American actress Marisa Tomei won an Academy Award for her work in the 1992 movie My Cousin Vinny. People laughed when they saw her film character telling a boyfriend that they need to get married. Why marriage? Because her biological clock is ticking and she wants a baby.
“Well I hate to bring it up because I know you got enough pressure on you already. But…we agreed to get married as soon as you won your first case(law case). Meanwhile, ten years later…my niece…the daughter of my sister is getting married. My biological clock is ticking like this (stomp, stomp, stomp). And the way this case is going…I ain’t never getting married.”
“Lisa, I don’t need this. I swear to God I don’t need this right now.”
Using it this way, a biological clock means the time in a woman’s life when she is able to bear children. In the not-so-distant past, most people thought that when a woman reached her 40s it was too late for her to have children. The time on her biological clock had run out.
Well, that has changed. These days some women are resetting their biological clocks. They are giving themselves more time to have children.
Make no mistake. Being a “Single Mother by Choice” is very different from younger women who find themselves pregnant, perhaps not by choice.
Generally speaking, single mothers by choice are older and well educated. They are usually financially secure and successful in their careers. So, they have the money. What they may not have is a partner.
This is the place in life where writer Kerry Reichs found herself several years ago. She says she did not plan to become a single mother. She says she just did not find the right partner.
“Well, I think I had a set of standards for the partner I was looking for and I didn’t meet anyone that fit those standards. And, at 39 I found myself single, without children and I wanted them very much. So, I made the difficult decision that I could do this on my own. According to the passage, what is a biological clock?
A.It’s a clock made of biological matters. |
B.It refers to a women’s certain life period. |
C.It records when women need to bear children. |
D.It refers to a woman in her 40s. |
According to the passage, in the past, when a woman reached her 40s, ________.
A.she can’t get married. |
B.she might not be able to have children. |
C.her biological clock will need to be reset. |
D.her status of being a single mother is difficult. |
What does “Single Mother by Choice” mean?
A.It means single mothers have a choice. |
B.It means single mothers are pregnant by chance. |
C.It means single women in their late 30s or early 40s decided to have children. |
D.It means women want to make a choice. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Choosing to be a single mother. |
B.A woman’s biological clock. |
C.Getting married by force. |
D.Single women wanting marriage. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
Is comprehension the same whether a person reads a text onscreen or on paper? And are listening to and viewing content as effective as reading the written word when covering the same material? The answers to both questions are often “no”. The reasons relate to a variety of factors, including reduced concentration, an entertainment mindset(心态)and a tendency to multitask while consuming digital content.
When reading texts of several hundred words or more, learning is generally more successful when it’s on paper than onscreen. A large amount of research confirms this finding. The benefits of print reading particularly shine through when experimenters move from posing simple tasks — like identifying the main idea in a reading passage — to ones that require mental abstraction — such as drawing inferences from a text.
The differences between print and digital reading results are partly related to paper’s physical properties. With paper, there is a literal laying on of hands, along with the visual geography of distinct pages. People often link their memory of what they’ve read to how far into the book it was or where it was on the page.
But equally important is the mental aspect. Reading researchers have proposed a theory called “shallowing hypothesis(假说)”. According to this theory, people approach digital texts with a mindset suited to social media, which are often not so serious, and devote less mental effort than when they are reading print.
Audio(音频)and video can feel more engaging than text, and so university teachers increasingly turn to these technologies — say, assigning an online talk instead of an article by the same person. However, psychologists have demonstrated that when adults read news stories, they remember more of the content than if they listen to or view identical pieces.
Digital texts, audio and video all have educational roles, especially when providing resources not available in print. However, for maximizing learning where mental focus and reflection are called for, educators shouldn’t assume all media are the same, even when they contain identical words.
(1)What does the underlined phrase “shine through” in paragraph 2 mean?
A. |
Seem unlikely to last. |
B. |
Seem hard to explain. |
C. |
Become ready to use. |
D. |
Become easy to notice. |
(2)What does the shallowing hypothesis assume?
A. |
Readers treat digital texts lightly. |
B. |
Digital texts are simpler to understand. |
C. |
People select digital texts randomly. |
D. |
Digital texts are suitable for social media. |
(3)Why are audio and video increasingly used by university teachers?
A. |
They can hold students’ attention. |
B. |
They are more convenient to prepare. |
C. |
They help develop advanced skills. |
D. |
They are more informative than text. |
(4)What does the author imply in the last paragraph?
A. |
Students should apply multiple learning techniques. |
B. |
Teachers should produce their own teaching material. |
C. |
Print texts cannot be entirely replaced in education. |
D. |
Education outside the classroom cannot be ignored. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
“I am not crazy,” says Dr. William Farber, shortly after performing acupuncture(针灸)on a rabbit. “I am ahead of my time.” If he seems a little defensive, it might be because even some of his coworkers occasionally laugh at his unusual methods. But Farber is certain he’ll have the last laugh. He’s one of a small but growing number of American veterinarians(兽医)now practicing “holistic” medicine-combining traditional Western treatments with acupuncture, chiropractic(按摩疗法)and herbal medicine.
Farber, a graduate of Colorado State University, started out as a more conventional veterinarian. He became interested in alternative treatments 20 years ago when he suffered from terrible back pain. He tried muscle-relaxing drugs but found little relief. Then he tried acupuncture, an ancient Chinese practice, and was amazed that he improved after two or three treatments. What worked on a veterinarian seemed likely to work on his patients. So, after studying the techniques for a couple of years, he began offering them to pets.
Leigh Tindale’s dog Charlie had a serious heart condition. After Charlie had a heart attack, Tindale says, she was prepared to put him to sleep, but Farber’s treatments eased her dog’s suffering so much that she was able to keep him alive for an additional five months. And Priscilla Dewing reports that her horse, Nappy, “moves more easily and rides more comfortably” after a chiropractic adjustment.
Farber is certain that the holistic approach will grow more popular with time, and if the past is any indication, he may be right: Since 1982, membership in the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association has grown from 30 to over 700. “Sometimes it surprises me that it works so well,” he says. “I will do anything to help an animal. That’s my job.”
(1)What do some of Farber’s coworkers think of him?
A. |
He’s odd. |
B. |
He’s strict. |
C. |
He’s brave. |
D. |
He’s rude. |
(2)Why did Farber decide to try acupuncture on pets?
A. |
He was trained in it at university. |
B. |
He was inspired by another veterinarian. |
C. |
He benefited from it as a patient. |
D. |
He wanted to save money for pet owners. |
(3)What does paragraph 3 mainly talk about?
A. |
Steps of a chiropractic treatment. |
B. |
The complexity of veterinarians’ work. |
C. |
Examples of rare animal diseases. |
D. |
The effectiveness of holistic medicine. |
(4)Why does the author mention the American Holistic Veterinary Medical Association?
A. |
To prove Farber’s point. |
B. |
To emphasize its importance. |
C. |
To praise veterinarians. |
D. |
To advocate animal protection. |
阅读下列短文,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
HABITAT RESTORATION TEAM
Help restore and protect Marin’s natural areas from the Marin Headlands to Bolinas Ridge. We’ll explore beautiful park sites while conducting invasive(侵入的)plant removal, winter planting, and seed collection. Habitat Restoration Team volunteers play a vital role in restoring sensitive resources and protecting endangered species across the ridges and valleys.
GROUPS
Groups of five or more require special arrangements and must be confirmed in advance. Please review the List of Available Projects and fill out the Group Project Request Form.
AGE, SKILLS, WHAT TO BRING
Volunteers aged 10 and over are welcome. Read our Youth Policy Guidelines for youth under the age of 15.
Bring your completed Volunteer Agreement Form. Volunteers under the age of 18 must have the parent/guardian approval section signed.
We’ll be working rain or shine. Wear clothes that can get dirty. Bring layers for changing weather and a raincoat if necessary.
Bring a personal water bottle, sunscreen, and lunch.
No experience necessary. Training and tools will be provided. Fulfills(满足)community service requirements.
UPCOMING EVENTS
(1)What is the aim of the Habitat Restoration Team?
A. |
To discover mineral resources. |
B. |
To develop new wildlife parks. |
C. |
To protect the local ecosystem. |
D. |
To conduct biological research. |
(2)What is the lower age limit for joining the Habitat Restoration Team?
A. |
5. |
B. |
10. |
C. |
15. |
D. |
18. |
(3)What are the volunteers expected to do?
A. |
Bring their own tools. |
B. |
Work even in bad weather. |
C. |
Wear a team uniform. |
D. |
Do at least three projects. |
根据短文内容, 从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
What is moderation(适度)? Basically, it means eating only as much food as your body needs. You should feel satisfied at the end of a meal, but not too full. (1) But it doesn't mean saying goodbye to the foods you love.
Take your time. It's important to slow down and think about food as something nutritious rather than just something to eat in between meetings. (2) It actually takes a few minutes for your brain to tell your body that it has had enough food, so eat slowly and stop eating before you feel full.
Eat with others whenever possible. Eating alone, “specially in front of the TV or computer, often leads to mindless overeating. And be careful about the foods you keep at hand. It's more challenging to eat in moderation if you have unhealthy snacks at the ready, like cookies. (3)
Control emotional(情绪的)eating. (4) Many of us also turn to food to deal with unpleasant emotions such as sadness, loneliness, or boredom. But by learning healthier ways to manage emotions, you can regain control over the food you eat and your feelings.
(5) A healthy breakfast can start your metabolism(新陈代谢), while eating small, healthy meals keeps your energy up all day. Avoid eating late at night. Try to eat dinner earlier and fast for 14 — 16 hours until breakfast the next morning. Studies suggest that eating only when you're most active and giving your digestive system a long break each day may help to regulate weight.
A. Eat properly throughout the day. B. We don't always eat just to satisfy hunger. C. Don't swallow a meal on the way to work. D. Most of us need to double the amount we eat. E. Instead, surround yourself with healthy choices. F. For many of us, moderation means eating less than we do now. G. That won't lead to cheating or giving up on your new eating plan. |
阅读下列短文, 从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中选出最佳选项。
“I didn’t like the ending,” I said to my favorite college professor. It was my junior year of undergraduate, and I was doing an independent study on Victorian literature. I had just finished reading The Mill on the Floss by George Eliot, and I was heartbroken with the ending. Prof. Gracie, with all his patience, asked me to think about it beyond whether I liked it or not. He suggested I think about the difference between endings that I wanted for the characters and endings that were right for the characters, endings that satisfied the story even if they didn’t have a traditionally positive outcome. Of course, I would have preferred a different ending for Tom and Maggie Tulliver, but the ending they got did make the most sense for them.
This was an aha moment for me, and I never thought about endings the same way again. From then on, if I wanted to read an ending guaranteed to be happy, I’d pick up a love romance. If I wanted an ending I couldn’t guess, I’d pick up a mystery(悬疑小说). One where I kind of knew what was going to happen, historical fiction. Choosing what to read became easier.
But writing the end — that’s hard. It’s hard for writers because endings carry so much weight with readers. You have to balance creating an ending that's unpredictable, but doesn’t seem to come from nowhere, one that fits what’s right for the characters.
That’s why this issue(期)of Writer’s Digest aims to help you figure out how to write the best ending for whatever kind of writing you’re doing. If it’s short stories, Peter Mountford breaks down six techniques you can try to see which one helps you stick the landing. Elizabeth Sims analyzes the final chapters of five great novels to see what key points they include and how you can adapt them for your work.
This issue won’t tell you what your ending should be — that’s up to you and the story you’re telling — but it might provide what you need to get there.
(1)Why did the author go to Prof. Gracie?
A. |
To discuss a novel. |
B. |
To submit a book report. |
C. |
To argue for a writer. |
D. |
To ask for a reading list. |
(2)What did the author realize after seeing Gracie?
A. |
Writing is a matter of personal preferences. |
B. |
Readers are often carried away by character. |
C. |
Each type of literature has its unique end. |
D. |
A story which begins well will end well. |
(3)What is expected of a good ending?
A. |
It satisfies readers’ taste. |
B. |
It fits with the story development. |
C. |
It is usually positive. |
D. |
It is open for imagination. |
(4)Why does the author mention Peter Mountford and Elizabeth Sims?
A. |
To give examples of great novelists. |
B. |
To stress the theme of this issue. |
C. |
To encourage writing for the magazine. |
D. |
To recommend their new books. |