前不久，学生会向高三学生发出倡议：十八岁生日时，请你为父母做一件事。同学们积极响应，纷纷表达自己的想法。请根据以上信息，以“Something Special for Parents”为题用英语写一篇短文。内容包括：
1. 描述以上有关学生会倡议的信息和同学们的反应；
2. 作为一名高三的学生，你的做法及理由是什么。
注意：1. 词数：120左右；
2. 可适当增加细节， 以使内容充实、行文连贯；
3. 短文的标题及开头已给出，不计入总词数。
Something Special for Parents
Not long ago,Student Union in our school advocated that_______________
阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在表格中的空白处填入恰当的单词。
注意：每个空格只填一个单词。
There are two basic ways to see growth: one as a product；the other as a process. People have generally viewed personal growth as an external（外在的）result or a product that can easily be identified and measured. The worker who gets a promotion，the student whose grades improve，the foreigner who learns a new language—these are examples of people who have measurable results to show for their efforts.
By contrast（对照），the process of personal growth is much more difficult to determine，since by definition it is a journey and not the specific signposts or landmarks along the way.The process is not the road itself，but the attitudes，feelings people have，and their caution or courage，as they meet with new experiences and unexpected difficulties.In this process，the journey never really ends;there are always new ways to experience the world，new ideas to try，new challenges to accept.
In order to grow，to travel new roads，people need to have a willingness to take risks，to face the unknown，and to accept the possibility that they may “fail” at first. How we see ourselves as we try a new way of being is necessary for our ability to grow. Do we see ourselves as quick and curious？If so，then we tend to take more chances and to be more open to unfamiliar experiences. Do we think we're shy and indecisive？Then our sense of fear can cause us to hesitate，to move slowly，and not to take a step until we know the ground is safe. Do we think we are slow to adapt to change or that we're not smart enough to deal with a new challenge？Then we are likely to take a more passive role or not try at all.
These feelings of insecurity and self-doubt are both unavoidable and necessary if we are to change and grow. If we protect ourselves too much，then we stop growing. We become trapped inside a shell of our own making.
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Two basic ways to see growth |
1. |
Examples |
|
Product |
Easily identified and measured |
●The worker 2. a promotion ●The students making 3. in grades ●The foreigner learning a new language |
|
Process |
●4. to determine ● Never really ends |
●People's attitudes，feelings and their caution or courage，as they are 5. with new experiences and difficulties beyond 6. . ●Being 7. to take risks，to face the unknown，and to accept possible 8. |
|
9. |
●Too much self 10. can prevent us from growing. |
I had the meanest mother in the world. While other kids ate candy for breakfast, I had to have cereal (谷类食物), eggs or toast. While others had Cokes and candy for lunch, I had to eat a sandwich. As you can guess, my supper was different from other kids' too. But at least I wasn't alone in my sufferings. My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did.
My mother insisted upon knowing where we were at all times. She had to know who our friends were and where we were going. She insisted if we said we'd be gone an hour, then we be gone one hour or less—not one hour and one minute. And she always insisted upon us telling the truth. Now you can see how mean she was.
The worst is yet to come. We had to be in bed by nine each night and up at eight the next morning. We had to wash dishes, make beds, and learn to cook. We had to wear clean clothes and take a bath, while the other kids always wore their clothes for days. I believe she laid awake at night thinking up mean things to do to us.
Through the years, things didn't improve a bit. We could not lie in bed, “sick” like our friends did, and miss school. Our marks in school had to be up to par(达到正常水平). Our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing. My mother, being as different as she was, would settle for nothing less than ugly black marks.
As the years rolled by, we were one by one put to shame. We were graduated from high school. With our mother behind us, talking, hitting and demanding respect, none of us was allowed the pleasure of being a dropout.
My mother was a complete failure as a mother. Out of four children, a couple of us attained some higher education. And whom do we have to blame for the terrible way we turned out? You're right, our mean mother. She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults.
Now I am trying to raise my three children. I am filled with pride when my children think I am mean because, you see, I had the meanest mother in the world.
1.What does the sentence “But at least I wasn't alone in my sufferings.” mean?
A．The author's mother was only mean to her.
B．The author's mother suffered her.
C．The author's mother was mean to her sister, brothers and her.
D．The author wasn't alone because of suffering.
2.Why was the author's mother mean to her children?
A．Because she wanted her children to be top students in school.
B．Because she wanted her children to bring home colored report cards like her friends did.
C．Because she wanted her children to drop out.
D．Because she wanted her children to do their best at school and be educated and respected citizens.
3.Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A．Some of the children weren't able to go to college because of their mean mother.
B．Mother didn't let the author tell lies.
C．Mother asked the author to wear clean clothes.
D．The author could not miss school even if she was ill.
4.The passage was written in a way of _______ tone?
A．humorous B．hateful C．ridiculous D．critical
CORVALIJS. Ore.-- Engineers at Oregon Suite University have made a breakthrough in the performance of microbial (微生物的)fuel cells that can produce electricity directly from wastewater，opening the door to a future in which waste treatment plants not only will power themselves, but will sell extra electricity.
The new technology ,developed at OSU, can now produce 10 to 50 more times the electricity, per volume, than most oilier approaches using microbial fuel cells,and 100 times more electricity than some.
Researchers say this could eventually change the way that wastewater is treated all over the world, replacing the widely used “activated sludge (泥浆) ” process that has been in use for almost a century. The new approach would produce significant amounts of electricity while effectively cleaning the wastewater,
“If this technology works on a commercial scale the way we believe it will ,the treatment of wastewater could be a huge energy producer, not a huge energy cost.” said Hong Liu ，an associate professor in the OSU Department of Biological and Ecological Engineering. “This could have an impact around the world, save a great deal of money, provide better water treatment and promote energy sustainability.”
The biodegradable (能降解的）characteristics of wastewater, if developed to their full potential, could theoretically provide many times the energy that is now being used to process them, with no additional greenhouse emissions.
OSU researchers reported several years ago on the promise of this technology, but at that time the systems in use produced far less electrical power. With new concepts, the technology can now produce more than two kilowatts per cubic meter of liquid reactor volume.
The new system also works better than an alternative approach to creating electricity from wastewater, based on anacrobic (臭氧的）digestion that produces methane (甲烷）.It treats the wastewater more effectively, and doesn’t have any of the environmental drawbacks of that technology, such as production of possible release of methane, a significant greenhouse gas.
1.Which of the following best expresses the main idea of the passage?
A．The treatment of wastewater is a huge energy cost.
B．Wastewater is being treated differently over the world.
C．Waste treatment plants have found a new way to power themselves.
D．Microbial fuel cells will produce more electricity from wastewater.
2.What can we learn about the new technology from the passage?
A．It can produce 100 times more electricity than any approach used today.
B．Through it more electricity can be created and water can be cleaned better.
C．It has already changed the way that wastewater is treated all over the world
D．It has opened the door to put microbial fuel cells to productive use.
3.What attitude does Professor Liu hold towards the new technology?
A. Supportive. B. Critical. C Unconcerned. D. Curious.
4.According to the last paragraph, why does the new system work better than the alternative approach?
A．Because it is co-friendly and treats wastewater more effectively.
B．Because it can make full use of anaerobic digestion producing methane.
C．Because it may produce less methane than the alternative approach.
D．Because it can produce 10 times the energy than the alternative approach.
Although man has known asbestos （石棉） for many hundreds of years, it was not until 160 years ago that it was mined for the first time on the North American continent. H.W.Johns, owner of a New York City Supply Shop for roofers, was responsible for the opening of that first mine．
Mr.Johns was given a piece of asbestos which had been found in Italy． He experimented with the material and then showed its surprising powers to his customers. After putting on a pair of asbestos gloves, which looked much like ordinary work gloves, he took red-hot coals from the fireplace and played with them in his hands.How astonished the customers were to discover that he was not burned at all．You can well imagine that he had increasing business in asbestos roofing materials． However, because it was very expensive to transport them from Italy to the United States, Mr.Johns sent out a young scientist to seek a source nearer home. This young man found great vein（岩脉）, in the province of Quebec in Canada．
Ever since 1881 Quebec has led the world in the production of this unusual mineral, which is made up of magnesium, silicon, iron, and oxygen．When it is mined, the asbestos is heavy, just as you would expect a mineral to be．When it is separated, a strange thing happens: the rock breaks down into fine, soft, soapy fibres．
Scientists do not know why the rock can be separated easily into threads, but they have found thousands of uses of this fireproof material, of the so-called “cloth of stone”．
1.Which title best expresses the main idea of this passage?
A．Asbestos mined in Canada B．Fireproof matter
C．A “wonder” mineral D．A new roofing material
2.Johns proved his ability as a salesman by_______．
A．going into roofing business B．carrying asbestos from Italy
C．sending a trained scientist D．showing the use of asbestos gloves
3.Which is the most important characteristic of asbestos that the author wants to show us?
A．It is like thread． B．It feels soapy．
C．It burns easily． D．It is unusually heavy．
4.The author’s main purpose in writing this passage was to _______．
A．show the need for more scientists
B．compare asbestos with other minerals
C．increase the sales of asbestos
D．present facts about asbestos
Nuclearpowered aircraft carriers are considered one of the most important marine weapons in the 20th century. So far, only two countries in the world, the USA and France, have ever produced them. But these fearful fighting machines are about to enter Asia.
The US Navy said last month that one of its nine nuclearpowered aircraft carriers will be sent to Japan to replace the diesel(柴油)powered carrier Kitty Hawk in 2008. In an agreement on October 30, the two countries also planned to level up their military (军事的) cooperation and the USA called for Japan to take a larger role in military alliance (同盟) moves.
It will be the first time that a nuclearpowered carrier is based in Japan. Bombed by US forces in World War Ⅱ at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, Japan is the only world country to have been attacked by a nuclear weapon. Therefore, the citizens are highly sensitive to where nuclearpowered weapons are based.
“A radiation leak at Yokosuka would kill 100,000 people as far away as Tokyo, and could cause billions of dollars in damage，” said Masahiko Goto, leader of a protest group in Yokosuka. His group has collected more than 300,000 signatures of people across Japan opposed to the nuclear carrier.
The 44yearold Kitty Hawk, the US Navy's oldest active ship, has been based in Yokosuka since 1998. It had returned to the US to be decommissioned(使退役) in 2008. The new carrier, yet to be unveiled, will travel faster, be capable of supporting longer operations and carry with it the Navy's most modern technology.
Experts pointed that this change is not only to strengthen the USJapan military alliance but also to keep the military power of China and North Korea within limits. However, even Japanese experts don't believe that the two countries are threats to the region.
“There is no need for Japan to have a nuclear carrier as defense，” said Tetsuo Maeda, an international relations professor at Tokyo International University. He said that the change of ship indicates an increased military capability in the region, much more than what is needed.
1.With such a fearful weapon to enter its country, Japanese citizens ________.
A．are aware of its benefits to the country
B．are anxious about its potential danger
C．are curious about the advanced technology
D．are against where the carrier will be based
2.The replacement of the aircraft carrier is intended to________.
A．set up a kind of base in Japan
B．strengthen the USJapan military alliance
C．show Japan's greater military capability
D．get rid of the dated marine weapon
3.From the story, we learn that________.
A．no other countries except the USA and France possess aircraft carriers
B．Japan has long planned to increase its military capability with new weapons
C．Japan will be the first country in Asia to have a nuclear aircraft carrier
D．Japan will be the third country to produce a nuclearpowered aircraft carrier
4.The underlined word “unveiled” in the fifth paragraph probably means________.
A．perfected B．discussed about
C．produced D．brought to view
