Andy is the most unreasonable, pigheaded life form in the world, and he makes me so angry I could scream! Of course, I love him like a brother. I have to because he is my brother. More than that, he is my twin!
That’s right. Andy and Amy (that’s me) have the same curly hair and dark eyes and equally stubborn characters. Yet, though we may look alike, on most issues we usually take completely opposite positions. If I say day, you can count on Andy to say night.
Just this week, the hot topic in school was all about the PTA’S proposal (提议) to adopt a school dress principle. Every student would be required to wear a uniform. Uniforms! Can you imagine? Oh, they would be uniforms in color. The dress style would be sort of loose and free.
Boys would wear white or blue button-down shirts, a school tie, blue or gray pants, and a navy blue blazer (运动夹克). Girls would wear white or blue blouses or sweaters, blue or gray pants or skirts, along with a navy blue blazer.
Socks or tights could be black, gray, blue, or white. The teachers are divided: Some are in favor of the uniforms, others are opposed. The headmaster has asked the students to express their opinions by voting on the issue before making their decisions. She will have the final word on the dress principle.
I think a dress principle is a good idea. The reason is simple. School is tough enough without worrying about looking cool every single day. The fact is, the less I have to decide first thing in the morning, the better. I can’t tell you how many mornings I look into my closet and just stare, unable to decide what to wear. Of course, there are other mornings when my room looks like a storm had hit it, with bits and pieces of a dozen different possible clothes on the bed and on the floor. I also wouldn’t mind not having to see guys wearing oversized jeans and shirts. And I certainly would welcome not seeing kids showing off designer-labeled clothes.
Andy is surprised at my opinion. He says he can’t believe that I would be willing to give up my all-American teenage birthright by dressing like — well, like a typical teenager. Last night, he even dragged out Mom and Dad’s high school photo albums. What a couple of peace-loving hippies (嬉皮士) they were!
“Bruce Springsteen never wore a school uniform. Bob Dylan wouldn’t have been caught dead in a school uniform!
If I have to wear a uniform, I won’t feel like me!” he declared.
To which I replied, “So your personal heroes didn’t wear school uniforms. Big deal! They went to high school about a million years ago! I feel sorry for you, brother dear. I had no idea that you are so fragile that you would be completely destroyed by gray or blue pants, a white or blue shirt, a tie, and a blazer.”
That really made him angry. Then he said, “You’re just mimicking (模仿) what you hear that new music teacher saying!”
“That is so not true. I’m saying exactly what I think,” I said, raising my voice in what mom would call “a very rude manner.”
“You have always been stupid, and you know it!” he shouted.
“Is that so? Anyone who doesn’t agree with you is automatically stupid. And that’s the stupidest thing of all!” I said.
Fortunately, the bell rang before we could do each other physical harm, and we went thankfully to our separate classes.
The vote for or against uniforms took place later that day. The results of the vote and the headmaster’s decision will be announced next week. I wonder what it will be. I know how I voted, and I’m pretty sure I know how Andy voted.
How would you vote — for or against?
1.Amy and Andy quarrel because .
A. they share a cupboard
B. Amy likes to show off
C. they both have the word for dress principle
D. they always take the opposite views on issues
2.The story is about .
A. a conflict of opinions between boys and girls
B. a historical event and is told in the third person
C. a personal experience and is told in the first person
D. a school policy decision that will affect parents and students
3.Amy’s position on school uniforms is most likely based on .
A. logical conclusions drawn from her own observation and personal experience
B. an emotional reaction to what she has been told by people in authority
C. her preference for designer-labeled clothes
D. not liking anything her brother likes
4.Which of the following is the best statement of Andy’s position?
A. School clothing should reflect parents’ values.
B. Teenagers should never follow the latest fashions in dress.
C. How one dresses should be an expression of one’s individuality.
D. Wearing school uniforms means one less decision every morning.
5.Which of these statements from the story is a form of an emotional appeal?
A. The teachers are divided: some are in favor of uniforms; others are opposed.
B. You are so fragile that you would be completely destroyed by gray or blue pants.
C. The results of the vote and the headmaster’s decision will be announced next week.
D. The hot topic in school was all about the PTA’s proposal to adopt a school dress principle.
6.What is the best title for the passage?
A. A School Dress Principle
B. My Stubborn Twin Brother
C. Endless Fights with My Brother
D. For or Against? — That Is the Question
We all think that we know what happiness is. We all seem to be making great efforts towards this goal of happiness but what is it really? It is an agreed fact that all the creatures want happiness and are afraid of pain and sadness. The question, however, is “what is real happiness?” What really is called happiness? The desire for happiness has no meaning without understanding the real nature of happiness.
Some thinkers say, “Happiness does not lie in objects of enjoyment; happiness or unhappiness lies in imagination.”
To prove their belief, they give examples like the following one: A man has a two-storey house; on the right is a five-storey building and on the left a cottage. When he sees right, he feels unhappy and when he sees left he feels happy. As such happiness does not lie in possession of sensory objects, but in imagination. They advise people to look towards those who have fewer possessions and be happy. If you look towards people having more wealth and possessions, you will always be unhappy.
It is unreasonable to hold this point of view. It is unkind to regard one happy by imagining that one is better than the poor and the unhappy. “If you want to be happy, look towards the poor”. We know that those poor people cannot satisfy even their basic needs. This attitude satisfies the sense of pride of possessions, but this can never be called happiness.
Unless we really find where happiness lies, we cannot really be happy.
Some ask people to do this and do that and say, “This way your desires would be satisfied. You would get the desired objects and become happy.” People holding these views regard happiness as satisfaction of desires. But it is not possible to satisfy one’s desires because there are countless desires of countless people and the material things are limited. Then new desires arise as soon as the previous ones are satisfied. Therefore, desires, which are changing all the time, can never be satisfied.
Happiness is a characteristic of a good life, that is, a life in which a person fulfills (履行) human nature in an excellent way. People have a set of purposes which are typically human: these belong to our nature. Happiness is also a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated (培养), and defended privately by each person. People who learn to control inner experience will be able to determine the quality of their lives and come to being happy. Happiness lies in the distribution of easiness among others. Happiness stands for forgiveness and justice. Happiness is the name of struggle and courage. Happiness may be founded in seeking of true knowledge and rule of wisdom. Happiness may be shared in service and duty. This life is combination of joys and sorrows, and honest efforts should be done to make this life journey full of happiness, love, peace and harmony.
1. What is the purpose of the passage?
A. To show how to achieve happiness.
B. To encourage people to achieve happiness.
C. To explain the features of happiness.
D. To argue how to understand happiness.
2. According to the passage, people who think happiness lies in imagination will try to achieve happiness by .
A. looking towards those with fewer possessions
B. looking towards people having more wealth
C. imagining how rich you will be in the future
D. imagining that you have a five-storey building
3.The writer doesn’t think that happiness lies in the satisfaction of desires because .
A. no desires of a person can be satisfied at all
B. ever-changing desires can never be satisfied
C. there isn’t enough money to meet people’s needs
D. the desires of a person are limited
4.In the writer’s opinion, happiness .
A. can be achieved easily by earning money
B. must belong to those with rich knowledge
C. can be gained by setting small goals
D. can be gained by controlling inner experience
5.According to the last paragraph, who can have real happiness?
A. Jack who often struggles with others.
B. Tom who has life of a high quality.
C. Mike who always forgives others’ mistakes.
D. Tim whose requirements are always met.
Film 1 — The environmental problems in South Africa
This film will take you on a wonderful trip deep into the South African forests and across four decades of research to experience the changes in the environment in South Africa. With no roads or airstrips nearby, the waterways are the only choice for reaching the great forests. This unbelievable journey invites you to be among the few humans who have dared to go to the South African forests to examine the different disappearing creatures and plants of South Africa.
Place: Cheerful Theatre
Admission Fees: Front Stalls $30, Stalls $38 (Standard)
Front Stalls $15, Stalls $19 (Concession) (减价)
Note: 1. Concessions are applicable to senior citizens aged 60 or above.
2. Children under 3 years old will not be admitted.
Duration: 50 minutes
Show Dates: April1 – May 31
Discount: With the cash coupons (优惠券) offered by K&S Ltd., you can now enjoy a 50% discount on the $38 ticket and pay only $19 per head.
Film 2 — The climatic changes in India
This film will take you to the mysterious land of India. This film features a scientist, Nina, who set out alone on a five-year journey across the country. Along the way, Nina experiences the harshness (坎坷) of India’s land, which contains every type of natural environment on Earth — from the freezing temperatures of the Himalayas to the extremely hot deserts, and to dense tropical rainforests. The film shows how she survives the tough journey in India.
Place: Glorious Theatre
Admission Fees: Front Stalls $50, Stalls $70 (Standard)
Note: Children under 3 years old will not be admitted.
Duration: 120 minutes
Show Dates: May 15 – May 31, only one show every day from 1 p.m. to 3 p.m. Not on show at weekends.
Special Feature: Good news for those who are interested in India! With the purchase of any two tickets at $70 each, you can join our prize-winning competition to win 2 round-trip tickets to India!
Film 3 — The power of nature
This film features inspiring and frightening atmospheric and geological (地质学的) events. It shows how we can help increase our chances of surviving these events. The great earthquakes, exploding mountains, the sky turning black and violent — natural forces that helped create life on our green planet but can also imperil it. Experience our planet’s strongest powers as this film delivers the amazing sights of earthquakes, volcanoes and hurricanes. From volcanic eruptions and trembling fault lines in Turkey to the hurricanes striking America, modern-day disasters are witnessed in eye-popping enormity (巨大) on the giant screen.
Place: Spectacular Theatre
Admission Fees: Front Stalls $34, Stalls $42 (Standard)
Front Stalls $17, Stalls $21 (Concession)
Notes: 1. Concessions are applicable to full-time students, people with disabilities and senior citizens aged 60 or above.
2. Children under 6 years old will not be admitted.
Duration: 150 minutes
Show Dates: May 5 – June 30, only at weekends.
Discount: A 3rd ticket is given free for every 2 tickets bought at whatever price.
1.What does Film 1 show?
A. How Nina died towards the end of the journey.
B. What effects earthquakes and volcanoes have on the earth.
C. India is a country that has a long history and rich culture.
D. There is only one way to reach the forests in South Africa.
2.The underlined word “imperil” in Film 3 means .
A. improve B. remove
C. give ... up D. put ... in danger
3.How many tickets will a group of 6 friends have to pay for if they want to watch Film 3 ?
A. 3. B. 4. C. 5. D. 6.
4.What do the three films have in common?
A. They have an age limit.
B. They last longer than 120 minutes.
C. They are only on show at weekends.
D. They offer a discount.
Teachers and parents usually call attention to the pictures when they read storybooks to preschool children. But a new study suggests that calling attention to the words and letters on the page may lead to better readers.
The two-year study compared children who were read to this way in class with children who were not. Those whose teachers most often discussed the print showed clearly higher skills in reading, spelling and understanding. These results were found one year and even two years later.
Shayne Piasta, an assistant professor of teaching and learning at Ohio State University, was an author of the study. She says most preschool teachers would find this method manageable and would need only a small change in the way they teach. They already read storybooks in class. The only difference would be increased attention to the printed text.
Ms. Piasta says if you get children to pay attention to letters and words, it makes sense that they will do better at word recognition and spelling. But she says research suggests that very few parents and teachers do this in a systematic way.
The report appears in the journal Child Development.
More than three hundred children aged four and five were observed in classrooms in Ohio and Virginia. The children came from poor families and were below average in their language skills. This put them at risk of reading problems later.
For thirty weeks, the children took part in a program called Project STAR, for Sit Together And Read. The project is based in Ohio State. It tests the short-term and long-term results of reading regularly to preschool children in their classrooms.
Laura Justice in Ohio State was an investigator for the study. She heads the Preschool Language and Literacy Laboratory. She says one of the areas that interests researchers is known as the “locus of learning.” “Where is it that a child learns something? Where is that space? We think we have identified it pretty well in terms of fostering (助长) some children’s knowledge about print.” says Laura Justice. She also says this knowledge can be gained by having focused discussions when reading a book to a child. Laura Justice says, “We think we understand how information about print is transmitted from the adult to the child. And we think we have centered on this intervention that really helps adults center on the things that children need and want to learn.”
There are different ways that teachers and parents can talk to children about print. They can point to a letter and discuss it, and even trace the shape with a finger. They can point out a word, “This is ‘dog’.” They can discuss the meaning of the print or how the words tell the story. And they can talk about the organization of the print — for instance, showing how words are written left to right in English.
1. When reading storybooks to their children, parents usually ____________.
A. attract attention to the pictures
B. discuss the stories with each other
C. tell some background information first
D. ask some questions about the stories
2.Shayne Piasta suggests that preschool teachers should _______________.
A. read storybooks regularly in class
B. learn to manage their class well
C. often discuss the printed words and letters
D. search for a better method of reading
3. The children who joined in Project STAR were _____________________.
A. mostly cleverer than others
B. very poor in their reading
C. especially good at language skills
D. worried about reading problems
4.The underlined word “locus” in Paragraph 8 can be replaced by ________________.
A. difficulty B. importance
C. best way D. exact place
5.The last paragraph mainly tells us _____________________.
A. why we should discuss the meaning of the print
B. how we can teach children about print
C. the shape of the letter is the focus of teaching
D. English words are usually written from left to right
Luke didn’t know what to do. He wanted to yell at Kyle, his , because Kyle continued to with his mom, Jane. She didn’t demand very much from him---“Study hard, and get the best you can,” she told him. She tried to get it into his head that she didn’t have the for his college education. Not a cent could be expected! studying harder, Kyle spent hour after hour playing video games on his computer. He always waited until the last minute to study for school , and stayed up all night cramming(强记硬背) for them. When Jane tried to him that he needed good grades to get a , he would turn a deaf ear to her or even get angry. He said it was her to take care of him financially he graduated from college.
“Where did he get that ?” Luke asked. “You’ve him for 10 years all by yourself. You don’t him a thing. He should be glad you haven’t kicked him out of the apartment. When I was in the eleventh grade, my father made it to me that when I graduated from high school, I was expected to leave home. Kyle thinks you have to pay his way through college!”
Jane would Luke to talk to Kyle. “He says you’re not his father, so why should he have to listen to you?”
“Well, his father’s dead. He should appreciate that I’m to try to help him. ”Luke said.
“Kyle will be able to learn to accept your help and advice . But before that, Luke, we need to try hard to get him to accept you in his heart, close to the of his own father.”
“I agree and we surely have every confidence in him.” said Luke.
“Yes. And in , too!” Jane reminded him.
1.A. cousin B. stepbrother C. nephew D. stepson
2.A. discuss B. meet C. argue D. deal
3.A. teachers B. grades C. friends D. prizes
4.A. need B. money C. hope D. time
5.A. Instead of B. In addition to C. In spite of D. Along with
6.A. rules B. tests C. regulations D. admissions
7.A. inform B. warn C. promise D. remind
8.A. scholarship B. degree C. reward D. job
9.A. honor B. right C. pleasure D. responsibility
10.A. since B. when C. until D. after
11.A. principle B. decision C. saying D. idea
12.A. helped B. raised C. educated D. sponsored
13.A. owe B. ask C. lend D. offer
14.A. easy B. possible C. clear D. strange
15.A. So B. Yet C. Still D. Because
16.A. force B. allow C. invite D. forbid
17.A. around B. out C. away D. off
18.A. in turn B. at first C. in time D. at once
19.A. heart B. place C. duty D. life
20.A. himself B. ourselves C. myself D. yourselves
---Mr. Jones isn’t at his desk. Where is he?
---_______. I have no idea.
A. You are welcome B. Tell me about it
C. Let’s call it a day D. You’ve got me there
