The Charming City—Madrid
History
This city of over 3 million people is proud of Western Europe's largest royal palace, and some consider it to be Madrid's most beautiful building. Inside the palace, 3418 rooms are decorated in glory with museum-quality furniture and artworks. Tourists can tour 50 of these large and splendid rooms.
Art
The internationally respected Prado Museum is the largest and most impressive art gallery in Spain. Opened in 1819, it is filled with works of art that feature the world's most comprehensive collection of Spanish paintings.
Shopping
Madrid has some of Europe's best shopping malls, and potential buyers love to look through the stores, looking for bargains. But for 500 years, shoppers have gathered to an extremely large outdoor flea market, known as EI Rastro where they find everything from antiques(古玩)to CDs.
Entertainment
No trip to Madrid is complete without seeing a performance of Spain's famous art form, flamenco. Every day, flamenco performers sing, dance or play the guitar in small cafes and grand theaters alike.
Food
Madrid has a wide variety of restaurants, but because the Spanish typically eat late at about 9 or 10 p.m., it's difficult to find good dinner food earlier, If you get hungry before then, the best solution is to try a tapas bar where light snacks are served. Be sure to try the jam on, a kind of dry-cured ham. Spain is famous for it.
A little boy almost thought of himself as the most unfortunate child in the world because of poliomyelitis (小儿麻痹症). He seldom played with his classmates; and when the teacher asked him to answer questions, he always lowered his head without a word.
One spring, the boy's father asked for some saplings (树苗) from the neighbor, He told his children to plant a sapling each person. The father said, "Whose seedling grows best, I will buy him or her a favorite gift." The boy also wanted to get his father's gift. But seeing his brothers and sisters carrying water to water the trees happily, anyhow, he hit upon an idea: The tree he planted would die soon. So after watering it once or twice, he never attended to it.
A few days later, when the little boy went to see his tree again, he was surprised to find it not only didn't bend towards the ground, but also grew some fresh leaves, and compared with the trees of his brothers and sisters', his appeared greener and more vital. His father kept his promise, bought the little boy his favorite gift and said to him he would become an outstanding botanist when he grew up.
Since then, the little boy slowly became optimistic. One day, the little boy lay on the bed but couldn't sleep. Looking at the bright moonlight outside the window, he suddenly recalled what the biology teacher once said, plants generally grow at night. Why not go to see the tree? When he came to the courtyard on tiptoe, he found his father was splashing something under his tree with a ladle. He returned to his room, tears running down his face.
Decades passed. The little boy didn't become a botanist, but he was elected President of the United States. His name was Franklin Roosevelt.
Many studies have shown the learning-by-teaching effect. Students who spend time teaching what they've learned show better understanding and ability to remember knowledge than students who simply spend the same time re-studying. But why does teaching help?
Researchers did a study to test their idea that teaching improves the teacher's learning because it forces the teacher to find back what they've learned. They asked 124 students to spend ten minutes studying a text with numbers on a topic which is completely new to them. They told the students they could take notes while studying, but would teach the material afterwards without notes. After studying the text, the students were divided into four groups. In one group the students spent five minutes giving a lesson on the study material without notes. The other groups either spent the same time completing arithmetic (算术) problems, teaching with a script (讲稿) or writing down all they could remember from the text—a form of recalling practice. A week later, all the students took a surprise test of their knowledge and understanding of the text.
The important finding is that the teaching-without-notes group and the recalling-practice group performed better than the group that completed arithmetic problems and the group that taught with a script.
The researchers said the result shows that the benefits of the learning-by-teaching method are caused by recalling practice; that is, the learning-by-teaching method works only when the teaching includes recalling the taught materials.
The new findings have a practical suggestion for how the learning-by-teaching method is used in education. In order to make sure that students learn and remember an educational material, they should internalize (内化) the material before presenting it to others, rather than depend on notes during the presentation process.
After bikes and umbrellas are made sharable across China, some companies started eyeing the fitness market, so shared gym rooms have hit the streets in Beijing.
Unlike common gyms that provide large, open spaces for many members to share at the same time, the newly built shared gym rooms are small, stand-alone rooms for a person to use, often set up near living communities.
Every four-square-meter room is equipped with a treadmill(跑步机), an air cleaner, a mirror, a television and an air conditioner, and users can let down the curtains for privacy. When exercising, users can listen to music, watch movies and check emails by connecting to the Internet by the screen fixed on the treadmill. There's no shower or washbasin.
Similar to using a shared bike, users can locate a shared gym room by smartphone application, book a room in advance and then need to scan a QR code for use. A refundable deposit(保证金)of 99 yuan is required，and users are charged I yuan every 5 minutes.
The shared gym rooms are created by Misspao, a Beijing-based technology company founded in July. Within several months since it was founded, the company has already raised over 100 million yuan, Yicai Global reports. The idea of the shared fitness experience is not entirely nascent. Last December, the Shanghai-based technology company VRUN set up shared treadmills in office and apartment buildings.
The sharing economy is still becoming popular in China. According to Yicai Global, confident investors are pouring millions into sharing start-ups. In March, the State Information Center published a report which predicts that the total value of China's sharing economy will see a yearly growth of 40% in the coming years, and it is expected to make a great contribution to the country's GDP.
How to Enjoy Spring
As winter is past and the days start warming and brightening, it's possible to start feeling your mood improved and you re less weighed down by the cold days of winter. And indeed it is the time to renew your goals, refresh your home, and unearth your garden. As the ever growing days invite you to spend more time outside, you'll easily find many ways to keep you outside of the house enjoying the fresh spring days.
Make a plan at the start of spring. Whether it's gardening, spring cleaning, learning something new, having a makeover, organizing renovations (翻新), or another activity suited to a season of renewal, planning for it will help you to make the most of the spring months.
This is a good time to sit back and assess the strengths and weaknesses of your current living space and to reach a decision about whether or not it could be improved through a change in decoration styles or additions through decorations.
Spring clean. This age-old tradition of clearing away the dust of winter will give your house a fresh beginning for the warmer months ahead and make the house and surrounds more inviting and enjoyable for you and your family and friends.
Take time to notice the changes around you. Listen to the birds sing and watch the plant life around you emerge (显露), shoot up, and finally start to blossom (开花). Set yourself a goal of little change until suddenly it seems as if a big one to you.
A. Make a decision about the move.
B. Consider redecoration or renovation.
C. Spring is the time of enjoying something fresh.
D. Spring is a great time to do complete cleaning.
E. The beginning of spring is the best time to plan.
F. The world around you is starting fresh and so can you.
G. Spring is the perfect time to set the pace for the warmth
A couple of days ago, my 9yearold son and I were shopping at a grocery store (食品杂货店). At the checkout, a mother was trying to understand her bill. She didn't have enough 1 for her milk and cheese. The manager 2 the items (商品) from her cart and carried them away to the fridge section.
There had been 3 when I myself didn't have money to buy groceries my family needed, but today was 4. It was payday so there we stood in line with our groceries.
I whispered to my son and told him to run and get the 5 back with the items. He was confused. He didn't understand me. I was trying to do an act of kindness, but it went 6.
The lady left with her son and 7 groceries than she had planned. I told the checkout guy to 8 me for her milk and cheese and that we'd run to the parking lot and 9 her up. He said "You'd do that?" and I said "Yes, I want to make sure they have what they 10."
He quickly called the manager back. I paid for my items and hers and my son and I ran to the parking lot where we 11 we would find the lady. But the mom and her son were 12 and with them went my opportunity to gift these small but 13 items.
I felt 14 for not speaking up and telling her what I wanted to do for her. If I had told her about it, I wouldn't have 15 the chance of doing a good deed. Perhaps because of this our future acts will be delivered with speed, as it is intended and necessary for love and kindness.
Nelson Mandela is a great man. The black people in South Africa are grateful to (he) for what he did.
At one time black people were not treated equally. It was not easy for them to find a good job and many families were too poor to afford their children's (educate). In 1952, Mandela set up a law office to help the poor black people trouble. It was with his guidance that those lost heart in life became (hope) about their future. As matter of fact, it was Mandela's dream to help black people get the same rights white people. However, the government was so angry with him that he (put) into prison for life on Robben Island for being one of the ANC leaders. He was released in 1990 and was voted President of South Africa in 1994. Now black people in his country live a much (good) life than before.
Mandela devoted all his life to (improve) the life of the black in South Africa.
A funny thing happened to Arthur when he was on the way to work one day. As he walked along Park Avenue near the First National Bank, he heard the sound of someone trying to start a car. He tried again and again but couldn't get the car moving. Arthur turned and looked inside at the face of a young man who looked worried. Arthur stopped and asked, "It looks like you've got a problem," Arthur said.
"I'm afraid so. I'm in a big hurry and I can't start my car."
"Is there something I can do to help?" Arthur asked. The young man looked at the two suitcases in the back seat and then said, "Thanks. If you're sure it wouldn't be too much trouble, you could help me get these suitcases into a taxi."
"No trouble at all. I'd be glad to help."
The young man got out and took one of the suitcases from the back seat. After placing it on the ground, he turned to get the other one. Just as Arthur picked up the first suitcase and started walking, he heard the loud noise of an alarm.
It was from the bank. There had been a robbery!
Park Avenue had been quiet a moment before. Now the air was filled with the sound of the alarm and the shouts of people running from all directions. Cars stopped and the passengers joined the crowd in front of the bank. People asked each other, "What happened?" But everyone had a different answer.
Arthur, still carrying the suitcase, turned to look at the bank and walked right into the young woman in front of him.
She looked at the suitcase and then at him. Arthur was surprised. "Why is she looking at me like that?" He thought." The suitcase! She thinks I'm the bank thief!"
Arthur looked around at the crowd of people. He became frightened, and without another thought, he started to run.
注意：1）续写词数应为150左右；
2）请按如下格式在答题卡的相应位置作答。
As he was running, Arthur heard the young man shouting behind, "Stop, stop!"
The taxi stopped in front of the Police Station and Arthur
