-
The history of Mother’s Day is pretty interesting. An early form of the idea may have originated in the 17th century England as “Mothering Sunday”, on which the servants, who generally lived with their employers, were encouraged to return home and honor their mothers. A special cake, called the mothering cake, was often brought along to provide a festive touch.
Mother’s Day, first suggested in 1872, is linked to the anti-war efforts of Julia Ward Howe. She hoped a day set aside to honour mothers would be a way to promote peace. In 1907 a woman by the name of Anna Jarvis took Howe’s idea a step further and began a campaign for a nationally recognized Mother’s Day.
After considerable effort, Anna Jarvis finally saw her dream realized. On May 9, 1914, President Woodrow Wilson made the official proclamation(宣布) that Mother’s Day would be an annual holiday on the second Sunday in May. And so it is to this day.
For those of us whose lives have been shaped and nurtured by loving moms, the day is a wonderful opportunity to say thank you. Unfortunately not everyone’s experience of family life evokes （唤起）gratitude. In the complicated maze of human existence, not all mother/child relationships are positive. Evoking the image of Mom for some can be an invitation down a painful memory lane.
There is also the reality that not all mothering figures are actually mothers. Hundreds of thousands of children have been raised by foster moms （养母）who never had children of their own, but who gave maternal （母亲般的）love to children that needed them. Aunts and older sisters have filled this role as well.
All I am saying is that it is complicated. We might wish that every family had an ideal balance of motherly and fatherly love, but that is simply not the case. There are many different ways that mothering happens. We may as well celebrate the ups and downs of our common life. For those whose childhood evokes praise and thanksgiving, let us give thanks. But for those whose childhood was marked by fear and loss, then let us offer healing.
In our world, there’s no reason why all experiences of family life, good and bad, can’t be included.
Title: ._____________
-
The growing interest in ____ history is clearly evident in ____ number of people visiting museums and country houses.
| A．不填；不填 | B．不填；the | C．the; the | D．the; 不填 |
-
For history fans, Margaret Thatcher is one of the most interesting of the British Prime Ministers. She is praised by both British and American conservatives for her firm principles and accomplishments of her term.
Being so popular, it is only appropriate that a solid movie be made to detail the life of the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. The film Iron Lady focuses on Thatcher (Meryl Streep) and her dementia（痴呆症）, with certain items in her house reminding her of periods of her life, which then start series of flashbacks. Thatcher also fantasies of her husband, Denis (Jim Broadbent), and holds conversations with him throughout the film.
In a world controlled by men and where women are thought to belong to the kitchen, Thatcher struggles to break through the barriers of sex to win a seat in Parliament（国会）. Not only does she struggle with her sex, but being the daughter of a simple shopkeeper, she struggles with class barriers.
After winning a seat in Parliament in 1959, Thatcher was appointed Secretary of State for Education and Science(SES). The film details how the leadership of her party didn’t take her or her opinions seriously. Thatcher became tired of being unheard and decided to challenge the leadership of the party and run for Leader of the Opposition. Not expecting to win the position, she took off in popularity, continuing a strong campaign even after her manager was killed by the Irish Republican Army.
Thatcher, after the conservative party won a majority in Parliament, became the first woman Prime Minister of the UK. She took off in popularity until an economic decline hit the country. She regained popularity after the Falklands War.
The film, in many cases, shows archive footage（资料片）to convey the historic timeline of the movie. The film does an excellent job in recording the complex life of one of Britain’s most complex women. It examines the price that Lady Thatcher paid for power, the class and sex struggles she overcame, and the burden of dementia. The film strikes an astonishingly dear portrait of the “Iron Lady” and will be sure to stand the test of time.
1.According to the passage, the film Iron Lady is mainly about__________.
A. Margaret Thatcher and her dementia
B. Thatcher’s principles and achievements
C. the British Prime Ministers’ interests
D. Margaret Thatcher and her husband
2. When Thatcher worked as Secretary of SES, _________.
A. her party took her and her opinions seriously
B. she tried hard to break through the barriers of sex
C. she struggled to break through the class barriers
D. she wasn’t respected by the leaders of her party
3. This passage is possibly a(n) ___________.
A. autobiography B. political report
C. film review D. life story
4.What is the author’s attitude towards the film Iron Lady?
A. Negative B. Positive C. Disapproving D. Casual
-
Why is the woman leaving work early?
A.To take care of her mother. B.To post a package. C.To pick up a car
-
Professor Li has ___ interest in history, especially in ___ history of Ming Dynasty.
A. an; x B. an; the C. x; the D. x; an
-
An exhibition at the Harvard Museum of Natural History is around the theme of food plant disease, using early 20th-century glass models of rotting fruit.
Known as Harvard's "Glass Flowers", the Ware Collection of Blaschka Glass Models of Plants consists of over 4，300 sculptures of plants and plant parts fashioned entirely in glass by the German father-and-son artists Leopold and Rudolf Blaschka between 1887 and 1936. Harvard originally used the models as teaching tools, showing plants' three-dimensional structure and color.
The "Fruits in Decay" shows a collection of models of diseased, rotting, and withering(枯萎的) fruiting plants. The rotting fruit series was intended specifically to educate the public about the danger of plant disease. These models were created by Rudolf, the younger Blaschka, in the early 20th century Harvard botanist Oakes Ames asked him to create these diseased fruit models. And he thought about these as a way to look at what we now call food security-or insecurity.
Though the models were made nearly a hundred years ago, the theme is as remarkable as ever. Most of the illnesses shown on Rudolf Blaschka's plant models still affect today's crops.
"In certain ways, global agriculture is more likely to be harmed than it has ever been to disease threats(威胁), largely due to the widespread practice of planting one crop over large production areas. Less genetic diversity means that crops have less resistance to disease," says Sheng Yang He, a professor at Michigan State University.
Climate change will make plants more vulnerable to disease because warming temperatures disable an important plant defense system against plant disease. Major crop loss from plant disease is already at a shocking 20 t0 40 percent. Food security threats from disease will almost certainly become more common so there's a lot to be done about convincing people of it.
1.What are shown on the exhibition?
A.Models of diverse crops. B.Models of withering flowers.
C.Models of rotting plant parts. D.Models of diseased fruiting plants.
2.By whom were the exhibits created?
A.Oakes Ames. B.Sheng Yang He.
C.Rudolf Blaschka. D.Leopold Blaschka.
3.Why is the exhibition meaningful?
A.It convinces people of the food security threats.
B.It reminds people of effects of global warming.
C.It helps people understand the history of fruit planting.
D.It provides people with knowledge of global agriculture.
4.What does the underlined word "vulnerable" in the last paragraph mean?
A.Weak and easily hurt. B.Resistant and protected.
C.Defensive and hard to attack. D.Sensitive and completely destroyed.
-
Tea is an important part of Chinese tradition. The practice of drinking tea has 1. long history in China, having originated there. Nowadays, Chinese tea generally represents tea leaves which have been processed 2. (use) methods inherited from ancient China.
According to popular legend, tea 3. (discover) by Chinese Emperor Shen Nong in 2737 BC 4. a leaf from a nearby shrub fell into the water the emperor was boiling. The Emperor was interested in the new liquid, 5. (drink) some carefully, and found it very refreshing. And so, tea was said to be created in 2737 BC.
Tea is deeply woven into the history and culture of China. The beverage(饮料) is considered one of the seven 6. (necessity) of Chinese life, along with firewood, rice, oil, salt, soy sauce and vinegar. Around 771 BC—476 BC the Chinese tea was used 7. (help) treat some diseases.
Most Chinese teas are cultivated and consumed in China. Tea shops and tea houses in the street are easily found in China. Meanwhile, they are also exported internationally due 8. a rise in the 9. (popular) of Chinese cuisine worldwide. Tea has become one of Chinese specific drinks in the world. It is 10. (common) available in Chinese restaurants and grocery shops world wide.
-
Jenny was a pretty five-year-old girl. One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl (珍珠) necklace priced at $2.50. Her mother bought the necklace for her on condition that she had to do some homework to pay it off. Jenny agreed. She worked very hard every day, and soon Jenny paid off the necklace. Jenny loved it so much that she wore it everywhere except when she was in the shower. Her mother had told her it would turn her neck green!
Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would read Jenny her favorite story.
One night when he finished the story, he said, “Jenny, could you give me your necklace?”
“Oh! Daddy, not my necklace!” Jenny said. “But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. Okay? ”
“Oh no, darling, that’s okay.” Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. “Good night, little one.
A week later, her father once again asked Jenny for the necklace after her favorite story. “Oh, Daddy, not my necklace! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She’s my favorite.”
“No, that’s okay,” her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. “God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams. ”
Several days later, when Jenny’s father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling. “Here, Daddy,” she said, holding out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father’s hand.
With one hand her father held the plastic pearl necklace and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue box. Inside the box was a real, beautiful pearl necklace. He had had it all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap necklace so he could give her a real one.
1.What did Jenny have to do to get the plastic pearl necklace?
A. She had to help her mother do some housework.
B. She had to listen to her father tell a story every night.
C. She had to ask her father to pay for the necklace.
D. She had to give away her favorite toys to the poor children.
2.From the text we know that ______.
A. Jenny’s mother paid a lot for the plastic pearl necklace
B. Jenny wore the necklace everywhere even in the shower
C. Jenny didn’t like Rosy and Ribbons any longer
D. Jenny got a real pearl necklace from her father
3.Jenny’s father asked for her plastic pearl necklace repeatedly in order to ______.
A. get it for himself B. donate it C. train her character D. put it away
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A. A Lovely Girl B. Father and Daughter
C. A Pearl Necklace D. An Unforgettable Childhood
-
Jenny was a pretty five-year-old girl. One day when she and her mother were checking out at the grocery store, Jenny saw a plastic pearl (珍珠) necklace priced at $2.50. Her mother bought the necklace for her on condition that she had to do some homework to pay it off. Jenny agreed. She worked very hard every day, and soon Jenny paid off the necklace. Jenny loved it so much that she wore it everywhere except when she was in the shower. Her mother had told her it would turn her neck green!
Jenny had a very loving daddy. When Jenny went to bed, he would read Jenny her favorite story.
One night when he finished the story, he said, “Jenny, could you give me your necklace?”
“Oh! Daddy, not my necklace!” Jenny said. “But you can have Rosy, my favorite doll. Remember her? You gave her to me last year for my birthday. Okay? ”
“Oh no, darling, that’s okay.” Her father brushed her cheek with a kiss. “Good night, little one.
A week later, her father once again asked Jenny for the necklace after her favorite story. “Oh, Daddy, not my necklace! But you can have Ribbons, my toy horse. Do you remember her? She’s my favorite.”
“No, that’s okay,” her father said and brushed her cheek again with a kiss. “God bless you, little one. Sweet dreams. ”
Several days later, when Jenny’s father came in to read her a story, Jenny was sitting on her bed and her lip was trembling. “Here, Daddy,” she said, holding out her hand. She opened it and her beloved pearl necklace was inside. She let it slip into her father’s hand.
With one hand her fathe
r held the plastic p
earl necklace and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue box. Inside the box was a real, beautiful pearl necklace. He had had it all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap necklace so he could give her a real one.
1.What did Jenny have to do to get the plastic pearl necklace?
A. She had to help her mother do some housework.
B. She had to listen to her father tell a story every night.
C. She had to ask her father to pay for the necklace.
D. She had to give away her favorite toys to the poor children.
2.From the text we know that ______.
A. Jenny’s mother paid a lot for the plastic pearl necklace
B. Jenny wore the necklace everywhere even in the shower
C. Jenny didn’t like Rosy and Ribbons any longer
D. Jenny got a real pearl necklace from her father
3. Jenny’s father asked for her plastic pearl necklace repeatedly in order to ______.
A. get it for himself B. donate it
C. train her character D. put it away
4.What can be the best title for the text?
A. A Lovely Girl B. Father and Daughter
C. A Pearl Necklace D. An Unforgettable Childhood
-
Early excitement about the next generation of the iPhone is building months ahead of an expected autumn debut(问世). Analysts expect Apple to release three iPhones this year, but the one getting the most attention is a rumored super-premium model to celebrate the iPhone's tenth anniversary. And, for that phone, Apple is expected to change the type of screen the iPhone uses.
Here's a quick look at what you need to know about what it means if Apple switches from its current liquid crystal display (LCD) screens to a type of organic light-emitting diode (OLED) screen called AMOLED.
The essential difference between an LCD screen and an AMOLED one is the presence of a backlight. Thanks to that difference, AMOLED screens can be very thin, which means you can make thinner products. They also provide more vivid colors, which is a reason that television makers have been pushing OLED in its various forms for their big screens. AMOLED screens, in particular, boast(夸口) even greater control over each individual pixel （像素）— which means better contrast for the viewer. These screens can also improve battery life. Because there's no backlight, AMOLED screens can be more energy-efficient when the user is viewing darker subjects, allowing the phone to shut off pixels and stop drawing power.
So why hasn't Apple switched to AMOLED yet? After all, Apple competitors such as Samsung and LG already have these screens on their smartphones.
AMOLED screens are not cheap to produce. It's also not that easy to make the complex AMOLED screens, which could explain why most Apple fans expect that only the highest-end phone will have the new screen.
And then there's the cost. The switch to AMOLED has also been cited as a reason that the price of the high-end iPhone may jump above the $1,000 mark. Beauty, even in a mass-produced world, does not come cheap.
Still, the expense may be worth it, especially as people shoot more photos and videos.
1.According to the passage, when will the iPhone’s tenth anniversary most probably be held?
A. In June.
B. In March.
C. In November.
D. In January.
2.According to most Apple fans, AMOLED screens will only be used on ________ this year.
A. the cheapest iPhones
B. the most massive iPhones
C. the highest iPhones
D. the most expensive iPhones
3.What does the underlined sentence indicate?
A. It is very expensive to become beautiful.
B. Everything has a price.
C. The more you pay, the more beautiful you will become.
D. Practice more, and you will become better.
4.What’s the author’s attitude towards the expected iPhone?
A. Negative.
B. Critical.
C. Positive.
D. Uninterested.
r held the plastic p
earl necklace and with the other he pulled out of his pocket a blue box. Inside the box was a real, beautiful pearl necklace. He had had it all along. He was waiting for Jenny to give up the cheap necklace so he could give her a real one.