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've changed a lot," she told The Huffington Post. "In October, we had 30 kids at our house! We've 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, 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（简装）,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." Many of the scenes she described in the book are a far cry from the child-raising methods she advocates.
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 methods" 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 waswritten, Chua has really backed off. Instead of forcing Lulu to practice violin for hours a day -- the source of their biggest fights, Chua "let her give that up". "My compromise 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. 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 |
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. |
What does the underlined phrase “a far cry from” in Paragraph 4 mean?
| A．similar to | B．just the same as | C．very different from | D．a cry far from |
What is the writer’s attitude towards Tiger Mom?
| A．supportive | B．opposed | C．unconcerned | D．objective |
When something goes wrong, it can be very satisfying to say, "Well, it's so-and-so's fault，"or "I know I'm late, but it's not my fault; the car broke down. " It is probably not your fault, but once you form the habit of blaming somebody or something else for a bad situation, you are a loser. You have no power and could do nothing that helps change the situation. However, you can have great power over what happens to you if you stop focusing on whom to blame and start focusing on how to remedy the situation. This is the winner's key to success.
Winners are great at overcoming problems. For example, if you were late because your car broke down, maybe you need to have your car examined more regularly. Or, you might start to carry along with you the useful phone numbers, so you could call for help when in need. For another example, if your colleague causes you problems on the job for lack of responsibility or ability, find ways of dealing with his irresponsibility or inability rather than simply blame the person. Ask to work with a different person, or don't rely on this person. You should accept that the person is not reliable and find creative ways to work successfully regardless of how your colleague(同事) fails to do his job well.
This is what being a winner is all about-creatively using your skills and talents so that you are successful no matter what happens. Winners don't have fewer problems in their lives; they have just as many difficult situations to face as anybody else. They are just better at seeing those problems as challenges and opportunities to develop their own talents. So, stop focusing on "whose fault it is." Once you are confident about your power over bad situations, problems are just stepping stones for success.According to the passage, winners_______________.
| A．deal with problems rather than blame others |
| B．meet with fewer difficulties in their eyes |
| C．have responsible and able colleagues |
| D．blame themselves rather than others |
The underlined word “remedy” in Paragraph 1 is closest in meaning to.
| A．avoid | B．accept |
| C．improve | D．consider |
When your colleague brings about a problem, you should __.
| A．find a better way to deal with the problem |
| B．blame him for his lack of responsibility |
| C．tell him to find the cause of the problem |
| D．ask a more able colleague for help |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
| A．A Winner's Achievement. | B．A Winner's Problem. |
| C．A Winner's Opportunity. | D．A Winner's Secret. |
Scientists at the California Institute of Technology (Caltech) have reported evidence that Mars was warmer and wetter long ago than it is today. The Caltech scientists say they have directly established the temperature of Mars four billion years ago. At least, they established the surface temperature on part of the planet at that time. The researchers say it is the first such evidence to be discovered and presented.
The Caltech scientists say carbonate（碳酸盐）minerals formed on Mars at about eighteen degrees Celsius. They reached the finding after studying a meteorite（陨石）that had its beginnings near the Martian surface.
Today, the average temperature on Mars is sixty-three degrees below zero Celsius.
The finding was reported on the website of the National Academy of Sciences. Caltech Assistant Professor Woody Fischer helped to prepare the report. He says eighteen degrees Celsius is not especially cold or hot. He says this makes the finding extremely interesting. Knowing the temperature can give scientists an idea of the climate on Mars long ago. It can also help them decide whether the planet had liquid water. Spacecraft orbiting Mars have shown what appear to be rivers, lakebeds and mineral deposits. These pictures suggest that, at one time, water did flow there. Mars Rover vehicles and other spacecraft have proved the information.
The meteorite the scientists examined is one of the oldest known rocks in the world. It is called the Allan Hills meteorite. Its name came from the place in Antarctica where it was found in 1984. The meteorite is believed to have blown loose from the Mars' surface when another space rock struck its "home."The underlined word “establish” in Paragraph 1 probably means “___________”.
| A．to set up |
| B．to make people accept a belief |
| C．to discover or prove |
| D．to start having a relationship with others |
How did the scientists reach the finding?
| A．By studying Allan Hills meteorite. |
| B．By using spacecraft orbiting Mars. |
| C．By studying minerals gathered on Mars. |
| D．By studying a meteorite on the Martian surface. |
According to the fourth paragraph, what have spacecraft orbiting Mars done?
| A．Measuring the temperature of Mars. |
| B．Taking photos of the surface of Mars. |
| C．Finding that there is water flowing on Mars. |
| D．Proving where human beings will probably land on Mars. |
Where can we most probably read this passage?
| A．In a biography of scientists. | B．In a geography magazine. |
| C．In an environment report. | D．In a science report. |
Want to find a job? Now read the following advertisements.
| FAIRMONT HOTEL Five Waiters and Ten Waitresses — Aged under 22 — At least high school graduate — Good-looking; men at least 1.72 meters tall and women at least 1.65 — Those knowing foreign languages favoured — Paid 1,600—2,200 dollars per month One Secretary — Aged under 30 — Female favoured — Good at writing and skilled at computer If interested, call 465-4768 or write to: Mr. Jack Hundris Room 0825, Fairmont Hotel 567 Wood Street, San Markers, 78003 Fax: 6954828 WILSON BOOKSTORE Accountant (会计) — Aged between 25 and 40 — With an experience of at least two years — With a degree and an accountant certificate (证书) — Paid 3,000—4,000 dollars monthly — With a practical knowledge of computer Salesclerk — Basic education of 12 years or more — Good at computer — Paid 1,800—2,200 dollars monthly Tel: 447-4398 Fax: 3485269 |
If you don’t know how to use a computer, you can just get the position as _____.
| A．a secretary | B．a waiter or waitress |
| C．an accountant | D．a salesclerk |
If you want to get the position of accountant in Wilson Bookstore, you have to satisfy the following conditions EXCEPT _______.
| A．being a woman | B．knowing well how to use a computer |
| C．having been an accountant | D．having an accountant certificate |
If you want to try for a job in Fairmont Hotel, you _______.
| A．should be younger than 30 years old |
| B．should be a university graduate |
| C．have to be taller than 1.72 meters |
| D．have to be a woman and know foreign languages |
From the ads we can conclude that _______.
| A．you’ll be better paid in Wilson Bookstore than in Fairmont Hotel |
| B．all the jobs offered require experience |
| C．the better education you’ve received, the more money you’ll make |
| D．if you want to be an accountant, you may call 465-4768 |
During my elementary school years, I used to compare my mom with my best friend Tiffany’s mom.
Tiffany’s mom always gave her lots of money to buy the most fashionable clothes and favorite food. Her mom allowed her to do anything she liked. I really admired Tiffany. My mom didn’t give me much pocket money and she always told me that I should behave myself. I was annoyed with her.
Whenever I didn’t get what I wanted, I would complain to my mom, Tiffany’s mom would give her that! I wish she were my mom. Every time, my mom would calmly say “Poor Tiffany”. I couldn’t understand her. “She shouldn’t be feeling sorry for Tiffany!” I thought. “She should be feeling sorry for me.”
One day, I couldn’t help saying to Mom, “Poor Tiffany? Lucky Tiffany! She gets everything she wants! Why do you feel sorry for her?” I burst out crying.
My mom sat down next to me and said softly. “Yes, I do feel sorry for her. I have been teaching you a lesson that she will never be taught.”
I looked up at her. “What are you talking about?”
Mom said with care, “One day she will really want something. Maybe she’ll find out that she can’t have it. Her mother won’t always be around to give her money, and what’s more, money can’t buy everything.”
It took some time, but I eventually understood my mom’s words. Now I am a happy and successful woman.During the author’s elementary school years, she __________.
| A．wished that her mom were as good as Tiffany’s |
| B．went to school with Tiffany every day |
| C．usually compared her lesson with Tiffany’s |
| D．sometimes gave lots of money to Tiffany |
Why did the author’s mom always say “Poor Tiffany”?
| A．She felt sorry for Tiffany because Tiffany was poor. |
| B．She wanted to tell a lie to comfort the author. |
| C．She thought that Tiffany was spoiled by her mother. |
| D．She told the author this and wanted her to help Tiffany. |
What do we learn about the author’s mother?
| A．She was strict and taught the author to be independent. |
| B．She cared for other people’s children more than her own. |
| C．She thought that life lessons were as important as money. |
| D．She was so poor that she couldn’t give the author much money. |
What can we infer from the passage?
| A．The author was quite annoyed with her mother in the past. |
| B．The author’s mother felt sorry for Tiffany. |
| C．Tiffany’s mother took the author’s mother’s advice. |
| D．The author is thankful to her mother now. |
Reseachers at the University of Kansas say that people can accurately juage 90 percent of a stranger's personality simply by looking at the person’s shoes．“Shoes convey useful information about their wearers，’’the authors wrote in the new study published in the Journal of Research in Personality．
Lead researcher Omri Gillath said the judgments were based on the style，cost，color and condition of someone’s shoes．In the study，63 University of Kansas researchers looked at pictures showing 208 different pairs of shoes worn by the study’s participants．Volunteers in the study were photographed in their most commonly worn shoes，and then filled out a personality questionnaire．
Some of the results were expected：People with higher incomes most commonly wore expensive shoes，and flashier shoes were typically worn by outgoing people．However，some of the more specific results are strange enough．For example，“practical and functional’’ shoes were generally worn by more “pleasant" people，while ankle boots were more linked with ‘‘aggressive’’ personalities．The strangest of all may be that those who wore‘ ‘uncomfortable looking” shoes tend to have “calm” personalities．And if you have several pairs of new shoes or take extreme care of them，you may suffer from “attachment anxiety"，spending lots of time worrying about what other people think of your appearance．There was even a political calculation in the mix with more liberal(主张变革的)types wearing “shabbier and less expensive” shoes．
The researchers noted that some people will choose shoe styles to mask their actual personalities，but researchers noted that volunteers were also likely to be unaware that their footwear choices were showing the deep side of their personalities．What does this text mainly tell us?
| A．Shoes Call hide people’s real personalities． |
| B．Shoes convey false information about the wearer． |
| C．People’s personalities call be judged by their shoes． |
| D．People know little about their personalities． |
The participants were asked to
| A．provide pictures of their shoes |
| B．look at pictures of different shoes |
| C．design a personality questionnaire |
| D．hand in their commonly worn shoes |
Which of the results is beyond people’s expectation?
| A．Wealthy people often wear expensive shoes． |
| B．Pleasant people like wearing uncomfortable shoes． |
| C．Aggressive people are likely to wear"ankle boots． |
| D．Fashion shoes are typically worn by outgoing people． |
People suffering from“attachment anxiety” tend to
| A．wear strange shoes | B．worry about their appearance |
| C．have a calm character | D．become a political leader |
The author wrote the text in order to
| A．inform us of a new study | B．introduce a research method |
| C．teach how to choose shoes | D．describe different personalitie |