Don’t you have time for reading? If you are interested in non-fiction books, here are some good choices for you.
A Room of One’s Own
This essay by English writer Virginia Woolf is based on several lectures given to two women’s colleges at Cambridge University in 1928. In the essay, Woolf describes that it’s circumstance not talent alone, that allows men to be more successful at writing. Women, in other words, spend so much time cooking, cleaning, and tending to their children that they have no time left for art. To write well, therefore, a woman must have a “room of her own”. While on its surface, this essay appears to be only about writing, it is actually about wealth and class, freedom and confinement, and the power struggle between sexes.
The Art of War
Written by ancient Chinese warrior Sun Tzu, The Art of War is widely considered to be one of the best books about military strategies in human history. Consisting of 13 chapters, each dealing with a separate aspect about how to fight a war, the book has been translated into every major language and has thousands of editions. For centuries, it has been used to train world leaders for its detailed study of military strategies and effective leadership.
Letter to My Daughter
This book of essays by Maya Angelou, a respectable African-American poet, is written for “the daughter she never had” — the millions of women, both young and old, that she considers to be her “family”. From the viewpoint of a caring, older relative, this book contains lessons selected from her own life experiences, including the birth of her only child, a son, as well as the development and loss of friendship.
A Brief History of Time
If you’re short of time, then why not read about, well, the creation of time? This book, first published in 1998 from brilliant scientist and mathematician Stephen Hawking, explores mind-bending questions about the creation of the universe, including if and when it will end, and if so, how. Despite its heavy subject matter, Hawking addresses these questions in a way that’s easy to understand, even for those who know little about physics.
1.What can we learn about the four books?
A.A Brief History of Time mainly focuses on the matter of time.
B.Letter to My Daughter is actually a common family letter.
C.The Art of War gives advice on how to be a world leader.
D.A Room of One’s Own is more than about writing.
2.What can be inferred from the passage?
A.As a physicist,Hawking is equally famous in writing.
B.Maya devotes herself to fighting for women’s rights.
C.The book by Sun Tzu is helpful in policy-making.
D.Woolf looks down upon men in writing.
3.What is the purpose of the passage?
A.To make comparisons among the four books.
B.To recommend the four books to readers.
C.To make comments on the four books.
D.To promote sales of the four books.
难度: 简单查看答案及解析
As we know it, it’s not unusual to find such private message on Facebook: “Hey, girl. Wanted to invite you to join my next challenge group-we’ll be focusing on fitting in 30 minutes of exercise and balanced nutrition.”
It was all becoming too much. Facebook was running my life, not me.
But what killed Facebook for me was when I posted a photo, and five minutes later my son asked me how much “likes” it had got. His question was a wake-up call.
“Likes” are signs of acceptance and approval. I had forgotten that acceptance and approval need to come from within and had unknowingly set him a bad example.
Before Facebook, surfing the Internet was an occasional distraction and I spent a lot more time reading books and magazines. I checked in with friends through texts, emails and phone calls.
To recreate the simplicity of those days and set a healthier example for my son, I deactivated my Facebook account.
I’d been in the habit of checking Facebook many times a day, so I had to come up with some new habits. I carried a novel and a crossword puzzle book around with me. I rediscovered knitting. I started taking yoga classes.
I started to remember a few things. My body is fine just the way it is. I have friends who will help me out when I’m in trouble, and I’ll help them out. I do my best to be a good mother, and our son is happy and healthy. We are lucky to be able to afford two vacations a year.
I stopped looking at the world through my cellphone. I felt completely present in the moment.
The break left me feeling better about myself, my family, my home and my life.
After a few weeks, I returned to Facebook. Now I look at the photos of my friends’ kids growing up and treasure how social media allows me to keep in touch with family far and wide. I look in on a daily basis, but no longer with the desire constantly to post updates.
1.The underlined word“deactivate”in Paragraph 6 is closest in meaning to___________.
A.update B.quit
C.label D.close
2.What did the author do to change her life?
A.She went to the gym as often as she could.
B.She got into some healthy habits.
C.She tried to make money for her holidays.
D.She traveled around a lot for a year.
3.What did the author think of the break from Facebook?
A.It gave her time to find beauty in life.
B.It distanced her from her friends.
C.It stopped her using social media.
D.It left her space to educate herself.
4.In the author’s opinion,people should be__________using social media.
A.doubtful about B.supportive of
C.cautious about D.indifferent to
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Modern agriculture and its beauty to feed billions of people may be one of humanity’s greatest achievements. However, it comes with hidden costs. For example, have you ever considered how much water is needed to provide you with a steak or a salad? It may surprise you.
In a recent study published in the journal Nutrients, scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization (CSIRO), Australia’s national science organization, took a close look at the diets of 9,341 adult Australians-specifically, their “water-scarcity footprints (水消耗足迹)”.
It turns out that a sweet tooth not only adds to our waistlines but also stresses our water resources.
The water-scarcity footprint is a widely recognized measurement of water consumption. First, it counts the liters of water you used. Then, it looks at the place where the water was used. Using a liter of water in the desert is not the same as using a liter of water in a tropical rainforest. The more scarce water is in your area, the larger your water-scarcity footprint.
The scientists found that the average Australian’s diet had a water-scarcity footprint of 362 liters per day. Snacks and beverages-cookies, cakes, sodas and alcohol-accounted for 25 percent of the water-scarcity footprint. The research also included a glass of wine (41 liters), a single serving of potato chips (23 liters), and a small bar of milk chocolate (21 liters).
Not surprisingly, cutting out snacks would be the top priority if you wanted to lower your own water-scarcity.
Earth’s surface is 70 percent water, but only 2.5 percent of that can be used for drinking or farming. While humanity faces an uphill battle to feed its growing population, climate change is causing droughts and extreme weather in agricultural centers like California and eastern Australia.
Cities aren’t safe, either. In 2018, Cape Town, South Africa, nearly ran out of water due to drought. Its freshwater reservoir (水库) stayed at just about 13.5 percent of full capacity.
By 2030, a world of about 8.6 billion people will need 35 percent more water, 40 percent more energy, and 50 percent more food, according to the United States National Intelligence Council.
So, we need to watch what we eat, not just for our personal health but for the health of our societies.
1.What did the recent study from CSIRO find?
A.There are many hidden places like lacking water.
B.The foods we consume could cause our water-scarcity footprints to be bigger.
C.Climate change is the leading reason for larger water-scarcity footprints.
D.Eating sweets leads to a smaller water-scarcity footprint.
2.What do we know about water-scarcity footprints?
A.They show how much a person affects their local water supply.
B.They change with a country’s population.
C.They count the amount of water a family wastes.
D.They are mainly used to measure how scarce water is in the desert.
3.What can we infer from the last four paragraphs?
A.South Africa is the area with the worst water shortages.
B.We are facing a greater shortage of water than of food.
C.Our eating habits could make a difference to the problem of water shortage.
D.Water shortage may bring about many social problems.
4.What’s the best title of the passage?
A.How to get rid of snacks
B.Why we should reduce water waste
C.The more water is, the bigger the water-scarcity footprints are
D.Water waste starts with snacks
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
“This has gone as well as I could have dreamed, and I can fly in the near future!” Yes, Alyssa Carson, a now-18-year-old astronaut from Baton Rouge, Louisiana is capable. For her, riding the most aggressive roller coaster in the park is not a big deal. If all goes according to her plans, NASA will send her to Mars in 2033, making her the first human to step foot on the planet. She will spend two to three years living there, growing food, performing science experiments and searching for signs of life. “The Martian is actually very accurate,” she said. “A lot of things that happened in the movie are similar to what is going to happen.” She has devoted her entire life to preparing for her journey.
Her love for space started when she watched a cartoon called The Backyardigans at the age of 3. Five animal pals on imaginary adventures in their backyard, including one part-a mission to Mars. “I thought ‘This red planet is so cool!’” she said. “I started watching videos of rovers’ landing on Mars. I had a large map of Mars in my room which I would look at every day. I started getting telescopes so I could look at space.
At 7, her father took her to space camp in Huntsville, Alabama. “That was the weekend of my life.” she said. I got to learn everything I had been wanting to know and I got to see a life-size rocket.” She cherished the rocket so much that she returned 18 times. At 12, she became the first person in history to attend all three NASA space camps in Huntsville, Alabama; Quebec, Canada and Izmir, Turkey.
At first she mastered the basics of space and how humans have explored it throughout time. As she got older she simulated (模拟) missions, trying to reach a destination in gravity-free, weightless zones.
When she was 9, she met NASA astronaut Sandra Magnus. The experienced explorer told her she was her age when she decided to go to space. At that moment Alyssa knew her love of space was not a hobby. “I did the same thing as other kids, like switching my mind about careers, wanting to be a teacher or the president one day,” she said. “But the way I always thought about it was I would become an astronaut, go to Mars, come back, and then be a teacher or the president.”
1.Which of the following about Alyssa Carson is right?
A.She has created model missions to Mars.
B.She is the youngest one who has completed astronaut training.
C.She is likely to be the first human to perform different tasks on Mars.
D.She has visited the space camp in Huntsville,Alabama for nearly 30 times.
2.What’s supposed to be stressed by referring to NASA astronaut Sandra Magnus?
A.The power of space dreams.
B.The popularity of space travel.
C.The importance of career choices
D.The excitement of her space experiences.
3.What can’t be inferred from the article?
A.The Backyardigans is a cartoon for kids.
B.Alyssa will have many tasks to complete if she lands on Mars successfully.
C.Alyssa was forced to learn the basics of space science by her father.
D.Alyssa enjoys riding roller coasters like many other young people.
4.What does the author intend to do in writing the passage?
A.To introduce American space industry.
B.To promote the values of American teens.
C.To encourage tours to Mars.
D.To present a rising American space star.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Forgiveness comes from a positive attitude and a friendly nature. The process of it can be a releasing experience. In truth, forgiveness can only occur when we have been given the gift of the ability to make choices. 1.
The choice of offering forgiveness develops along three steps.
At step one you are filled with self-justified anger. At some point in your life you have been hurt and you are mad at the person who you feel has wronged you. You blame the person committing the wrong. 2. You have forgotten that you have a choice as to how you will react.
The second step toward forgiveness emerges (出现) when after feeling angry with someone for a while you realize that the anger does not make you feel good. 3. So you take steps to forgive. You may begin to see the problem from the other person’s point of view or you may simply decide to let the problem go. 4.
The third step of forgiveness comes after you have seen the beneficial results of forgiveness and you don’t want to waste your precious life in discomfort. In this step the choice is to work to either repair the relationship or let go of seeing the situation as a problem. 5. At this step you are aware that the length of time you experience the situation as a sorrow is primarily up to you.
A.If you want to forgive someone,no one can stop us.
B.We have the choice to forgive or not to forgive and no one can force us to do either.
C.In either case you decide to forgive because you have had some practice with it and seen the benefit in your life.
D.It is their action and not your choice of response that you feel causes your anger.
E.In either case you are no longer angry or you have forgiven the person.
F.This could emerge in a situation where you are cut off by another car on the road.
G.It may hurt your emotional balance or your physical health.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
What is the first thing that comes to your mind when you hear the word “hero”? Is it someone who _______ a cape (披风) and can _______ in the air? There are onscreen heroes like the superheroes in Avengers, and also _______ heroes in our lives.
But what _______ a person a hero?
In general, a hero is someone selfless, _______ and brave. These qualities _______ heroes to help others in times of need, even if they are _______. You can _______ them to be there for you if something bad happens.
“The people that we set up as heroes are people that generally go above and _______ the call of duty. They do things that are __________,” said Nick Carden, a psychologist at the AAPHC Renaissance Center in the US.
However, why can some people be heroic? Nick Carden said, heroes are made. “They __________ are people that have been influenced by and have been helped by or have been modeled or raised to have those as __________.”
Ordinary people — just like you and me — are heroes in their own way, simply just by __________ their part for their families and communities. Cleaners, doctors, journalists, delivery workers, nurses, and bus drivers-the __________ goes on and on.
These ordinary people help __________ in our day-to-day lives. And, sometimes, when there are __________, these ordinary people show courage and bravery to help __________ strangers in need.
Being a hero is a universal attribute (属性) of human nature. The decision to act heroically is a choice that many of us will be called upon to __________ at some point in time.
__________, you should strive (努力) to be your own hero. Be courageous, honest, and a person with integrity (正直). Because, __________ you are your own hero, you can truly do anything you set your mind to.
1.A.guides B.wears C.hides D.carries
2.A.signal B.fly C.notice D.blow
3.A.everyday B.known C.familiar D.remarkable
4.A.recommends B.supposes C.makes D.celebrates
5.A.energetic B.silent C.swift D.courageous
6.A.drive B.risk C.make D.lead
7.A.exhausted B.broken C.scared D.confident
8.A.send for B.hold up C.give out D.count on
9.A.past B.forward C.beyond D.before
10.A.different B.extraordinary C.proper D.special
11.A.fairly B.probably C.exactly D.eagerly
12.A.values B.candles C.relatives D.bonds
13.A.pushing B.putting C.knowing D.doing
14.A.unit B.career C.list D.deed
15.A.hold on B.look around C.keep order D.get together
16.A.emergencies B.cases C.masses D.arms
17.A.complete B.local C.favorable D.nervous
18.A.meet B.make C.save D.reward
19.A.Even so B.In contrast C.As you know D.Most importantly
20.A.though B.before C.until D.once
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 will never forget the moment when we returned to school. Because the outbreak of COVID-19, we had to stay home and study from home in depression. I was touching when I stepped into the school, which everything was thoughtfully-arranged. The staff must have worked hard to keep it tidy and safe but we could study in a comfortable environment. There were sign telling us to wash hands frequently and wearing masks. Ms. Chen, our headteacher, greeted us warm in the classroom. A mask was covered most of her face, but her eyes were shining. She said we had done her part to stop the disease spreading. What a unforgettable reunion!
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
假定你是李华，你的英国朋友Andy将要参加中文诗歌朗诵比赛（recitation contest），发邮件向你询问下面这首诗歌的含义。请你回复邮件，介绍该诗歌的主要内容、表达的思想感情和写作手法。
游子吟
作者：孟郊（唐）
慈母手中线，游子身上衣。
临行密密缝，意恐迟迟归。
谁言寸草心，报得三春晖。
注意：
1. 字数100字左右；2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。
难度: 困难查看答案及解析