In our life, we have rarely expressed our gratitude to the one who'd lived those years with us．In fact, we don't have to wait for anniversaries to thank the ones close to us —the ones so easily overlooked．If I have learned anything about giving thanks, it is this: give it now! While your feeling of appreciation is alive and sincere, act on it．Saying thanks is such an easy way to add to the world's happiness．
Saying thanks not only brightens someone else's world, it brightens yours．If you're feeling left out, unloved or unappreciated, try reaching out to others．It may be just the medicine you need．
Of course, there are times when you can't express gratitude immediately．In that case don't let embarrassment sink you into silence —speak up the first time you have the chance．
Once a young minister．Mark Brian, was sent to a remote parish of Kwakiuti Indians in British Columbia．The Indians, he had been told, did not have a word for thank you．But Brian soon found that these people had exceptional generosity．Instead of saying thanks, it is their custom to return every favor with a favor of their own, and every kindness with an equal or superior kindness．They do their thanks．
I wonder if we had no words in our vocabulary for thank you, would we do a better job of communicating our gratitude? Would we be more responsive, more sensitive, more caring?
Thankfulness sets in motion a chain reaction that transforms people all around us—including ourselves．For no one ever misunderstands the melody of a grateful heart．Its message is universal; its lyrics transcend （超越） all earthly barriers; its music touches the heavens．
53．In the first paragraph the writer mainly encourages us .
A．never to overlook our close friends in daily life
B．to express our sincere thanks timely to those around us
C．to wait for a proper occasion to show our thanks
D．to increase the world's happiness by saying thanks
54．According to the writer, could be the best way to prevent ourselves from being left out.
A．seeing a doctor to find the right medicine we need
B．expressing our thanks as much as we can
C．showing others actively we are interested in them
D．speaking up the moment we have the chance
55．Mark Brian's story is mentioned in the passage in order to show the fact that .
A．the Indians didn't have any words for appreciation
B．the Indians were particularly generous to others
C．Mark Brian's set the Indians an example to show thanks
D．some people may express their thanks through different approaches
56．What message does the writer intend to communicate in the last paragraph?
A．Thanks is of great importance in developing harmonious relationship．
B．One grateful heart is surely to deserve another good one in return．
C．Thankfulness which goes beyond all barriers is universally understood．
D．Human beings would misunderstand each other without appreciation．
Generations of children who sat through endless lessons of “chalk and talk” in front of a bossy teacher can take some relief. But the “chalk and talk” method helped them achieve better exam results. Modern classroom techniques may make school days a good deal happier, but contentment(满足) is not the road to success in examinations, according to university researchers.
Their three-year study, monitoring the progress of 2000 teenagers, tried to measure the influence of the “boredom factor” in 17 selected schools in the north of England. The researchers also found that the old-fashioned approach(方法) of teachers ordering pupils about is still alive and producing results. Their conclusions were welcomed yesterday by educationists who were worried by the shift to less formal lessons.
The pupils in the latest study were asked to award teachers marks to measure how frequently they followed or ignored today's fashion for “child-centred” education. A five-point scale was given to spot the teachers who always told them what they should know and what to write down. “It was significant and not anything you would get by chance or accident. Certainly, when you compare the pupil's interest and attitude to school, there is a quite definite and highly significant difference,” one of the researchers said. But the rankings were turned upside down when the team of four researchers looked at how the children did in examination. The sort of methods now frowned upon(不赞同) actually improve the final grades.
The researchers said,“There is nothing wrong with old-fashioned, didactic(说教性的) teaching in the fight place, even if it isn't the flavor at the moment.” However, he insisted the best teachers had always mixed the two techniques to match the needs of pupils, although certain examinations forced some to concentrate more on dictation and learning by rote(死记硬背).University researchers have discovered that _______.
| A．modern teaching methods provide students with entertainment |
| B．students taught by modern techniques are happy and successful |
| C．traditional teaching methods help students score higher |
| D．students like old teaching better than modern teaching at school |
We can infer from Paragraph 3 that _______.
| A．child-centred education promotes friendship among children |
| B．the research findings are not significant enough for a conclusion |
| C．those who show greater interest in school did better in exams |
| D．those who don't show much interest in school may turn out to score higher in tests |
The researchers suggest that _______.
| A．more old methods be used in teaching |
| B．students be taught how to score high in exams |
| C．dictation be used as one of the best teaching methods |
| D．old and new methods be used together |
The best title for this text would be _______.
| A．The Examinationbased Teaching |
| B．Rote Learning Was the Winner |
| C．The Problem of Child-centred Education |
| D．The Problem of the Traditional Method |
1970 was “World Conservation Year”. The United Nations wanted everyone to know that the world was in danger. They hoped that the governments would act quickly in order to conserve nature. Here is one example of the problem. At one time there were 1300 different plants, trees and flowers in Holland, but now only 860 remain. The others have been destroyed by modern man and his technology. We are changing the earth, the air and the water, and everything that grows and lives. We can't live without these things. If we continue like this, we shall destroy ourselves.
What will happen in the future? Perhaps it is more important to ask “What must we do now?” The people who will be living in the world of tomorrow are the young of today. A lot of them know that conservation is necessary. Many are hoping to save our world. They plant trees, build bridges across rivers in forests and so on. In a small town in the United States a large group of girls cleaned the banks of eleven kilometres of their river. Young people may hear about conservation through a record called “No, One's Going to Change our World. ” It was made by Scatles, Cliff Richard and other singers. The money from it will help to conserve wild animals.There are few plants, trees and flowers in Holland now because _______.
| A．there has been a lot of conservation in Holland |
| B．Holland does not need so many plants, trees and flowers |
| C．many plants, trees and flowers don't grow there any more |
| D．some plants, trees and flowers are dangerous |
We shall destroy ourselves if we don't _______.
| A．improve our technology in planting trees |
| B．hear about the record called “No, One's Going to Change our World” |
| C．try our best to save the world |
| D．change the earth |
“No,One's Going to Change our World. ” was _______.
| A．an important book published in 1970 |
| B．a record calling on people to conserve nature |
| C．an idea that nobody would accept |
| D．a rule worked out by the United States |
What is the most important thing for us to do to save our world?
| A．We should clean the banks of our rivers. |
| B．We should know what will happen in the future. |
| C．We should know what we should do and do it now. |
| D．We should plant more trees and flowers. |
Archery(射箭) may be the oldest sport in the world. There are prehistoric drawings which show that bows and arrows were used 20 000 years ago. In early times, animals were always hunted and killed with bows and arrows. Good archers were very important when country fought against country. One of the most famous legends(传奇,传奇故事) in European history is the story of Wilhelm Tell. He was a Swiss who refused to work for an Austrian, and was ordered to shoot an apple from the head of his son. He hit the apple, and then shot the Austrian. Switzerland has been free since then, so the story goes.
Archers shoot at targets at 30, 50, 70 or 90 meters' distance from them. The targets are round,80 centimeters across, and have 5 circles painted round the centre. Bows are made of steel, wood and strong plastic, and arrows of wood. The sport is enjoyed in the open air in summer and in a building in winter. Archery is good for the chest, the arms and the back. Men and women can shoot together since being strong is not so important. Women usually use lighter bows. People who can't walk or who have been ill can also enjoy it. For Zen Buddhists(佛教徒) archery is not only a sport but also something deeper. It helps the individual to understand himself and the meaning of life.Good archers, were needed by countries in order to_______.
| A．make bows and arrows | B．hunt animals |
| C．do drawings | D．kill enemies |
The legend says Switzerland has been free since Wilhelm Tell_______.
| A．killed an Austrian | B．invented a story |
| C．started working for an Austrian | D．shot an apple at his child |
“Target” in Paragraph 2 most nearly means_______.
| A．an image of a person |
| B．something to be aimed at in shooting-practice |
| C．an animal which is painted 5 circles |
| D．a dead animal used for shooting-practice |
In ancient Greece athletic festivals were very important and had strong religious associations. The Olympian athletic festival held every four years in honor of Zeus, king of the Olympian Gods, eventually lost its local character, became first a national event and then,after the rules against foreign competitors had been put to an end, international. No one knows how far back the Olympic Games go, but some official records date from 776 BC.
The games took place in August on the plain by Mount Olympus. Many thousands of people gathered from all parts of Greece to watch the games, but no married woman was admitted even for watching. Slaves, women and dishonored persons were not allowed to compete. The exact sequence of events is uncertain, but events included boy's gymnastics, boxing, wrestling, horse racing and field events, though there were fewer sports involved than in the modern Olympic Games.
On the last day of the Games, all the winners were honored by having a ring of holy olive(橄榄树) leaves placed on their heads. So great was the honor that the winner of the foot race gave his name to the year of his victory. Although Olympic winners received no money, they were, in fact, richly rewarded by their state authorities.In ancient Greece, the Olympic Games_______.
| A．was held by Zeus, king of the Olympian Gods |
| B．was a religious event |
| C．was first a national event held every four years |
| D．was an international event held in honor of Zeus |
f an athlete won, _______.
| A．he would receive a lot of money |
| B．he could give his name to the month of his victory |
| C．he would be honored and rewarded by his state authorities |
| D．he would only get a ring of holy olive leaves |
In the early days of ancient Olympic Games_______.
| A．only Greek men were allowed to participate in the games |
| B．all Greeks, regardless of religion, political views and sex, were allowed to take part in the games |
| C．all Greeks except married women were allowed to compete in the games |
| D．all the Greek men except slaves and dishonored ones were able to compete in the games |
Which statement is NOT TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The sequence of events were set up in ancient Olympic Games. |
| B．The sequence of events varied greatly from ancient to the modern Olympic Games. |
| C．There were 20 more events involved in the modern Olympic Games. |
| D．Ancient Greeks had only running races at the first Olympic Games. |
People in the United States honor their parents with 2 special days: Mother's Day on the second Sunday in May and Father's Day on the 3rd Sunday in June. These days are to show love and respect for parents. They raise their children and educate them to be responsible citizens.They give love and care. These two days offer an opportunity to think about the changing roles of mothers and fathers. More mothers now work outside the home and more fathers must help with child-care.
These two special days are celebrated in many different ways. On Mother's Day, people wear carnations. A red one symbolizes a living mother. A white one shows that the mother is dead. Many people attend religious services to honor parents. It's also a day when people whose parents are dead visit the cemetery. On these days families get together at home as well as in restaurants. They often have outdoor barbecues for Father's Day. These are days of fun and good feelings and memories.
Another tradition is to give cards and gifts. Children make them in school. Many people make their own presents. These are more valued than those bought in stores. It's not the value of the gift that is important, but “the thought that counts”. Greeting card stores,florists,candy makers, bakers, phone companies and other stores do lots of business during these holidays.Which is not a reason for children to show love and respect for parents?
| A．Parents bring up children. |
| B．Parents give love and care to children. |
| C．Parents educate children to be good persons. |
| D．Parents pass away before children grow up. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Both festivals are in May. |
| B．Fewer women worked outside the home in the past. |
| C．Not all the children respect their parents. |
| D．Fathers are not as important as mothers at home. |
What do you know about “carnation”?
| A．It only has two kinds of color. |
| B．It refers to the special clothes people wear on Mother's Day. |
| C．It's a kind of flower showing love and best wishes. |
| D．People can wear them only on the second Sunday in May. |
On Mother's Day and Father's Day _______.
| A．people usually have family parties |
| B．everyone goes to the cemetery |
| C．children always go to parents' home |
| D．hand-made cards are the most valuable gifts |