The happiest people appreciate what they have, keep an open mind to new ideas, use their leisure time as a means of self development, and love good music, good books, good pictures, good company and good conversations. 【1】 It’s a lot easier than it sounds. Anything that helps you feel more positive and joyful is self-improving. Here are some simple ideas to get you started.

1. Make yourself smile is the first thing in the morning.

【2】 Fill your bathroom or bedroom mirror with notes of your favorite quotes, goals, photos, etc., and then look at the mirror for a minute or two when you first wake up.

2. 【3】

Laughter helps reduce blood pressure, decrease blood sugar, and lower stress. Spend time with those who do good things and make your life a little brighter simply by being in it.

3. Try something totally new.

Do something you’ve never done. Variety truly is the spice (调味品) of life. You can see or do something a million times, but you can only see or do it for the first time once. As a result, first time experiences usually leave a deep mark in our minds for the rest of our lives. So spice it up! 【4】

4. Work on something that’s meaningful to you.

Get yourself in a meaningful personal project, or set about doing something you’ve wanted to do for a long time, but haven’t yet had the determination to do. Life is really short.【5】

A.Today is the day to take action.

B.Appreciate those around you sincerely.

C.Spend time with people who make you smile.

D.It’s difficult to feel down when your face is happy.

E.Instead, concentrate on a few things that really matter.

F.The more first time experiences you have, the richer your life will be.

G.In other words, they do small things every day to improve their happiness.

But can a plant be intelligent? Some plant scientists insist they are since they can sense, learn, remember and even react in ways that would be familiar to humans.

Michael Pollan, author of “The Botany of Desire,” says for the longest time, people who have long talked to their plants or played music for them were being considered “mad.”

The new research, he says, is in a field called plant neurobiology(神经生物学), which is not a proper name, because even scientists in the field don’t argue that plants have neurons(神经) or brains.

“They have analogous structures as humans,” Pollan explains. “Plants have all the same senses as humans. They have ways of taking all the sensory data they gather in their everyday lives, integrate it and then behave in an appropriate way in response.” In addition to hearing, taste, for example, they can sense gravity, the presence of water, or even feel that an obstacle(障碍物) is in the way of its roots, before coming into contact with it. Plant roots will change direction, he says, to avoid obstacles.

So what about pain? Do plants feel? Pollan says they do respond to anesthetics (麻醉剂). “You can put a plant out with a human anesthetic. And not only that, plants produce their own compounds that are anesthetic to us.” But scientists are unwilling to go as far as to say they are responding to pain.

How plants sense and react is still somewhat unknown. They don’t have nerve cells like humans, but they do have a system for sending electrical signals and even produce neurotransmitters (神经递质) and other chemicals the human brain uses to send signals.

【1】Why does the author mention the article The Intelligent Plant in the first paragraph?

A.To support his opinion.B.To introduce the topic.

C.To give an example.D.To make comparison.

【2】People who usually talked to their plants would be thought .

A.Intelligent.B.Crazy.C.Patient.D.Comforting.

【3】What does the underlined word “analogous” in paragraph 5 mean?

A.Simple.B.False.C.Flexible.D.Similar.

【4】What can we learn about plants according to the last two paragraphs?

A.Plants can feel and react to pain.B.Plants send two kinds of signals.

C.Plants are able to sense and react.D.Plants have their own brains.

I went with my classmates and we had a good time. But it was just as my father had said. Once one of my classmates found a good bush, he called to the others, and they would leave their places and run off to see what he had found.

But I remembered my father’s words, and I stuck to my bush. When I had done with one, I went to another. When night came, I had a large basketful of nice berries, and more than all the others put together. And I was not so tired as they were. I went home happily that night.

Now I have worked for 6 years, but I never forget the lesson my father taught me. I always stick to my bush. When I had a good place and was getting on well, I wouldn’t leave it and spend days or weeks trying to find a better place. When my friends said, “Come with us, and we will find you something better to do.” I shook my head, and stuck to my bush. Now I’m running a big company. I owe(归功于) all I have to the lesson my father taught me.

【1】What did Harry think of that day’s berry picking?

A.Boring.B.Surprising.

C.Enjoyable.D.Painful.

【2】When that day’s berry picking finished, __________.

A.Harry had got the most berriesB.Harry’s father came to pick him up

C.Harry was as tired as his classmatesD.Harry shared his berries with his classmates

【3】From the last paragraph we can learn that Harry __________.

A.accepted his friends’ helpB.is not satisfied with his job

C.spent weeks finding his jobD.is in charge of a big company

【4】What does the author mainly tell us?

A.Keep on doing one thing.B.Who laughs last laughs best.

C.Always keep parents’ words in heart.D.A good beginning makes a good ending.

A Center for Global Awareness and Understanding

International Film Series

The International Film Series is a year-long celebration of various cultures.

The series is held on the 4th Saturday of a month, alternating with the Cultural Dinner & Lecture Series every other month.

Both the film series and cultural dinner and lecture series begin at 7:00 p.m.

The International Film Series is hosted by Anne & Tim Perry.

Cost is Free.

CEF Workshop

The Chemical Education Foundation (CEF) is a professional development workshop designed to provide educators with methods for teaching chemistry concepts through hands-on learning and real-world connections.

To register for the free workshop, please send email to penny@acm.org with the following information: your name, your email address and telephone number, your school or group and its address, the grade levels you teach.

This free workshop for educators will be held on Saturday January 20, 2020. Sign-in starts at 9:30 a.m. and the workshop will run from 10:00 a.m. to noon.

Recharge Conference

This is a rolling one-day conference featuring community experts sharing information on health, finances, education, cooking, exercise tips, self-development, manhood, marriage and job searches.

Speakers include:

Clarence Davis, Opening Message on Connection;

Tonya Brown, “Trickeration 101,” with a message of strength and hope;

Darren Murphy, “Bug Straight Talk,” on overcoming addiction and restart new life;

Quinecka Ragsdale, “Demarcus Jones and The Solar Calendar,” on time travel and African/African American history;

Pastor Barry Jerking, “On The Road to Glory,” finding your life’s purpose as a man in society;

Oscar Ellis, on financing your business.

Cost is $10 in advance; $15 at the door, plus applicable fees.

【1】How many times will the International Film Series be held in a year?

A.Twice.B.3 times.C.6 times.D.12 times.

【2】Who is the CEF workshop designed for?

A.Young students.B.Chemistry teachers.

C.Chemical scientists.D.Industry workers.

【3】If Tom is interested in science fiction, whose lecture will he attend?

A.Tonya Brown’s.B.Darren Murphy’s.

C.Quinecka Ragsdale’s.D.Pastor Barry Jerking’s.

【1】Teachers will never be __________ (取代) by computers in the classroom.

【2】You should not __________ (忽视) your mistakes if you want to make greater progress.

【3】He __________ (毕业) from Harvard in physics. Two years later he returned to his country.

【4】I think the agreement is a __________ (陷阱), so I have to think twice.

【5】Not until he took off the sunglasses did I __________ (辨认出) him.

【6】His house was completely d__________ after the big fire, so he decided to build a new one.

【7】He is always lying and not very r__________, so don’t believe what he said.

【8】The black and the white have e__________ rights now in the U.S. and they can both be elected leaders of their country.

【9】It is reported that there was an air crash in Cuba. Nobody on board s__________ it with all the leaders of their country.

【10】Yesterday the boy was very upset, but finally his mother managed to c__________ him down.

Adrian Dyer, a professor in the RMIT University, said the research showed brains far smaller than humans’ could know numbers. “Humans learn numbers as children, but being able to recognize what numbers really represent needs a certain level of cognitive (认知的) ability,” Dyer says, “Studies have shown primates (灵长类动物) and birds have this ability, but this is the first time we’ve seen this in insects.”

It’s important for humans to do the research. There are 86 billion neurons (神经元) in humans’ brains. Bees only have less than a million. If bees have the ability to learn something difficult to understand like human-made symbolic language, this will open up exciting new paths for future communication between humans and animals.

Studies have shown that a number of animals have been able to learn symbols of numbers, including parrots and monkeys. Monkeys were taught Arabic numbers and could order them correctly. An African grey parrot called Alex was able to learn numbers and could do simple calculation.

Understanding how tiny brains of bees manage information opens paths to technology, which is good for the future design of computing (计算) systems.

【1】What does Adrian Dyer say about the research?

A.The finding of the research is first seen in insects.

B.Humans’ brains are the biggest on the earth.

C.Birds can be as clever as primates.

D.Bees are cleverer than birds.

【2】What do we know about the research?

A.Humans may find a new path to communicate with animals.

B.Bees have more neurons than monkeys.

C.Insects have the ability to communicate with humans.

D.Bees can solve basic math problems.

【3】Who is Alex according to the text?

A.A child.B.A monkey.

C.An expert.D.A parrot.

【4】What’s the main idea of the text?

A.Bees can communicate with other animals.

B.Bees can attach symbols to numbers.

C.Some animals can do math problems.

D.Bees can make communication with humans.

增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号（∧），并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除：把多余的词用斜线（╲）划掉。

修改：在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意：1.每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2.只允许修改10处，多者（从第11处起）不计分。

Last summer, I am shopping in the heart of downtown when it began to rain heavy. All the streets were flooded and many cars and electric bicycles were trapping in deep water. Wore still, I found that a underground passage (通道) below a railway became the most danger place. I saw an old man in the rain warning people not pass. Seeing this, I ran into a nearby shop. He found a board there and wrote the following word on it: Keep off Danger! No Passing! Then holding the board, I joined with him to keep people from risk injury.

So I______a parking place, grabbed a bag from the trunk and found a shopping cart. That’s when I saw her. She was______in a shopping cart. She looked to be maybe 9-months old, short blond curls, blue eyes. I couldn’t take my______off her. Then I did what I always do with ______: I gave her my best smile. It may have looked a bit mad, ______ it comes from my heart.

That’s a(an)______ I formed long ago when I became a mother. It started with my child, in that ______, life-changing moment of her birth.

At times, my smile would fade to a look of______or worry, but it never left my face for long. I’ve learned that everyone needs a ______sometimes, young and old, friends and______, even those at the market in a rush to get home.

She took her______deciding just what to make of my smile. But finally, she______. I wish you could have seen her. I laughed and waved goodbye. And she______me a kiss. That put a smile on my face that got a smile______from every shopper I passed. I was______smiling when I got home and realized I’d forgotten to get Advil. ______, I didn’t need it. My headache was gone.

Somehow, in that simple______of smiles, this weary old world becomes a better place. If you’re lucky, maybe they’ll even blow you a kiss and make your headache go away.

【1】A.headacheB.toothacheC.coughD.cold

【2】A.walkingB.workingC.drivingD.shopping

【3】A.firstB.bestC.lastD.worst

【4】A.spottedB.boughtC.gotD.drew

【5】A.sittingB.sleepingC.lyingD.standing

【6】A.breathB.eyesC.handsD.bag

【7】A.shoppersB.childrenC.girlsD.strangers

【8】A.becauseB.soC.andD.but

【9】A.hobbyB.memoryC.experienceD.habit

【10】A.familiarB.imaginaryC.unforgettableD.bitter

【11】A.fearB.warmthC.curiousnessD.fantasy

【12】A.comfortB.smileC.greetingD.respect

【13】A.strangersB.familiesC.enemiesD.relatives

【14】A.turnB.toysC.courageD.time

【15】A.spoke upB.lit upC.stood upD.backed up

【16】A.blewB.wavedC.huggedD.gave

【17】A.in surpriseB.with careC.with fearD.in return

【18】A.alwaysB.everC.stillD.just

【19】A.RegularlyB.SadlyC.LuckilyD.Frankly

【20】A.discussionB.exchangeC.creationD.bargain

增加:在缺词处加一个漏子符号(∧)并在其下面写出该加的词。

删除:把多余的词用斜线(＼)划掉。

修改:在错的词下划一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。

注意:1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；

2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。

Dear Chris,

I’m glad to hear you and learn that you are planned to set up a Chinese reading club on your school web. It is really cool. I think it was a good idea to post the relevant information on the internet, which it is helpful for people to know about your club. Also, you can put on some posters on your campus to attract student’s attention. What’s more, organize some reading activities and exchanging that one has gained from the reading will help arouse people’s interest in your club. I hope my suggestion can be of some help to you and your reading club can be a greatly success.

Yours,

Li Hua

Don’t let distance keep you away from your friends. 【1】

Schedule time to chat. Because of kinds of reasons, you and your friends might not be able to chat on the phone every day or even every week.【2】 My best friend from high school is a new mom and we are in different time zones. But she makes an effort every few weeks to call me on her drive home from work. When I go back home our friendship feels like I’d never left.

【3】 Texting (发短信) your friends can be a good way. It can help you know about each other. My friends and I text each other about the small things like having to work late or losing an earring.

Use social media. Social media is a good way to keep my long-distance friendships going. It allows you to keep up with your friends’ lives. 【4】 That makes you feel more deeply connected to them.

Vacation together.【5】 One friend and I haven’t lived in the same state for 5 years, but I can see her on trips. By going on trips, we can not only stay in touch, but also can create new memories together.

Not every friendship is a friendship that can survive long distance. The thing we can do is do what we can to keep it.

A. Share small things.

B. Schedule time to eat together.

C. Why not plan a trip with your friends?

D. Use these tips to stay close with your friends.

E. It can also help you learn more about their other friends.

F. I drove three hours from Kentucky to spend time with her.

G. Anyway, you should try to find suitable time to chat with your friends.