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 believe 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(不幸地)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(目前的)political climate in the absence of an understanding of its historical context(背景)．We can not
even understand why 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 bought 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(成就)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. By doing so，young people are called on to stand for the principles that he stood for and accomplish what he didn’t accomplish．I also think that by studying people like Adolph Hitler，people can learn to stand against the things that he stood for．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． |
In Paragraph 3，the author shows that history is useful because
| A．it makes the current political situation go smoothly |
| B．it helps us realize the importance of historical events |
| C．it helps us understand why things are the way they are |
| D．it helps people accept the present situation where they live |
Some historical figures are mentioned in the last paragraph to show____．
| A．people can be inspired to do good and also learn 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． |
Our surroundings are being polluted faster than nature and man’s present efforts cannot prevent it. Time is bringing us more people, and more people will bring us more industry, more cars, larger cities, and the growing use of man-made materials.
What can explain and solve this problem? The fact is that pollution is caused by man—by his desire for a modern way of life. We make “increasing industrialization” our chief aim. So we are often ready to offer everything: clean air, pure water, good food, our health and the future of our children. There is a constant flow of people from the countryside into the cities, eager for the benefits of our modern society. But as our technological achievements have grown in the last twenty years, pollution has become a serious problem.
Isn’t it time we stopped to ask ourselves where we are going—and why? It makes one think of the story about the airline pilot who told his passengers over the loudspeaker, “I’ve some good news and some bad news. The good news is that we’re making rapid progress at 530 miles per hour. The bad news is that we’re lost and don’t know where we’re going.” The sad fact is that this becomes a true story when spoken of our modern society.Man cannot prevent the world from being polluted mainly because______.
| A．the population of the world is decreasing fast |
| B．people use too many man-made materials |
| C．we have more and more industry |
| D．we are producing more cars, trucks and buses |
According to the passage, what does man value most?
| A．Industry. | B．Health. |
| C．Clean air. | D．The future of the children. |
The story about the airline pilot tells us that ______.
| A．man knows where the society is going |
| B．people do not welcome the rapid development of modern society |
| C．man can do little about the problem of pollution |
| D．the writer is worried about the future of our society |
People crowd into the cities because ______.
| A．they want very much to find well-paid jobs |
| B．they are anxious to enjoy the achievements of our society |
| C．they have become tired of their homeland |
| D．they have a strong wish to become industrial workers |
Moral science is taught as a subject in most schools but with little effect. Perhaps part of the problem lies in the fact that morality is not a science, strictly speaking. It is too much of a social phenomenon, and also has too much of the personal and subjective things mixed within. Besides, morality itself changes with generations. So it is impossible to be defined in a textbook.
I remember sitting through forty minutes of moral lessons, which told stories about little children who never told lies and were rewarded for their goodness. It had little effect and left no impression on me, though.
If moral science has to be taught as a subject in schools, it needs a participatory(参与其中的) approach. When you tell a child about morals, you also have to deal with social norms（规范）and cultural differences. You have to explain that morality can be subjective, and be able to co-exist in society. You will probably have to refer to the morals of the present time.
The best way to tell a child how to live is to show him what is valued. If a child likes his friend, you have to make the child think about why. Once the child notices and recognizes goodness in others, he or she is likely to develop it as well.
In fact, children learn most of their morals by watching people around them. They absorb behavior patterns from teachers and older students. They watch to see what is rewarded and who is punished. They learn on the sports field and through social work. Moral science lessons should simply consist of letting them live and interact, and watch you support correct values and reward good behavior. Which is NOT the reason that moral science is taught in schools but with little effect?
| A．Morality doesn’t strictly belong to a science |
| B．Morality is more like a social phenomenon. |
| C．Different generations have different moral ideas. |
| D．Morality can’t be written down in textbooks. |
The author describes his own experience of having moral lessons in order to _____.
| A．explain telling lies is not moral for little children. |
| B．advise people should be rewarded for their goodness. |
| C．prove moral lessons in schools have little effect. |
| D．show he has no opinions about moral science. |
When you tell a child about morals, you should________.
| A．teach him to share personal moral ideas with others |
| B．tell him about social norms and cultural differences |
| C．explain that nobody can influence his moral ideas. |
| D．say that the present morals are likely to be changed. |
What is the last paragraph mainly about?
| A．The best way of teaching children about morals. |
| B．The value of teachers’ setting a good example |
| C．The influence of people’s behavior on morals. |
| D．The importance of rewarding good behavior. |
School Groups:$10.00 per person
One free teacher admission per 10 students.
Group rates apply to groups 15 or more.
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The Miami Planetarium(天文馆) opened its doors to the public on November 4, 1966 and has entertained and educated children of all ages about astronomy and the wonders of the night sky ever since. The planetarium houses a 65-foot diameter doomed projection screen with 231 seats.
At the heart of the Planetarium is a SPITZ “Space Transit Planetarium” star projector(放映机), which is capable of accurately reproducing the stars and planets as seen from anywhere on Earth at any time during the year. Shows daily except Thanksgiving and Christmas Day. Unlike any other in South Florida, the Planetarium is a unique setting for bringing the stars and planets indoors in animated live star shows and music filled laser light shows.
The Weintraub Observatory（天文台） houses two powerful telescopes. Observatory hours are from 8:00p.m. to 10:00p.m. Look through the telescope to view the planets, the four moons of Jupiter, the rings of Saturn and deep sky objects such as galaxies, nebulas and double stars.
Deposit: A $ 75 deposit must be received 10 days ahead of the visit date to guarantee your visit.
Cancellation Policy：The museum requires 48 hours advance notice prior to any cancellation or other changes to a reservation. Without prior notification the original total will be expected upon arrival.
Payment Policy: The balance of the admission fee is due upon arrival at the museum on your visit day.
Upon arrival: The leading teacher should check in at the box office with payment for the correct head count of students and teachers. Visitors should remain on the bus until a museum interpreter show you around the museum.
Museum Etiquette: We ask that all groups remain together and orderly. Teachers are asked to help maintain order with their groups. We reserve the right to refuse service to any group or individual not obeying the museum policies.
Bus procedures: The museum will provide parking for buses in our parking lot. Upon arrival, bus drivers will be directed by the museum staff to the appropriate places to park. It is recommended that buses remain on the spots throughout the group’s entire museum visit.
For more information & reservations call: (305)646-4222. In the Miami Planetarium, visitors can _________.
| A．look through the telescope to view the Mars at 11 p.m. |
| B．enjoy the roller coaster on the weekend. |
| C．watch animated live star shows on December 1 |
| D．watch animated live star shows on December 25 |
If twenty students are to visit the Miami Planetarium together with five teachers, how much will they have to pay for the admission fees in total?
| A．$280 | B．$250 | C．$150 | D．$200 |
To make sure that you can visit the Miami Planetarium on time, you must_____
| A．pay the total admission fees in advance. |
| B．pay some of the admission fees in advance. |
| C．rent the bus owned by the planetarium |
| D．book the visit five days before the visit date |
We can infer from the passage that _________.
| A．the Miami Planetarium has a history of over 60 years |
| B．the Miami Planetarium is very popular among moviegoers |
| C．the Miami planetarium is located in North Florida. |
| D．the Weintraub Observatory is not open to visitors during the day. |
Disease, poverty, hate, love—Charles Dickens’ stories opened his readers eyes to the most important themes of his age. Two hundred years on, his stories still speak volumes across the world, proving that Dickens’ legacy(遗产) was far greater than just “great literature”
February 7 marks the 200th anniversary of the writer’s birthday. To mark this date, BBC writer Alex Hudson listed six things Dickens gave the modern world. Let’s take a look at two of them.
A white Christmas
Dickens is described as “the man who invented Christmas”—not the religious festival, but the cultural aspects that we associate with the festive season today. In the early 19th century, Christmas was barely worth mentioning, according to critic and writer Leigh Hunt. The committee which ran the Conservative Party even held ordinary business meetings on Christmas Day – unthinkable in the West nowadays, when everyone but the most necessary workers takes at least three days off.
Many people believe that Dickens’ popular descriptions of the festive period became a blueprint for generations to come. In his classic novel, A Christmas Carol, he not only put forward the idea of snow at Christmas, but also painted a picture of glowing warmth –“ home enjoyments, affections and hopes”.
In his biography of Dickens, Peter Ackroyd wrote: “ Dickens can be said to have almost single-handedly created the modern idea of Christmas.”
“Dickensian” poverty
Dickens was one of the first to take an honest look at the underclass and the poor of Victorian (the period during British Queen Victoria’s reign from 1837 to 1901) London.
He helped popularize the term “red tape” to describe situations where people in power use needless amounts of bureaucracy（官僚作风） in a way that particularly hurts the weaker and poorer members of society.
“Dickensian” has now become a powerful word for describing an unacceptable level of poverty. In 2009, when the president of the Association of Teachers and Lecturers in the UK wanted to talk about deprivation in some areas of Britain, she did not use words like “terrible” or “horrific”, but rather described it as “life mirroring the times of Dickens”.What is the main idea of the article?
| A．An introduction to Charles Dickens’ classic novels. |
| B．Charles dickens’ impact on the world. |
| C．Charles Dickens’ amazing characters. |
| D．Why Charles Dickens is popular across the world. |
Why is Dickens called “the man who invented Christmas”?
| A．Because he created the religious festival. |
| B．Because many of his novels have something to do with Christmas. |
| C．Because one of his novels helped to shape Christmas celebrations. |
| D．Because he was the first man to have proposed celebrating Christmas. |
According to the article, the phrase “red tape” refers to _______.
| A．rules or procedures that are required to accomplish a task |
| B．a situation in which poor members of society are hurt. |
| C．conflict between people in power and weaker people |
| D．pointlessly time-consuming official procedures |
Without any hesitation, he said, “I’d be better off dead.” Hearing those words come out of my best friend’s mouth tore my heart apart. He has repeated that phrase more than once, and my mind continually plays it over like a voice recording.
I met him about three years ago. After knowing me for six months, he told me about his struggles with depression. Sadness was not the only emotion that came over me; I was shocked. He seemed so outgoing and happy all the time. I soon learned that he was physically and emotionally abused as a young child, causing him to have suicidal thoughts.
He refuses to talk to others about his depression because he now distrusts adults, especially those in his family. Nevertheless, he feels as if I understand him and that I know the right words to speak. Therefore, when it comes to helping him, convenience is not in my vocabulary. It does not matter where I am or what I am doing, for he always comes first.
Many students at his school laugh at him when they notice scars on his arms from cutting. As he sees it, other kids have every right to make fun of him. But no one holds such a right, so I encourage him to ignore the heartless kids who treat him badly. When he feels the weight of judging eyes or hateful voices, I always remind him that I care about him unconditionally. Just hearing me say I will always be his best friend seems to give him the security he needs to keep on going.
My best friend once told me that if he had not had me, he would not be alive. He said that my encouraging words convinced him not to take his life. Our friendship has taught me that a single kind word can influence someone’s life. With the fragility of life as it is, I believe in the necessity of encouragement.According to the first paragraph, what the author’s friend said made the author feel ______.
| A．puzzled | B．heart broken. | C．frightened | D．hopeless |
By saying “convenience is not in my vocabulary”, the author means ______.
| A．he is always ready to help his friend. |
| B．he hardly spares time to help his friend. |
| C．he has no good excuse for refusing his friend. |
| D．he is not good at communicating with his friend. |
From the passage we learn that the author’s friend ________.
| A．had a happy childhood but everything changed later |
| B．wanted to share his story but no one listened. |
| C．took it for granted that he was made fun of |
| D．was always of sad appearance |
What does the author learn from his experiences?
| A．How to make a big difference to others. |
| B．The importance of encouragement. |
| C．How to get rid of depression |
| D．The necessity of security |