For a 400-year-old art form, opera had a bad fame: overweight actresses singing the words which were hard to understand in one of those romance languages you were supposed to learn in high school. And with tickets costing as much as $145 a performance, opera goers also had a certain appearance in people's mind: rich, well-dressed and old.
But now opera companies around the country are loosening their ties and kicking off their shoes in an attempt to keep opera alive and take it to a younger and not so wealthy audience.
Opera producers have found that to attract this crowd, they need to make the opera closer to common people. Because young people don't or won't come to the opera, companies are bringing the opera to them, giving performances in such unusual places as parks, libraries and public schools.
The Houston Grand Opera's choice is the public library, where it performs “mobile operas” shortened versions(剧本) of child-friendly operas. This summer's production is Hansel ＆ Gretel. By performing smaller versions of large productions, producers are able to make people interested while keeping costs at a reasonable level. The San Francisco Opera, which will be celebrating its 75th anniversary this year, is staging Cinderella free of charge, keeping costs down by employing students from its Young Artists' Training Program.
1.Which is the main idea of this passage？
A. Opera is famous for its long history.
B. Opera is only performed for rich people.
C. Opera companies are trying to keep opera alive.
D. Young people are not interested in opera.
2.The underlined phrase in the second paragraph means ______.
A. breaking up the old rules B. changing the dresses
C. making the audience at ease D. advertising themselves
3.Opera companies prefer to perform short versions because ______ .
A. they can be performed in public libraries
B. short versions are easy to perform
C. it is hard to find long versions
D. they can make more people come to opera
4.The San Francisco Opera employs students in order to ______.
A. celebrate its 75th anniversary B. reduce the cost
C. attract young people D. make Cinderella popular
Where have all the boys gone？You may be able to find them in the gym, at work or hanging out, but there’s one important place where boys are underrepresented, and the problem seems to be getting worse. These days, at high school graduation ceremonies, there are a lot more girls than boys.
In fact, every year, 10 percent more girls graduate from high school than boys. “I think that there’s a tendency to focus on boys as problems at this point, rather than recognize that boys have problems,” says Joanne Max, PhD. Experts say the problems start in grade school, where there’s often an emphasis on sports instead of reading, for example. “I think that with boys there’s some idea that it’s not masculine(男子汉的)to read,” says Rob Jenkins, an English professor.
There’s also a shortage of male teachers as role models. “I think boys need role models, so if you’re a boy and you don’t have a dad in your home and then you have one male teacher and it’s your athletic coach then I don’t think you have a message that education is very important,” says Carol Carter, another expert. In addition, classrooms often have too little activity and too much passive listening, which is not conducive(有益的)to boys’ learning.
Experts say parents can fight back in many ways. Read to your sons early and often; show by your actions that you value their education. Ask them about their schoolwork, offer help, drop by their classroom and finally, appeal to their competitive spirit: challenge them to do better and help them understand that their future depends on it.
1.The underlined part “one important place” in Paragraph 1 refers to “______”.
A. classrooms B. factories
C. high school graduation ceremonies D. gyms
2.According to the passage，boys have the problem that they think ______.
A. reading is more important than sports
B. it is shameful for boys to read
C. boys should not work as a teacher
D. boys lack the gift for reading
3.Carol Carter’s words implied that ______.
A. parents play an important role in education
B. athletic coaches contribute a lot to education
C. lack of male teachers affects boys’ attitudes to school work
D. classrooms lack enough activities that are suitable for boys
4. According to experts，parents should do the following except ______.
A．often read to their sons when they are young
B．keep an eye on their sons’ studies at school
C．encourage their sons to compete with others
D. prevent their sons from taking part in sports
So long as teachers fail to distinguish（区别, 辨认） between teaching and learning, they will continue to undertake to do for children that which only children can do for themselves. Teaching children to read is not passing reading on to them. It is certainly not endless hours spent in activities about reading．Douglas insists that “reading cannot be taught directly and schools should stop trying to do the impossible”.
Teaching and learning are two entirely different processes. They differ in kind and function. The function of teaching is to create the conditions and the climate that will make it possible for children to devise the most efficient system for teaching themselves to read. Teaching is also public activity. It can be seen and observed.
Learning to read involves all that each individual does to make sense of the world of printed language. Almost all of it is private, for learning is an occupation of the mind, and that process is not open to public observation.
If teacher and learner roles are not interchangeable, what then can be done through teaching that will aid the child in the quest（探索）for knowledge? Smith has one principal rule for all teaching instructions. “Make learning to read easy, which means making reading a meaningful, enjoyable and frequent experience for children.”
When the roles of teacher and learner are seen for what they are, and when both teacher and learner fulfill them properly, then much of the pressure and feeling of failure for both is eliminated(除去, 剔除). Learning to read is made easier when teachers create an environment where children are given the opportunity to solve the problem of leaning to read by reading.
1.The problem with the reading course as mentioned in the first paragraph is that ______.
A．it is one of the most difficult school courses
B．students spend endless hours in reading
C．reading tasks are assigned with little guidance
D．too much time is spent in teaching about reading
2.The teaching of reading will be successful if ______.
A．teachers can improve conditions at school for the students
B．teachers can enable students to develop their own way of reading
C．teachers can devise the most efficient system for reading
D．teachers can make their teaching activities observable
3.According to the passage, learning to read will no longer be a difficult task when ______.
A．children become highly motivated
B．teacher and learner roles are interchangeable
C．teaching helps children in the search for knowledge
D．reading enriches children’s experience
4.The main idea of the passage is that ______.
A．teachers should do as little as possible in helping students learn to read
B．teachers should encourage students to read as widely as possible
C．reading ability is something acquired rather than taught
D．reading is more complicated than generally believed
Prison Break is a huge hit thanks to its handsome star, Wentworth Miller. His character, Michael Scofield, is the engine that drives the show.
Having committed a crime to get into prison and break out with his innocent brother, Michael Scofield is one of the most interesting personalities on TV today. But what about the man behind the character?
Miller, 35, is a hard guy to figure out. He does not come from a normal background and has never lived his life in a typical way.
Miller didn’t take direct path to fame and fortune. He graduated from Princeton University in 1995, not with a degree in theatre of film, but in English. He didn’t even act when he was in college. His only performance experience was in his university’s singing group. Yet, at graduation Miller still decided to make the move to Hollywood.
Miller has always been different. Although he is American, he was in Britain when his father was studying there. His family background is also a special mix of cultures. “My father is black and my mother is white. That means I have always been caught in the middle. I could be either one, which can make you feel out of place,” Miller says.
Following his unusual path, Miller did not start trying out for films and TV shows when he first went to Hollywood. Instead, he worked as a lowly production assistant. Not what you would expect from a Princeton graduate. However, it all paid off for Miller in the end.
In 2002, Miller played a role in the drama Dinotopia（《恐龙帝国》）. He started as a thoughtful and shy man. Producers remembered his performance when they were casting Prison Break two years later. With a golden globe nomination（提名）and another season of Prison Break on his resume, Miller seems ready to take over all of Hollywood.
1.What does the passage mainly talk about?
A．Michael Scofield in Prison Break.
B．Hollywood’s recent big hit—Prison Break.
C．Miller’s unusual path to fame and fortune.
D．The man who will take over all of the world.
2.The writer thinks “Miller is a hard guy to figure out” because ______ .
A．it’s difficult to tell him from others
B．he is a shy man and hard to cooperate with
C．he always has ideas hard for people to understand
D．his family background and life experience are very special
3.Which is the closest in meaning to the underlined sentence “it all paid off for Miller in the end”?
A．Miller put a lot of extra work for his final success.
B．Miller gained fame and fortune at last with his first film.
C．Miller finally succeeded even if he has been in low position.
D．Miller managed to pay off his debts with his small income in the end.
4.Which of the following statements is TRUE about Miller?
A．He is chosen to play the Michael Scofield due to his interesting personality.
B．His performance in Dinotopia makes some contributions to his success.
C．He has the same experience with the character Michael Scofield.
D．He is angry about his being born into a mixed-cultural family.
阅读下面短文，从短文后各题所给的四个选项（A、B、C和D）中，选出可以填入空白处的最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
I ran into a stranger as he passed by. “I’m so sorry!” was my reply. Then he said. “Excuse me too——I wasn’t 36 watching for you.” We were very polite, this stranger and I. Then we went 37 our way after saying goodbye.
But at 38 , a different story is told. How we treat our loved ones, young and old. Later in the kitchen, as I 39 our meal, my daughter walked up to me, very still. When I turned, I 40 knocked her down. “Get out of the way!” I shouted with a frown(皱眉头). She stepped away silently, with her little heart 41 . I didn’t realize how harshly I had spoken.
That night, when I lay 42 in bed, God’s quiet voice spoke to me, “While 43 with a stranger, you are calm and polite, but with those you love, you are QUICK to excite—Go look around on the kitchen floor, you will find some flowers there by the 44 . Those are the flowers she brought for you. She 45 them herself—pink, yellow, and your favorite blue. She stood there quietly, and you never saw the 46 in her eyes.”
By this time, I felt sad and small and now my own tears had begun to fall. I quietly went and knelt by her 47 , “Wake up, my dear,” I said. “Are these the flowers you picked up for me?” She smiled, “I found them out by the tree. I 48 them in a napkin, just for you. I knew you’d like them, especially the 49 .” I said, “I am so sorry that I missed them today—and I 50 have fussed（发牢骚）at you that way.”
And she whispered, “Mommy, that’s Ok—I still love you 51 .”I hugged her and said, “I love you too, and I love the flowers.”
Do you know that: if you die tomorrow, the 52 you are working for could easily replace you in a matter of days. But the family you leave 53 will feel the loss for the rest of their lives. And come to think of it, we pour ourselves more into our 54 than into our families—an unwise investment indeed.
Remember that 55 =（F）ATHER—（A）ND—（M）OTHER—（I）—（L）OVE—Y（OU）.
1.A．ever B．even C．just D．right
2.A．to B．in C．on D．for
3.A．school B．work C．home D．office
4.A．cooked B．had C．ate D．took
5.A．already B．hardly C．rudely D．nearly
6.A．lost B．missed C．beaten D．broken
7.A．asleep B．awake C．afraid D．alive
8.A．standing B．meeting C．going D．talking
9.A．floor B．kitchen C．window D．door
10.A．grew B．gave C．picked D．dropped
11.A．tears B．expressions C．smiles D．joy
12.A．desk B．bed C．body D．knees
13.A．wrapped B．covered C．put D．help
14.A．pink B．yellow C．blue D．black
15.A．needn’t B．shouldn’t C．mustn’t D．can’t
16.A．however B．besides C．anything D．anyway
17.A．company B．country C．place D．state
18.A．for B．with C．behind D．to
19.A．stranger B．loss C．meal D．work
20.A．RESPECT B．WARMTH C．FAMILY D．FRIEND
--- Will you go to her birthday party?
--- Of course I will if ______.
A. having invited B. invited C. she inviting D. I invite
