To understand meditation（冥想）through an experiment, you can take two pictures with a camera. Hold your camera still and take the first picture. Now, shake your camera and take the second picture. The difference in clarity（清晰度）between the two pictures is the difference in clarity of a life with and without meditation.

Meditation means different things to different people. There are many methods to reach the state of meditation. Our intention in this Life School Message is not to compare different practices. What we'd like to do is to give you a glimpse into what benefits can arise as a result of meditation.

One of the most important functions for human survival is the ability to adapt and adjust to our surroundings. The brain and body are dealing with an unbelievable amount of stimuli(刺激) in every single moment of life. Focusing on all of them at once would be impossible. So, the mind tends to shift as many stimuli as possible to the subconscious back burner.

For example, you probably aren't paying attention to the feel of your shirt on your body until you read this sentence. Now that I've mentioned it, I've brought it back into your conscious thoughts, and you do notice it. Somewhere in the next few paragraphs, your mind will place it on the back burner again to be able to focus on understanding this article. Fascinating, isn't it? Our minds do this constantly.

Meditation helps you to increase your awareness and helps you to stay focused on the right things of life. It ensures you do not get distracted and helps you do stay alert. It helps you to understand the past, live the present and create the future.

For the people who have no knowledge or experience of this particular subject, let me share a basic yet one of the most powerful methods that can lead you to meditation.

1.What is the main purpose of taking two pictures?

A. To tell people how to take a good picture.

B. To compare the difference between two photos.

C. To show the effect meditation has on life.

D. To give us a clear definition of meditation.

2.What is the aim of the book Life School Message mentioned in Paragraph 2?

A. To teach you how to adapt to our surroundings.

B. To tell you how to reach the state of meditation.

C. To make you understand the benefits of meditation.

D. To teach you the right way to deal with stimuli.

3.Although you have the shirt in your conscious thoughts, why will you place it on the back burner again later?

A. Because shirt is not important.

B. Because you've brought it back into your conscious thoughts.

C. Because your minds do this constantly.

D. Because you need to move on to understanding this article.

4.The benefits of meditation include the following EXCEPT ________.

A. increasing your awareness

B. helping you keep alert

C. helping you stay focused on the right things

D. helping you solve the problems in life

When children start kindergarten, evident gaps in science knowledge already exist between Whites and minorities and between youngsters from upper-income and low-income families. And they often deepen into significant achievement gaps by the end of eighth grade if they are not dealt with during elementary school.

The findings suggest that, in order to the United States to maintain long-term scientific and economic competitiveness in the world, policymakers need to renew efforts to ensure access to high-quality, early learning experiences in childcare settings, preschools and elementary schools.

The researchers’ study tracked 7,757 children from their start in kindergarten to the end of eighth grade. Researchers found that, among kindergarteners with low levels of general knowledge, 62 percent were struggling in science by the time they reached third grade and 54 percent were struggling in that subject in eighth grade. And general knowledge gaps between minorities and Whites were already large at the time when students began kindergarten.

“Children growing up in low-income families typically experience comparatively fewer early opportunities to learn about the natural and social sciences,” the authors wrote. “Their parents often have lower educational levels and therefore less science knowledge themselves as well as fewer resources available to direct the children's academic growth. Children raised in poverty often attend poorly resourced schools that further limit their academic opportunities.”

Morgan said that, within families, parents who regularly talk and interact with toddlers(学步的儿童) can point out and explain physical, natural and social events occurring around them daily. This might help youngsters learn facts and concepts that will prepare them to take better advantage of science instruction they receive during elementary and middle school.

1.Which may be the possible result of the gaps in science knowledge during kindergarten?

A. Children from rich families will behave better in life.

B. Children from minorities may have less desire for learning.

C. The gaps will disappear automatically when children grow up.

D. Children's academic performance afterwards will be affected.

2.What did the researchers suggest policymakers do?

A. Narrow income gaps between different families.

B. Make good education available to children.

C. Give extra lessons to children from poor families.

D. Strengthen competitive awareness of kindergarteners.

3.What can parents do to help their toddlers learn?

A. Offer them more learning resources.

B. Give them more nutritious food.

C. Create learning opportunities in daily life.

D. Let them attend science courses for kids.

4.Which of the following can be the best title for the text?

A. Equal Education Is Important in Kindergarten

B. Income Gaps Affect Children's School Performances

C. Provide More Available Access to Childhood Learning

D. Science Knowledge Gaps Are Obvious in Kindergarten

Success in high school is often a stepping stone to a bigger success in life.1.However, in addition to hard work, there are a number of time-tested ways you can employ to do better in high school.

Find successful friends. Students who make friends with those who do well in school will improve their grades too. 2.In addition, such students can also cooperate by sharing notes and helping each other understand study material.

3.Even if you know the material, it is always better to take notes just in case you may forget something. Additionally, taking notes makes your attention focused during class time. Also, rewrite and organize your notes the same day to help you remember the material.

Reduce stress. Stress causes you to become tired. Furthermore, stress can also affect your overall health. By learning to deal with stress in high school you will acquire a life-long habit of keeping your stress level low. Stress reduction activities may include dances, walking and relaxation. 4.

Manage your time. Time is the most important resource people have. Make sure you use it well. Focus on what's really important—your study and some exercise for your body. 5.A good tool to use to manage your time better is a schedule. Try to plan your day in advance and stick to this plan.

A. Sports, music and performing arts also work for many people.

B. Taking notes is another way that can help.

C. Besides, try to make full use of your spare time to reach your goal.

D. Forming good habits is very important for each high school student.

E. This will happen as a result of greater competition between them.

F. Having a hobby is fine, as long as it doesn't take up too much of your time.

G. If you want to enter college or university, it is necessary for you to study hard.

A few years ago, an elderly woman entered my video store, along with her daughter. The_______was displaying a serious case of impatience, _______her watch every few seconds. If she had possessed a leash（绳子）, her mother would have been_______to it as a means of pulling her along to_______the rush of other shoppers.

I walked over and asked_______I could help her find something. The woman smiled up at me and showed me a_______on a piece of paper._______rushing off to find the DVD for the woman, I asked her to_______with me so I could show her where she could find it and I wanted to enjoy her_______for a moment. As we walked along the back of the store, I________its floor plan: old television shows, action movies, cartoons, science fiction. The woman seemed glad of the unrushed “trip” and________conversation.

I said to her daughter, “________some advice?” “Of course not,” said the daughter. “Cherish（珍爱）________,” I said. “When she’s gone, it’s the little________that come back to you. Times like this. I know.” It was________.I still missed my mom and remembered the times when I'd used my impatience to make her________.

Together they made their way toward the store's resting area. They sat there for a moment, side by side, ________the holiday crowds. Then the daughter glanced over and immediately________her mother lovingly. And slowly she placed her arm with________unaccustomed affection around her mother's shoulders and________guided her back into the crowd.

1.A. mother B. daughter C. merchant D. waitress

2.A. checking B. fixing C. adjusting D. removing

3.A. accustomed B. fastened C. applied D. devoted

4.A. get along with B. break away from C. keep pace with D. make way for

5.A. why B. when C. how D. if

6.A. receipt B. ticket C. title D. tip

7.A. Rather than B. Regardless of C. Apart from D. As to

8.A. jog B. trade C. walk D. communicate

9.A. company B. time C. stay D. holiday

10.A. corrected B. described C. appreciated D. blamed

11.A. attractive B. convincing C. serious D. casual

12.A. Offer B. Lack C. Mind D. Prepare

13.A. me B. her C. yourself D. it

14.A. chances B. feelings C. moments D. presents

15.A. true B. appropriate C. reasonable D. possible

16.A. puzzled B. astonished C. desperate D. upset

17.A. observing B. expecting C. approaching D. evaluating

18.A. watched B. recognized C. attended to D. brought back

19.A. basically B. apparently C. gradually D. suddenly

20.A. smoothly B. accidentally C. randomly D. gently

She is the graduate of Harvard University,1.(star) in the film of The Professional. She also acted the combination of white swan and black swan. She is Natalie Portman,2.(good) actress for the Academy Award ever.

More than 20 years ago, she played the role of Mathilde in the film The Professional. Since then, she3.(acknowledge) as a star with skilled performance. For many people, young Natalie4.(easy) achieved this role for her5.(unique); however, things didn't seem like that. In 19996.she had already filmed in Star War, Heat, etc. and costarred with many film stars such as Al Paciso, Woody Allen, she entered Harvard at the age of 18. Besides, she even hid her name and refused all the commercial activities 7.(ensure) her study in Harvard. She once said, “I like being with the talents; my roommates all have extraordinary experiences8.different fields.

Natalie Portman was Jewish and she began the dancing when she was 4 years old and kept9.(train) since then, which won her far-reaching advantages in the film Black Swan. She is10.advocate for animal rights. Meanwhile Portman has also supported antipoverty activities. For this she is called Audrey Hepburn the second.

假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处错误，每句中最多有两处，错误仅涉及一个单词的增加，删除或修改。

增加：在缺词处加一个漏词符号（∧），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。

My English was very poor before I entered senior high school. I didn't like English at all. I couldn't understand that the teacher was talking about, and I felt it so difficult remember so many long English words. But everything has changed since I come to study here. My English teacher is a humorous young man, he has a way to make his class lively and interesting, so gradually I became interesting in English. He is also pretty patient. Every time I have a question to ask, no matter how easy it may sounds to other students, he will explain it for me and try every means to make me understand it. Most important, with the help of my English teacher, I have mastered several way of remembering English words. Thanks to my English teacher, I have made a great progress in English learning.

假如你是李华，今天被诊断出得了一种重病，需要住院治疗相当长一段时间。请你对比生病前后你对学校学习生活的感受，写一篇文章。

注意：1.词数100左右。

2.可适当增加细节，使文章层次分明，行文连贯，

参考词汇：被诊断有……病be diagnosed with

假定你是某中学英文报编辑李华，学校将举行一次50周年校庆作品展示（exhibition），请你用英文写一则作品征集启事。要点如下：

1．作品主题：反映校园生活，表达祝福；

2．作品形式：诗词、照片、画作等；

3．截止日期：9月1日。

注意：

1．词数100左右；

2．可以适当增加细节，以使行文连贯；

3．开头和结尾已为你写好，不计入总词数。

With the 50th anniversary of our school approaching___________________ ____________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________________

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Lindha was a student at Kansas State University. She is here to tell us about her time in Kansas in the city of Manhattan.

What were the best things about it?

Manhattan has a great university feel to it. I loved going to the football games. We would spend the whole day tailgating (开车尾派对) outside the stadium, drinking beer and having a big barbecue.

What do you think of the people there?

People from Kansas are so friendly. However, I'd say that many Kansans are very sheltered and don't pay much attention to life outside the US. But as the grandma of my Kansan friend might say, “We're still sweet as pie.”

What were the worst things about being there?

It's very difficult to get around Kansas without a car. Everything's so spread out and there isn't really a public transportation system.

What was the funniest thing that happened while you were there?

I remember one trip I took with my friend to her grandparents' house. They had horses and asked me if I wanted to go for a ride. I had never ridden a horse before but I decided to have a try. I hopped (跳上) on and everything was fine for a minute. But then the horse went crazy. It started bucking (猛然弯背跃起) and making these crazy noises. I thought I was going to die. My friend eventually calmed the horse down but not before I had destroyed an entire section of the fence. I thought they would be mad but they were just in shock — they couldn't believe I had stayed on the horse for that long.

Did you have any other problems?

I'm Swedish, but my English is pretty good because my dad's English. But it took a little while to get used to the accent. The people from the cities don't have a strong accent, but the people from the country are hard to understand sometimes. You also have to be careful with the weather. In the winter it was absolutely freezing, and during the summer it was so hot I thought I might die. Of course, they have heating and air conditioning everywhere.

1.What's Lindha's impression about people in Kansas?

A. They are kind but unhappy.

B. They are nice but isolated.

C. They are patient and amusing.

D. They are honest and generous.

2.What do we know about Lindha's horse riding experience?

A. She fell off the horse's back.

B. She finally got the horse under control.

C. She was brave but destroyed part of a fence.

D. She had a wonderful and unforgettable experience.

3.We learn from the text that Lindha _____.

A. doesn't like the weather in Kansas

B. speaks English with a Swedish accent

C. speaks highly of the transportation system in Kansas

D. doesn't like the school life in Kansas State University

Meet Ben Saunders: adventurer, athlete, motivational speaker. Ben, at the age of 23, was the youngest man to ski solo (单人滑雪) to the North Pole. He dragged a 180-kilogramme sledge (雪橇) over 1,420 miles through the worst Arctic conditions. This year, as well as planning a return to the Arctic, Ben plans to ski solo from the Antarctic coast to the South Pole and back in the autumn, carrying all his supplies on his sledge.

Ben Saunders was fired after persuading the firm to support his disorganized first adventure. “Everything that could go wrong did go wrong. We were attacked by a bear. We started running out of food. It was just desperate. And we didn't get to the Pole; we didn't get there, so we had no media interest. No one heard about it: no book deal, and no speaking. I was so unhappy.”

People said it was impossible for me to get to the Pole. I said, “No, I can get there,” and I did. Self-belief, I see it as being a bit like a muscle — it's my belief that the more you stretch (伸展) yourself the stronger it gets. If you never do anything that's uncomfortable or risky then your self-belief gets weaker. So that's one of the lessons I've figured out along the way. The thing that I've stretched and tested is my self-belief.

“My Antarctic adventure is just practicable and that's what is exciting to me. If I knew it was possible, if I knew I could do it without too much bother, I wouldn't be interested.” Why? “Personally I'm attracted by the human performance element to it. Not that long ago, running a marathon was seen as the top point of human attempt, and now I wouldn't be that surprised if my mum said she was going to run one next year.”

People's horizons (见识) are changing. “I'm not particularly gifted, and I'm absolutely average. I've just chosen this one goal to achieve and I've been working hard to realize it. That's it. And that's the thing that attracts me: with enough training and enough determination, enough focus and preparation, how far can we go? And I don't think I've found out yet.”

1.What do we know about Ben Saunders' first adventure?

A. There was no press coverage.

B. It was supported by his company.

C. It was well planned and organized.

D. He actually reached the North Pole.

2.According to Ben Saunders, if you want to stretch your self-belief, you should _____.

A. often test your confidence B. try something adventurous

C. aim to reach the North Pole D. always stretch your muscles

3.Ben Saunders was excited about his Antarctic adventure because _____.

A. he liked running a marathon

B. he wanted to exercise his body

C. he knew it might be achievable

D. he was sure he could do it easily

4.What can we learn from the last paragraph?

A. We have to change our views about adventure.

B. We can never know our possibilities and energies.

C. We should have a reason for going on an adventure.

D. We have to be especially talented to have an adventure.