1 . 24 Solar Terms: 5 things about Major Snow
Major Snow, the 21st solar term of the year, which falls on Dec 7 this year. During Major Snow, the snow becomes heavy and begins to accumulate on the ground. The temperature drops significantly. Here are 5 things you should know about Major Snow.
Snowy winter
The snow in North China may last a whole day, breaking tree branches and blocking the road. In the south, snowflakes fall and the world turns white. A proverb about the snow says, "A timely snow promises a good harvest".
The red plum blossoms (梅花) in contrast with the white snowy world is a feast for the eyes and have inspired many great poems. The plum blossom, which originated in China, is respected in Chinese culture for its bravery against severe winters.
Eating lamb
Lamb is a favorite food for Chinese people during Major Snow.
Making sausages
During Major Snow, people in southern China make sausages, an important part of preparation for the Spring Festival.
Preventing respiratory (呼吸道的) illness
During this period, Chinese people watch for outbreaks of respiratory illness, which can be prevented by wearing a warm scarf to protect the neck and properly drinking water.
| A．Writing poems about snow |
| B．Appreciating plum blossoms |
| C．But you should not drink too much water at a time |
| D．Drink as much water as you can whenever possible |
| E．The best meat for this delicacy comes from the bottom of the pig |
| F．As the snow covers the ground, the low winter temperature kills pests |
| G．It promotes blood circulation and provides protection against the cold |
2 . It was one of those moments every new parent dreads (恐惧). My baby son was screaming as if I’d just dipped him in a bucket (桶) of battery acid. It felt as if he’d been screaming like that for years, though he was only two months old. Even worse, this was happening in public— I was sitting with my howling baby in the food court of a Los Angeles mall, despairing (绝望) as other diners silently judged me while watching us over plates of food.
Until, that is, one woman— a complete stranger— did something and taught me a lesson about kindness that lingers to this day. She walked over to me and put her hand on my shoulder. “This won’t last forever,” she said. “I know it doesn’t seem like it right now, but things will get better. He’ll stop crying. You’ll get some sleep.”
It was such a small thing, a tiny kindness, really, but it made all the difference. It was 2001 and I was living in a foreign city with a newborn, without friends or family, and I was terribly lonely. This woman had seen me, if only for a moment, and taken the time to make a human connection. It was just a minute out of her day, but it has stayed with me for nearly two decades.
We all want to be better in the world and more giving to others. But we can easily get hung up on the sheer (完全的) importance of that challenge— making time to regularly volunteer or finding money to donate to a cause. Doing good doesn’t have to be an important task, though; it can be incremental (递增的). It can be as quick as a smile, a word, a phone call, an email. It can be the note you send to a friend who is feeling blue or the baby carriage you help carry down the subway stairs for a parent on their own, even though you’re late for work.
I’m reminded of a line from Brian Goldman’s bestseller, The Power of Kindness: “The opposite meaning of empathy is apathy (冷漠).” That is, the opposite of doing good isn’t doing harm; it’s doing nothing. Every tiny act of generosity— every door held open, every coffee bought for a stranger— builds a bridge to another person. It says, “I see you.” Today, when we spend most of our time looking at our phones, and not at people’s faces, that’s invaluable.
So, while I’m not particularly good at regularly volunteering or running marathons to raise money for charity, I’m committed to small gestures. I try to send a note of praise every day to someone whose work I admire. I’ve become phone friends with a lonely 87-year-old woman who contacted me about something I wrote, and who lives in a city far from her own children and grandchildren. On airplanes, I find the new parents with panicked eyes and offer to hold their babies. I remember what it felt like when the screaming baby was mine. I remember when a tiny kindness felt monumental, enough to change the world.
1. Why did the author mention her baby son’s crying in Paragraph 1?| A．To create a disappointing atmosphere. | B．To prove her opinion. |
| C．To show her helplessness. | D．To introduce the topic. |
| A．Always trying to do important deeds. | B．Being short of time. |
| C．Being lacking in money. | D．Keeping looking at their phones. |
| A．doing harm to others is better than doing nothing |
| B．people are supposed to pay more attention to others’ faces |
| C．every small gesture counts in connecting people |
| D．spending most of our time looking at our phones is invaluable |
| A．The Kind Strangers | B．The Small Mercies |
| C．The Power of Words | D．The Power of Kindness |
3 . “Your playful days are over,” my brother said to me when he knew I was going to be a Senior One student. Then he continued telling me that senior school life was boring because I had to do a large amount of homework every day. The subjects were much more difficult than those of junior school.
I stepped into the school gate with a nervous heart. However, I was surprised to find what I experienced there was completely different from what my brother had told me.
The teachers gave excellent lessons in their own special way. They talked with me in a natural and fair way, as if I was an adult. All of them are so knowledgeable (学识渊博) and they not only explained the contents of textbooks but also provided extra information from other sources. Every word they said in classes made me so excited and interested that I had a strong desire to take in as much as I could.
In fact, my playful days were not over at all in senior school. There were many kinds of activities I could take part in. For example, sports meetings, the art festival, English corner, outing and so on. Best of all, generally, students organized the activities rather than teachers. Through this process, I improved my leadership abilities and communication skills. I've become mature (成熟的). I am not a kid any more.
Now if anyone asks me: “Through your process of growing up, which part is most impressive up till now?” Well, the answer will absolutely be my “senior high school life”.
1. How did the writer feel when he started his senior high school?| A．Very excited. | B．A little worried. |
| C．Quite relaxed. | D．Embarrassed. |
| A．Strict and organized. | B．Modest and hardworking. |
| C．Learned and easy going. | D．Helpful and kind-hearted. |
| A．Reading and writing skills. | B．The understanding of textbooks |
| C．Leadership and social skills. | D．Doing housework. |
| A．His senior school life is the most memorable. |
| B．Senior school life was boring and tiring. |
| C．He will no longer believe in his brother. |
| D．The writer did well in all his subjects. |
| turn to make one’s fortune thanks to ought to in the lead |
2. First and foremost, don’t damage your health by working when you
3. In men’s 100 final race at the 14th National Games in Xi’an, Su Bingtian ran
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5. The live-stream salespersons like Mr.Li
6 . Taking notes is a useful way for students to improve their learning. Good notes can help students finish their homework more quickly and get better grades in exams.
The most important thing you need to do before a class is to prepare for the lesson.
To remember the information as much as possible, you’d better review your notes within 24 hours after your class. And at the end of your notes for each class, write a summary（总结）.
Try to do better in taking notes, and then it will help you study better!
| A．Many students have good ways to take notes. |
| B．Don’t write down every word the teacher says. |
| C．You need to find a style of note-taking that works best for you. |
| D．However, some students may not be sure how to take good notes. |
| E．This will help you much better understand what you have learned. |
| F．By doing this, you will be able to know what you are going to learn. |
| G．Some students are used to taking down the key information in class. |
