In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied. Yet, despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories. She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition she won last year.
As a writer I know about winning contest, and about losing them. I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip from the publisher. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories. What if she doesn’t win the contest again? That’s the strange thing about being a parent. So many of our own past scars and dashed hopes can surface.
A revelation(启示) came last week when I asked her, “Don’t you want to win again?” “No,” she replied, “I just want to tell the story of an angel going to first grade.”
I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she spontaneously(自发地) told them. Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts and endings for her tales. The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly “guided” by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson. I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it.
Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks. Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was co-opting(借用) my daughter’s experience.
While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough a way to give her room but close enough to help if asked. All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices.
41．What do we learn from the first paragraph?
A．Children do find lots of fun in many mindless activities.
B．Rebecca is much too occupied to enjoy her leisure time.
C．Rebecca draws on a lot of online materials for her writing.
D．A lot of distractions compete for children’s time nowadays.
42．What did the author say about her own writing experience?
A．She did not quite live up to her reputation as a writer.
B．Her way to success was full of pains and frustrations.
C．She was constantly under pressure of writing more.
D．Most of her stories had been rejected by publishers.
43．Why did Rebecca want to enter this year’s writing contest?
A．She believed she possessed real talent for writing.
B．She was sure of winning with her mother’s help.
C．She wanted to share her stories with readers.
D．She had won a prize in the previous contest.
44．The author took great pains to refine her daughter’s stories because .
A．she believed she had the knowledge and experience to offer guidance
B．she did not want to disappoint Rebecca who needed her help so much
C．she wanted to help Rebecca realize her dreams of becoming a writer
D．she was afraid Rebecca’s imagination might run wild while writing
45．What’s the author’s advice for parents?
A．A writing career, though attractive, is not for every child to pursue.
B．Children should be allowed freedom to grow through experience.
C．Parents should keep an eye on the activities their kids engage in.
D．Children should be given every chance to voice their opinions.
He could have been president of Israel or played violin at Carnegie Hall, but he was too busy thinking. His thinking on God, love and the meaning of life graces our greeting cards and day-timers.
Fifty years after his death, his shock（乱蓬蓬的一堆）of white hair and hanging moustache still symbolize genius. Einstein remains the foremost scientist of the modern time. Looking back 2,400 years, only Newton ,Galileo and Aristotle were his equals.
Around the world , universities and academies（研究院）are celebrating the 100th anniversary of Einstein’s “miracle year” when he published five scientific papers in 1905 that basically changed our grasp of space, time ,light and matter. Only he could top himself about a decade later with his theory of relativity.
Born in the age of horse-drawn carriages, his ideas launched a technological revolution that has made more changes in a century than in the previous two thousand years. Computers, satellites, telecommunications, lasers, televisions and nuclear power all owe their invention to ways in which Einstein exposed a stranger and more complicated reality underneath the world.
He escaped Hitler’s Germany and devoted the rest of his life to human rights and peace with an authority unmatched by any scientist today, or even most politicians and religious leaders. He spoke out against fascism（法西斯主义）and racial prejudice. His FBI (美国联邦调查局)file ran 1,400 pages.
His letters expose a disorderly personal life ─ married twice and indifferent toward his children while absorbed in physics. Yet he charmed lovers and admirers with poetry and sailboat outings. Friends and neighbors fiercely protected his privacy. The first paragraph implies that Einstein __________.
| A．had the gift for politics and music |
| B．had run for president before he worked at his research |
| C．was an excellent violinist |
| D．was more a political leader of a musician than a thinker |
When you think of Einstein, what typical appearance was formed in your mind?
| A．Funny and humorous, with an air of a musician. |
| B．Wearing very wide trousers and a moustache, with an image of an actor. |
| C．Rough untidy mass of white hair and hanging moustache, with an image of thinking . |
| D．Black long hair and moustache, with his eyes deep set. |
Why was 1905 called Einstein’s “miracle year”?
| A．Because he topped himself with the theory of relativity. |
| B．Because he made important discoveries of space, time, light and matter. |
| C．Because he published five papers on his theory of relativity. |
| D．Because he wrote five important articles to help people understand space, time , light and matter better. |
Which of the following is not true about Einstein according to the passage?
| A．When he was absorbed in his research ,he didn’t care for his family. |
| B．He tried to amuse his family and friends in his spare time. |
| C．He was so busy with the physical research that he showed no interest in politics. |
| D．His theory led to much improvement in many technological fields. |
The very wealthy English Baron Fitzgerald had only one child, a son, who understandably was the apple of his eye. His wife died when the child was in his early teens. So Fitzgerald devoted himself to fathering the kid. Unfortunately the son died in his late teens.
Meanwhile, Fitzgerald’s wealth greatly increased. He spent a lot on art works of the masters. Later Fitzgerald himself because seriously ill. Before his death, he had carefully prepared his will as to how his wealth would be settled—to sell his entire collection at an auction (拍卖).
Because of the large quantity and high quality of his collection, a huge crowd of possible buyers gathered for the auction. Many of them were museum directors and private collectors eager to bid (出价).Before the auction, the art works were shown, among which was a painting of Fitzgerald’s son by an unknown artist. Because of its poor quality, it received little attention.
When it was time for the auction, the auctioneer gaveled (敲槌) the crowd to attention. First the lawyer read from Fitzgerald’s will that the first art work to be auctioned was the painting of his son.
The poor-quality painting didn’t receive and bidders...except one—the old servant who had served the son and loved him, and who for emotional reasons offered the only bid.
As soon as the servant bought the painting for less than one English pound, the auctioneer stopped the bidding and asked the lawyer to read again from the will. The crowd became quiet, and the lawyer read from the will:“Whoever buys the painting of my son gets all my collection.”Then the auction was over.The English Baron Fitzgerald was ______.
| A．a museum director | B．a master of art | C．an art collector | D．an art dealer |
Why did the old servant bid for the painting of Fitzgerald’s son?
| A．He was devoted to the family. | B．He saw that no one bid for it. |
| C．He knew the content of the will. | D．He found it cheap for him to buy. |
Fitzgerald’s will showed ______.
A his desire to fool the bidders B. his invaluable love for his son
C. his sadness at the death of his son D. his regret of having no children to take over his wealth
When I was in the third grade, I was picked to be the princess in the school play. For
Weeks my mother had helped me practice my lines .But once on stage, every word disappeared from my head. Then my teacher told me she had written a narrator's（解说者的）part for the play ,and asked me to change roles. Though I didn't tell my mother what had happened that day, she sensed my unhappiness and asked if I wanted to take a walk in the yard.
It was a lovely spring day. We could see dandelions (蒲公英）popping through the grass in bunches as if a painter had touched our landscape with bits of gold. I watched my mother carelessly bend down by one of the bunches." I think I am going to dig up all these weeds, "she said. "From now on, we'll have only roses in this garden."
"But I like dandelions," I protested. "All flowers are beautiful-even dandelions!"
My mother looked at me seriously. "Yes, every flower gives pleasure in its own way, doesn't it? "she asked thoughtfully. I nodded. "And that is true of people, too, "she added.
When I realized that she had guessed my pain, I started to cry and told her the truth.
“But you will be a beautiful narrator, ”she said, reminding me of how much I loved to read stories aloud to her.
Over the next few weeks, with her continuous encouragement, I learned to take pride in the role. The big day finally came. A few minutes before the play, my teacher came over to me. “Your mother asked me to give this to you,” she said, handing me a dandelion. After the play, I took home the flower, laughing that I was perhaps the only person who would keep such a weed.
1.The girl did not play the role of the princess mainly because _______.
A. she felt nervous on the stage.
B. she lost her interest in that role.
C. she preferred the role of the narrator
D. she had difficulty memorizing her words
2.Why did the mother suggest a walk in the garden?
A. To remove the dandelions
B. To enjoy the garden scene
C. to have a talk with her daughter.
D. to help her daughter with the play.
3.What is the main idea of the story?
A. Everybody can find his or her own way to success.
B. Everybody has his or her own value in the world.
C. Everybody should learn to play different roles
D. Everybody has some unforgettable memory.
For many the only way to enjoy Ireland’s fantastic and breathtaking scenery is to take to the open road on a motoring holiday. It’s true to say that motoring can still be a pleasure on roads so empty of the traffic you are used to. You can choose your own route or let us suggest one or two. You can pre-book all your accommodation or just go as you please. You can choose your accommodation from good quality hotels in coast or country, village or city, guesthouses, town and country homes or farmhouses throughout the island. Naturally we will supply you with a good quality map to help you around.
Our Value Motoring holiday includes a wide selection of hotels and guesthouses. All hotels are fully licensed and certain guesthouses (as indicated) are also licensed. Bed and full Irish breakfast for 2 or 6 nights is indicated in your holiday price. Hotel and guesthouse gratings are shown by a figure in brackets (括号) after the name of each of the places. Facilities available are also shown after the grading. You may choose to travel on a Go As You Please or a pre-booked basis. On a Go As You Please holiday only the first night is booked for you in advance. For the rest of your holiday you book ahead as you travel (hotel reception will help) using the information lists we provide. A slight note of caution (警告) — in July and August it is advisable to book 2 or 3 days ahead. If you prefer to plan your holiday in advance then we will pre-book all accommodation for you. Just complete the booking form carefully using hotel codes indicated. If your first or second choice is not available we will book an alternative in the same place.
1 Why did the writer say a motoring holiday is the only way for many to enjoy the beauty of Ireland? Because____________.
A. travelers can go sightseeing at many places
B. its price is low and travelers feel comfortable
C. travelers can drive and choose the route freely
D. travelers have many good quality hotels to choose from
2. How many ways of accommodation does a motoring holiday supply?
A. TwoB. FourC. SixD. Eight
3. If the travelers choose to travel on a Go As You Please holiday, the travel agency will _____.
A. do nothing to help them B. only pre-book the first night for them
C. pre-book all the accommodation for them. D. charge them less for the service
4. Supposing the travellers’ accommodation choices aren’t available in the tourism season, the travel agency will___________.
A. give up serving them B. choose one for them in another place
C. book an alternative in the same place D. only book the first night for them
I don’t ever want to talk about being a woman scientist again. There was a time in my life when people asked constantly for stories about what it’s like to work in a field dominated by men. I was never very good at telling those stories because truthfully I never found them interesting. What I do find interesting is the origin of the universe, the shape of space-lime and the nature of black holes.
At 19, when I began studying astrophysics, it didn’t bother me in the least to be the only woman in the classroom. But while earning my Ph.D. at MIT and then as a post-doctor doing space research, the issue started to bother me. My every achievement-jobs, research papers, awards-was viewed through the lens of gender(性别) politics. So were my failures. Sometimes, when I was pushed into an argument on left brain versus right brain, or nature versus nurture(培育), I would instantly fight fiercely on my behalf and all womankind.
Today I research and teach at Barnard, a women’s college in New York City. Recently, someone asked me how many of the 45 students in my class were women. You cannot imagine my satisfaction at being able to answer, 45. I know some of my students worry how they will manage their scientific research and a desire for children. And I don’t dismiss those concerns. Still, I don’t tell them “war” stories. Instead, I have given them this: the visual of their physics professor heavily pregnant doing physics experiments. And in turn they have given me the image of 45 women driven by a love of science. And that’s a sight worth talking about.
1. Why doesn’t the author want to talk about being a woman scientist again?
A. She feels unhappy working in male-dominated fields.
B. She is fed up with the issue of gender discrimination
C. She is not good at telling stories of the kind
D. She finds space research more important
2. Form Para 3, we can infer that people would attribute (归结于) the author’s failures to___
A. the very fact that she is a woman
B. her involvement in gender politics
C. her over-confidence as a female astrophysicist
D. the burden she bears in a male-dominated society
3. How does the author feel when talking about her class?
A. worried B. satisfied C. excited D. concerned
4. What does the image the author presents to her students suggest?
A. Women students needn’t have the concerns of the generation
B. women have more barriers on their way to academic success
C. Women can balance a career in science and having a family
D. Women now have fewer problems in pursuing a science career