Over the years, I have met some interesting people. Two of 1. most interesting people were two elderly sisters, Joan and Bernice, 2. way of talking about people inspired me.
It was always a 3. (pleasant) to visit these two sisters. Just being greeted at the door was a joy. They couldn’t be 4. (happy) when seeing me. I always heard about the people who were there before me. Every person 5. (talk) about in a positive way. The conversation would go something like this, “Oh, Kay, so and so was here yesterday, she 6. (be) just the ‘salt of the earth’, isn't she?” The other sister would reply, “Oh yes! You just can't believe 7. wonderful she is.” I never heard they said a negative word about anyone. NEVER!
I understood why these two had so much company when other people complained that no one cared about 8.(they). It was their attitude 9. people. There was no doubt that when the next person came to visit, they were going to hear how I was the “salt of the earth”.
What a wonderful example these two elderly sisters were to me! I will always be 10. (thank)that I had the opportunity to know them.
In a world where comparisons happen non-stop, it is difficult to look outside yourself and to ever be ________with who you are. There's always someone who's a bit ________. The only solution is to reach _______ and measure against what Warren Buffett calls your own inner yardstick. There is no more ______ measure for comparison than who you were yesterday, last week or last decade, when you were at your _________.
Nothing useful ever comes from comparison to others. ______ you see yourself as better than someone and you get ______, or you see someone else as better than you and you feel like all your hard work is for _______. It is a fool's game. Not one of us is ______ alike. The only direct and honest comparison is ______ yourself. Everything else is apples to oranges.
My opinion is that you are only ______ to compare yourself to someone else if their life ______ is the same as your own. Good luck finding that match. And one thing is for sure. No matter how hard you work and how ______ you are, there will always be someone who can run a little faster, jump a little higher, score a little better or look a little nicer in a swimsuit. And if there's not, you can ______ someone is coming up fast behind you. So how can you always win in life? Become your best ______.
Having an image of your most recent past limits is the perfect thing to ______ you to the next level. If you ran 7 flights of stairs yesterday, then do 8 today. Who ______ if the guy next to you did 15? It doesn't make a bit of ______. You are a more fit person today than you were yesterday. Your own ______ is all you need.
If you ______ to a slightly higher standard of yourself every day, you will always be at the top of your game.
1.A. patient B. strict C. content D. concerned
2.A. stronger B. wiser C. lazier D. better
3.A. out B. up C. inside D. outside
4.A. accurate B. careful C. useful D. powerful
5.A. end B. best C. side D. convenience
6.A. Whether B. If C. Once D. Either
7.A. lazy B. inspired C. busy D. satisfied
8.A. fun B. nothing C. sure D. success
9.A. really B. fully C. exactly D. actually
10.A. to B. by C. for D. within
11.A. allowed B. suggested C. instructed D. directed
12.A. Position B. situation C. occasion D. accommodation
13.A. diligent B. dedicated C. optimistic D. addicted
14.A. declare B. conclude C. announce D. bet
15.A. assistant B. coach C. competitor D. teacher
16.A. lead B. push C. expose D. cause
17.A. wonders B. says C. cares D. asks
18.A. difference B. sense C. change D. effort
19.A. benefit B. result C. habit D. progress
20.A. commit B. devote C. tend D. contribute
In high school,it’s important to stay healthy.1. How can you study well if you’re sick? So you should pay attention to your health in order to study well in high school.In order to enjoy good health,you should have some good habits.Here are some tips for you.
Drink water regularly every day.Some students don’t like drinking water.They only drink water when they are extremely thirsty.2. You should drink water regularly so that your body and brain can function well.Avoid sport drinks and soda when you are thirsty.They are not good for your health.
3. Some students don’t eat three meals a day.No matter what happens,you should not skip any meal of the day.Eating regularly helps keep your metabolism（新陈代谢）high and keeps your energy up.It’s especially important to eat a good breakfast every day with protein,carbohydrates（碳水化合物）,and fiber to set up your body for the day of activity.If you don’t eat,how can you stay focused in class?
Eat the right foods.Some students eat whatever they can get.This is wrong.4. Choose whole grains like rice and whole wheat flours.Skip muffins,donuts,and other processed foods.In stead,choose whole grains, protein, fruits and vegetables.
5. If you do that,you can get distracted.Therefore,you may not pay attention to how much you are eating.You may eat too much.Eating too much harms your health.And you may gain too much weight because of it. Try to eat slowly so your brain sends the right signals to tell your belly that it’s full.
A.Don’t skip meals.
B.This is bad for your health.
C.Eat a good breakfast every day.
D.Avoid eating too much at one time.
E.Don’t watch TV or movies when you eat.
F.If you are unhealthy,you may fall ill easily.
G.You should eat the foods that are good for your body.
Food production does great harm to our environment.There are many procedures involved in the manufacture of food that result in greenhouse gases and other pollutants.Some procedures require the consumption of large amounts of fossil fuels,such as the transportation and storage of food products.Other factors that cause great damage to our environment include the overuse of fresh water.
The production of beef is more damaging to the environment than that of any other food we consume,Raising large numbers of cattle requires the production of large amounts of food for the animals.It’s estimated that producing one pound of beef requires seven pounds of feed.
Land use is also a problem.If the cattle are free-range cattle,large areas of land are required for them to live on.This has led to disastrous forest cutting and the loss of rare plants and animal species,particularly in tropical rain forests in Central and South America.
Another problem specific to beef production is methane emissions (甲烷排放).Although many people are aware of the damaging effects of carbon dioxide,they don’t realize methane’s global warming potential is 25 times worse,making it a more dire problem.
Unfortunately,beef consumption is growing rapidly.This is the result of simple supply and demand factors.Specifically,there are two main causes of demand that are encouraging the production of more supply.First,the increase in the world population means there are more people to consume meat.The second factor is socioeconomic advancement.As citizens in developing nations become financially stable,they can afford to buy more meat.
Therefore,one way to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions is for people around the world to significantly cut down on the amount of beef they eat.
1.Which of the following is TRUE?
A. Raising free-range cattle is eco-friendly.
B. People cut down trees for animal habitats.
C. Producing beef can damage the environment.
D. Carbon dioxide causes far more harm than methane.
2.The underlined word “dire” in Para.4 means .
A. urgent B. common
C. typical D. avoidable
3.Beef production is growing rapidly because .
A. more people are in demand of beef
B. developing countries raise more cattle
C. more land is available to raise cattle
D. the cost of raising cattle is relatively low
4.The author writes this article to .
A. describe the booming of the beef production
B. emphasize the advantages of beef production
C. condemn the deforestation of the rain forest
D. argue for a decrease in beef consumption
Tipping isn’t a big part of British culture, unlike in North America, where waiters and waitresses are paid below minimum wage. Tips are usually appreciated, but offering a tip of some services can cause confusion.
In casual restaurants, where you pay for your order at a counter but food is brought to your table, tipping is uncommon. You are welcome to leave a pound or two if you wish. In restaurants where you place your order with a waiter or a waitress and receive your food and bill at your table, it’s customary to tip around 10 percent. In some restaurants, a service charge may be added to the bill automatically, typically 10 or 12.5 percent. In this case, you don’t need to add a further tip. When you pay by credit card, the machine may ask if you want to add a tip. Check your bill to see if a service charge has already been added before paying—if so you don’t need to add a tip on the machine. You can request the service charge be removed from your bill if you are unhappy with the service. In some cases a restaurant may print “service not included” on the bill or menu. This is a request for a tip. You’re not forced to offer anything, but 10 percent would be normal in this situation. Tipping in cafes and fast food restaurant is not expected.
If you use a taxi, round the fare up to the nearest pound shown on the meter. On a journey from or to the airport in a booked minicab you might wish to trip 2 or 3 pounds if the driver helps with your bags.
Be sure to check a country’s tipping culture before you start your tip. For more information, visit TripAdvisor.com.
1.According to the text, ________ in British culture.
A. it is necessary to tip if you are served in cafes
B. it is confusing to tip if you receive your bill at your table
C. it is customary to tip if “service not included” is printed on the bill
D. it is compulsory to tip even if the service is unsatisfying in some restaurants
2.When you pay by credit card, _________.
A. the service charge can be added on the machine
B. the service charge must have been included in the bill automatically
C. the service charge can’t be refused
D. the service charge needn’t be checked before you pay
3.If the British taxi meter shows 58.4 pounds, you are expected to pay ________.
A. 58.4 pounds B. 59 pounds
C. 61 pounds D. 64 pounds
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. Introduction of TripAdvisor.com B. Occasions for Tipping
C. Advice on Tipping in Restaurants D. British Ways to Tipping
We can have conflicts with our important persons like friends, relatives, workmates, etc. But the conflicts doesn’t necessarily mean that the relationship will be destroyed. In fact, sometimes conflict helps people to let out their silent feelings, allowing them to free their suppressed emotions. However, when in a conflict, we usually get angry and say or do things which aren’t linked to the problem at hand. Therefore, it is important that we should try to avoid conflicts through effective communication.
In a heated argument, we usually say things that aren’t related to the real problem, and even use rude words to make sure we gain an advantage over the other person. Then the whole situation goes badly. So we should separate(隔离) the root cause of the problem and build our discussion around it. This ensures that there are no rude remarks and the situation moves in a positive direction.
It’s easy for us to think we’re right and if something isn’t working out, it surely must be someone else’s fault. However, if you aim to solve a conflict, first of all, you should show some respect and allow the other party to express themselves. Using remarks like, “I understand your concern on this” or “I know you’re right at your end”, would make the other person feel more appreciated.
Sometimes some people get too excited and may behave in the wrong way or say something others may not appreciate. This can cause a worse situation. Actually, they should control their emotions and keep calm. This has to be learned through self-control and observing behavior of other people.
The tips mentioned above are useful for most situations. However, we don’t rule out the possibility that there are some people always want to create some sort of trouble for others. You can tell them from others, and putting in an effort to resolve a conflict with them may just not be a wise idea. The best way to deal with these people is to forget them. A famous saying can help you and that is: “You should never fight with a pig; you both get dirty and only the pig likes it.”
1.What can we learn from Paragraph 1?
A. Conflicts may help us deal with our emotions.
B. Conflicts can improve our relations with others greatly.
C. Effective communication can help us avoid conflicts undoubtedly.
D. The closer two friends are, the more conflicts are between them.
2.When making discussions to solve conflicts, we should .
A. know others’ personal quality
B. know others’ ability of expression
C. avoid showing our disadvantages
D. avoid the root cause of the problem
3.The author suggests that when people get too excited, they should .
A. behave like other people B. control the situation
C. learn to keep their head D. say something unconcerned
4.In the author’s opinion, how should you deal with those who always want to create trouble for you?
A. Fight with them. B. Ignore them.
C. Have a talk with them. D. Give them something they like.
