Recently Cathy Hagner sadly finds that life for her and her three children is set to permanent(永久的)fast-forward.
Their full school day and her job as a lawyer's assistant are busy enough. But Hanger also has to take the two boys to soccer or hockey or basketball while dropping off her daughter at piano lessons or Girl Scout Club.
Often, the exhausted family doesn't get home until 7 pm. There is just time for a quick supper before homework. In today's world, middle-class American and British parents treat their children as if they are competitors racing for some finishing line.
Parents take their children from activity to activity in order to make their future bright. It seems that raising a genius has become a more important goal than raising a happy and well-balanced child.
“Doctors across the country are reporting a growing number of children suffering from stomachaches and headaches due to exhaustion and stress,” says child expert William Doherty of the University of Minnesota.
Teachers are dealing with exhausted kids in the classroom. It's a very serious problem. Many children attend after-school clubs by necessity. But competitive pressures also create an explosion of activities. They include sports, language, music and math classes for children as young as four.
“There is a new parenting trend under way which says that you have to tap all your child’s potential at a young age; otherwise you will let him down,” says Terry Apter, a Cambridge-based child and adolescent psychiatrist(青少年精神病专家).
“It isn't entirely new: there have always been pushy parents. But what was previously seen as strange behavior is now well accepted.”From the second paragraph of this passage we can find that _______.
A.Hagner busies herself by following a trend |
B.Hagner doesn't spend much time on her full-time job |
C.Hagner is interested in sports and music |
D.Hagner wastes much time helping her children's lessons |
British parents, as the writer described in this passage, _______.
A.treat their children as sports players |
B.give their children little time to develop freely |
C.bring up their children in a simple way |
D.pay no attention to their children's lessons |
The writer's opinion about after-school clubs is that ________.
A.activities in the country are too competitive |
B.children should attend four clubs at a time |
C.clubs should have more subjects for school children |
D.some clubs result in competitive pressures |
The last paragraph tells us that in Britain _______.
A.parents used to take their children to every club |
B.parents have all benefited from children’s clubs |
C.parents used to be wise on how to raise children |
D.parents have come to know the standard of education |
Just like children, baby animals spend countless hours at play. After studying animal play for many years, scientists recognize that young animal play is practice for adult behavior. Today this play is roughly divided into the following groups.
Locomotor play refers to the movements animals carry out in their play. Running, leaping, turning, and kicking are some of the most common examples of locomotor play. An adult deer may run, leap, and twist(曲折前进) to escape its attackers. Play movements like these surely make young animals nimble. Someday these skills might help save their lives.
Moving forward slowly, attacking suddenly .and biting are examples of predatory play that help young predators(食肉动物) prepare for a life of running after and taking hold of other animals. Wild cats, wolves, and bears are predators. It is very common to see these young animals play this kind of games which sharpen their skills and teach them about their strengths and limitations.
For children, playing with toys is both fun and educational. It helps improve their hand and eye movements as well as develop hand skills to accomplish tasks. It is the same with animals. Young chimpanzees improve their hand skills while playing with sticks. Birds also play with things in ways that teach. Swallows drop and recover feathers in mid air. Diving suddenly to catch the feathers is good practice for catching flying insects.
Social play helps animals learn how to behave when they run into other animals. And it teaches animals about communication. An animal gives signals to let another animal know it wants to play. Many animals give signals by showing a " play face" . In some ways this face is like a human smile; the animal holds its mouth in a relaxed and open manner. During play-fights, some animals may step backwards to signal that they are playing and not acting seriously.
Until now, scientists have understood playful acts help prepare animals for their serious adult situations. But the numbers of playful species and examples of animal play are vast. The purpose of animal play may have meanings scientists have not discovered yet.The main purpose of the text is to ______.
A.ask us to take good care of wild animals |
B.encourage us to learn more about animals |
C.entertain us with interesting animal stories |
D.show us something about animal behavior |
The underlined word "nimble" in Paragraph 2 can best be replaced by______.
A.cruel | B.swift |
C.curious | D.strong |
Which of the following belongs to predatory play?
A.A deer runs, leaps, and turns. |
B.A chimpanzee plays' with a stick. |
C.A lion moves slowly and makes an attack suddenly. |
D.A dog holds its mouth in a relaxed and open manner. |
Based on Paragraph 5, a " play face " is______.
A. a type of signal between animals
B. a name for a kind of animal play
C. an activity that involves adult animals
D an action that is taught to another animal Which of the following shows the structure of the text?
The uninvolved dad, turning up his nose at diapering(换尿布) and too busy to bathe, dress and play with his kids, is mostly a myth(神话) , a big government survey suggests. Most American fathers say they are heavily involved in hands-on parenting, the researchers found.
The results are encouraging and important " because others have found the more involved dads are, the better the outcomes for their children. " said researcher Jo Jones of the National Center for Health Statistics, part of the Centers for Disease Control Prevention. She co-authored the report released Friday.
"Times have changed," said Robert Loftus, 34, of Yonkers, NY. He quit a six-figure sales job a year ago to care for his two young children while his wife works full time. "We are trying to rethink our priorities (优先考虑的事) and family seem to be N0 1 priority while in the past maybe people were more focused on career. "
The study involved nearly 4.000 fathers who were interviewed in person between 2009 and 2013.
◇Key findings among fathers living with children younger than 5 :
*9 in 10 bathed, diapered, helped them use the toilet or get dressed at least several times weekly .
* Even higher numbers played with them and ate meals with them that often
* Almost 2 0ut of 3 read to them at least several times weekly.
◇Among dads living with kids aged 5-18.
* More than 9 0ut of 10 ate meals with them at least several times weekly and talked with them about what happened during the kids' day that often.
* Almost 2 0ut of 3 helped with homework several times weekly.
* About half took their kids to or from activities that often.
Dr. David Hill, a Wilmington, N. C. pediatrician (儿科医生) said the survey reflects what he's seen among his patients' fathers. Increasingly, fathers rather than mothers take their kids to the doctor. Some "are anxious about changing a diaper, " he said.
Census(调查) numbers show that there were almost 190,000 stay-at-home dads nationwide last year versus 93,000 in 2010. Loftus, the New York stay-at-home dad, said, "I feel fortunate to be able to be such a hands-on father. I'm doing the most significant occupation in the world. "What can we learn about the research?
A.It aimed to study fathers' influence on kids. |
B.It showed most fathers often helped kids learn. |
C.It found most fathers played with kids every day. |
D. It mainly surveyed fathers' living with young kids. |
According to the text, Robert Loftus would agree that______.
A.time is important for success |
B.it is harder to find a job than before |
C.family is more important than work |
D. today's people are under much pressure |
Dr David Hill seems to consider the findings of the report ______ .
A.surprising | B.misleading |
C.convincing | D.unimportant |
What can we learn from Loftus' s words in the last paragraph?
A.He is proud of his efforts. |
B.He prefers to work full time. |
C. He needs his wife' s support very much. |
D.He finds it hard to be a stay-at-home dad. |
Which of the following can be the best title for the text?
A.More stay-at-home dads in America |
B.Parents spend more time with children . |
C.The importance of family for Americans |
D.American dads more involved in parenting |
Dear Mr. Plant,
I am an enthusiastic camper and longtime X-Ports customer, but after being offended(冒犯)for the third time at your Sierra Vista location, I am writing to complain about your impolite employees.
Several months ago ,I bought a tent that leaked(漏)the first time I used it and wanted it replaced . When I took it back, your employees accused me of tearing it myself. I left not only withm1, torn tent, but no refund(退款) and no satisfaction.
A couple of weeks ago , I bought a sleeping bag that was supposed to sleep two people comfort-ably. It didn't. Your employees refused to give me my money back even though I had the receipt. I was asked to leave the store, again with no satisfaction.
To my misfortune, my latest purchase(购买), of a piece of camping equipment at your store proyed to be another disappointment. The propane (丙烷) camp stove I bought didn't work properly. When I returned to exchange it, the rude clerk refused to help me because I did not have my sales receipt. It was an even exchange! He said that I was a problem and even asked if I had seen what products I-could purchase at one of your competitor's stores at comparable prices. Was he accusing me of something? Why would I have brought a receipt for an even exchange? Why would I know the price at other stores?
Furthermore, the clerk called security and forced me to leave your store-without my camp stove! How can I go camping now? The tent leaks, the sleeping bag is just wrong, and I don't have a stove to keep warm ! Who is going to refund my money for my stove? Who is going to help me get over the abuse I suffered in your store?
You, as the area manager must clear these matters up for me immediately! I am sending copies of this letter to your main office and the Sierra Vista Store.
Sincerely ,
Ima KumpaneeWhat was Ima' s proposed solution for the problem with the tent?
A.To have it replaced. |
B.To have it repaired. |
C.To get a refund for it. |
D.To get their apology. |
The clerk didn' t want to exchange the stove for Ima because_____.
A.the clerk was offended |
B.Ima destroyed it herself |
C. Ima didn' t have the receipt |
D.the clerk had given Ima the refund |
What was Ima' s attitude towards the purchase?
A.Doubtful. | B.Surprised. |
C.Dissatisfied. | D.Uninterested |
The letter is organized in order of ______.
A.complexity | B.importance |
C.space | D.time |
The letter was written to______.
A.apply for a job in the store |
B.complain about poor service |
C.introduce some camping equipment |
D.provide someone with information |
News 1
Chinese President Xi Jinping on Saturday delivered a speech at a gathering marking the 15th anniversary of Macao’s return to China. He stressed the importance to strengthen the future-oriented education and upbringing of the young people in Macao, which was striving to address the shortage of human resources.
“We need to strengthen the education and upbringing of young people to ensure that fine tradition of loving the motherland and loving Macao will be carried forward from one generation to another and that the cause of ‘one country, two systems’ will be continuously advanced,” he said.
News 2
China has already built the largest high-speed rail network in the world, and leads especially in making high-speed trains, most of the rail makers are focusing more on enhancing innovation with a view to develop “China-designed” high-speed trains and to transfer technology to overseas countries.
China’s railway investment during the first 10 months of this year rose 37 percent from a year ago to 590 billion yuan, according to the country’s top economic planner.
News 3
Halloween is becoming the third-biggest imported festival after Christmas and Valentine’s Day in China.
As the festival approaches, lots of malls and theme parks have taken the card of “ghost”. All kinds of scary designs and various pumpkin shapes have pushed the festival atmosphere to its prime.
Many themes parks have planned “Halloween night”. In recent years, these kinds of activities have attracted more and more young people.
News 4
Li Yifeng is probably the most sought-after celebrity right now. Since the actor shot to fame with TV series Legend of the Ancient Sword (《古剑奇谭》), he has been offered the opportunity to participate in a variety of movies and programs. And as the New Year is approaching, Hunan TV, Dragon TV, Zhejiang TV and Jiangsu TV are all fighting to get Li at their New Year gala. However, Li’s representative revealed that Li is sure to appear in Hunan TV’s gala. No plan has been made for Li to take the stage on Dragon TV.In President Xi’s speech, he mainly talked about ________.
A.the shortage of human resources |
B.the cause of “one country, two systems” |
C.the tradition of loving the motherland |
D.the education of the young people in Macao |
News 2 is likely to be about ________.
A.politics | B.economy | C.culture | D.entertainment |
Which is the best title for News 3?
A.The Activities of Halloween |
B.The Designs of Halloween |
C.Halloween Night in Theme Parks |
D.Halloween Gains Popularity in China |
What can we learn from News 4?
A.Li Yifeng is famous for acting in a TV series. |
B.Li Yifeng has played leading roles in many films. |
C.Dragon TV got the chance to interview Li Yifeng. |
D.Li Yifeng is likely to appear in Zhejiang TV’s gala. |
This might not sound so extraordinary, but I didn’t just read a book in print, on an e-reader or even on a mobile phone. Instead, I read a book on dozens of devices(设备). I was not trying to set a Guinness world record. I wanted to answer a question I often hear: which e-reader or tablet(平板)is the best for reading books? So I set out to try them all, reading a chapter on each: the Amazon Kindle, the first and second generation Apple iPads and mobile phones. To be fair, I also read a chapter in that old-fashioned form — an old print paperback.
The book I chose was The Alienist. For the first chapter, I turned to an Amazon Kindle. Shopping on Amazon for the Kindle is simple; you go to Amazon’s Web site and buy the book, which is then sent to any devices with Kindle software installed(安装). Reading on the Amazon Kindle is a joy in many aspects. The Kindle is light.Its six-inch screen is the perfect size for reading, and reading on its black and white E Ink display doesn’t harm your eyes. Battery life is outstanding; on average you charge the device only once a month. My only complaint with the Kindle design is the placement of the keyboard at the bottom of the device. Amazon’s CEO has noted during past product announcements that the keyboard is there to help people take notes or search. But to me,it seems like a waste of space.
Despite the small screen on a mobile phone, I find reading on one to be simple and satisfactory. All of the mobile phones on which I read chapters felt somewhat similar; although screen brightness and the size of the phone’s screen did vary.
If I had wanted to, I could have bought my book through dozens of e-book apps (应用程序) in the Apple App Store. Most are free and offer access to thousands of free e-books or paid versions. But the big downside for many is that you can read them only on Apple devices. Both iPads 1&2 offer an immersive(沉浸式)reading experience. I found myself jumping back and forth between my book and the Web, looking up old facts and pictures of New York City. I also found myself being sucked into the wormhole of the Internet and a few games of Angry Birds rather than reading my book. For the last chapters of the book, I read the paperback, which is still my favourite choice.
Since we are comparing devices so I guess I need to choose one. In the end it might come down to Kindle. But if money is tight, go for print. My used paperback cost only$4 from Amazon.If the writer were short of money, he would prefer ______.
A.a print paperback | B.an Apple iPad |
C.a mobile phone | D.an Amazon Kindle |
According to the passage, which of the following statements on the Amazon Kindle is NOT TRUE?
A.Its battery can last for a long time. |
B.Its keyboard is kept in the proper position. |
C.It is easy to carry and the screen size is proper. |
D.It is comfortable for eyes because of its E Ink display. |
A possible customer would not buy iPads 1 & 2 for reading because ______.
A.most e-book apps must be downloaded first |
B.only paid-version e-books can be read on it |
C.much information is lost at times when reading |
D.attention is easily taken away when reading on it |
The passage is developed in the form of ______.