People like to tell me rubbish. Not just friends, but strangers ,too.
Once, at the airport, my husband stepped off an escalator(自动扶梯) before me. When he realized I wasn’t with him, he looked back and saw me hugging ( 拥抱) a stranger.
I’d asked the man behind me: “Did you have fun in Vegas?”
His answer broke me heart. After 50 years away, I’d come to say goodbye to the lover of his life, who was dying of cancer.
“I should have married her 50 years ago,” he said. I hugged him, and then he was gone.
Moments later, my husband said: “He told you all that on the escalator?” I nodded.
“Maybe he just needed to tell somebody, And I happened to ask.”
When someone wants to talk, you just need to ask a question. The words don’t matter. It’s the tone (语调) in your voice and the look in your eyes and the caring in your heart that count.
Sometimes I think the whole world is crying out to be heard.
And yet, we don’t ask the question or say the things we need to say to those who matter most to us while there is still time, and a chance, to do so.
Recently I heard from a reader who shared with me the eulogy(悼词) she’d written after losing her mother.
I wish her mother could have read it. I can only hope her mother knew all the things her daughter wrote about her—that she was known so well and loved so much.
I like to think people will say a few nice things about me when I’m gone. But given a choice, I would rather hear those things before I go. Wouldn’t we all?
That started me thinking. I need to tell my children I am proud of them. They know it, but it can’t hurt to say it again.
I need to tell my sister I will forever in her debt(欠她的情). I was the one who left. She was the one who stayed, who’s “been there” for our family—for our mother, our dad, our brothers and me.
And to my husband, I need to say, well, he puts up with a lot.
In fact, I need to say a lot of things to whole lot of people. Maybe you do, too. You can tell me, if you want. But maybe you should tell them first.What happened to the writer at the airport in Los Vegas?
A.She developed a friendship with a stranger. |
B.She helped a stranger with cancer on the escalator. |
C.She listened to a stranger’s story and hugged him. |
D.She told a stranger the story of her stay in Los Vegas |
According to the writer, what matters least when someone wants to talk?
A.The question you ask. |
B.The way you speak. |
C.The way you look at someone. |
D.the caring in your heart. |
What does the underlined word “who” stand for in the article?
A.A woman the stranger loved very much but failed to marry. |
B.A woman the stranger married 50 years ago and left for some reason. |
C.A woman the stranger loved very much and succeeded in marrying. |
D.The writer’s sister whose debt the writer will be forever in. |
What does the writer want to tell us with the article?
A.It’s never too late to express your love. |
B.It’s better to say what you need to say before it’s too late. |
C.We should care about strangers to make the world better. |
D.We should be careful about what we say to our beloved ones. |
Teen's 'wuxia' world
While many teenagers are struggling (奋斗) to write articles for their exams,Jin Minzhe has already written a whole book.
The 15﹣year﹣old boy from Suzhou,Jiangsu,recently published (出版) his wuxia novel Ji Chi Jing Hong He Shan Yi(《几尺惊鸿河山意》).The story is set during the Southern and Northern Dynasties (420﹣581).A young man lays down his pen and takes up a sword to fight for his homeland.
"I love Jin Yong's wuxia stories," Jin told Gusu Evening News. "I also love history.In the seventh grade,I traveled to Wuzhen,where Prince Xiao Tong from the Liang Dynasty once lived,and I was inspired(受启发) to write a wuxia story based on(以……为根据) him."
In a video interview with Xinhua,Jin looks a little bit shy.But when it comes to writing,he becomes someone bold.He shared a lot of his writing experiences actively. "I wrote around the clock as my ideas kept coming.After about 20 days,I finished more than 300 pages," Jin said.
Jin's writing skills might come from his love of reading.In primary school,he read four books every week.In junior high school,where schoolwork is heavy,he still reads three to four books a month. ?
"My father loves history,so we often talk about our reading experiences and share our different opinions," Jin said. "My mom takes me to bookstores and writers' lectures.She also took care of me when I wrote the book,reminding me not to stay up too late."
Jin said literature(文学) gave him a sense of calm and freedom. "Nothing can stop me from reading and writing," he said.
(1)How old was Jin Minzhe when his wuxia novel came out?
(2)What is Jin's novel about?
(3)What did Jin get from his trip to Wuzhen?
(4)What does the underlined word "bold" mean in Chinese?
(5)What sentence can be put in the blank?
(6)Why could Jin write the novel successfully?
In high school and college,you may be encouraged to travel or study abroad.Perhaps you are too busy with your schoolwork to seriously consider these chances.I encourage traveling at a young age. (1) .
As young people,most of us live with mom and dad.Our community knows us well,too.The idea of getting out of this comfort zone(舒适区) can be scary (可怕的).
(2) In our daily life,we know well how to act and respond(答复)to people.But how about being in a new place,with strangers who hold different values?It can be uncomfortable at first.But once you work out that you can connect with people in spite of(尽管)differences,you become smarter and more confident.You should learn to face this discomfort.It will help you to grow.
By traveling widely,you will also develop cultural sensitivity(敏感性).Being culturally sensitive is important.And it is not enough to just know, "People from that country are like this."
When I was in Spain,for example,I found people there took a two﹣hour break in the middle of their workday.Many foreigners consider the Spanish people lazy. (3) To the Spanish people,eating together as a family is more important than anything else.Cultural sensitivity will help you with your communication on both business and personal levels.
Finally,I'd like to mention that traveling abroad will be a wonderful way to learn a new language.Being in a new language﹣learning environment,you will have to use the language.(4)
A.It helps you to learn a new language as well. B.In fact,the Spanish people are always like this. C.However,one learns the most in strange situations. D.The earlier you travel widely,the more you can learn. E.In this way,you will improve your language skills better. F.Few of them know people there place great value on family time. |
Mel found a wallet on her way back home.She picked it up and looked inside.Five hundred dollars!Mel thought about the bike she wanted.She had asked her mum for one,which would cost 460 dollars,but her mum said they had no money.Mel looked around.No one had seen her with the wallet.She put it into her school bag and ran home fast.
When she got home,she put the wallet in her treasure box.However,there was one problem.How could she tell her parents about it?Then Mel remembered the prize of the science competition was five hundred dollars.She would tell her parents she had won it.
The next day,Mel rushed home from school.She was just about to tell her mother the good news when her mother said," "I have enough money left over this week for a treat.I've bought some strawberries.You can have one." Mel's news darted (猛冲) back inside her , like a moth (蛾子) into a dark corner.What would happen if her mother lost her wallet and someone kept it?They might not have any food for weeks!Mel ran to her room.She opened the treasure box and took the wallet to her mother.
"I found this," she said. "It has five hundred dollars in it."
"Wow!" said her mother. "Five hundred dollars!"
She looked inside the wallet. "It could be Mrs.Maka's," she said. "We'll have to take it to her right now."
Mrs.Maka was very pleased to get her wallet back. "This money is to get my eyes fixed,or I will go blind," she said.She gave twenty dollars to Mel,but Mel refused.
After that,Mel and Mrs.Maka became good friends.Mel helped Mrs.Maka make a garden and Mrs.Maka showed Mel how to make clay pots(陶罐).One day,Mrs.Maka said, "Mel,my clay pot won a prize﹣1000 dollars and a red bike!I can't ride a bike.Would you like it?"
(1)How did Mel get the 500 dollars?
A. |
She found it on her way home. |
B. |
She won the prize of a competition. |
C. |
She borrowed it from her friend. |
D. |
She saved it from her pocket money. |
(2)From the underlined sentence,we can infer that Mel felt .
A. |
bored |
B. |
sorry |
C. |
sick |
D. |
disappointed |
(3)What did Mel do with the money in the end?
A. |
She gave it to her mum. |
B. |
She kept it in her treasure box. |
C. |
She bought herself a bike. |
D. |
She returned it to Mrs.Maka. |
(4)From the last paragraph we can know that .
A. |
Mel's dream finally came true |
B. |
Mel became good at making clay pots |
C. |
Mrs.Maka didn't like the bike at all |
D. |
Mrs.Maka needed more money for her eyes |
(5)What does the passage mainly tell us?
A. |
Trust is the best choice. |
B. |
Honesty makes close friendship. |
C. |
Do well and have well. |
D. |
Don't wait to correct your mistakes. |
How do you go to school every day?By bike or on foot?Maybe you can try a new way﹣taking a S'Cool Bus.
The S'Cool Bus is also called the bike bus.It was invented in the bike kingdom﹣the Netherlands.It is all about green lifestyle,sport and sharing.It's interesting for kids to ride the bus together to go to school.
Also,it is very safe.The bike bus has a driver and eleven seats for kids.Each one has a helmet(头盔) and safety belt(安全带).There is also a roof on the bus.It can be used on hot days or rainy days to make kids feel comfortable.
Riding the bike bus is one of the greatest ways for children to get to school.Peter,a 10﹣year﹣old pupil,becomes a big fan of the bike bus. "Now the S'Cool Bus is my favorite way of transport.I can ride it together with other kids to keep healthy.It's full of fun."For most parents,it can help them save a lot of time because they only have to pick up their children after school.
The S′Cool Bus is becoming more and more popular in some countries like Germany and France.Its creator Thomas Tolkamp says, "I hope I can sell the bike bus to more countries in the future.As green lifestyle becomes popular,ideas like this get popular,too.I think it will work well in other countries." The use of S'Cool Bus shows us that we can save the Earth in many ways as long as we want to have a try.
(1)According to the passage,the S'Cool Bus .
A. |
can carry twelve kids |
B. |
offers kids helmets and umbrellas |
C. |
has no windows or roof |
D. |
is ridden by the driver and kids together |
(2)Why does Peter enjoy riding the S'Cool Bus to school?
A. |
It saves time and money. |
B. |
It makes him safe and relaxed. |
C. |
It is green and comfortable. |
D. |
It is interesting and good for health. |
(3)Thomas thinks the S'Cool Bus will work well in other countries because .
A. |
more people like to live green lives |
B. |
many people hope to try out new ideas |
C. |
it can help kids form the habit of exercising |
D. |
it makes people realize the importance of being green |
(4)Which of the following would be the best title for this passage?
A. |
A biking trip to school |
B. |
A cool way to school |
C. |
A school bus or a bike? |
D. |
The best way to transport |
International Graduation (毕业) Video Rose Garcia Thursday,June 10,2021 To:Li Hua |
Hi Li Hua, Congratulations on your coming graduation!My name is Rose Garcia.I work at the International Student Office at SMU and I am working on the International Graduation Video to show all of your memories and achievements at SMU. Submissions(提交材料) will include : ★Your favorite pictures and videos of your time at SMU. ★A sentence or two including where you are from and what you are graduating with. ★A thank﹣you message to someone who may have helped you go through this difficult time. Please send submissions or questions to Rose Garcia at Roseg@smu.edu. The deadline(截止时间)for this is Friday,July 9,2021.The video will be shared around graduation time. Congratulations and don't miss this chance to celebrate your achievements! Yours, Rose |
(1)Who is the email written to?
A. |
A head teacher. |
B. |
A student's parent. |
C. |
A class monitor. |
D. |
An international student. |
(2)What submissions should Li Hua prepare?
①a thank﹣you message
②questions about graduation
③a simple self﹣introduction
④her favourite pictures and videos
A. |
①②③ |
B. |
①③④ |
C. |
②③④ |
D. |
①②③④ |
(3)All the submissions should be sent by .
A. |
June 10 |
B. |
June 27 |
C. |
July 9 |
D. |
July 14 |
(4)What is the email mainly about?
A. |
The international students' life. |
B. |
The International Graduation Video. |
C. |
SMU's suggestions for the school﹣leavers. |
D. |
Rose's congratulations on Li's achievements. |