Though Grant and I are typically more traditional, we actually met online, through Facebook. As a single mom, it was always a nightmare trying to date, as I have full custody (抚养权) of my daughter and very little “me” time. But that wasn’t the only challenge we had to overcome as a couple -we also lived four and a half hours away from one another. But when two people are meant to be, life sure has an interesting way of bringing two people together.
Nine months ago, I randomly added him on Facebook. After weeks of messaging back and forth, we had our first four-hour phone call, and the long call led to our first date.
In the six and half months that we dated, I got to witness an attractive, charming bachelor become a positive, loving and selfless father to my little girl.
On the day of our engagement(订婚), he took my daughter and I to breakfast. I had a feeling that he was planning something. But after anxiously eating breakfast, hoping and praying he wasn’t going to get down on one knee in the middle of a very busy Saturday morning brunch, we left. Then, we walked a mile into the woods. It was quite the adventure. Finally, we got to a wooden bridge in the middle of the forest and he got down on one knee.
After proposing to me, Grant got back to propose to my daughter. He said, “Adrianna, can I be your daddy, to promise to love and protect you for the rest of your life?” As soon as he spoke those sweet words, I once again broke down in tears.
My daughter replied in complete shock, “thank you!” He then presented her with a beautiful heart necklace. The necklace symbolizes a piece of his heart that she can always carry with her.
Our beautiful little family of two has become three. My daughter and I both got our fairy tale ending.
1.What challenges did the author and Grant face as a couple?
①She had little time to date.
②They met each other online.
③There was a long distance between them.
④They were traditional people.
A. ①② B. ①③
C. ③④ D. ②④
2.How could the author probably describe Grant.
A. Generous and grateful. B. Humorous and gifted.
C. Responsible and caring. D. Optimistic and patient.
3.Why did the author feel anxious on the day of their engagement?
A. She had no idea what their future would be.
B. She didn’t know how to respond to Grant.
C. She was afraid Grant wouldn’t accept her daughter.
D. She thought that Grant would propose to her in public.
你校英文报新开设的Senses栏目正面向全校学生征稿。请你根据以下提示用英语写一篇短文应征。
要点提示：
1.感觉对人们的重要性(选择其中的一种即可)；
2.如果失去感觉该怎么做：
（1）保持对生活的信心，鼓励自己过有意义的生活；
（2）通过练习提高自己的其他感觉。
注意：1. 词数150左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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请认真阅读下面短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意：每个空格只填一个单词。
Video conferencing is often thought to be a tool specially used for business meetings but the technology is used in many other ways. In fact, business meetings may actually be in the minority (少数) if you expand your definition (定义) of the term. There are other areas in which video conferencing has proven to be an extremely useful tool.
For obvious reasons, the telephone systems have connected the majority of the population for the better part of a century. However, it has never been available to those suffering from speech damage or hearing problems. The use of video as a means of telecommunication for the deaf and other people with communication problems is obvious. While the recent introduction of text services may seem easier to use, deaf people generally prefer to use sign language. Video conferencing makes it possible for these people to communicate with their full feelings. In addition, it has even been used to offer distant services with the help of a third party.
At the most basic level, video conferencing technology can be used by medical experts to discuss case experiences with colleagues across large distances. Beyond this it is also used to offer medical advice in real time for both routine (常规的) and emergency medical situations. For example, it allows a surgeon (外科医生) to advise on an operation being carried out several miles away. However, the most impressive application includes the equipment that can record data about a patient.
Video conferencing can also help cut costs in long distance education and provide services to people in far-away areas. There are lots of possible uses that universities and education bodies have for this technology; a few examples include:
☆lectures delivered by academics at far-away institutions or by staff who are away from their home campus;
☆researchers at different institutions can keep in touch without losing time travelling.
Finally, there’s politics. Considering that meetings between high-ranking officials tend to be confidential (保密的), it may not be used that much. However, it is one of the most common and effective uses of the technology, saving millions in public funds. Heads of state and senior politicians can have a discussion on emergency situations in time without needing to travel and without running the risk of travelling to unstable (不稳定的) places. Considering that few international discussions involve just one or two parties, this application has probably had the biggest effect in the political sphere (范围) — even if no one realizes it.
Video Conferencing | |
General introduction to video conferencing | It has been proved to be useful in many other ways although it is usually regarded as a(n) 1. tool for business meetings. |
Telecommunications for the 2. | It is 3. that video conferencing is useful in helping whoever can’t hear or has communication problems. |
Video conferencing used in medicine | ●Medical experts can have a(n) 4. about case experiences using such a technology. ●This technology is also used to offer timely medical advice. ●The equipment 5. data about a patient is one of the most impressive applications of the technology. |
Video conferencing used in 6. education | ●Video conferencing can provide 7. to people in far-away areas. ●People can hear the lectures delivered by academics from far-away institutions. ●Researchers from different institutions can 8. ideas at home. |
Video conferencing used in politics | ●Video conferencing may be 9. as to meetings between senior officials. ●Senior politicians can use video conferencing to 10. the danger of travelling to unstable places. |
Being a mother is not easy. You need to have good parenting methods. I admit that I’m not a perfect mom and that there are problems in my family. But I’m willing to change the situation. It’s the beginning of a new year and it’s time to examine ways to do a better job with my kids. This time I have decide to focus more on how I can get my parenting methods to actually get results for me rather than just doing the usual thing and simply making out a long list of impossible things. These are a few ideas about how I plan to keep my parenting methods working throughout the year.
Getting them to be neater
My kids are not really what I would call lazy, but their rooms can look like a war zone at times. Instead of getting annoyed at the sight of their underwear hanging on their laptop table, I am simply going to reward the child who keeps his room neat and take a few dollars from the pocket money of the one who continues to be untidy.
_______________
I have already moved their television into our living room. All of us like to relax in the evenings with TV, but I know watching too much TV harms their health and reduces the time we spend together as a family, so I plan to throw in some snacks and turn a quiet evening into enjoyable family time. In this way I will get to spend more time with my kids as well as stopping them from hiding in their rooms watching those meaningless TV programmes.
Helping them keep a balanced diet
My kids love fries (炸薯条) and biscuits as children usually do. I have worked out a deal with them. We have Tuesdays and Saturdays labelled as “happy food days” when they can eat what they want while the rest of the week we get to focus on some nutritious (有营养的) foods to develop our bodies. In this way I have worked out an effective balance between junk-food (垃圾食品) snacks and good-for-you snacks.
Giving permissions
If you don’t know how many outings you should allow your kids to go on, you are not the only one. I have made a deal with my kids. Out of every three outing choices, they get to choose two they really want and one that I am allowed to say “no” to. You’ll be surprised at how much you can control the number of their activities out with their friends without witnessing a long cry on your living room carpet (地毯).
Sparing time for talks
I have made sure that I am going to set aside five minutes a day for each child. From past experience, I have discovered that children often hide a problem until it reaches a point they cannot handle. Thus I plan to set aside five minutes for each child to just chat about their day and tell me if there is anything they want to talk to me about.
I know that all my plans to keep my ways to solve problems are not always going to go as planned. But having some ideas in place has helped me add some limits and requirements to my children’s lives without stepping on their toes or destroying their fun. I love my kids very much and this is my way of training them to get on the good side of their lives.
So, what are your parenting methods for this year? Please leave a message and share them below.
1.We can infer from Paragraph 1 that _____ .
A. the author is not a good mother
B. the author plans to make a list of things she will do
C. the author’s children bring great problems to her family
D. the author’s parenting methods in the past didn’t quite work
2.What can we learn about the author’s children from Paragraph 2?
A. They are lazy and untidy.
B. They can get pocket money.
C. They always keep their rooms out of order.
D. They often fight with each other in their rooms.
3.What is the best subtitle for Paragraph 3?
A. Spending the evening together
B. Turning TV time into family time
C. Keeping them away from the television
D. Stopping them from hiding in their rooms
4.The author spares five minutes to talk with her kids every day to _____.
A. let them know that she loves them
B. keep an eye on what they do every day
C. help them solve their problems in time
D. discover the secrets they don’t want to share
5.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. The author has put all her plans into action.
B. The author is not satisfied with her plan at all.
C. The author allows her children to eat whatever they like.
D. The author’s children have freedom of going out to some degree.
6.Where is the passage most probably taken from?
A. A newspaper. B. A magazine.
C. A booklet. D. A website.
Horses are certainly a marvel (奇异的事物) of creation. They are extremely strong and interact (互动) with their environment through their senses. Compared to us, they see better, hear better, have a better sense of smell, and can feel the smallest insect on their bodies. They have survived by using their senses to get away from danger for centuries.
Hearing
Riding animals have excellent hearing, better than that of humans. Horses’ ears rotate (转动) 180 degrees and generally face the direction the animal is looking. They can focus one eye and ear on the rider and one eye and ear on something else. When they hear something, horses want to see the cause. Noise created by traffic, wind, and other distractions (分心的事物) can greatly affect their hearing, and cause horses to become skittish. Riding animals in more complex environments become used to disturbing noises after repeated exposure to (暴露于) them. Vehicles backfiring, gunfire, helicopters, trains and mechanical equipment can be tolerated by riding animals that are accustomed to (习惯于) them. Horses that spend time in rural areas get used to noises there, such as the sounds of farm animals or forest activities. However, all these sounds and many others can startle (使惊吓) riding animals unfamiliar with them, making it difficult for riders to keep control.
Smell
Horses have an excellent sense of smell, much better than that of humans. They may use smell to find their way back. They readily smell other animals, and they can tell differences in the smell of water. Most horses are happy to drink muddy water from a puddle (水坑) because it has a natural smell, but they may refuse to drink from an unfamiliar source. Many riders travel with an old water bucket so their horses will welcome water in the campground.
Touch
Horses are so sensitive to touch that they can feel a fly land on a single hair. Slight pressure from a rider’s legs can guide a horse forward and anything touching its body hair can alert (使警觉) the animal to trouble. If a horse brushes up against a narrow passage and feels trapped, its survival nature kicks in. Sharp objects easily cut or damage the relatively tender skin of a horse and painful or sharp impacts cause a horse to run away from the offending object, potentially injuring itself or others.
Curiosity
Some horses are exceptionally daring. Their curiosity leads them to explore anything new in their environment. They smell, push, move, pick up, or play with new objects within their reach. They may pull things into a corral (畜栏) with their teeth or kneel to reach underneath fences for something they want. Depending on the design of the fence or barrier and the size of the animal, horses may be able to reach 6 feet beyond its edge.
1.The underlined word “skittish” in Paragraph 2 probably means “_____”.
A. frightened B. puzzled
C. curious D. calm
2.Riders are advised to travel with an old water bucket because _____.
A. their horses prefer to drink from a puddle
B. there isn’t enough water in the campground
C. their horses need a familiar smell to find their way back
D. water with a familiar smell is welcomed by their horses
3.How will horses do when they are curious about something outside their fences?
A. They focus their eyes on the thing.
B. They use their feet to touch the thing.
C. They try their best to reach the thing.
D. They struggle to get out of their fences.
4.What’s the best title for the passage?
A. A brief introduction to horses’ senses
B. How horses use their hearing and smell
C. Why horses are called a marvel of creation
D. Comparison between horses’ senses and humans’
At a school in North Carolina, Monica Mitchell-Giraudo, a French teacher, instructs 19 sixth-graders to gather into a circle.
“Okay, everyone, let's take a few mindful breaths, and think about our gratitude (感激) for Amy, who brought us apples for snack today,” says Monica. “What do you notice?”
“I notice my stomach is already growling (做隆隆声),” laughs Ben.
“My mouth is watering,” says David.
Next, the students hold and examine the apples. They pick up the fruit and feel it. Then they bring the apples to their noses, using their sense of smell to enjoy the flowery smell of their snack before taking the first juicy bites.
“Excellent, class,” says Monica. “Before you eat the apple, ask yourself whether or not you're hungry. Remember, you don't have to eat if your body isn't giving you a hunger signal.”
These students are learning a practice called “Mindful Eating”, which builds the children's awareness (意识) of important physical signals like hunger and fullness.
The positive feedback from the children shows how much these newly learned life skills are helping them.
“Mindful eating helps me think about the food that goes into my body,” says Jamie, a student in Monica's class. “I can make better and healthier food choices.”
Unfortunately, these kinds of courses are in short supply because many educators believe that social and emotional programs are too expensive or time-consuming (耗时的). To save costs and reduce staffing problems, prevention programs like The Body Positive are brought into the schools. The program teaches a series of self-exploration exercises that help educators examine their feelings and attitudes about food so that they can pass on these messages to their students, too.
Kathy Laughlin, director of counseling at San Domenico High School, is a fan of the training. “Since we began the program, I have not seen as many girls with problems related to body hatred,” she says. “Mindful eating practice is one of the best ways to help students develop a healthy mind and body connection — one which will help them for years to come.”
1.What did Monica ask her students to do as soon as they were gathered?
A. Express thanks to Amy.
B. Feel a need for the food.
C. Share their eating experiences.
D. Think about the state of hunger.
2.What's the purpose of The Body Positive?
A. To stop eating disorders.
B. To train educators in mindful eating.
C. To change students' attitudes towards eating.
D. To create present moment awareness when eating.
3.What is Kathy's opinion on the emotional program?
A. It is a waste of time.
B. It is hardly practical.
C. It costs a lot of money.
D. It has long-term significance.
