Play is the basic business of childhood, and in recent years research has shown the great importance of play in the development of a human being. From earliest infancy (婴儿), every child needs opportunity and right materials for play, and the main tools of play are toys. The main function of toys is to suggest, encourage and play. To succeed in this, they must be good toys, which children will play with often, and will come back again and again. Therefore, it is important to choose suitable toys for different stages of a child’s development.
In recent years research on infant development has shown that the standard a child is likely to reach, within the range of his inherited abilities, is largely determined in the first three years of his life. So a baby’s ability to benefit from the right play materials should not be underestimated. A baby who is encouraged, talked to and shown things and played with, has the best chance of growing up successfully.
In the next stage, from three to five years old, curiosity knows no bounds. Every type of suitable toys should be made available to the child, for trying out, experimenting and learning, for discovering his own particular ability: Bricks and jigsaws and construction toys; painting, scribbling and making things; sand and water play; toys for imaginative and pretending play—the first social games for learning to play and get on with others.
But at the third stage of play development—from five to seven or eight years old— the child is at school. But for a few more years play is still the best way of learning, at home or at school. It is easier to see which type of toys the child most enjoys.
Until the age of seven or eight, play and work mean much the same to a child. But once reading has been mastered, then books become the main source of learning. Toys are still interesting and valuable, which lead up to new hobbies, but their significance has changed — to a child of nine or ten years old, toys and games mean, as to adults, relaxation and fun.According to the first passage we know that as a child grows up, ______.
A.he should be allowed to choose his own toys |
B.he should be given the same toys |
C.he should be given fewer and fewer toys |
D.he should be given different toys |
According to the passage, the abilities a child has inherited from his parents ______.
A.determine his character |
B.will not change after the age of three |
C.partly determined the standard he is likely to reach |
D.to a large extent determine the choice of toys |
We learn from the passage that a child has boundless curiosity ______.
A.when he is two | B.when he is around four |
C.when he is six | D.when he is eight |
The passage is mainly about _______.
A.the role of play in a child’s development |
B.the importance of schooling |
C.the importance of pre-school education |
D.the choice of toys for youngster |
Aquatic Adventures!
Help Us Get Ready for Showtime!
Trainer Program
What does it take to work with seals or sea lions? Find out with Atlantis Marine World’s Trainer Program and go behind the scenes with our Marine Mammal staff and:
﹒Learn how we train our animals and help train our sea lions to learn how to paint
﹒Go into the seal exhibit with trainers
﹒Join in a seal training period - and get to pet and feed one of our harbor seals
﹒Help prepare food for seals
﹒Attend our Sea Lion Show
﹒Get a kiss from sea lion, Java – and take home a photo
Summer Adventure Days – Camp! Atlantis Style!
Our camp program adds interactive excitement to your child’s summer vacation. Children ages 3 to 14 discover the wonders of the sea environment through age – appropriate activities.
Pirate Snorkel Adventure
Yo-ho-ho, this is a whole lot of fun! Join us this summer for our interactive Pirate Snorkel Adventure and help Captain Poseidon locate missing treasure. While searching our lake, don’t miss tropical fish from all around the world. When you’re done, you’ll walk away with some booty (战利品) of your own – a $2.00 game card and a pirate eye patch (海盗眼罩) featuring our very own Jolly Poseidon!
Smooth Sailing: Taste Long Island Wine Cruise Now Accepting Reservations!
Experience the magic of Taste Long Island, a Saturday evening wine and cheese cruise aboard the Atlantis Explorer Tour Boat. Featuring local wines, this adventure along the Peconic River is a relaxing way to enjoy both beautiful scenery and fine wines. Guests 21 and older only. Members and Green Key Cardholders enjoy 25%off.The activities in Summer Adventure Days are divided according to _______.
A.children’s hobby |
B.children’s age |
C.the price |
D.the type of sea animals |
In which activity will you get something as a reward?
A.Atlantis Marine World’s Trainer Program. |
B.Summer Adventure Days. |
C.Pirate Snorkel Adventure. |
D.Smooth Sailing. |
What is special about Smooth Sailing?
A.Guests under 21 cannot be accepted. |
B.It provides famous wines from all over the world. |
C.Guests usually get a discount. |
D.It doesn’t accept bookings. |
Anthony was sad. He was, as he put it, “not very bright” and couldn’t win the attention of his very wealthy parents, who preferred his “clever” older brother. At age 8, Anthony was sent away to a boarding school in his native England, even though he screamed and pleaded with(恳求)his parents year after year not to send him. “The thought was it would be good for me,” he recalled.
It was not. Anthony did badly in his studies, had few friends and was bullied for five years. “My teachers couldn’t have had a lower opinion of me,” he said. “I wasn’t even smart enough to rebel. The one thing I remember from the very earliest age was the desire to write. When I was 10 years old, I remember asking my parents to get me a typewriter for my birthday because I wanted to be a writer.”
Now, at 55, Anthony is one of the world’s most successful children’s book authors. His Alex Rider series has sold more than 5 million copies, and the eighth book featuring the young spy, Crocodile Tears, has come out.
The Alex Rider books tell the adventures of 14-year-old Alex Rider, an agent for the British intelligence agency M16.
Anthony says he doesn’t try to write for kids; it just comes out that way. “I have a feeling that it has something to do with purity and simplicity. I give as little information as is necessary to describe the room, the character in the room, and get on with the action,” he said.
The style has also made Anthony a successful writer of television shows for adults in Britain because, he says, writing books for kids is a lot like writing television for grown-ups: In both cases, it’s all about entertaining people with a good story.
Now, Anthony couldn’t be happier with his life. He sums up his success: “…you can be anything you want to be if you just believe in yourself. I do believe it completely.”Which of the following is true of Anthony?
A.He was the beloved child of his family. |
B.Although he is successful, he isn’t very happy. |
C.He places more emphasis on the characters’ behavior in his stories. |
D.Studying in a boarding school proved a good choice for him. |
At boarding school, Anthony’s teachers_____________.
A.often criticized him |
B.showed great concern for him |
C.encouraged him to be a writer |
D.thought little of his ability |
What would be the best title for the passage?
A.Anthony’s popular books—Alex Rider series |
B.Alex Rider, a popular character |
C.Anthony, a successful children’s book author |
D.Special writing style |
What advice does Anthony give to readers?
A.Confidence is the key to success. |
B.Hardship teaches valuable lessons. |
C.Internet is the best teacher. |
D.Failure is the mother of success. |
Along with more than 300 other seniors, I marched into the stadium on the afternoon of May 10. The audience burst into deafening cheers, whistling and clapping.
It was as if a Hollywood superstar had walked on stage. And indeed, every single senior that day was a star of the once-in-a-lifetime moment—the commencement.
Seated, I waited anxiously for the opening address. As a foreign exchange student, I was not able to receive a diploma. However, I still had the wonderful feeling of being part of things. Like the other graduates, I was dressed in marron cap and gown(方帽长袍).
Our principal, Mr. Glover, delivered a short, warm greeting. The US national anthem followed and then, hands on chests, a solemn Pledge of Allegiance(对美国的忠孝宣誓).
Students who had excelled academically gave farewell speeches. Then came the core (核心) of the commencement. Hundreds of names were announced. Each graduate walked across the stage to receive his or her diploma from the principal. From the different cheers each graduate got, we had the funny sense that it was a kind of competition of who could cheer the loudest.
To be honest, the presentation of diplomas got boring. But it wasn’t boring for those receiving the diploma: they would treasure the moment the principal placed the sacred brown document in their hands for the rest of their lives.
A new page in the book of that person’s life had turned. They were glimpsing their futures: futures of challenge, hardship, perhaps loneliness too, which would take all of their courage.What’s the article mainly about?
A.An American high school’s graduation ceremony. |
B.The opening ceremony of a sports meeting. |
C.A presentation of college diplomas. |
D.A US college’s farewell party. |
Which of the following statements about the author is FALSE?
A.She was one of the graduates. |
B.She was a foreign exchange student. |
C.She was excited to receive her diploma. |
D.She felt it great to be at the ceremony. |
The right order of the following events is________.
a. Diplomas were presented to graduates.
b. Students gave farewell speeches.
c. The US national anthem was played.
d. The principal gave a short, warm speech.
e. Seniors went into the stadium.
A.b-c-a-d-e | B.c-d-b-e-a | C.d-b-e-a-c | D.e-d-c-b-a |
From the text, we can conclude that_______.
A.a diploma ensures a good job |
B.a diploma guarantees a bright future |
C.the commencement symbolizes the beginning of a new stage in life |
D.everyone felt excited at the presentation of the diploma |
Mark Twain left school when he was twelve. He had little school education. In spite of this, he became the most famous writer of his time. He made millions of dollars by writing. His real name was Samuel Langhorne Clemens, but he is better known all over the world as Mark Twain, his penname.
Mark Twain was born in 1835 and he was not a healthy baby. In fact, he was not expected to live through the first winter. But with his mother’s care, he managed to survive. As a boy, he caused much trouble for his parents. He used to play jokes on all his friends and neighbors. He didn’t like to go to school, and he often ran away from home. He always went in the direction of the nearby Mississippi(密西西比河). He was nearly drowned nine times.
After his father’s death, Mark Twain began to work for a printer, who only provided him with food and clothing. Then, he worked as a printer, a river-boat pilot and later joined the army. But shortly after that he became a miner. During this period, he started to write short stories. Afterwards he became a full time writer.
In 1870, Mark Twain got married. In the years that followed he wrote many books including Tom Sawyer in 1876, and Huckleberry Finn in 1884, which made him famous, and brought him great fortune.
Unfortunately, Mark Twain got into debts in bad investments(投资) and he had to write large numbers of stories to pay these debts. In 1904, his wife died, and then three of his children passed away.
At the age of 70, his hair was completely white. He bought many white suits and neckties. He wore nothing but white from head to foot until his death on April 21, 1910.In his childhood, Mark Twain, ________.
A.learned a lot at school |
B.he often went swimming with other boys |
C.his mother often worried about his safety |
D.he often played games with other boys |
Which of the following shows the right order about Mark Twain?
a. He became a miner. b. He worked as a printer.
c. He got into debts. d. His father died.
e. He became a full-time writer. F. He joined the army.
A.a—d—b—c—e—f | B.d—b—f—a—e—c |
C.d—a—f—e—b—c | D.c—b—d—f—e—a |
In order to make a living, Mark Twain _______.
A.first worked as a printer |
B.did many kinds of work |
C.wrote stories in the beginning |
D.joined the army after he worked in a mine |
From the passage we can see that Mark Twain _______.
A.had a happy childhood |
B.was a good boy and always did what he was asked |
C.was very naughty when he was young |
D.lived a pleasant life |
The Taj Mahal (泰姬陵) is a love story, a sad and beautiful one. If it didn’t exist, we would easily imagine that the story of its construction was simply a fairy tale. Three hundred years ago, there lived an Indian emperor called Shah Jahan. His wife was a beautiful and bright woman whom he loved greatly. Her title was Mumtazl Mahal: its shortened form Taj Mahal, means “pride of the palace”. In the year 1630 this beloved wife of the emperor died. He was so brokenhearted that he thought of giving up his throne. He decided out of his love for his wife, to build her the most beautiful tomb that had ever been seen.
He summoned the best artists and architects from India, Turkey, Persia and Arabia and finally, the design was complete. It took more than twenty thousand men working over a period of 18 years to build the Taj Mahal, one of the most beautiful buildings in the world.
The building itself stands on a marble platform 29 meters square and 6-7 meters high. Towers rise from each of the four corners. The Mahal itself soars another 61 meters into the air. It is an eight-sided building made of white marble.
The emperor planned to build an identical tomb of black marble for himself on the other side of the river connected by a silver bridge. However, his son put him into a prison in the palace before he could finish, and for the rest of his life, he could only gaze across the river at the tomb of his beloved wife. The whole passage tells us about ______.
A.a beautiful fairy tale |
B.the story of the Taj Mahal |
C.white and black marble tombs made for two emperors |
D.the love story of Emperor Shah Jahan and his wife |
Which of the following statements is NOT true about the Taj Mahal?
A.It was completed quickly owing to the efforts of the best artists and workers. |
B.A lot of people took part in the building work. |
C.It is a magnificent building. |
D.It is a tomb for the emperor’s beloved wife. |
The emperor’s own tomb was designed to be ____________.
A.61 meters high | B.eight-sided | C.black-colored | D.white-colored |
The emperor _____________.
A.died soon after Taj Mahal died |
B.was killed by his son |
C.was beloved by his people |
D.died after 1648 |