' role in parenting. |
| B．It was based on a number of large families. |
| C．It analyzed different kinds of parenting styles. |
| D．It aimed to improve kids' achievement in school. |
| A．Ignore their demands. | B．Make decisions for them. |
| C．Control their behaviors. | D．Explain the rules to them. |
| A．Single parents. |
| B．Children aged from 11 to 14. |
| C．Authoritarian fathers. |
| D．Mothers in two-parent homes. |
| A．Three Characteristics of Authoritative Fathers. |
| B．Key Skills for Young Adults to Succeed in Future. |
| C．Children Tend to Learn Determination from Father. |
| D．Family Relationship Influences School Performance. |
6 . The end of the school year was in sight and spirits were high. I was back teaching after an absence of 15 years, dealing with the various kinds of "forbidden fruit" that come out of book bags. Now was the spring of the water pistol.
I decided to think up a method of dealing with forbidden fruit.
"Please bring that pistol to me," I said. "I'm going to put it in my Grandma's Box."
"What's that?" they asked.
"It's a large wooden chest full of toys for my grandchildren," I replied,
"You don't have grandchildren," someone said.
"I don't now." I replied. "But someday I will. When I do, my box will be full of wonderful things for them."
My imaginary Grandma's Box worked like magic that spring, and later. Sometimes. students would ask me to describe all the things I had in it. Then I would try to remember the different possessions I supposedly had taken away—since I seldom actually kept them. Usually the offender would appear at the end of the day, and I would return the belonging.
The-years went by, and my first grandchild Gordon was born. I shared my joy with that year's class. Then someone said, "Now you can use your Grandma's Box." From then on instead of coming to ask their possessions back, the students would say, "That's okay. Put it in your Grandma's Box for Gordon."
I loved talking about the imaginary box, not only with my students but also with my own children. They enjoyed hearing about all the forbidden fruit I had collected. Then one Christmas I received a surprise gift—a large, beautifully made wooden chest. My son Bruce had made my Grandma's Box a reality.
1. What was the author's purpose in having the conversation with the students?| A．To collect the water pistol. | B．To talk about her grandchildren. |
| C．To recommend some toys. | D．To explain her teaching method. |
| A．The student's parent. | B．The maker of the Grandma's Box. |
| C．The author's grandchild. | D．The owner of the forbidden fruit. |
| A．They went to play with the baby. | B．They asked to see the Grandma's Box. |
| C．They made a present for Gordon. | D．They stopped asking their toys back. |
| A．She enjoys telling jokes. | B．She is a strict and smart teacher. |
| C．She loves doing woodwork. | D．She is a responsible grandmother |
7 . In May 1987 the Golden Gate Bridge had a 50th birthday party. The bridge was closed to motor traffic so people could enjoy a walk across it. Organizers expected perhaps 50,000 people to show up. Instead, as many as 800, 000 crowded the roads to the bridge. By the time 250,000 were on the bridge, engineers noticed something terrible：the roadway was flattening under what turned out to be the heaviest load it had ever been asked to carry. Worse, it was beginning to sway（晃动）. The authorities closed access to the bridge and tens of thousands of people made their way back to land. A disaster was avoided.
The story is one of scores in To Forgive Design：Understanding Failure, a book that is at once a love letter to engineering and a paean（赞歌）to its breakdowns. Its author, Dr. Henry Petroski, has long been writing about disasters. In this book, he includes the loss of the space shuttles（航天飞机）Challenger and Columbia, and the sinking of the Titanic.
Though he acknowledges that engineering works can fail because the person who thought them up or engineered them simply got things wrong, in this book Dr. Petroski widens his view to consider the larger context in which such failures occur. Sometimes devices fail because a good design is constructed with low quality materials incompetently applied. Or perhaps a design works so well it is adopted elsewhere again and again, with seemingly harmless improvements, until, suddenly, it does not work at all anymore.
Readers will encounter not only stories they have heard before, but some new stories and a moving discussion of the responsibility of the engineer to the public and the ways young engineers can be helped to grasp them.
"Success is success but that is all that it is," Dr. Petroski writes. It is failure that brings improvement.
1. What happened to the Golden Gate Bridge on its 50th birthday?| A．It carried more weight than it could. |
| B．It swayed violently in a strong wind |
| C．Its roadway was damaged by vehicles |
| D．Its access was blocked by many people. |
| A．No design is well received everywhere |
| B．Construction is more important than design. |
| C．Not all disasters are caused by engineering design |
| D．Improvements on engineering works are necessary. |
| A．Failure can lead to progress. | B．Success results in overconfidence |
| C．Failure should be avoided. | D．Success comes from joint efforts. |
| A．A news report | B．A short story. |
| C．A book review | D．A research article. |
8 . Some ways to help and protect wildlife
There are more than 7 billion people on Earth. Imagine what will happen if every one of us is willing to do one thing — no matter how small — to protect wildlife every day.
Take a walk and see and enjoy the wildlife all around you — the birds, reptiles and small and large mammals (哺乳动物). Spend more time outside appreciating, enjoying and learning about wildlife.
Speak up for wildlife
Pick up litter
Picking up litter can save the life of an animal. Litter isn’t just ugly, it’s harmful. Birds and other animals can trap their heads in plastic rings. Fish can get stuck in nets. Plus, trash pollutes everyone’s natural resources.
Donate or volunteer
When you visit your local zoos and nature reserves, pay the recommended entry fee. Your donations help maintain these conservation areas.
| A．Go outside and connect with wildlife |
| B．Do your part by putting trash in its place |
| C．Become a voice for wildlife on social media |
| D．Find new ways to use things you already own |
| E．If you don’t have money to give, donate your time |
| F．Learn more about our planet’s species from experts |
| G．Even minor actions can have a difference when we all work together |
9 . Scientific educational toys can develop kid’s reasoning, problem-solving and critical thinking capacity and improve their hand-eye coordination (协调). But the most powerful thing is that the children will associate learning with fun. That means they will grow into adults with a thirst for knowledge and a highly developed set of skills for learning. Here are some of the best:
·Science Kit
You can guarantee two things if you buy your kids one: a lot of fun and a lot of mess. It’s a 20-piece kit that teaches the basics of chemical reactions. It’s recommended for kids aged 6 and above, with adult company. You don’t have to be a scientist, since there is an activity book with instructions for possible experiments.
·Mini Terra Kit
You don’t have to wait for the sun to come out to teach kids about the natural world. This all-inclusive kit is a miniature garden that simulates a natural environment by using a powerful LED light. It includes a terrarium jar, light-up jar lid, Micro USB charger, and all the natural ingredients to get started. It also has a simple instruction booklet that you can work through with your kids.
·Gravity Run
This classic is not just about building a structure and watching the marbles go up and down. The games are designed for kids aged 8+ to develop spatial awareness, planning, and reasoning. With 60 challenges (beginner to expert), this award-winning game can be enjoyed by all the family. The expert levels are actually quite challenging, so be prepared for some failures.
·WeRo Kit
This prize-winning robot toy features over 840 pieces, a WeRo Move Hub, Interactive Moto, and a Distance Sensor. You can build it into 5 completely different robots, meaning endless fun for the kids and even adults. Once they’ve built the character of their choice, they can programme it to perform countless tasks including walking and talking on its own.
1. What is the greatest strength of scientific educational toys?| A．Training young scientists. |
| B．Stimulating learning desire |
| C．Developing hand-eye coordination. |
| A．Science kill | B．Mini Terra Kit. |
| C．Gravity Run. | D．WeRo Kit. |
| A．It has different levels. |
| B．It is the only prize-winner. |
| C．It requires parental guidance. |
| D．It involves programming skills. |
10 . Children may learn new words better when they learn them in the context of other words they are just learning—according to a new research from the University of East Anglia.
Researchers investigated how 18–24-month-olds learn new words—in the context of words they already know well and those they don’t. The findings help explain how children learn new words and suggest a new way that parents and carers could help boost language development.
Previous research suggests that when children hear a word they do not know and see an object they have never seen in the context of some objects that they can already name, such as a toy or a ball, they guess that the new word refers to the new thing.
Dr. Larissa Samuelson from the university wanted to know if the strength of a child’s knowledge of familiar things—how well they know what “cars” or “balls” are, for example—mattered for learning new words and remembering them. They asked 82 children to take part in the study and carry out two experiments among them. And then they got some really surprising findings.
“We had expected that a stronger knowledge of familiar words would be better for learning new words, but we found the opposite was true.” Dr Samuelson said. “This new study suggests another way we might be able to help boost children’s ability to remember new word-object links – by teaching them in the context of other things that they are just learning.”
It seems counterintuitive, but it is perhaps because the less well-known items don’t compete with the new words as much. If they learn new words in the context of playing with well-known items such as a ball or book, they don’t process the new word as much.
1. What is the purpose of the new research?| A．To challenge the findings of previous studies. | B．To observe the process of children’s learning. |
| C．To better understand children’s word learning. | D．To compare children’s different learning styles. |
| A．Their findings are out of expectation. | B．Their research should focus on children. |
| C．We should be more patient with children. | D．We need to provide guidance on learning. |
| A．Consistent. | B．Encouraging. | C．Impractical. | D．Unreasonable. |
| A．Less familiar words help children learn better. |
| B．Word-object links contribute to better learning. |
| C．New research finds the secrets of raising children. |
| D．Children learn better with the help of their parents. |
