Last month when I was taking part in a US college interview, I was asked, “ what makes you special ? ” In fact I had answered questions likes this many times since I decided to go to college in the US .college paid special attention to different achievement . For example, a person who is very good at math can go to a famous college but also can be a good football player .
This experience made me think again that I must try to find where my own interests might lead me . To be honest, it was not easy . However, I never felt sorry to choose this way because it helped me understand myself . If I took the College Entrance Examination,as we call it gaokao in China, it could never possibly do .
When I entered high school, I took gaokao seriously because it seemed to me a great way to show how good at my lessons . However,as I grew older, I realized gaokao did make me work hard at my lessons, but the pressure also pushed many other activities out of my life, like guitar―playing . Although I had no time for it, I will still get to it in the future .
No doubt, gaokao provides a way of choosing those who are successful in their studies . But it is really important for all of us to rethink what “ talent ” really is today . This is because we now live in a world in which all of our other human qualities ( 品质）are needed for success, not just the high grade .
Ken Robinson once said, “ the society depends on different kinds of talents . ” However, gaokao pays too attention to a person’s grades but little to his other qualities. And it is these qualities that makes life colorful and fun .
As high school students, we can not change the present situation of eduction, but we are always free to think outside of the box . Although good school grade is still useful, I hope one day we will see our education also welcomes the amazing possibilities in different people .
1.The US College pay special attention to ________.
A．students’family background .
B．the different achievement
C．students’ideas about way of life .
D．the school a student is from .
2.When at high school, the writer ________.
A．had a lot of activities .
B．did not work hard at her lessons .
C．did well in gaokao
D．had no time to play the guitar .
3.From the passage, we know that the writer may ________.
A．go to college in America .
B．give up the US college interview .
C．become a good football player in the US.
D．change the present situation of eduction .
4.Which of the following might be the best title for the passage?
A. My school life abroad. B. Different exams in the US.
C My view on gaokao D. The importance of school grades
Hip hop or rap (说唱） music as it is also called, started on the street and in the clubs of the New York City in the 1970s . But today many countries have their own kind of hip hop music . This kind of music comes from reggae, disco and funk music . Rapping means speaking to the rhythm of the music, and it is an important part of the music . People rap to express how they feel about their lives and problems .
Rapping in class.
Would you like to rap in class? Well actually, hip pop music is played in more than 10,000 schools in the USA .Why ? There is a new school program called “ Flocabulary ”in which teachers use texts and hip hop CDs to help teach different school subjects . The words of the songs are just what students are studying . This makes learning easy and fun . Students and teachers are excited about the positive results it has had on exam marks . One teacher said, “ I’ve used hip hop songs in class, and I have never seen my students so crazy about history ! You can't imagine how well they imagine how well they remember what I teach ! We even try to write our own songs . ”
Whose idea was Flocabulary?
Blake Harrison, a high school student, was the first person to come up with the idea of Flocabulary . The word “ Flocabulary ” comes from the word “ flow ” and “ vocabulary ” . “ Flow ” is a rap word for “ style ”,or the way a rapper says the words of a song . “ Vocabulary ” means the words you have to learn in a language . How did he get the idea ? Well, he realized he could remember the words of a hip hop song very easily . So,why not make lessons into songs ? Today together with Alex Rappaport, a song writer, Blake produces hip hop songs for maths, science and literature (文学）. They are now used in schools with great success .
1.Rap music started _____ in New York city .
A．in the 1970s B．In a high school
C．in the 19 th century . D．In a music class .
2.From the passage, we can learn “ Flocabulary ” is a program to _____ .
A．Write rap music . B．Sing a song by talking
C．Remember the words of a song . D．help teach some school subjects.
3.The underlined word positive in paragraph 2 most probably means _____
A．bad B．good C．final D．direct
4.Blake Harrison has produced hip hop songs for school subject EXCEPT _____ .
A．maths B．science C．history D．literature
Students these days often have a lot of worries. Sometimes they have problems with their schoolwork, and sometimes with their friends. Some people think the worst thing is to do nothing. Laura Mills, a teenager from Washington, agrees. “Problems and worries are normal in life,” says Laura. “But I think talking to someone helps a lot. If we don’t talk to someone, we’ll certainly feel worse.”
Laura once lost her purse, and worried for days. She was afraid to tell her parents shout it. She even walked three miles to school each day because she didn’t have any money. She just kept thinking. “If I tell my parents, they’ll be angry!” But in the end, she talked to her parents and they were really understanding. Her dad said he sometimes made careless mistakes himself. They got her a new purse and asked her to be more careful. “I will always remember to share my problems in the future!” Laura says.
Robert Hunt advises students about common problems. He feels the same way as Laura. “It is best not to avoid our problems. We should always try to solve (解决) them.” He thinks that you can first find someone to talk to. This person doesn’t need to be an expert (专家) like himself. Students often forget that their parents have more experience than them, and are always there to help them.
In English, we say that sharing a problem is like cutting it in half. So you’re halfway to solving a problem if you talk to someone about it!
1.Which of the following can be put in the blank in Paragraph One?
A．What can they do about this?
B．Where do the problems come from?
C．When did they have these problems?
D．Why do they have so many problems?
2.In Paragraph 2, the writer used the story of Laura to ______.
A．answer a question B．give an example
C．introduce his friend D．share his experience
3.According to the passage Robert Hunt might be ______.
A．Laura’s teacher B．the writer of the passage
C．a person with a problem D．an expert on students’problems
4.What is the main idea of this passage?
A．Few children are careful with their money.
B．Parents are more experienced than children
C．Talking to someone helps to solve problems.
D．Students often have a lot of worries at school
What does traveling mean? Visit, enjoy and discover.
Every year hundreds and thousands of people come to the UK. And London, the capital city, is usually their first stop. What can they see? What can they experience!
Getting around in London is not difficult. There is the underground train, the oldest in the world, or the traditional double-decker bus. A boat trip along the River Thames takes you to the Tower of London.
Going around the city center on foot is easy. The maps in the streets will show you what is around you in five-minute walk. You can get a great view of the city from 135 meters up on a huge wheel, the London Eye. Look across the river and you will see the Houses of Parliament and the famous clock tower, Big Ben.
There are over 240 museums in the capital, but the two most popular are in South Kensington and cost nothing to get into. In the Natural History Museum, the key word is Big. Next to it is the Science Museum. It has those great British inventions, the history of flight and exploration (探索) of space.
1.For many tourists, London is their ______ stop when they are traveling in the UK.
A．first B．second C．third D．lost
2.Going around the City center on foot is easy because ______.
A．Big Ben is across the river B．the maps in the streets will help you
C．it take only five minutes D．you can gets great view of the city
3.The Natural History Museum is next to ______.
A．Big Ben B．the Tower of London
C．London Eye D．the Science Museum
I used to live in my own room alone. But one day it all changed when my brother Mike asked to share my 31 . At first, my parents said “no” to him, but at last my mother agreed. I cried and asked my parents not to do this, 32 it didn’t work.
As soon as Mike entered my room, it began to become 33 . To my anger, he often left his unwashed clothes and toys everywhere!
One evening, I was doing some 34 on my computer while Mike was listening to music. 35 , I left my seat to get some water. A big surprise was waiting for me when I 36 . He was using my computer to play game. I had forgotten to save the homework. Sadly, he had closed my program 37 saving it—all I had done had disappeared! I 38 him. He cried a lot as my mother came and beat him. My mother also asked him to leave my room at once.
Then I did my homework 39 . At 10: 00 pm. I finished it. When I was going to turn off the 40 , I saw the photo of my 41 that he had put on my table. I looked at his lovely face and remembered how 42 he was when my mom beat him. I really felt 43 . I went to see what he was doing. I found he was 44 in my parents’ bed. I kissed his face. He woke up, got up and said. “I’m sorry. I won’t bring you any more trouble.”
I was as moved and said. “From now on, my room is not only mine. It is 45 !” That very night, Mike and I shared not only the room, but the bed.
1. A．clothes B．food C．room D．toys
2. A．because B．but C．or D．so
3. A．dirty B．empty C．quiet D．tidy
4. A．business B．homework C．reading D．shopping
5. A．Later B．Instead C．However D．Sometimes
6. A．danced B．fell C．returned D．slept
7. A．after B．by C．for D．without
8. A．agreed with B．heard from C．looked after D．shouted at
9. A．as well B．for ever C．in the end D．once gain
10. A．computer B．fan C．radio D．TV
11. A．brother B．cousin C．father D．grandfather
12. A．clever B．happy C．sad D．silly
13. A．bored B．excited C．proud D．sorry
14. A．jumping B．sleeping C．sitting D．singing
15. A．his B．hers C．ours D．theirs
—Can I have some cookies, Mom?
—______ I’ll get you some.
A．No way B．How come? C．How can it be? D．Why not?
