A
Every Wednesday,I go to Cantata Adult Life Services,a local retirement community in Brookfield,Illinois,US,with my classmates to do community service.
Our visits last about an hour,and we bring 25—30 students every time.We play board games and cards with the elderly while we’re there.
You can watch all the movies and TV shows you want about“life back then”,but nothing compares to talking to the people who were actually there.Just hearing their stories has touched me in a way I never thought possible.
Whether it was talking to 98-year-old“Hurricane Hilda”about her glory days as a roller skater or chatting with Lou about the times she danced with a famous actor,I was completely mesmerized by every single memory the elderly wanted to share with me.Even those who don’t have amazing memories make the experience fulfilling(充实的).I remember visiting Mrs Robinson.She couldn’t recall much about her past,but she told me she’d never forget how kind I was just to listen to her.It made me realize that it’s the little things that make life worth living.
If there’s one thing I’ve realized in my three years of visiting Cantata,it’s that presence——just being there—means more than anything to many of them.And despite how busy our lives are,there’s always time to make someone’s day.
21.Why does the author go to Cantata Adult Life Services regularly?
22.The underlined word“mesmerized”in Paragraph 4 is closest in meaning to“_______”.
23.What may be the most important to the elderly according to the author?
B
It is good to get in touch with your inner child from time to time,and obviously some people are willing to pay big money for the chance to do so in a proper environment.A Brooklyn-based adult preschool is charging customers between $333 and $999 for the chance to act like a kid again.
At Preschool Mastermind in New York adults get to participate in show—and—tell,arts—and—crafts such as finger paint,games like musical chairs and even take naps.The month-long course also has class picture day where the adults are expected to have a field trip and a parent day.
30-year-old Michelle Joni Lapidos,the brain behind the adult preschool,studied childhood education and has always wanted to be a preschool teacher.She’s always on the lookout for new ways to get people in touch with the freedom of childhood.A friend encouraged her to start the mastermind course instead.
According to Candice,her blogger friend,Preschool Mastermind gives adults a chance to relearn and master the things that they failed to understand as children.“I realized all the significances of what we learn in preschool,”said founder Michelle Joni,“People come here and get in touch with their inner child.It’s magical.We are bringing ourselves back to another place,another time with ourselves when we are more believing in ourselves,more confident and ready to take on the world.”
“One person’s here because they want to learn not to be so serious.”Michelle said.“Another's here to learn to be more confident.”She explained that most of the classes were planned.However,Joni added that while the planned activities were fun,it was often the spontaneous(自发的)moments that attracted students.“It’s the things you don’t plan for,the sharing between friends and learning from each other.’’
24.What is the purpose of Preschool Mastermind?
25.What is mainly discussed about Preschool Mastermind in Paragraph 2 ?
26.According to Candice,people come to this program to________·
27.What do we know about Michelle Joni?
C
The US plans to extend its endangered species protection to lions in Africa.US Fish and Wildlife Service(FWS)will classify lions in southern and eastern Africa as threatened.The move will place tighter restrictions on the import of lion“trophies”,such as paws or heads.
While the US cannot regulate hunting in other countries,the move is significant because around half of a11 lion hunting in Africa is conducted by Americans.According to FWS data,more than 5,600 lions have been killed and imported by American hunters over the past decade.
Under the new FWS rules,bringing lion parts to the US will be banned in most circumstances if the animal is from a country where lions are endangered.Hunters will have to show the trophies were“legally obtained”from countries that have“a scientifically sound management program that benefits the subspecies in the wild”·
This regulation is expected to place a far greater burden of proof upon hunters who claim that the money from lion hunting has been used to help communities in Africa and the overall conservation of lions.The persistent downward trend in lion numbers,due to habitat loss and hunting by locals and foreign tourists,suggests there has been little conservation benefit from organized hunts.
An international study,published in September,found African lion numbers have decreased by half since 1993,with a further 50%decline expected over the next 20 years for populations in west,central and east Africa·
“The lion is one of the planet’s most beloved species and an irreplaceable part of our shared global heritage,”said Dan Ashe,director of the FWS.“If we want to ensure that healthy lion populations continue to wander around the African savannas and forests of India,it’s up to all of us—not just the people of Africa and India—to take action.
28.Why will lions be classified as endangered in southern and eastern Africa?
29.Where do most of the lion hunters come from?
30.What may be the result of the move ?
31.What does Dan Ashe really want to tell us in the last paragraph?
D
All hotels redecorate regularly.However,very few do it as frequently as Sweden’s Icehotel. As the name indicates,the hotel that is located in the remote village of Jukkasjarvia,is built entirely from ice and,therefore,has to be rebuilt annually! The 26th version of Icehotel,which welcomed its first visitors on December 11th,features 69 rooms.To make them affordable for everyone,they range from expensive luxury suites(豪华套房)to basic accommodations.
Among this year’s unique suite offerings is the“Elephant in the Room”,which features a massive 3-m tall sculpted African elephant overlooking an ice—framed bed.The“Counting Sheep”suite features frozen sheep that may help those who don’t sleep well get a good night’s rest. Though the atmosphere between the luxury suites and the budget rooms may differ,they are all subject to the bone-chilling-5℃ temperatures.To get a good night’s rest guests have to lie inside sleeping bags and keep their gloves and hats on.Though that seems a little uncomfortable,visitors say it is an experience like none other.
The hotel also features a beautifully crafted ice church where over 100 couples will get married this year and an Ice Bar that will serve drinks in ice glasses.Though dining options are limited to the hotel’s only restaurant,guests will have little to complain about with Michelin—trained chef Alexander Meier.To keep customers entertained,the hotel offers a variety of fun activities like snowshoeing,moose or snowmobile safaris,dog sledding,and even overnight wilderness camping.
The 26-year-·old tradition began accidentally in 1989 when locals organized an art exhibition to draw winter visitors to the remote village that lies 200 km north of the Arctic Circle.Among the many tourists was an adventurous group and they announced their intention of spending the night in the place where the exhibition was being held.That’s when the idea of building the icy accommodations dawned on the locals.
32.Why is Sweden’s Icehotel rebuilt every year?
33.What is unique about the hotel this year?
34.What can be inferred about the hotel in Paragraph 3?
35.Why did the locals organize an art exhibition in 1989?
99.What’s top of your list of new year resolutions for 2016? Do more exercise? Eat better? Spend more time with your children? Find a fulfilling career? How about ticking all your boxes and simply be happy?
_____Happiness is often an indirect consequence of our actions and the way we think.However,the good news is that making even the smallest adjustments can help us attain that kind of state we all want to achieve.Rachel Kelly,author of Walking on Sunshine,offers some simple changes we can all make to our lives to improve our state of mind.
◆Be mindful
________It can be any routine activity you perform during the rush of the day,like hand washing.Slow down and give the task your full attention.You’11 soon start appreciating these small moments of stillness.
◆Follow the 60% rule
Perfectionism is an illusion,but the pursuit of it is real and can have damaging consequences. ____________If a friendship,relationship,work project is 60%right,then you’re doing well.
◆Breathe
When things get too much,try the one-finger-on-the-nose breathing trick.________Then just breathe through the other nostril.By halving the rate at which you breathe,you lower your blood pressure and trigger(引发)the body’s relaxation response.
◆Exercise
Breaking a sweat,ideally the first thing in the morning,releases a chemical in the brain to reduce pain,and which in large amounts can make you feel relaxed and energetic and sets you up for the day.____________
A.So readjust your thinking.
B.So,if you can,start your day right.
C.Build a“mindful”activity into your day.
D.Sadly,you can’t simply“become”happy.
E.Press a finger against one side of your nose.
F.With so many external pressures can any of us be truly happy?
G.It’s all about creating the right conditions for your body to feel relaxed.
98.Many Americans believe Britons have bad teeth.But a new study shows Americans ________(actual)have more dental________(problem).
The study________(publish)in the British Medical Journal.The researchers from University College London,the National University of Colombia and the Harvard School of Public Health found that Americans are missing more teeth________people aged 25 and older.The researchers also found that poor people in the United States had________(bad)teeth than poor people in Britain.
People in Britain receive dental care through the National Health Service,________is funded by taxpayers.In the United States,people either pay for their dental care________buy dental insurance.Many poor people in the United States do not have dental insurance and dental care is not affordable to________(they).
In 2004,________Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development found that Britain had the lowest number of people with bad,________(miss)or filled teeth among all of its 34 member states.The United States was in the middle of the rankings.
79.假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文,请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误,每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加:在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧),并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除:把多余的词用斜线(\)划掉。
修改:在错的词下画一横线,并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意:1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词;
2.只允许修改10处,多者(从第11处起)不计分。
I’m from Detroit in the United States,and during his senior year in high school I win a scholarship to study the singing during the summer in London.When I went there,I stayed in someone’s home.The people were very sweetly,and it was a really fun summer.I got the inside view of that it’s like to live there.I loved it,but I have to say,one thing that surprising me was that you had to go to such many different stores to do your shopping.There are also a lot of differences in the language.They said thing like“ring you up”instead of“give you a call.”It took me a little while figure out these differences,because it was fun.
88.中国的传统节日春节就要到了。假如你是李华,请根据以下要点提示,给你的外教Mr Blake写一封电子邮件,邀请他及他的家人到你家共度除夕。
1.提出邀请;
2.简单介绍春节;
3.表达新春的祝愿。
注意: 1.词数100左右;
2.可以适当增加细节,以使行文连贯;
3.开头语已为你写好。
Can birds understand people’s love and even express their appreciation?
Gabi Mann,an 8-year-old teenager,has some very “friends”who shower her with gifts almost every day.Ever since she started feeding her neighborhood crows(乌鸦),they began returning the and bringing back all kinds of .
Gabi’s relationship with the neighborhood crows in 2011 when she was four and she was to drop food to them.Soon,the crows were always watching for her, to get a bite of the food she dropped. she got older,she began to them consciously—she would share her with them on the way to the bus stop.It wasn’t long before crows were lining up in the afternoon to her at the stop.
In2013,Gabi started feeding the birds ,instead of sharing her lunch with them.Along with her family,she fill the bowl in the backyard with water every day,cover the bird feeder platforms with peanuts and throw handfuls of dog food on to the grass.Soon,the crows line up on the telephone lines in the backyard, for their treats. ,once Gabi adopted this routine,she something wonderful—the crows started her with gifts! Gabi has every small gift that the crows have given her,including a tiny silver ball,a blue plastic brick,a small piece of colored glass,and other such things.Each item is individually wrapped and,they’re obviously of great to Gabi.
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