Reading and Optional Choices 閱讀七選五

根據(jù)短文內(nèi)容，從短文后的選項(xiàng)中選出能填入空白處的最佳選項(xiàng)。選項(xiàng)中有兩項(xiàng)為多余選項(xiàng)。

1

Having a weekly routine （常規(guī)） is important. It allows you to know what you need to do in a week. So， how do you plan out your week？

Figure out the big things.

Take some time each Sunday to think about what has to happen the following week. Most weeks will have the same basic building blocks—the “big things” that never change. 1 But for me they include putting in a full workday， ensuring each child practices their instrument， getting at least 8 hours of sleep， cooking a good meal each night， and working out 4—5 times.

Think about the small things.

2 Medical appointments， coffee dates with friends， children’s birthday parties or play dates. I have rules for these sorts of events： they must be scheduled for evenings or weekends 3 Otherwise， they may affect the quality of my work.

Set your goals.

If there are specific things you need or would like to accomplish （完成） in a given week， list them and plan for them. 4 Executive coach Rafael Sarandeses recommends setting five weekly goals and three daily ones. That’s a generous number which is sure to keep your momentum （動(dòng)力） going.

5

I’m a firm believer in morning hours setting the tone for the rest of the day. I think it’s important to get up at the same time every day. It doesn’t have to be early， but it should be consistent.

A. Have a morning routine.

B. Everyone’s big things will look different.

C. Planning is a habit that must be developed.

D. I try not to let them take up my work hours.

E. Have a try and see what difference it will make.

F. These could be personal goals or professional goals.

G. Next come the small things that change week by week.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

2

High school is an important period of your life， so you need to learn to spend your high school time wisely. Here are some ideas that can lend you a hand.

Studies come first. Make sure that you understand everything your teachers teach. 1 Take notes if you think your teacher is teaching something important. Also， have a plan for what you’re going to study. It is best if you could deal with every subject every day.

2 Don’t delay （推遲） today’s homework until tomorrow. If you happen to be sick， call or e-mail a friend to see if they can come and give you the homework. Being sick isn’t an excuse for not doing homework unless you’re very sick.

Develop good relationships. High school is also a time for you to enjoy with your friends 3 Choose to get along with those who like you for who you are. What’s more， you should try to make friends with teachers.

Develop self-discipline. Behave yourself at school. 4 While your teacher is teaching， keep quiet unless he or she is asking for answers. If your friends want to talk to you in class， ask them to wait until later.

Be active！ Take an active part in after-class activities. 5 Join school clubs which will help you develop them.

A. Finish your homework on time.

B. Find hobbies that you’re good at.

C. Always be on time for every class.

D. Set down your homework carefully.

E. You’ll make more friends if you try this.

F. Ask for help if you don’t understand something.

G. Smile at people to make them see you are nice and happy.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

3

Trying to stay positive， both in good times and bad， is a great way to improve your quality of life. Try these four methods on a daily basis.

Don’t think a lot about negativity.

Letting things get to you is normal， and it’s actually healthy to cry or express frustrations once in a while. It’s when those negative moments control your life that your emotional balance is at risk 1 However， don’t give that sadness another second in your day.

2

What you put into your body directly affects how you feel on the outside. Fill yourself with good， healthy food like fruit and vegetables and limit snacking. Exercise is equally of great importance. Take a few days out of your week for at least a half an hour of activity， and try to stick to a routine. 3

Be kind to others.

4 Making someone’s day a bit brighter not only puts a smile on his or her face， but also yours as well. Remember to smile and treat each person with pity and respect. Good deeds are contagious （有感染力的）， and your positive attitude may spread among others.

Take it one day at a time.

Being positive isn’t an instant thing. It’s a steady effort that we follow every hour of every day. 5 Instead， focus on living in the moment and doing what you can to make each moment better.

A. Eat healthy food and stay fit.

B. Take your lunch breaks outside.

C. Don’t worry about what the future may bring.

D. Gratefulness helps you appreciate life in bad times.

E. Take a few minutes to feel sad and accept what happened.

F. Good feelings come from acts of kindness and selflessness.

G. Even going outside for a walk and enjoying the sunshine improves your mood.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

4

Four Habits to Help You Succeed

Nobody would like to experience failure. We all want to succeed. For those who have tried and failed， success seems elusive （難以達(dá)到的）. 1

● Know your values.

Finding your values is in line with creating motivation （動(dòng)機(jī)）. 2 Pick a handful of things and write them down. Remind yourself of your values every day and reflect on whether you are honoring （履行） those values through your work.

● Pick a goal and focus on it.

Choose one goal to start something large enough that will give you a sense of achievement， while adjusting well to your values. If you want to achieve your goal， focus is the key here. 3 If you perform many tasks at a time， you might never finish your projects because they will take far too long.

● Set a deadline for success.

Set a date for success. Identify when you hope to realize your goal. 4 By setting a time limit， you are making the process realistic.

● 5

Failure can’t be avoided when you take risks. By its very definition， the desire to succeed means you are risking failure. Many people tend to give up far too early. Don’t fall into this trap！ Use failure. Treat it as a good thing， and go on！

A. Make the right decision.

B. Don’t give up because of failure.

C. Sit and think carefully about what you value most.

D. Push yourself to be courageous， and take the next step.

E. Keep it realistic， while not giving yourself too much time.

F. I have made a list of four habits to help you set goals and realize them.

G. The more focused you are on one goal， the greater chance you have to succeed.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

5

How to Write a Summary

Writing a summary is a great way to deal with the information you read， whether it’s an article or a book. Here are some tips on how to write a summary.

● Read the piece thoroughly.

You should read it without making any kinds of marks. Instead， focus on really understanding what the author is trying to say. This might mean that you need to read one sentence or paragraph more than once. 1 That is fine.

● Write down what you think the main point of the piece is.

This will help you start to put the piece’s arguments in your own words. You can also ask yourself what points or themes come up throughout the whole piece. 2

● Reread the piece， taking notes on the major points of it.

You can find supporting material by looking for details that refer to the title or details such as descriptions of characters （if any）. 3

● Use language suitable to a summary.

4 So you should occasionally use phrases like “the author argues” or “the article claims” when you’re presenting those arguments. This reminds the reader that it’s not your piece， but someone else’s.

● 5

Once you’ve added anything you might have forgotten to your summary， check how long it is. Generally， a summary should be around one quarter the length of the original piece.

A. Check your length.

B. Copy the author’s point of view.

C. You might also want to reread the whole piece.

D. Write down each time something like this occurs.

E. You are summarizing another person’s arguments.

F. The title and subtitles usually reflect the main point.

G. Write something down as if you were explaining it to a friend.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

6

Finding something you enjoy doing can improve the quality of your life and reduce your stress levels. 1 It can also help you make friends or even provide a purpose in your life. Then how can you find something you like to do？

2 Some hobbies like gardening can take up a lot of time. Other hobbies like reading can be done at your own pace and do not require any extra time.

Research the hobby or activity you would like to get involved in. Find out how much time and money you will need to devote to starting and continuing the activity. For example， some sports-related interests might require special equipment. 3 Your local library should also have information on hobbies and activities in your area.

Talk with other people who are involved in some of the activities you are interested in. 4 Ask if you could tag along （跟隨） to a meeting or spend some time with this person while he is involved in his hobby to see if it is something you would enjoy.

5 Challenge yourself to try a new activity you are interested in for a week or so. Allow yourself to learn about the hobby and determine whether you will enjoy the activity or not.

A. Think about how a hobby benefits you.

B. A hobby can connect you with other people.

C. Take a chance on a hobby and see if you enjoy it.

D. Decide whether a particular hobby is right for you.

E. Think about how much free time you can devote to a hobby.

F. You can find information about hobbies and interests on Find My Hobby’s website.

G. You can get first-hand knowledge by interviewing someone about a particular hobby.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

7

Reading books is one of the best hobbies. It not only helps you pass your time but also helps you increase your knowledge in a meaningful manner. 1 Here we will give you a few tips that can help you.

● Fall into the habit of borrowing books to read.

This is a very old-school practice but still it can be highly effective. When you borrow a book， there is obviously a deadline （最后期限） set. 2

● Read everywhere.

Keep a book in your bag and read it anywhere you go. This will help you to pass your time in a very productive manner. 3 Anyway， you can read your book 24 hours a day.

● 4

This can easily be described as a new-school technique （技能）. You can read out to your brother or sister and this will enable you to finish your book as well as increase the knowledge and understanding of your brother or sister.

● Choose your books very carefully.

5 Thus choose your books very carefully in order to enjoy your time and also finish your book effectively. If you choose a good book that can keep you interested for a longer period of time， there is no way that you are going to leave it incomplete.

A. Read out to someone else.

B. Stress the importance of reading books.

C. So it is necessary to develop the reading habit.

D. Find a reason to read every day by visiting book clubs.

E. Yes， life is too short to read a book that doesn’t impress you.

F. It doesn’t matter whether you are traveling or are about to sleep.

G. This can encourage you to read it often to finish the book on time.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

8

Note-taking is a skill that can help you do well in all your schoolwork—everything from taking tests to researching a paper. There are many ideas that can help you take better notes.

1 You’ll be disorganized if you try to write down every word that’s said in class. And if you pay too much attention to getting your notes right， you might miss listening to what the teacher is saying. So you just need to write down the most important points from class.

Learn to ask. 2 If the teacher is going too fast， your classmates will also be happy to hear the information again. If you don’t want to ask in class， see your teacher afterwards.

Compare. Going over your notes with a friend and comparing what the two of you put down can help master what you’re learning. It can also help you remember information when it’s time for a test. 3

Copy. If you’ve scribbled （潦草地書(shū)寫(xiě)） down notes in a hurry， you might not be able to read them when it comes time to prepare for a test. 4 Copying them also helps you learn and remember what you wrote.

Organize. Keep notes for each subject in one place. 5 This could mean keeping a notebook or part of a notebook for each subject as you take notes in class.

A. Write down important points.

B. Listen carefully to the teachers.

C. This can help you do better in a test.

D. In this way， you can find everything easily.

E. Don’t be afraid to ask the teacher to repeat something you miss.

F. Reviewing your notes will also help you and your friend find out mistakes.

G. Look over your notes when you get home， and write them again if you need to.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

9

Every year， wildfires destroy millions of hectares of forest land. 1 Smokejumpers help to stop this.

2 Smokejumpers are a special type of firefighter. They jump from planes or are lowered by helicopters into areas that are difficult to reach by car or on foot， such as the middle of a mountain forest. They race to put out fires as fast as they can.

At a fire site， smokejumpers first examine the land and decide how to fight the fire. Their main goal is to stop a fire from spreading. Using basic equipment such as shovels and axes， smokejumpers clear land of burnable material， like plants and other dry material. 3

Although the majority of smokejumpers are men， more women are joining. 4 For example， smokejumpers employed in the US must be 120 to 200 pounds （54 to 91 kilograms） so they don’t get blown away by the strong winds or get hurt when they land.

Smokejumpers must also be capable of surviving in the wilderness. In Russia， many smokejumpers know how to find food in the forest and even make simple furniture from trees. 5 But for these firefighters， smokejumping isn’t just a job. They love being able to jump out of planes， fight fires， and live in the forest. As 28-year-old Russian smokejumper Alexi Tishin says， “This is the best job for tough guys.”

A. What is a smokejumper？

B. How do smokejumpers do it？

C. More important are your height and weight.

D. It means the work is dangerous and takes a long time.

E. And homes are damaged， and thousands of people die.

F. They carry water with them， too， but only a limited amount.

G. Hot weather and fast-moving winds often make the fires more dangerous.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

10

A wonderful way to connect with your loved ones is by capturing and keeping their memories. Here are tips on how to make it a wonderful experience for everyone involved.

1 It’s often helpful to think of events in the past. Try questions like “What did you do for fun when you were little？” or “What was your favorite job？” Work up to deeper questions like “What are you most grateful for？” or “How would you like to be remembered？”

Listen patiently. Your family member might struggle for words. Keep listening for as long as they want to share. 2 If they’re eager to talk， ask for more details. If there’s something they can’t remember or don’t want to get into， move on.

Use photos， music， objects and smell. Of all the senses， smell has the most direct connection to the parts of the brain. 3 Smell can unlock rich memories even when words and actions fail. Flowers， cake baking… any smell that is important to your loved one can work.

Create a memory box. The sense of touch brings memories. What items hold special meaning for your family member？ There are some ideas， such as a medal， trip souvenirs， gardening tools， seashells and jewelry. 4

Mix memory gathering into daily activities. At mealtime， talk about favorite recipes and the stories that go with them. 5 Something on TV might trigger （激發(fā)） a memory.

A. Ask open-ended questions.

B. Memories are kept just there.

C. Let their reactions guide you.

D. Be ready to keep a video camera.

E. Think of memories at family parties.

F. Ask about pictures while you’re cleaning.

G. Collect the items so they’re easy to pull out when needed.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

11

Your life is built around the choices you make. The more choices you have， the more difficult these choices are to make. 1

Gather important information.

Do your homework when you make a big life decision. Know and understand all the available choices and the influence each may have. 2 Seek information from professionals and learn other people’s experience. Be sure to check the sources you use， particularly online sources.

Explore your goals and values.

Know what you value most in your life， the kind of lifestyle you want to have in the future and what you want your life to be filled with. A single decision can influence many areas of your life. 3

List all possible results.

Record all the costs and benefits of each choice and research findings. This will enable you to recall important aspects because decisions that seem to be simple might have many unseen possibilities. Put the list away for a time and turn the problem over your mind. 4 Use this list to make the best choice for you.

5

Avoid making choices when you are tired， stressed， hungry or in a hurry. You can do some physical exercise or have a good rest before you make a decision. Make sure your choice supports your positive emotions and your long-term goals.

A. Make decisions with a calm mind.

B. Plan out your days or weeks ahead of time.

C. Talk to people who can offer you good advice.

D. During this stressful time， you will go through many different emotions.

E. People who don’t consider their own goals end up doing what everyone is doing.

F. This will help you notice any other benefit or cost you forget and add it to your list.

G. Since some decisions have long-lasting influence， you must make these choices carefully.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

12

It takes time to really get to know someone， but first impressions often determine whether someone is willing to spend more time learning about you. In fact， people’s first impressions are made within seven seconds of meeting someone new. 1

Show respect. People want to feel respected before they show you the same respect. 2 Be sure to treat everyone around you well， because it shows a lot about who you are.

Be enthusiastic. 3 Don’t be afraid to show that you are interested in someone. In fact， people often see passion （激情） as a charming sign of strength and inspiration. Showing your enthusiasm by smiling or using friendly humor will make you seem easy-going.

4 Body language is as important as your words to first impressions. Make sure your posture is good， make strong eye contact and try to express your interest in others.

Try to avoid the bad days. If something unfortunate happens， you don’t have to follow a scheduled meeting on the day. 5 Let them know you don’t want unfavorable things to affect them. It’ll show your ability to communicate effectively.

A. Make others feel good.

B. Instead， you can set another time.

C. Pay attention to your body language.

D. Show interest in the person you meet.

E. When you go out for dinner， be polite to the waiters.

F. Be polite and show manners with “please” and “thank you”.

G. Here are some advice on how to make a good first impression.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

13

No one likes to fail. Whether it’s at work， at home， or in another area of your life， failure is painful and it can also be costly in terms of time， money， or both. 1 If you never suffer a failure， then you’re probably not pushing yourself to your full potential （潛力）. The following are some tips on how to pick yourself up after you’ve failed.

Remember that other people fail too. 2 They’ll tell you about that great new contract they signed， not the deal that failed eventually though they worked on it for months. But failure is normal， and lots of people fail time and time again before meeting with success.

Remind yourself of your past successes. Failing doesn’t mean that you’re worthless. 3 Maybe you had high marks last term， or you lost weight. You might want to write down a list of successes—things that you’ve achieved over the past few years. If you ever lack confidence， you can go back and read over that list.

4 Your past successes are important， but so are your past failures. It’s not fun to think about the times when things went wrong， but by accepting your failures， you can remind yourself that today is no different. Just as you recovered in the past， you can recover from your recent failure too.

5 Whatever went wrong， you’re probably facing some sort of decision. Don’t rush into making hasty （草率的） decision， but do look for a forward path. That might require some deep thinking.

A. Make a decision.

B. Limit the influence of the damage.

C. Remind yourself of your past failures.

D. However， failure is a normal part of life.

E. Get some advice and support from others.

F. Most people don’t talk openly about their failures.

G. Think of all the times in the past when you’ve succeeded.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

14

Why Do People Volunteer？

For someone who doesn’t do it， trying to understand why people volunteer can be difficult. 1 But there are several motives that can be used to explain this.

Whenever there have been wars， there have been those who made the decision to join the battle. 2 It’s not that they’re unaware of the dangers， but it’s something they’re willing to go through.

3 An example would be those that join environmental groups. These involve a lot of work， from cleaning out rubbish to taking care of endangered animals. While some view these as thankless tasks， these people are thinking of the future. What they’re doing is to preserve the present so there will be a future.

Simple kindness is another factor as to why people volunteer. 4 We see them helping total strangers who become trapped when earthquakes or hurricanes happen. For most， it’s simply a matter of doing the right thing.

An individual who becomes financially successful might feel the need to give some of the fortune back. Helping out is one way to do it. For these people， it’s not just another way to earn more money. 5 When asked why people volunteer， gratitude and giving back may be the answer.

A. For some， it’s all about the future.

B. It helps people learn more about themselves.

C. It is their way of expressing thanks to others.

D. This becomes even more so when the task is dangerous.

E. Some feel that volunteering is a way to help their community.

F. When disaster happens， some people offer their services to help others.

G. For these individuals， it’s all about fighting for what they believe is right.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

15

Green Living Solutions for Small Budgets （預(yù)算）

There are plenty of major environmental changes you can make when you have an unlimited budget. 1 Make a few small， inexpensive changes to cut your carbon footprint and save some money in the process.

2 It might make the biggest eco-change. Living in the smallest amount of square footage that works for your family means you’ll need less heat， have room for less stuff， and are more likely to find a home in an urban area that lets you live without a car.

Want to cut your home utility bill （水電賬單）？ 3 Wear another sweater to stay cozy even after you drop the temperature a few degrees. You can also invest （投資） in a high-tech system that will automatically adjust the heat when you’re out of the house. It’s costly but can save your money in the long run.

Maybe selling your car altogether isn’t entirely practical， but cutting out the number of trips you take in it is an easy way to save money. Invest in a used bike， buy a public transit pass， and plan your weekend trips according to neighborhoods. 4

Growing all your food can end up being a major investment. 5 Spend a few dollars on seeds and dirt， and you’ll have fresh and free vegetable dishes.

A. Then turn down the heat.

B. Just keep it simple and affordable.

C. But not all the big effects come from big spending.

D. Each can help you save on gas and other related costs.

E. The most effective way is to start with the size of your home.

F. But even a small garden can help you cut your budget on food.

G. This will turn out to be effective in various aspects of your life.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

16

By making positive changes in your life you can become better. 1 Here are some quick and easy ways to help you become a better person.

● 2

Recognize what areas you are lacking. For this you can ask a trusted friend or family member for help. Being unaware of your weaknesses makes it hard for you to improve. The successful people know where they aren’t strong and they use their strengths to make up for it.

● Quit a bad habit.

Quitting a bad habit is good for you. 3 If you aren’t ready to quit your bad habits right away， start out with small steps. Find a trusted friend that can give you encouragement if you’re struggling.

● Break up with negative thinking.

4 This can have a bad influence on your life. Negative thinking really makes you down mentally and physically. Trying to think more positively helps you reduce stress and requires you to stop making excuses.

● Treat others with kindness.

Showing other people that you care for them is a great way to be a better person. 5 Something just like buying a coffee for your classmates can make a huge positive impact on their and your day.

A. Know your weaknesses.

B. Take better care of yourself.

C. Do you always see the bad side of things？

D. Negative people often complain about things.

E. However， it may be tough sometimes to figure out how to do it.

F. It not only makes you a better person， but it makes you more confident.

G. Small acts of kindness will make other people feel better and lift your spirits as well.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

17

Being organized is an important skill for school and life. When you’re well organized， you can stay focused， instead of spending time hunting things down.

1 For schoolwork， it means having one notebook or place where you store all your assignments （任務(wù)）， so you know what you have to do and when. Keeping all your schoolwork neat and in a specific place—these are the main parts of organization.

For home stuff （物品）， being organized means having a place to put your things and putting them back as you go. 2 It means keeping your schoolbag， your shoes， and your clean underwear in the same places so you always know where to find them.

Planning is part of being organized， too. 3 Calendars， lists， and schedules can help you plan. You can buy or draw a calendar and keep it near your workplace. Making a schedule or “to-do” list for yourself is a good idea. Looking at your list helps you keep track of what you need to do. 4 Check off things when you’ve done them. Use your list to help you decide which thing is the most important to work on first.

5 But once you’re organized， it feels great. The less time you spend hunting around for things or panicking about homework， the more time you have for better things， like reading a good book or playing.

A. What does it mean to be organized？

B. Add new things as you get assignments.

C. You will benefit a lot from a good habit.

D. First， you should get your schoolwork organized.

E. It takes some efforts to organize yourself and your stuff.

F. It means hanging your coat up instead of throwing it on a chair.

G. Planning means deciding what you will do and when you will do it.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.

18

All over the world people are hooked on sports， which help them to strengthen their body and build their character. 1 They improve the participants’ physical skills， and provide entertainment for the audience as well.

Many people like to watch others play games. 2 Often they get very excited when “their” player or team wins. If they are crazy about the game or the player， then they’ll become their diehard fans. Some sports are so interesting that people everywhere go in for them. Football， for example， has spread around the world. Swimming is popular in countries near the sea or in those with many rivers， like China， Egypt or Italy. 3 Masses of people love to skate or ski in Japan， Norway or Canada.

4 Chinese boxing also has a very long history. But basketball and volleyball are rather new， which started in the late of the nineteenth century. People are inventing new sports or games all the time. Water skiing， as a modern game， is one of the newest in the family of sports.

People from different countries or races may not be able to understand each other， but after a game， they get to know each other better and they often become good friends. 5 One learns to fight hard but fight fair， to win without pride and to lose with grace.

A. And think of people in cold countries.

B. They can make friends with each other.

C. Sports help to train a person’s character.

D. They buy tickets or turn on the TV to watch the games.

E. Chinese people liked doing sports even in ancient times.

F. Some sports or games date back thousands of years， like running or jumping.

G. Sports are competitive physical games through informal or formal participation.

1._____________________________2._____________________________3._____________________________4._____________________________5.