When my son was 11 years old, he got a small job helping out with a traveling carnival in our town. He didn’t come home at lunch time, phoning instead to tell me he was fine and had found a few days’ work helping out at an exhibit. He turned up for supper as usual however after he finished work.
I asked him how he had managed at lunch and he told me he had made some new friends at the carnival, some young men who were twin brothers, and their mom and dad. They had paid him a few dollars and invited him for lunch in return for helping them set up their exhibit and wanted him to return the next day to help with other chores (杂务).
I was glad he had found new friends but a little worried about the type of people who might be traveling in a carnival. "Oh, Mom, these are just normal everyday people like anyone else. They just work at a carnival instead of in a store or something". "Come down tomorrow and meet them yourself," he said.
So the next day I went to the carnival and to the exhibit he had directed me to. The twin brothers turned out to be Siamese (连体的) twins, joined at the chest. He hadn’t thought this fact was noteworthy(重要的) enough to mention. When I brought it to him, he said, "Yes, I noticed that too. Do you know that their mom has to make all their clothes because it’s so difficult to find anything to fit them? They’re also really good cooks. Today, Joe, the one on the right, made me spaghetti (意大利面条) for lunch."
What others see first in a person is not what a child considers important. Where I saw Siamese twins, he saw people having difficulty buying clothes that fit, and young men who were good cooks. It was a lesson I have thought about many times over the years.
1.From the first paragraph we know that ______.
A. The author’s son could live on his job at the exhibit
B. The author’s son was good at communicating with others
C. The author’s son disliked meeting his parents at home
D. The author’s son usually made his appearance at supper
2.In the boy’s eyes, the Siamese twins were ______.
A. people who had no suitable clothes to wear
B. good cooks with strange appearance
C. just normal people
D. more friendly and kinder than normal people
3.Which proverb may the author agree with according to the last paragraph?
A. Don’t judge a person by his looks. B. It is a matter of opinion
C. Love me, love my dog. D. It’s never too late to learn.
Don and his 11-year-old son, Allen, love basketball very much. On Allen’s birthday, Don _______ to drive him to Chicago, more than two hours’ distance, for the first game of the World Championships. They had no ____ but hoped to buy two from other people.
After arriving, they ____ in the streets for two hours carrying a ____ which said, “We need two tickets”. _____ the cheapest ticket was $175 and they could not ____ it. They were about to leave when a man _____ them. He pulled _____ two tickets and handed them to Don. “How much do you want?” “______! No money is needed!” said the man.
When asked, the man ____ “I am working for Joe, who hasn’t ____ a World Championships for 16 years. But he is ill and can’t make it this time. So he told me to give the two tickets away. The only ____ he set is to give the tickets to people who I think will be deserving. A lot of people looked as if they might just take the tickets and ____ them right away. Then I saw you. You seemed very ____ and you make me ____ my Dad and myself when I was a child. I ____ wanted to go to see a World Championships game with my father at that time. But I never got the _____”.
How important and _____ the game was to Don and his son! Here is ____ Don said, “It’s the most worth ____ thing that happened to us. My boy and I must have turned to each other 30 times during the game. I can’t forget that night.”
1.A. refused B. ordered C. decided D. happened
2.A. cards B. tickets C. passes D. money
3.A. rode B. ran C. walked D. cried
4.A. sign B. photo C. magazine D. book
5.A. And B. But C. Or D. So
6.A. offer B. hold C. keep D. afford
7.A. stopped B. asked C. invited D. beat
8.A. over B. in C. through D. out
9.A. Cheap B. Expensive C. Free D. Terrible
10.A. agreed B. explained C. examined D. appeared
11.A. delayed B. won C. lost D. missed
12.A. rule B. time C. record D. point
13.A. lend B. sell C. tear D. make
14.A. boring B. interesting C. smart D. anxious
15.A. think of B. care for C. give up D. belong to
16.A. well B. very C. really D. nearly
17.A. chance B. right C. ability D. dream
18.A. unpleasant B. funny C. disappointing D. unforgettable
19.A. which B. what C. that D. how
20.A. hating B. discussing C. remembering D. playing
1.He ____________ (假装) not to know her but in fact they were in league together.
2.Time turned the edge of his anger and he ____________ (原谅) the boy.
3.Do keep your eyes ____________ (集中) on the prize and never give up.
4.His ____________ (谈论) not only broke the ice, but aroused everyone's interest.
5.Just now the two boys were playing games and now they are ____________ (吵架)．
6.Don't ____________ (责备) your food because you have no appetite.
7.They united together and ____________ (克服) difficulties caused by the natural disaster.
8.Adopt a positive ____________ (态度), and ask for what you want from life.
9.It is acceptable to manage all the possible conflicts in a friendly ____________ (方式)．
10.The ____________ (敏感的) man finally made a sensible decision, which shocked everyone present。
Some people believe that greed and selfishness has become the basis of modern society, and we should return to the old traditions of family and community then we will have a better life. To what extent do you agree or disagree with the above opinion?
In this fast-paced world, many values are undergoing major changes. While people traditionally prioritize caring, sharing and generosity in life and work, modern people seem to be more self-absorbed and self-concerned.
Modern people act selfishly to survive the harsh competition of life. They say that it is a jungle out there. To survive, you have to fight with whatever means that come handy. Obviously greedy and selfishness go perfectly well with such ideas. In a company, employees do everything they can to get better pay and higher position, even at the cost of colleagues. We are in any way advocating any selfish conduct. It is just that people are pressured to act in a certain way due to outside influences.
In spite of common practice, it is hard to conclude that modern society is built on greed and selfishness, both of which are not newly invented vocabulary. In ancient times people also did greedy and selfish things though such behaviors were more condemned then. But we can not ignore the fact that people in the past lived a relatively more isolated life and faced less pressure compared with their modern counterparts.
Are we happier to share with others and be generous to them? There is no fixed answer either. Some people take great pleasure helping and giving to others while others feel happy doing the opposite. But I personally think that people should not be too selfish. Caring for others can actually encourage the development of a mutually beneficial relationship.
In conclusion, modern people appear to be more self-centered than those in the past due to strong outside pressure. However, we should encourage people to know the importance of being caring and generous and to build a mutually beneficial relationship with others.
Are Modern People Becoming More Selfish?
Main comparisons | Contexts |
1. are changing | In the past people put caring, sharing and generosity in the first 2..[ |
Nowadays, people seem to be more 3.about themselves. | |
4. are changing too. | People in the past appeared to be modest and self-effacing(谦让的). |
People may strive to achieve their own 5. at the price of their coworkers. | |
The author’s understanding | |
6. for the changes in author’s eyes | Fierce 7. and great 8.on modern people may be responsible for the changes. |
The author’s 9.towards topic | A relationship which can 10. two sides should be established. |
“Write All About It”
Centerville High School Essay Contest
Rules
.1.Students are asked to hand in essays of 500 to 700 words of their own work. Any essay containing material copied from another source will be disqualified.
.2.Manuscripts should be typed double-spaced, with the student’s name, address, and grade level on a separate sheet of paper.
.3.Essays must be turned in by 4:00 P.M. on November 30. They can be brought to Mrs. Elton in Room 104 or to Mr. Markham in the school library.
Essay-Writing Tips
.1.Catch your reader’s interest—Your opening should immediately pull your reader into your essay. Asking a question or starting with a story, or surprising statement are some good ways to do this.
.2.Create a picture—Use active words that show your reader what is happening. Instead of telling your reader that “the room was disordered,” paint a picture using active verbs and lively adjectives.
.3.Have a purpose—Well-written essays do more than just describe an event or express a viewpoint; they also communicate a message.
.4.Check for mistakes—Read your paper over to check for mistakes. Ask another student to read your paper. Another pair of eyes will often spot a mistake you have missed.
.5.Format your essay—Neatly type your essay on white paper. Choose an attractive cover for handing in. The computer lab will be open after school from 3:15 to 4:45 P.M. each day this month so that students can use the computers.
Prizes
Winning essays will be published in the Centerville Times.
Everyone who takes part in it will also receive a free pass to enter one school activity this year.
First Prize: $50 savings bond
Second Prize: Dictionary and reference book
Third Prize: Pen set and journal
1.Which of the following rules is set for the essay contest?
A. Students can write something exactly as it is written in other books.
B. Essays must be brought to Mr. Markham in the computer lab on November 30.
C. Students’ personal information should be listed on another piece of paper.
D. The students winning the first prize will be awarded a dictionary and a book.
2.Which of the following writing tips is given in the passage?
A. Drawing a picture to go with the essay.
B. Making the essay short enough to hold the readers’ interest.
C. Asking a teacher to find the mistakes you haven’t found.
D. Trying to communicate an important idea to readers.
3.The article is written to .
A. inform the students of the essay contest
B. show how to organize an essay contest
C. explain how to write a good essay
D. convince the students of the prizes available
Two excited kids begged their father for his permission to see a film. Having read some ______ about the movie on the Internet, he firmly ______ their request with the reason that the movie presents immorality as being ______. “But dad, those scenes are only a few minutes of the ______ film, in which good _____ evil eventually. In addition, there are other inspirational ______ like courage and determination making up for its ______!”
But the father didn’t ______, and the two teenagers were discouraged. They had just thrown themselves down on the couch when they heard the sounds of their father preparing something in the ______. One of the teenagers said, “Dad must be feeling ______, and now he’s trying to ______ us with some tasty food.” Soon their father appeared with a plate of warm cakes and said, “Before you eat, I want to tell you something: I love you both so much.”
The teenagers smiled and ______ with each other knowing ______. Dad was softening. Looking at the mouth-watering cake, the two boys were getting impatient about the father’s long speech. “But I want to be ______ with you. I added one ingredient(配料) that is not ______ found in cakes.”
“To make it more delicious? Oh, come on, Dad! Please just tell us what it is.”
“OK, if you ______. That ______ ingredient is dog waste.”
Both teens ______ stopped chewing the cake, spit it out and dropped the ______ cake back on the plate.
“DAD! Why did you do that?”
“That is the same reason why I won't allow you to watch that movie. You won't ______ a little dog waste in your cake, so why should you put up with a little immorality in your movies?”
1.A. reviews B. parts C. chapters D. adaptations
2.A. repeated B. agreed to C. made D. rejected
3.A. favorable B. unbelievable C. personal D. acceptable
4.A. popular B. total C. exciting D. original
5.A. threatens B. attacks C. defeats D. affects
6.A. themes B. topics C. movies D. scenes
7.A. plot B. meaning C. success D. disadvantage
8.A. give out B. give in C. give away D. give off
9.A. bedroom B. house C. kitchen D. garden
10.A. sad B. upset C. pleased D. regretful
11.A. persuade B. join C. comfort D. supply
12.A. screamed B. provided C. talked D. exchanged
13.A. glances B. waves C. gestures D. nods
14.A. honest B. satisfied C. strict D. patient
15.A. surprisingly B. easily C. usually D. daily
16.A. like B. insist C. refuse D. permit
17.A. terrible B. common C. secret D. wonderful
18.A. instantly B. helplessly C. gratefully D. unwillingly
19.A. whole B. remaining C. strange D. warm
20.A. expect B. add C. tolerate D. overcome
