Science Daily—Kids may roll their eyes when their mothers asks them about their school day, but answering her may actually help them learn．New research from Vanderbilt University reveals that children learn the solution to a problem best when they explain it to their mom．
“We knew that children learn well with their moms or with a peer, but we did not know if that was because they were getting feedback and help,” Bethany Rittle-Johnson, the study’s lead author and assistant professor of psychology at Vanderbilt’s Peabody College of education and human development, said．
“In this study, we just had the children’s mothers listen, without providing any assistance．We’ve found that by simply listening, a mother helps her child learn．”
Rittle-Johnson believes the new finding can help parents better assist their children with their schoolwork, even when they are not sure of the answer themselves．Although the researchers used children and their mothers in the study, they believe the same results will hold true whether the person is the child’s father, grandparent, or other familiar persons．
“The basic idea is that it is really effective to try to get kids to explain things themselves instead of just telling them the answer,” she said．“Explaining their reasoning, to a parent or perhaps to other people they know, will help them understand the problem and apply what they have learned to other situations．We saw that this simple act of listening by mom made a difference in the quality of the child’s explanations and how well they could solve more difficult problems later on．According to the passage, a mom had better ________．
| A．give a kid some help when he is explaining his problem |
| B．just listen while a kid is explaining his problem |
| C．work together with a kid toward the solution to a problem |
D．leave a kid alone when he meets a problem a t school |
If she wants to help a child with his schoolwork, a mom ________．
| A．should know the answer to a problem first |
| B．should pay attention to the child’s feedback． |
| C．may not know the answer herself |
| D．should not interrupt the child |
Who will be the least help to a kid when he is explaining, according to Rittle-Johnson?
| A．The kid’s mom． | B．The kid’s grandmother． |
| C．A peer． | D．A relative the kid doesn’t know． |
Which of the following best gives the main idea of the passage?
| A．Children learn better when their mom is hearing their explaining． |
| B．Children learn better if they find the solution to a problem themselves． |
| C．Parents should not provide any assistance to their children’s schoolwork． |
| D．A mom should listen more to their children when they have problems at school． |
I stood outside New York's Madison Square Garden and just stared, almost speechless. I was a farm boy from County Kilkenny, a child who some thought would never walk, let alone go as far as I had in the world.
From the day I was born, there was a problem. The doctors at the Dublin hospital told my parents I had phocomelia, a deformity that affected both legs below the knee, which were outward and shorter than normal and each foot had just three toes.
Life was tough. I couldn't stand, much less walk. I rarely, left the farmhouse---and then only in someone's arms. Mam bundled me up whenever she took me to town, no matter the season.
“The world will see him when he can walk,” she told Dad. “And he will walk.”
Mam devoted herself to helping me. She tried everything to get me on my feet. When I was three, she and Dad took me to a clinic in Dublin.
A few weeks later we returned to Dublin with my artificial limbs (肢). Back home I practiced walking with my new limbs.
“There's nothing anyone can do but you can't,” Mam said. “You and I are going to walk through town.”
The next day Mam dressed me in my finest clothes. She wore a summer dress and fixed her hair and makeup. Dad drove us to the church. We stepped out of the car. Mam took my hand. “Hold your head up high, now, Ronan,” she said.
We walked 300 meters to the post office. It was the farthest I'd walked, and I was sweating from the effort. Then we left the post office and continued down the street, Mam's eyes shining with a mother's pride.
That night, back on our farm, I lay exhausted on my bed. It meant nothing, though, compared to what I'd done on my walk.
Then I began to pursue my dream of singing. And at every step Mam's words came back to me—Ronan, you can do anything anyone else can do—and the faith she had in God, who would help me do it.
I've sung from the grandest stages in Europe, to music played by the world's finest musicians. That night, I stood at the Madison Square Garden, with Mam's words chiming in my ears. Then I began singing. I couldn't feel the pulse of the music in my feet, but I felt it deep in my heart, the same place where Mam's promise lived.What was the problem with the author as a baby?
| A．He was expected unable to walk. |
| B．He was born outward in character. |
| C．He had a problem with listening. |
| D．He was shorter than a normal baby. |
The underlined word “deformity” in the second paragraph most probably means _______.
| A．shortcoming | B．disadvantage | C．disability | D．delay |
Why did Mam dress him and herself in finest clothes?
| A．To hide their depressed feeling. |
| B．To indicate it an unusual day. |
| C．To show off their clothes. |
| D．To celebrate his successful operation. |
From the story we may conclude that his mother was _______.
| A．determined | B．stubborn | C．generous | D．distinguished |
According to the writer, what mattered most in his success?
| A．His consistent effort. | B．His talent for music. |
| C．His countless failures. | D．His mother's promise. |
If women are mercilessly exploited(剥削) year after year, they have only themselves to blame. Because they tremble at the thought of being seen in public in clothes that are out of fashion, they are always taken advantage of by the designers and the big stores. Clothes which have been worn only a few times have to be put aside because of the change of fashion.
Changing fashions are nothing more than the intentional creation of waste. Many women spend large sums of money each year to replace clothes that have hardly been worn. Women who cannot afford to throw away clothing in this way, waste hours of their time changing their old-fashioned dresses. Skirts are lengthened or shortened; neck-lines are lowered or raised, and so on.
No one can claim that the fashion industry contributes anything really important to society. Fashion designers are rarely concerned with necessary things like warmth, comfort and durability (耐用). They are only interested in outward appearance and they take advantage of the fact that women will put up with any amount of discomfort, as long as they look right. There can hardly be a man who hasn't at some time in his life smiled at the sight of a woman shaking in a thin dress on a winter day, or picking her way through deep snow in high heeled shoes.
When comparing men and women in the matter of fashion, the conclusions to be drawn are obvious. Do the constantly changing fashions of women's clothes, one wonders, reflect basic qualities of inconstancy and instability? Men are too clever to let themselves be cheated by fashion designers. Do their unchanging styles of dress reflect basic qualities of stability and reliability(稳定耐用)? That is for you to decide.Designers and big stores always make money _______.
| A．by mercilessly exploiting women workers in the clothing industry |
| B．because they are capable of predicting new fashions |
| C．by constantly changing the fashions in women's clothing |
| D．because they attach great importance to quality in women's clothing |
To the writer, the fact that women change their old-fashioned dresses is seen as _______.
| A．a waste of money | B．a waste of time |
| C．an expression of taste | D．an expression of creativity |
New fashions in clothing are created for _______.
| A．the commercial exploitation of women |
| B．the women's strength of character |
| C．basic qualities of inconstancy and instability |
| D．an important contribution to society |
The English, as a race, are very different in many ways from all other nationalities, including their closest neighbors, the French, the Belgians and the Dutch. It is claimed that living on an island separated from the rest of Europe has much to do with it. Whatever the reasons are, it may be fairly stated that the Englishman has developed many attitudes and habits which distinguish him from other nationalities.
Broadly speaking, the Englishman is a quiet, shy, reserved person who is fully relaxed only among people he knows well. In the presence of strangers or foreigners he often seems restrained, even embarrassed. You have only to witness a city train any morning or evening to see the truth of this. Serious-looking businessmen and women sit reading their newspapers or having a light sleep in a corner, and no one speaks. In fact, to do so would seem most unusual. An Englishman, pretending to be giving advice to overseas visitors, once suggested, “On entering a railway carriage, shake hands with all the passengers.” Needless to say, he was not being serious. There is an unwritten but clearly understood code of behavior which, if broken, makes the person immediately suspected.
In many parts of the world it is quite normal to show openly extremes of enthusiasm, emotion, excitement, etc, often accompanied by appropriate gesture. The Englishman is somewhat different. Of course, an Englishman feels no less deeply than anyone of a different nationality, but he tends to display his feelings far less. This is reflected in his use of language. Imagine a man commenting on the great beauty of a young girl. A more emotional man might describe her state “Oh, she is a goddess”, whereas an Englishman might just say “Oh, she’s all right.” An Englishman who has seen a highly successful and enjoyable film recommends it to a friend by commenting, “It’s not bad you know”, or on seeing some very unusual scenery he might convey (表达) his pleasure by saying, “Nice, yes, very nice.” The overseas visitor must not be disappointed by this apparent lack of interest and involvement. Instead, he must realize that “all right,” “not bad,” and “nice,” very often have the sense of “first-class,” “excellent,” “beautiful”. This unique style of language use is particularly common in England, and is known as restrained statement.According to the passage, the English are different from other nationalities in _______.
| A．habits | B．attitudes | C．character | D．all of the above |
The underlined word “restrained” in the second paragraph probably means “_______”.
| A．calm and controlled | B．polite and friendly |
| C．nervous and quiet | D．silent and kind |
In Britain, if you don’t want other people to think you are strange, you’d better _______.
| A．talk with others as much as possible |
| B．behave just like the English do |
| C．say nothing about yourself |
| D．shake hands with everyone you meet |
If an Englishman says “all right”, it may mean “_______”.
| A．not bad | B．correct | C．quite right | D．wonderful |
From the passage, we can infer that an Englishman _______.
| A．doesn’t like to show his feelings so much |
| B．has less emotion than people of other nationalities |
| C．finds it easy to express his emotion |
| D．likes to have a joke with strangers |
Summer in Europe is very nice for us to visit one of our favourite cities for a break. Below we have put together a short list of our favourite summer break locations（地方） that offer a great balance of culture, sunshine and fun.
Berlin, the second most populous city in the European Union, gets the third place on our list. It has three famous airports: Tegel International Airport, Tempelhof International Airport, and Schonefeld International Airport.
The capital of Germany is on this list not only because it is a fantastic place to go on holiday but also since it teaches a very important lesson to humanity（人，人性）. The Berlin Wall, the better part of which still remains well kept for educational and amusement（娱乐） aims, reminds us of the extra costs paid by everyone. Today, the undamaged part of the Wall, known as the East Side Gallery, shows striking murals(壁画)；if you are interested in this chapter(时期) of the city’s history, there is also a Berlin Wall Memorial you would want to visit. The Potsdamer Platz, divided into two by the Wall, is a newly developed area that is famous for a large shopping center and movie theatre complexes（混合体）, and adds a bit of modern colour to Berlin’s historical value.
Much like the other places that made the list, Berlin is also a city of art. The city has over one hundred and fifty museums in all, and a few of the ones providing an extraordinary experience include the Art Center Berlin Friedrichstrabe, the Museum of Indian Art, and the Museum of East Asian Art. Appreciating Berlin’s art is much like taking a university course in itself and it can only be truly appreciated in several trips.Which of the following statements is NOT mentioned in this passage?
| A．Berlin is a city with a large population in Europe. |
| B．Berlin has many parks and bridges. |
| C．Berlin is a city with many museums. |
| D．Berlin is the capital city of Germany. |
From the passage, visitors can enjoy .
| A．beautiful sights | B．striking murals | C．art museums | D．all the above |
What is the main idea of the third paragraph?
| A．The reasons for Berlin to be chosen on the list. |
| B．Berlin’s modern developments. |
| C．Berlin’s historical feature. |
| D．The significance(意义)of the Berlin Wall. |
If Peter is interested in German history, he should visit .
| A．the Art Center Berlin Friedrichstrabe |
| B．the Museum of Indian Art |
| C．the Berlin Wall Memorial |
| D．movie theatre complexes |
Most children now chat daily either online or through their mobile phones. They are connecting to a huge number of other children all over the world. Some are shy “in real life” but are confident to communicate with others online; others find support from people of their own age on relationship issues, or problems at home.
Sometimes the online world, just like the real world, can introduce problems, such as bullying or arguments. Going online is great fun, but there are also a few people who use the Internet for offensive(冒犯性的)or illegal aims. Children must be made aware（意识到的） of both the good things and the dangers.
To keep children safe your management must cover the family computer. Just as you decide which TV programs are suitable, you need to do the same for the websites and chat rooms your children visit. Remind your children that online friends are still strangers. Reminding them of the risks will keep them alert(警惕).
Computer studies are part of schoolwork now, so it’s likely that your children may know more than you do. We get left behind when it comes to the latest gadgets（小玩意）and the interactive areas of websites, like chat rooms and message boards, which are especially strange. The language of chat is strange to many parents, too. Chatters love to use abbreviations(缩写)such as: atb-all the best, bbfn-bye bye for now, cul8er-see you later, gr8-great, Idk-I don’t know, imbl-it must be love, kit-keep in touch, paw-parents are watching, lol-laugh out loud, xlnt-excellent!
It seems like another language, and it is!The passage is meant for .
| A．children | B．parents | C．teachers | D．net bar owners |
Which of the following will the author probably agree with?
| A．The Internet is no good for children. |
| B．The chat language is strange to adults. |
| C．Children shouldn’t chat so much online. |
| D．The Internet is a good place for children. |
In order to keep children safe online, you’d better .
| A．choose suitable websites and chat rooms for them |
| B．teach them to use correct net words |
| C．surf the Internet together with them |
| D．forbid them to use the Internet |
If you stand beside him when your son is chatting about something secret online, he may use .
| A．bbfn | B．lol | C．paw | D．cul8er |