“Quick, quick, slow, slow,” my husband said as I was trying to focus. We frequently stepped on each other’s feet. Both of us were being rhythmically(有节奏地)challenged, and we figured a series of lessons might help us look somewhat skilled on the dancing floor. However, it didn’t.
It didn’t matter that the lessons didn’t pay off. Our learning something new together gave us a string of good memories, such as taking a Thai cooking class on a cold Chicago night and learning how to make a classic cocktails in a common bar. These experiences are my best memories from the past 10 years. We always have such a great time when we’re trying something new together. It seems to have strengthened our relationship, and makes me feel like we have a closer connection.
It turns out my theory as such is backed by research. One study shows that learning new things with your spouse(配偶), friends, or partners, can strengthen your connection or friendship. But how exactly does this work? The key is weakness. “Learning new things together strengthens connection because it is at those moments that we can show our weakness to one another,” says Dr. Hisla Bates. “When we are learning a new task, misfortunes and failures are sure to happen. In those moments when we fail, the other party can be there in favor of us. We can Work together to find a solution, and working together helps deepen the connection.”
The benefits gained from learning new things with your partner can come from activities as small as hiking, trying a new diet, going boating in the local lake or taking a fitness class together. You don’t have to bungee jump or skydive to grow closer. Try selecting activities that both partners are unfamiliar with, as this will ensure you’re on the same page.
Trying to learn something new together once a month will benefit you and your spouse or friends . Overall, some of my best memories with my husband are the moments when we are learning something new together.
1.What were the author and her husband doing in Paragraph 1?
A.Playing sports. B.Practising dance. C.Teaching lessons. D.Taking a walk.
2.The underlined word backed (in Paragraph 3) can be probably replaced by_______.
A.judged B.made C.doubted D.supported
3.The purpose of writing this passage is to show us _______.
A.the challenge of gaining new knowledge
B.the advantages of taking different lessons
C.the power of learning new things together
D.the importance of improving people’s connections
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
When temperatures rise, many people swim to beat the heat. But swimming does a lot more than that. It is a great workout for the whole body. Health experts at the University of California, Berkeley state that swimming is a great way to stay in shape.
Swimming is a very good high-intensity cardio exercise (高度有氧运动). Cardio involves the heart, lungs, and circulatory(血液循环的) system. The Berkeley experts say swimming can increase your heart rate and exercise your lungs. Some high-intensity cardio exercises, such as running, can improve your health but can also be likely to hurt your body. Swimming, on the other hand, is beneficial to the body and people often use it to recover from injuries.
Paul Waas, a coach and former competitive swimmer, says that swimming is more beneficial to the body than other sports because it is low-impact. A mother called Paloma with two daughters says that for her girls, swimming has been more beneficial to the body than some other sports. She said, “So far, I think it’s been good for their bodies. It’s a high-intensity cardio exercise, as you know. But it spares their knees, their joints, and so on. So it’s rare to get injured in swimming.”
The coach adds that swimming is a great exercise for kids who grow a lot in a short amount of time. Coach Waas said, “Swimming is really good for kids who are growing fast. Their bones might be hurting and they’re suffering from serious pain all the time. And then they get in the pool and, you know, they can float and stretch out a little bit and it reduces that as well.”
People who are overweight can also find relief through swimming. Their weightlessness in the water can help them to avoid injury as they exercise.
1.According to Paragraph 2,swimming is better than running because
A.it’s a bit easier to do B.it’s better and safer for our bodies
C.it makes people feel more comfortable D.it increases our heart rates more slowly
2.What’s Paul Waas’s attitude towards swimming?
A.Positive. B.Negative. C.Doubtful D.Worried
3.What does the underlined word that in Paragraph 4 refer to?
A.Floating and stretching out. B.Fast physical growth of kids.
C.Swimming in a swimming pool. D.The pain caused by kids’ physical growth.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Teens and their teachers know well that early-morning classes can be tiring. Doctors now have a solution: for better teen health, push the sleep button on school start times. Janet Croft, who studies teens and sleep at the Centers for Disease Control and
Prevention(CDC)in Atlanta high schools, says, “Most teens are actually brain dead when they go to these early classes. Too many students start their day as walking zombies(僵尸).”
One report stresses the importance of sleep for teens and describes the dangers from not getting enough sleep. Studies in the past have shown over and over that teens lacking sleep face higher risks of being overweight and being frustrated.
Many teens get too little sleep because they attend middle and high schools that start earlier than 8:30 am. According to the American Academy of Pediatrics(AAP),those early start times throw off a student’s internal body rhythm, called the circadian clock(生物钟).Too little sleep disturbs that clock and causes problems.
The study conducted by the National Sleep Foundation found that nearly 6 in every 10 middle school students and 9 in 10 high school students are sleeping too little. Yet many parents aren’t aware of this. In the same study,7 of every 10 parents said they believed their kids did sleep enough. That study shows too many parents are unaware of the science on teen-sleep needs, says Owens.
Kyla Wahlstrom, a former teacher, who has spent a lot of time with teens lacking sleep, says: “An incredible number of students are either sleeping at their desks or sitting there like a lump, not asking questions or raising their hands.”
Getting enough sleep can help a teen on the inside, too. Several studies have shown that children and teenagers who don’t sleep enough are more likely to become obese, or extremely overweight. Teens lacking sleep also are more likely to suffer from anxiety, depression and mood disorders. It’s time to recognize how important sleep is, particularly to teenagers.
1.What does the author want to stress by mentioning “walking zombies” in Paragraph 2?
A.The students’ brain health is worrying.
B.The students are fond of computer games.
C.The students are so used to staying up very late.
D.The students are in a bad state of learning in early classes.
2.According to AAP in Paragraph 4, early school schedules affect teens by
A.increasing their course load
B.affecting their circadian clock
C.affecting their performance at school
D.disturbing their relationships with classmates
3.What can be inferred from the last paragraph?
A.The number of teens lacking sleep is growing fast.
B.Physical and mental health are equally important to teens.
C.It is really necessary to adjust school start times in the morning.
D.Teachers should take measures to raise students’ interest in learning.
4.What’s the main idea of the text?
A.Parents are unaware of their kids’ sleep condition.
B.Being overweight is very common among American teens.
C.Early school start times can turn teens into the walking dead.
D.Researchers have found out how sleep is related to teens’ study.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Find Your Self-worth
Do you measure your personal self-worth based on what others think of you? Do you work really hard to make others like or support you? Do you lack confidence? 1.Increasing self image will help build your confidence and your personal self-worth. So how?
Pay attention to your body language. How you hold your physical body has an effect on how others see you and on how you personally feel. Similarly, how you feel often determines your body language and your outward behavior.2.A simple way is to check your body language. Stand tall with your head held high, shoulders squared, back straight and legs solid; you will feel more in control.
Develop your own measuring stick3. Don’t let others influence your view of success or happiness. Take time out to recognize your achievements no matter how big or small they are. Keep track of your achievements and proud moments in a journal. If you keep a personal journal or even a work journal, start writing in the journal from back to front keeping track of all the little and big things that happen every day.
4. Here’s a simple exercise you can do to gain a richer way of thinking on how you are sensed by others. Start by taking a close look at yourself and create a list of your unique strengths. Who are you? 5.Ask friends, families to share with you what they see as your key characteristics.
Now you know that you’re more than you think you are. So, create a positive picture of your future and then confidently move forward.
A.Know your worth.
B.The two go hand in hand.
C.What sets you apart from others?
D.Are you beating yourself up with your own language?
E.If your answer is yes, perhaps you just don’t consider yourself worthy.
F.Know what’s important to you and take time to honor what you value most.
G.Then take a step towards something you really want by taking some action.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A heavy snow hit my neighborhood the other day. I had recently agreed to be the house’s groundskeeper, which meant I was_______ with shoveling(铲)the inches of snow that covered the driveway.
I had to stay in the house during the _______,so I was actually pretty happy to head_______After shoveling for about an hour, muscles in my arms and legs which I _______ used due to my busy schedules started to burn. By the time I finished shoveling, I realized that I gained nearly the same amount of _______ that I can get from biking. Shoveling turned out to be pretty good exercise, so I actually felt _______ to finish shoveling.
A few days later, a few friends and I got into a casual _______ about how hard it is to spare time to exercise_______.There are lots of people who dislike gyms. Going to gyms _______ them a lot. Less than 5%of adults are physically ________for half an hour a day, which is quite a big problem. Not exercising enough can ________diseases like heart disease, bone disease, and depression.
And yet, compared with going to gyms, shoveling snow was quite ________.Besides, it didn’t take too much willpower(意志力)and I just needed to ________ the driveway at my own pace. I can just do some daily tasks like shoveling for exercise in the neighborhood in my spare time ________ driving to a gym.
People pay much money for gym memberships and classes to ________ extra energy . So why not ________paying the fitness industry to exercise and ________ physical fitness with such kind of daily chores? Surely, they’re better off ________ that money and putting the energy to practical use.
A neighborhood can have a Facebook group where people in need of help can ________ things on it. Then, people who want to exercise can help them out. It’s a win-win situation. In addition to helping people, this can also be shaped as a new________ to keep fit.
1.A.bothered B.impressed C.tasked D.crowded
2.A.incident B.disorder C.rush D.storm
3.A.outside B.inside C.forward D.backward
4.A.loosely B.rarely C.mainly D.frequently
5.A.feelings B.workout C.threat D.power
6.A.pleased B.eager C.willing D.sorry
7.A.interview B.appointment C.discussion D.argument
8.A.accidentally B.properly C.safely D.regularly
9.A.troubles B.shames C.comforts D.delights
10.A.strong B.healthy C.good D.active
11.A.lead to B.suffer from C.bring back D.wipe out
12.A.difficult B.easy C.valuable D.perfect
13.A.clear B.prepare C.build D.design
14.A.because of B.instead of C.in spite of D.as a result of
15.A.put up B.set up C.use up D.build up
16.A.continue B.begin C.stop D.consider
17.A.compare B.combine C.exchange D.match
18.A.saving B.gathering C.wasting D.spending
19.A.imagine B.write C.post D.correct
20.A.experiment B.skill C.standard D.style
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假设你是李华,你计划下学期作为交换生到英国Bay House School学习.请给你英国朋友Alex写一封信,请他帮忙找一间公寓.具体要点如下:
1.公寓的位置;2.可以免费上网;3. 你期待的月租费用.
注意:1.词数80左右,开头与结尾已经为你写好;
2.可适当增加细节,以使行文连贯;
3. 参考词汇:租金(rent)
Dear Alex,
I’m going to study in Bay House School as an exchange student next term.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文,根据其内容写一篇60词左右的内容概要.
Speed-reading is a necessary skill in the Internet age. We read articles, e-mails and We Chat quickly, trying to understand key words and the most important meaning of a certain text. Faced with so much information from our smart phones, it would be impossible to deal if we read word by word, line by line. However, more and more people enjoy reading slowly.
There is a book club in Wellington, New Zealand, where members meet in a cafe and turn off their smart phones. They sink into comfortable chairs and read in silence for an hour. Unlike other book clubs, the point of the slow reading club isn’t exchanging ideas about a certain book, but to get away from smart phones and read in a quiet, relaxing environment. Actually, the Wellington book club is just one example of slow-reading book clubs.
Nowadays, technology has made us unable to focus on reading. “Screens have changed our reading patterns from the straight and information left-to-right order to a wild skimming(略读) and skipping pattern as we hunt for important words and information. Reading a text with links leads to weaker understanding than reading an ordinary text,” says Patrick Kingsley from a newspaper. However, slow reading is good for readers in many ways. It sharpens the mind, improves concentration, reduces stress levels and deepens the ability to sympathize (共鸣).Another study last year showed that reading novels slowly helps people understand others’ mental states and beliefs, a fundamental skill in building relationships.
Aim for 30 minutes a day, advises Kelly, a slow reader. “You can put in half an hour pretty easily during your free moments. You pick up a meaningful book rather than start your computer to look for your favorite site for something to pass the time,” Kelly said.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析