“Up until about five years ago, students at this school could have worn anything they wanted on Halloween,” said Rosemarie Nielson, a sixth-grade teacher at St. Theresa School, a Roman Catholic elementary school in the Pelham Bay section of the Bronx where there is a prohibition on toy weapons.
“When you consider all the horrific things that have happened in recent years, including 9/11, I can’t blame any school for wanting to stay away from anything that might promote violence,” Ms. Nielson said.
Mary Ellen Manniello, whose daughter, Courtney, 9, is a fourth grader at St. Gabriel School, a Roman Catholic elementary school in the Riverdale section of the Bronx, said she unde
rstood why officials had banned weapons with costumes. “They’re learning more about
guns from issues in the street than educational issues.”
This year, the school has gone one step further and is prohibiting all costumes at its Halloween festivities. Ms. Manniello said it had become “a chaotic scene,” with parents helping their children change into their costumes at school.
Some parents said the no-weapons policy for Halloween costumes went too far and denied children a chance to express themselves.
“Halloween has always been the one day when it was acceptable for our children to be dressed like somebody they are not, like a cowboy or a pirate or a person from outer space, and now we’re taking that away from them,” said Laura Santoro, a nurse from New Milford, Conn., whose 7-year-old son, Johnny, is a second grader at Northville Elementary School there.
Ms. Santoro said that her son would dress as Capt. Jack Sparrow, the character played by Johnny Depp in the “Pirates of the Caribbean” movies, at the school’s Halloween party, but that he would not be allowed to take a sword — part of a policy that caught her by surprise last Halloween.
“I sent my son to school last year dressed as a special force Power Ranger, and he was told that he couldn’t take along his red laser blaster, which really surprised me, because the laser is red and made of plastic and lights up, and it could never, ever be mistaken for a real gun,” Ms. Santoro said. “I mean, come on, the whole thing is getting really sad.”What do you think is the writer’s purpose of writing the passage?
| A．To introduce to the public the no-weapons policy for Halloween costumes. |
| B．To state parents’ attitudes towards the no-weapons policy for Halloween costumes. |
| C．To tell the public that children should bring any weapons for Halloween costumes. |
| D．To analyse the fact that the no-weapons policy for Halloween costumes goes too far. |
According to the passage, some parents understand the no-weapon policy for Halloween costumes because ____________.
| A．schools should take a cautious approach to Halloween to prevent violence. |
| B．children are buying real guns in the street and there is always violence now. |
| C．those parents like to help their children change into their costumes at school. |
| D．children are learning more about guns from educational issues. |
Which of the following is probably right according to the passage?
| A．Children could bring any weapons into school five or six years ago. |
| B．The parents surveyed are those whose children are in elementary schools. |
| C．Guns are necessary on Halloween for children to express themselves. |
| D．Jack Sparrow is an actor who at one time acted as a pirate in a movie. |
What do the underlined words “laser blaster” in the last paragraph refer to?
| A．A kind of costume. | B．A real gun. |
| C．A toy weapon. | D．A kind of plastic. |
Jeanne Calment, a French woman, became a record breaker on 17 October of 1995, when at the age of 120 years and 238 days, she became the longest-lived human being on record. A Japanese man died in 1986 at the age of 120 years and 237 days.
Jeanne Calment lives in a small old people’s home in the south of France; her husband, her only child and her grandson have all died. She is nearly blind and deaf and is always in a wheelchair, but her doctor describes her as being more like a 90-year-old in good health than someone of 120. She still has a lively sense of humor. When asked on her 120th birthday what she expected of the future, she replied: A very short one. She also remarked that she thought the good Lord had forgotten all about her.
So what is the key to a long life? According to some doctors, diet, exercise and no smoking are the three important factors. Jeanne Calment has followed two of the tips. She has always eaten a healthy diet, and she used to do exercise every day until she broke her leg at the age of 115. However, until recently she drank two glasses of strong red wine a day, and she does smoke (now only a little). Besides, Jeanne Calment might have got very good genes from her parents. Her father lived to the age of 94 and her mother to 86.
A local lawyer bought her house when she was 80 under an agreement that he would pay her some money every year until her death. It must have seemed a good move at the time, but so far the lawyer has paid her at least three times the value of the house. Every year on her birthday Jeanne Calment sends him a card saying:
Sorry, I’m still alive!How does Jeanne Calment feel about her old age?
| A．She is miserable and unhappy. |
| B．She is cheerful and humorous. |
| C．She would like to live much longer. |
| D．She feels she is going to die very soon. |
Jeanne Calment owes her good health and long life to _______.
| A．smoking only a little every day |
| B．her giving up smoking and drinking |
| C．drinking two glasses of strong red wine every day |
| D．the good genes from her parents, a healthy diet and some exercise |
Which of the following could best replace the word “move” in the fourth paragraph?
| A．deal | B．trick | C．march | D．sport |
Why does Jeanne Calment say “Sorry, I’m still alive” to the local lawyer every year on her birthday?
| A．Because she had an agreement at 80 with the lawyer which was to her advantage. |
| B．Because she has asked the lawyer to pay her more rent than they first agreed. |
| C．Because the lawyer has paid her much more money than the value of the house. |
| D．Because the house she sold to the lawyer isn’t worth the money he has already paid. |
Towards evening, Jennifer was walking on the beach with a gentle breeze blowing through her hair. Looking up at the golden red sun ball, she was surprised by its color, deep red in the middle, softly fading into yellow. She could hear nothing but the waves and the seagulls flying up above in the sky.
The atmosphere relaxed her. This was what she needed. “It’s getting late,” she thought, “I must go home. My parents will be wondering where I am.” She wondered how her parents would react when she got home after the three days she was missing. She kept on walking, directing herself to bungalow 163, where she spent every summer holiday. The road was deserted. She walked slowly and silently. Just in a few hundred meters, she would have been safe in her house.
It was really getting dark now. She wished she had her favorite coat on. It might keep her really warm. She imagined having it with her. This thought dissipated(消散) when she finally saw her front door. It seemed different. Nobody had taken care of the outside garden for a few days. She was shocked: her father was usually so strict about keeping everything clean and tidy, and now…
She entered the house. First, she went into the kitchen and saw a note written by her father, “Dear Ellen, there’s some coffee ready; I went looking.” But where was Ellen? On the right side of the hallway was her parents’ room. She went in and saw her. Her mother, lying on the bed, was sleeping. Her face looked so tired, as if she hadn’t slept for days. She was really pale. Jennifer would have wanted to wake her up, but she looked too tired. So Jennifer just fell asleep beside her. When Jennifer woke up something was different. She wasn’t in her mother’s room and she wasn’t wearing the old clothes she ran away in. She was in her cozy bed in her pajamas(睡衣).
It felt so good being back home. Suddenly she heard a voice. “Are you feeling better now, dear?
You know you got us very, very scared.”The author mentions the views of the beach in Para. 1 in order to __________.
| A．tell us the time of the story |
| B．show Jennifer’s eased mind |
| C．show Jennifer’s loneliness |
| D．indicate the beauty of nature |
Jennifer decided to go home because __________.
| A．it was getting cold |
| B．she realized her parents were worried |
| C．she began to miss her parents |
| D．she knew nobody would take care of the garden |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．Jennifer went home to fetch her favorite coat. |
| B．Jennifer’s father was so worried that he couldn’t take care of the outside garden. |
| C．Jennifer understood why the outside garden was left uncared for. |
| D．Jennifer’s father used to be too strict with her. |
Which of the following shows the change of Jennifer’s feeling?
| A．Relaxed→Lonely→Tired→Upset. |
| B．Angry→Relaxed→Fearful→Comfortable. |
| C．Fearful→Relaxed→Cheerful→Lonely. |
| D．Relaxed→Anxious→Shocked→Comfortable. |
There is a problem discussed by people about whether parents should hit their children? Or should they ever beat them?
Research suggests many of us are likely to respond “no”, and public support for spanking（打屁股）has been falling over the years. But surveys also show that 75 percent to nearly 90 percent of parents admit to spanking their child at least once.
I was raised in a zero-tolerance home for disrespect, and my parents often turned to physical punishment. And, no, I don’t feel I was damaged by it.
Nothing is more annoying than watching ill-mannered behavior from children.
But there is data to suggest that a return to old-school spanking isn't the answer.
Two years ago, Newsweek reported that it had found data suggesting that teens whose parents used physical punishment were more likely to become aggressive.
Murray Straus, professor at the University of New Hampshire in America, has studied the topic of children and spanking for decades. He said that children who were physically punished have lower IQs than their peers. It may be that children with lower IQs were more likely to get spanked, but the punishment may have been counterproductive（反作用的）to their mental development, as well.
Some researchers make the argument that occasional open-handed smacks（用巴掌打）on the bottom are not only harmless but can have some benefit.
Last year, Marjorie Gunnoe, a psychologist at Calvin College, studied teens who have never been spanked. There are a greater number of children growing up without ever having been physically punished. Gunnoe’s research suggests they don’t turn out any better than those who were sometimes spanked.
There are some parents who simply cannot control their tempers（脾气）. But I still believe that the best parents are the ones who are able to offer fair and firm discipline without ever turning to physical punishment.According to the first three paragraphs, the author was probably hit by her parents when __________.
| A．they were dissatisfied with her grade |
| B．they cannot control their temper |
| C．she showed no respect for the elder |
| D．their discipline turns out to be not strict enough |
According to Murray Straus, children who are physically punished __________.
| A．are less aggressive toward others when they get older |
| B．may develop lower IQs than their peers |
| C．benefit from occasional spanking |
| D．have slower physical development |
The author seems to agree that __________.
| A．parents should determine whether a child needs to be smacked or not |
| B．children who have been spanked tend to behave better than those who haven't |
| C．physical punishment should be the last resort （手段）of any parent |
| D．good parents discipline their children in a fair and reasonable way |
Perhaps Joe Cheng has become popular with thousands of fans and has been chased by girls and middles students. But do you know his resume(简历)?
Yes. Joe Cheng, who plays the most popular boy in high school in the popular Taiwanese drama “It Started with a Kiss.”
Although thousands of girls have fallen in love with him for his cute smile and strong body, Cheng, 27, doesn’t want to rest on his good looks. He made the move from modeling to acting six years ago, and now he is trying another career－this time, to be a singer. Cheng worked on his first album, “Joe Cheng’s Day”, for a year. It came out on September 7.
Apart from recording his CD, Cheng has been practicing dance moves for his music video. Given his height, 188cm, this was not an easy job. “I had bad dreams about dancing,” he said.
Cheng’s life has had many ups and downs. His parents divorced when he was in primary school and he has lived with his father ever since. After dropping out of high school, he took on all kinds of jobs before being spotted by a scout（星探）for a modeling agency. Cheng said his key to life is “keeping a positive outlook and making the most out of life.”
Cheng admitted that he got bad grades when he was in high school. But he was still very popular at school. “Being very active in the students union, I was elected president. I liked to organize parties and field trips, so many teachers and students knew me,” he said.
Cheng once dreamed of becoming a cartoonist, and he regrets that he never did it. Now he hopes his teenage fans can learn from his life. “When you are in school, just focus on studies,” Cheng said. “Every young heart is eager to explore the world outside. But take your time. Finish your studies first.”Which of the following can be the best title for this text?
| A．Finish Your Study First. |
| B．Life Is Full of Ups and Downs. |
| C．He Has It All, but Still Has Regrets. |
| D．The Key to Success. |
What career didn’t Joe Cheng try?
| A．Acting in some dramas. | B．Dancing for an agency. |
| C．Modeling for an agency. | D．Recording his own CDs. |
The underlined word “outlook” in Paragraph 4 means __________.
| A．attitude | B．scene | C．fame | D．appearance |
Which of the correct order of these events?
a. Joe Cheng dropped out of high school.
b. Joe Cheng worked on his first album, “Joe Cheng’s Day”.
c. Joe Cheng’s parents divorced.
d. Joe Cheng played the most popular boy in “It started with a Kiss”.
e. Joe Cheng worked in a modeling agency.
| A．acedb | B．caebd | C．caedb | D．Acebd |
I travel a lot, and I find out different “styles” of directions every time 1 ask “How can I get to the post office?”
Foreign tourists are often confused in Japan because most streets there don’t have names; in Japan, people use landmarks in their directions instead of street names. For example, the Japanese will say to travelers, “Go straight down to the corner. Turn left at the big hotel and go past a fruit market. The post office is across from the bus stop.”
In the countryside of the American Midwest, there are not usually many landmarks. There are no mountains, so the land is very flat; in many places there are no towns or buildings within miles. Instead of landmarks, people will tell you directions and distances. In Kansas or Iowa, for example, people will say, “Go north two miles. Turn east, and then go another mile.”
People in Los Angeles, California, have no idea of distance on the map; they measure distance in time, not miles. “How far away is the post office?” you ask. “Oh,” they answer, “it’s about five minutes from here.” You say, “Yes, but how many miles away is it?” They don’t know.
It’s true that a person doesn’t know the answer to your question sometimes. What happens in such a situation? A New Yorker might say, ‘Sorry, I have no idea.” But in Yucatan, Mexico, no one answers “I don’t know.” People in Yucatan believe that “I don’t know” is impolite, They usually give an answer, often a wrong one. A tourist can get very, very lost in Yucatan!When a tourist asks the Japanese the way to a certain place they usually _________
| A．describe the place carefully |
| B．refer to recognizable buildings and places |
| C．show him a map of the place |
| D．tell him the names of the streets |
Which is the place where people measure distance in time?
| A．New York. | B．Kansas. |
| C．Los Angeles. | D．Iowa. |
People in Yucatan may give a tourist a wrong answer ________
| A．in order to save time | B．as a test |
| C．for fun | D．so as to be polite |
What can we infer from the text?
| A．It’s useful for travelers to know how to ask the way properly. |
| B．People have similar understandings of politeness. |
| C．It’s important for travelers to understand cultural differences. |
| D．New Yorkers are generally friendly to visitors. |