We keep reading that TV is bad for you. If this is true, how come the cur
rent generation of TV-addicted kids is much smarter than we are? In my home, the only people who can work the remote control are the children.
Perhaps TV does educate you. For example, you learn a useful medical fact: A person who has been shot always has time to speak an incomplete sentence before he dies. “The killer was…” (dies)
But I guess the biggest things we learn from TV can be regarded as “Life Skills”. Bad things only happen on dark and stormy nights. Emotional breakdowns cause people to wander in the heavy rain without umbrellas. And contrary to what scientists say, the crack(霹雳) of lightning and the accompanying flash happen at exactly the same time, wherever you are.
I’ve even acquired useful geographical facts from science-fiction shows: Aliens speak English no matter which planet they come from.
Making use of what we learn from TV can improve our security. Consider these truths. If you are ever attacked by 20 bad guys, don’t worry about being outnumbered. The criminals will hang back and take turns to approach you in ones and twos just so you can conveniently defeat them all. Bad guys who are completely covered in black clothes always remove their black masks to reveal that they are in fact, aha, women.
TV also teaches us important information about escaping from danger. Watch and learn. (1) If anyone is running after you down a passage, you will find that boxes have been conveniently placed near all the walls you need to jump over. (2) If you are tall and handsome, you can run from any number of armed criminals, and every shot will miss you.
Be warned, however. If your name card says “henchman” (帮凶) and you are part of a group of plain-looking people trying to catch a handsome individual, a single shot will kill you. But don’t be anxious: TV also delivers useful information for bad guys. All cars are inflammable (易燃的) and have amazing shock absorbers that enable them to fly into the air and land without damage — except police cars.
TV even teaches us about TV. Whenever anyone turns on a TV, it shows a news flash about someone they know. They then turn the box off immediately after that news item.By saying “A person who has been shot always has time to speak an incomplete sentence
before he dies” (Paragraph 2), the writer shows his________.
| A．humor | B．sympathy |
| C．deep concern | D．medical knowledge |
We can infer from Paragraph 3 that in the real world_______.
A．bad things cause people to break down in the ra in |
| B．bad things never happen on dark and stormy nights |
| C．people with emotional problems like to walk in the rain without umbrellas |
| D．the crack of lightning and the accompanying flash don’t happen at the same time |
On TV what usually happens when a person turns it on?
| A．The news shown is always about someone the person knows. |
| B．The person always turns off the TV when it’s time for news. |
| C．The program shown is always about the importance of TV. |
| D．TV always shows news about famous people. |
What’s the main idea of this passage?
| A．Life skills can be learned from TV. |
| B．TV plays an important role in society. |
| C．Watching TV makes people more creative. |
| D．What happens in TV is very different from reality. |
For about three years now, I have been writing poetry. It was not until my junior year in high school that I developed an interest, love and skill for writing poetry.
Back in elementary school, I loved to write stories. I would write stories on post-it notes and anywhere I could. Yet when I had to write a limerick(五行打油诗) for an assignment, I could not wrap my head around poetry. I had a very hard time figuring out how to rhyme words and have the words make sense. I eventually tossed the paper with the attempted limerick in the trash. I did not try my hand at poetry again until several years later.
Many years later in my freshman year of high school, my English teacher gave my class a poetry project as an assignment. I still remember my limerick assignment and was afraid of doing the poetry project. For the project, we had to analyze a poem and write a response to it. I chose to respond to Robert Frost’s poem Fire and Ice. I also wrote my own poem first. I became really excited when writing the poem.
Two years later, I started writing poetry as a hobby and for fun. To learn how good or bad my poems were, I handed them in to some magazines and contests. I won second place in the North Carolina Poetry Society’s Sherry Pruitt Award Contest with a poem called The Ocean, and had my two poems published as high merit(优等) poems. I have continued to write poetry, and have even self-published three collections of poetry in both print and e-book formats, which can be found at my store on Lulu.
Now, I love writing poetry, but I don’t hate writing short stories. I just find it more difficult and not my style of writing, even though I still write short stories occasionally.When the author was a pupil, he ___________.
| A．liked writing stories |
| B．was good at writing poetry |
| C．could understand poetry well |
| D．was often praised by his teacher |
When given the poetry project in high school, the author was___________.
| A．excited | B．annoyed | C．confident | D．worried |
The author took up writing poetry as a hobby when he____________.
| A．was in Grade Three in high school |
| B．worked as a storekeeper |
| C．was in Grade One in high school |
D．was at college |
How did the author increase his confidence in writing poetry?
| A．He wrote a lot of poems and asked advice from his teacher. |
| B．He published three collections of poetry by himself. |
| C．He submitted his poems to magazines and contests. |
| D．He gave up writing stories and only wrote poetry. |
With the popularity of Harry Potter novels, the number of children applying to boarding schools has risen, many of them hoping to find their own version of Hogwarts. However, others have interpreted this trend as a reaction to longer working hours and the break up of more marriages. The boarding schools of fiction are presented as one long midnight feast with pillow fights making firm friendships. However, some people say the reality is children having more homesickness and a lack of individual attention. Modern boarding schools have done much to get rid of the image of the mass dormitories with 40 or more beds in one room, some going as far as providing private rooms with bathrooms. Similarly, they make great announcements for their academic advantage, particularly in light of the increase in exams, homework and university entrance requirements facing children wishing to succeed in the modern world.
Alongside these more conventional schools, two types of boarding schools have also become more popular recently. Sports academies and stage schools seek to cater for children with particular interests and talents, while so-called troubled-teens have been able to turn to a range of religious or wilderness schools to solve their problematic behavior.
Boarding schools allow children a safe space in which to accomplish greater control and independence over their daily lives. Teachers and staff can look after and support but they are unlikely to be over-protective. This can be a great preparation for university or for working away from home in later life as it provides an intermediate step between childhood and full independence.
However, Parents are a child’s most natural support and best role models to learn from. If they are separated from them for long periods of time, this may damage their relationship and leave the child feeling anxious or alone. Schools are unlikely to be able to copy the detailed knowledge of each individual child that a parent has and therefore cannot be as effective in supporting the child.
To sum up, boarding schools have both their advantages and disadvantages, so it is up to you to decide whether to send your children to boarding schools or not.. What do we know from the passage?
| A．More and more children go and visit Hogwarts on their own. |
| B．Pillow fights in boarding schools make firm friendships in reality. |
| C．More children want to go to boarding schools because of Harry Potter novels. |
| D．There aren’t special schools for the particularly talented children. |
What kind of schools may be the most suitable for the so-called troubled-teens?
| A．sports academies | B．Wilderness schools |
| C．Conventional schools | D．Stage schools |
We learn from Paragraph 4 that __________.
| A．teachers of boarding schools are the best examples for children to learn from |
| B．children can be more independent if they are separated from their parents |
| C．parents know their children better than teachers of boarding schools |
| D．schools are much more effective than parents in supporting children |
What is the author’s opinion of boarding schools?
| A．Neutral | B．Negative | C．Positive | D．Critical |
Does your pet have a slim figure? According to the Association of Pet Obesity Prevention (APOP), about half of all dogs and nearly 60% of all indoor cats are overweight. Larry Kornegay, president of the American Veterinary Medical Association, says he sees an overweight pet nearly every day, and unusually the owner is overweight. So talking about the topic can be touchy. “I talk about their pet’s health. Still, some clients take it personally.”
Here are some tips for pet weight loss:
See the vet(兽医). Have your vet put together a plan and treat any existing medical problems. Pain relief and diet changes may be required for arthritic(患关节炎的) pets, which will allow for exercise to at least begin.
Skip the crash diet (an attempt to lose weight quickly by strictly limiting the diet). A special weight-loss diet may be suggested. For example, look for the supplement which burns fat and builds muscle mass in foods. Never place any pet on a crash diet, especially cats, which can suffer a potentially fatal liver disease as a result. There’s a safe weight-loss drug for dogs you can ask your vet about.
Dine alone. “Cut out treats and resist temptation by keeping pets out of the room you’re dining in,” says Chicago vet Sheldon Rubin. You can buy low-calorie treats for dogs and cats. Rubin also recommends mini carrots, small apple slices or blueberries for dogs. What’s important is finding other ways, aside from food, to show your love. Play with your cat using an interactive toy, and take your dog for walks. Walks are great for bonding, and good for you. Studies show people are actually more willing to lose weight themselves if it also will help their pet.
Feed pets at special times. Pre-measure food carefully—don’t give them a larger meal than ever—and leave it in various places, so pets sniff it out and use the stairs. It’s fun, and it’s good exercise.. The underlined word “touchy” in Paragraph 1 probably means__________
| A．sensitive | B．exciting | C．moving | D．pleasant |
.
What can be inferred from the passage?
| A．Overweight people usually like overweight pets. |
| B．Pets’ weight is easier to lose than humans’. |
| C．Cats have a greater chance of serious liver disease. |
| D．Overweight people often ignore their pets’ weight. |
Which of the following methods is healthy for your pets?
| A．Providing them with mini carrots or blueberries. |
| B．Keeping them with you when you’re dining. |
| C．Supplying them with larger meals or drinks. |
| D．Leaving the food in a fixed place for your pets. |
. What does the passage mainly tell us?
| A．How to feed pets without a crash diet. |
| B．The importance of pet weight loss. |
| C．How to help pets lose weight. |
| D．The problems that pets will meet. |
If you plan on visiting to Fiji, you are probably looking for some fun things to do. Below are four unusual places.
The Poseidon Resort
The Poseidon resort is an underwater resort that gives visitors a beautiful view of sea life. This resort covers 255 acres. It’s covered and surrounded by a lagoon (咸水湖) that covers 5,000 acres and is about 90 feet under water, giving you a beautiful view of sea life righ
t before your eyes. This resort even has a hotel for those who would prefer to have the unusual experience of sleeping and waking up to the beautiful scenery all around them.
The Sabeto Mud Pool
If you’re looking for something unusual to do, you can’t pass up the mud pool at Sabeto. It is located in a mountain range with a huge group of Geothermal (地热的) pools full of nice, warm mud. Getting down and into the mud in the pool is believed to have benefits for healthy skin. This is unusual, but adults and especially kids will love it.
Fire Walking
Fire walking in Fiji is believed to have originated on the island of Beau. Fire walking is when you walk on white-hot stones barefoot. To do this, you have to be mentally prepared for it. Trust me; there is a lot of preparation and strict rules that travelers follow in order to do this safely.
The Fiji Museum
The Fiji museum is unusual due to all the amazing artifacts you’ll see dating back 3,000-4,000 years. This museum has a certain attraction that makes it funny—a shoe. It’s been said that a man named Thomas Baker was eaten by the locals several centuries ago and the only thing left was his shoe. This unusual museum is a great idea if you bring the whole family to Fiji.Visitors who have the unusual experience of sleeping at the Poseidon resort can _________.
| A．enjoy the excellent service in the hotel |
| B．open windows to see sea life swimming |
| C．see sea life around them in the room |
| D．only watch videos about sea life |
Why do adults like to get down into the mud pool?
| A．To float on the warm mud |
| B．To make them strong |
| C．To play with the warm mud |
| D．To keep their skin healthy |
Which of the following things needs more courage and stricter rules?
| A．Trying fire walking |
| B．Visiting the Poseidon resort |
| C．Getting into the Sabeto Mud Pool |
| D．Visiting the Fiji museum |
The underlined word “artifacts” in Paragraph 5 means__________.
| A．historic things made by man |
| B．things invented not long ago |
| C．things that look very strange |
| D．useful things in people’s daily life |
As we all know, any country has good reasons to want its citizens to be as healthy as possible. This led to the introduction of a health service in many countries. France has developed into a country in which all citizens can get most of the health treatment free. The money for this is partly from the people who are willing to offer.
But there are different opinions about the Health Service. The number of patients treated every year and the cost of treatment are much greater than expected. This means that the people who work for the Health Service --- doctors, nurses and other hospital workers, have much more work to do, and as a result they have little time for preventive treatment.
However, the tough problem is that as many people are able to receive treatment more expensive than they can pay, sometimes people go and visit their doctors when they don’t really need to. As there are many patients, doctors cannot spend time long enough with each patient. So some people prefer to pay for their own treatment so that their doctors can examine them more carefully. In fact, some rich people feel that they should pay more free money, which would be given to other citizens. France is described as an example to show that __________.
| A．people have to pay part of the medical care |
| B．everyone in France enjoys free medical care |
| C．it is a country with the Health Service |
| D．it is a very rich country in Europe |
What is the problem in the Health Service?
| A．Money is not enough to employ more medical workers. |
| B．There are not enough well-treated doctors. |
| C．People can get more preventive treatment. |
| D．Doctors and nurses are not working hard. |
Why do many people go and see the doctors even when they really don’t need to?
| A．To keep himself even more healthy. | B．To receive treatment free of charge. |
| C．To take back some expensive medicine. | D．To get necessary protective treatment. |
What can we infer from the last paragraph?
| A．The Health Service is quite successful so far. |
| B．People should not go to the doctors unless necessary. |
| C．There is much to improve the Health Service. |
| D．The rich should be allowed to pay for the treatment. |
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