Dear Daniel，
I feel that I've grown up and should make my own decisions， but my parents disagree． My mom still helps me choose what clothes to wear． My dad asks me to pay attention only to study． I know they do this out of love， but I feel controlled． What should I do？
Amanda
Dear Amanda，
Your parents sound very strict． It's hard to believe that your mom chooses what you wear． Are you a Barbie doll？
Try to take the first step when possible． Dress yourself before your mother has a chance to come in and choose your clothes． If she asks you to change， tell her you'll be late for school．
You should also talk to her． Ask about her choices： What makes a set of clothes acceptable or unacceptable？ Tell her you will follow her rules， but you want to make the choices． You are not in first grade．You are a young lady in high school．
As for your father， it's difficult to argue with his mind． After all， he is not totally wrong． How strict is he？ Does he lock you up with your textbooks？ Are you allowed to have a hobby？Are you allowed to have a smartphone？ Are you allowed to hang out with friends？
Such strict parents should know the law of diminishing returns （收益递减）． A weightlifter，for example， can only lift for an hour or two each day． If she docs more，her muscles will not become stronger．She will just get tired． She may even hurt herself!
Our brains also have limits． Some violin teachers say you should only practice a new skill for 15 minutes each day． Our brains need to relax and understand new information． Our brains also have a basic need to socialize （社交）． Ask your father： what is the meaning of so much studying if it makes you feel unhappy？
Stay strong．
Daniel
（1）Why did Amanda write the letter？
A． To ask for some advice．
B． To fight against her parents．
C． To talk about her family rules．
D． To make friends with Daniel．
（2）Daniel finds it that the mother decides on Amanda's clothes．
A． boring
B． important
C． unbelievable
D． funny
（3）The underlined word "limits"means " "in Chinese．
A．猜想
B．极限
C．决断
D．潜力
（4）The examples of "weightlifter" and "violin teachers" tell the parents ．
A． to give the kids more praise
B． to hang out with the kids
C． not to protect the kids too much
D． not to push the kids so hard
Justin Bieber was nominated for the Best New Artist Grammy 2011. Both he and his fans were excited to hear the great news!
Born on March 1, 1994, in Canada, Justin entered a singing contest when he was 12 and won the second place. He taught himself to play the piano, drums and guitar. In 2007 Justin posted videos of his singing on the Internet and became famous. In 2008, he became a singer with a record company. Since then, he has become a big name. Justin is so popular that screaming fans show up everywhere for his appearance. Several of his performances had to be cancelled because there were too many fans!
In February, 2011, Justin’s biopic Never Say Never came out. Justin came from a poor family. But he said in his book that not having as many things as his friends made him stronger and built his character. He wants to tell people that you can do anything if you just put your mind to it.When did Justin become a singer with a record company?
| A．In 1994. | B．In 2007. | C．In 2008. | D．In 2011. |
Why did Justin have to cancel some of his performances?
| A．Because he was badly ill. |
| B．Because he thought his performances weren’t good enough. |
| C．Because he didn’t want to have any performances. |
| D．Because there were lots of fans. |
Which of the following is True according to the passage?
| A．Justin was born in a rich family on March 1, 1994, in Canada. |
| B．Justin entered a singing contest when he was 12 and won the first place. |
| C．Justin is so terrible that he has few fans. |
| D．Justin said that poor environment made him stronger and built his character. |
What’s the meaning of the word “biopic” in the last paragraph?
| A．自传 | B．声明 | C．论文 | D．小说 |
What is the most likely relationship between Daniel and Janet?
| A．Friends. | B．Husband and wife. |
| C．Secretary and boss. | D．Teacher and student. |
What did Janet ask Daniel to do?
| A．To pick her up. | B．Not to play computer games. |
| C．To make dinner. | D．To read Sam a story. |
When could Sam play computer games?
| A．Before he had his music lesson. |
| B．After he did his homework. |
| C．After he read the story book. |
| D．After his mom came back. |
Scientists have found a new use for children’s imaginations(想象力)—to make Stomachaches go away.
The BBC reports a new study that shows: “Children can be taught to use their Imaginations to deal with stomachaches.” This may be very good news for parents who need a quick cure for their sick children.
Any mother or father understands the stomach problem is one of the most frequent(时常发生的) things their children complain about. Around twenty percent of children suffer from stomachaches that doctors cannot find a reason for.
This new research is especially good for kids with active imaginations. Researchers found that the more creative the child is, the better he or she is at imagining the pain away.
The researchers used a relaxing CD with children. A voice guided them through different fantasy(幻想) situations. One of these was pretending to be floating on a cloud. Thirty children took part in the tests. Half of them used the “guided imagery” method, and the other half received normal medicines. Researchers found 73.3 percent of the CD users reported a reduction in pain. This compared to only 26.7 percent of kids who got normal treatment.
Study leader Dr Miranda Tilburg was very excited about her findings. She believed that it was a very cheap and easy way to stop children’s stomachaches. She said it would not work as well with adults.The new study may be good news for those who____________.
| A．have less imaginations |
| B．don’t know how to relax |
| C．want to stop their kids’ stomachaches in a short time |
| D．can find why children suffer from stomachaches |
What kind of kids will benefit(从…收益) most from the new research?
| A．Kids who like listening to music. |
| B．Kids who are good at remembering things. |
| C．The independent(独立的) kids. |
| D．Kids with active imaginations. |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A． Sometimes, doctors don’t know why children suffer from stomachaches. |
| B． Children complain about their learning problems most frequently. |
| C．The more creative the child is, the less likely he or she is to have a stomachache. |
| D． 30 children received normal medicines in the tests. |
From the end of the passage, we know that__________.
| A．adults can also use their imaginations to make stomachaches go away |
| B．Dr Miranda Tilburg wasn’t pleased with her findings |
| C．the normal cure for stomachaches will not be used |
| D．a cheap and easy way to stop children’s stomachaches has been found |
What does this passage mainly tell us?
| A．Tell us how to stop stomachaches in public places. |
| B．Children can “imagine”their pain away. |
| C．Children’s imaginations are very active. |
| D．It mainly talks about how to develop children’s imaginations. |
The last few days before Christmas passed quickly and it was soon Christmas Eve. That night when everyone went to bed, Bunny couldn't sleep. He still couldn't think of what he wanted his special Christmas gift to be. He wondered how Santa Claus would know what to bring him if he didn't know himself.
As he was sitting up in bed , Bunny heard a big noise on the roof and a sound downstairs. It was Santa Claus, he realized. Bunny jumped out of bed and raced down the hall to the stairs hoping to have a look at the old man with his own eyes.
By the time Bunny reached the bottom of the stairs, though, everything was again silent .Beautiful gifts were piled(堆积) under the Christmas tree, but Santa Claus was gone. He looked for him for a few minutes, but it was already too late. Bunny turned to climb back upstairs when he heard a cry.
“Hello,” said Bunny. “Is somebody there?”
He was answered by another cry. Bunny looked around the big pile of gifts to see what was making the noise. Right under the tree was a funny looking brown animal with big feet and sad eyes. Bunny might have mistaken it for a dog, if it hadn’t been for the antlers(鹿角) on its head.
"Are you a reindeer?" asked Bunny.
"Yes," replied the animal, “my name is Ralph."
"And you were pulling Santa’s sled(雪橇)?"
"I was until I got air-sick," replied Ralph," I'm afraid I wasn't cut out for the job. Now I'm stuck here and I don't know how to get back to the North Pole."
"Well, if you like, you can stay with us as a friend," said Bunny. As he made the offer, Bunny suddenly realized the gift he wanted from Santa Claus was a new friend!Why couldn't Bunny fall asleep on Christmas Eve?
| A．He had a lot of things to do. |
| B．He wanted to take a look at the reindeer. |
| C．He was disturbed by a big noise . |
| D．He was thinking of what gift he would get. |
As soon as Bunny came downstairs, he _____.
| A．was probably very sad |
| B．found what he wanted |
| C．ran into a reindeer |
| D．heard a loud cry |
The underlined part “cut out for” in the passage probably means”___”
| A．fit for | B．afraid of |
| C．proud of | D．interested in |
Why didn't Ralph go back to the North Pole?
| A．He got stuck in the chimney. |
| B．Bunny asked him to stay. |
| C．He was air-sick. |
| D．He didn't know the way to the North Pole. |
What would be the best title for the passage?
| A．A strange Christmas tree | B．A special Christmas gift |
| C．A quiet but smart boy | D．A lovely reindeer |
Hi, everyone! I am Paul Hawking, the trip leader for this weekend' s activity. It’s that time of the year again when the days are long and it is nice to sit outside and enjoy some oysters(牡蛎).
We plan to head out to the Mission Bay this Sunday for a beach picnic. You can buy fresh oysters at the Mission Bay Oyster Company and you just need to pay $6 to $l0 for each dozen, depending on the size. It' s on Sunday, June 30.
We will meet at the Student Center at 9:00 a.m. and all go together. The driving time is one and a half to two hours, and the time of return is still uncertain. Come and join us in what must now be the 4th or 5th such trip for the Outing Club.
The oyster farm has a small picnic area with chairs and barbecue grills (烧烤架). Bring some briquettes (煤球) if you would like to grill. Except for oysters, oysters and oysters, little is available there, so please bring your own food and drinks. And of course, if you have any special oyster recipes (食谱), bring them make them and share them!
The weather forecast says it's going to be sunny and around 26°C this weekend. My telephone number is 408-896-3228. Please feel free to call me if you have any questions. Remember to finish your homework before we leave for the picnic.On June 30, Paul Hawking will ______.
| A．hold a meeting at the Student Center |
| B．arrive at the oyster farm at 9:00 a.m. |
| C．teach the students to cook oysters |
| D．take the students for a picnic |
If you buy 24 big oysters, you should probably pay _________.
| A．$6 | B．$10 | C．$12 | D．$20 |
If you plan to grill, you must bring ___________.
| A．a BBQ grill | B．some briquettes |
| C．your own recipes | D．some oysters |
Which of the following statement is TRUE?
| A．The writer plans to head out the Mission Bay next Sunday for a beach picnic. |
| B．You should finish the homework before leaving for the picnic. |
| C．You can buy and share food and drinks on the farm |
| D．The driving time is less than one and a half hour |
Where does this text probably come from?
| A．A notice on a school website. |
| B．A book on the Mission Bay. |
| C．A business newspaper. |
| D．A science magazine. |