“A good book for children should simply be a good book in its own right” says Mollie Hunter. Born and brought up near Edinburgh，Mollie has devoted her talents to writing primarily for young people. She firmly believes that there is and should always be a wider audience for any good book whatever its main market is. In Mollie’s opinion it is necessary to make full use of language and she enjoys telling a story，which is what every writer should be doing. “If you aren’t telling a story, you’re a very dead writer indeed.” She says. With the chief function of a writer being to entertain，Mollie is indeed an entertainer. “I have this great love of not only the meaning of language but of the music of language,” she says. “This love goes back to early childhood. I had a school teacher who used to ask us what we would like to be when we grew up and，because my family always had dogs，and I was very good at handling them，I said I wanted to work with dogs，and the teacher always said ‘Nonsense，Mollie；dear，you’ll be a writer.’ So finally I thought that this woman must have something，since she was a good teacher and I decided when I was nine that I would be a writer.”
This childhood intention is described in her novel，A Sound of Chariots，which although written in the third person is clearly autobiographical (自传体的) and gives a picture both of Mollie’s ambition and her struggle towards its achievement. Thoughts of her childhood inevitably (不可避免地) brought thoughts of the time when her home was still a village with buttercup meadows and strawberry fields—sadly now covered with modern houses. “I was once taken back to see it and I felt that somebody had lain dirty hands all over my childhood. I’ll never go back，”she said “Never. When I set one of my books in Scotland” she said “I can recall my romantic feelings as a child playing in those fields，or watching the village blacksmith at work. And that’s important because children now know so much so early that romance can’t exist for them, as it did for us.”
1.What does Mollie Hunter feel about the nature of a good book?
A.It should not aim at a narrow audience.
B.It should be attractive to young readers.
C.It should be based on original ideas.
D.It should not include too much conversation.
2.In Mollie Hunter’s opinion，which of the following is one sign of a poor writer?
A.Being poor in life experience.
B.Being short of writing skills.
C.The weakness of description.
D.The absence of a story.
3.What do we learn about Mollie Hunter as a young child?
A.She didn’t expect to become a writer.
B.She didn’t enjoy writing stories.
C.She didn’t have any particular ambitions.
D.She didn’t respect her teacher’s views.
4.What’s the writer’s purpose in this text?
A.To share her enjoyment of Mollie Hunter’s books.
B.To introduce Mollie Hunter’s work to a wider audience.
C.To provide information for Mollie Hunter’s existing readers.
D.To describe Mollie Hunter’s most successful books.
The computer keyboard helped kill shorthand—a system of rapid handwriting, and now it' s threatening to finish off handwriting as a whole. When handwritten essays were introduced on the SAT exams for the class of 2011, just 15% of the most 1.5 million students wrote their answers in cursive (草写字母). The rest? Block letters.
And those college hopefuls are just the first edge of a wave of US students who no longer get much handwriting instructions in the primary grades, frequently 10 minutes a day or less. As a result, more and more students struggle to read and write cursive.
At Keene Mill Elementary School in Springfield, all their poems and stories are typed. Children in Fairfax County schools are taught keyboarding beginning in kindergarten. Older students who never mastered handwriting say it doesn't affect their grades.
There are those who say the culture is at a crossing, turning from the written word to the typed one. If handwriting becomes a lost form of communication, does it matter?
It was at University of Virginia that researchers recently discovered a previously unknown poem by Robert, written in his unique script. Handwritten documents are more valuable to researchers, historians say, because their authenticity can be confirmed. Students also find them more fascinating.
The loss of handwriting also may be a cognitive opportunity missed. Several academic studies have found that good handwriting skills at a young age can help children express their thoughts better-a lifelong benefit.
It doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills. At some schools in Prince George' s County, elementary school students use a program called Handwriting Without Tears for 15 minutes a day. They learn the correct formation of manuscript letters through second grade, and cursive letters in third grade.
There are always going to be some kids who struggle with handwriting because of their particular neurological wiring, learning issues or poor motor skills. Educators often point to this factor in support of keyboarding.
1.What is the author concerned about after 2011 SAT exams?
A.Keyboarding. B.Shorthand. C.Handwriting. D.Block letters.
2.A poem by Robert mentioned in the passage is used to _________.
A.prove how valuable handwriting is B.explain what a famous poet he is
C.show how unique his poem is D.stress how fascinating the documents are
3.The example of Handwriting Without Tears helps to argue that_________.
A.the schools are responsible for the loss of handwriting
B.the loss of handwriting is a cognitive opportunity missed
C.it doesn't take much to teach better handwriting skills
D.the culture is turning from the written word to the typed one
4.According to the author, when is a perfect time to learn handwriting?
A.Kindergarten. B.Primary school. C.High school. D.College.
In today's fast paced，high stress world people are working longer hours than ever，and often exhaust themselves at day's end in front of the television to relax enough to begin again in the morning. However，television watching，for most people，does not really lower stress. Studies show that TV viewing more than an hour or so actually creates stress and，especially in women，may lead to the blues. Most individuals are unaware that doing some exercise after work makes them more energetic since it increases energy levels.
Wise use of free time does not mean getting an advanced degree，although the mental encouragement gained through education is unbeatable in keeping your mind active. Learning new things nearly always adds a spark to your daily life，especially if it is a favorite topic，such as sport，fashion，or art. Also，look through your bookstore or library to find books on your interests. Try to replace a half hour TV watching with reading.
It is reported that in the United States recently，many individuals have as few as two good friends. Long work hours and car commute act to separate people from each other. This separation is deadly. Find ways to meet people at the end of the day and on weekends. Often this can be best done by combining activities，such as by joining a walking group to get both exercise and companionship. Taking a class will lift your spirits and allow you to meet others with similar interests. Hobbies are great for reducing stress and provide another opportunity for social interaction.
Using your free time to aid your health may include these elements and many more，such as going to concerts and spending time with family. Overall，the key is to spend less free time being passive. The best ways to use free time are to be mentally and physically active，spend some time outdoors，and interact with other people on a regular basis.
1.What can we learn from the passage?
A.Watching television may cause women to feel depressed.
B.Finding interests and hobbies in common means taking a class.
C.Going to concerts is the best way to make you mentally active.
D.Getting an advanced degree in education always lights up your life.
2.What does the underlined word “commute” in Paragraph 3 probably mean?
A.The arrangement to work every day.
B.The journey to work every day.
C.The communication between people.
D.The separation between people.
3.Which would be the best title for the passage?
A.Live a Happy and Healthy Life
B.Relax Yourself in Various Ways
C.Spend Your Free Time Wisely
D.Interact With Others Outdoors
Dale Carnegie rose from the unknown of a Missouri farm to international fame because he found a way to fill a universal human need.
It was a need that he first_______back in 1906 when young Dale was a junior at State Teachers College in Warrensburg. To get an _______, he was struggling against many difficulties. His family was poor. His dad couldn’t afford the _______ at college, so Dale had to ride horseback 12 miles to attend classes. Study had to be done_______his farm-work routines. He withdrew from many school activities_______he didn’t have the time or the _______. He had only one good suit. He tried_______the football team, but the coach turned him down for being too _______. During this period Dale was slowly_______an inferiority complex (自卑感), which his mother knew could__________him from achieving his real potential. She__________that Dale join the debating team, believing that__________in speaking could give him the confidence and recognition that he needed.
Dale took his mother’s advice, tried desperately and after several attempts__________made it. This proved to be a__________point in his life. Speaking before groups did help him gain the__________he needed. By the time Dale was a senior, he had won every top honor in __________. Now other students were coming to him for coaching and they, __________, were winning contests.
Out of this early struggle to__________his feelings of inferiority, Dale came to understand that the ability to__________an idea to an audience builds a person’s confidence. And,__________it, Dale knew he could do anything he wanted to do—and so could others.
1.A.admitted B.filled C.supplied D.recognized
2.A.assignment B.education C.advantage D.instruction
3.A.training B.board C.teaching D.equipment
4.A.between B.during C.over D.through
5.A.while B.when C.because D.though
6.A.permits B.interest C.talent D.clothes
7.A.on B.for C.in D.with
8.A.light B.flexible C.optimistic D.outgoing
9.A.gaining B.achieving C.developing D.obtaining
10.A.prevent B.protect C.save D.free
11.A.suggested B.demanded C.required D.insisted
12.A.presence B.practice C.patience D.potential
13.A.hopefully B.certainly C.finally D.naturally
14.A.key B.breaking C.basic D.turning
15.A.progress B.experience C.competence D.confidence
16.A.horse-riding B.football C.speech D.farming
17.A.in return B.in brief C.in turn D.in fact
18.A.convey B.overcome C.understand D.build
19.A.express B.stress C.contribute D.repeat
20.A.besides B.beyond C.like D.with
I took my driving license with me on holiday, ________ I wanted to hire a car.
A.in case B.even if
C.ever since D.if only
—When will the visas be ready, sir?
—_______everything goes well, you should get them in 14 workdays.
A.Although B.As far as C.Unless D.As long as
