Kids will often ignore your requests for them to shut off the TV, start their chores(杂事),or do their homework as a way to avoid following your directions. Before you know it, you’ve started to sound like a broken record as you repeatedly ask them to do their assignments, clean their room, or take out the trash. Rather than saying “Do your chores now.” you’ll be more effective if you set a target time for when the chores have to be completed. So instead of arguing about starting chores, just say, “If chores aren’t done by 4 pm, here are the consequences.” Then it’s up to your child to complete the chores. Put the ball back in their court. Don’t argue or fight with them, just say, “That’s the way it’s going to be.” It shouldn’t be punitive(惩罚性的)as much as it should be persuasive. “If your chores aren’t done by 4 pm, then no video game time until chores are done. And if finishing those chores runs into homework time, that’s going to be your loss.” On the other hand, when dealing with homework, keep it very simple. Have a time when homework starts, and at that time, all electronics go off and do not go back on until you see that their homework is done. If your kids say they have no homework, then they should use that time to study or read. Either way, there should be a time set aside when the electronics are off.
When a kid wears his iPod or headphones when you’re trying to talk to him, make no bones about it；he is not ignoring you, he is disrespecting you. At that point, everything else should stop until he takes the earplugs out of his ears. Don’t try to communicate with him when he’s wearing headphones — even if he tells you he can hear you. Wearing them while you’re talking to him is a sign of disrespect. Parents should be very tough about this kind of thing. Remember, mutual respect becomes more important as children mature.According to the passage, it seldom happens that ________.
| A．kids turn a deaf ear to their parents’ requests |
| B．parents’ directions sound like a broken record |
| C．children are ready to follow their parents’ directions |
| D．parents are unaware of what they are repeating to their kids |
Parents will be able to deal with their children more effectively if they ________.
| A．avoid direct ways of punishment | B．make them do things at their request |
| C．argue and fight with their children | D．allow their children to behave in their own way |
When the kid is doing his homework, parents ________.
| A．should provide him with a good learning environment |
| B．can do whatever they like |
| C．can stay aside watching TV |
| D．must switch off the power |
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
| A．parents should take off his headphones when trying to have a talk with their child |
| B．it will make no difference that a kid is wearing his earplugs while talking to his parents |
| C．parents shouldn’t give in to their kid when he shows no sign of respect |
| D．kids’ purposely talking to their parents with iPod gives them a sense of power and |
controlThe main idea of the passage is ________.
| A．that respecting each other is more important than anything else |
| B．how kids behave to ignore and disrespect their parents |
| C．that children should make choices and decisions on their own |
| D．how parents can deal with their kids’ behavior effectively |
Tourism Problems
Without proper planning, tourism can cause problems. For example, too many tourists can crowd public places that are also enjoyed by the inhabitants(居民)of a country. If tourists create too much traffic, the inhabitants become annoyed and unhappy. They begin to dislike tourists and to treat them impolitely. They forget how much tourism can help the country's economy(经济). It is important to think about the people of a destination(目的地)country and how tourism affects them. Tourism should help a country keep the customs and beauty that attract tourists. Tourism should also advance the wellbeing of local inhabitants.
Too much tourism can be a problem. If tourism grows too quickly, people must leave other jobs to work in the tourism industry. This means that other parts of the country's economy can suffer.
On the other hand, if there is not enough tourism, people will lose jobs. Businesses will also lose money. It costs a great deal of money to build a large hotels, airports, air terminals, firstclass roads, and other support facilities(设施)needed by tourist attractions. For example, a major internationalclass tourism hotel needs as much as 50 thousand dollars per room to build. If this room is not used most of the time, the owners of the hotel will lose money.
Building a hotel is just a beginning. There must be many support facilities as well, including roads to get to the hotel, electricity, sewers to handle waste, and water. All of these support facilities cost money. If they are not used because there are not enough tourists, jobs and money are lost.Too much tourism can cause all these problems EXCEPT________.
| A．a bad effect on other industries |
| B．a change of tourists' customs |
| C．overcrowding of places of interest |
| D．pressure on traffic |
Not enough tourism can lead to________.
| A．an increase of unemployment |
| B．a decrease in tourist attractions |
| C．the higher cost of support facilities |
| D．a rise in price and a fall in pay |
The word“handle”in the last paragraph most probably means“________”．
| A．carry away |
| B．pick up |
| C．get in |
| D．take down |
(2010·全国卷Ⅱ)When you're lying on the white sands of the Mexican Riviera, the stresses(压力)of the world seem a million miles away. Hey, stop! This is no vacation—you have to finish something!
Here lies the problem for travel writer and food critic(评论家)Edie Jarolim. “I always loved traveling and always liked to eat, but it never occurred to me that I could make money doing both of those things，” Jarolim said. Now you can read her travel advice everywhere—in Arts and Antiques, in Brides, or in one of her three books. The Complete ldiot't Travel Guide Medco' Beach Recarts.
Her job in travel writing began some eight years ago. After getting a PhD in English in Canada, she took a test for Frommer's travel guides, passed it, and got the job. After working at Frommer's, Jarolim worked for a while at Rough Guides in London, then Fodor's, where she fell so in love with a description of the Southwest of the U．S. that she moved there.
Now as a travel writer, she spends onethird of her year on the road. The rest of the time is spent completing her tasks and writing reviews of restaurants at home in Tucson, Arizona.
As adventurous as the job sounds, the hard part is factchecking all the information. Sure, it's great to write about a tourist attraction, but you'd better get the local(当地的)museum hours correct or you could really ruin someone's vacation.Which country does Jarolim live in now?
| A．Mexico. |
| B．The U．S. |
| C．The U．K. |
| D．Canada |
What is most difficult for Jarolim?
| A．Working in different places to collect information. |
| B．Checking all the facts to be written in the guides. |
| C．Finishing her work as soon as possible. |
| D．Passing a test to write travel guides. |
What do we know about Jarolim from the text?
| A．She is successful in her job. |
| B．She finds her life full of stresses. |
| C．She spends half of her time traveling. |
| D．She is especially interested in museums. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Adventures in Travel Writing |
| B．Working as a Food Critic |
| C．Travel Guides on the Market |
| D．Vacationing for a living |
Excused from recycling(回收利用)because you live in a high rise with a rubbish chute(垃圾滑道)? You_won't_be_for_long. Miami's Mark Shantzis has made it simple for those living in tall buildings to use the chute and recycle too.
In Shantzis' HiRise Recycling System, a chute leads to pieshaped container with six boxes that can turn around when operated. The system, which fits in the same space as the chute and container now in use, enables glass, plastic, paper, metal and other rubbish to go into separate boxes.
The system is controlled from a board fixed next to the chute door. The board has a button for each class of recycling materials(as well as for un-recyclables). At the press of a button, a microcomputer locks all other floor's chute doors and sets the recycling container turning until the right box comes under the chute. The computer also counts the loads and gives a signal by phone when the box is full. And a particular piece of equipment breaks up the nonrecyclables.
Sorting(分类)recyclables before they are collected saves the use of expensive materials recovery equipment which otherwise has to do the sorting. Such equipment often makes recycled materials very expensive, so expensive that tons of recyclables remain wasted! Shantzis believes his system could help recycled materials become more costeffective.The purpose in writing this text is________.
| A．to encourage people to recycle their rubbish |
| B．to introduce a recycling system for high rises |
| C．to describe the use of computer technology in recycling |
| D．to explain the need for rubbish collection in high rises |
When he says“You won't be for long”the writer means that________.
| A．you'll soon be living in a cleaner building |
| B．rubbish chutes will become out of date before long |
| C．you won't wait long for your turn to recycle rubbish |
| D．it won't be long before you'll have to recycle rubbish |
Before dropping rubbish into the chute you have to________.
| A．lock the other floors' chute doors |
| B．check if the container is full |
| C．press the correct button |
| D．break up the rubbish |
The biggest advantage of this new system is that________.
| A．it reduces the cost of recycling |
| B．it saves time and space |
| C．it saves money for people living in high rises |
| D．it makes better use of the existing recovery equipment |
B
(2010·安徽卷)American cities are similar to other cities around the world: In every country, cities reflect the values of the culture. American cities are changing, just as American society is changing.
After World War Ⅱ， the population of most large American cities decreased; however, the population in many Sun Belt cities increased. Los Angeles and Houston are cities where population shifts(转移)to and from the city reflect the changing values of American society. In the late 1940s and early 1950s, city residents(居民)became wealthier. They had more children so they needed more space. They moved out of their apartments in the city to buy their own homes. They bought houses in the suburbs(效区)．
Now things are changing. The children of the people who left the cities in the 1950s are now adults. Many, unlike their parents, want to live in the cities. They continue to move to Sun Belt cities and older ones of the Northeast and Midwest. Many young professionals are moving back into the city. They prefer the city to the suburbs because their jobs are there; or they just enjoy the excitement and possibilities that the city offers.
This population shift is bringing problems as well as benefits. Countless poor people must leave their apartments in the city because the owners want to sell the buildings or make apartments for sale instead of for rent. In the 1950s, many poor people did not have enough money to move to the suburbs; now many of these same people do not have enough money to stay in the cities.
Only a few years ago, people thought that the older American cities were dying. Some city residents now see a bright, new future. Others see only problems and conflicts. One thing is sure: many dying cities are alive again.What does the author think of cities all over the world?
| A．They are alive. |
| B．They are hopeless. |
| C．They are similar. |
| D．They are different. |
Why did American city residents want to live in the suburbs after World War Ⅱ？
| A．Because older American cities were dying. |
| B．Because they were richer and needed more space. |
| C．Because cities contained the worst parts of society. |
| D．Because they could hardly afford to live in the city. |
According to the 4th paragraph, a great many poor people in American cities________.
| A．are faced with housing problems |
| B．are forced to move to the suburbs |
| C．want to sell their buildings |
| D．need more money for daily expenses |
We can conclude from the text that________.
| A．American cities are changing for the worse |
| B．people have different views on American cities |
| C．many people are now moving from American cities |
| D．the population is decreasing in older American cities |
A
The Sahara Festival is a celebration of the very recent past. The threeday event is not fixed to the same dates each year, but generally takes place in November or December. It is well attended by tourists, but even better attended by locals.
During the opening ceremonies, after the official greetings from the government leaders, people who attend the festival begin to march smartly before the viewing stands, and white camels transport their riders across the stands. Horsemen from different nations display their beautiful clothes and their fine horsemanship. One following another, groups of musicians and dancers from all over the Sahara take their turn to show off their wonderful culture. Groups of men in blue and yellow play horns and best drums as they dance in different designs. On their knees in the sand, a group of women in long dark dresses dance with their hair：their long, dark, shiny hair is thrown back and forth in the wind to the rhythm of their dance.
The local and visiting Indian dogs are anxious to run after hares. The crowd is on its feet for the camel races. Camels and riders run far into the distance, and then return to the finish line in front of the cheering people.
Towards the evening, there comes the grand finale of the opening day, an extremely exciting horserace. All the riders run very fast on horseback. Some riders hang off the side of their saddles. Some even ride upside down—heir legs and feet straight up in the air—all at full speed. Others rush down the course together, men arm in arm, on different horses. On and on they went. So fast and so wonderful!The Sahara Festival is a festival which________.
| A．has a very long history in North Africa |
| B．is held in the same place on the same day |
| C．is attended mainly by the people in the Sahara |
| D．is celebrated mostly by travelers from different countries |
Before the races begin, ________take part in the activities during the opening ceremonies________.
| A．musicians, dancers, horses and hares |
| B．camel riders, musicians, dogs and hares |
| C．horseman, dancers, camels and dogs |
| D．musicians, officials, camels and horses |
The underlined word“finale”in the fourth paragraph most probably means the________of the opening day.
| A．first part |
| B．middle |
| C．last part |
| D．whole |
This passage mainly tells readers________.
| A．what happens on the opening day of the Sahara Festival |
| B．how people celebrate during the threeday Sahara Festival |
| C．what takes place at the closing ceremonies of the Sahara Festival |
| D．how animals race on the first and the last days of the Sahara Festival |