Reading is the key to success in all school subjects. With a bit of creativity, you can help your child enjoy reading more, and encourage him to do more!
Buy or borrow a lot of “fun” books. Choose books that are slightly below his level of reading ability. Don’t forget what your child likes to do when choosing books for him. Don’t comment about the books. Simply leave the books lying on the table where your child is sure to see them. Computer games are not as harmful as most parents usually think them to be. Instead, you should take advantage of your child’s love of computer games to purchase those that require a lot of reading and avoid those that are simply computerized video games.
Buy your child a bedside reading lamp, or a tiny book light. Tell him that from now on, he must be in bed by a specific time (say 8:30) and that he can either sleep or read. Most kids will do anything else rather than go to sleep, so there’s a chance you’ll create a new bedtime reading habit.
Many children will read when they are sitting alone having a snack, or when they have a few minutes of unplanned free time. Put a box of books and magazines near the kitchen table so that reading material is available.
Often, once children learn to read independently, parents stop reading to them. This change of routine causes great sadness to a child who has come to love falling asleep as you read. Even a teenager will enjoy being read to if you pick books that interest him. Select books together, and make sure they’re ones you enjoy as well, so your enjoyment will come through as you read to them.
To make children become interested in reading, parents should _______.
| A．choose books based on their interest |
| B．tell them what they can learn from these books |
| C．choose the easiest books for them to read |
| D．always read books together with them |
Which of the following is NOT what parents are advised to do?
| A．Pick the right computer games. | B．Reduce children’s sleeping time. |
| C．Have reading material available. | D．Read to children when possible. |
What attitude do most parents hold towards children playing computer games?
| A．Supportive. | B．Doubtful. | C．Negative. | D．Neutral (中立的). |
The main idea of the passage is to ________.
| A．help children succeed in school subjects |
| B．give parents advice on how to educate children |
| C．remind parents of the importance of reading |
| D．teach parents how to encourage children to read |
When six of the very best students from different cities in Guangdong Province all together chose universities in Hong Kong; when the very best students of Beijing picked up HK University while giving up the nearby Peking or Tsinghua University; when the highest enrollment (录取) rate of Hong Kong Science and Industry University reached 48:1, it’s the high time to ask where the real education heaven for students in China is.
Years ago, the answer certainly would be “Peking or Tsinghua University”. But now no one could give the exact reaction without hesitation. The only sure thing is that HK universities have gradually showed an unusual attraction to a great many mainland students.
It’s no doubt to call this HK craze(狂热), which is even out of the expectation of those HK universities themselves. How can HK universities shake the steady foundations of Peking and Tsinghua and attract so many mainland students?
First, Hong Kong universities offer large-amount scholarships, especially for the top students who can receive the sum scholarship as much as 400,000 HK dollars. Since higher education has become a kind of heavy burden of many families, it’s easy to understand why the reaction to the generous offering of HK universities is great.
Second, most HK universities receive professors and students from all over the world and carry out bilingual(双语的) education. This kind of excellent language atmosphere is another attraction for mainland students.
Furthermore, university students in Hong Kong have a better chance to study abroad as exchange students.
Can mainland top universities like Peking or Tsinghua University calm as before when facing the unexpected competition from HK？Will they take relevant measures to win back the top students who once help them set the worldwide reputation? Time will explain it.
The fierce competition brought by HK universities can be a good thing for an entire improvement of education in China. After the awakening and action taking of mainland universities, they can perform better together with HK universities.
At least, it reminded the mainland universities the tuition fees are among students’ top concern when they are choosing universities. It’s time to move.What is the passage mainly talking about?
| A．Some thought brought by the enrollment of Hong Kong universities |
| B．Higher education in Hong Kong |
| C．The competition between Hong Kong University and Peking University |
| D．The fall of mainland universities. |
Top students from mainland apply for HK universities because_______________.
| A．many students now would love to study abroad to get a better experience. |
| B．HK universities offer higher scholarships, better environment and more opportunities for their further study |
| C．they concern only about the tuition fees when choosing universities. |
| D．Peking University has lost its worldwide reputation |
From the passage we can see HK universities_____________.
| A．didn’t mean to enroll top students from mainland |
| B．are proud of their teaching staff and facilities |
| C．didn’t expect their enrollment of mainland students would be so popular |
| D．have strict enrollment rules and only 1 out of 48 students can get the chance to study there |
What does the author mean by saying “It’s time to move.” in the last paragraph?
| A．Mainland universities should take measures as soon as possible to attract students. |
| B．The opportunities come for top students to study abroad |
| C．HK universities should make full preparations to challenge mainland universities. |
| D．Top students should be offered further education free of charge |
BINGHAM REGIONAL COLLEGE
International Students’ Orientation Programme
What is it?
It is a course which will introduce you to the College and to Bingham. It takes place in the week before term starts, from 24th-28th September, but you should plan to arrive in Bingham on the 22nd or 23rd September.
Why do we think it is important?
We want you to have the best possible start to your studies and you need to find out about all the opportunities that college life offers. It will enable you to get to know the college, its facilities and services. You will also have a chance to meet staff and students.
How much will it cost?
* International students (non-European Union students)
For those students who do not come from European Union (EU) countries, and who are not used to European culture and customs, the progamme is very important and you are strongly advised to attend. Because of this, the cost of the programme, without accommodation, is built into your tuition fees.
* EU students
EU students are welcome to take part in this programme without accommodation for ￡195.
Accommodation costs (international and EU students)
The cost of accommodation for one week is ￡165
If you have booked accommodation for the year ahead (41 weeks) through the college, you do not have to pay extra for accommodation. You can ask us to pre-book accommodation for you one week only in a hotel with other International students.
What is included during the programme?
Meals: lunch and an evening meal are provided as part of the programme. Please note that breakfast is not available.
Information: including such topics as accommodation, health, religious matters, study skills, and other necessary information.
Social activities: including a welcome party and a half day trip round Bingham.Who is encouraged to attend the course according to the ad?
| A．Those who are less prepared for their examination |
| B．Those who want to improve their social lives |
| C．Those who are not familiar with their future college. |
| D．Those who want to make up their missed lessons. |
It is better for Non-European Union students to take part in the programme because _______
| A．they don’t have to pay for the course |
| B．it offers them opportunities to know more about European culture |
| C．they can save the cost of accommodation while they are studying |
| D．it is difficult for them to be accepted by the natives in Binghama |
If a student plans to take the course, he has to arrive in Bingham at least ___________ days in advance before term starts.
| A．2 | B．4 | C．5 | D．6 |
Which of the following might NOT be included in the programme?
| A．Learning how to study in the college | B．Looking for a part-time job in neighborhood. |
| C．Understanding some taboos(禁忌)in European society． | D．Travelling around Bingham. |
（Reuters）--- A Michigan man credited his dog with saving his life by chewing off his diseased big toe as he lay passed out in a drunken stupor(昏迷)
Jerry Douthett, 48, who woke up on a Saturday night in late July in his Rockford, Michigan home to find his Jack Russell Terrier, Kiko, had gnawed off his right big toe.
“The dog always lies with me on the bed”, said Douthett. “That night, I woke up and looked down at my foot, and it was wet. When I looked, it was blood and there was the dog looking at me with a blood moustache.”
Douthett’s wife, Rosee, rushed him to a hospital where doctors found he was suffering from Type 2 diabetes. His toe was badly infected and surgeons amputated(截)the remainder of the toe.
Douthett’s wife, a registered nurse, had been urging him for weeks to have his infected toe examined by a doctor.
On the night Kiko ate his toe, Douthett said he had been out with his wife and drank about six or seven beers and a pair of giant margaritas—big enough to put goldfish in.
“I was self-medicating at this point,” he said. “The moral of the story is that the dog saved my life, because otherwise I would never have gone to see a doctor.”
The couple said they were amazed that Kiko appeared to know Douthett had an infection that needed treatment.
“He kind of chewed off the infected part and stopped at the good bone,” said Rosee. “We joked that we shouldn’t have had to pay the co-pay because he did half the job by chewing off half of the toe.”What does the underlined phrase “gnawed off” probably mean?
| A．bit away | B．cared for | C．sucked on | D．smelt out |
It can be learned from the text that________________.
| A．Douthett’s wife was a doctor | B．Douthett’s wife felt something about his disease |
| C．Douthett never got that drunk | D．Douthett had seen a doctor for his disease |
From the text we know that Kiko ______________.
| A．is in top physical condition | B．was trained at an early age |
| C．nearly cost Douthett his life | D．saved his master’s life |
Which is NOT true according to the text?
| A．It is hard for the couple to explain the dog’s behaviour |
| B．Jerry Douthett went to see a doctor because of Kiko’s chewing his big toe.. |
| C．The couple shouldn’t have to pay the co-pay because Kiko did half the job. |
| D．Kiko didn’t hurt the good bone of its master. |
Facebook users may feel socially successful in the web world but they are more likely to perform poorly in exams. The majority of students who use Facebook every day are doing badly compared with those who don’t. About 83% of British 16 to 24-year-old people are using social networking site such as Facebook and MySpace, to keep in touch with friends and organize their social activities.
“Our study shows people who spend more time on Facebook spend less time studying,” said Aryn Karpinski, a researcher. “Every generation has its distractions(娱乐), but I think Facebook is a unique phenomenon.” Karpinski and a colleague questioned 219 US undergraduates and graduates about their study and general Internet use, as well as their specific use of Facebook. They found 65% of Facebook users accessed their account daily, checking it several times to see if they had received new messages. The amount of time spent on Facebook at each log-in(登录) varied from just a few minutes to more than an hour.
Some UK students have already realized the potential danger. Daisy Jones, 21, an undergraduate, realized the time she was spending on Facebook was threatening her grades, urging her to deactivate(使无效) her account, “I was in the library and tried to write a 2,000-word essay when I realized my Facebook habit had got out of hand,” she said. “I couldn’t resist going online, when thinking about it. Before you know it , a couple of minutes have turned into a couple of hours and you haven’t written a word.”
Jones is among the few to have realized the risks. 79% of the users, however, believed the time they spent on the site had no impact on their work. The CEO of Facebook said, “There is also academic research that shows the benefits of services like Facebook. It’s in the hands of students to decide how to spend their time.”What can we know from Paragraph 1?
| A．All the students who don’t use Facebook do well in exams. |
| B．Social networking sites have both advantages and disadvantages. |
| C．Facebook is the main site for British people to keep in touch. |
| D．Most of British students use social networking sites daily. |
Facebook users check their account frequently to ____________.
| A．spend less time on study | B．make sure new messages aren’t missed |
| C．practise specific use of Facebook | D．accumulate amount of time spent on Facebook. |
Why did Daisy Jones deactivate her account?
| A．She was warned about the risk of using Facebook. |
| B．Spending much time on Facebook affected her study |
| C．She wanted to write a long article in the library. |
| D．There was something wrong with her eyes. |
What’s the best title of the passage ?
| A．Facebook fans do worse in exams | B．Social networking sites and their fans |
| C．Facebook helps organize social activities | D．How to use social networking sites correctly. |
I made a pledge (发誓) to myself on the way down to the vacation beach cottage. For two weeks I would try to be a loving husband and father. Totally loving . No ifs, ands or buts.
The idea had come to me as I listened to a talk on my car radio. The speaker was quoting (引用) a Biblical (圣经的) passage about husbands being thoughtful（体贴的） of their wives. Then he went on to say," Love is an act of will. A person can choose to love." To myself, I had to admit that I had been a selfish husband. Well , for two weeks that would change.
And it did. Right from the moment I kissed Evelyn at the door and said," That new yellow sweater looks great on you."
"Oh, Tom, you noticed," she said, surprised and pleased, maybe a little puzzled.
After the long drive, I wanted to sit and read. Evelyn suggested a walk on the beach. I started to refuse, but then I thought, "Evelyn's been alone here with the kids all the week and now she wants to stay with me. " We walked on the beach while the children flew their kites.
So it went. Two weeks of not calling the Wall Street firm where I am a director; a visit to the shell museum though I usually hate museums. Relaxed
and happy, that's how the whole vacation passed, I made a new pledge to keep on remembering to choose love. There was one thing that went wrong with my experiment, however. Evelyn and I still laugh about it today. Last night at our cottage, preparing for bed, Evelyn stared at me with the saddest expression.
“What’s the matter?” I asked her.
“ Tom ,” se said in a voice filled with distress, “ do you know something I don’t?”
"What do you mean?"
"Well...that checkup(体检) I had several weeks ago...our doctor...did he tell you something about me? Tom , you've been so good to me..
. am I dying?"
It took a moment for it all to sink in. Then I bur
st out laughing.
"No, honey," I said, wrapping her in my arms. "You're not dying; I'm just staring to
live."In the first paragraph, "No ifs, ands or buts" probably means___.
| A．unnecessarily | B．unexpectedly | C． impossibly | D．unconditionally |
From the story we may infer that Tom went to the beach cottage___.
| A．with his family | B．with Evelyn | C．alone | D．with his children |
During the two weeks on the beach, Tom showed more love to his wife because___.
| A．she looked lovely in her new clothes |
B．he had made a lot of money in Wall Street |
| C．he was determined to be a good husband |
| D．she was seriously ill |
The underlined words "one thing" in the passage refer to the fact that___.
| A．he praised her sweater, which puzzled her |
B．she insisted on visiting a museum, which he  hated |
| C．he knew something about her illness but didn't tell her |
| D．he was so good to her that she thought she must be dying |
By saying "I'm just starting to live", Tom means that___.
| A．he is just beginning to understand the real meaning of life |
| B．he is just beginning to enjoy his life as a loving husband |
| C．he lived an unhappy life before and is now starting to change |
| D．he is beginning to feel regretful for what he did to his wife |