Robert Burns is the most famous poet to write in Scots, the traditional language of Scotland.
Born in Ayrshire, Scotland to a poor farming family, his parents made sure that he was well educated as a child. In 1783 he started composing poetry 1. a traditional style using the Ayrshire dialect of Scots. These poems were well received 2. (local) and in 1786 they were published in the volume, Poems, Chiefly, 3. made him famous in Scotland overnight.
4. , his fame was not accompanied by money and he found 5. necessary to return to farming. 6. this also proved unprofitable, he entered government service in 1789.
He died at the age of 37 as a result of a weak heart, brought on by years of poor working conditions on the farm 7. (date) back to his childhood. Within a short time of his death, money started pouring in from all over Scotland 8. (support) his widow and children.
Today, his memory 9. (celebrate) by Burns clubs across the world and his birthday is 10. unofficial “National Day” for Scots and those with Scottish ancestry, celebrated with Burns suppers.
My father left for our native place on Thursday. In fact, he had never traveled by ______ before, so I just took this opportunity to let him ______ his first flight. ______ being asked to book a ticket by train, I got him a ticket on Jet Airways. The moment I handed over the ticket to him, he was surprised. The ______ was very apparent on his face as we waited for the time of the ______. Just like a schoolboy, he was ______ himself on that day, using the trolley (手推车) for his luggage and asking for a window seat. He was ______ enjoying himself and I, too, watching him experience all these things with ______. As he was about to go in for the security check-in, he walked up to me with tears in his eyes and ______ me. He became very ______ for what I had done meant a great deal to him. I told him there was no need to thank me.
Later, I ______ my life. As a child, how many dreams had our parents made come true? Without ______ the financial situation, we asked for dresses, toys, outings, etc. They tried to ______ all our needs. Did we ever say thanks for all they had done for us? Today ______ it comes to our children, we always think we should give them the best. But we tend to ______ that our parents have sacrificed(牺牲) a lot to see us happy, so it is our ______ to make sure their dreams are realized.
Old age is like a second childhood and just as we take care of our children, the same ______ needs to be given to our parents. I want to say sorry for making my father ______ so long for this small dream to be realized.
Just the fact that they are old does not mean that they will have to ______ everything and keep sacrificing. They have ______, too.
Take care of your parents. They are precious.
1.A. bus B. train C. ship D. air
2.A. catch B. miss C. experience D. change
3.A. In spite of B. Because of C. In case of D. Instead of
4.A. pride B. excitement C. admiration D. ambition
5.A. appointment B. dream C. travel D. show
6.A. encouraging B. warning C. teaching D. preparing
7.A. thoroughly B. slowly C. immediately D. suddenly
8.A. anger B. joy C. shyness D. curiosity
9.A. helped B. patted C. thanked D. praised
10.A. honest B. childish C. nervous D. emotional
11.A. looked for B. looked down upon C. looked into D. looked back on
12.A. understanding B. describing C. solving D. improving
13.A. avoid B. meet C. record D. check
14.A. unless B. because C. when D. though
15.A. learn B. express C. promise D. forget
16.A. ability B. responsibility C. freedom D. fortune
17.A. song B. advice C. attention D. thing
18.A. struggle B. wait C. rest D. stand
19.A. hand in B. pick up C. pay off D. give up
20.A. wishes B. jobs C. plans D. suggestions
Are you simply moving through your day without fully living? I think many of us have done this. Everyone wants to fully live every day. 1. So I’ve decided to share with you some ways to help you enjoy every moment.
Sit in the morning. When you wake up, in the quiet of the morning, sit on the floor. I often use this opportunity to stretch (伸展).2.I also just sit, and focus on my breathing going in and out.
3. I like to take breaks from work, and go outside for a slow walk. Pay attention to your breathing, to everything around you, to the sounds and light of objects.
Read in silence. Find a quiet time, and a quiet place, and read a good novel. Have no television or computers on nearby. And just put yourself in the world of the novel. It might seem difficult to let your mind move from the present into the time of the novel, but it’s a great practice in focus. 4.
5. Each day, find someone you care about and be grateful for his existence. If you want, you can tell that person how thankful you are to him.
A. Walk slowly.
B. Work with focus.
C. Look at someone in a grateful way.
D. But this is easier said than done.
E. I feel every muscle in my body.
F. It’s a way of building something good into your life.
G. Also, I love a good novel more than almost anything else.
Personal computers and the Internet give people new choices about how to spend their time.
Some may use this freedom to share less time with certain friends or family members, but new technology will also let them stay in closer touch with those they care most about. I know this from personal experience.
E-mail makes it easy to work at home, which is where I now spend most weekends and evenings. My working hours aren’t necessarily much shorter than they once were but I spend fewer of them at the office. This lets me share more time with my young daughter than I might have if she’d been born before electronic mail became such a practical tool.
The Internet also makes it easy to share thoughts with a group of friends. Say you do something fun, see a great movie perhaps---and there are four or five friends who might want to hear about it. If you call each one, you may tire of telling the story.
With E-mail, you just write one note about your experience, at your convenience, and address (述说) it to all the friends who you think might be interested. They can read your message when they have time, and read only as much as they want to. They can reply at their convenience, and you can read what they have to say at your convenience.
E-mail is also an inexpensive way to stay in close touch with people who live far away. More than a few parents use E-mail to keep in touch, even daily touch, with their children off at college.
We just have to keep in mind that computers and the Internet offer another way of staying in touch. They don’t take the place of any of the old ways.
1.The purpose of this passage is to ______.
A. explain how to use the Internet
B. tell the merits (价值) and usefulness of the Internet
C. describe the writer’s joy of keeping up with the latest technology.
D. introduce the reader to basic knowledge about personal computers and the Internet
2.The use of E-mail has made it possible for the writer to ______.
A. spend less time working
B. work at home on weekends
C. have more free time with his child
D. work at a speed comfortable to him
3.The best title for this passage is ______.
A. Computer: New Technological Advances
B. Internet: New Tool to Maintain Good Friendship
C. Computers Have Made Life Easier
D. Internet: a Convenient Tool for Communication
The flying fox is not a fox at all. It is an extra large bat that has got a fox’s head, and that feeds on fruit instead of insects. Like all bats, flying foxes hang themselves by their toes when at rest, and travel in great crowds when out flying. A group will live in one spot for years. Sometimes several hundred of them occupy a single tree. As they return to the tree toward sunrise.
Flying foxes have babies once a year, giving birth to only one at a time. At first the mother has to carry the baby on her breast wherever she goes. Later she leaves it hanging up, and brings back food for it to eat. Sometimes a baby bat falls down to the ground and squeaks for help. Then the older ones try to pick it up. If they fail to do so, it will die. Often hundreds of dead baby bats can be found lying on the ground at the foot of a tree.
1.The passage tells us that there is no difference between the flying fox and the ordinary bat in ________.
A. their size B. their appearance
C. the kind of food they eat D. the way they rest
2.At daybreak every day flying foxes begin to ________.
A. fly out toward the sun B. come back to their home
C. look for a new resting place D. go out and look for food
3.How do flying foxes care for their young?
A. They only care for their own babies.
B. They share the feeding of their young.
C. They help when a baby bat is in danger.
D. They often leave home and forget their young.
The Hearst Castle
Hearst Castle is a park on the central California coast and a National Historic Landmark. It was designed by Julia Morgan for William Randolph Hearst from 1919 until 1947. In 1957, the owner donated the fortune to the state of California. Since that time it has been a state historic park where its large collection of art and antiques are open for public tours. Despite its location far from any urban center, the site attracts roughly one million visitors per year.
Guided Tours
• Tour One is recommended for first time visitors. It now includes the movie, Hearst Castle Building the Dream.
• Tour Two gives visitors a closer look at the main house's upper floors, Mr. Hearst's private suite, the libraries, and the kitchen.
• Tour Three looks at the Castle's North Wing, guest rooms and guest house Casa Del Monte.
• Tour Four includes the impressive gardens and grounds, the largest guesthouse, the wine basement, and the Hidden Terrace.
• The evening tour is a special tour that allows visitors to experience the Castle at night as one of the Hearst's own visitors might have.
Ticket Prices
Hearst Castle accepts VISA, Master Card, American Express and Discover. Free day use parking is available for automobiles, motorcycles, tour buses and recreational vehicles.
Tours | Adult | Ages 6-17 |
Tour 1 | $24 | $12 |
Tours 2, 3 or 4 | $24 | $12 |
Evening tour | $30 | $15 |
* Children under 6 are free when accompanied by a paying adult.
Reservation (预订）Information
Reservation Call Center Hours |
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Dates | Monday-Friday | Saturday-Sunday |
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March-September | 8am to 6pm | 8am to 6pm |
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October-February | 9am to 5pm | 9am to 3pm |
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While tickets may be purchased at the Visitor Center upon arrival, tour reservations can be made online now or by calling 1-800-444-4445, see below for times.
Visit www.hearstcastle.org for more information.
1.Who does the Hearst Castle belong to at present?
A. William Randolph Hearst. B. Julia Morgan.
C. The Hearst Corporation. D. The state of California.
2.If you are quite interested in wine, which tour will you choose?
A. Tour One. B. Tour Two.
C. Tour Three. D. Tour Four.
3.If a couple take Tour One with their 5-year-old son, how much will they pay for the tickets?
A. 36. B. 48
C. 60. D. 75.
4.Which of the following is the available time to book tickets by phone?
A. At 8 am on Monday in February. B. At 9 am on Sunday in March.
C. At 7 pm on Friday in September. D. At 6 pm on Saturday in October.
