After the September 11 terrorist attacks, some high schools in America wanted the students to pledge allegiance（宣誓效忠） to the flag. Is it necessary or not? Let’s see how the kids think of this requirement.
Lea Mouallem, Marymount High School
I believe that saying the Pledge of Allegiance is a way of reminding our country that no matter what happens, we are united. I don’t think our president wants us to go and join the army now, but he wants to tell us that we will be able to overcome the disaster as a whole nation that is working together.
Harry Chin, 15, Culver City High School
I am not for the Pledge of Allegiance and I am not against the Pledge of Allegiance because I just say it so many times that it loses meaning. I say it every day at school in the second period. It doesn’t mean anything any more.
David Tran, 15, Warren High School.
The Pledge of Allegiance is another sign of country. We should have some respect to it. In many schools, we don’t say the Pledge every morning-we just stand up and let the National anthem ring through the silence. We said the Pledge of Allegiance on Sept. 12.
Danny Maryanor, 16, Santa Monica High School
I wonder why we were suddenly asked to recite the Pledge when many of us stopped after elementary school; and the Pledge was recited before the play of “Ode to Joy” （欢乐颂）with recorders. This was not to express patriotism（爱国主义）, or even to remember those who lost their lives on Sept. 11.
I feel I cannot support a nation that in this time of crisis looks outward for revenge（报复）instead of inward for peace. Perhaps we should think more about our problems.
1．Saying the Pledge of Allegiance to the flag first appeared in American schools_______.
A．after Sept. 11, 2000 B．before Sept. 11, 2001
C．on Sept. 11, 2001 D．after Sept. 11, 2001
2．Who were for the Pledge of Allegiance?
A．Lea Mouallem; David Tran B．Harry Chin; Danny Maryanor
C．Lea Mouallem; Danny Maryanor D．Harry Chin; David Tran
3．Which of the following is TRUE?
A．Harry Chin thought the government required them to join the army.
B．Lea Mouallem thought the Pledge of Allegiance of no meaning.
C．Danny Maryanor felt the terrorist attacks happened partly because of America’s own problem.
D．The Pledge of Allegiance is of another country.
4．According to the passage, it can be imagined that___________.
A．all high school students say yes to the Pledge of Allegiance.
B．all high school students say no to the Pledge of Allegiance.
C．all kids don’t agree to the requirement of saying the Pledge of Allegiance.
D．all high schools will require their students to pledge allegiance to the flag.
They are the sort of friends who are so close they trust each other with their lives. If one falls, the other is there to catch him.
They are Wellman, whose legs were permanently injured nine years ago in a rock-climbing accident, and Corbett, an experienced rock climber. Together, they climbed up Half Dome, the famous 2,000-foot rock in the Yosemite National Park, through one of the most difficult routes(路线).
During the climb, Corbett took the lead, hit in the metal spikes（尖状物）that guided the ropes and climbed up. Then, after Wellman pulled himself up the rope, Corbett went down to remove the spikes and climbed up again. This process was repeated time and again, inch by inch, for 13 days. Wellman’s job was not easy either. He got himself up the rope through upper body strength alone. In all, Wellman figured that he had done 5,000 pull-ups up the rope on the climb.
However, when the two men first met, they never talked about climbing. “He knew that was how I got injured.” Wellman said. Until one day Wellman decided that he wanted to climb again and they started training.
Their climb of Half Dome was not all smooth. At one point, pieces of rock gave way, and Corbett dropped down quickly. Wellman locked their rope in place, stopping the fall at 20 feet. His quick action probably saved his friend’s life.
“Your partner can save your life — you can save your partner’s life,” Wellman said as the pair received congratulations from friends. “There are real close ties.”Why did the two men never talk about climbing when they first met?
| A．Corbett was poorly trained. |
| B．Wellman had lost interest in climbing. |
| C．Corbett didn’t want to hurt Wellman. |
| D．Wellman hadn’t decided whether to climb again. |
What do we know about Wellman?
| A．He climbed Half Dome by himself. |
| B．He was disabled in a traffic accident. |
| C．He stopped rock-climbing for some time. |
| D．He was saved by Corbett during the climb. |
Which of the following was a challenge for Corbett in climbing Half Dome?
| A．To climb up to remove the spikes. |
| B．To climb it again after falling down |
| C．To do 5,000 pull-ups up the rope. |
| D．To lock the rope in place. |
The main idea of the text is that _______ .
| A．two heads are better than one |
| B．friendship is precious in life |
| C．the disabled should never give up |
| D．a man can be destroyed but cannot be defeated |
A study of English learning problems was carried out among a total of 106 foreign students. It shows that most students considered understanding spoken English to be their biggest problem on arrival. This was followed by speaking. Writing increased as a problem as students discovered difficulties in writing papers that they were now expected to hand in. Reading remained as a significant problem.
Information gained helped us in determining where special attention should be paid in our course. Although many students have chosen to join the course with a reasonable motivation, we considered it important to note what seemed to encourage interest. Nearly all the students have experienced some kind of grammar-based English teaching in their own country. To use the same method would be self-defeating because it might reduce motivation, especially if it has failed in the past. Therefore a different method may help because it is different.
Variety of activity was also seen as a way of maintaining or increasing motivation. Several years ago we had one timetable that operated throughout, but we soon found that both the students and the teachers lost interest about halfway through the ten weeks. This led us to a major re-think, so in the end we brought it into line with the expressed language needs of the students.What is the test mainly about?
| A．Foreign students have more problems. |
| B．There are many ways to improve English. |
| C．Teaching should meet students’ needs. |
| D．English learning problems should be studied again. |
Writing became a bigger problem when foreign students __________.
| A．had to write their papers |
| B．became better at speaking |
| C．became less interested in reading |
| D．had fewer problems with listening |
We may infer from the last two paragraphs that_________.
| A．different teaching methods should be used |
| B．grammar-based teaching seems to be encouraging |
| C．English courses are necessary for foreign students |
| D．teaching content should be changed halfway |
In all the world's cultures, people sing, play instruments, and celebrate with music． It plays such an important role in our lives that all fields focus on its study, including one looking at the biology of music． Experts are finding that because of the way our brains process music, learning to play an instrument or just listening to music can have a wide range of benefits．
Music education has received a lot of attention． Learning to play an instrument can help children improve math, science, and language skills． One study in Canada tracked children's IQ scores for nine months, discovering that children who studied music had the biggest test score improvements． The secret may lie in the way reading music and playing notes uses several areas of the brain, increasing our ability to learn school subjects． For example, reading notes improves spatial （空间的） reasoning skills, which are helpful in solving math problems like fractions（分数）．
Music is also used for medical purposes, such as the treatment of diseases which affect memory． The secret lies in the way the brain processes music． One area near the forehead, the medial prefrontal cortex, connects music with memories stored in two other areas: the amygdale and hippocampus． That's why an old song can remind you of something that happened years ago． For patients suffering from diseases like Alzheimer's, listening to music can help unlock buried memories by strengthening musical pathways to memories．
With the evidence of music's benefits pouring in, it's no wonder some countries make music study a part of their education systems． People are recognizing that more than just a form of entertainment, music is also great for the brain．Scientists are studying music because _______．
| A．music can be used for medical treatments |
| B．music plays a very important role in our lives |
| C．our brains can possess music in different ways |
| D．music education has received a lot of attention |
According to the Canadian study, which children had increased IQ scores?
| A．Those who already had high IQs． |
| B．Those who had always played music． |
| C．Those who could not play any instrument． |
| D．Those who studied music for a period of time． |
Which of the following is a kind of disease?
| A．Spatial reasoning． | B．Alzheimer's． |
| C．The amygdale and hippocampus． | D．The medial prefrontal cortex． |
What can be the best title for the text?
| A．Music and health | B．Music and the mind |
| C．Music and education | D．Music and instruments |
Meeting people from another culture can be difficult. From the beginning, people may send the wrong signal（信号）. Or they may pay no attention to signals from another person who is trying to develop a relationship.
Different cultures emphasize（强调）the importance of relationship building to a greater or lesser degree. For example, business in some countries is not possible until there is a relationship of trust. Even with people at work, it is necessary to spend a lot of time in "small talk", usually over a glass of tea, before they do any job．In many European countries -- like the UK or France -- people find it easier to build up a lasting working relationship at restaurants or cafes rather than at the office.
Talk and silence may also be different in some cultures. I once made a speech in Thailand．I had expected my speech to be a success and start a lively discussion; instead there was an uncomfortable silence. The people present just stared at me and smiled．After getting to know their ways better, I realized that they thought I was talking too much. In my own culture, we express meaning mainly through words, but people there sometimes feel too many words are unnecessary.
Even within Northern Europe, cultural differences can cause serious problems. Certainly, English and German cultures share similar values; however, Germans prefer to get down to business more quickly. We think that they are rude. In fact, this is just because one culture starts discussions and makes decisions more quickly.
People from different parts of the world have different values, and sometimes these values are quite against each other. However, if we can understand them better, a multicultural environment will offer a wonderful chance for us to learn from each other.In some countries, eating together at restaurants may make it easier for people to _______.
| A．develop closer relations | B．share the same culture |
| C．get to know each other | D．keep each other company |
The author mentions his experience in Thailand to show that _______.
| A．the English prefer to make long speeches |
| B．too many words are of no use |
| C．people from Thailand are quiet and shy by nature |
| D．even talk and silence can be culturally different |
According to the text, how can people from different cultures understand each other better?
| A．By sharing different ways of life. |
| B．By accepting different habits. |
| C．By recognizing different values. |
| D．By speaking each other' s languages. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Multicultural Environment. |
| B．Cross-Cultural Differences. |
| C．How to Understand Each Other. |
| D．How to Build Up a Relationship. |
| Looking for Teens Interested in Child Care This is a chance for teens to accompany a child through projects and activities, play with them indoors and outdoors, help with arts and crafts ,deliver flyers to homes in the neighborhood，and so on. When: We welcome teen volunteers whenever they are available. How often: Our volunteers determine the amount of time they give and their schedule. Where: Wilder Child Development Center, 911 Lafond Ave. St. Paul |
| Library Intern （实习生） Part-time, Temporary $12.48一$13 .87 /per hour Program: Wilder Research Responsibilities: Help with moving to new buildings, record reports and other documents using a specialized library database, get items from area libraries, help library users, help with literature searches, other everyday library chores, and so on. Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree with some library experience or a current Master of Library and Information Science student. Strong attention to detail, good search skills and customer service skills. How to apply: Send resume to Wilder Research, 1295 Bandna Blvd, or send an e-mail to jobs@wilder.org. |
| Site Responder Part-time , Regular $9.46一$10.52/per hour Program: Jackson St. Village Responsibilities: Work at night to handle emergencies, provide services such as lawn care and snow removal, support the needs of residents and take care of the property and buildings. Qualifications: Must have good communication skills and must be able to solve the problems and concerns of the residents, their visitors, and staff. Individuals or teams are encouraged to apply. How to apply: Send resume to Wilder Foundation, 516 Humboldt Avenue, St.Paul, MN 55107 or a fax to （651） 223-7273, or an e-mail to jobs@wilder.org. |
As a volunteer in the child center, __________．
| A．you should follow the schedule of the center strictly |
| B．you must keep the child you look after indoors |
| C．you will earn some money for what you have done |
| D．you yourself can decide how long to stay there |
What may NOT be needed if you apply to Wilder Research program?
| A．A college degree and library experience. |
| B．Having knowledge of the Internet. |
| C．Being willing to help others. |
| D．Being able to handle emergencies. |
From the third advertisement, we can learn that __________．
| A．only individuals can apply for the job |
| B．applicants should pay close attention to detail |
| C．applicants are required to do some physical work |
| D．applicants will deliver flyers homes in the neighborhood. |
The three advertisements _________．
| A．are not all for part-time opportunities |
| B．are not all chances to make some extra money |
| C．all can be communicated on the Internet |
| D．are offered by the same organization |