There is a lot of talk these days about how kids should be interested in science. Here’s an area of science for everyone, and these cool new books might inspire you to discover your inner scientist.
Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled by Catherine Thimmesh, 58 pages, ages 9-12
Seeing a picture or a model of a dinosaur, do you wonder how anybody knows what they look like? After all, nobody has seen a living dinosaur. This book explains how scientists and artists work together to re-create dinosaurs. As scientific discoveries have been made, the models have changed. Scientific tests may one day expose what a dinosaur’s coloring was, but now artists have to use their imagination to determine how these huge creatures looked.
Beyond the Solar System by Mary Kay Carson, 128 pages, ages 10-13
This book takes readers back to the beginnings of space exploration—thousands of years ago, when people began star observation—and forward to today’s search for planets in distant parts of the Milky Way. Along with history lessons, readers get 21 activities, such as making a black hole and creating a model of Albert Einstein’s universe using a T-shirt. The activities are perfect for cold winter days.
Ultimate Bugopedia by Darlyne Murawski and Nancy Honovich, 272 pages, ages 7 and older
If you’re always on the lookout for butterflies, this book is for you. Hundreds of color photos of common and unusual insects fill this hardcover. There are fascinating stories related to the photos. For example, do you know an insect feeds on the tears of Asian cattle? There’s a question-and-answer section with an insect scientist and advice on how to help preserve endangered insects.
Journey Into the Invisible by Christine Schlitt, 80 pages, ages 9-12
If you use a magnifying（放大的）glass, you know a leaf looks quite different. This book explains what microscopes do and then shows what happens to things around the house when watched with this amazing scientific tool. The bacteria in your mouth, when magnified 20,000 times, look a bit like swimming pool noodles. Fascinating photos are paired with suggestions about how to learn about the world around you, just by looking a little closer. Kids interested in pre-historical animals might read ______.
| A．Ultimate Bugopedia |
| B．Beyond the Solar System |
| C．Journey Into the Invisible |
| D．Scaly Spotted Feathered Frilled |
Beyond the Solar System is mainly about ______.
| A．space exploration |
| B．the Milky Way |
| C．history lessons |
| D．Albert Einstein’s universe |
From the passage, we can learn that ______.
| A．butterflies are fond of the tears of Asian cattle |
| B．scientists have discovered the dinosaur’s coloring |
| C．microscopes can present you with an amazing world |
| D．man has explored the black hole for thousands of years |
The main purpose of the passage is to ______.
| A．compare features of different books |
| B．inspire people to become scientists |
| C．teach children some knowledge of science |
| D．recommend new science books to children |
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 I wrote to the newspaper and told them our story. Shortly after that, several people in our 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 an 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, an act of kindness shows that someone cares. And the results can be everlasting.Why was the bike so important to the couple?
| A．They used it for work and daily life. |
| B．It was their only possession. |
| C．It was a nice Kona 18 speed. |
| D．The man’s job was bike racing. |
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. |
What do the couple learn from their experience?
| A．Strangers are usually of little help. |
| B．One should take care of their bike. |
| C．News reports make people famous. |
| D．An act of kindness can mean a lot. |
Why play games? Because they are fun, and a lot more besides. Following the rules…planning your next move...acting as a team member…these are all “game” ideas that you will come across throughout your life.
Think about some of the games you played as a young child, such as rope-jumping and hide-and-seek. Such games are entertaining and fun. But perhaps more importantly, they translate life into exciting dramas that teach children some of the basic rules they will be expected to follow the rest of their lives, such as taking turns and cooperating (合作) .
Many children’s games have a practical side. Children around the world play games that prepare them for work they will do as grown-ups. For instance, some Saudi Arabian children play a game called bones. Which sharpens the hand-eye coordination（协调）needed in hunting.
Many sports encourage national or local pride. The most famous games of all, the Olympic Games, bring athletes from around the world together to take part in friendly competition. People who watch the event wave flags, knowing that a gold medal is a win for an entire country, not just the athlete who earned it. For countries experiencing natural disasters or war, an Olympic win can mean so much.
Sports are also an event that unites people. Soccer is the most popular sport in the world. People on all continents play it—some for fun and some for a living. Nicolette Iribarne, a Californian soccer player, has discovered a way to give people hope through soccer. He created a foundation(基金会) to provide poor children with not only soccer balls but also a promising future.
Next time you play your favorite game or sport, think about why you enjoy it, what skills are needed, and whether these skills will help you in other aspects of your life. Through playing hide-and-seek, children are expected to learn to ________.
| A．be a team leader | B．obey the basic rules |
| C．act as a grown-up | D．predict possible danger |
The underlined part in Paragraph 2 most probably means that games can________.
| A．describe life in an exciting way |
| B．turn real-life experiences into a play |
| C．make learning life skills more interesting |
| D．change people’s views of sporting events |
According to the passage, why is winning Olympic medals so encouraging?
| A．It makes people have a deep love for the country. |
| B．It proves the exceptional skills of the winners. |
| C．It helps the country out of natural disasters. |
| D．It earns the winners fame and fortune. |
Iribarne’s goal of forming the foundation is to _______.
| A．bring fun to poor kids |
| B．provide soccer balls for children |
| C．give poor kids a chance for a better life |
| D．appeal to soccer players to help poor kids |
What can be learned from the passage?
| A．Games benefit people all their lives. |
| B．Sports can get all athletes together. |
| C．People are advised to play games for fun. |
| D．Sports increase a country’s competitiveness. |
Eat like a king in the morning, a prince at noon, and a peasant at night. This saying is all about the importance of breakfast. And now scientists can tell us just why it’s so important. According to a study carried out at Imperial College London, UK, skipping the first meal of the day not only means you eat more at lunch, but also that your brain wants to find more unhealthy foods.
The study suggests that there is a special part of our brain called the orbitofrontal cortex (眶额皮层), which plays an important part in making choices about what we eat. It is used for identifying the taste of food, especially when skipping breakfast. It is more likely to target high-calorie foods when you’re on an empty stomach.
Scientists did an experiment on this. Dr Tony Goldstone from Imperial College London, scanned (扫描) the brains of 21 men and women, around the age of 25. On the first day, these people skipped breakfast before the scans. On the second day, they had cereal (谷物), bread and jam as breakfast. After the scan on both days, they had their lunch.
When the volunteers had skipped breakfast, they ate around 20 percent more at lunch, compared with days when they had eaten breakfast.Their brain scans also showed the orbitofrontal cortex was especially responsive to high-calorie foods. “We believe that bit identifies the value of foods – how pleasant, how delicious something is,” Goldstone told The Guardian.From Paragraph 1, we learn that _____.
| A．scientists found out why eating breakfast is important |
| B．it’s easy to lose weight without breakfast |
| C．there’s no need to have good food for supper |
| D．eating breakfast makes your brain smarter |
Which of the following is NOT true about the orbitofrontal cortex?
| A．It is part of our brain. |
| B．It tells people to eat breakfast. |
| C．It decides which food we like. |
| D．It is active toward high-calorie food. |
Which is the correct order for the experiment on the first day?
①The volunteers skipped breakfast.
②The volunteers had lunch.
③The volunteers had a brain scan.
| A．①②③ | B．③②① | C．①③② | D．③①② |
In the experiment, the volunteers without breakfast ate about 20% _____ at lunch.
| A．of the usual breakfast |
| B．more than the usual breakfast |
| C．of the usual lunch |
| D．more than the usual lunch |
Which of the following can be the title for this passage?
| A．Breakfast still most important |
| B．Three meals a day |
| C．Experiments on breakfast |
| D．Experiments on lunch |
Some people learn a second language easily. Other people have trouble learning a new language. How can you help yourself learn a new language，such as English? There are several ways to make learning English a little easier and more interesting.
The first step is to feel confident about learning English. If you believe that you can learn，you will learn. Be patient. You do not have to understand everything all at once. It is natural to make mistakes when you learn something new. We can learn from our mistakes.
The second step is to practice your English. For example，write a journal every day. You will get used to writing in English，and you will feel comfortable expressing your ideas in English. After several weeks，you will see that your writing is improving. Besides，you must speak English every day. You can practice with your classmates outside class. You will all make mistakes，but gradually you will become comfortable communicating in English.
The third step is to keep a record of your language learning. You can write this in your journal. After each class，think about what you did. Did you answer a question correctly? Did you understand something the teacher explained? Perhaps the lesson was difficult，but you tried to understand it. Write these achievements in your journal.
You must be positive about learning English and believe that you can do it. It is important to practice every day and make a record of your achievements. You will enjoy learning English，and you will have more confidence in yourself.What is important to learn English?
| A．To read English every day. |
| B．To make a record of your mistakes. |
| C．To buy a dictionary. |
| D．To practice English every day and make a record of your achievements. |
When you learn English，you do not need to________.
| A．be patient |
| B．make mistakes |
| C．express your ideas in English |
| D．understand everything all at once |
Which is NOT helpful for you to enjoy learning English?
| A．To communicate in English. |
| B．To worry about making mistakes. |
| C．To think about what has been done after classes. |
| D．To make a record of your achievements. |
How many ways are given to learn English in the passage?
| A．Two ways. | B．Three ways. |
| C．Four ways. | D．Five ways. |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．It is very important to learn a second language. |
| B．Some people learn a second language easily while other people do not. |
| C．There are ways to help you learn a second language more easily. |
| D．Don't worry about making mistakes when learning a second language. |
Before you make friends，you have to decide who you want to be your friends. Most people like to have friends who like to do the same kind of things as they do.
The quickest way to make a friend is to smile. When you smile, people think you are friendly and easy to talk to. It may not be easy at first to smile，but remember most people will stay away from a scared or angry looking face.
One easy way to start a conversation with someone is to say something nice about them. Think about how great you feel when someone says something nice to you. Doesn’t it make you want to keep talking to that person?
Ask your new friends questions about themselves. Who’s their favorite singer, where do they live and what do they do after school are all good questions to start a conversation. Make sure you have something to add to the conversation too. When someone asks you a question，do have an answer for them. There’s nothing that will stop a conversation quicker than a shrug for an answer.
Kids who show an interest in other kids and who are kind and friendly make good friends. Remember that everyone wants to be around people who like to do similar things and people who are nice to them.This passage gives us some advice on________.
| A．how to make friends |
| B．what kind of people you can make friends with |
| C．how to start a conversation |
| D．the importance of smile |
Most people like to make friends with those________.
| A．who smile to everyone |
| B．who share the same interest |
| C．who are fond of talking |
| D．who say nice things to them |
According to the third paragraph，most people enjoy talking to one________.
| A．who is always smiling |
| B．who seems to be friendly all the time |
| C．who praises you |
| D．who points out your shortcomings(缺点) |
What do the underlined words “a shrug for an answer” mean?
| A．Being very proud. |
| B．Making no answer. |
| C．Knowing nothing. |
| D．Asking for an answer. |
From the passage，if a kid wants to make good friends，he should________.
| A．show an interest in others |
| B．be kind and friendly |
| C．smile to others |
| D．All the above |