The news of Harper Lee’s second novel broke the internet. Go Set a Watchman would be published in July. Lee became a recluse (隐士)after the publication of her first book, To Kill a Mockingbird, in 1960. Although the author has been out of the public eye for more than 50 years, the wave that followed the announcement showed her novel’s beloved place in the American literary works.
In 1991, The Book of the Month Club and the library of Congress conducted a survey that made readers identify books that had made a difference in their lives. Lee’s book followed only The Bible. Alongside the works of Shakespeare and Twain, To Kill a Mockingbird remains one of the most widely taught books nationwide, reaching an estimated 70% of American public schools. What makes it such a perfect read for young people?
English class is a place where young Americans come to know themselves. In the folds of dusty books, students can make contact with humanity beyond the superficial(肤浅的) conversations of the school hallways. Literature promises relief, a place to figure out one’s problems and get to know oneself better.
To Kill a Mockingbird particularly distinguishes itself in this regard. It speaks in child’s voice without treating its readership as children. People have called it an ‘impossible’ achievement, a children’s book penned in the prose(散文) of a well-educated adult—it’s unlikely that a child like Scout could exist in the real world. But that’s exactly what makes it such a charming read for young people. It alludes to (转弯抹角地说到)the consciousness of a well-educated adult going through difficult realities, but shows it through the light and playful voice of a curious little girl.
1.In which year might Go Set a Watchman come out?
A. 2015 B. 1960
C. 1910 D. 1991
2.Which book leaves the deepest impression on American readers?
A. Go Set a Watchman B. To Kill a Mockingbird
C. The Bible D. Shakespeare’s works
3.Which of the following statements is right about To Kill a Mockingbird?
A. Its author may be a playful child.
B. It’s a story about a well-educated adult.
C. Young people can see themselves from it.
D. It’s impossible for children like Scout to exist.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. The Great Writer: Harper Lee B. The Great Young People Novel
C. Voices from Children D. Differences Harper Lee made
Do you like spicy food?
What’s your opinion on spicy food? Some people cannot handle even the smallest amount of chili-red pepper-in their dinner while others can’t get enough of it.
Scientists have long been puzzled by why some people love chili while others loathe it. Plenty of research has been done on the subject, dating as far back as the 1970s. Previous results showed that a love of chili is related to childhood experiences, and cultural influences affect our taste buds too. But the latest study has found that a person’s love of spicy food may be linked to his or her personality more than anything else, CBC News reported.
“We have always assumed that liking drives intake-we eat what we like and we like what we eat. But no one has actually directly bothered to connect these personality traits with intake of chili peppers,”said Professor John Hayes from Pennsylvania State University, who led the study.
But before you look at the study, you should first know that “spicy” is not a taste, unlike sour, sweet, bitter and salty. It is, in fact, a burning sensation that you feel on the surface of your tongue. This got scientists thinking that maybe a love of spicy food is brought about by people’s longing for thrill, something they usually get from watching action movies or riding a roller coaster.
In the study, 97 participants, both male and female, were asked to fill out questionnaires about certain traits of their personality, for example, whether they like new experiences or tend to avoid risks. They were then given a glass of water with capsaicin, the plant chemical that makes a chili burn, mixed into it.
By comparing the answers to the questionnaire and what participants said they felt about the spicy water, researchers found that those who tended to enjoy action movies or take risks were about six times more likely to enjoy the spicy water.
Interestingly, we used to believe that the reason some people can withstand spicy food is that their tongues have become less sensitive to it. However, this latest study has found otherwise. “It’s not that it doesn’t burn as badly, it’s that you actually learn to like the burn,” Hayes explained.
1.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “loathe” in the second paragraph?
A. dislike B. fear
C. put up with D. adapt to
2.What did Professor John Hayes and his team discover from their study?
A. what we eat actually helps to develop our personalities
B. Males are more likely to enjoy spicy food than females
C. Those trying to avoid risks tend to be less interested in spicy food
D. People are wrong to treat spicy as a kind of taste rather than a feeling
3.Why do some people like spicy food according to the recent study?
A. Because their taste buds have become less sensitive
B. Because they love the burning sensation
C. Because they want to challenge themselves
D. Because the more they try spicy food, the less it burns
4.What’s the main idea of the passage?
A. What he or she likes to eat mainly decides on his or her personality
B. That a person enjoys spicy food depends largely on the personality
C. His or her childhood experiences decide on his or her personality
D. His or her cultural background decides on his or her personality
We arrived at the hospital to find Dad was very weak, but his smile was as sure as ever. It was another attack of pneumonia(肺炎). My husband and I stayed with him for the weekend but had to return to our jobs on Monday. Local relatives would help Dad get home from the hospital and look after him. But I longed to be able to let him know that we cared too, even when we weren’t with him.
Then I remember a family tradition when our children were small. When leaving their grandparents’ home after a visit, each child would write a note to their grandparents. They hid notes in the cereal(麦片), under a hairbrush, next to the phone or even in the microwave oven. For days, their parents would smile as they discovered these signs of our love.
So as I tidied Dad’s kitchen and made up a bed for him downstairs in the living room, I wrote some notes. Some were practical, “Dad, I put the food in the fridge so it wouldn’t spoil.” Some expressed my love, “Dad I hope you will sleep well in your new bed.” Most notes were downstairs where he would stay for several weeks until he recovered strength, but one note I hid upstairs under his pillow, “Dad, if you have found this one, you must be feeling better. We are so glad. ”
Just like his medicine strengthened him physically, these “emotional vitamins” would improve his spiritual health. Several weeks later, in one of our regular phone calls, I asked Dad how he was doing. He said, “Pretty good. I just found your note under my pillow upstairs!”
1.We can infer from the text that the author’s father _____.
A. had suffered from the same illness before B. got home from hospital alone
C. asked her to return to work D. lived with his relatives
2.The children hid notes in their grandparents’ home in order to _____.
A. follow a family tradition B. give their grandparents a pleasant surprise
C. show their gifts to their grandparents D. play tricks on their grandparents
3.Following the family tradition, the author _____.
A. often called her father B. wrote some notes to her father
C. longed to visit her father D. worried about her father
4.Having heard what her father said, the author would feel _____.
A. surprised B. lucky
C. pleased D. sad
Finding a summer job often shows that you’re growing up, and it’s also a way to earn money to pay for what you dream of. It’s never too early to start considering the future. Now, here are some good choices for you!
Retail （零售） Sales
Retail offers plenty of chances for teens who are looking for a job. This type of work can pay from $ 10 to $ 15 an hour depending on the duty you are expected to take on. For more information, call us at 4005075.
Food Service
A job in the food service industry is a natural fit for sociable teens who enjoy communicating with the public. It allows employees to work as part of a team while learning about following instructions. It also comes with the chance to earn between $ 7 and $ 9 per hour. Just call 4005077 for more information.
Babysitter （保姆）
This job requires someone who is highly responsible. Though it pays generally between $ 6 and $ 8 hourly, it also requires a lot of patience. This is a great choice for teens who wish to make a career in teaching, child care, social work or any other field that makes use of social skills or requires interaction（互动）with kids. Got a question? Just call 4005076.
Housekeeping
This type of work can bring in about $ 5 an hour and it will allow teens to learn the tourism industry, so hotels are often looking for more housekeeping staff, and parks often need more people to help with keeping public areas clean and organized as well. Telephone 4005079.
1.Which of the following job may attract teens enjoying talking to people?
A. Retail Sales. B. Babysitter.
C. Food Service. D. Housekeeping.
2.How much can a teen earn at most in two hours as a babysitter?
A. $12. B. $16.
C. $20. D. $30.
3.If a teen wants to learn how to keep public organized, he/she may call .
A. 4005075 B. 4005077
C. 4005076 D. 4005079
根据中文大意，写出意思连贯、符合逻辑、不少于 60 词的短文。所给 英文提示词语供选用。 新的一年新的 学期已经开始了，同学们一定有很多想法。请以日记的形式，介绍自己在学习、 身体、家务劳动、旅游等方面的 计划，并针对自身的不足之处，说说你打算怎么做。（日记 的开头已经给出，其字数不计入所完成的短文内。）
提示词语：study hard, read, healthy food, exercise, help, chores, at home, travel
March 25th, 2012 Sunday
Now, it’s the year of 2012. I have a new plan for the New Year. I am going to
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Most people have ambitions. An ambition is something we want to do, want to be or want to have. A student’s ambition, for example, might be to pass his or her exams and then get a good job. An athlete’s ambition could be to win an important competition. A businessman’s ambition is usually to make a lot of money.
Not all ambitions are about success at work, however. Some people just want to be good people, have a family or help others. Ben’s ambition is to be a sports writer. He writes the sports reports for his class newspaper. He likes most sports, and swimming and football are his favorites. Trudy’s ambition is to be a concert pianist. She is very serious about it and practices every day with her best friend Lily. It is very important to her. Harry’s ambition changes every day! One day he wants to be an astronaut. The next day he wants to be a pop singer. The next day he wants to drive a racing car. His mother would be happy if his ambition was to get up in time for school every day!
1.What’s an ambition?
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2.What’s a student’s ambition?
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3.Does Ben want to be a music writer?
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4.Are all the ambitions about success at work?
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5.Does Harry get up in time for school every day?
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