At age 14, 15 and 16, the way we looked was the most important thing in the world to us. My friends and I wanted nothing less than perfection.
In high school, we joined the gymnastics team, and our became even more important to us. We had no fat, only muscle. On the weekends, we would go to the beach, of our flat stomachs.
One summer day, all my friends were at my house . At one point, I was running back to the pool. I on a bee, and while it was dying under my foot, it stung (蛰) me. I instantly started to feel . That night, I began to run a high fever and my leg and foot were red, hot and swollen. I couldn’t walk. I could barely .
When my foot started to go numb, everyone became more . My foot was not getting enough blood. I had to go to the , and my leg hurt as if it were badly broken. I couldn’t move. All I could do was think about how soft my middle was becoming. That me more than any concern over my leg.
That would all when I heard the doctors mention possibly cutting off my foot. It was still not getting the supply it needed. The doctors would have to speed up their treatment.
Never before did I have such great for my foot. And walking seemed like a from the gods. Less and less would I want to hear my friends talk about and who was wearing what. More and more I expected visits from other kids in the hospital, who were quickly becoming my friends.
One girl came to visit me . Every time she came, she brought flowers. She was recovering from cancer and felt she should come back and the other patients.
She still had no hair, and she was swollen from medications she had been taking. I would not have given this girl a second before. I now loved every inch of her and looked forward to her .
Finally, I was improving and soon I went home. My leg was still swollen, I was walking, and I had my foot! When I would go back to the hospital, I often saw my friend. She was still visiting people and good cheer. I thought if even there was an angel on this earth, it had to be her.
A．grades B．brains C．bodies D．clothes
A．ashamed B．proud C．sure D．tired
A．dancing B．chatting C．jogging D．swimming
A．stepped B．focused C．held D．took
A．upset B．fearful C．sick D．anxious
A．jump B．run C．stand D．rest
A．concerned B．relieved C．surprised D．interested
A．beach B．hospital C．gym D．school
A．blamed B．impressed C．shocked D．troubled
A．change B．bother C．help D．happen
A．nutrition B．blood C．time D．air
A．observation B．devotion C．appreciation D．evaluation
A．gift B．hand C．promise D．treat
A．homework B．appointment C．movies D．gymnastics
A．suddenly B．regularly C．eventually D．recently
A．advise B．encourage C．serve D．instruct
A．choice B．thought C．glance D．chance
A．words B．ideas C．flowers D．visits
A．but B．then C．so D．for
A．enjoying B．gaining C．discovering D．spreading
Washoe is a young chimpanzee (黑猩猩). She is no chimpanzee, though. Scientists are doing a research her. They want to see how civilized (驯化) she can . Already she does many things a human being can do.
For example, she has been learning how to exchange with people. The scientists are teaching her language. When she wants to be picked , Washoe points up with one finger. She rubs (擦) her teeth with her finger she wants to brush her teeth. This is done after every meal.
Washoe has also been to think out and find answers to problems. Once she was put in a with food hanging from the ceiling (天花板). It was too high to . After she considered the , she got a tall box to stand . The food was still too high to be reached. Washoe found a pole (杆子). Then she climbed onto the , grasped the pole, and down the food with the pole.
Washoe like a human, too. The scientists keep her in a fully-furnished (家具齐全的) house. After a hard in the laboratory, she goes home. she plays with her toys. She enjoys watching television before going to bed.
Scientists hope to more about people by studying our closest relative (亲属) — chimpanzee.
A．foolish B．ordinary C．special D．simple
A．for B．by C．to D．on
A．experience B．change C．develop D．become
A．actions B．views C．messages D．feelings
A．sign B．human C．spoken D．foreign
A．out B．at C．on D．up
A．when B．until C．since D．while
A．raised B．trained C．ordered D．led
A．cave B．zoo C．room D．museum
A．pull B．see C．eat D．reach
A．problem B．position C．food D．ceiling
A．by B．on C．up D．with
A．straight B．strong C．long D．big
A．wall B．box C．ceiling D．pole
A．knocked B．picked C．took D．shook
A．lives B．acts C．thinks D．plays
A．task B．lesson C．day D．time
A．Here B．There C．So D．Then
A．quite B．already C．even D．still
A．watch B．pick C．gain D．learn
I had my first job at the age of thirteen, when a friend of my mother who owned a bookshop hired me for six hours a week to help her in the shop. I was very to earn my own pocket money and my parents never interfered (干涉) with I spent it, even when I was spending it foolishly. They that by earning money, spending it, and learning from the , I would become more mature (成熟的) and responsible about how to handle work, relationships others, and money.
Like many parents, my parents also let me and my brothers do things over which they
a great deal. When I was sixteen, for example, after I finished high school and before I university, I wanted to spend the summer months traveling around Europe. My mother was against the idea of my traveling alone at such a young age, but my father felt that it would be a great
for me. In the end, my father won the on the condition (只要) that I limited my traveling to France, my mother’s home, I had many uncles, aunts and cousins spread out through the country who could shelter (住处) and help if I needed them.
Three years later, my younger brother decided to a year off after his first year in university and travel through the United States and the Caribbean. Again my mother was very worried and not eager to see my brother leave school, but my father him and my brother had a(n) year working his way on trains and ships to earn passage (获得自由通过权) to different ports and cities, and many fascinating places and people.
These kinds of experiences are probably rare (少有的) for children in many countries in the US they are fairly common. Most parents start their children at a young age to do small things by themselves. By the time they have finished high school, many American kids have already had jobs, traveled around the US or other countries , have selected the university they plan to attend and maybe even decided on their future career, and so on.
A．anxious B．sad C．proud D．meaningful
A．how B．what C．that D．why
A．wondered B．believed C．guessed D．suggested
A．work B．mistakes C．others D．books
A．for B．to C．by D．with
A．American B．Japanese C．Chinese D．British
A．helped B．supported C．shared D．worried
A．joined B．worked C．entered D．arrived
A．visit B．experience C．experiment D．possibility
A．argument B．game C．discussion D．plan
A．when B．which C．who D．where
A．promise B．afford C．provide D．serve
A．leave B．make C．take D．prepare
A．discouraged B．encouraged C．prevented D．agreed
A．unusual B．hard C．strange D．hopeful
A．earning B．discovering C．traveling D．reaching
A．so B．when C．if D．but
A．making B．keeping C．pushing D．protecting
A．part-time B．full-time C．good D．well-paid
A．on time B．on their own C．on the contrary D．on purpose
One day, my mother and I were in a shop to buy Christmas gifts. There, I saw a telephone and I liked it very much. ___________lovingly up at my mother, I asked, “Mama, can I have that telephone?” She replied, “Baby, not now.” “But Mama, I want it.” She was a little ___________ and said, “Nora, you can’t have that telephone today.” ___________ we were waiting to pay for the things we had bought, I ___________on the ground and began screaming, “I want it.” Other people looked but my mother calmly said, “Nora, you’d better get up by the ___________ of three or else. One … two … three … ”I didn’t stop. Then she lay down __________me on the floor, and began kicking and screaming, “I want a new car. I want a new house … I want …”___________, I stood up. “Mama, stop. Mama, get up,” I tearfully said. She stood up, and many people began to clap. Her face turned ___________ and she said ___________to others. People said to me, “Your mom got you ___________. Never try that again.” And I didn’t. I would never forget that experience.
A．Crying B．Speaking C．Looking D．Talking
A．disappointed B．angry C．hungry D．happy
A．When B．Before C．Until D．Unless
A．laid down B．lay down C．fell down D．put down
A．number B．figure C．sound D．count
A．besides B．beside C．over D．ahead
A．Excited B．Disappointed C．Shocked D．Puzzled
A．red B．blue C．gray D．yellow
A．thanks B．sorry C．hello D．ok
A．wrong B．good C．lesson D．reason
The first time I saw Suzy Khan, I knew I had to help her. She was really small for her age of 12. The boys in my class often about her and laughed at her a lot. She would open a book, pretending to read, with tears dropping on the open page.
All I knew was that she was an orphan (孤儿), from Africa. She had just been adopted (收养) by a family in town who that the best way for her to learn American ways of life was to be with American kids. I looked down at this girl, and promised myself that somehow I would help her.
But how I would help her in with us? There had to be a .
One day, when I went into the classroom, I saw that Suzy had her geography book to a picture of a train, and in her notebook, she had made a (an) copy.
I was surprised and thought that she could do something in the coming show. So, I took her to see the art teacher, Miss Park, and showed her what Suzy had . “Why, it's wonderful,” said Miss Park, who then showed us a poster she had painted the talent show. “I need more of these, but I just don't have enough . Could you help me, Suzy?”
On the day of the talent show, Suzy's were everywhere - all over the hall and all over the school, each one different.
“And finally,” said Mr. Brown, the schoolmaster, at the end of the show, “we have a (an) award. I'm sure you've all noticed the wonderful posters.” Everyone nodded. “One of your own students them.”
I could hear everyone whispering (窃窃私语), “Who in our school could draw well?”
Mr. Brown waited a while before saying, “ this student worked so hard on the posters, she deserves (应得) a , too. Our mystery artist is our new student, Suzy Khan!”
Mr. Brown thanked her for all the wonderful posters and gave her a professional artist's set. “Thank you,” she cried.
I , at that time when I was looking at her excited face, she'd probably never anything in her whole life.
Everyone started to their hands, Suzy Khan gave them a shy smile and the applause (掌声) was deafening (震耳欲聋). I knew then Suzy was going to be all right.
A．joked B．cared C．forgot D．worried
A．reported B．thought C．complained D．questioned
A．rich B．proud C．tiny D．popular
A．come B．fall C．fit D．tie
A．manner B．pattern C．choice D．way
A．read B．taken C．opened D．put
A．free B．perfect C．final D．extra
A．art B．talk C．quiz D．talent
A．colored B．written C．carved D．drawn
A．at B．after C．for D．around
A．room B．time C．paper D．interest
A．gifts B．books C．photos D．posters
A．special B．academic C．national D．royal
A．painted B．found C．printed D．collected
A．very B．so C．quite D．too
A．If B．Though C．Unless D．Since
A．prize B．rank C．rest D．Place
A．replied B．realized C．remembered D．regretted
A．offered B．valued C．owned D．controlled
A．clap B．wave C．raise D．Shake
I have been writing for more than 50 years.I still consider myself to it, because I have written only one book. , I have written thousands of letters, more than a hundred e-books and millions of words on the Internet for hundreds of websites.
Though I don’t like foreign languages, I have also been and have learned seven of them. I was to study French, German and Latin for six years at school and Russian for four years at university, yet none of these was as as writing a book of excellent . And I am only talking about here, not plot, although that is obviously too.
Rules change in languages. The strict rules of the 19th century were largely over the following 100 years. However, some rules and that is how it should be too. Rules in writing are very important. And writing is a thing and it involves languages, plots, reader’s preferences, etc. So, who should writing and book competitions? And what rules should they ? Readers buy more books than writers and language experts put together. And writers write for readers, some of might be other writers or teachers. Similarly there has to be a storyline or plot that is of , but who should be the judge of that?
There is an author, John Locke, who sold a million books in five months, yet he was for his style and content by experts, surely he must have been doing something . Currently, most writing competitions are judged by writers and this seems to me. I suggest that if there are five judges, three should be readers, one should be a writer and one should be an English teacher.
A．clear B．familiar C．successful D．new
A．Thus B．Otherwise C．However D．Therefore
A．learned B．left C．met D．formed
A．directed B．guided C．taught D．given
A．forced B．reminded C．invited D．begged
A．quick B．helpful C．simple D．hard
A．quality B．price C．service D．meaning
A．duty B．language C．writers D．reasons
A．difficult B．impossible C．important D．meaningless
A．put away B．found out C．carried out D．broken down
A．work B．remain C．return D．appear
A．challenging B．useless C．hopeful D．boring
A．choose B．operate C．judge D．organize
A．cover B．follow C．notice D．support
A．that B．them C．whom D．these
A．interest B．thought C．benefit D．problem
A．forgotten B．thanked C．criticized D．praised
A．if B．but C．so D．although
A．perfect B．wrong C．impolite D．right
A．confusing B．normal C．useful D．early