Why should you read every day?
When was the last time you read a book? If you're one of countless people who don't make a habit of reading regularly, you might be missing out. Reading has many benefits, and just a few benefits of reading are listed below.
Mental Stimulation
Studies have shown that staying mentally stimulated can slow the progress of Alzheimer's and Dementia. 1.. Just like any other muscle in the body, the brain requires exercise to keep it strong and healthy.
Wider Knowledge
Everything you read fills your head with new bits of information, and you never know when it might come in handy. 2..
Stress Reduction
No matter how much stress you have at work, in your personal relationships, or countless other problems, it all just slips away when you lose yourself in a great story. 3.. And an interesting article will distract you and keep you in the present moment, allowing you to relax.
4.
When you read a book, all of your attention is focused on the story— the rest of the world just falls away. Try reading for 15 to 20 minutes before work, and you'll be surprised at how much more focused you are once you get to the office.
Tranquility(安宁)
5.. Reading spiritual texts can lower blood pressure and bring about a sense of calm,while reading self-help books has been shown to help people suffering from certain mood disorders or mental illnesses.
A. Stronger thinking skills.
B. Improved focus and concentration.
C. A well-written novel can transport you to other worlds.
D. Reading a good book can also bring about great inner peace.
E. That's because keeping your brain active prevents it from losing power.
F. Reading books is also important for learning new languages and cultures.
G. The more knowledge you have, the better-equipped you are to deal with your future challenges.
China is a country of many resources. Among its resources are many great rivers, which provide useful transport routes. Water transport is an efficient way to carry heavy loads, such as grain. In ancient times, a waterway was needed between China’s rich farmlands and the capital city. This need inspired engineers to build a canal. According to writings by the ancient thinker Confucius, work on a canal linking the Yangze River with the city of Huai-in began about 486 B.C. For many centuries afterward, Chinese emperors worked on extending this ancient canal.
This canal is now known as China’s Grand Canal. One thousand years after the original canal was begun, it was in extreme need of repair. This was in the year 607, during the Sui Dynasty. By 610 the emperor had had the canal extended. The Grand Canal formed a northeast-southwest link between the Yellow River in the north and the Huai River in the south. The canal remained the main waterway in this part of China for the next five hundred years.
In the thirteenth century, the Mongols had conquered China. The Yuan Dynasty established Beijing as the capital. The city’s growing population needed food, so a new canal was built to extend shipping. Building this part of the Grand Canal required enormous effort and cost. Neither the first attempt nor the second one was successful, so the builders chose another route. Finally this link in the Grand Canal was finished.
By the time of the Ming Dynasty, the Grand Canal had six sections. These were busy with goods until the nineteenth century. Then a series of severe floods struck China. Parts of the Grand Canal were badly damaged. By 1868 it had been largely abandoned as a means of northern route.
The Grand Canal was mostly restored in the twentieth century. It was widened and deepened, and a new section was constructed. Today the canal, which is about 1,200 miles in length, has new locks(运河的水闸). It is busy with ships and barges(驳船) carrying goods to and from cities along its banks.
1.The Grand Canal was first built in ancient times to provide .
A. water for agriculture
B. water transport between farmlands and the capital
C. efficient transportation for the emperor’s army
D. a convenient way for the emperor’s recreation
2.The first large-scale(大规模的) repair of the original canal occurred in about_____ .
A. 486 B. C. B. 607 A. D. C. the Yuan Dynasty D. the Ming Dynasty
3.Considering its history, one can predict that in the future the Grand Canal will probably .
A. be extended to further north China.
B. change from a shipping route to a recreation area.
C. need to be repaired and rebuilt.
D. be abandoned in favor of air transport and highways.
Terrafugia Inc. said Monday that its new flying car has completed its first flight, bringing the company closer to its goal of selling the flying car within the next year. The vehicle — named the Transition — has two seats, four wheels and wings that fold up so it can be driven like a car. The Transition, which flew at 1,400 feet for eight minutes last month, can reach around 70 miles per hour on the road and 115 in the air. It flies using a 23-gallon tank of gas and burns 5 gallons per hour in the air. On the ground, it gets 35 miles per gallon.
Around 100 people have already put down a $10,000 deposit（定金） to get a Transition when they go on sale, and those numbers will rise after Terrafugia introduces the Transition to the public later this week at the New York Auto Show. But don’t expect it to show up in too many driveways. It’s expected to cost as much as $279,000. And it won’t help if you’re stuck in traffic. The car needs a runway.
Inventors have been trying to make flying cars since the 1930s, according to Robert Mann, an airline industry expert. But Mann thinks Terrafugia has come closer than anyone to making the flying car a reality. The government has already permitted the company to use special materials to make it easier for the vehicle to fly. The Transition is now going through crash tests to make sure it meets federal safety standards.
Mann said Terrafugia was helped by the Federal Aviation Administration’s (联邦航空管理局) decision five years ago to create a separate set of standards for light sport aircraft, which are lower than those for pilots of larger planes. Terrafugia says an owner would need to pass a test and complete 20 hours of flying time to be able to fly the Transition, a requirement pilots would find relatively easy to meet.
1.What is the first paragraph mainly about?
A. The advantages of flying cars.
B. The basic data of the Transition.
C. The possible market for flying cars.
D. The designers of the Transition.
2.Why is the Transition unlikely to show up on too many roads?
A. It causes traffic jams. B. It is difficult to operate. C. It is very expensive. D. It burns too much fuel.
3.What is the government’s attitude to the development of the flying car?
A. The government supports it. B. The government is against it.
C. The government sets higher standards to discourage it D. The government thinks it is on the way out.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. Flying Car at Auto Show B. The Transition’s First Flight
C. Pilots’ Dream Coming True D. Flying Car Closer to Reality
Mom was a teacher most of her life. When she wasn’t in the classroom, she was educating her children or grandchildren; correcting our grammar; starting us on collections of butterflies, flowers or rocks; or inspiring a discussion on her most recent “Book of the Month Club” topic. Mom made learning fun.
It was sad for my three brothers and me to see her suffering in her later years. At eighty- five, she suffered a stroke and she went steadily downhill after that.
Two days before she died, my brothers and I met at her nursing home and took her for a short ride in a wheelchair. While we waited for the staff to lift her limp body back into bed, Mom fell asleep. Not wanting to wake her, we moved to the far end of the room and spoke softly.
After several minutes our conversation was interrupted by a muffled sound coming from across the room. We stopped talking and looked at Mom. Her eyes were closed, but she was clearly trying to communicate with us. We went to her side.
“Whrr,” she said weakly. “Where?” I asked. “Mom, is there something you want?” “Whrr,” she repeated a bit stronger. My brothers and I looked at each other and shook our heads sadly. Mom opened her eyes, sighed, and with all the energy she could gather said, “ Not ...was. Say were!” We suddenly realized that Mom was correcting Brother Jim’s last sentence. “If it was up to me…”
Jim leaned down and kissed her cheek. “Thanks, Mom,” he whispered. We smiled at each other and once again shook our heads.
1.What do the underlined words “went steadily downhill” mean in the 2nd paragraph?
A. went lower and lower B. went worse and worse
C. went down the hill D. went downstairs
2.When Mom said, “Whrr”, what did she really want to do?
A. She wanted to tell her sons her will.
B. She wanted to have something to eat before she died.
C. She wanted to correct the mistakes Jim made while talking.
D. She wanted to give her sons something before she died.
3.Which of the following statements is FALSE according to the passage?
A. Mom was a good teacher and never gave up her teaching.
B. Mom was always making her teaching fun.
C. Mom didn’t forget her teaching until she died.
D. Mom stopped teaching when she was at home.
4.What does the writer think of his mother?
A. He loved her but was tired of his mother’s teaching.
B. His mother should have forgotten her teaching and enjoyed the rest of her life.
C. His mother was great because she devoted herself to teaching.
D. His mother was an excellent teacher before she was retired.
Part-time jobs for 15 and 16 years olds
Waiter / Waitress
A job as a waiter or waitress is a good choice for 16-year-olds. Not only can one earn $9-$12 an hour, but they can also get the tips (小费). Most people that visit a restaurant don’t just have good food. They come here to relax and have a good time. Besides serving food quickly, a young waiter who talks to them politely with a smile on his face will make the diners enjoy their time at the restaurant.
Work in a library
If one is fond of books, working in a library is another suitable choice. Besides the pay is good, it offers a lot of free time when students can actually sit down and finish their homework. So on returning home, they would have time to hang around with friends or just relax. So working in a library is an excellent part-time job for teens, especially for school students.
Internet jobs
There are many ways of making money through online jobs like clicking on advertisements, visiting sites and signing up with them. However, such online jobs don’t pay well. A better Internet job for teens is to complete online surveys. These are quite simple surveys that usually ask one about his/ her opinions and ideas. Many companies use these ideas to make products designed for teenagers.
1.What does the writer think of the job as a waiter/waitress?
A. It needs a period of training. B. It pays much more than other jobs.
C. It can improve one’s leadership skills. D. Making diners comfortable is part of the job.
2.A student who is busy with his research paper will probably choose to work ______.
A. in a restaurant B. in a library C. on the Internet D. in an IT company
3.The writer wrote this text to ______.
A. tell us the importance of doing part-time jobs
B. advise teenagers how to choose a part-time job
C. teach young people how to make lots of money
D. introduce his/her experience of doing part-time jobs
4.Why do some companies ask the teens to do surveys?
A. The teens have more free time. B. They can pay less to the teens.
C. They need advice to make products for teens. D. The teens usually express their true opinions.
听下面一段对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is required to apply for the Camp?
A. Educational background. B. Working experience. C. Foreign language ability.
2.What can people expect to do in the Camp?
A. Live with people from other countries. B. Share a tent with four other people.
C. Meet with people they know.
3.What kind of people does the Camp want?
A. Good cooks. B. Fine organizers. C. Easy-going persons.
4.What should people take to the Camp?
A. A tent. B. A map. C. Pictures.
