sustained activities that 9) boost the heart rate, increase circulation and improve the body's use of oxygen. Do them for at least 20 minutes a 10) session, three to five times a week.
Unit 4 What’s the big idea?
1、Long conversation
M: Alas! This creative writing class is too much! I have to write a
five-page short story by October 8th, and I have no idea what to write about.
W: We're already two months into the semester, you must have written
stories before now. What did you write about last time?
M: That's just it — we've only had to write true stories so far, funny
little things that happened to us or our families. My first three stories were about hunting or fishing with my childhood dog, Brownie, and visiting my grandmother during the summers when I was in high school. This time, it has to be fictional. Hey! You're a great artist, how do you get your ideas?
W: Thank you, but I'm not sure painting and writing are exactly the same.
When I'm ready to start a new painting, I usually go for long walks along the beach or out in the woods. I find most of my inspiration in nature.
M: Hmm ... I don't think that would really work for me. I need characters
and a plot.
W: You should try hanging out at the train station. There are always
interesting people with odd hats or accents coming and going, dramatic goodbyes and romantic reunions. Just sit in the lobby for an hour or two and watch everyone. Try to imagine who they are, where they're going, why they're in such a hurry.
M: The train station? That's actually a pretty good idea! How did you come
up with such a great idea?
W: I'm glad you like it, but I can't take any credit. It's an old trick
I learned from many artists and writers. You just need something new and exciting to get those creative ideas flowing. Q1: What's the problem with the man?
Q2: How does the woman get her ideas before painting?
Q3: What is the man's attitude toward the woman's way of getting
inspiration?
Q4: What does the woman suggest the man do at the train station?
2、passage 2
Scientific research should improve our overall quality of life. The government should provide financial and political support to any research that is likely to result in immediate and significant benefits for the
people. However, people's ideas 1) vary when it comes to whether the government should support scientific research with no practical use. Still 2) a large portion of people believe that the government should distribute adequate funds to any scientific research that aims to improve the 3) well-being of people, even if it is of no practical use in the short run.
Scientific research whose social benefits are immediate, predictable, and 4) profound should continue to be a high priority. For example, biotechnology research has been proven to help cure and prevent diseases; information technology enables education to be more 5) accessible; and communication technology facilitates global peace by improving mutual understanding among people and their participation in the democratic process.
However, this is not to say that research whose benefits are less immediate or clear should be given a lower priority. It is difficult to predict which research will 6) ultimately lead to the greatest contributions to society. Reluctance to finance less practical scientific research could 7) have a harmful effect on the efforts to explore new knowledge. This is particularly true of the computer sciences.For instance, before the first computer was invented, public opinions 8) went against it, as most people saw nothing practical in computer research. However, computers transformed the way human society evolved and proved to be of great avail in the long run, especially in terms of scientific development in fields such as the military, medicine, 9) aviation, and education.
Therefore, never should we think that scientific research whose benefits are unknown 10) is not worth pursuing since the purpose of any research should be to discover truths, whatever it might be.
Unit 6 Histories make men wise
1、Long conversation W: It is hot outside!
M: Hi Daisy! What is it, 75 degrees Fahrenheit?
W: It's over 100 Grandpa! You're just cool because you've had the air
conditioning on! I've been working in the yard all morning. I'm so hot and I feel like I'm melting! M: At least you can come inside and have a nice cool glass of lemon juice. W: And I sure need it! I've been baking in the Arizona sun for two hours
now, and I can't imagine anything better than standing in the cool air enjoying an ice-cold drink.
M: Back when I was your age, we didn't have any air conditioning. Willis
Carrier didn't invent air conditioning until 1902, and it wasn't available in people's homes until after World War II. W: Wow! What was life like for you?
M: I worked as a farmhand for the neighbors, building fences all day. You
should have seen me when I was 13, sunburned and dirty. W: And you still lived in Arizona back then?
M: No, I was in Texas. We survived the heat by swimming all the time. There
was a stream running through the farm, and every few hours, I would leap into the water! Even with my clothes completely soaked with water, the sun would still dry me off in 10 minutes!
W: I know you didn't have cell phones and computers, but I forget about
the little comforts like the air conditioning. M: Yes, a lot has changed, but not this summer heat!
W: I wonder what scientists will come up with in the next century to keep
us cool.
M: I'd like a weather machine to make it rain during these long dry
spells.
W: Personally, I hope someone invents a personal ice cream machine! It
could follow me around all day making chocolate ice cream!
Q1: What was the girl doing on such a hot morning?
Q2: What do we know about the air conditioning from the conversation? Q3: What can we learn about the man when he was 13?
Q4: What would the girl like to have in the next century to keep cool?
2、passage 2
The Sultana was a Mississippi River steamboat destroyed in an explosion on April 27, 1865. An 1) estimated 1,800 of the 2,400 passengers were killed, and the Sultana sank not far from Memphis, Tennessee. This disaster received little public attention, as it took place soon after the President Abraham Lincoln was 2) assassinated.
The wooden steamboat was constructed in 1863 and 3) was intended to be used for the lower Mississippi cotton trade. Registering 1,719 tons, the steamboat was built to carry no more than 376 people.For two years, it ran a regular route between St. Louis and New Orleans. Sometimes it was asked to carry troops.
The Sultana left New Orleans on April 21, 1865. Most of the passengers were Union soldiers who had recently been 4) released from Confederate prison camps. The US government had 5) made a contract with the Sultana to transport these former prisoners of war back to their homes in the north.
At 2 a.m. on April 27, about seven miles north of Memphis, at least one boiler 6) gave way, causing a huge explosion that destroyed the center portion of the boat, throwing sleeping men high into the air before landing in the river. Confusion and chaos 7) ensued as men tried to save themselves and others. Many drowned while others burned to death.
The direct cause of the explosion was later determined to be the leaky and poorly repaired steam boiler. Passengers who 8) survived the initial explosion had to risk their lives in the icy water of the Mississippi or burn with the ship. Many died of drowning or coldness. Bodies of 9) victims continued to be found downriver for months. Many were never recovered. Some of the Sultana's crew, including the captain, were among those who 10) perished.