Do you hate to get your hands dirty? When I see my 10-year-old son______the dirty plates in the sink or my 8 year-old daughter cringing(畏缩) at the wet sand clinging(黏住) to her hands, I am reminded of a time when I was ______to get my hands a little dirty.
My parents owned a 500-acre _______in Montana when I was young.I’d often come home from school to find a/an _______lamb or a calf being bottle-fed in the basement.One exceptionally cold day, I was the ______ sheep with my mother in the ranch when she spied a ewe(母羊) _____.The poor thing was trying to ______ her baby lamb and needed our help.My mother calmly held the ewe’s head and _______me to grab hold of the two protruding(突出的) legs.
I hesitated, and must have had quite a look of ______ on my young face.The slimy little things were ______ not something I wanted to touch.But I worked up my _______and wrapped my fingers around them.I can still recall the feel of ______ the delicate legs and their sharp little hooves(蹄子) as of it happened yesterday.
My heart beat in fear and excitement as I ______ with all my strength.The lamb was delivered with an outpouring, and I’d never seen ______ so beautiful.I was no ______ to see ranch animals being born, but to have a hand ______ it was something I cherished then and will cherish forever.
Looking back, I’m so glad that I didn’t _______to get my hands dirty.______ I had, the miraculous moment and the precious memory would have been lost.These days I try to instill(灌输) that life lesson into my own ______ .Sometimes you need to get your hands a little dirty to experience something ______ and pure.
1.A. throwing B. wasting C. washing D. avoiding
2.A. unwilling B. willing C. thrilled D. content
3.A. garden B. ranch C. yard D. field
4.A. newborn B. energetic C. strong D. fierce
5.A. watching over B. spying on C. checking on D. picking out
6.A. in peace B. in silence C. in operation D. in trouble
7.A. raise B. bear C. feed D. hug
8.A. requested B. commanded C. instructed D. guided
9.A. panic B. anxiety C. delight D. excitement
10.A. almost B. possibly C. definitely D. approximately
11.A. affection B. patience C. confidence D. courage
12.A. unbearable B. unexpected C. unfortunate D. uncomfortable
13.A. dragged B. rolled C. pushed D. pulled
14.A. nothing B. anything C. something D. everything
15.A. stranger B. specialist C. reporter D. acquaintance
16.A. in B. on C. over D. at
17.A. hesitate B. tend C. refuse D. bother
18.A. Even if B. When C. Unless D. If
19.A. relatives B. children C. friends D. colleagues
20.A. embarrassing B. confusing C. entertaining D. amazing
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
There are so many things we do in our daily lives that have become a “habit”, 1.How you answer the phone is a habit. The way you sit in the car when you drive is a habit. Have you ever tried to change the way you do something, after you’ve done it in a certain way for so long? It’s easy to do as long as you think about it. The minute your mind drifts to something else, you go right back to the old way of doing things. 2.It’s a way of doing things that has become routine or commonplace. To change an existing habit or form a new one can be a tedious(单调乏味的) task.
Let’s pick something fairly easy to start with, like spending 15 minutes in the morning reading the Bible. If you want to turn something into a habit that you do every day, you have to WANT to do it. 3.Make a firm decision to do this on a daily basis.
Imprint(铭刻) it in your mind. Write several notes to yourself and put them in places where you will see them. By the alarm clock, on the bathroom mirror, on the refrigerator door, in your briefcase, and under your car keys are good places to start.
After the newness wears off, then you will have to remind yourself, “Hey, I forgot to. . . ”. Keep using the notes if you have to. 4.Some people say it will take over a month to solidify(变得稳固) it and make it something you will do without having to think about it. I tend to agree with the last statement. Two to three weeks will help you to remember, but thirty days or more will make it a part of your everyday routine. 5.
A. What is a “habit” anyway?
B. Is doing things in an old way good?
C. Brushing your teeth is a habit.
D. Forming a bad habit is easy.
E. It takes 16 to 21 times of repeating a task to make it a habit.
F. If you don’t, you will find a way to do everything but that.
G. That’s something you won’t necessarily have to think about before you do it — habit.
What's more exciting than having a fresh hot pizza delivered to your door? How about having it brought to you by a robot? Thanks to Domino's Robotic Unit or DRU, that just became a reality! On March 8, the three-foot tall robot delivered its first pizza to some lucky residents in Brisbane, Australia.
The fully autonomous DRU is the result of a cooperation between Domino’s Pizza Australia and Marathon Robotics.The 450-pound machine that travels at a maximum speed of 12.4 miles an hour can traverse a distance of up to 12 miles and back, before requiring a battery recharge. LIDAR, a laser-based sensor technology similar to the one used in self-driving cars, enables DRU to detect and avoid obstacles, while traditional sensors, much like those used in vacuum robots ensure its path is safe as it heads to its destination.
The robot can fit up to ten pizzas and even has a separate cold area to accommodate drink orders.To access their fond, customers have to enter the unique code provided by the company.This is not only ensures that they pick up the right pizza, but also prevents the pies from getting stolen.
Scientists expert additional DRU’s to be ready for service in their various Queensland locations within the next six months.But don’t expect these super cute robots to replace humans anytime soon.According to Domino’s the DRU still needs extensive testing, which the company believes could take up to two years.
And then there is also the issue of regulations.The public use of autonomous vehicles is still banned in most countries.But Don Meij, the CEO and Managing Director of Domino's Pizza Australia New Zealand Ltd, is not worried.He is “confident that one day DRU will become an integral part of the Domino's family.”
1.What's the function of LIDAR?
A. keeping DRU free of obstacles
B. Recharging DRU’s battery
C. Helping DRU find its destination
D. Protecting DRU from bad weather
2.What does the underlined word “accommodate” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A. Heat B. Hold
C. Sell D. Show.
3.Why does the company provide codes for its customers?
A. To fit up more pizzas
B. To prevent the pizza being taken by mistake
C. To keep the pizza warm
D. To get the pizza paid in time
4.What can we infer about the future of DRU?
A. It may need some improvements B. It will replace humans soon.
C. It may be banned in Australia D. It will soon be applied worldwide
A massive winter storm is expected to begin hitting Massachusetts tonight, dumping up to a foot or more of snow in some areas, while whipping the coast with powerful winds and driving rains, forecasters predict.
“It’s got a little bit of everything,” William Babecock, a meteologist（气象学家）at the National Weather Service in Taunton, said of the post-Christmas storm that brought snowstorm conditions to the Ohio Valley before heading east with its mixed bag of snow, sleet, and rain.
State Highway Administrator Frank De Paola said more than 4,000 states and snowplows（扫雪车）and salt spreaders were ready to make the roads safer for holiday travelers.
“MassDOT will be fully staffed and will be ready to handle this,” De Paola said, nothing that the storm, which should bring snow to most of the state except the Cape and Island before turning into rain tomorrow, is Massachusetts’ first significant snow storm of this winter season.
“There have been events where we have had pretty much freezing, icing concerns, which we have treated with chemicals.But this is the first big event that will call for plowing,” he said.
A high wind watch has been issued for southeastern Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Forecasters say the wind could reach 60 mph, possibly bringing down power lines.
In Worcester, some were busy for severer by buying rock salt,shovels and windshield wash,Barrows Hardware president Brain Barrow said.He called the volume（总量）of customers at his Webster Street store very steady on Wednesday morning, “You do get that supermarket effect for sure,”he said of shoppers stocking supplies before a storm.
There were no flight delays or cancellations at Logan International Airport in Boston as of day,” Right now, everything’s running normally.” airport spokesman Richard Walsh said.But Walsh said as the day progressed, travelers should contact their airlines directly to check the status of their flights.
1.According to William Babecock, we can know that_____.
A. snow, sleet, and rain occurred after Christmas
B. nothing has been done to prepare for the winter storm
C. 400 snowplows were ready for the snow
D. the snowstorm came from the Ohio snow
2.We can conclude from Paragraph 5 that_____.
A. this winter season is filled with great significance
B. Massachusetts seldom sees snow all year round
C. here are some poisonous chemicals in the snow
D. the icy roads have inconvenienced people
3.Some people bought supplies _______.
A. became they got affected by the supermarket
B. because they were wrongly directed to do this
C. because they were excited to be informed
D. because they were preparing themselves for the snow
4.What does the author mainly want to say in the passage?
A. People tend to fall into a panic when faced with had weather
B. The government shows concern for people’s living conditions
C. People from all walks of life have gotten ready for the snow
D. Flights usually aren’t affected much by had weather
Up to 60 Shanghai maths teachers are to be brought to England to raise standards, in an exchange arranged by the Department for Education.The announcement comes as a campaign is launched to raise adult maths skills.A survey of 300 adults for the numeracy campaign found that over a third thought their level of maths had held them back.An accompanying economic analysis said that a lack of maths skills cost the UK 20 billion pounds per year.
The plan to bring 60 English-speaking maths teachers from Shanghai is an attempt to learn from a city that has been the top performance in the OECD's Pisa tests.The OECD says that children of poor families in Shanghai are on average better at maths than middle class children in the UK.The Shanghai teachers, expected to arrive from the autumn, will help share their teaching methods, support pupils who are struggling and help to train other teachers.
“We have some smart maths teachers in this country but what I saw in Shanghai-and other Chinese cities-has only strengthened my belief that we can learn from them.” said education minister, Elizabeth Truss, who has recently visited Shanghai, accompanied by head teachers from England, “They have a can-do attitude to maths-and I want us to match that, and their performance,” She stressed the economic significance of raising maths standards, for individuals and the country.'As part of our long term economic plan, we are determined to drive up standards in our schools and give our young people the skills they need to succeed in the global race.Good maths qualifications have the greatest earning potential and provide the strongest protection against unemployment,” said the education minister.
1.Poor maths skills have caused serious _____ consequences in England.
A. academic B. economic
C. cultural D. political
2.What is the main factor behind Shanghai teachers’success in maths teaching?
A. Their students are from poor families
B. Their students have a talent for maths
C. They have a positive attitude to teaching
D. They teach in a highly developed city.
3.According to Elizabeth Truss, raising maths standards can be helpful in_____.
A. equipping young people with global competitiveness
B. promoting the pupils’ international test performance
C. teaching how to earn money in the global market
D. discovering one’s maths talent at an early age
4.What can be the best title for the passage?
A. Good Maths Skills Are about Hard Work
B. Why Are English Maths Standards Left Behind?
C. Why Are Shanghai Maths Teachers Getting Popular?
D. Chinese Teachers Bring the Art of Maths to English Schools
Creative Writing Summer School
2-15 August 2015
Study at one of the world's leading universities
About the Creative Writing Summer School
This programme is for those wishing to develop their existing creative writing skills, either for eventual professional use, or out of personal interest.Workshop courses take place twice a day.In a series of plenary(全体出席的)lectures (each morning, and on some evenings), novelists, poets and writers of creative non-fiction discuss their own work and the art of writing.Plenary lectures are designed to expand students' understanding of their own creative options.Students will expected to complete daily writing tasks outside classroom hours; the resulting work will form the primary focus of the workshops.
What will I be studying?
Workshop courses focus on practical writing skills and critical reflection; there are specialist options in fiction; creative non-fiction and poetry, and writing for stage and screen, as well as a more broadly-based writing course.
Who can apply?
The programme is open to university students, literature teachers, professionals and those with other life experience; gap-year students preparing for university may also apply (students must be accompanied by a parent/ guardian if under 18 when the programme starts).Participants must also meet the language requirements specific to this programme and will be asked to provide a 300-400 word piece explaining their reasons for applying.
Who will be teaching me?
Courses are taught by a combination of published writers associated with the School of Continuing Education, Peking University and by guest subject specialists from beyond the university.
Where will I stay?
Participants can stay in the School of Continuing Education, Peking University, close to the teaching sites and city Coventry.
How do I apply?
You can download an application form or apply online.
Find out more: www.sce.pku.edu.cn
1.Participants are supposed to finish their writing tasks______.
A. in the morning B. in the evening
C. after class D. during plenary lectures
2.The writing courses_____·
A. focus on practical writing skills
B. cover various kinds of writing
C. don't include writing for stage and screen
D. are mainly about creative non-fiction
3.Applicants need to write an essay to_______.
A. introduce themselves
B. show their writing skills
C. state their language learning experiences
D. explain why they want to attend the programme
