Testing has taken the place of teaching in most public schools. Pretests, drills, tests, and retests. They know that the best way to read a textbook is to look at the questions at the end of the chapter and then read the text quickly for the answers. I believe that my daughter Erica, who gets excellent marks, has never read a chapter of any of her school textbooks all the way through. And teachers are often heard to say proudly and openly that they teach to the test.
Teaching to the test is a curious phenomenon（现象）. Instead of deciding what skills students ought to learn, helping students learn them, and then using some methods of assessment（评价） to discover whether students have mastered the skills, teachers are encouraged to teach the students in the opposite way. First one looks at a test. Then one chooses the skills needed not to master reading, but to do well in the test. Finally, the test skills are taught.
The ability to read or write might suggest the ability to do reasonably well on standardized tests. However, neither reading nor writing develops simply through being taught to take tests. We must be careful to avoid mistaking preparations for a test of a skill with the acquisition（习得）of that skill. Too many discussions of basic skills make this misunderstanding because people are tested rather than concerned with the nature and quality of what is taught.
Recently, many schools have faced what could be called the crisis of comprehension or, in simple words, the phenomenon of students with grammar skills still being unable to understand what they read. These students are quite good at test taking and filling in workbooks. However, they have little or no experience reading or thinking, and talking about what they read. They know the details but can’t see or understand the whole. They are taught to be so concerned with grades that they have no time to think about meaning, and reread things if necessary. The author mentions Erica’s performance in her study in order to show_________.
| A．her cleverness in test taking | B．the good way to take tests |
| C．the improper way of teaching | D．the best way to read textbooks |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The teachers are curious about teaching to the test. |
| B．Skills in general are not only useless but often mislead students. |
| C．Ability to read and write has nothing to do with ability to do well in tests. |
| D．Preparations for a test of a skill do not mean the acquisition of that skill. |
In the author’s opinion, __________.
| A．some good methods of assessment should take the place of tests |
| B．more attention should be paid to the nature and quality of what is taught |
| C．students should not be concerned with grades but do more reading and thinking |
| D．students needn’t learn grammar skills because they are useless for understanding |
By “crisis of comprehension” (in Paragraph 4) the author means many students ______.
| A．are too much concerned with grades |
| B．fail to understand the real goal of education |
| C．lack proper practice in grammar drills |
| D．do well on tests but can’t understand what they read |
UNICEF is appealing for more than one billion dollars in aid for women and children around the world．The United Nations Children's Fund has released its " Humanitarian Action Report" for two thousand ten． The report lists twenty -eight countries and territories with some of the world's most pressing crisis affecting women and children．
Haiti was considered to be in crisis long before
the earthquake in January．The deputy executive director of UNICEF, Hilde Johnson, says the quake has only made the need for aid more immediate．But she says children all over the world have the right to the same assistance as children everywhere else．
The "Humanitarian Action Report" discusses several issues that UNICEF says increasingly threaten the basic rights of women and children．It says climate change has caused droughts and' food insecurity in many areas．High food prices and the global financial crisis of two thousand eight - two thousand nine have only added to poverty and malnutrition （营养不良）．And armed conflict continues to threaten the lives of millions．
Hilde Johnson says children are always the most affected by conflicts and disasters．They face an increased risk of abuse, including sexual violence and other serious rights violations （侵犯）．
UNICEF deals with about t
wo hundred emergencies around the world every year．The greatest need last year was in sub - Saharan Africa．The report says drought, food insecurity and civil unrest affected about twenty - four million p
eople．
Violence and displacements（驱逐）of people were especially bad in Sudan, Chad, the Democratic Republic of Congo and the Central African Republic．
In Asia, UNICEF expects its financial assistance needs to more than double this year．This is partly the result of adding Pakistan and the Philippines to the latest report．In Pakistan, it says, more than two million people have been forced from their homes by the conflict in the．Swat Valley and other areas of the northwest．And in the Philippines, more than two hundred thousand people are still living in shelters after severe storms last year．
This years UNICEF report talks about the value of public and private partnerships in helping children and families in emergencies．
And thats the VOA Special English Development Report, written by June Simms．For a link to the UNICEF report listing the twenty - eight countries and territories in crisis, go to www.unsv.com．I'm Steve Ember．According to Hilde Johnson, the most easily affected persons suffering from conflicts and disasters are __________．
| A．women | B．children | C．the old | D．the disabled |
From this passage we know that the most serious problems in Asia are __________．
| A．earthquakes and malnutrition |
| B．displacements and storms |
| C．sexual violence and other rights violations |
| D．droughts and food insecurity |
Which of the following might serve as a suitable title for this passage?
| A．Haiti was in crisis due to the earthquake in January |
| B．Violence in the twenty -eight countries and territories |
| C．UNICEF Appeals for Aid for Women and Children |
| D．the value of public and private partnerships in helping |
Here’ s an unusual story: a diamond ring
was recently found in an egg. The
magician, Liu Qian, discovered it, in front
of an audience of millions at CCTV’ s Spring 
Festival Gala. Liu’ s magic tricks have made the centuries-old art of magic fashionable once again, and made him the hottest magician in China.
As a seasoned young magician from Taiwan, Liu is popular worldwide for his magic shows. Countries he has performed in include the U
nited States, Japan, South Korea and the UK.
Witnessing something impossible happen right before your eyes is the root of people’ s love for magic.
Liu is known for his interaction(互动)with his audiences. He has a unique understanding of showmanship(演出技巧).
“It’ s actually thinking rather than one’ s manipulation（操作）skills; that is more important to achieving a successful magic show. We think carefully about how to design the shows creatively, to make them appear more interesting. ”Liu said.
Liu Qian’ s success dated back to his childhood. Born in 1976 in Taiwan, he found himself attracted to a magic toy in a shop when he was seven years old. At the age of 12, he won Taiwan’ s Youth Magic Contest, which was judged by the great American magician, David Copperfield.
Yet, Liu never planned on becoming a professional magician. He studied Japanese literature at university and only hoped to be an amateur (业余的) magician in his spare time. However, his failure to find a proper job after graduation pushed him towards magic as a career.
To refine his performing skills, he has performed on streets, roads and fields for passers-by, policemen and farmers.
“Street shows are the biggest challenge for us magicians. We have to deal with unexpected situations and tough crowds, ” Liu said. What does the underlined word “seasoned ” in Paragraph 2 mean?
| A．季节性的 | B．刚出道的 | C．老练的 | D．职业的 |
The story is about_____.
| A．how Liu Qian became China’ s hottest magician |
| B．why people love magic |
| C．what magic tricks are |
D．how fashionable the magic is |
People love to watch magic because_____.
| A．they can’ t figure out the secret of magic |
| B．it arouses their curiosity |
| C．they love watching magicians make the impossible happen |
| D．it is a centuries-old art |
Which of the following is the key reason that Liu Qian decided to make magic his career?
| A．He was interested in magic when he was little. |
| B．He had won Taiwan’ s Youth Magic Contest. |
| C．He became an amateur magician in his spare time. |
| D．He couldn’ t find an acceptable job after graduation |
From the story we know that______.
| A．Liu Qian competed in many magic competitions |
| B．Liu Qian often invites audiences to be in his magic show |
| C．Liu Qian performs on streets in order to increase his fame |
| D．Liu Qian does street show to make money |
In my profession as an educator and health care provider, I have worked with numerous children infected with the virus that causes AIDS．The relationships that I have had with these special kids have been gifts in my life．They have taught me so many things, but I have especially learned that great courage can be found in the smallest of packages． Let me tell you about Tyler．
Tyler was born infected with HIV: his mother was also infected．From the very beginning of his life, he was dependent on medications to enable him to survive．When he was five, he had a tube surgically inserted in a vein in his chest．This tube was connected to a pump, which he carried in a small backpack on his back．M
edications were hooked up to this pump and were continuously supplied through this tube to his bloodstream．At times, he also needed supplemented oxygen to support his breathing．
Tyler wasn’t willing to give up one single moment of his childhood to this deadly disease．It was not unusual to find him playing and racing around his backyard, wearing his medicine - laden backpack and dragging his tank of oxygen behind him in his little wagon．All of us who knew Tyler marveled at his pure joy in being alive and the energy it gave him．Tyler’s mom often teased him by telling him that he moved so fast she needed to dress him in red．That way, when she peered through the window to check on him playing in the yard, she could quickly spot him．
This dreaded（可怕的） disease eventually wore down even the likes of a little dynamo like Tyler．He grew quite ill and, unfortunately, so did his HIV - infected mother．When it became apparent that he wasn’t going to survive, Tyler’s mom talked to him about death．She comforted him by telling Tyler that she was dying too, and that she would be with him soon in heaven．
A few days before his death, Tyler beckoned me over to his hospital bed and whispered, " I might die soon．I’m not scared．When I die, please dress me in red．Mom promised she’s coming to heaven, too．I’ll be playing when she gets there, and I want to make sure she can find me．"
his HIV - infected mother．When it became apparent that he wasn’t going to survive, Tyler’s mom talked to him about death．She comforted him by telling Tyler that she was dying too, and that she would be with him soon in heaven．
A few days before his death, Tyler beckoned me over to his hospital bed and whispered, " I might die soon．I’m not scared．When I die, please dress me in red．Mom promised she’s coming to heaven, too．I’ll be playing when she gets there, and I want to make sure she can find me．"What is the boy Tyler's attitude towards death?
| A．pessimistic（悲观的）． | B．optimistic． | C．sorrowful． | D．fearful． |
Tyler requested the writer to dress him in red when he died simply because___________．
| A．red is a lucky color | B．red might help to cure him |
| C．his mom could spot him easily | D．he could find more mates by wearing red |
Which of the following might serve as a possible title for this passage?
| A．My unusual profession． | B．A caring mother． |
| C．Mother and son． | D．Dying in red． |
The underlined word dynamo in the fourth paragraph here means ________________．
| A．a promising and helpful youth |
| B．an extremely energetic person |
| C．a rare and beautiful flower |
| D．a magic and understanding superstar |
A dog sheltered a newborn baby abandoned by its 14-year-old mother in a field in rural Argentina until the boy was rescued, a doctor said on August 22 (Friday).
A resident of a rural area outside La Plata called police late Wednesday night to say that he had heard the baby crying in a field behind his house.
The man went outside and found the infant lying beside the dog and its six newborn puppies, Daniel Salcedo, chief of police of the Province of Buenos Aires, told CNN.
The temperature was a chilly（寒冷的） 37 degrees, Salcedo said.
The dog had apparently carried the baby some 50 meters from where his mother had abandoned him to where the puppies were huddled, police said.
“She took it like a puppy and rescued it,” Salcedo said. “The doctors told us if she hadn’t done this, he would have died.”
“The dog is a hero to us.”
Dr. Egidio Melia, director of the Melchor Romero Hospital in La Plata, told CNN that police showed up at the hospital at 11:30 pm Wednesday with the baby who doctors say was only a few hours old.
Though the infant had superficial scratches (抓痕) and bruises (伤痕) and was bleeding from his mouth, he was in good shape, Melia said.
The next morning, the child’s mother was driven by a neighbor to the hospital and told authorities the 8-pound, 13-ounce infant is hers, Melia said.
The teenager was immediately give psychological treatment and was hospitalized, he said. She has said little about the incident.
The child has been transferred to a children’s hospital in La Plata, 37 miles from Buenos Aires.What does the underlined word “sheltered” in the first paragraph mean?
| A．protected | B．fed | C．watched | D．gave |
According to the passage , which statement is true?
| A．It’s hard for the infant to recover soon. |
| B．The puppies were running here and there all the time |
| C．The temperature was very high at that time. |
D．But for the mother do g , the infant would have died. |
How was the baby when he was found?
| A．He was seriously ill. | B．He was dying. |
| C．He was in good shape. | D．He lost a lot of blood. |
What’s the text mainly about?
| A．A baby was rescued by a dog. |
| B．A baby was abandoned by its parents. |
| C．How an abandoned baby was saved by doctors. |
| D．Dogs are heroes to human beings. |
London ［2009-4-01］—In the first
meeting between Chinese President
Hu Jintao and US President Barack
Obama prior to the Group of 20 
summit in London, the two leaders pledged that both countries will be working together to help the world resist the financial crisis.
China and the US have agreed to prioritize（使……更重要; 优化） t
he two countries’ relations by establishing the new strategic economic dialogue.
The two teams will be headed by Vice Premier Wang Qishan and State Councilor Dai Bingguo from the Chinese side and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Timothy Geithner from the US side.
President Hu Jintao and US President Barack Obama made the announcement to the press before they went into the official meeting, their first, at Winfield House, residence of the US ambassador to the UK.
Although it is thei
r first meeting, they have kept a close contact, which Obama said will “set the stage” for both countries “to tackle the challenges in the years to come. ”
Both presidents highlighted the importance of China-US relations, especially during the current economic crisis.
Obama said he hoped their meeting will be constructive and open not only about the whole state of the world economy during the current crisis, but to the efforts to improve peace and security for both countries and the world.
Hu said all the positive results the two countries have achieved have not come easily, adding that he hoped to develop good working relationship and personal friendship with Obama.
Sino-US relations are of fundamental interests not only to both countries, but to peace, stability and prosperity to Asia and the world. What is the best title of this passage?
| A．Hu, Obama set up new economic dialogue. |
| B．Sino-US relations will be improved. |
| C．China and the US are working together to resist economic crisis. |
| D．China and the US have achieved positive results. |
How do China’ s and US’ s presidents think they should deal with their relations?
| A．By trusting and helping each other. |
| B．By sharing their common interests. |
| C．By establishing the new strategic economic dialogue. |
| D．By establishing new economic policy. |
What is Winfield House?
| A．The US ambassador to the UK. |
| B．Residence of UK ambassador to the US. |
| C．The living place of US ambassador to the UK. |
| D．The residence of British Queen. |
All of the following are mentioned EXCEPT____.
| A．The two presidents agreed to work together to resist the financial crisis |
| B．The two presidents announced to the press before the official meeting |
| C．Both countries will make efforts to improve peace and security |
| D．Sino-US relations are of fundamental interests only to both countries |
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