When my friend put out the idea of homeschooling to her parents, the first reaction they gave was, “You are cutting the child off the world.” Did the child really get cut off or did the child socialize better?
The moment we hear of homeschooling, we think the child will have no opportunities to interact with peers. However, in my friend’s opinion, we forget that when attending a regular school, the child is not into socializing all the while. The child is confined to so many other activities. Studies take a major role in a child’s life. The child hardly has the time to interact at school.
The child might be meeting and studying along with many peers; however, how many kids interact with all the kids in a class? But in homeschooling system, as my friend mentioned, the kid has all the time and can plan his day accordingly. During the day the child studies just like other school-going kids but with no burden of homework and project work, the child has so much free time in the evening as to effectively interact and play with peers. The quality time the child spends in education is really impressive.
Homeschooled kids have the opportunity to socialize more often as they have a lot of time in their hands. They can also make socializing a regular habit. Just as my friend said, her child goes to a neighboring park almost every day and has a set of friends who go there daily. Other children get back home to finish off homework and project work whereas her child who is already through with studies gets the opportunity to spend time with family members.
When I heard this, I really felt how lucky the child was. Definitely the child had a better opportunity to socialize when compares with my kids. However, I might not consider homeschooling for my kid, as I am so used to the traditional schooling system and feel regular schooling the safest bet.What is the author’s attitude towards his friend’s idea of homeschooling?
| A．Surprised. | B．Interested. |
| C．Negative. | D．Confident. |
The author’s purpose in writing the passage is to _________.
| A．explain what homeschooling is. |
| B．express his views on homeschooling. |
| C．share his ways of teaching his children. |
| D．promote homeschooling |
The underlined word “confined” in the Para.2 can be replaced by _______.
| A．free | B．restricted |
| C．devoted | D．accustomed |
According to the author what is the biggest advantage of homeschooling children?
| A．They can be better at socializing. |
| B．They can be more popular. |
| C．They will become braver. |
| D．They can study better. |
How does the passage mainly develop?
| A．By following the order of importance. |
| B．By following the order of time |
| C．By presenting facts. |
| D．By making comparison. |
Well, parents, surprise! Lots of us are using Twitter and Facebook to thumb rides, and not just to school. It’s awkward to be refused when you call a friend and ask for a ride. But with Twitter, you just look for other people heading the same way.
It may sound risky, so many teens stay within their own social circles to find rides, and don’t branch out beyond friends when asking on Twitter just like me, but to some young people, especially those taking longer trips, stranger danger is less of a concern.
“I think the digital connection of young people is really key, because younger generations grew up sharing things on line, sharing files, photos, music, etc, so they’ve been very used to sharing,” said Juliet Schor, a sociology professor at Boston College.
The sharing economy got big during the recession (经济衰退), allowing people to access more goods, services using technology and even to share costs. And that technology, for me, is what the car was for my mom, a gateway to more freedom, like what my friend Earl says, “The symbol of freedom isn’t the car any more because there’s technology out there connecting you to a car.”
According to the researchers at the University of Michigan, 30 years ago, eight in ten American 18-year-olds had a driver’s license compared to six in ten today. So it’s not that surprising that on my 16th birthday I wasn’t rushing to get a license but an iPhone.
“Driving, for young people, does mean they have to disconnect from their technology, and that’s a negative. So if they could sit in the passage side and still be connected, that’s going to be a plus.” Schor continued.
To me, another plus is that ridesharing represents something, something much bigger than trying to save money. I see it as evidence that people still depend on each other. My generation shares their cars and apartments the way neighbors used to share cups of sugar. For the system to work, some of us still need our own cars. But until I get my own version of the silver Super Beetle, you can find me on Twitter. The American teens like me, prefer to possess an iPhone as a birthday gift because _______.
| A．it is most fashionable and cool |
| B．they are bored with driving cars |
| C．they are fond of being connected |
| D．it is much cheaper than a car |
We can learn from the text that _______.
| A．Twitter is a website for teens to make friends and achieve goals |
| B．ridesharing can be seen as a sign that people still count on each other |
| C．driving cars for teens means a plus and connecting with technology |
| D．having a car and cost-sharing symbolize more freedom for the author’s mother |
Professor Juliet would agree that _______.
| A．young people will sit waiting to be contacted by reading a passage |
| B．sharing economy is bound to be responsible for the recession |
| C．young people tend to share a car with strangers by means of Twitter |
| D．being connected via technology comes first for young people |
The best title for the passage is probably _______.
| A．Twitter, an Awesome Website | B．Cars or iPhone |
| C．Teens Use Twitter to Thumb Rides | D．Cool Teens on the Go |
One of India’s top engineering schools has restricted Internet access in its boarding houses, saying addiction to surfing, gaming and blogging was affecting students’ performance, making them lonely and even suicidal.
Authorities at the best Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) in Mumbai said students had stopped socializing and many were late for morning classes or slept through them. “Now, a student doesn’t even know who lives two doors away from him because he is so busy on the Internet,” said Prakash Gopalan, dean of Student Affairs. “The old dormitory culture of companionship and socializing among students is gone. This is not healthy in our opinion.”
IITMumbai, with about 5,000 students, is one of the seven IITs across India which are considered to be among the finest engineering schools in the world. They are also a talent pool for global technology giants. But their hard courses, tough competition and lonely campus lifestyle have taken an effect on students. Depressive and dysfunctional lifestyles are known to be common among IIT students, and at least nine have committed suicide in the past five years. Students have unlimited free Internet access in their boarding houses to help them in their studies, but many also use it to surf, chat, download movies and music, blog and for gaming.
“Starting Monday, Internet access will be banned between 11 p.m. and 12:30 p.m. at IITMumbai’s 13 boarding buildings to encourage students to sleep early and to try and force them out of their shells.” Gopalan said. But the move has not gone down well with students who say they hate their lives being regulated. “Now they will say we need to listen to a lullaby (摇篮曲) to go to sleep.” said Rajiv, an electronics student.According to the text, the students addicted to the Internet in IIT-Mumbai are likely to ______.
| A．perform well in studies | B．participate in social activities |
| C．know their classmates better | D．feel lonely and even suicidal |
The underlined word “dysfunctional” in Paragraph 3 most probably means “______”.
| A．unpopular | B．meaningful | C．abnormal | D．exciting |
What measures have been taken in IITMumbai?
| A．Students must go to bed before 11 p.m. |
| B．Students are forbidden to surf the Internet on campus. |
| C．Students have unlimited free Internet access in their dormitories. |
| D．Internet access is unavailable in deep night in boarding buildings. |
We may infer from the last paragraph that ______.
| A．all electronics students hate the banning order |
| B．some students complain about the banning order |
| C．there is no Internet access on the IIT campus ever since |
| D．more students prefer listening to music to surfing the Internet |
I’ve often wondered if I might do more good as a travel agent rather than as a psychologist. It seems that I have been more dramatically affected by certain kinds of travel experiences than I ever have.
My trip to Iceland is a fine example of that. The plan was to spend two days in a remote mountain hut in Iceland. I was working on a photographic book about winter in Iceland and needed to capture images of this amazing region of high mountain peaks, smoky volcanoes, and lakes with floating icebergs.
The moment after we arrived, the weather turned extreme making visibility impossible. It snowed so much and the wind blew so hard that we couldn’t leave the tiny hut. To stay warm, we walked around in circles much of the day inside the tiny hut. We tried to call for help but the radio did not work. Day after day, we watched our supplies of food and fuel grow dangerously short. We got acute cabin fever (幽居病) and started going for walks and ski expeditions outside. Even when the weather finally broke, nobody came to get us even though it was three days beyond our scheduled pickup. By the time the rescue team came to pull us out, we had all given up hope.
From then on, the world looks different to me, as does my life. It would have taken me years of psychotherapy to get to the same point.
Almost everyone has a story to tell, and interestingly, most of these experiences were not altogether pleasant at the time. In fact, it appears that the most constructive life-changing journeys were those that involved some sorts of awful and uncomfortable events that forced the person to develop new resources, increase confidence, and solve problems in new ways.The writer went to Iceland to ______.
| A．enjoy the natural beautiful floating icebergs |
| B．take photos about the region for a book |
| C．collect materials for psychological research |
| D．challenge the high mountains there |
During the trip in Iceland, those travelers faced difficulties EXCEPT that ______.
| A．they got lost in the mountain |
| B．they were short of food and fuel |
| C．they couldn’t see the surroundings clearly |
| D．they failed to get in touch with the rescue team |
From Paragraph 3, we learn that the travelers ______.
| A．were in despair before they were rescued |
| B．stayed in the hut for three days altogether |
| C．got sick because of going for ski outside |
| D．got rescued immediately the weather turned fine |
Which of the following statements is true according to the passage?
| A．The writer is a travel agent who loves difficult challenges. |
| B．In Iceland the weather is always extreme and it snows a lot. |
| C．The travellers were so depressed that they needed psychotherapy. |
| D．Awful journeys may become life-changing events that inspire people. |
I recently ran into a friend I hadn't seen for a long while. Our conversation was lively andfull of news from both sides. Before we parted she said "You'll have to drop in sometime. "immediately sensed that if I simply " dropped in" I would take my friend by surprise, and I would be discouraged by the image of her standing in her doorway, staring at me, and asking, " Oh ,err …what brings you here?"
Whatever happened to the unannounced drop-in visit? When I was growing up in the 1960s, it seemed that people-mostly relatives, but also friends-were always dropping in . My parents would put coffee on, and my mom would find something in the kitchen to serve along with it. Then the conversation would begin…The neighbor lady, a worrier, was unloading her sadness while my mom quietly listened. The Irish man next door had such an atcent that I remember asking what language he spoke. My Polish relatives arrived in packs…But I never heard my parents say any- thing like " We weren't expecting you" or " This isn't a good time. " Drop-in visitors had a certain right of way and became No. 1.
What happened to such visits? Actually I know the answer. Times have changed. Everybody gets busy with work. There is no longer a stay-at-home mom keeping a pot of hot coffee or tea ready throughout the day for a surprise guest. Exploding malls and stores are now replacing homes as a central form of entertainment.
Just the other day a former student of mine showed up. "I'm sorry for the surprise visit. " my student began. "I just wanted to see if you still lived here. I'll only stay a minute. "
My response was immediate. "No, you won't," I said. " Just come in, sit, have coffee, and we'11 talk. "I had nothing in the kitchen but we ordered pizza. And we had a lovely time. I have tried to keep the drop-in tradition alive though it takes some effort.The author thought of his friend's invitation- " You'll have to drop in sometime"-as______
| A． a nice way of refusal | B． an excuse of leaving |
| C．a kind of politeness | D．an expression of surprise |
The underlined phrase "dropping in" in the second paragraph means_________.
| A．pay a sudden visit | B．make many friends |
| C．make a special date | D．have a good time |
The woman from the neighborhood used to visit the author' s home to _______.
| A．seek comfort from my parents | B．make nevr friends |
| C．listen to my parents' story | D．taste nice dishes |
From the third paragraph of the passage, we can infer that_______.
| A．unexpected visitors are still welcome now |
| B．modern people prefer outdoor activities |
| C．there are more jobs for the housewives now |
| D．the author misses the lost good days |
The author writes the passage intending to ________.
| A．encourage people to be drop-in visitors |
| B．explain how to deal with unexpected visitors |
| C．share his feelings about the drop-in tradition |
| D．show the importance of making friends |
Human beings are the most intelligent of all animals because we are gifted with the ability to think and reason logcally. Scientists and even common people with special intelligence have made a lotol inventions and contributions to modern lifestyle in the past. "Houses" have been the most popular area for discoveries and inventions in the past and even now.
Many household items have been the result of people who desired better functioning of the existent products.Every indivicdual has intelligence and if it is used properly for the right purpose it leads to invenaion of a new tool or device.Many new household inveritions are made almost every day and there are specific companies, which particularly keep a record of all these inventions.
A lot of inventions have been made recently in the household field. These products are pa- tented(专利的) and have trade mark licenses(许可) . The patented sliding cinch is a very simple but effedtive method to prevent shoulder stress and injury for those who work before computers all day long. Vanity PC is a type of computer fumiture that speciflcally hides all the computer wires and keeps; a clean and good look. All the outdoor dust, mud and snow can be kept out of the house by installing(安装) the dirt drain(排水管) at the entrance of the door. Another important invention is the automatic toilet night-light, in which a small light starts when the lid of the toilet seat is opened and closes as soon as the lid is closed.
These are some of the new household inventions invented mostly by common people. Thus, a variety of new household items are invented every day, which helps in a better functioning of household chores and in a more useful manner.The first paragraph tells us the importance of
| A．the particular changes in houses |
| B．the advantages of modern lifestyle |
| C．the difference between human beings and animals |
| D． human being role in making inventions |
What plays the most impoltant role in causing people to invent new things?
| A．To improve the present living conditions. |
| B．To earn more money and gain awards. |
| C．To be recorded by some special companies. |
| D．To meet the new demands of new science. |
It can be inferred that the sliding cinch is used to
| A．prevent your shoulder from being over-pressured |
| B．keep your shoulder safe and sound when you are in an accident or an operation |
| C．help you practice your shoulder more often and reduce shoulder pains |
| D．cover your shoulder and make it stronger to resist the outside strike |
Common people can also make good inventions because
| A．some inventions are easy to be made and can be mastered by common people |
| B．common people have a strong desire to do something for science research |
| C．wisdom and in spiration sometimes come from everyday life |
| D．success is often connected with hardship and bitter experience of common people |
The passage is mainly talking about _______.
| A．the correct use of household facilities |
| B．household inventions and their influence |
| C．different ideas about household inventions |
| D．the history of household inventions |