I had the meanest mother in the world．While other kids ate candy for breakfast．I had to have cereal, eggs and toast．Others had cakes and candy for lunch, while we had to eat a sandwich．As you can guess, my supper was different from t
he other kids'．But at least I was not alone in my suffering．My sister and two brothers had the same mean mother as I did．
My mother insisted on knowing where we were at all times．She had to know who our friends were and what we were doing．We had to wear clean clothes every day．Other kids always wore their clothes for days． We reached the height of disgrace （耻辱） because she made our clothes herself, just to save money．
The worst is yet to come．We had to be in bed by 9:00 each night and up at 7:45 the next morning．So whil
e my friends slept, my mother actually had the courage to break Child Labor Law．She made us work I
believed she lay awake all night thinking up mean things to do to us．Through the years, our friends' report cards had beautiful colors on them, black for passing, red for failing．My mother, however, would only be satisfied with black marks．None of us was allowed the pleasure of being a dropout （辍学者）．
She forced us to grow up into educated and honest adults．Using this as a background, I'm now trying to bring up my three children．I'm filled with pride when my children think I am mean because now I thank God every day for giving me the meanest mother in the world．From the passage we can learn that the writer's mother was____．
| A．not generous at all | B．very cruel to her children |
| C．very mean with money matters | D．very strict with her children |
Which of the following things did the writer hate to do most?
| A．Eating differently from other kids． | B．Letting mother know where they were． |
| C．Going to bed early and getting up early． | D．Wearing clean clothes made by mother． |
It can be inferred from the passage that____．
| A．the writer's family lived a miserable life |
| B．all the other kids studied better than the writer |
| C．Mother was punished for breaking the Labor Law |
| D．the writer worked hard and usually got good grades in studies |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．The writer is very thankful to her mother． |
| B．The writer has a deep hatred for her mother． |
| C．Mother practiced economy in running her home． |
| D．The writer is strict with her children when bringing them up． |
The passage was written in a way of__ __tone．
| A．humorous | B．hateful | C．ridiculous | D．impatient |
Our lives were supposed to be more flexible and family-friendly thanks to the technology at our fingertips. But in this age of BlackBerrys, recession pressures, working at home after hours and on weekends, family time may not be working out the way we thought.
Busy parents who expected more time with the kids are Finding that more work hours at home don't necessarily translate into quality time with them.
A new generation of parents needs to discover the meaning of "quality time," researchers say. “Personally, just given the life I lead, I think there is something to this idea of quality time- spending productive time with children vs. just being around,” says Peter Brandon, a professor at Carleton College. He says engaging or interacting with a child in activities such as reading or playing counts as quality time rather than "passive monitoring," such as washing the dishes while the child is watching TV.
“This time with children pays off,” Brandon says. He notes that good parent-child relationships result in children being happier and more successful, including at school.
As parents struggle to be more available to their kids, new research on work and family schedules to be presented Friday at the meeting in Dallas includes a study that shows parents' availability is on the decline because more parents are in the workforce. Although parents today may be spending more time on child care, they are less available overall.
Working parents who spend less time with their children should try to make sure the time they do spend is communicating with them, vs. doing the dishes or spending more time on themselves, Brandon says “The trade-off is not necessarily taking away time from your kid,” he says "You're taking away time from other things”The first paragraph mainly intends to tell us that.
| A．technology lets parents work at home |
| B．parents are satisfied with their work |
| C．technology makes our lives much easier |
| D．the family time is not always satisfying |
We can learn from the third paragraph that.
| A．some families are not experiencing quality time |
| B．it's enough for parents to stay with their children |
| C．parents enjoy engaging in work-at-home activities |
| D．working hours at home can transform into quality time |
According to Brandon, the quality time means
| A．just, being around with children |
| B．work time is separate from family time |
| C．spending instructive time with children |
| D．letting the children do whatever they want to do |
The underlined sentence “This time with children pays” off means .
| A．the time with children is of little value |
| B．the time with children costs quite a lot |
| C．the time with children leads to good result |
| D．the time with children has a bad effect on them |
What will the author most probably talk about in next part of the passage?
| A．How to spend more time at home |
| B．How to do the dishes in a proper way. |
| C．How to spend more time on working at home. |
| D．How to take away time in a much proper way. |
While applying to college may seem easy, getting in can be tough! When you apply for college, you will have to be honest with yourself and do a bit of research to find the right fit. Here are three steps to take when applying to colleges for the best chances at getting into the best college for you.
Step l: Making A List Of Colleges To Apply To
With over 6,000 colleges in the United States, the first step in applying to college is to do some research and make a college list .This process will be different for everyone. The number of colleges you apply to can vary, from applying to 1 school (not recommended) to 30 schools (not recommended),each applicant can choose how many colleges they apply to. Many limit the number because applications are accompanied by a fee.
Step2: Splitting The List Into Target, Reach and Safety Schools
In general, students will want to apply to three types of schools: Target, Reach and Safety schools. It is up to you how many applications you send, but a good mix would be more target than reach, and at least one safety. You will need to take your list, and now decide which are your top picks, which are attainable for you academically, which are affordable for you only with aid, and refine your broad list into a group of schools that gives you the best chance for success. Talk to an admissions counselor at your high school if you have questions about this.
Step 3: Completing and Sending Applications to Colleges
Once your list is complete you are ready to apply to college by completing and sending in applications! College applications take time to complete —you have to write essays, ask for recommendations and get test scores sent to schools—so stay organized！ All colleges will require these types of application materials, so start thinking about these items well before October or December. Once you complete and send them, then you have successfully applied to college.It can be learned from the first paragraph that_____________.
| A．you should be cautious to pick up the right college |
| B．you don't have to think twice before applying to college |
| C．once you apply to a college, you'll be admitted to it easily |
| D．each applicant should choose the best college for their ideal |
To make a list of colleges, you____________.
| A．should consider more Safety schools |
| B．had better take your academy into account |
| C．are supposed to choose merely one most fit |
| D．are required to pick out more than 30 colleges |
Which of the following statements is WRONG?
| A．One should clarify the list according to one's abilities. |
| B．Refer to admissions counselor at high school if necessary. |
| C．One doesn't have to send his test scores to the intended college. |
| D．Teachers' recommendations are included in application materials. |
We can conclude from the text that____________.
| A．each applicant has the right to apply to any colleges for free |
| B．the more college one chooses, the more successful he will be |
| C．applicants should send required materials before the deadline |
| D．safety schools are those that don't have so many requirements |
The text is mainly about____________.
| A．how to succeed in life |
| B．how to apply to college |
| C．how to ask for information |
| D．how to do a research in college |
Teenagers will be told to "stand up for their elders" on public transport — or risk losing their right to free travel.
London Mayor Boris Johnson will declare plans today to make youngsters sign a “courtesy pledge" (文明宣言) to promise to behave in a respectful manner when travelling in the capital. The three-point pledge states that they will give up their seats to the elderly, pregnant and disabled; keep from using offensive or threatening language; and be courteous and polite to fellow passengers and staff.
Those who refuse, or are caught behaving in a loutish manner, will have their free travel passes removed. The plan — a key part of Mr. Johnson's re-election bid— will initially affect the 400,000 ll-to-15-year-olds in London who qualify for free travel cards, but Tory sources believe the idea could be used across the country.
A Conservative insider said: "The plan corresponds perfectly with the push to create a Big Society. It is about changing culture and expectations around behavior to improve the atmosphere on buses and trains for everyone."
Speaking before today's launch, Mr. Johnson said he was determined to deal with the anti-social behavior of a "minority of youngsters" on public transport. "When I was a boy, I was taught to stand up for those less able to, "he said. "Youngsters enjoy the privilege of free travel, which is paid for by Londoners, but they have to understand that with that privilege comes responsibility. Anyone who abuses this privilege will have it taken away, and will have to earn that right bach ."
Teenagers found guilty of a serious violation of the new behavior rules will lose their travel passes, and will have to carry out unpaid community work to earn them back.
Mr. Johnson is also introducing a "two strikes and you're out" policy to deal with repeat offenders, under which those committing a second serious violation of the rules will lose their travel rights permanently.Which of the following is NOT the content of the "courtesy pledge"?
| A．Teenagers should give up their seats to the old. |
| B．Teenagers shouldn't talk with strangers in public. |
| C．Teenagers mustn't use aggressive language in public. |
| D．Teenagers must be polite to people on public transport. |
What does the underlined word "loutish" in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?
| A．rude | B．stupid | C．polite | D．calm |
According to Mr Johnson,____________.
| A．youngsters should know duty comes with benefit |
| B．youngsters shouldn't use the privilege of free travel |
| C．anyone shouldn't make money with the privilege |
| D．youngsters should do some unpaid community work |
The worst punishment teenagers can face is____________.
| A．to sign an agreement | B．to work in the community |
| C．to be fined | D．to lose their travel passes forever |
Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
| A．London Mayor Boris Johnson is a great person |
| B．The plan corresponds perfectly with the Big Society |
| C．Be polite and stand up for your elders or lose free travel |
| D．The "courtesy pledge” has been used across the country |
In 1997, I found myself in a situation I never thought I'd be in: alone and begging for money in New York. My father had been separated from our family, and my mother had recently died from complications related to AIDS. What I remember most about such nights is lying on the cold marble floor and using my backpack for a pillow.
Even though I had lost my family, I made choices every single day to turn my life around. There was the haven for homeless teenagers called the Door, a non－profit organization that provided me with guidance, medical care and food, all of which kept me going while I completed my homework in train stations and under hallway lights. Perhaps the most surprising help though, I did not seek out﹔it found me. The New York Times told my story. In the weeks that followed, dozens of strangers reached out to me from all across the United States. At my high school, I began receiving handwritten letters of encouragement. Strangers showed up bearing clothes, books, and even hugs. Since the article mentioned I was applying to Harvard, one woman knitted a blanket for me. She attached this note to the box it was posted in: "It gets cold in those dorms. May you warm yourself knowing that people care about you".
With the help of these people, my life today bears no resemblance at all to my life then. I graduated not only from high school but also from Harvard University.
Before these people — some of them nameless— I just didn't realize how good people could be. But now I do, and I can say that the people who helped me have forever changed me. They are the reason behind my decision to join the board at the Door so that I can be part of a small team of people opening a high school for homeless teenagers .They are the reason I dedicate my life to opening pathways for others. And they are the reason I travel around the world helping people transform their own lives.According to the passage, the author______________.
| A．tried to change her life |
| B．often slept m friends’ homes |
| C．felt lonely because of her illness |
| D．felt quite desperate for her father |
What can we learn about the Door?
| A．It helps the homeless teenagers. |
| B．It is an organization seeking profits. |
| C．It provides entertainment for children. |
| D．It reports the stories about the homeless. |
The 3rd paragraph mainly tells about.
| A．how the author applies to Harvard |
| B．how the author struggles for her ideal |
| C．how The New York Times helps the author |
| D．how people help the author in different ways |
Which of the following is the correct order to describe the author's life?
a. The newspaper reported her story.
b. She graduated from Harvard University.
c. She slept on the cold floor at night.
d. She joined the committee at the Door.
e. Her mother died from the illness.
| A．d→e→c→a→b | B．e→c→d→a→b |
| C．e→c→a→b→d | D．b→c→d→e→a |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
| A．Patience is a virtue. |
| B．Love can be passed on. |
| C．Time waits for no man. |
| D．Honesty leads to success. |
Motherhood may make women smarter and may help prevent dementia(痴呆) in old age by bathing the brain in protective hormones(荷尔蒙) , U.S. reseachers reported on Thursday.
Tests on rats show that those who raise two or more litters of pups do considerably better in tests of memory and skills than rats who have no babies, and their brains show changes that suggest they may be protected against diseases such as Alzheimer’s(老年痴呆症). University of Richmond psychology professor Craig Kinsley believes his findings will translate into humans.
“Our research shows that the hormones of pregnancy are protecting the brain, including estrogen(雌激素), which we know has many neuroprotective (保护神经的) effects,” Kinsley said.
“It’s rat data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals,” he added in a telephone interview. “They go through pregnancy and hormonal changes.”
Kinsley said he hoped public health officials and researchers will look to see if having had children protects a woman from Alzheimer’s and other forms of age-related brain decline.
“When people think about pregnancy, they think about what happens to babies and the mother from the neck down,” said Kinsley, who presented his findings to the annual meeting of the Society of Neuroscience in Orlando, Florida.
“They do not realize that hormones are washing on the brain. If you look at female animals who have never gone through pregnancy, they act differently toward young. But if she goes through pregnancy, she will sacrifice her life for her infant—that is a great change in her behavior that showed in genetic alterations(改变) to the brain.”What can protect the brain of a woman according to the passage?( within 4 words)
How do scientists know “Motherhood may make women smarter”?( within 8 words)
“It’s rat data but humans are mammals just like these animals are mammals.” What does the sentence suggest? ( within 13 words)
What’s the main idea of this passage? (within 10 words)