From Art to Zoo, the Smithsonian, the world's largest museum and research complex, has something to interest kids and students of all ages.
Plan ahead online with The Official Kids Guide to the Smithsonian Institution – an interactive guidebook just for kids.
The Last American Dinosaurs: Discovering a Lost World
November 25, 2014 – 2018
Museum: Natural History Museum
Location: 2nd Floor, West
Explore how we learn about past ecosystems and organisms through the study of their fossils and find what goes into making a large-scale fossil exhibition. Watch fossils being prepared in a working fossil preparation lab.
As We Grow: Traditions, Toys, Games
August 22, 2012 – Indefinitely
Museum: American Indian Museum
Location: 1st Floor, near Imaginations Activity Center
All children play. Native American children play like any others, but their toys and games are more than playthings. They are ways of learning about the lives of grown men and women and ways of learning the traditions of their families and their people. The toys, games, and clothing come from all over North, Central, and South America, representing many tribes and many time periods.
The First Ladies
November 19, 2011 – Indefinitely
Museum: American History Museum
Location: 3rd Floor, Rose Gallery
On view are more than two dozen gowns, including those worn by Michelle Obama, Laura Bush, Barbara Bush, Nancy Reagan, and Jacqueline Kennedy. Four cases provide in-depth looks at Mary Todd Lincoln, Edith Roosevelt, and Lady Bird Johnson and their contributions to their husband's presidential administrations.
Apollo to the Moon
July 1, 1976 – Permanent
Museum: Air and Space Museum
Location: 2nd Floor, East Wing
This gallery traces NASA's manned space program beginning with Project
Mercury's Freedom 7 (1961); then the Gemini Project (1965 – 66); followed by the Apollo Program
(1967 – 1972), with Apollo 17 as the last manned exploration of the moon.The purpose of the text is to ______.
| A．promote some scientific projects |
| B．highlight some children activities |
| C．release some entertainment videos |
| D．introduce some museum exhibitions |
If you are interested in American history and politics, you can go to ______.
| A．the 1st Floor | B．the East Wing |
| C．the Rose Gallery | D．the Natural History Museum |
Which of the following has been on for the longest time?
| A．The First Ladies. |
| B．Apollo to the Moon. |
| C．As We Grow: Traditions, Toys, Games. |
| D．The Last American Dinosaurs: Discovering a Lost World. |
If you visit all the four locations, you can _______.
| A．see gowns once worn by Edith Roosevelt |
| B．help prepare a dinosaur fossil exhibition |
| C．learn about Apollo 17's space exploration |
| D．play with children's toys from Central America |
A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stone may break my bon
es, but words will never hurt me.” However, that’s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone else or ourselves – the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. But we really shouldn’t be, because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solves problems, and calm ourselves down. Beware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clea
n your room, join me in saying, “Good job!”
Words possess power because of their lasting effects. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it true? Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem(自尊) and motive others to do their best. Negative words destroy 
all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours.The author argues in the first paragraph that ________.
| A．words will never hurt us at all |
| B．words have lasting effects on us |
| C．positive effects last longer than negative effects |
| D．negative words last longer than positive effects |
Why should we not feel embarrassed when talking to ourselves?
A．Almost everybody has the habi t of talking to oneself. |
| B．It does harm to have “self-talk” when we are alone. |
| C．Talking to ourselves helps us to solve all the problems. |
| D．Talking to ourselves is believed to be good for our health. |
The underlined phrase “give ourselves a pat on the back” in Paragraph 3 means _________.
| A．blame ourselves | B．punish ourselves | C．praise ourselves | D．talk to ourselves |
Which of the following statements would the author agree to?
| A．It is better to think twice before talking to others. |
| B．It is impossible for unkind words to be forgotten. |
| C．Words always possess long positive effects. |
| D．Kind words are sometimes not needed at all. |
Supermarkets are trying out new computers that make shopping carts more intelligent. They will help shoppers find paper cups or toilet soap, and keep a record of the bill.
The touch-screen devices are on show at the Food Marketing Institute’s exhibition here this week, “These devices are able to create value and get you around the store quicker,” said Michael Alexander, manager of Springboard Retail Netwo
rks Inc., which makes a smart cart computer called the Concierge.
Canadian stores will test the Concierge in July. A similar device, IBM’s “Shopping Buddy”, has recently been test-marketed at Stop & Shop stores in Massachusetts.
Neither device tells you how many fat grams or calories are in your cart, but they will flash you with items on sale. The idea is to make it easier for people to buy, not to have second thoughts that maybe you should put something back on the shelf.
“The whole model is driven by advertisers’ need to get in front of shoppers,” said Alexander. “They’re not watching 30-second TV ads anymore.”
People can use a home computer to make their shopping lists. Once at the store, a shopper can use a preferred customer card to start a system（系统）that will organize the trip around the store. If you’re looking for toothpicks, you type in the word or pick it from a list, and a map will appear on the screen showing where you are and where you can find them.
The device also keeps a record of what you buy. When you’re finished, the device figures out your bill. Then you go to the checker or place your card into a self-checkout stand and pay.
The new computerized shopping assistants don’t come cheap. The Buddy devices will cost the average store about $ 160, 000, and the Concierge will cost stores about $ 500 for each device.The underlined word “they”（paragraph 1）refers to ____________.
| A．supermarkets | B．shop assistants |
| C．shopping carts | D．shop managers |
We can learn from the last paragraph that ___________.
A．intelligent shopping ca rts cost a large sum of money |
| B．the Concierge is cheaper than the Buddy devices |
| C．shop assistants with computer knowledge are well paid |
| D．average stores prefer the Concierge to the Buddy devices |
What might be the most suitable title for the text?
| A．New age for supermarkets |
| B．Concierge and Shopping Buddy |
| C．New computers make shopping carts smarter |
| D．Touch-screen devices make shopping enjoyable |
Duke Ellington is known as one of the most important composers of his tim
e, and his work has been enjoyed for more than 80 years by music lovers all over the world. During his lifetime Ellington turned musical sounds into many compositions, mostly in the style known as jazz.
The Early Years
Edward Kennedy Ellington was born in 1899 in Washington, D. C. It wasn’t until Ellington was a teenager that his interest in music grew. He taught himself to play the piano by listening to local piano players. Sometime around 1916 Ellington began playing the piano at high school parties. Ellington realized that he enjoyed entertaining people with his music. He soon became a very popular musician, playing at parties and other events in t
he Washington area. Young adults seemed especially delighted by the modern pieces he composed.
Success in New York
In 1923, when Ellington was almost 24 years old, he joined The Washingtonians, a five-piece group of musicians in Washington, and became the group’s leader in early 1924. In 1927 Ellington and his orchestra won an engagement（雇佣期）at Harlem’s famous Cotton Club. For the next three years, his orchestra played at the Cotton Club nearly every night.
The Influenc
e of the Cotton Club
Working at the Cotton Club encouraged Ellington’s creativity. Since the shows changed every six months, he was challenged by the need to continually develop new material. He had to compose a wide variety of music to accompany the various acts in the Cotton Club shows and to adapt that music to the strengths and weaknesses of the players in his orchestra.
By 1928 the popular nightspot began radio broadcasts. From the broadcasts Ellington and his orchestra gained a national reputation.
On the Road
As Ellington’s popularity increased, he realized that his orchestra could do well on concert tours. They left the Cotton Club in 1931 and toured America and Europe almost continually for the next 43 years. In addition to touring, Ellington made recordings and continued to compose music.
D
uke Ellington played the piano, composed music, and led his famous orchestra for more than 50 years, until his death in 1974. Music lovers all over the world agree that the large quantity of music he created will be enjoyed for many years to come.From the second paragraph, we know that Ellington ____________.
| A．could sing as well as he played the piano |
| B．preferred mature audiences to young adults |
| C．had a natural talent for musical composition |
| D．learnt to play musical instrument from very young age |
Which of the following can show us Ellington’s leadership ability?
| A．Ellington was very popular at parties in the Washington area. |
| B．Ellington took the responsibility for a band for a long time. |
| C．Ellington did live radio broadcasts in New York City. |
| D．Ellington continually developed new material. |
We may infer from the passage that ____________.
| A．Ellington’s career took off overnight |
| B．Ellington loves touring around the world |
| C．Ellington could compose a wide variety of songs |
| D．Ellington had a great effect on the world of music |
Which of the following shows the order in which the events happened in the story?
a. Ellington joined a five-piece group of musicians in Washington.
b. Ellington’s orchestra played at the Cotton Club.
c. Ellington and his orchestra gained a national reputation.
d. Ellington began playing
the piano at high school parties.
e. Ellington’s orchestra went on concert tours.
A．d-b-a-e-c |
B．d-a-b-c-e | C．a-d-b-c-e | D．a-d-b-e-c |
Special Bridges Help Animals Cross the Road
——Reported by Sheila Carrick
Why did the chicken cross the road? To get to the other side.
Most people know this joke. But recently, some people have been much more worried about how the grizzly bear and mountain lion can cross the road.
“Millions of animals die each year on U. S. roads,” the Federal Highway Administration reports. In fact, only about 80 ocelots, an endangered wild cat, exist in the U. S. today. The main reason? Road kill.
“Ecopassages” may help animals cross the road without being hit by cars. They are paths both over and under roads. “These ecopassages can be extremely useful, so that wildlife can avoid road accidents,” said Jodi Hilty of the Wildlife Protection Society.
But do animals actually use the ecopassages? The answer is yes. Paul Beier of Northern Arizona University found foot marks left by mountain lions on an ecopassage that went under a highway. This showed that the lions used the passage.
Builders of ecopassages try to make them look like a natural part of an area by planting trees on and around them. Animals seem to be catching on. Animals as different as salamanders and grizzly bears are using the bridges and underpasses.
The next time you visit a park or drive th
rough an area with a lot of wildlife, look around. You might see an animals overpass!The writer uses the example of “ocelots” to show that _____________.
| A．wild animals have become more dangerous |
| B．the driving conditions have improved greatly |
| C．the measure for protecting wildlife fails to work |
| D．an increasing number of animals are killed in road accidents |
From the news story, we know an ecopassage is _____________.
| A．an underground path for cars |
| B．a fence built for the safety of the area |
| C．a bridge for animals to get over a river |
| D．a pass for animals to cross the road |
When the writer says that animals seem “to be catching on”, he means ___________.
| A．animals begin to realize the dangers on the road |
| B．animals begin to learn to use ecopassages |
| C．animals are crossing the road in groups |
| D．animals are increasing in number |
The writer asks visitors and drivers to look around when traveling because _________.
| A．wild animals may attack cars |
| B．wild animals may jam the road |
C．they may see w ild animals in the park |
| D．they may see wild animals on ecopassages |
Visit one of the most outstanding prehistoric sites in the United Kingdom, and enjoy amazing historic English attractions. Please notice that every tour starts and ends in London. Have a tour with Visiting Britain.
Stonehenge Direct Tour
Visit one of the most outstanding prehistoric sites in England and in the world: Stonehenge.
Duration: 1 day
Price: Adults ￡29.99, Children ￡28.99
Stonehenge and Bath Tour
Enjoy a late breakfast before heading to the Stonehenge site and end your day with an original visit of the Roman Baths.
Duration: 10 hours（departure 10:30 am return 8:30 pm）.
Price: Adults ￡64, Children ￡60
Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Castle Tour
Explore three of England’s most popular sites to visit: Windsor Castle, Stonehenge and the Roman Baths.
Duration: 1 day（return 8:30 pm）
Price: Adults ￡64.80, Children ￡61.20
Stonehenge, Lacock and Bath Tour
Come and feel the warmth of Bath, see the pleasant village of Lacock, and solve the mystery of Stonehenge.
Duration: 1 day（return 6 pm）
Price: Adults ￡85, Children ￡78
Stonehenge, Windsor and Oxford Tour
Choose Stonehenge, Windsor and Oxford Tour and enjoy ancient mysticism, royal history and illustrious knowledge.
Duration: 1 day
Price: Adults ￡72, Children ￡68
Stonehenge, Bath a
nd Stratford Tour
Take a tour to make the most of the English historic attractions: the Stonehenge site, Bath and Stratford, the b
irthplace of playwright William Shakespeare.
Duration: 1 day（return 8 pm）
Price: Adults ￡79, Children ￡68The purpose of the passage is to _____________.
| A．advertise some popular English attractions |
| B．recommend some different tours in England |
| C．tell readers how to save money while traveling |
| D．describe different routes to travel in England |
Two 15-year-old foreign students who want to visit Stonehenge and Oxford University will have to pay at least _____________.
| A．￡136 | B．￡170 | C．￡110 | D．￡126 |
When can you come back to London after visiting Stonehenge and the Roman Baths?
| A．At 6 pm. | B．At 7 pm. | C．At 8 pm. | D．At 8:30 pm. |
If you
plan to travel with your kid who is a fan of Shakespeare, you would choose _______.
| A．Stonehenge Direct Tour |
| B．Stonehenge, Bath and Stratford Tour |
| C．Stonehenge, Windsor and Oxford Tour |
| D．Stonehenge, Bath and Windsor Castle Tour |