相关试卷

Once the choice of royal household, the watermelon has gained popularity rapidly over the years, and an online grocer reported that the fruit's sales on the platform had increased sixfold from 2020 to 2022, resulting in increasingly high demand for watermelon quality testers.

Lee, 32, is extremely busy in the summer months. Just by holding the watermelon near his ear and knocking on the surface with his fingers, Lee says, he can tell by the sound if the fruit is ripe enough to be eaten or not. He works for a rural cooperative set up by a group of watermelon farmers, and puts thousands of watermelons through the "knock test" daily, before they are shipped to downtown warehouses where the platform sources its supplies.

The practice of knocking on watermelons to determine their ripeness can be found across cultures. In China, it is considered a national habit. Smart buyers tap on the fruit before purchase to ensure their money is well-spent. Some buyers knock on the fruit despite not knowing what the hollow sound means just to negotiate a better deal from the seller. 

As fruit sales have moved to online platforms in a big way, those who make a living by checking the quality of the fruits with their fingers are much in demand. Lee is one among the growing group. Their task is to conduct knock tests on behalf of e-buyers and ensure that the fruits selected to be sold online are uniform in size and quality. 

Lee, who was once an award-winning soccer player, now describes himself as a "goalkeeper for watermelons". He quit soccer about four years ago and learned about melon-knocking as an emerging profession and decided to become an apprentice(学徒) to an experienced farmer.

After a year's trial and error, Lee worked independently as a quality checker. "It is a highly demanding task. During the apprenticeship, I often cracked open melons to confirm my judgment. There are just no shortcuts, " he said.

1.表示理解；

2.你的建议及理由。

注意：

1.词数100左右；

2.开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。

Dear Jim,

......

Yours, 

Li Hua

Some people live to climb the highest mountains. Some people live only dreaming about it while others live to avoid ever climbing at all. But one thing is certain — all people meet mountains in their life. 

When I was a little girl, my family moved to a tiny town at the bottom of a big mountain. One day after school, while exploring the green woods of this amazing mountain, I almost fell on a set of stairs. What could these steps lead to? Curiosity got the best of me as I knew it would be starting to get dark soon. I started climbing up those strangely mysterious (神秘的) steps. I climbed and climbed. There was nothing but just green bushes and these steps. I had to reach the top. But it was now getting real dark. If I kept going I might not be able to see my way back. My mom would be worried sick if I didn't come home soon. So I ran back home almost in the dark while trying not to get too scared.

Anxiously I went to bed dreaming about what I would find at the top of this magical mountain. Could there be a castle up there? Maybe I would find a monster (怪物) . Maybe I was taking the risk of never coming back home. Or, maybe all I would find was absolutely nothing! But something inside me was going to climb that mountain at all cost. I could hardly wait to try this adventure again. 

Now we live in a world surrounded by the "can't do" attitudes. We all fall down. We all have doubts and regrets. Still we must climb and dream about what's at the top of our mountain. Monsters may appear or the night will fall. But never ever give up on your dream! Never let anyone tell you, "You can't." Dream big and climb high!

Fear of Missing Out

It's a common experience: You're scrolling through a social media page, and you see pictures of friends traveling or going to parties. Suddenly you start to wonder why you're not doing those things. Are you missing out on something fun and exciting because you're locked into everyday life? This experience has come to be known as the fear of missing out, sometimes abbreviated(缩写) FOMO. But with the rise of social media, FOMO is becoming much more common.

Wanting to be in on the fun when exciting things are happening is completely normal. But for some people, it can lead to an addiction to checking their phones to find out what other people are doing. Even while doing things that are fun or necessary, people can feel like there's something better going on elsewhere. This urge to connect can lead them to disconnect from the people they are actually with.It can even be dangerous; some people try to check messages while driving.

Remember that what people choose to post on social media does not necessarily reflect their life overall. People tend to pick and choose the things they share, so we only ever know a small part of anyone else's life.

You cannot be everywhere and do everything that might be interesting or productive, and that's OK.

It might even be necessary to turn off your phone or log out of social media for a while.You can even set particular times in your day to check email and social media. By stepping away for a time, you can help keep other people's lives in perspective.

Finally, focus on the things in front of you. Enjoy them, do them well and let everything else go. 

Don't let the fear of missing out cause you to miss out on the good things you have in life. Relax, enjoy what you do and let other people enjoy their lives without envying them.

A. To some extent, people have always worried about missing out on things.

B. Without the social media you will get unconnected with the whole world.

C. It also prevents them from being satisfied with the good things in their lives.

D. When you fully engage with life, you'll worry less about what you're not doing.

E. Get rid of the constant reminders of everything that's happening in the world.

F. It's difficult to connect with the reasons why you choose not to participate.

G. It's also important to be humble and acknowledge your limitations.

Fans of art believe that its main purpose is to make us look at life from many different angles. When it comes to Cubism(立体主义), however, the artists of this era wanted us to look at life from every angle. 

The father of Cubism, Spanish artist Pablo Picasso, is among the art world's most famous names. Like many other great names before him, he felt restrained by the rules of his teachers and decided to do something: break them. 

Early in his painting career, Picasso realized something important about how people view and remember scenes of beauty. When we look at a subject, we don't just see it from one angle, as many paintings appear. Instead, we study the subject from a number of different angles, heights and viewpoints. This is the aim of Cubism: It portrays(描绘) subjects from a wide range of angles; it doesn't force us to see things as the artist viewed them at the time he or she painted them. To bring his visions to life, Picasso and other Cubists took the most basic components of a subject and rearranged them in a way which let us see it in full detail. 

"By breaking objects and figures down into distinct areas, Picasso aimed to show different viewpoints at the same time and within the same space," in the words of the Tate Institution. Or as Lithuanian—born Cubist Jacques Lipchitz once put it: "Cubism is like standing at a certain point on a mountain and looking around. If you go higher, things will look different; if you go lower, again they will look different."

Cubism stood out as it was an art movement which didn't just rely on the artist to share their vision by painting what they saw. As cubist paintings mainly show their subjects in a deconstructed form, this means that viewers must use their imaginations to find the missing pieces for themselves. As Guardian art critic Johnathan Jones noted, this is part of the beauty of enjoying Picasso's works. "If you can relax your gaze(凝视)enough and just enjoy the painting long enough, something really amazing happens. Your mind produces a solid feeling of the things Picasso was looking at. the world is revealed in its majesty(壮观)," he wrote.

Many on the Mountain

We often see people waiting in lines at supermarkets, theatres and amusement parks. Surprisingly, some people even have to wait in line at the summit (顶峰) of Qomolangma in the Himalayas. 

The best time to climb the Himalayas is during the months of April and May, as well as some days in September and October. "In these periods of recent years, the path contains rocks and deep crack from melting ice due to the warm weather, which make expeditions up the mountain more dangerous," said Apa, an experienced Nepalese guide. During this year's climbing season, crowds of climbers became stuck in a long line near the summit. The line is above the mountain's highest campsite—about 8,000 meters above sea level. 

However, most people can only spend a few minutes at the summit without extra oxygen supplies. Twenty-one mountaineers have died in the Himalayan mountains so far this year, according to Gripped, a magazine dedicated to mountain climbing. Eleven of these climbers died on Qomolangma. 

This death count marks a four-year high. Overcrowding, inexperience and poor weather have been the most common causes of death, USA Today reported. 

After these tragedies, one question remains: Why do so many people risk their lives to climb the mountain? The answer differs from climber to climber. Studies suggest that people who take risks tend to perceive themselves differently than people who avoid risky activities. But for adventurers who are drawn to the Himalayas, reaching the summit of Qomolangma is a lifelong dream, according to Discovery News. 

"Qomolangma is like a light to bugs that attracts people once they hear about it. It represents the ultimate for many people," US mountaineer Alan Arnette said. Technological advances have also encouraged more people to climb the mountain. People can get high-tech safety equipment more easily than before. And with the internet, climbers know better than ever about how to reach the summit safely, Yahoo Travel noted.

Elon Musk is a symbol of passion, hard work and success. A person may work hard in his life, but when hard work goes along with passion and a new idea, then something is created that astonishes the world. As the founder of big companies like PayPal, SpaceX and Tesla Motors, Elon Musk is a guide and inspiration for the youth around the world. 

Elon Musk was born on June 28, 1971 in Pretoria, South Africa. He was the eldest of three children. His father Errol Musk, a British-born South African, was an engineer. Musk spent his childhood in South Africa and at the age of 9, he got his first personal computer. This got Elon interested in programming and he started to learn on his own. At the age of 12, he made his first computer game, Blaster, which earned him $500 when he sold the source code to a magazine. 

When he was 17, he decided to leave home and had wanted to move to the United States after graduating from a secondary school in Pretoria. However, he was unable to move to the United States. In 1989, Elon Musk moved to Canada, where his mother's relatives lived. After obtaining Canadian citizenship, Musk went to Montreal. Due to a lack of money, he found a low-paying job. At the age of 19, he entered Queens University in Kingston, Ontario, studying there for two years. Finally, in 1992, his dream came true—he moved to the United States. 

As a teenager, Musk struggled with depression. But then he realized that the most important thing was presenting himself with the right questions. The day he started doing this, everything started to get easier. 

Musk thought that a human being had to expand the limits of his consciousness—to ask the right questions and get answers to them; thus he asked the best question of all: what will have the greatest impact on the future of humans? Musk found that these things were the Internet and space exploration. 

The life of Elon Musk is inspiring. He found success on the Internet, without much formal learning. By reading books and using his willpower and dedication, he reached a level of knowledge that is difficult to imagine. He did not give up until he achieved his dreams. Elon Musk truly stands out among other billionaires because of his leadership abilities, positive attitude, ability to know when to take risks, and belief in futuristic technologies.

Tanni was born with an illness, made her unable to move her muscles normally. Tanni was interested sports, but when she was growing up she didn't see many disabled athletes on television. Then several years later, while watching the London wheelchair marathon, she saw an athlete she knew. She dreamed that she would be on the starting line, competing in the marathon too. Finally, her dream (come) true. She was not only on the starting line, but also the winner at the finish line. Tanni believes you'll never know you can do unless you try.

World Read Aloud Day is celebrated each year on the first Wednesday of February. It  (start) by the Lit World. Org website in 2010 and has now reached 65 countries.  (it) goal is to encourage people worldwide who cannot read to enjoy the benefits of a book. The website asks everyone to celebrate the day by taking a book, finding an audience, and reading it out aloud. It is about taking action to show the world that the right to read and write  (belong) to all people.

Jim was shopping for a gift for his wife Della. The next day would be Christmas. With an income of twenty dollars per week, life was hard for the couple,  Jim wanted to buy a perfect gift for Della. He thought of the beautiful set of combs on show in one of the shop  (window) on Broadway. Della had wanted those combs for so long. Tomorrow, Jim decided he  (make) Della's dream come true.

Table Talk

As we got out of the car, our son announced, "Phones stay in the car."

"Why do you always have to tell us that?" complained our fifteen-year-old grandson.

Our son's wife winked at us and then explained, "We have a family1 that no one may bring anything electronic to the table."

We 2 our phones in the car. Even though the restaurant was filled with families, there was little noise. All I heard were a few quiet conversations and the ding of forks on plates. The 3 unnerved me. I looked around. Everyone, even the young kids, was 4 at some kind of screen. 

The silence was broken when the six of us sat down, and started talking. The waitress stood patiently and waited for our orders. When our food came, we continued to chat. 

An elderly couple at the next table were finishing their dinners and conversing quietly. I noticed that they shot us a few glances, and wondered if our constant chatter was annoying them. 

After the dessert, my son signaled the waitress for the check. She hesitated when she brought the black folder to our table. My son opened the black folder — it was5 . "You forgot the check," he told her.

"There isn't one. Someone else6 your bill — and the tip too." she said with a giggle (咯咯笑).

"Why?" asked our son, his wife and myself at once.

"They loved it that no one was connected." she continued. "They loved watching you guys7 . The old lady went on and on about how nice it was to see a family eating and talking instead of looking at ‘electric games'."

For a moment, everyone at our table was at a loss for8 . Then we all started talking at once. My son's voice rose above the others. "Where are they? We want to thank them."

"They left after you ordered dessert," the waitress replied.

We spent the next fifteen minutes discussing this goodness and camp up with a 9 . Next time we see a family eating at a restaurant 10 looking at anything electronic, we'll pay it forward, just like what happened to us.

内容包括：
1. 感谢邀请；
2. 分享感受。

注意：
1. 词数 80 左右；
2. 可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

Book Restorers Touch History

—Keeping ancient manuscripts in tip-top condition requires expertise and passion—

Whenever Song Jing visits a museum, she makes a point of checking out the section on ancient books. In addition to appreciating the wisdom  (hide) in those historical volumes, she focuses on how they are bound and presented.

Song works in the restoration division for ancient books at the National Library of China which is home to about 3 million ancient manuscripts, many of which require restoration before they can see  light of day again. Some books have suffered great loss. Take, for example, a 16th-century copy of Yongle Dadian. Only 3.5 percent of the total publication are known to exist.

The process of  (repair) ancient books is complex. Day after day, Song and her colleagues are fully immersed in the duty of handling and healing the old books. Thanks  cutting-edge technology, restorers can create paper  (incredible) similar to the original version. However, the old-fashioned techniques still come in handy sometimes.  (fear) the chemicals in commercially produced paste might harm the books, restorers have to make the glues by themselves. The paste needs to be mixed right before the repair,  it will go bad because of sitting for too long.

The valuable cultural heritage that restorers have preserved  (serve) as the best evidence of Chinese civilization. Recently, the library has sent  (it) specialists like Song to deliver speeches in colleges and on TV. "I'm glad to see such  (arrange) and I hope to inspire people to find their passion in the preservation of our traditional culture," Song says.

For most people having things stolen feels like an offence. Robbie Pruitt admitted that he got1 when he discovered the theft of his mountain bike last September. But soon enough, his2 took a turn.

After letting go of his anger and frustration, he found himself on a road to sympathy3 .

For Pruitt, a keen bicyclist, the first thing to do was4 his stolen bike. But when he went bike shopping, he found few available, which got him thinking: What if the5 of bikes was Covid-19 related, and what if the person who'd taken his bike really needed6 to get to work?

With that thought in mind, Pruitt7 a plan and posted it on the community website. He8 to repair bikes free of charge for anyone who needed it. He also asked for unwanted bikes, which he would repair—again9 . And then he would donate them to folks who could truly use them but didn't have the 10 to buy one.

The day the post went live, Pruitt received thirty11 bicycles. Then came more than 50012 for detailed information. By the end of 2022, Pruitt had repaired more than 140 for donation or to be13 to their owners.

Pruitt tries to give his donations to families that are14 struggling. Upon satisfying a material need, he has provided an opportunity for kids in his neighborhood to learn how to15 their own bikes.

In addition to16 skills, Pruitt's lessons teach teamwork, encourage self-worth, and promote feelings of community.17 , the kids have gained a sense of accomplishment.

"It's a really great18 for kids," said a neighbor in an interview with the local newspaper. "Pruitt is certainly providing a19 , but it's not just the bikes. It's the relationships in the community. It's the20 he can make on people."

How to Learn Kung Fu Yourself

Kung Fu, also known as Gong Fu, is an ancient Chinese martial art. Should you be inspired to learn this art, yet there isn't a school nearby, you can't afford classes, or your schedule simply doesn't allow it, you can learn it yourself. As long as you're committed and ambitious, it can be done

Clean out an area of your home and get a punching bag. Since you'll be doing a lot of jumping, kicking and punching, choose an area of your home to be for your practice sessions. But when you want to have resistance, that is where a punching bag comes in handy.

Try your best to find instruction. Buy some DVDs, watch some videos online, or look through the websites of Kung Fu schools.

Master a few stances (马步), and work on your punch, blocks and kicks. Practice combinations in the air and on your bag. Once you get really confident, try to find a friend to practice with.

Practice, practice, practice. The only way to truly get in the mind of a Kung Fu artist is to keep practice. At first, the moves may seem silly. But if you practice every day, meditate, and read literature to understand the philosophy, it can become a way of life you can't believe you ever lived without.

A. Practice makes perfect.

B. It won't be easy, but it'll be worth it.

C. You may seem like you're not getting anywhere.

D. You'll be doing your moves just in the air at first.

E. Begin from basic training of your balance and moves.

F. Here are some practical ways to help you get a better insight into it.

G. Many will offer you a taste of their programs, teaching you some basics at the same time.

Popularization has in some cases changed the original meaning of emotional intelligence. Many people now misunderstand emotional intelligence as almost everything desirable in a person's makeup that cannot be measured by an IQ test, such as character, motivation, confidence, mental stability, optimism and "people skills." Research has shown that emotional skills may contribute to some of these qualities, but most of them move far beyond skill-based emotional intelligence.

We prefer to describe emotional intelligence as a specific set of skills that can be used for either good or bad purposes. The ability to accurately understand how others are feeling may be used by a doctor to find how best to help her patients, while a cheater might use it to control potential victims. Being emotionally intelligent does not necessarily make one a moral person.

Although popular beliefs regarding emotional intelligence run far ahead of what research can reasonably support, the overall effects of the publicity have been more beneficial than harmful. The most positive aspect of this popularization is a new and much needed emphasis (重视) on emotion by employers, educators and others interested in promoting social well-being. The popularization of emotional intelligence has helped both the public and researchers re-evaluate the functionality of emotions and how they serve people adaptively in everyday life.

Although the continuing popular appeal of emotional intelligence is desirable, we hope that such attention will excite a greater interest in the scientific and scholarly study of emotion. It is our hope that in coming decades, advances in science will offer new perspectives (视角) from which to study how people manage their lives. Emotional intelligence, with its focus on both head and heart, may serve to point us in the right direction.