Some Advice for Freshmen
As you enter a university, you turn to a new page where life is quite different from before. 1. As far as I can see, there are several aspects you should pay special attention to.
Manage your free time well.
Since there’s plenty of spare time every day, a good time-management becomes vital. When free, you can devote yourself to studying or going out to visit some scenic spots nearby. If you have special skills or interests, there are various clubs for you to join. 2. At the same time you get the chance to make friends with other students.
Develop self-discipline (自律).
College life is nearly completely up to yourself instead of the teachers compared to the high school. So self-discipline makes much more significance. In university the teachers’ job is to give classes. 3. It is your choice to do them dependently or copy. You’re supposed to hand in the assignments punctually. You’re also expected to stick to your timetable, keep a balanced diet, etc.
4.
This is the person who will help you with course conflicts, adding or dropping courses, scheduling of classes for future terms and deciding on majors. 5. He/ She should be the person you turn to with any academic issues or conflicts. And don’t be afraid of requesting another adviser if you can’t contact the first one.
Bear these tips in mind and I’m sure it can be beneficial to you in the long run.
A. Find a perfect place to study in.
B. It’s where to show your talent.
C. Get to know your academic adviser.
D. This person is a key resource for you.
E. As for the assignments, it is your work.
F. Buy a calendar to know when assignments are due.
G. To well adapt yourself to the new environment is of great significance.
The end of the school year is in sight — Christmas cards, candy canes and of course, end of year reports.
While most parents welcome an assessment of their kids' performance, they do not expect their own input to be evaluated. But a school in the UK is changing that. As well as assessing their students, they are dishing out grades to mums and dads. Parents that are really involved in their kid's education are rewarded with an A, and parents that haven't done their bit get a disappointing D.
The school, Greasley Beauvale Primary in Nottinghamshire, uses criteria such as whether mums and dads have attended school events such as plays and parent-teacher conferences to decide on the grade. The school’s principal, Donna Chambers, said that the scheme (方案)had been well received.
“There were some critics, but my response was ‘well, it can’t do any harm’. Between 15 percent and 20 percent of parents started out in the lower categories but now that has been reduced to just two percent,” she explained.
Chambers hopes that the scheme will help motivate parental involvement. “The system is important because you have got to get the parents on board from day one. That one hour initial conversation saying they could improve will pay dividends for the rest of that child’s academic life”, she said.
But while the scheme may be well-intentioned, it is likely to be connected with parent shaming. There are lots of reasons why some mums and dads might not be involved in school activities such as work commitments, looking after younger children or caring for elderly relatives.
And of course, being involved in your kid’s education doesn't begin and end at school. There is a lot that goes on behind the scenes from helping with homework to keeping uniforms freshly laundered. And what about all the parents who stayed up sewing special costumes at the last minute? Surely that earns a gold star instead of a grade!
1.What do schools usually do at the end of the school year?
A. Evaluating kids’ performances. B. Making Christmas cards.
C. Dividing candies. D. Grading parents.
2.What does the school’s principal Chambers say about the scheme?
A. It uses criteria to assess kids.
B. It has gained much acceptance.
C. It gives parents further education.
D. It improves kids’ motivation for learning.
3.What does the underlined part “pay dividends”(Para. 5) probably mean?
A. Hold shares. B. Earn profits.
C. Sacrifice health. D. Produce advantages.
4.What does the author think of parents’ being involved in kids’ education?
A. It adds to parents’ burden.
B. It brings shame to parents.
C. It means far more than being graded.
D. It increases parents’ commitment to education.
Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia (痴呆) in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones (荷尔蒙) , U.S. researchers reported on Thursday.
Tests on rats show that those who raise two or more litters of pups do considerably better in tests of memory and skills than rats who have no offsprings, and their brains show changes that suggest they may be protected against diseases such as Alzheimer’s (早老痴呆症). University of Richmond psychology professor Craig Kinsley believes his findings will translate into humans.
“Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy are protecting the brain, including estrogen(雌激素), which we know has many neuroprotective (保护神经的) effects,” Kinsley said.
“It’s rat data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals,” he added in a telephone interview. “They go through pregnancy and hormonal changes.”
Kinsley said he hoped public health officials and researchers will look to see if having had children protects a woman from Alzheimer’s and other forms of age-related brain decline.
“When people think about pregnancy, they think about what happens to babies and the mother from the neck down,” said Kinsley, who presented his findings to the annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Orlando, Florida.
“They do not realize that hormones are washing on the brain. If you look at female animals who have never gone through pregnancy, they act differently toward young. But if she goes through pregnancy, she will sacrifice her life for her infant—that is a great change in her behavior that showed in genetic alterations to the brain.”
1.How do scientists know “Motherhood may make women smarter”?
A. Some researchers have told them.
B. Many women say so.
C. They know it by experimenting on rats.
D. They know it through their own experience.
2.What does the underlined phrase “litters of pups” mean in the second paragraph?
A. Baby rats. B. Animals. C. Old rats. D. Grown-up rats.
3.“It’s rat data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals.” What does the sentence suggest?
A. The experiments on the rats have nothing to do with humans.
B. The experiments on the rats are very important for animals.
C. The experiments on the rats are much the same on humans.
D. The experiments on the rats are much the same on other animals.
4.Which title is the best for this passage?
A. Do You Want to Be Smarter? B. Being Mother Makes You Brighter
C. Mysterious Hormones D. An Important Study
Held in Valencia, La Tomatina is a tomato-throwing activity that causes the number of people to increase to more than 40,000 in a town of just 9,000 persons.
The festival takes place on the town’s main square. At 11 o’clock, the third Wednesday in August every year, a large pole(杆) with a ham tied to the end of it is raised into the air, and there is a mad climb as people struggle against each other to pull it down. Once this is achieved, a rocket goes skywards and more than 100 tons of ripe tomatoes are tipped from trucks to the waiting crowd. For precisely one hour, until a second rocket is fired, everyone joins in a cheerful tomato battle.
La Tomatina began in 1945, but it is not known why. Locals have many theories, including the popular tale of angry townsfolk attacking city councilmen(议员) during a town celebration. However, it could also have started because of anything from an anti-France protest or simply a fun food fight between friends. Whichever way it started, the townsfolk of Valencia enjoyed it so much that it was repeated year after year, finally becoming an officially recognized celebration in 1952. Despite being cancelled briefly during the 1970s for having no religious significance, it has returned every year since then.
Most people come for the day, arriving on the morning train from Valencia and heading back in the afternoon. But if you want the full La Tomatina experience, stay for the week-long celebration which involves music, dancing, parades and fireworks. The night before the fight, a cooking competition is held where women traditionally dress in white, and men without shirts altogether.
Protection for the fight is recommended—wear old clothes and shoes and a pair of glasses to protect your eyes. What you don’t bring to La Tomatina is also important. The crazy tomato-throwers attack each other with all their strength: cameras are seen as positive invitations to throw at the owner.
1.Before La Tomatina starts, people .
A. have to eat hams to be powerful.
B. bring down a ham on a pole.
C. store their own tomatoes first.
D. sing and dance together.
2.The underlined sentence in the last paragraph may mean .
A. cameras may be thrown away in the fight sometimes.
B. you aren’t allowed to take pictures of the fight freely.
C. visitors with cameras can avoid being hit by tomatoes.
D. more tomatoes will throw at you if you bring a camera.
3.Why did the author write the passage?
A. To introduce La Tomatina.
B. To advise readers to join in La Tomatina.
C. To explain the origin of La Tomatina.
D. To give advice on how to enjoy yourself most in La Tomatina.
The best bikes for the beginners
When it comes to purchasing your first bike, the choice is endless, making it tough to know what to go for. Here are the best buys on the market right now.
Boardman CX Comp
This is a cross-country bike, and it’s so versatile（多用途的）that you can handle any terrain（地势）on it, making it a great choice for those wanting to try various cycling subjects. If you leave on the thick tires it comes with, it can ride on various paths and can even handle some less demanding mountain bike routes. Alternatively, put on thin, slick tires and treat it as a road bike. It has basket and comes with Shimano Sora gears, which are outstanding for its price.
&650, Halfords
Planet X RT-58 v2
Planet C is based in Yorkshire, which means you’d probably have to buy this bike without seeing it. But it’s worth it, because this is an excellent machine at a lower price. Planet X is a highly rated manufacture and this model comes with Shimano Sora gears.
&439, Planet X
Specialized Allez ES
Specialized is one of the biggest and most popular brands in cycling, and this is its hugely popular primary road bike. It comes with solid components from front to back and you’ll look great out on the road.
&575, Evans Cycles
Boardman Road Team Carbon
If you can push budget further still, this bike is worth the extra investment. The frame is made entirely from carbon, which is lighter, faster and more comfortable than the composition metal models above and gives you an all-round more enjoyable ride. It also means that if you get really serious about cycling, you don’t have to upgrade as quickly as you would with a cheaper bike.
&800, Halfords
1.Compared with other bikes, what is the strength of the Boardman CX Comp?
A. Its outstanding price B. Its Shimano Sora gears
C. Dealing with any terrain D. Putting on very firm tires
2.Which is suitable for you if you want to buy at an economical price but with Shimano Sora gears?
A. Planet X RT-58 v2 B. Specialized Allez ES
C. Boardman CX Comp D. Boardman Road Team Carbon
3.What can we know about the bikes mentioned in the text?
A. The second has sold out so fast.
B. You should be careful when riding the third.
C. The forth is very expensive but with special material.
D. You can only ride the first on the mountainous road.
4.In which column does the text probably appear in the newspaper?
A. Travel and culture. B. Fashion and lifestyle
C. Health and medicine. D. Production and marketing.
听下面一段独白，回答以下小题。
1.Where will the students go?
A. A theater. B. A big park. C. A zoo.
2.Which of the following has displays from different countries?
A. The Japanese Tea Garden.
B. The House of Flowers.
C. The De Young Museum.
3.What is in the Japanese Tea Garden?
A. A concert hall. B. A small lake. C. An art gallery.
4.Where is Golden Gate Park?
A. In the countryside.
B. In the middle of the city.
C. Close to the city.
