How to become a better reader
Language and literacy(读写能力) are among humans’ greatest inventions. Evolving（演变） over the course of human history, languages are a reflection of our cultural and societal attitudes. Today, surrounded（包围） by social media, television, movies, and, of course, books, the ability to read and write is important to expressing one’s feelings. Most humans acquire language in early childhood and speak fluently when they are about three years old, but our continued relationship with language gives shape and meaning to our lives. 1.
(1) Take it slow. Many readers feel that they read too slowly, especially compared with others. 2. The best readers are flexible（灵活的） — slowing down when needed — and always have a dictionary at hand.
(2) Read aloud. When humans first began reading written words, it was unusual to read in silence. 3. Try listening to the author reading their own work — you’ll be surprised to find how clearly it comes through on the page.
(3) Write. Writing and reading go hand-in-hand: how and what you read affects how and what you write, and the best readers often make the best writers. But while much can be learned from close, repeated readings, there are many pleasures to language that can only be experienced through the practice of writing. 4.
(4) Tell your friends. All of the literature is essentially communication from an individual’s inner voice to an audience. 5. It’s a good way to see the world from someone else’s eyes and, in the process, carefully examine your own reaction to what you’re reading.
A. But the truth is that the faster you read, the less likely you are to understand fully what you’re reading.
B. Can you remember the first piece of writing that transported you to another world?
C. There is something magical about sharing books with friends or a book club.
D. Try writing every day for a month, and you will never read the same again.
E. Reading out loud is one of the best ways to improve your reading ability.
F. Here are 4 ways to become a better reader.
G. In no time, you’ll be appreciating novels like fine wine.
There are several ways from which to choose for you to keep your kids safe in your neighborhood. But the first step to keep your child safe in your neighborhood is to know your neighbors.
Knowing your neighbors can save you a lot of worry. It lets you know that the car that has just driven down the street belongs to “the yellow house on the corner”, or the truck that has just driven by the playground looks unfamiliar, but the guy in the passenger seat resides two doors down. It’s these simple things that keep you from going_out_of_your_mind whenever you see someone driving by where children are playing.
But you shouldn’t just know what they look like. The next step is to know them well. What do they do？How do they act？You might be OK with them driving by the playground since they live in the neighborhood, but are you OK with them being on the playground? Knowing your neighbors solves several things. First you find out what kind of people they are. This helps you know if you should let your child go out in an area where they gather. Let us face it: you do not want your child to play around people or people’s children that curse (咒骂) or hit each other. Sometimes you have to protect your child against your own neighbors.
Knowing them also makes them know you. Being neighbors is an interesting thing. You might not like them or have the same views as them, but we all usually protect those that we consider our own. If you know your neighbors, they know you. They are more likely to look after the child of the nice lady down the street in the brick (砖) house, than the people, in the house on the corner, who no one ever sees.
1.This passage is mainly to tell us________.
A. how to keep your child safe in the neighborhood
B. how to set a good example to your neighbors
C. how to get along with your neighbors
D. how to teach your child to protect himself
2.If someone resides two doors down, he________.
A. studies at the same school with your kid
B. often comes to the neighborhood to offer help
C. lives in the same neighborhood as you
D. likes driving the truck around the neighborhood[
3.The underlined phrase “going out of your mind” in Paragraph 2 probably means________.
A. becoming very excited
B. becoming very worried
C. becoming very disappointed
D. becoming very relaxed
4.From the third paragraph we can know that________.
A. it is important for you to be polite to your neighbors
B. people in the same neighborhood are quite different
C. people like enjoying themselves on the playground
D. knowing your neighbors helps to keep your kids safe
Does this situation seem familiar to you? Your English is progressing well, the grammar is now familiar, the reading comprehension is no problem, you are communicating quite fluently, but: Listening is STILL a problem! First of all, remember that you are not alone. Listening comprehension is probably the most difficult job for almost all learners of English as a foreign language. The most important thing is to listen as often as possible. The first step is to find listening resources. The Internet is really a useful tool for English students. You can download The RealPlayer from RealMedia.com. The RealPlayer allows you to use the Internet like a radio station.
Once you have begun to listen on a regular basis, you might still be frustrated (懊恼) by limited understanding. What should you do?
Here is some of the advice I give my students:
●Accept the fact that you are not going to understand everything.
●Stay relaxed when you do not understand — even if you continue not to understand for a long time.
●Do not translate what you hear into your native language.
●Listen for the general idea of the conversation. Don’t concentrate on detail until you have understood the main ideas.
I remember the problems I had in understanding spoken German when I first went to Germany. In the beginning, when I didn’t understand a word, I insisted on translating it in my mind. This method usually resulted in confusion. Then, after the first six months, I discovered two very important facts. Firstly, translating creates a wall between the listener and the speaker. Secondly, most people repeat themselves constantly. By remaining calm, I noticed that — even if I didn’t pay much attention, I could usually understand what the speaker had said.
1.The best way to improve our listening is to _____.
A. practise as much as possible.
B. find as many listening resources as possible.
C. use the Internet like a radio station.
D. speak naturally and read as much as possible.
2.Which of the following is a good habit when listening?
A. Try to understand everything.
B. Try to get the main ideas.
C. Pay much attention to details.
D. Translate each word in your mind.
3.The underlined part “a wall” in the last paragraph refers to “_____”.
A. a communication barrier (障碍).
B. culture shock.
C. language understanding.
D. a little misunderstanding.
People all need friends because nobody wants to be lonely and a friend can help you in good and bad times. You have made friends since childhood, but you still don’t know who your true friends are. Here are some signs to tell you if your friend is a true friend:
Always honest
Honesty is important to keep a relationship alive. A true friend always tells you the truth. It may be hard sometimes but lying can destroy a friendship. It is important that your friend speaks honestly and never makes up stories.
There are always periods in your life when you have problems or difficulties. A true friend will always have time to listen to your problems and give advice. It may not be able to offer a solution to your problems but the fact that your friend made time to listen is a sign he/she cares for you. Your friend is not a true friend if he/she can never make time for you when you are in trouble. You also need to be reasonable and accept that your friend also has other things to do so he/she can’t always listen immediately to your problems.
Always respectful (尊敬的)
A true friend will always respect your opinion no matter whether he/she agrees or not. Your true friend may disagree but never insists that he/she is correct.
Always understanding
It is possible that some problems will arise between you and your friend. A true friend will always be forgiving (体谅的) and understanding even if it isn’t his/her fault. We are all different people and we all make mistakes. A true friend is always forgiving and understanding because he/she doesn’t want to take the risk of losing his/her best friend.
1.What’s the best title for the third paragraph?
A. Always there for you B. Keep your secrets
C. Always happy for you D. Remember your important days
2.According to the passage, a true friend will always________.
A. follow your advice
B. offer a solution for your problems
C. listen immediately to your problems
D. respect your opinion even if he/she disagrees with it
3.Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
A. Never tell lies to friends. B. Making time for friends.
C. Sharing fun with friends. D. Paying attention to a friend’s opinions.
4.What’s the author’s purpose in writing this passage?
A. To teach us how to make true friends.
B. To find out how long a friendship can last.
C. To introduce his experience in making friends.
D. To tell us how to find out if a friend is a true friend.
Farah was sitting in the kitchen going over the party list with her mother. The exams were over and Farah wanted to invite her friends for a party.
“Farah, aren’t you going to invite Hafsa?” her mother asked. Hafsa had been her best friend since childhood.
“Mother, you know I am now a part of Purple Girls Club and we have some rules about people we can be friends with, ” Farah answered.
“Really? And what are the rules?” her mother asked.
“Well, only very pretty girls can be part of our group. And Hafsa is so...you know...dark.”
“I cannot believe it, ” her mother said angrily.
As Farah left the kitchen, her father called her from the living room. Farah went to her father and paled when she saw the exam report in his hands. “Farah, what has happened to your grades? You have failed in Mathematics,” her father said. Farah had no answer. The truth was that the activities of Purple Girls Club left her with very little time for studies. “Farah, it says that you can take part in supplementary exams(补考). If your grades don’t improve then, I’ll cancel(取消) your trip to Spain.” Farah went to her room and called Gina, the leader of Purple Girls Club, “Gina, can you help me to complete my notes before the exams?” Gina laughed.“Exams? Who cares about exams?”
One by one, she called her friends in the club but no one seemed to care or wanted to help. Farah knew Hafsa would help her. Farah also knew Hafsa had been hurt by her, but Hafsa said, “If you need any help, just let me know. We can study together till your exams.” Next Monday, as two friends entered the school together, Gina called out. “Farah, you know our rules.You cannot be friends with those who do not belong to our club.”
“Gina, I have a new rule about friendship, ”Farah replied.
1.After Farah became a member of Purple Girls Club, she chose a friend according to a person’s________.
A. looks. B. usual activities . C. grades. D. favorite colors.
2.Farah became pale after going to her father because________.
A. he didn’t allow her to go to Spain. B. she didn’t do well in her exams.
C. she had to leave Purple Girls Club. D. he asked her to improve her grades.
3.Which word can best describe Hafsa?
A. Silly. B. Beautiful. C. Rude. D. Kind.
4.What lesson can we learn from the passage?
A. A friend in need is a friend indeed. B. A perfect friend will never be found.
C. Be slow in choosing a friend. D. Friendship can be developed easily.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.How did the speaker feel when her mother wanted to buy her some new clothes?
A. Disappointed B. Excited C. Confused.
2.How many dresses did the speaker pick out?
A. Five B. Four C. Three.
3.What do we know about Emma’s father?
A. He could only buy Emma’s clothes for her birthday.
B. He couldn’t afford a present for Emma’s birthday.
C. He promised to buy a dress as Emma’s birthday present.
4.Which dress did Emma select in the end?
A. The yellow and blue one
B. The pink one
C. The navy blue one.
