Low-Cost Gifts for Mother’s Day
Gift No. 1
Offer to be your mother’s health friend. Promise to be there for any and all doctor’s visits whether a disease or a regular medical check-up. Most mothers always say “no need,” but another set of eyes and ears is always a good idea at a doctor’s visit. The best part? This one is free.
Gift No. 2
Help your mother organize all of her medical records, which include the test results and medical information. Put them all in one place. Be sure to make a list of all of her medicines and what times she takes them. “Having all this information in one place could end up saving your mother’s life,” Dr. Marie Savard said.
Gift No. 3
Enough sleep is connected to general health conditions. “Buy your mother cotton sheets and comfortable pillows to encourage better sleep,” Savard said. “We know that good sleep is very important to our health.”
Gift No. 4
Some gift companies such as Presents for Purpose allow you to pay it forward this Mother’s Day by picking gifts in which 10 percent of the price you pay goes to a charity(慈善机构). Gift givers can choose from a wide variety of useful but inexpensive things—many of which are “green” —and then choose a meaningful charity from a list. When your mother gets the gift, she will be told that she has helped the chosen charity.What are you advised to do for your mother at doctor’s visits?
| A．Fake notes. | B．Be with her. |
| C．Buy medicine. | D．Give her gifts. |
What can be a gift of organization for your mother?
| A．Keeping her medical information together. |
| B．Buying all gifts for her from one company. |
| C．Making a 1ist of her medical check-ups. |
| D．Storing her medicines in a safe place. |
Where can you find a gift idea to improve your mother’s sleep?
| A．In Gift No. 1. | B．In Gift No. 2. |
| C．In Gift No. 3. | D．In Gift No. 4. |
Buying gifts from Presents for Purpose allows mothers to .
| A．enjoy good sleep | B．be well-organized |
| C．get extra support | D．give others help |
Sharing cars to work is not unusual．But what about sharing time to raise children together? In Ningbo city of Zhejiang province in East China, young mothers in the same neighborhood pool their children together, and share the responsibility of being parents．
Spending every day together, but not families – in this coastal city of East China, three mothers are trying a new way of raising their kids, by pooling them together. Among the mothers are both office workers and housewives.They say they do so not just because of the tight schedule．
Jiujiu's mother said, "By kids pooling, we mean to create an opportunity for the kids to spend time together so that we can observe our kids, learn more about them．And then we can discuss how to better bring them up．"
The three families have been doing so for two years, in school days and holidays．Their children have grown used to each other's company,
Chichi's mother said, "My son was a bit shy．We've been talking him to be more active, but he hardly changed．After joining the kids pool, suddenly we found him willing to communicate with others now．When we are not there, he has to rely on himself to get along with his pals．"
Generally, mothers speak highly about the pooling．The mothers describe the pooling as bringing the running water into a closed pond．It opens a window to a different world for both kids and parents．But there are moments when opinions differ．Xiaoxiao's mother said, "Sex education for example．Kids will be curious about it when they reach a certain age．Personally I want to talk with my child about it, frankly and sincerely．But the other two moms think it better not to bring it up．" Xiaoxiao's mother says her solution is to share some parenting guidebooks with other mothers and let them make the decision．
The headmaster of the kindergarten believes such pooling activities test not only children, but also the parents．Jin Hongqing, kindergarten headmaster said, "Parents need to be tolerant and patient．They shouldn't play the blame game when kids fight with each other．It's better to let the kids solve the issue by themselves．What they can do as parents is to communicate．"All the following aspects are the benefits of kids pooling EXCEPT________.
| A．It saves time and helps relieve mother’s burden. |
| B．It allows parents to learn more about kids. |
| C．It allows kids to learn to share and be independent. |
| D．It offers better education than the kindergartens. |
Why is sex education mentioned in the passage?
| A．To show sometimes mothers have different opinions. |
| B．To suggest children are sometimes curious about it. |
| C．To explain sex education is not suitable for children. |
| D．To indicate mothers think highly of kids pooling. |
What’s the writer’s attitude towards kids pooling?
| A．Favorable. | B．Negative. |
| C．Unclear. | D．Doubtful. |
Which of the following can best serve as the title of the passage?
| A．Kids pooling. | B．Chinese parenting. |
| C．Sharing children. | D．Sharing cars. |
February 4, 2012 saw the take-off of a new rising NBA star-Jeremy Lin.
Among professional basketball players, Jeremy Lin's background is not typical. He graduated from Harvard University, which sends few players to the NBA, and he is the only Chinese-American NBA player. But when you watch him on the court, there is no doubt that he belongs there. He moves with speed and grace that demonstrate years of faithful practice, which is fueled by a love for basketball.
Lin's enjoyment of basketball actually began in Taiwan. When Lin's father moved to U.S., his interest in the sport only grew and he passed on this love of basketball to his son, introducing him to the game at the age of five. The young Lin spent much of his youth playing basketball for fun.
In high school, Lin dreamed of playing in the NBA. When he applied for college, he was not offered a single sports scholarship. However, after his admission to Harvard, he was offered a place on its college basketball team.
During Lin's time at Harvard, his basketball career began to speed up. He scored 1,482 points, making him one of the highest scorers in Ivy League history.
When he graduated, no professional teams offered Lin a contract, but he was invited to play in the NBA Summer League. He played well and ended up eagerly signing a contract with the Golden State Warriors.
At first，playing in professional games filled Lin with excitement. He treasured opportunities to meet players he had been watching on TV for years. But slowly, the excitement wore off and was replaced by anxiety. In a few very difficult months, he was cut by two teams before the New York Knicks picked him up.
But he had the courage and determination to stick to his dream, so he put himself into hard training to get ready for his opportunity to come. Then his moment arrived on February 4, 2012，on which his excellent performance made him famous overnight. After that, he led the Knicks to their fifth straight victory.
The Associated Press called Lin "the most surprising story in the NBA". Knicks fans developed the nickname for him "Linsanity" (林发疯）. Time magazine released its 2012 list of the 100 "Most Influential People in the World", Jeremy Lin included.
No doubt, Lin fever is continuing to spread. If you haven't already caught "Linsanity", get ready.Which of the following elements is of little help in Lin's success?
| A．his father's influence |
| B．his devotion to basketball |
| C．his years of hard work |
| D．his graduation from Harvard University |
What does the phrases "wore off" in seventh paragraph probably mean?
| A．arose | B．disappeared | C．grew | D．remained |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A. Lin learned to play basketball when he was eight.
B. Before Lin there was no Chinese-American NBA players.
C. Lin was excited for professional games and did a good job at the beginning.
D. Lin is the most outstanding player in NBA.Which is the right order for Lin's life?
a. He made an excellent performance on Feb,4.
b. He was fired by the Golden State Warriors.
c. He was invited to play in the NBA Summer League.
d. He graduated from Harvard University.
e. He became famous overnight.
| A．a, d, c, b, e | B．d, b, c, a, e |
| C．d, c, b, a, e | D．a, e, d, c, b |
It can be inferred from the passage that ______.
A. NBA prefers graduates from Harvard University.
B. Lin got an easy entry into NBA.
C. Lin didn't show his basketball talents in Harvard University.
D. Lin didn't have a smooth road in NBA.
Holidays
| Holiday News Vacancies (空位) now and in the school holidays at a country hotel in Devon. This comfortable, friendly home-from-home lies near the beautiful quiet countryside, but just a drive away from the sea. The food is simple but good. Children and pets are welcome. Reduced prices for low season. |
| The Snowdonia Center The Snowdonia Center for young mountain climbers has a mountain lesson. The beginners' costs are ￡57 for a week, including food and rooms. Equipment is included except walking shoes, which can be hired at a low cost. You must be in good health and prepared to go through a period of body exercises. This could be the beginning of a lifetime mountain climbing adventure. |
| The World Sea Trip of a Lifetime Our World Sea Trip of 2008 will be unlike any holiday you have ever been on before. Instead of one hotel after another, with all its packing and unpacking waiting and traveling, you just go to bed in one country and wake up in another. On board the ship, you will be well taken care of. Every meal will be first-class and every cabin like your home. During the trip, you can rest on deck(甲板), enjoy yourself in the games rooms and in the evening dance to our musical team and watch our wonderful play. You will visit all the places most people only dream about - from Acapulco and Hawaii to Tokyo and Hong Kong. For a few thousand pounds, all you've ever hoped for can be yours. |
What can you do if you like to go on holidays with pets?
| A．Choose the holiday in Devon. |
| B．Go to the Snowdonia Center. |
| C．Join the World Sea Trip of 2008. |
| D．Visit Acapulco and Hawaii. |
In what way is the Snowdonia Center different from the other two holidays?
| A．It provides chances of family gathering. |
| B．It providers customers with good food. |
| C．It offers a sport lesson. |
| D．It offers comfortable room. |
What is special about the World Sea Trip of 2008?
| A．You can have free meals on deck every day. |
| B．You can sleep on a ship and tour many places. |
| C．You will have chances to watch and act in a play. |
| D．You have to do your own packing and unpacking. |
At the Snowdonia Center, the beginner’s costs of ￡57 do not cover___?
| A．food. | B．rooms. |
| C．body exercises. | D．walking shoes. |
Asian parents are spending billions of dollars on private tutors (家庭教师) for their children and the practice is growing despite doubts about its effectiveness, according to an Asian Development Bank study published Wednesday, AFP reported.
"Shadow education" is an expanding business not only in wealthy countries, but also in some of the region's poorer nations as parents try to give their children the best start in life, the study said. Nearly nine out of 10 South Korean elementary pupils receive private tutoring, while the figure for primary school children in India's West Bengal state stands at six out of 10.
The study estimated that the costs of private tutoring in South Korea were equivalent (相等的) to 80 percent of government spending on public education. Japan spent $12 billion on extra teaching in 2011, while the figure for Singapore stood at US$ 680 million in 2009.
Extra academic work aims to help slow learners and support high achievers. Many Asian parents view it as a constructive way for adolescents to spend their spare time. However, it can also reduce the students' time for sports and other activities important for their overall development as well as cause social tensions as richer families are able to pay for better-quality tutoring, the study said.
The study calls for a review of educational systems to make such extra teaching less attractive.Why is “Shadow education" an expanding business?
| A．Because parents want to spend their money. |
| B．Because children don't want to go to school. |
| C．Because parents want their children to stay with teachers. |
| D．Because parents want to give their children the best start in life. |
According to the article, what is the purpose of extra academic work?
| A．To aid slow learners and support high achievers. |
| B．To prepare children for all kinds of academic contests. |
| C．To increase children's hobbies and interests in many fields. |
| D．To gain the most knowledge that students can't get in class. |
Which disadvantage of extra academic work is NOT mentioned?
| A．Causing social tensions. |
| B．Spending more extra money. |
| C．Lacking the chance to communicate with others. |
| D．Reducing the students' time for sports and other activities. |
What is the text mainly about?
| A．The government policy on educational systems. |
| B．How to provide the best education for children. |
| C．The importance for children's overall development. |
| D．The reasons for the popularity of private tutors for children. |
NASA is developing the capabilities needed to send humans to an asteroid（小行星）by 2025 and then Mars in the 2030s—goals outlined in NASA’s official documents 2014．
Mars is a rich destination tor scientific discovery and robotic and human exploration as we expand our presence into the solar system．Future exploration could uncover evidence of life，answering one of the fundamental mysteries：Does life exist beyond Earth?
While robotic explorers have studied Mars for more than 40 years，NASA’s path for the human exploration of Mars begins in low-Earth orbit aboard the International Space Station．Astronauts on the orbiting laboratory are helping us prove many of the technologies and communications systems needed for human missions（任务）to deep space，including Mars．The space station also advances our understanding of how the body changes in space and how to protect astronaut health．
Our next step is deep space，where NASA will send a robotic mission to catch and redirect an asteroid to orbit the moon．Astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft will explore the asteroid in the 2020s，returning to Earth with samples．This experience in human spaceflight beyond low-Earth orbit will help NASA test new systems，which we’ll need to send cargo（货物）as part of human missions to Mars．Beginning in FY 2018，NASA’s powerfull Space Launch System（SLS）rocket will enable these "proving ground" missions to test new technologies．Human missions to Mars will rely on Orion and an evolved version of SLS that will be the most powerful launch vehicle ever flown。
A lot of robotic spacecraft and rovers（探测器）already are on and around Mars，greatly increasing our knowledge about the Red Planet and paving the way of future human explorers．The Mars Science Laboratory Curiosity rover measured radiation on the way to Mars and is sending back radiation data from the surface．This data will help us plan how to protect the astronauts who will explore Mars．Future missions like the Mars 2020 rover，seeking signs of past life，also will demonstrate new technologies that could help astronauts survive on Mars．
Engineers and scientists around the country are working hard to develop the technologies astronauts will use to one day live and work on Mars，and safely return home from the next giant leap for humanity．NASA also is a leader in a Global Exploration Roadmap，working with international partners and the U．S．commercial space industry with human missions to the surface of Mars as the driving goal．
It can be learnt from the first three paragraphs that .
| A．Mars is the perfect place for scientific discovery and human settlement |
| B．astronauts’physical changes in the space station should be recorded |
| C．NASA intends to send robotic explorers and humans to Mars in 2025 |
| D．astronauts in the space station are testing technologies for better life on the Earth |
The Orion Spacecraft_________.
| A．will send cargo to Mars |
| B．was built to explore low-earth orbit |
| C．needs SLS rocket to finish its mission |
| D．will bring back samples of an asteroid |
What can we infer from the last two paragraphs?
| A．the U.S．commercial space industry is a leader in exploration to Mars． |
| B．Many protective measures are needed when exploring Mars． |
| C．NASA is an agency that plans to explore Mars in secret． |
| D．Curiosity rover is the first rover to be sent to Mars． |
Which can be the best title of this passage?
| A．Future life on Mars |
| B．Research for the Solar System |
| C．NASA’s Journey to Mars |
| D．Exploration of life Beyond Earth |