Mama and Papa were like most parents. They wanted the best for their kids. Jeff and Jenna were like most kids. They wanted the best for themselves－the best place in front of the TV, the biggest piece of cake and the most candies.
One night, when the noisy kids were sound asleep, Mama lay awake worrying. She sighed a big sigh, thinking how to teach Jeff and Jenna to mend their selfish ways. Lecturing didn’t work.
As Mama lay there, she thought about how kids learn. Kids learn by doing. They learn to walk by walking. That’s the answer, thought Mama. The kids will learn to help others by helping others. But questions of who, when, and where went unanswered as she drifted off to sleep.
To her pleasure, those questions were soon answered. The next day, they happened to meet Mrs. Marie, the elderly widow who lived just down the road, at the checkout line at the supermarket.
Mama asked the kids to say hello to Mrs. Marie, about whom the kids were a little nervous. She was really old and kind of bent over. And there was that crooked cane she used when she walked. But the real reason they were nervous about her was that two days ago their ball had gone into her yard and knocked over some flowers in the garden and broke the glasses of the attic. They had never apologized.
When Mama and the kids were loading their groceries into the car, Mrs. Marie came out of the supermarket pushing her little collapsible shopping cart.
“Where are you going?” called Mama.
“To the bus stop,” she said, “The bus goes right by my house.” “So does our car,” said Mama.
注意:1. 续写词数应为 150 左右；
2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Mama asked the kids to help Mrs. Marie into the car and put her things in the trunk(后备箱).
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________As the car was approaching Mrs. Marie`s house, Mama made a decision.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________2 . It was so thoughtful. My daughter gave me an address book for my birthday. She knows the one I have is worn. The gift is lovely; the cover is colourful; the pages are creamy white. But I don’t feel free to use this gift; I’m tied to my old book.
My address book tells stories, not only my own but also my friends’. My friends came and went. Some friends married each other and I combined them with lines. Children’s names were added one by one above their parents’. Some got their own addresses as they moved out. I turn the page and see the addresses of a dead friend. I never cross them out. I want their name there. I don’t want to forget.
This book has my family stories, especially the addresses of my loved ones who’ve died. I can picture their houses in detail－the feel of the crocheted doilies on grandma`s coffee table, the cupboard under Uncle Ed`s staircase(perfect for hiding from the other cousins), the clean smell of Aunt Lily`s living room.
Maybe it’s time for being smart and stylish. I can keep this old one in the attic, after all.
“Don’t you have all that on your phone?” my daughter asked me once when she saw me thumbing through my address book. And yes, I do have some of the contact information there, too. I admit, having it on a device is super handy. My daughter’s generation doesn’t use address books. But changing addresses on a phone is so permanent; the old address is wiped out without a trace. You don’t see the person any more? Press delete. It’s like they were never there.
The old address book sits on top of the new one, for now. But my new address book whispers a story of new possibilities, leaving space for friends who I don’t know yet. I’ll get to it. It’s just a matter of time.
1. Why doesn’t the author feel free to use her birthday gift?| A．She thought it too precious. | B．She was too old to use it. |
| C．She lived an economical life. | D．She was attached to her old book. |
| A．The stories her address book tells. | B．The ups and downs of her life. |
| C．The changes she has experienced. | D．The coming and going of her friends. |
| A．It serves as a valuable antique. | B．It often gives her endless happiness. |
| C．It is a way of keeping memories. | D．It always reminds her of her family. |
| A．Thoughtful and thankful. | B．Conservative and cautious. |
| C．Smart and stylish. | D．Affectionate and emotional. |
Did you ever imagine that one day we could enjoy the benefits of Traditional Chinese Medicine in a cup of coffee?
Traditional Chinese Medicine, or TCM, is
But if you ask younger generations of Chinese, few visit TCM shops nowadays, let alone brew these time-tested remedies for
The concept of combining TCM herbs
As Traditional Chinese Medicine becomes more
4 . Recently I was very busy and I needed a timeout. So I decided to drive to the supermarket and pick up dinner instead of doing my usual
In the supermarket, I took fat and juicy chicken and some warm cornbread. As the cashier began processing my items, I
When I approached home, as I
| A．walking | B．cooking | C．shopping | D．teaching |
| A．reached into | B．stared at | C．put aside | D．watched over |
| A．anger | B．amazement | C．satisfaction | D．embarrassment |
| A．clear | B．show | C．pack | D．return |
| A．bought | B．put | C．took | D．ate |
| A．enjoy | B．prepare | C．donate | D．deliver |
| A．appreciate | B．withdraw | C．decline | D．ensure |
| A．looked at | B．picked up | C．showed off | D．put away |
| A．courage | B．generosity | C．faith | D．bravery |
| A．hurriedly | B．curiously | C．hesitantly | D．sincerely |
| A．searched | B．dug | C．crashed | D．pulled |
| A．regretful | B．excited | C．nervous | D．energetic |
| A．efforts | B．talent | C．guidance | D．goods |
| A．sent | B．drove | C．waved | D．turned |
| A．appetite | B．deal | C．fortune | D．reputation |
5 . Making day-to-day activities more intense for a few minutes — such as briefly stepping up the pace of a walk — could offer people who don’t exercise some of the health benefits that exercisers enjoy, according to a new study of roughly 25, 000 adults who reported no exercise in their free time.
Those who include three one- to two-minute bursts of intense activity per day saw a nearly a 40 percent drop in the risk of death from any cause compared with those without such activity. The risk of death from cancer also fell by nearly 40 percent, and the risk of death from cardiovascular (心血管的) disease dropped almost 50 percent, researchers report online December 8 in Nature Medicine.
“This study adds to other literature showing that even short amounts of activity are beneficial,” says Lisa Cadmus-Bertram, a physical activity epidemiologist (流行病学家) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. “So many people are daunted by feeling that they don’t have the time, money, motivation, transportation, etc. togo to a gym regularly or work out for long periods of time,” she says. “The message we can take is that it is absolutely worth doing what you can.”
The researchers were looking for bursts of intense activity that met a definition determined in a laboratory study, like reaching at least 77 percent of maximum heart rate and at least 64 percent of maximum oxygen consumption. In real life, the signs that someone has reached the needed intensity level are “an increase in heart rate and feeling out of breath” in the first 15 to 30 seconds of an activity, Stamatakis says.
Regular daily activities offer several opportunities for these bursts, he says. “The simplest one is maximizing walking pace for a minute or two during any regular walk.” Other options, he says, include carrying grocery bags to the car or taking the stairs. “The largest population health gains will be realized by finding ways to get the least physically active people to move a little more.”
1. What was found about intense activity in the new study?| A．It helped to lower the risk of death. |
| B．It was more beneficial to exercisers. |
| C．It relieved the pain of cancer patients. |
| D．It cured people of cardiovascular disease. |
| A．Inspired. |
| B．Surprised. |
| C．Discouraged. |
| D．Confused. |
| A．Working out every day. |
| B．Taking stairs at an even pace. |
| C．Keeping running at a high speed. |
| D．Adding short bursts to a regular walk. |
| A．The Simplest Daily Exercise Activities |
| B．Brief Intense Activities Can Be Helpful |
| C．The Guidance on Brief Intense Activities |
| D．Regular Exercise Is Necessary for Everyone |
6 . Aasritha Duriseti recently noticed her grandmother’s difficulty opening a bottle cap. Fortunately, she found a solution in her eighth-grade engineering class at Carson Middle School in Herndon, Virginia, whose assignment was to adapt existing products to make daily life easier for people with challenges.
Aasritha’s creativity kicked in as she researched existing bottle-opening devices. She used a piece of wood shaped like a cellphone and put three holes on it, each in different sizes and lined with a layer of dried, sticky hot glue, which provided firm grips (防滑力) for common bottle caps. With a simple twisting (拧) motion, her grandmother could open bottles without assistance.
“Students in the class used more than their math, physics and tool skills. They also learned to look at problems from another’s point of view,” said Teacher Mark Bolt, “Engineers need to put themselves in their product users’ shoes to build effective solutions.”
Other students in the class also showed sensitivity as they watched friends and family struggle with daily tasks.
Michael Kuwashima noticed how dyslexia—a reading disorder that the brain tends to confuse the order of numbers, letters and other images-made it difficult for a friend to follow along on pages full of text. Therefore, Michael created a small adjustable window-blind-style device. “My friend could isolate (分离) small sections of text while reading,” he said.
Arjan Garg focused on a different problem. Sometimes putting on clothes can be hard for people with a limited range of motion. Arjan created a “dressing stick” using four wood sticks of different sizes to fit different clothing.
The students tried different versions of their products along the way to make the best one to show the class.
Rather than requiring step-by-step directions for creating their projects, Bolt preferred to leave students’ creative paths open. “If we want to do better, we have to have a chance to fail,” he said.
1. Why did Aasritha create a new bottle-opening device?| A．She hoped to get a higher score. |
| B．She was interested in engineering. |
| C．She had difficulty opening bottle caps. |
| D．She wanted to help her grandmother. |
| A．Working with others. |
| B．Conducting field experiments. |
| C．Understanding others’ feelings. |
| D．Communicating with product users. |
| A．With the aid of a guidebook. |
| B．Through trial and error. |
| C．With the help of classmates. |
| D．Under the detailed instruction. |
| A．An inspiring class. |
| B．An excellent teacher. |
| C．Some scientific methods. |
| D．Some talented students. |
7 . Traveling itself is an experience hard to be described in words.
Having grown up and lived all my life in a single place, I had a small set of friends since my school days which continued till my college days.
I totally agree that traveling with family and friends is fun and enjoying. But traveling alone is satisfying too. It’s among those few things that you do for yourself and nobody else.
| A．I want to experience more. |
| B．But all this changed with my first solo trip. |
| C．I never thought I would travel alone in my life. |
| D．I was so scared when I went to school first time. |
| E．Every journey prepares you for the journey of life. |
| F．The farther you travel, the more independent you become. |
| G．After all you need to take care of yourself a bit too at times. |
It is well known that aero(航空) sports have been popular in the US, New Zealand and other countries for years. China’s Hainan is famous for its natural
Aero sports, including items such as skydiving and hot air ballooning,
With the
Jean’s dream was to be a great chef, so when she was 20, she travelled to France, which has the most famous cuisine in the world, to learn to cook. After twelve years, she was among the best.
Her father, Bob, was getting old, and she wanted to be near him. Jean accepted an offer from one of Washington’s top restaurants. The manager offered her a handsome salary, and 30% ownership of the restaurant. The next day, Jean went to sign the contract. As she got out of the car, she caught sight of a green sunshade. Instead of going to meet the manager, she crossed the street towards the old restaurant, Fargonetti’s. She pushed open the door and the memories came flooding back.
Jean’s mum died when she was just 11, and her father lost his job and was forced to freelance (从事自由职业). Money was very short. When Jean turned thirteen, Bob had made a reservation at Fargonetti’s, the capital’s best restaurant.
“I’m not hungry, baby girl. I had a huge breakfast,” Bob said. “This is all for you!” “Oh,” Jean cried. “Daddy was so silly! He’s been saving to come here for lunch for MONTHS and now he ruined his appetite with breakfast!” The waiter, Carl Bader, immediately realised what was going on and went to Mr Fargonetti, the restaurant owner, and told him about Jean and Bob.
An hour later, surprisingly, the waiter brought wonderful dishes and set them before the father and daughter. “Lunch is on the house with Mr Fargoneti’s compliments (致意),” Carl said. For Bob and Jean, it was a free but magical meal. They were on cloud nine when they walked out. “Jean,“ said Bob happily. “I feel our luck has changed!” And it did! The next day, one of Bob’s old friends called and offered him a job at a new magazine, and Jean believed Fargonetti’s had made it all happen. That was when she decided to become a chef!
Twenty years later, the old restaurant looked run-down and sad, but Jean recognised the waiter immediately. “Carl?” she asked delightedly.
注意：1.续写词数应为150左右；2.请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
The man looked surprised.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Jean was staring at Carl and a brilliant idea was taking shape in her mind.
________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________10 . Born in 1940 in Nyeri, Kenya, Wangari Maathai spent her childhood in the Kenyan countryside and her young adult life in the United States. She studied biology at Mount St. Scholastica College in Kansas, then obtained a master’s degree from the University of Pittsburgh. After returning to Kenya and pursuing her PhD at the University of Nairobi, Wangari became the first woman in East Africa to receive a doctor’s degree.
In the 1970s Wangari was an active member of the National Council of Women of Kenya. Women came to the council in part to search for solutions to the environmental problems—deforestation and desertification had caused many of the resources women relied on for food and clean water to decrease.
Fuelled by her knowledge of biology and her passion for helping others, Wangari decided to take action. Wangari had two goals in mind: to help restore environmental resources and give women the ability to support their families in a self-sufficient, sustainable way. To achieve her goals, she came up with a practical but impactful idea: to plant trees. The trees would reduce the effects of deforestation, in addition to providing food and firewood for local families. Wangari’s plan inspired the formation of the Green Belt Movement in 1977, an organisation dedicated to environmental conservation and poverty reduction in Kenya.
As the Green Belt Movement grew, Wangari began to focus on several different but interconnected causes: environmental conservation and human rights. In the late 1980s, she called on her community to oppose the construction of a skyscraper (摩天大楼) in Uhuru Park, Nairobi’s central public space. In 1999 she led a protest against the privatisation of Karura Forest in Nairobi, during which Green Belt Movement members were beaten by private guards. Despite facing ongoing opposition and even danger, Wangari’s belief in her work was never shaken.
Wangari served on the boards of countless environmental organisations, and spoke to members of the United Nations. Due to her tireless work Wangari received the Nobel Peace Prize in 2004.
1. What do we know about Wangari Maathai?| A．She had a hard childhood in Kenya. |
| B．She acquired an excellent education. |
| C．She was the first woman to get a degree. |
| D．She came back to Kenya due to her colour. |
| A．Wangar’s family’s support. |
| B．Wangari’s achievements in biology. |
| C．Wangari’s tree-planting idea. |
| D．Wangari’s desire to fight world poverty. |
| A．Wangari’s efforts to expand her influence. |
| B．Wangari’s ways to fight for human rights. |
| C．Wangar’s strategies to establish a reputation. |
| D．Wangari’s plans to handle growing opposition. |
| A．Honest and hard-working. | B．Patient and unselfish. |
| C．Considerate and generous. | D．Determined and inspiring. |
