It all began with a stop at a red light.
Kevin Salwen was driving his 14-year-old daughter, Hannah, back from a sleepover in 2006 . While waiting at a traffic light, they saw a black Mercedes Coupe on one side and a homeless man begging for food on the other.
“Dad, if that man had a less nice car, that man there could have a meal.” Hannah protested. The light changed and they drove on, but Hannah was too young to be reasonable. She pestered(纠缠)her parents about inequity, insisting that she wanted to do something.
“What do you want to do?” her mom responded. “Sell our house?”
Warning! Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager. Hannah seized upon the idea of selling the luxurious family home and donating half the proceeds to charity, while using the other half to buy a more modest replacement home.
Eventually, that’s what the family did. The project —crazy, impetuous (鲁莽的) and utterly inspiring — is written down in detail in a book by father and daughter scheduled to be published next month: “The Power of Half.” It’s a book that, frankly, I’d be nervous about leaving around where my own teenage kids might find it. An impressionable child reads this, and the next thing you know your whole family is out on the street.
At a time of enormous needs in Haiti and elsewhere, when so many Americans are trying to help Haitians by sending everything from text messages to shoes, the Salwens offer an example of a family that came together to make a difference — for themselves as much as the people they were trying to help. In a column a week ago, it described neurological (神经生物学的)evidence from brain scans that unselfishness lights up parts of the brain normally associated with more primary satisfaction. The Salwens’ experience confirms the selfish pleasures of selflessness.
Mr. Salwen and his wife, Joan, had always assumed that their kids would be better off in a bigger house. But after they downsized, there was much less space to retreat to, so the family members spent more time around each other. A smaller house unexpectedly turned out to be a more family-friendly house.What does the underlined word “inequity” most probably mean in Paragraph 3?
A.Unfairness. | B.Satisfaction. |
C.Reasonable statement | D.Personal attitude. |
What does the underlined sentence “Never suggest a grand gesture to an idealistic teenager.” means? ______
A.Don’t respond to a child's demands firmly without consideration. |
B.Unless a child is realistic, never give an answer immediately. |
C.Give an answer if the child is reasonable. |
D.Never give a quick answer to an idealistic teenager. |
What can we learn from the last paragraph?
A.The Salwens regretted selling their house. |
B.The relationship between the family members of the Salwens is much closer. |
C.Small houses can bring happiness. |
D.The Salwens intend to buy another big house. |
Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?
A.Mercedes Coupe is only an ordinary car which is quite cheap. |
B.Unselfishness has nothing to do with people’s primary satisfaction. |
C.Hannah asked her parents to do something charitable and they sold their house. |
D.The writer’s children asked him to sell their house. |
EDGEWOOD—Every morning at Dixie Heights High school, customers pour into a special experiment :the district’s first coffee shop run mostly by students with special learning needs.
Well before classes start, students and teachers order Lattes, Cappuccinos and Hot Chocolates. Then, during the first period, teachers call in orders on their room phones, and students make deliveries.
By closing time at 9.20 a.m. , the shop usually sells 90drinks.
“whoever made the chi tea, Ms. Schatzman says it was good, ”Christy McKinley , a second year student , announced recently, after hanging up with the teacher.
The shop is called the Dixie PIT, which stands for Power in Transition. Although some of the students are not disabled, many are, and the PIT helps them prepare for life after high school.
They learn not only how to run a coffee shop but also how to deal with their affairs. They keep a timecard and receive paychecks , which they keep in check registers.
Special-education teachers Kim Chevalier and Sue Casey introduced the Dixie PIT from a similar program at Kennesaw Mountain High School in Georgia.
Not that it was easy. Chevalier’s first problem to overcome was product-related. Should schools be selling coffee? What about sugar content?
Kenton County Food Service Director Ginger Gray helped. She made sure all the drinks, which use non-fat milk, fell within nutrition(营养)guidelines.
The whole school has joined in to help.
Teachers agreed to give up their lounge(休息室)in the morning. Art students painted the name of the shop on the wall. Business students designed the paychecks. The basketball team helped pay for cups.What is the text mainly about?
A.A best-selling coffee. |
B.A special educational program. |
C.Government support for schools. |
D.A new type of teacher-student relationship. |
The Dixie PIT program was introduced in order to .
A.raise money for school affairs |
B.do some research on nutrition |
C.develop students’ practical skills |
D.supply teachers with drinks |
How did Christy McKinley know Ms. Schatzman’s opinion of the chi tea?
A.She met her in the shop. |
B.She heard her telling others. |
C.She talked to her on the phone. |
D.She went to her office to deliver the tea. |
We know from the text that Ginger Gray .
A.manages the Dixie PIT program in Kenton County |
B.sees that the drinks meet health standards |
C.teaches at Dixie Heights High School |
D.owns the school’s coffee shop |
ADMISSION: Adult£4.90 Child£2.20 Family £12.0 (2 adults +up to 3 children) |
Shakespeare's Birthplace and Exhibition of Shakespeare's World
Welcome to the world-famous house where William Shakespeare was born in 1564 and where he grew up. The property(房产)remained in the ownership of Shakespeare’s family until 1806.The House has welcomed visitors traveling from all over the word ,for over 250 years.
◆Enter though the Visitors’ Centre and see the highly-praised exhibition Shakespeare’s World, a lively and full introduction to the life and work of Shakespeare.
◆Stand in the rooms-where Shakespeare grew up.
◆Discover examples of furniture and needlework from Shakespeare’s period.
◆Enjoy the traditional(传统的)English garden, planted with trees and flowers mentioned in the poet’s works.
pThe Birthplace is within easy walking distance of all the car parks shown on the map; nearest is Windsor Street(3 minutes’ walk).The House may present difficulties but the Visitors’ Centre, its exhibition, and the garden
are accessible(可进入的)to wheelchair user.
OPENING TIMES: 20 Mar to 19 Oct Mon to Sat: 9:00am to 5:00pm Sun:9:30am to 5:00pm 20 Oct to 19Mar Mon to Sat:9:30am to 4:00pm Sun:10:00am to 4:00pm |
The Shakespeare Coffee House (opposite the Birthplace).
How much is the admission for a family of two grown-ups and two children?
A.$9.80 | B.$12.00 | C.$14.20 | D.$16.40 |
Where is the nearest parking place to Shakespeare’s Birthplace?
A.Behind the exhibition hall. |
B.Opposite the Visitors’ Centre. |
C.At Windsor street. |
D.Near the Coffee House. |
A wheelchair user may need help to enter .
A . the House B the garden C the Visitor’s Centre D. the exhibition hall
It’s not easy being a teenager – nor is it easy being the parent of a teenager. You can make your child feel angry, hurt, or misunderstood by what you say without realizing it yourself. It is important to give your child the space he needs to grow while making him realize that you’ll still be there for him when be needs you.
Expect a lot from your child, just not everything. Except for health and safety problems, such as drug use or careless driving, consider everything else open do discussion, if your child is unwilling to discuss something, don’t insist he tell you what’s on his mind. The more you insist, the more likely that he’ll clam up. Instead, let him attempt to solve (解决) things by himself, At the same time, remind him that you’re always there for him should he seek advice or help. Show respect for your teenager’s privacy(隐私). Never read his mail or listen in on personal conversations.
Teach your teenager that the family phone is for the whole family. If your child talks on the family’s telephone for too long, tell him he can talk for 15 minutes, but then be must stay off the phone for at least an equal period of time. This not only frees up the line so that other family members can make and receive calls, but teaches your teenager moderation(节制).Or if you are open to the idea, allow your teenager his own phone that he pays for with his own pocket money or a part-time job.The main purpose of the text is to tell parents _________.
A.how to get along with a teenager |
B.how to respect a teenager |
C.how to understand a teenager |
D.how to help a teenager grow up |
what does the phrase “clamp up” in Paragraph 2 probably mean?
A.become excited |
B.show respect |
C.refuse to talk |
D.seek help |
What should parents do in raising a teenager according to the text?
A.Not allow him to learn driving or take drugs. |
B.Give him advice only when necessary. |
C.Let him have his own telephone. |
D.Not talk about personal things with him. |
We have met the enemy, and he is ours. We bought him at a pet shop. When monkey-pox, a disease usually found in the African rain forest, suddenly turns up in children in the American Midwest, it’s hard not to wonder if the disease that comes from foreign animals is homing in on human beings. “Most of the infections (感染) we think of as human infections started in other animals, ” says Stephen Morse, director of the Center for Public Health Preparedness at Columbia University.
It’s not just that we’re going to where the animals are, we’re also bringing them closer to us. Popular foreign pets have brought a whole new disease to this country. A strange illness killed Isaksen’s pets, and she now thinks that keeping foreign pets is a bad idea. “I don’t think it’s fair to have them as pets when we have such a limited knowledge of them,” says Isaksen.
“Laws allowing these animals to be brought in from deep forest areas without stricter control need changing,” says Peter Schantz. Monkey-pox may be thewake-up call. Researchers believe infected animals may infect their owners. We know very little about these new diseases. A new bug (病毒) may be kind at first. But some strains (变异体) may become harmful. Monkey-pox doesn’t look a major infectious disease. But it is not impossible to pass the disease from person to person.We learn from Paragraph 1 that the pet sold at the shop may ________.
A.come from Columbia |
B.enjoy being with children |
C.prevent us from being infected |
D.suffer from monkey-pox |
Why did Isaksen advise people not to have foreign pets?
A.They attack human beings. |
B.We need to study native animals. |
C.They can’t live out of the rain forest. |
D.We do not know much about them yet. |
What does the phrase “the wake-up call ” in Paragraph 3 most probably mean?
A.a new disease |
B.a clear warning |
C.a dangerous call |
D.a morning call |
The text suggests that in the future we_____.
A.may have to fight against more new diseases |
B.may easily get infected by diseases from dogs. |
C.should not be allowed to have pets |
D.should stop buying pets form Africa. |
Computer programmer David Jones earns $35,000 a year designing new computer games, yet he cannot found a bank ready to let him have a credit card. Instead, he has been told to wait another two years, until he is 18. The 16-year-old works for a small firm in Liverpool, where the problem of most young people of his age is finding a job. David's firm releases(推出) two new games for the fast growing computer market each month.
But David's biggest headache is what to do with his money. Even though he earns a lot, he cannot drive a car, take out a mortgage(抵押货款),or get credit cards. David got his job with the Liverpool-based company four months ago, a year after leaving school with six O-levels and working for a time in a computer shop. “I got the job because the people who run the firm knew I had already written some programs,” he said. David spends some of his money on records and clothes, and gives his mother 50 pounds a week. But most of his spare time is spent working.
“Unfortunately, computing was not part of our studies at school,” he said, “But I had been studying is in books and magazines for four years in my spare time. I knew what I wanted to do and never considered staying on at school. Most people in this business are fairly young, anyway.” David added: “I would like to earn a million and I suppose early retirement is a possibility. You never know when the market might disappear.” In which way is David different from people of his age?
A.He often goes out with friends. |
B.He lives with his mother. |
C.He has a handsome income. |
D.He graduated with six O-levels. |
What is one of the problems that David is facing now?
A.He is too young to get a credit card. |
B.He has no time to learn driving. |
C.He has very little spare time. |
D.He will soon lose his job. |
Why was David able to get the job in the company?
A.He had done well in all his exams. |
B.He had written some computer programs. |
C.He was good at playing computer games. |
D.He had learnt to use computers at school. |
Why did David decide to leave school and start working?
A.He received lots of job offers. |
B.He was eager to help his mother. |
C.He lost interest in school studies. |
D.He wanted to earn his own living. |