It often happens that problems blow into our lives. For some of us it may be a temporary period, but for others, it’s a lifetime change. Here are stories of ordinary people who had to face unpleasant events and managed to overcome them with dignity.
Bill Porter
Even though Bill Porter had a damaged brain, he wanted to work in sales. He achieved his goal, and later he became one of the best salesmen in America. The movie Door to Door is about him, and it’s recommended to those who think something will hold them back from achieving a desired career.
Evgeny Smirnov
There’s nothing worse for a dancer than losing the ability to dance. But Evgeny Smirnov, Russian break dance champion, went on dancing, despite the fact that he had to learn to dance again. His performance became a great example of the fact that someone can dance incredibly cool even without a leg.
Olesya Vladykina
Even though she’s only 20, Olesya Vladykina has suffered a lot; an accident in Thailand took not only her left hand, but also her close friend. The moment changed the girl’s life, but she didn’t give up. After the accident, she took part in the Paralympic Games twice, having won first place and having set a world record.
Andrea Bocelli
Blindness takes away the ability to see the world, but not to feel it. Perhaps this helps Italian Andrea Bocelli, a popular blind classical singer, to share fascinating and inspiring energy with the audience through his songs.
1.Whose story is the movie Door to Door about？
A.A singer’s. B.A dancer’s.
C.A sportsman’s. D.A salesman’s
2.What disadvantage does Evgeny Smirnov have？
A.He has one arm. B.He has only one leg.
C.He has no ability to see. D.He has a damaged brain.
3.Whose performance will you enjoy if you like classical music？
A.Bill Porter’s. B.Andrea Bocelli’s
C.Evgeny Smirnov’s. D.Olesya Vladykina’s
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Many people don’t have a home because of an illness or because they lost their jobs. They have bad health and can’t start working, and because of that, they can’t pay for a doctor, so it’s a never-ending circle. Homeless people don’t have anywhere to go, so they have to sleep on the streets, covering themselves with newspapers and looking through the rubbish cans to find some food or warmer clothes.
Seeing these horrible living conditions, the Australian charity Beddown decided to help these people in need. They came up with an amazing idea to make shelters in places that are vacant at night-like parking lots! The organization asked one of the largest car park-opera tors, Secure Parking, and they agreed upon it.
“It was great to start with a group of our volunteers to help us and set up some beds. Although as expected we had a few challenges to overcome, it was good to start bringing Bed down to life. Beddown will provide an immediate response for those who can not sleep well to access safe, find shelter-and access to a real bed and a great night’s sleep. We will work with our other partners to provide long-term solutions to providing our guests with accommoda-tion, education and employment opportunities.” The founders of Beddown said in one of their Instagram posts.
The charity also provided other services to the guests, like doctors, nurses, dentists, hairdressers. They gave them new clothing, a place to clean themselves and helped provide social services. “After spending the week here, having a good sleep at night, it reminded me of life and I want to begin my life again,” one homeless man said.
1.What can we learn about the homeless in Australia？
A.They live a hard life. B.They lost their families.
C.They don’t want to work. D.They like to live on the street.
2.What does the underlined word “it” in paragraph 2 refer to？
A.Making beds for the homeless. B.Using the parking lot to get money.
C.Using the parking lot to help the homeless. D.Inviting the car park operators to organize the activity.
3.What did the founders of Beddown say about setting up beds for the homeless？
A.It is only a part of their help. B.It helps the volunteers greatly.
C.It makes the Beddown get more reputation. D.It gives the homeless a chance to return to real life.
4.What can be the best title for the text？
A.The Homeless Get Good Diet Now.
B.Beddown Shelters the Homeless in Car Parks.
C.Beddown Helps the Homeless Find Jobs in Car Parks.
D.Australian Charity Beddown and the Homeless in Australian.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
In space, there is no up or down. Without the gravity that we experience on Earth, as-tronauts and everything else on a spaceship float freely.
Humans can experience the sense of zero gravity without going into space. How？A zero-gravity flight. When an airplane flies in a lot of parabolas（抛物线）, a man-made zero-gravity environment is set up. Everything in the plane floats, even passengers.
Gravity has an effect on everything from the human body and mind to the behavior of plants and the way machines run. Space travel is expensive and dangerous. But zero-gravity flights let scientists conduct experiments in an environment that mimics（模拟） the conditions of space. On each of its research trip, Zero-G flies about 30 parabolas, each of which creates a period of weightlessness that lasts about 30 seconds. Nikolaus Kuhn of the University of Ba-sel, in Switzerland, flew with Zero-G. He was conducting an experiment about soil and the flow of water on Mars. The Red Planet has about one-third of the gravity that Earth has. This means water flows more slowly on Mars. By making the parabolas less steep, zero-gravity flights can make the feeling of Martian gravity. Flying with Zero-G has been necessary for Kuhn’s research. “It is the only chance, other than going to Mars, to mimic movement of water as it would be on Mars,” he told TFK.
For years, NASA used zero-gravity flights to prepare and train astronauts. “I have not been to space,” Peters of Zero-G says, “But I have been told by astronauts that zero-gravity feels exactly the same.” As humans continue to explore the universe beyond Planet Earth, zero-gravity flights will remain an important and fun tool. “It never gets old,” Peters says “I would do it every weekend for the rest of my life if I could.”
1.Why do scientists set up man-made zero-gravity environment？
A.To study the water on the earth.
B.To offer weightlessness as a business.
C.To take scientists to any other planets.
D.To mimic the condition of space for experiments.
2.How much time of weightlessness can a Zero-G light offer？
A.About 30 seconds. B.About 90 seconds.
C.About 15 minutes. D.About 30 minutes.
3.What feature do the parabolas in Zero-G flights have？
A.The gentler parabolas are, the more satisfied the researchers are.
B.The steeper parabolas are, the less weight the passengers feel.
C.The steeper parabolas are, the more successful the experiments are.
D.The gentler parabolas are, the more quickly water on Mars flows.
4.What can be inferred about the Zero-G flight from the text？
A.It is useless for training astronauts.
B.It has no side effect on human body.
C.It creates a substitutable environment of zero gravity in space.
D.It is cheaper but more dangerous than space travel.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
There’s something satisfying about volunteering. Studies have shown that volunteering helps people who donate their time feel more socially connected, thus warding off loneliness and depression. But a growing body of evidence suggests that people who give their time to others might also be rewarded with better physical health, including lower blood pressure and a longer lifespan.
Evidence of volunteerism’s physical effects can be found in a recent study from Carnegie Mellon University, published this month in Psychology and Aging. Adults over age 50 who volunteered on a regular basis were less likely to develop high blood pressure than non-volunteers. High blood pressure is an important indicator of health because it contributes to heart disease, stroke, and premature death.
It’s impossible for this study to prove that volunteering was directly responsible for the lower blood pressure. People who volunteer may be more likely to do other things, like eating a healthy diet or exercise, which lower blood pressure. But the results are in line with other findings on the topic.
How might volunteering contribute to lower blood pressure？Performing volunteer work could increase physical activity among people who aren’t otherwise very active, says leading study author Rodlescia Sneed, a doctoral candidate in social and health psychology at Carnegie Mellon University. It may also reduce stress. “Many people find volunteer work helpful with respect to stress reduction, and we know that stress is very strongly linked to health out-comes,” she says.
A 2012 study in the journal Health Psychology found that participants who volunteered with some regularity lived longer, but only if their intentions were truly altruistic. In other words, they had to be volunteering to help others-not to make themselves feel better.
The Greek philosopher Aristotle once guessed that the essence of life is “To serve others and do good.” If recent research is any indication, serving others might also be the essence of good health.
1.Which can replace the underlined phrase “warding off” in paragraph 1？
A.getting rid of. B.keeping up with.
C.running out of. D.putting up with.
2.Why does the author mention the study from Carnegie Mellon University？
A.To prove the benefit of volunteering to health.
B.To find out volunteerism’s physical effects on heart.
C.To explain the connection between exercise and health.
D.To warn readers the danger of volunteering to blood pressure.
3.What can we learn from what Rodlescia Sneed said？
A.Volunteers are supposed to be more outgoing.
B.Volunteer work can make people lack sports.
C.Taking appropriate exercise can strengthen social connection.
D.Performing volunteer work contributes to reducing stress.
4.What’s the text mainly about？
A.Volunteering can lower blood pressure.
B.Volunteering is beneficial to mental health.
C.Volunteering may be good for body and mind.
D.Volunteering can avoid suffering from heart disease.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The Types to Live Below Your Full Potential
Human potential is unlimited, but unfortunately, many do not use their true potential.1.Here are some types to live below your true potential.
Let yourself be affected by minor issues.
Sometimes we may be affected by small issues.2.One way to check if something is worth thinking over is to ask yourself this question: “Will this matter in one year’s time？” If not, then it’s probably not worth your energy to think about these things, Focus on things that do matter in the long run instead.
Blame others for your difficulty.
Is there anything you’re blaming others for in your life？3.For example, if you blame your parents for your obesity, you’ll continue to remain obese because in your mind they are the reason why you’re obese. You’ll never have the power to change the situation un-til you take responsibility for it.
Try to do everything by yourself.
Are you someone who likes to do everything yourself？So do I, but over the years I’ve re-alized that this prevents me from achieving more.4.Start by removing the less important tasks and doing the more important ones, and you’ll notice a big difference.
5.
Many people set small goals because they’re afraid to fail. Actually what they’re really afraid of is to realize what they’ve always had the power to achieve. So set your highest goals today. You should try to achieve them because they are what you deserve.
A.Set small goals.
B.Believe that you can make it.
C.You give others power over that part of your life.
D.While these emotions are normal, often these issues aren’t important in the long run.
E.Trying to do everything means you’re not able to do the higher level, important things.
F.Still worse, they waste it by carrying out tasks that are a poor use of their time and energy.
G.In fact, when you blame someone for what you’re going through, you refuse responsibility.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
As I was getting in my car today after picking up more school supplies in preparation of my 24th year as a teacher, I saw a homeless man from a distance with a blanket covering him, walking along the sidewalk. Immediately I_______that he was barefoot and walked_______. I wanted to_______him some shoes from a store nearby, but there were no shoe_______around.
I was on a tight_______having to pick my wife up from the doctor’s office soon for a medical_______. I was not going to buy_______and return in such a short time. Then I_______I had socks in my last bag, the bag I keep in my_______for those in need. I grabbed the________and walked up to him.
“Hey, Brother,” I________to him. “I am sorry. I don’t have any shoes for you, but could you________these socks？” He turned to me and________. “That would be great.” He said “God bless you” as I________him the socks. I wished him the best and got back into my car.
I________that the rest of the________of the bag might be of use as well; a bottle of water, jerky, sunflower seeds, etc. I________alongside the sidewalk. Cars were________behind me. I called to the man, “I got these cars behind me. Are you good if I just________the bag on the sidewalk？” He nodded. “Take care,” I yelled. As he pulled on the last sock, the man________to me “I love you！”
1.A.concluded B.noticed C.condemned D.decided
2.A.purposely B.delighted C.elegantly D.cautiously
3.A.buy B.make C.sell D.donate
4.A.factories B.offices C.companies D.shops
5.A.schedule B.experience C.position D.family
6.A.discovery B.argument C.procedure D.achievement
7.A.clothes B.shoes C.hats D.gloves
8.A.complained B.covered C.doubted D.remembered
9.A.car B.garden C.classroom D.house
10.A.glasses B.socks C.trousers D.pants
11.A.apologized B.pointed C.called D.switched
12.A.study B.observe C.learn D.use
13.A.ignored B.smiled C.approved D.disagreed
14.A.promised B.awarded C.handed D.threw
15.A.realized B.advocated C.obtained D.permitted
16.A.containers B.coverings C.contents D.surroundings
17.A.pushed B.jogged C.wandered D.pulled
18.A.lining up B.holding on C.making up D.taking over
19.A.exchange B.leave C.fetch D.expose
20.A.objected B.drove C.yelled D.whispered
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面短文，在空白处填入1个适当的单词或括号内单词的正确形式。
I do something called homeschooling. It’s like going to a regular school, but you get1.（study） what you want to study, and you do your studying at home. But some basic subjects like math, history, and English2.（require）.
My home school friend’s mom and dad are writers. They love everything3.（relate）to reading and writing. Once, I wanted to please my friend’s dad on his birthday by4.（give）him a book which I thought he would love.
I wanted to bring it to a learning session at their home but I forgot it. When my father came to pick me up from class, he brought the book along with him！How thoughtful my dad5.（be）！I got all excited and left the book at my friend’s dad’s work table. What6.lucky chance that my friend’s dad wasn’t in his office at the time！
After that, my friend who I study with came to my house along with me and we played together. When my friend’s7.（parent）came to pick her up, her dad said “I don’t know who left a book, but I’d like to offer my thanks”. As my heart was filled8.joy, my friend’s mom and I winked at each other because she knew about my plan. After that9.（wonder）experience, I think that doing something10.makes other people happy, makes me happy, too！
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
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：在错的词下划一横线，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 was born as poor boy and grew up in the street without the care, guidance and supervision of your beloved parents. I have been experienced a hard life, being almost naked(赤裸的) with an empty stomach and exist without secure shelter and proper education. Now, as a young man with some sadly experiences of early life, I have a dream. I want to become a great man who have power and authority, like Abraham Lincoln, Benjamin Franklin, Winston Churchill or so on. Yes, I dream to be like these great man. I want to change and developed my beloved country, when people in need can live a happy and peaceful life.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，留学生Andy对中国诗词很感兴趣，想找一名共同学习者。请写信向他推荐你的一位同学，内容包括：
1.介绍该同学的基本情况；
2.推荐理由；
3.表达期望
注意：1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析