I had an experience some years ago, which taught me something about the ways in which people make a bad situation worse by blaming themselves．One January, I had to hold two funerals on successive days for two elderly women in my community．Both had died “full of years”, as the Bible would say．Their homes happened to be near each other, so I paid condolence （吊唁） calls on the two families on the same afternoon.
At the first home, the son of the deceased （已故的） woman said to me, “If only I had sent my mother to Florida and gotten her out of this cold and snow, she would be alive today．It’s my fault that she died.” At the second home, the son of the other deceased woman said, “If only I hadn’t insisted on my mother’s going to Florida, she would be alive today．That long airplane ride, the sudden change of climate, was more than she could take．It’s my fault that she’s dead.”
You see that any time there is a death, the survivors will feel guilty．Because the course of action they took turned out badly, they believe that the opposite course — keeping Mother at home, putting off the operation — would have turned out better．After all, how could it have turned out any worse?
There seem to be two elements involved in our willingness to feel guilty．The first is our pressing need to believe that the world makes sense, that there is a cause for every effect and a reason for everything that happens．That leads us to find patterns and connections both where they really exist and where they exist only in our minds.
The second element is the view that we are the cause of what happens, especially the bad things that happen．It seems to be a short step from believing that every event has a cause to believing that every disaster is our fault．The roots of this feeling may lie in our childhood.
A baby comes to think that the world exists to meet his needs, and that he makes everything happen in it．He wakes up in the morning and summons the rest of the world to its tasks．He cries, and someone comes to attend to him．When he is hungry, people feed him, and when he is wet, people change him．Very often, we do not completely outgrow that childish view that our wishes cause things to happen.The author had to hold the two women’s funerals probably because __________________.
| A．he wanted to comfort the two families |
| B．he was an official from the community |
| C．he had great pity for the deceased |
| D．he was priest of the local church |
People feel guilty for the deaths of their loved ones because _______________________.
| A．they couldn’t find a better way to express their sorrow |
| B．they believe that they were responsible |
| C．they had neglected the natural course of events |
| D．they didn’t know things often turn out in the opposite direction |
According to the passage, the underlined part in paragraph 4 probably means that ______.
| A．everything in the world is predetermined |
| B．the world can be interpreted in different ways |
| C．there’s an explanation for everything in the world |
| D．we have to be sensible in order to understand the world |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Life and death is an unsolved mystery. |
| B．Every story should have a happy ending. |
| C．Never feel guilty all the time because not every disaster is our fault. |
| D．In general, the survivors will feel guilty about the people who passed away . |
The New York Aquarium (水族馆) offers a diverse collection and nice viewing experience for all our guests. Whether you’re observing penguins on their rocky coastline home or swimming underwater, looking at a coral reef (珊瑚礁) under the water, or cheering on California sea lions at the theater, you’ll find plenty to see and do during your visit. Your underwater adventure is waiting for you! This summer, head out to Coney Island to learn about the underwater world at the New York Aquarium.
Just off the Coney Island in Brooklyn, the New York Aquarium features more than 300 marine (海洋的) species, such as dolphins and seals. Meet some of our mammals and fish, and learn about their natural history, biology, and cultural roles.
| Hours |
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| Summer hours May 28 – Sept. 5 |
10:00 a.m. – 6:00 p.m. , Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. – 7:00 p.m. , Weekends & Holidays |
| Fall hours Sept. 6 – Nov. 6 |
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. , Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. , Weekends & Holidays |
| Winter hours Nov. 7 – Mar. 31 |
10:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. , Daily |
| Spring hours Apr. 1– May 27 |
10:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. , Monday–Friday 10:00 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. , Weekends & Holidays |
Total Experience Ticket
Adult $18.00
Child (Ages 3-12) $14.00
Senior (65+) $15.00
Groups (at least ten visitors) $8.00
﹡Includes admission to our 4-D Theater Plus General Admission.
﹡Children under 3 years old are free!
﹡To receive the group rate, you must make a reservation at least two weeks in advance of your group’s visit. Please call 718-741-1818.
Friday Afternoon Special
Admission on Fridays beginning at 3:00 p.m. is by donation. Suggested donation is $13 for adults, $9 for children, and $10 for seniors. Every dollar you give supports our work in caring for animals at the aquarium.
Aquarium Parking
Car $13.00
Bus $13.00
Please note:
﹡Due to rising costs, the Wildlife Conservation Society reserves the right to change all fees without notice.
﹡All Aquarium buildings and exhibits are wheelchair-accessible.
﹡For further information, please call 718-265-3454.Which animal can’t visitors probably see at the New York Aquarium?
| A．Penguins. | B．Pandas. | C．Dolphins. | D．Seals. |
Six adults (including a man of 68) and two children (aged 2 and 10) are going to visit the New York Aquarium on Sunday. They will have to pay ______________ at least.
| A．$144 | B．$133 | C．$64 | D．$119 |
The donation is used to ______________.
| A．help the poor people |
| B．help to save the endangered animals in the wild |
| C．care for animals at the aquarium |
| D．help the disabled visitors |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．You can visit the New York Aquarium at 5:30 p.m. on Christmas. |
| B．A visitor in a wheelchair can get around at the New York Aquarium. |
| C．Visitors can enjoy free parking service on Friday. |
| D．To enjoy the group rate, visitors must make a reservation at least two weeks in advance by sending an e-mail. |
Most of us seem to reach our peak of alertness (警觉) around noon. Soon after that, alertness declines, and sleepiness may set in by mid-afternoon.
Your short-term memory is best during the morning—in fact, about 15 percent more efficient than at any other time of day. So, students, take notice: when you are faced with a morning exam, it really does pay to review your notes right before the test is given.
However, long-term memory is different. Afternoon is the best time for learning materials that you want to recall days, weeks or months later. Politicians, business executives or others who must learn speeches would be smart to do their memorizing during that time of day. You should try to do most of your studying in the afternoon, rather than late at night. Many students believe they memorize better while burning the midnight oil because their short-term recall is better during the early hours of the morning than in the afternoon. But short-term memory won’t help them much several days later, when they face the exam.
By contrast, we tend to do best on tasks related to the process of knowing, understanding, and learning numbers during the morning hours.
What about sports? During afternoon and early evening, you’re able to react the quickest to an outside stimulus—like a baseball speeding toward you. Studies have also shown that late in the day, when your body temperature is peaking, you will consider PE easier and less tiring—whether it actually is or not. That means you are more likely to work harder during a late afternoon or early evening workout, and therefore benefit more from it.
In fact, all of your senses—taste, sight, hearing, touch and smell—may be at their keenest during late afternoon and early evening. That could be why dinner usually tastes better to us than breakfast.
While all of us follow the same general pattern of ups and downs, the exact timing varies from person to person. It all depends on how your “biological” day is structured. Each of us can increase our knowledge about our individual rhythms. Learn how to listen to the inner beats of your body; let them set the pace of your day. You will live a healthier and happier life.What does the underlined “it really does pay” mean?
| A．It will cost a lot. | B．It requires price. |
| C．It is very painful. | D．It is worthwhile. |
If there is an English exam two weeks later, you should go over English ____________ for days before that.
| A．in the afternoon | B．in the late evening |
| C．in the early morning | D．right before the exam |
From the passage, it can be inferred that ______________.
| A．we eat more food at noon |
| B．we feel most tired if we exercise in the evening |
| C．it is a good choice to study math in the morning |
| D．we feel most sleepy before noon |
Which would be the best title for the passage?
| A．What’s Your Best Time of the Day for Different Tasks |
| B．How to Live a Healthier and Happier Life |
| C．How to Study Efficiently |
| D．How to Keep Your Best State of Learning |
Has Tiger Mom gone soft? One year after the release of her book, Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother, Amy Chua is back in the spotlight, reflecting on how overnight infamy (恶名) affected her life, her family and her parenting.
“I have changed a lot,” she told the Huffington Post. “In October, we had 30 kids at our house! We have hosted parties with lots of food and music.”
Last January, the Wall Street Journal published an excerpt (节选) from Chua’s book with the headline “Why Chinese Mothers Are Superior”. In the excerpt, Chua described how her daughters were never allowed to have sleepovers (在外过夜的儿童聚会), appear in school plays, or earn any grade lower than an A. Chua, an author and professor at Yale Law School, spent much of 2011 on the defensive. In fact, many of her interviews seemed to lend fuel to her critics’ fire.
Now, with the book out in paperback, she said, “I put passages in the book and used very harsh words that I regret. Everybody has those moments you wish you could take back.”
For those who still read Battle Hymn as an advice guide, Chua argues that so-called tiger parenting should be employed mainly during a child’s early years, ideally between the ages of 5 and 12. These “super-strict parenting tactics” are not meant for all ages. Remaining strict after middle school makes you a helicopter parent, according to Chua. And she is quick to point out how different that is from being a tiger mom.
“By the time kids get to high school, helicopter parents are hiring all these tutors, carrying their kids’ sports bags. I never checked older daughter Sophia’s papers because I knew she knew how to sit down and focus,” Chua said.
As for younger daughter Lulu, 15, the rebel for whom the book was written, Chua has really backed off. Instead of forcing Lulu to practise violin for hours a day—the source of their biggest fights, Chua “let her give that up”. “My compromise (妥协) is that I’m going to still be as strict academically, but in exchange she has a lot of social freedom. Lulu has had four sleepovers in the last two months!” Chua said. Chua predicts she’ll only get more easygoing with age. What does the passage mainly tell us?
| A．Tiger Mom has changed and wants to be soft. |
| B．Tiger Mom persuaded readers to follow her example. |
| C．How Battle Hymn of the Tiger Mother came out. |
| D．How Tiger Mom became the worldwide spotlight. |
From paragraph 1 we can know that after the publication of the book______________.
| A．Tiger Mom became stricter with her children |
| B．Tiger Mom was thought highly by the public |
| C．Tiger Mom’s life and family were influenced |
| D．Tiger Mom became wealthy and easygoing |
Lulu quarreled with her mother mainly over______________.
| A．whether she could do well at school |
| B．when she could have sleepovers |
| C．what should be written in the book |
| D．how long she practiced the violin |
My mother is a diligent and kind woman. She is very busy from morning till night. As a teacher, she works hard. 1Both my brother and I love her dearly as she loves us.
My mother has been teaching math at a middle school in my hometown. She goes to work early in the morning and does not return home until late in the afternoon. 2She treats them with patience and teaches them well. For her excellent quality and very good teaching results, she has been elected as a model teacher several times.
3Every day, when she comes back home from work, she sets about doing housework, sweeping the living room and bedrooms or cleaning the furniture, and putting everything in good order. She seems to be busy all the time. As she has been very busy working every day, she looks older than her age. But she looks as cheerful and happy as ever. Mother never buys expensive dresses for herself, but she often buys some inexpensive but high quality clothes for us. 4She just eats a plain meal outside when she is too busy to cook herself. She lives a busy yet simple life, without any complaints.
Often she says to us, “work while you work, and play while you play. That is the way to be happy and gay. If you do not work, you will become lazy and be of no use to society”. What a piece of good advice this is! 5This advice of hers will always serve as a guide to my behavior. My mother is great indeed, and I always feel proud of her.
| A．She enjoys listening to classic music. |
| B．As a mother, she takes good care of us and gives us every comfort. |
| C．She loves her students and cares for them. |
| D．She never goes to expensive restaurants to enjoy meals. |
E. My mother is hard-working and never wastes money.
F. I never forget it and always bear it in my mind.
G. Can you tell us something about your mother?
The invention of the electric telegraph gave birth to the communications industry.Although Samuel B．Morse succeeded in making the invention useful in 1837，it was not until 1843 that the first important telegraph line was constructed.By 1860 more than 50,000 miles of lines connected people east of the Rockies.The following year，San Francisco was added to the network.
The national telegraph network strengthened the ties between East and West and contributed to the rapid expansion of the railroads by providing an efficient means to monitor schedules and routes.Furthermore，the extension of the telegraph，combined with the invention of the steam－driven rotary printing press by Richard
M．Hoe in 1846，revolutionized the world of journalism.Where the business of news gathering had been dependent upon the mail and on hand－operated presses，the telegraph expanded the amount of information a newspaper could supply and allowed for more timely reporting.The creating of the Associated Press as a central wire service in 1846 marked the arrival of a new era (纪元) in journalism.The main topic of the passage is ________.
| A．the history of journalism |
| B．the origin of the national telegraph |
| C．how the telegraph network contributed to the expansion of railroads |
| D．the contributions and development of the telegraph network |
This passage would most likely be found in a________.
| A．U.S. history book | B．book on trains |
| C．science textbook | D．computer magazine |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．Samuel Morse did not make a significant contribution to the communications industry |
| B．Morse’s invention did not immediately achieve its full potential (潜力) |
| C．the extension of the telegraph was more important than its invention |
| D．journalists have the Associated Press to thank for the birth of the communications industry |