Children who speak English as their first language are now a minority in inner-city London primary schools,official figures show.
Youngsters with foreign mother tongues form a majority at primary schools in 13 out of33 London cities. Across the country,English is a foreign language to more than one in seven primary school youngsters.
The figures from the Department for Children,Schools and Families (DCSF) point to major demographic (人口的) changes over the past few decades,with around a fifth of pupils now coming from ethnic minorities.
There are concerns that school finances are coming under stress from the growing numbers of youngsters requiring help with English. The government has been urged to provide more funding,and give fair treatment to schools with large concentrations of non-English speakers.
In Tower Hamlets almost four out of five youngsters do not have English as their mother tongue. In other areas,including Leicester,Luton and Bradford the proportion approaches 50 percent.
The figures indicate that many recent migrants have settled in London. Sir Andrew Green,Founder and Chairman of Migration Watch UK,says,“These figures confirm the huge impact immigration is having on our society. When government funds are as tight as they are,this is bound to have a negative impact,since children for whom English is a second language need extra tuition (学费).”He adds,“In inner London it's hard to know with whom immigrant children are supposed to practice English,since the number of immigrant children is much larger than that of local. ”
A spokesman for DCSF stresses that the figures “only indicate the language to which a child was initially exposed at home,regardless of whether he or she comes to speak English fluently later on. It is only a relatively few recent arrivals for whom communication problems are serious”.“We are increasing funding to the Ethnic Minority Achievement Grant (助学金)to £206 million by 2010,to help bring students weak in English up to speed. We’re also equipping schools to offer effective English as an Additional Language teaching to new arrivals,”he adds
72.A minority of London primary school students speak English as their first language because
.
A. local children prefer to speak other languages
B. more and more immigrant children are attending school in London
C. children learning English as an additional language need extra tuition
D. English is too difficult a language for primary school children to learn
73.Some people worry about .
A. the increasing number of adults needing help with English
B. the government taking no measures to help the schools
C. non-English speakers putting school finances under stress
D. London schools not providing adequate service for children in need
74.It can be inferred from the passage that .
A. most immigrant children make a great effort to learn English
B. the government used to treat non-English speakers unfairly
C. it's not easy to find English speakers for immigrant children in some parts of London to communicate with
D. local children are influenced by immigrant children
75.According to the spokesman for DCSF,the figures indicate .
A. that children will speak English fluently later on
B. that immigration is having a huge impact on English society
C. what the language the children were exposed to first was
D. that funding is increasing to help students weak in English
Peanut allergies (过敏) are among the most common and most dangerous of food allergies. A tiny exposure to peanuts can mean big trouble for a person with a peanut allergy—not just sneezing or coughing,but something as potentially deadly as narrowing of the airways.
But a recent study suggests that some children may be able to beat back their allergic reactions to peanuts by gradually introducing trace amounts of the nut into their diets. It's too early to say for certain,so if you have a peanut allergy,do not try this at home. But the first results look promising.
Two teams of scientists have been experimenting on a group“of 29 children who are allergic to peanuts”At the beginning of the study,each kid received less than 1/1,000 of a peanut per day. (Imagine splitting a peanut into 1,000 parts!) Over the course of the study, the children gradually increased the amount of the peanut in their diets
Nine of the children have been receiving the treatment for two years,and five of those nine now appear to be free of their peanut allergies,and can eat peanuts with no problem. But the other four have not benefited so much from the therapy(治疗).
The two teams of scientists are now doing a follow-up study on two groups of children with the allergy. Children in one group will receive the new therapy,while the others will not. Researchers hope this study will help them learn if the therapy truly does work.
Scientists don't understand why some people get peanut allergies and others don't,but are trying to find a way to help people with the allergy. Because of the severity of some peanut allergies,scientists want to know the answer as soon as possible. “This is very encouraging, but remember,it's not something you try at home,”says one of the researchers.
68.According to the passage,the peanut allergy .
A. can be deadly if only a small amount is used
B. causes a lot of trouble for many parents
C. allows people to eat only small amounts of peanuts
D. is considered the least common and dangerous food allergy
69.Scientists are trying to treat peanut allergies by .
A. exposing children with the allergy to as many peanuts as possible
B. changing the eating habits of children with peanut allergies gradually
C. giving children Peanuts in slowly increasing amounts
D. exploring ways to resist the feelings caused by peanut allergies
70.The experiment shows that .
A. people with peanut allergies can't use small amounts of peanuts in their diets.
B. children are more easily cured than adults
C. all children can be cured of their peanut allergies if given more time of treatment
D. about 55-percent children with peanut allergies have been cured
71. Scientists are now doing a follow-up study in order to .
A. explore why some people get the illness while others don’t
B. show whether peanut allergies can really be dangerous
C. check whether the therapy really works or not
D. explore whether the allergy can be cured without treatment
Gorillas are born with an international sign language of gestures that they use to communicate,says a new study from the University of St Andrews in Scotland.
From beating their chests to putting objects on their heads,shaking their arms,and even bouncing on all fours,the animals use more than 100 gestures to communicate with each other
Professor Richard Byrne,a psychiatrist involved in the research,says it was hard to figure out the meanings of the gestures.
“We don't really know what the animals are thinking. Often the gestures have more than one meaning,depending on the context,”says Byrne.
The study showed that the gorillas did not learn the gestures from each other,as had been expected,but performed them instinctively (本能地).
“Everyone had assumed different groups of gorillas would learn different gestures,”he says. “But that's not what we found. The more sites we went to ,the more we saw the same gestures being used. They seem to be naturally equipped with a pretty complex system of communication.”
The study also found that gestures were performed with close attention to the potential audience,so that silent signals,for example, were only given when other apes could see them. Other gestures,such as the "disco arm shake" were only ever seen directed towards humans.
Byrne believes that the findings may explain how the human language developed.
“There has always been speculation(猜测)that the origins of the human language might lie in gestures,”he says.
“Many researchers have therefore studied the gestural communication of the great apes for clues to the evolutionary origins of human gestures,”he adds.
Several studies have shown that great apes are capable of imitating gestures. However,the scientists found that what appeared to be copies of human actions were actually gestures the apes were already able to make themselves. They're “reusing” gestures from their own repertoire,not learning new ones.
64.According to the passage,Richard Byrne's research has found .
A. different groups of gorillas would learn different gestures
B. gorillas know the sign language from birth
C. how gorillas learn from each other
D. gorillas develop a variety of languages when growing up
65.Why can't the researchers really know the meanings of gorilla gestures?
A. Because gorillas possess the ability of making many kinds of gestures.
B. Because they haven't made deep research into the animal.
C. Because a gorilla gesture may have different meanings.
D. Because gorillas can't exactly express their thoughts.
66.If a gorilla wants to make a silent gesture towards another gorilla,he .
A. needs to know how many other gorillas are watching him
B. needs to make noise first in order to draw attention
C. will first make sure his gesture can be seen
D. will first consider whether he can carry out his gesture
67.According to the passage,many scientists study the sign language of great apes in order to .
A. find the origins of the human language
B. find ways for people to communicate with apes
C. learn how animals communicate
D. discover the meanings of animal gestures
The beet (甜菜) is a tasty root vegetable that does not require much work to grow. People think of beets as being always dark red,but they can also be pink,yellow or white. Beets are high in nutrients,and both the root and the tops can be eaten. The leaves make good salads when the plants are young,and the greens can be cooked when the plants are older. Beets grow best in full sun and in loose soil that is not too wet.
Remove stones from the soil while preparing the ground,and test it before adding fertilizer Beet seeds can be planted as soon as the soil can be worked at the start of the growing season. Planting them every two or three weeks will provide a continuous harvest into the fall. A beet seed is a fruit containing several seeds. Overcrowding the plants will mean that the roots cannot spread out and grow,so thin the beets by removing the smaller ones and using them as greens.
A specialist named Cindy Haynes says little or no fertilizer is needed in rich soils. Once the seeds are planted,however,she suggests covering the soil to protect it from the rain and during dry periods. She also suggests putting a fence around the plants to keep away rabbits and deer. She says the only work beets need once they have been thinned is weeding and, when the weather is dry,a weekly watering. For best results,beets should be picked when the roots are two and one-half centimeters around. Larger beets can be tough,and have to be cooked for a long time. Beets can be eaten in many ways.
60.What is the second paragraph mainly about?
A. How to test the soil. B. How to plant beets
C. When to harvest beets. D. When to plant beets.
61.Smaller beets are often removed in order to .
A. give other beets space to grow B. add more fertilizer to the soil
C. plant new seeds D. use the green,young leaves in salads
62.What may the next part of the last paragraph be about?
A. When to pick beets. B. How to eat beets.
C. The uses of beets. D. The taste of larger beets.
63.The passage is most probably from a(n) .
A. gardening book B. education magazine C. science report D. entertainment magazine
When I was four years old,I broke my elbow. After many weeks in a cast (石膏) I returned to the hospital to finally have it removed. My mother found it strange that I was so enthusiastic about returning to the place where I had experienced so much pain. Yet she soon discovered my fascination with the healing process and how doctors helped to enhance it.
I was in fear as the doctor removed my cast and asked me to move my arm,and immediately became scared as the pain came shooting back through my elbow. After another series of X-rays and examinations my arm was put into a new cast I had begun to doubt the reliability of the doctor,and my mother thought I would be unwilling to return a second time.
When the day came to have my cast removed again,I was nervous. Yet I was optimistic enough to trust the doctor as he once again removed my cast and asked me to move my arm. And this time it was better! Nothing hurt!
On the way back home I released (松开) my mother's hand and ran ahead,and out of her sight. She was immediately worried that I would come upon someone dangerous. At the age of four I was already known for liking to talk with strangers that I felt were potential friends. When she caught sight of me again, I was looking up into the face of an old broken-legged man,saying,“Don't worry,sir! The doctor will fix your leg. Look how he fixed my arm!”
Since then I have continued to be fascinated with the human body and medicine. I also still love to help people,and never miss an opportunity to encourage someone. But most of all,I still believe that optimism and trust are the building blocks of happiness and success. Many things can change,but I am proud to say that these parts of me have always stayed the same.
56.The author was nervous when he returned to the hospital the second time because .
A. the hospital seemed like a more frightening place B. the doctor there was unskilled
C. he was afraid of the pain D. he was sure his elbow wouldn't recover
57.What did the mother fear when the author ran out of her sight on the way back home?
A. That he would break his elbow again.
B. That he would run down others and break their legs
C. That he would lose his way.
D. That he would come upon a dangerous stranger and get hurt.
58.What can we learn about the author from the passage?
A. He is optimistic and enthusiastic. B. He was hard-working as a young boy.
C. He doesn't like making friends with strangers.
D. He could become anything but a doctor.
59.Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
A. An Unforgettable Hospital Experience B. Lessons of a Broken Bone
C. What Makes for Happiness and Success? D. Broken Bones Take Long to Heal
完形填空(共20小题;每小题1.5分,满分30分)
阅读下面短文,掌握其大意,从每题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中,选出最佳选项。
Only one woman is responsible for my success:my mom. Don' t 36 me—I'm like anyone else,and have issues with my mother. However,I'm 37 enough to realize that what she taught me when I was young positioned me for my later 38 .
My mom taught me that life,like dinner,doesn't require a recipe. 39 she cooked the most complicated meals,she 40 cooked from a recipe. It was like a kind of free-form jazz, and she taught me to improvise (即兴发挥), and to add ingredients according to 41 .It's no wonder that my media business has grown so amazingly; I'm not 42 anyone else's recipe.
When I was in the ninth grade,my mom decided she wanted something 43 being a mother and a wife. She wanted to start her own 44 .But in order to accomplish this,she had no 45 but to get a loan. It all happened in 46 motion. The bank manager 47 my father call him,but my mom said stubbornly,"Why? It's my loan." "Well,I can't give you a loan unless he co-signs," replied the manager. But my mom didn't 48 hope,and responded sincerely,"I see. Then can you do me a favor,if he does? I' d 49 it if you'd put together the paperwork quickly. I need a shop in order to support my family."
Moved by her 50 ,the manager agreed to do as she asked. So 51 was I that I included that day into my DNA.
Through her influence,I've become someone who 52 what she wants until she gets it. If something or someone is in my way,I 53 how to overcome the difficulties. It's really that 54 . It's not about getting angry. It's about getting what you want,being very, competitive,but also extremely 55 . I learned this in the ninth grade from my mom, and it burned itself into my brain.
36. A. suspect B. misunderstand C. scold D. interrupt
37. A. curious B. innocent C. intelligent D. straight forward
38. A. circumstances B. dilemmas(窘境) C. achievements D. difficulties
39. A. Unless B. If C. Since D. While
40. A. rarely B. increasingly C. cautiously D. flexibly
41. A. feature B. process C. motivation D. taste
42. A. undertaking B. reflecting C. recommending D. following
43. A. instead of B. rather than C. more than D. regardless of
44.A. business B. marriage C. research D. interview
45.A. substitute B. alternative C. procedure D. possibility
46.A. brief B. slow C. admirable D. urgent
47.A. ordered B. indicated C. insisted D. stressed
48.A. switch B. abandon C. adjust D. escape
49.A. reward B. relieve C. celebrate D. appreciate
50.A. determination B. requirement C. significance D. encouragement
51.A. patient B. sensitive C. trustworthy D. impressed
52.A. benefits B. explores C. compromises D. pursues
53.A. turn out B. stick out C. figure out D. watch out
54.A. simple B. upset C. unconscious D. uncertain
55.A. embarrassing B. likeable C. casual D. confusing