As her son Cameron sits at his laptop completing a task for his math degree course. Alison Thompson, a full-time mum is busy helping her daughter Emma (two years younger than Cameron) get dressed. While help has always been available for Emma, Alison and her husband also have to fight to get Cameron the support he needs. “People could see that Emma has special needs but because Cameron was doing so well at school, his teachers never thought there was a problem with him,” says Alison.
It took Alison and her husband a while to realize their son was different. Cameron’s ability didn’t become clear until he began primary school. Once he even corrected the teacher when she told the class that zero was the lowest number. Cameron told her she was wrong because there were negative numbers. He was four at the time. Now 14-year-old Cameron is at secondary school, studying for a distance learning math degree with the Open University, having sailed through his GCSE at 11 and his A-level at 12, achieving top grades.
Bethany, another daughter of Alison, is bright too, but not gifted. She is the one who will remind absent-minded Cameron to put on his coat. She also helps him out in social situations.
Emma attends a specialist school and the family is quick to celebrate her success too.
“The other day she did up the buttons on her coat, which was real progress,” Alison says.
Late last year the Thompsons took part in a television documentary to prove that not all gifted children are the result of extremely ambitious parents. Gifted children need support too, but their lives don’t have to be that different. Cameron is an example.
1.Which can be the best title for the passage?
A. Ambitious Parents B. Thompson’s Children
C. Special Gifts D. Different Lives
2.What does paragraph 1 indicate?
A. Both Cameron and Emma need parental support.
B. Teachers at school ignored Emma’s problems.
C. Cameron helps Emma with her math tasks.
D. The couple often have fights because of Cameron.
3.There are at least _______________ people in Mrs. Thompson’s family.
A. three B. four C. five D. six
4.What can be known from the passage?
A. Emma has learned to take good care of herself.
B. Cameron showed his gift before primary school.
C. The children of the family are bright and gifted.
D. Gifted kids are not so different as people expect.
Harlequino: Onto Freedom
Date:Nov.19-20 7:30 p.m.
Venue:Beijing Comedy Theater
Price:80-680 yuan
The drama discusses the true essence(本质) of are with the humor of Italian improvisational(即兴的 ) comedy. The performers discuss the purpose of art, reflect on how history is written and survey what is funny and what needs to be liberated.
Plastic Fantastic--Minirichi in Shanghai
Date:Nov.17 7:30 p.m.
Venue:Shanghai Dancing Theater
Price:100-380 yuan
Four Ukrainian “kidult” comedians decide to throw a wild party using plastic of all shapes and colors. Plastic Fantastic delivers a series of short comic stories that mix improvisation, mime, clown art and sound to draw you into their crazy world.
The Collection of American Modern Dance from Paul Taylor
Date:Nov.19 7:30 p.m.
Venue:National Center for the Performing Arts
Price:100-480 yuan
Paul Taylor, one of the most accomplished artists this nation has ever produced, has continued to shape America’s homegrown art of modern dance since he became a professional dancer and pioneering choreographer in 1954. Taylor first presented his choreography with five other dancers in Manhattan on May 30,1954. That modest performance marked the beginning of a half-century of unmatched creativity,and in the decades that followed, Mr.Taylor became a cultural symbol and one of the history’s most famous artists .
The little Singers of Paris in Suzhou
Date:Nov.30 7:30 p.m
Venue: Zhangjiagang Poly Theater
Price: 30-480 yuan
The boys’choir Les Petits Chanteurs a la Croix de Bois was created in 1907 and is now famous worldwide. Each world tour is a huge success. The choristers are between 9 and 15 years old and are proud of their choir’s long history of over 100 years and are still fulfilling childhood dreams. They have to leave their families in order to be part of this extraordinary adventure: traveling, sharing their passion for singing and enabling others to discover the joy of music.
1.Tourists are likely to appreciate American modern dance in ________.
A. Beijing Comedy Theater B. Shanghai Dancing Theater
C. Zhangjiagang Poly Theater D. National Center for the Performing Arts
2.Which of the following may appeal to those who are crazy about short comic stories?
A. Les Petits Chanteurs a la Croix de Bois B. Italian improvisational comedy
C. Plastic Fantastic D. Harlequino: Onto Freedom
3.With the cheapest admission ticket, tourists can have access to the performance____.
A. on Nov.30 B. on Nov.20
C. on Nov.19 D. on Nov.17
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.When did the speaker and his family come back to the United States?
A. Three years ago. B. Four years ago. C. Twenty years ago.
2.Why don’t the speaker’s family return to Britain now?
A. They don’t like Britain.
B. The daughter has to continue her study.
C. They’re happier living in the United States.
3.What is the purpose of the speaker’s six-week trip in England?
A. To see his friends. B. To go sightseeing. C. To advertise his new book.
4.What does the speaker think of his six-week trip?
A. Expensive. B. Difficult. C. Satisfying.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.What is the topic of the picture for this year’s art competition?
A. Family. B. The countryside. C. Friends.
2.Why can’t the girl take part in the art competition?
A. She is not interested in it. B. She isn’t good at drawing. C. She is over the age limit.
3.What may the boy’s sister use to draw in the competition?
A. Colored pencils. B. Oil paints. C. Water colors.
4.What is the prize for the winner this year?
A. A computer. B. A camera. C. A television.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.When does the boy go to the language club every week?
A. On Tuesday. B. On Wednesday. C. On Thursday.
2.What language will the boy learn next month?
A. French. B. Chinese. C. Japanese.
3.Where do the language club members meet?
A. In Room 2. B. In Room 3. C. In Room 4.
听下面一段较长对话，回答以下小题。
1.Who does the man think he saw today?
A. The girl’s art teacher. B. The girl’s history teacher. C. The girl’s woodwork teacher.
2.What does the girl’s history teacher look like?
A. He has a beard. B. He has no hair at all.
C. He has some hair around the sides.
