The parents of a troubled teen may feel unsure as to whom to turn to in order to find help for their child. They may feel as if they have exhausted all of their options, and sometimes they are on the verge of giving up. But there is hope. Schools for troubled teens offer discipline and in some cases, drug treatment programs that can provide important life skills, and more importantly, a fresh start.
The following is a list of the most effective types of schools for troubled teens. Not every facility is a match for every child, but by knowing the differences between them, parents can make a better educated decision about where to send their teenager.
Boarding Schools
When a child is unable to deal with the relative freedom of a standard school day, boarding schools might be a good choice. At boarding schools, the child lives in a dorm setting, where almost every minute of the day is scheduled by school administrators.
Treatment Centers
When a teenager has an addiction to drugs or alcohol, a residential center that specializes in young people is an outstanding way to help them break the cycle of addiction. Treatment centers feature individual and group counseling to help identify the root causes of the drug problem and help develop the life skills needed to stay clean when the program is over.
Wilderness Programs
Designed to help improve the discipline and self-reliance of the child, wilderness programs send kids back to nature. By placing them in a foreign and sometimes uncomfortable setting, wilderness programs hope to improve children’s behavior. Programs generally include hikes, exercise programs and team building exercises.
Boot Camps
Boot camps are the most extreme style of school for troubled teens. These facilities are modeled after actual military boot camps, where the individual must get into shape, work as part of a team, and follow a long, hard set of rules and regulations. However, boot camps might not be the best choice for a teen with a drug addiction.Who would be the intended readers of the passage?
| A．Teachers. | B．Parents. |
| C．Students. | D．Experts. |
As the author suggests, schools for troubled teens______.
| A．can be a good choice for some desperate parents |
| B．can completely help and change troubled teens |
| C．are becoming popular with teens in trouble |
| D．care more about discipline than life skills |
According to the passage, boarding schools_____.
| A．provide children with more freedom |
| B．have their students’ time managed carefully |
| C．pay much attention to team building exercises |
| D．can make children feel safer |
It does not matter who wins. We are told that from day one. Usually, that statement is followed by some remark about being a loser. If we do not care who wins, then why do we compete? Fun, experience, the chance to meet new people --- these are the reasons we try to outdo each other.
People will compete over anything. Every Christmas, my neighbors and I have a little Christmas light competition. It is heaven for the electric company, but I think we give Will Rogers Airport a scare. It is bright enough to land a plane in our front yards. I admit that last year my neighbors won, but only because they bought every strand of lights Wal-Mart had before I could get there.
Personal competitions are great, but we get a little carried away. I cannot stand to see coaches shout at kids playing sports. Who cares if someone messes up and the other team advances?
I’m tired of people competing just to win. It happens not only in sports, but in music competitions, too. People auditioning（试音）for chair placement in certain bands can get really unfriendly. This year I did not audition for a certain band, but I went to auditions anyway. This was the first time I actually had the opportunity to comprehend the whole picture.
Other times I’ve been the person who was nervous and anxious. This time, I sat back and observed everyone else. I came to the realization that the people who aren’t so good are terrified of the good people, and the good people are scared stiff that the bad people have taken lessons and can now show them up. Unless a person is on the outside looking in, I don’t think anyone realizes this.
Maybe competing is human nature, but we shouldn’t let it influence our judgment. Being disrespectful to opponents（对手）, letting competition become our life, and becoming so involved that we close ourselves off from friends and family is not the meaning of competition.
A little competition is healthy, so it shouldn’t hurt anyone. If it does, someone somewhere needs to back off, find the good thing hidden inside, and try it again. Winning isn’t everything, and losing isn’t the end of the world.The author mentions his competition with his neighbors to __________.
| A．make excuses for his failure |
| B．express his concern about the airport |
| C．imply his neighbor cheated in the competition |
| D．show people really care about the result of competition |
The underlined word “this” in Paragraph 5 refers to ________.
| A．the rules of competition |
| B．competitors’ effort to win |
| C．the influence of competition on life |
| D．the negative attitude to competition |
From the passage, we can learn that _______.
| A．the author failed the audition |
| B．competitors may be unfriendly to each other |
| C．it is coaches who always mess up the match |
| D．those who observe opponents calmly always win |
Which of the following opinions does the author probably accept?
| A．Competition for the job is fierce. |
| B．Winning or losing is none of people’s concern. |
| C．Competition is healthy, but it can get out of hand. |
| D．The disadvantages of competition outweigh the benefits. |
My name is Pablo. I think I’m a lucky guy. I have a good family, and we live in a nice neighborhood in Puerto Vallarta, Mexico. People travel here from many countries for their vacations. We have beautiful beaches, hotels, restaurants, shopping and sports.
However, in my beautiful hometown, there are also very poor neighborhoods. These areas are crowded and have a lot of crime. Life is terrible for many of the children in these areas. Some don’t really have a childhood because they’re homeless and live on the streets. They don’t have education. They don’t have enough food. Many use drugs or have diseases or mental problems.
Last year, I came back to Puerto Vallarta from my university in Mexico City. I spent one year as a volunteer with an organization called Outreach International. They have several programs. I volunteered for one program to help street children.
I worked in a home for street children (all boys, at this one). At this home, the boys have a place to sleep and three meals daily. The home keeps the boys off the streets. It shows them another way of life. As a volunteer, I helped to prepare meals. I taught games---such as basketball, football and art. I helped the kids with their homework. These kids can be fun. They have a lot of energy, but they’re also really tough. Their hardships on the streets make them strong and not always “sweet little children.”
At this boys’ home, I met two other volunteers---Brian from Canada and Greg from Australia. In many ways, we were very similar. We were the same age, came from good homes and had a good education. They were both college students, like me. We became very good friends. Now, we email each other.
It was the best---and most difficult---year of my life. I learned a lot that year.What do we learn about the author?
| A．He loves travelling. |
| B．He enjoys his work as a volunteer. |
| C．He is now working for Outreach International. |
| D．He has made friends with the homeless children. |
What is Paragraph 2 mainly about?
| A．Street Crime. |
| B．The author’s childhood experience. |
| C．The author’s hometown. |
| D．The terrible life of the homeless children. |
According to the author, what makes the street children really tough?
| A．Drugs. | B．Too much energy. |
| C．Hard life. | D．Pressure from school. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．My Special Year | B．A Sweet Home |
| C．Outreach International | D．Street Children |
“Cooking With Kids creates fun and food for the family. Kate Heyhoe gives simple practical tips on how to bring the family together for mealtime magic.”
—Linda Gassenheimer, award-winning author of Dinner in Minutes
“I have just helped my four year old granddaughter Jessica to make stuffed eggs. What fun it is to cook with a new generation and what a joy now to have a brilliant new book like Cooking With Kids to pass on a passion for life and its healthy pleasures to a child!”
—Graham Kerr, International Culinary Consultant
“Like millions of moms, I want to prepare delicious, nutritious meals for my family, and after working all day in the restaurant, I also want to spend quality time with my sons. Cooking together is the natural solution. But in the kitchen, you need the proper tools to do the job well; Cooking With Kids is just the tool to get you started.”
—Chef Mary Sue Milliken, TV hostess, cookbook author
“In Cooking With Kids, Kate Heyhoe brings kids into the kitchen and teaches them not only great tasting recipes but cooking fundamentals such as how to hold a knife, set a table and how to survive in a supermarket. With families’ busy schedules, this book is a wonderful sourcebook for family interaction.”
—Emily Luchetti, executive pastry chef
“Seize the moment, and a copy of this delightful cooking guide, then call the children to the kitchen to experience the joy of an often neglected pleasure of family life---cooking food together.”
—Marcel Desaulniers, author of Death by Chocolate
“In Cooking with Kids, Kate Heyhoe takes your hand and leads you through the kitchen on a most delightful tour. The book is packed with easy-to-understand guidance and simple, tasty recipes that will delight kids of any age, and that includes every inner child who never learned the secrets of the kitchen. ”
—Michele Anna Jordan, author of Home CookingWho is the author of Cooking with Kids?
| A．Kate Heyhoe. | B．Emily Luchetti. |
| C．Graham Kerr. | D．Marcel Desaulniers. |
What do we learn about Cooking with Kids?
| A．It is an award-winning book. |
| B．It is very popular among chefs. |
| C．It is written for kids with talents for cooking. |
| D．It helps develop cooking skills and family relationship. |
What’s the main purpose of the passage?
| A．To share opinions on cooking. |
| B．To teach children how to cook. |
| C．To recommend a cooking book. |
| D．To introduce some famous chefs. |
Andy is the most unreasonable, pigheaded life form in the world, and he makes me so angry I could scream! Of course, I love him like a brother. I have to because he is my brother. More than that, he is my twin!
That’s right. Andy and Amy (that’s me) have the same curly hair and dark eyes and equally stubborn characters. Yet, though we may look alike, on most issues we usually take completely opposite positions. If I say day, you can count on Andy to say night.
Just this week, the hot topic in school was all about the PTA’S proposal (提议) to adopt a school dress principle. Every student would be required to wear a uniform. Uniforms! Can you imagine? Oh, they would be uniforms in color. The dress style would be sort of loose and free.
Boys would wear white or blue button-down shirts, a school tie, blue or gray pants, and a navy blue blazer (运动夹克). Girls would wear white or blue blouses or sweaters, blue or gray pants or skirts, along with a navy blue blazer.
Socks or tights could be black, gray, blue, or white. The teachers are divided: Some are in favor of the uniforms, others are opposed. The headmaster has asked the students to express their opinions by voting on the issue before making their decisions. She will have the final word on the dress principle.
I think a dress principle is a good idea. The reason is simple. School is tough enough without worrying about looking cool every single day. The fact is, the less I have to decide first thing in the morning, the better. I can’t tell you how many mornings I look into my closet and just stare, unable to decide what to wear. Of course, there are other mornings when my room looks like a storm had hit it, with bits and pieces of a dozen different possible clothes on the bed and on the floor. I also wouldn’t mind not having to see guys wearing oversized jeans and shirts. And I certainly would welcome not seeing kids showing off designer-labeled clothes.
Andy is surprised at my opinion. He says he can’t believe that I would be willing to give up my all-American teenage birthright by dressing like — well, like a typical teenager. Last night, he even dragged out Mom and Dad’s high school photo albums. What a couple of peace-loving hippies (嬉皮士) they were!
“Bruce Springsteen never wore a school uniform. Bob Dylan wouldn’t have been caught dead in a school uniform!
If I have to wear a uniform, I won’t feel like me!” he declared.
To which I replied, “So your personal heroes didn’t wear school uniforms. Big deal! They went to high school about a million years ago! I feel sorry for you, brother dear. I had no idea that you are so fragile that you would be completely destroyed by gray or blue pants, a white or blue shirt, a tie, and a blazer.”
That really made him angry. Then he said, “You’re just mimicking (模仿) what you hear that new music teacher saying!”
“That is so not true. I’m saying exactly what I think,” I said, raising my voice in what mom would call “a very rude manner.”
“You have always been stupid, and you know it!” he shouted.
“Is that so? Anyone who doesn’t agree with you is automatically stupid. And that’s the stupidest thing of all!” I said.
Fortunately, the bell rang before we could do each other physical harm, and we went thankfully to our separate classes.
The vote for or against uniforms took place later that day. The results of the vote and the headmaster’s decision will be announced next week. I wonder what it will be. I know how I voted, and I’m pretty sure I know how Andy voted.
How would you vote — for or against?Amy and Andy quarrel because .
| A．they share a cupboard |
| B．Amy likes to show off |
| C．they both have the word for dress principle |
| D．they always take the opposite views on issues |
The story is about .
| A．a conflict of opinions between boys and girls |
| B．a historical event and is told in the third person |
| C．a personal experience and is told in the first person |
| D．a school policy decision that will affect parents and students |
Amy’s position on school uniforms is most likely based on .
| A．logical conclusions drawn from her own observation and personal experience |
| B．an emotional reaction to what she has been told by people in authority |
| C．her preference for designer-labeled clothes |
| D．not liking anything her brother likes |
Which of the following is the best statement of Andy’s position?
| A．School clothing should reflect parents’ values. |
| B．Teenagers should never follow the latest fashions in dress. |
| C．How one dresses should be an expression of one’s individuality. |
| D．Wearing school uniforms means one less decision every morning. |
Which of these statements from the story is a form of an emotional appeal?
| A．The teachers are divided: some are in favor of uniforms; others are opposed. |
| B．You are so fragile that you would be completely destroyed by gray or blue pants. |
| C．The results of the vote and the headmaster’s decision will be announced next week. |
| D．The hot topic in school was all about the PTA’s proposal to adopt a school dress principle. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．A School Dress Principle |
| B．My Stubborn Twin Brother |
| C．Endless Fights with My Brother |
| D．For or Against? — That Is the Question |
We all think that we know what happiness is. We all seem to be making great efforts towards this goal of happiness but what is it really? It is an agreed fact that all the creatures want happiness and are afraid of pain and sadness. The question, however, is “what is real happiness?” What really is called happiness? The desire for happiness has no meaning without understanding the real nature of happiness.
Some thinkers say, “Happiness does not lie in objects of enjoyment; happiness or unhappiness lies in imagination.”
To prove their belief, they give examples like the following one: A man has a two-storey house; on the right is a five-storey building and on the left a cottage. When he sees right, he feels unhappy and when he sees left he feels happy. As such happiness does not lie in possession of sensory objects, but in imagination. They advise people to look towards those who have fewer possessions and be happy. If you look towards people having more wealth and possessions, you will always be unhappy.
It is unreasonable to hold this point of view. It is unkind to regard one happy by imagining that one is better than the poor and the unhappy. “If you want to be happy, look towards the poor”. We know that those poor people cannot satisfy even their basic needs. This attitude satisfies the sense of pride of possessions, but this can never be called happiness.
Unless we really find where happiness lies, we cannot really be happy.
Some ask people to do this and do that and say, “This way your desires would be satisfied. You would get the desired objects and become happy.” People holding these views regard happiness as satisfaction of desires. But it is not possible to satisfy one’s desires because there are countless desires of countless people and the material things are limited. Then new desires arise as soon as the previous ones are satisfied. Therefore, desires, which are changing all the time, can never be satisfied.
Happiness is a characteristic of a good life, that is, a life in which a person fulfills (履行) human nature in an excellent way. People have a set of purposes which are typically human: these belong to our nature. Happiness is also a condition that must be prepared for, cultivated (培养), and defended privately by each person. People who learn to control inner experience will be able to determine the quality of their lives and come to being happy. Happiness lies in the distribution of easiness among others. Happiness stands for forgiveness and justice. Happiness is the name of struggle and courage. Happiness may be founded in seeking of true knowledge and rule of wisdom. Happiness may be shared in service and duty. This life is combination of joys and sorrows, and honest efforts should be done to make this life journey full of happiness, love, peace and harmony. What is the purpose of the passage?
| A．To show how to achieve happiness. |
| B．To encourage people to achieve happiness. |
| C．To explain the features of happiness. |
| D．To argue how to understand happiness. |
According to the passage, people who think happiness lies in imagination will try to achieve happiness by .
| A．looking towards those with fewer possessions |
| B．looking towards people having more wealth |
| C．imagining how rich you will be in the future |
| D．imagining that you have a five-storey building |
The writer doesn’t think that happiness lies in the satisfaction of desires because .
| A．no desires of a person can be satisfied at all |
| B．ever-changing desires can never be satisfied |
| C．there isn’t enough money to meet people’s needs |
| D．the desires of a person are limited |
In the writer’s opinion, happiness .
| A．can be achieved easily by earning money |
| B．must belong to those with rich knowledge |
| C．can be gained by setting small goals |
| D．can be gained by controlling inner experience |
According to the last paragraph, who can have real happiness?
| A．Jack who often struggles with others. |
| B．Tom who has life of a high quality. |
| C．Mike who always forgives others’ mistakes. |
| D．Tim whose requirements are always met. |