Learning Chinese has been like climbing a steep(陡峭的)mountain.
My mother was born in Tokyo,while my father moved from Shanghai to Hong Kong when he was seven years old. At home we speak English. I know some basic Chinese customs :to use chosticks gracefully (得体地)and what to say on Spring Festival to get a red envelope. But I never truly learned to speak Chinese.
Why should I need to learn the language ,anyway? I live in America where everyone speaks English.
I realized I was wrong in ninth grade when I arrived at Philips Academy,a famous boarding school in Massachusetts.The school encourages a global outlook(视野). Th
ere I decided to welcome the opportunity to learn Chinese. I met other American-born Chinese and together we spoke Ching-lish outside of the classroom.
I searched for ways to access Chinese culture through dramas such as Meteor Garden (《流星花园》)and music by singers such as S.H.E,Wilbur Pan and Jasmine Leung（梁静茹）. Listening to Chinese music is where I found my favorite singer in the whole world:Jay Chou. Even if I cannot understand what he is crooning（哼唱）, I do feel more Chinese whenever I listen to his music.
Last summer I spent five weeks in China,four of which were taking a language course at a Beijing high school. I was proud when I could understand the dialogue in Intitial D（《头文字D》） and when I could easily translate Fairy Tale sung by Kong Leung（光良）.
Learning Chinese has been a rocky trek（艰苦跋涉）, and I know it will continue to be that way before I arrive at a relative plateau（高地） of fluency（流利）.I hope that one day I will be able to work and maybe even live in China as a true Chinese.The author wrote the text mainly to___.
| A．share her experience of learning Chinese |
| B．tell us why she is interested in learning Chinese |
| C．show off(炫耀) the progress she made in learning Chinese |
| D．give advice on how to learn Chinese |
The author's attitude to learning Chinese changed because___.
| A．she found Chinese was interesting to learn |
| B．she wanted to take a course to pass easily |
| C．she realized she should have an open mind to the outside world |
D． she made friends with some American___born Chinese at the school she studied |
The author tried all of the following to learn Chinese EXCEPT___.
| A．listening to Chinese music |
| B．practicing speaking Chinese with her parents |
| C．enjoying Chinese dramas |
| D．taking a Chinese course in China |
We can learn from the text that___.
| A．S.H.E.is the author's favorite singer |
| B．dialogues in Meteor Garden are easy to guess |
C．the author enjoys learning Chinese though it is difficult |
| D．the author can speak fluent Chinese now |
In most cases, there is only one correct answer to a question. But there is one question that has millions of current answers. That question is “What’s your name?” Everyone gives a different answer, but everyone is correct.
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
People’s first names, or given names, are chosen by their parents. Sometimes the name of a grandparent or other member of the family is used. Some parents choose the name of a well-known person. A boy could be named George Washington Smith; a girl could be named Helen Keller Jones.
Some people give their children names that mean good things. Clara means “bright”; Beatrice means “one who gives happiness”; Donald means “world ruler”; Leonard means “as brave as a lion”.
The earliest last names, or surnames, were taken from place names. A family with the name Brook or Brooks probably lived near a brook(小溪)；someone who was called Longstreet probably lived on a long, paved road. The Greenwood family lived in or near a leafy forest.
Other early surnames came from people’s occupations. The most common occupational name is Smith, which means a person who makes things with iron or other metals. In the past, smiths were very important workers in every town and village. Some other occupational names are: Carter — a person who owned or drove a cart; Potter — a person who made pots and pans.
The ancestors of the Baker family probably baked bread for their neighbors in their native village. The Carpenter’s great-great-great-grandfather probably built houses and furniture.
Sometimes people were known for the color of their hair or skin, or their size, or their special abilities. When there were two men who were named John in the same village, the John with the gray hair probably became John Gray. Or the John who was very tall could call himself John Tallman. John Fish was probably an excellent swimmer and John Lightfoot was probably a fast runner or a good dancer.
Some family names were made by adding something to the father’s name. English-speaking people added –s or –son. The Johnsons are descendants of John; the Roberts family’s ancestor was Robert. Irish and Scottish people added Mac or Mc or O. Perhaps all of the MacDonnells and the McDonnells and the O’Donnells are descendants of the same Donnell.Which of the following aspects are NOT covered in the surnames of the passage?
| A．People’s characters. |
| B．People’s occupations. |
| C．Places where people lived. |
| D．Talents that people possessed. |
According to the passage, the ancestors of the Potter family most probably _______.
| A．owned or drove a cart |
| B．made things with metals |
| C．built houses and furniture |
| D．made kitchen tools or containers |
Suppose an English couple whose ancestors lived near a leafy forest wanted their new-born son to become a world leader, the baby might be named _______.
| A．Beatrice Smith | B．Leonard Carter |
| C．Donald Greenwood | D．George Longstreet |
The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s _____.
| A．ancestors | B．later generations |
| C．friends and relatives | D．colleagues and partners |
Shree Bose is one of the most impressive kids graduating from Fort Worth Country Day High School this year. Bose has a large circle of friends, and there’s one who you may have heard of: President Obama. He has twice publicly recognized her achievements in cancer research and spoken with her in the Oval Office.
If that isn’t enough, Bose recently gave a TED Talk about her work with the cancer drug Cisplatin, which also won her first prize at the Google Science Fair and recognition as one of Glamour magazine’s Young Amazing Women of the Year.
After watching her grandfather struggle with liver cancer, Bose was determined to help out in any way she could. As a high school student though, her scientific choices were limited. She reached out to various hospitals and research centers, but doctors turned down her requests because they felt she was too inexperienced medically.
Only the North Texas Science Health Center respected her determination and chose to guide her. The results were amazing.
Bose chose to study a protein (蛋白质) and its reaction with the cancer drug Cisplatin. She noticed that when she prevented this protein from growing, Cisplatin was allowed to begin destroying cancer cells once again.
“My project not only contributes to the understanding of the relationship between the protein and Cisplatin, but also suggests a newer, more effective treatment for patients who resist Cisplatin,” Bose said.
Bose’s achievements aren’t limited to the lab, though. She was also captain of her swim team and editor-in-chief of her school paper.
Bose is currently getting practical experience at the National Institute of Health and she’ll be attending Harvard in the fall. She plans to study molecular biology and go to medical school. Eventually, she would like to be a doctor.President Obama has spoken with Bose because she ______.
| A．gave a TED Talk recently |
| B．is captain of her swim team |
| C．has a large circle of friends |
| D．contributed to the cancer research |
According to Bose’s research, ______ helps make Cisplatin work better.
| A．stopping the protein from growing |
| B．destroying cancer cells timely |
| C．using the drug more frequently |
| D．making the protein react with the drug |
From the passage, we know that _____.
| A．Bose’s research was supported from the start |
| B．Bose plans to become a doctor in the future |
| C．Bose will study in the National Institute of Health |
| D．Bose’s grandfather asked her to do cancer research |
The passage is mainly about _____.
| A．a research on cancer drugs |
| B．a new effective cancer treatment |
| C．a doctor who has a promising future |
| D．a girl who did research on cancer treatment |
Are you a team person? Are you at your best as part of a small, tightly united group of dedicated workers? If so, the future may hold more for you than you think.
High technology, some predicted, would make teamwork a thing of the past. That’s happening in those areas of business and data processing where one person and a computer can replace a team of workers.
But, elsewhere, teamwork is very much alive. High technology has led to a new type of teamwork in a number of fields, including advertising, scientific research, engineering design, architecture and ocean exploration. Through computer networking, scientists, engineers and technicians at different locations--often thousands of miles apart--can work on the same project at once. They can exchange ideas, try out different designs and test their results.
Examples? An engineering team can now design and try out a robot system, a new manufacturing(制造) process, or an entire factory before it is built. An architectural team can do the same with a building or a bridge. A medical team can simulate (模拟) a dangerous operation before performing it on a patient.
Of course, computer-assisted team effort doesn’t end with investigation and simulation. It now usually continues into actual design, manufacturing and testing. “Computer–aided design (CAD) and computer–aided manufacture (CAM) are breaking down barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions,” explains Dr. Prakash Rao, an engineering manager at General Electric. “Interdisciplinary(跨学科的) teams and engineers follow a product from concept to production. Everything is interconnected like a network.”
Sometimes a computer–aided effort can extend beyond production. A team that produces robots may use them to explore space and ocean depth. For high–technology team work, the future seems limitless.The underlined part “hold more” in paragraph 1 most probably means to .
| A．store more information | B．give more rights |
| C．make more regulations | D．have more chances |
According to the passage, the writer believes that .
| A．the concept of teamwork is still alive and no longer the same as the past |
| B．teamwork will be completely replaced by computers |
| C．teamwork requires more use of computers than that of human beings |
| D．high technology would make teamwork a thing of the past |
The examples given by the writer in Paragraph 4 serve .
| A．to explain his idea of new type of teamwork is reasonable |
| B．to prove high technology has a promising future |
| C．to show that it tends to be an end to teamwork soon |
| D．to indicate the computer--assisted team effort just means investigation . |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
| A．Many fields of science and technology are now using computers effectively. |
| B．No details are given in the passage about barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions. |
| C．Experts from different fields have to cooperate to develop a product from concept to production. |
| D．CAD and CAM aren’t breaking down barriers between traditional design and manufacturing functions. |
Are you searching for some new and exciting places to take your kids to? Try some of these places:
Pay a visit to art museums. They offer a variety of activities to excite your kids' interest. Many offer
workshops for making hand-made pieces, traveling exhibits, book signings by children's favorite writers, and even musical performances and other arts.
Head to a natural history museum. This is where kids can discover the past from dinosaur models to rock collections and pictures of stars in the sky. Also, ask what kind of workshops and educational programs are prepared for kids and any special events that are coming up.
Go to a Youtheater. Look for one in your area offering plays for child and family visitors. Pre-show play shops are conducted by area artists and educators where kids can discover the secret about performing arts. Puppet (木偶) making and stage make-up are just a couple of the special offerings you might find.
Try hands-on science. Visit one of the many hands-on science museums around the country. These science play-lands are great fun for kids and grown-ups alike. They'll keep your child mentally and physically active the whole day through while pushing buttons, experimenting, and building. When everyone is tired, enjoy a fun family science show, commonly found in these museums.If a child is interested in the universe, he probably will visit_________.
| A．a natural history museum | B．an art museum |
| C．a Youtheater | D．a hands-on science museum |
What can kids do at a Youtheater?
| A．Look at rock collections. | B．See dinosaur models. |
| C．Watch puppet making. | D．Give book signings. |
What does the underlined part mean in the last paragraph?
| A．Science games designed by kids. |
| B．Reading science books. |
| C．A show of kids' science work. |
| D．Learning science by doing things. |
Where does this passage probably come from?
| A．A science textbook. | B．A tourist map. |
| C．A news report. | D．A museum guide. |
It is really a happy thing to look back on the days I spent with Jennie. We met in night school. After Jennie and I had completed the required courses, we started teaching in the same school. For a time we were just casual friends, but one day, when I was telling Jennie about my problem son, we discovered we were kindred (同类的) spirits. "He’s a difficult little character," I explained. Jennie looked thoughtful. "Maybe you’re only seeing him with your eyes." She was silent for a moment and then added softly, "It is only with the heart that one sees rightly." I stared at her. "You’re quoting (引用) that! It’s from The Little Prince, Saint-Exupery’s book for children, one of my favorites. You know it, too?" Jennie nodded. "I love it. I’ve read it so often. I’ve practically memorized it."
Now, when I think of Jennie, I recall that book because Jennie--more than anyone I know--possessed the gift of seeing with the heart.
From that moment of a treasured book shared, our friendship grew steadily. It wasn’t that I didn’t have an excellent relationship with my husband and son, but my mother had died shortly after my marriage, and I had neither sisters nor daughters. I realize, now, how I needed someone to share those little, seemingly unimportant things that add so much to life--things that must be shared to be fully appreciated.
And it was Jennie who helped me with my fourth-grade problem child. One day I was at my wit’s end. "What he needs is a good beating!" I shouted.
"He’s probably had plenty of those," Jennie said. "Maybe he just needs sincere praise for anything he does right, and a hug or two each day." I followed this suggestion, and eventually, because of Jennie, I discovered a lovable little boy.
Looking back, I have to admit that she taught me so much. The days I spent with her has become one of my happiest memories.What does the underlined part mean in the fourth paragraph?
| A．I was unsure of how to deal with my son. |
| B．I decided to give up my job. |
| C．I faced financial difficulties. |
| D．I was very disappointed with myself. |
How did the author and Jennie’s friendship start to grow?
| A．They both were interested in children’s education. |
| B．They both liked a novel, The Little Prince. |
| C．They often chatted together about their hobbies. |
| D．They both learned in the same school. |
We learn from the text that __________.
| A．the author has the gift of seeing with the heart |
| B．the author had many sisters before meeting Jennie |
| C．the author had lost her mother before her marriage |
| D．the author seldom praised her son in the past |
The text is mainly about _________.
| A．how to control children properly |
| B．the fact that we should see nature differently |
| C．the influence of friendship in life |
| D．how friendship begins and disappears |
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