Baby girls make their way to dolls as son as they can crawl(爬), and boys will head for the toy cars, a study has shown. The findings-the first t o show consistent differences in very young babies-suggest there is a biological basis for their preferences.
Psychologists Dr Brenda Todd carried out an experiment involving 90 babies aged 9 months to 36 months. They were allowed to choose from 7 toys. Some were boys’ toys-a car, a digger, a ball and a blue teddy. The rest were girls’ toys; a pink teddy, a doll and a cooking set. They were placed a meter away from the toys, and could pick whichever toy they liked. Their choice and amount of time they spent playing with each toy were recorded.
Of the youngest children (9 to 14 months), girls spent much longer time playing with the doll than boys, and boys spent much more time with the car and the ball than the girls did. Among the two and three-year-olds, girls spent 50 percent of the time playing with the doll while only two boys briefly touched it. The boys spent almost 90 percent of their time playing with cars, which the girls barely touched. There was no link between the parents’ views on which toys were more appropriate for boys or girls, and the children’s choices.
Dr Brenda Todd said, “Children of this age are already exposed to much socialization. Boys may be given ‘toys that go’ while girls get toys they can care for, which may help shape their preferences. But these findings are consistent with the former idea that children show intrinsic(内在的) interest in particular kinds of toys. There could be a biological basis for their choices. Males through evolution have been adapted to moving objects, probably through hunting instincts (本能), while girls prefer warmer colors such as pink, the color of a newborn baby.”Baby boys and girls have different toy preferences probably because .
| A．baby boys are much more active |
| B．baby girls like bright colors better |
| C．their parents treat them differently |
| D．there is a biological difference between them |
What can we infer from Paragraph 3?
| A．Nine-month-old baby boys don’t play with dolls at all. |
| B．Two-year-old baby girls sometimes play with cars and balls |
| C．The older the babies are, the more obvious their preference is. |
| D．Parents should teach baby boys and girls to share each other’s toys. |
What conclusion did Dr Brenda Todd draw from the results of the study?
| A．Adults purposely influence the preference of babies. |
| B．Babies’ preference isn’t affected by social surroundings.(环境) |
| C．Baby boys preferring moving toys will be good at hunting. |
| D．Baby girls preferring warmer colors will be warmhearted. |
Which column of a newspaper does the passage probably appear in?
| A．Science. | B．Health. |
| C．Education. | D．Entertainment. |
Where on Earth are you? Navigators (导航员) use lines of latitude and lines of longitude to locate places. Lines of latitude run east and west around Earth. On a map or globe, these lines appear as running sideways or horizontally. Lines of longitude run north and south around Earth. These lines go up and down or vertically on a map or globe. These lines create an imaginary graph paper on the Earth. They make it possible to find an absolute, or exact, location on Earth. They even allow us to give an absolute location to a place out in the middle of the ocean.
Lines of latitude tell us how far north or south of the Equator we are. Sailors have used primitive navigation tools, like astrolabes, since ancient times. The astrolabe uses the sun and stars to find an approximate location. Using such tools, they have been able to approximate their distance from the equator. Although their instruments may not have been the high quality we have now, they were incredibly accurate (精确) for their time.
Lines of longitude tell us how far east or west of the prime meridian (本初子午线) we are. Sailors constantly looked for new ways to increase their navigation skills. Still, it wasn’t until the 18th century that they were able to measure degrees of longitude. They would have been very envious of the technology available to us today.
When we use lines of latitude and longitude together, we can get a very precise location. If we want to identify the absolute location of a point, we look where the latitude and longitude lines cross nearest to that point. We use the coordinates (坐标) for that point as its address. Many maps today include degrees of latitude and longitude.______ make it possible for people to find an exact place on Earth.
| A．Latitudes | B．Longitudes | C．Navigators | D．Sailors |
The second paragraph mainly talks about _______.
| A．the function of latitude | B．the use of the equator |
| C．the invention of astrolabe | D．the high quality instruments |
Why do maps include degrees of latitude and longitude?
| A．To help trade expeditions. | B．To locate a precise place. |
| C．To cross the lines of the nearest point. | D．To identify how far a place is. |
The best title for this passage is ____________.
| A．The map and the globe | B．Latitude and longitude |
| C．The equator and the prime meridian | D．Absolute coordinates |
Cambodians are continuing to mourn the death of King-Father Norodom Sihanouk, who died in Beijing this week. In an exclusive interview with CCTV, China’s ambassador to Cambodia, Pan Guangxue, says Sihanouk made indelible(不可磨灭的) contributions to Sino-Cambodian relations and his death will not affect the friendship between the two countries.
Since its founding, the People’s Republic of China has maintained close contact with Cambodia. Bilateral(双边的) trade volume has increased rapidly in recent years, from 200 million US dollars in 2002 to nearly 2.5 billion US dollars in 2011.
China is now not only Cambodia’s third largest trading partner, but for many years has been Cambodia’s number one investor. Norodom Sihanouk, Cambodia’s “King-Father” pioneered the relationship.
Pan Guangxue said, “If we look back at previous decades, I think Sihanouk made the right choice, a choice good to Cambodian national development. It was because of his commitment to the development of Sino-Cambodia friendship that we’ve achieved what we have today.”
In 2010, the two countries established a comprehensive strategic partnership, during its Prime Minister Hun Sen’s visit to China.
And 2013 is set to be China-Cambodia Friendship Year.
Pan Guangxue said, “Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen said on many occasions that China does not tell Cambodia what to do or what not to do. China does not point fingers at Cambodia. I think this is a true evaluation of Sino-Cambodian relations. China pursues an independent peaceful foreign policy of non-alignment(不结盟) and non-interference in the internal affairs of other countries.”
The ambassador says Sihanouk’s death is a huge loss to both China and Cambodia, but that bilateral relations will not be affected.
Pan Guangxue said, “I believe the bilateral relationship will be sustained and grow even stronger.”
With both countries enjoying the benefits of the fruitful relationship, the governments of China and Cambodia have promised that Sihanouk’s legacy(遗产) will continue to be the foundation of even stronger ties.We can learn from the passage that Sihanouk ________.
| A．is the present Cambodian Prime Minister |
| B．went for an interview with CCTV the other day |
| C．made the right choice to encourage investment in China |
| D．had great influence on Sino-Cambodian relations |
The following facts can prove the good Sino-Cambodian relations EXCEPT that _______.
| A．Sihanouk was committed to Cambodian national development |
| B．the two countries has set 2013 to be China-Cambodia Friendship Year |
| C．the two countries has established a comprehensive strategic partnership |
| D．trade volume between the two countries has increased sharply in recent years |
What is Pan Guangxue’s opinion on Sihanouk’s death?
| A．It will more or less damage the bilateral relationship. |
| B．It will continue to be the foundation of even stronger ties. |
| C．It means a huge loss for both countries in economy. |
| D．It has very little negative effect on the bilateral relationship. |
Which of the following would be the best title for the passage?
| A．China-Cambodia Friendship Year |
| B．China-Cambodia friendship to continue |
| C．Sihanouk’s death—a great loss to Cambodia |
| D．China’s peaceful foreign policy to continue |
Four simple keys to transform your life
The power of choice.
Every one of us makes countless choices every day. Every choice we make has an impact on our lives. Even insignificant choices can affect what we experience and how we feel. When hunger strikes, we can reach for a healthy, nutritious snack, or we can choose the sugar high of junk food. The more important the decision, the greater its effect. For instance, how do I act towards that person who treated me badly? Do I generally choose to be passive, or do I actively set clear intentions and create what I want in my life? Every choice we make, however big or small, affects us in some way.
How do you make choices?
If you are interested in living a richer, fuller life, there is a foundation upon which you can base all of your decisions which can make life better not only for you, but also for those around you. This foundation is to choose based on what’s best for all. Imagine a world where every parent, spouse(配偶), friend, teacher, businessperson, and politician truly did their best to choose what’s best for all involved in every decision they made. We would certainly live in a more caring, supportive world.
It’s the intention.
“But how do I know what is really best?” you might ask. The answer is simple. It doesn’t matter. What matters is not the choice you make, but rather the intention behind your choice. What matters is that whatever decision you make, you are clear in your intention of choosing based on what’s best for all. If it later turns out that you made what appears to have been a bad choice, there’s no need for guilt. Knowing that you did your best to choose with a sincere desire for what’s best for all, your conscience stays clear and open. This then allows you to more easily learn from your mistakes, and to live with a clear heart and mind.
What’s best for me, too!
Choosing what’s best does not mean you have to always sacrifice yourself for other. An overly(过度的) exhausted mother can lose her temper easily. Some time off for this mother might seem selfish, yet in the long run, it can help her to be a better mother to her children. So as we move through each day of our lives, let us remember to include ourselves as we do our best to choose what’s best for all.According to the passage, which of the following statements is NOT true?
| A．Every one of us makes countless choices every day. |
| B．Every choice, however big or small, has an influence on us. |
| C．People act differently towards the person who treated them badly. |
| D．People tend to reach for a junk snack when hunger strikes. |
How should we make choices?
| A．To be interested in a richer, fuller life. |
| B．To make life better for ourselves. |
| C．To base our choices on what’s best for all. |
| D．To imagine a world where everyone did their best. |
According to the author, what is really best?
| A．The choice you make. | B．The intention behind your choice. |
| C．The mistake you learn from. | D．The consequence of your choice. |
To choose what is best for us, we’d better ________.
| A．try to be selfish all the time | B．sacrifice ourselves for others |
| C．set aside some time for ourselves | D．control our temper before children |
These days, many passers-by always spot a beggar on the Jiaochangkou Street in Yuzhong District of Chongqing in southwest China.
The beggar’s name is Xia Haibo, and he was born in Meihe Village, Tianmen City of Hubei Province. Being 25 years old, he is quite a special beggar in some ways — he doesn’t beg on his knees, as other beggars do when begging. Rather, he often stands in the crowded street, either reading a book or thinking about something carefully. He also started a blog on the Internet which has been clicked more than 500,000 times. He likes reading — he has read many classical Chinese poems. He has kept writing and recently, he has planned to publish his writings.
In 1998, Xia entered Tianmen Middle School as the best student in his town. However, a year before he took the college entrance examination, he came down with a high fever and was later diagnosed (诊断) as having rheumatoid arthritis (类风湿性关节炎). In order to treat his disease, his father borrowed 60,000 yuan from relatives and friends. However, with this money, he didn’t recover from the disease. He did not want to become a burden (负担) to his family any more. So in July, 2006, he left his hometown and went to Wuhan to make a living by begging.
Begging has become a job to Xia now. However, he doesn’t plan to go on living like this. “By July 24, 2008, when I have been begging for two years, I will stop my begging life. I promise,” he said.
It is his plan that by using the money he “earns”, he will rent a small shop in his hometown and keep on writing in his spare time.
Right now, he is trying to finish a book of his own. The book, called Love Is With Me, tells about the people who helped him during his begging life. The underlined word “spot” in the first paragraph is closest in meaning to “______”.
| A．forgive | B．record | C．beat | D．notice |
When did Xia Haibo get the serious illness?
| A．In 1998. | B．In 2001. | C．In 2000. | D．In 2006. |
How does Xia beg in the street?
| A．He begs on his knees in the street. |
| B．He writes Chinese poems for those who like poems. |
| C．He reads or thinks while standing in the street. |
| D．He teaches people how to surf the Internet. |
Which of the following is NOT true about Xia Haibo?
| A．His dream is to have his book published. |
| B．He will not stop begging until he earns enough money for his future life. |
| C．He is writing a book to express his thanks to those who helped him. |
| D．He will keep writing while running a small business. |
The life-long benefits of teaching children how to take care of their money make it well worth the effort. Children who are not taught these lessons pay the consequences for a life time. Some parents don’t teach children about money because they think they shouldn’t talk about money with children, don’t have the time, or think they don’t have enough money. Parents should take the time to teach children about money regardless of their income and should start when children are young.
Most people have strong feelings and opinions about money, based on childhood experiences and the values and beliefs of their families. Most often, these experiences, values, and beliefs are different for each parent. Parents should talk about these feelings and opinions and establish an unchanging approach（方式） to teaching children about money. This is important for the healthy development of children.
Here are some tips that parents can keep in mind as they begin teaching their children to manage money:
★ Guide and advise your children how to spend their money, rather than tell them what they can and cannot do.
★ Encourage and praise children rather than criticize their actions.
★ Allow children to learn by mistakes and by successes.
★ Be consistent（前后一致的） while taking children’s differences into consideration.
★ Include all family members in money management discussions, decision making, and activities that are suitable for their age. As children get older include them in discussions of limits and consequences.
★ Expect all family members to do some everyday chores based on their abilities without being paid.
★ Express your desire to have things you can’t afford. Children need to know that parents say “no” to themselves, too. It is _____ for parents to teach their children about money management in their childhood.
| A．easy | B．useless | C．too early | D．beneficial |
15-year-old Harry isn’t good at managing his money. His mother is advised to _____.
| A．explain to him how to manage his money better |
| B．pay him more money to deal with his chores |
| C．praise him for what he has done |
| D．allow him to buy what he wants |
When parents discuss how to manage the family finances, they should _____.
| A．include their children in the discussion |
| B．express their desire to have some valuable things |
| C．pay more attention to their children’s differences |
| D．try to meet their older children’s needs first |