In the fall of 1985, I was a bright-eyed girl heading off to Howard University, aiming at a legal career and dreaming of sitting on a Supreme Court bench somewhere. Twenty-one years later I am still a bright-eyed dreamer and one with quite a different tale to tell.
My grandma, an amazing woman, graduated from college at the age of 65. She was the first in our family to reach that goal. But one year after I started college, she developed cancer. I made the choice to withdraw from college to care for her. It meant that school and my personal dream would have to wait.
Then I got married with another dream: building my family with a combination of adopt and biological children. In 1999, we adopted our first son. To lay eyes on him was fantastic---and very emotional. A year later came our second adopted boy. Then followed son No. 3. In 2003, I gave birth to another boy.
You can imagine how fully occupied I became, raising four boys under the age of 18. Our home was a complete zoo---a joyous zoo. Not surprising, I never did make it back to college full-time. But I never gave up the dream either. I had only one choice: to find a way. That meant taking as few as one class each semester.
The hardest part was feeling guilty about the time I spent away from the boys. They often wanted me to stay home with them. There certainly were times I wanted to quit, But I knew I should set an example for them to follow through the rest of their lives.
In 2007, I graduated from the University of North Carolina. It took me over 21 years to get my college degree!
I am not special, just single-minded. It always struck me that when you’re looking at a big challenge from the outside it looks huge, but when you’re in the midst of it, it just seems normal. Everything you want won’t arrive in your life on one day.
It’s a process. Remember: Little steps add up to big dreams.. When the author went to Howard University, her dream was to be________
| A．a writer | B．a teacher | C．a doctor | D．a judge |
Why did the author quit school in her second year of college?
| A．She wanted to study by herself. |
| B．She decided to look after her grandma. |
| C．She suffered from a serious illness. |
| D．She fell in love and got married. |
What can we learn about the author from Paragraphs 4 and 5?
A. She ignored her guilty feeling for her sons.
B. She was busy yet happy with her family life.
C. She wanted to remain a full-time housewife.
She was too confused to make a correct choice. What does the author mostly want to tell us in the last paragraph?
| A．Failure is the mother of success. |
| B．Every coin has two sides. |
| C．Little by little, one goes far. |
| D．Well begun, half done. |
Which of the following can best describe the author?
| A．Caring and determined. |
| B．Honest and responsible. |
| C．Ambitious and sensitive. |
| D．Innocent and single-minded. |
How to deal successfully with a child who shows outstanding musical ability？It’s not always clear how best to develop and encourage his gift.Many parents may even fail to recognise and respond to their children’s need until frustration explodes into difficult or uncooperative(不合作的) behaviour.And while most schools are equipped to deal with children who are specially able in academic subjects，the musically gifted require special understanding which may not always be available in an ordinary school—especially one where music is regarded as a secondary activity.Such children may well benefit from the education offered by a specialist music school.
The five music schools in Britain are a relatively recent introduction.They aim to provide an environment in which gifted children aged between seven and eighteen can develop their skills to the full under the guidance of professional musicians.
Children at specialist music schools spend between one third and one half of an average day on musical activities，for example，individual lessons，orchestras，chamber(室内音乐的) groups，voice training，conducting and theory.They also spend several hours a day practising in properly equipped private rooms，sometimes with a teacher.The rest of their time is taken up with the subjects：English，maths，basic sciences and languages.All five British specialist schools are independent，classes are small by normal school standards，with a high teacher/pupil ratio(比率)．Most children attending specialist schools tend to be boarders，leaving home to live，eat and sleep fulltime at school.
What are the disadvantages？An obvious problem is the cost；the fees are high(￡12,000￡17,000 a year for boarders)．However，each school will make every effort with scholarships and other forms of financial assistance，to help parents of outstandingly gifted children to find the necessary fees.Secondly，not all parents want to send their children to boarding school，especially at a very early age.Almost all the directors of the specialist schools express doubts about the wisdom of admitting children as young as seven into such an intense and disciplined(守纪律的) environment.They stress，however，that their main aim is to turn out “rounded and wellbalanced” individuals.
There is little doubt that setting musically gifted children apart from an early age can cause stress.Early signs of musical ability may disappear in their teenage years，while natural competitiveness and the pressure to succeed can lead to a deep sense of failure.But all specialist schools do keep a close watch on the progress of individual pupils，and offer help and advice if needed.If a child’s musical ability is not recognized，________.
| A．the child may misbehave |
| B．the ability may fade away |
| C．the child may lose interest |
| D．the parents may become anxious |
What problem may musically gifted children face in ordinary schools?
| A．Their academic work may suffer. |
| B．Schools lack musical equipment. |
| C．Music is not seen as an important subject. |
| D．Parents and teachers do not work together. |
What makes specialist music schools different from other schools?
| A．Their working day is longer. |
| B．A range of musical training is offered. |
| C．More than half the day is spent on music. |
| D．The children have mostly onetoone lessons. |
What do most school directors see as a possible disadvantage for pupils?
| A．Poor children may not be included. |
| B．They may lose their individuality. |
| C．There may be a discipline problem. |
| D．They may not be mature enough on arrival. |
“Hi，howareya.” some people say when they see a familiar face.The words run together into a mass，all sense and meaning lost. All the same，people do care how you are.After they greet you，it’s likely you will greet them back，with an equally meaningless phrase like，“Can’t complain，can’t complain.”You could probably complain，at length，or share a brilliant thought you were just beginning when a greeting interrupted you.You don’t though，you say，“Great，you？”
You are not giving each other information about your health and wellbeing.All the same，you are sharing information.You’re acknowledging each other’s positions as acknowledged friends，or at least as accepted acquaintances.And you are reestablishing the ties that may have lapsed(衰退) since yesterday，when you last met at the elevator or the entrance to the train station.
It’s what anthropologist(人类学家) Bronislaw Malinoski called a phatic(交流感情的) communication.Its message is not in the words you use，but in the fact that you speak ritually(仪式上地) accepted words.In Asia，for example，people may ask one another if they have eaten，or if they are busy.They’re not really asking for their lunch menu or their agenda，they are saying hello.A phatic signal merely says, “I see you there.” It says hi.
There’s embarrassment of being near people without acknowledging them.That uncomfortable feeling is one reason why lonely passengers in the subway may behave as if they cannot see anyone around them or may escape their uncomfortable situation with a book.Some people read all the way home，and never turn a page.
Your friend isn’t asking how you are，and you aren’t telling him.However，he is recognizing your existence，and when you answer，you are recognizing his.In addition，the set speech you have shared opens the door to closer communications if both agree.Someday，you may come to real close friendship，and really tell one another how you are.
Meanwhile，people who greet one another this way do care.They care enough to recognize someone’s essential humanity(人性)．They send a signal across the space between，to share，very briefly and lightly，in awareness of one another.
Your greetings prove that neither of you has become a social outcast.How are you？You are still a member of society in good status.You are still the one who knows the rituals and secret passwords necessary to get to work each day.When people greet，they ________.
| A．want to show their different educational backgrounds |
| B．show nothing related with the words themselves |
| C．want to know other people’s privacy |
| D．express something special |
According to Bronislaw Malinoski，a phatic communication ________.
| A．is rarely used by Asian people |
| B．is too complex to be used often |
| C．helps establish or keep certain relationships |
| D．often ruins the normal relationships between friends or acquaintances |
Some people seldom greet strangers because ________.
| A．they want to be polite to others |
| B．they feel uncomfortable to do it |
| C．they don’t know when to greet them |
| D．they want to do something meaningful |
What does the text mainly tell us?
| A．Greetings should be given better expressions. |
| B．Greetings convey different meanings to different people. |
| C．Greetings help prove an individual’s social independence. |
| D．Greetings help an individual be connected with the society. |
Founded in 1966，Seacamp，the first program dedicated to the education of youth in marine(海洋的) sciences，is the result of a cooperative effort of parents，scientists，businessmen and camp leaders.Preservation practices and a respect for the marine environment are the philosophy of the Seacamp.
Seacamp’s tropical marine location in the lower Florida Keys enables it to offer a truly unique marine science program.This program is the heart of Seacamp.Young scientists participate in a variety of courses under the guidance of academically trained marine science instructors and biologists.All science activities include studies in both the field and the laboratory.Each session,140 to 160 campers come to Seacamp，mostly from the US，but also from across the world.There are about 30 international campers each summer from an average of twelve countries.Many Seacamp program graduates have gone on to careers as environmental educators and marine scientists.
One of Seacamp’s unique aspects is that campers create their schedules.In addition to science classes，campers choose from a variety of programs to ensure that there is something interesting and exciting for everyone.Campers interested in journalism may work on the camp newspaper，SEASCOPE，which is published periodically during camp sessions.Arts activities are also included.Photography allows campers to take home memories of friends，wildlife，and underwater experiences.
Seacamp teaches the fun and skills of sailing.It’s an excellent way for future marine scientists to become familiar with the winds，tides and currents that are of primary concern in oceanography.Basic Red Cross certification is offered to beginners in sailing.The Red Cross course in advanced lifesaving is taught at Seacamp.The course is designed to increase the campers’ ability to recognize and avoid dangerous water conditions and practices and to use selfrescue skills to get out of dangerous situations.
Parents may bring campers by car to Big Pine Key.Counselors(辅导员) also meet participants at the Miami International Airport on the opening day of camp and accompany them to Big Pine Key on a bus.The fee for roundtrip service is $90.To join the Seacamp adventure，interested campers should contact Seacamp for an application.
We love to talk about camp！For more information or to ask any questions you might have，please give our friendly staff a call and we’ll be glad to help!According to the text，Seacamp is designed to help campers ________.
| A．have a good time at the seaside |
| B．develop a sense of marine protection |
| C．make a further study about sea life |
| D．complete a course about marine wildlife |
It can be learned from Paragraph 3 and 4 that ________.
| A．Seacamp offers many programs apart from science classes |
| B．Seacamp is responsible for training marine scientists |
| C．beginners in sailing should learn the advanced Red Cross course |
| D．Seacamp provides traditional camp activities such as arts and crafts |
The main purpose of the text is to ________.
| A．attract the young to Seacamp |
| B．present Seacampers’ experiences |
| C．introduce the programs of Seacamp |
| D．explain the aim of Seacamp |
A book review tells not only what a book is about，but also how successful it is at what it is trying to do.Professors often assign book reviews as practice in careful analytical(分析的) reading.
As a reviewer，you bring together the two strands of accurate，analytical reading and strong，personal response when you indicate(指出) what the book is about and what it might mean to a reader(by explaining what it meant to you)．In other words，reviewers answer not only the WHAT but the SO WHAT question about a book.Thus，in writing a review，you combine the skills of describing what is on the page，analyzing how the book tried to achieve its purpose，and expressing your own reactions.
Most book reviews start with a heading that includes all the basic information about the book，like：
Title.
Author.
Place of publication，publisher，date of publication.
Number of pages.
Like most pieces of writing，the review usually begins with an introduction that lets your readers know what the review will say.The first paragraph usually includes the author and title again，so your readers don’t have to look up to find this information.You should also include a very brief description of the contents of the book，the purpose or audience for the book，and your reaction and evaluation.
Then you move into a section of background information that helps place the book in context and discusses how to judge the book.Next，you should give a summary of the main points，quoting(引用) and explaining key phrases from the author.Finally，you get to the heart of your review—your evaluation of the book.In this section，you might discuss some of the following issues：
•How well the book has achieved its goal.
•What possibilities are suggested by the book.
•What the book has left out.
•How the book compares with others on the subject.
•What specific points are not convincing.
•What personal experiences you’ve had related to the subject.
It is important to use labels to carefully distinguish your views from the author’s，so that you don’t confuse your readers.
Then，like other essays，you can end with a direct comment on the book，and tie together issues raised in the review in a conclusion.
There is，of course，no set form，but a general rule is that the first onehalf to twothirds of the review should summarize the author’s main ideas and at least onethird should evaluate the book.According to the text，personal response of a book reviewer refers to “________”．
| A．accurate and analytical reading |
| B．the reviewer’s indication of what the book is |
| C．the reviewer’s indication of what the book meant to a reader |
| D．skills of describing what is on the page |
What is the most important part of a book review?
| A．The heading. | B．The evaluation. |
| C．The conclusion. | D．The introduction. |
Readers will get puzzled if ________.
| A．there is no heading in a book review |
| B．the book review is not complex enough |
| C．the reviewer’s point of view is mixed with the author’s |
| D．there are some different issues listed in the book review |
What does the text mainly tell us?
| A．Steps to read a book. |
| B．Tips for writing a book review. |
| C．The way to develop your idea. |
| D．Things not to be avoided in a book review. |
When author Nicholas Carr began researching his book on whether the Internet is ruining our minds，he restricted his online access and email.His new book argues the latest technology renders us less capable of deep thinking.Carr found himself so distracted(分心的) that he couldn’t work on the book while staying as connected.After first feeling confused by his sudden lack of online connection，he was able to stay focused on one task for a long period within several weeks.
Reading on the Internet has changed how we use our brains.Facing a lot of texts，video，music and links to other web pages and blogs，our minds have become used to skimming and scanning information.As a result，we have developed sharper skills at making fast decisions，particularly visual ones，Carr wrote.
But now most of us seldom read books or long articles that would help us focus.We are becoming more like librarians—able to find information quickly and see clearly the best nuggets(有价值的资料)．That lack of focus hinders(阻碍) our longterm memory，leading many of us to feel distracted，he wrote.
“What we are losing is a whole other set of mental skills，which require not the shifting of our focus but the maintaining of our focus，” Carr said，adding that for centuries books protected our brains from distraction and focused our minds on one topic at a time.
But with devices such as Apple’s iPad becoming common，Carr predicts books also will change.“New forms of reading always require new forms of writing，” he said.Carr has a suggestion for those who feel web surfing has left them incapable of concentration—slow down，turn off the Internet and practice the skills of contemplation(沉思) and reflection.“It is pretty clear from the brain science that if you don’t exercise particular cognitive skills，you are going to lose them，” he said.“If you are constantly distracted，you are not going to think in the same way that you would think if you paid attention.”What topic is Nicholas Carr’s new book mainly concentrating on?
| A．Whether there is any need for us to surf the Internet. |
| B．How the Internet changes our way of thinking. |
| C．What we should do when we are surfing the Internet. |
| D．Whether our minds are being influenced by the Internet. |
How did Nicholas Carr feel after he limited his time online several weeks later?
| A．Anxious. | B．Relaxed. |
| C．Concentrated. | D．Puzzled. |
The underlined word renders in Paragraph 1 probably means ________.
| A．prevents | B．causes |
| C．protects | D．sharpens |
What’s Nicholas Carr’s suggestion for people who are often distracted by the Internet?
| A．They should read more books besides surfing the Internet. |
| B．They should often slow down their pace of modern living. |
| C．They should often get away from the disturbing of the Internet. |
| D．They should spend more time thinking while surfing the Internet. |