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 |
“My kids really understand solar and earth-heat energy,” says a second-grade teacher in Saugus, California. “Some of them are building solar collectors for their energy course.” These young scientists are part of City Building Educational Program (CBEP), a particular program for kindergarten through twelfth grade that uses the stages of city planning to teach basic reading, writing and math skills and more.
The children don’t just plan any city. They map and analyze (分析) the housing, energy, and transportation requirements of their own district and foretell its needs in 100 years. With the aid of an architect (建筑师) who visits the classroom once a week, they invent new ways to meet these needs and build models of their creations. “Designing buildings of the future gives children a lot of freedom,’’ says the teacher who developed this program. “They are able to use their own rich imagination and inventions without fear of blame, because there are no wrong answers in a future context. In fact, as the class enters the final model-building stage of the program, an elected ‘official’ and ‘planning group’ make all the design decisions for the model city and the teacher steps back and becomes an adviser.
CBEP is a set of activities, games and imitations that teach the basic steps necessary for problem-solving: observing, analyzing, working out possible answers, and judging them based on the children’s own standards.
The program is designed to_________.
A.direct kids to build solar collectors |
B.train young scientists for city planning |
C.develop children’s problem-solving abilities |
D.help young architects know more about designing. |
An architect pays a weekly visit to the classroom to ________.
A.find out kids’ creative ideas | B. help kids with their p![]() |
C. discuss with the teacher | D. give children![]() ![]() |
Who is the designer of the program?
A.An official. | B.An architect. | C.A teacher. | D.A scientist |
The children feel free in the program because __________.
A.they can design future buildings themselves |
B.they have new ideas and rich imagination |
C.they are given enough time to design models |
D. they need not worry about making mistakes |
It was a winter morning,just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005.While most people were warming up their cars,Trevor, my husband,had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work.On arrival,he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does.After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike,a black Kona 18 speed,was our only Transport.Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family.And the bike was also used to get groceries(食品杂货),saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I Was so sad that someone would steal our bike that 1 wrote to the newspaper and told them our story.Shortly after that,several people in bur area offered to help.One wonderful stranger even bought a bike,then called my husband to pick it up.Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job.It really is all honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so.This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity(人性)as a whole.And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we,too,can share with others.No matter how big or how small,all act of kindness shows that someone cares.And the results can be everlasting.
Why was the bike so important to the couple?
A.The man's job was bike racing. | B.It was their onlypossession. |
C.They used it for work and daily life. | D.It was a nice Kona 18 speed. |
We can infer from the text that_________.
A.the couple worked 60 hours a week | B.people were busy before Christmas. |
C.the stranger brought over the bike | D.life was hard for the young family |
How did people get to know the couple's problem?
A.From radio broadcasts. | B.From TV news. |
C.From a newspaper. | D.From a stranger. |
What do the couple learn from their experience?
A.Strangers are usually of little help. | B.An act of kindness can mean a lot. |
C.News reports make people famous. | D.One should take care of their bike. |
A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stone may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves – the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. But we really shouldn’t be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solves problems, and calm ourselves down. Beware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in
a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying, “Good job!”
Words possess power because of their lasting effects. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem(自尊) and motive others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.
The author argues in the first paragraph that ________.
A.words will never hurt us at all |
B.words have lasting effects on us |
C.positive effects last longer than negative effects |
D.negative words last longer than positive effects |
Why should we not feel embarrassed when talking to ourselves?
A.Almost everybody has the habit of talking to oneself. |
B.It does harm to have “self-talk” when we are alone. |
C.Talking to ourselves helps us to solve all the problems. |
D.Talking to ourselves is believed to be good for our health. |
The underlined phrase “give ourselves a pat on the back” in Paragraph 3 means _________.
A.blame ourselves | B.punish ourselves |
C.praise ourselves | D.talk to ourselves |
Which of the
following statements would the author agree to?
A.It is better to think twice before talking to others. |
B.It is impossible for unkind words to be forgotten. |
C.Words always possess long positive effects. |
D.Kind words are sometimes not needed at all. |
It was a winter morning,just a couple of weeks before Christmas 2005.While most people were warming up their cars,Trevor, my husband,had to get up early to ride his bike four kilometers away from home to work.On arrival,he parked his bike outside the back door as he usually does.After putting in 10 hours of labor, he returned to find his bike gone.
The bike,a black Kona 18 speed,was our only Transport.Trevor used it to get to work, putting in 60-hour weeks to support his young family.And the bike was also used to get groceries(食品杂货),saving us from having to walk long distances from where we live.
I Was so sad that someone would steal our bike that 1 wrote to the newspaper and told them our story.Shortly after that,several people in bur area offered to help.One wonderful stranger even bought a bike,then called my husband to pick it up.Once again my husband had a way to get to and from his job.It really is all honor that a complete stranger would go out of their way for someone they have never met before.
People say that a smile can be passed from one person to another, but acts of kindness from strangers are even more so.This experience has had a spreading effect in our lives because it strengthened our faith in humanity(人性)as a whole.And it has influenced us to be more mindful of ways we,too,can share with others.No matter how big or how small,all act of kindness shows that someone cares.And the results can be everlasting.
Why was the bike so important to the couple?
A.The man's job was bike racing. | B.It was their onlypossession. |
C.They used it for work and daily life. | D.It was a nice Kona 18 speed. |
We can infer from the text that_________.
A.the couple worked 60 hours a week | B.people were busy before Christmas. |
C.the stranger brought over the bike | D.life was hard for the young family |
How did people get to know the couple's problem?
A.From radio broadcasts. | B.From TV news. |
C.From a newspaper. | D.From a stranger. |
What do the couple learn from their experience?
A.Strangers are usually of little help. | B.An act of kindness can mean a lot. |
C.News reports make people famous. | D.One should take care of their bike. |
Many people write to newspapers and magazines to express their opinions. Letters to the editor must carry the writer’s full name, address and telephone number, although the information is not necessary for publication. This requirement to provide personal particulars is a clear indication that writers are responsible for what they say. When a writer wants his voice heard, he needs to claim ownership of his voice. Responsibility is the name of the game.
“People today prefer living together to putting their signatures on a marriage certificate because they refuse to accept responsibility for the relationship,” said social worker Ken Yip, “and this is what is causing a lot of family problems.” When we sign a
paper, for example, a business contra
ct or a bank document, the signature is a seal of consent, an agreement to take the matter seriously. Most governments and many organizations will not process written complaints if they do not bear the writer’s signature. The absence of a signature, they explain, tells us that the writer cannot be too serious and therefore does not deserve a reply.
There are people who wish to remain anonymous(匿名的) for various reasons. Multi-billionaire Mr. King donates generously to charity several times a year. He gives simply because he wants to help but not for the publicity his donations may bring, and he doesn’t want his good deeds to make news. In other cases, people insist on anonymity because they are afraid of the consequences of revealing their identity. Crime witnesses may be willing to assist the police, but most are unwilling to give their names when reporting a crime.
Name or no name? The answer is very personal and lies in how much we want to get involved. We all have a name. It is a matter of responsibility to use it when we make a statement, a claim or an accusation. We all want to honor our own name, and it is only by stamping our expression of an opinion with our name that we honor what we say.What does the writer mean by saying “Responsibility is the name of the game”?
A.Writers should be responsible for their names. |
B.Writers need to provide their personal information in the game. |
C.Names are required to indicate writers’ responsibility for what they say. |
D.Publications must bear the writer’s full na![]() |
The second paragraph suggests that a paper without a signature may______.
A.not get a reply | B.be accepted all the time |
C.become a family problem | D.help to end a relationship |
Some people don’t want their names known because they are_______.
A.ready for involvement | B.hesitant to make a donation |
C.afraid of an accusation | D.unwilling to draw public attention |
The passage is mainly about_____.
A.honor and writers | B.signature and responsibility |
C.identity and sign![]() |
D.anonymity and signature |