Japanese students work very hard but many are unhappy. They feel heavy pressures from their parents. Most students are always told to study harder and better so that they can live a wonderful life in the future. Though this may be a good idea for those very bright students, it can have terrible results for many students who are not gifted (有天赋的) enough. Many of them have tried very hard at school but have failed in the exams and have their parents lose hope. These students feel sad and they don't want to go to school anymore. They easily become dropouts.
It is surprising that though most Japanese parents are worried about their children, they do not help them in any way. Many parents feel that they are not able to help their children and that it is the teachers' job to help their children. To make matters worse, a lot of parents send their children to those schools opening in evenings or on weekends—they only help the students to pass their exams and never teach them how to understand life and the world.
Many Japanese schools usually have rules about everything, from the students' hair to their clothes and things in their schoolbags. Many child psychologists now think that such strict rules are harmful to the feelings of the students. Almost 40% of the students said that no one had taught them how to get on with others, how to tell right from wrong, or how to show love and care for others, even for their parents.
1.The underlined word “dropouts” are those who ________.
A. make troubles in and out of schools
B. go about or stay at home instead of being at school
C. try hard but always fail in the exams
D. lose hope but always fail in the exams
2.According to the text, it’s necessary to teach students ________.
A. how to study well
B. how to get on with others
C. to show love and care for others
D. all of above
3.Which of the following can be the best title of the text?
A. The Trouble in Japanese Schools
B. The Problems of Japanese Students
C. Education in Japan
D. The Pressures on the Students in Japan
Gardening can be a very relaxing hobby for many people and this wonderful experience is not just for adults. Children are interested in gardening as well, if given the chance to explore nature and science in this way. Gardening can bring joy to both children and their parents alike, especially when the experience is shared together.
The time that is spent gardening together builds precious memories within their hearts and minds for years to come. When you are gardening with your children, try to give them their own special area. Keep their area in the center of the best soil and light, as you want to make sure of a successful gardening experience.
Plastic tools easily break and are difficult to use in the dirt, so when you are gardening with your children, give them real tools to use if possible. Even offering to let them use your tools is a way to admit the worth of the work they are doing. It is also important to talk with your children about the whole process of gardening, from planting to the harvest. They need to understand how things work and the importance of what they are doing.
Show off the children’s gardening work by taking friends and visitors for a walking tour through the garden and point out the children’s particular spot. When you give attention to the children’s work, this is a great motivation (动机) for children to continue wanting to be involved. Do not force children to take part when they are in a bad mood or if they are becoming bored. Instead, allow them to do something different, like building a scarecrow(稻草人)! This makes the gardening experience even more interesting. As you work together side by side with your children, you will encourage a love of the land in them, as well as create lasting memories of time spent with you.
1.What is the text mainly about?
A. Teaching children how to garden.
B. Giving children the chance to show off
C. Helping children realize the importance of work.
D. Sharing the joy of gardening with children.
2.Why should you introduce your children’s work to your friends?
A. It makes your friends believe your children are smart.
B. It helps you gain more confidence in your children.
C. It encourages children to continue doing such work.
D. It attracts your friends to take part in your gardening.
3.What kind of people is the text mainly written for?
A. Children.B. Parents.C. Farmers.D. Teachers.
It seems school children all over the world complain about their school food. Cherie Blair, the wife of former British Prime Minister Tony Blair, said that she would prepare a packed lunch for her son if school dinners do not improve. So what do students of your age eat for lunch at school?
Japan
High schools have canteens(餐厅), which serve everything from noodles to rice, but not burgers and chips. Other children bring food from home such as cold rice balls, meat or fish, pickles(泡菜) and vegetables.
Students take home a menu for the coming month containing notes on nutrition value. Twice a year parents are invited to have a taste of the food. The class with the fewest leftovers(剩饭) at the end of the month receives a prize.
United States
A typical menu from a US school is made up of a hamburger with fried potatoes or roast chicken, lettuce and pickles, fruit and cookies. School lunches must also provide at least one-third of the daily dietary allowances(定量) of protein, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron, calcium and calories.
Australia
Meat pies, sausage rolls and hot dogs are all traditional dishes in Australian school shops. But as the nation pays more attention to children’s health, healthier foods have started to find their way onto school menus.
Many schools have used a traffic light system. The sale of red-labelled(标签) foods, including pastries, chocolate and soft drinks, is served only twice a week. Healthier green-labelled foods such as sushi, sandwiches, corn and watermelon, however, are available every day.
In some schools, students have a choice of up to 89 foods to choose from, including popcorn and rice.
South Africa
Most of South Africa’s schools do not serve meals at all. Classes end at 1:30 p.m. and students get their own lunches. Many students bring food from home, usually sandwiches.
Fast food and fried food sell the best among students, which has led to a rise in obesity among children. But as more people began to realize the fact that being too fat may cause different diseases, some schools in towns have led the way towards better nutrition(营养). Now students at these schools are provided with lunches of porridge(粥) with vegetables, such as cabbages, onions, beans, carrots and tomatoes.
1.We can infer from the text that ________.
A. a usual menu from a US school has enough nutrition
B. most students in South Africa eat their lunch at home
C. many schools in Australia have traffic lights outside their school
D. you can have whatever you like in school canteens in Japan
2.What does the underlined word “obesity” in the last paragraph probably mean?
A. Fighting.B. Sadness.C. Food shortage.D. Overweight.
3.What is the main idea of the text?
A. Schools should try to satisfy the needs of students.
B. Schools serve different foods from country to country.
C. Food served in the US is the best of all.
D. School children all over the world dislike their school food.
4.The text is written for ________.
A. school lunch sellers
B. schoolmasters
C. students of your age
D. nutritionists (营养学家)
I remember when I was young, people often asked me, “What are you going to be when you grow up?”
Well, it ________ being a cowboy or some super hero. Later it was a fireman, a policeman, a lawyer—As I grew older, my dreams for the future ________. When, at last, I was in college, I set my ________ on becoming a teacher like my father. ________ I studied and prepared for that. I reached the ________ in the end and I was teaching ________ full-time for much of my adult life.
However, for many people, there is a “thief” that goes around stealing our ________. Sometimes, the thief will come as a parent, a relative(亲属), or a friend, but the ________ thief is usually ourselves.
We find ________ just about reaching the top, and a “small” ________ inside says, “You’ll never make ________.” “You can’t possibly do this.” On and on the “small” voice predicts (预示) our ________. Failure, ________ is one of the most important tools we have may teach us valuable ________. When we learn these lessons well, we are ready ________ success.
I always tell my children that you are ________ to do anything that your heart desires. Remember the saying, “Nothing is ________ to a willing heart.” There are ________ “overnight” success, but with determination, they will come. Imagine ________ a life you dream of. Then in your heart, believe it will happen to you. Then work, work, work. You’ll get the picture.
So, be true to your dream, and don’t let anyone ________ it from you—especially yourself.
1.A. insisted onB. kept on
C. felt likeD. started out
2.A. changedB. plannedC. failedD. left
3.A. eyeB. brainC. heartD. experience
4.A. ButB. OrC. SoD. As
5.A. agreement B. aimC. decisionD. position
6.A. hardlyB. nearlyC. slightlyD. extremely
7.A. moneyB. planC. friendsD. dreams
8.A. greatestB. poorestC. tallestD. oldest
9.A. themselvesB. ourselvesC. yourselvesD. itself
10.A. soundB. noiseC. voiceD. speech
11.A. itB. herC. himD. me
12.A. pityB. dangerC. failureD. accident
13.A. whereB. whoC. whenD. which
14.A. stagesB. lessonsC. suggestionsD. choices
15.A. toB. forC. atD. with
16.A. ableB. readyC. likelyD. necessary
17.A. interestingB. importantC. necessaryD. impossible
18.A. manyB. someC. differentD. no
19.A. spendingB. planningC. livingD. changing
20.A. buyB. foolC. stealD. borrow
________ is the study of living things.
A. BiologyB. PhilosophyC. PsychologyD. Chemistry
—Would you mind if I turned on the radio and listened to some music?
—________. In fact, I also like to listen to music in my car.
A. No, you can’tB. Yes, I do
C. No, go aheadD. Yes, no problem
