Ask a question! Email it to Letters@Highlights.com.
Gift Giving
I'm going to China and everyone in my class is asking me to buy them something. What should I do?
Reply from the Highlights Editor:
Your classmates are probably just excited about your trip. Most likely they don't expect you to buy gifts for everyone. Sending a few postcards to the entire class during your trip would be a wonderful way to share your experiences. The pictures on the cards and your words of description will be the best gift of all.
Dog Begging
My dog always begs for food at the dinner table. I really want to feed him, but my mom says I can't. I'm afraid he won't like me anymore. What should I do?
Reply from the Highlights Editor:
Your dog loves you for many more reasons than just for what you feed him. You can show him that you care about him by playing with him, by petting him and speaking kindly to him and by making sure he has fresh water. It might be best if your dog is not near the dinner table while you are eating. You could teach him to stay in another room.
Being Bilingual(会说双语的)
My aunt insists that we speak our language(Tagalog) at home and English outside the house. Do you think she is right?
Reply from the Highlights Editor:
It is a great gift to have someone in your family who is willing to take the time to teach you another language. It's a good way to keep family traditions alive, and it helps develop your language skills. Your ability to use both English and Tagalog will help you learn a third and fourth language later in life. So it sounds like a great idea!The Highlights editor suggests the student who is going to China _______.
| A．send postcards as the gifts to the class |
| B．make phone calls to all the classmates |
| C．buy gifts for some of the classmates |
| D．give each classmate a picture as a gift |
According to the Highlights editor, if your dog begs for food at the dinner table, you'd better __________.
| A．feed him immediately |
| B．speak loudly to him |
| C．teach him to stay in another room |
| D．provide him with fresh water |
What is the Highlights editor's attitude towards being bilingual?
| A．Opposed(反对）. | B．Tolerant（忍受） |
| C．Supportive（支持） | D．Doubtful（怀疑）. |
The Highlights editors give the replies to __________.
| A．show their readers how to send girls |
| B．tell their readers about their interesting work |
| C．help their readers to solve school problems |
| D．offer their readers advice on personal problems |
In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea(茫然) and looked embarrassed（尴尬的）. No one had told them about the British custom of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus.
Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding (点头) your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty .
In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'— a nod means 'no'. At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled（再斟满） as soon as you drink up. If you think that you have had enough, you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.
In Europe it is quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble. Also, you should try to avoid touching the head of an adult ——it's just not done in Thailand.The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen _________.
| A．were foreigners | B．didn't have tickets |
| C．made a loud noise | D．didn't line up for the bus |
According to the article, if you want to have a pleasant journey in a foreign country, you should _________.
| A．learn the language of the country |
| B．understand the manners and customs of the country |
| C．have enough time and money |
| D．make friends with the people there |
In India it is considered impolite ___________.
| A．to use the right hand for passing food at table. |
| B．to pass food with the left hand. |
| C．to eat food with your hands. |
| D．to help yourself at table. |
To cross one's legs at an important meeting in Europe is _______.
| A．a common habit | B．an important manner |
| C．a serious trouble | D．a bad manner |
The best title for this article is ________.
| A．People's Everyday Life | B．Mind Your Manners |
| C．Shaking and Nodding Head | D．Taking a Bus in England |
Many teenagers feel that the most important people in their lives are their friends. They believe that their family members, especially their parents, don’t know them as well as their friends do. In large families, it is often for brothers and sisters to fight with each other and then they can only go to their friends for advice. It is very important for teenagers to have one good friend or many friends. Even when they are not with their friends, they usually spend a lot of time talking among themselves on the phone. This communication is very important in children’s growing up, because friends can discuss something difficult to say to their family members.
However, parents often try to choose their children’s friends for them. Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends. The question of “choice” is an interesting one. Have you ever thought of the following questions? Who choose your friends? Do you choose your friends or your friends choose you? Have you got a good friend your parents don’t like?Many teenagers think their _______ know them better than their parents do.
| A．friends | B．teachers | C．brothers and sisters | D．classmates |
When teenagers stay alone, the usual way of communication is to _______.
| A．go to their friends | B．talk with their parents |
| C．have a discussion with the family | D．talk with their friends on the phone |
Which of the following is DIFFERENT in meaning from the sentence “Some parents may even stop their children from meeting their good friends.”?
| A．Some parents may even not allow their children to meet their good friends. |
| B．Some parents may even ask their children to stay away from their good friends. |
| C．Some parents may even not let their children meet their good friends. |
| D．Some parents may want their children to stop to meet their good friends. |
Which of the following sentences is TRUE?
| A．Parents should like everything their children enjoy. |
| B．In all families, children can choose everything they like. |
| C．Parents should try their best to understand their children better. |
| D．Teenagers can only go to their friends for help. |
The main idea of this passage is that ___________.
| A．Teenagers need friends |
| B．Friends can give good advice |
| C．Parents often choose their children’s friends for them |
| D．Good friends can communicate with each other |
Popular music in America is what every student likes. Students carry small radios with earphones and listen to music before class, after class, and at lunch. Students buy cars with large speakers and play the music loudly as they drive on the street.
Adult drivers listen to music on the car radio as they drive to work. They also listen to the news about sports, weather and the life of American people .Most of the radio programs are music.
Pop or popular music singers make much money .They make a CD or tape which radio stations use in many places .Once the popular singer is heard all over the country, young people buy his or her tape .Some of the money from these tapes comes to the singer .Wherever the singer goes, all the young people want to meet him or her. Now the singer has become a national star.
There are other kinds of music that are important to Americans. One is called folk music .It tells stories about the common life of Americans. Another is called western or country music .This was started by cowboys who would sing at night to the cows they were watching. Today, any music, about country life and love between a country boy and his girl is called western or country music.__ _ kinds of music are mentioned in this passage .
A. Two B. ThreeC Four D .FiveWhen pop singers ___ ___, they will become national stars.
A make much money B. make a CD or tape
C .are loved by all the young people D. are wanted to sing on the radioFrom the passage we know that country music is about the ___ ___.
| A．common life of Americans | B．country life of and love stories |
| C．life of workers | D．school life of in America |
Which of the following is TRUE according to this passage?
| A．all students in America like popular music . |
| B．students with cars in America don’t like to listen to music while driving |
| C．Adult drivers in America listen to music all the time while driving |
| D．Everyone in America wants to meet pop singers wherever they go. |
What would be then best title for this passage ？
| A．American music | B．Pop music | C．History of music | D．Western music |
Have you ever been sad because of failure? Please remember, for often, achieving what you set out to do is not the most important thing.
A boy decided to dig a deep hole behind his house. As he was working, a couple of older boys stopped by to watch. “What are you doing?” asked one of the visitors. “I want to dig a hole all the way through the earth!” the boy answered excitedly. The older boys began to laugh, telling him that digging a hole all the way through the earth was impossible. After a while, the boy picked up a jar. He showed it to the visitors. It was full of all kinds of stones and insects. Then he said calmly and confidently, “Maybe I can’t finish digging all the way through the earth, but look at what I’ve found during this period!”
The boy’s goal was far too difficult, but it did cause him to go on. And that is what a goal is for — to cause us to move in the direction we have chosen, in other words, to cause us to keep working!
Not every goal will be fully achieved. Not every job will end up with a success. Not every dream will come true. But when you fall short of your aim, maybe you can say, “Yes, but look what I’ve found along the way! There are so many wonderful things having come into my life because I tried to do something!” It is in the digging that life is lived. It is the unexpected joy on the journey that really makes sense.The older boys laughed at the boy because he was thought to be .
| A．brave | B．impolite | C．foolish | D．warm-hearted |
Why did the boy show the jar to the older boys?
| A．To drive them away. |
| B．To show what he had found in digging. |
| C．To show how beautiful the jar was. |
| D．To attract them to join him in the work. |
What can be learnt from the fourth paragraph of the text?
| A．Not dream can come true. | B．All work will end successfully. |
| C．Goals shouldn't be set too high | D．Goals will make us work harder. |
The best title for the text should be .
| A．Joy in the Journey | B．A Boy Dug a Hole |
| C．No Pains, No Gains | D．Failure Is the Mother of Success |
Calculus Book for sale!
Thomas’ Calculus — Weir, Hass, & Giordano 11thedition(版本)
Brand new, never been used but I will let it go for used price. Bookstore sold at $150. Call me and let me hear your offer.
Tel: 773-885-6604
READING IS GOOD FOR YOU, PEOPLE!
Why don’t more people read today? I have so many great books for sale. If you are interested in any of these GOOD BOOK DEALS, email me or call me at 650-759-7174 to pick them up.
·All the Days Of My Life(So Far), by Alison Sweeney $5
·All Our Yesterdays, by Robert B.Parker $1
·The Meaning of Everything, by Simon Winchester $5
·Exploring Language, by Gary Goshgarian $5
·The Little Prince, by Antoine de Saint-Exupery $1
·Jack at Sea, by Philippe Dupasquier $1
“The Children’s Classics” Book Set —$200
This is a book set that I’d love to keep, but just don’t have any extra room on my already crowded bookshelf. It is an old, traditional set. The set is in excellent condition. There are nine titles in the set (see list below). I honestly have no idea what this set is worth, but I’ve been told I should sell the set for well over $200, so make me an offer and we’ll see what we can do. Please contact me by email if you are interested: lucia1134@yahoo.com
Book Titles
·Black Beauty (276 pgs)·Tom Sawyer (272 pgs)
·Treasure Island (270 pgs)· Heidi (278 pgs)
·Alice in Wonderland (276 pgs)· Andersen’s Fairy Tales (278 pgs)
· Arabian Nights (276 pgs)·Robin Hood (278 pgs)
·King Arthur (274 pgs)The purpose of the text is to .
| A．introduce some new books on sale |
| B．advertise some books to the readers |
| C．explain the benefits of reading books |
| D．persuade the readers to read more interesting books. |
Why does the owner sell “The Children’s Classics” Book Set?
| A．The owner thinks it too old | B．The owner has bought a new set. |
| C．The owner has read it for many times. | D．The owner’s bookshelf has no more room. |
If you are interested in Tom Sawyer, you can .
| A．email lucia1134@yahoo.com | B．visit the owner in person |
| C．call 773-885-6604 | D．call 650-759-7174 |