Oink! The Year of the Pig is coming. How much do you know about pigs? Do you like them? Many people don’t because they believe that pigs are naturally fat, lazy and dirty. But are any of those things true?

It is true that pigs are fat. They eat a lot. But they are useful to us. We get more than just pork from pigs. We can use their skin to make shoes. We can use their hair to make brushes. Pigs also provide us with ingredients for drugs like insulin (胰岛素). Insulin can treat diabetes (糖尿病)

People sometimes say, “You are as stupid as a pig.” But pigs are not stupid. In fact, pigs are one of the 10 smartest animals. They have a good memory and can tell different shapes apart. Many experts think pigs are easier to train than dogs or cats. In France, people teach pigs to find truffles (松露). With their good sense of smell they can find truffles even faster than dogs.

When you see pigs, they are usually in dirty water or mud. That’s because pigs have no sweat glands (汗腺). On hot days, they have to cool themselves in water or mud. This keeps insects of them as well. Mud can also protect their skin from sunburns.

These stereotypes about pigs often make us hold a negative view about the animal. For example, if someone eats a lot, we say that they have “pigged out”. If someone’s room is very mess, we might say his or her room looks like a pigsty (猪圈).

But people in ancient China really liked pigs. People thought the pig’s big head and ears were a symbol of good luck. If someone had a round and chubby (胖乎乎的) face, he or she was thought to be blessed (有福气的). People also believed the animal stood for wealth, as humans use every part of the pig. Piggy banks are a symbol of this. Most children have a piggy bank that they can use to save money.

1.People can use pigs’ skin to ______.

A.make clothes. B.make insulin. C.make shoes D.make brushes

2.According to the passage, pigs can ______.

A.tell one hundred different colors apart.

B.find truffles with their good eyesight.

C.be of great help to people like dogs.

D.get away from insects with their masters’ help.

3.Which of the following best explained the underlined word “stereotypes?

A.fixed ideas B.feelings C.mistakes D.descriptions

4.Why did the people in ancient China like pigs?

A.People thought the pig’s big head and ears were a symbol of good luck

B.People believed the animal stood for health.

C.People knew pigs were one of the 10 smartest animals.

D.People thought pies were blessed by god.

5.The writer wrote this passage mainly to ______.

A.tell readers that pigs are not stupid, dirty or fat at all

B.criticize people who don’t really know about pigs.

C.point out that pigs can do a lot of things for people.

D.help people know more about the pigs.

Taking a gap year after high school is getting more popular among young adults each year. According to the American Gap Year Association (AGA), a gap year is often a year-long break taken between high school and college. AGA stresses that a gap year is a year on, rather than a year off, to oppose the belief that students are taking this time off as a vacation from schooling.

Gap years offer an opportunity for experiential learning. They allow you to leave the classroom and learn new skills and ideas through doing something. You might find yourself in completely new situations that call for special problem-solving skills. Moreover, many students go through twelve years of schooling in the same place with the same group of people. By taking a gap year, they can step out of their comfort zone (区域) and into an entirely new culture. Just like gaining new experiences on a gap year, they can also meet new people of all different ages and walks of life. Finally, a gap year can also be a great way to get yourself recharged (重新充电). Instead of immediately jumping into the next four years of your education, you can take a break from the classroom and focus on your personal interests and passions. Many top universities encourage accepted students to take a gap year before starting college.

However, before you get too excited about the idea of taking a gap year, you should also know about possible drawbacks. If you take a gap year, you could fall a year behind your peers (同伴). To catch up, you have to come up with a plan to graduate in three years. For the most part, studies show that students who take a gap year find themselves more driven when they arrive at college. However, you might find it difficult to return to an educational environment after taking a year away from the classroom.

There is no set time-line for your education, and going straight from high school to college definitely isn't for everyone. For me personally, I still benefit from my gap year experience traveling in European countries. Cap years can take a number of forms, and they require a good deal of intention and planning. So if you have a will-thought-out plan for taking a gap year, then you should feel confident in your decision. Taking a meaningful gap year could be one of the best life experiences you ever have!

1.According to the passage, by taking a gap year, students can __________.

A.become more popular among their friends

B.catch with their peers at study in college

C.build a stronger relationship between learning and doing

D.realize the importance of staying in their comfortable zone

2.What can we learn from the passage?

A.Students should be encouraged to have a time off for a vacation after high school.

B.Colleges should require students to spend their gap year traveling in Europe.

C.It's better to recharge yourself by going straight from high school to college.

D.A gap year provides students with an opportunity for personal growth.

3.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?

A.Take a gap year on

B.Gap years: a perfect holiday

C.The risk of taking a gap year

D.How to take a meaningful gap year

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