When I was a kid in Minnesota, watermelon was expensive. One of my father’s friends, Bernie, was a rich businessman, who owned a large store in St. Paul.
Every summer, when the first watermelons arrived, Bernie would call. Dad and I would go to Bernie’s place. We’d sit on the edge of the dock(码头), feet dangling(摇晃), and got ready for a big meal.
Bernie would take his knife, cut our first watermelon, hand us both a big piece and sit down next to us. Then we’d bury our faces in watermelon, eating only the heart—the reddest, juiciest, firmest, sweetest, most seed-free part—and throw away the rest.
Bernie was my father’s idea of a rich man. I always thought it was because he was such a successful businessman. Years later, I realized that it was not Bernie’s wealth itself but his way of dealing with it that my father liked. Bernie knew how to stop working, get together with friends and eat only the heart of the watermelon.
What I learned from Bernie is that being rich is a state of mind. Some of us, no matter how much money we have, will never be free enough to eat only the heart of the watermelon. If you don’t take the time to dangle your feet over the dock and enjoy life’s small pleasure, your work is probably hurting your life.
For many years, I forgot that lesson I’d learned as a kid on the loading dock. I was too busy making all the money I could.
Well, I’ve relearned it. I hope I have time left to enjoy the success of others and to take pleasure in the day. That’s the heart of the watermelon. I have learned again to throw t he rest away.We learned from the second paragraph that the writer and his father were feeling ______.
A.relaxed | B.worried | C.hungry | D.proud |
How did the writer and his father eat the watermelon?
A.They ate it in a polite way. |
B.They only ate its best part. |
C.They ate every part of it. |
D.They shared only one piece. |
In the eyes of the writer’s father, Bernie ______.
A.was just a rich businessman |
B.worked hard all the time |
C.lived a rich but healthy life |
D.knew how to make money |
The underlined part “the heart of the watermelon” in the last paragraph refers to ______.
A.the best part of the watermelon |
B.the writer’s busy life |
C.the writer’s decision of making money |
D.the writer’s hope of enjoying life |
It can be learne d from the passage that ______.
A.one has to work hard to reach his goal |
B.a friend in need is a friend in deed |
C.watermelon is the healthiest fruit |
D.one should keep work-life balance |
![]() ALBUQERQUE. New Mexico — Bobby Bradley is ready. He has been training for about five years and learned from some of the most experienced and decorated pilots in the sport of ballooning. |
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![]() Amy Chua is the mother of two teenage girls. In the book she describes her efforts to give her children what she describes as a traditional, strict "Chinese" way of bringing up children. |
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Judge the following sentences True (T) or False (F).A 9-year-old American boy is ready to take a balloon flight on his own after training for about five years.
Gadhafi agreed to end the Libyan civil war but the opposite wouldn’t accept it if he leaves office.
"Tiger Mother" parenting raises media storm in the US, but all people agree other traditional, strict "Chinese" way of bringing up children.
Japan tries to fix radiation leaks in 9 months.
Natalie won the Best Actress Oscar for her role in "The King’s Speech" while Colin won the Best Actor for his role in "Black Swan. "
MOVIE GUIDE THURSDAY |
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Rush Hour 15:00 23:00 |
My Life as Mcdull 9:00 13:00 |
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①Action Movie Do you like Jackie Chan? Rush Hour is another movie of his. It’s so exciting. Come and have fun! |
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②Cartoon Mcdull is a little pig. He’s kind of silly but he’s very cute. Do you want to enjoy happiness with him? Be sure to watch it! |
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Mr. Bean 11:00 19:00 |
Harry Potter Ⅲ 17:00 21:00 |
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③Comedy Rowan is a great actor. His movie Mr. Bean is coming. It’s very funny. Don’t miss it! |
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④Science Fiction Harry Potter has been in the wizardry school (魔法学校) for three years. He begins a new life. How is everything going? |
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What do you think of Mcdull?
A.Exciting. | B.Silly but cute. | C.Funny. | D.Happy. |
Mr.Li finishes his lessons at 22: 00, which film can he enjoy on Thursday evening?
A.Rush Hour. | B.My life as Mcdull. | C.Mr. Bean. | D.Harry PotterⅢ. |
My daughter is eight years old, which two films does she like best, can you guess?
A.Rush Hour and My life as Mcdull. | B.My life as Mcdull and Mr. Bean. |
C.Mr. Bean and Harry Potter Ⅲ. | D.Harry Potter Ⅲ and My life as Mcdull. |
What kind of movie is Mr. Bean?
A.Action Movie. | B.Cartoon. | C.Comedy. | D.Science Fiction. |
Who is an action movie character?
A.Jackie Chan. | B.Rowan. | C.Mcdull. | D.Harry Potter. |
What are you going to do if you are in a burning house? How will you escape? Do you know how to save yourself? Please read the following passage.
Escaping a fire is a serious matter. Knowing what to do during a fire can save your life. It is important to know the ways you can use and show them to everyone in the family, such as stairways and fire escapes, but not lifts.
From the lower floors of the buildings, escaping through windows is possible, learn the best way of leaving by windows with the least chance of serious injury.
The second floor window is usually not very high from the ground. An average (平均高度的) person, hanging by the finger-tips will have a drop of about six feet to the ground. It is about the height of an average man. Of course, it is safer to jump a short way than to stay in a burning building.
Windows are also useful when you are waiting for help. Be sure to keep the door closed. Or smoke and fire may be drawn into the room. Keep your head low at the window to be sure you get fresh air rather than smoke that may have leaked (渗) into the room.
On a second or third floor, the best windows for escape are these which open onto a roof. From the roof a person can drop to the ground more safely. Dropping onto cement (水泥) might end with injury. Bushes and grass can help to break a fall.It is more important to ________.
A.put out the fire in the burning house | B.Know the ways to escape the fire |
C.jump off a burning house | D.keep the door closed |
It is possible to escape through the windows ________.
A.if you have a long rope | B.if you are strong enough |
C.if you live on a lower floor | D.if there are some bushes on the ground |
Which of the following escaping way is NOT right?
A.You can escape through stairways. |
B.You can choose fire escapes. |
C.Escape from the windows which open onto a roof. |
D.Use a lift to come down at once. |
Open the window so that ________ if the building is on fire.
A.you can get fresh air | B.you can call for help |
C.you can easily jump off | D.you can be seen first |
The best title for the passage is ________.
A.Escaping from the Windows | B.Save Yourself in the Burning House |
C.Knowledge on Fire | D.Waiting for Help |
A little girl thought she was not as beautiful as other girls, and nobody liked her. So she was always unhappy and didn’t like to talk to others. However, one day, her mother gave her a beautiful hair clip(发夹). When she wore it, she looked much more beautiful than before. She decided to wear it to school.
On her way to school she found that everyone who saw her smiled at her. Most of her schoolmates said “Hello” to her, but this never happened before. She thought that the beautiful hair clip had brought her them all. She was so happy about all of the wonderful things. Although she didn’t tell her classmates about her beautiful hair clip, they all wanted to know what had happened to her.
When she went back home after school, her mother asked her: “Did you know you dropped your hair clip? I found it by the door this morning.”
She understood that she hadn’t worn the hair clip to school at all.Which of the following sentence is true?
A.The girl is not as beautiful as other girls. |
B.Nobody liked the girl. |
C.The girl’s classmates thought she was more beautiful than before with the hair clip. |
D.The girl wanted to be more beautiful, so she decided to wear the hair clip. |
Why was the girl so happy?
A.She found that everyone who saw her smiled at her. |
B.She heard most of her schoolmates said “Hello” to her. |
C.She thought what she experienced today never happened before. |
D.Both A, B, and C |
From this passage we know that ____________________
A.the girl was really ugly without the hair clip | B.the girl was as beautiful as her classmates. |
C.the girl was not self-confident enough at first. | D.the girl was happy all the time. |
Her classmates wanted to know what had happened to the girl because__________________
A.she didn’t tell her classmates about her beautiful hair clip. |
B.she was always unhappy but that day she was so happy. |
C.she looked more beautiful wearing the hair clip. |
D.she wanted to talk to others. |
We can learn from this passage that_______________________
A.A friend is easier lost than found. | B.Make your enemy your friend. |
C.A friend in need is a friend indeed. | D.The most important is how we think about ourselves. |
Teeth are important. Strong, healthy teeth help you chew all kinds of foods that help you grow. They help you speak clearly. And yes, they help you look your best. Here are some tips for you to take care of your teeth.How many times at least should we brush our teeth a day?
A.1. | B.2. | C.3. | D.4. |
What is the major cause of tooth decay?
A.Not brushing teeth. | B.Not changing toothbrushes. |
C.Eating sugar. | D.Not flossing teeth. |
How often should we change our toothbrushes?
A.Never. | B.Three times a month. |
C.Every three months. | D.Every month. |
The bristles of the toothbrush must be_______.
A.hard | B.soft. | C.expensive. | D.not mentioned. |
Which is the right way to take care of your teeth?
A.Only brush front teeth. |
B.Don’t brush teeth before sleeping. |
C.Spend at most three minutes brushing teeth each time. |
D.Eat lots of fruit and vegetables and drink water instead of soda. |