There’s always a lot to do to get the kids ready to go back to school, let alone trying to get them excited about the idea. To help your kids get ready, save a few dollars in the process and have some fun with them in the dying days of summer, try a few of these fun filled activities.
*********************************************************************************
UP-CYCLING
Every student needs school supplies. But a lot of what they need is already littering around your house. If you don’t have reusable school supplies at home, you might have the materials to make them.
Try up-cycling with your kids and change old or useless products into new ones.
Here are a few ideas to get you started:
●Sew blue jeans into pencil cases.
●Turn shoeboxes into arts storage boxes.
●Use an old belt as a books belt.
●Wrap book covers in old posters.
Up-cycling is a great way to develop artistic talent and creative thinking in your children.
*********************************************************************************
PLAN TO PACK AHEAD
Most teachers and schools reward green behavior among students. To help your kids stay green, be sure to have these items on hand so you can pack them litter-less lunches.
Here’s what you need:
●Reusable lunch containers.
●A firm lunchbox and thermos（水瓶）.
●Reusable napkins（餐巾）.
*********************************************************************************
MAP IT OUT
Across the country, kids are thinking about how they’ll get to school. Do I walk? Do I bike? Either way, avoid driving them if at all possible.
Kids need to stay active and want to connect with other local kids on the way to school. Help your children map out their route or get them involved with a local walking school bus. A walking school bus is groups of children walking to school with one or more adults.
*********************************************************************************
We hope these activities will help you and your kids get ready for the new school year, and that you’ll have some fun in the process. Last but not least, some activities may require encouragements … may we suggest some organic chocolate ice cream.What do the suggested activities have in common?
| A．Having fun and saving green. |
| B．Saving money and obeying school rules. |
| C．Offering food and training skills. |
| D．Bringing teachers together and saving money. |
The activities of UP-CYCLING bring benefits of ___________.
a. making old products into creative school supplies
b. making friends with local kids on the way to school
c. bringing fun of cooperation between parents and kids
d. packing litter-less lunches to school
e. developing kids’ artistic talent and creative thinking
| A．a, c, d | B．b, c, d |
| C．b, d, e | D．a, c, e |
Which of the following is TRUE about the MAP IT OUT activity?
| A．Parents are forbidden to be involved in the activity. |
| B．Children can learn to read a map and take a correct school bus. |
| C．Parents are expected to drive their kids to school if possible. |
| D．Children walk to school together accompanied by one or more adults. |
The passage is most probably intended for ___________.
| A．teachers | B．parents |
| C．children | D．headmasters |
For all dinner tables, a glass of milk seems to be a must. At least it was when I was growing up. It is widely believed that milk is a must in building strong bones and teeth. There’s no doubt that dairy products, especially milk, are high in protein and calcium, and Vitamin D and Vitamin A are added to most milk products.
While it’s well known that our bones need calcium, some studies suggest that high calcium intake doesn’t necessarily lower a person’s risk for fractures（骨折）. A Harvard study found that people who drank two or more glasses of milk had no greater protection from breaking a bone than those who drank a glass or less a week.
There is no doubt that we need calcium. Some anti-dairy supporters claim dairy products can lead to heart disease. Much of this claim is based on high-fat dairy products, like cheese and cream, which may indeed lead to some health problems. Some studies have linked high milk intakes with a risk of prostate cancer; this seems also to be caused by high-fat dairy products, but not by dairy products in general.
Although milk has always been regarded as the most important thing we need for our bones, one of the most important things in strengthening bones and reducing the risk of osteoporosis（骨质疏松）is weight-bearing exercise, such as jogging, walking, and weight lifting.
Perhaps we should think of dairy products as less like a nutrient and more like a food. If you like it, eat it. If not, find something else to eat. Some claims may not be completely true. When I eat cream, I’m not thinking about calcium, protein, or any such thing. I’m thinking it is delicious.What is the best title for this passage?
| A．Milk: is it really necessary for children? | B．The disadvantages of drinking milk. |
| C．Milk causes health problems. | D．Milk: is it really good for the body? |
For people who want to reduce the risk of osteoporosis, we can infer that the writer may suggest that they ________.
| A．avoid milk with Vitamin D and Vitamin A added |
| B．spend some time exercising |
| C．take in as much calcium as possible |
| D．drink more than two glasses of milk every day |
Based on the passage, we learn the writer may agree that ________.
| A．milk is the most important thing that we need for our bones |
| B．children should not be permitted to eat cream |
| C．milk should be considered more like a food than a nutrient |
| D．children should drink milk whether they like it or not |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Some dairy products may harm our health. |
| B．Milk has the highest level of protein of any food. |
| C．The writer seldom drank milk when he was young |
| D．People who drink milk every day are at a high risk of getting a heart disease. |
One would have to be a fool to overlook (忽视)the importance of using positive(积极的) thinking for you rather than allowing negative thinking to work against you. In recent years, research in psychopharmacology (精神药理学) has proved what many people have known over the centuries: a positive attitude is good for you, good for your health, good for your wealth, good for everything. Researchers found that a positive attitude produces a specific chemical reaction which makes people feel better, while negative thinking results in a decline of hormone (荷尔蒙) and shuts down the immune (免疫的) system. This leads to illness and depression. Positive thoughts will make you feel better. Even if you must begin by literally forcing yourself to be positive (faking it, so to speak), it will become contagious (会传播的) and the positive thoughts will generate nice little chemicals and good feelings which will reinforce the positive thoughts.
For example, if you force yourself to smile or laugh, even when you don't feel like smiling or laughing, if you keep at it for a few minutes, you will soon feel like it. Feelings can generate (导致)thoughts, but thoughts can also generate feelings. Control your thoughts and you can control your feelings. Positive thinking is important in all aspects of our lives. There is probably no single factor more important in determining your success in achieving your career objectives than your own attitude.
It's often been said that in the land of the blind, the one-eyed man is king. And in the office of militant (好战) negativism, the positive workers shine like gold. You cannot control external events, but you can learn to control your reaction to those events and thereby have a positive attitude and be happy. This vital key to success is totally within your control. Use it.We can infer from the passage that .
| A．positive thinking can cure you of your diseases |
| B．positive thinking can easily be generated by anyone |
| C．a decline of hormone may cause you to be depressed |
| D．a specific chemical reaction is the cause of negative thinking |
According to the passage, which of the following is true?
| A．Feeling and thoughts can generate each other. |
| B．It's easier to control thoughts than to control feelings. |
| C．Your success depends wholly on your attitude. |
| D．Keeping smiling will surely make you successful. |
Just like a one-eyed man in the land of the blind, you should.
| A．control your feeling to what is happening to you |
| B．be king in your office |
| C．pay no attention to what is going on around you |
| D．take positive attitude in the office of militant negativism |
The best title to the passage is.
| A．The Bad Effect of Negative Thinking | B．Why Should People Think |
| C．Thinking: The Vital Way | D．Positive Thinking Benefits People |
Experience the Colorado River the Hualapai Way!
River Runners offers the ONLY One Day Whitewater trip ANYWHERE at the GRAND CANYOU!
Since1973，Hualapai River Runners has been conducting whitewater rafting journey to the Colorado River. Our experienced guides expertly sail along the river and share the history of the Canyon and the Hualapai people with you.
Visitors experience the excitement of whitewater rapids and then stop to enjoy the impressive beauty of Travertine Falls and a tasty lunch．No charge for children 2 years and under.
One-Day Trip
Retail$249.00+$79.00(helicopter and round-trip ground transportation)
Whitewater rafting tours begin in Peach Springs．Hualapai River Runners transports you to Diamond Creek, which is the starting point for the 37 mile rafting tour. Lunch is included and upon arrival at the rafting tour termination point(终点)，fly out of the Grand Canyon by helicopter （直升机）to Grand Canyon West．
Two-Day Trip
Retail$549.00+$79.00(helicopter and round-trip ground transportation)
Two-day rafting trips with one night on the Colorado River. All supplies and meals are included. Two days in the Grand Canyon，on the Colorado River allows more time to explore one of the Seven Wonders of the World.
Tours Include：
●Round-trip transportation from Peach Springs to the starting point and from the termination point back to Peach Springs．
●Snack, drinks and lunch(vegetarian meals available upon request)
●Waterproof dry bags for storing your cameras, sunscreen, dry clothes, etc．
●The helicopter part of transportation is weather permitting. If the helicopter transportation is cancelled because of bad weather, the raft will continue an additional two hours to South Cove and a maximum（最大量）$20.00 per customer will be given back.
Special Website booking rate 15% off rafting in April 2010. So book now!
Call us Toll Free Today! Tel: 1-888-868-9378Where do whitewater rafting tours start?
| A．Travertine Falls | B．Peach Springs | C．Diamond Creek | D．Grand Canyon West |
We learn from the passage that _______.
| A．Hualapai River Runners provides dry clothes |
| B．you will get $20 back if you are dissatisfied |
| C．the trip is free of charge for children under 2 |
| D．online booking has a better offer all year round |
What is the purpose of the passage?
| A．To explore the Hualapai culture |
| B．To attract people to the sights |
| C．To explain how to make a rafting trip |
| D．To introduce the history of the Colorado River |
Few people realize that there is a big difference between formal English and informal English. Formal English is used for most writing, and often in public speaking and formal meetings. It pays close attention to grammar rules, because if we use proper grammar, our meaning is often more precise. Also, on important occasions, we do not want to appear uneducated or to offend (冒犯) others, so we are very careful about how we speak. Informal English is used in speaking or writing to our friends and family. It often does not pay such close attention to grammar rules, because when we speak or write to them, we want our words to flow quickly. Also, with our friends and family, we are usually not so worried about appearing uneducated or about offending them by how we write or speak.
A big difference between formal and informal English is the use of contractions. A contraction is where we make a word shorter or where we put two words together and take away some of the letters. For example, instead of saying “do not”, many people say “don’t”. Using contractions in our speech is fine because it sounds natural, especially when we speak to our friends. In formal writing, however, contractions are usually avoided because people might think that you have made a mistake, or that you do not know proper grammar.
In the same way we might make words shorter, in informal English we often make sentences shorter as well. For example, if someone asks you your name, you will likely answer with one word: your first name. However, in formal English we usually use complete sentences. For example, we might write “My name is John”. In most speaking, we may not need to use every word in a sentence because the person we are speaking to will probably still understand us. In most writing, however, every word in a sentence must be written out in order to make sure that we can be understood.When we use formal English, _______.
| A．we will offend others |
| B．we will appear educated on important occasions |
| C．we needn’t pay more attention to grammar rules |
| D．we can express ourselves more directly and more quickly |
What’s the meaning of the underlined word “precise”?
| A．clear | B．direct | C．puzzling | D．simple |
Contractions are best used when we are _______.
| A．speaking at a formal meeting | B．speaking in public |
| C．speaking to our friends | D．writing an application (申请) letter |
In speaking, we do not always use complete sentences because ______.
| A．we do not care about grammar | B．we do not want to sound stupid |
| C．we can still be understood | D．we don’t want to waste time |
Why do some people flush when they drink alcohol? This effect is a common reaction to alcohol among East Asians. It affects about 36 percent of Japanese, Chinese and Koreans.
For many, even a small amount of alcohol can cause unpleasant effects. Most commonly, their face, neck and sometimes their whole body turn red. People might also feel uncomfortable and sick to their stomach. They might experience a burning sensation, increased heart rate, shortness of breath and headaches.
The cause is a genetic difference that they are born with called an ALDH2 deficiency (缺乏). It prevents their bodies from treating alcohol the way other people do. But the effects might be more serious than just a red face. Researchers warn of a link between this condition and an increased risk of cancer of the esophagus (食道) from drinking alcohol.
The more alcohol people with this deficiency drink, the greater their risk is. In Japan and South Korea, for example, many people have the deficiency but still drink heavily. Researchers found that these drinkers develop a form of esophageal cancer six to ten times more often than those without the deficiency.
Esophageal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers. It can be treated when found early, but once it grows the chances of survival drop sharply. The researchers estimate that at least five hundred forty million people have the deficiency, about eight percent of the world’s population.
Philip Brooks is a researcher at the National Institute in the United States. He says it is important to educate people about the link between the alcohol flushing effect and esophageal cancer. He says doctors should ask East Asian patients about their experiences with facial flushing after drinking alcohol. Those with a history of it should be advised to limit their alcohol use. They should also be warned that cigarette smoking works with the alcohol in a way that further increases the risk of esophageal cancer.The underlined word “flush” in Paragraph 1 probably means “_________”.
| A．walk unsteadily | B．turn red in the face |
| C．appear unpleasant | D．talk more than usual |
The second paragraph is mainly about _________.
| A．the cause of the effects of alcohol |
| B．Asians and alcohol |
| C．the advantages of drinking alcohol |
| D．unpleasant effects caused by alcohol |
We can infer from the passage that _________.
| A．about 36 percent of Japanese, Chinese and Koreans are heavy drinkers |
| B．the ALDH2 deficiency may be passed on from generation to generation |
| C．unpleasant effects occur only when people with this deficiency drink a lot |
| D．only some East Asians have the ALDH2 deficiency |
Esophageal cancer is one of the deadliest cancers because _________.
| A．it can’t be treated at all |
| B．it is hard to be discovered early |
| C．it is hard to cure once it has developed |
| D．people are usually addicted to alcohol |