A year ago, August, Dave Fuss lost his job driving a truck for a small company in west Michigan. His wife, Gerrie, was still working in the local school cafeteria, but it was hard for Dave to find work, and the price of everything was rising. The Fusses were at risk of joining the millions of Americans who have lost their homes in recent years. Then Dave and Gerrie received a timely gift—$7,000, a legacy(遗产) from their neighbors Ish and Arlene Hatch, who died in an accident. “It really made a difference when we were meeting difficulty .”says Dave.
But the Fusses weren’t the only folks in Alto and the neighboring town of Lowell to receive unexpected legacy from the Hatches. Dozens of other families were touched by what the Hatches had done. In some cases, it was a few thousand dollars; in others, it was more than $100,000.
It surprised nearly everyone that the Hatches had so much money, more than $3 million—they were an elderly couple who lived in an old house on what was left of the family farm.
Children of the Great Depression, Ish and Arlene were known for their habit of saving. They preferred comparison shopping and would go from store to store, checking prices before making a new purchase.
Through the years, the Hatches paid for local children to attend summer camps when their parents couldn’t afford it. “Ish and Arlene never asked if you needed anything,” says their friend Sandy Van Weelden, “They could see things they could do to make you happier, and they would do them.”
Even more extraordinary was that the Hatches gave away their farmland. It was the Hatches’ wish that their legacy—a legacy of kindness as much as one of dollars and cents—should enrich the whole community and last for generations to come.
Neighbors helping neighbors—that was Ish and Arlene Hatch’s story.According to the text, the Fusses __________.
A.were employed by a truck company | B.led a difficult life |
C.worked in a school cafeteria | D.lost their home |
What can we learn about the Hatches?
A.They had their children during the Great Depression. |
B.They left the old house to live on their family farm. |
C.They gave away their possessions(财产)to their neighbors. |
D.They helped their neighbors to find jobs. |
Why would the Hatches go from store to store?
A.They decided to open a store. |
B.They wanted to save money. |
C.They couldn’t afford expensive things. |
D.They wanted to buy gifts for local kids. |
What Sandy Van Weelden said mainly tells us that the Hatches were __________.
A.understanding | B.kind | C.childlike | D.wealthy |
As data and identity theft becomes more and more common, the market is growing for biometric(生物测量)technologies﹣like fingerprint scans﹣to keep others out of private e﹣spaces. At present, these technologies are still expensive, though.
Researchers from Georgia Tech say that they have come up with a low﹣cost device(装置)that gets around this problem: a smart keyboard. This smart keyboard precisely measures the cadence(节奏)with which one types and the pressure fingers apply to each key. The keyboard could offer a strong layer of security by analyzing things like the force of a user's typing and the time between key presses. These patterns are unique to each person. Thus, the keyboard can determine people's identities, and by extension, whether they should be given access to the computer it's connected to﹣regardless of whether someone gets the password right.
It also doesn't require a new type of technology that people aren't already familiar with. Everybody uses a keyboard and everybody types differently.
In a study describing the technology, the researchers had 100 volunteers type the word "touch"four times using the smart keyboard. Data collected from the device could be used to recognize different participants based on how they typed, with very low error rates. The researchers say that the keyboard should be pretty straightforward to commercialize and is mostly made of inexpensive, plastic﹣like parts. The team hopes to make it to market in the near future.
(1)Why do the researchers develop the smart keyboard?
A. To reduce pressure on keys.
B. To improve accuracy in typing.
C. To replace the password system.
D. To cut the cost of e﹣space protection.
(2)What makes the invention of the smart keyboard possible?
A. Computers are much easier to operate.
B. Fingerprint scanning techniques develop fast.
C. Typing patterns vary from person to person.
D. Data security measures are guaranteed.
(3)What do the researchers expect of the smart keyboard?
A.It'll be environment﹣friendly.
B.It'll reach consumers soon.
C.It'll be made of plastics.
D.It'll help speed up typing.
(4)Where is this text most likely from?
A.A diary.
B.A guidebook.
C.A novel.
D.A magazine.
For Canaan Elementary's second grade in Patchogue, N.Y.,today is speech day ,and right now it's Chris Palaez's turn. The 8﹣year﹣old is the joker of the class. With shining dark eyes, he seems like the kind of kid who would enjoy public speaking.
But he's nervous."I'm here to tell you today why you should …should…"Chris trips on the"﹣ld,"a pronunciation difficulty for many non﹣native English speakers. His teacher ,Thomas Whaley ,is next to him, whispering support."…Vote for …me …"Except for some stumbles, Chris is doing amazingly well. When he brings his speech to a nice conclusion ,Whaley invites the rest of the class to praise him.
A son of immigrants, Chris started learning English a little over three years ago. Whaley recalls(回想起)how at the beginning of the year,when called upon to read,Chris would excuse himself to go to the bathroom.
Learning English as a second language can be a painful experience. What you need is a great teacher who lets you make mistakes. "It takes a lot for any student," Whaley explains,"especially for a student who is learning English as their new language,to feel confident enough to say,'I don't know,but I want to know.'"
Whaley got the idea of this second﹣grade presidential campaign project when he asked the children one day to raise their hands if they thought they could never be a president. The answer broke his heart. Whaley says the project is about more than just learning to read and speak in public. He wants these kids to learn to boast(夸耀)about themselves.
"Boasting about yourself,and your best qualities," Whaley says,"is very difficult for a child who came into the classroom not feeling confident."
(1)What made Chris nervous?
A. Telling a story.
B. Making a speech.
C. Taking a test.
D. Answering a question.
(2)What does the underlined word "stumbles" in paragraph 2 refer to?
A. Improper pauses.
B. Bad manners.
C. Spelling mistakes.
D. Silly jokes.
(3)We can infer that the purpose of Whaley's project is to .
A. help students see their own strengths
B. assess students' public speaking skills
C. prepare students for their future jobs
D. inspire students' love for politics
(4)Which of the following best describes Whaley as a teacher? C
A. Humorous.
B. Ambitious.
C. Caring.
D. Demanding.
Need a Job This Summer?
The provincial government and its partners offer many programs to help students find summer jobs. The deadlines and what you need to apply depend on the program.
Not a student? Go to the government website to learn about programs and online tools available to help people under 30 build skills, find a job or start businesses all year round.
Jobs for Youth
If you are a teenager living in certain parts of the province, you could be eligible(符合条件)for this program, Which provides eight weeks of paid employment along with training.
Who is eligible: Youth 15﹣18 years old in select communities(社区).
Summer Company
Summer Company provides students with hands﹣on business training and awards of up to $3,000 to start and run their own summer businesses.
Who is eligible: Students aged 15﹣29, returning to school in the fall.
Stewardship Youth Ranger Program
You could apply to be a Stewardship Youth Ranger and work on local natural resource management projects for eight weeks this summer.
Who is eligible: Students aged 16 or 17 at time of hire, but not turning 18 before December 31 this year.
Summer Employment Opportunities(机会)
Through the Summer Employment Opportunities program, students are hired each year in a variety of summer positions across the Provincial Public Service, its related agencies and community groups.
Who is eligible: Students aged 15 or older. Some positions require students to be 15 to 24 or up to 29 for persons with a disability.
(1)What is special about Summer Company?
A. It requires no training before employment.
B. It provides awards for running new businesses.
C. It allows one to work in the natural environment.
D. It offers more summer job opportunities.
(2)What is the age range required by Stewardship Youth Ranger Program?
A.15﹣18.
B.15﹣24.
C.15﹣29.
D.16﹣17.
(3)Which program favors the disabled?
A. Jobs for Youth.
B. Summer Company.
C. Stewardship Youth Ranger Program.
D. Summer Employment Opportunities.
Two things changed my life:my mother and a white plastic bike basket.I have thought long and hard about it and it's true.I would be a different person if my mom hadn't turned a silly bicycle accessory into a life lesson I carry with me today.
My mother and father were united in their way of raising children,but it mostly fell to my mother to actually carry it out.Looking back,I honestly don't know how she did it.Managing the family budget must have been a very hard task.,but she made it look effortless.If we complained about not having what another kid did,we'd hear something like,"I don't care what so﹣and﹣so got for his birthday,you are not getting a TV in your room a car for your birthday a lsvish sweet 16party."We had to earn our allowance(零用钱) by doing chores around the house.I can stil l remember how long it took to polish the legs of our coffee table.My brothers can no doubt remember hours spent cleaning the house.Like the two little girls growing up at the White House,we made our own beds (no one left the house unitil that was done)and picked up after ourselves.We had to keep track of our belongings,and if something was lost,it was not replaced.
It was summer and,one day,my mother drove me to the bike shop to get a tire fixed﹣﹣﹣and there it was in the window,White,shiny,plastic and decorated with flowers,the basket winked at me and I knew﹣﹣﹣﹣I knew﹣﹣﹣I had to have it.
"It's beautiful,"my mother said when I pointed it out to her,"What a neat basket."
I tried to hold off at first,I played it cool for a short while.But then Iguess I couldn't atand it any longer:"Mon,please can I please,please get it?I'll do extra chores for as long as you say,I'll do anything,but I need that basket,I love that basket.Please,Mom.Please?"
I was desperate.
"You know,"she said,gently rubbing my back while we both stared at what I believes was the coolest thing ever,"If you save up you could buy this yourself."
"By the time I make enough it'll bu gone!"
"Maybe Roger here could hold it for you,"she smiled at Roger,the bike guy.
"He can't hold it for that long,Mom.Someone else will buy it.Please,Mom,Please?"
"There might be another way,"she said.
And so our paying plan unfolded.My mother bought the beautiful basket and put it safely in some hiding place I could't find.Each week I eagerly counted my growing saving increased by extra work here and there (washing the car,helping my mother make dinner,delivering or collevting things on my bike that already looked nakedwithout the basket in front).And then,weeks later,I counted,re﹣counted and jumped for joy.Oh,happy day!I made it!I finally had the exact amount we'd agreed upon….
Days later the unthinkable happened.A neighborhood girl I'd played with millions of times appeared with the exact same basket fixted to her shiny,new bike that already had all the bells and whistles.I rode hard and fast home to tell my mother about this disaster.This horrible turn of events.
And then came the lesson.I've taken with me through my life:"Honey,Your basket is extra﹣special,"Mom said,gently wiping away my hot tears."Your basket is special because you paid for it yourself."
55.What can we learn from the first two paragraphs?
A. |
The children enjoyed doing housework. |
B. |
The author came from s well﹣off family |
C. |
The mother raised her children in an unusual way |
D. |
The children were fond of the US president's daughters. |
56.When the author saw the basket in the window,she .
A. |
fell in love with it |
B. |
stared at her mother |
C. |
recognized it at once |
D. |
went up to the bike guy |
57.Why did the author say many"please"to her mother?
A. |
She longed to do extra work. |
B. |
She was eager to have the basket. |
C. |
She felt tired after standing too long. |
D. |
She wanted to be polite to her mother. |
58.By using"naked"(Paragraph 12),the author seems to stress that the basket was
A. |
something she could afford |
B. |
something important to her |
C. |
something impossible to get |
D. |
something she could do without |
59.To the author,it seemed to be a horrible turn of events that
A. |
something spoiled her paying plan |
B. |
the basket cost more than she had saved |
C. |
a neighborhood girl had bought a new bike |
D. |
someone else had got a basket of the same kind |
60.What is the life lesson the author learned from her mother?
A. |
Save money for a rainy day |
B. |
Good advice is beyond all price. |
C. |
Earn your bread with your sweat |
D. |
God helps those who help themselves. |
A scientist working at her lab bench and a six﹣old baby playing with his food might seem to have little in common.After all,the scientist is engaged in serious research to uncover the very nature of the physical world,and the baby is,well,just playing…right?Perhaps,but some developmental psychologists (心理学家)have argued that this"play"is more like a scientific investigation than one might think.
Take a closer look at the baby playing at the table.Each time the bowl of rice is pushed over the table edge,it falls in the ground﹣﹣﹣and,in the process,it brings out important evidence about how physical objects interact(相互作用); bowls of rice do not float in mid﹣are,but require support to remain stable.It is likely that babies are not born knowing this basic fact of the universe;nor are they ever clearly taught it.Instead,babies may form an understanding of object support through repeated experiments and then build on this knowledge to learn even more about how objects interact.Though their ranges and tools differ,the baby's investigation and the scientist's experiment appear to share the same aim(to learn about the natural world ),overall approach (gathering direct evidence from the world),and logic (are my observations what I expected?).
Some psychologists suggest that young children learn about more than just the physical world in this way﹣﹣﹣that they investigate human psychology and the rules of language using similar means.For example,it may only be through repeated experiments,evidence gathering,and finally overturning a theory,that a baby will come to accept the idea that other people can have different views and desires from what he or she has,for example,unlike the child,Mommy actually doesn't like Dove chocolate.
Viewing childhood development as a scientific investigation throws light on how children learn,but it also offers an inspiring look at science and scientists.Why do young children and scientists seem to be so much alike?Psychologists have suggested that science as an effort﹣﹣﹣the desire to explore,explain,and understand our world﹣﹣﹣is simply something that comes from our babyhood.Perhaps evolution provided human babies with curiosity and a natural drive to explain their worlds,and adult scientists simply make use of the same drive that served them as children.The same cognitive systems that make young children feel good about feel good about figuring something out may have been adopted by adult scientists.As some psychologists put it,"It is not that children are little scientists but that scientists are big children."
50.According to some developmental psychologists,
A. |
a baby's play is nothing more than a game. |
B. |
scientific research into babies; games is possible |
C. |
the nature of babies'play has been thoroughly investigated |
D. |
a baby's play is somehow similar to a scientist's experiment |
51.We learn from Paragraph 2 that
A. |
scientists and babies seem to observe the world differently |
B. |
scientists and babies often interact with each other |
C. |
babies are born with the knowledge of object support |
D. |
babies seem to collect evidence just as scientists do |
52.Children may learn the rules of language by
A. |
exploring the physical world |
B. |
investigating human psychology |
C. |
repeating their own experiments |
D. |
observing their parents'behaviors |
53.What is the main idea of the last paragraph?
A. |
The world may be more clearly explained through children's play. |
B. |
Studying babies'play may lead to a better understanding of science. |
C. |
Children may have greater ability to figure out things than scientists. |
D. |
One's drive for scientific research may become stronger as he grows. |
54.What is the author's tone when he discusses the connection between scientists'research and babies'play?
A. |
Convincing. |
B. |
Confused. |
C. |
Confident. |
D. |
Cautious. |