Wishing to encourage her young son's progress on the piano, a mother took her boy to a Paderewski concert. After they were seated, the mother____a friend and walked over to greet her.
Seizing the____to explore the wonders of the concert hall, the little boy rose and went____a door market“NO ADMITTANCE”. When the house lights dimmed(变暗)and the concert was about to begin, the mother returned to her____and discovered that the child was missing.
Suddenly, the curtains____and spotlights focused on the stage. In horror, the mother saw her little boy sitting at the keyboard, ____out“Twinkle, Twinkle Little Star”.
At that moment, the great piano master____his entrance, quickly moved to the piano, and____in the boy's ear, “Don't____. Keep playing.”
Then leaning over, Paderewski reached down with his left hand and began____in a bass part. Soon his right arm reached____to the other side of the child and he added a running obbligato(伴奏). ____, the old master and the boy____a frightening situation into a wonderfully creative____.
That's the way it is in life. ____we can accomplish(完成)on our own is____noteworthy. We try out best, but the____aren't exactly graceful flowing music. ____when we trust in the hands of a Greater Power, our life's work truly can be beautiful.
Next time you set____to accomplish great feats, listen carefully. You can hear the____of the Master, whispering in your ear, “Don't quit. Keep playing.”
A.made B.spotted C.met D.called
A.chance B.performance C.piano D.lesson
A.over B.above C.across D.through
A.car B.seat C.room D.table
A.parted B.drew C.pulled D.divided
A.looking B.taking C.picking D.got out
A.made B.asked C.forgot D.delayed
A.shouted B.cried C.whispered D.looked
A.perform B.stop C.go D.give
A.filling B.getting C.breaking D.taking
A.forwards B.down C.up D.around
A.However B.Together C.Luckily D.Hurriedly
A.charged B.became C.changed D.grew
A.experience B.play C.concert D.film
A.What B.That C.Which D.When
A.hard B.hardly C.always D.usually
A.failures B.successes C.causes D.results
A.So B.And C.But D.Though
A.down B.about C.away D.out
A.sound B.noise C.voice D.song
Once again, science supports what your grandmother told you: A good night's sleep helps your body fight a cold.
People who averaged fewer than seven hours of sleep per 1 in the weeks before being exposed to the cold virus were nearly three times2 likely to get sick as those who3 eight hours or more, a new study found.
Researchers used frequent telephone4 to track the sleep5 of more than 150 men and women aged 21 to 55 over the course of a few weeks. Then they6 the subjects to the virus, quarantined them for five days and kept7 of who got sick.
8 sleeping more, sleeping better also seemed to9 the body fight illness: Patients who fared better on a measure10 as 'sleep efficiency' - the percentage of time in bed that you're actually sleeping - were also11 likely to get sick.
The results held12 even after researchers13 for variables such as body-mass index, age, sex, smoking and pre-existing antibodies to the14 .
15 your grandmother, the researchers aren't exactly sure16 sleeping better makes you less likely to17 a cold. But they18 take a stab at the answer: 'Sleep disturbance influences the regulation of proinflammatory cytokines(促炎细胞因子), histamines, and other symptom mediators that are released in response to infection.' In plain English, maybe tossing and turning when you're19 with the cold virus20 to the symptoms that define a cold.
The researchers were based at Carnegie Mellon, the University of Pittsburgh and the University of Virginia, and the study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.
( ) 1. A. day B. night C. week D. month
( ) 2. A. more B. as C. less D. same
( ) 3. A. occurred B. worked C. averaged D. longed
( ) 4. A. interviews B. reports C. announcements D. demands
( ) 5. A. hobbies B. quality C. progress D. habits
( ) 6. A. exposed B. placed C. protected D. prayed
( ) 7. A. touch B. check C. track D. reward
( ) 8. A. Except B. Besides C. Within D. Through
( ) 9. A. benefit B. guard C. help D. assist
( ) 10. A. known B. acted C. appointed D. classified
( ) 11. A. more B. less C. far D. totally
( ) 12. A. ideal B. false C. actual D. true
( ) 13. A. adopted B. adjusted C. enlarged D. employed
( ) 14. A. bodies B. cells C. virus D. medicines
( ) 15. A. Like B. As C. Against D. By
( ) 16. A. What B. When C. Where D. Why
( ) 17. A. develop B. form C. fight D. prevent
( ) 18. A. did B. often C. do D. never
( ) 19. A. infected B. surrounded C. limited D. attached
( ) 20. A. pulls B. promotes C. speeds D. contributes
Like poorly managed stress, anger that isn’t handled in a healthy way can be not only uncomfortable, but even damaging to one’s health and personal life. Consider the following research on anger:
One study from the University of Washington School of Nursing studied 1 problems in husbands and wives. Researchers cited(引用) previous evidence that anger problems and depressive symptoms have been linked to all major2 of death, but found that wives specifically found a greater association between anger and3 of depression,4 men tended to instead experience an5 between anger and health problems.
According to a study from Ohio State University, those who had less control over their anger6 to heal more slowly from wounds. Researchers gave blisters(起疱膏) to 98 participants and found that, after 8 days, those who had less control over their anger also tended to be7 healers.8 , those participants also tended to have more cortisol (a stress hormone) in their system during the blistering procedure,9 that they may be more stressed by difficult situations as well.
10 study from Harvard School of Public Health studied hostility(敌对行为) in men and found that those with11 rates of hostility not only had poorer pulmonary functioning (breathing problems), but experienced higher rates of decline as they aged.
Research with children and12 shows that anger13 is important for the younger set as well. Findings showed that youth who cope inappropriately with their anger are at greater14 for problem-ridden(受…支配的) interpersonal relationships. Their15 is also at risk; those who cope poorly with anger tend to have more negative16 when it comes to both mental and general health. This highlights the fact that anger management is an important skill to17 early.
These are just a few of the many studies linking anger to18 and emotional health problems, from the obvious to the19 . Because poorly managed anger presents such a significant problem in so many areas of life, it’s important to take steps toward learning and using healthy anger management techniques in daily life,20 stress management techniques.
( ) 1. A. anger B. health C. emotion D. spirit
( ) 2. A. causes B. effects C. excuses D. factors
( ) 3. A. times B. results C. influences D. symptoms
( ) 4. A. but B. if C. while D. though
( ) 5. A. appreciation B. attention C. association D. attraction
( ) 6. A. prepared B. addicted C. accustomed D. tended
( ) 7. A. faster B. more C. slower D. quicker
( ) 8. A. As well as B. In addition C. Except D. What’s worse
( ) 9. A. predicting B. promising C. expecting D. suggesting
( ) 10. A. Other B. More C. Another D. The other
( ) 11. A. higher B. lower C. thicker D. fewer
( ) 12. A. adults B. adolescents C. elders D. citizens
( ) 13. A. development B. management C. argument D. engagement
( ) 14. A. chance B. choice C. rate D. risk
( ) 15. A. body B. feeling C. health D. emotion
( ) 16. A. outcomes B. meanings C. effects D. pains
( ) 17. A. recite B. learn C. understand D. explore
( ) 18. A. facial B. spiritual C. psychological D. physical
( ) 19. A. unperfected B. unexpected C. unprotected D. uncovered
( ) 20. A. along with B. along side C. as with D. for with
Once in a blue moon there is one on New Year's Eve. Revelers ringing in 2010 will be treated to a so-called blue moon. According to popular definition, a blue moon is the second full moon in a month. But don't 1 it to be blue - the name has nothing to 2 the color of our closest celestial(天体) neighbor.
A full moon 3 on December 2. It will appear again on Thursday in time for the New Year's countdown.
"If you're in Times Square, you'll see the 4 moon right above you. It's going to be that brilliant," said Jack Horkheimer, director emeritus of the Miami Space Transit Planetarium and host of a weekly astronomy TV show.
The New Year's Eve blue moon will be 5 in the United States, Canada, Europe, South America and Africa. For partygoers in Australia and Asia, the full moon does not show up 6 New Year's Day, making January a blue moon month for them.
However, the Eastern Hemisphere can celebrate with a partial lunar eclipse(月蚀) on New Year's Eve when 7 of the moon enters the Earth's shadow. The 8 will not be visible in the Americas.
A full moon occurs 9 29.5 days, and most years have 12. 10 , an extra full moon in a month - a blue moon - occurs every 2.5 years. The11 time there was a lunar double take was in May 2007. New Year's Eve blue moons are rarer, occurring every 19 years. The last time was in 1990; the next one won't 12 again until 2028.
Blue moons have no astronomical13 , said Greg Laughlin, an astronomer at the University of California, Santa Cruz.
"`Blue moon' is just a14 in the same sense as a `hunter's moon' or a `harvest moon,'" Laughlin said in an e-mail.
The popular definition of blue moon15 after a writer for Sky & Telescope magazine in 1946 misunderstood the Maine Farmer's Calendar and marked a blue moon as the second full moon in a month. In fact, the calendar16 a blue moon as the third full moon in a season with four full moons, not the usual three.
Though Sky & Telescope corrected the17 decades later, the definition caught on. For purists(语言纯正癖者), however, this New Year's Eve full moon doesn't even qualify as a18 moon. It's just the first full moon of the winter season.
In a tongue-in-cheek essay19 on the magazine's Web site this week, senior contributing editor Kelly Beatty wrote: "If skies are clear when I'm20 celebrating, I'll take a peek(眯着眼睛看) at that brilliant orb(天体) as it rises over the Boston skyline to see if it's an icy shade of blue. Or maybe I'll just howl."
( ) 1. A. wish B. wait C. hope D. expect
( ) 2. A. deal with B. do with C. develop with D. form into
( ) 3. A. occurred B. came C. ran D. went
( ) 4. A. full B. half C. bright D. part
( ) 5. A. out of sight B. visible C. big D. clear
( ) 6. A. until B. when C. before D. since
( ) 7. A. part B. all C. any D. none
( ) 8. A. moon B. eclipse C. sun D. shadow
( ) 9. A. each B. every C. either D. all
( ) 10. A. On the whole B. Generally speaking C. On average D. In addition
( ) 11. A. last B. next C. other D. another
( ) 12. A. go B. see C. come D. look
( ) 13. A. point B. evident C. theory D. significance
( ) 14. A. name B. object C. phenomenon D. tradition
( ) 15. A. created B. came about C. made D. copied
( ) 16. A. named B. called C. introduced D. defined
( ) 17. A. error B. name C. reality D. number
( ) 18. A. blue B. red C. yellow D. grey
( ) 19. A. published B. posted C. printed D. written
( ) 20. A. in B. out C. away D. on
It is said that Abraham Lincoln searched for exactly the right words to say to his audience in that history-making speech that 1 less than three minutes.
Your speech probably won't be as long-remembered,2 you can still strive to give your audience the best speech possible by3 these simple tips:
Write and rewrite the material in your speech until it sounds exactly right to your own ears. Don't use words that are hard to4 . Avoid technical5 or keep them to a minimum whenever possible.
Remember to use descriptive phrases so your listeners can get a mental picture in their6 of what you are talking about. People don't want to be told, they want to be given a7 picture so they can better understand your words.
Avoid using a lot of statistics that will put your audience asleep in their seats. Keep necessary8 in your speech to a minimum amount.
Humor can be an effective way to9 your audience, Humor can also effectively lessen10 , especially yours. You can use short jokes or personal anecdotes for this purpose. Just make sure your humorous material is appropriate for the audience you are11 to.
Your speech will probably either inform or12 your listeners to take action in order to help a charitable organization, etc. Be sure to include localized information in your speech that meet your audience's specific needs.
Read your speech out loud several times to hear how it will sound to your audience. Practice giving your speech in front of a mirror. That way you can see13 you are going to look to the audience. This technique can help you14 and feel more comfortable.
Make sure to speak a little louder than15 conversation when you are giving your speech so that you can be easily heard by the entire16 , not just the first few rows.
When you are giving your speech to your listeners, remember to17 your speech down a little bit and don't rush through the words.
You can arrange to have helpful visual aids18 before, during, or right after the end of your speech. This way the audience will have written information they can take home with them and19 later.
Remember to be an appreciative speaker and to20 the person or persons who asked you to give the speech. Also remember to thank the audience for listening.
( ) 1. A. continued B. lasted C. broadcast D. went
( ) 2. A. but B. though C. and D. therefore
( ) 3. A. accepting B. following C. copying D. remembering
( ) 4. A. pronounce B. understand C. learn D. listen
( ) 5. A. sentences B. terms C. pronunciations D. meanings
( ) 6. A. minds B. notes C. words D. tapes
( ) 7. A. intellectual B. physical C. mental D. visual
( ) 8. A. information B. terms C. statistics D. words
( ) 9. A. amuse B. control C. persuade D. drive
( ) 10.A. attention B. terror C. sorrow D. tension
( ) 11. A. speaking B. referring C. leading D. owing
( ) 12. A. help B. persuade C. force D. trap
( ) 13. A. what B. how C. why D. where
( ) 14.A. sleep B. rest C. comfort D. relax
( ) 15. A. normal B. later C. previous D. intentional
( ) 16. A. speeches B. actors C. friends D. audience
( ) 17. A. slow B. speed C. stop D. burn
( ) 18. A. checked out B. passed out C. brought out D. left out
( ) 19. A. sell B. review C. throw D. mail
( ) 20. A. thank B. find C. teach D. assist
Here's a new warning from health experts: Sitting is deadly. Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for prolonged periods — even if you also exercise regularly — could be1 for your health. And it doesn't matter where the sitting takes place — at the office, at school, in the car or before a computer or TV — just the overall number of hours it 2 .
Research is preliminary, but several studies3 people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die.
In an editorial4 this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Elin Ekblom-Bak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences suggested that authorities rethink how they define 5 activity to highlight the dangers of sitting.
While health officials have issued guidelines6 minimum amounts of physical activity, they haven't suggested people try to limit how much time they spend in a seated 7 .
"After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send8 signals," Ekblom-Bak said. She explained that genes regulating the amount of glucoseand fat in the 9 start to shut down.
Even for people who10 , spending long stretches of time sitting at a desk is still harmful. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization, said people who exercise every day —11 still spend a lot of time sitting — might get more benefit if that exercise were spread across the day,12 in a single bout.
That wasn't13 news for Aytekin Can, 31, who works at a London financial company, and spends most of his days sitting 14 a computer. Several evenings a week, Can also teaches jiu jitsu, a Japanese martial art15 wrestling, and also does Thai boxing.
"I'm sure there are some detrimental 16 of staying still for too long, but I hope that being 17 when I can helps," he said. "I wouldn't want to think the sitting could be18 dangerous."
Still, in a study published last year that tracked more than 17,000 Canadians for about a dozen years, researchers found people who sat19 had a higher death risk, independently of whether or not they exercised.
Figures from a US survey in 2003-2004 found Americans spend more than half their time sitting, from working at their desks to sitting in cars.
Experts said more research is needed to20 just how much sitting is dangerous, and what might be possible to offset those effects.
( ) 1. A. bad B. good C. mean D. dead
( ) 2. A. does B. occurs C. matches D. dies
( ) 3. A. advise B. talk C. suggest D. say
( ) 4. A. thrown B. caught C. seen D. published
( ) 5. A. biological B. physical C. psychological D. logical
( ) 6. A. commending B. mending C. recommending D. communicating
( ) 7. A. stand B. state C. post D. position
( ) 8. A. harmful B. careful C. wonderful D. skillful
( ) 9. A. head B. arm C. body D. foot
( ) 10. A. sleep B. rest C. walk D. exercise
( ) 11. A. and B. so C. but D. then
( ) 12. A. rather than B. other than C. more than D. less than
( ) 13. A. bad B. harmful C. disadvantage D. welcome
( ) 14. A. behind B. back C. in front of D. forward
( ) 15. A. referring B. involving C. taking D. bringing
( ) 16. A. effects B. prefects C. affects D. offers
( ) 17. A. inactive B. active C. interactive D. positive
( ) 18. A. such B. little C. lot D. that
( ) 19. A. less B. fewer C. more D. further
( ) 20. A. leave out B. bring out C. hold out D. figure out