Why should I teach my children history? That sounds like a stupid question to even ask. But, as I hear different home schooling teachers discuss history, I get the idea that there may be different reasons for teaching history. Let me briefly explain the three good reasons for studying history and two bad reasons for studying history.
The major reason I see for studying history is that we can learn from the past. I am convinced that the world would be a much better place if more people understood the successes and failures of the past and the things that made these successes and failures. However, as the unfortunately true statement goes “the one thing we seem to learn from history is that we don’t seem to learn from history ”. Perhaps at least in teaching history, to my children I can do a small part in changing this.
A second major reason for studying history is that it is hard to understand the current political climate in the absence of an understanding of its historical context. We can not even understand who we are and where we are without history, much less try to figure out where we are going or how we should get where we want to be.
I teach my children history, for one more reason. I purchased a set of historical audio tapes for our children. My seven-year-old son listened to them over and over. It was my hope that he would become inspired by the accomplishments of people like the Wright brothers to accomplish things by himself. I think that it is good that we celebrate the accomplishments of people like Martin Luther King Jr. In doing so, young people are called on to stand for the principles that he stood for and accomplish what he accomplished. I also think that by studying people like Adolph Hitler, people can learn to stand against the things that he stood for.(325words) What message can we get from the underlined sentence in Paragraph 2?
| A．Many people aren’t clever enough to learn well from the past. |
| B．Many people fail to make good use of history and make the same mistakes. |
| C．Many people feel it hard to understand history. |
| D．Many people have no interest in studying history. |
Some historical figures （人物）are mentioned in the last paragraph to show_____.
| A．people can be inspired to do good, while also learning to fight against evil |
| B．people may also learn from bad historical figures |
| C．more celebrations should be held to honor their achievements |
| D．today’s people can also achieve what they achieved |
What would be talked about in the following paragraph?
| A．How to teach history effectively. |
| B．Some negative reasons for studying history. |
| C．How to get more people to study history. |
| D．Some bad historical figures. |
I once had a friend that was diagnosed with terminal cancer（晚期癌症）, and the news that he might only live up to six months was a great shock to him, his family, and his friends．However, in spite of the serious illness, he was initially determined to look into all available treatments that might cure or extend his life．I think that when you find yourself in such situations, you tend to look up every possible way for hope of saving your life．
As months went on and his health grew worse, I noticed an unexpected change in attitude that came over him．He had also been a happy person with a cheerful personality, but rather than give in to discouragement and self-pity, he took comfort in God and humanity（人性）．His talks focused on others rather than himself, and he spoke of the afterlife as something he was prepared for, believing that his concerned ancestors, including his mother and father, were there waiting for him．
During the last few months, weeks, and days of his life, he was kindly cared for by family, friends, his loving wife, who looked after both his physical and emotional needs, and workers from a local hospice （安养院） came to the home to regulate（调节） his medication （药）and provide any other needed support．He didn't complain about his fate, and he willingly allowed others to serve him．
Indeed, one might think why God allows death and suffering in our world, but for me, such experiences taught me to value family more and kindness for others．You often can't learn these important attributes（属性）in the lap of luxury（处在优裕舒适的环境中）, and perhaps, such an experience is the greatest and final gift the illness can give those left behind．Which word can best describe the man's initial（最初的） reaction as soon as he was diagnosed with cancer?
| A．Satisfied． | B．Sad | C．Surprised | D．Concerned． |
What did the man do after he first learned of his illness?
| A．He was operated on immediately． |
| B．He researched cancer treatments． |
| C．He retired from his job |
| D．He felt sad, doing nothing． |
What was the man's main source of comfort after several months with the disease?
| A．His family and friends． | B．The care from others |
| C．His doctors’ encouragement． | D．His belief in humanity． |
What did the author learn from his friend’s story?
| A．Getting comfort from God． |
| B．Extending life as possible． |
| C．Caring for yourself and enjoying luxury． |
| D．Giving more respect to friends |
One day while shopping in a small town in southern California，it was my misfortune to be approached by a clerk whose personality conflicted with mine. He seemed most unfriendly and not at all concerned about my intended purchase. I bought nothing，and marched angrily out of the store. My hostility（敌意） toward that clerk increased with each step.
On the outside，standing by the road，was a darkskinned young man in his early twenties. His expressive brown eyes met and held mine，and in the next instant a beautiful, dazzling（给人印象深刻的） smile covered his face. I gave way immediately. The magnetic（磁力的） power of that smile dissolved （溶解）all bitterness within me，and I found the muscles in my own face happily responding（回应）.
“Beautiful day，isn't it？”I remarked，in passing. Then，I turned back.“I really owe you a debt of gratitude（感谢），”I said softly.
His smile deepened, but he made no attempt to answer．A Mexican woman and two men were standing nearby．The woman stepped forward and volunteered, "Sir, but he doesn't speak English．Do you want me to tell him something?" In that moment I felt transformed（改变）．The young man's smile had made a big person of me．My friendliness and good will toward all mankind stood ten feet tall．
"Thank you?" The woman seemed slightly puzzled．
I gave her arm a friendly pat as I turned to leave．"Just tell him that," I insisted．"He'll understand．I am sure !"
Oh, what a smile can do! Although I have never seen that young man again, I shall never forget the lesson he taught me that morning．From that day on, I became smile-conscious, and I practice the art anywhere and everywhere, with everybody．Why did the author leave the store angrily?
| A．The clerk treated him unkindly． | B．He couldn't buy what he wanted． |
| C．The clerk didn't speak English． | D．The store's goods were too dear． |
By saying "I felt the muscles（肌肉） in my own face happily responding" （in Paragraph 2）, the author means __.
| A．he was still angry | B．he did not want to smile |
| C．he would thank the young man | D．he smiled back at the young man |
The author asked the woman to say "Thank you!" to the young man because the young man_____.
| A．had helped the author before | B．taught the author how to smile |
| C．was a kind employee of the store | D．taught the author a valuable lesson |
In the passage, the author seems to suggest that we should __ ___.
| A．be generous to strangers | B．practice smiling every day |
| C．smile at other people | D．help people in trouble |
Learning how to be patient with people can be challenging for some. After all, not everybody is gifted with great patience. The good news is that it is something that can be learned and eventually perfected.
When the customer before you takes ages to pay for his or her groceries, you tap your foot impatiently and cough every now and then; but no, the customer is still not hurrying up. It takes all of your power not to make a scene. However, if you picture that customer to be someone you like (say your partner), then you will find yourself not getting too annoyed, right? So the next time you find yourself losing patience with somebody, simply visualize that person to be someone you really, really like and your patience will extend its life.
The second step on how to be patient with people involves whistling. When you whistle a happy tune, you instantly cheer up. You can sing your favorite song if you can't whistle - it really doesn't make a difference. What's important here is that you have done something that makes you feel good. And when you feel good, you are more likely to be patient with the people around you.
Next, when you're stressed, it's almost impossible to learn how to be patient with people. If you know you're going to be in a situation where your patience will be tested, meditate or get yourself a massage(按摩) first. Don't dive into anything unless you've managed to clear yourself off negative emotions. Remember: the more stressed you are, the faster you'll lose your temper. The less stress you have in your life, the longer your patience.
Learning how to patient with people is not a necessity in life. You've seen people who manage to survive day to day with incredibly bad tempers after all. But do you really want to live like they do? If, however, you want a life that has better quality than that, then just follow these steps and embrace the fact that patience is a virtue. what does the underlined phrase in paragraph 2 mean?
| A．quarrel publicly | B．make something appear |
| C．drive away | D．feel happy |
Which of the following can best summarize the topic of paragraph2?
| A．We should love everyone around us. |
| B．Show your impatience when your customers aren’t in a hurry. |
| C．Think of others fondly. |
| D．To be patient is really difficult occasionally. |
When you realized that your patience is being examined, you should________.
| A．it is possible to control it |
| B．let it known by whoever you are facing |
| C．do whatever you like and don’t care what others say |
| D．learn to relax yourself in a possible way |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the text?
| A．We have to learn to be patient with others because it can benefit us. |
| B．When you are under pressure, it is unavoidable to be impatient. |
| C．Doing something that you like may make you feel good when you are impatient. |
| D．Patience is a quality that can be improved. |
BEIJING - The country's top health officials state that an international charity's decisions not to give millions of dollars to Chinese organizations that fight AIDS and other diseases will not bring about the end of those organizations.
The Global Fund to Fight AIDS, Tuberculosis and Malaria announced on Monday that it will withhold $95 million from the $270 million in grants(补助金) it had planned to give China. That decision came as the result of months of discussion between the charity and Chinese officials.
On the mainland, a large number of programs meant to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS have received money from the Global Fund. Many observers now fear that the announced cut will undermine those organizations' work.
Chen Zhu, the minister of health, said officials have found a way to limit the harm.“In the coming five years, the Chinese government will constantly increase its financial support of social organizations, particularly those that work to control and prevent HIV/AIDS.” Chen said while addressing the 6th Experience Exchange Conference of International Cooperation Program on HIV/AIDS in China on Monday.
In a recent survey of more than 200 organizations taking part in the fight against HIV/AIDS on the mainland, nearly 80 percent of them said they had received grants from the Global Fund.About 83 percent of them said they will find it difficult to continue operating without financial support from abroad, it said.Official statistics showed the Global Fund has given China $548 million in grants since 2003.
Xia Jing, leader of a Beijing-based grassroots organization dedicated to controlling AIDS, said: “We were like children fostered by foreign milk. As foreign money began to be withdrawn from China, we were faced with serious financial hardships.”Han Mengjie, executive director of Global Fund China Programs, said the Chinese government has fully recognized the important role social organizations play in controlling diseases.“The work done and efforts made by such organizations must be sustained for a long time to supplement the government's intervention work,”he said,“We have to face the truth that international money for AIDS control will gradually leave China and to prepare ourselves to deal with that.”Which sentence is the closest to the title of the passage?
| A．China will have to fight against AIDS alone, though facing financial hardship. |
| B．Chinese organizations of fighting against AIDS and other diseases won’t receive money from international charity. |
| C．The fight against AIDS won’t be stopped by the withdraw of money from charity in China. |
| D．Chinese organizations of fighting against AIDS and other diseases will be reduced to despair. |
According to Han Mengjie, which of the following is the most possible action to be taken?
| A．Chinese government is expected to seek help from social organization to control diseases |
| B．Chinese government shouldn’t rely too much on social organizations |
| C．Social organizations’ work and efforts won’t make much difference to the fight against AID |
| D．We Chinese are well prepared for the international money’s withdraw from China |
How much money will China have received from Global Fund by the end of this year ?
| A．$818 | B．$548 | C．$ 270 | D．$723 |
What implication can we get from the passage？
| A．Many people are not optimistic about the control of AIDS. |
| B．Chinese government will take an active part in AIDS control. |
| C．International charity are treating China unfairly. |
| D．Most organization related with AIDS control had received money from the Global Fund before this announcement on Monday. |
Sometimes educators need to be reminded that their job is important and they are very much appreciated. Here are some movies that inspire us and make educators feel proud to be in the field of education where they really do have an impact.
The Miracle Worker
The ultimate teaching miracle, Anne Bancroft is awesome as Annie Sullivan who uses ‘tough love' to get through to the deaf and blind Helen Keller played by Patty Duke. Very few people can watch the famous ‘water' scene without experiencing a feeling of victory and relief. Excellent portrayal of the importance of perseverance. Both Bancroft and Duke won an Academy Award for their performances.
The Karate Kid
While not normally thought of as a ‘classroom' movie, The Karate Kid has much to say to teachers: Sometimes we have to have our students do things that they will not understand until much later; Basic skills are most important; Honor and integrity are central to character; Students need to see us beam with excitement over their achievements. A fun, nostalgic and inspiring movie to relish.
To Sir With Love
Produced in 1967, this film with Sidney Poitier as a novice teacher has a lot to teach us today. Poitier takes a teaching position in the rough part of London in order to pay his bills. Realizing that his students need to be taught important life lessons more than the curriculum he has been handed to teach them, he throws out the lesson plans and makes a real impact on their personal lives.
Mr. Holland's Opus
This memorable movie gives all teachers hope that they truly have an impact on their students. Richard Dreyfuss is wonderful as a musician/composer who must take a teaching job to support his family. In the end, Dreyfuss' character realizes that he has had as much if not more of an impact from his teaching ashe would have as a composer.The four films above are specially intended for_______.
| A．students | B．teachers | C．parents | D．managers |
Which film tells us that students not only need to learn knowledge in the books but also knowledge in life?
| A．Mr. Holland's Opus | B．The Karate Kid |
| C．To Sir With Love | D．The Miracle Worker |
Which of the following statements is True according to the passage?
| A．The actress who plays won a prize. |
| B．Richard Dreyfuss finally became a composer that he dreamt to be. |
| C．Helen Keller is the teacher of Annie Sullivan. |
| D．In the film “The Karate Kid” the teachers later have students do what they understand. |