“I Went Skydiving at 84!”

As a young girl growing up in the 1930s, I always wanted to fly a plane, but back then it was almost unheard of a woman to do that. I got a taste of that dream in 2011,when my husband arranged for me me ride in a hot air balloon for my birthday. But the experience turned out to be very dull. Around that time ,I told my husband that I wanted to skydive. So when our retirement community（社区）announced that they were having an essay competition and the topic was an experience of a lifetime that you wanted to have, I decided to write about my dream.

In the essay, I wrote about my desire to skydive, stating George Brush Sr. did it at age 80. Why not me? I was just 84 and in pretty good health. A year went by and I heard nothing. But then at a community party in late April 2009, they announced that I was one of the winners. I just couldn’t believe it.

One june 11, 2009, nearly 40 of my family and friends gathered in the area close to where I would land while I headed up in the airplane. My instructor, Jay, guided me through the experience. The plane was the noisiest one I had ever been in, but I wasn’t frightened—I was really just looking forward to the experience. When we reachen 13,000 feet, Jay instructed me to throw myself out of the plane. When we first hit the air, the wind was so strong that I could hardly breathe. For a second I thought, “What have I gotten myself into?” But then everything got calmer. We were in a free fall for about a minute before Jay opened the parachute（降落伞）, then we just floated downward fo zhout five minutes. Being up in the clouds and looking at the view below was unlike anything I have ever felt—much better than the hot air ballon. I was just enjoying it.

Skydiving was really one of the greatest experiences of my life. I hope other people will look at me and realize that you don’t stop living just because you are 84 years old. If there’s something you want to experience, look into it. If it’s something that is possible, make it happen.

1.

What happened to the auther in 2001?

A. She flew an airplane

B. She entered a competition

C. She went on a hot air balloon ride

D. She moved into a retirement community

2.

 The author mentioned George Bush Sr. in her essay to       .

A. build up her own reputation

B. show her admiration for him

C. compare their health conditon

D. make her argument persuasive

3.

How did the authou feel immediately after she jumped out of the plane?

A. Excited    B. Scared    C. Nervous    D. Regretful

4.

 What did the author enjoy most when she was skydiving?

A.The beautiful clouds     B. The wonderful view

C. The company of Jay     D. The one-minute free fall

 

Recently, I experienced a wonderful lesson in how little things still mean a lot. My brother, mother and I live in a very rural district on the Big Island of Hawaii. Our farm is at least a dozen miles from the most basic of services. Consequently, we take weekly trips to COSTCO to procure fuel and supplies. About a month ago, we’d finished loading up the SUV and prepared to leave. As I settled into my seat, I glanced down at the roadside, when a piece of paper caught my eye. I picked it up and read it carefully. Instantly, I was grateful I did.

The form turned out to be a receipt from the State Motor Vehicle Division, documenting the owners’ payment of their Vehicle’s Registration fees. Quickly, I put myself in their shoes and figured: no one would throw this out, especially if it was current. I also looked over the form for contact or any personal data, perhaps a license tag or telephone number. But that seemed impractical. Although the form had been born on the wind, where in the busy, crowded parking lot would I find the owners? Had it been lying there for a few minutes or a week? So I checked the date, the fees paid, noted the names of the owners and pocketed the receipt. Recalling the parable of the Good Samaritan, I concluded that the best and easiest step to take was to put the form in an envelope addressed to the couple and send it to them by post. Further, I imagined how crazy I’d be if I had misplaced my receipt. Much easier to attempt returning it than to leave them angry, upset, etc. over the loss.

By the end of the week, I received a beautiful thank-you letter from a very grateful and happy couple containing a hand written message and a gift card to use at any Starbuck’s. In her note, the wife explained how a gust of wind snatched their receipt from a pocket in her car’s passenger door. They had panicked and searched crazily for quite some time before giving up. It felt great to know I’d helped someone avoid a major loss by doing something that at first glance seemed minor or even unimportant.

1.What did the author really mean when he said “Instantly, I was grateful I did.”?

A．He was lucky to notice the paper on the roadside.

B．He was happy to do shopping in the district for it was convenient.

C．He was right to pick the paper up because it was important.

D．He was thankful to pick up the paper because he found it for a long time.

2.Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the short passage?

A．I rode my car to COSTCO to buy supplies a month ago.

B．The receipt was out of date, so the owner threw it away.

C．I waited on the roadside for the receipt owner for half a day.

D．I called up the owner to take back the receipt.

3.The author decided to give the paper back to the owner because ______.

A．it was useless for him

B．he knew the owner was upset about losing it

C．the owner asked him to do so

D．he knew the owner would reward him for it

4.Which would be the best title for this passage?

A．How I helped the couple                  B．The loss of an important receipt

C．The owner of the receipt                 D．Little things still mean a lot

 

I once had a friend that was diagnosed with terminal cancer（晚期癌症）, and the news that he might only live up to six months was a great shock to him, his family, and his friends．However, in spite of the serious illness, he was initially determined to look into all available treatments that might cure or extend his life．I think that when you find yourself in such situations, you tend to look up every possible way for hope of saving your life．

As months went on and his health grew worse, I noticed an unexpected change in attitude that came over him．He had also been a happy person with a cheerful personality, but rather than give in to discouragement and self-pity, he took comfort in God and humanity（人性）．His talks focused on others rather than himself, and he spoke of the afterlife as something he was prepared for, believing that his concerned ancestors, including his mother and father, were there waiting for him．

During the last few months, weeks, and days of his life, he was kindly cared for by family, friends, his loving wife, who looked after both his physical and emotional needs, and workers from a local hospice （安养院） came to the home to regulate（调节） his medication （药）and provide any other needed support．He didn't complain about his fate, and he willingly allowed others to serve him．

Indeed, one might think why God allows death and suffering in our world, but for me, such experiences taught me to value family more and kindness for others．You often can't learn these important attributes（属性）in the lap of luxury（处在优裕舒适的环境中）, and perhaps, such an experience is the greatest and final gift the illness can give those left behind．

1.Which word can best describe the man's initial（最初的） reaction as soon as he was diagnosed with cancer?

A．Satisfied．        B．Sad              C．Surprised         D．Concerned．

2.What did the man do after he first learned of his illness?

A．He was operated on immediately．

B．He researched cancer treatments．

C．He retired from his job

D．He felt sad, doing nothing．

3.What was the man's main source of comfort after several months with the disease? 

A．His family and friends．                  B．The care from others

C．His doctors’ encouragement．           D．His belief in humanity．

4.What did the author learn from his friend’s story?

A．Getting comfort from God．

B．Extending life as possible．

C．Caring for yourself and enjoying luxury．

D．Giving more respect to friends

 

My father was Chief engineer of a merchant ship, which was sunk in Word War II. The book Night of the U-boats told the story.

Memories

    In September, 1940, my mother, sister and I went to Swansea, where my father’s ship was getting ready to sail. We brought him a family photograph to be kept with him at all times and keep him sale.

    Then I remember my mother lying lace down, sobbing. She had heard from a friend that the ship had been sunk by a torpedo(鱼雷).

    I can remember the arrival of the telegram(电报),Which in those days always brought had new. My grandmother opened it. It read, “Safe, Love Ted.”

    My most vivid memory Is being woken and brought down to sit o my father’s knee, his arm in a bandage.

    He was judged unfit to return to sea and took a shore job in Glasgow for the rest of the war. For as long as I can remember, he had a weak heart. Mother said it was caused by the torpedoes. He said it was because of the cigarettes. Whichever, he died suddenly in his early 50s.

    Ten years later I read Night of the U-bouts and was able to complete the story.

    Torpedo

    One torpedo struck the ship. Father was in the engine room, where the third engineer was killed. He shut down the engines to slow the ship making it easier for it to be abandoned.

    By the time he got on deck (甲板) he was alone. Every lifeboat was gone except one which had stuck fast. When he tried to cut it free it swung against the ship, injuring his hand and arm. He had no choice but to jump—still with the photograph in his pocket.

    Three days later, he and other survivors were safe in Glasgow. All 23 with him signed the back of the photograph.

    In my room is the book and the photograph. Often, glass in hand, I have wondered how I would have dealt with an explosion, a sinking ship, a jump into a vast ocean rind a wait for rescue? Lest（以免）we forget, I have some more whisky and toast the heroes of the war.

1.

 We can infer that the mother and children went to Swansea ________.

A. to meet a friend

B. to see the father off

C. to take a family photo

D. to enjoy the sailing of the ship

2.

 What did the author learn about the father from the telegram?

A. he was still alive.

B. His knee was broken.

C. His ship had been sunk.

D. He had arrived in Glasgow.

3.

The underlined word “it” in Paragraph 6 refers to the father’s ________.

A. weak heart

B. taking a shore job

C. failure to return to sea

D. injury caused by a torpedo

4.

 What can we know about the author’s father after his ship was attacked?

A. He lost his arm

B. He repaired the engines.

C. He managed to take a lifeboat.

D. He was the last to leave the ship.

5.

What is the passage mainly about?

A. A group of forgotten heroes

B. A book describing a terrifying battle.

C. A ship engineer’s wartime experience.

D. A merchant’s memories of a sea rescue.

 

America’s  No.1 health problem? A report published by the American Institute of Stress claims the biggest threat to health today is neither cancer nor AIDS. The report says: “It has been estimated that75-90 percent of all visits to primary care physicians are for stress related problems”

It is no exaggeration to say that people today are being attacked by stress. According to the National Consumers League, “ Work is the top source of stress for adults who have problems and stress in their lives (39%),followed by family (30%).Other sources include health (10%), concern about the economy (9%)and concern about international conflict and terrorism (4%).”

However , stress is hardly unique to the United States .A British survey in 2013 estimated that “over half a million individuals in Britain believed in 2012 that they were experiencing work –related stress at a level that was making them ill .” As a result of “work –related stress, depression or anxiety ,”there are “an estimated thirteen and a half million reported lost working days per year in Britain .”\

The picture is no less bleak (荒凉的) in mainland Europe .According to the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work , “work-related stress has been shown to affect millions of European Workers across all types of employment sectors .” One survey revealed that there are “about 41 million workers affected by work-related stress each year.”

What about Asia ? A report issued by a conference held in Tokyo concluded: “ Job stress is a  common concern among many countries in the world , both developing and industrialized countries .” The report observed that “several countries in East Asia , including China and Korea, have rapidly industrialized and economically grown .These countries now have a lot of concerns on job stress and its harmful effects on workers’ health.”

1.What did the author indicate by quoting “America’s No.1 Health Problem.” (Para. 1)?

A. He wanted to talk about health problems in America.

B. He meant to introduce the topic of stress

C. He hoped to emphasize the stress in America

D. He wanted to tell readers something about American Institute of Stress

2.Which of the followings is NOT true?

A. The threat of work-related stress is bigger than cancer and AIDS.

B. Stress is always from working and living pressure.

C. Some Americans care about international conflict and terrorism.

D. A lot of English people become ill as a result of stress.

3.We can infer from the last paragraph that ______.

A. Asian people are more willing to develop their countries

B. the rapid economic development is the main reason for stress

C. some people in Asian countries have health problems from employment stress

D. Asian countries have a better situation of stress than Europe

4.It is likely that you’ll read this information in ______.

A. Popular Science             B. New York Medical News

C. Daily Health Report           D. Medicine and Healthcare Journal

5.What’s the best title for this passage ?

A. America’s No.1 Health Problem    B. How to Deal with Stress

C. Attacked by Stress      D. Working Stress around the World