[1] Many good reasons for parents to send their children to camps.
[2]When children go to camp, they are on their own, sometimes for the very first time in their lives. They have to decide what to wear, what to eat and which activities to participate in. As a result they develop confidence and independence.
[3]As self-respect develops from learning to be on their own, children continue to try new activities. Also it is possible that they will engage in what they are unfamiliar with. In school, children do not experience success in the same way. Camp can be a school without failure because just having fun makes them a success.
[4]One of the greatest benefits of a camp experience is that children develop social skills. In a camp setting, a good counselor will make sure that every camper is included in the activity and that each child interacts with the others in a positive way. They learn to give and take, and they learn how to work and cooperate. Something as simple as clean-up, is not only there to get the cabin clean, but to promote a team atmosphere of working together which in turn results in friendship.
[5]The obvious benefit of camp is that campers make long lasting friendships. These friendships can often be unique and special because campers are living with each other and see the true personalities. Children learn to see others from a different viewpoint. Children tend to be accepted for who they are and do not have to be concerned about what they wear, what they are good at and how they look. This is because in a camp setting, respect and caring finally win out over materialistic objectives.
[6]In a word, camp does give children fun, friends and fulfillment.
1.What do you think may be the best title for this passage? (No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
2.The underlined phrase “on their own” in Paragraph 2 can be replaced by ________.
(No more than one word)
____________________________________________________________________________
3.According to Paragraph 3, what makes camping different from a school?
(No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
4.What is the main idea of Paragraph 4? (No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
5.According to Paragraph 5, why can camping improve friendship? (No more than 10 words)
____________________________________________________________________________
The slogan “a dog is for life, not just for Christmas” has been going strong for 27 years now. Dogs and cats have been popular Christmas gifts in the gifts in the UK and Europe for many years. But some people still haven’t quite got the message.
The slogan still holds good. Some 105,000 dogs were rounded up by local government last year because they had been abandoned, many of them shortly after the festival season.
The main reason given by owners for handing their dogs over to the Dogs Trust is that the dogs need more attention than they can give; behavioral problems and moving home are also reasons given.
But Eleanor Silk, the Trust’s communications director, says, “It’s often four or five months after Christmas, in early summer, when owners find that the dog has got too big and too active, or it hasn’t been trained properly and has caused damage around the home.”
In any case, some organizations that help pets are quick to point out that if you are serious about getting a puppy(小狗) as a pet, Christmas is not the time to do it. Puppies need to get used to their new surroundings, to be introduced to a routine, and to be looked after like small children. It’s hard to meet any of these needs at Christmas. What’s more, pulling a puppy out of a Christmas stocking in itself sends the wrong message to children. It encourages children to think of the puppy as a toy, rather than a responsibility.
Appreciating what you’re taking on with a dog can be a sobering (清醒的) realization. “For life” means thinking about the effect they’ll have on your life. It also infers you will need to care for the dog for its whole life.
1.What would be the best title for the passage?
A．Dogs and Cats—the Most Popular Christmas Gifts.
B．A pet is for Life, Not just for Christmas.
C．How to Take Care of Your Pets over Christmas.
D．Let’s Help Those Abandoned Pets
2.According to the passage, which of the following is NOT a reason for pets to be abandoned?
A．Pets spread some diseases.
B．Pets damage some things in the house.
C．The owners can’t take good care of the pets.
D．The owners have to move to other places.
3.The underlined words “rounded up” in Paragraph 2 mean “________”.
A．given out as gifts
B．thrown away
C．gathered into one place
D．raised to make money
4.The fifth paragraph mainly tells us________.
A．how to take best care of Christmas pets
B．the right time to have a puppy as a pet
C．the reasons why Christmas is not the time to get a pet
D．the worries about Christmas pets from organizations that help pets
5.Why is the author against the idea of putting a dog in the Christmas stocking as a Christmas gift?
A．Because these dogs can still cause damage.
B．Because children will not take dogs seriously.
C．Because children don’t like to have dogs as Christmas gifts.
D．Because a Christmas stocking is not big enough to put a dog in.
A 70-year study of personality suggests that pessimism is a risk factor for early death, especially among men.
The study results also indicate that pessimism can be linked to increased risk for sudden death from accidents or violence, according to the report published in the March issue of Psychological Science.
Christopher Peterson of the University of Michigan and his colleagues analyzed data from the Terman Life-Cycle Study, which began by studying California public-school children with high IQs in 1921 and followed them through their life. Most of the 1,528 children were teenagers when the study began. Those still living are now in their 80s. In 1936 and 1940, participants were asked to complete a questionnaire designed to obtain information about difficult life events and their effect on overall outlook. One such question was, “What do you regard as your most serious fault of personality or character?”
Pessimists were defined as fatalistic(宿命论的)people who tend to blame themselves when things go wrong and who believe that one bad event can ruin the rest of their life. They also tend to expect bad things to happen to them and feel that they have little or no ability to change their situation.
Males were more likely than females to be classified as pessimistic. Compared with individuals with a more cheerful and optimistic outlook, pessimists were more likely to die from accidents and violence (including suicide).
A pessimistic personality may lead to poor problem-solving ability, social difficulties and risky decision-making. Taken together, these variables put the pessimist at higher risk of untimely(不适时的) death, say the researchers. Such a person is less likely to avoid or escape potentially dangerous situations, the researchers concluded. “A pessimistic way of thinking in which people worry too much about bad events, predicts untimely death decades later,” according to Peterson.
1.According to the passage, you may be a pessimistic person, if one failure makes you feel________.
A．other people have been unfair to you.
B．other people will help you.
C．you cannot change a bad situation.
D．you can do better next time.
2.According to the passage, pessimists may feel all of the following EXCEPT________
A．helpless when faced with difficulties.
B．cheerful when faced with troubles.
C．hopeless when one bad event occurs.
D．guilty when things go wrong.
3.Which of the following statements is true, according to the passage?
A．Pessimists believe that everything in life depends on fate.
B．There are more pessimists among women than among men.
C．Most pessimists will end up committing suicide.
D．All pessimists will eventually die from accidents.
4.The Terman Life-Cycle Study is a research program that studies________.
A．people over 70 years old.
B．people since their childhood.
C．pessimistic people over 80 years old.
D．only younger people.
5.The analysis made by Christopher Peterson and his colleagues shows that pessimistic people________
A．will die from violence if they learn to be optimistic.
B．will more likely die from violence than optimistic people.
C．will die from violence because their IQs are low.
D．will die untimely if they are not able to learn to be cheerful and optimistic.
When I was 13, my bedroom walls were covered with posters of the Monkees and Beatles. I wrote fan letters and daydreamed about meeting the objects of my affections. I begged my parents to attend every rock concert and watch every TV show featuring my favorite celebrities; my friends and I discussed for hours all the things we would say and do when we met our favourite movie stars and pop singers. I drove my mother crazy ! But after a few years, my obsession stars faded as I matured and gained the confidence to socialize with “real” boys.
In the 35 years since I was a teenager, celebrity worship (崇拜) has increased among teens due to the explosion of television celebrity gossip shows, and instant access to celebrity news on the Internet. It’s no wonder that many teens are obsessed with stars when news programs are often filled with entertainment stories and the lives of celebrities.
Celebrity worship syndrome (综合征) is now considered a personality disorder. While it is normal for teenagers to follow the lives of their favorite stars, parents should try to monitor everything their child finds interesting. Parents should take action if they suspect a teen is too obsessed with celebrities and showing little interest in school or withdrawing from the family. When teens talk a lot about celebrities and view them as just means of entertainment, this is considered normal celebrity worship. However, when a teenager is obsessed with a star and often expresses a desire to have a close personal relationship with a celebrity or feels they have a special connection to a star, this may be the time for concern. Recent studies have shown that teens who develop an unhealthy obsession with celebrities often suffer from low self confidence and depression. Teens who are overly obsessed with stars often have damaged relationships with their parents.
1.The first paragraph is intended to tell us________.
A．parents needn’t worry about celebrity worship
B．celebrity worship can cause serious problems
C．it’s normal for a teen to have celebrity worship
D．celebrity worship only exists among teens
2.We can learn from the second paragraph that________.
A．the media greatly contributes to celebrity worship today
B．the author is surprised at celebrity worship
C．teens today are not so obsessed with celebrities
D．celebrities expose their lives too much
3.Parents should become concerned when their children________.
A．talk a lot about celebrities with others
B．put up celebrity posters in their bedrooms
C．ask to go to their favourite star’s concert
D．desire a close personal relationship with their favorite star
4.The last paragraph implies that________.
A．parents should not care too much about a child’s celebrity worship
B．celebrity worship syndrome can be a serious problem if left overlooked
C．children can normally get out of celebrity worship when they are older
D．children with celebrity worship usually have high opinion of themselves
5.What is most likely to be talked about in the paragraph following the passage?
A．The harm of celebrity worship syndrome.
B．More signs of celebrity worship syndrome.
C．What to do with children’s celebrity worship syndrome.
D．Who will suffer most from celebrity worship syndrome.
Even if you are naturally shy, these three tricks will help you to quickly build a new social circle in any new city.
1. Take pictures
One of the great things about taking pictures at an event or party is that it gives you an excuse to get in touch with the person later. Everybody loves seeing pictures of themselves, and it’s very easy after taking a picture to say “If you’d like I can email it to you”. This can be the seed that leads to new connections. The next time you hear about a fun event email your new contacts to let them know about it.
2. Eat alone in public
You might feel self-conscious eating by yourself but it has an important benefit: you are much easier to approach when you are alone. People may be afraid of interrupting you or being rude if you are in a conversation with someone else. Bring a book or newspaper to read (this will make you feel less self-conscious). Plus, having an interesting book with you will give others an excuse to start a conversation if they’ve read it.
3. Join a class, sports team, or club
Yoga, salsa dancing, volleyball, Toastmasters (a public speaking club), a class for work, etc. Take up a new hobby or continue an old one!
These are all great places to meet new people, primarily because you will be forced to see the same people over and over again in the class. You will automatically make friends with them if you have a common interest and are forced to see each other again.
Tips:
* In the beginning, never turn down an invitation from someone, even if it’s something you wouldn’t normally do.
* Email your new friends with fun things to do instead of always asking what their plans are. If they have a better plan you can drop yours and join them. This will help establish you as someone who is contributing value instead of just taking it (people want this in a friend).
* Don’t let little things in life upset you or be a negative person. People don’t want to be around someone like that!
1.________ can give you an excuse to start new connections.
A．Taking pictures of others
B．Eating by yourself in public
C．Reading interesting books
D．Joining group activities
2.When having meals, you’d better ________ if you want to make new friends.
A．approach others to show conscious friendliness
B．start a conversation with those who have friends aside
C．invite others to your apartment to eat together
D．sit on your own in public places
3.According to the text, which of the following is NOT mentioned as an advantage of joining a class?
A．It helps you find out people who share a common interest with you.
B．It helps you find out your interest and take up a new hobby.
C．It offers an opportunity to meet the same people repeatedly.
D．It is a good way to meet new people and make friends in a new city.
4.Which of the following pieces of advice is a tip from the text?
A．Try to be outgoing and talkative instead of being shy.
B．Never turn down an invitation from your friends.
C．Offer suggestions on how to spend time together.
D．Always give a positive response to any request.
5.By writing the text, the author intends to tell us ________.
A．why you should change when you move to a new city
B．how you can make new friends in a new city
C．why you should make new friends in a new city
D．how you can keep in touch with strangers
One afternoon, I joined Charity Focus Folks to distribute food to homeless people. We went around a few streets in Manhattan. I was travelling back to India the next day. 16 , I took part in this activity in the afternoon. We 17 at a coffee shop with lots of 18 packed properly for distributing.
The first person we offered food cried. This was a (n) 19 moment for all of us and really 20 me. After this the food was distributed 21 with a crowd surrounding us. Our activity was over by 5:00 pm and we started back to our homes.
However, I was still feeling the need to do 22 . So I decided to buy dinner 23 myself but give it to someone more needy and 24 my dinner for the day. This was an inspiration I never had before. But somehow it 25 me.
There weren’t any beggars around for the next three or four blocks and I was 26 who I would give the food to. I found one but he 27 to take food as he needed only money. I found another person, but he went away 28 I could approach him.
But I had a feeling that 29 would come. Then I found one old lady sitting on one corner of the road. I asked her if she would like to eat something and she 30 . I purchased a large cheese pizza and cakes at a nearby supermarket and gave the entire 31 to her. The lady looked excited, opened the package and began eating at once with great 32 .
As I walked home, I felt a surge (澎湃) of 33 I had never experienced before. I didn’t feel 34 though I hadn’t eaten much the whole day. This was a unique, deep feeling, and I felt a little inspired. What I got was much more than what I 35 .
1. A．Besides B．Therefore C．Anyhow D．Still
2. A．gathered B．arrived C．attended D．approached
3. A．cakes B．books C．food D．newspapers
4. A．surprising B．heart-warming C．confusing D．embarrassing
5. A．upset B．touched C．appealed D．interested
6. A．gradually B．normally C．quickly D．generally
7. A．well B．more C．much D．most
8. A．for B．of C．in D．by
9. A．take out B．hand over C．make up D．miss out
10. A．beat B．knocked C．depressed D．struck
11. A．wondering B．predicting C．supposing D．wandering
12. A．refused B．abandoned C．managed D．pretended
13. A．when B．until C．before D．unless
14. A．everyone B．someone C．anyone D．no one
15. A．declined B．hesitated C．promised D．agreed
16. A．luggage B．package C．box D．pizza
17. A．appreciation B．pride C．enjoyment D．shame
18. A．imagination B．relief C．satisfaction D．intention
19. A．hungry B．tried C．happy D．relaxed
20. A．expected B．absorbed C．lost D．gave
