Too much TV-watching can harm children’s ability to learn and even reduce their chances of getting a college degree, new studies suggest in the latest effort to examine the effects of television on children.
One of the studies looked at nearly 400 northern California third-graders. Those with TVs in their bedrooms scored about eight points lower on math and language arts tests than children without bedrooms TVs.
A second study, looking at nearly 1,000 grown-ups in New Zealand, found lower education levels among 26-year-olds who had watched lots of TV during childhood. But the results don’t prove that TV is the cause and don’t rule out that already poorly motivated youngsters(年轻人)may watch lots of TV.
Their study measured the TV habits of 26-year-olds between ages 5 and 15. Those with college degrees had watched an average of less than two hours of TV per weeknight during childhood, compared with an average of more than 2½ hours for those who had no education beyond high school.
In the California study, children with TVs in their rooms but no computer at home scored the lowest, while those with no bedroom TV but who had home computers scored the highest.
While this study does not prove that bedroom TV sets caused the lower scores, it adds to accumulating findings that children shouldn’t have TVs in their bedrooms.
1.According to the California study, the low-scoring group might____________.
A. have watched a lot of TV
B. not be interested in math
C. be unable to go to college
D. have had computers in their bedrooms
2.What can we learn from the last two paragraphs?
A. More time should be spent on computers.
B. Children should be forbidden from watching TV.
C. TV sets shouldn’t be allowed in children’s bedrooms.
D. Further studies on high-achieving students should be done.
3. What would be the best title for this text?
A. Computers or Television
B. Effects of Television on Children
C. Studies on TV and College Education
D. Television and Children’s Learning Habits
As one comes to some crossroads, he or she sees a sign which says that drivers have to stop when they come to the main road ahead. At other crossroads, drivers have to go slow, but they do not actually have to stop unless, of course, there is something coming along the main road; and at still others, they do not have either to stop or to go slow, because they are themselves on the main road.
Mr. Williams, who was always a very careful driver, was driving home from work one evening when he came to a crossroad. It had a “SLOW” sign. He slowed down when he came to the main road, looked both ways to see that nothing was coming, and then drove across without stopping completely.
At once he heard a police whistle, so he pulled into the side of the road and stopped. A policeman walked over to him with a notebook and a pen in his hand and said, “You didn’t stop at that crossing.”
“But the sign there doesn't say ‘STOP’.” answered Mr. Williams, “It just says ‘SLOW’, and I did go slow.”
The policeman looked around him, and a look of surprise came over his face. Then he put his notebook and pen away, scratched his head and said, “Well, I’m in the wrong street!”
1.When he was stopped by a policeman, he ____.
A. was driving at a high speed B. was driving onto the main road
C. was going to stop his car D. was pulled into the crossroad
2.Though slowly, Mr. Williams continued driving at the crossing because________ .
A. he saw a “STOP” sign in the opposite street
B. he paid no attention to the traffic rules
C. he didn't have to stop
D. he was eager to get home
3.Looking round Mr. Williams, the policeman was surprised because__________ .
A. he met a mad man
B. he realized that he himself was mistaken
C. Mr. Williams dared to speak to him like that
D. Mr. Williams would not apologize to him
4.What does “scratch” in the last paragraph mean?
A. to rub the skin of (the head) for uncertainty
B. to strike (the head ) for regret
C. to nodded for sure
D. to look back to search for something
By the third year of teaching I’d begun to expect Christmas break more for the school holiday and less for the excitement of the children. I was teaching fourth grade and my students had made me 36 . I just had to get through one of the hardest days of the school year.
The morning bell rang. I walked 37 through the cold into the overly heated school building. Twenty-two smiling faces 38 me at the school bus stop. I forced myself to 39 their smiles. Back into the classroom, they 40 , comparing plans for the 41 . I had to remove one student from each arm 42 I could take a seat at my desk for my morning duties. Before I could find my roll book（点名册） my desk was covered with 43 and gifts followed by a 44 of “Merry Christmas” wishes.
“Oh, thank you,” I must have 45 a million times. Each gift was truly special to me, except my 46 mood. It was kind of them to 47 me. After a while, I heard a small nervous 48 say my name. I looked up to see Brandon standing 49 by my desk, holding a small, round gift. “This is for you.”
“Thank you, Sweetheart.” I laid it on my desk with the others.
“Um, could you 50 it now?”
I gently tore at the paper and tape. “ 51 ,” he said, “it’s breakable.” Slowly I opened a small, green Christmas tree ornament（装饰物）, complete with a hook already 52 . It dawned on me what he had done. Then a nearby student said that he just pulled that off his own tree. I tried to keep my 53 back.
Later that day, I sat 54 the ornament in my hands. Was I really so important to this child that he had searched for something to give me? Now every year as I 55 pull a green Christmas ball from my ornament box, I remember the deep influence my students have on me.
1.A. excited B. tired C. amazed D. relaxed
2.A. eagerly B. aimlessly C. gently D. heavily
3.A. watched B. greeted C. delighted D. warned
4. A. return B. forget C. ignore D. refuse
5.A. calmed B. settled C. chatted D. argued
6.A. study B. weekend C. vacation D. lesson
7. A. before B. when C. after D. because
8.A. letters B. books C. chalks D. cards
9.A. knowledge B. collection C. series D. bunch
10.A. confirmed B. assessed C. responded D. explained
11.A. pleased B. low C. thrilled D. angry
12. A. talk about B. think of C. turn to D. connect with
13.A. call B. sound C. shout D. voice
14. A. shyly B. bravely C. rudely D. sadly
15.A. classify B. collect C. open D. check
16. A. Careful B. Dangerous C. Patient D. Hasty
17.A. exposed B. adapted C. adjusted D. attached
18.A. trees B. hooks C. gifts D. tears
19.A. looking into B. turning over C. giving away D. packing up
20.A. anxiously B. hurriedly C. delicately D. casually
No matter how I tried to read it, the sentence didn’t ______to me.
A. understand B. make out C. turn out D. make sense
The last ______of the play was very impressive.
A. view B. sight C. scenery D. scene
The government ______the diplomatic note from Japan for its unclear attitude to the trade between two countries.
A. denied B. refused C. rejected D. objected
