When I walked into McCarley’s Bookstore in Ashland, Ore, I began to scan titles on the shelves. The man behind the counter, Mac McCarley, asked if I’d like . I said yes because I needed to for college.
I worked after school and during summers, and the job helped pay for my freshman year of college. I would work many other jobs: I made coffee in the Students’ Union college and even made maps for the US Forest Service. But selling books was one of the most
One day a woman asked me for on cancer. She seemed fearful. I showed her everything we had in and found other books we could . She left the store , and I’ve always remembered the I felt in having helped her.
Years later, as a in Los Angeles, I heard about an immigrant （移民）child who was born with his thumb attached, weblike, to the rest of his hands. His family couldn’t a corrective operation, and the boy lived in , hiding his hand in his pocket. I
my boss to let me do the . After my story was broadcast, a doctor and a nurse called, to perform the operation for free.
I visited the boy in the recovery room after the operation. The first thing he did was hold up his hand and said , “Thank you.” I felt a sense of reward.
At McCarley’s Bookstore I always sensed I was working for the , not the store. Today it’s . NBC News pays my salary, but I feel as if I work for the , through my “Today” show, helping them make of the world.
1. A. a bookB. the placeC. a jobD. the boss
2.A.gain experienceB. start savingC. get a degreeD. get grades
3.A. duringB. afterC. beforeD. behind
4.A. boringB. tiringC. satisfyingD. important
5.A. adviceB. medicineC. helpD. books
6.A . stockB. mindC. shelvesD. counter
7. A. borrowB. publishC. introduceD. order
8.A.much happierB. less anxiousC. less disappointedD. more confident
9.A. prideB. interestC. anxietyD. difficulty
10.A. doctorB. booksellerC. TV reporterD. writer
11. A. affordB. doC. supportD. pay
12.A. dangerB. troubleC. shameD. need
13. A. suggestedB. requiredC. expectedD. persuaded
14. A. storyB operationC. thingD. favor
15. A. promisingB. offeringC. providingD. refusing
16. A. brokenB. damagedC. repairedD. injured
17. A. bossB. customersC. futureD. college
18.A. differentB. trueC. the sameD. new
19.A. childrenB. viewersC. patientsD. strangers
20.A. useB. funC. changeD. sense
Some kids love handwriting, but others hate when it’s time to put their pen to paper. Maybe they are worried about their handwriting. Are you one of them? 1. Here are five steps that really work!
Get a great grasp
Try this — hold your pencil at the top and try to write your name. Pretty hard? But when you hold your pencil the correct way, writing is much easier. 2. Hold it in place with your thumb, and your index (食指) and middle fingers.
Let the lines be your guide
Lined paper is your friend! Those lines can help you create letters that are the right size and proportion (均衡). 3. Also be sure to fill up the lined space completely. Those capital letters should be from the bottom line to the top one.
Slow down
If your writing is hard to read, try slowing down a little. If you rush, it’s hard to control where you stop and start your letters.
Lower the pressure
4. That makes it harder to make the smooth lines. Try easing up and don’t hold the pencil too tightly.
5.
Lots of games require you to write or draw pictures. So even though it’s not schoolwork, you’re still using the skills you need to control your pen better.
A. Play games
B. Ask for more advice
C. So “a” should be half the height of a capital “A”.
D. You’ve been writing since you were a little kid.
E. Some kids press down really hard when they write.
F. The good news is that just about everyone can improve their handwriting.
G. The best way to hold a pen or pencil is to let it rest next to the base of your thumb.
Worried about how many calories you will get in that piece of pizza, chocolate cake or bag of chips? A new iPhone application (应用程序) MealSnap may help. Users just need to take a picture of the meal with the phone, and it will give a calorie read-out almost immediately.
MealSnap was developed by DailyBurn, a health social network that focuses on helping its users lead healthier lifestyles. It has created several other health and diet-related iPhone applications. The application gives users a quick reply. To do that, it matches the taken picture to a databank (数据库) with the calorie information of nearly 500,000 kinds of food. Users then get the range of calories for the meal that is photographed.
We started with something simple—an apple. A couple of minutes later, the application replied that it was an apple and between 64 and 96 calories. More impressive was the reply we received after sending a photo of a mixed salad bowl. MealSnap replied that the bowl contained “yellow rice with corn, boiled eggs and beans” and that the food was between 532 and 789 calories.
Mr. Smith, director of DailyBurn, said that usual calorie counting needed a long time, but that the application made it easier to know the calories in food. That is why it is so popular among those who are trying hard to lose weight.
In addition, MealSnap can act as a food diary. No need to write down what they’ve eaten, the photoes will be stored. The users can keep a visual log (视觉的记录). Mr. Smith said, “it’s like a food journey, but easier. All you do is to take the picture. The simple act of recording something can cause a psychological (心理的) change that can help people on their health journey. Knowing the calorie range makes me think more about what I’m eating.”
1. The purpose of DailyBurn is to________.
A. help people find ways to lose weight B. make iPhone more popular
C. persuade people to buy iPhone products D. help people have a healthy life
2. What can be learned from the third paragraph?
A. MealSnap is only useful for simple things.
B. The result of MealSnap isn’t always right.
C. MealSnap can also tell what the food is.
D. MealSnap needs a long time to show the calorie range.
3. Which of the following statements about MealSnap is TRUE?
A. It has been put into the market.
B. People will have a physical change by using it.
C. It’s popular because it was developed by DailyBurn.
D. People have to link iPhone with the Internet to use it.
The fourth-graders at Chicago’s McCormick Primary School are unaware of the difficulty in learning Chinese. For most, who speak Spanish at home, it’s becoming their third language. They’ve been learning and using Chinese words since kindergarten, and it’s now second nature to give a hearty “ni hao” when strangers enter the classroom.
The classroom scene at McCormick is unusual, but it may soon be a common fixture(固定物) in American schools, where Chinese is rapidly becoming the hot new language. Government officials have long wanted more focus on security—useful languages like Chinese, and pressure from them—as well as from business leaders, politicians, and parents—has driven a quick growth in the number of programs.
Chicago itself is home to the largest effort to include Chinese in US public schools. The program here has grown to include 3,000 students in 20 schools, with more schools on a waiting list. Programs have also spread to places like Houston, Los Angeles, New York City, and North Carolina. It’s true that the number of students learning Chinese is tiny compared with how many study Spanish or French.
Advocates see knowledge of the Chinese language and culture as a help in a global economy where China is growing in importance. “This is an interesting way to begin to engage with the world’s next superpower,” says Michael Levine, director of education at the Asia Society, which has started five new public high schools that offer Chinese. “Globalization has already changed the arrangements in terms of how children today are going to need to think about their careers… The question is, when not whether, the schools are going to adjust.”
In Chicago, the trend extends beyond schools with high numbers of Asian students. “The fact that my students are 98% low income and 99% Latino(拉丁美洲人) and they are succeeding in this, tells me everyone should have a try at learning languages,” says Virginia Rivera, principal at McCormick. “We want to give our young people opportunities to advance… and Chinese is a great opportunity to survive in today’s economy,” says Richard M. Daley, Mayor of Chicago.
1.The underlined word “Advocates” in the text probably means” .
A. Supporters B. Objectors C. Teachers D. Learners
2. How many languages are mentioned in this passage?
A. Six. B. Two. C. Three. D. Four.
3.In the last paragraph, the underlined word “this ”probably refers to _____.
A. the competition between Latino and Asian students
B. the global economy
C. the interesting way to engage with China
D. the Chinese learning
4. What CANNOT be learned from this passage?
A. Most students at McCormick can speak three languages.
B. Chinese is gaining its popularity in all schools in Chicago.
C. French has far more speakers than Chinese does in Chicago.
D. Globalization in a way makes it necessary to learn Chinese.
5.Which of the following is mainly about in this passage?
A. The Chinese learning in Chicago.
B. The ways to learn Chinese.
C. McCormick Primary School.
D. Globalization and Chinese learning.
On a hot summer day, a soft drink can really take away your thirst. At home, at school, in the park or at the movies---you can find one almost anywhere.
Carbonated
You can see bubbles(泡沫) in these! Of all soft drinks sold, about 75 percent are carbonated(碳酸的). But be careful, carbonated soft drinks have lots of sugar and caffeine(咖啡因). Caffeine is not very good for you in the summer because it takes water out of your body. And the sugar can make you overweight if you drink too much.
Fruit juice
There are different kinds of juice. One kind is made only from fresh fruit. This kind of fruit juice may not taste sweet enough for some people, but it is nutritious(有营养的). Another kind of fruit juice tastes good but has lots of sugar in it. Many young people buy this kind because the advertisements are good. It is bad for your teeth and bones to drink lots of this.
Energy drinks
These kinds of drinks have caffeine and things that make people get excited in them. They are sometimes called “party drinks”. Doctors say that if you drink too much of this kind, you may have a heart attack.
Bottled water
We have lots of different kinds of bottled water, such as mineral water, purified water and distilled water(蒸馏水). They are clean and easy to drink. But it is best not to drink very cold water. It may make your stomach feel bad.
Sports drinks
Most of these have funny names like “Scream(尖叫)” and “G-Vital(激活)”. They have lots of vitamins and minerals in them. After you play sports, you may want to drink one of these.
But if you just spend your summer holiday sitting around watching TV, you won’t need them at all!
1.Which two types of drinks may make you overweight?
A. Carbonated and fruit juice.
B.Energy drinks and sports drinks.
C. Carbonated and energy drinks.
D. Fruit juice and bottled water.
2. Which one may lead to your heart disease?
A. Carbonated. B. Fruit juice.
C. Energy drinks. D. Sports drinks
3. After sports, you have sports drinks because______.
A. they can take away your thirst
B. they can put back minerals you’ve lost in sweat
C. they have funny names that sound very exciting
D. they have no sugar
4.The writer wrote this passage to______.
A. warn us to keep away from soft drinks
B. teach us some useful ways of keeping healthy
C. tell us how to choose a good one from all kinds of drinks
D. make the advertisements for soft drinks
First Lady Michelle Obama is a big fan of volunteering. Volunteering means working for free to help someone else. Mrs. Obama says volunteering is very important. “It should be part of everyone’s life,” she says.
Many teens agree. They say that helping others feels great and makes a difference. These days, more teens volunteer than work for pay. Teens clean up parks, walk dogs at animal shelters, visit the elderly and more.
Some cities ---- including Seattle, Chicago, and Washington, D.C. ----require high school students to volunteer. Students must volunteer in order to graduate. The student volunteers learn new skills and help their communities.
Many parents are in favor of the idea ---- they say volunteering helps teens build job skills. But most teens don’t want to be forced to volunteer. They say they are busy. And they say volunteering is only fun if it’s a choice.
Read both sides of the debate and decide.
YES
Volunteering can help teens get into college or get a job.
Many cities and towns need help. Volunteers can help keep important programs going.
Not all teens will volunteer if it isn’t required. Schools should require students to do all they can to get ready for adult life.
NO
Most teens are already very busy with classes, homework, jobs and sports. Forcing them to do more isn’t fair.
It should be up to each person. Helping out doesn’t feel as good if you have to do it.
Finding a volunteer job isn’t always easy. Students shouldn’t be kept from graduating because of something they can’t control.
1.The writer mentions Michelle Obama in order to___________.
A. show she enjoys volunteering B. explain what volunteering is
C. tell what she does for the US D. introduce the topic of the text
2.According to the text, in Chicago, .
A. finding a volunteer job is quite easy
B. volunteering is a must for high school students
C. more people would rather work for pay
D. college students have to volunteer before graduation
3. Which question does the text mainly discuss?
A. Should students be required to volunteer?
B. Is volunteering good for students?
C. What is the best time to volunteer?
D. Which volunteer jobs should students do?
