College students constantly hear the praises of education．We have all become used to believing that a college education is always a guarantee of an easier life．I was nine years old when my fourth-grade teacher presented me with a task, to write down all of the things I wanted in my life．I filled my paper with things like: own a big house and have servants; be rich and have a good job．The next day my teacher handed back my paper and in red ink she wrote: " GO TO COLLEGE．" For a long time, I was convinced that once I obtained an education, BAM! Life would be easier．
However, education cannot promise all wishes, dreams, and desires．Society must reject the foolish idea that a college education's main purpose is to satisfy our desires and secure success．Like most challenging things, education is a gamble （赌博） in which results depend entirely on people's ability to look past their wants to see the realism and reason behind their wants．
For instance, my first year of college, I took a sociology class．In class, we were taught that Third World countries were poor．We learned that our quality of life would be almost impossible for an average person in those countries．I began to examine my own desire to be rich．To always go after money felt selfish when knowing others had none at all．Learning about other society's financial situations forced me to look beyond what I wanted．
Through the process of education, everything once desired is tested．Wanting something no longer is enough; it's more important to examine why we want it and whether we really want it．When my desire for money changed, everything changed．I stopped longing for money-driven careers and stopped valuing the people who had them．I began to examine the things I purchased and my reason for wanting them．
Education is a tool to be used to develop and advance our desires, so we can discover the things that are truly significant in life．Education is a source to expand our society to see beyond the superficial （表面的） appeals and the "quick fixes" , leaving the belief of an effortless life behind in order to desire a meaningful one．
1.The author's fourth-grade teacher probably agreed that ______．
A．the author was an ambitious student
B．the author should set more realistic goals
C．a college student would lead an easier life
D．a college degree was the key to the author's dreams
2.Why does the author mention her sociology class?
A．To share her learning experiences with readers．
B．To support her new understanding about education．
C．To express her sympathy for people in Third World．
D．To stress the importance of taking a sociology course．
3.With a college education, the author ______．
A．envied rich people
B．lost interest in career
C．desired more material things
D．stopped always seeking more wealth
4.What's the main idea of the passage?
A．College education promises an effortless life．
B．College education tests and guides our life desires．
C．College education offers solutions to social problems．
D．College education turns young people into gamblers．
There is a lot of talk these days about how kids should be interested in science. Here’s an area of science for everyone, and these cool new books might inspire you to discover your inner scientist.
Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled by Catherine Thimmesh, 58 pages, ages 9-12
Seeing a picture or a model of a dinosaur, do you wonder how anybody knows what they look like? After all, nobody has seen a living dinosaur. This book explains how scientists and artists work together to re-create dinosaurs. As scientific discoveries have been made, the models have changed. Scientific tests may one day expose what a dinosaur’s coloring was, but now artists have to use their imagination to determine how these huge creatures looked.
Beyond the Solar System by Mary Kay Carson, 128 pages, ages 10-13
This book takes readers back to the beginnings of space exploration—thousands of years ago, when people began star observation—and forward to today’s search for planets in distant parts of the Milky Way. Along with history lessons, readers get 21 activities, such as making a black hole and creating a model of Albert Einstein’s universe using a T-shirt. The activities are perfect for cold winter days.
Ultimate Bugopedia by Darlyne Murawski and Nancy Honovich, 272 pages, ages 7 and older
If you’re always on the lookout for butterflies, this book is for you. Hundreds of color photos of common and unusual insects fill this hardcover. There are fascinating stories related to the photos. For example, do you know an insect feeds on the tears of Asian cattle? There’s a question-and-answer section with an insect scientist and advice on how to help preserve endangered insects.
Journey Into the Invisible by Christine Schlitt, 80 pages, ages 9-12
If you use a magnifying（放大的）glass, you know a leaf looks quite different. This book explains what microscopes do and then shows what happens to things around the house when watched with this amazing scientific tool. The bacteria in your mouth, when magnified 20,000 times, look a bit like swimming pool noodles. Fascinating photos are paired with suggestions about how to learn about the world around you, just by looking a little closer.
1.Kids interested in pre-historical animals might read ______.
A. Ultimate Bugopedia
B. Beyond the Solar System
C. Journey Into the Invisible
D. Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled
2.Beyond the Solar System is mainly about ______.
A. space exploration B. the Milky Way
C. history lessons D. Albert Einstein’s universe
3.From the passage, we can learn that ______.
A. butterflies are fond of the tears of Asian cattle
B. scientists have discovered the dinosaur’s coloring
C. microscopes can present you with an amazing world
D. man has explored the black hole for thousands of years
4.The main purpose of the passage is to ______.
A. compare features of different books
B. inspire people to become scientists
C. teach children some knowledge of science
D. recommend new science books to children
How to look good in a photo?
What should you do if you want to have a nice photo taken? Whether it's work or fun, the most important thing is lighting．If you get bad lighting, you will look bad, too．Know where the light is．You don't want it below you or above you, you want it to shine directly at you．
The key thing is no shadow．If you are being photographed outside, do it in the morning, or wait till the 2 o'clock shadow has passed．Also don't let pictures in the magazines stress you out —all the pictures are taken by great photographers．And all the faces have had pimples （丘疹，粉刺） taken out by computers．
Tip your head and learn what angles work with your face; everyone is different．So you have to learn what suits you．You can practice in Photo Booth for as long as it is your turn, to learn what angles suit your face．Tip your neck to make it look longer, make eye contact with the camera．No one can look bad if they smile．
For long legs, point one leg into center of the frame and get the photographer to shoot looking up your body．
For just leg shots, lie upside down and raise legs in the air for the best angle．And your legs will look thinner and be in better shape．
Keep shoulders back．
Always have mouth slightly open, enough to put a penny between your lips, as this will make your lips look fuller．
Lower your eyes and then look up just as shutter （快门） is clicked for full eyes．
Delete any evidence of a less than perfect photogenic moment, everyone has off days．
1.If you want to look good in a photo, the light should be ______．
A．below you B．above you
C．directly at you D．right behind you
2.According to the passage, we should consider all EXCEPT ______．
A．light B．shadow C. angles D．photographers
3.What advice does the author give on taking photos?
A．Raise legs on the wall．
B．Look down．
C．Keep shoulders back．
D．Put a penny between lips．
What are American high schools like? Well, I’m happy to tell you what I know.
When I started school here, it had already been a week since the school opened. At this school, freshmen usually go on a trip for about three days at the beginning of school. Unfortunately I missed that wonderful trip, which would have been the best time to get to know my classmates. I was really sad. I wished I’d known about it earlier.
Despite the disappointment, however, I gradually adapted to my new life and school.
There is a space in the basement of the teaching building where students chat and meet each other. As we do not always have the same classrooms and classmates, the school wants us to get to know each other there. Students usually come to school early, sit in that space and have fun. Around the space, there are many lockers for students to leave their books in, so that students do not have to carry a heavy schoolbag everywhere.
It really surprises me that we have almost no textbooks. We only have textbooks for World History and Algebra 2 and they are big and heavy, like bricks. For other classes, we only need binders (活页夹) with paper in them. Without textbooks, students learn things freely and actively. For example, my humanities teacher just teaches us what is in her mind at the time. We never know what we will learn.
Another difference between American schools and Chinese schools is that American schools care about students’ morality more than their academic studies. For example, if you do not finish your homework, you will just be asked to do it later, but if you cheat or lie, you will get a warning or even be kicked out.
I think that most students here are good at schoolwork as well, but compared to Chinese students, they can make learning a more joyful experience. I think we should take the good points from our two different kinds of education to perfect our approach to studying.
1.What was the writer sad for?
A. He was late for school.
B. He missed the trip at the beginning of school.
C. He didn’t know anyone.
D. American students looked down upon him.
2.Why do students go to the basement of the teaching building?
A. To attend class. B. To share a classroom.
C. To have fun. D. To meet teachers.
3.How do teachers in the US teach the students?
A. However they want to.
B. They use bricks.
C. Some use textbooks; some teach freely.
D. They always teach as required.
4.According to the passage, in American high schools, ________.
A. you are likely to be kicked out if you cheat
B. you’ll be punished if you do not finish your homework
C. students are better at school work than Chinese students
D. students care much about the grades they get
书面表达
假定你是我校高三学生李华，学校将为高一新生举办主题为 “What to learn in senior high school?” 的英语沙龙活动，特邀请你结合自身经历谈谈自己的体会。请根据一下提纲准备一份英语发言稿。
1. 学会学习：方法、习惯等；
2. 学会做人：真诚、友善等；
3. 学会其他：考生自拟。
注意：1. 词数120左右；
2. 发言稿开头和结尾已给出，不计入总词数。
Good morning everyone! It is my honor to be here ____________________________
_____________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________________
That’s all.
Thank you!
短文改错
文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。错误涉及一个单词的增加、删除或修改。
增加：在缺词处加一个漏字符号(∧)，并在其下面写出该加的词。
删除：把多余的词用斜线(\ )划掉。
修改：在错的词下画一横线，并在该词下面写出修改后的词。
注意: 1. 每处错误及其修改均仅限一词；
2. 只允许修改10处，多者(从第11处起)不计分。
Dear Bob,
Thank you for your email, in which you had told me you would celebrate Easter soon. I am very curious about this holiday and have some question to ask you.
First, how long does Easter last? Is it as important as Christmas in your country? I am also interested in their origin. I guess there should have some stories telling people why it started. Could you share some with me? Beside, I am wondering what people usually do celebrate the holiday. I hope I can learn more from Easter. In your email, you mention that you were going to spend Easter with your family. Could you please send me some pictures if it is possibly?
Thank you very much and have lots of fun at Easter!
Yours,
Li Hua
