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I've worked in the factories surrounding my hometown every summer since I graduated from high school, but making the transition between school and full-time blue-collar work during the break never gets any easier. For a student like me who considers any class before noon to be uncivilized, getting to a factory by 6 o'clock each morning is torture. My friends never seem to understand why I'm so relieved to be back at school or that my summer vacation has been anything but a vacation.

There are few people as self-confident as a college student who had never been out in the real world. People my age always seem to overestimate the value of their time and knowledge. In fact, all the classes did not prepare me for my battles with the machine I ran in the plant, which would jam whenever I absent-mindedly put in a part backward or upside down.

The most stressful thing about blue-collar life is knowing your job could disappear overnight. Issues like downsizing and overseas relocation had

always seemed distant to me until my co-workers told me that the unit I was working in would shut down within six months and move to Mexico, where people would work for 60 cents an hour.

After working 12-hour shifts in a factory, the other opinions have become only too clear. When I'm back at the university, skipping classes and turning in lazy rewrites seems too irresponsible after seeing what I would be doing without school. All the advice and public-service announcements about the value of an education that used to sound stale now ring true.

These lessons I'm learning, however valuable, are always tinged with a sense of guilt. Many people pass their lives in the places I briefly work, spending 30 years where I spend only two months at a time. "This job pays well, but it's hell on the body," said one co-worker. "Study hard and keep reading," she added.

My experiences in the factories have inspired me to make the most of my college years before I enter the real world for good.

Should you listen to music when you work?

Do you like to listen to music when you work?

Ask this question at a party, and you'll probably get 1 responses. Some will say they love it, claiming that it improves their performance; others will say they find it distracting (分散注意力的) and cannot work 2 with music playing in the background.

Interestingly enough our research has found that both of these viewpoints can be true. It just 3 on what sort of work you're doing.

In a recent study, we brought participants into our lab to perform a variety of tasks. They included a(n) 4 task-searching through word lists and crossing out words containing the letter "a" and a more difficult task—memorizing word pairs and 5 word to its partner. Some participants completed all of the tasks in silence, 6 others completed the tasks with instrumental music that was either loud or soft, and either simple or complex, the latter meaning music with more instruments being played. Several key findings 7 from our study.

We found that participants who listened to simple music or no music performed about the same on the easy task. However, participants who listened to 8 music performed best on the easy task.

On the contrary, participants performed worse on the more difficult task when they listened to any music, regardless of complexity or volume, compared to those who didn't listen to any music.

How should we 9 these findings?

We suggest that people have limited mental resources from which both 10 and tasks can draw. We can become 11 and our minds may wander when these resources are not fully used. But we also can become over-excited and 12 when these resources are used up.

Not surprisingly, we typically need to use fewer of our mental resources when we perform easy tasks, whereas demanding tasks require more brainpower. However, because we might be less 13 during easier tasks, there's a greater risk of drifting off. Music might give us the extra 14 we need to overcome the monotony ( 单调). However, difficult tasks already demand lot of our resources. Listening to music can become too much.

So best 15 should appear when we strike "sweet spot", which may depend on the type of music and the type of task.

You're making a PowerPoint presentation to a group of professors, for which you have stayed overnight. Even though your knees knock together, you try really hard to pretend to be confident on the site. All of a sudden, however, your mind goes, for one of the professors shoots a glance at you, and he whispers something to another professor beside him. All kinds of questionsyour mind at the same time. Did I say something wrong? Am I making a bad impression? Such uncomfortable feelings totally you.

If you once found yourselfin this nightmare situation, you fit the typical model of a shy person. Shy people, as many experts define in their studies, usually fallto what is simply a careless glance or a meaningless. What's more, because of their low self judgement rooted deeply in their mind, they often cannot take friendly comments like "If you are not so, you'll make a better performance." But being shy doesn'tmean being lacking in ability or competence. Rather, many shy people are capable professionals. And what distinguishes between acommunicator and a shy sharer is just that the latter needs to build up his self confidence.

Despite the terrible situations shy people are usually involved in, there's definitely hope for them. According to experts, 40 percent of the shy population canovercome shyness if given enough encouragement and support.

Everyone needs a break, and vacations are not meant serious study. Instead, they're a great way to take a break and enjoy a good book. The Spring Festival is coming up so this is the perfect time to discuss some great English language literature to take on a long train journey or while you're hanging out with the family.

Before getting into the recommendations, we need to determine your English reading comprehension level so you don't pick a book which is so challenging that it' s stressfulso simple that it's boring.

If you're at the beginner level, there are two options:(read) a children's book or beginning with a book that you've read in Chinese translation. This will help you get over any unfamiliar words or phrases, since you're already familiar with the story. If you're at the intermediate level, popular books like pop fiction, mysteries and thrillers, especially something suitable for intermediate English,(be) good options,as they'll be guaranteed page turners and that will increase the possibility of your getting all the way through the book.

The most important thing is to pick a book that you re really interested in. When I pick up a new book in Chinese, the first few chapters are always really hard to get through, as I have to get accustomed to the way the individual author uses the language. But after the first few chapters, things get a lot(easy) especially if I get involved in the story. Some of my favourite Chinese-language eye candy are books that are series like Brothers by Yu Hua or The Dancer by Hai Yan. I like themthere's always a lot of action and story development to keep me involved,helps me make it through those first few chapters.

Another great way to keep yourself(motivate) over the Holiday is to find a friend who's interested in reading the same book.

Some quick recommendations: Harry  Potter,(start) with the first book and go on from there; and if you like horror, U.S. writer Stephen King is always unusual and fun. But really youjust find a topic or author that you're interested in, and the rest will go from there. Happy reading!

注意：1．词数100左右；2．可适当增加细节, 以使行文连贯。

提示词：学生会 student union

Dear Jerry, 

Yours, 

Li Hua

I remember the first time I met Roy. He was standing in the center of a group of boys, and he was telling a joke. He was really a popular boy. My name is Daniel. I was the new boy in the class. My father had been offered a job in London, so our whole family moved here. I was twelve and, having lost all my old friends, I felt uneasy and lonely at my new school.

There were 33 students in my new class, and most people weren't very interested in a shy new boy. Roy was one of the few people who was kind to me. Roy and I became good friends. We relied on each other and we could talk about personal matters, things that were important to us.

Five years later, Roy and I are still in the same class. But just under a year ago, Roy's father was knocked down by a car. He died a few days later. The family had to move to a much smaller house because they couldn't afford the big house any more. Roy, who had always been very close to his father, changed completely, becoming silent and moody.

Last week our school had a big fair in order to raise money for a charity (慈善机构). It was very successful and by the end of the day, we had made about £500. Our class teacher, Mr White, came and chatted to a group of us that included Roy, and held up a box for us to see. "There's £500 in here, " he said with a smile. But to our surprise, the next morning, we were told that the money had been stolen. Mr White had left the box in the classroom for a few minutes, and when he came back it had disappeared. The head teacher asked anyone who thought they might know something about it to come to him.

This weekend, I went to Roy's home. Roy was out, and I went upstairs to his bedroom to wait for him. It was a cold day and his jacket was lying on the back of a chair. I put it on and put my hands in the pockets. I could feel a lot of paper notes and I pulled them out.

It looked as if there was about £500 there. I was so surprised that I just stood there, holding the notes in my hands. 

At that moment, the door opened, and Roy walked in.

第一节 根据文本内容从方框中选择恰当的词并用其正确形式填入文本图示中, 每词限用一次, 有两词为多余选项。

       

第二节 根据文本内容回答下列问题。
Who might be the thief that stole the money? Why do you think so? 

When Roy walked in, how might the author feel and what might he say?

What would they possibly do next? 

Do you want to be the most popular person in your class? You don't need to change your character; you just need to improve your personality. In fact, the most popular people (love) and trusted because they stay common but still have something that makes them different the rest of us. Here are some pieces of advice about (become) the most popular person in the class.

If you want to be a person wins others' respect, you have to start by liking and accepting yourself. Do not change yourself in order to please others.

Be helpful to everyone and do it  (happy). Being nice to people is almost like helping  (they) because by being nice you make others happy. 

Be active and have  positive view towards life. Develop confidence in yourself.

Stay clean and wear fresh clothes. Do not try to follow fashion to be  (impress).

Respect cannot be brought with big  (word) and power. You have to get it by being honest. It also helps your personal  (grow). You must be a person that can be trusted to get respect.

Neither rain nor snow nor the darkness of night can separate Tennessee postal carrier (邮递员) Mailman Mike from his 4-and-a-half-year-old friend Carter Lawson — or keep them from their appointed rounds.

For the past nine months, the two have 1 up every day in the preschooler's Knoxville neighborhood for a few minutes of 2 mails together and chatting with fellow residents. Lawson wants to be a 3 when he grows up, and in an inspiring story, his mom said how the old mailman, Mike Crenshaw, has been a 4 to her son. "Anyone could just be like ‘Go away, kid, ' but Mike has 5 gone out of his way to talk with Carter, " said Cassie Lawson of the United States Postal Service carrier. "It's been really cute." Little Carter even got his own outfit (全套服装) to 6 Mike's. "I just couldn't believe he got a full mailman's costume, " the boy's mother said 7 .

"Every letter carrier has stops he looks forward to and this is the one I look forward to every day, " said Mike. "He's the ending 8 of my day, and the 9 part of my day, not just because it's the end, but because he's such a 10 little guy."

The man and the little boy's 11 isn't a surprise to Fredric Rolando, president of the National Association of Letter Carriers. Kids 12 mailmen because "letter carriers are a friendly part of the neighborhood who bring something to their 13 every day and they open their doors for letter carriers so they are also someone they come to recognize and

14 , " Rolando said. "It's the same for the elderly, but in addition, letter carriers may be the only person they 15 with all day, with no one to talk to usually."

Helping others is an important part of life. . If you want to help others more but aren't sure where to start, here are some tips that may help you.

.

The easiest way to know how you can help others is simply to ask them. Talk to a family member or friend, ask them what they most need help with, and offer your services. Then, follow through and try your best to do what they've asked of you. Remember actions always speak louder than words!

Be proactive (积极主动的).

Look for opportunities to help and lend a hand without being asked. . For example, you can call your elderly grandpa to check in, bring your friend dinner while they're sick or just hold the elevator door for a neighbor. Don't wait for someone to ask for help — train yourself to think about all the different ways you can help people. Focus on being as friendly as possible, and you'll get the hang of it!

Be a nonjudgmental (无偏见的) listener.

Sometimes, listening is more helpful and healing than practical assistance. Not everybody is looking for hands-on help or a solution to their problems. . When someone is telling you about a hardship they're going through, listen actively and focus on understanding them rather than fixing their problems.

Send a thoughtful note.

. Take time to send your loved ones notes or handwritten cards. When people feel isolated or cut off from their friends, even a small gesture can help them feel more connected and make their day brighter.

A. Ask people how you can help them

B. Think about what people may want

C. It gives you a sense of purpose and happiness 

D. In fact, there are many small things you can do

E. Instead, sometimes they just need a supportive listener 

F. It's better to listen to them and give reasonable advice

G. You can help just by letting people know that you care

It has long been known that plants communicate when they are stressed. You need only observe a houseplant to realize that a plant wilts (枯萎) when it needs water. Some plants may also emit a terrible taste to prevent some insects from hurting them.

Now, a new study that was conducted by researchers at Tel Aviv University, shows that not only do plants express themselves in the above ways when stressed, they also make sounds, like talking.

According to the researchers, plants make sounds at frequencies (频率) between 40 to 80 KHZ — out of the range of human ears — but within the range of some animals. "Bats make sounds in these ranges all the time, and mice, dogs and cats can partially hear within it, " Dr. Lilach Hadany, a Professor at Tel Aviv University, and one of the authors of the study said.

One of the primary breakthroughs (突破) of Hadany's study is that the researchers have managed to understand and classify the sounds that plants make for the first time. Plants that are not stressed make about one noise per hour, but plants that are stressed or injured make many hundreds of sounds per hour. And each of these sounds seemed to be specific to the type of stress the plant was under.

This type of information could be important for agriculture. Knowing what sounds their plants are making could help farmers determine whether their crops are in danger of drought or disease and allow them to make the necessary changes to help their plants. 

Amazingly enough, the researchers are not actually sure how the plants make sounds. But anyway, the discovery is still a game-changer for plant science, and potentially for the future of agriculture. One day soon your plants may be able to tell you if they are hungry, thirsty, or just feeling lonely. 

You don't get a second chance to make a first impression — this was the theme of this year's International Public Speaking Competition (IPSC), held in London from May 11 to 12. Thirty-three young speakers aged 16 to 20 from around the world gathered at The English Speaking Union to tell their stories, including Wu Dongxu, 19, a student from China. To him, the event wasn't just about giving a speech on first impressions. It also made a strong impression on him.

"Rather than a competition, the experience was more like an inspiring research trip to me, a trip that allowed me to see firsthand the differences and similarities between Chinese and foreign cultures, " said Wu.

Apart from the obvious differences in food, transportation and climate, what impressed Wu most was the different styles of Chinese and foreign public speaking.

Although still a teen, Wu is no stranger to the public speaking podium (讲台). He has participated in many speaking competitions since 2017. But on the stage of the IPSC, speakers had no podium to stand behind. They just had to face the audience.

"This was the first time that I gave a speech without a podium, which made me realize how important eye contact and body language are, " said Wu. "It also gave me more freedom to convey more information with my body language instead of just with words."

Another difference that caught Wu's attention was the evaluation criteria (评价标准). According to him, in every speaking competition he had participated in in China, things like pronunciation, fluency and quality of language are always important. But to his surprise, in the IPSC accents and grammatical mistakes are not considered in the evaluation process. It is the story itself that matters most.

"Audiences are eager to hear powerful stories, no matter where they are from. That's because the emotions expressed in them are shared by all human beings although there are the cultural differences." said Wu. "Diversity, respect, tolerance and understanding — these are what the IPSC really wants to stress and spread."

Whenever I think of Ms. Anita Moore, I always smile and feel fortunate to have her as my teacher. All of her students knew she loved being a teacher. Her classroom was always a safe place where we were encouraged to share, think, and express ourselves.  

One of the memories that always stuck with me was a reading class when Ms. Moore read a story aloud and started to cry. The main character in the story reminded her of her grandmother. She paused to share about her relationship with her grandmother and made the connection as to how that relationship helped understand the story.

Ms. Moore tried her best to make a connection with each student in her classroom. She knew what we liked and used that information to bring our interests into the classroom. That is one of the reasons why Ms. Moore will always be my favorite teacher. She brought various types of books to our classroom and allowed us to take them home. It was she that helped my love for reading grow.

Ms. Moore also went beyond classroom instruction. She decided that our school should have a choir and that all of her students should audition (试演). Without her, I would never have taken part in this type of after-school activity. Once it was time for the annual 5th grade weekend camping trip, my parents refused to let me attend. Ms. Moore came to my home to persuade (说服) them. Although I was still not allowed to go, it was amazing to me that a teacher would visit my home to help me be part of a school tradition with my classmates.

Ms. Moore was a wonderful example of a caring teacher. From her, I've learned to make connections with students and look for ways to help them learn and feel successful.

Family vacations can supply lifelong memories, so it's important to travel to the perfect place. Here are four popular destinations (目的地) in the US that will satisfy your family.

Orlando

Orlando hosts a handful of theme parks that are sure to excite youths, including Universal Orlando Resort, where you'll find The Wizarding World of Harry Potter, and Discovery Cove, a resort (旅游胜地) where you can swim with dolphins around the park's coral reef.

Anaheim-Disneyland

Home to Disneyland Resort since 1955, Anaheim, California, has enough magical attractions to keep families entertained. After catching up with Mickey and friends, visit Anaheim's Adventure City amusement park. And if you're in town during baseball season, you can catch a game at Angel Stadium. Note that Disneyland is busy year-round, but if you visit on a weekday, you'll likely encounter fewer people.

Wisconsin Dells

Known as "The Water Park Capital of the World, " Wisconsin Dells makes for a great family vacation spot with plenty of things to do. Take your pick of splash-filled venues from Noah's Ark Waterpark to Kalahari Resorts. When you need a break on dry land, head to a magic show at Rick Wilcox Magic Theater or admire animals like giraffes and tigers at Timbavati Wildlife Park. Because of this destination's popularity, you'd better avoid the weekends.

Grand Canyon National Park

With so much to see and do here, there's no chance anyone in your family will be bored in this park. Enjoy one of the park's many light hikes, admire the view from the Grand Canyon Skywalk, raft the Colorado River or go for a ride on the Grand Canyon Railway. The Grand Canyon is pretty budget-friendly considering its low ticket prices, but know that nearby hotels book up quickly in summer.