Can you understand the beginning of this article?
“My smmr hols wr CWOT. B4, we usd 2go2 NY 2C my bro, his GF & 3 kds FTF.”
The Scottish teacher who received it in class had no idea what the girl who wrote it meant. The essay was written in a form of English used in cell phone text messages. Text messages (also called SMS2) through cell phones became very popular in the late 1990s. At first, mobile phone companies thought that text messaging would be a good way to send messages to customers, but customers quickly began to use the text messaging service to send messages to each other. Teenagers in particular enjoyed using text messaging, and they began to create a new language for messages called texting.
A text message is limited to 160 characters, including letters, spaces, and numbers, so messages must be kept short. In addition, typing on the small keypad of a cell phone is difficult, so it’s common to make words shorter. In texting, a single letter or number can represent a word, like “r” for “are,” “u” for “you,” and “2” for “to.” Several letters can also represent a phrase, like “lol” for “laughing out loud.” Another characteristic of texting is the leaving out of letters in a word, like spelling “please” as “pls.”
Some parents and teachers worry that texting will make children bad spellers and bad writers. The student who wrote the essay at the top of this page said writing that way was more comfortable for her. (The essay said, “My summer holidays were a complete waste of time. Before, we used to go to New York to see my brother, his girlfriend, and their three kids face to face.”)
Not everyone agrees that texting is a bad thing. Some experts say languages always evolve, and this is just another way for English to change. Other people believe texting will disappear soon. New technology for voice messages may soon make text messages a thing of the past.What is the writer’s opinion of text messaging?
| A．It is fun and easy to do. |
| B．It is not bad for children. |
| C．It will make children bad writers. |
| D．The writer does not give an opinion. |
Which way of texting is NOT described in the passage?
| A．Using phrases to represent essays |
| B．Using numbers to represent words |
| C．Using letters to represent phrases |
| D．Using letters to represent words |
Which of the following was most probably the title of the student’s essay?
| A．My Gr8 Tchr | B．CU in LA | C．My GF | D．My Smmr Hols |
Why do some people think that texting is bad?
| A．It has been replaced by voice message |
| B．It’s too difficult to type. |
| C．Teenagers won’t learn to write correctly. |
| D．It’s not comfortable. |
Why aren’t some people worried about the effect of texting?
| A．Not many people use texting. |
| B．Spelling in English is too difficult. |
| C．Teenagers quickly become bored with texting. |
| D．Texting will disappear because of new technology. |
Next time you hear a funny joke you’d better not laugh too hard. According to a paper published by the British Medical Journal, laughter isn’t always the best medicine. Sometimes it can even be harmful. Professor Robin Ferner from the University of Birmingham, one of the authors of the study, found that bad things could happen to people who laughed too much. He says: “We found people with heartbeat problems which had stopped their heart, we found people who had fainted(昏倒), and we found people who’d dislocated their jaws or burst their lungs.”
It seems that laughing can be no laughing matter. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Professor Ferner says there are benefits to laughing when you want to lose weight, for example. Yes, that’s right: laugh and be slimmer! Professor Ferner explains that: “You use energy when you laugh, you move your diaphragm(横膈膜), you expand your lungs, and both those things can be helpful.”
According to the research, laughing for a quarter of an hour can burn up to 40 calories, and if you laughed all day you’d use up about 2,000 calories, which is what most people consume in a day. But don’t do that or you might end up with a painful jaw. Ouch! Or you might find people looking at you in a funny way.
But I don’t want to finish this article leaving you feeling desperate. Laughter comes naturally for most of us. Babies begin to laugh at around 3-6 months. So give in to your sense of humour and keep smiling. Life is short anyway.
Laughing too much may cause the following harmful results EXCEPT_________.
| A．heart stop | B．diaphragm movement |
| C．lung burst | D．jaw dislocation |
The underlined phrase “doom and gloom” in Paragraph 2 probably means_______.
| A．hopeless | B．funny | C．painful | D．nervous |
How many calories can you use if you laugh for half a day?
| A．About 40. | B．About 1,000. |
| C．About 2,000. | D．About 2,040. |
What is the author’s attitude towards laughing in the last paragraph?
| A．Uninterested. | B．Disapproving. |
| C．Worried. | D．Favorable. |
Every week in China, millions of people will sit in front of their TVs watching teenagers compete for the title Character Hero, which is a Chinese-style spelling bee(拼写大赛). In this challenge, young competitors must write Chinese characters by hand. To prepare for the competition, the competitors usually spend months studying dictionaries.
Perhaps the show’s popularity should not be a surprise. Along with gunpowder and paper, many Chinese people consider the creation of Chinese calligraphy(书法)to be one of their primary contributions to civilization. Unfortunately, all over the country, Chinese people are forgetting how to write their own language without computerized help. Software on smart phones and computers allows users to type in the basic sound of the word using the Latin alphabet. The correct character is chosen from a list. The result? It’s possible to recognize characters without remembering how to write them.
But there’s still hope for the paint brush. China’s Education Ministry wants children to spend more time learning how to write.
In one Beijing primary school we visited, students practice calligraphy every day inside a specially decorated classroom with traditional Chinese paintings hanging on the walls. Soft music plays as a group of six-year-olds dip brush pens into black ink. They look up at the blackboard often to study their teacher’s examples before carefully attempting to reproduce those characters on thin rice paper. “If adults can survive without using handwriting, why bother to teach it now?” we ask the calligraphy teacher, Shen Bin. “The ability to write characters is part of Chinese tradition and culture,” she reasons. “Students must learn now so they don’t forget when they grow up.” says the teacher. What can we learn about the Character Hero?
| A．It’s open to people of all ages and all walks. |
| B．It’s the most-viewed TV programs in China. |
| C．It aims to spread Chinese culture to the world. |
| D．It draws great public attention across the country. |
Why are Chinese people forgetting how to write the characters?
| A．Chinese people don’t refer to dictionaries very often. |
| B．Chinese people no longer use brush pens or practice calligraphy. |
| C．Chinese people are using the Latin alphabet instead of the characters. |
| D．Chinese people needn’t write by hand as often with the help of technology. |
According to Shen Bin, being able to write characters by hand is_________.
| A．necessary for adults to survive in China |
| B．a requirement made by the Education Ministry |
| C．helpful to keep Chinese tradition and culture alive |
| D．an ability to be developed only when you are students |
Where does this text probably come from?
| A．A news report. | B．A science report. |
| C．An advertisement. | D．Children’s literature. |
Restaurants in the USA
Steve’s Pizza
So many pizza chains compete for the attention of tourists in South Beach, but ask a Miami Beach local where to get the best pizza and they’ll tell you about Steve’s. This is New York–style pizza, handmade with care and good ingredients(成份). New branches of Steve’s are opening elsewhere in Miami, all in non-tourist areas.
Opening hours: 11am-3am
Cattleman’s Steakhouse
This place is 20 miles east of the city, but local folks would probably drive 200 miles to eat here. The food is good, and the scenery is even better. Come early and wander around the grounds of Indian Cliffs Ranch, where you’ll see everything from rabbits to buffalo (水牛), then catch the sunset either before or after your meal.
Opening hours: 5pm-10pm
Absolute Baking & Cafe
The screen door is always swinging open at this town hot spot with giant breakfasts. Try the green chili on eggs – it’s made from scratch, as are the organic(有机的) breads. Lunch includes salads, big sandwiches and local grass-fed beef burgers. Don’t miss a square of soft, fresh carrot cake.
Opening hours: 7am-2pm
Walt’s Wharf
Everybody’s favorite for fresh fish (some drive in from LA), Walt’s packs them in on weekends. You can’t make reservations for dinner (though they’re accepted for lunch), but it’s worth the wait for the tree fire–grilled seafood and steaks in the many-windowed ground floor or upstairs in captain’s chairs.
Opening hours: 11am-3:30pmThe new branches of Steve’s Pizza are mainly intended for_________.
| A．New Yorkers | B．tourists | C．the locals | D．foreigners |
Cattleman’s Steakhouse offers the wonderful _________as well as good food.
| A．wine | B．view | C．discount | D．service |
Which restaurant serves both breakfast and lunch?
| A．Steve’s Pizza. | B．Walt’s Wharf. |
| C．Absolute Baking & Café. | D．Cattleman’s Steakhouse. |
A study notes that Some children are natural-born bosses. They have a strong need to make decisions, manage their environment, and lead rather than follow. Stephen Jackson, a Year One student, "operates under the theory of what's mine is mine and what's yours is mine," says his mother."The other day I bought two new Star Wars light sabers (剑). Later, I saw Stephen with the two new ones while his brogher was using the beat-up ones."
"Examine the extended family, and you'll probably find a bossy grandparent, aunt, uncle or cousin in every generation. It's a common inheritable trait," says Russell Barkley, a professor at the Medical University of South Carolina. Other children who may not be particularly bossy can gradually gain control when they sense their parents are weak, hesitant, or in disagreement with each other.
Whether it's inborn nature or developed character at work, too much control in the hands at the young isn't healthy for children or the family, Fear is at the root of a lot of bossy behavior, says family psychologist John Taylor. Children, he says in his book From Defiance to Cooperation, "have secret feelings of weakness" and "a desire to feel safe." It's the parents' role to provide that protection.
When a "boss child" doesn't learn limits at home, the stage is set for a host of troubles outside the family. The overly willful and unbending child may have trouble obeying teachers or coaches, for example, or trouble keeping friends. It can be pretty lonely as the top dog if no one likes your bossy ways.
"I see more and more parents giving up their power," says Barkley, who has studied bossy behavior for more than 30 years."They bend too far because they don't want to be as strict as their own parents were. But they also feel less confident about their parenting skills. Their kids, in turn, feel more anxious."Bossy children like Stephen Jackson _____.
| A．make good decisions |
| B．show self-centeredness |
| C．lack care from others |
| D．have little sense of fear |
The underlined phrase "inheritable trait" in Paragraph 2 means _____.
| A．inborn nature | B．accepted theory |
| C．developed character | D．particular environment |
The study on bossy behavior implies that parents _____.
| A．should not set limits for their children |
| B．should give more power to their children |
| C．should be strict with their children properly |
| D．should let children find sense of safety by themselves |
It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that bossy children may become
| A．relaxed and confident | B．hesitant and weak |
| C．lonely and anxious | D．willful and unbending |
Planning your to-do list for the coming year? To help you out，we've collected our favorite must-see events across Canada.
Red or White Wine
Every spring wine growers get together to celebrate the beginning of another grape-growing season at the Okanagan Spring Wine Festival. The best time to visit the Okanagan is usually from May 1st to 10th·The festival allows visitors to taste the best wines in Canada together with unique dishes representing the latest progress in local cuisine.
The Jazz Festival
Montreal's downtown comes alive every summer during the International Jazz Festival. This Year the event is scheduled to run from June 29th to July 9th·Stages replace cars along busy streets. With a host of free outdoor shows，you'll be snapping your fingers to anything from Dixieland to blues，African beats to modern trip-hop，and everything in between.
The Newfoundland Targa Rally
Just head east to the Newfoundland Targa Rally，which runs from September 9th to 16th this year. The 2，200-ki-lometre race dashes across the eastern and central parts of the province，and is the largest race of its kind in North America. On these sections you race against the clock rather than other competitors. This is a great chance to test your car's limits and your skills.
The Canadian Tulip Festival
In 1945，thousands of tulip bulbs（郁金香球根），gifts from Holland，were planted on Ottawa's Parliament Hill，Canada. These gifts were a thank-you to Canadian soldiers who helped set Holland free in World War II.Since then，the capital has become home to the Canadian Tulip Festival. From May 4th to 22nd，Ottawa and Gatineau will be covered with beautiful flowers. Besides three million tulips，visitors can also attend concerts，which feature some of Canada's brightest musical stars.Wine lovers can have fun
| A．from May 4th to 22nd |
| B．from May 1 st to 10th |
| C．from June 29th to July 9th |
| D．from September 9th to 16th |
Holland is mentioned in the text to show
| A．the cruelty of World War II |
| B．the wisdom of Canadian soldiers |
| C．the origin of the Canadian Tulip Festival |
| D．the popularity of the Canadian Tulip Festival |
The text is most likely to be found in a book about
| A．popular events in Canada |
| B．the geography of Canada |
| C．historical events of Canada |
| D．traditional cultures in Canada |