Most people will rest and relax when they are old. They do not work. And most people are certainly not famous. But Grandma Moses is different She starts a new job at the age of 76.
This is her story. She was born in a poor farmer’s family in 1860. Her parents named her Anna Mary Robertson. She married Thomas Moses in 1887. He was a farm worker.
Now it is 1930. Anna Mary Moses is 70, and is a grandmother. She begins to paint pictures. She does paintings of country life. One day, her daughter takes her paintings to a store in town. Her paintings are put in the window. A man from New York sees the paintings in the window and buys them. And he wants more!
The man likes Grandma Moses’ paintings. He wants to help her. So he takes her paintings to galleries(美术馆) in New York City. Otto Kallir has a famous gallery there. He likes the paintings by Grandma Moses. Now it is 1940 and Grandma Moses’ paintings are in Kallir’s gallery. She is 80 years old.
Grandma Moses suddenly becomes famous. Everyone wants her paintings. So she paints more and more. She wins many prizes for her paintings. She becomes famous in the United States and Europe .
When she is 100 years old, the State of New York makes her birthday "Grandma Moses’ Day". After her 100th birthday, she paints 6 more paintings. She dies at age 101 and a lot of people think she is amazing.How is Grandma Moses different from most other old people?
A.She has more grandchildren. | B.She has her own art gallery. |
C.She lives an easy life. | D.She starts a new job. |
Grandma Moses starts to paint pictures_______.
A.when her daughter asks her to do that | B.when she gets married |
C.at the age of 70 | D.in the year 1940 |
Grandma Moses’ paintings are first bought by _______.
A.a man from New York | B.her daughter |
C.Otto Kallir’s gallery | D.the owner of a store in town |
The writer of the passage thinks that _______.
A.Grandma Moses is too old to paint at age 100 |
B.people like her paintings but do not like her |
C.it is never too late to start a new job |
D.many people prefer paintings by old ladies |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Grandma Moses and New York State | B.Grandma Moses and Painting |
C.Grandma Moses’ family | D.Grandma Moses’ Day |
Do you ever find yourself getting really unhappy for almost no reason? Or suddenly feeling down without knowing why? Going from sadness to anger to joy in a matter of minutes can make many teens feel as though they're losing control. But why is the feeling so common among teens?
Maybe you're starting a new school and not able to see old friends as much. Getting good grades or wanting to be better in sports or other activities can be a concern (关注)for many teens.
Being accepted by friends is important. Teens also may notice, for the first time, a sense of distance from parents and family. You may feel you want to be on your own and make your own decisions, but it can also seem a bit lonely at times.
Another important cause for mood swings is biology. When puberty(青春期)begins, the body starts producing hormones(荷尔蒙). These hormones cause physical changes in the body. But in some people, they also seem to cause emotional(情绪的)changes.
Here are some things you can do that might make those bad moods a bit easier to deal with.
Recognize you're not alone. Although not every teen experiences mood changes to the same degree, they are common.
Talk to people you trust. Friends can help each other by realizing that they're not alone in their feelings. Talking to parents is important, too. Parents can share their own experiences dealing with bad moods. Teachers are often good resources and a doctor can help to answer questions about development.
Get enough sleep. Though it can be hard to find enough time, getting enough rest is very important. Being tired can lead to more sadness.
Create. Taking part in some kinds of activities, like building something out of wood, or starting an art or music piece. Writing can help you organize and express your thoughts and feelings. Get your thoughts on paper. Do the same thing with paint, music, or other art forms. Put your feelings into your artwork.When puberty begins, many teens feel__________.
A.unhappy | B.angry | C.joyful | D.emotional |
_______may not make some teens be in bad moods.
A.Study pressure |
B.Getting good grades |
C.The sense of distance from parents |
D.Missing old friends |
It’s easier to deal with your mood changes by ___________.
①realizing they are common
②explaining your feelings to people you trust
③playing computer games
④being creative
⑤breaking school rules
⑥getting enough sleep
A.①②③④ | B.①②③⑥ |
C.①②④⑥ | D.①③④⑤ |
The Oxford English Dictionary (OED, 牛津英语词典) is thinking of adding the Chinese word tuhao (土豪) to its 2014 edition (版本).
The word has become popular in China during the past few months to describe newly rich people who spend money in extravagant(铺张的,浪费的)ways. Tuhao has caught on in Western countries, too, to describe similar people in their countries.
The adoption (采用) of the word by foreign countries is an example of China’s spreading influence in the world not just economically, but also socially and culturally. People are paying attention to what is happening in China and are picking up some Chinese words in the process, especially those words that express unique (独特的) Chinese ideas that cannot be easily translated (翻译) into English.
The OED is also thinking of adding hukou (户口) and dama (大妈) to the already 120 Chinese words in its dictionary. Hukou refers to China’s system of residency permits (户籍系统) and dama refers to middle-aged Chinese women whose gold buying habits influence the global gold markets.
The news that the OED was adding these words has met with some criticism (批评). Some people say the words embarrass (使人尴尬) China, but others insist that in a globalized (全球化的) society it’s natural for words to spread and be adopted elsewhere. In fact, a word like tuhao expresses the humor of China. It’s easy to pronounce and very accurate (精准的) at poking fun at (嘲弄) rich people who have more money than taste.___________ can be called “tuhao” according to the passage.
A.All newly rich people |
B.People who own their money easily |
C.People who love money very much |
D.Newly rich people who spend money in an extravagant way |
The underlined word “caught on” (in Paragraph 2) most probably means________.
A.流行 | B.继续 | C.接受 | D.蔓延 |
The last paragraph mainly talks about __________________.
A.humor of Chinese style |
B.criticism on the adoption of Chinese words into OED |
C.support on the adoption of Chinese words into OED |
D.different opinions on the adoption of Chinese words into OED |
Try reading the following sentences as fast as you can. “She sells seashells by the seashore. The shells she sells are surely seashells. So if she sells shells on the seashore, I’m sure she sells seashore shells.”
Not very easy, was it? What you’ve just read is called a tongue twister (绕口令). It is an exercise made up of sounds that are hard to pronounce in order to help people pronounce words faster and more correctly. Try the next example.
“Peter Piper picked a peck of pickled pepper. Did Peter Piper pick a peck of pickled peppers? If Pete Piper picked a peck of pickled peppers, where’s the peck of pickled peppers Peter Piper picked?”
Tongue twisters usually do not have much meaning. They are just designed to improve people’s ability (能力) to pronounce words. Although they may be very difficult, these exercises are very important to people who are trying to speak English correctly. This is because tongue twisters help people to tell the differences between similar sounds.
So if you wish to pronounce words more smoothly, you’d better try picking out some tongue twisters and practicing them.Tongue twisters are helpful in improving skills.
A.listening | B.pronunciation |
C.writing | D.communication |
The first tongue twister is hard because .
A.it is very boring to read |
B.it teaches us a lot of knowledge |
C.we don’t know who “she” is |
D.the sounds of “s” and “sh” are similar |
The passage is probably taken from in a school newsaper.
A.Story Time | B.Latest News |
C.Study Garden | D.Lost and Found |
All students need to have good habits(好习惯):When you have good study habits, you learn things quickly. You also remember them easily.
Do you like to study in the living room? This is not a good place because it is usually too noisy. The telephone bell rings there; the TV is there, and sometimes it is a good place for your pet dog or cats to play and rest. You need to study in a quiet place, like your bedroom. A quiet place will help you only think about one thing, and you will learn better.
Before you begin to study, do not forget to clean your desk. A good desk light is important, too. You’ll feel tired easily if there is not enough light(光线). So you should have a clean and bright lamp. To tell you the truth, the most important is that you should put your heart into your study.When you have good study habits, you will .
A.learn things quickly | B.remember things easily |
C.make some mistakes | D.both A and B |
The living-room is not a good place for study because it is too .
A.quiet | B.noisy | C.good | D.clean |
You’ll feel tired easily if the light is .
A.good | B.enough | C.bad | D.wonderful |
You should remember to before you study.
A.clean the desk | B.tidy the room |
C.turn off the light | D.go to the bedroom |
The best title(标题)for this passage(文章)is .
A.Study in the bedroom | B.Good study habits |
C.How to study | D.Desk light is important |
【改编】
Country |
Capital |
Languages(语言) |
India |
New Delhi |
Hindi and English |
Canada |
Ottawa |
English and French |
Russia |
Moscow |
Russian |
Egypt |
Cairo |
Arabic |
America |
Washington |
English |
From the form(表格), how many countries speak English?
A.one | B.two | C.three | D.four |
Egyptians speak _________.
A.French | B.Russian | C.Chinese | D.Arabic |
If you go to ______, you must learn Russian well.
A.Canada | B.Singapore | C.Russia | D.India |
The capital of America is _______.
A.Moscow | B.Cairo |
C.New York | D.Washington |
From the form(表格), we can see that___is the most important language.
A.English | B.Russian | C.French | D.Tamil |