EAT YOUR VEGETABLES. Wash your hands. Always say "please" and "thank you ".We are full of advice for our children, but when it comes to money, we often have little to say. As a result, our children may grow up with clean hands and good manners, but without any idea how to manage their money.Here are some basics that will help guide them their entire lives:
Show them the future. If your 13-year-old girl were to save $1.000,invest(投资)it at 8% and add $100 every month, by the time she's 65,she would have $980,983!
Be careful of credit(信用).Credit cards can help you buy necessary things and build a credit history, but they must be used responsibly, which means paying off your debt in time. Explain to your children that when you buy something using a credit card, you can easily end up paying two or three times what you would have paid if you used cash.
Teach patience. Suppose your child wants a new bicycle that costs $150.Rather than paying the cash, give him some regular pocket money and explain that by putting aside,say,$15 each week, he will be able to buy it for himself in only ten weeks.
Provide incentive. Tell your children the importance of saving. "For every dollar he or she agrees to save and invest rather than spend, you agree to add another dollar to the pot, "says Cathy Pareto, expert in money planning.
Explain your values. Values and money are deeply intertwined(缠结在一起), says Eilleen Gallo, co-author of The Financially Intelligent Parent. When your child demands that you buy something, explain why you really don't want to buy it. "You might say, 'I'd rather save that money for your education,'" advises Gallo. Every time you spend or don't spend money, you have a chance to share your values.The writer gives some basics to help ____ in a proper way.
A.parents teach their children how to deal with money |
B.children follow their parents 'instructions |
C.children manage their money |
D.parents save their money |
The underlined word "incentive" in paragraph 6 means ____.
A.honor | B.praise | C.excitement | D.encouragement |
What leads the writer to write this article?
A. Parents want to know how to educate their children.
B. He wants to share his good ideas about money matters.
C .He thinks money management the most important for children.
D. Parents care little about their children's management of money.
A device that stops drivers from falling asleep at the wheel is about to undergo(接受) testing at Department of Transport laboratories and could go on sale within 12 months.
The system, called driver Alert, aims to reduce deadly road accidents by 20%--40% that are caused by tiredness. Airline pilots can also use it to reduce the 30% of all pilot-error accidents that are related to fatigue(疲劳).
Driver Alert is based on a computerized wristband. The device, worn by drivers or pilots gives out a sound about every four minutes during a car journey. After each sound the driver must respond by squeezing the steering wheel(方向盘). A sensor in the wristband detects this pressing action and measures the time between the sound and the driver’s response.
Tiredness is directly related to a driver’s response time. Usually, a watchful driver would take about 400 milliseconds to respond, but once that falls to more than 500 milliseconds, it suggests that the driver is getting sleepy.
In such cases the device gives out more regular and louder sounds, showing that the driver should open a window or stop for a rest. If the driver’s response continues to slow down, the sounds become more frequent until a nonstop alarm warns that the driver must stop as soon as possible.
The device has been delivered to the department’s laboratories for testing. If these tests, scheduled for six months’ time, are successful, the makers will bring the product to market within about a year.How should a driver respond to the sounds from Driver Alert?
A.By sounding a warning. |
B.By touching the wristband. |
C.By checking the driving time. |
D.By pressing the steering wheel. |
We can learn from the text that the driver needs to stop for a break when his response time is ________
A.about 400 milliseconds | B.below 500 milliseconds |
C.over 500 milliseconds | D.about 4 minutes |
When the driver gets sleepy while driving, Driver Alert ______.
A.moves more regularly |
B.stops working properly |
C.opens the window for the driver |
D.sounds more frequently and loudly |
According to the text, Driver Alert ______.
A.aims to reduce tiredness-related accidents |
B.has gone through testing at laboratories |
C.aims to prevent drivers from sleeping |
D.has been on sale for 12 months |
Sports can help you keep fit and get in touch with nature.However, whether you are on the mountains, in the waves, or on the grassland, you should be aware that your sport of choice might have great influence on the environment.
Some sports are resource-hungry.Golf, as you may know, eats up not only large areas of countryside, but also tons of water.Besides, all sorts of chemicals and huge amounts of energy are used to keep its courses (球场) in good condition.This causes major environmental effects.For example, in the dry regions of Portugal and Spain, golf is often held responsible for serious water shortage in some local areas.
There are many environment-friendly sports.Power walking is one of them that you could take up today.You don’t need any special equipment except a good pair of shoes; and you don’t have to worry about resources and your purse.Simple and free, power walking can also keep you fit.If you walk regularly, it will be good for your heart and bones.Experts say that 20 minutes of power walking daily can make you feel less anxious, sleep well and have better weight control.
Whatever sport you take up, you can make it greener by using environment-friendly equipment and buying products made from recycled materials.But the final goal should be “green gyms”.They are better replacements for traditional health clubs and modern sports centers.Members of green gyms play sports outdoors, in the countryside or other open spaces.There is no special requirement for you to start your membership.And best of all, it’s free.The author thinks the golf is resource-hungry because of the following EXCEPT that ________.
A.Golf wastes large areas of countryside |
B.Golf runs out of much water |
C.Golf is bad for people’s health |
D.Keeping golf court in good condition needs too much energy |
According to the passage, which of the following is an environment-friendly sport?
A.hiking in the hills | B.swimming in the pool |
C.playing basketball in the gym | D.motor racing in the desert |
The reason why the author uses power walking as an example mainly is that ________.
A.it improves our health | B.it is an outdoor sport |
C.it is recommended by experts | D.it uses fewer resources |
The passage is developed mainly by ________.
A.examples and explanation | B.comparison and persuasion |
C.facts and descriptions | D.figures and conclusion |
Honey from the African forest is not only a kind of natural sugar, it is also delicious. Most people, and many animals, like eating it. However, the only way for them to get that honey is to find a wild bees’ nest and take the honey from it. Often, these nests are high up in trees, and it is difficult to find them. In parts of Africa, though, people and animals looking for honey have a strange and unexpected helper — a little bird called a honey guide.
The honey guide does not actually like honey, but it does like the wax in the beehives (蜂房). The little bird cannot reach this wax(蜡), which is deep inside the bees’ nest. So, when it finds a suitable nest, it looks for someone to help it. The honey guide gives a loud cry that attracts the attention of both passing animals and people. Once it has their attention, it flies through the forest, waiting from time to time for the curious animal or person as it leads them to the nest. When they finally arrive at the nest, the follower reaches in to get at the delicious honey as the bird patiently waits and watches. Some of the honey, and the wax, always falls to the ground, and this is when the honey guide takes its share.
Scientists do not know why the honey guide likes eating the wax, but it is very determined in its efforts to get it. The birds seem to be able to smell wax from a long distance away. They will quickly arrive whenever a beekeeper is taking honey from his beehives, and will even enter churches when beeswax candles are being lighted.Why is it difficult to find a wild bees' nest?
A.It's small in size. | B.It's buried in the soil. |
C.It's covered with wax. | D.It's hidden in trees. |
What do the words "the follower" in Paragraph 2 refer to?
A.A bee. | B.A bird. |
C.A honey searcher. | D.A beekeeper. |
The honey guide is special in the way ________.
A.it gets its food | B.it goes to church |
C.it sings in the forest | D.it reaches into bees’ nests |
What can be the best title for the text?
A.Wild Bees | B.Wax and Honey |
C.Honey-Lover's Helper | D.Beekeeping in Africa |
One day, when I was working as a psychologist(心理学家) in England, a young boy showed up in my office. It was David. He kept walking up and down restlessly, his face pale, and his hands shaking slightly. His head teacher had introduced him to me before. “This boy has lost his family,” he wrote. “He is understandably very sad and refuses to talk to others, and I’m very worried about him. Can you help?”
I looked at David and showed him to a chair. How could I help him? There are problems which psychology doesn’t have the answer to, and which no words can describe. Sometimes the best thing one can do is to listen openly and silently. And I would do in this way.
The first two times we met, David didn’t say a word. He sat there, only looking up to look at the children’s drawings on the wall behind me. I suggested we play a game of chess. He nodded. After that he played chess with me every Wednesday afternoon—in complete silence and without looking at me. It’s not easy to cheat in chess, but I admit I made sure David won once or twice.
Usually, he arrived earlier than agreed, took the chess board and pieces from the shelf and began setting them up before I even got a chance to sit down. It seemed as if he enjoyed my company. But why did he never look at me?
“Perhaps he simply needs someone to share his pain with,” I thought. “Perhaps he senses that I respect his suffering.” Some months later, when we were playing chess, he looked up at me suddenly.
“It’s your turn,” he said.
After that day, David started talking. He got friends in school and joined a bicycle club. He wrote to me a few times, about his biking with some friends, and about his plan to get into university. Now he had really started to live his own life.
Maybe I gave David something. But I also learned that one—without any words—can reach out to another person. All it takes is a hug, a shoulder to cry on, a friendly touch, and an ear that listens.When he first met the author, David_________.
A.felt a little excited | B.walked stubbornly |
C.looked a little nervous | D.showed up with his teacher |
As a psychologist, the author __________.
A.was uncertain about psychology | B.was ready to listen to David |
C.was able to describe David’s problem | D.was sure of solving David’s problem |
David enjoyed being with the author because he____________.
A.needed to share pain with the author |
B.wanted to ask the author for advice |
C.liked the children’s drawing in the office |
D.beat the author many times in the chess game |
What can be inferred about David?
A.He recovered after months of treatment. |
B.He liked biking before he lost his family. |
C.He went into university soon after starting to talk. |
D.He got friends in school before he met the author. |
What made David change?
A.His teacher’s help. |
B.His exchange of letters with the author. |
C.The author’s friendship. |
D.The author’s silent communication with him. |
The Healthy Habits Survey shows that only about one third of American seniors(年长者) have correct habits. Here are some findings and expert advice.
1.How many times did you brush your teeth yesterday?
·Finding:About 33% of seniors brush their teeth only once a day.
·Step:Remove the 300 kinds of bacteria in your mouth each morning with a battery-operated toothbrush. Brush gently for 2 minutes, at least twice a day.
2.How many times did you wash your hands or bathe yesterday?
·Finding:Seniors, on average, bathe fewer than 3 days a week. And nearly 30% wash their hands only 4 times a day—half of the number that doctors advise.
·Step:We touch our faces around 3,000 times a day-often inviting germs(病菌)to enter our mouth, nose, and eyes. Use toilet paper to avoid touching the door handle. And, most important, wash your hands often with hot running water and soap for 20 seconds.
3. How often do you think about fighting germs?
·Finding:Seniors are not fighting germs as well as they should.
·Step:Be aware of germs. Do you know it is not your toilet but your kitchen sponge(海绵)that can carry more germs than anything else? To kill these germs, keep your sponge in the microwave for 10 seconds.What is found out about American seniors?
A.Most of them have good habits. |
B.Nearly 30% of them bathe three days a week . |
C.All of them are fighting germs better than expected . |
D.About one third of them brush their teeth only once a day |
Doctors suggest that people should wash their hands _________.
A.twice a day | B.three times a day |
C.four times a day | D.eight times a day |
Which of the following is true according to the text?
A.We should stop touching our faces. |
B.A kitchen sponge can carry more germs than a toilet. |
C.There are less than 300 kinds of bacteria in the mouth. |
D.We should wash our hands before touching a door handle. |