How can we all get more laughter into our lives? Here is what the experts suggest:
__1._____ . Nancy Alguire, a teacher in Clifton Park, N. Y., was once painfully shy and had a hard time laughing. Then she married a circus clown (小丑). “I became interested in the clowns,” she recalls “One day I put on a costume and paint my face. That afternoon my whole life changed. I learned to laugh and enjoy life in a way I had never done before.” ___2.____ To this day, she still makes it a rule to be with people who enjoy life and laughing.
____3.______ It doesn’t take you too much time and can be easy. Collect favorite cartoons and jokes. Also, keep a paper for writing down humor you find in everyday life. “Good ideas come and go fast, you have to capture them quickly or they are gone,” says Virginia Tooper.
Laugh when you need it most. “__4.______ ” says comedian Bill Cosby. “And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might by, you can survive it,” he insists.
Gray Alan, a sociology professor at the University of Minnesota, claims that laughter is a skill we can all gain – because it comes naturally. ___5.______ . Just remember: we are just here for a period, so get a few laughs.
A．You can soften the worst blows through humor.
B．Mix with people who laugh.
C．Practise the art of laughing.
D．Keep a laughter file.
E．He who laughs last laughs best.
F．But it’s also something that has to be developed.
G．People’s joy can affect those around them.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
If there is a building which symbolizes a country—such as the Eiffel Tower for France and Sydney Opera House for Australia—then it has to be the Taj Mahal for India.
It was set up by Emperor Shah Jahan in 1653 in memory of his wife, Mumtaz Mahal. From the time they got married, they wouldn't be separated. She followed him to wars, advised him on affairs of state, and was loved by his people for her good work. But she died in 1631 during childbirth. The emperor was heart－broken and had the Taj Mahal built as a sign of his love.
It took more than 20 years for the Taj Mahal to be built. Workers were brought in, not only from all over India, but from Central Asia too. A total of 20,000 people worked on the building.
In 1657, Shah Jahan fell ill, and in 1658 his son Aurangzeb, imprisoned (囚禁) his father and seized power. Shah Jahan stayed in prison until his death in 1666. He was finally buried there with his wife he could never forget.
The Taj Mahal is definitely worth more than a single visit. As it is built with white marble stones, its character changes in different lights. It looks more beautiful at sunrise and sunset. At sunset, for example, the colour of the Taj changes from white to yellow, then to pink. As the moon rises, it turns a silvery white.
To show respect to the Taj, tourists are asked to take off their shoes during their visit.
1.Emperor Shah Jahan built the Taj Mahal to ________.
A．make it symbolize India B.memorise his wife
C．show his great power D．give his wife a present
2.Which of the following about the Taj Mahal is NOT true?
A．It is a symbol of India.
B．It took over 20 years to build the Taj Mahal.
C．All workers building the Taj Mahal came from Central Asia.
D．The Taj Mahal was built with white marble stones.
3.According to the passage, we know that Shah Jahan ______.
A．lived a hard life in his last few years
B．lost his life just because of his old age
C．was not popular with his people at that time
D．treated his son badly when he was young
4.The word “seize” in the fourth paragraph may most probably mean ________.
A．throw B．memorise C．give D．capture
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
A healthy amount of sunshine may be the secret to staying young. British scientists have discovered.
Vitamin D is produced naturally by the skin in response to (对…的反应) sunlight and may help to slow the ageing process and protect against heart disease, according to the study.
Researchers from King's College London studied 2,160 women aged between 18 and 79, looking at their telomeres-a biological marker of ageing found in DNA. As people get older, their telomeres get shorter and they become more susceptible (易受伤害的) to certain illnesses.
But the study found women with high levels of vitamin D had comparatively longer telomeres-a sign of being biologically younger and healthier.
The study suggests vitamin D may help to slow down the ageing process of DNA, and therefore the ageing process as a whole.
Lead researcher Dr Brent Richards said, "These results are exciting because they show for the first time that people who have higher levels of vitamin D may age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D." This could help to explain how vitamin D has a protective effect on many ageing related diseases, such as heart disease and cancer."
Professor Tim Spector, a co-author of the report, added, " Although it might sound absurd(荒唐的), it's possible that the same sunshine which may increase our risk of skin cancer may also have a healthy effect on the general ageing process.
Vitamin D made by the action of sunlight on the skin accounts for 90 percent of the body's supply, but lower levels can also be got through food such as fish, eggs and breakfast cereals(粥).
Other studies have suggested the vitamin plays a key role in protecting against cancer and heart disease.
1.A certain amount of sunshine helps people stay young because _________.
A. people feel happy and energetic in the sun
B. vitamin D may help to slow the ageing process
C. sunshine protects people against heart disease
D. vitamin D makes one's skin look young and healthy
2.From Brent Richards, we know that ________.
A. sunlight causes skin cancer to people with high level of vitamin D
B. the study generally has a healthy effect on the general ageing process
C. the higher levels of vitamin D people have, the more slowly people may age
D. vitamin D can only be got from fish, eggs and breakfast cereals
3.What can we infer from the passage?
A. Sunlight does more good than harm to our health.
B. Telomeres are important as they are signs of ageing of the DNA.
C. Sunlight can be dangerous as it causes skin cancer.
D. Vitamin D can also be gained from food.
4.What is the best title of the passage?
A. Secret of Staying Young
B. Sunlight and Vitamin D
C. Vitamin D Helps Slow Ageing
D. Sunlight and Health
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
The 92-year-old, thin, calm and proud lady, who is fully dressed each morning by eight o’clock, even though she is nearly blind, moved to a nursing home today.
Her husband of 70 years recently passed away, making the move necessary. After many hours of waiting patiently in the hall of the nursing home, she smiled sweetly when told her room was ready.
As she walked slowly to the elevator, I provided a true description of her tiny room, including the old sheets that had been hung on her window. “I love it,” she said with the happiness of an eight-year-old having just been presented with a new puppy.
“Mrs. Jones, you haven’t seen the room…just wait.”
“That doesn’t matter.” she replied. “Happiness is something you decide ahead of time. Whether I like my room or not doesn’t depend on how the furniture is arranged. It’s how I arranged my mind. I have already decided to love it. It’s a decision I make every morning when I wake up. Each day is a gift, and as long as my eyes open I’ll focus on the new day and all the happy memories I’ve stored away.” She went on to explain, “Old age is like a bank account. You take what you’ve put in. So, my advice to you would be to put in a lot of happiness in the bank account of memories. Thank you for your part in filling my memory bank.” And with a smile, she said, “All my memories are happy ones.”
Mrs. Jones was always happy in the nursing home and she died at the age of 108.
1.We can infer from the passage that the author________.
A. is one of Mrs. Jones’ children
B. is a relative of Mrs. Jones
C. works in the nursing home
D. is the owner of the nursing home
2.Mrs. Jones was very happy when told about her room because she________.
A. couldn’t see what her room was like
B. thought the nursing home was her home
C. had already made up her mind to be happy
D. would have to live in the nursing home
3.Which of the following words can best describe Mrs. Jones?
A. Proud.
B. Determined
C. Pleasant.
D. Honest
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
Internet shopping is a new way of shopping. Nowadays, you can shop for just about anything from your armchair. Shopping on the Internet is becoming increasingly popular.
People can shop for a variety of products on the Internet. Physical products include items such as books, CDs, clothes and foods. These types of products are the most common purchases through the Internet. To find something on the Internet, people often use powerful computer tools called “search engines”. You can search for a type of product such as sports shoes, or a brand name, such as Nike. The search engine will give you a list of websites where you can find these products. These websites may be specialist shops such as a Nike shop, or they may be general stores, called malls, which sell a variety of goods.
Internet shopping offers a number of benefits for the shopper. The most important advantage is convenience. The most important advantage is convenience. As the on-line shops are open 24 hours a day, you do not have to queue with other shoppers at the check-out counters. Secondly, it is easy to find what you are looking for. Finally, it is often cheaper to buy goods through the Internet.
The main disadvantage of Internet shopping is that you cannot actually see the products you are buying or check their quality. Also, many people enjoy shopping in the city and miss the opportunity to talk to friends. Some people are worried about paying for goods using credit cards, so Internet companies are now finding ways to make on-line payment safe.
Internet shopping is sure to become more and more popular in the years ahead. It promises to change the way we buy all kinds of thing-from tonight's dinner to a new car.
1.The first paragraph indicates(表明)that .
A. there are many problems with online shopping
B. online shopping is becoming very popular
C. people hate online shopping in cities
D. it is very inconvenient for online shopping
2.From the second paragraph, we know the underlined word “malls” means .
A. stores where we can buy famous brand(牌)products
B. places where people can receive better service
C. specialist shops
D. stores which sell many kinds of goods
3.Internet shopping can offer shoppers the following benefits EXCEPT .
A. online payment safety
B. the speed the goods are delivered at
C. the reasonable price
D. the convenience it brings to you
4.According to the passage, we can infer that .
A. since it is not safe to pay online, Internet shopping will disappear in the years ahead
B. it will become the only way we buy things in the years ahead
C. there is no disadvantage of Internet shopping
D. it’ll change the way we buy things
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容(1个单词)或括号内单词的正确形式。
When I failed in the final exam, I almost lost heart. My teacher told me a quote, __1._ goes like this; “Your future depends on many things, _2._ mostly on you.” I can’t agree _3._ (much) with this view. It’s true that our future _4._ (determine) by many things, such as opportunities and help from others, but our own attitude, determination, _5._ hard work play a more important role. In _6._ words, we are the master of our own future.
Take Abraham Lincoln for example. He was born in a poor family, and only received a _7._ (limit) education in his childhood. Yet through his painstaking efforts, he changed not only his own fate but also the history of America. _8._ to this day, Lincoln _9._ (regard) as one of the most inspiring figures in the world. _10._, I firmly believe that our future is in our own hands.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
There was once a farmer who had a fine olive orchard（橄榄园）. He was very hardworking, and the 36 always prospered（繁荣）under his care. But he knew that his three 37 looked down upon the farm work, and were eager to make wealth.
When the farmer was 38 and felt that he would die, he 39 the three sons to him and said, “My sons, there is a pot of gold 40 in the olive orchard. Dig for it, if you wish it.”
The sons tried to 41 him to tell them in what part of the orchard the 42 was hidden, but he would tell them nothing more.
After the farmer was 43 , the sons went to work to find the pot of gold; since they did not 44 where the hiding-place was, they agreed to begin in a line, at one 45 of the orchard, and to dig until one of them should find the money.
They 46 until they had turned up the 47 from one end of the orchard to the other, 48 the tree-roots and between them. 49 no pot of gold was to be found. It seemed as if someone must have stolen it, or as if the farmer had been wandering in his wits. The three sons were bitterly 50 to have all their work for nothing.
The next olive 51 , the olive trees in the orchard bore（结果实）more fruit than they had 52 given; when it was 53 , it gave the sons a whole pot of gold.
And when they saw how much money had 54 the orchard, they suddenly understood what the wise father had 55 when he said, “There is gold hidden in the orchard. Dig for it, if you wish it.”
1.A．farm B．garden C．factory D．hospital
2.A．friends B．sons C．relatives D．children
3.A．healthy B．old C．unlucky D．sad
4.A．showed B．led C．called D．visited
5.A．sent B．put C．hidden D．locked
6.A．wait B．cause C．make D．get
7.A．goods B．jewel C．clothes D．gold
8.A．weak B．lost C．dead D．sick
9.A．think B．know C．wonder D．realise
10.A．end B．top C．surface D．bottom
11.A．dug B．searched C．discovered D．expected
12.A．sand B．soil C．ground D．floor
13.A．over B．among C．round D．across
14.A．Since B．And C．Before D．But
15.A．disappointed B．surprised C．worried D．sad
16.A．season B．part C．distance D．degree
17.A．already B．even C．ever D．still
18.A．made B．sold C．shipped D．saved
19.A．come on B．come about C．come up D．come from
20.A．thought B．planned C．guessed D．meant
难度: 困难查看答案及解析
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限一词;
2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。
It is reported, some needy students receive financial support of some kind people but never express our thanks. Personally, I think they are wrong.
Though the helpers didn't expect any reward in return, but it’s necessary and good manner to say “thank you”. Besides, it is a basic social skill express ourselves in modern society. Maybe some of them do feel thankfully. It is only because they are afraid of being looked down upon which they remain silent. But I just want to say that being poor for a moment doesn't mean you will be poor forever.
难度: 中等查看答案及解析
每当大型考试来临时，很多同学都会表现出不同程度的紧张，请以此为题写篇词数不少于120的短文，谈谈你对如何缓解考试焦虑情绪的见解。
写作要点：
1.考试焦虑的危害。
2.你的见【解析】
*正确认识考试，制定科学的学习计划；
*保持良好的心态，适量运动，听音乐等；
*保持充足的睡眠和均衡的饮食。
注意：
1. 文章标题已给出，不计入总词数；
2. 可以适当补充内容。
参考词汇：nervousness 紧张 have an…attitude towards… 对……有……的态度
How to Relax before Exams
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难度: 中等查看答案及解析