When I started playing chess, it was merely a game. However, I have come to realize that most of life can be ________ on a chess board.
One of the first lessons I learned was never to leave a piece ________. Making this mistake means commit suicide. Instead, I learned that to win I need ________, a perfect cooperation between the pieces so that I can react and ________ to any outcome, however unlikely it may be. In life, you need to be able to ________ what you are doing. If something isn’t working, try something ________.
In chess, various strategies and plans are ________ to success. If you don’t know what you are trying to accomplish, then you don’t have a chance of ________. You can take a(n) ________ outlook on life: If you don’t have goals then you can’t expect to accomplish anything. With goals and will, a person can take those ________ forward that are important to the game, both in chess and life.
There I was, sitting at the table, watching the game ________. My opponent sighed, deep in thought. I glanced at the board and thought about my better ________ and more pieces. I had the game well in ________. My opponent suddenly sat up and whispered, “Come on already. Can’t you just end it?” He stared at me; I ________ back, surprised. I wanted to end it. I really did ________ I found that I couldn’t. Fate had ________ me. It took me another 20 minutes and 17 moves to win.
People think winning is ________, but it’s not. It takes time, patience, and hard work. To ________, a person must work hard to prove his or her ability. To show others you are capable of ________ them, you must show them you are a winner. I am a ________.
1.A. achieved B. expected C. designed D. represented
2.A. uneasy B. untreated C. unprepared D. unexplored
3.A. teamwork B. plan C. patience D. attention
4.A. turn B. adapt C. travel D. contribute
5.A. change B. promise C. challenge D. research
6.A. serious B. new C. special D. important
7.A. great B. kind C. vital D. equal
8.A. appearing B. showing C. competing D. winning
9.A. similar B. beautiful C. unusual D. complete
10.A. tasks B. steps C. themes D. suggestions
11.A. end B. produce C. develop D. approach
12.A. future B. reward C. fortune D. position
13.A. use B. hand C. need D. trouble
14.A. threw B. went C. stared D. gave
15.A. So B. And C. Though D. But
16.A. gone against B. waited for C. believed in D. belonged to
17.A. easy B. joyful C. impossible D. necessary
18.A. play B. help C. achieve D. arrive
19.A. serving B. persuading C. teaching D. defeating
20.A. dreamer B. winner C. learner D. coach
Types of Family Structures
Family structure has changed noticeably over the last 50 years. 1.
Nuclear Family
The nuclear family is the traditional type of family structure, consisting of two parents and children. 2. Children in nuclear families receive strength and stability from the two-parent structure and generally have more opportunities due o the financial ease of two adults In America, almost 70 percent of children live in a nuclear family unit.
Extended Family
The extended family structure consists of two or more adults who are related, either by blood or marriage, living in the same home. This family includes many relatives living together and working toward common goals. 3. Extended families are becoming increasingly common all over the world.
Stepfamily
Many marriages end in divorce, and many of these individuals choose to get remarried. This creates the stepfamily which involves two separate families merging into one new unit. 4. Stepfamilies are as common as the nuclear family, though they tend to have more problems. Stepfamilies need to learn to work together to ensure these family units run smoothly.
There is no right or wrong answer when it comes to what is the best type of family structure. 5. Families need to do what is best for each other and themselves, and that can be achieved in almost any unit.
A. Parents go to look after elders occasionally.
B. They raise the children together, due to financial difficulties.
C. The nuclear family was long held by society as the ideal to raise children.
D. It consists of a new husband and wife and their children from previous marriages.
E. As long as a family is filled with love and support for one another, it is successful.
F. The following types of families exist today, with some falling into different kind.
G. While these types of families are distinct in definition, in practice the lines are less clear.
Let’s be honest, kids are strange. And when you hear your three- year-old son arguing over who gets to be the mom while playing “house” alone in the other room, you might question if you’ve done something wrong as a parent. But don’t worry, it’s perfectly normal for your child to have an imaginary friend, and it even has some benefits. While your kids are benefiting from playing with their imaginary friend, try out these other ways to raise an intelligent child!
One of the biggest profits is that it promotes creativity. Just think about it-you have to be a special kind of creative to carry on a conversation with an imaginary figure that doesn’t respond. Developmental psychologist Marjorie Taylor told PureWow that your child’s creativity will remain with them as they get older, even when they stop hanging out with their “friend”.
Along with being more creative, they will also have a better developed and more different vocabulary as well as stronger social skills. Talking to “Sally” or “Bob” all day will allow them to practice their speech and conversation skills. Researchers at La Trobe University in Australia found that children who engage with their imaginary friends on a regular basis use more complex sentences and are more confident in everyday social situations.
There are also some benefits for the parents. If your child’s brothers or sisters aren’t around or they’re an only child, they have someone to entertain them while you spend the time on you never-ending to-do list. So even though it might get odd when your kids constantly ask you to set an extra plate at the table for their imaginary friends, they’ll benefit in the future from keeping them around. Having an extra member of the family can’t be that bad, the more the merrier, right?
1.Who is the three-year-old boy talking to while playing “house” alone?
A. His toy. B. His mother.
C. His brothers and sisters D. His imaginary friend.
2.How does Marjorie Taylor feel about children playing with heir “friend”?
A. It helps children develop better.
B. It relieves busy parents’ pressure.
C. It shows children’s loneliness.
D. It makes the family get closer.
3.What does the author suggest to parents?
A. Sparing time with children.
B. Taking children to play outside.
C. Adopting an extra member of family.
D. Letting children play with imaginary friends.
4.What is the best title for the text?
A. Ways to play creatively
B. Ways to raise an intelligent child
C. Benefits of children’s having imaginary friends
D. Benefits of letting your child play
A new study shows the world’s fastest land animal could be running towards extinction.
The Zoological Society of London (ZSL), Panthera, and Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) led the study. It estimates that only 7,100 cheetahs（猎豹）remain worldwide, mainly found in Africa. But according to the study, cheetahs have been forced out of 91% of their native range. Cheetahs found in Asia are among the hardest hit. Fewer than 50 are left in a small part of Iran.
Many factors are to blame for the decline in cheetah numbers, including habitat loss and the illegal trade. Prey（猎物）loss is also a problem. Humans cause it by overhunting animals that cheetahs prey on. Cheetahs are carnivores and prey mainly on smaller mammals, for example gazelles.
Because cheetahs usually roam over large areas in search of food, 77% of their habitat remains outside of government-protected areas. This means cheetahs are in constant danger of hunters and traders. In Zimbabwe, Africa, alone, the cheetah population has dropped from 1,200 to only about 170 in 16 years. This decline represents a loss of 85% of the country’s cheetahs.
Dr. Kim Young—Overton, Panthera’s Cheetah Program Director, thinks protected habitats alone are not enough to save cheetahs. Cheetahs in reserves also face dangers such as loss of prey and illegal trade.
Dr. Sarah Durant, the study’s lead author, believes that the information it contains will lead to a better understanding of cheetahs as well as a better approach to helping them survive. Durant says local and national officials must team up in order to save cheetahs. But first, the International Union for Conservation of Nature must classify the animals as endangered. Currently, cheetahs are classified as weak on the IUCN’s Red List of Threatened Species. The change would focus more attention on cheetahs and help protect them for extinction. After all, in the fight to save cheetahs, it's a race against time.
1.What is the present situation of cheetahs according to the study?
A. They are in danger.
B. They live freely worldwide.
C. They are protected well in Africa.
D. They mainly live in their native range.
2.What does the underlined word “carnivores” refer to?
A. Animals kept at home.
B. Animals living in zoos.
C. Animals feeding on meat.
D. Animals killed in the wild.
3.What results in the decline of the cheetah population according to the text?
A. The loss of their reserves.
B. Their appearance in unpreserved areas.
C. The decreasing government protection.
D. Their increasing natural enemies.
4.What does Dr. Sarah Durant think of the study of cheetahs?
A. It shows ways of wildlife protection.
B. It implies people’s role in saving animals.
C. It stresses the importance of cheetahs in our life.
D. It informs people of cheetahs’ existing state.
He told me what a wonderful job I was doing. He kept me motivated with crazy stories of what he did when he was a kid or just by smiling. His smile would light a rom and pass to everyone around him. He was like a full animal, easy to hug and keep my secrets safe. He was the first man I loved and the one I always looked up to. He did everything for me, but the one he did best was being my dad.
My dad made me a believer in myself. I would always give up too soon, right before l got the answer. Some nights he would sit with me to help me believe myself with examples that he had gone through. Those nights were the worst! I struggled so hard and tried not to get upset at myself.
He loved to tell jokes and had one for every occasion. He loved to make people laugh. He acted as if it were his goal in life to make people laugh. There was never a dull moment when he was in the room. To everyone he was the jokester, but to me, a sensitive girl, he was something more than words could describe. My dad knew everything. He excelled at everything he did; raising two beautiful and smart children was only one.
To my brother and me, he was in a way our hero, always picking us up after our knees were injured. Any tear was wiped away by a large warm, comforting hand. He influenced us with his knowledge. My dad, as well as my mother, influenced us to achieve everything we try in life. He made everything he did look like it required no effort at all. His words of encouragement still ring in my head to this day even after his passing. I still know today that he will always encourage me just not in the same way.
1.What’s the author’s purpose in writing the text?
A. To honor her father.
B. To follow her father’s examples.
C. To show how to be a good father.
D. To show her father’s training to her.
2.The author compares her father to a full animal to show his ________.
A. life habit B. great love
C. eating way D. good ability
3.How did the author’s father do to make her believe in herself?
A. By teaching her to study lessons.
B. By sharing her different stories.
C. By helping her finish her tasks.
D. By telling his own experiences.
4.Why did the author consider her father as a hero?
A. Because her father saved her life.
B. Because her father made her have a strong body.
C. Because her father always appeared when she was in trouble.
D. Because her father always comforted her to make her feel better.
This Holiday’s Resolution: Visit More Galleries
Sounds easy enough, right? It should be, as the bay area is loaded with galleries. Here are a few suggestions to help expand your cultural brain.
Craftsman House shows fine American craft from more than 300 local and national artists in a restored 1920s bungalow in St. Pete’s Grand Central District. In addition to the showroom, the carriage house out back is a fully operational pottery studio. They also have a fresh cafe in the house that offers coffee, tea, lunch and baked goods. Normal hours are from 10 am to 7 pm from Monday to Saturday and from 11 am to 5 pm on Sunday. www.craftsmanhouse-gallery.com.
Ocean Blue Gallery on downtown St .Pete’s Beach Drive is brand new and only open for a month. They feature paintings, glass, wood sculptures and metal art, and as the name implies, they’re heavy on beach and sea life themes. They’re located at 284 Beach Drive NE and open from 10:30 am to 5 pm from Sunday to Thursday and from 10:30 am to 4 pm from Friday to Saturday. www.oceanbluegallery.com.
Tempus Project in Tampa’s Seminole Heights is a gallery that represents established and developing local, national and international artists through inspiring exhibitions. The exhibition on display is Boys on Film, an exhibit of new sculptures and drawings by Noelle Mason that researches the fiction and fantasy. The gallery is only open by appointment, but they will be open from 7 am to 9 pm on July 6th for Seminole Heights First Friday, which is also the last day for the exhibition. www.tempusproject.com.
1.What can people enjoy in Craftsman House?
A. Visiting some beautiful bungalows.
B. A fresh breakfast.
C. Talking with national artists.
D. Some food.
2.What is special about Ocean Blue Gallery?
A. It has a long history.
B. Its themes are about beach and sea life.
C. The opening time is the longest.
D. Its works come from many foreign countries.
3.What should people do to visit Tempus Project?
A. Make appointments before July 6th.
B. Collect some information online.
C. Know something about the fiction.
D. Research famous drawings.
