Gregory Kloehn digs through dustbins every day, but not for the reason that most people would think．He isn’t homeless．In fact he is trying to help the homeless.
Gregory began his life as a sculptor．But he often felt that his sculptures, which just stood in rich people’s houses for years, lacked a meaningful purpose．So in 201l he decided to put his artistic energies into creating homes to sell—not ordinary homes but small structures built entirely from recycled materials.
The thought of creating homes for the homeless didn’t occur to him until the year 2013, when a homeless couple asked him for a tarp(防水布)．Instead of a tarp, Gregory offered them something better: a small home with a water tank, a kitchen and a trap for waste．They were so grateful that Gregory decided to focus his efforts on helping house the homeless population in his city．And soon his “Homeless Homes Project” was started.
Before starting a new home, Gregory, goes hunting for materials by digging through dustbins．Everything he finds is usable—refrigerator doors become house doors; washing machine doors often serve as windows, and the tops of cars become strong roofs．He put wheels at the bottom for users to move their homes around easily．Each home takes two to three days to make．
So far Gregory has donated dozens of homes to the city’s most needy．While his small low-cost mobile homes are not the final solution to the problem of homelessness, they are really practical and do provide a warm and safe place for the homeless to stay in．They are simply a way for one man to do something nice for those in need of some help.
Gregory has written a book titled Homeless Architecture, where he explains techniques to build those homes and he is now working on weekend workshops．“A lot of people who hear about what I’m doing want to get involved,” he said． “Maybe we can meet someplace and put a couple of homes together.”Why did Gregory turn from making sculptures to creating homes?
| A．He had no home to live in． |
| B．He had to make more money. |
| C．He lost interest in sculpture. |
| D．He wanted to help the homeless. |
The author mentions the story in Paragraph 3 to tell us____________.
| A．Gregory’s small homes were popular among the homeless |
| B．how Gregory got the idea of “Homeless Homes Project” |
| C．the homeless couple asked Gregory to produce more homes |
| D．housing the homeless in a city was not an easy task |
What can we conclude from Paragraph 4?
| A．Gregory has great trouble hunting for materials for his small houses． |
| B．It takes Gregory a long time to produce a home． |
| C．Gregory’s work requires imagination and creativity |
| D．Everything in the dustbins will be used in Gregory’s work． |
What can we infer from the last paragraph?
| A．Gregory’s project will help more homeless people. |
| B．Gregory doesn’t need to make small homes now． |
| C．Gregory’s work will completely solve the homelessness problem． |
| D．A single person can make no difference to social problems． |
(NEW YORK)---Scientists have discovered small signs of awareness in some vegetative(植物人的) brain injury patients and have even communicated with one of them---findings that are beneficial to how to assess and care for such people.
The new research suggests that standard tests may ignore patients who have some consciousness, and that someday some kind of communication may be possible.
In the strongest example, a 29-year-old patient was able to answer yes-or-no questions by picturing specific scenes the doctors asked him to imagine.
“We were stunned when this happened,” said one study author, Martin Monti of the Brain Sciences Unit in Cambridge. “I find it really amazing. This was a patient who was believed to be vegetative for five years.”
Ever since a research paper four years ago described obvious signs of awareness in a vegetative patient, families of patients have been demanding brain scans, said Dr. James Bernat, a spokesman for the American Academy for Neurology.
But experts said more study is needed before the specialized brain scans could be used in medical treatment. “It’s still a research tool,” Bernat said.
Experts also pointed out that only a few tested patients showed evidence of awareness. And they said it is not clear what degree of consciousness and mental abilities the signs imply.
They also noted that the positive signals appeared only in people with traumatic(外伤的) brain injury---not in patients whose brains had been lacking in oxygen, as can happen when the heart stops.
The new study used brain scanning called functional MRI, for 23 patients in a vegetative state and 31 that are minimally(极微地) conscious.
Patients are said to be in a vegetative state if they are tested and found unable to do such things as move on command or follow a moving object with their eyes. Minimally conscious patients show signs of awareness, but they are minimal and discontinuous. What is the practical use of the research?
| A．It leads to studying how to cure vegetative patients. |
| B．It attracts society to pay more attention to vegetative patients. |
| C．It helps doctors know whether patients are vegetative or not. |
| D．It drives the government to care about vegetative patients. |
What does the underlined word “stunned” in Paragraph 4 probably mean?
| A．Relaxed | B．Amazed | C．Excited | D．Worried |
One is considered vegetative if _______________.
| A．his eyes can’t follow a moving thing | B．his brain only has a little oxygen |
| C．he has a traumatic brain injury | D．his heart stops beating |
The passage mainly deals with ________________.
| A．how to recognize a vegetative patient | B．the significance of a new scientific finding |
| C．how family members look after a vegetative patient | |
| D．the latest findings on awareness in some vegetative patients |
Researchers who study relationships have discovered that a big difference between those who make new friends easily, and those who don’t, is that socially successful people tend to make eye contact with their conversation partners much more frequently than those who are less successful socially. In fact, you may be able to become much more socially successful by making this one simple change to your behavior.
Most Americans prefer to have a lot of eye contact when they are talking with someone. When a person doesn’t make eye contact with them, they tend to think that the person is hiding something or the person doesn’t believe in himself/herself.
When you are having a conversation and you want to leave a friendly impression, be sure to keep looking at that person frequently while you are talking. If it really bothers you to look directly into another person’s eyes, you can gaze generally at, not above, the eyebrow area or the bridge of the nose; this is close enough to the eye region that you will appear to be looking at the person’s eyes. But neither the hair or the shoulders have the same effect. Don’t stare at other people too intensely, otherwise, you will look aggressive(攻击性).
Keep the majority of your focus on the other person. If you glance around the room too much, or look too frequently at other people, your conversation partner may guess that you are looking around for someone else you would rather talk with.
You can lighten your nervousness by smiling more often, nodding, and by gazing at the entire face as well as the eyes. In addition, you can frequently look away for very short periods.
When people get the sense that you are really paying attention to them, they will be much more likely to want to have conversations with you!Which of the following is NOT the impression left by those who don’t make eye contact during the talk?
| A．They are not telling the truth. | B．They are bored with the partner. |
| C．They are lacking in confidence | D．They are angry and ready to attack. |
Besides the eyes of the partner, during the talk, you can look at his/her ___________.
| A．hair | B．shoulders | C．the bridge of the nose | D．area above the eyebrows |
From the passage, we can learn that ____________________.
| A．looking away during conversation should always be avoided. |
| B．looking at a person frequently can give him/her a good impression. |
| C．many Americans feel like being stared at for a long time. |
| D．all successful people are good at making eye contact. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．How to make yourself socially successful |
| B．How to use eye contact to make a good impression |
| C．How to make friends with the people around you |
| D．How to leave a good impression during a talk |
Dear Michelle,
My mother is not a good example for me and my sister. She smokes, stays out late, and she curses. I love her but I am ashamed of her. I do not want to bring home my friends because she does not act like any of the other mothers. She says I am a loser because I sit at home and I study. I wish I could live in another family that is normal, but that will not be for another 5 years when I am 18 and legal. What am I supposed to do until then?
Prisoner of a Crazy House
Dear 7th Grade,
I am glad that you love your mother because the rest of your feelings about her may change as you mature and get older.
While it is true that your mother’s smoking, partying and cursing bring you shame, the fact that you want to stay separate from her doing is notable and very smart. It shows that you are a winner, not a loser.
I am guessing, therefore, that you do not bring shame to yourself, and that is a good thing. So, keep it that way and keep away from your mother’s habits.
In the meantime, get the best grades as possible and join clubs and after-school activities. Offer social service on weekends and visit with your friends at their homes.
Unfortunately, you are not alone. Many teens live in homes with immature, misguided, selfish parents. Those kids often feel lonely and separate from the rest of their friends because of their parents’ terrible deeds.
Yet, despite this, some of these very teens grow up to be just fine. They develop good friendships with nice kids, do well in school, and often find a teacher of guidance advisor who makes all the difference!
Do it, Miss Winning 13-year-old, and keep looking forward to your own fine future. Maybe by then your mother may even see the light and realize how surprising you really are.
Best luck!
MichelleThe kids asks for advice on how to _________.
| A．make her mother change | B．grow up in her present situation |
| C．get along well with her mother | D．start a new family with her sister |
Michelle doesn’t call her letter receiver a “Prisoner of a Crazy House” possibly because she ________.
| A．tries to be polite | B．doesn’t write to that kid alone |
| C．knows that’s a girl in Grade 7 | D．wants to cheer up the kid |
Michelle advises the girl to ___________.
| A．try talking to her mother | B．get used to the habits of her mother |
| C．stick to her attitude towards her mother | D．improve her relationship with her mother |
What does Michelle express by the paragraphs beginning with “Unfortunately” and “Yet”?
| A．Many parents act terribly | B．You’re not speaking for yourself |
| C．Parents’ manners make little difference | D．Don’t worry too much about your problem |
Getting ready for a big test? Want to get some extra energy for your next sports event? Or do you just need to relax? Match the mood you’re in( or the mood you’d like to be in) to the descriptions below and find out what color may help.
Feeling tired: Red can help you meet the demands of a busy day. If you’ve got a tough day ahead, try wearing a red sweater or painting your fingernails a rich red to boost(增加) your energy.
Feeling tense or depressed: Green may give you a sense of peace. Take a long walk through a tree-filled park or read a book in a grassy area.
Wanting to use your creativity: Violet(紫罗兰色) helps increase creativity. Think of a creative project you’d like to start and use the color violet as your main theme.
Experiencing lack of interest: Yellow helps to improve thought process and mental sharpness. Start keeping a diary on yellow notepaper, and get some sunlight on your face.
Needing to boost your imagination: Indigo(靛蓝色) strengthens dream activity. Put on your favorite pair of jeans and a pair of indigo sunglasses.
Feeling sad, self-conscious, nervous: Orange may help start your emotions and make you more social. Buy yourself an orange book bag or purse and carry it with you on the days when you’re feeling low.
Having trouble sleeping: Blue helps calm your nerves and brings relaxation. Buy some blue sheets for your bed and curl up with your favorite magazines for a relaxing night. If you’re trying to calm yourself down, you may ________.
| A．wear a red sweater | B．walk through green fields. |
| C．put on a pair of jeans | D．buy a yellow bag |
Which of the following is most helpful in producing unique artwork?
| A．Red | B．Green | C．Violet | D．Orange |
According to the passage, orange____________.
| A．helps fire one’s imagination | B．helps you deal with people easily |
| C．helps have a good rest | D．helps save energy |
If you want to be in high spirits, which colors may help?
| A．Red and yellow | B．Yellow and blue |
| C．Green and violet | D．Blue and green |
Greece is one of the most beautiful countries of the world．Millions of tourist visit this place every year．In Greece the bus is the most convenient and preferred means of traveling．There are intercity buses operated by KTEL that interconnect various cities of Greece,!! and there are international buses operated by OSE that connect Greece to other European cities.
Every tourist must visit Greece at least once in life．This country is really a vacation heaven．It is the perfect blend（融合） of history and art with adventure and romance．You car| dive into deep[
blue waters, climb up the mountains or enjoy ancient architecture and history．
Buses in Greece are cheap and very comfortable．All bus stations display schedules of buses on every route．Conductors and drivers are very polite and helpful．Travelers never face any rouble locating and boarding buses to their destinations．Tourists can always ask the conductor to inform them about their stop, so that they can get down at the right stop．Everyone here is more than happy to help tourists．
Athens, me capital of Greece, has three bus terminals(终点站）．Buses to different parts of Greece leave from different terminals．Air-conditioned express buses also operate between major cities．They are faster and more comfortable than other buses．Tourists can choose guided Greece bus ^our．These tours are the perfect way of exploring this great country． |
Buses in Greece are also a great way of saving bucks on the journey．The long-distance bus system is very cheap．Buses save a lot of money to cover long distances, cheaper than taxis or cars． They are also the best means of interacting with local people．You can sit next to a native of Greece and get some information about the place．The company KTEL offers bus services _____．
| A．to different cities in Greece | B．from Greece to other countries |
| C．to tourist attractions in Greece | D．from Greece to its bordering countries |
It can be inferred from Para．3 that the Greeks are _____．
| A．generous | B．hard-working |
| C．economical | D．warm-hearted |
If you are a tourist to Greece from overseas, you’d better choose _____．
| A．taxis | B．cars |
| C．guided Greece bus tours | D．air-conditioned express buses ; |
The underlined word "bucks" in the last paragraph probably refers to _____． ;
A．money B, energy C．time D．troubleWhile taking long-distance buses, you can _____．
| A．know more about the bus schedules |
| B．make friends with the conductors |
| C．learn more about bus systems in Greece |
| D．learn something about the place you’re visiting |