1 . Everyone wants to perform well at school. Add these tips to your life and you should be on your way to being a top student!
Taking notes is important. You don’t need to write down every single word your teacher says but write down what he or she writes on the blackboard, or any special fact you think you might need for a test.
Don’t skip school. You will be missing courses.
Keep a good attitude (态度) towards things. If you have an “ I don’t care about school or this class” attitude, then teachers will be less willing to help you with problems. The same goes for lazy attitude. Have a respectful attitude to the teacher and other students.
Always ask questions.
A.Be prepared. |
B.Write in your own words. |
C.Staying organized will be helpful. |
D.Pay attention to what the teacher says. |
E.It is true that you could make up the work. |
F.There is no shame (羞愧)in needing some help. |
G.Try not to laugh when other students make mistakes. |
2 . As a college student in Boston, I formed the habit of buying used books. I enjoy the hunt, the good price and the unrecognized treasures. I find old textbooks, ex-bestsellers, and books on subjects I’ve never heard of and now must learn all about. I don’t search for rare books, first editions, or leather-bound editions but books that are worth reading.
Rereading, for me, is a pleasure during retirement. The theater and the concert hall become less appealing to me, along with crowds. Staying alone and reading books have become extremely important to me. Literature needs the flesh of experience to have its full effect. Different books offer me insights and ways of expressing that stuck in my mind as grains of sand in an oyster now shine like pearls. My taste in books improves with age.
While packing for a move, which occurs at intervals of five to seven years, I clear my shelves and pick my books. I abandon a few, later regret my decisions, and look for them again. Several years ago, I got rid of books related to my job-architecture. Some were design guides, reference books, product catalogs, and things that went out of date. Some were historical or centered on a period or an architect. These had given me many hours of pleasure. Will I ever open their covers again? Certainly. I held on to the red bulk of Sir Banister Fletcher’s A History of Architecture and books on Paris, Rome, and Boston.
I gave away drafting equipment and instruments. I threw out rolls and rolls of paper, and old drawings of projects completed long ago, some of which had even been damaged. This time, I stay put in a cottage that suits my status and I’ve moved on in spirit. No doubt I will acquire more used books and throw away more books as passions grow and fade, like feathers changing with the seasons.
1. What does the author consider most important when choosing used books?A.Their appealing covers. | B.Their reasonable prices. |
C.Their excellent content. | D.Their collection value. |
A.He has a small circle of friends. | B.His attitude towards work changes. |
C.His communication skills improve. | D.He has a deeper understanding of life and books. |
A.To show some books are worth reading repeatedly. |
B.To recommend Sir Banister Fletcher’s books. |
C.To suggest we avoid making poor decisions. |
D.To explain his love for architecture. |
A.He will stop throwing away used books. |
B.He likes updating his collection of used books. |
C.He is bad at using advanced drafting equipment. |
D.He enjoys leading an active life in the countryside. |
3 . For many, Labor Day weekend signals the end of summer and an opportunity to host a socially-distanced barbecue (an outdoor meal). But this national holiday—celebrated every year in the United States and Canada on the first Monday in September—has revolutionary (革命性的) origins.
By the late 19th century, the Industrial Revolution had made working life miserable for people around the world. In many places, workers toiled for at least 12 hours a day six days a week in mines, factories, railroads, and mills. This holiday actually originated in the US on May 1, 1866, in what came to be known as the Haymarket Riot, workers flooded Chicago streets to demand an eight-hour workday.
It would take another conflict in the American Midwest to make Labor Day a national holiday. On May 11, 1894, workers at the Pullman Palace Car Company, a railroad car manufacturer near Chicago, went on strike to protest their low wages and 16-hour workdays. In August 1893, James Kyle introduced federal legislation (立法) to make Labor Day a public holiday, but for ten months the legislation was put on hold. To quiet the strikers and their supporters, the Senate quickly passed the bill on June 22. The bill passed the House four days later and President Grover Cleveland signed it into law on June 28, 1894.
The holiday is more information May Day labor celebrations. Many observers relax at home or head to outdoor recreational activities, such as boating, barbecues, and camping. It may also be marked with fireworks shows and other events. Labor Day has also become associated with retail sales, as many shop owners try to take advantage of the customers’ day off. It is one of the largest sales events of the year. meaning retail employees actually have to work more on this day. Parades are the most common model of celebration, which often feature processions of labor groups.
1. What do we know about the workers in the late 19th century?A.They were paid well. | B.They had long workdays. |
C.They often had a barbecue. | D.Their contributions were recognized. |
A.Put off. | B.Introduced. | C.Got through. | D.Protected. |
A.On May 1, 1886. | B.On August 22, 1893. | C.On May 11, 1894. | D.On June 28, 1894. |
A.The origins of Labor Day. | B.The labor groups achievements. |
C.The ways to celebrate Labor Day. | D.The official activities on Labor Day. |
4 . The age range between about 13 and 19 is an important time in an individual’s life.
First, participate in extra-curricular activities. Schools give students opportunities for staying active. Pick an activity that appeals to you such as athletics, academic clubs, or special-interest clubs. Extra-curricular activities build character through team work, time-management, and competition. Don't be too worried if you aren't very good at what you like, for the important thing is passion.
Besides, volunteer.
Third, use your summer for academic programs. Getting a head start at college could mean sacrificing your summer vacation. Various universities offer programs for future college students based on interests such as journalism, photography, art, sports, etc.
Finally, know when to ask for help and advice. Being responsible and independent does not mean being alone.
A.Make sure your maturity level and interests are leveled. |
B.Making and meeting goals can motivate you to progress. |
C.Huge steps are taken within that period. |
D.They give teenagers the chance to earn college credits. |
E.Offering help is a symbol of kindness. |
F.It will drive you to put in your best effort. |
G.Taking on new tasks and meeting goals will be hard work. |
5 . Lawn Games for Adults That’ll Make You Feel Like a Kid Again
Experts say that engaging in playful activities through adulthood can help lower stress, improve cognitive (认知的) functions, and build social bonds with others, which is so much more than what your phone can do for you. So what are you waiting for? Round up the family, grab one of these lawn games for adults, and let the good time stroll.
Spikeball Game Set $ 59.99
The flexible, hula-hoop-sized net stands on its foldable legs and can be taken to the beach or the park to give four players plenty of space to run around. Start the two-on-two game by bouncing a ball off the net, sending it flying toward your opponents—they have three passes between them to send the ball back over to your team. When they miss, you score, and the first one to get to 21 wins.
The Pocket Shot $ 25.00
Who doesn’t love lining up cans and shooting them down with a slingshot? It’s demanding yet thrilling. The Pocket Shot is a super powerful slingshot that shoots at two or three times the rate of a regular slingshot. It’s super tiny, so it fits in your pocket.
Giant 4-Connect-In-A-Row $ 79.99
Two players at a time try to insert their red or blue coins into the wooden frame to form a vertical or horizontal line of all the same color. It’s way more challenging than you’d think.
1. According to the first paragraph, in what way can lawn games benefit adults?A.Helping with pressure relief. |
B.Improving their strength and flexibility. |
C.Stopping their phone use. |
D.Helping them gain strong build. |
A.Two. | B.Four. | C.Five. | D.Six. |
A.They need two players. | B.They are cheap to buy. |
C.They take skills to play. | D.They are of pocket size. |
6 . When I was a young man, I had a big ego (自负) and very little empathy (同理心). I thought I knew everything. I looked forward to fame and success. I can even remember proudly telling one of my friends in college: “If only everyone listened to me, they would all be happy.” I finally left school, ready to take on the world. Little did I know the world was about to take on me.
In the years following college, instead of success, I found struggles. I had trouble finding work. The jobs I did work at were either temporary or back-breaking and none of them paid well. When my wife and I had children, we were shocked to learn that not one but both of our sons had autis (自闭症) and would need to be taken care of for the rest of their lives. I had no idea why this had happened to us and I was very angry with the world.
In time, however, I began to change. My formerly massive ego was shrinking fast and my empathy was beginning to grow. Instead of finding joy in success, I found it in moments of love. Playing and laughing with my sons brought me so much happiness. My boys taught me more about peace, patience, kindness, joy, and unconditional love than I could have ever learned on my own. I began to share the lessons I learned through my writing and my life.
I finally realized that my purpose in this world had nothing to do with fame or success but everything to do with allowing love and light into my life and sharing it with everyone I could.
1. What was the author like when he was young?A.He was popular. |
B.He was a top student. |
C.He was overconfident about his abilities. |
D.He was warm-hearted to others. |
A.found a tiring but well-paid job |
B.wanted to live a challenging life |
C.didn’t want to have children early |
D.suffered many difficulties in life |
A.The time with his family. |
B.The books he wrote. |
C.The difficulties in his work. |
D.The improvement in his life. |
A.Life can be very hard for some people. |
B.Parents need to be patient with their kids. |
C.It’s important to learn how to be a father. |
D.The purpose of life is to share love. |
7 . Ways to make a great first impression
You’ve heard it a million times already. But it really does take but a few seconds to make that all-important first impression(印象). Here are some easy ways for you to impress your classmates or teachers.
*
Before you shake hands with somebody, make sure that your hands are clean. The hand-shake should not be too strong or weak. Most people use their right hands, unless they have a reason to use the left.
*Be on time
When meeting someone for the first time, arriving on time is as important as breathing. You may have an excuse, but that will leave the person who hardly knows you with a bad impression.
*Introduce yourself and ask for names
Make sure you properly introduce yourself. Ask for their name in a polite way.
*Make good conversation
To get the most out of your discussion, try to find something common between the two of you.
A.Use body language |
B.Have a proper handshake |
C.Repeat the name and use it later in conversation. |
D.It could be a similar taste in clothes or a common hobby |
E.As a general rule, plan to arrive about 30 minutes early. |
F.You’ll be in serious trouble if you leave them with a bad impression. |
G.However, don’t have your left hand in your pocked because this appears impolite. |
8 . As a speaker of 10 languages I know the benefits of speaking more than one language. To start with, we need to dispel (消除) four common misconceptions about language learning.
You have to have a gift for learning languages.
No, you don’t.
Some immigrants to North America never learn to speak more than broken English. Yet we meet people in other countries who speak flawless English. With the Internet, language content is available to anyone with a computer.
To learn a language you need formal classroom instruction.
Classrooms may be economical to run and a great place to meet others. They have the weight of history and tradition behind them. Unfortunately, a classroom is an inefficient place to learn a language.
I would love to learn but I don't have the time.
How about the time you spend waiting in line or going for a walk? Why not use that time to listen to a language on your iPad? Once you get started, even 10 or 15 minutes a day will soon grow to 30 minutes a day, or one hour.
A.That’s my experience. |
B.Anyone who wants to, can learn. |
C.Where you live is not a problem. |
D.You need to speak in order to learn. |
E.You have to live where the language is spoken. |
F.The more students in the class, the more inefficient it is. |
G.We simply have to change the way we go about teaching languages. |
9 . New methods have allowed researchers and scientists to find a way to reduce heat loss from buildings by about 30%. This new “green” solution is quite literally (确实地) green as it involves fitting a living wall by sticking soil and plants onto the walls, according to a new research.
To see what effects renewing a living wall on an existing building would have on the environment, the scientists decided to test it out on a building at a university in the UK, which was originally built in the 1970s. As a control, part of the building was not fitted with the living wall. Both of the parts of the building were west-facing and the test was conducted over 5 weeks. They found that the part with the living wall lost 31.4% less heat as compared to the side without it. So it took less energy to heat and had environmentally friendly effects.
In the UK, approximately 57% of buildings were built before 1964. They have caused 17% of greenhouse emissions (排放), about 60% of which come from house heating. If people could reduce heat loss from older buildings by 30%, a huge part of greenhouse emissions could be eliminated. While regulations have changed recently to improve the thermal performance (热性能) of new constructions, it is the existing buildings that require the most energy to heat and are a significant contributor to carbon emissions. It is, therefore, essential that people begin to improve the thermal performance of these existing buildings if the UK is to reach its target of net (净) zero carbon emission by 2050, and help to reduce the possibility of fuel poverty.
The new research suggests living walls can also provide significant energy savings to help reduce the carbon footprint of existing buildings. Perfecting these living wall systems, however, is now needed to help increase the environmental benefits.
1. What did the researchers find about the living wall in the test?A.It protected the building very well. |
B.It caused serious waste of some fuels. |
C.It reduced the heat loss of the building. |
D.It made the building look more beautiful. |
A.Repeated. | B.Removed. | C.Defeated. | D.Renewed. |
A.Pulling down the older buildings. |
B.Cutting down the prices of fuels. |
C.Reducing heat loss from the older buildings. |
D.Adding more living walls to new buildings. |
A.Promising. | B.Doubtful. | C.Expensive. | D.Impracticable. |
10 . Giant pandas (大熊猫) are no longer endangered, Chinese officials have said, decades of work to save the creatures helped drive their population in the wild up to 1,800. The species will be listed as vulnerable (易危物种), Cui Shuhong, director of the Department of Natural Ecological Protection of the Ministry of Ecology and Environment, said at a press conference on Wednesday.
China has spent half a century attempting to boost the population of its famous animals, creating panda reserves across several mountain ranges in an effort to save them from extinction. They were taken off the endangered list by the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) in 2016.
Since the 1970s, Chinese officials have worked on a campaign to drive up their numbers. To prevent habitat loss, officials created specially designed nature reserves in areas where their main food source, bamboo, is plentiful. In 2017, China announced plans for a 10,476-square-mile reserve, which is three times the size of Yellowstone National Park.
"China has established a relatively complete nature reserves system," Cui said on Wednesday as he announced the move. "Large areas of natural ecosystems have been systematically and completely protected, and wildlife habitats have been effectively improved."
Pandas are known in China as an umbrella species, which means experts believe measures to protect them would help protect other species, as well as the larger ecosystem. Cui added that the populations of some other rare and endangered species are gradually recovering as well. "The number of species such as Siberian tigers, Amur leopards, and Asian elephants has increased significantly." he said.
1. What has happened to giant pandas?A.They will never be protected in future. |
B.Their nature reserves will decrease sharply. |
C.They are not listed as endangered species. |
D.They have to face the worsening situations. |
A.Increase. | B.Maintain. |
C.Cancel. | D.Copy. |
A.They can improve the production of umbrellas. |
B.Protecting it is beneficial to a larger ecosystem. |
C.They are not at the top of food chain in nature. |
D.Protecting it means endangering other species. |
A.A novel. | B.A business plan. |
C.A guidebook. | D.A newspaper. |