IT’S a scene in many homes around the world: tired-eyed teens wake to the sound of their alarm clock. Another school day begins, and we all wish we could have just one extra hour of sleep.
For lucky high school students in England, they’re now going to reset their alarm and get an extra hour of sleep. Instead of starting school at 9 am, students will begin the academic day at 10 am.
This is part of a huge study by Oxford University. The experiment will see whether later classes can improve exam results.
More than 100 schools across England will join the four-year experiment, which includes tens of thousands of students. It is based on（以…为基础） scientific evidence（证据； 迹象）that teenagers are out of step with traditional school hours.
“We know that something funny happens when you’re a teenager,” lead sleep researcher Colin Epsie told The Telegraph. “Your parents think it’s because you’re lazy and everything would be OK if you could get to sleep earlier. But science is telling us that teenagers need to sleep more in the mornings.”
A similar experiment in 2009 saw an improvement of 19 percent in exam scores for major subjects – such as math and science.
Teenagers’ sleep cycles, on average, begin two hours after adults. Neuroscientists (神经科学家) say teens have a built-in clock, which makes them more likely to go to sleep around midnight. As well as not feeling fully awake until between 9 am and 10 am. This body clock stays until the age of 19 for females and 21 for males.
Schools are places for learning, as well as education laboratories – finding out the best ways to learn and increase knowledge. Yet we’ll have to wait until 2018 to find out these exciting results!
1.England high school students usually start school __________.
A. at 7 am B. at 8 am C. at 9 am D. at 10 am
2.Teenagers feel hard to get up early because _________.
A. they are too lazy
B. their sleep cycles are later than adults
C. they stay up late at night
D. they hate going to school
3.The aim of the experiment in 2009 was to __________.
A. find out whether later classes can improve exam results
B. test how students’ body clocks work
C. compare teenagers’ and adults’ sleeping styles
D. help teachers to find the best way to teach
4.The article is focused on（聚焦）the topic that _________.
A. teenagers need more sleep than adults
B. students might need more hours’ sleep in the morning
C. boys need more sleep in the morning than girls
D. it is important to do more experiments on education
Chinese player Li Na, a two-time Grand Slam (网球大满贯赛事) champion, announced her retirement on Sept 21 because of long-term knee injuries. Although it was a hard decision, Li said she had no regrets (遗憾).
“I don’t feel sorry about retiring, because I’ve tried my best,” said the 32-year-old.
Becoming professional at the age of 17, Li has set many milestones (里程碑) for Chinese tennis. She was the first Chinese player to win a WTA title and the first to break into the top 20. Li won the 2011 French Open title and became the first Asian player to ever win a Slam. By winning this year’s Australian Open, she became the first Asian player with two Slams.
As excellent as her tennis abilities are, Li’s sense of humor is outstanding too. She often jokes about life with her husband in interviews, changing them into funny comedy shows. Her speech at the Australia Open in January is just the best example.
During her 15-year professional career, Li has helped the improvement of tennis in China. Earlier this month, Chinese another player Peng Shuai, 28, made the semifinals of the US Open. Last week, a new tennis match started in Li’s hometown of Wuhan.
“I’ve seen changes happening in front of my eyes, young girls picking up tennis rackets, setting goals … and believing in themselves,” Li said in an online post.
Li is more than a sports superstar. As WTA chief executive (行政长官) Stacey Allaster said, she is “a pioneer who opened doors to tennis for hundreds of millions of people throughout China and Asia.”
Li said she planned to take care of my family and then to open a tennis school in China after her retirement. Her official retirement ceremony (仪式) will be on Sept 30.
1.Why did Li Na decide to give up her tennis career?
A. Because of the increasing age.
B. Because of the arm injuries.
C. Because of the knee injuries.
D. Because of the bad performances
2.When did Li Na become the first Asian player with two Slams?
A. In 2011.
B. In 2012.
C. In 2013.
D. In 2014.
3.What’s the meaning of the underlined word “outstanding” in Paragraph (段落) 4?
A. 普通的 B. 古怪的 C. 杰出的 D. 完美的
4.Which is of the following is the writer’s opinion?
A. She was the first Chinese player to win a WTA title.
B. Li became the first Asian player to ever win a Slam.
C. Li is more than a sports superstar.
D. Her official retirement ceremony will be on Sept 30.
1.How many times does the Homework Club open a week?
A. Once.
B. Twice.
C. Three times.
D. Four times.
2.What CANNOT you do in the Homework Club?
A. Meet new friends.
B. Have fun.
C. Learn from teachers.
D. Learn cooking skills.
3.How many ways can you register (报名) for the club?
A. One. B. Two. C. Three. D. Four.
The smell of coffee wakes me. I run into the . There Pa is! Pa lifts me onto his shoulders. Ma says, “I’m going to bake a . Go down to the cellar(地窖), Jimmy, and bring me that jar of apples from the shelf.” That’s the last jar---the we’ve been saving and saving to welcome Pa home.
I take down the jar carefully and put both my hands around it. I can Pa and Ma laughing upstairs. I hurry up the steps. I take the steps two at a time but my
catches on the middle one. The jar slips(滑落) through my fingers and on the floor. Bits of apple fly everywhere.
“Are you hurt?” Ma comes . I look at her face. “Go on upstairs now. Don’t cut your feet.” I want her to be at me, but that’s all she says. Upstairs, Pa wipes my eyes. “Never mind, son, accidental happens.” I bury my face in Pa’s old jacket. I wish I hadn’t hurried.
Ma comes back. She kisses my cheek. “Now out of the kitchen,” Ma says. “I’m going to a special sugar pie, and it doesn’t need apples.”
Pa and I go out. I show him the place I caught a rabbit. He measures me against the back door and a new notch(刻痕) with his knife. I’ve grown a whole half-inch he’s been away. “Pa, are you home to stay now?” I ask him.
“Not yet, son. Got to till times get better. And they will. The sun will shine, rain will fall, and things will grow the way they’re supposed to.”
“I’ll Ma while you’re gone, Pa.”
“I know you will, son.”
1. A. bedroom B. kitchen C. living room D. cellar
2.A. cake B. biscuit C. cookie D. pie
3. A. it B. one C. that D. this
4. A. see B. feel C. hear D. smell
5.A. foot B. hand C. eye D. finger
6.A. opens B. stays C. breaks D. stops
7.A. quietly B. quickly C. slowly D. politely
8.A. excited B. mad C. pleased D. satisfied
9.A. something B. anything C. everything D. nothing
10.A. buy B. send C. find D. make
11. A. which B. where C. when D. what
12.A. makes B. cuts C. puts D. gets
13.A. since B. until C. before D. when
14.A. start B. stop C. wait D. leave
15.A. look for B. look up C. look over D. look after
A Good Friend In My Mind
英国有句谚语：结识新朋友，不忘老朋友，老朋友是金，新朋友是银(Make new friends, but keep the old; Those are silver, these are gold. )。中国自古亦有“有朋自远方来，不亦乐乎？”等描绘朋友之间友情的名句。初中的学习生活即将结束了，在这段时间里你一定结识了许多朋友，并产生了深厚的友谊。请你写一篇文章介绍一位你心目中的好朋友。文章必须包含以下内容：1. 人物简介；2. 给你的帮助；3. 你的感受。
要求： 1）条理清楚，意思连贯，语句通顺，标点正确、逻辑清晰；
2）文中不能出现真实的姓名和校名；
3）80词左右。（开头已给出，不计入总次数。）
1. —How do you learn English?
—I learn by ___________.（记笔记）
2. She advised them to talk with their son ___________.（亲自）
3. It seems that many people all over the world drink ___________.（中国茶）
4.My sister used to ______________going out alone at night.（害怕）
5. ______________.(无论)how happy her surface is, her heart is sad.
