Time and how we experience it have always puzzled us．Physicists have created fascinating theories, but their time is measured by a pendulum （钟摆） and is not psychological time, which leaps with little regard to the clock or calendar．As some-one who understood the distinction observed, "When you sit with a nice girl for two hours it seems like a minute, but when you sit on a hot stove, a minute seems like two hours．"
Psychologists have long noticed that larger units of time, such as months and years, fly on swifter wings as we age．They also note that the more time is structured with schedules and appointments, the more rapidly it seems to pass．For example, a day at the office flies compared with a day at the beach．Since most of us spend fewer days at the beach and more at the office as we age, an increase in structured tune could well be to blame for why time seems to speed up as we grow older．
Expectation and familiarity also make time seem to flow more rapidly．Almost all of us have had the experience of driving somewhere we’ve never been before. Surrounded by unfamiliar scenery, with no real idea of when we’ll arrive, we experience the trip as lasting a long time. But the return trip, although exactly as long, seems to take far less time. The novelty of the outward journey has become routine. Thus taking a different route on occasions can often help slow the clock.
When was become as identical as identical as beads（小珠子）on a string, they mix together, and even months become a single day. To counter this, try to find ways to interrupt the structure of your day—to stop time, so to speak.
Learning something new is one of the ways to slow the passage of time. One of the reasons the days of our youth seems so full and long is that these are the days of learning and discovery. For many of us, learning ends when we leave school, but this doesn’t have to be.The underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 is used to show .
| A．psychological time is quite puzzling |
| B．time should not be measured by a pendulum |
| C．physical time is different from psychological time |
| D．physical theory has nothing to do with the true sense of time |
Why do units of time fly faster as we grow older?
| A．Our sense of time changes. |
| B．We spend less time at the beach. |
| C．More time is structured and scheduled. |
| D．Time is structured with too many appointments. |
In Paragraph 3 “novelty” probably means .
| A．excitement | B．unfamiliarity |
| C．imagination | D．amusement |
The purpose of the passage is to .
| A．give various explanations about time |
| B．describe how we experience time psychologically |
| C．show the different ideas of physicists and psychologists on time |
| D．explain why time flies and how to slow it down psychologically |
When I was about 12, I had an enemy, a girl who liked to point out my shortcomings.
Week by week her list grew: I was very thin; I wasn’t a good student; I talked too much; I was too proud and so on.. I tried to bear all these all these things as long as I could. At last, I became very angry. I ran to my father with tears in my eyes.
He listened to me quietly, then he asked, “Are the things she said true or not? Janet, didn’t you ever wonder what you are really like? Well, you now have the girl’s opinion. Go and make a list of everything she said mark the points that are true. Pay no attention to other things she said.”
I did as he told me. To my great surprise, I discovered that about half of the things were true.
some of them I couldn’t change (like being very thin), but a good number I could and suddenly I wanted to change. For the first time I got a fairly clear picture of myself.
I brought the list back to Daddy. He refused to take it, “That’s just for you,” he said. “ You know better than anyone else, the truth about yourself. But you have to learn to listen, not just closing your ears anger and feeling hurt . When something said about you is true, you’ll find it will be of help to you. Don’t shut your ears. Listen to other people’s opinions, but hear the truth and do you know is right thing to do.”
Daddy’s advice returned to me at many important moments. IN my life, I’ve never had a better piece of advice.Which do you think would be the best title for this passage?
A Not an Enemy, but a Best Friend
B The Best Advice I’ve Ever Had
C My Father
D My ChildhoodWhat does “ week by week her list grew” mean?
A Week by Week, my shortcomings grew more serious.
B She had made a list of shortcomings and kept on adding new ones to it so that it was growing longer and longer.
C I was having more and more shortcomings as time went on.
D Week by week she discovered more shortcomings of mine and point them out.Why did her father listen to her quietly?
A Because he believed that what her daughter’s enemy said was mostly true.
B Because he had been so angry with his daughter’s shortcomings that he wanted to show this by keeping silent for a while.
C Because he knew that his daughter would not listen to him at that moment.
D Because he wasn’t quite sure which girl was telling the truth. What did the father do after he heard his daughter’s complaint?
A He told her not pay any attention to what her “enemy” said
B He criticized her and told her to overcome her shortcomings.
C He told her to write down all that her “enemy” had said about her and pay attention only to the things that were true.
D He refused to take the list and have a look at it.
Our “Mommy and Me” time began two years ago. My next-door neighbor and fellow mother, Christie, and I were out in our front yards, watching seven children of age 6 and under ride their bikes up and down. “I wish I could take one of my children out alone,” said Christie.
Then we worked out a plan: When Christie takes one of her children out, I’ll watch her other three. And when she watches two of mine, I’ll take someone out.
The children were extremely quick to accept the idea of “Mommy and Me” time. Christie’s daughter, McKenzie, went first. When she returned, the other children showered her with tons of questions. McKenzie was smiling broadly. Christie looked refreshed and happy. “She’s like a different child when there’s no one else around,” Christie shared with me quickly. With her mother all to herself, McKenzie didn’t have to make an effort to gain attention.
Just as Christie had noticed changes in McKenzie, I also discovered something different in each of my children during our alone times. For example, I am always surprised when my daughter, who is seldom close to me, holds my hand frequently. My stuttering（口吃的）son, Tom, doesn’t stutter once during our activities since he doesn’t have to struggle for a chance to speak. And the other son, Sam, who’s always a follower when around other children shines as a leader during our times together.
The “Mommy and Me” time allows us to be simply alone and away with each child ---talking, sharing, and laughing, which has been the biggest gain. Every child deserves（应得到）to be an only child at least once in a while. What is the text mainly about?
| A．The experience of the only child being with mother. |
| B．The advantage of spending time with one child at a time. |
| C．The happy life of two families. |
| D．The basic needs of children. |
Right after McKenzie came back, the other children were _____________.
| A．happy | B．curious | C．regretful | D．friendly |
What is one of the changes the author finds in her children?
| A．The daughter acts like a leader. | B．Sam holds her hand more often. |
| C．The boys become better followers. | D．Tom has less difficulty in speaking. |
The author seems to believe that ___________.
| A．having brothers and sisters is fun | B．it’s tiring to look after three children |
| C．every child needs parents’ full attention | D．parents should watch others’ children |
Early people had very little effect on the environment. They lived in caves in very small “clan” groups. They collected or killed only enough for the clan’s survival. Early clans were nomadic, which mean that they didn’t stay in one place. Instead, they moved around, following the animals that were their main food source and seeking areas where seasonal plants grew wild. Moving around seasonally helped to protect the environment. The land had time to recover and animals had time to breed (繁殖)before the clan returned for the next season..
As time went by, these small family clans joined with others to form larger groups for protection. Joining with other clans gave them more hunters and more women to help cut up the meat and share it between families. Eventually, people tamed(驯养)wild animals such as dogs and horses. People settled around rivers and fertile plains to share responsibilities and duties. Then, people began to plant crops instead of moving to areas where the plants grew. This development changed the environment.
Traditional forms of work also changed. Some people were better at performing a particular task than other clan members, so then began to specialize in things they were good at doing. This also meant that they began to exchange their goods for things that others produced.
People began to communicate with distant tribes. Land was cleared for roads. Foreign plants and animals were transported to places where they had not existed before. Specialization also give people more free time. So art ,dance and music became important ways of expressing feelings and thoughts. This was how many great civilizations started.
Compared to the past, modern civilization has experienced many changes to become the highly developed society that exists today. Populations have increased rapidly. Forests have been cleared for farms. Inventions and technology have made work easier.
However, pollution and other serious problems have also resulted from human progress. As concerned citizens, it is up to us to learn from past mistakes and to help maintain and improve our environment.Early tribes didn’t have much effect on animal population because_____
A .they kept animals for themselvesB they ate only vegetables
C they loved animals D they killed only enough for foodThe main purpose for small clans to join together was_____
A to hurt animals B to seek safety
C to share cavesD to protect environmentAccording to the passage ,we can learn that_____
A early people moved to new places looking for new sources of food
B modern civilization began when people started to live together in big groups
C modern advancements are always good for the environment
D people began to exchange goods because they didn’t have enough money It can be concluded from the passage that_____
A human progress has brought civilization to the society
B civilization has improved traditional forms of work
C early people understood environmental protection
D our environment has been affected by human progress
Almost every child is scared of something, from monsters in the cupboard to dogs in the park. But the fact that such fears are common and normal doesn’t mean they can be taken lightly. Kids experience fears and phobias (恐惧症) much more strongly than adults. And the influence of the fear can be physical as well as psychological (心理的). It can build up so they almost seem scared of everything-a kind of childhood anxiety. Dr. Creswell says:"Your child may always seem to expect the worst to happen and lack confidence in his or her ability to deal with any challenge.” So don’t make the same old mistake of treating them as if they’re silly for being “a scared cat”（胆小鬼）. Handing the fears is essential.
Children can be born nervous and., if you have such a baby, you’ll tend to prevent them from getting worried. So if they fear dogs, you’ll keep them away from dogs, but in fact that can just confirm to the child that dogs are scary. What is worse, keeping your child away from what they fear can turn that feeling into a phobia. Instead, you should encourage them to get in touch with the thing they fear, in a safe and supportive environment. Dr. Andy Field, a researcher of childhood fears, says: “You shouldn’t force, for example, a dog anxious child to go up to a dog. But you can approach it yourself, show them there is nothing to be afraid of, stroke (抚摸) it, and talk about the dog being friendly. Once your child dares to stroke a dog-one that’s good with children, of course-then you should encourage them to carry on until they feel calmer, and reward them for ‘being brave’.” Children’s fears are usually taken lightly because .
| A．they will not develop into phobias |
| B．their influence is psychological |
| C．they exist widely in the world |
| D．they will disappear gradually |
If we fail to help children to overcome fears, they will .
| A．make the same old mistake |
| B．overcome them by themselves |
| C．experience the worst of things |
| D．grow up lacking self-confidence |
According to Dr. Andy Field, if a child is afraid of a cat, parents should .
| A．tell the child not to be afraid of it |
| B．show the child how to approach it |
| C．keep the child away from it |
| D．ask the child to stroke it |
A study involving 8,500 teenagers from all social backgrounds found that most of them are ignorant when it comes to money. The findings, the first in a series of reports from NatWest that has started a five-year research project into teenagers and money, arc particularly worrying as this generation of young people is likely to be burdened with greater debts man any before.
University tuition fees (学费) are currently capped at £3,000 annually, but this will be reviewed next year and the Government is under enormous pressure to raise the ceiling.
In the research, the teenagers were presented with die terms of four different loans but 76 per cent failed to identify the cheapest. The young people also predicted that they would be earning on average £ 31.000 by the age of 25, although the average salary for those aged 22 to 29 is just £ 17,815. The teenagers expected to be in debt when they finished university or training, although half said that they assumed the debts would be less than £ 10.000. Average debts for graduates are £ 12，363.
Stephen Moir, head of community investment at the Royal Bank of Scotland Group which owns NatWest, said. "The more exposed young people are to financial issues, and the younger they become aware of them, the more likely they arc to become responsible, forward-planning adults who manage their finances confidently and effectively."
Ministers are deeply concerned about the financial pressures on teenagers and young people because of student loans and rising housing costs. They have just introduced new lessons in how to manage debts. Nikki Fairweathcr. aged 15. from St Helens, said that she had benefited from lessons on personal finance, but admitted that she still had a lot to learn about money.
1. Which of the following can be found from the five-year research project?
A. Students understand personal finances differently.
B. University tuition fees in England have been rising.
C. Teenagers tend to overestimate their future earnings.
D. The students' payback ability has become a major issue.
2. The phrase "to raise the ceiling" in paragraph 2 probably means "______".
A. to raise the student loans B. to improve the school facilities
C. to increase the upper limit of the tuition D. to lift the school building roofs
3. According to Stephen Moir, students_______.
A. are too young 10 be exposed 10 financial issues
B. should learn 10 manage their finances well
C- should maintain a positive attitude when facing loans
D. benefit a lot from lessons on personal finance
4. What can we learn from the passage?
A. Many British teenagers do not know money matters well
B. Teenagers in Britain are heavily burdened with debts.
C. Financial planning is a required course at college.
D. Young people should become responsible adults.