Chinese are very generous when it comes to educating their children. Not caring about the money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England, the United States and Australia. They also want their children to take extra-course activities where they will either learn a musical instrument(乐器) or ballet, or other classes which will give them a head in life. The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is. So parents will spend an unreasonable amount of money on education. Even poor couples will buy a computer for their son or daughter. However, what most parents fail to see is that the best early education they can give their children is usually very cheap.
Parents can see that their children are very skilled in some areas while poor in others. What most parents fail to realize though, is that today's children are short of self-respect and self-confidence.
The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents are not teaching them the most important skills that they need to be confident, happy and clever.
Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing other housework. Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in life. Cooking requires patience and time. It is an enjoyable but difficult experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and finish his job successfully step by step. His result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and lots of self-confidence.
Some old machines, such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your child to play with will make him curious and arouse(激发) his interest. He will spend hours looking at them, trying to fix them; your child might become an engineer when he grows up. These activities are not only teaching a child to read a book, but rather to think, to use his mind. And that is more important.
1.Most Chinese parents don't realize_______.
A. how much the best education is worth
B. when children should be educated
C. what children really need in later life
D. why school tests don't satisfy children
2. What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. Fixing old machines is very important.
B. Interest is necessary for everything.
C. Broken things are useful for children.
D. Using hands helps improve thinking ability.
3. The writer's attitude（看法） to children's education is that
A. the cheaper an education is, the better it is
B. children today should learn different skills
C. practical skills are useful to children's growth
D. school education can't meet parents' expectation.
One day when some government officials were rebuilding a barn(谷仓), they found a mouse hole in a corner and they used smoke to force the mice inside the hole to come out. A while later they indeed saw mice running out, one after another. Then, everyone thought that all the mice had ran away. But just as they began to clean up, they saw two mice squeezing(挤)out at the mouth of the hole. With some efforts, the mice finally got out. However, it was strange that after they came out of the hole, they did not run away immediately. Instead, one ran after the other near the mouth of the hole. It seemed that one was trying to bite the tail of the other.
Everyone was puzzled, so they stepped nearer to take a look. They realized that one of the mice was blind and could not see anything, and the other was trying to allow the blind mouse to bite on his tail so that he could pull the blind one with him to run away.
After seeing what happened, everyone was silent and lost in thought. During the meal time, the group of people sat down in a circle and started to chat about what happened to the two mice.
One serious American official said: "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of king and guard." The others thought for a while and said: "That was why!"
A smart French said: "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of husband and wife." Again the others thought for a while, and all felt it meaningful.
A Japanese said: "I think the relationship between those two mice was that of mother and son." Once again the others thought for a while, and felt this was more reasonable. So they expressed agreement another time.
At that moment, one Chinese asked: "Why did those two mice have to have a certain relationship?"
Suddenly, the group looked back at the Chinese and didn't say any words. The American official, the French and the Japanese who had spoken earlier all lowered their heads in shyness, and did not dare to answer.
In fact, the true love is not built on friendship, loyalty(忠诚) or blood relationship. Instead, it is based on no relationship.
1.Neither of the two mice ran away immediately because_______.
A．one was trying to help the blind one
B．one was biting the other
C．the mouth of the hole was too small
D．they were not afraid of smoke
2.Why did they lower their heads in shyness according to the passage?
A. Because they did not dare to answer.
B. Because they regretted(后悔)driving a poor blind mouse away.
C. Because they had mistaken the relationship of the mice.
D, Because they did not express themselves much better.
3.It is clear that_______.
A．all the mice came out of the hole easily
B．each of the people understood the relationship differently
C．the people wanted to kill the mice with smoke
D．the people knew one of the mice was blind at the first sight
4.The best title for the passage is_______.
A．Two lovely mice B．Help produces love
C．Love is all D．Friends in need
The story tell us about the British writer, Richard Savage. He was once living in London with money in his pockets. In order to get some food and clothes, he wrote the story of his life and managed to have it published. But not many copies of his books were in the shops, and he was still living a hard life. Because of anxiety(忧虑)and malnutrition(营养不良)， he became very weak and before long he fell , and a doctor was sent for. The doctor was not rich enough, but was literature. He tried his best to cure Savage of his illness and a week later Savage was out of danger. When he finally recovered(重新获得) his , the doctor sent a bill to Savage for his , but poor Savage had no money to pay it. The doctor waited for a month and sent another bill. Receiving no money again, the doctor went to Savage himself.
"You know you owe(欠) your life to me," said the doctor, "and I should some thankfulness from you."
"I agree," said the writer, " you've done a great favour(恩惠) for me and if I'm not ungrateful for your kindness, I'll damage(损坏) my life to you."
With these words he handed the doctor two copies of The Life of Richard Savage.
The doctor took the books home and began to _ them carefully.
"I see I've the life of a great writer," the doctor said to himself with a sense of pride, Maybe this is the only thing I could be really of in my life."
Five years later Savage called on the doctor to pay his bill, only to find that the doctor had already passed away.
1.A．much B．a little C．little D．enough
2.A．bought B．sold C．printed D．showed
3.A．weak B．anxious C．frightened D．ill
4.A．interested in B．familiar with C．popular with D．worried about
5.A．walk B．health C．movementD．action
6.A．care B．help C．attention D．treatment
7.A．wish B．choose C．get D．master
8.A．write B．correct C．improve D．read
9.A．made B．saved C．trained D．taught
10.A．fond B．aware C．proud D．afraid
-Can you tell me _______?
- With Lucy's help.
A. when you did it so well B. when did you do it so well
C. how you did it so well D. how did you do it so well
Professor White has written some short stories, but he is_______ known for his plays.
A. better B. more
C. the best D. the most
- Do you think the Stars will beat the Bulls?
- Yes. They have better players, so I_______ them to win.
A. hope B. prefer
C. expect D. want
