I come to the United States ten year ago. I would always say that I was trying to study, but there were always things like work and my kids that would not allow me to start.
Now I realized that those were only excuses. What stopped me was that I was afraid to start studying again. I always believed I would learn by myself.
One day, however, my son told me that he was sad because his friends would come over and I didn’t understand them because I didn’t speak English. He was also sad because I could never help him with his homework. That same day, I told myself, “Rocio, you have to start believing in yourself and you will see you can make it.”
The next day, I went downtown to look for a big banner (横幅) in front of the school which said that they offered classes for adults. I came in to see if I could join, but the classes were closed already. That night I took the kids to the movies, and on the way back, I told them we would take a new route. I ended up getting lost. That’s the way I found Chaffey College. The following Monday, I went to ask for information. They told me that summer school was starting that week.
That’s how I started studying English last summer. It is difficult, but I have had great rewards. My daughter had to write a story for school. It was about the female they most admired and why . She wrote that I was the person she most admired because I had started going to College. I will never forget this.
According to the passage, the author probably is a .
| A．teacher | B．doctor | C．father | D．mother |
What made the author make up her mind to study English?
| A．What her son said. |
| B．What her daughter said. |
| C．Thinking about herself. |
| D．Thinking about her daughter. |
How did they find Chaffey College?
| A．On the way to the movies. |
| B．They took a new route and got lost. |
| C．Ask a stranger for information. |
| D．According to the banner. |
Which of the following is NOT true?
| A．The author came to the United States from another country. |
| B．The author had two children at least including one daughter. |
| C．What really changed the author’s life was she believed in herself. |
| D．The author wrote that she was the person her son most admired. |
When milk arrived on the doorstep
When I was a boy growing up in New Jersey in the 1960s,we had a milkman delivering milk to our doorstep.His name was Mr.Basille.He wore a white cap and drove a white truck.As a 5yearold boy,I couldn't take my eyes off the coin changer fixed to his belt.He noticed this one day during a delivery and gave me a quarter out of his coin changer.
Of course,he delivered more than milk.There was cheese,eggs and so on.If we needed to change our order,my mother would pen a note-"Please add a bottle of buttermilk next delivery" —and place it in the box along with the empty bottles.And then,the buttermilk would magically(魔术般)appear.
All of this was about more than convenience.There existed a close relationship between families and their milkmen.Mr.Basille even had a key to our house,for those times when it was so cold outside that we put the box indoors,so that the milk wouldn't freeze.And I remember Mr.Basille from time to time taking a break at our kitchen table,having a cup of tea and telling stories about his delivery.
There is sadly no home milk delivery today.Big companies allowed the production of cheaper milk,thus making it difficult for milkmen to compete(竞争). Besides,milk is for sale everywhere,and it may just not have been practical to have a delivery service.
Recently, an old milk box in the countryside I saw brought back my childhood memories.I took it home and planted it on the back porch(门廊)．Every so often my son's friends will ask what it is.So I start telling stories of my boyhood,and of the milkman who brought us friendship along with his milk.Mr.Basille gave the boy a quarter out of his coin changer ________.
to show his magical power
to pay for the delivery
to satisfy his curiosity
to please his motherWhat can be inferred from the fact that the milkman had the key to the boy's house?
He wanted to have tea there.
He was treated as a family member.
He was a respectable person.
He was fully trusted by the family.Why does home milk delivery no longer exist?
Nobody wants to be a milkman now.
It has been driven out of the market.
Its service is getting poor.
It is forbidden by lawWhy did the author bring back home an old milk box?
He missed the good old days.
He wanted to tell interesting stories.
He needed it for his milk bottles.
He planted flowers in it.
Wanted, Someone for a Kiss
We're looking for producers to join us on the sound of London Kiss 100 FM.You'll work on the station's music programmes. Music production experience in radio is necessary, along with rich knowledge of modern dance music. Please apply (申请) in writing to Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100.
Father Christmas
We're looking for a very special person, preferably over 40, to fill our Father Christmas suit.
Working days: Every Saturday from November 24 to December 15 and every day from December 17 to December 24 except Sundays, 10:30-16:00.
Excellent pay
Please contact (联系) the Enterprise Shopping Centre, Station Parade, Eastbourne.
Accountants Assistant
When you join the team in our Revenue Administration Unit, you will be providing assistance within all parts of the Revenue Division, dealing with post and other general du- ties. If you are educated to GCSE grade
C level we would like to talk to you. This position is equally suitable for a school leaver or for somebody who has office experience.
Wealden District Council
Software Trainer
If you are aged 24-25 and have experience in teaching and training, you could be the person we are looking for. You should be good at the computer and have some experience in programme writing. You will be allowed to make your own decisions, and to design courses as well as present them Pay upwards of f15,000 for the right person. Please apply by sending your CV(简历) to Mrs. R. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. Who should you get in touch with if you hope to work in a radio station?
| A．Producer Vacancies, Kiss 100. |
| B．Mrs. Oglivie, Palmlace Limited. |
| C．The Enterprise Shopping Centre. |
| D．Wealden District Council. |
We learn from the ads that the Enterprise Shopping Centre needs a person who ____.
| A．is aged between 24 and 40 |
| B．may do some training work |
| C．should deal with general duties |
| D．can work for about a month |
Which position is open to recent school graduates?
| A．Producer, London Kiss. |
| B．Father Christmas. |
| C．Accountants Assistant. |
| D．Software Trainer. |
What kind of person would probably apply to Palmlace Limited?
| A．One with GCSE grade C level. |
| B．One with some office experience. |
| C．One having good computer knowledge. |
| D．One trained in producing music programmes. |
Tim Richter and his wife, Linda, had taught for over 30 years near Buffalo, New York -- he in computers, she in special education. "Teaching means everything to us," Tim would say. In April1998, he learned he would need a heart operation. It was the kind of news that leads to some serious thinking about life's purpose.
Not long after the surgery, Tim saw a brochure describing Imagination Library, a program started by Dolly Parton's foundation (基金会) that mailed a book every month to children from birth to age five in the singer's home town of Sevier, Tennessee. "I thought, maybe Linda and I could do something like this when we retire," Tim recalls. He placed the brochure on his desk, "as a reminder."
Five years later, now retired and with that brochure still on the desk, Tim clicked on imagination library.com. The program had been opened up to partners who could take advantage of book and postage discounts.
The quality of the books was of great concern to the Richters. Rather then sign up online; they went to Dollywood for a look-see. "We didn't want to give the children rubbish," says Linda. The books-reviewed each year by teachers, literacy specialists, and Dollywood board members -- included classics such as Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day and newer books like Anna Dewdney's Llama Llama series.
Satisfied, the couple set up the Richter Family Foundation and got to work. Since 2004, they have shipped more than 12,200 books to preschoolers in their in their area. Megan Williams, a mother of four, is more than appreciative: "This program introduces us to books I've never heard of."
The Richters spend about $400 a month sending books to 200 children. "Some people sit there and wait to die," says Tim. "Others get as busy as they can in the time they have left." What led Tim to think seriously about the meaning of life?
| A．His health problem. | B．His love for teaching. |
| C．The influence of his wife. | D．The news from the Web. |
What did Tim want to do after learning about Imagination Library?
| A．Give out brochures. | B．Do something similar. |
| C．Write books for children | D．Retire from being a teacher. |
According to the text, Dolly Parton is ________.
| A．a well-known surgeon | B．a mother of a four-year-old |
| C．a singer born in Tennessee | D．a computer programmer |
Why did the Richters go to Dollywood?
| A．To avoid signing up online. |
| B．To meet Dollywood board members. |
| C．To make sure the books were the newest. |
| D．To see if the books were of good quality. |
Anyone who cares about what schools and colleges teach and how their students learn will be interested in the memoir (回忆录) of Ralph W. Tyler, who is one of the most famous men in American education.
Born in Chicago in 1902, brought up and schooled in Nebraska, the 19-year-old college graduate Ralph Tyler became hooked on teaching while teaching as a science teacher in South Dakota and changed his major from medicine to education.
Graduate work at the University of Chicago found him connected with honorable educators Charles Judd and W. W. Charters, whose ideas of teaching and testing had an effect on his later work. In 1927, he became a teacher of Ohio State University where he further developed a new method of testing.
Tyler became well-known nationality in 1938, when he carried his work with the Eight-Year Study from Ohio State University to the University of Chicago at the invitation of Robert Hutchins.
Tyler was the first director of the Center for Advanced Study in the Behavioral Sciences at Stanford, a position he held for fourteen years. There, he firmly believed that researchers should be free to seek an independent (独立的) spirit in their work.
Although Tyler officially retired in 1967, he never actually retired. He served on a long list of educational organizations in the United States and abroad. Even in his 80s he traveled across the country to advise teachers and management people on how to set objectives (目标) that develop the best teaching and learning within their schools. Who are most probably interested in Ralph W. Tyler's memoir?
| A．Top managers. |
| B．Language learners. |
| C．Serious educators. |
| D．Science organizations. |
The words "hooked oh teaching" underlined in Paragraph 2 probably mean _____.
| A．attracted to teaching |
| B．tired of teaching |
| C．satisfied with teaching |
| D．unhappy about teaching |
Where did Tyler work as the leader of a research center for over 10 years?
| A．The University of Chicago. |
| B．Stanford University. |
| C．Ohio State University. |
| D．Nebraska University. |
Tyler is said to have never actually retired because_____.
| A．he developed a new method of testing |
| B．he called for free spirit in research |
| C．he was still active in giving advice |
| D．he still led the Eight-Year Study |
What cannot we learn about Ralph W.Tyler in this article?
| A．When and where he was born |
| B．Where he studied and worked |
| C．His devotion to American education |
| D．His life with his family |
Most schools ban chewing gum, but in a few years they might consider changing that rule. Why? Scientists are finding evidence that gum chewing may be good for your health. It may even help boost your test scores.
This exciting research is just beginning. And at the same time, companies are also experimenting with adding vitamins, minerals, medicines, and other substances that could give gum the power to cure headaches and fight everything from serious diseases to bad breath.
These gums are part of the growing number of foods and drinks that contain health-boosting ingredients. If you're already a gum fan, that's probably welcome news.
Americans chew about 1.8 pounds of gum per person each year, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. By showing that gum chewing can be healthy, companies that make and sell gum hope that we'll chew even more.
Chewing gum might be good for your brain. One Japanese study of nine participants found that chewing gum boosted the flow of blood to participants' brains by up to 40 percent. Blood carries oxygen, which fuels brain cells.
Other small studies have found that people perform better on memory tests while chewing gum. And a study in the United Kingdom found that people who chewed gum while memorizing a list of words did about 25 percent better at recalling those words than people who didn't chew gum.
But additional studies are still needed to confirm that chewing gum has benefits. So far, results of studies about memory have been mixed. Not all tests have had similarly encouraging results. What's more, many of the studies that show gum's benefits are funded by gum companies.
So, for now, chew with caution. Too much chewing can damage the jaw joint. And chewing too much of a gum that contains vitamins, caffeine, or a medicine could lead to an overdose. What's more, no matter how healthy gum chewing proves to be, it will never be a match for a healthy lifestyle. Nothing like a gum or a vitamin is going to cure a bad eating habit or a bad exercise habit. It's not a magic bullet. Scientific studies about gum chewing show that ______.
| A．it can help fight serious diseases |
| B．it can help blood produce more oxygen |
| C．it can help reduce headaches |
| D．it can help improve students' memory |
Why are scientists trying to put different substances in gum?
| A．To make it taste more delicious. |
| B．To make it contain more ingredients. |
| C．To help cure different illnesses. |
| D．To help improve the sales of gum. |
What does the writer think of the results of the present studies about gum?
| A．The writer has no doubt about them. |
| B．The writer isn't quite sure about them. |
| C．The writer doesn't believe them at all. |
| D．The writer is very happy with them. |
Which of the following statements would the writer agree with?
| A．Students should be careful with gum chewing. |
| B．The more gums we chew, the more words we will remember. |
| C．Gum chewing helps change a bad eating habit. |
| D．The healthier gum chewing proves to be, the more we should chew. |