1 . Live with roommates? Have friends and family around you? Chances are that if you’re looking to live a more sustainable lifestyle, not everyone around you will be ready to jump on that bandwagon.
I experienced this when I started switching to a zero waste lifestyle five years ago, as I was living with my parents, and I continue to experience this with my husband, as he is not completely zero waste like me. I’ve learned a few things along the way though, which I hope you’ll find encouraging if you’re doing your best to figure out how you can make the change in a not-always-supportive household.
Zero waste was a radical lifestyle movement a few years back. I remember showing my parents a video of Bea Johnson, sharing how cool I thought it would be to buy groceries with jars, and have so little trash! A few days later, I came back with my first jars of zero waste groceries, and my dad commented on how silly it was for me to carry jars everywhere. It came off as a bit discouraging.
Yet as the months of reducing waste continued, I did what I could that was within my own reach. I had my own bedroom, so I worked on removing things I didn’t need. Since I had my own toiletries (洗漱用品), I was able to start personalising my routine to be more sustainable. I also offered to cook every so often, so I portioned out a bit of the cupboard for my own zero waste groceries. Perhaps your household won’t entirely make the switch, but you may have some control over your own personal spaces to make the changes you desire.
As you make your lifestyle changes, you may find yourself wanting to speak up for yourself if others comment on what you’re doing, which can turn itself into a whole household debate. If you have individuals who are not on board, your words probably won’t do much and can often leave you feeling more discouraged.
So here is my advice: Lead by action.
1. What do the underlined words “jump on that bandwagon” mean in the first paragraph?| A．Share an apartment with you. | B．Join you in what you’re doing. |
| C．Transform your way of living. | D．Help you to make the decision. |
| A．He disapproved of it. | B．He was favorable to it. |
| C．He was tolerant of it. | D．He didn’t care about it. |
| A．She is quite good at cooking. | B．She respects others’ privacy. |
| C．She enjoys being a housewife. | D．She is a determined person. |
| A．How to get on well with other family members. |
| B．How to have one’s own personal space at home. |
| C．How to live a zero waste lifestyle in a household. |
| D．How to control the budget when buying groceries. |
2 . I’m an 18-year-old pre-medical student, tall and good-looking, with two short story books and quite a number of essays to my credit. Why am I singing such praises of myself? Just to explain that the attainment of self-pride comes from a great deal of self-love, and to attain it, one must first learn to accept oneself as one is. That was where my struggle began.
Born and raised in Africa，I had always taken my African origin as burden. My self-dislike was further fueled when my family had to relocate to Norway, where I attended a high school. Compared to all the white girls around me, with their golden hair and delicate lips, I ,a black girl, had curly hair and full, red lips. My nose often had a thin sheet of sweat on it, whatever the weather was. I just wanted to bury myself in my shell crying “I’m so different!”
What also contributed to my self-dislike was my occasional stuttering (口吃), which had weakened my self-confidence. It always stood between me and any fine opportunity. I’d taken it as an excuse to avoid any public speaking sessions, and unknowingly let it rule over me.
Fortunately, as I grew older, there came a turning point. One day a white girl caught my eye on the school bus when she suddenly turned back. To my astonishment, she had a thin sheet of sweat on her nose too, and it was in November! “Wow,” I whispered to myself, “this isn’t a genetic(遗传的) disorder after all. It’s perfectly normal.” Days later, my life took an-other twist(转折). Searching the internet for stuttering cures, I accidentally learned that such famous people as Isaac Newton and Winston Churchill also stuttered. I was greatly relieved and then an idea suddenly hit me—if I’m smart, I shouldn’t allow my stuttering to stand between me and my success.
Another boost to my self-confidence came days later as I was watching the news about Oprah Winfrey, the famous talk show host and writer—she’s black too! Whenever I think of her story and my former dislike of my color, I’m practically filled with shame.
Today, I’ve grown to accept what I am with pride; it simply gives me feeling of uniqueness. The idea of self-love has taken on a whole new meaning for me: there’s always something fantastic about us, and what we need to do is learn to appreciate it.
1. What affected the author’s adjustment to her school life in Norway？| A．Her appearance |
| B．Social discrimination. |
| C．Her changing emotions. |
| D．The climate in Norway. |
| A．Her lack of self-confidence. |
| B．Her loss of interest in school. |
| C．Her unwillingness to greet her classmates. |
| D．Her desire for chances to improve herself. |
| A．Blessed and proud. |
| B．Confused and afraid. |
| C．Amazed and relieved. |
| D．Shocked and ashamed. |
| A．Great minds speak alike. |
| B．Stuttering is no barrier to success. |
| C．Wisdom counts more than hard work. |
| D．Famous people can’t live with their weaknesses. |
| A．Pride comes before a fall. |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C．Self-acceptance is based on the love for oneself. |
| D．Self-love is key to the attainment of self-pride. |
— It is running great! _____________. You were such a big help!
| A．It’s a pity | B．I couldn’t agree more |
| C．Forget it | D．I can hardly thank you enough |
| A．completely blind to | B．totally lost in |
| C．pretty keen on | D．well aware of |
5 . My mother is 92. Unless I have to be out of town, each week I take my mother to do her
Last week she walked up to the store, but when she went to pay for her groceries, she was
At this store, people
My mother was so
So, whoever you are, thank you for the random act of
| A．exercise | B．housework | C．cooking | D．shopping |
| A．reward | B．medicine | C．company | D．shelter |
| A．return | B．collet | C．order | D．buy |
| A．short | B．cautious | C．wrong | D．concerned |
| A．aim | B．way | C．advice | D．reason |
| A．weight | B．things | C．mask | D．glasses |
| A．raise | B．add | C．bring | D．switch |
| A．show up | B．call in | C．check out | D．sit down |
| A．store | B．select | C．deliver | D．bag |
| A．stranger | B．cashier | C．friend | D．doctor |
| A．looked for | B．talked about | C．threw away | D．put back |
| A．receipt | B．soap | C．cash | D．bottle |
| A．asked | B．waited | C．cared | D．searched |
| A．repay | B．trust | C．recognize | D．help |
| A．luck | B．chance | C．gift | D．turn |
| A．surprised | B．amused | C．touched | D．convinced |
| A．in case | B．even if | C．as though | D．so that |
| A．energy | B．money | C．space | D．time |
| A．faith | B．courage | C．kindness | D．honor |
| A．made her day | B．changed her mind | C．caught her eye | D．met her demand |
6 . Small children are easy to throw up in the air and catch-and they
I hope Jacky will always trust me fully, but I know that, as he gets
| A．deserve | B．miss | C．love | D．know |
| A．as if | B．in case | C．even though | D．so that |
| A．fear | B．excitement | C．doubt | D．astonishment |
| A．reasonable | B．limited | C．absolute | D．important |
| A．relief | B．satisfaction | C．achievement | D．responsibility |
| A．older | B．busier | C．quieter | D．healthier |
| A．on my behalf | B．on my part | C．in my honor | D．in my name |
| A．long-distance | B．high-risk | C．parent-child | D．teacher-student |
| A．afford | B．choose | C．wait | D．expect |
| A．attach | B．compare | C．adjust | D．introduce |
| A．safe | B．happy | C．proud | D．grateful |
| A．Above all | B．In addition | C．At first | D．For example |
| A．admit | B．believe | C．suggest | D．imagine |
| A．However | B．Therefore | C．Similarly | D．Fortunately |
| A．affection | B．determination | C．friendship | D．leadership |
| A．assess | B．organize | C．develop | D．understand |
| A．repeat | B．follow | C．change | D．forget |
| A．gesture | B．measure | C．bond | D．lack |
| A．telling | B．giving | C．selling | D．sending |
| A．management | B．personality | C．communication | D．education |
7 . Art is everywhere. Any public space has been carefully designed by an artistic mind to be both functional and beautiful. Why, then, is art still so widely considered to be "the easy subject" at school, insignificant to wider society, a waste of time and effort?
Art can connect culture with commercial products in a way that not many other things can; art generates money and holds significant emotional and cultural value within communities. When people attend a concert, they are paying for music, sure, maybe even hotel rooms, meals, and transport, but they also gain an incredible experience, a unique atmosphere and a memory that will go through the rest of their lives. People don't just want material things anymore, they want to experience life一the arts are a perfect crossover（交迭）between culture and commerce.
Furthermore, the arts can bring communities together, reducing loneliness and making people feel safer. Social bonds are created among individuals when they share their arts experiences through reflection and discussion, and their expression of common values through artworks in honour of events significant to a nation's experience.
The arts clearly have a pretty positive impact on physical and psychological health. It is found that people who frequent cultural places or participate in artistic events are more likely to gain good health compared to those who do not; more engagement with the arts is linked to a higher level of people's wellbeing. The Royal Society of Public Health discovered that music and art, when used in hospitals, help to improve the conditions of patients by reducing stress, anxiety and blood pressure.
Children who are involved with the arts make greater achievements in their education: those engaged with drama have greater literary ability while others taking part in musical practice exhibit greater skills in math and languages. Kids with preference for the arts have a greater chance of finding employment in the future. Participating in the arts is essential for child development; encouraging children to express themselves in constructive ways could help to form healthy emotional responses in later life.
Vital to human life, art is celebrated and used by nations across the world for various purposes. Life without art would be boring and dead still, for art is a part of what makes us human.
1. Art products differ from most other commercial products because .| A．most people purchase them for collection |
| B．they are more expensive and less accessible |
| C．they have both commercial and cultural values |
| D．their prices may climb up as time passes |
| A．keep the community safe from illnesses |
| B．develop a stronger tie between them |
| C．learn to appreciate their own works of art |
| D．offer honourable solutions to their problems |
| A．They enjoy better living conditions. |
| B．They like to compare themselves with others. |
| C．They are particularly good at both music and art. |
| D．They tend to be healthier physically and mentally. |
| A．It promotes their academic performance and emotional growth. |
| B．It gives them more confidence in exhibiting their learning skills. |
| C．It inspires their creativity in designing their future career. |
| D．It helps to make responsible people out of them. |
| A．How Art Cures Our Hearts |
| B．Art: A Blessing to Humankind |
| C．How Art Benefits Communities |
| D．Art: A Bridge Between Cultures |
| A．because | B．until | C．before | D．although |
| A．has been replacing | B．is being replaced |
| C．have been replacing | D．are being replaced |
10 . When people ask me how I started writing, I find myself describing an urgent need that I felt to work with language. Having said that, I did not know for a long time what I was looking for. It was not until I followed this feeling to its source that I discovered I had a passion for writing. With some encouragement from my colleagues, I had one of my poems published. This bit of success, however, was the point where my problem began.
Back in 1978, I had to travel between three different campuses in the morning, teaching freshman composition. Afternoons I spent taking my daughter to her ballet and horse-riding lessons. I composed my lectures on the way, and that was all the thinking time I had. When I returned home, there was not enough of me left for writing after a full working day.
As a way out, I decided to get up two hours before my usual time. My alarm was set for 5:00 A.M. The first day I shut it off because I had placed it within arm's reach. The second day I set two clocks, one on my night table, and one out in the hallway. I had to jump out of bed and run to silence it before my family was awoken. This was when my morning writing began.
Since that first morning in 1978, I have been following the habit to this day, not making or accepting many excuses for not writing. I wrote my poems in this manner for nearly ten years before my first book was published. When I decided to write a novel, I divided my two hours: the first for poetry, the second for fiction. Well or badly, I wrote at least two pages a day. This is how my novel, The Line of the Sun. was finished. If I had waited to have the time, I would still be waiting to write my novel.
What I got out of getting up in the dark to work is the feeling that I am in control. For many people, the initial sense of urgency to create easily dies away because it requires making the tough decision: taking the time to create, stealing it from yourself if ifs the only way.
1. What motivated the author to start her writing career?| A．Her strong wish to share. |
| B．Her keen interest in writing. |
| C．Her urgent need to make a living. |
| D．Her passionate desire for fame. |
| A．She was too exhausted to write after a busy day. |
| B．She had trouble in deciding on her writing style. |
| C．She had to take time to discipline her daughter. |
| D．She was unsure about her writing skills. |
| A．In case the clock in her room broke down. |
| B．In case she failed to hear the ringing. |
| C．To force herself out of bed. |
| D．To wake up her family. |
| A．By sticking to writing every morning. |
| B．By writing when her mind was most active. |
| C．By drawing inspirations from classic novels. |
| D．By reducing her teaching hours at school. |
| A．It is never too late to change your job. |
| B．Imaginative ideas die away if not taken in time. |
| C．A tight schedule is no excuse for lack of action. |
| D．Daily life provides ideas for creative writing. |
