For some years，my mother worked for a charity as President and Secretary.Selling raffle tickets(兑奖券) was her main means of bringing in the charity’s muchneeded funds.We girls would accompany her，selling tickets with great success.My father made and donated beautiful wooden toys，jewellery boxes and other lovely items as prizes.
Now my sister was always coming up with “good ideas”，most of which didn’t work out to plan.But that didn’t deter her.She had many just waiting to be tested.When she was eight and I was just five，we had a wonderful idea for a business adventure.We decided we would sell raffle tickets for charity，and that charity was us!
So one afternoon，we told our mother we were going to play in the park with our cousins as we did most days after school.But instead，we walked around the streets armed with a raffle book，a pen and a large cloth bag to carry the money.
We’d accompanied our mother many times when she sold tickets，so people were familiar with us when we appeared at their doors.Despite the blank looks they received when asking about the prizes on offer，they were very generous.Although there were no actual prizes，our mother’s previous track record enabled us to sell nearly the whole book of raffle tickets.
Like a little pair of lottery(彩票) winners，we walked home and proudly showed off our takings.But our enjoyment of this sudden wealth was shortlived，and our plans for spending it quickly failed.Our angry mother took us back to every ticket buyer，making us apologise and give the money back.Thankfully，our sweet neighbours didn’t make a big deal of our “clever” misbehavior and thus my mother’s
fundraising career could continue safely.We were taught a good lesson by our mother that day.Also I remember my sister’s entrepreneurial(企业家的) spirit dried up a bit after that.
1.What did the author’s father do?
A.He got prizes ready. B.He sold handmade items.
C.He was in charge of a charity. D.He helped design raffle tickets.
2.What does the underlined word “deter” in Paragraph 2 mean?
A.Embarrass. B.Shock.
C.Discourage. D.Mislead.
3.What can be learned about the author and her sister while selling raffle tickets?
A.They ran into their mother.
B.They met some generous strangers.
C.They got lost while walking around the streets.
D.They took advantage of people’s trust in their mother.
4.What lesson did the author and her sister learn?
A.Honesty is the best policy. B.What’s done can’t be undone.
C.Misfortune never comes alone. D.Good advice is beyond all price.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Guide to what's worth watching
I Feel Bad
Don't let the depressing name of the show mislead you. Based on the novel I Feel Bad: All Day. Every Day. About Everything, this new half-hour situation comedy finds humor in the endless small failings of its heroine—a working mom in her 40s who depends on her parents for child-care help when she escapes her chaotic family life to manage an all-male team of much younger video-game developers. Sarayu Blue stars. Wednesday, Sept. 19, at 10 pm., NBC.
Dead Lucky
Among plenty of imported police crime dramas, Dead Lucky has one major edge: It has Rachel Griffiths as its lead. The Golden Globe-winning Australian actress plays a moody but gifted detective whose pursuit追捕）of a killer leads into comers of Sydney new to most American viewers. That, and co-star Brooke Satchwell, might be enough. Thursday, Sept 20, Sundance Now.
Art in the Twenty-First Century
Do you suffer from dandruff-like（如同有头屑一样的）symptoms when faced with contemporary art? The series that's long been a cure for such head-scratching returns with new episodes that will focus on innovative创新的）artists in Johannesburg, Berlin, and the San Francisco Bay Area, and on how place shapes the artists* work Friday, Sept 21, at 9 pm., PBS.
Maniac
Psychological dark comedies seem to be trending this fail. In this 10-part series, Emma Stoneand Jonah Hill co-star as unhappy strangers who develop a deep connection when they both volunteer for a drug trial. Saturday, Sept. 22, Netflix.
1.What can be learned about the program that is aired on NBC?
A.It is an amusing B.It is based on a true story
C.It is popular among children. D.It is a Golden Globe-winning series.
2.Which Program would you recommend to someone interested in detective stories?
A.Maniac. B.I Feel Bad.
C.Dead Lucky. D.Art in the Twenty-First Century.
3.On which day can you see a series about artists?
A.Saturday, Sept. 22. B.Friday, Sept. 21.
C.Thursday, Sept. 20. D.Wednesday, Sept. 19.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Pumpkins of almost any variety have flesh high in fiber and beta carotene(β-胡萝卜素). But we don't eat the vast majority of the pumpkins grown in the U.S. Instead, we, of course, carve faces into them, light them and perhaps leave them to sit outside for days. And then we threw them. But could we be eating more pumpkins?
The Howden pumpkin-the most common variety for decorative uses-has been produced for its size, shape, color and having a handle-like stem for easy carrying, according to Katie Kammler, gardening specialist with the University of Missouri Extension. “If it was my choice, carved pumpkins are not what I'd want to eat,” Kammler says. Instead, she'd prefer one of the smaller and sweeter varieties-like the jack-be-little, Hubbard or kabocha, which have been selected over time for taste.
“You could puree(把……研成糊状) your pumpkin,” she tells The Salt by email. “If you go that route, I'd recommend using the puree for baking; sugar and spices will go a long way in improving the taste.”
Now, admittedly, eating your Halloween pumpkin this way means not carving it. So what if you have already carved it?
We asked the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) whether they recommended eating Halloween pumpkins. Spokeswoman Lauren Sucher said, “They may have been left outside for days and exposed to dirt and insects, and possibly wax and smoke. But we recommend that consumers who want to use their pumpkins for food set aside some parts, such as pumpkin seeds, and roast them soon after carving.”
But this doesn't mean after Halloween there aren't better things to do with your pumpkin than putting it in landfills(垃圾填埋地). Kammler says those in good condition make great farm animal feed.
Another suggestion from Chef Dan Barber. “Donate your pumpkin to compost(堆肥) at your local farmers' market. So if it doesn't feed us at least it's helping crops grow.”
1.What do we learn about the Howden pumpkin?
A.It is most suitable for Halloween. B.It is mainly used for food products.
C.It is more delicious than the jack-be-little. D.It is Kammler's favorite variety of pumpkin.
2.What does Kammler mainly tell The Salt?
A.How to puree your pumpkin. B.How to eat Halloween pumpkins.
C.How to cook uncarved pumpkins. D.How to improve the taste of pumpkins.
3.What is the FDA's attitude to eating carved Halloween pumpkins?
A.Disapproving. B.Dissatisfied.
C.Uncertain. D.Uncaring.
4.What should we do to deal with unwanted pumpkins according to the text?
A.Eat those in good condition. B.Bury them under the ground.
C.Sell them at local farmers' market. D.Give them to farms to improve soil.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
You are walking over the tan-colored（棕褐色的）sand of the empty desert when a rattlesnake appears out of the sand in front of you. Luckily it had warned you of its presence. Imagine if that same snake were moved to a green leafy rainforest. The colors that helped the snake blend into（融合）the desert would make it stand out against the green environment.
This just goes to show you that camouflage（保护色）doesn't work everywhere. Let's take a look at one animal species that is famous for changing over time to stay camouflaged: the peppered moth. Moth collectors in England noted that most peppered moths collected in the early 1800s were light gray peppered with bits of black. Many years later most of the moths collected were almost completely black. What could have caused the more common light colored moth to become rare?
During the 1800s, Europe and America experienced the Industrial Revolution. One of the new fuel sources that were heavily used during this time period was coal. As the trees darkened with soot（煤烟）, the light-colored moths were easier to see. They were eaten by birds more and more, while the rare dark colored moths blended in better on the darker trees. This made them have a higher survival rate and thus they were more likely to pass their dark colored genes onto their children. Over time, the dark colored moths became the more common of the two color forms. Natural selection favored the dark moths, so they were more successful after the trees changed.
Sound a little hard to believe? Well, more changes have come about since these conditions started to reverse（转变）, starting in the 1950s. Then, a Clean Air Act was introduced. Since that time, technology and cleaner burning fuels have started to decrease pollution in the areas where the peppered moth lives. The black soot no longer settles on the trees. As expected, the light peppered moth has recently been more common in the population. This is because it is better camouflaged.
1.What do we know about the rattlesnake in a desert?
A.It almost has no enemies.
B.It attacks travelers often.
C.It stands out against the environment.
D.It is good at making its presence unknown.
2.The underlined word "This" in Paragraph 3 refers " "
A.the soot-darkened tree
B.the Industrial Revolution
C.dark-colored moths staying camouflaged
D.light-colored moths facing more enemies
3.What did the Clean Air Act bring about?
A.Damage to local ecology. B.More observations of moths.
C.An increase in the variety of moth species. D.A decrease in the number of dark-colored moths.
4.What is the text mainly about?
A.Camouflage in the animal world. B.The battle between two moth species.
C.The influence of the Industrial Revolution. D.An excellent example of environmental adaptation.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
Surprising uses for lemons
Lemons are tasty and healthy, but they are simply so much more than for making lemonade. 1.
◇Lemons are used to refresh and clean a cutting board.
With garlic and onions being used widely in cooking, the struggle of washing the unpleasant smell out of a cutting board is something many people can relate to. But not only that, the cutting board can be home to all sorts of harmful bacteria.
2. Cut one in half and press the fruit against the board, wipe hard until the juices flow over the board, wash and enjoy your lemon-fresh cutting board.
◇Lemons are used to unclog a drain（疏通排水管）.
First, several lemons are squeezed for their juices into a cup, then the drain is washed with boiling water before being filled with half a box of baking soda（苏打）. Lemon juice is poured over the baking soda, causing it to bubble. 3.
◇Another part of your kitchen you can clean with lemons is your microwave.
Putting some lemon juice into a cup of water and microwaving for 5 minutes not only loosens up stains in the microwave so they are easily wiped away, but leaves a fresh smell behind.
◇4.
If you are lucky enough to have a dishwasher in your house, you can freshen things up by putting a few lemon slices into your dishwasher.
◇Lemons can be used to create a homemade face scrub（磨砂膏）.
First, you need three tablespoons of olive oil, the juice of a lemon, two tablespoons of honey and half a cup of sugar.5. After the time is up, wash to brighten your skin.
A.Luckily, life has brought us lemons.
B.After 15 minutes, water flows smoothly.
C.Here are some different uses for the fruit.
D.Then combine, apply and leave on the face for 15 minutes.
E.Lemons can get rid of unpleasant smells in the kitchen.
F.Lemons can be put into your dishwasher to freshen things up.
G.Cut a lemon and squeeze it over the rubbish before throwing it away.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
It was Australia Day. We had spent the afternoon _______with friends. When we arrived home, the message bank on my mobile phone was flashing. It was our _______, Annabel, who had just been left at a boarding school over 500 kilometers away. Annabel’s _______ voice greeted us: “Hi, Mum and Dad, I’ve _______ my phone!” After just four days at school her main means of _______ had gone missing at an Australia Day celebration. We realized the chance of finding the phone were _______ for we hadn’t installed (安装) the Find My Phone app.
The next morning, my mobile beeped (发出哔哔声) loudly. When I replayed the _______ a kind voice announced that she had something that _______ my daughter and could I please call her back.
Annabel had _______ my number on the inside of her phone’s case — ________ thinking! “ I’ll take it to work ________ you see if anyone can pick it up,” she kindly offered after I ________ that my daughter was at boarding school and I lived a six-hour drive away.
After tracking the people I ________ who lived nearby, I was out of luck — no one was able to ________ the phone.
Later I decided to ask our angel (天使) to post the ________ to my daughter. But to my ________, this angel, who had already spent a busy day at work, was making a two-hour round trip on a Saturday night, especially to ________ a phone to a complete stranger.
I gave her ________ and she delivered the phone into the hands of my daughter. The only word of her explanation was: “I’ve got four ________ of my own. I know how a mother ________.”
1.A.working B.training C.traveling D.celebrating
2.A.daughter B.friend C.neighbor D.teacher
3.A.tired B.excited C.relaxed D.concerned
4.A.fixed B.lost C.damaged D.received
5.A.escape B.transport C.expression D.communication
6.A.slim B.fair C.unique D.important
7.A.game B.video C.message D.conversation
8.A.moved B.changed C.belonged to D.appealed to
9.A.called B.written C.checked D.obtained
10.A.good B.critical C.honest D.quick
11.A.until B.since C.while D.unless
12.A.suggested B.explained C.predicted D.promised
13.A.know B.respect C.invite D.appreciate
14.A.pay for B.give up C.pick up D.look for
15.A.gift B.phone C.letter D.suitcase
16.A.satisfaction B.relief C.disappointment D.surprise
17.A.introduce B.mail C.return D.devote
18.A.support B.directions C.permission D.rewards
19.A.children B.students C.visitors D.passengers
20.A.wishes B.angers C.regrets D.worries
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。
The advancement of computing power has been 1. (absolute) unbelievable in the past few decades. Many parts of our lives 2. (change) so far by computers and one tech field that shows unbelievable promise for the future is that of Artificial Intelligence (AI).
Now, experts are using the technology 3. (help) diagnose heart disease. Researchers from the John Radcliffe Hospital in Oxford, England, created Ultromics, a system 4. increases the chances of discovering heart disease, and it's already proven to be 5. (accurate) than human experts.
In the medical community alone, AI advancements have a great influence 6. public health. Optellum, a machine learning startup, is bringing an AI system that detects lung cancer to 7. masses. Timor Kadir, the company's chief science and technology officer said that it could diagnose close to 4,000 8. (patient) with lung cancer per year at an earlier stage than a doctor could.
The technology would serve as a(n) 9. (rely) tool for doctors, which can help the patients begin their healing process quicker and more efficiently, 10. (save) thousands of lives with every use.
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。
Growing up, I was fortunate have parents who taught me lessons by where they lived each day. I remember walk to a nursing home with my father one Saturday. When we arrive there, I asked him for money for the collection box. My father reached into his pocket and handed him a coin. I was embarrassing by the amount of money he gave me so I asked him for more. In a reply, he taught me a valuable lesson: What is important is the reason for giving, not how many money you give. Years late, I found out' my father didn't have any spare money to give on the time, but he always gave what he could.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是拉萨某中学高三学生李华，你的外国笔友Helen在最近发来的邮件中介绍了自己的课余生活并询问你最喜欢的体育运动。请你用英语给她回一封电子邮件，介绍你最喜欢的体育运动及你从中得到的益处。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.不要出现真实的学校名称。
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难度: 简单查看答案及解析