When visiting New York City with your kids,there are many things to do with kids that will entertain their spirits and feed their minds.
The Whispering Gallery
Make your way to the Whispering Gallery. The Whispering Room's architecture allows for a phenomenon that usually makes people laugh. Once inside the gallery,place one person facing the corner at one end of the room and then place another person facing the corner at the opposite end. Ask one of the participants to whisper a phrase or a quick sentence or two and the person on the opposite end will be able to hear every word that was said.
E. 42nd St.
212一771一5322
grandcentralterminal. com
The American Museum of Natural History
The American Museum of Natural History was founded in 1869. In addition to its impressive exhibits,permanent attractions bring the cool factor home to kids. They can enter the Fossil Halls and see the impressive dinosaur skeletons(骨架).And the Milstein Hall of Ocean Life educates kids about the fragility(脆弱)of the Ocean
Central Park West at 79th St.
212一769一5606
amnh. org
the Scholastic Store
Most parents want their children to read,and moreover,to enjoy reading. Scholastic helps to make that wish a reality by publishing interesting,well-written stories that are popular with children. With such classics as“Clifford the Big Red Dog”,“The Magic School Bus,"and“Harry Potter,”the Scholastic Store will delight your children.
557 Broadway
212一343一6100
scholastic. com
Ellen's Stardust Diner(小饭店)
The restaurant is a place where each person in your family can find something to eat. Arugula salads,grilled cheese,burgers and meatloaf are all on this varied menu. A hall of beauty queens,a drive-in theatre and wait staff that sing to you can add to this unique dining experience.
1650 Broadway,corner of 51st St.
212一956一5151
ellensstardustdiner. com
Which of the following websites helps kids learn about animals?
A.ettensstardustdiner. com. |
B.grandcentralterminal. com. |
C.amnh. org. |
D.scholastic. com. |
To develop your kids' interest in reading,you can bring them to .
A.the Whispering Gallery |
B.the Scholastic Store |
C.Ellen's Stardust Diner |
D.the American Museum of Natural History |
It can be learned from the passage that ________.
A.sound travels well in the Whispering Gallery |
B.people can enjoy music in the Scholastic Store |
C.Ellen's Stardust Diner mainly provides western food |
D.the American Museum of Natural History has a history of 200 years |
In Vietnam, two members of a family of street vendors are finding a way to help the poorest students in Hanoi. Pham Minh Dap and his brother are providing the students with mostly free English and Japanese lessons at a learning center they created. The men want to help people who would not normally have a chance to learn a foreign language.
Some education experts in Vietnam say such knowledge may help college graduates get jobs. The country’s economy has improved. But many graduates continue to have a hard time finding employment. Local media reported ten percent of university graduates do not have a job.
Earlier this year, 24-year-old Pham Minh Dap and his brother established a school they call “Stand By You”. Volunteers teach poor students English and Japanese. Many classes are free. Students with some language knowledge pay 25 to 50 cents per class. Mr. Dap pays about $ 500 to rent the language center space and for other costs. He gives about $ 150 from his earnings as a street Vendor and private language teaching. His brother gives the same amount from the money he earns as a secretary. Friends provide the rest. Mr. Dap and many of his family members have sold things outside HoaBinh Park in the center of Vietnam’s capital for five years. They come from a village of rice farmers in Thanh Hoa Province.
Twenty-four-year-old Pham THi Trang is one of 600 students at the language school. She is finishing her university studies. Her parents work in a market in a village in Ha Nam Province. She says life is hard in the city. She earns about $50 a month from a part-time job, and her parents give her $ 75. But this is not enough to live on. She has said she has to be very careful with money so she can pay her bills.
Demand for the school is growing. About 1,000 people are on a waiting list to enter. Ten people have offered to teach for free. And Mr. Dap says he is hoping to raise money to pay for a bigger place. He wants to open more classes.“Stand By You” is established____________.
A.by the Vietnam government | B.by a family |
C.by a non-profit organization | D.by two brothers |
What can we infer from the passage?
A.All the courses provided by “ Stand By You” are free. |
B.Farmers in Vietnam are very rich. |
C.“Stand By You” is especially welcomed by the poor students in Vietnam. |
D.Only ten percent of university graduates in Vietnam are employed. |
Mr. Dap wants to pay for a bigger place because___________.
A.he wants to make more money. |
B.he wants to open more classes for poor students. |
C.he wants to change his job. |
D.he wants to provide a wider space for students to play. |
The main idea of the passage is ____________.
A.street vendors help the poor to learn English and Japanese. |
B.the demand for school is growing in Vietnam. |
C.free learning of English and Japanese are provided in Vietnam. |
D.students in Vietnam are very poor. |
Here are some famous romantic places in the world that you can’t miss.
Paris
The ranking for the “most romantic city” quite rightly leads to Paris. The city of light has long been famous as a city of love. This is definitely the best place for love, wine and food. Paris is rich with history; you can take a walk through the Louvre, go to a café across the Champs Elysees, have dinner at the Eiffel Tower or visit the Palace of Versailles.
Venice
Undoubtedly, Venice is the most romantic city of Italy. From the amazing architecture of San Marco Square to the gondolas(贡多拉船) there, Venice talks about love, romance and passion. The best time to visit Venice is during the annual carnival(狂欢节). A gondola trip through the most magical city in Europe remains unforgettable for everyone.
Vienna
Vienna may well be called the cradle of European culture. The baroque architecture, the historic city opera and typical restaurants create a romantic mood and memorable atmosphere. During the ball season in Vienna, one can enjoy the city’s past, the masked waltz and romance.
Prague
Prague is called the heart of Europe. The city, dating from the 9th century, is indeed a real architectural wonder. Prague’s famous castle is the largest ancient castle in the world, built early in 1257. For a more romantic experience, take your loved ones to the top of the 60-foot observatory and watch the slow sunset over Prague.
Maldives
There are quiet islands, warm, clear water with excellent visibility, a huge amount of reefs and an incredible diversity of marine life. The Maldives is the place to shoot all those beautiful postcard pictures of couples on a desert beach. Most islands are not more than 1 km in area, with makes them particularly suitable for privacy, honeymoons and love.The city of light refers to___________.
A.Paris | B.Venice |
C.Prague | D.Vienna |
In Vienna, visitors can________________.
A.go to the annual carnival. |
B.admire the typical French architecture. |
C.see the waltz in the ball season. |
D.take beautiful pictures of reefs. |
Which of the following is TRUE?
A.Vienna is known as the heart of Europe. |
B.Prague has the largest ancient castle in the world. |
C.Paris is called the cradle of European culture. |
D.Most of the islands of the Maldives are more than 1 km in area. |
Anyone can try to lead a group, but not every individual is cut out for leadership. The better leaders possess a few qualities that can mean the difference between the success and failure of the group. These aret he qualities the leader of higher rank will look for when choosing a leader for a group, or when evaluating the performance of a leader. They're also the qualities team members want in a group leader, and appreciate when they find them.
Take Responsibility
Group leaders might share tasks around a group as necessary, but eventually a group leader needs to be able to accept that responsibility lies on her shoulders. That means that if things go wrong in a group project, she's the one who must accept the consequences and work out what mistakes were made. The group leader won't always have the power to control everything group members do, but she should be ready to admit any mistakes the group has made as a result of her leadership.
Concern for Members
The group leader has a commitment to the task or project at hand, but perhaps more importantly, he has a real concern for each and every person who is part of his group. This means getting to know the strengths, weaknesses and goals of team members, as well as making time to build the group through collective activities. The group leader should make sure that everyone is included, even if an individual is new to a group.
Good Listener
The group leader needs to be able to listen to the suggestions, complaints (抱怨) and ideas of group members. Not only will this allow complaints to be addressed and potentially suitable ideas to be put into practice, but a leader who listens will also encourage group members to share their concerns and thoughts,creating an atmosphere of free speech and productivity.The passage is mainly about____________.
A.choosing a good leader for a group. |
B.assessing the performance of a leader. |
C.qualities of a good group leader. |
D.team members’ appreciation of a leader. |
A good leader should always be able to_______.
A.tell when things go wrong in a group project. |
B.control everything group members do. |
C.make group members admit their mistakes. |
D.recognize any mistakes as his own. |
According to “Concerns for members”, which of the following is a good quality of a leader?
A.fair | B.reliable |
C.determined | D.generous |
Which of the following is not the benefit of being a good listener?
A.Offer a chance for group members to express themselves freely |
B.Allow the leader to put all his ideas into practice easily. |
C.Make it possible to deal with group members’ complaints. |
D.Make group members productive by sharing their thoughts. |
School children are using mobile phone applications to do their homework, which seem to be increasing during summer vacations. But instead of blaming students for their behavior, we should say no to too much homework. This is important because by using mobile phone applications to do their homework, students don't add much to their knowledge, says an article in Guangzhou-based Yangcheng Evening News. Excerpts (摘录):
Using mobile phone applications to do homework is no different from copying from someone else's work. This is the opinion of a vast majority of teachers. Students who seek cell phone apps help to do their homework will pay dearly during major exams when they cannot seek the help of such applications, the teachers say.
The heavy load of homework Chinese students are burdened with, said to be the heaviest in the world,has led to the popularity of these applications.
Senior high school students in China rarely go to bed before 11 pm. A report in Shanghai published in2013 showed that students in the city on average spend 28.2 hours in class every week, the 9th highest among 65 countries and regions surveyed. Also, they spend an average of 13.8 hours a week doing homework, most in the world.
There is no association between the amount of homework one does and the amount of knowledge one gathers. In fact, a research by Australian experts shows that the result is exactly the opposite: the more hours students spend doing homework, the less effective they will be in gaining knowledge.
The United States is one of the countries where students do little homework, but that has not damaged the country's academic status in the world.
So, it's time Chinese schools understood this fact and freed students of the unnecessary burden of homework.What’s the writer’s attitude toward the students’ using mobile phone applications to do their homework?
A.Supporting | B.Understanding |
C.Scolding | D.Praising |
The cause of the students’ using mobile phone applications to do their homework is______.
A.the heavy burden of homework |
B.the advance of modern technology |
C.the pressure of the students’ parents |
D.the influence of other countries |
What does the underlined phrase “pay dearly” mean?
A.be rewarded | B.be dismissed |
C. provide much money | D.suffer a lot |
Which of the following is probably the best title?
A.Free kids of the burden of homework. |
B.Stop using mobile phones to do homework. |
C.Spend less time to gain much knowledge. |
D.Improve China’s academic status in the world. |
Why read, and sometimes even write poetry? That question is not difficult to answer if we change the word poetry to songs.
I sing when I feel good. When I sing my favorite songs, I feel even better. Sometimes when I am listening to music and to the song words, I feel that it was written for me. A good song always makes me feel something. There are songs that I sing in my head between classes and songs that I want to sing when the school bell rings by the end of the day. They help me get through the day.
They are like bright and warm colors in the middle of grays and shades. I like songs about love and friendship. The extraordinary thing is that my feelings are more special when I sing my favorite songs in English.
I also like reading. I used to avoid poetry until an e-friend told me I should recite poems and not look up the meaning of the words. Poetry uses many difficult words and idioms, but the best thing is to just forget about them. In the beginning I felt quite strange. Now I always lock the door. Reading aloud gives you a strange feeling, but when you have some practice and fall into the rhythm, and the sounds of the words, it is really a special experience.
I started with small poems, but now I think I most like long poems. I have different feelings with different poems. When I have had a bad day at school, I read Keats and forget everything. When I am sad I read Wordsworth by the light of a candle. When the poem is finished, I close the book and my sadness is gone.According to the writer, _______.
A.people like poems the same way they enjoy songs |
B.poetry is the same form of art as songs |
C.people always feel the same while reading poems |
D.the meaning of words is the key to appreciating poetry |
Which of the following statements is closest in meaning to the underlined sentence?
A.Songs are like different colors in different times. |
B.Songs can help people better understand colors. |
C.Songs can describe a mixture of different colors. |
D.Songs can bring people warmth and comfort. |
What we can infer from the passage is that______.
A.the writer likes singing songs aloud at any time |
B.songs and poems can help get over bad emotions |
C.the writer’s native language is English |
D.the writer like songs better than poems |
What can we know about the poems of Keats and Wordsworth through the passage?
A.Keats’ poems are full of bad feelings. |
B.Wordsworth’s poems contain much sad description. |
C.Both of their poetry can create positive feelings. |
D.The themes of their poems are not different at all. |