1 . Jessica Reindahl had big dreams growing up as an only child in a military family-she wanted to fly, serve her country and, finally, help people.
“I wanted to fly because I just loved the excitement to get off-deck and in the air,” Reindahl says. “I wanted to serve my country because I wanted to be a part of something bigger than all of us.”
Reindahl’s first two dreams came true during a nine-year service in the U.S. Navy. Reindahl worked as a flight engineer on naval aircraft since 2007. “I kept the plane ready to fly both on the ground and in the air,” Reindahl says.
While in the Middle East, Reindahl met a nurse who flew in the Navy. “I saw how devoted and present they were with the care of their patients and it completely inspired me,” Reindahl says. “From that day, I knew I wanted to be a nurse.”
When she left active duty in 2016, Reindahl applied to UW-Eau Claire for a nursing degree. And her final goal will be achieved this month when she graduates.
“I want to give back,” Reindahl says. “I love learning about science, and if that can save a life, or make the world better, then I want to help.”
Dr. Megan Lagunas, assistant professor of the College of Nursing and Health Sciences, regards Reindahl as someone who will be an asset to the nursing profession.“Jessica’s different background” allows her to bring her own perspective (视角) to nursing school which positively challenges everyone in those learning environments to think beyond their own viewpoint,” Lagunas says. “The nursing profession is lucky to have her.”
1. Why did Jessica Reindahl want to fly?| A．Because she liked the feeling of flying. | B．Because she wanted to serve her country. |
| C．Because she decided to follow her father. | D．Because she meant to give back to others. |
| A．Her different background. | B．Her experience with a nurse. |
| C．Her devotion to her country. | D．Her professor’s encouragement. |
| A．A lucky person. | B．A learned person. | C．A valuable person. | D．A powerful person. |
| A．Like father, like son. | B．Roses given, fragrance in hand. |
| C．God helps those who help themselves. | D．Nothing is impossible for a willing heart. |
2 . If you are hungry, what will you do? Grab a piece of your favorite meal and stay quiet after that? Just like stomach, even your mind will be hungry. But it never lets you know, because you keep it busy thinking about your dream lover, favorite star and many such absurd things. So it silently begins to hide your needs and never lets itself grow. When mind loses its freedom to grow, creativity gets its full stop. This might be the reason why we all sometimes think “What happens next？”， “Why can't I think？”， “Why am I always given the difficult problems？” Well, this is the aftereffect of using our brain for thinking of notsoworthy things.
Hunger of the mind can be actually satisfied through extensive reading. But why is it reading but not watching TV? Because reading has been the most educational tool used by us right from the childhood. Just like that to develop other aspects of our life, we have to turn to reading for help. You have a number of books in the world which will answer all your “howto” questions. Once you read a book, you just don't run your eyes through the lines, but your mind decodes (译解) it and explains it to you. The interesting part of the book is stored in your mind as a seed. Now this seed is unknowingly used by you in your future to develop new ideas. The same seed, if used many times, can help you link and relate a lot of things, which you would never think of in your wildest dreams！This is nothing but creativity. The more books you read, the wider your mind will become. Also this improves your oratorical (speechmaking) skills to a large extent and also makes a significant contribution to your vocabulary. When you start speaking English or any other language fluently with your friends or other people, you never seem to run out of the right words at the right time.
Actually, I had a problem in speaking English fluently，but as I read, I could improve significantly. So guys, do join me and give food for your thoughts by reading, reading and more reading. Now what are you waiting for? Go, grab a book and let me know!
1. What's the best title of the passage?| A．Hunger of the mind |
| B．Stomach and Mind |
| C．Feed your Mind by reading |
| D．Reading or Watching TV |
| A．you are not hungry |
| B．you keep it thinking of silly things |
| C．your creativity gets a full stop |
| D．you always meet with difficult problems |
| A．Reading can make your dream come true. |
| B．Reading can contribute to your vocabulary. |
| C．Reading can improve your spoken ability. |
| D．Reading can make people creative. |
| A．comment and blame | B．introduce and describe |
| C．explain and persuade | D．advise and inform |
I needed to run away and the Bloomsburg Fair was the best place to go.
I don’t know if you can call it running away wince it was only and hour away from my home. But once I entered the fair grounds, I crossed over into another world. The loudspeaker offered background music over the sounds of people of people talking, bargaining and food sellers yelling for your attention.
I belonged here. I didn’t know if I had it in my blood or not, but I always wanted to have a small food stand and travel in my off season from fair to fair selling goodies. Perhaps one day. It certainly wasn’t a priority(优先考虑的事)in my life , Perhaps it should be.
After I was there a while, I needed to get away to a quiet spot. Most of the time, I could find that anywhere the farm animals were kept. They needed the quiet. So I went there to find peace with the cows, goats, horses, pigs and yes, the turkeys. You'd think being this close to "Thanksgiving", they'd be a little scared, but they were not.
It was in the dairy barn（仓库）where I found peace this time. I so admired the young folks who tended to farm animals. I thought they had a greater appreciation for life. They participated in it firsthand. I once watched a young fanner help bring a baby cow into the world.
My favorite scene was to come across a young cowboy lying in the hay asleep among the cows that had settled down for a rest. There, with his heads in a small soft spot alongside his favorite cow, I had seen him in a much deserved sleep. Perhaps better at rest there than in his own bed.
I had the pleasure of speaking with a young teenage farm girl that day.
"You look so comfortable," I said to her.
"Oh I am," she said. "Life makes it comfortable for me."
"You mean being a farm girl?"
"No, Life! That's the name of my cow," she said, smiling as she gently patted the cow's side.
"I thought they called cows Betsy and Elsie. Why did you call her Life?"
“I discovered life again here. It was the only meaningful name that came to mind. I had been raised in the big city and really hated it. Then we moved to the country, running away from Lt all. I think my parents called it a mid-life crisis," she said, laughing.
"Oh, I can understand that. I've been in one since birth," I said.
"It was on the farm that I learned to love life again. I was there when Life was born. It was so exciting. My whole outlook on the world changed. So I named her Life. Now, I can say I really love 'Life'," she said.
"How amazing! I write stories and I am always trying to get people to enjoy life, to wake up each day expecting the best from it. But they all too often go to bed with so much bad stuff in their soul, and on their mind, that they wake up feeling bad and expect it to only get worse from there. All too often it does, just because that's all they choose to see in that otherwise perfectly beautiful day," I told her.
"That's too bad. They need to see a cow born, a chicken hatch. I guess they need to wake up early and hug Life!" she said, laughing.
"When was the last time you hugged Life?" she asked me.
"I am sorry to say even I have had trouble doing that lately," I said.
"Come here!" she said.
Then standing up and stepping aside, she said, "Go ahead…hug Life!"
I paused for a moment and dropping all thoughts of looking silly, I did. I hugged a cow.
1. The writer went to the Bloomsburg Fair probably in order to .
| A．have fun | B．get ideas for writing |
| C．do shopping | D．escape something he disliked |
| A．food sellers' shouting |
| B．the writer's selling goodies |
| C．people's bargaining and talking |
| D．the loudspeaker's broadcasting music |
| A．The writer tended to farm animals firsthand. |
| B．The cowboy was lazy and fell asleep among the cows. |
| C．The writer found peace where farm animals were kept. |
| D．The turkeys got into panic with "Thanksgiving" approaching |
| A．the city | B．the country | C．the barn | D．the fair |
| A．expected to get the best things |
| B．enjoyed perfectly beautiful days |
| C．ignored the bright side of each day |
| D．felt really bad due to poor sleep at night |
| A．Farm Life and Happiness | B．Hugging Life |
| C．A Farm Girl and Her Cow | D．Enjoying Freedom |
A friend is moving house this weekend and would like some help, and you agree. But, what you really wanted was a couple of quiet days relaxing at home. Or a roommate spends the entire weekends playing video games and wants to borrow your homework for “reference”. But, you’ve just finished it after taking a whole day to work hard.
Many people say “yes” to these kinds of requests. They tend not to consider their own interests and feelings, and are often angry with themselves afterwards.
Saying “no” requires courage and considerable practice, in fact, according to psychologists.
“Everyone wants to be liked,” says Gabriele Steinki, a German psychologist. “Saying ‘no’ risks losing the affection of the person asking the favor or even a job.”
The result is that many people say “yes” just for keeping the peace. But experts say this is regrettable. Anyone should have the right to say “no”.
In fact, rejecting a request can even help to strengthen a relationship because it expresses a true feeling.
But, for people used to agreeing to every request, changing can be a long and uncomfortable learning process.
Most people believe that “If I say ‘no’, I'll lose the affection of the person. But the affection is important to me.” This way of thinking can be replaced by this: “If he only likes me because I always do what suits him , then the price of his affection is too high in the long term.”
Steinki says the key is talking to the other person to find a mutual (相互的) solution. “One heeds to present the situation from one’s own point of view, and to suggest how the situation can be dealt with to the advantage of both parties. The other person must have the feeling that his interests are being considered.”
When the refusal is not accepted, Steinki advises giving the reasons calmly again until the person gets the message.
1. Most people say “yes” much more readily than “no” because ________.
| A．they don’t care about their own interests and feelings |
| B．they don’t know they will regret afterwards |
| C．they have already been used to saying “yes” |
| D．they care more about others’ affection |
| A．people need a lot of practice to say “no” |
| B．people should say “yes” to keep the peace |
| C．saying “no” means losing a job |
| D．people have the right to be liked |
| A．Just say you can’t help him. |
| B．Say sorry to him. |
| C．Refuse him clearly. |
| D．Talk to the other person to find a mutual way. |
| A．Say yes to him. |
| B．Repeat your reason for his acceptance |
| C．Just go away |
| D．Say no to him |
| A．You Need Courage To Say “No” |
| B．“Yes” More Than “No”C Anyone Has The Right To Say “No” |
| C．It’s Hard To Say “No” |
5 . It’s not easy being a teenager– nor is it easy being the parent of a teenager. You can make your child feel angry, hurt, or misunderstood by what you say without realizing it yourself. It is important to give your child the space he needs to grow while gently letting him know that you’ll still be there for him when he needs you.
Expect a lot from your child, just not everything. Except for health and safety problems, such as drug use or careless driving, consider everything else open to discussion to help them grow up more independently. If your child is unwilling to discuss something, don’t insist he tell you what’s on his mind. The more you insist, the more likely that he’ll clam up. Instead, let him attempt to solve things by himself. At the same time, remind him that you’re always there for him should he seek advice or help. Show respect for your teenager’s privacy (隐私). Never read his mail or listen in on personal conversations.
Teach your teenager that the family phone is for the whole family, which can make them more mature. If your child talks on the family’s telephone for too long, tell him he can talk for 15 minutes, but then he must stay off the phone for at least an equal period of time. This not only frees up the line so that other family members can make and receive calls, but teaches your teenager moderation (节制). Or if you are open to the idea, allow your teenager his own phone that he pays for with his own pocket money or a part-time job.
1. The main purpose of the text is to tell parents ______.| A．how to get along with a teenager | B．how to respect a teenager |
| C．how to understand a teenager | D．how to help a teenager grow up |
| A．become excited | B．show respect |
| C．refuse to talk | D．seek help |
| A．to use the phone in a proper way | B．to pay for his own telephone |
| C．to share the phone with friends | D．to answer the phone quickly |
| A．Not allow him to learn driving or take drugs. |
| B．Give him advice only when necessary. |
| C．Let him have his own telephone. |
| D．Not talk about personal things with him. |
That brings about Theodore Zeldin’s “feast of conversation”－events where individuals pair with persons they don’t know for three hours of guided talk designed to forget the past “Where are you from?”
Mr. Zeldin, an Oxford University professor, heads Oxford Muse, a 10-year-old foundation based on the idea that what people need is not more information, but more inspiration and encouragement.
The “feast” in London looks not at politics or events, but at how people have felt about work, relations among the sexes, hopes and fears, enemies and authority, the shape of their lives. The “menu of conversation” includes topics like “How have your priorities changed over the years?” Or, “What have you rebelled against the past?”
As participants gathered, Zeldin opened with a speech: that despite instant communications in a globalized age, issues of human heart remain. Many people are lonely, or in routines that discourage knowing the depth of one another. “We are trapped in shallow conversations and the whole point now is to think, which is sometimes painful,” he says. “But thinking interaction is what separates us from other species, except maybe dogs…who do have generations of human interactions.”
The main rules of the “feast”: Don’t pair with someone you know or ask questions you would not answer. The only awkward moment came when the multi-racial crowd of young adults to seniors, in sun hats, ties and dresses, looked to see whom with for hours. But 15 minutes later, everyone was seated and talking, continuing full force until organizers interrupted them 180 minutes later.
“It’s encouraging to see the world is not just a place of oppression and distance from each other,” Zeldin summed up. “What we did is not ordinary, but it can’t be madder than the world already is.”
Some said they felt “liberated” to talk on sensitive topics. Thirty-something Peter, from East London, said that “it might take weeks or months to get to the level of interaction we suddenly opened up.”
1. What can the “conversations” be best described as?
| A．Deep and one-on-one. | B．Sensitive and mad. |
| C．Instant and inspiring. | D．Ordinary and encouraging. |
| A．pair freely with anyone they like |
| B．have a guided talk for a set of period of time |
| C．ask questions they themselves would not answer |
| D．wear clothes reflecting multi-racial features. |
| A．an attempt to promote thinking interaction |
| B．one of the maddest activities ever conducted |
| C．a try to liberate people from old-fashioned ideas |
| D．an effort to give people a chance of talking freely |
Self-image is your own mind’s picture of yourself. This image includes the way you look, the way you act, the way you talk and the way you think. Interestingly, our self-images are often quite different from the images others hold about us. Unfortunately, most of these images are more negative than they should be. Thus changing the way you think about yourself is the key to changing your self-image and your whole world.
The best way to defeat a passive self-image is to step back and decide to stress your successes. That is, make a list of you need to, but write down all of the great things you do every day. Don’t allow doubts to occur in it.
It very well might be that you are experiencing a negative self-image because you can’t move past one flaw or weakness that you see about yourself. Well, roll up your sleeves and make a change of it as your primary task. If you think you’re silly because you aren’t good at math, find a tutor. If you think you’re weak because you can’t run a mile, get to the track and practice. If you think you’re dull because you think it doesn’t mean it’s true.
The best way to get rid of a negative self-image is to realize that your image is far from objective, and to actively convince yourself of your positive qualities. Changing the way you think and working on those you need to improve will go a long way towards promoting a positive self-image. When you can pat（拍）yourself on the back, you’ll know you’re well on your way. Good luck!
1. You need to build a positive self-image when you .
| A．dare to challenge yourself | B．feel it hard to change yourself |
| C．are unconfident about yourself | D．have a high opinion of yourself |
| A．To keep a different image of others. | B．To accept your weaknesses. |
| C．To understand your own world. | D．To change the way you think. |
| A．How to prepare for your success. | B．How to face challenges in your life. |
| C．How to build a positive self-image. | D．How to develop your good qualities. |
8 . Every night for a year, Neil Simons quietly went out of his house. He wanted to “talk” to an owl (猫头鹰)settling for the night at the end of his garden. He made owl cries like a real wild owl and was happy to hear the bird “hooting (大声叫嚣)” back to him.
Last year Fred Cornes moved in next door. He heard an owl hooting and answered back. For 12 months the neighbors got into the back gardens of their homes, thinking they were talking with nature. Mr. Simmons kept a diary of all his talks with his bird friend. They would both be out again tonight if it wasn’t for a chance talk between their wives.
Mr. Simmons said. “My wife Kim was telling Fred’s wife Wendy about my owl watching and described how I got the birds to boot back. She said, ‘That’s funny — that’s just what Fred has been doing.’ Then the penny dropped, I felt such a fool when I found out. The trouble is that owl calls aren’t exactly the same and it’s easy to make a mistake.”
Mr. Cornes said, “I’m really flattered (过奖). I didn’t know I sounded so real. I love nature and I couldn’t resist hooting at the owls. I was very excited when they hooted back. I’m sorry that I was fooling my neighbor who was fooling me.”
1. After the talk between the wives, the two men would probably _________ .| A．stop observing owls | B．not stay up hooting again |
| C．not enter the back garden again | D．make no mistakes about wild owl cries |
| A．I understood | B．everybody knew about it |
| C．I heard the noise | D．no money was paid |
| A．all his efforts seemed to be meaningless | B．his wife let out his secret by chance |
| C．garden owls hooted so differently | D．Fred had been doing the same |
| A．Nail seldom heard natural owl calls | B．the owl never hooted back to Neil |
| C．Fred was always good at pleasing owls | D．owl watching is no longer interesting to Fred |
The risk of having a heart attack on any given day should be one in seven, but a six-year study helped by researchers at the Free University of Berlin of more than 2,600 Germans showed that the average person had a 20 per cent higher chance of having a heart attack on a Monday than on any other day.
Working Germans are particularly not protected against attack, with a 33 per cent higher risk at the beginning of the working week. Non-workers, by comparison, appear to be no more at risk on a Monday than any other day.
A study of 11,000 Italians proved 8 am on a Monday morning as the most stressful time for the heart, and both studies showed that Sunday is the least stressful day, with fewer heart attacks in both countries.
The findings could lead to a better understanding of what is the immediate cause of heart attacks, according to Dr Stefan Willich of the Free University. “We know a lot about long-term risk factors such as smoking and cholesterol（胆固醇）but we don’t know what actually causes heart attacks, so we can’t give clear advice on how to prevent them,” he said.
Monday mornings have a double helping of stress for the working body as it makes a rapid change from sleep to activity, and from the relaxing weekend to the pressures of work.
“When people get up, their blood pressure and heart rate go up and there are hormonal（内分泌）changes in their bodies,” Willich explained. “All these things can have an unfavourable effect in the blood system and increase the risk of a clot（血凝块）in the arteries（动脉）which will cause a heart attack.”
“When people return to work after a weekend off, the pace of their life changes. They have a higher workload, more stress, more anger and more physical activity,” said Willich.
1. Monday morning feeling, as this passage shows, .
| A．is not so serious as people thought |
| B．is harmful to working people in developed countries. |
| C．is the first killer in Germany and Italy. |
| D．is created by researchers in Germany and Italy |
| A．people’s working time |
| B．people’s living place |
| C．people’s diet and lifestyle |
| D．people’s nationalities |
| A．blood pressure | B．heart rate |
| C．hormonal changes | D．blood group |
| A．Stop working on Monday |
| B．Create a pleasant working environment |
| C．Get up late on Monday morning |
| D．Go to work with a doctor |
