This summer has been full of unforgettable
Known
Now in his third Olympics, his
1. What could the man be?
A.A supermarket manager. | B.A policeman. | C.A hotel clerk. |
A.In a taxi. | B.In a supermarket. | C.In a park. |
3 . It’s common that everyone wants to be happy. Everything we think, say, and do is connected with our innermost(内心深处的) desires to achieve happiness.
So how is it that some people seem to be happy all the time?
They smile.
Happy people smile, even when they don’t have much to smile about.The important part about smiling is that the change in physiology actually causes a change in psychology.
They create value.
Happy people often focus on the long term.
They eat healthy.
It’s hard to be happy when you spend most of your day worrying about the past or living in fear of the future.Happy people are present in the here and now.
They set goals.
Happy people also tend to set goals for the future.The goals give them an intended direction of travel. They’re buried in their hopes and aspirations of whatever they’re trying to achieve in life.
They think positive.
When thinking positive, and looking past problems and negativity, not only do we feel better mentally, but our minds are better able to process the heretonow.
Stick to the advice above for two or three months, and maybe you’ll find some amazing changes on yourself.
A.They live in the moment. |
B.In fact, positive thinking is the basis for being happier in life. |
C.They build and develop relationships. |
D.But for some reasons, often whatever we do, happiness is just out of reach. |
E.The goals give them a clear direction of travel. |
F.Happy people eat foods that are high in energy, raw and nutritious. |
G.They work to create value in whatever they’re doing in life. |
I sat in the breakfast corner with my four-year-old son, Matthew, trying to ignore the ache in my stomach. I was still recovering from a surgery. I hoped for strength and happiness. But the future seemed so hopeless.
Matthew jumped up from his spot on the kitchen floor. “Bird!” he shouted, rushing to the sliding door. Sure enough, there was a white dove seated on a rubber tree. It sat there a few moments, and then flew away. I’d never seen one in our neighborhood before.
When I dragged myself to the kitchen the next morning, the dove was back. This time it was with a mate carrying twigs (嫩枝), “Look, Matthew,” I said, pointing to the tree. “They’re going to make a nest.” The doves flew in and out of the courtyard all week, building on the top of the rubber tree. Matthew could hardly contain his excitement. Every morning, he’d run into the kitchen and take his spot by the sliding glass door, talking to the birds while they worked. As much as I was grieving (感到悲伤), I couldn’t help but look forward to the doves’ visits too. We watched their progress as if it were a real-life soap opera unfolding before us. Gradually, my pain disappeared, replaced by joy.
Then it all went wrong. The courtyard was a safe enough spot for a nest, but the rubber tree’s broad, thin leaves were far from stable. One night, a strong wind blew through, throwing the doves’ nest to the ground. I heard the twigs break apart. Nothing good ever lasts. I wouldn’t blame the doves if they never came back. But they returned. And they paid no attention to the pi le of sticks that had once been their nest. They started again from scratch, though the wind destroyed all their hard work. The next day, and the next, they renewed their efforts, as if nothing had happened.
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。
Paragraph 1: I knew I had to do something for the poor creatures.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________Paragraph 2:“The birds were back!” Matthew announced.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________5 . The Battista family of New York City was on vacation in Ocean City, Maryland when their 2-year-old Fisher went lost on July 4, 2020.
The Battistas immediately blanketed the area with missing posters, barraged (炮击) social media, and even got Fisher face-time on a local floating billboard (广告牌).
With no leads, the family decided to remain in the area for an extended stay. They hired a tracker and even consulted with an “animal communicator” in hopes of tapping into Fisher’s whereabouts (行踪) — all to no avail.
The family also set up a find-fisher Facebook page, which quickly gathered 8,000 followers, and launched an online fundraiser to raise awareness and help them in their efforts to bring their beloved fur baby home.
“Signs have been posted, and we’ve extended our stay in Ocean City and arranged to bring in a professional dog tracker, in addition to making continuous searching trips in a car, on foot, and on a bike,” Matthew Battista wrote.
On April 20, 2021, 290 days after Fisher made his unauthorized Independence Day exit, Baltimore City resident Wayne Horn was repairing his motorcycle when he noticed a stray (走失的) dog in the road. When a friend of Horn’s posted picture of the found dog to Facebook, the responses of “That’s Fisher!” came back faster than a boomerang (回旋镖).
Informed of the news, Elissa Battista recognized Fisher immediately. “From the moment I saw the photos I knew it was him from the markings and his little tongue sticking out,” she posted to Facebook.
The reunion was quickly arranged. The Battistas had some local friends pick him up from the Horns, and then Elissa made the five-hour trip to retrieve Fisher and bring him home. Apart from minor signs of possible frostbite (冻伤), Fisher was in excellent shape.
1. What was described in detail in the text?A.Battistas’ regret for losing their loved dog. |
B.Online responses to the Battistas’ request. |
C.Different comments on the touching story. |
D.Efforts made to search for the lost dog. |
A.Online viewers recognized its photos posted online. |
B.One of family members discovered it in the road. |
C.Wayne Horn sent it back shortly after he found it. |
D.A professional dog tracker brought it back soon. |
A.Break down. | B.Take apart. | C.Pay back. | D.Get back. |
A.Chance favors the prepared mind. | B.Loyalty always comes first. |
C.Never giving up pays off. | D.Misfortune may be an actual blessing. |
6 . Scientists don’t have all the answers to the question “How to Strengthen Your Immune System?”, but exercise, proper diet, and stress management can make you more recoverable at any age.
One aspect of the COVID-19 pandemic that has kept us guessing since the early days is why some people who get the virus don’t suffer much and others become desperately ill. All the more, while the elderly have been particularly hard hit, some— even centenarians(百岁老人)— survive, whereas countless younger people, whose immune systems are supposed to be stronger, have succumbed to it. So what factors give some people a stronger immune system than others, regardless of age? What does it mean if, for example, your partner or child gets sick and you don’t, or vice versa?
We know that our immune systems slowly decline as we age. Doctors call it immunosenescence. It’s slow and insidious (在不知不觉之间加剧的). Think of a photo of yourself from ten years ago versus one taken this afternoon. “You see changes in your face, skin, and hair color,” says Insoo Kang, MD, director of allergy and immunology at the Yale School of Medicine. “It takes time. Same process with your immune system.”
The difference in rate of decline between individuals is one of science’s big mysteries. The immune system is complex, but most of us understand the basics: Our bodies detect an intrude— a virus, bacterium, parasite, or foreign object— and produce white blood cells to fight against the problem. How many of these cells you produce when you’re, say, 73 versus when you were 45 is the million-dollar question. And it’s at the heart of the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fortunately, we won’t always be in a pandemic. But we can use this one to gain an understanding of how the immune system changes with age and how we might slow the decline and stay stronger in the future.
1. What is the purpose of the first paragraph?A.To state a fact in life. | B.To solve a problem. |
C.To introduce a topic. | D.To voice an opinion. |
A.Fought against. | B.dealt with. | C.Succeeded in. | D.Died of. |
A.By listing lots of numbers about it. | B.By comparing photos of different ages. |
C.By doing some physical research. | D.By making a comparison questionnaire. |
A.Immune System Declines with Age | B.Immune system and COVID-19 |
C.Slow the decline of Immune System | D.Stay stronger in the future |
7 . When I was a little girl, growing up in Anammosa, lowa, my favorite thing to do was read— same as today. So when I thought about what I wanted to be when I grew up, I figured I’d be a librarian. Our town librarian, Mrs. Tonne, was really important to me becoming me. The library had a two-book limit, but she knew I’d blow through those in just a few days, so she always let me check out a big stack. And when I was in fourth grade, our school librarian, Mrs. Ketelsen, sent some poems I’d written about dinosaurs to Highlights magazine. My first published writing!
At the University of Iowa, majoring in journalism, I quickly learned that I did not want to be a newspaper reporter. I’m shy about interviewing people, which amuses almost everyone who knows me and thinks I’m outgoing. (I am, but only with people I know! ) So I was thrilled when I was selected for a summer internship (实习岗位) at Reader’s Digest.
Ten years after that, I came back to RD to work as an editor. I’ve worked at other magazines too, but I’ve spent most of my career here, reading magazines, newspapers, websites, and books for stories we could condense; writing articles; even choosing jokes.
This issue seems like the perfect one to introduce myself to you all. “The Tractor War” takes me home to the Midwest. “Something to Sneeze At” reminds me of all the sneezing I did when I moved to New York City and was suddenly allergic to grasses and trees. “Pet Besties” makes me think about my cats, brothers Reggie and Smoky, who are sitting together at the windows as I write.
I relate to lots of our stories this month, and I hope you do too. Enjoy!
1. What was the author’s favorite thing to do, when she was young?A.Writing. | B.Reading. | C.Speaking. | D.Studying. |
A.Because she is confident enough. | B.Because she is a private person. |
C.Because she is outgoing to anyone. | D.Because she is always brave. |
A.An introduction to the author. | B.A comment on a current issue. |
C.A news report on a social problem. | D.An experience on Reader’s Digest. |
8 . Although Mark Twain is widely regarded as one of the greatest American writers, the world-renowned author once indicated that he would have preferred to spend his life as a famous Mississippi riverboat pilot. Though the comment was probably not entirely serious, Twain so loved life on the river that as a young man, he did in fact work as a riverboat pilot for several years.
Twain, whose real name is Samuel Langhorne Clemens, felt so closely tied to the Mississippi River that he even took his pen name, Mark Twain, from a river man’s call meaning “two fathoms deep.” When he was eleven, his father died, and he left school to become a printer’s apprentice. He worked as a printer in a number of different cities before deciding at age twenty-one to pursue a career as riverboat pilot.
When the Civil War closed traffic on the Mississippi, Twain went to Nevada. There he worked as a journalist and lecturer, developing the entertaining writing style that made him famous. In 1865, he published “The Notorious Jumping Frog of Calaveras County,” which made Twain became an international celebrity. Following the publication of The Innocents Abroad, a successful book of humorous travel letters, Twain moved to Hartfort, Connecticut, where he was to make his home for the rest of his life. There he began using his past experiences as raw material for his books. He drew on his travels in the western mining region for Roughing It and turned his childhood experiences on the Mississippi into The Adventures of Tom Sawyer, Life on the Mississippi, and The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. The latter title in particular so greatly influenced other writers that Ernest Hemingway praised it with these words.
“All modern American literature comes from one book by Mark Twain called Huckleberry Finn.”
Twain traveled widely throughout his career, and his adventures abroad were fuel for a number of books. After living in Europe for several years, he returned home with his family. Following the death of his wife and three of their four children, Twain’s writing depicted an increasingly pessimistic (悲观) view of society and human nature. His work, however, continued to display the same masterful command of language that had already established him as one of America’s finest fiction writers.
1. Why did Mark Twain prefer to be a riverboat pilot?A.He was paid well. | B.He loved life on the river. |
C.He missed the Mississippi River | D.His father wanted him to do the job. |
①An apprentice ②A printer ③A journalist ④A lecturer ⑤A riverboat pilot
A.①②⑤ | B.②③④ | C.②④⑤ | D.①②③④⑤ |
A.The Adventures of Tom Sawyer. | B.Roughing It. |
C.Adventures of Huckleberry Finn. | D.The Innocents Abroad. |
A.Humorous. | B.Ridiculous. | C.Inspiring. | D.Negative. |
Caleb slipped his hand into mine as we stood on the bottom step of the staircase, watching the road. He was afraid. “Will she be nice?” asked the five-year-old softly, “will she sing, like mama did?” “She will.” I confirmed. But even papa didn’t sing anymore since mama died years ago. “Anna,” Caleb said, his voice low, “if you remember her songs, then I might remember her, too.” My eyes widened and tears came.
Sarah arrived that afternoon, tall and plain, wearing a bright yellow bonnet(软帽). She took Caleb’s hand, then mine, giving us some beautiful seashells. “Now we have some sea here.” she grinned. Then we walked through green grass fields that bloomed with India paint bush, red and orange, to home.
Sarah came from Maine, a faraway place by the sea, while we have vast plains and violent storm here. Sarah’s stew was tasty. She brushed my hair and tied it up with a rose ribbon. We picked flowers, hanging them from the ceiling in little bunches. “I’ve never seen this before,” said Sarah. “What is it called?” “Bride’s(新娘)bonnet,” I told her. Caleb smiled at the name.
The days grew longer. Papa taught Sarah how to ride his horse and drive his wagon(马车). When the housework was done, we sat in the meadow with Sarah, watching papa finish his job. His eyes shone when he smiled at her.
Sarah sang a song we had never heard, it was about the sea, blue and gray and green. “There are always things to miss, no matter where you are.” She smiled a sad smile, and then held us in arms. She promised to teach us how to sing and to paint the sea with real colored pencils.
“Will she leave us or stay and be our new mom?” Caleb secretly asked me, “I could be sick and make her stay.” I shook my head, upset with Caleb’s question, tears gathering at the corners of my eyes. But there was no time to cry, for suddenly papa called out from the barn “Caleb! Anna! Get inside!”
注意:
1. 所续写短文的词数应为 150 左右;
2. 续写部分分为两段, 每段的开头语已为你写好。
Paragraph 1:
Looking up, we saw a huge cloud, horribly black, moving towards us over the north fields. “A storm!”
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Paragraph 2:
The next morning, we awoke to find Dad and Sarah out, thus feeling a bit worried.
___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
10 . When I talk to kids about writing, I often compare it to the roller coaster (过山车) to remind them to mix laughs with tears in writing, because nobody wants to ride a roller coaster that’s a long, never-ending and terrifying one. Even Shakespeare, in his darkest tragedies, opens each act with a funny scene before the bad things come out. We need amusing relief in literature, a break in the tension (紧张).
I have always tried to write stories for kids that mix the heart-racing thrill of a mystery with a few jokes. Maybe this is because, when I was in the fifth and sixth grades, the fun magazine was my favorite reading material. When I first moved to New York City, I performed with one of the city’s top comedy (喜剧) groups. Comedy, I have discovered, is a great teaching tool. It is also a wonderful defense against fear.
One of my favorite e-mails I’ve ever received was sent to me in 2009 by a young reader who loved my stories. Here’s what he wrote:
Dear Mr. Grabenstein,
I just wanted to let you know that I really, absolutely love your books. I’m in 6th grade and recently finished The Hanging Hill after reading The Crossroads. Your stories mix action, humor and horror together in a perfect combination.
Thanks so much!
Will R
Comedy is a writer’s tool for releasing tension and it also simply makes books more fun to read. I used humor in my middle grade novel The Island of Dr. Libris to make classic literature feel more accessible to young readers. I also think it’s why so many reluctant readers — including kids who haven’t read a book in years — have been crazy about Escape from Mr. Lemoncello’s Library and Mr. Lemoncello’s Library Olympics. Learning the Dewey DecimaI System in maths class can be fun if it is presented in a funny way because when we’re laughing, we never think we’re working too hard.
1. Where is the text probably from?A.A literature textbook. | B.An autobiography. |
C.A writing guideline. | D.A writing outline |
A.To prove a theory. | B.To explain a concept. |
C.To support his opinion. | D.To introduce the topic. |
A.Boring. | B.Effective. | C.Useful. | D.Simple. |
A.Drama suit, a decoration for writing | B.Imagination, the soul of writing |
C.Magazine, a guide for writing | D.Fun, the basis in writing |