It was a Sunday morning, and I was in a terrible mood. Two of my friends had gone to the movies the night before and hadn’t invited me. I was in my room thinking of ways to make them sorry when my father came in. “Want to go for a ride, today, Beck? It’s a beautiful day.”
“No! Leave me alone!” Those were the last words I said to him that morning.
My friends called and invited me to go to the mall with them a few hours later. I forgot to be mad at them and went with them. I came home to find a note on the table. My mother put it where I would be sure to see it. “Dad has had an accident. Please meet us at Highland Park Hospital”.
When I reached the hospital, my mother came out and told me my father’s injuries were extensive. “Your father told the driver to leave him alone and just call 911, thank God! If he had moved Daddy, there’s no telling what might have happened. A broken rib(肋骨) might have pierced(穿透) a lung....”
My mother may have said more, but I didn’t hear. I didn’t hear anything except those terrible words: Leave me alone. My dad said them to save himself from being hurt more. How much had I hurt him when I hurled those words at him earlier in the day?
It was several days later that he was finally able to have a conversation. I held his hand gently, afraid of hurting him.
“Daddy... I am so sorry....”
“It’s okay, sweetheart. I’ll be okay.”
“No,” I said, “I mean about what I said to you that day. You know, that morning?”
My father could no more tell a lie than he could fly. He looked at me and said, “Sweetheart, I don’t remember anything about that day, not before, during or after the accident. I remember kissing you goodnight the night before, though.” He managed a weak smile.
My English teacher once told me that words have immeasurable power. They can hurt or they can heal. And we all have the power to choose our words. I intend to do that very carefully from now on.The author was in bad mood that morning because _______.
| A．his father had a terrible accident |
| B．he couldn’t drive to the mall with his friends |
| C．his friends hadn’t invited him to the cinema |
| D．his father didn’t allow him to go out with his friends |
Why did the author say sorry to his father in the hospital?
| A．Because he didn’t go along with his father. |
| B．Because he was rude to his father that morning. |
| C．Because he failed to come earlier after the accident. |
| D．Because he couldn’t look after his father in the hospital. |
The reason why the author’s father said he forgot everything about that day is that _______.
| A．he had a poor memory |
| B．he didn’t want to forgive his son |
| C．he just wanted to comfort his son |
| D．he lost his memory after the accident |
What lesson did Beck learn from the matter?
| A．Don’t treat your parents badly. |
| B．Don’t hurt others with rude words. |
| C．Don’t move the injured in an accident. |
| D．Don’t be angry with friends at small things. |
Last Thursday, Michael and Linda stood behind large food trucks distributing meals to 4,000 homeless people for their wedding reception on the border town of Kilis. The couple had decided that instead of hosting their friends and family for a traditional feast reception, they would feed the victims from an earthquake-stricken area.
The idea came from the bridegroom's father, Ted, who volunteers for a Turkish relief organization. For the past few years, the organization has distributed daily meals to thousands of people who've suffered from natural disasters. He approached a representative of the organization and suggested that the family cover part of the costs of feeding them for the day.
Then he told his son, who was surprised by the suggestion, but soon won over. When he told that to the bride, she was really shocked but finally accepted because in southeastern Turkey there is a real culture of sharing with people in need. They love to share their food, their table and everything they have. And afterwards she was quite amazed about it. So, they arrived at the distribution center on Thursday to spend the day serving food and taking photographs with their grateful recipients（接受者）．
On Tuesday evening, the newly married couple were still pleased with their decision to quit a personal celebration for one with a greater good. "It's like sharing a dinner with your friends and family who have this kind of thing on a daily basis or sharing something with people who don't even have the most basic things," Michael said. "Hopefully, this will also give the start for other wedding dinners to be held here with our brothers and sisters in need."Why did so many people crowd in Kilis?
| A．To attend Michael and Linda's wedding. |
| B．To support the organization. |
| C．To escape the damaging earthquake. |
| D．To help distribute free daily meals. |
How did the couple celebrate their wedding?
| A．They treated their friends and relatives to a big dinner. |
| B．They shared their happiness with the homeless in Kilis. |
| C．They afforded the entire cost of the day for feeding victims. |
| D．They took photos with the grateful victims. |
What does the underlined word "approached" in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A．took in | B．moved towards |
| C．came across | D．consulted with |
We can know from the text that __________________..
| A．Kilis is a place which lies in southeastern Turkey |
| B．Ted was a representative of the organization |
| C．Linda adopted the suggestion immediately she heard it |
| D．Michael doubted if more new couples would follow him |
My students often tell me they don’t have “enough time” to do all their schoolwork. My reply is often brief –You have as much time as the president. I usually carry on a bit about there being 24 hours per day for everyone, and suggest that “not enough time” is not an acceptable explanation of not getting something done.
Once in graduate school, I tried to justify myself to one of my professors by saying that I was working. His answer to me was, “That’s irrelevant. What’s important is the quality of your work.” Since then I have had time to reflect on the “hard worker” dodge(伎俩), and I have come to some conclusions – all relevant to the issue of how much time we have.
If you look at the matter analytically, you can identify two parts of the problem. There is, of course, the matter of “time”, which we can think of as fixed. Then there is the issue of “work” during that time, which can vary in intensity. But, as my professor suggested, it’s not diligence but the quality of the product that is important.
That led me to a new idea, the quality of work. That concept is perhaps best explained by a sign I once saw on the wall in someone’s office – Don’t work harder but work smarter! There’s a lot of sense in that idea.
If you can’t get more time, and few of us can, the only solution is to improve the quality of work. That means thinking of ways of getting more out of the same time than we might otherwise get. That should lead us to an analysis of our work habits. Since “work” for students usually means “homework”, the expression “work habits” should be read as “learning habits”.
Then, as a smart student, you will seek to improve those skills that you use in study, chiefly reading and writing. If you learn to read better and write better, there are big benefits that pay off across the board in all your studies.From the passage, we know that the author is _____.
| A．a poet | B．an educator |
| C．an editor | D．a director |
We can infer from the first two paragraph that we students _____.
| A．have enough time |
| B．can meet the president |
| C．get something done well |
| D．should accept the explanation |
The underlined sentence in Paragraph 2 means _____.
| A．That is impossible | B．That is not important |
| C．That is unbearable | D．That is not acceptable |
The main purpose of writing the passage is to give _____.
| A．information | B．encouragement |
| C．criticism | D．advice |
Kompong Phhluk Private Tour
Depart the city for an unspoiled floating community called Kompong Phhluk which is astonishing for its stilted-house villages and flooded forest.
Stop on the way for the Rolous Market tour. This is a great chance for you to take the photos of locals selling vegetables, different fish species and other local produce.
After this market tour we’ll all have a boat trip to the floating community of Kompong Phhluk, visit an island pagoda, a school and houses standing on 8 or 10m high stilts, fish farms and learn about the village life.
Stop and have lunch in a family’s house before getting into a row boat and venturing into the flooded forest, the habitat to some famous water-bird species.
Eventually we jump back into the big boat and set off for the largest fresh water lake in SE Asia, Tonle Sap.
Tour Details
·Departs 8:30am
·Returns around 2pm
·A picnic lunch with sandwiches and drinks is provided. We cannot provide local food from the area due to poor sanitation（卫生）, lack of hygiene standards and refrigeration.
·No passes required
Rates
·These rates are based on an English speaking guide.
·Rates include all transport, water and a picnic lunch.
·Children 11 years and under are 50%.
·Children 4 years and below are free.
·If your group is larger than 5 people, please email us for the best rate.
Number of People Price Per Person
1 Person $65
2 People $45
3 People $40
4 People $35
5 People $32
What to Wear
·Please be mindful of your clothing and try to avoid anything too revealing.
·We strongly recommend a sunglasses, hat and sunscreen.
General Information
·This is a poor rural village, please be mindful of the environment.
· Please do not hand things out to villagers, for this contributes to creating a begging cycle and can create jealousy.
·We recommend heading to the toilet before you go on this trip as facilities are very basic.Kompong Phhluk is famous for its ______.
| A．local vegetables and different fish species |
| B．stilted-house villages and flooded forest |
| C．Rolous Market and an island pagoda |
| D．water-bird habitat and fish farms |
A private trip for two parents and a 3-year-old boy costs ______.
| A．$40 | B．$80 | C．$90 | D．$120 |
Which of the following is not included in the rates?
| A．A tourist guide. | B．Transport. |
| C．Drinks. | D．Local food. |
We can conclude from the passage that ______.
| A．the living standard in the village is quite low |
| B．the tourist facilities along the way are quite good |
| C．revealing clothes are appropriate in the hot weather |
| D．giving local children small gifts is strongly recommended |
Barack Obama has really gone wild. The US president has taken part in the survival television show Running Wild With Bear Grylls, which will air on NBC later this year. In the show, Obama goes on an adventure with host Bear Grylls, learning how to survive in the Alaskan wilderness.
Edward Michael “Bear” Grylls, 41, has become known around the world as one of the most famous outdoor adventurers. The Briton has appeared on a number of wilderness survival shows in which he has climbed, sailed, and eaten bugs or cow tongue.
Obama doesn’t have to eat bugs or cow tongue on his adventure with Grylls. But he does have to eat leftovers - a bloody salmon (三文鱼). It was partly enjoyed by a bear that left some meat behind.
Although he is far from the White House kitchen, Obama seems to enjoy the outdoors. “As president, I am in what’s called the bubble（保护膜）, and the Secret Service makes sure that I’m always out of danger... but I sometimes want to get out,” he said in a video.
However, Obama’s appearance on the show isn’t just for fun. He took part to raise awareness of the effect global warming has had on the US’s largest state, Alaska.On his adventure, Obama______.
| A．has to eat something strange like bugs |
| B．enjoys cow tongue with Grylls |
| C．takes in some unusual food |
| D．never has any difficulty |
It can be inferred from the passage that _____.
| A．Obama has been tired of the life in the White House |
| B．US presidents have never been in danger because of the Secret Service |
| C．the food prepared in the White House is not as good as the food outdoors |
| D．The life outside the White House is sometimes attractive to the president |
The purpose of Obama’s appearance on the show is _____.
| A．to have some fun |
| B．to promote environmental protection |
| C．to enjoy the wilderness in Alaska |
| D．to get out of the White House for a change |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
A. Grylls is the most well known outdoor adventurer around the world.
B. The TV show with Obama’s appearance is now on air on NBC.
C. Obama learns how to survive with host Bear Grylls in African wilderness.
D. Grylls has special abilities to survive in the wild
Metro Pocket Guide
Metrorail (地铁)
Each passenger needs a fare card to enter and go out .Up to two children under age five may travel free with a paying customer .
Fare card machines are in every station .Bring small bills because there are no change machines in the stations and fare card machines only provide up to $5 in change. Get one ticket of unlimited Metrorail rides with a One Day Pass .Buy it from a fare card machine in Metro stations .Use it after 9:30 am. until closing on weekdays , and all day on weekends and holidays .
Hours of service
Open: 5a.m Mon-Fri 7a.m Sat-Sun
Close: midnight Sun- Thur. 3 am Fri.—Sat. nights
Last train times vary .
Train times Posted in stations
Metrobus
When paying with exact charge , the fare is $1.35.When paying with a Smart TripⓇcard , the fare is 1.25.
Senior citizens 65 and older and disabled customers may ride for half the regular fare .On Metrorail and Metrobus , use a senior/disabled fare card or Smart Trip Ⓡcard .For more information about buying senior/disabled fare card , Smart TripⓇcards and passes , please visit Metro Opens Doors .com or call 202-637-7000and 202-637-8000.
Senior citizens and disabled customers can get free guide on how to use proper Metrobus and Metrorall services by calling 202-962-1100.
Travel tips
. Avoid riding during weekday rush periods –before 9:30 a.m. and between 4and 6p.m.
. If you lose something on a bus or train or in a station, please call Lost &Found at 202-962-1195.At what time does Metrorail stop service on Saturday ?
| A．At midnight . | B．At 3 a.m. |
| C．At 5 a.m. | D．At 7a.m. |
What is good about a Smart TripⓇcard ?
A. It is convenient for old people .
B. It saves money for its user
C It can be bought at any train
D. It is sold on the InternetWhich number should you call if you lose something on the Metro?
| A． 202-962-1195 | B． 202-962-1100 |
| C． 202-637-7000 | D． 202-637-8000 |