When you meet friends，family and new people，they all want to have an interesting conversation. Most of the time this______you will make a great impression when you bring up interesting topics of______told in the form of a story.
_____，let's say a new hotel has just opened in your city. One way to______this is to give the facts and the statistics—it is a 5 Star hotel with 200 rooms，a gym，great views of the skyline and a roof top restaurant. That is not the______I'd introduce that news as a topic of conversation. I'd tell a story.
“On Tuesday evening last night a little after 8pm I was walking down Main Street with Lisa when we______unusual red lights way down the street. We had some time to______before meeting her sister so we walked a few more blocks_____those red lights got closer and closer.We still didn't know what the______were about.
Anyway，we got to the building and______that those red lights were all around the building. It's a hotel but it doesn't look like any hotel I've______seen.As you walk up to the entrance it's more like walking along a passage______a really weird art gallery and a European late night bar.
We walked in and ended up talking to the______.He even gave us a tour of the bar and restaurant before taking us______in the elevator to the roof. What a______！You can see right across the city from up there. This is a very______hotel.I've never seen anything like it.”
Notice how I______a news item without making it sound like a news broadcast. I introduced very few______.I would share more information if the person I'm talking to______me to tell them more. First I need to get their attention to______if they have any interest in that subject. Story telling is the best way to do that.
1.A. promises B. means C. explains D. proves
2.A. quarrel B. argument C. discussion D. conversation
3.A. For example B. What's more C. In fact D. By the way
4.A. build B. design C. mention D. enjoy
5.A. time B. excuse C. reason D. way
6.A. switched B. spotted C. recognized D. transform
7.A. spare B. save C. kill D. rest
8.A. until B. if C. though D. because
9.A. houses B. trees C. roads D. lights
10.A. predicted B. noticed C. guessed D. admitted
11.A. often B. usually C. ever D. hardly
12.A. between B. through C. beyond D. along
13.A. captain B. chairman C. monitor D. manager
14.A. down B. up C. in D. out
15.A. sign B. mark C. view D. symbol
16.A. unique B. popular C. familiar D. steady
17.A. evaluated B. approved C. covered D. shared
18.A. secrets B. facts C. ideas D. points
19.A. allows B. forbids C. asks D. begs
20.A. see B. wonder C. doubt D. answer
Tricks to Learn from Super Sleepers
Do you want to sleep soundly each night and wake up energized the next day? Here’s a peek at some smart, surprising habits of great sleepers.
Exercise early.
Morning fitness class or gym time before work? Go ahead, give it a try. 1.While experts aren’t exactly sure why, it could have something to do with morning exercise’s ability to help regulate(control) the secretion(分泌物) of certain hormones involved in blood pressure management, which may lead to better sleep.
Eat light at night.
Desiring a midnight snack? If your stomach starts rumbling(发出咕噜声) before bed, try reaching for good-for-you foods that actually promote sleep, like walnuts, tart cherries, or Greek yogurt instead. 2.Eating too much of anything within a few hours of going to bed could suppress(抑制) your body’s ability to produce sleep-promoting melatonin(褪黑素).
Power down at night.
Smartphones, tablets, and laptops let you do everything from shopping to watching movies to working in bed. What they don’t let you do? Fall asleep. 3.In addition to reducing your blue light exposure, you’ll probably feel less stressed, which in itself can help you sleep better.
Keep their rooms chilly(cold).
4.But being too warm can make it harder to have quality sleep, say experts at the National Sleep Foundation. Instead, they recommend keeping your bedroom at around 20℃, which research suggests is the most suitable temperature for great sleep.
5.
Consistency(behaving in the same way) is key to healthy sleep. Though it’s tempting to stay up late, then get up early for work and sleep in on the weekend, doing so can cause damage to your body’s internal clock. Over time, that can make it harder to fall asleep, not to mention making it more unpleasant to wake up in the morning.
A. The idea of a comfortable bedroom and piles of soft, fuzzy blankets is very appealing.
B. Find ways to deal with stress.
C. Go to bed at the same time every night.
D. Still, try not to go overboard even with healthy stuff(things).
E. You don’t have to give up alcohol(drinks) altogether in the name of better sleep.
F. Working out in the morning could lead to better sleep than afternoon or evening sweat sessions.
G. Put your devices away at night — ideally, two to three hours before you plan to go to sleep.
Hoverboards(电动滑板）were among the most popular Christmas gifts of 2015. They may have also been most dangerous gifts of 2015.
A true hoverboard looks like a skateboard without wheels. To “hover” means to float in the air without moving much in any direction. The popularity of hoverboards began in the 1980s, with the “Back to the Future” movies. Characters in the second and third films used hoverboards as transportation.
This year’s popular hoverboards, however, do not actually hover. They have wheels. And? as it turns out, they are not easy to use.
Adults and children around the world suffered hoverboard-related injuries over the weekend. Many posted pictures of the damage on social media. Twitter user David Douglas posted a photo of both him and a young girl with the broken arms they suffered on Christmas Day. And another user Erin Rafferty uploaded a video of her mother falling off a hoverboard, with the caption, “Who let mom on the hoverboard?”
Falling is not the only risk with some hoverboards. They are also a fire risk. At one store in Texas, an employee tried to fix a hoverboard a customer brought in. The hoverboard then caught fire.
Studies suggest that some hoverboard brands have defective batteries or plugs.
Many major airlines worldwide have banned hoverboards because of the fire risk. But some passengers did not hear the news. Australian actor Russell Crowesaid on Monday about his disappointment that Virgin Australia Airlines did not permit his children to take their hoverboards on the plane.
Major retailers (零售商）are also taking steps to improve the safety of the hoverboards they sell. Amazon in the United States now only sells hoverboards from brands that have submitted safety standard documents. The UK’s Amazon no longer sells hoverboards. It has also advised customers who bought unsafe brands of hoverboards to throw them away.
1.What’s the problem with this year’s hoverboards?
A. They don’t have wheels. B. They catch fire in the sun.
C. They are difficult to handle. D. They can’t move in any direction.
2.We can infer from the passage that .
A. the number of hoverboard-related injuries is declining.
B. hoverboards are still enjoying equal popularity as before.
C. hoverboards are still sold on Amazon in the United States.
D. passengers are forbidden to get on planes with hoverboards.
3.The underlined word “defective” in the sixth paragraph probably means .
A. faulty B. spare
C. dead D. dry
4.We can probably read this passage in a .
A. newspaper B. textbook
C. science fiction D. movie review
The World Health Organization (WHO) said that processed meat may be carcipogenic(致癌). Do you still dare eat cancer-linked processed meat Here are some comments on the website.
Bill (Australia) I’d rather live a short, pleasant life than a long, unhappy one, denying(拒绝给予) myself tasty food just because some experts say it’s not healthy. We should all enjoy the one life we have ---if I had listened to every piece of health advice I would never go anywhere, eat anything or enjoy life in any way. So, I won’t change my habit. I am going to have bacon sandwich, glass of wine, burger, can of coke whenever I fell like it.
Tim (America) Is meat really as bad as smoking: I don’t think so. According to the WHO 34,000 people die worldwide per year because they eat processed meat. In 2012, 8.2 million people died of cancer worldwide. That means if you eat a lot of processed meat you have a chance of being among the 0.41 percent of people dying of cancer because of processed meat. I’ll take the chance.
Helen (Switzerland) The WHO doesn’t say that just one bite of meat causes cancer, it is rather saying that people should vary their diet. People who eat more meat often have other unhealthy habits. They usually eat fewer fruits and vegetables and they also often exercise less.
Van (China) Perhaps this report will make people consider becoming vegetarians ( 素食者). So for your health, the environment and future generations, it is not difficult; it just needs a change of attitude. There is a vast variety of other delicious food available to enjoy.
1.What if Bill has to change his habit?
A. He’ll feel unhappy. B. He’ll live a pleasant life.
C. He’ll go on a diet. D. He’ll become a vegetarian.
2.What does Tim think about eating processed meat?
A. Too risky. B. Fairly safe.
C. Popular worldwide. D. Very unhealthy.
3.What may be Helen a response to WHO’s warning?
A. Caring little about it. B. Eating whatever she likes.
C. Varying the diet and doing exercise. D. Taking a diet without meat.
4.Who have the most similar viewpoints?
A. Bill and Tim. B. Tim and Helen.
C. Helen and Van. D. Bill and Van.
The sun is shining when I get on No. 151 bus. We passengers sit jammed together in heavy clothes. No one speaks. That’s one of the unwritten rules of Chicago commuting. Although we see the same faces every day, we prefer to hide behind our newspapers. The phenomenon is striking: people who sit so close together are using those thin sheets of newsprint to keep their distance.
As the bus approaches the Magnificent Mile, a voice suddenly rings out: “Attention! Attention!” Papers rattle (发出细小声). Necks crane (伸长). “This is your driver speaking.”
We look at the back of the driver’s head. His voice has authority.
“All of you put your papers down.”
The papers come down, an inch at a time. The driver waits. The papers are folded and placed on our laps.
“Now, turn and face the person next to you. Go ahead.”
Amazingly, we all do it. Still, no one smiles.
I face an older woman, her head wrapped tightly in a red scarf. I see her nearly every day. Our eyes meet. We wait, unblinking, for the next order from the driver.
“Now, repeat after me…” It is a command, delivered in the tones of a drill sergeant (操练军士). “Good morning, neighbor!”
Our voices are weak and timid. For many of us, these are the first words we have spoken today. But we say them at the same time, like schoolchildren, to the strangers beside us.
We smile and can’t help it. We have said it; the barrier has been broken. Good morning, neighbor. It is not so hard after all. Some of us repeat it. Others shake hands. Many laugh.
The bus driver says nothing more. He doesn’t need to. Not a single newspaper goes back up. I hear laughter, a warm sound I have never heard before on bus No. 151. This day is starting off better than most.
1.On hearing the sudden utterance of “Attention!”, the passengers ___________.
A. stopped reading and put down their newspapers immediately
B. looked up from the newspapers to see who was speaking
C. sat still without response
D. were frightened
2.The underlined word “commuting” in Paragraph 1 most probably means ___________.
A. daily traveling between home and work B. long-distance ride
C. communication technology D. behavior patterns
3.Which of the following is true according to the passage?
A. The passengers on the crowded bus are so absorbed in reading their newspapers that no one speaks.
B. The passengers are physically close together but mentally they keep each other at a terrible distance.
C. The passengers don’t follow the driver’s instruction at first.
D. When the bus driver says nothing more, the passengers pick up and read their newspapers again.
4.What would be the best title for the text?
A. The Warmth of Communication B. The Exchange of Information
C. The Power of Observation D. The Attitude to Loneliness
1.Modern a________ is doing damage to our beautiful countryside.
2.Felix Baumgartner, an Austrian, has become the first person to skydive 35km across the English C_________ .
3.Their English party turned out to be a c___________.
4.Most of the Amazon r____________ in Brazil is no more than 2 hundred meters above sea level.
5.His i__________ is approximately 8000 dollars a month.
6.His hand shook slightly as he i________ the key into the lock.
7.The judge was in his f_______.
8.It is illegal to read other’s private letter without p________.
9.The sudden thunder f_______ the dog away.
10.I will take it into c________ that I would visit her when free.
