One period of our lives when better results are demanded of us is, strangely enough, childhood. Despite being young we are expected to achieve good grades, stay out of trouble, make friends at school, do well on tests, perform chores at home and so on. It’s not easy.
The good news is that being likeable can help a child perform better. Likeable children enjoy many advantages, including the ability to cope(对付) more easily with stresses of growing up.
In her book Understanding Child Stress, Dr. Carolyn Leonard states that children who are likeable and optimistic are able to gain support from others. This leads to focus and resilience, the ability to recover from or adjust early to life stress; a child who has adequate emotional armor can continue down the path to success. Much research shows that resilience has enabled children to succeed in school, avoid drug abuse, and develop a healthy self-awareness.
Why does a likeable child more easily handle stress and do better in his or her life? Because likeability helps create what’s known as a positive feedback loop(回馈圈). The positive feelings you want to see in other people are returned to you, creating constant encouragement and motivation to deal with the daily stress of life.
This feedback loop continues into adulthood. To return once again to the example of teaching, learning becomes easier with a likeable personality. Michael Delucchi of the University of Hawaii reviewed dozens of studies to determine if likeable teachers received good ratings because of their likeability or because they in fact taught well. Delucchi found that “Students who perceive(察觉) a teacher as likeable, in contrast to(比照) those who do not, may be more attentive to the information that the teacher delivers and they’ll work harder on assignments, and they will learn more.”
You may have noticed this pattern in your own life when you try to give some advice. The more positive your relationship with that person, the more he or she seems to listen, and the more you feel certain that that person has heard you and intends to act on your words.The writer implies in the first paragraph that __________.
A.children are expected much than we usually think |
B.life is not easy for every one of us |
C.better education results in smarter children |
D.to be a likable child is almost impossible |
According to Dr. Leonard, likeable children __________.
A.can cope more easily with stress independently |
B.know how to avoid trouble and unpleasant events |
C.are always optimistic and ready to help those in need |
D.can achieve more and understand themselves better |
The term “emotional armor” in paragraph 3 means __________.
A.mental support from friends | B.mental support from adults |
C.failures in life | D.ability to handle life stress |
The main purpose of the studies done by Michael Delucchi is to find __________.
A.if a likeable teacher has a positive personality |
B.if a likeable teacher draws more attention |
C.how a teacher’s likeability gains popularity |
D.how a likeable teacher’s teaching style is formed |
The passage aims at proving that __________.
A.likeable people do better in life generally |
B.likeable people do better in their childhood |
C.social creatures enjoy more advantages |
D.likeable people give better advice |
Once a boy came to ask a fisherman how to become cleverer, because his mother always called him “foolish boy”.
“That’s easy,” answered the fisherman. “I know one way to make you become cleverer.”
“Really?”
“Of course. It is said a fish head is good for brain. If you eat one, you’ll become cleverer indeed. Pay only three pounds for one fish head.” The boy paid him three pounds and the fisherman cut off a fish head and handed it to him.
A raw fish head is not good—not even for a hungry boy to eat but the boy ate it up in two gulps.
“Do you feel anything?” asked the fisherman.
“Not in my head,” said the boy.
The boy lay on the ground and thought. “One whole fish costs only two pounds. I have paid him three pounds for the fish head. Why couldn’t I have the whole fish for soup, a head for brain and one pound left over?” He jumped up and shouted at the fisherman. “You thief! You are fooling me!” The fisherman laughed, saying, “The fish head works now, you see.”The boy ate up the raw fish head only in two gulps, because he __________.
A.enjoyed it | B.wanted to taste it |
C.took it as a good medicine | D.was a foolish boy |
The boy came to the fisherman in order to __________.
A.buy a fish head | B.ask the fisherman a question |
C.buy a whole fish | D.A and C |
The boy paid three pounds. He should have had __________.
A.a whole fish |
B.a fish head and one pound back |
C.a whole fish and one pound back |
D.a whole fish, a fish head and one pound back |
__________ helped the boy become cleverer.
A.A good meal | B.The raw fish head |
C.Nothing | D.What had happened |
A student is learning to speak British English. He wonders (想知道): Can I communicate with Americans? Can they understand me? Learners of English often ask: What are the differences between British and American English? How important are these differences?
Certainly! there are some differences between British and American English. ‘There are a few differences in grammar. For example, speakers of British English say “in hospital” and “Have you a pen?” Americans say “in the hospital!” and “Do you have a pen?”. Pronunciation is sometimes different. Americans usually sound theirs in words like “bird” and “hurt”. Speakers of British English do not sound theirs in these words. There are differences between British and American English in spelling and vocabulary. For example, “ colour” and “ honour” are British, “color” and “honor” are American.
These differences in grammar, pronunciation, spelling and vocabulary are not important, however. For the most part, British and American English are the same language.According to this passage, a student who is learning to speak American English might be afraid that_______.
A.British people cannot understand him |
B.American people cannot understand him |
C.the grammar is too hard for him |
D.the spelling is too hard for him |
American English and British English are different in ________.
A.spelling | B.pronunciation |
C.Grammar | D.all of the above |
What is not mentioned (提及) in the passage?
A.Whether there are differences between British English and American English. |
B.Whether British English and American English are one language or two. |
C.How the differences between British English and American English came about. |
D.How important the differences are. |
Most ________ say “Do you have a watch?”
A.British people | B.Americans |
C.Children | D.Teachers |
Dear Editor(编辑),
I used to be a doctor in a children’s hospital. Sometimes I treated children who had been poisoned(中毒)by medicines for older family members. The children didn’t know the medicine was dangerous; they just knew it tasted sweet. Children easily opened the bottle that we now use in China.
Some days ago I talked about medicine with an American. He showed me a kind of plastic bottle. The design was very quite simple and I’m sure our Chinese factories could produce these bottles. The top of the bottle locks but can be opened by pressing down on it while turning. This is difficult for most young children to do, though grown-ups can open these bottles very easily.
I’m certain that the price of making such tops would be very low. As a doctor, I’d love to see this done. And most parents would be grateful.
Yours,
Li HuaThe writer’s job in the hospital was mainly to________.
A.treat sick children | B.treat poisoned children |
C.give medicine to people | D.give medicine to children |
The doctor seems to be ________.
A.happy about China’s hospital |
B.angry with what has happened |
C.anxious to solve the problem |
D.pleased with his invention |
The doctor thinks that we should ________.
A.study the Americans |
B.buy that kind of bottle |
C.produce this kind of plastic bottle |
D.turn to Americans for help |
The letter was written to the editor to ask for______.
A.money from the newspaper |
B.the plastic bottles from the readers |
C.medicine from the editor |
D.support from the Chinese factories |
Robert is nine years old and Joanna is seven. They live at Mount Ebenezer. Their father has a big property. In Australia they call a farm a property.
Robert and Joana like school very much. At school they can talk to their friends, but Robert and Joanna can not see their friends. They live 100,perhaps 300,miles away and like Robert and Joanna, they all go to school by radio.
Mount Ebenezer is in the centre of Australia. Not many people in “The Centre”, there are no schools with desks and blackboards and no teachers in “The Centre”. School is a room at home with a two-way radio. When all students answer, lessons begin.
Think of your teacher 300 miles away!The children in “The Centre” do not go to school because _____________.
A.they live too far away from one another |
B.they do not like school |
C.they are not old enough to go to school |
D.their families are too poor |
In order to send their children to school, parents in “The Centre” of Australia must have ___________________.
A.a property | B.a car |
C.a school room at home | D.a special radio |
When children are having a lesson, they can hear their teacher ______________.
A.but their teacher cannot hear them |
B.and their teacher can hear them too |
C.but can not hear their schoolmates. |
D.and see him or her at the same time. |
A “property” in Australia is a _________________.
A.house | B.school | C.farm | D.radio |
Cook wanted for Busy London Restaurant Experience (经历) required (需要). Call Tom 020 0451 87. |
Dance teacher We are looking for a dance and singing teacher to teach 4 to 7-year-old children. You only work three hours on Saturdays. You should have teaching experience. Send a CV (求职信) to Steve Reed, 9 Lenton Close, London or telephone 020 8334 47. |
Babysitter(保姆)needed Friendly family needs someone to look after 2 small children. Some light housework. Good pay. Live in our house. Tel: Mrs. Smith 020 0562 78 |
Waiters required Have restaurant knowledge and some bar experience. You will need to love learning new things. Tel: Cathy 020 4563 12 |
Which job needs you to be able to sing?
A.Babysitter. | B.Dance teacher. |
C.Cook. | D.Waiter. |
What kind of job can Jack do if he cooked in a restaurant from 1998 to 2004?
A.Babysitter. | B.Waiter. |
C.Cook. | D.Dance teacher. |
Tingting has just come to London from another city. She needs a place to live in. So she may call________________.
A.020 0451 87 | B.020 4563 12 |
C.020 0562 78 | D.020 8334 47 |