Ask a teacher to name the most annoying invention of recent years and they will often mention the mobile phone. Disturbed by the problems they create, many head teachers have ordered that pupils should keep their phones switched off at school. Others have told pupils to leave them at home.
However, education researchers at The University of Nottingham believe it is time that phone bans were reassessed, because mobile phones can be a powerful learning aid, they say. Dr Elizabeth Hartnell-Young and her colleagues have reached this conclusion after studying the consequences of allowing pupils in five secondary schools to use either their own mobile phones or the new generation of ‘smartphones’ in lessons.
During the nine-month experiment, 14- to-16-year-old pupils used the phones for a wide range of educational purposes, including creating short movies, setting homework reminders, recording a teacher reading a poem, and timing experiments with the phones’ stopwatches. The smartphones, which could be connected to the Internet, also allowed pupils to access revision websites, log into the school email system, or transfer (转存) electronic files between school and home.
The research involved 331 pupils in schools in Cambridgeshire, West Berkshire and Nottingham. “At the start of the study, even pupils were often surprised at the thought that mobile phones could be used for learning,” Dr Hartnell-Young said. “After their hands-on experience, almost all pupils said they had enjoyed the project and felt more inspired.”
Some teachers found that pupils who lacked confidence gained most from the project. However, they recognized that greater use of mobile phones in schools could cause problems.
1.We can infer from the first paragraph that .
A. teachers are strongly against students owning mobile phones
B. mobile phones should be developed to meet students’ needs
C. students are free to use their mobile phones at school
D. mobile phones are usually forbidden to be used at school
2.When the students first used mobile phones for learning, they .
A. all enjoyed the project very much
B. didn’t know what they were used for
C. didn’t fully realize the learning functions of mobile phones
D. were surprised that they were allowed to use mobile phones in schools
3.Who benefited most from the project?
A. Older pupils.
B. Pupils who were not confident.
C. Younger pupils.
D. Pupils who were confident.
4.The purpose of the text is to tell us that .
A. mobile phones can actually help students learn
B. mobile phones begin to be widely used in schools
C. too much use of mobile phones in schools can cause problems
D. the mobile phone is considered the most annoying invention of recent years
My decision to travel around China lay merely with my curiosity about the place. Before coming here, China seemed alien to me ----a place that expected to be hugely dissimilar from my own British culture.
After travelling from Beijing up to Xi'an, I wanted to challenge myself by choosing a smaller town----Xiahe in Gansu Province. I arrived in Lanzhou at around 5 am, but there were no buses to Xiahe. I managed to spot a policeman and attempted to explain my destination to him in simple English, praying that he would understand. I wasn't sure that he did but I just followed him anyway as I had no choice. He took me on a bus and I didn't know where I was going. Luckily, I met a student who explained to me in English that the policeman was taking me to another bus station where I could take a bus to Xiahe. During this conversation a third man said he was also a policeman and would help me buy tickets. But as he was not in uniform, I was a little doubtful. The uniformed policeman told me it was OK to go with the third man, so I got off the bus with the so-called policeman who at this point, disappeared and I was left in the middle of nowhere. I stood panicking. Around one minute later a police car came and stopped right by me. It was the un-uniformed policeman. I got into the car and he dropped me directly at the bus station, and helped me buy the ticket.
This is one of many experiences that I have had in China. I realized that however different this culture was, there was one thing that would always stand out—kindness. In the west we seem to lack the foundation of trust, yet in China it seems that there will always be someone to answer your questions and lead you the right way.
1.Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word "alien"?
A. Unfriendly. B. Familiar. C. Strange. D. Attractive.
2. What can we learn from the second paragraph?
A. The author doubted the so-called policeman.
B. The third man could speak English fluently.
C. The author followed a student to another bus station.
D. A police car took the un-uniformed policeman away.
3.Why did the un-uniformed policeman disappear after the author got off the bus?
A. He hurried to buy a ticket for the author.
B. He went to get a car to pick the author up.
C. The author didn't behave in a friendly way.
D. The author found a uniformed policeman to help him.
4.According to the text, what impressed the author deeply in China?
A. Beautiful scenes. B. Terrible transportation.
C. Troubles in small towns. D. People's kindness.
In addition to seeing wonderful films, one of the joys of coming to the Quad Cinema is to hang out in the area. The Quad is located right in the heart of Greenwich Village, perhaps the most charming and interesting neighborhood in the city. Here are some attractions we recommend, all within a comfortable walk from the Quad:
Washington Square
As one of the best-known of New York City’s 1,900 public parks, it is a landmark in the Manhattan neighborhood of Greenwich Village, as well as a meeting place and center for cultural activity. Come on a Sunday when it’s most lively and festive.
New York University
It surrounds Washington Square. See the impressive Bobst Library and visit the amazing bookstore. NYU is now considered one of the most powerful universities in the world.
Judson Memorial Church
Located on Washington Square south between Thompson Street and Sullivan Street, opposite Washington Square Park, this beautiful church was completed in 1892. The Judson is most famous for its vocal participation in social events.
Washington Mews
It is a hidden, private street in New York City between Fifth Avenue and University Place just north of Washington Square Park. It was first developed as a mews (row of stables) that serviced horses from homes in the area. Since the 1950s the former stables have served as housing, offices and other facilities for New York University.
Jefferson Market Courthouse
Built in 1833 as a market, it was later changed to a courthouse, and in the 1950s it was emptied and close to being destroyed. It was saved and turned into a library. Many consider it to be the most beautiful building in the village.
1.What does the author want to tell in the passage?
A. To introduce some attractions in the Quad.
B. To suggest the Quad Cinema is the best place.
C. To imply the Quad attracts a lot of visitors.
D. To tell readers to enjoy their life fully.
2.The author mentions Washington Square because_______.
A. it is in the center of Greenwich Village
B. it has a history of more than 100 years
C. it is a landmark in the Manhattan
D. it has witnessed so many incidents
3.Where is Judson Memorial Church?
A. To the south of Washington Square.
B. Behind Washington Square Park.
C. Opposite Thompson Street.
D. Close to New York University.
4.When Washington Mews came into being______ .
A. it was designed for a university
B. it was intended for keeping horses
C. it was filled with free facilities
D. it was used as a park for horses
Sometimes children do not do what their parents tell them to do．When this happens，a parent tries to help the child to do the right thing．When this does not work，the parent usually punishes the child．
There are many things that a parent can do．One thing that people have done is to spank(打屁股)the child．When a parent spanks a child, they will use their hand or a hard object to strike them on the bottom．This means showing the child that they have done something wrong．
One parent remembers being spanked when he was a child．His parents used a wooden spoon．When he spanked his own children with his hand, he saw that he put a red mark on his child’s leg．He never did that again．
One problem with spanking is that it teaches the child to hit someone when they do not like what the other person is doing．Another problem with spanking is that the parent is usually angry and can hit the child too hard．Sometimes parents will use spanking for everything and not try other ways to get the child to do the right thing．
Many parents are not sure of what to do instead of spanking．Some people think that their religion tells them that spanking is okay．Some think that the law lets them do it．The courts(法院)say that parents have the right to teach their children how to behave．
Other things should be tried before a parent decides to spank a child．Telling the child exactly what is wanted from them can be one thing．Giving a child more than one choice is another thing that can be tried．Getting down to the child’s level and taking a more child-friendly approach can help as well．
1.According to the passage，when children do something wrong，one thing that parents usually do to punish them is to
A．strike them on the bottom
B．try to help them do the right thing
C．teach them what to do
D．take them to court
2.Which of the following is NOT the problem caused by spanking?
A．It teaches the child to hit others when they offend him or her．
B．The parents may get angry and hit the child too hard．
C．Sometimes parents may use spanking for everything．
D．It makes parents try other ways to make the child do right．
3.From this passage，we can conclude that
A．good children always do the right thing
B．parents should try their best to avoid spanking their children
C．parents have no choice but to spank their children
D．children can have more than one choice to avoid being spanked
书面表达
假设你是李华，你的美国朋友Tom上个月来到北京学习。七月份你将去北京参加暑期中学生英语演讲比赛, 你在资料搜集、语言运用等方面遇到了困难。请根据以下要点给Tom写一封电子邮件：
1. 询问Tom的生活和学习情况；
2. 谈谈你的困难并请Tom帮忙；
3. 告诉Tom你打算赛后去看他。
短文改错
假定英语课上老师要求同桌之间交换修改作文，请你修改你同桌写的以下作文。文中共有10处语言错误，每句中最多有两处。每处错误仅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(＼)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。
I recently took an eye examination and the doctor told me that I have to wear glasses all the
time. He also told me not to read in poor light because of it would be bad for my eye. It’s August now or the new term is about to start. I’m quite nervously about wearing glasses to school, because it will be first time for my friends to see me wearing glasses. I wonder that they are going to say. One of my best friends always wear glasses. I telephoned her and she told me that she hadn’t been laughed at. First see her wearing glasses, people just said there was anything different about her.
