Japanese students work very hard but many are very unhappy. They feel great pressure from their parents to do well in school and in college. Most students are always being told by their parents to study harder so that they can have successful future. Although this may be good advice for those who are very bright, it can have very bad results for many students who are not quick enough at learning.
Unfortunately, a number of students actually kill themselves. Others are after comfort in using drugs. Some students, however, do bad things with groups of bad people and turn to crime. Many of them have tried very hard at school but, in spite of all their tries, have failed in certain examinations and have disappointed their parents. Such students feel that they are less important than everyone else they meet and leave school before they finish their study.
It is surprising that although most Japanese parents are anxious for their children to do well at school, they do not help them in any way. Many parents feel that they are unable to help their children with their lessons and that it is the teachers’ job to help their children.
To make matter worse, a lot of parents send their children to special schools called juku-cram schools. These schools are open during the evenings and on weekends, and their only purpose is to prepare students to pass exams; they do not try to educate students in any real sense of the world. Thus comes a shock to realize that almost three quarters of the junior high school students attend these cram schools.
Ordinary Japanese schools usually have rules about everything from the length of students’ hair to their clothes and things in their school bags. Child psychologists now think that such strict rules often lead to a feeling of being unsafe and being unable to fit into society. They believe that no sense of moral(道德) values is developed and that students are given neither guidance nor training in becoming good citizens.Many Japanese students are unhappy at school because .
| A.the school work is too much |
| B.their teachers are too strict with them |
| C.their parents put much pressure on them |
| D.they can’t get on well with their friends |
How many unexpected things will some of Japanese students do when they are not doing well in their studies?
| A.Two | B.Four | C.Six | D.Eight |
What’s some experts’ opinion about Japanese school rules?
| A.They are a set of effective rules. |
| B.They can help the students to be useful persons. |
| C.They are bad for the development of each student. |
| D.They stress the importance of sense of moral values. |
According to the third paragraph, who have not tried their best?
| A.The schools. | B.The students. |
| C.The teachers. | D.The parents. |
choose the best title for this passage:
A. Poor students in Japan
B. poor students in campus in Japan
C. wrong educational system in Japan
D How to develop a student
Editor’s notes: AWL is well known for its dictionaries and English language teaching materials. Some readers have written in to ask us for the latest information on high quality books on English, so here we introduce two texts that aim to improve spoken English fluency.
Let’s speak (Beginner)
By Bev Dusuya, Naoko Ozeki and Kevin Bergman
ISBN: 962001359X
Speak Up(Pre-Intermediate)
By Bev Kusuya, Nako Zeki
ISBN: 0583338050
“Teach the students about your culture and help them talk about their own.” How often are these worthy goals kept from being achieved by the limitations of your beginner level learners? Students at all levels want to talk about culture.
Topics include food, shopping, sports, fashion, the roles of men and women, health, music, and many more.
These are all chosen from surveys of over 15,000 students about their own interests in cross-cultural communication.
“Let’s Speak” and “Speak Up” share a special but excellent way that allows all students to take part in.
The series has questions which start thinking and then help collect opinions about personal topics. Conversation practice is provided by ready to use (现成的)models of basic exchanges on the topic. Also, the cultural information presented in the series comes in the form of interesting, relevant(相关的)facts and ideas from other countries through listening tasks and Culture Quiz exercises.
Team activities in books provide lively problem solving games to enable sharing and comparison of cultural values.
“Let’s Speak” is fit for entry level students of all ages. “Speak Up” provides for the needs of higher level beginners, offering the same careful listening and speaking help, but with slightly more open ended discussion.
For any information about AWL’s books, please get in touch with the following addresses:
Beijing Addison Wesley Longman Information Center
Room 2306, FLTRP Beijing
19 Xi San Huan Beilu, Beijing 100081
Tel: (010)68917488 (010) 68917788
Fax: (010) 68917499
E-mail: zrh@public.bat.net.cn
1.In the sentence “Teach the students about your culture and help them talk about their own”, “your culture” here means the culture of___________.
A.the English native speakers B.the English learners
C.the readers of the two books D.the readers of the newspaper
2.Which of the following are mentioned about the two books in the passage above?
a.publisher b.titles c.content d.writers
e.prices f.pages g.book number
A.a,b,d,f B.a,c,d,g C.b,c,d,e D.b,c,e,f
3.The two books have in common everything EXCEPT___________
A.the same interesting topics
B.the same level of learners
C.proper ways to excite the learners to talk
D.right kinds of activities for cultural communication
4.The passage above is probably taken from the___________section in a newspaper.
A.EDUCATION B.NEWS
C.ENTERTAINMENT D.BOOKSHELF
Elizabeth Blackwell was born in England in 1821, and moved to New York City when she was ten years old. One day she decided that she wanted to become a doctor. That was nearly impossible for a woman in the middle of the nineteenth century. After writing many letters asking for admission(录取) to medical schools, she was finally accepted by a doctor in Philadelphia. She was so determined that she taught school and gave music lessons to get money for the cost of schooling.
In 1849, after graduation from medical school. she decided to further her education in Paris. She wanted to be a surgeon(外科医师) , but a serious eye problem forced her to give up the idea.
Upon returning to the United States, she found it difficult to start her own practice because she was a woman. By 1857 Elizabeth and her sister, also a doctor, along with another woman doctor, managed to open a new hospital, the first for women and children Besides being the first woman physician and founding her own hospital , she also set up the first medical school for women.Why couldn’t Elizabeth Blackwell realize her dream of becoming a surgeon?
| A.She couldn’t get admitted to medical school |
| B.She decided to further her education in Paris |
| C.A serious eye problem stopped her |
| D.It was difficult for her to start a practice in the United States |
What main obstacle(障碍) almost destroyed Elizabeth’s chances for becoming for a doctor?
| A.She was a woman. |
| B.She wrote too many letters. |
| C.She couldn’t graduate from medical school. |
| D.She couldn’t set up her hospital. |
How many years passed between her graduation from medical school and the opening of her hospital?
| A.Eight years | B.Ten years | C.Nineteen years | D.Thirty-six years |
According to the passage, all of the following are “firsts” in the life of Elizabeth Blacekwell except that she ______.
| A.became the first woman physician |
| B.was the first woman doctor |
| C.and several other women founded the first hospital for women and children |
| D.set up the first medical school for women |
Eilzabeth Blackwell spent most of her lift in _______.
| A.England | B.Paris | C.the United States | D.New York City |
A young British sailor was missing at sea yesterday in similar circumstances(情况)to the way his father died five years ago.
The dinghy(救生橡皮船),used to take Richard Smith,21,to his yacht(快艇),was discovered empty, floating in seas off the Caribbean island.An air and sea search was carried out but he has still not been discovered.
Richard’s mother, Bicknell,said from her home in Hampshire,“It’s so much coincidence.Richard always carried a photograph of his father attached to a poem,which included the date of his disappearance.”
“Now, it’s very strange because all they have found is Richard’s dinghy.We need to know this time what has happened one way or another.If you know at least you can go through the grieving process(悲痛的过程).”
In November 1996,Mr. Smith’s father, Charlie,was sailing in the Tasmen sea between the Australian mainland and the island of Tasmen with his new wife.They lost radio contact with the shore and they, together with their yacht were never seen again,and their disappearance remains a mystery.
Richard is described a talented(有才能的)and experienced sailor who has crewed for the champion ocean racer.He had sailed to the。Caribbean in November to crew ocean racing yachts for entertainment.He ended the evening drinking in the Abracbabra bar but left after local police closed it for being too noisy.
About 2 am the following day Richard headed back for his dinghy.He started its outboard motor before giving all elderly woman a lift to her yacht after her dinghy had gone missing.It was the last time he was seen.Riehard Smith was in 2000.
| A.ten | B.fifteen | C.twenty | D.eighteen |
People searched for Richard using.
| A.ship only | B.ship and radio | C.ship and plane | D.yacht and car |
According to the passage,we know Richard died because.
| A.he was a green hand in sailing |
| B.some unknown animal attacked him |
| C.that was a maze in the area he was sailing |
| D.of something we don’t know |
Which statement is NOT true according to this passage?
| A.Young Smith had lost radio contact with the shore before he died. |
| B.Richard’s father had married two women at least. |
| C.Richard didn’t drink on the evening before he was lost because the policeman closed the bar. |
| D.Richard was seen at about 2 am the day he disappeared. |
The writer tells us.
| A.a story about two heroes | B.a piece of news about a merchant ship |
| C.a coincidence | D.the dying process of Richard |
Satellites are an important part of our ordinary lives.For example, the information for weather forecasts is sent by satellite.Some satellites have cameras which take photographs of the Earth to show how clouds are moving.Satellites are also used to connect our international phone calls.
Computer connections of the World Wide Web and Internet also use satellites. Many of our TV programs come to US through satellites.Airplane pilots also sometimes use a satellite to help them find their exact location.
We use satellites to send television pictures from one part of the world to another.They are usually 35,880 kilometers above the equator.Sometimes we can see a satellite in the sky and it seems to stay in the same place.This is because it is moving around the world at 11,000 kilometers an hour—exactly the same speed that the earth rotates.A satellite must orbit the Earth with its antennae(天线)facing the earth.Sometimes, it moves away from its orbit,So there are little rockets on it which are used to put the satellite back in the right position.This usually happens about every five or six days.
Space is not empty! Every week, more and more satellites are sent into space to orbit the Earth.A satellite usually works for about 10-12 years.Satellites which are broken are sometimes repaired by astronauts or sometimes brought back to Earth to be repaired.Often,very old or broken satellites are left in space to orbit the Earth for a very long time.This is very serious because some satellites use nuclear power and they can crash into each other.Which of the following is NOT done by satellites according to the passage?
| A.Sending information for weather forecast. |
| B.Taking photographs of the Earth. |
| C.Sending TV pictures. |
| D.Providing food for airplane pilots. |
What’s the speed the earth rotates at?
| A.35,880 kilometers per hour. | B.335,880 kilometers per hour. |
| C.11,000 kilometers per hour. | D.110,000 kilometers per hour |
Why does the satellite move around the world at the same speed as the Earth rotates?
| A.In order to take photographs. |
| B.In order to stay in a certain position in the orbit. |
| C.In order to move away from its orbit. |
| D.In order to send television pictures. |
What does the underlined word “This” refer to?
| A.A satellite. | B.A little rocket. |
| C.A satellite seems to stay in the same place in the sky. | |
| D.The satellite puts the rockets in the right position. |
Which is true of satellites?
| A.A satellite usually works for about 10-2 years. |
| B.Every time a satellite gets broken,it is brought back to the Earth to be repaired. |
| C.A broken satellite is never left in space. |
| D.They often crash into each other. |
A religious person will have a different thought from one who is not.And a Democrat usually doesn’t view issues the same way as a Republican.
Take the shoes for example.It has the same principle.Some like custom shoes for personalization.But some don’t.Someone will buy a shoes printer only for one desired image.That all depends on different conceptions.So when you have a negative thought about yourself, don’t consider it a fact until you also reflect on the opposite view.And if the alternative is more positive, accept that to be your truth.
An anorexic (厌食症患者) looks in the mirror and thinks she’s fat.As a result she starves herself and rids her body of vital nutrition.But society thinks she’s too skinny.Unless she can change her perception, she’ll never agree with society.And she’ll never get better.What are you seeing in you that is preventing you from realizing how beautiful you are? Or how smart you are? Or how lovable? If you take the positive view, that is how other people will see you too.
More often than not the critical statements that damage your self-esteem come from your own mind.Now you know how you can silence them.A bad comment is usually not about you; it’s about something that is going on with the commenter.Don’t believe anything that is said to you that isn’t in your best interest.And don’t waste any time or brainpower on anyone who doesn’t think you are amazing.
It’s what you think that creates how you feel.Design your own custom shoes, despite other one’s critical eyes.If you like it, it will be the top one.If someone tells you you’re fat, or stupid or otherwise unappealing, the only person you should think badly about is them!
1.What is the passage mainly about?
A.Try to be different. B.Different beliefs make different views.
C.You are actually amazing. D.Trust what people say to you.
2.Which of the following sentences contains a metaphor (暗喻)?
A.A Democrat usually doesn’t view issues the same way as a Republican.
B.Some like custom shoes for personalization.
C.An anorexic looks in the mirror and thinks she is fat.
D.Design your own custom shoes, despite others’ critical eyes.
3.The reason why the writer wrote this passage is to.
A.confuse people as how to think
B.help people learn how to do self – reflection
C.tell people different ways of thinking
D.show he is smarter than most of the people