Household Chores
Dan, my third child, was especially proud of his ability to cook. That happened because six years after starting out as a single parent, I finally got my first full-time job. I liked the work, but the office was an hour away and the days were1.
For the first few weeks, after a long day of work, I would arrive home at 7:00 at night and started preparing dinner. By the time we actually sat down to eat everyone was tired. So we came up with another2. Each Sunday I would plan meals for the following week.
But who would do the cooking? Matthew had a part-time job after school. Lisa had to go to the chess club. It turned out that fourteen- year-old Dan was usually the first one to arrive home, and so he3the responsibility to prepare the meal for us each night.
We spent a few weekend evenings cooking together and I taught him simple cooking skills. And for the rest of that year, he made dinner for us every night.
Yes, there were a few bad meals. But it didn't matter4it was a great feeling for me to walk into the door and smell dinner cooking in the house. We were able to start our evening around the table together, enjoying a simple meal and5the stories of the day.
One day I read an article about things that made us feel loved. I wondered what made my children feel loved.
Dan's answer6me the most. "I felt loved when I made dinner every night when you were working full-time," he said.
"That made you feel loved?" I couldn't believe it. I'd often had moments of guilt over asking so much of my children, worrying that I made them do too much chores.
"Yeah, I did," he said. "I liked learning to cook with you. And I felt that you7me to make the meals for the whole family. And that trust made me feel loved."
I look at our household chores differently now. They are not so painful and annoying tasks as I thought before; they are part of what it means to be a family together. They are opportunities for us to show love for each other and to feel8in return.
Everyone wants to be healthy. Do you know how to be healthy? You know food and vegetables are very important. There are many healthy foods and green vegetables around us. You can eat more apples, bananas, oranges, tomatoes, carrots, broccoli, chicken and eggs. Fruits and vegetables are good for our health. But don't eat too much chocolate. It's not good healthy food. Too much chocolate can make you fatter and fatter. Healthy food can make you grow and make you strong and happy. Remember there is a saying, "An apple a day keeps the doctor away." Sports can also keep you healthy. Get up early and do some sports every day. Don't be lazy! You will be healthy and happy.
Four Famous Places of Interest in Shanghai
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Shanghai Zoo |
The zoo was finished in November, 1995. It has an area of about 47 thousand square metres. You can see more than 400 kinds of animals. It is not only a zoo but also a scientific park about animals. Both adults and children enjoy visiting the zoo. Phone: 6268-7775 |
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The Bund |
It was given back to China in August, 1943. This beach is a good place for partying and beach sports. During the summer, people come here drinking, eating and having a party. There is also a pool for children. Phone: 6358-6888 |
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Happy Valley (欢乐谷) |
The huge park was built in September, 2009 in Shanghai. It's famous for large roller coasters (过山车). On the weekends in summer, there's a lot to see and do. But there are too many people on a sunny day. So you have to be patient to wait. Phone:3355-2222 |
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Shanghai Xin Hongqiao Centre Garden |
The garden was built in September, 2000. It covers an area of 130 thousand square kilometres. There are many kinds of green trees and beautiful flowers. It is a good place for taking a walk or having a picnic. Phone:6275-3869 |
Keeping Track(追踪) of Your Fitness Becomes Normal
Being a fit and healthy person is very important for lots of people today. In fact, some people like running and exercising so much that they become obsessed with keeping track of it.
Thanks to fitness apps and gadgets, people can measure every step they take, what they eat and every calorie they burn. They might wear a special watch on their wrists, shoes on their feet or use different apps on their phones to measure their movements. Importantly, once they have done that, they post it on social media. All of their friends can see where they've run, what workout they have done or what they had for lunch. Sounds familiar?
Doctor Daniel Kraft from the United States makes gadgets for people like this. He told the Digital Health Summit that these people, known as "trackaholics", would become the norm(常态) in the future.
And I think he's right. I can see the world of health and fitness changing around me every day.
One of my friends, named Anna Palmer, is always using the latest fitness gadgets. Her favourite is an app called Argus. She uses it on her phone to measure her steps, heart rate and amount of calories she has burnt. She always posts these things, and pictures of herself exercising, on social media. "It's nice to know exactly how much exercise you have done, rather than guess," she said. "That way I can keep pushing myself to improve."
Also, my friends in China use WeChat to compare how many steps they have taken each day. They are very competitive about this!
Everyone feels unhappy sometimes. But it's not a good idea to stay in those bad feelings. If you learn how to keep yourself happy, you'll likely avoid a lot of problems.
Talk to your parents, friends or teachers, and tell them what is going on. It is amazing how much better you feel after talking about your problems.
Do something you enjoy, like reading novels, listening to music, or even sleeping.
Play a sport you enjoy. This will improve your mood.
Keep a "Happy Moments" journal where you write down your best memories, successes, and the moments you felt great. When you feel down, read them and remember how great you are.
Go for a 15-minute run, then take a nice shower, and pick out a new movie to watch!
Do something crazy. Dance in the dark. Scream as loud as you can. Eat a big bowl of something you know you shouldn't.
Think about your goals in life, and how happy you'll be when you complete them.
On Sunday I took part in Tomato Sauce Day of my friend Deb's family. I am thankful for my beautiful friend to share this family milestone (里程碑) event.
Nine family members, myself and a few friends, took part in the day. Sunday was a special day because it was the last time that Tomato Sauce Day event would be carried out at Grandma's home. Tomato Sauce Day is going to be different next year in terms of the surroundings (环境); however, I have a feeling that all else will remain unchanged.
Grandma passed away 5 years ago, and Deb and her uncle bought the property (地产). Plans are in progress to begin building two new homes on the same place.
I listened to the family discussing the activities of the day，past sauce days and memories. A love of the tradition of the day and happy memories of sharing the day with family members who have passed away were recounted. The value of spending time together as a family was obvious.
The basic process and recipe (菜谱) for the sauce made by Deb's family remains the same way as it is still done in Grandma's village today:
The event takes place once a year.
Sauce is made by the family, for the family for the year ahead.
The sauce is made with just salt added to the tomatoes. This allows the family to use it throughout the year in various dishes as the base ingredient (食材). They add their own preferred ingredients in the cooking process.
The women prepare and make the sauce; the men are not involved. The women start the day with a visit to the community garden to collect the tomatoes and then they began the preparation. Once the sauce is cooking, it is lunch time and time for the family to catch up. Tomato Sauce Day is relived by the family all over the year as they open each bottle of red tomato goodness. I am looking forward to trying my sauce tonight. I feel like I need to make home- made pasta to eat it!
题目一
假如你是中学生李华，你的美国笔友吉姆一周前给你发了电子邮件，询问你暑假里的旅游计划及其他安排，但由于某种原因你没有及时回复。请根据以下要点给他回封邮件，说明没有及时回复的原因，你打算去哪儿旅游，以及你暑假的其他安排。
提示词语：exams, go on a trip, volunteer, visit some museums
提示问题""Why didn't you reply to Jim's email in time?
Where do you plan to travel?
What are your other plans for the summer holiday?
Dear Jim,
I'm terribly sorry I couldn't reply to your email in time because
Yours sincerely,
Li Hua
题目二
交流可以化解矛盾，增进友谊。当今交流方式很多，但人们之间的情感似乎越来越淡。
学校英语专栏正在征文，主题是"Ways of Communication Today"。假如你是李华，你对此很感兴趣,准备投稿，谈谈你日常的交流方式及你的感受。
提示词语：face to face , chatting online, discuss，appear
提示问题：How many ways do you know to communicate with others?
How do you usually communicate with your friends?
Which is the best way and why?
Ways of Communication Today
