It was one of the hottest days of the dry season. We had not seen rain in almost a month. The crops were dying. Cows had stopped giving milk. The streams were long gone back into the earth. If we didn't see some rain soon we would lose everything.
I was in the kitchen making lunch for my husband and his brothers when I saw my six-year-old son, Billy, walking toward the woods. He was obviously walking with a great effort... trying to be as still as possible. Minutes after he disappeared into the woods, he came running out again, toward the house.
Moments later, however, he was once again walking in that slow purposeful long step toward the woods. This activity went on for over an hour: walking cautiously to the woods, then running back to the house. Finally, my curiosity got the best of me. I crept out of the house and followed him on his journey.
He was cupping both hands in front of him as he walked; being very careful not to spill the water he held in them. Branches and thorns slapped his little face but he did not try to avoid them. He had a much greater purpose. As I leaned in to spy on him, I saw the most amazing site.
Several large deer appeared threatening in front of him. But Billy walked right up to them. I almost screamed for him to get away. And I saw a baby deer lying on the ground, obviously suffering from heavy loss of water and heat exhaustion, lift its head with great effort to lap up the water cupped in my beautiful boy's hand.
I stood on the edge of the woods watching the most beautiful heart I have ever known working so hard to save a life. As the tears that rolled down my face began to hit the ground, they were suddenly joined by other drops... and more drops... and more. I looked up at the sky. It was as if God, Himself, was weeping with pride. Which of the following statements is Not True according to the passage?
| A．Rain was in great need. |
| B．There were few trees in the woods. |
| C．Billy carried water with his small hands. |
| D．Billy walked into the woods and then returned over and over again. |
What Billy did mainly showed that he was _____.
| A．caring | B．beautiful | C．childlike | D．brave |
Which is the correct order of the development of the story?
①The author was moved to tears.
②Billy fed the water to the baby deer.
③Billy walked towards the large deer.
④It began to rain.
⑤The author followed Billy into the woods.
| A．③②⑤①④ | B．④①③⑤ | C．⑤③②①④ | D．⑤②①③④ |
At the end of the story, the author might experience different feelings Except that _____
| A．Billy was a pride. |
| B．God was touched by Billy's activity. |
| C．it was worthwhile to have given birth to Billy. |
| D．the rain should have dropped earlier. |
D
Researchers recently completed a study of a new method of giving health care to women in Northern Nigeria. They found women and children would use health services more often when they could see a female health worker.
Northern Nigeria is conservative area with a population that is mostly Muslim. Dr. Sally Findley is a professor at Columbia University Medical Center. She co-wrote the report on the study. She said it is unusual for women to work as health care providers there.
"Most women are not expected to be living on their own, providing health care essentially 24/7, or riding around meeting with families in the scattered hamlets."
Nigeria has one of the world's highest death rates of women connected with pregnancy and childbirth. This is called the "maternal death" rate. The worst rate of maternal death in Nigeria is in the northern region.
Male health workers do travel from town to town, but many women patients do not want to talk with a man about their own health care needs.
Dr. Findley said the trial study in Jigawa state required that many in the community be involved. It also needed support from religious leaders, even on such matters as transportation for the workers.
"We had to get permission from the state imam, the leader of all the Muslims in Jigawa, to have these female friendly motorcycles, and give permission for them to use them."
The program brought women into northern Nigeria as Community Health Extension Workers. It seems they were a big success in their community. There were five times more visits to the health center after the women health workers arrived than before. Dr. Findley said the program changed the minds of the women taking part.
"In fact, they did like this, and it did change their understanding of what they could get if they went to the facility for care."
The women of northern Nigeria could get health care at all hours in the local clinic. Mothers got help from women when they had normal births. If a mother giving birth needed more help, the Community Health Extension Workers sent her to a hospital. They also gave advice on family planning.
Each clinic had two health workers. That way, one could go out on home visits while the other was available to provide services in the clinic.
State officials in Jigawa were happy with the positive results of the study. They plan to expand the program of women community health workers.
The paper that describes the program by Sally Findley and her co-authors is published in the journal Global Health: Science and Practice.What do we know from the first paragraph_______?
| A．women and children in Northern Nigeria use health services often |
| B．there is no female health workers in Northern Nigeria |
| C．women and children in Northern Nigeria are more likely to let female health workers help them |
| D．women and children in Northern Nigeria don’t like male health workers |
Why women and children in Northern Nigeria prefer female health workers_______?
| A．Because they can’t afford the expenses |
| B．Because they don’t like male health workers |
| C．Because it is unusual for women to work as health care providers there |
| D．Because Northern Nigeria is conservative area with a population that is mostly Muslim. |
Which part in Nigeria has the worst rate of maternal death ________?
| A．the northern region | B．the southern region |
| C．the western region | D．the eastern region |
What’s the attitude of the state officials in Jigawa towards the study________?
| A．negative | B．supportive |
| C．suspect | D．indifferent |
The article most probably comes from________.
| A．a research report |
| B．a news report |
| C．a medical book |
| D．a healthy magazine |
C
Tim Cook, the CEO of Apple, showed off their newest device, the Apple Watch. Mr. Cook said it is the "most personal" device Apple has ever created.
The Apple Watch is a miniature, or very small, computer a person wears on his or her wrist.There will be three models with straps to attach them to your wrist. An Apple Watch will be able to do many of the same things as an iPhone. It will show email, texts, news, health readings and other information. These apps will be customized for the watch. It will be different than just seeing what is on your phone.
Like a phone, you will be able to receive calls on your wrist. Mr. Cook smiled while describing this. "I've been wanting to do this since I was five years old," he said. "The day is finally here." Decades ago, a comic strip hero named Dick Tracy talked into his wrist watch, but until now, that has only been something possible in the future.
Mr. Cook also said it is "incredibly intimate." He said you can capture and send your heartbeat to another person with an Apple Watch.
"This is an incredibly intimate way to tell someone that you are thinking about them," he said. "I hope someone sends me one of those.
The crown of the Apple Watch is what sets this Apple product apart from other companies' smartwatches. Like the touch screen on smartphones, the crown controls what you can do. By turning the crown on an Apple Watch, one can zoom in and out, to look at a map, for example.
The watches will be available in stores in late April. They will be sold at different prices, beginning at $349. Mr. Cook called the high-end model, the one made of 18-karat gold, "jaw dropping beautiful." Its price tag will be thousands of dollars.
"The biggest surprise to me was that the price range goes up to $10,000 for the Apple Edition Watch," writes tech blogger Carolyn Nicander Mohr ofThe Wonder of Tech. "That price is quite steep for technology that may be obsolete in a year."
Apple hopes to excite consumers so they will want to buy and wear computers on their bodies. The first smartwatches from Samsung, Sony and LG have not been selling well. Only five million smartwatches were sold last year, according to Strategy Analytics. Another wearable computer, Google Glass eyewear, is no longer on the market.
Critics say one problem with Apple Watch is that you need an iPhone on your body, or nearby, to make this watch fully functional. Like a phone, it will also need to be charged each night. It remains to be seen whether people really want to carry both a smartphone and a smartwatch.
Apple has overcome skeptics before. Both computer tablets and smartphones were not popular until Apple released the iPad and iPhones.
The announcement today comes after last week's news that Apple will replace AT&T on the Dow Jones Industrial Average. The Dow Jones index includes the top 30 companies representing the U.S. economy and markets.As the newest device of Apple, the Apple Watch can show many things EXCEPT _______?
| A．news | B．texts |
| C．health readings | D．games |
What sets the Apple Watch apart from other companies' smartwatches________?
| A．the crown of the Apple Watch |
| B．the straps of the Apple Watch |
| C．the design of the Apple Watch |
| D．the price of the Apple Watch |
The reason why Apple created the Apple Watch is that_________.
| A．Apple wants to compete with Samsung, Sony and LG |
| B．Apple expects to encourage people to buy its new product |
| C．Apple wants to help people in trouble |
| D．Google Glass eyewear is no longer on the market |
According to the passage, which is NOT true_______?
| A．the Apple Watch is Apple’s newest device |
| B．The apps on the Apple Watch is the same as thos on an iphone |
| C．The crown sets the Apple Watch apart from other companies' smartwatches |
| D．the Apple Watch needs to be charged each night |
B
Schools are being urged to go back to ‘chalk and talk’ teaching that was once widespread in Britain – in order to reproduce the success the traditional methods now have in China.
Education Minister Nick Gibb said having a teacher speak to the class as a whole from the front was much more effective than children working on their own – the method which has become dominant in schools over the past 40 years.
Mr. Gibb’s intervention（干预）, which will infuriate many in the educational establishment, follows a Government scheme in which more than 70 maths teachers from British primaries went to Shanghai to study the teaching styles of their Chinese counterparts. Researchers have found that children in China achieve marks in maths up to 30 per cent higher than English pupils of the same age.
In ‘whole class’ teaching, which was common in this country until the 1950s, the teacher instructs all the pupils together by using a blackboard, or its equivalent, while testing the children with questions.
But progressive educationalists argued this was too authoritarian, and instead promoted the ‘child-centered’ approach that has been prevalent in primary schools since then. Under this system, pupils are encouraged to ‘discover’ knowledge by themselves, working at their own speed or in small groups, with the teacher offering them support.
Mr. Gibb told The Mail on Sunday: ‘I would like to see schools across the country adopt whole class teaching methods, particularly in maths and science. Research shows it is significantly more effective than other methods that concentrate more on personalized learning.’
He said Shanghai schools topped international league tables, with 15-year-olds there three years ahead of their English counterparts in maths.
Mr. Gibb added: ‘In Shanghai primary schools, whole class teaching with all pupils taking part in question and answer sessions is key to their success. All their pupils are taught the same curriculum and all are expected to reach the same high standard.’
Professor Alan Smithers, director of the Centre for Education and Employment Research at Buckingham University, said: ‘English education was overtaken with progressive ideas in recent decades, which held it was better for children to learn by themselves and at their own pace.
‘This was clearly madness, and it has taken 40 years to realize this.
‘The trouble with the trendy methods is that the children are left to their own devices, including chatting to their friends, while the teacher is elsewhere. It is a very inefficient use of time and resources.’
Mr. Gibb’s comments have been backed by recent research, which concluded that the success of pupils in the Far East is largely down to teaching methods. How does the passage mainly develop?
| A．By making comparisons. | B．By giving examples. |
| C．By explaining things. | D．By giving numbers. |
What do we know about “whole class” teaching method?
| A．The teacher speaks to the class as a whole in the front. |
| B．The teacher provides help only when necessary. |
| C．The students discover knowledge all by themselves. |
| D．The students all study at their own pace. |
What is Alan Smithers’ attitude towards the “child-centered” teaching method？
| A．Positive. | B．Negative. |
| C．Neutral. | D．Unclear. |
请认真阅读下列短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项，并在答题卡上将该项涂黑。
A
There are few places in the world with people as friendly and scenery as beautiful as the Philippines. Of the 7,107 islands that make up the archipelago nation（群岛国家），Boracay is one that has some of the best beaches the country-or even Asia-has to offer.
Boracay is a great choice for a beach holiday, especially if you're trying to escape the cold claws of winter. A lot is packed on the island, which is not much bigger than 10 square kilometers. It has many charms and attractions for the most active traveler, as well as the biggest beach bum（冲浪爱好者）．
It also caters to a variety of budgets. With everything from low-key guesthouses to five-star resorts, local fare to gourmet meals（餐要大餐），travelers will be able to spend as -much or as little as they want. And like many destinations in Asia, bargaining will help you get better prices on accommodation, leisure activities, shopping and dining. The majority of accommodations can be found along the western side of the island, along White Sand Beach and Bulabog Beach. The southern part of the beach, called Station Three, caters more to backpacker crowds, and prices tend to increase the farther you go up the beach. Station Two, 5 to 10 minutes on foot from Station Three, is the center of the island's pulsing nightlife. Another 10 minutes up from Station Two is Station One, where you'll find the resort hotels and a more relaxed, comforting atmosphere. The island's lookout point is arguably the best place for panoramic（全景的）views of Boracay and its neighboring islands. Just a few moments of breathtaking scenery and fresh sea air will rejuvenate（使精神焕发）you and make you feel you never want to leave.
There are organized trips to nearby islands, one of the most popular being Ariel's Point. The Boracay Beach Club resort, which owns the island, plans outings to Ariel's for a minimum of 14 people each trip．Visitors can have a day of cliff-jumping, snorkeling and barbecues. An alternative-and a sure way to see and do what you want-is to hire a boat. Ride around Boracay, stop at a restaurant frequented by locals, visit the neighboring islands, find a good snorkeling spot or fthd a beach where you can appreciate Boracay's unspoiled beauty. Countless boat operators offer their services along the shore. Rental is typically 500 pesos（＄12) an hour. Another must-do is a sailboat ride at sunset. White Sand and Bulabog Beaches are lined with sailboats, and there's nothing quite like watching the sun descend against the backdrop of a blue sea and sky. There's very little that will top this bonding moment with nature. To round up the day, head out for a tasty meal．Because of Boracay's countless international visitors, almost every major food type is available. There's New York-style pizzas, burgers galore, Mexican treats, Thai favorites, as well as Japanese udon noodles．
There's plenty more to love and appreciate about Boracay. With its small, cozy atmosphere and welcoming people, it's one destination not to pass up for that romantic getaway, family trip or holiday with friends.
If you want to find inexpensive accommodation, you should go＿ along White Sand Beach and Bulabog Beach.
| A．northward | B．southward |
| C．eastward | D．westward |
What does the underlined word "top" in Paragraph 8 mean?
| A．Be better than. | B．Be suitable for. |
| C．Be away from. | D．Be equal to. |
Which of the following is NOT mentioned in the passage?
| A．Hotel expenses. | B．Public transport. |
| C．Outdoor recreations. | D．International food |
Nuclear power’s danger to health, safety, and even life itself can be summed up in one word: radiation.
Nuclear radiation has a certain mystery about it, partly because it cannot be detected by human senses. It can’t be seen or heard, or touched or tasted, even though it may be all around us. There are other things like that. For example, radio waves are all around us but we can’t detect them or sense them without a radio receiver. Similarly, we can’t sense radioactivity without a radiation detector. But unlike common radio waves, nuclear radiation is not harmless to human beings and other living things.
At very high levels, radiation can kill an animal or human being immediately by killing masses of cells in vital organs. But even the lowest levels can do serious damage. There is no level of radiation that is completely safe. If the radiation does not hit anything important, the damage may not be serious. This is the case when only a few cells are hit, and if they are killed immediately. Your body will replace the dead cells with healthy ones. But if the few cells are only damaged, and if they reproduce themselves, you may be in trouble. They can grow into cancer. Sometimes this does not show up for many years.
This is another reason for some of the mystery about nuclear radiation. Serious damage can be done without the victim being aware at the time that damage has occurred. A person can be irradiated（辐射）and feel fine, then die for cancer five, ten, or twenty years later as a result. Or a child can be born weak as a result of radiation absorbed by its parents.
Radiation can hurt us. We must know the truth.What is the main idea of the passage?
| A．How radiation kills a man. |
| B．How to detect nuclear radiation. |
| C．The mystery about nuclear radiation. |
| D．Serious harm caused by nuclear radiation. |
Which statement about nuclear radiation is true?
| A．It is just like common radio waves. |
| B．It can be harmless if its level is low. |
| C．It can be detected by human senses. |
| D．It can cause cancer to human beings. |
How can nuclear radiation kill an animal?
| A．By damaging its heart. |
| B．By stopping it breathing. |
| C．By killing many cells in key organs. |
| D．By destroying its brain. |
If a man is hit by nuclear radiation, he may _______.
| A．die of cancer after many years | B．die immediately |
| C．have a child who may be born weak | D．all of the above |