My grandfather died more than twenty-five years ago. I was fifteen. He was kind, strong, fair, and very funny. When I was a young musician, he was my biggest fan. I played my violin for him when he visited, and he loved everything, but each time he had one request. "Could you play 'Amazing Grace'?" he asked, full of hope and with a twinkle in his eye, because he knew my answer was always, "I don't know that one!" We went through this routine at every major holiday, and I always figured I'd have time to learn it for him later. About the time I entered high school and started guitar, Grandpa got cancer. The last time I saw him alive was Thanksgiving weekend in 1985. My mom warned us that Grandpa didn't look the same anymore and that we should prepare ourselves. For a moment I didn't recognize him. He looked so small among all the white sheets. We had all gathered in Ohio for the holiday, and I'm sure we all knew we were there to say good-bye. I can see now that Grandpa held on long enough to see us each one more time. I remember how we ate in the dining room and laughed and talked while Grandpa rested in his hospital bed. I wonder if it was sad for him to be alone with our voices and laughter. _ The next morning I found my moment alone with him. I pulled out my guitar, tuned to his appreciative gaze, and finally played for him "Amazing Grace." I had worked on it for weeks, knowing it never mattered whether I actually played it well and choosing not to believe as I played that it was my last concert for my biggest fan. The cancer had stolen his smile, but I saw joy in his eyes. He held my hand afterward, and I knew I had done something important. I argued with people all through college about my music major. I was told by strangers that music wouldn't make me any money and it wasn't useful like being a doctor. But I know firsthand that with music I was able to give my grandpa something at a point when no one else could. What is the author's attitude toward her music major? A) Disapproving. B) Positive. C) Doubtful. D) Regretful.
B
Humor is very important in any relationship. It is truly a unique gift when someone has the ability to make another laugh. Humor allows a person to forget his troubles and focus on positive aspects of his life. Personally speaking, making another laugh, whether it is a family member, a close friend, or even a stranger, has always given me a good feeling! Humor plays an important role in our family lives. The interaction , between husband and wife and between a parent and a child, is very important, just thinking how much better our relationships would be if we would take the time to laugh. Humor and laughter are especially important during difficult times. No matter how bad a person may feel, a family member or a friend can make him feel good by laughing with him. I once had a co-worker, for whom there was no humor in her daily life. She seldom smiled and seemed to focus on only the negative or the dark side. One day I was told she was very unhappy, had few friends, and had poor relations with family members. Later, I learnt that she couldn't remember laughing or enjoying life. In order to enjoy her life, she was advised to have humor and laughter each day of her life. In the end, it seemed to make a huge difference. We do live in a difficult world. "Stress" seems to be a major factor contributing to health problems of our society. So, in order to live easily, we should put humor into our daily lives. I have a plaque hanging on the wall, which reads "Live, Love and Laugh"! According to the passage, humor matters a lot in the following EXCEPT _ . A) the personality development B) mental health C) human relations D) family lives
A
Q: Grasslands need time to rest when cattle and other animals feed on them. Moving animals from one area of pasture to another can provide the time needed for new growth. This is called rotational grazing . Rotational grazing is good for the land and the animals, and it can save money. This form of grazing can reduce the need for pesticide treatments by reducing the growth of weeds. And it can limit the need for chemical fertilizers by letting animal wastes do the job of natural fertilizer. Rotational grazing can even help prevent wildfires by keeping grasslands in good condition. Letting animals feed continually and intensively in the same grazing areas can require costly replanting. Animals eat the most desirable growth first. When that keeps happening, the roots do not have enough time to recover. As a result, less desirable plants may replace them. Intensively used grasslands are also harmed as the soil is continually crushed under the weight of heavy animals. While rotational grazing can save money over time, it also requires planning. And that starts with a good map to mark fences, water supplies and grazing areas. Changing methods of grazing also requires time. Farmers may want to put up electric fences to enclose grazing areas, called paddocks. The paddocks will need water. Some farmers design a path for animals from different paddocks to drink from a common watering place. Farmers can start rotational grazing by removing animals from a pasture when the grass is eaten to less that five centimeters. The pasture is then kept empty until the grass grows to more than fifteen centimeters high. Sheep and goats may require special preparations. They may need stronger fences than other animals. And while they eat the grass, they may need guard animals to protect them from animals that would like to eat them. What would be the best title for the passage? A) Giving grasslands a rest B) How to feed animals C) Keeping animals moving in pastures D) Grass growth and grazing ways
A: A
prefix = st1 /Gland, Switzerland - Rivers on every continent are drying out, threatening severe water shortages, according to a new WWF report. The report, World's Top Rivers at Risk, released ahead of World Water Day (22 March), lists the top ten rivers that are fast dying as a result of climate change, pollution and dams. "All the rivers in the report symbolize the current freshwater crisis, which we have been signalling for years," says WWF Global Freshwater Programme Director Jamie Pittock. "Poor planning and inadequate protection of natural areas mean we can no longer assume that water will flow forever. Like the climate change crisis, which now has the attention of business and government, we want leaders to take notice of the emergency facing freshwater now not later." Five of the ten rivers listed in the report are in Asia alone. They are the Yangtze, Mekong, Salween, Ganges and Indus. Europe's Danube, the America'sLa Plataand Rio Grande/Rio Bravo, Africa's Nile-Lake Victoria andAustralia's Murray-Darling also make the list. Dams along the Danube River -- one of the longest flowing rivers in Europe -- have already destroyed 80 per cent of the river basin's wetlands and floodplains. Even without warmer temperatures threatening to melt Himalayan glaciers, the IndusRiverfaces scarcity due to over-extraction for agriculture. Fish populations, the main source of protein and overall life support systems for hundreds of thousands of communities worldwide, are also being threatened. The report calls on governments to better protect river flows and water allocations in order to safeguard habitats and people's livelihoods. "Conservation of rivers and wetlands must be seen as part and parcel of national security, health and economic success," Pittock adds. "Emphasis must be given to exploring ways of using water for crops and products that do not use more water than necessary." In addition, cooperative agreements for managing shared resources, such as the UN Watercourses Convention, must be ratified and given... We can easily learn from the passage that _ . A) the fresh water crisis will be out of control soon B) Asia is facing the most severe challenge of water shortage C) to better protect river flows and water allocations is the only solution D) fish populations are of vital importance to national economic success
B