In modern society there is a great deal of argument about competition.Some value it highly, believing that it is responsible for social progress and prosperity.Others say that competition is bad, that it sets one person against another, that it leads to unfriendly relationship between people.
I have taught many children who held the belief that their self-worth relied on how well they performed at tennis and other skills.For them, playing well and winning are often, life-and-death affairs.In their single-minded pursuit of success, the development of many other human qualities is sadly forgotten.
However, while some seem to be lost in the desire to succeed, others take an opposite attitude.In a culture which values only the winner and pays no attention to the ordinary players, they strongly blame competition.Among the most vocal are youngsters who have suffered under competitive pressures from their parents or society.Teaching these young people, I often observe in them a desire to fail.They seem to seek failure by not trying to win or achieve success.By not trying, they always have an excuse: "I may have lost, but it doesn't matter because I really didn't try."What is not usually admitted by themselves is the belief that if they had really tried and lost, that would mean a lot.Such a loss would be a measure of their worth. Clearly, this belief is the same as that of the true competitors who try to prove themselves.Both are based on the mistaken belief that one's self-respect relies on how well one performs in comparison with others.Both are afraid of not being valued.Only as this basic and often troublesome fear begins to dissolve (缓解) can we discover a new meaning in competition .What does this passage mainly talk about?
| A.Competition helps to set up self-respect. |
| B.Opinions about competition are different among people. |
| C.Competition is harmful to personal quality development. |
| D.Failures are necessary experiences in competition. |
Why do some people favor competition according to the passage?
| A.It builds up a sense of duty. |
| B.It pushes society forward. |
| C.It improves personal abilities. |
| D.It encourages individual efforts. |
The underlined phrase "the most vocal" in Paragraph 3 means ____.
| A.those who try their best to win |
| B.those who value competition most highly |
| C.those who are against competition most strongly |
| D.those who rely on others most for success |
What is the similar belief of the true competitors and those with a "desire to fail"?
| A.One's worth lies in his performance compared with others'. |
| B.One's success in competition needs great efforts. |
| C.One's achievement is determined by his particular skills. |
| D.One's success is based on how hard he has tried. |
Which point of view may the author agree to?
| A.Every effort should be paid back. |
| B.Competition should be encouraged. |
| C.Winning should be a life-and-death matter. |
| D.Fear of failure should be removed in competition. |
There are some very good things about open education. This way of teaching allows the students to grow as people, and to develop their own interests in many subjects. Open education allows students to be responsible for their own education, as they are responsible for what they do in life. Some students do badly in a traditional classroom. The open classroom may allow them to enjoy learning. Some students will be happier in an open education school. They will not have to worry about grades or rules. For students who worry about these things a lot, it is a good idea to be in an open classroom.
But many students will not do well in an open classroom. For some students, there are too few rules. These students will do little in school. They will not make good use of open education. Because open education is so different from traditional education, these students may have a problem getting used to making so many choices. For many students it is important to have some rules in the classroom. They worry about the rules even when there are no rules. Even a few rules will help this kind of students. The last point about open education is that some traditional teachers do not like it. Many teachers do not believe in open education. Teachers who want to have an open classroom may have many problems at their schools.
You now know what open education is. Some of its good points and bad points have been explained. You may have your own opinion about open education. The writer thinks that open education is a good idea, but only in theory. In actual fact, it may not work very well in a real class or school. The writer believes that most students, but of course not all students, want some structure in their classes. They want and need to have rules. In some cases, they must be made to study some subjects. Many students are pleased to find subjects they have to study interesting. They would not study those subjects if they did not have to.Open education allows the students to _______.
| A.develop their own interest |
| B.grow as the educated |
| C.be responsible for their future |
| D.discover subjects outside class |
Which of the following is not mentioned in the text?
| A.Teachers may have problems in open classrooms. |
| B.Many teachers don’t believe in open education. |
| C.The teacher’s feelings and attitude are of importance to the students. |
| D.Some traditional teachers don’t like it. |
Open education may be a good idea for the students who _____.
| A.do well in a traditional classroom |
| B.worry about grades |
| C.enjoy learning |
| D.are responsible for what they do in life. |
Which of the following best summarizes the passage?
| A.The writer thinks that open education is a good idea in practice. |
| B.Open education is better than traditional education. |
| C.Open education is a really complex idea. |
| D.Teachers dislike open education. |
Choose Drinks
On a hot summer day, a soft drink can really take away your thirst. At home, at school, in the park or at the movies--you can find one almost anywhere.
Carbonated
You can see bubbles (泡沫) in these! Of all soft drinks sold, about 75 percent are carbonated(碳酸的). But be careful, carbonated soft drinks have lots of sugar and caffeine(咖啡因). Caffeine is not very good for you in the summer because it takes water out of your body. And the sugar can make you overweight if you drink too much.
Fruit juice
There are different kinds of juice. One kind is made only from fresh fruit. This kind of fruit juice may not taste sweet enough for some people, but it is nutritious(有营养的). Another kind of fruit juice tastes good but has lots of sugar in it. Many young people buy this kind because the advertisements are good. It is bad for your teeth and bones to drink lots of this.
Energy drinks
These kinds of drinks have caffeine and things that make people get excited in them. They are sometimes called “party drinks”. Doctors say that if you drink too much of this kind, you may have a heart attack.
Bottled water
We have lots of different kinds of bottled water, such as mineral water, purified water and distilled water(蒸馏水). They are clean and easy to drink. But it is best not to drink very cold water. It may make your stomach feel bad.
Sports drinks
Most of these have funny names like “Scream(尖叫)” and “G-Vital(激活)”. They have lots of vitamins and minerals in them. After you play sports, you may want to drink one of these.
But if you just spend your summer holiday sitting around watching TV, you won’t need them at all!Which two types of drinks may make you overweight?
| A.Fruit juice and bottled water. |
| B.Energy drinks and sports drinks. |
| C.Carbonated and energy drinks. |
| D.Carbonated and fruit juice. |
Which one may lead to your heart disease?
| A.Carbonated. | B.Energy drinks. |
| C.Fruit juice. | D.Sports drinks |
After sports, you have sports drinks because______.
| A.they can take away your thirst |
| B.they can put back minerals you’ve lost in sweat |
| C.they have funny names that sound very exciting |
| D.they have no sugar |
The writer wrote this passage to______.
| A.make the advertisements for soft drinks |
| B.warn us to keep away from soft drinks |
| C.tell us how to choose a good one from all kinds of drinks |
| D.teach us some useful ways of keeping healthy |
A mother had two daughters. She loved them very much, but two girls would fight with each other from their earliest years. As they grew older, they became total strangers. They had no contact with each other when they were adults.
This caused the mother great pain. Then, later, she had an idea. She decided to write a letter to them. In this letter, she told them how much she loved them, and how she wanted them to love each other in this way. She also gave them news of herself and some guidance on how to live happier lives.
When the letter was ready, she wrote out one copy for each daughter, but these copies were special. Each copy contained only every second sentence of the original letter: the copy for one daughter had only the even (双数的) sentences, and the other daughter’s copy contained only the odd sentences. Neither contained the fullness of the mother’s message.
When the two daughters received their letters, they were puzzled. To understand the half-letter, they would have to put the two letters together and read them as one, which meant they must approach one another again in love and respect. But they each blamed the other for not helping them when trying to read the half-letter.
For a long time, the mother waited in vain. Then one day, when the mother had almost given up hope, there was a knock at the door. There they stood, together. “We’ve come home,” they said at the same time. “We’ve finally put our letters together, and we’ve come to say how much we love you, Mum.” Then she hugged them both, tears of joy streaming down her cheeks, and welcomed them back home.The mother gave her daughters incomplete letters mainly to ______.
| A.mend their relations |
| B.offer them advice |
| C.tell them her news |
| D.win their hearts |
Upon receiving their letters, the two daughters ______.
| A.put the letters together and read them |
| B.blamed her mother for the half-letter |
| C.complained about each other as usual |
| D.understood the mother’s purpose at once |
Why did the two daughters visit their mother at last?
| A.They wanted to apologize. |
| B.They felt grateful for the mother. |
| C.They had put the letters together. |
| D.They missed home very much. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A.A Sincere Apology to Mother |
| B.A Mother’s Endless Love |
| C.Two Special Daughters |
| D.An Unusual Letter |
Channel Islands
The two main islands, Jersey and Guernsey, are remarkable in that they present a combination of enjoyment peace and quiet. Neither island is very big (only ten miles long) and so all parts of these coasts are easily reached from the main centers — St. Helier and St. Peter Port. In both these towns and particularly in Jersey's St. Helier are concentrated (集中) the amusements of really big resorts (休养地). The nearness of France gives a continental atmosphere; the weather is far better than that in England. The other three islands, Jethou, Herm and Sark are small and quiet.
Isles of Scilly
The islands are really small and quiet; and the weather is warm but windy. The islands are excellent for those who enjoy exploring (探险) small inlets (水湾), creeks (小溪) and bays on foot, or even better in a boat.
Isle of Wight
The island is 24 miles across and therefore quite large. The scenery is good and varied. The resorts are neither overlarge nor showy. The crowds seem content with entertaining but quieter holidays. The island has the best sunshine record in Britain.
Isle of Man
An island with unique atmosphere — in some indefinable (难以描述的) way it is different from England, Scotland or Wales. Thirty miles long, with good roads and good public transport,the mountains,hills and glens (幽谷) are easily reached. Douglas is a major British resort and other resorts are lively.Which is the largest of the islands mentioned?
| A.Herm. | B.The Isle of Man. |
| C.The Isle of Wight. | D.Jersey. |
If you want to be fairly sure you would have a lot of sun on holiday, which island would you choose?
| A.The Channel Islands. | B.The Isle of Man. |
| C.The Isle of Wight. | D.The Scilly Isle. |
If you are having a holiday on Jersey, where would you go for amusement?
| A.Douglas. | B.Sandown. |
| C.St. Helier. | D.St. Peter Port. |
In which way are the Channel Islands different from all the other island holiday places
| A.The coasts are easily reached from the main centers. |
| B.There are more islands there. |
| C.There is something French about them. |
| D.The weather is better. |
While elephants are respected by the people of Thailand, they are also used as beasts of burdens (驮兽). Today, these majestic animals are extensively used to help carry wood for the logging industry. It is therefore nice to hear that on National Elephant Day the mighty mammals are treated like a king, and served with meals fit for a king.
One of the biggest celebrations took place at the Pattaya Resort in Thailand’s Chonburi Province. Fifty-two elephants, some wearing beautiful clothes, arrived bright and early (大清早) for the big day. Each was first blessed with holy water by a professional elephant rider and then led to the grand feast, which served an unlimited supply of their favorite treats—bananas, dragon fruits (火龙果), pineapples, assorted melons, apples and the list went on and on! The elephants ate till they were satisfied before walking back with their owners for a good night’s rest.
Though called National Elephant Day, the celebrations that took place on March 13th this year stretched out for an entire week. Besides providing a well-deserved treat and break for the hard-working animals, the celebrations were also aimed to raise awareness about the mammal’s dwindling (减少的) population. One smart elephant even helped show the message by painting a dead elephant and the words “Don’t kill me”, right beside it .
And horrible as the message may sound, there is a sad ring of truth to it. Since the 1900s the number of elephants in Thailand has gone from over 100,000 to just 3,000-4,000 because of the destruction of their natural habitat and illegal killing. Asian elephants are not the only ones that are in trouble. African elephants are facing the same fate (命运). Hopefully, the public and officials are now working together to save these mighty animals from disappearing from the world.Nowadays elephants in Thailand are
| A.still used to help fight battles |
| B.never used as beasts of burdens |
| C.used to do tasks that need strength |
| D.less respected because of the development of the society |
The celebrations held at the Pattaya Resort aimed to ______.
| A.show visitors the elephants’ great performance |
| B.honor elephants for their devotion to the country |
| C.encourage people to play with elephants |
| D.show visitors the beautiful scenery in Thailand |
The underlined word “it” (Para 3) probably refers to_______.
| A.the elephant rider |
| B.the words “Don’t kill me” |
| C.the elephant that was painting |
| D.the dead elephant |
What can we learn from the text?
| A.Elephants are protected very well in Thailand. |
| B.Elephants also face the risk of being killed in Thailand. |
| C.The number of elephants is increasing gradually in Thailand. |
| D.Elephants could enjoy a grand feast every week in Thailand. |