拇指英语说， 分享英语学习心得，技巧和方法。让英语学习变得更有趣，更简单。
在英语学习中，阅读是学生获得英语知识，提高英语能力与素养的重要途径。通过阅读，学生们可以增强语感、积淀文化知识，提高学生跨文化交际能力，从而整体提高他们的英语综合能力。
为增加阅读素材的多元化，拇指英语说特推出“报刊时文阅读素材积累系列”。众所周知，报刊阅读的材料内容丰富，真实感和时效性强，语言地道，话题轻松活泼，贴近学生生活。因此，报刊阅读是对校内英语教材的有益补充，有利于培养学生的阅读兴趣，提高阅读技能。本系列适合小学高年级至初中年级学生。按阅读难度，分为一星（小学高年级），二星（初中低年级）和三星（初中高年级）。
[来源】Teens
[主题语境】亲子故事
[难度系数】 **
Getting started
Can you remember a time when you felt scared? What helped you feel better later?
你能否记得自己感到害怕的那一刻？ 之后是什么帮助你感觉更好些的？
Reading
It was the day after Christmas 33 years ago. I was newly married and still in college. Only 10 days earlier, my wife had given birth to our first child. The day before, we had been on the road showing off our baby to all of the grandparents and great-grandparents. It had been a busy Christmas and hard on my wife, who was still recovering from giving birth. Then we were back in our house, trying to get some extra sleep before starting the day. Just then I heard JJ (our little boy) waking up. I went over and picked him up before he started to cry and then carefully walked out into the living room so my wife could keep sleeping. I picked up a bottle and sat in a chair with JJ in my arms. I fed him in the dark room while he looked up at me with his loving eyes. I spoke quietly to him, but also felt a little fear as I watched him. How was I going to take care of him? I was still in school and had no idea what the future held in store for us. I rocked back and forth in my chair as it concerned me. After a few minutes, I saw the sun slowly rising in the sky outside my window. The bright light shining down from the sky made the snow outside shine with a beauty that touched my soul. As I watched it, my fear left and I felt a feeling of peace, harmony, love, and joy. The Christmas spirit appeared in my heart and I smiled. I knew then that whatever the future held, it would be okay as long as I kept love in my heart.
【Treasure Box】
Words:
- recover v. 恢复
- rock v. 摇晃
- soul n. 灵魂
- harmony n. 和谐
Difficult sentences:
- Only 10 days earlier, my wife had given birth to our first child.
释义： 就在十天前，我妻子生下了我们的第一个孩子。 点拨：give birth (to sb) 意为“ 生下..... .”；sb is born 意为“某人出生”。give birth to 的动作发生在33年前那一天的十天之前，是在过去的过去发生的动作，所以用过去完成时。 例句： She gave birth to twins. 她生了对双胞胎。
2. I knew then that whatever the future held, it would be okay as long as I kept love in my heart.
释义： 那时我就知道，无论未来如何，只要心中有爱，一切都会好起来的。 点拨： 在 that 引导的宾语从句中，含有由 whatever (无论什么) 引导的让步状语从句，其主句为 it would be okay，之后是 as long as (只要)引导的条件状语从句。 例句： Whatever your goal is, you can get it if you’re willing to work. — Oprah Winfrey (American talk show host, 1954 – ) 无论你的目标是什么，只要你愿意努力你就可以实现。
【 Reading Comprehension 】
1. When the child was born, _____. A. it was Christmas Day B. the writer was 33 years old C. the writer wasn’t married D. the writer was a college student
2. What does the highlighted sentence show about the writer? A. He felt proud of having a son. B. He was rocking his son to sleep. C. He felt confused and worried. D. He was too tired to fall asleep.
3. What made the writer feel better? A. The sunlight. B. The snow. C. Christmas. D. His wife’s smile.
4. What is the story mainly about? A. The writer’s regrets about having a child early. B. The writer’s memory of becoming a father. C. What the future holds for all of us. D. How to keep others in our hearts.
【Vocabulary in use】
Fill in the blanks: In a recent study, researchers found that sunshine can improve mental health, slow down aging and bring other health benefits. These 5.a__________ come, in part, from the way that sunshine helps us produce more vitamin D. How else can catching some sunshine improve your life? Let us count the ways: * Better mood Sunlight helps us release more serotonin (五羟色胺) and endorphins (内啡肽), which make us feel happier and calmer. You’ll 6.__________ (注意到) that you simply feel better under the sun. * Deeper sleep Getting sunshine during the day also puts you on track for more melatonin (褪黑激素), which helps us sleep. Your body is 7.b__________ at recognizing when it’s evening after receiving some sunshine during the day. * Lower blood pressure When sunlight hits our skin, nitric oxide (氧化氮) is released into the blood, a process that brings blood pressure levels down. It can lower the 8.__________ (风险) of heart attacks and strokes (中风). * Stronger bones Higher levels of vitamin D also keep your bones healthy. It can improve our bone 9.__________ (力量) so that we have fewer fractures (骨折).
Keys:
1-4： DCAB 5. advantages 6. notice 7. better 8. risks 9. strength
[Sharing seconds] 分享时刻
初为人父的喜悦自然溢于言表，随之而来的也有不知所措的惶恐。不过只要心中存爱，就不惧未来风雨。
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