Long long ago people made fires from lightning(闪电)。 But they had to keep the fire burning, for they couldn’t start it again if there was no lightning. Later, they found out hitting two piece of stone together could make a spark (火花). The spark could fire dry leaves. In this way they could make the fire again if it went out. Them people also learned to make a fire by rubbing. They made a hole on a big piece of wood and put a smaller stick into the hole. They turned the stick again and again. After a few minutes they got a fire.
As years went by, people learned other ways to make a fire. Sometimes they used the heat from sun. they held a piece of glass in the right way and made a piece of paper on fire.
About two centuries ago, people began to make matches (火柴). Matches brought people a quick and easy way to make fire. Today matches are still being used, but people have more new ways to make fires. One of them is to use an electric fire starter. Of course an electric fire starter is much more expensive than a box of matches. But it is more useful.A spark can _________.
| A．fire any leaves | B．burn anything | C．burn dry leaves | D．keep fires burning |
We can also get a fire by _________.
| A．making a hole on a big piece of wood |
| B．putting a smaller stick into the hole |
| C．turning the stick hard for a while |
| D．doing all the above together |
Matches have been used _________.
| A．for about two thousand years |
| B．for about two hundred years |
| C．since people began to use fire for cooking |
| D．since people used the heat from the sun. |
From this passage we know _______.
| A．using matches is the easiest and most useful way to make fires |
| B．people don’t use matches any more since they had electric fire starters |
| C．today there are only two ways to make fires |
| D．some forest fires happen from lightning |
Choose the right order of the ways to make fires people got to know _________.
a. with a match b. from the sun c. from lightning
d. by rubbing e. with an electric fire starter.
| A．d ,b, c, a,e | B．d, c, b, a, e | C．c, d, b, a, e | D．c, b, d, a ,e |
阅读下面的短文，并根据短文后的要求答题。（请注意问题后的字数要求）
[1]Perhaps you are an average student with average intelligence.However,you can receive better grades if you want.Yes,even students with average intelligence can be top students without additional work.Here’s how:
[2]Plan your time carefully.Make a list of your weekly tasks.Then make a schedule of your time.Be sure to set aside enough time to complete your normal reading and work assignments.Of course,studying shouldn’t occupy all of the free time on the schedule.
[3]Make good use of your time in class.Listening to what the teacher says in class means less work later.Take notes to help you remember what the teacher says.
[4]Skim before you read.Look over a passage quickly before you begin to read it more carefully.As you preview the material,you get some idea of the content and how it is organized.Later when you begin to read you will recognize less important material and you may skip some of these portions.Skimming helps double your reading speed and improve you comprehension as well.
[5]_____,Go over your notes as soon as you can after class.Review important points mentioned in class as well as points you remain confused.If you know what the teacher will discuss the next day,skim and read that material,too.If you review your notes and textbook regularly,the material will become more meaningful and you will remember it longer.Regular review leads to improved performance on tests.
[6]Develop a good attitude towards tests.The purpose of a test is to show what you have learned about a subject.The word won’t end if you don’t pass a test,so don’t worry excessively about a single test.
[7]There are other techniques that might help you with your studying.Improving your studying habits will improve your grades.What’s the main idea of the passage?(no more than 8 words)
____________________________________________________________________What should you do if you fail a test?(no more than 4 words)
____________________________________________________________________7Please fill in the blank in the fifth paragraph with proper words.(no more than 4 words)
____________________________________________________________________According to the passage,how can an average student improve his/her grades?(no more than 6 words)
____________________________________________________________________What does the word “it”(line 4,paragraph 5)probably refer to?(no more than 3 words)
____________________________________________________________________
When I was a child of seven years old, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went at once to a shop where they sold toys for children. Being charmed with the sound of a whistle that I had seen by the way, in the hands of another boy, I handed over all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family. My brothers and sisters and cousins, when I told of the bargain I had made, said I had given four times as much as the whistle was worth. They put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money, and laughed at me so much for my folly that I cried with vexation(烦恼). Thinking about the matter gave me more chargrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.
This, however, was afterwards of use to me, for the impression continued on my mind, so that often, when I was tempted to buy something I did not need, I said to myself, “Don’t give too much for the whistle, ” and I saved my money. As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who “gave too much for the whistle.” When I saw some men too eager for court favor, wasting his time at court gatherings, giving up his rest, his liberty, his virtue, and perhaps his friends, for royal favor, I said to myself---“This man gives too much for the whistle.” When I saw another fond of popularity, constantly taking part in political affairs, neglecting his own business, and ruining it by neglect, “He says, indeed,” said I, “too dear for his whistle.”
If I knew a miser（守财奴） who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow citizens and the joys of friendship, for the sake of gathering and keeping wealth--- “Poor man,” said I, “ you pay too dear for your whistle.” When I met a man of pleasure, who did not try to improve his mind or his fortune but merely devoted himself to having a good time, perhaps neglecting his health, “ Mistaken man, you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you are paying too dear for your whistle.” If I saw someone fond of appearance who has fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine earrings, all above his fortune, and for which he had run into debt, and ends his career in a prison. “Alas,” said I, “he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle.” In short the miseries of mankind are largely due to their puffing a false value on things --- to giving “too much for their whistle.”How did the author get the whistle?
| A．He bought it in a toy shop for children. |
| B．He got it as a birthday present. |
| C．He exchanged all his coppers for it from another boy. |
| D．He got it from his brothers, sisters and cousins. |
When the author recalled(回忆) the whistle, he felt______________.
| A．pleased | B．charmed | C．chagrin | D．worth |
Which situation would not the author say “ too dear for the whistle?”
| A．People were tempted to buy something they did not need. |
| B．Men were too eager for court favor, wasting his time. |
| C．People were fond of popularity, constantly taking part in political affairs. |
| D．People were devoted to a career he loved so much. |
Which Chinese equivalent can best describe “ too dear for the whistle”?
| A．得不偿失 | B．皆大欢喜 | C．物超所值 | D．名副其实 |
What’s the best title of the passage?
| A．A story in my childhood. |
| B．Too dear for whistle. |
| C．A lesson from a whistle. |
| D．We should have a right attitude towards temptation（诱惑）. |
Self-employed private physicians who charge a fee for each patient visit are the foundation of medical practice in the United States. Most physicians have a contract relationship with one or more hospitals in the community. They send their patients to this hospital, which usually charges patients according to the number of days they stay and the facilities(operating room, tests, medicines that they use). Some hospitals belong to a city, a state or, in the case of veteran's hospitals, a federal government agency. Others are operated by religious orders(教会) or other non-profit groups.
Some medical doctors are on salary. Salaried physicians may work as hospital staff members, or residents, who are often still in training. They may teach in medical schools, be hired by corporations to care for their workers or work for the federal government's Public Health Service.
Physicians are among the best paid professionals in the United States. In the 1980s, it was not uncommon for medical doctors to earn incomes of more than $ 100 000 a year. Specialists, particularly surgeons, might earn several times that amount. Physicians list many reasons why they deserve to be so well rewarded for their work. One reason is the long and expensive preparation required to become a physician in the United States. Most would be physicians first attend college for four years, which can cost nearly $ 20 000 a year at one of the best private institutions. Prospective physicians then attend medical school for four years. Tuition alone can exceed $ 10 000 a year. By the time they have obtained their medical degrees, many young physicians are deeply in debt. They still face three to five years of residency(实习阶段) in a hospital, the first year as an apprentice physician. The hours are long and the pay is relatively low.
Setting up a medical practice is expensive, too. Sometimes several physicians will decide to establish a group practice, so they can share the expense of maintaining an office and buying equipment. These physicians also take care of each other's patients in emergencies.
Physicians work long hours and must accept a great deal of responsibility. Many medical procedures, even quite routine ones, involve risk. It is understandable that physicians want to be well rewarded for making decisions which can mean the difference between life and death.According to the passage, it is very unlikely that an American hospital is owned by _______.
| A．a church | B．a corporation | C．a city | D．a state |
The expenses for becoming a doctor are spent on _______.
| A．schooling and retraining | B．practice in a hospital |
| C．facilities he or she uses | D．education he or she receives |
According to the passage, how long does it take for a would-be physician to become an independent physician in the USA?
| A．About seven years. | B．Eight years. |
| C．Ten years. | D．About twelve years. |
Sometimes several physicians set up a group medical practice mainly because _______.
| A．there are so many patients that it is difficult for one physician to take care all of them |
| B．they can take turns to work long hours |
| C．facilities may be too much of a burden for one physician to shoulder |
| D．no one wants to assume too much responsibility |
Which of the following statements could fully express the author's view towards physicians’ payment in the USA?
| A．For their expensive education and their responsibility, they deserve a handsome pay. |
| B．It is reasonable for physicians to have a large income because their work is very dangerous. |
| C．Physicians should be better paid because they work long hours under bad conditions. |
| D．Physicians have great responsibility, so it is understandable that they should be well rewarded. |
The Internet has led to a huge increase in credit-card fraud. Your card information could even be for sale in an illegal web site.
Web sites offering cheap goods and services should be regarded with care.
On-line shoppers who enter their credit-card information may never receive the goods they thought they bought. The thieves then go shopping with your card number — or sell the information over the Internet. Computers hackers have broken down security systems, raising questions about the safety of cardholder information. Several months ago, 25, 000 customers of CD Universe, an on-line music retailer(零售商), were not lucky. Their names, addresses and credit-card numbers were posted on a Web site after the retailer refused to pay US $157, 828 to get back the information.
Credit-card firms are now fighting against on-line fraud. Mastercard is working on plans for Web — only credit card, with a lower credit limit. The card could be used only for shopping on-line. However, there are a few simple steps you can take to keep from being cheated.
Ask about your credit-card firm’s on-line rules: Under British law, cardholders have to pay the first US $78 of any fraudulent(欺骗性的) spending.
And shop only at secure sites; Send your credit-card information only if the Web site offers advanced secure system.
If the security is in place, a letter will appear in the bottom right-hand corner of your screen. The Website address may also start https: //—the extra “s” stands for secure. If in doubt, give your credit-card information over the telephone.
Keep your password safe: Most on-line sites require a user name and password before placing an order. Treat your passwords with care.What do most people worry about the Internet according to this passage?
| A．A lot of stolen credit-cards were sold on the Internet. |
| B．Fraud on the Internet. |
| C．Many Web sites are destroyed. |
| D．Many illegal Web sites are on the Internet. |
What is the meaning of “fraud”?
| A．Cheating. | B．Sale. | C．Payment. | D．Safety. |
How can the thieves get the information of the credit card?
| A．The customers give them the information. |
| B．The thieves steal the information from Web sites. |
| C．The customers sell the information to them. |
| D．The thieves buy the information from credit-card firms. |
How many pieces of advice does the passage give to you?
| A．Four. | B．Three. | C．Five. | D．Six. |
You are shopping on the site: http: // www. Shopping. com, and you want to buy a TV set, what does this article suggest to do?
| A．Order the TV set at once. |
| B．Do not buy the TV set on this site. |
| C．E-mail the site your credit-card information. |
| D．Tell the site your password and buy the TV set for you. |
In the more and more competitive service industry, it is no longer enough to promise customer satisfaction. Today, customer "delight" is what companies are trying to achieve in order to keep and increase market share.
It is accepted in the marketing industry, and confirmed by a number of researchers, that customers receiving good service will promote business by telling up to 12 other people; those treated badly tell tales of woe to up to 20 people. Interestingly, 80 percent of people who feel their complaints are handled fairly will stay loyal.
New challenges for customer care have come when people can obtain goods and services through telephone call centers and the Internet. For example, many companies now have to invest (投资) a lot of money in information technology and staff training in order to cope with the "phone rage" -- caused by delays in answering calls, being cut off in mid-conversation or left waiting for long periods.
"Many people do not like talking to machines," says Dr. Storey, Senior Lecturer in Marketing at City University Business School. "Banks, for example, encourage staff at call centers to use customer data to establish instant and good relationship with them. The aim is to make the customer feel they know you and that you can trust them -- the sort of comfortable feelings people have during face-to-face chats with their local branch manager."
Recommended ways of creating customer delight include: under-promising and over-delivering (saying that a repair will be carried out within five hours, but getting it done within two) replacing a faulty product immediately; throwing in a gift voucher (购物礼券) as an unexpected "thank you" to regular customers; and always returning calls, even when they are complaints.
Aiming for customer delight is all very well, but if services do not reach the high level promised, disappointment or worse will be the result. This can be eased by offering an apology and an explanation of why the service did not meet usual standards with empathy (for example, "I know how you must feel"), and possible solutions (replacement, compensation or whatever fairness suggests best meets the case).
Airlines face some of the toughest challenges over customer care. Fierce competition has convinced them that delighting passengers is an important marketing tool, while there is great potential for customer anger over delays caused by weather, unclaimed luggage and technical problems.
For British Airways staff, a winning telephone style is considered vital in handling the large volume of calls about bookings and flight times. They are trained to answer quickly, with their names, job title and a "we are here to help" attitude. The company has invested heavily in information technology to make sure that information is available instantly on screen.
British Airways also says its customer care policies are applied within the company and staff are taught to regard each other as customers requiring the highest standards of service.
Customer care is obviously here to stay and it would be a foolish company that used slogans such as "we do as we please". On the other hand, the more customers are promised, the greater the risk of disappointment.We can learn from Paragraph 2 that _______.
| A．complaining customers are hard to satisfy |
| B．unsatisfied customers receive better service |
| C．satisfied customers catch more attention |
| D．well-treated customers promote business |
The writer mentions "phone rage" (Paragraph 3) to show that ________.
| A．customers often use phones to express their anger |
| B．people still prefer to buy goods online |
| C．customer care becomes more demanding |
| D．customers rely on their phones to obtain services |
What does the writer recommend to create customer delight?
| A．Calling customers regular. |
| B．Giving a "thank you" note. |
| C．Delivering a quicker service. |
| D．Promising more gifts. |
If a manager should show his empathy (Paragraph 6), what would be probably say?
| A．"I know how upset you must be." |
| B．"I appreciate your understanding." |
| C．"I'm sorry for the delay." |
| D．"I know it's our fault." |
Customer delight is important for airlines because ________.
| A．their telephone style remains unchanged |
| B．they are more likely to meet with complaints |
| C．the services cost them a lot of money |
| D．the policies can be applied to their staff |
Which of the following is conveyed in this article?
| A．Face-to-face service creates comfortable feelings among customers. |
| B．Companies that promise more will naturally attract more customers. |
| C．A company should promise less but do more in a competitive market. |
| D．Customer delight is more important for air lines then for banks. |
One evening in February 2007, a student named Paula Ceely brought her car to a stop on a remote road in Wales. She got out to open a metal gate that blocked her path. That's when she heard the whistle sounded by the driver of a train. Her Renault Clio was parked across a railway line. Seconds later, she watched the train drag her car almost a kilometre down the railway tracks.
Ceely's near miss made the news because she blamed it on her GPS (导航仪). She had never driven the route before. It was dark and raining heavily. Ceely was relying on her GPS, but it made no mention of the crossing. "I put my complete trust in the device and it led me right into the path of a speeding train." she told the BBC.
Who is to blame here? Rick Stevenson, who tells Ceely's story in his book When Machines Fail Us, points the finger at the limitations of technology. We put our faith in digital devices, he says, but our digital helpers are too often not up to the job. They are filled with small problems. And it's not just GPS devices: Stevenson takes us on a tour of digital disasters involving everything from mobile phones to wireless keyboards.
The problem with his argument in the book is that it's not clear why he only focuses on digital technology, while there may be a number of other possible causes. A map-maker might have left the crossing off a paper map. Maybe we should blame Ceely for not paying attention. Perhaps the railway authorities are at fault for poor signalling system. Or maybe someone has studied the relative dangers and worked out that there really is something specific wrong with the GPS equipment. But Stevenson doesn't say.
It's a problem that runs through the book. In a section on cars, Stevenson gives an account of the advanced techniques that criminals use to defeat computer-based locking systems for cars. He offers two independent sets of figures on car theft; both show a small rise in some parts of the country. He says that once again not all new locks have proved reliable. Perhaps, but maybe it's also due to the shortage of policemen on the streets. Or changing social circumstances. Or some combination of these factors.
The game between humans and their smart devices is amusing and complex. It is shaped by economics and psychology and the cultures we live in. Somewhere in the mix of those forces there may be a way for a wiser use of technology.
If there is such a way, it should involve more than just an awareness of the shortcomings of our machines. After all, we have lived with them for thousands of years. They have probably been fooling us for just as long.What did Paula Ceely think was the cause of her accident?
| A．She was not familiar with the road. |
| B．It was dark and raining heavily then. |
| C．The railway workers failed to give the signal. |
| D．Her GPS device didn't tell her about the crossing. |
The phrase "near miss" (Paragraph 2) can best be replaced by ________.
| A．close hit | B．heavy loss |
| C．narrow escape | D．big mistake |
Which of the following would Rick Stevenson most probably agree with?
| A．Modern technology is what we can't live without. |
| B．Digital technology often falls short of our expectation. |
| C．Digital devices are more reliable than they used to be. |
| D．GPS error is not the only cause for Ceely's accident. |
In the writer's opinion, Stevenson's argument is ________.
| A．one-sided | B．reasonable | C．puzzling | D．well-based |
What is the real concern of the writer of this article?
| A．The major causes of traffic accidents and car thefts. |
| B．The relationship between human and technology. |
| C．The shortcomings of digital devices we use. |
| D．The human unawareness of technical problems. |
For five days, Edmonton’s Downtown Park is transformed into one huge stage where artists are able to share their talents, and where people are able to celebrate and enjoy themselves .Since is beginning in 1980,the Edmonton Folk Music Festival has been commemorating(念）the ture feeling of what folk music is all about and that's the traditional togetherness(友爱）that is felt when people gather to share stories and feelings through song.
This year will be the sixth year when volunteer Riedel will be offering up her time to the festival. "People coming off a busy spring and summer have a moment of relaxation ," Riedel said. "It's really east to relax, and it's great seeing family and friends have fun together." These families and friends come from all different kinds of musical tastes. People who take pleasure in Blues are there, so are people who love Bluegrass. This festival does its best to develop everyone's musical interests.
With so many years of expenence .the festival has become a well-oiled machine, and does whatever it can to make attendees feel as possible. There are free water stations throughout the venue(举办地）for people to fill up their travel cups. When people buy food, reusable ashes are given a $2 plate fee, but that is returned when the plate is brought back.
The festival has completely sold out of tickets, and in record time. But with big names such as Van Morrison and Jakob Dylan, it’s easy to see how that was going to happen. There is no parking area during the festival, so using the Park & Ride system or Edmonton Transit is highly recommended. A bike lock-up area is provided and will be available Thursday until Sunday one hour before the gates open until 45 minutes after the gates close.
The Edmonton Folk Music Festival begins on Wednesday, Aug.4 with Van Morrison playing the special donation fund （基金）concert, and will finish up on Sunday, Aug.8.The Edmonton Folk Music Festival is held mainly to ___________.
| A．gather people with different musical tastes |
| B．remind people of the real sense of folk music |
| C．exhibitive good voices of great talents in folk music |
| D．collect old stories of folk music |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．Riedel has volunteered for the festival for at least 5years. |
| B．It’s hard for people to appreciate Blues. |
| C．It costs people a little to fill up their cups from water stations. |
| D．People have to pay ﹩2 for a plate of food. |
We can learn from the passenger that____.
| A．people can get tickets easily for the festival |
| B．the Edmonton Folk Music Festival is highly recommended. |
| C．driving one’s own car to the festival is highly recommended |
| D．bikes are available at the festival from Wednesday to Sunday |
What would the best title for the passenger?
| A．Folk Music of Blues |
| B．One Festival Family Gathering |
| C．Festival for family Gathering |
| D．Edmonton’s Downtown Park |
阅读下面短文，根据所读内容在表格中的空白处填入恰当的单词。注意：每个空格只填一个单词。
Third-generation mobile phones, known as 3G, are the next big step for the telecom industry. Data speed in 3G networks is much quicker than that in present technology. This means users can have high-speed Internet access and enjoy video and CD-quality music on their phones.
“Mobile data is not a dream; it’s not an option but a requirement,” said Len Lauer, head of a US communications company, Sprint PCS, at a 3G conference in Bangkok earlier this month.
With 3G, you can forget about text messages telling you yesterday’s news; a 3G phone can receive video news programs, updated four times a day. Internet access will also be much quicker, making it easier to surf the Web on your phone than on your computer at home.
Face-to-face video calls
Don’t worry about getting lost. 3G phones offer map services so you can find a new restaurant just by pressing a few keys on your handset.
However, the most impressive part of 3G technology is video calling. With live two-way video communication, you can have face-to-face talks with friends and family on your mobile phone.
Many European countries have already launched the service. In May 2000 the US Government issued five license to run 3G wireless services, while the first 3G phones arrived in Italy in March this year.
International telecom companies can’t wait to sell 3G in China, the world’s largest mobile telecommunications market. But they will have to be patient. At the moment, China is busy testing its 3G-based technologies, networks and services. This will be followed by a trial period before the phones can finally hit the shops.
“We need to create a pool of 3G customers before the large-scale commercial launch of the service,” said Fan Yunjun, marketing manager for Beijing Mobile. “We expect that the 3G licenses will be issued late next year.”
| Third-generation mobile phones (3G mobile phones) |
|
| a. Data speed: b. Video and c. Video news programs: d. Internet access: quicker and |
|
| Impressive |
a. Offer map services, helping you find your way b. Provide two-way video |
| 3G phones in China |
a. China is busy b. 3G phones should be c. 3G phones are |
根据短文内容，从短文后的选项中选出能填入空白处的最佳选项。选项中有两项为多余选项。
Are you truly happy? Do you ever know what it means to be happy and what it takes to achieve happiness? 1 . The following are a few tips that I follow to create happiness in my life.
◆Make a plan for attaining goals that you believe will make you happy. Your moods will very likely increase if you are going after something you value.
◆Surround yourself with happy people. It is easy to begin to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. 2 .
◆When something goes wrong, try to figure out a solution instead of being absorbed in self pity. Truly happy people don’t allow setbacks to affect their mood because they know that with a little thought they can turn the circumstances back to their favor.
◆ 3 . These few minutes will give you the opportunity to focus on the positive things in your life and will lead you to continuous happiness.
◆ 4 . Whether you treat yourself to lunch, take a long relaxing bath or simply spend a few extra minutes on your appearance, you will be subconsciously(下意识)putting yourself in a better mood.
◆Finding the humor in situations can also lead to happiness. Find a way to make light of a situation that would otherwise make you happy.
◆Keeping healthy is another way to achieve happiness. 5
| A．What makes one person happy may be very different from what makes someone else happy. |
| B．On the contrary, if you are around people who are happy, their emotional state will be infectious. |
| C．Being overweight or not eating nutritious foods can have a negative effect on your mood. |
| D．These are important questions for anyone who is seeking happiness to ask themselves. |
E. Spend a few minutes each day thinking about the things that make you happy.
F. There are some tips in life that lead to happiness.
G. It’s also important to take some time each day to do something nice for yourself.
Plants are very important living things. Life could not go if there were no plants. This is because plants can make food from air, water and sunlight. Animals and man cannot make food from air, water and sunlight. Animals get their food by eating plants and other animals. So animals and man need plants in order to live. This is why we find that there are so many plants around us.
If you look carefully at the plants around you, you will find that there are two kinds of plants: flowering plants and non-flowering plants.
Flowering plants can make seeds. The seeds are protected by the fruits. Some fruits have one seed, some have two, three or four, and some have many seeds. But a few fruits have no seeds at all. An example of a fruit without seeds is the banana fruit.
Most non-flowering plants don’t grow from seeds. They grow from spores. Spores are so small and light that they can float in the air. We may say that spores are quite the same as he seeds. When these spores fall on wet and shady places, they usually grow into new plants.The main idea of the passage is that .
| A．plants are important for life | B．plants cannot grow without air |
| C．there are many plants around us | D．we cannot live without water |
Which of the following is NOT TRUE?
| A．Plants can be divided into main types: flowering plants and non-flowering plants. |
| B．All fruits have seeds in them. |
| C．Seeds are protected by the fruits. |
| D．Some plants grow from spores. |
The underlined word "non-flowering" means .
| A．开花的 | B．有花的 | C．多花的 | D．不开花的 |
In “shady places” there is .
| A．a lot of sunshine | B．a lot of water | C．no water | D．little sunshine |
Some students get so nervous before a test, they do poorly even if they know the material. Sian Beilock, a psychology professor at the University of Chicago in Illinois, has studied these highly anxious test-takers.
Sian Beilock says: “They start worrying about the consequences. They might even start worrying about whether this exam is going to prevent them from getting into the college they want. And when they worry, it actually uses up attention and memory resources. I talk about them as their cognitive(认知的)horsepower that they could otherwise be using to focus on the exam.”
Professor Beilock and another researcher, Gerardo Ramirez, have developed a possible solution. Just before an exam, highly anxious test-takers spend ten minutes writing about their worries about the test. The researchers tested the idea on a group of 20 anxious college students. They gave them two short math tests. After the first one, they asked the students to either sit quietly or write about their feelings about the upcoming second test. The researchers added to the pressure. They told the students that those who did well on the second test would get money. They also told them that their performance would affect other students as part of a team effort.
Professor Beilock says those who sat quietly scored an average of 12 percent worse on the second test. But the students who had written about their fears improved their performance by an average of five percent.
Next, the researchers used younger students in a biology class. They told them before final exams either to write about their feelings or to think about things unrelated to the test.
Professor Beilock says highly anxious students who did the writing got an average grade of B+, compared to a B-for those who did not.
The research shows that for students who are highly test-anxious, who’d done the writing intervention(介入), all of a sudden there was no relationship between test anxiety and performance. Those students most likely to worry were performing just as well as their classmates who don’t normally get nervous in these testing situations.
But what if students do not have a chance to write about their fears immediately before an exam or presentation? Professor Beilock says students can try it themselves at home or in the library and still improve their performance.The purpose of the passage is .
| A．to build the confidence of the highly anxious test-takers |
| B．to introduce a research about the anxious test-takers |
| C．to improve the performance of the test-takers |
| D．to tell something about the highly anxious test-takers |
The underlined word “them” in paragraph 2 refers to .
| A．attention and memory resources |
| B．worries about the consequences |
| C．concerns about the exam |
| D．cognitive horsepower |
According to the research, the solution to the test anxiety is to .
| A．sit quietly before the exam |
| B．prepare well before the test |
| C．set their mind on happy memories |
| D．write about their feelings before the test |
The result of the research suggests that .
| A．proper amount of burden may turn out to be a good thing |
| B．avoiding facing the problem may contribute to relaxation |
| C．facing the fears bravely may help one to achieve more |
| D．taking no action before difficulty may result in success |
Money Matters
Parents should help their children understand money. So you may start talking about money when your child shows an interest in buying things, candy or toys, for example.
1.The basic function of money
Begin explaining the basic function of money by showing how people trade money for goods or services. It is important to show your child how money is traded for the things he wants to have. If he wants to have a toy, give him the money and let him hand the money to the cashier(收银员). When your child grows a bit older and understands the basic function of money, you can start explaining more complex ways of using money.
2. Money lessons
Approach money lessons with openness and honesty. If you must say no to a child’s request to spend money, explain, “You have enough toy trucks for now.” Or, if the request is for many different things, say, “You have to make a choice between this toy and that toy.”
3.
Begin at the grocery store. Pick out two similar brands of a product—a name-brand butter and a generic(无商标产品),for example. You can show your child how to make choices between different brands of a product so that you can save money. If he chooses the cheaper brand, allow him to make another purchase with the money saved. Later, you may explain how the more expensive choice leaves less money for other purchases.
| A. Wise decisions. B. The value of money. C. Permit the child to choose between them. D. Tell your child why he can—or cannot—have certain things. E. Ask yourself what things that cost money are most important to you. F. Talk about how the money bought the thing after you leave the toy store. G. The best time to teach a child anything about money is when he shows an interest. |
Minh Pham was born in Vietnam. He left there when he was 21 years old. Minh has been in America for almost two years. There is still much he does not understand about America.
Once, Minh was in a supermarket. He saw an old man and an old woman. They wanted a box of cereal（麦片）.The box was on a high shelf. The man and the woman couldn’t reach it. Minh saw a stepladder. He got on the ladder and got the box. He handed it to the elderly couple. They thanked him.
“Where are your children?” asked Minh. “Why don’t they help you buy food?” “Our children have their own lives,” said the man and the woman. “We like to be independent.” Minh doesn’t think this is right. In his country, children help their parents. Minh gave the elderly couple his phone number. He told them to call him if they needed help. One night they asked Minh to dinner, but they never asked him for help.
One day, Minh was walking with a Vietnamese friend. The two men were going to a movie. Minh wanted to go to a restaurant first. Minh took his friend’s hand. He pulled him towards the restaurant. People on the street stared at Minh. In Vietnam, friends often hold hands. Minh found that the people in America are not used to men holding hands.
Minh Pham is going through a process（过程） known as resocialization. Socialization（社会化） is the process in which a person learns to live in a society. Everyone goes through this process. Minh went through it when he lived in Vietnam. But the Vietnamese way of life is rather different from the American way of life. When Minh came to America, he had to learn a new way of life. He had to learn how to live in a new society. Minh has learned a lot about American life in two years. He still has a lot to learn. The process of resocialization can take many years.The main idea of the passage is that socialization is the way in which a person ______.
| A．learns to live in a society |
| B．travels from one country to another |
| C．learns to act independently |
| D．learns about their country |
The passage states that Minh didn’t understand why the elderly man and woman were not ______.
| A．helped by their children | B．shopping for their children |
| C．holding hands | D．using a stepladder |
According to the passage, socialization happens to ______.
| A．only the Vietnamese in America | B．only Americans |
| C．only older people | D．everyone |
The underlined word “resocialization” means ______.
| A．keeping one’s own way of life |
| B．keeping up with others |
| C．a process of learning how to live in a new society |
| D．understanding a new culture |
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