第二节短语填空（从下列短语中选出一个合适的并用其适当形式填入-优题课

阅读下面材料，在空白处填入适当的内容或括号内单词的正确形式。
It seems recently that more and more of my friends are facing some seemingly unbeatable challenges in their lives. Some have lost their jobs and some have __ ___ (fail) marriages. All too many have health problems.
I don’t know if it is desperation _____ causes them to turn to me for advice or whether they have come to value our friendship. But _____ is difficult to offer words of hope when all they feel is hopeless. They expect answers to get them back _____ their feet again.
I have often struggled with what to say, ______ (most) because I have faced many of the same challenges in my own life. I remember how empty I felt after someone cheerfully offered words like “Things will get better!”
Now , being thought of _____ a source of hope or a good example of what to do through printed words, I have even _____ (many) people contacting me.
So what do I say? “Begin again.”
It sounds too simple, _____ it is indeed the answer. All life _____(challenge) bring about an ending and the chance for _____(begin).

You work hard for your money so why not keep it? Nothing is more disappointing than working hard all week just to have nothing to spend on the weekends or even worse, having to sit at home on vacation. Try these simple tips to help gain back your financial independence.
1．Educate yourself. Write down what you have spent. Look closely at where your money has been going the last few months. Are you spending a lot more money on morning coffee than you want to? Just by adding up what you're spending and where you're spending it each month will help you make better decisions about the purchases you make.
2．Keep your change. Instead of spending your change, make a habit of putting it all in a special jar or “piggy bank” at home. You will be surprised how quickly your change adds up. Want to go on a family vacation next summer but don't think you can afford it? Try having everyone in the family contribute their change to a “vacation jar”. Your family will enjoy pitching in and your children will learn valuable lessons in saving money and enjoying the reward.
3．Be a host! Like to go out with your friends for a good time? Sure, everyone does, but no one likes getting the bill at the end of the night. Going out to eat and have a few drinks can really put the strain on your wallet. Try going to the grocery store and purchasing food and drinks that can be made at home and inviting everyone over. Yes it can be expensive to play the host every time, but if you take turns going to friends, houses you can keep the cost down and still have a good time while enjoying the same food and drinks.
4．Plan your groceries. Grocery shopping can be dangerous in many ways. One way is to go shopping when you are hungry. Think about it, when you are hungry and want something to eat, you are more likely to put everything in your cart that you just don't need. Impulse(冲动)shopping brings us to the next point. Make a list(and check it twice)．Plan out your meals for the coming week and list all the ingredients you need at the store.
Saving money can be easy and even funny when you see how much you are able to save. Start by educating yourself and your family as to where the money goes every month and then set goals. Make games out of saving your change and look forward to the reward.

Title：Save your money
Problem	You work hard but end up having no money at last.
Tips	1.Educate yourself： ◆Write down your ____. ◆Check where your money has been going and you can ____more wisely on what to buy. 2.Keep your change. ◆Make a habit. ◆Encourage your ____to join in your plan. 3.Be a host： ◆Invite your friends to dinner by making food and drinks by ___. ◆Play the host in ___. 4.Plan your groceries： ◆Just ____impulse shopping. ◆____what you need for your meals.
Conclusion	◆Your awareness of your ___to save money will make you happy. ◆Keep the tips in mind and set ___. ◆Saving money should be seen as a ____and be hopeful for the reward.

At the beginning of the twentieth century, many people thought that the American family was falling apart. A century later, we know that this was not the case. However, although the family is still alive in the United States, its size and shape were very different 100 years ago.
In the late 1800s and early 1900s, there were mainly two types of families in the United States: the extended and the nuclear. The extended family usually includes grandparents, parents, and children living under the same roof. The nuclear family consists of only parents and children.
Today there are many different kinds of families. Some people live in “traditional” families, that is, a stay-home mother, a working father, and their own biological children. Others live in two-paycheck families, single-parent families, adoptive or foster families, blended families (where men and women who were married before marry again and combine the children from previous marriages into the new families），childless families, and so on.
What caused the structure of the family to change? In the early 1900s the birthrate began to fall and the divorce rate began to rise. Women were suddenly choosing to go to college and take jobs outside the home. In the 1930s and 1940s, many families faced serious financial, or money problems during the Great Depression, when many people lost their jobs. During World War II（1939-1945)，5 million women were left alone to take care of their homes and their children. Because many men were at war, thousands of these "war widows" had to go to work outside their home.
During the next ten years, the situation changed. There were fewer divorces, and people married at a younger age and had more children than the previous generation. It was unusual for a mother to work outside the home during the years when her children were growing up. Families began leaving cities and moving into single-family homes in the suburbs. The traditional family seemed to be returning.
In the years between 1960s and 1990s, there were many important changes in the structure of the family. From the 1960s to the early 1970s, the divorce rate doubled and the birthrate fell by half. The number of single-parent families tripled, and the number of couples living together without being married doubled again. In fact, the single-parent household, once unusual, has replaced the "traditional" family as the typical family in the States. If we can judge from history, however, this will probably change again in the twenty-first century.
The Changes of the American Family

Main comparisons	Contexts
Different_______	There were two _____ types of families in the past, _______, the extended and the nuclear.
Nowadays _____types of families can be seen than before.
Changes in different ________.	In the 1900s and 1940s	Many of the women had to work outside due to the _____of money., thus causing the fall of ____and the rise of divorce rate.
In the 1950s	Divorce rate slided and there were more children . The families tended to be ______ again.
In the years between 1960s and 1990s	Different types of familes______. Traditional families are no longer the typical ones in America.
A trend worth noting
Author’s opinion on changes	Judging from what has happened in the past,it is _________ that the present structure will experience changes again in the near future.

Garlic (大蒜) is one of the most common spices of the kitchen, and the good news is that growing garlic indoors is simple. Garlic can be easily grown at home from individual cloves (瓣), which is the most commonly used form of cultivating garlic than growing garlic from seeds. Here are some useful tips on growing garlic indoors.
Autumn is the best time to plant garlic. Garlic requires enough time to develop strong roots. In warmer climate, it can be delayed to late winter or early spring.
Ensure the container used to grow garlic is large enough for the roots to have enough space to grow. The larger the size of the container, the healthier and bigger the garlic bulbs (鳞茎) will be. The container should also have holes at the bottom so that the water can drain (流走) out easily.
Sow each clove vertically into the soil at a depth of one inch. Ensure that the blunt end (平端) is facing downward. In case of container gardening, the number of cloves to be sowed in each container depends on the size of the container. In case you are planning to sow more than one clove in each container, make sure that each clove is at least 5 inches apart from others.
For the best growth of the garlic plant, choose a sunny spot where there is enough air circulation (流通). This will aid evaporation (蒸发) of too much amount of water and prevent the soil from becoming too damp in case too much watering does occur. Window sill (窗台) is a good place to put your container of garlic plant.
Once the clove has been sowed, cover the soil with a layer of mulch (覆盖物) to protect the roots from extreme cold. Provide fertilizer at the correct time in right amounts, and proper watering. Once the garlic tips start appearing in the spring season, pull back the layer of mulch. Feed the plants once or twice every month with fertilizer.

Items	on growing garlic indoors.
Time	● It’s best to plant garlic in ● In warmer climate, it’s also suitable to plant garlic in late winter or early spring.
Container	● Be large enough to with enough space to grow. ● Have holes at the bottom tothe water to drain out easily.
Sowing	● Sow each clove vertically into the soil one inch . ● Ensure that the blunt end is facing . ●Ensure that each clove is at least 5 inches apart from others in a container.
Place	●Choose a sunny spot like window sill having enough to aid evaporation of too much amount of water.
Care	●Cover the soil with a layer of mulch to from extreme cold after sowing the clove. ● Provide right amounts of fertilizer at the correct time. ● Water the clove. ●the layer of mulch once the garlic tips start appearing. ● Use fertilizer to feed the plants once or twice a month.

认真阅读下列短文，并根据所读内容在文章后表格中的空格里填入一个最恰当的单词。
注意：每个空格只填1个单词。请将答案写在答题卡相应题号的横线上。
Gratitude means thankfulness, noticing simple pleasures, and acknowledging everything that you receive. It shifts your focus from what your life lacks to the abundance that is already present. Psychological research has shown the surprising life improvements gained from the practice of gratitude.
Two psychologists, Michael McCollough and Robert Emmons, conducted an experience on gratitude and its effect on well being. The results of the study indicated that daily gratitude exercises resulted in higher reported levels of enthusiasm, determination, optimism, and energy. In addition, those who practiced gratitude experienced less depression and stress, were more likely to help others, worked out problems more regularly, and made greater progress toward achieving personal goals.
Therefore, it's important to practice gratitude. Here are a few reminders.
A common method is to get yourself a cute little notebook and write down 3 - 5 things that you're grateful for at the end of each day. They can be small things, or bigger things.
You can also send a handwritten letter or make a phone call to a person for whom you are thankful, expressing the gratitude. It will surely brighten their day, and in turn, yours.
Besides, for some, it may be a good idea to express their gratitude in person. It doesn't need to be formal. Just a simple gesture of thanks is only needed to feel the benefits of this kind of gratitude.
Finally, there are certain times you can devote to gratitude. For example, at the beginning of your meals, or at bedtime, or when your parents get home from work. Committing to a specific time establishes a practice of gratitude.
Once you become accustomed to looking for things to be grateful for, you will find that you begin to appreciate simple pleasures, which can make a day and even change a life.

Title	Gratitude
Introduction	Gratitude means being grateful and can help people .______ on what they receive instead of what they don't have.
.______ of gratitude exercises	■Feeling more .______, optimistic, determined, and energetic. ■Becoming less depressed and stressed, but more willing to be .___. ■Working out problems more regularly. ■Achieving your .______ goals more easily.
.______ to practise gratitude	■Putting down whatever you feel grateful for every day. ■Writing to or calling whoever you want to .______ gratitude to. ■Giving thanks personally in a .______ way. ■Devoting a proper .______ to gratitude.
Conclusion	■.can make you and others happy and even change your life