Shopping is one of the best ways to relax after a stressful week. Nothing is more satisfying than finding a perfect item -- and when I' m bored with shopping for clothes I move on to make-up and shoes. I never shop in sales -- the reason the items haven' t sold at full price is usually because they are badly made or horrible colours.
--Blanca
I hate shopping and it bores me enormously. I really cannot understand such a useless and expensive habit. I only shop for clothes when I can' t get out of it and when I do, I make sure I buy good quality and as much as I can afford, to put off having to go again for as long as possible. I have friends who will spend a Whole day going from shop to shop trying on lots of different clothes and not buying anything. That's really stupid.
--Pam
I can' t see the point in spending a lot of money on clothes, when they are so much cheaper abroad. I do most of my shopping when I go on holiday, and get great clothes for half the price. I love finding bargains! I also buy a lot in sales. The clothes may be out of fashion a bit, but they' re good quality, and if you wait long enough, they come back into fashion!
--Meghan
I personally still spend half of my wage on clothes. I usually only ever wear something three times before I throw it in the back of my wardrobe (衣橱). I never wear a party dress more than once. If I lost my job and couldn't afford to buy lots of clothes, I would never be able to go out of the house again.
--Shelly
I prided myself on being unattached to any device (装置). Then, I got a smart phone.
It's not a very fancy smart phone, but I was lost. It was used during commercial breaks, the line at the bank, the three minutes it takes for popcorn to be ready. I even checked my phone while on the phone with someone else.
I broke the most sacred (不得违背的) technology rule I have with my kids — no devices in the bedroom. I didn't just take my smart phone in the bedroom. I charged it there. Soon that device was the first thing I caught after waking.
I used to keep a book with me in my spare time; now I kept the smart phone. I opened some apps without conscious thought; remembering to look up on a sports field became a challenge.
Recently, I was waiting for my youngest child's soccer game to start, trying to answer emails, text my husband, and update a website. The phone lost its signal before my updating the website.
I drove home and rushed to the laptop. Coat still on, I started troubleshooting (检修故障). My oldest sat across from me.
I asked the standard Mom-questions half-heartedly, half-listening as she responded. She was talking about some music opportunity, something she was excited about ...
I glanced up from my screen and saw her looking right at me. My fingers froze and I had an awful feeling. I realized it was the first time I had looked at her.
I started apologizing, but she just laughed.
"My friends are much better at multitasking online."
The next morning, I did something that was more painful than I'd like to admit. I deleted (删除) my apps. When I finished, my smart phone was just a phone again — something I could forget in the car.
In Japan, Christmas just isn't Christmas without butter. That's because the Japanese love to celebrate Christmas Eve with "Christmas cakes," which are filled with whipped cream (生奶油) and topped with strawberries. Making this tasty treat requires some serious amounts of butter. But this year, the creamy golden spread is in short supply on the island nation.
In fact, many Japanese supermarkets are fresh out of dairy (milk) products entirely. Those that do still have butter often limit shoppers to one box apiece, and the price for that box is much higher than normal.
Northern Japan has been suffering unusually old winters in recent years, and all of Japan has had to endure (忍受) hotter summers. This extreme weather has stressed out the nation's dairy cows. They have not been able to produce their expected amount of milk.
However, even before the bad weather, Japan's butter supply was in trouble. The number of dairy farms in the country has been steadily shrinking. Not many young people in Japan want to become dairy farmers anymore.
The demand for dairy products in Japan has also been falling. The Japanese diet consists mainly of rice and seafood, and it often doesn't require many milk products. So the government decided to cut back the number of the country's dairy cows in 2007. This led to a butter shortage in 2008 as well as the current shortage.
The Japanese government has tried to increase the stock of butter by importing (进口) about 10,000 tons from overseas. But even this emergency supply has done little to end the shortage this Christmas season.
Blogger Audrey Akcasu says Japanese people are using substitutes in their cooking or paying more money for real butter.
"Some bakeries are choosing to replace butter with margarine (人造黄油) this year, claiming the slight change in taste will be less noticeable than the potential higher price we would see if they used imported butter," she writes in Nikkan Gendai, a Japanese newspaper. "But for many shoppers, it'11 have to be margarine or nothing this Christmas."
They were sitting together when Hannah hurried in with a telegram. Mrs March read it, then dropped it, her hands shaking. Jo picked up the telegram and read it in a frightened voice: "Mrs March: Your husband is very ill. Come at once. S. Hale, Blank Hospital, Washington."
The girls moved close to their mother. All their happiness had vanished in a moment. "I shall go at once," said Mrs March. "Where's Laurie?"
"Here," said the boy. "Send a telegram back," said Mrs March. "The next train goes early in the morning. Now, I must write a note to Aunt March."
Jo knew that the money for the journey must be borrowed from Aunt March, and she too wanted to do something to help.
Laurie went off to take the note to Aunt March and to send the telegram. Jo went to fetch some things from the shops.
"Father will need good food and wine," said Mrs March. "Beth, go and ask Mr Laurence for a couple of bottles of wine."
Laurie came back with a letter and money from Aunt March, but Jo did not return. It was late afternoon when she came and gave her mother some money.
"That's to help make Father comfortable," she said.
"Twenty five dollars!" said Mrs March. "My dear, where did you get it?"
Jo took off her hat.
"Your beautiful hair!" cried Beth.
"Don't cry, Beth," said Jo. "I'll soon have a curly head again."
After their mother went away, they all helped Hannah with housework. News of their father came through, at first telling them he was dangerously ill, but then saying he was slowly getting better.
A continued B. varied C. disappeared D. burst
Medicine
Medicine is the science of keeping people healthy, and healing the sick. Humans have practiced forms of medicine for thousands of years. Today specially trained people called doctors practice medicine.
There are many parts to a doctor' s job. Doctors' first need to identify what is making a person sick. Then they decide on a treatment. They also predict when the patient will feel better. When treating patients, doctors work with many other people, including nurses and physician assistants.
Becoming a doctor involves years of education and training. Medical students first graduate from college.Students usually earn a Doctor of Medicine degree in medical school. After medical school most graduates enter a residency ( 住院医师实习期)， which is a training program usually in a hospital.During this time, new doctors can specialize in a particular type Of medicine in such areas as internal medicine (内科学) or surgery (外科). Finally, new doctors must pass a test to get a license to practice medicine.
In the 1900s scientists developed vaccines (疫苗) to prevent many diseases and drugs to treat many others. Doctors transplanted organs from one person into another. They used many machines to help them to identify and treat diseases.
Today doctors have many ways to help patients heal. For example, scientists are still searching for cures for cancer, AIDS, and many other diseases.
A. They can be used to prevent diseases.
B. In addition, doctors try to prevent illnesses.
C. Doctors thought diseases were caused by the gods.
D. Then they spend three to four years in medical school.
E. But there are still many unanswered questions in medicine.
F. They also learned how good nutrition helped people to stay healthy.
G. During a residency, experienced doctors train the new doctors for three to seven years.
In the second year of my high school, I went abroad to continue my education. Shortly after I settled down with my host family, an Italian girl 1 too. Since the house had limited space, we 2 together. My negative view on roommates started from that moment. My roommate liked to invite friends over and hold parties, but I preferred 3 home by myself. Then 4 started to appear, and I told myself that I never wanted a roommate again.
Unfortunately, life quickly 5 me when I went to college. It required all first-year students to live on 6 , which meant I had to live with someone I didn't know. From that point on, I began to 7 . When I talked to my future roommate Lily for the very first time, I tried my best to smile and nod to hide my nervousness. When she invited me to have lunch, I was completely 8 . I told myself that I should step out of my comfort 9 , even though I could clearly hear my heart beating through my chest. I considered it for a long time, and finally, I accepted her 10 .
After we 11 together for a few weeks, I got to know Lily already owned a small business selling snacks, while I kept 12 to set goals. One night, she asked me what I wanted to do for my career. I looked into her eyes for a long time, and then said, "I don't know." "Don't worry! We will work together, and I'll help you 13 what you are passionate about," she said in a gentle voice. Under her 14 , I found my interest and knew what I wanted to be after graduation. Thanks to her, I felt having a roommate could be so 15 .
While there are many painters I like, I would have to say that Wu Guanzhong is my personal favourite. There is something about his style sets him apart from other painters.
Wu Guanzhong's painting style can (describe) as a mix of Western and Chinese painting traditions. However, his style is very modern: many of his paintings (be) strikingly simple, but also very elegant.
Wu Guanzhong mastered the use white space. My favourite painting is this one, called Zhou Village, in which he used this technique very (effective). Like many of his other works, it's very stylish. Wu used a striking (combine) of black strokes (笔画) and white space to depict (描绘) traditional Chinese buildings in a water town. There is something beautiful and strange about the whitewashed (house) in the painting: they rise up like mountains. Perhaps he wanted to create impressive landscape painting to represent a simple small-town scene. The river is in the foreground (前景), and at (it) centre is a small bridge. When you look at the painting, it is as if you were about (cross) the bridge and enter another world.
The "Top 10 Singers" Competition
Days before the "Top 10 Singers" competition, I was making predictions about who might w (获胜，赢). Everyone was preparing for it. The competitors from my class g (抓住) every chance to practise, and some even composed their own m (音乐，乐曲)!
The great day c (到了). The singers from each class p (表演，演唱) their songs. Some of them were accompanied by a friend on the p (钢琴) or guitar. Most of the songs were in the pop s (风格). Some were adaptations of t (传统的) songs. Some were simple songs w (而) some were rather complicated. The singing was beautiful and two h (小时) was gone before we realized it. Ten students were s (选为) as the top singers of our school, but I think every one of us deserved a p (奖励，奖品) for our efforts.
The competition was extraordinarily s (成功的). It was great fun and we all e (喜欢) it. More importantly, such activities reflected our dreams and our passion and transformed our u (理解) of life.
Ollie Simmons was good at maths, but Ruby Riley wasn't. Well, Ruby didn't think she was. She s (坐) next to Ollie and so she just copied him. This was the best way she had found to do maths and she didn't have to think at all.
One day the teacher said, "We will be having a maths test after lunch." Ruby f (感觉) there were butterflies in the stomach. "Can I copy off you?" she whispered to Ollie. Ollie thought for a minute. "What will you give me?" he whispered back. Ruby s (给……看) Ollie a stone she had. It was r (圆形的，球形的) and smooth and the colour of the sea. "OK!" he said, "Give me the stone, and then you can copy my answers." Ollie got full marks in the maths test and so did Ruby. Their n (名字) went on the top of the maths champion chart.
Every week there was a maths test and every week Ollie and Ruby got full marks together. Ollie had to s (分享，共享) the top place with Ruby, but it was worth it. He had a torch, a key chain, a g (高尔夫球) ball and a gift box!
One day, there was a maths test again. This time, Ruby picked a watch, t (认为，以为) everything would go as usual—Ollie would let her copy and they would be on the top of the chart together again. But she was wrong. The headmaster came into Ruby's class. "I want to see Ollie Simmons," she said. Ollie was gone for a long time. Then the door o (打开). It was the headmaster again. "Ruby Riley," she said, "Come with me, please." Ruby felt like a bird in a c (笼子)—there was no way to escape. The headmaster told Ruby that every lunchtime for five weeks she had to do maths. "You have to learn to think for yourself," she said. "And Ollie has to learn a lesson, too. He's going to teach you."
Ollie Simmons was good at maths, but Ruby Riley wasn't. Well, Ruby didn't think she was. She sat next to Ollie and so she just copied him. This was the best way she had found to do maths and she didn't have to think at all.
One day the teacher said, "We will be having a maths test after lunch." Ruby felt there were butterflies in the stomach. "Can I copy off you?" she whispered to Ollie. Ollie thought for a minute. "What will you give me?" he whispered back. Ruby showed Ollie a stone she had. It was round and smooth and the colour of the sea. "OK!" he said, "Give me the stone, and then you can copy my answers." Ollie got full marks in the maths test and so did Ruby. Their names went on the top of the maths champion chart.
Every week there was a maths test and every week Ollie and Ruby got full marks together. Ollie had to share the top place with Ruby, but it was worth it. He had a torch, a key chain, a golf ball and a gift box!
One day, there was a maths test again. This time, Ruby picked a watch, thinking everything would go as usual—Ollie would let her copy and they would be on the top of the chart together again. But she was wrong. The headmaster came into Ruby's class. "I want to see Ollie Simmons," she said. Ollie was gone for a long time. Then the door opened. It was the headmaster again. "Ruby Riley," she said, "Come with me, please." Ruby felt like a bird in a cage—there was no way to escape. The headmaster told Ruby that every lunchtime for five weeks she had to do maths. "You have to learn to think for yourself," she said. "And Ollie has to learn a lesson, too. He's going to teach you."
注意：1. 续写词数应为150左右；2. 请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
Hanging her head down, Ruby felt so regretful for getting Ollie into trouble.
Ollie proved to be a good teacher for Ruby.
