【正文】
第十二天 一、美文晨讀 On May 15, 2021, the California Supreme Court approved samesex marriages in the state of California. By a vote of 4 to 3, the court declared that limiting a marriage to a union between a man and a woman violated the state constitution. The court’s decision was a huge victory for gays and lesbians throughout the state. Hundreds waited outside the courthouse in Sacramento for the announcement, which they greeted with cheers, hugs, and kisses. TV crews interviewed joyful couples. However, conservative opponents have vowed to fight the decision. They plan to gather over a million signatures for a constitutional amendment in November to overturn this decision. If California voters approve the amendment, lawyer Gloria Allred said, “I will take this case to the US Supreme Court. Gays must be free to marry.” It was only 60 years ago that most states banned interracial marriages. However, in 1967 the US Supreme Court ended those bans. Now the conflict is about sex instead of race. At present, only two states legally recognize samesex marriages—Massachusetts and California. Worldwide, only five countries legally recognize such marriages. “California has joined the 21st century,” said Elton John. “Now Cole Porter and I can finally get married in our favorite city, San Francisco.” “If we normal people don39。t vote for the amendment,” said conservative Gee Smith, “God will surely destroy this entire state.” 二、詞匯訓練 1. He plays a __________(被動的) role in a marriage. 2. Beauty is one of her many__________(優(yōu)點) . 3. It was a _________(寬慰) to me to find the children safe. 4. The boy was__________(控告) of theft. 5. This book d_________(值得) reading. 6. I feel g________ about having told a lie. 7. When it started to rain we took a s________ under a tree. 8. He s_________ with pleasure after the excellent meal. 9. J_________from what he said, he must be an honest man. 10. In t_________ of money, they are quite rich. 三、閱讀下面材料,在空白處填入適當?shù)膬?nèi)容(不多于 3個單詞)或括號內(nèi)單詞的正確形式。 More than 2021 years ago, there lived a young man in the Shouling area of the State of Yan. 1 (lack) selfconfidence, he was 2 a loss as to how to behave all the time. 3 the days went by, he 4 (feel) that his walking gestures were too clumsy and awkward. One day, he met some people on the road who were chatting and laughing. 5 of them said that people in Handan walked most 6 (grace). And that was just 7 he was most concerned about, so he went to Handan, 8 was far away, to learn how to walk. As soon as he arrived in Handan, he learned from the children there how to walk, 9 he thought that t