阅读理解
There is a popular belief among parents that schools are no longer interested in spelling. No school I have taught in has ever ignored spelling or considered it unimportant as a basic skill There are, however, vastly different ideas about how to teach it, or how much priority it must be given over in general language development and writing ability. The problem is, how to encourage a child to express himself freely and confidently in writing without holding him back with the complexities of spelling?
If spelling becomes the only focal point of his teacher's interest, clearly a bright child will be likely to "play safe". He will tend to write only words within his spelling range, choosing to avoid adventurous language. That's why teachers often encourage the early use of dictionaries and pay attention to content rather than technical ability.
I was once shocked to read on the bottom of a sensitive piece of writing about a personal experience: "This work is terrible! There are far too many spelling errors and your writing is illegible." It may have been a sharp criticism of the pupil's technical abilities in writing, but it was also a sad reflection on the teacher who had omitted to read the essay, which contained some beautiful expressions of the child's deep feelings. The teacher was not wrong to draw attention to the errors, but if his priorities had centered on the child's ideas, an expression of his disappointment with the presentation would have given the pupil more motivation to seek improvement.Teachers differ in their opinions about ________.
| A．the difficulties in teaching spelling |
| B．the necessity of teaching spelling |
| C．the complexities of the basic writing skills |
| D．the role of spelling in general language development |
The expression "play safe" probably means “_______”.
| A．to write carefully |
| B．to avoid using words one is not sure of |
| C．to do as teachers say |
| D．to use dictionaries frequently |
Teachers encourage the use of dictionaries so that ______.
| A．teachers will have less trouble in correcting mistakes |
| B．students will have more confidence in writing |
| C．students will be able to express their ideas more freely |
| D．students will learn to be independent of teachers |
The major point discussed in the passage is ________.
| A．the relationship between spelling and content of a composition |
| B．the importance of developing writhing skills |
| C．the correct way of marking compositions |
| D．the complexities of spelling |
"It takes an entire village to raise a child." That's an old proverb (谚语) that is being quoted more and more often these days. And I'm pleased about that.
Today, more and more schools are reaching out to involve parents, community members and businesses（工商企业）to help shape a child's future.
Parents need to be involved in their children's education in many ways. Helping children with homework and studying, going on a field trip, teaching a craft（手工艺）or coaching a child's sports team are all great ways to be involved with your child's education. And don't forget to communicate with teachers ---- they need and respect your input. Studies show that children learn more and schools function better when parents and schools work together. It's important to stay in touch with your child's education all through his or her school career.
Communities can help children create and achieve new goals. Help with homework, read to a child, coach a children's team, or provide emotional（情感上的）support. Help solve problems and build self-esteem（自尊心）. Kids need role models and advisers can be role models by sharing their experiences and wisdom.
Businesses can also help shape our children's future. Invite a class from your local school to visit your workplace. You may be providing a glimpse that opens a new world of possibilities. Show students what goes on during a typical day. Give a mini course for students: how to use a computer; how products are made; how machinery works. You may have a developing electrician, teacher, nurse, or even a newspaper reporter on your hands.
It really does take an entire village to raise a child．So share the responsibility（职责）-- and the joy -- of bringing a child to his or her full potential（潜能）.The implied advice in the proverb "It takes an entire village to raise a child." is that ______.
| A．All the people in a village should give food to a child. |
| B．Schools, parents, and other organizations should share the responsibility of shaping a child's future. |
| C．Children should be brought up in the village where they were born. |
| D．Schools should be set up in the village where a child was raised. |
The text was written mainly for ______.
| A．parents and members in organizations |
| B．teachers and students |
| C．newspaper reporters and developing electricians |
| D．education experts and government officials |
Students can get developed in practical working skill through ______.
| A．parental involvement | B．community activities |
| C．business training | D．school teaching |
Which is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Parents play an important part in children’s education. |
| B．Communities have not a bit effect on the way to new and high ideal. |
| C．Educating a child well demands of the work not only from school but from other organizations. |
| D．Businesses may arrange some training courses for students. |
Australia is famous for its beautiful beaches. And Australian people love swimming and going to the beach. But it wasn't always that way.
Different Climate, Different habits
When Europeans first invaded Australia, the only people here who were good at swimming were the Aboriginal people. The Europeans came from climates where it was too cold to swim. Also some people worried that they would get sick if they wet their whole body.
However the warm climate of Australia soon changed their attitude to swimming. At first, only men swam. They swam naked - there were no women to see them.
Cover up!
By the 1880’s and 90’s visiting the beach was very fashionable and a lot of people went there, especially in warm weather. They wore everyday street clothes - much more than people wear at the beach today.
In those days, people believed they should cover most of their body so it would not be seen by the opposite sex. Special bathing costumes were designed for women. These costumes used a lot of cloth and were very heavy when wet, making it difficult to swim.
Laws Made and Laws Changed
The government decided to stop men swimming naked．It passed a law which forbade bathing between 6am and 7pm. Many people objected to this law and wrote letters to the government asking it to change the laws. In 1903, the laws changed; people could swim in the daytime, but they had to wear neck-to-knee costumes.
The Shrinking Costume
As time passed, swimming costumes became smaller and more convenient.
At first men and women were covered from neck to knee. Then the arms became bare. Then more of the legs were uncovered．Each new change was regarded by many as shocking and rude and people wrote letters to the newspapers complaining about the new costumes. Nowadays some people go to special "nude (裸体) beaches" to swim naked．
However, most people cover their bodies more than they did ten years ago -- not because they think bare skin is shocking -- but to protect their skin from the harmful rays of the sun.The climate of Australia _____.
| A．made European setters think differently about swimming |
| B．change European setters’ swimming costume |
| C．made European setters hotter |
| D．made European setters swim naked |
During the late 19th century, swimmers should _____.
| A．hide when they see a person of the opposite sex |
| B．cover their bodies |
| C．wear many heavy clothes |
| D．take no notice of their clothes |
According to the law just before1903, people must _____.
| A．not swim in the main daylight hours |
| B．only swim between 6am and 7pm |
| C．have a bath at 6am and 7pm |
| D．swim with neck-to-knee costumes between 6am and 7pm |
The last paragraph of the passage states that _____.
| A．people worry about getting skin cancer from too much sun |
| B．people protect their ten-year-old sons from bare skin |
| C．people are shocked by the sun |
| D．people think it rude to swim with the smaller costumes |
Six Americans are working on a new highway. But this highway won't have any traffic．It's an "ice highway" to the South Pole.
The team has just finished a second year of work on the 1,020-mile highway. "The road is the greatest single footprint of activity we've seen in the Antarctic (南极洲)," said Alan Hemmings, an Australian environmentalist.
The highway will provide a new way for supplies to be trekked (拉, 搬) across the earth on tractor-pulled sleds (雪橇). This method will use a lot less fuel than an aircraft, the current (当前的) way that scientists and supplies reach the Amundsen-Scott Base, a U.S. research station in the South Pole. The highway will also allow for equipment that is too big for planes to carry to be brought to Antarctica．Even with these benefits, there is one disadvantage—a round trip on the road will be 30 days, compared to a few hours by plane.
Making this 20-foot-wide road isn't easy, and it takes a lot of time. The crew (工作队) has been working on the road for two summers, when it's warmer and easier to work with the ice. It probably won't be completed until 2006.
Crevasses (裂缝), or cracks, in the land often make the construction difficult. Crevasses are kind of like pot holes that form when surface ice is stretched．This can be very dangerous, especially when the crevasses are hidden under a layer (层) of snow and can't be seen.
"Last year it took us three months to go three miles across a crevasse field, full of dangerous, hidden crevasses," said the project's manager, John Wright. Each year, more crevasses appear and they have to be filled with snow and ice so the road is safe for travel. The road will also be lined with green flags so travelers know where the safe surface is. It will probably take ______ years to complete the ice highway.
| A．2 | B．4 | C．6 | D．8 |
When it is finished, the highway will not be used for ______.
| A．giving supplies to the research station in the South Pole |
| B．taking scientists to the South Pole |
| C．taking travelers to a tour of Antarctic |
| D．bringing huge equipment to Antarctic |
How many miles can be covered at most each day if you take the ice highway to the South
Pole?
| A．30. | B．34. | C．68. | D．88. |
Which of the following is true according to the passage?
| A．Other crevasses won’t appear if a crevasse has been filled. |
| B．Many new crevasses will form after a crevasse has been filled. |
| C．Travelers can drive their sleds on the ice highway freely. |
| D．There will be less danger if the crevasses are covered by snow. |
Bored? Don't know what to do with your time? Get your friends or family together, go to the park or go hiking, do something fun —just don't turn on your TV.
The 10th annual TV-Turnoff Week starts on Monday. The TV-Turnoff Network, a nonprofit organization, began the program in 1994 to get children and adults to watch less television so that their time is spent doing more productive things. This year, millions of people will participate and find much more interesting things to do besides sitting in front of the television.
Experts are convinced（确信）that watching too much TV keeps kids from participating in healthy physical activities. The average household has a television on for 7 hours and 40 minutes a day! Kids spend more time watching TV than they spend in school. Turning off the TV gives you a chance to be with your family and friends. Going without it frees up valuable time that could be spent reading a good book, writing, drawing, or discovering something else that may interest you.
There are many organizations that support TV-Turnoff Week, including The Boys and Girls Clubs of America, YMCA, Girl Scouts USA, and Big Brothers/Big Sisters of America．Even First Lady Laura Bush is a supporter. "Television is no substitute for a parent. It doesn't help develop language skills; it's simply background noise," says Mrs. Bush.
Even kids who may not have liked going without TV have discovered the benefits. "I really didn't like TV-Turnoff Week except I did notice that my grades went up and I was in a good mood all week," said Drew Henderson, a student in Donora, Pennsylvania.The TV-Turnoff Network started TV Turnoff Week to _____.
| A．to get people to spend more time doing more productive things |
| B．to keep kids from participating in healthy physical activities |
| C．to advise people not to buy television sets |
| D．to persuade more people to join the organization |
Which is not the advantage of turning off the TV?
| A．Giving you a chance to be with your family and friends. |
| B．Sparing more time reading books. |
| C．Developing language skills. |
| D．Participating in healthy physical activities. |
Laura Bush must be _____.
| A．the first woman to support TV-Turnoff Week |
| B．the wife of American President |
| C．the first woman to organize TV-Turnoff Week |
| D．the first lady in the Boys and Girls Clubs of America |
Drew Henderson’s words in the last paragraph imply that _____.
| A．he doesn’t like TV-Turnoff Week |
| B．he doesn’t support TV-Turnoff Week at all |
| C．it’s unnecessary to have TV-Turnoff Week |
| D．he doesn’t support TV-Turnoff Week until he finds it does good to his study. |
CLASSIFIED ADS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES
| WE BUY MACHINE TOOL COMPANY NYC will buy machine tools Reply 7832673 |
MODERN BEAUTY APARTMENT For sale. Near station 6041360 Dora |
| WEST COAST FAST FOOD For sale Upscale quick food．Most popular in county Only serious inquiries, 3421577 |
FAMOUS DELI for sale Quick takeover and catch season. Owner will train. Very profitable Call Rity 2299689 |
| WANT TRUCK BUSINESS Doing consolidator, containers Import/ export. 1 truck or many Call 3328725 |
Gourmet shop in the heart of wealthy neighborhood is seeking buyer for this outstanding operation. Call Greg 5755718 |
| Aunold Bread Clearwater Fla MUST SELL some financial possession Call Walter 5304017 |
AUTOMOBILE BUSINESS NOW FOR SALE Will talk deal if terms are agreeable Call Mr. Kent 9497221 |
| WANT TO OWN A BEAUTY APARTMENT Good location and good price Call Stein 6560232 |
If you own a small successful business but have no time for yourself, I am an honest woman looking to become a working partner in your business. Call Mrs. Meikle 4783784 |
If you want to buy an automobile business, you should call _____.
| A．3421577 | B．6560232 | C．9497221 | D．3328725 |
Who should Dora call?
| A．Trent. | B．Stein. | C．Walter. | D．Mrs. Meikle. |
Mrs. Meikle wants to _____.
| A．apply for a position | B．employ a working partner |
| C．run a business | D．show her talents in business |
How many selling ads are there in the chart?
| A．Four. | B．Six. | C．Eight. | D．Ten. |