Every Wednesday, I go to Cantata Adult Life Services, a local retirement community in Brookfield, Illinois, US, with my classmates to do community service.
After my very first visit to Cantata, my life changed forever. That may sound a bit dramatic, but volunteering with the elderly has changed my views on life.
Our visits last about an hour, and we bring 25-30 students every time. We play board games and cards with the residents while we’re there.
You can watch all the movies and TV shows you want about “life back then”, but nothing compares to talking to the people who were actually there. Just hearing their stories has touched me in a way I never thought possible.
Whether it was talking to 98-year-old “Hurricane Hilda” about her glory days as a roller skater or chatting with Lou about the times she danced with a famous actor, I was completely attracted by every single memory the residents wanted to share with me.
Even the residents who don’t have amazing memories make the experience satisfying . I remember visiting Mrs Robinson. She couldn’t recall much about her past, but she told me she’d never forget how kind I wasjust to listen to her “rambling (漫谈)”. It made me realize that it’s the little things that make life worth living. That’s something I won’t forget anytime soon.
If there’s one thing I’ve realized in my three years of visiting Cantata, it’s that presence –just being there –means more than anything to many of the residents. And despite how busy our lives are, there’s always time to make someone’s day.
For me, it feels great to be a source of happiness, a smile on a bad day or a listening ear for old memories. And at the end of the day, that’s all that matters.It’s easy to feel like you don’t have anything in common with the elderly –especially when you’re a teenager. But that’s not true at all.
I hate to be overly clichéd (陈词滥调的) here, but age really is just a number. As young adults, it’s important for us to realize this sooner rather than later. We can learn a lot from the elderly, and they can often benefit from teenagers too.What do the volunteers do according to the passage?
| A．They share everything with the residents. |
| B．They play board games and cards with the residents. |
| C．They watch the residents play games. |
| D．They buy gifts for the residents. |
According to the writer, what is the most important thing that volunteers can do for the elderly?
| A．Playing with them. | B．Benefiting from them. |
| C．Helping them. | D．Being there with them. |
What does the writer want to tell us by writing this passage ?
| A．We don’t have anything in common with the elderly. |
| B．Age is just a number. |
| C．It is important to help the elderly. |
| D．Young adults and the elderly can benefit from each other. |
Mr. Brown was going away for a week. Before he left, he said to his son, "if anyone asks for me, you can tell him that your father has been out for doing something, and will be back in a week, then be sure to ask him to sit down for a cup of tea."
"OK, Dad," said his son. But he was afraid his son couldn't remember this, he wrote these words down on a piece of paper and gave it to him. His son put it into his small pocket, took it out and looked at it every now and then.
Four days passed, but no one came to see his father. The boy thought that there was no man to come and that the piece of paper was of no more use for him, so he burnt it that evening.
The next afternoon, someone knocked at the door. The boy opened it. A man was standing at the door and said, "Where is your father?" The boy put his hand into his pocket at once and looked for the piece of paper. He could not find it. He suddenly remembered he had burnt it, so he shouted, "No more." The man was very surprised. He asked, "No more? I met your father last week. When did it happen?"
"Burnt yesterday evening."Mr. Brown told his son that _____.
| A．he would be away from home for four days |
| B．he would be back in seven days |
| C．he would be back in a month |
| D．he liked a cup of tea |
Mr. Brown wrote the words down on ________.
| A．the wall | B．the door | C．a piece of paper | D．his son's pocket |
A man came to visit the boy's father on ________.
| A．the second day | B．the third day | C．the fourth day | D．the fifth day |
The man was very surprised because _________.
| A．he thought the child's father was dead |
| B．the child didn't ask him to sit down |
| C．the child gave him a cup of tea |
| D．he couldn't find that piece of paper |
What was burnt?
| A．The piece of paper | B．Mr. Smith | C．The visitor | D．The boy |
Every heard the old saying, “An apple a day keeps the doctor away”? It is true! Apples have a lot of nutritional value!
A medium sized apple has only 80 calories (卡). What a great snack choice! Not only is an apple low in calories, they contain absolutely no fat. Thus, eating apples as snacks, as opposed to chips or cakes, will help reduce the risk of cancer.
On top of reducing the risk of cancer, the low sodium (钠) amounts in apples also help reduce high blood pressure and heart disease. They are cholesterol (胆固醇) free. They are also rich in vitamin A, which helps strengthen vision (视力) along with bone and tooth development.
Now that we know the nutritional facts, let’s take a look at some of the fun facts—That’s right! Apples can be fun, as well as healthy!
If an apple is fresh, it will float on water. Twenty-five percent of an apple is air, thus allowing it to float. Can you imagine bobbing (上下浮动) for apples that sink?
And, did you know that an apple is covered with a natural layer of wax (蜡)? That’s what the peeling (剥下的皮) is. It protects the apple’s high water content, keeping the apple fresh.
Apples are a very important part of a healthy diet, but keep in mind they can be fun. And always remember, if an apple sinks in water, pick another one to bob for!How many kinds of facts about apples are mentioned in the passage?
| A．Two. | B．Three. | C．Four. | D．Five. |
Apples contain no _________.
| A．calories and sodium | B．fat and sodium |
| C．fat and cholesterol | D．cholesterol and sodium |
We learn that an apple is probably _________ if it sinks in water.
| A．too high in water content | B．still green |
| C．sweet and rich in vitamins | D．unsuitable to eat |
Why do apples stay fresh for a long time?
| A．Because they contain much water. |
| B．Because they have peeling with a layer of wax. |
| C．Because they contain much air. |
| D．Because they have peeling with nutritional value. |
It was when I was attending high school that I first read Asimov’s stories. At the time, a few science fiction magazines began to introduce this author, and to translate a few pieces from his “Robot Series”. Of Asimov’s works, the one that left the deepest impression on me was Pebble in the Sky. This novel directly influenced my early science fiction writing. Asimov was one of the leading writers of western science fiction’s Golden Age, so although his writing may not have a direct influence on writers of today, his underlying (潜在的) influence on many levels is undeniable — the famous Three Laws of Robotics, and many classic writing techniques, for example. Asimov’s novels are marked by a fully integrated (完整的) logical system, and his stories are a pleasure to read. This is the reason his novels still attract readers today. Naturally, western science fiction has few people these days who follow Asimov’s creative methods. But still the majority of Chinese science fiction readers would rather read the classic works of Asimov. Compared with the “Robot Series”, Asimov’s “Foundation Series” is a little less well-known in China. In fact, the “Foundation Series” creates an entire world, even grander than that of the “Robot Series”; this science fiction had a direct influence on later western science fiction, the most famous example being Star Wars. We learn from the passage that the writer is probably a _________.
| A．science fiction writer | B．science fiction publisher |
| C．high school student | D．science fiction fan |
The purpose of the passage is to _________.
| A．compare Asimov with other science fiction writers |
| B．advise people to read Asimov’s stories |
| C．give some comments on Asimov’s influence |
| D．explain why Asimov is popular in China |
According to the passage, which of the following statements is TRUE?
| A．Asimov is criticized by today’s science fiction writers. |
| B．Asimov still has many readers in China. |
| C．Asimov wrote Star Wars in his later life. |
| D．Asimov’s writing techniques are still widely used. |
In the writer’s opinion, Asimov’s “Foundation Series” _________.
| A．was not as successful as his “Robot Series” |
| B．is better known to readers than his “Robot Series” |
| C．was more logically organized than his “Robot Series” |
| D．was written better than his “Robot Series” in some ways |
Classified Ads
For direct classified service, call 800-0667 10 a.m.—4 p.m., Monday---Friday.
For Rent
Best on Campus
Excellent Room for girls, begins Jan., 2, 4, or 8 months lease. Single, $ 105. $125. Double, $ 140. Call 800-1932.
Family Home, 3 bedrooms, large yard. $ 275. Call 800-4300.
For Sale
Sheepskin Coat, men’s size 42, 1year old. $ 85. After 6 p.m. call 800-5224.
Moving: Must sell. Color TV 21, $ 150; transistor radio, $ 15; recorder, $ 25. Call 800-0739.
Help Wanted
Babysitter—My home
If you could find a few hours during the day, some evenings and weekends to care for 2 school- age children, please call 800-1111.
Lost
A black bag with a pencil-box and some books left in the reading room. Will the finder please come to Class 3, Grade 1?
Found
A green jacket was left on the sports ground yesterday afternoon ( April 15th). Will the owner please ring 656-6688If you wanted to place an ad. , what number would you call?
| A．800-0739 | B．800-1932 | C．800-5224 | D．800-0667 |
“ Classified Ads” may probably mean “________”.
| A．ads about everyone’s life |
| B．ads giving one some necessary information |
| C．ads divided into different groups according to a certain rules |
| D．ads for which you needn’t pay any money |
If you want to find a part-time job, you will look at________.
| A．For Rent | B．For Sale | C．Help Wanted | D．Lost |
Last year when Tom graduated from school, he came to Taibei. He didn't like to work on his father's farm and hoped to find a job in a big city. He went from one company to another but no one wanted him. With little money left, he got to the station, sad and tired. All he wanted to do was go back to his small town. It was very late at night and the station was full of people. They were waiting to buy tickets of the last train. He bought the last ticket, and he was very happy.
At that time, a woman with a crying baby walked to him and asked him to sell her the ticket. He gave her the ticket because he thought they needed it more than he did. After the train left, he sat on the bench and didn't know where to go. Suddenly, an old man came and said, "Young man, I have seen what you did to the woman. I am the owner of a big company. I need a good young man like you. Would you like to work for me?"Tom came to the station to _______.
| A．find a job | B．take the train home |
| C．sell the ticket | D．take the train to Taibei |
The woman walked to Tom because _______.
| A．she was Tom's old friend |
| B．her child wanted to talk to Tom |
| C．she needed to take the train |
| D．she had no money to buy a ticket |
Tom didn't take the train because _______.
| A．he didn't take a train ticket |
| B．he missed the train |
| C．he wanted to talk to the old man |
| D．he gave his ticket to the woman |
What can we learn from this story?
| A．Many people find job in a train station. |
| B．Don't buy the last ticket of the train. |
| C．If we try our best to help others, others will help us. |
| D．We should not give our ticket to others in a train station. |