When most of us get a text message on our cell phone from an unknown person, we usually say ＂sorry, ________ number!＂ and move on. But when Dennis Williams __________ a text that clearly wasn’t intended for him, he did something __________.
On March 19, Dennis got a group text __________ him that a couple he didn’t know were at the hospital, waiting for the __________ of a baby.
＂Congratulations! But I think someone was mistaken,＂ Dennis __________. The baby was born and update texts were __________ quickly from the overjoyed grandmother, Teresa. In her __________, she didn’t seem to realize that she was __________ the baby’s photos with a complete stranger. ＂Well, I don’t __________ you all but I will get there to take pictures with the baby,＂ replied Dennis before asking which room the new __________ were in.
Much to the family’s surprise, Dennis stuck to his __________! He turned up at the hospital __________ gifts for the new mother Lindsey and her baby boy. Lindsey’s husband was totally __________ by the unexpected visit. ＂I don’t think we would have randomly invited him over but we __________ it and the gifts.＂
Teresa __________ a photo of the chance meeting on a social networking website __________ by the touching words: ＂What a __________ this young man was to our family! He was so __________ and kind to do this.＂ The post has since gained the __________ of social media users all over the world, receiving more than 184,000 shares and 61,500 likes in just three days.
1.A. unlucky B. secret C. new D. wrong
2.A. received B. translated C. copied D. printed
3.A. reasonable B. special C. necessary D. practical
4.A. convincing B. reminding C. informing D. warning
5.A. wake-up B. recovery C. growth D. arrival
6.A. responded B. interrupted C. predicted D. repeated
7.A. coming in B. setting out C. passing down D. moving around
8.A. opinion B. anxiety C. excitement D. effort
9.A. comparing B. exchanging C. discussing D. sharing
10.A. accept B. know C. believe D. bother
11.A. parents B. doctors C. patients D. visitors
12.A. dream B. promise C. agenda D. principle
13.A. bearing B. collecting C. opening D. making
14.A. discouraged B. relaxed C. astonished D. defeated
15.A. admit B. need C. appreciate D. expect
16.A. found B. selected C. developed D. posted
17.A. confirmed B. simplified C. clarified D. accompanied
18.A. pity B. blessing C. relief D. problem
19.A. smart B. calm C. sweet D. fair
20.A. sympathy B. attention C. control D. trust
Forgiveness
To forgive is a virtue, but no one has ever said it is easy. When someone has deeply hurt you, it can be extremely difficult to let go of your hate. However, forgiveness is possible, and it can be surprisingly beneficial to your physical and mental health. People who forgive show less sadness, anger and stress and more hopefulness, according to a recent research.
1. Try the following steps：
Calm yourself. 2. You can take a couple of breaths and think of something that gives you pleasure: a beautiful scene in nature, or someone you love.
Don’t wait for an apology. Many times the person who hurt you does not intend to apologize. They may have wanted to hurt you or they just don’t see things the same way. 3. Keep in mind that forgiveness does not necessarily mean becoming friends again with the person who upset you.
Take the control away from your offender (冒犯者). Rethinking about your hurt gives power to the person who caused you pain. Instead of focusing on your wounded feelings, learn to look for the love, beauty and kindness around you.
4. If you understand your offender, you may realize that he or she was acting out of unawareness, fear, and even love. You may want to write a letter to yourself from your offender’s point of view.
Don’t forget to forgive yourself. 5. But it can rob you of your selfconfidence if you don’t do it.
A．Why should you forgive?
B．How should you start to forgive?
C．Recognize the benefits of forgiveness.
D．Try to see things from your offender’s angle.
E．For some people, forgiving themselves is the biggest challenge.
F．To make your anger die away, try a simple stressmanagement technique.
G．If you wait for people to apologize, you could be waiting an awfully long time.
Preparing Cities for Robot Cars
The possibility of self-driving robot cars has often seemed like a futurist’s dream, years away from materializing in the real world. Well, the future is apparently now. The California Department of Motor Vehicles began giving permits in April for companies to test truly self-driving cars on public roads. The state also cleared the way for companies to sell or rent out self-driving cars, and for companies to operate driverless taxi services. California, it should be noted, isn’t leading the way here. Companies have been testing their vehicles in cities across the country. It’s hard to predict when driverless cars will be everywhere on our roads. But however long it takes, the technology has the potential to change our transportation systems and our cities, for better or for worse, depending on how the transformation is regulated.
While much of the debate so far has been focused on the safety of driverless cars(and rightfully so), policymakers also should be talking about how self-driving vehicles can help reduce traffic jams, cut emissions(排放) and offer more convenient, affordable mobility options. The arrival of driverless vehicles is a chance to make sure that those vehicles are environmentally friendly and more shared.
Do we want to copy — or even worsen — the traffic of today with driverless cars? Imagine a future where most adults own individual self-driving vehicles. They tolerate long, slow journeys to and from work on packed highways because they can work, entertain themselves or sleep on the ride, which encourages urban spread. They take their driverless car to an appointment and set the empty vehicle to circle the building to avoid paying for parking. Instead of walking a few blocks to pick up a child or the dry cleaning, they send the self-driving minibus. The convenience even leads fewer people to take public transport — an unwelcome side effect researchers have already found in ride-hailing(叫车) services.
A study from the University of California at Davis suggested that replacing petrol-powered private cars worldwide with electric, self-driving and shared systems could reduce carbon emissions from transportation 80% and cut the cost of transportation infrastructure(基础设施) and operations 40% by 2050. Fewer emissions and cheaper travel sound pretty appealing. The first commercially available driverless cars will almost certainly be fielded by ride-hailing services, considering the cost of self-driving technology as well as liability and maintenance issues(责任与维护问题). But driverless car ownership could increase as the prices drop and more people become comfortable with the technology.
Policymakers should start thinking now about how to make sure the appearance of driverless vehicles doesn’t extend the worst aspects of the car-controlled transportation system we have today. The coming technological advancement presents a chance for cities and states to develop transportation systems designed to move more people, and more affordably. The car of the future is coming. We just have to plan for it.
1.According to the author, attention should be paid to how driverless cars can __________.
A. help deal with transportation-related problems
B. provide better services to customers
C. cause damage to our environment
D. make some people lose jobs
2.As for driverless cars, what is the author’s major concern?
A. Safety. B. Side effects.
C. Affordability. D. Management.
3.What does the underlined word ＂fielded＂ in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
A. Employed. B. Replaced.
C. Shared. D. Reduced.
4.What is the author’s attitude to the future of self-driving cars?
A. Doubtful. B. Positive.
C. Disapproving. D. Sympathetic.
While famous foreign architects are invited to lead the designs of landmark buildings in China such as the new CCTV tower and the National Center for the Performing Arts, many excellent Chinese architects are making great efforts to take the center stage.
Their efforts have been proven fruitful. Wang Shu, a 49-year-old Chinese architect, won the 2012 Pritzker Architecture Prize -which is often referred to as the Nobel Prize in architecture-on February 28. He is the first Chinese citizen to win this award.
Wang serves as head of the Architecture Department at the China Department at the China Academy of Art (CAA). His office is located at the Xiangshan campus (校园) of the university in Hangzhou, Zhejiang Province. Many buildings on the campus are his original creations.
The style of the campus is quite different from that of most Chinese universities. Many visitors were amazed by the complex architectural space and abundant building types. The curves (曲线) of the buildings perfectly match the rise and fall of hills, forming a unique view.
Wang collected more than 7 million abandoned bricks of different ages. He asked the workers to use traditional techniques to make the bricks into walls, roofs and corridors. This creation attracted a lot of attention thanks to its mixture of modern and traditional Chinese elements.
Wang’s works show a deep understanding of modern architecture and a good knowledge of traditions. Through such a balance, he had created a new type of Chinese architecture, said Tadao Ando, the winner of the 1995 Pritzker Prize.
Wang believes traditions should not be sealed in glass boxes at museums. “That is only evidence that traditions once existed, ” he said.
“Many Chinese people have a misunderstanding of traditions. They think tradition means old things from the past. In fact, tradition also refers to the things that have been developing and that are still being created, “he said.
“Today, many Chinese people are learning Western styles and theories rather than focusing on Chinese traditions. Many people tend to talk about traditions without knowing what they really are,” said Wang.
The study of traditions should be combined, with practice. Otherwise, the recreation of traditions would be artificial and empty, he said.
1.What should we do about Chinese traditions according to Wang?
A. Spread them to the world B. Preserve them at museums
C. Teach them in universities. D. Recreate them in practice.
2.Wang's winning of the prize means that Chinese architects are__________.
A. following the latest world trend B. getting international recognition
C. working harder than ever before D. relying on foreign architects
3.What impressed visitors to the CAA Xiangshan campus most?
A. Its hilly environment. B. Its large size.
C. Its unique style. D. Its diverse functions
4.What made Wang’s architectural design a success?
A. The mixture of different shapes. B. The balance of East and west.
C. The use of popular technique. D. The harmony of old and new.
Many of us love July because it’s the month when nature’s berries and stone fruits are in abundance. These colourful and sweet jewels form British Columbia’s fields are little powerhouses of nutritional protection.
Of the common berries, strawberries are highest in vitamin C, although, because of their seeds, raspberries contain a little more protein (蛋白质), iron and zinc (not that fruits have much protein). Blueberries are particularly high in antioxidants (抗氧化物质). The yellow and orange stone fruits such as peaches are high in the carotenoids we turn into vitamin A and which are antioxidants. As for cherries (樱桃), they are so delicious who cares? However, they are rich in vitamin C.
When combined with berries of slices of other fruits, frozen bananas make an excellent base for thick, cooling fruit shakes and low fat “ice cream”. For this purpose, select ripe bananas for freezing as they are much sweeter. Remove the skin and place them in plastic bags or containers and freeze. If you like, a squeeze of fresh lemon juice on the bananas will prevent them turning brown. Frozen bananas will last several weeks, depending on their ripeness and the temperature of the freezer.
If you have a juicer, you can simply feed in frozen bananas and some berries or sliced fruit. Out comes a “soft-serve” creamy dessert, to be eaten right away. This makes a fun activity for a children’s party; they love feeding the fruit and frozen bananas into the top of the machine and watching the ice cream come out below.
1.Why is fresh lemon juice used in freezing bananas?
A. To make them smell better. B. To keep their colour.
C. To speed up their ripening. D. To improve their nutrition.
2.What is “a juicer” in the last paragraph?
A. A dessert. B. A drink.
C. A container. D. A machine.
3.From which is the text probably taken?
A. A biology textbook. B. A health magazine.
C. A research paper. D. A travel brochure.
4.What does the author seem to like about cherries?
A. They contain protein. B. They are high in vitamin A.
C. They have a pleasant taste. D. They are rich in antioxidants.
Washington, D.C. Bicycle Tours
Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.
Duration:3 hours
This small group bike tour is a fantastic way to see the world-famous cherry trees with beautiful flowers of Washington, D.C. Your guide will provide a history lesson about the trees and the famous monuments where they blossom. Reserve your spot before availability - and the cherry blossoms - disappear!
Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour
Duration:3 hours (4 miles)
Join a guided bike tour and view some of the most popular monuments in Washington,D.C. Explore the monuments and memorials on the National Mall as your guide shares unique facts and history at each stop. Guided tour includes bike,helmet, cookies and bottled water.
Capital City Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.
Duration:3 hours
Morning or Afternoon, this bike tour is the perfect tour for D.C. newcomers and locals looking to experience Washington, D.C. in a healthy way with minimum effort.Knowledgeable guides will entertain you with the most interesting stories about Presidents, Congress, memorials, and parks. Comfortable bikes and a smooth tour route (路线) make cycling between the sites fun and relaxing.
Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour
Duration:3 hours (7 miles)
Join a small group bike tour for an evening of exploration in the heart of Washington, D.C. Get up close to the monuments and memorials as you bike the sites of Capitol Hill and the National Mall. Frequent stops are made for photo taking as your guide offers unique facts and history. Tour includes bike,helmet, and bottled water. All riders are equipped with reflective vests and safety lights.
1.Which of the following does the bicycle tour at night provide?
A. City maps. B. Cameras.
C. Meals. D. Safety lights.
2.Which tour do you need to book in advance?
A. Cherry Blossom Bike Tour in Washington, D.C.
B. Washington Capital Monuments Bicycle Tour.
C. Capital City Bike Tour in Washington,
D. Washington Capital Sites at Night Bicycle Tour.
3.What will you do on the Capital City Bike Tour?
A. Meet famous people. B. Go to a national park.
C. Visit well-known museums. D. Enjoy interesting stories.
