Eighteen years ago, Terry Grahl, was pregnant with her fourth child. “Money was very tight,” Terry recalls. So when her mom called to ask if she'd like to go shopping at the local fabric(布料) store for the coming Christmas, she couldn't say no because she knew she badly needed some fabrics to make new clothes for her children. “I remember walking around, gazing at all this beautiful fabric, wondering whether there is anything cheap that I could afford. And I could still get some money left to buy Christmas gifts for my family.
Well, Terry's mom must have known what Terry was thinking. Smiling kindly, she whispered to Terry, “You pick any fabrics you like. It's your Christmas gift from me.” Terry's eyes were filed with tears as the cart began to overflow with many fabrics, but not because Terry was planning on making herself a pretty dress or a pair of curtains for the kitchen. Rather, Terry's mom's kindness had inspired some holiday gift ideas in Terry, and it didn't take long for Terry to figure out what she was going to do with all that fabric.
“I was going to make my first quilt,” she explains. “Every night I would work on this queen-size quilt. With every stitch(一针), I thought about all that my mom had done for me over the course of my childhood, during which we were always battling homelessness, but Mom somehow managed to fill our lives with love and make everything okay.”
On Christmas Day, five days after her baby girl was born, Terry handed her mom a gift box. Inside was the quilt she had sewn, from the fabric her mother had given her as a gift.
Lots of people find it hard to get up in the morning, and put the blame on the alarm clock. In fact, the key to easy morning wake-up lies in resetting your body clock.Here's how to make one.
●In order to make a change, you need to decide why it's important. Do you want to get up in time to have breakfast with your family, get in some exercise, or just be better prepared for your day? Once you are clear about your reasons, tell your family or roommates about the change you want to make.
● Rethink mornings. Now that you know why you want to wake up, consider re-arranging your morning activities. If you want time to have breakfast with your family, save some time the night before by setting out clothes, shoes, and bags.That's a quarter-hour more you could be sleeping if you bought a coffee maker with a timer.
● Keep your sleep/ wake schedule on weekends. If you're tired out by Friday night, sleeping in on Saturday could sound wonderful. But compensating (补偿) on the weekends actually feeds into your sleepiness the following week, a recent study found.
● Keep a record and evaluate it weekly. Keep track of your efforts and write down how you feel. After you've tried a new method for a week, take a look at your record. If not, take another look at other methods you could try.
A. Get a sleep specialist.
B. Find the night motivation.
C. A better plan for sleep can help.
D. And consider setting a second alarm.
E. If the steps you take are working, keep it up.
F. Stick to your set bedtime and wake-up time, no matter the day.
G. Reconsider the 15 minutes you spend in line at the café to get coffee.
Basic protective measures against the novel coronavirus
Stay aware of the latest information on GOVID-19 outbreak, available on the WHO website and through your national and local public health authority. Most people who become infected experience mild illness and recover, but it can be more severe for others. :
Wash your hands frequently.
Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.
? Washing your hands with soap and water or using an alcohol-based hand rub kills viruses that may be on your hands.
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Keep at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.
Why? When someone coughs or sneezes they spray small liquid droplets(小滴) from their nose or mouth which may contain virus. If you are too close, you can breathe in the droplets, including the novel coronavirus if the person coughing has the disease.
Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.
Why? . Once(污染), hands can transfer the virus to your eyes, nose or mouth. From there, the virus can enter your body and can make you sick.
If you have fever, cough and difficulty in breathing, seek medical care early.
Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.
Why? National and local authorities will have the most up-to-date information on the situation in your area. Calling in advance will allow your health care provider to quickly direct you to the right health facility. .
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A. How B. Why C. Maintain social distancing D. Hands touch many surfaces and can pick up viruses E. Stay informed on the latest developments about COVID-19 F. Take care of your health and protect others by doing the following G. This will also protect you and help prevent the spread of viruses and other infections |
How could we possibly think that keeping animals in cages in unnatural environments－mostly for entertainment purposes－is fair and respectful?
Zoo officials say they are concerned about animals. However, most zoos remain "collections" of interesting "things" rather than protective habitats. Zoos teach people that it is acceptable to keep animals bored, lonely, and far from their natural homes.
Zoos claim to educate people and save endangered species, but visitors leave zoos without having learned anything meaningful about the animals' natural behavior, intelligence, or beauty. Zoos keep animals in small spaces or cages, and most signs only mention the species' name, diet, and natural range(分布区). The animals' normal behavior is seldom noticed because zoos don't usually take care of the animals' natural needs.
The animals are kept together in small spaces, with no privacy and little opportunity for mental and physical exercise. This results in unusually self-destructive behavior called zoochosis. A worldwide study of zoos found that zoochosis is common among animals kept in small spaces or cages. Another study showed that elephants spend 22 percent of their time making repeated head movements or biting cage bars, and bears spend 30 percent of their time walking back and forth, a sign of unhappiness and pain.
Furthermore, most animals in zoos are not endangered. Captive breeding(圈养繁殖) of endangered big cats, Asian elephants, and other species has not resulted in their being sent back to the wild. Zoos talk a lot about their captive breeding programs because they do not want people to worry about a species dying out. In fact, baby animals also attract a lot of paying customers. Haven't we seen enough competitions to name baby animals?
Actually, we will save endangered species only if we save their habitats and put an end to the reasons people kill them. Instead of supporting zoos, we should support groups that work to protect animals' natural habitats.
Deciding to get her money's worth out of the wedding dress on which she spent over $ 1,000, an Australian woman has been wearing her wedding dress, a year after her wedding.
43-year-old Tammy Hall adopted a new lifestyle—-anti-consumerism (反消费主义) lifestyle in 2016 after a trip to India, which opened her eyes to how much we as a society consumed. She decided not to buy any new clothes or footwear for a whole year after she returned home to Adelaide in Southern Australia, and she managed to make it.
But last year, as her wedding day approached, she faced a dilemma. She wanted to look good on the most important day of her life, but how could she spend a small fortune on the wedding dress she would only wear on that day?
"In the end I decided that if I was going to get a wedding dress, I'd make sure I could get my money's worth," Hall tells PA Real Life.
"The first time I wore it after the wedding was to vote in the Australian election in early 2019." the 43-year-old adds. "Since then, it's been to all sorts of places. Wearing it on a crowded train was especially funny, but I've worn it to do housework, to football games and to the gym."
Hall says that she has gotten some strange looks from people, but no irritating comments. It may have something to do with the fact that the dress is not the fanciest, but she believes people are just too reserved to say anything. Anyway, she doesn't really care, because she knows she has to hit the goal she has set and wearing the dress multiple times is the most reasonable way she could think of to make the most of her wedding dress.
Hall now plans to wear her wedding dress on a trip to Iceland that she and her partner will take next summer.
South Africa is the water-lovers' paradise. Whether you want to be by the sea, on the sea or even under it, there are countless ways to get your ocean experience. Almost all of them are located on South Africa's east coast, where the Indian Ocean keeps water warm.
Thompson's Bay, Ballito
Drive 40 minutes north of Durban to reach the unique coastal town of Ballito. Popular with holidaymakers, Ballito has a choice of pretty beaches—- and the best for swimming is
Thompson's Bay. This scenic cove (小海湾)is sheltered from the wind and characterized by its calm waters, interesting rocky outcrops and a fascinating geological hole-in-the-wall. There's a walled tidal pool for those who are nervous to swim in the open ocean, making this spot a particularly good choice for families.
Umhlanga Rocks, Durban
Located a 20-minute drive from central Durban, the resort town of Umhlanga is an upmarket getaway for vacationing South Africans and visitors in the know. The main Umhlanga Rocks beach boasts safe swimming waters and endless golden sands, again protected by lifeguards and shark nets. A paved walkway provides direct access to the town's beachfront shops, restaurants and bars.
Gonubie Beach, East London
The coastal town of Gonubie is seen by many as a suburb of East London, one of the largest cities of the Eastern Cape. Its picture-perfect beach offers great swimming areas in the open sea. The Gonubie River reaches the sea at this point, too, and offers an alternative bathingspot on days when the surf is bigger than usual. All along the river's green banks, you'll find a series of shaded spots perfect for summer picnics and barbecues.
106. After studying many successful people throughout history, I have found that there are a number of common ______(特点)they all shared.
107. Swimming helps to get the blood _________(循环)through the muscles, thus considered the most valuable aerobic exercise.
108. There was a long ____________（间隔）before he answered the telephone.
109. He felt discouraged to find himself _____________(反对)by his own deputy（代表）
110. It is dangerous to ________(步行人)to drive on the pavement.
111. At that time the train not only c____________ passengers but also goods to different parts of the country.
112. In this job, experience counts for more than paper q____________.
113. She brought three children up alone, often at great personal s________; she seldom had a chance for relaxation.
114. The company has announced that it will u_________ a full investigation into the accident.
115. The drug was w_____________ from sale after a number of people suffered serious side effects.
In this exam, you’re asked to write a composition of about ________.
A. 90-words B. 90-word C. 90 words D. 90 word’s
It is__________ (legal) to employ someone under the age of sixteen. （所给单词适当形式填空）
Dear Editor,
I am writing tell you about the discussion we’ve had about whether it is necessary of middle school students to have mobile phones. Most students think this is more convenient for them to keep in the touch with their parents and classmates. And what’s much, it’s a fashion. However, most teachers think middle school students are not old enough to control them. It is a waste of time for students to play games and sending massages on their mobile phones. Therefore, it is easy to make students contact with each other. In my opinion, following the fashion was understandable. But as middle school student, we should put all our energy into our study. Yours truly, Mary
Because Henry and Mark had to work， of them came yesterday.
A．both B．none C．neither D．either
假定你是李华，你的美国笔友Jack来信询问你最喜欢的运动项目。请你根据以下提示，通过电子邮件向他介绍你最喜欢的运动。文章应包含以下内容：
1.何时开始喜欢的这项运动及喜欢的原因；
2.现在锻炼的情况；
3.给你带来的益处。
注意：
1.词数100左右；
2.可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；
3.信的开头和结尾已经给出，不计入总数。
Dear Jack,
Nice to receive your email. I’d like to tell you about my favorite sport.
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______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Yours,
Li Hua
For years we have been told that encouraging a child’s self-respect is important to his or her success in life. But child experts are now learning that too much praise can lead to the opposite effect. Praise-aholic kids who expect it at every turn may become teens who seek the same kind of approval from their friends when asked if they want to go in the backseat of the car.
The implication (含义) of saying “You are the prettiest girl in class,” or talking about the goals she scored but not her overall effort, is that you love her only when she looks the best, scores the highest, achieves the most. And this carries over to the classroom.
Social psychologist Carol Dweck, PhD, tested the effects of overpraise on 400 fifth graders while she was at Columbia University. She found that kids praised for “trying hard” did better on tests and were more likely to take on difficult assignments than those praised for being “smart”.
“Praising attributes (品质) or abilities makes a false promise that success will come to you because you have that quality, and it devalues effort, so children are afraid to take on challenges,” says Dweck, now at Stanford University. “They figure they’d better quit while they’re ahead.”
29. The underlined words “Praise-aholic kids” refer to kids who are ______.
A. tired of being praised B. worthy of being praised
C. very proud of being praised D. extremely fond of being praised
30. The author quoted (引用) Dr. Dweck’s words in the last paragraph in order to make the article ________.
A. better-known B. better-organized C. more persuasive D. more interesting
31. We can infer from the passage that _____.
A. praise for efforts should be more encouraged
B. praise for results works better than praise for efforts
C. praising a child’s achievements benefits his or her success in life
D. praising a child’s abilities encourages him or her to take on challenges
