Read this article and find out which one is a must-read for your children for Thanksgiving.
Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit
Clifford has to stay home with his neighbors, as Emily Elizabeth’s family goes visiting her grandmother. At first, Clifford feels lonely, thinking of his own family, but then he decides to visit his mother too. He travels many miles, crosses bridges, and he even gets into the subway! Follow Clifford’s trip to the big city! At http://www.powells.com. it is $3.99. The author is Norman Bridwell. It is for children aged 4-8.
The Magic Tree House
The Magic Tree House describes how Jack and Annie return back to the eve of the first Thanksgiving. There they meet the pilgrims(移民) as well as Squanto, a native American who helped them. The story offers an age-appropriate, in-depth picture of what life was really like for early settlers, as well as their adventures and excitements. It is for ages 4-8. The book costs $2.50 at http://www.powells.com. The author is Sal Murdocca.
Franklin’s Thanksgiving
Franklin thinks that there will be an over-abundance of food for Thanksgiving dinner. So he invites his teacher and friends for Thanksgiving dinner. It costs $2.50 at www.Powells.com. The book is for children aged 4-8. The author is Paulette Bourgeois.
The First Thanksgiving
The First Thanksgiving is for ages 4-8 and it tells about the story of the pilgrims’ learning languages. It is beautifully illustrated with plenty of beautiful watercolors(水彩画). The author is James Waiting and the price of the book is $2.50. You can find it on http://www.powells.com.Clifford travels to the big city probably because ________.
A.he is eager to visit his grandmother |
B.he is not happy at home |
C.he misses his neighbors very much |
D.he likes traveling very much |
If you are interested in the pilgrims’ life you can read ________.
A.Clifford’s Thanksgiving Visit | B.The Magic Tree House |
C.Franklin’s Thanksgiving | D.The First Thanksgiving |
Kids can understand The First Thanksgiving better with the help of ________.
A.teachers | B.other readers | C.pictures | D.computers |
Two friends have an argument that breaks up their friendship forever, even though neither one can
remember how the whole thing got started. Such sad events happen over and over in high schools across the country. In fact, according to an official report on youth violence, “In our country today, the greatest threat to the lives of children and adolescents is not disease or starvation or abandonment, but the terrible reality of violence”. Given that this is the case, why aren’t students taught to manage conflict the way they are taught to solve math problems, drive cars, or stay physically fit?
First of all, students need to realize that conflict is unavoidable. A report on violence among middle school and high school students indicates that most violent incidents between students begin with a relatively minor insult. For example, a fight could start over the fact that one student eats a peanut butter sandwich each lunchtime. Laughter over the sandwich can lead to insults, which in turn can lead to violence. The problem isn’t in the sandwich, but in the way students deal with the conflict.
Once students recognize that conflict is unavoidable, they can practice the golden rule of conflict resolution: stay calm. Once the student feels calmer, he or slid should choose words that will calm the other person down as well. Rude words, name-calling, and accusation only add fuel to the emotional fire. On the other hand, soft words spoken at a normal sound level can put out the fire before it explodes out of control.
After both sides have calmed down, they can use another key strategy for conflict resolution: listening. Listening allows the two sides to understand each other. One person should describe his or her side, and the other person should listen without interrupting. Afterward, the listener can ask non-threatening questions to clarify the speaker’s position. Then the two people should change roles.
Finally, students need to consider what they are hearing. This doesn’t mean trying to figure out what’s wrong with the other person. It means understanding what the real issue is and what both sides are trying to accomplish. For example, a shouting match over a peanut butter sandwich might happen because one person thinks the other person is unwilling to try new things. Students need to ask themselves questions such as these: How did this start? What do I really want? What am I afraid of? As the issue becomes clearer, the conflict often simply becomes smaller. Even if it doesn’t, careful thought helps both sides figure out a mutual solution.
There will always be conflict in schools, but that doesn’t mean there needs to be violence. After students in Atlanta started a conflict resolution program, according to Educators for Social Responsibility, “64% of the teachers reported less physical violence in the classroom; 75% of the teachers reported an increase in student cooperation; and 92% of the students felt better about themselves”. Learning to resolve conflicts can help students deal with friends, teachers, parents, bosses, and coworkers. In that way, conflict resolution is a basic life skill that should be taught in schools across the country.This article is mainly about.
A.the lives of school children |
B.the cause of arguments in schools |
C.how to deal with school conflicts |
D.how to analyze youth violence |
From Paragraph 2 we can learn that.
A.violence is more likely to occur at lunchtime |
B.the eating habit of a student is often the cause of a fight |
C.students tend to lose their temper easily |
D.a small conflict can lead to violence |
Why do students need to ask themselves the questions stated in Paragraph 5?
A.To make clear what the real issue is |
B.To get ready to try new things. |
C.To find out who is to blame |
D.To figure out how to stop the shouting match. |
After the conflict resolution program was started in Atlanta, it was found that.
A.more teachers felt better about themselves in schools |
B.there was a decrease in classroom violence |
C.there was less student cooperation in the classroom |
D.the teacher-student relationship greatly improved |
The writer’s purpose for writing this article is to.
A.complain about problems in school education |
B.teach students different strategies for school life |
C.advocate teaching conflict management in schools |
D.inform teachers of the latest studies on school violence |
“Just take a deep breath.”“Don’t think about it.”“You’re more likely to die in a car wreck on the way to the airport than you are in a plane crash.” These are just some words given to people with a fear of flying. But as Tom Cruise, playing Lt. Daniel Kaffee in the movie A Few Good Men, said, “I get sick when I fly because I’m afraid of crashing into a large mountain. I don’t think Daniel will help.”
But there’s a new application that just may. Today, the VALK Foundation, a Dutch group that’s a partnership between KLM Royal Dutch Airlines and the University of Leiden, launches the app in the US. The VALK Foundation was one of the first centers for research and fear-of-flying treatment in the world and is the organizer of three world conferences on fear of flying.
The foundation said the app, called Flight App VALK, is the first scientifically-developed, web-based treatment for people who suffer from mild to moderate fear of flying.
“The fear of flying application we have created aims to transfer all of the knowledge we have developed through our program into a mobile application that will help ease travelers’ fears,” said Dr. Lucas van Gerwen, director of the VALK Foundation. Dr. van Gerwen is also a psychologist and professional pilot with more than 30 years experience.
The foundation said up to 30% of adults are fearful fliers. The Flight App is designed to help relax passengers before and during flights by educating users about flight safety and turbulence. It explains the sounds and sensations they can expect during departure, flight and landing. And, if a passenger’s flight stress reaches a panic level, they press a special panic button which provides audio and written information to help decrease stress levels. Most importantly, the Flight App can be used during the flight in the airplane mode. Once downloaded, the program does not require Internet connection in the air.By saying the words at the beginning of the passage, people are expected to ______.
A.decrease their fear of flying |
B.get rid of their doubt about plane |
C.have a good time on their flight journey |
D.use some medicine to cure their fear of flying |
According to the passage, the VALK Foundation ______.
A.is a group focusing on psychology on the flight |
B.was the first center to do research into fear of flying |
C.organize the world conferences on fear of flying annually |
D.focuses on researching and offering treatment on fear of flying |
Flight App VALK is aimed to ______.
A.help passengers experience the fear of flying |
B.help relax passengers before and during flights |
C.treat people who suffer from mild fear of flying |
D.teach people the basic knowledge of taking flight |
What does the last paragraph mainly tell us?
A.Many adults are suffering from fear of flying |
B.It’s convenient for people to use the Flight App |
C.Many planes will be installed with the Flight App |
D.The Flight App can decrease stress levels effectively |
In which column of a newspaper can we read this passage?
A.Culture | B.Entertainment |
C.Technology | D.Education |
Looking back on my childhood. I am convinced that naturalists are born and not made. Although we were brought up in the same way, my brothers and sisters soon abandoned their pressed flowers and insects. Unlike them, I had no ear for music and languages. I was not an early reader and I could not do mental arithmetic.
Before Word War I we spent our summer holidays in Hungary. I have only the dim memory of the house we lived in, of my room and my toys. Nor do I recall clearly the large family of grandparents, aunts, uncles and cousins who gathered next door. But I do have a crystal clear memory of dogs, the farm animals, the local birds and above all, the insects.
I am a naturalist, not a scientist. I have a strong love of the natural world, and my enthusiasm has led me into varied investigations. I love discussing my favorite topics and enjoy burning the midnight oil reading about other people’s observations and discoveries. Then something happens that brings these observations together in my conscious mind. Suddenly you fancy you see the answer to the riddle. Because it all seems to fit together .This has resulted in my publishing 300 papers and books. Which some may light honor, with the title of scientific research.
But curiosity a keen eye, a good memory and enjoyment of the animal and plant world do not make a scientist? One of the outstanding and essential qualities required is self-discipline, a quality I lack. A scientist can be made a naturalist. If you can combine the two, you get the best of both worlds.According to the author, a born naturalist should first of all be _____
A.full of ambition | B.self-disciplined |
C.full of enthusiasm | D.knowledgeable |
The first paragraph tells us that the author _____
A.lost his hearing when he was a child |
B.didn’t like his brothers and sisters |
C.was interested in flowers and insects in his childhood |
D.was born to a naturalist’s family |
The author says that he is a naturalist rather than a scientist probably because he thinks he ____.
A.just rends about other peoples observations and discoveries. |
B.Lacks some of the qualities required of scientist. |
C.Has a great deal of trouble doing mental arithmetic. |
D.Come up with solutions in most natural ways. |
The author can’t remember him relatives clearly because__
A.He didn’t live very long with them |
B.He was too young when he lived with them. |
C.The family was extremely large |
D.He was fully occupied with observing nature. |
Which of the following statements is true?
A.The author believes that a born naturalist can not be scientist. |
B.The author read a lot of books about the natural world and oil industry |
C.The author’s brothers and sisters were good at music and languages. |
D.The author spent a lot of time working on riddles. |
My newly-rented small apartment was far away from the centre of London and it was becoming essential for me to find a job, so finally I spent a whole morning getting to town and putting my name down to be considered by London Transport for a job on the underground. They were looking for guards, not drivers. This suited me. I couldn’t drive a car but thought that I could probably guard a train, and perhaps continue to write my poems between stations. The writers Keats and Chekhov had been doctors. T.S. Eliot had worked in a bank and Wallace Stevens for an insurance company. I’d be a subway guard. I could see myself being cheerful, useful, a good man in a crisis. Obviously I’d be overqualified but I was willing to forget about that in return for a steady income and travel privileges — those being particularly welcome to someone living a long way from the city centre.
The next day I sat down, with almost a hundred other candidates, for the intelligence test. I must have done all right because after about half an hour’s wait I was sent into another room for a psychological test. This time there were only about fifty candidates. The interviewer sat at a desk. Candidates were signaled forward to occupy the seat opposite him when the previous occupant had been dismissed, after a greater or shorter time. Obviously the long interviews were the more successful ones. Some of the interviews were as short as five minutes. Mine was the only one that lasted a minute and a half.
I can remember the questions now: “Why did you leave your last job?”“Why did you leave your job before that?”“And the one before that?” I can’t recall my answers, except that they were short at first and grew progressively shorter. His closing statement, I thought, revealed a lack of sensitivity which helped to explain why as a psychologist, he had risen no higher than the underground railway. “You’ve failed the psychological test and we are unable to offer you a position.”
Failing to get that job was my low point. Or so I thought, believing that the work was easy. Actually, such jobs — being a postman is another one I still desire — demand exactly the sort of elementary yet responsible awareness that the habitual dreamer is least qualified to give. But I was still far short of full self-understanding. I was also short of cash.The writer applied for the job chiefly because _________.
A.he could no longer afford to live without one |
B.he wanted to work in the centre of London |
C.he was not interested in any other available job |
D.he had received some suitable training |
The writer thought he was overqualified for the job because _________.
A.he often traveled underground | B.he had written many poems |
C.he had worked in a company | D.he could deal with difficult situations |
What does the writer realize now that he did not realize then?
A.How unpleasant ordinary jobs can be |
B.How unsuitable he was for the job. |
C.How difficult it is to be a poet |
D.How badly he did in the interview. |
The length of his interview meant that _________.
A.he did not like the interviewer at all |
B.he had not done well in the intelligence test |
C.he was not going to be offered the job |
D.he had little work experience to talk about |
What’s the writer’s opinion of the psychologist?
A.He was rather unsympathetic. | B.He was unhappy with his job. |
C.He was quite inefficient. | D.He was very aggressive(有进取心的). |
In many African countries, the care of orphans has been mainly led by foreign donor organizations. However, Sister Florence has changed all that. Using her own resources, Sister Florence is leading the work of raising orphans from different backgrounds. Sister Florence Wanjala’s biggest motivation to start the orphan program was when she saw a little boy whose parents had died. The boy was living with a cruel grandparent and he would visit the grave of his mother, crying for support. Sister Wanjala wanted to give a helping hand and give him hope. From that time, she started feeling the call to help a larger number of orphans.
She opened an office with a few friends and coordinated (协调)a program to help the orphans. All the registrations were done in the office and the program so far has 8000 children. Sister Wanjala said, “My dream is to help the orphan to live a holistic (完整)life and be a good Kenyan citizen to help this country. Many people think that the way to support orphans is to put them in an institution. Others support them up to the age of eighteen, but here, we do it very differently.” For Sister Wanjala, putting a child in an institution is normally her last choice. She prefers the orphans to live in a foster home.
She said, “I’m so encouraged and happy to see the orphans succeeding. When they come first or second in class, it shows how the program has helped them, and that’s encouraging to me as I continue to coordinate the program.” Through her charity work, more than 1000 orphans have been able to find a home. Sister Wanjala, as a mother, takes care of her own family.What inspired Sister Wanjala to start the orphan program?
A.Her preference for kids. | B.Her own similar experience. |
C.A sad story about an orphan. | D.Her successful charity work. |
Sister Wanjala opened an office mainly to ______.
A.set up as many institutions as possible for orphans |
B.start a program to offer orphans a foster family |
C.provide school education for those orphans |
D.raise more money for the homeless kids |
What does the underlined sentence probably mean?
A.She didn’t want orphans to live in an institution. |
B.She preferred to put orphans into an institution. |
C.She had no choice but to put orphans in institutions. |
D.She sent orphans into an institution in the end. |
What can we learn from the text?
A.Sister Wanjala finally adopted the little boy. |
B.Sister Wanjala found foster homes for 8000 orphans. |
C.Sister Wanjala was too busy to care for her own family. |
D.Sister Wanjala was not alone in helping orphans. |