I always knew my father was good at basketball.Growing up.I spent many____with my father on outdoor basketball courts,____night hid the ball from our eyes.
Despite my father's patient____,basketball never catches my imagination.____,volleyball and reading did,and I have records of my own____.Some are statistics;some photographs.My mother took a photo when I was so____after a tournament that I fell asleep on a plate of spaghetti.Another is a memory of my dad____me from a hook and saying.“Dinnertime.”When I said,"Already?"he laughed so____that tears rolled down his cheeks.I had been____for eight hours.
This is how everything is done,I have realized,while watching my clad nail thousands of jump shots.If you want to be____in your field,you put in the time.You____and sweat when most other people don't.
Now,as an English____,I know more about how people____.During the semester.I always let my students write for one hour.Most days I witness the change from distraction to____as joy occupies their minds.I____specific accomplishments—the ones to which they____many hours.I told the student surprised by winning the local library's fiction contest,"Your hard work____."
Pride in achievement.Joy in effort.My father____them on the basketball court and then taught them tome.So I believe in____and hard work.And I believe in the____pursuit（追求）of excellence.
1.A. mornings B. evenings C. weeks D. years
2.A. until B. when C. before D. after
3.A. request B. effort C. encouragement D. comfort
4.A. Otherwise B. Therefore C. Moreover D. However
5.A. embarrassment B. growth C. achievements D. sports
6.A. excited B. discouraged C. satisfied D. tired
7.A. shaking B. preventing C. saving D. protecting
8.A. freely B. loudly C. hard D. long
9.A. sleeping B. reading C. playing D. writing
10.A. enthusiastic B. responsible C. outstanding D. talented
11.A. struggle B. suffer C. survive D. shrink
12.A. beginner B. lover C. professor D. writer
13.A. shoot B. succeed C. compete D. teach
14.A. concentration B. intention C. substitution D. option
15.A. realize B. share C. excuse D. praise
16.A. devoted B. killed C. wasted D. gained
17.A. went off B. went up C. paid off D. paid up
18.A. spread B. applied C. created D. learned
19.A. confidence B. practice C. faith D. strength
20.A. selfless B. attempted C. aimless D. determined
How to Be Good at Sports
If sports are something that interests you, it stands to reason that you would want to be good at them. Here are some tips that can help you become a good player.
Set ambitious but realistic goals. If you want to be great at sports, you need to set your aims high. 1. Instead, you should take a look at what you are, and figure out where you think you would like to be. Give yourself a suitable amount of time to achieve that goal.
Be patient. 2. Impatient athletes tend to make poor ones. If you're not patient, you'll try to jump into advanced techniques long before you're ready. You'll feel discouraged when you don't see immediate improvement.
Join a sports team. Most of the sports teams are free to join. If you go to school, you should go for team tryouts when they're happening. 3.
Accept criticism. When you play sports, you will unavoidably receive criticism, whether from a coach or other players. 4. Are they angry because you missed a pass, or do they sincerely want to help you improve? In a lot of cases, you can use criticism as motivation to get better.
5. A skill become mastered when you’re able to do it without thinking. Given enough time and practice, a skill will eventually fall under this category. When in a game, you won't have time to think everything through, so practice until it's all automatic.
A. Skills are often slow to build.
B. This does not mean being unrealistic.
C. You need to take most of it with a grain of salt.
D. Practice until your skills become second nature.
E. You also need to be clear about what you are good at.
F. If you're not in school, you can find a sports club online.
G. An important reason people join sports teams is to make friends.
Brigitte Barthelemy was walking along the seashore just north of France's Bordeaux wine region when she discovered a bottle lying among some seashells.Inside were two pieces of paper.One contained a hand-drawn picture of a seagull,while the other was a message showing how litter in the ocean is often deadly to the water birds.
The bottle is the brainchild of George Boorujy.From 2011-2013,the artist dropped over two dozen bottles into the ocean from a Staten Island beach in New York.Each contained an image of a water bird and a message similar to the one Brigitte found.Boorujy says he was inspired to take action after becoming aware of the effect the carelessly thrown plastic has on wildlife.
Researchers say that around 90% of seabirds have plastic in their stomachs.Many chicks（雏鸟）die because their mothers unintentionally feed them bits of plastic along with their food.Boorujy hopes his message will raise awareness about the danger that seabirds face.He also enjoys the opportunity to give away his art and create a unique experience for the finder.
Over the years,the artist has received calls from lots of people that have discovered his bottles.However,they were all found close to Staten Island,making Brigitte's discovery even more special.
No matter how the bottle reached France,its message has had a big influence on Brigitte.She not only plans to be more respectful of the environment but contacted（联系）the local bird association to see how they could help. While receiving a message in a bottle can certainly help inspire people,It should not be necessary to remind us how dangerous our careless habits are for the marine mammals（海洋哺乳动物）and seabirds.So remember to reuse, recycle and most importantly,reduce.
1.Where did Brigitte find the bottle?
A. In Bordeaux. B. In New York.
C. On a French beach. D. On Staten Island.
2.What docs the bottle found by Brigitte contain?
A. A seagull. B. A message.
C. Some seashells. D. Some plastic.
3.What made Brigitte’s discovery more special?
A. She lived close to Staten Island. B. Something special in the bottle.
C. Few people had found the bottles. D. The place where she found the bottle.
4.What does the author think of the bottles?
A. They are unnecessary. B. They can educate the finders.
C. They are a great way to show art. D. They cause danger to sea animals.
Even looking back on the revolutionary changes the Internet has brought to our lives,the future of it is still beyond imagination.But what is clear is making the best use of the Internet will be of ever-greater importance to promoting economic development and social progress.
Already Chinese companies that are seizing the opportunities presented by the Internet occupy a place in global industry.The rise of e-commerce（电子商务）is particularly noticeable in China,where it is common for the majority of young people to do shopping online,which not only saves them time,hut also saves them money.
For the vast rural areas,where the majority of poverty-stricken（穷困的）people live,the growing popularity of Internet technology will hopefully help lift people out of poverty.There have been reports about how some rural villagers sell their agricultural products online and some use the Internet to get in touch with their customers,which may make it easier for them to make decisions.Still they only account for 28.6 percent of the total 618 million internet users nationwide.So much can still be done to further popularize the use of the Internet and promote e-commerce in rural areas.
Looking further ahead,the development of the Internet can strengthen the connection among different economies.No one can tell how much potential there is to be unlocked by the effective use of Internet technology to promote the manufacturing industry（制造业）and the service industry.And with government,it is not just time and cost benefits that are the potential fruits of Internet technology,because the Internet will also help promote policy-making and public services.
1.What does the underlined word "them" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Chinese companies. B. Online stores.
C. Online shoppers. D. Internet users.
2.What does the example of some rural villagers show?
A. The Internet is not common in rural areas.
B. Rural villagers have less access to the Internet.
C. Rural areas have done little to popularize the Internet.
D. The Internet does contribute to economic development.
3.What benefit can government get from the use of the Internet?
A. Promoted policy-making.
B. More developed service industry.
C. Increased manufacturing industry.
D. Improved connection among economies.
A 90-year-old may not be typical for a show's narrator（解说员）,but without the voice of English broadcaster Sir David Attenborough,one of the most successful new shows on television just wouldn't be the same.
BBC's Planet EarthⅡis getting good ratings in the United Kingdom.And Sir David,the man behind the show's voice,describes it as "greatly pleasing".The naturalist is the father of nature documentaries（纪录片）,with a television career that started in 1950.Since then,the London-born broadcaster has traveled the world intent on sharing his discoveries through the television in new ways.
Ever since his first wildlife documentary series,1954's Zoo Quest,Sir David's voice has become synonymous（同义）with environmental protection.Concerned with how humans are harming the planet,he attempts to educate viewers on the threats and dangers that are present today.He's used his profile to raise important issues like global warming,deforestation,climate change and overpopulation.
"We can't go on increasing at the rate human beings are increasing forever,because the Earth is finite（有限）and you can't put infinity into something that is finite,"he told The Independent two years ago."So if we don't do something about it then the world will do something about it."
And after almost 30 years of nature-based programming,Sir David's efforts to protect wildlife and the environment have not gone unnoticed.His work has been significant in reconnecting an increasingly disconnected human population with the environment of the planet that we not only come from but also rely on.
1.What can we learn about Planet EarthⅡ?
A. It was made in 1950.
B. It is now very popular.
C. It is broadcast all over the world.
D. It was filmed in the United Kingdom.
2.When did Sir David's job begin to be widely recognized?
A. In 1950.
B. In 1954.
C. When he is 90 years old.
D. After 30 years of hard work.
3.What does Sir David intend to tell in Paragraph 4?
A. We will lose control of the worsening of the Earth.
B. He will help to deal with some important issues.
C. Measures should be taken to protect the Earth.
D. Human population should stop increasing.
4.Which of the following best describes Sir David according to the text?
A. Optimistic. B. Ambitious.
C. Generous. D. Devoted.
Petra and Wadi Rum,Jordan
When it comes to the world's wonderful desert scenery,Jordan's Petra and Wadi Rum has it.Also known as the Valley of the Moon,this place is one of the best due to its amazing desert canyons（峡谷）and rock walls.Participants love exploring its Burdah and Um Fruth,walking to the impressive ancient city.
Kilimanjaro,Tanzania
The Rongai Route is the best route if the participants of the walking tour want a quiet climb.The Kili Trail permits travelers to witness the region's wilderness,virgin forests,and rare animals.This route,according to many,is the easiest way to reach the top where the breath-taking 360-degree sights of natural wonders await.
Quebec,Canada
This special environment made up of both the natural and cultural treasures,where fresh water becomes one with the tides（潮汕）of the sea,makes Quebec one of the interesting walking tour destinations in the world.Here is a track that heads to the Saguenay Fjord National Park which is included in the UNESCO World Heritage Site.Adding to the beauty of Quebec are its sparkling waterfalls,inviting lakes,and rare animals.
Great Smoky Mountain,US
This region（地区）has been named as the ancestral home of the Cherokee Indians,where rich natural wonders combined with interesting history are the major happenings.The rich natural reserve is evident and enjoyed by walking tour participants.What also makes this destination a popular choice is its reputation as the biggest wilderness on the eastern part of the United States.
1.What is Petra and Wadi Rum best known for?
A. Its culture. B. Its quietness.
C. Its rare animals. D. Its desert scenery.
2.Which tour combines the scenery of land and water?
A. Petra and Wadi Rum. B. Kilimanjaro.
C. Quebec. D. Great Smoky Mountain.
3.What is unique to Great Smoky Mountain?
A. Special history. B. National park.
C. Virgin forests. D. Ocean view.
4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A. Magical Nature Reserves B. Best Walking Tours
C. Colorful Cultural Treasures D. Amazing Wilderness Areas
