北京市西城区2018-2019学年高一上学期英语期末考试试卷

The Grass Cutting Days

    Every time we headed out to cut grass, Dad was there to watch. I used to1why he came with us. He stood watching us in the sticky Florida heat when he could have been inside2with air conditioning and an icy drink.

    One day we were cutting our next-door neighbor's yard. She always waited until the grass was knee-high to call us over. To make matters worse, we had an old lawn mower that kept breaking down as we tried to cut 3 her backyard jungle. This particular afternoon, I was finishing up and was tired and sweaty. I 4 the tall glass of cold juice I would drink in a minute to cool down.

    I was just about to turn off the lawn mower 5 I saw Dad pointing to one single blade of grass (一片草). I thought about the small amount of money I was getting 6 for cutting grass so high that it almost broke the mower. I ignored him and kept walking. Dad called me out and yelled, “You missed a blade.”

    I frowned (皱眉),hoping he would let me go home. He kept pointing. Though 7 and discouraged, I still went back to cut that blade of grass. I thought to myself, “That one blade isn't 8 anyone. Why won't he just let it go?”

    But when I reached adulthood, I understood his 9 : When you're running a business, the work you do says a great deal about you. If you want to be seen as an honest businessman, you must deliver a quality product. That single blade of grass 10 the job was not done.

    Other neighbors took 11 of the good work we did and we soon gained more 12. We started out with one customer, but by the end of the summer we had five, which was all we cared to handle because we wanted time to enjoy our summer break from school.

    The lesson my dad taught me stayed with me: Be 13 . If you say you are going to perform a job at a certain time, 14 your word. Give your customers the kind of 15you would like to receive. It shows how sincere you are and how much pride you take in your work.

    Amazing Movies

    Are you looking for some movies? You've landed on the right place. Let's take a look at the list I've collected.

The Climb to the Top

    My life as a kid was a sweet life. I lived in a beautiful house with the beautiful surroundings in Puerto Rico. There was one particular thing I loved and it was a huge tree that was in my backyard. As a child, I used to climb the tree every day. Every time I went, I climbed higher and higher, reaching new branches, obstacles, and pathways on my way up. One day, I reached the top and I could see my island. I felt I was on top of the world, and nothing could stop me. Then, there was the day that seemed like the end of my life. This specific day changed my life forever.

    It was a nice summer day. After breakfast, my family headed to the park to see my baseball game. In the evening we went to a carnival (嘉年华) in my town. My grandma was selling blankets under a tent. Suddenly, the mood of the day changed when my parents took me to my grandma's tent. Still to this day, I remember the exact words my dad said to me, “Son, how would you like to move to the United States?” I couldn't believe what he said. I then ran away from him as the tears rolled down my cheeks. My perfect life was being taken away from me.

    Two weeks later, we arrived at New York in late July, and my aunt and uncle drove us to Springfield，Massachusetts where we lived for seven years. Once we got there, I met my mom's family for the first time. September came and school started. I was afraid to go to a new school and make new friends. Most kids ignored me and some tried to talk to me, but I couldn't understand them or say anything. My first year in the United States was not fun or easy but I worked hard and got through it.

    Now that I'm grown, I look back on the journey that I've been through: living in a new place with no friends, new language, and new schools. Despite all those problems, I still remembered that special tree. That tree taught me to never give up and reach higher. I have beaten every difficulty that I have met in life and I just kept moving forward. My perfect life was never taken away from me; it has just started.

    If you ever have the desire to break out into song—in the shower, in the car, maybe at your neighbor's karaoke night—you should embrace it whole-heartedly. This ancient art not only makes you feel good, it can also improve your well-being, reduce your feelings of pain, and even extend your life.

    Using your voice to sing, rather than simply carryout a conversation, offers unique benefits because singing affects our bodies. Also, studies link singing with a lower heart rate，decreased blood pressure and reduced stress according to Patricia Preston-Roberts, a music therapist. She uses song to help patients who suffer from a variety of problems.

    Singing, particularly in a group, seems to benefit the elderly particularly well. As part of a three-year study examining how singing affects the health of those fifty-five and older, a Senior Singers Chorus was formed by the Levine School of Music in Washington, D. C. The seniors involved in the chorus, as well as seniors in two separate arts groups about writing and painting, showed significant health improvements compared to those in the control groups (控制组).Obviously, the arts groups reported thirty fewer doctors' visits, fewer eyesight problems, less depression, and less need for medication.

    Even lead researcher Dr. Gene D. Cohen, director of the Center on Aging at George Washington University, was surprised at how big an effect the seniors' arts participation had on their health. Cohen said, “The average age of all the subjects was eighty. This is higher than life expectancy. So, if an effect were to be achieved, one would ordinarily expect to see less decline (下降) compared to the control group. The fact that there was so much improvement in many areas was the surprising factor." The seniors also noticed health improvements and they reported feeling better both in daily life and while singing.

    The part of the brain that works with speech is different from the part that processes music. “People seem to enjoy doing something jointly with other people. There are a lot of facts that being socially involved is good for people with dementia (老年痴呆).”Ballard said.

    The arts are showing up as a treatment tool in hospitals across the country. If you are thinking of volunteering, singing at a hospital may be a good choice—not only for the patients, but also for yourself.