Do you sometimes argue about what seems to you to be simple fact? Do you argue whether it’s cold outdoors or whether the car in front of you is going faster than the speed limit?
If you get into such arguments, try to think about the story about the six blind men and the elephant. The first blind man who felt the elephant’s trunk said it was like a snake. The second who felt the elephant’s side said it was like a wall, while the third said it was like a spear as he touched the animal’s tusk. The fourth, who got hold of the elephant’s tail insisted that it was like a rope. The fifth man said it looked like a tree as he put his arms around one of the elephant’s legs. The sixth, who was tall and got hold of the elephant’s ears, said it was like a huge fan.
Each man’s idea of the animal came from his own experience. So if someone disagrees with you about a “simple fact”, it’s often because his experience in the matter is different from yours.
To see how hard it is for even one person to make up his mind about a“simple fact”, try this simple experiment. Get three large bowls. Put ice water in one. Put hot water in the second. Put lukewarm water in the third. Now put your left hand in the ice water. Put your right hand in the hot water. After thirty seconds, put both hands in the lukewarm water. Your right hand will tell you the water is cold. Your left hand will tell you it’s hot! What makes people think about simple facts differently?
| A．The fact that simple facts differ from one another. |
| B．The fact that people have different experience in the same simple fact. |
| C．The fact that people often disagree with one another. |
| D．The fact that it’s hard to make up one’s mind about simple facts. |
Which of the following temperatures can the word “lukewarm” be applied to?
| A．Around 1℃ | B．Above 60℃ | C．Around 25℃ | D．Below 0℃ |
After reading the last paragraph, we may think of .
| A．Newton’s law | B．Gallileo’s theory of falling objects |
| C．Einstein’s theory of relativity | D．Marx’s On Capital |
The main idea of this passage is .
| A．people often judge something according to his own experience |
| B．people often agree about simple facts |
| C．it’s hard for a person to make up his mind about a simple fact |
| D．don’t care too much about simple facts |
When parents talk about school safety these days, they’re usually referring to the increase in violence（暴力）at schools. But research shows that school-age children are actually nine times more likely to suffer an injury while doing sports than to be the victim of violence while at school. Accidents can be prevented if parents are on the lookout for potential（潜在的）dangers. To help you keep your kids free from harm, here are some safety tips:
a. Teach your child never to talk to strangers or accept rides or gifts from strangers. Remember, a stranger is anyone you or your child doesn’t know well or trust.
b. Be sure that your child walks to and from school with a sibling, friend or neighbor.
c. Teach your kid, whether walking, biking or riding a bus to school, to obey all traffic signals, signs and traffic officers. Remind him to be extra careful in bad weather.
d. When driving your kid, deliver and pick them up as close to the school as possible. Don’t leave until they are in the schoolyard or building.
e. If your child rides a bike to school, make sure he wears a standard helmet（头盔）. Research shows that a helmet can reduce the risk of head injury by 85%.
f. Teach your kid to arrive at the bus stop earlier, stay off the street, and wait for the bus to come to a complete stop.
g. Be sure that your kid knows his or her home phone number and address, your work number, the number of another trusted adult and how to call 911 for emergencies（紧急情况）.The underlined word “sibling” probably means “_______”.
| A．stranger | B．neighbor |
| C．friend | D．brother or sister |
If your kid walks to school, tell him or her to _______.
| A．wear a helmet |
| B．go alone every day |
| C．walk as fast as possible |
| D．be more careful in bad weather |
Which of the following statements is Not True according to the text?
| A．Kids should be taught never to talk to strangers. |
| B．Kids should obey the traffic rules. |
| C．Kids should be taught to call 911 for anything. |
| D．Kids should stay off the street while waiting for the bus. |
The intended readers of the text are _________.
| A．teachers | B．parents | C．children | D．officers |
The main purpose of the text is to ________.
| A．talk about school safety |
| B．call on readers to fight against school violence |
| C．discuss the injuries at school |
| D．give advice on school-age children’s safety |
第一节阅读理解 （共15题；满分30分）
It was graduation day at the university where I work and a beautiful day quite unlike the first graduation I attended as a young professor. On that cold day years ago, as we watched the students walking into the hall, one of my colleagues turned to me and said, "Graduation will be one of the happiest and one of the saddest time of your life. " At my inquiry, he answered, "Because the students you have gotten to know have to leave. "
As years went by, my previous confusion about my colleague's words no longer existed. When I came across naughty students, I have had to rethink why I chose to be a teacher. It obviously isn't the money. Once a former computer science student of mine called me, asking me if I wanted to have a change. He was working at Nintendo Corporation. His salary was higher than my current one, though I have more education and have worked for over a decade. With my programming skills, he said he could get me hired. I thanked him, but refused his kind offer.
A few days before this current graduation, while working on final grades, I found a note a student had slipped in with her homework. She thanked me for being her teacher and said the things she had learned in my class--not about math, but about life--would be things she would remember long after the math skills had faded away. As I finished reading, I remembered why I had become a teacher.
Now, on this sunny graduation day, as I again observed the sea of blue hats and gowns, I did so with renewed dedication and a deeper sense of satisfaction--I will always be grateful that I am a teacher.Hearing his colleague's description of graduation for the first time, the author.
| A．quite agreed with his colleague |
| B．was very puzzled |
| C．thought it very funny |
| D．was very sad |
The computer science student called up the author because he.
| A．wanted to inform the author of his present job |
| B．tried to persuade the author to work with him |
| C．wanted the author to share his joy and satisfaction |
| D．thought the author wasn't fit to be a teacher |
The underlined part blue hats and gowns refers to.
| A．university colleagues | B．graduates' clothes |
| C．life memories | D．decorations in the hall |
The author wrote this passage to.
| A．express his devotion to being a teacher |
| B．compare two different graduation ceremonies |
| C．talk about the meaning of graduation |
| D．give advice on how to be a good teacher |
The reason why he earns less than the computer science student is that .
| A．he was only a young professor |
| B．he didn't do well in his work |
| C．he taught his students more about life than math |
| D．salaries for different careers are different |
A new smart phone system under development can locate you even when you’re inside a building, which GPS can't do. While the concept sounds powerful, it’s not yet clear how practical it might be.
The set-up, called SurroundSense, sends information from cameras and microphones—gear in the latest smart phones—to a server that produces a fingerprint of the location.
“You can’t tell much from any of the measurements individually, but when combined, the optical (光学的), acoustic (声学的) and motion information creates a unique fingerprint of the space,” said Ionut Constandache, a student in computer science.
The system distinguishes between two indoor spaces in this manner: It knows that a bar is likely to be dark and noisy and people move little, sit a lot, whereas a department store will be brightly lit, contain vibrant colors, and will see a lot of people moving up and down passages. The more the system is used, the more it learns about specific places.
More work is needed before the set-up would be ready for prime time, however. For now, it can’t work if a person’s cellphone is in a handbag or otherwise unable to employ the camera. Finally it would be best served if paired with phones that were worn on the wrist or hung around the neck. Batteries, too, are a problem.
Students on the research team went out across Durham, North Carolina, with their cellphones collecting data in different types of businesses. The students mirrored the actions of the selected customers so that they would not prejudice the measurements.
“We went to 51 different stores and found that SurroundSense achieved an average accuracy (精确性) of about 87 percent," Constandache said.
“As the system collects and analyzes more and more information about a particular site, the fingerprint becomes more precise,” said Romit Roy Choudhury, professor of computer engineering. “Not only is the ambience different at different locations, but also can be different at different time at the same location.”We can infer from the first paragraph that GPS .
| A．can find you wherever you are |
| B．can make too much loud noise |
| C．can only find outside things |
| D．isn’t really practical yet |
Why did students mirror the actions of the selected customers?
| A．To get a reasonable result. |
| B．To collect data in different ways. |
| C．To receive information about a particular site. |
| D．To learn more about specific places. |
The underlined word “ambience” in the last paragraph may mean.
| A．the fingerprint of the location |
| B．the character of a place |
| C．the existence of people |
| D．the area of store |
The main idea of the passage is about.
| A．comparing GPS with a smart cellphone |
| B．the development of cellphones |
| C．a cellphone knowing where you are |
| D．what kind of future cellphones face |
Today, I felt terrible. My head was full of problems, burdens and confusion. I decided to take a walk even though I didn't know where I would go.
The most extraordinary thing happened when I was on this walk.
I saw an old man sitting on a chair. He was a seller of second-hand shoes. I thought he looked at least seventy years old. He seemed so tired and nobody was buying his shoes. I wanted to give him something but I had not brought anything with me.
Then, a little girl came toward him. I heard the child say, “Grandfather, may I polish your shoes?” That old man took pity on her and he gave her a shoe to polish.
The girl said, “I polish the shoe because I need money to buy my brother a new school uniform.”
I heard this and tears came to my eyes. The old man answered, “Oh, little girl. Just stop doing this. Come with me and I will buy you a school uniform.” Then they walked to a market and I followed them behind. There he bought her a school uniform.
The girl said, “Thank you so much for doing this. May God bless you.” Then she left, leaving the old man smiling.
He walked away from the market, but I stopped him. I whispered in his ear, “You are a hero! Thank you for your kindness!” As I walked away, I glanced back and I could see him still smiling.
My own sadness disappeared and was chased away (赶走) by the light of this kind act. I began realizing that I have a lot to be thankful for. I hope, some day, I can show my appreciation of what I have by following the example of the old man who only had a little, but shared it beautifully with someone who had nothing.When seeing the old shoe seller, how did the author feel?
| A．Sympathy. | B．Sorrow. |
| C．Regret. | D．Disappointment. |
Why did the girl offer to polish shoes for the old man?
| A．She took pity on him. |
| B．She wanted to take care of him. |
| C．She meant to be friendly to him. |
| D．She expected to get help from him. |
Why did the author follow the old man and the girl?
| A．To witness a kind act. |
| B．To talk to the old man. |
| C．To know the old man. |
| D．To know where the market was. |
By sharing the story, the author wants to convey a message that .
| A．a kind act can cheer us up |
| B．the old man set us an example |
| C．some poor people need our help |
| D．we should stop pitying the old |
How can you help kids cope with(应对) stress? Proper rest and good nutrition can boost coping skills, as can good parenting. Make time for your kids each day. Whether they need to talk or just be in the same room with you, make yourself available.
Even as kids get older, quality time is important. It’s really hard for some people to come home after work, get down on the floor, and play with their kids or just talk to them about their day--especially if they've had a stressful day themselves. But expressing interest in your kids shows that they’re important to you.
Help your children cope with stress by talking about what may be causing it. Together, you can come up with a few solutions. For example, they should cut back on after-school activities, spending more time talking with parents or teachers, developing an exercise plan or keeping a journal.
You can also help by predicting stressful situations and preparing kids for them. For example, let a child know ahead of time ( but not too far ahead of time) that a doctor’s appointment is coming up and talk about what will happen there. Keep in mind, though, that younger kids probably won't need too much advance preparation. Too much information can cause more stress.
Remember that some level of stress is normal; let kids know that it’s okay to feel angry, scared, lonely, or anxious and that other people share those feelings.
When kids can’t or won’t discuss these issues, try talking about your own concerns. This shows that you’re willing to handle tough topics and are available to talk with them when they’re ready. If a child shows symptoms that concern you and is unwilling to talk, consult a counselor or other mental health experts.
Most parents have the skills to deal with their kids’ stress. The time to seek professional attention is when any change in behavior persists, when stress is causing serious anxiety on when the behavior is causing significant problems in functioning at school or at home.What is the purpose of the text?
| A．To share the author' s ideas on proper parenting. |
| B．To persuade parents to spend more time with kids. |
| C．To advise parents how to help kids deal with stress. |
| D．To seek different ways to help solve kids' problems. |
What makes it difficult for parents to spare kids quality time?
| A．Kids growing so fast. |
| B．Parents being tired out. |
| C．Kids losing interest in parents. |
| D．There being too much homework. |
You are advised not to talk too much about a stressful situation in advance because.
| A．it does no good to your kids |
| B．it doesn’t work in practice |
| C．your kids may lose interest |
| D．your kids don’t want to listen |
What can we learn from Paragraph 5 ?
| A．Normal people share the same feelings. |
| B．It is normal for kids to have some stress. |
| C．Kids should get rid of negative feelings. |
| D．Everybody feels angry, scared, lonely or anxious. |