Many schools have established successful home visit programs. Home visits by teachers let parents and children know how much teachers care. Also, it is a way for teachers to learn more about their students , get the parents to pay more attention to th
eir children’s educati
on and bridge cultural gaps that might exist between students and teachers. Most teachers report that their home visits have a lasting effect on the child, the parents and on parent—teacher communication.
The Head Start program has used home 
visits for many years. Head Start teachers are required to make at least two home visits for each student, regardless of their ability, during each school year in addition to regular parent-teacher conferences at school. Many U.S. kindergartens also require home visits by 
teachers before school starts.
The visit approach varies from school to school and usually depends on the funding the source. In some schools, teachers prefer to visit in pairs. They feel more comfortable that way and sometimes need a translator in order to communicate with a child’s parents. Other teachers visit one-on-one with parents. Some interact with both the child and the parent. Many teachers may bring along learning activities for the child that also involve the parents participation. Normally, visits can last from 30 to 90 minutes, depending on the teacher and the activities.
When teachers get to know their students and their students’ families, the parents become more active in their children’s education. Home visits, not unnecessary as some people think, can give teachers the ideas they need to help all students succeed. Home visits by teachers can
| A．bridge cultural gaps existing between parents and teachers. |
| B．get students know that their teachers care about their parents. |
| C．get parents involved in their children’s education. |
| D．help establish good relationships between parents and children. |
From the second paragraph we know that home visits
| A．are not a new idea |
| B．are traditionally done by teachers before school starts |
| C．are meant for students with low marks |
| D．have replaced parent-teacher meeting |
What is the third paragraph about?
| A．Reasons for home visists |
B．Forms of home visits |
| C．Advantages of home visits |
| D．Tips for home visits |
What is the effect of home visits?
| A．Parents have more opportunities to play with children |
| B．Students can succeed more easily through their own efforts. |
| C．Parents play a decisive role in children’s education. |
| D．Teachers can learn more about how to help students. |
Though I have traveled in hundreds of trains, few unusual things have ever happened to me. But one day in a train something did happen. I do not mean that I was hurt: no one was hurt.
I do my work in a hot country far away from England. Every September I go there to do my business, and every July I come back to England to have a rest. So every September I go to Paris and take a train from the great French city to Mendova, and at Mendova I catch my ship.
There is one very fast train from Paris to Mendova, and it suits me well. It goes as far as Endoran, but it stops at Mendova for a few minutes to let travelers get out or in. It is called The Flying Bluebird. It reaches Mendova at seven minutes past nine in the morning, and it is never late.
A ship leaves Mendova at half past eleven, and so you will understand that The Flying Bluebird suits me very well. I always travel by it, and I have nearly two and a half hours at Mendova to go from the station to the ship. That is more than enough time.
Well, one September night, I took my place in The Flying Bluebird as usual. The train leaves Paris at nine o’clock every night, and I was in my place soon after half past eight. There were three or four people there with me, but very soon a lot of others got into the train. When no more people could sit down, they began to stand up near us and also in the corridor(走廊). In a short time the corridor was full too, and it was impossible for any more travelers to get into the train.
I could see a lot of other people outside the corridor windows, but they could not get in, and the train left Paris without them. The man sitting next to me started to ask all kinds of questions: “Where do you work? How long does it take you to get there? Are you married? How many children do you have? How much money do they pay you every year? How much do you have in the bank? How much do you spend every month?”
He asked questions for about twenty minutes but I did not give him any clear answers, and at last he stopped and began to read the paper.
I usually sleep quite well in the train, but this time I slept only a little. There were too many people, and there were too many things: small bags, large bags, coats, hats, boxes, newspapers and food. As usual, we got angry about the window. Most people wanted it shut, and two of us wanted it open. But that always happens. It was shut all night, as usual.
When I awoke in the early morning I felt hot and dirty, and glad that the journey was reaching its end. At seven minutes past nine The Flying Bluebird stopped. We were at Mendova, and I stood up thankfully. I took my two suitcases, held one in each hand, and tried to move towards the door into the corridor. In order to get out of the train, I had to pass down the corridor to the door at the far end. There was no other way out.
I could not even into the corridor. There was a suitcase on the floor by my feet, and three men were standing in my way. I felt a touch of fear. I had to get out, you see; I had to catch my ship, which left at half past eleven. And the train did not stop again until it reached Endoran, two hundred miles away.
“I must get out!” I cried. Everyone there understood me, but no one could move.
At last I was able to put one foot over the suitcase on the floor, and I nearly reached the door into the corridor. But then, very slowly, the train began to move. It was taking me away!
“Stop!” I cried. “I want to get out!” But no one outside the train could hear me, and the people inside did not care much. The train moved a little faster. What could I do? I was not even in the corridor.
Fear made me think quickly. In front of my eyes, just, above the door, was a notice that told everyone how to stop the train. I had to pull an iron thing near the notice. I did not waste time. I pulled it.
Well, a noise started above our heads. That was to show everyone that there was something wrong. It was not a small sound. Possibly the men in my ship two miles away could hear it. Then the train stopped.
No one likes to stop a train if there is no need. But I had to catch my ship. That was the only thought in my mind: to get out and catch my ship.The purpose of the author writing the first paragraph is to _______.
| A．answer some questions |
| B．arouse (激发) the readers’ curiosity |
| C．express some unusual feelings |
| D．give some advice in advance |
What do we know about the author and the man sitting next to him?
| A．The author didn’t like the man’s foolish questions |
| B．They talked with each other all night |
| C．They got angry about the window |
| D．The author didn’t understand the man’s words |
On this journey on The Flying Bluebird, the author felt uncomfortable because _______.
| A．he couldn’t find a seat by the window |
| B．he was angry with the man sitting next to him |
| C．the window was kept shut all night |
| D．there were too many people on the train |
It can be learned from Para.10 that the author was afraid that ______.
| A．he would have to spend another sleepless night on the train |
| B．more people might crowd into the train |
| C．he would miss the ship that went where he worked |
| D．he would have to buy another ticket |
The noise in the underlined sentence “a noise started above our heads”(Para.15) was made by ________.
| A．the angry passengers shouting at the top of their voices |
| B．the ship that was lying two miles away |
| C．the falling of boxes and suitcases to the floor |
| D．the train itself telling people that something was wrong |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．A Train that Is Never Late |
| B．A Quick and Wise Decision |
| C．A Journey to Mendov |
| D．A Bad Experience on the Train |
Study Books
Basic Study Manual Hardcover (精装书)：$ 37
Future success depends on the ability to learn. Here are the answers to the questions most often asked by parents, teachers, business trainers and by students themselves. Read this book and learn:
What the three barriers (障碍) to study are and what to do about them.
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Buy and read Basic Study Manual and use it do dramatically improve your ability to study.
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L. Ron Hubbard’s study technology for children opens the door to their future success by giving them the ability to study and learn. Fully illustrated (说明，阐明) for easy comprehension.
Learning How to Learn Hardcover: $25
The basics of effective study for 8 to 12-year-olds, fully illustrated. Children who read and apply the materials in this book regain their liking for study and their ability to apply this knowledge in life. Get this book for a child you want to see win at his studies!
How to Use a Dictionary Picture Book for Children Hardcover: $36
In spite of billions of dollars spent on “educational research”, children are not taught the most basic skills of learning, even the most basic of these: how to use a dictionary. In fact, a research of educational books for children found no book that told them how to use a dictionary or that one should. Written for children 8 to 12-year-olds, this fully illustrated book will teach your child:
How to find words in a dictionary.
The different ways that words are used.
What the different marks and symbols that are used in a dictionary mean.
How to use a dictionary to correctly pronounce words.
It includes a section for parents and teachers showing you how to use this book with children. Buy this book and give it to your children to unlock their education. What’s more, you will just pay 50% for it before May 1, 2014.According to the advertisements, the four books are all intended for ____.
| A．teachers | B．children | C．adults | D．women |
Some of the four books were illustrated in order to _______.
| A．persuade foreigners to buy all of them |
| B．reduce the cost of them |
| C．help readers understand them and make a better choice |
| D．make them suitable to different reader. |
If you buy the four books on April 30, 2014, you will have to pay ______ for them.
| A．$ 130 | B．$ 112 | C．$ 65 | D．$ 18 |
The purpose of the passage is to _______.
| A．show readers how to use the four books |
| B．help children to learn English |
| C．enrich students knowledge about nature |
| D．sell the four books to students. |
If you get into the forest with your friends, stay with them always. If you don’t, you may get lost. If you really get lost, this is what you should do. Sit down and stay where you are. Don’t try to find your friends—let them find you by staying in one place.
There is another way to help your friends or other nearby people to find you. Give them a signal (信号) by shouting or whistling (吹口哨) three times. Any signal given three times is a call for help.
Keep up shouting or whistling always three times together. When people hear you, they will know that you are not just making noise for fun. They will let you know that they have heard your signal. They give you two shouts, two whistles, or two gun-shots (枪声). When someone gives you a signal, it is an answer to a call for help.
If you don’t think that you will get help before night comes, try to make a little house---cover up to the holes with branches (树枝) with lots of leaves. Make yourself a soft bed with leaves and grass.
What should you do if you get hungry or need drinking water? You would have to leave your little house to look for a river. Don’t just walk away. Pick off small branches and drop them as you walk so that you can find your way back. The most important thing to do when you are lost is—stay in one place.If you are lost in the forest, you should _______.
| A．walk around the forest and shout so that your friends could hear you |
| B．try to find your friends as soon as possible |
| C．stay where you are and give signals three times |
| D．try to get out of the forest and shout for help |
If you want to let people believe that you are not just making noise for fun, you should _______.
| A．tell people that you are lost |
| B．shout or whistle three times |
| C．keep up shouting or whistling |
| D．shout at the top of your voice |
When you hear two shouts, or whistles, or gunshots, __________.
| A．it is an answer to your call for help |
| B．you can whistle three times |
| C．you should shout more loudly |
| D．you should try to run to them |
When you want to leave your place to get drinking water, you should ________.
| A．just go to the river |
| B．find some glasses or bottles before you go |
| C．make a fire so that you can have some tea |
| D．leave marks so that you can find your way back |
This passage mainly tells you __________.
| A．when you hear a signal always three times, it is a call for help |
| B．any signal given twice means an answer to a call for help |
| C．how you can live longer in a forest |
| D．What you should do if you get lost in a forest |
More and more people are taking their iPads to bed with them to surf the web, check facebook or send e-mails before switching off the light. But researchers are warning that the blue light their screens give off can stop users getting a good night’s sleep. That is because this type of light is similar to daylight, convincing the brain that it is still daytime. Blue light prevents the production of a brain chemical called melatonin, which helps us fall asleep. By contrast, light which is more orange or red does not prevent melatonin production, perhaps because our brains recognize it as a cue that the day ends.
Scientists have known for years that staring at screens late in the evening can affect sleep ---- they are television screens, computer screens or mobile phone screens. However, because mobiles and iPads are by nature portable ---- not to say addictive ---- more people are taking them into the bedroom. Users also tend to hold them much closer to their eyes than a computer or television screen.
Researchers are warning that looking at iPad displays for more than two hours leads to lower natural melatonin levels as the devices give off blue light. They say, “Turning off the devices at night is the final solution. But if you have to use these devices at night, dim the display to cut down irritation of the eyes and limit the time you spend on them before bed.”
They wrote in the journal Applied Ergonomics(应用人类工程学) that iPad makers should adjust the spectral power distribution(光谱功率分布) of the devices so that they affect the sleep patterns of users less.
It is not just a good night’s sleep that could be harmed by too much late night screen time. Researchers know that long-term harm to sleep patterns can lead to an increased risk of obesity and even cancers.Blue light prevents iPad users from sleeping well because ____.
| A．it is the same as daylight which keeps people awake |
| B．it makes the brain more active |
| C．it is brighter than light that is more orange or red |
| D．it can help decrease the production of melatonin |
The underlined phrase “dim the display” means ____.
| A．keep away from the display |
| B．make the display less bright |
| C．clean the display carefully |
| D．turn off the display |
In the last paragraph, the author intends to ____.
| A．warn of the seriousness of long-term poor sleep |
| B．call on researchers to study sleep patterns |
| C．show the danger of obesity and cancers |
| D．show how sleep is harmed by using iPads too much |
What’s the main idea of the passage?
| A．Scientists are warning that blue light is bad for our health. |
| B．People should limit the use of electronic devices |
| C．Using iPads before bed can cause a poor night’s sleep. |
| D．Looking at screens of iPads increase chances of sleeplessness. |
When it comes to problem solving, many of us have heard of the skills of the crow (乌鸦) in Aesop’s Fables (《伊索寓言》).
In the story, a thirsty crow comes across a bottle of water, but the water level (水平面) is out of its reach. The bird then drops small stones into it until the water level rises enough for the bird to drink.
“Oh, it’s just a fable,” you may think. After all, it’s hard to imagine birds knowing about “problem solving”.
But new research has found that crows’ brains may sometimes be better than those of 6-year-old children.
In a recent experiment, US scientist Corina Logan and her team caught six crows to test them. There were two tubes (试管) of water, one wide and the other narrow (窄的). Each crow was given four stones, enough to help them get the water in the narrow tube, but not the wide one.
Surprisingly, the crows dropped all or most of the stones into the narrower tube and got the food reward! They had found out the cause-and-effect relationship.Using such brains, crows are making their lives easier. For example, some crows in cities have learned to use road traffic for breaking nuts, National Geographic News reported.
But how are their wits (智力) compared to humans’? Logan’s team did another experiment, this time on both crows and children.
Here, the crows and children had to choose between two sets of tubes.
With the red set, when they dropped a stone into a wide tube, the water level raised in a connected narrow tube that contained food.
The blue set of tubes, however, had no connection between them. So dropping a stone in the wide tube did not cause the water level to rise in the narrow tube.
Children aged 7 to 10 were able to learn the rule. Children aged 4 to 6, however, failed.
Five of the six crows failed the test. But Kitty, a 6-month-old crow, passed it. She put all or most of the stones into the red tube.
So, could a bird be more clever than a kindergartner? Don’t be too quick to say no.Why is Aesop’s Fables mentioned in the beginning of the article?
| A．To introduce the idea that crows are smart. |
| B．To show that fables about crows are wrong. |
| C．To explain why crows can solve problems. |
| D．To prove that crows can be better than babies at problem solving. |
What have Logan’s team found out from their recent experiments?
| A．Crows prefer to get their food reward from wider tubes. |
| B．Crows are able to understand or learn cause and effect relationships. |
| C．Crows can easily recognize the tubes with a food reward inside. |
| D．Some crows even make use of road traffic to help them break nuts. |
What can we learn from the experiment on crows and children?
| A．Five of the six crows threw stones into the red tube. |
| B．Children aged 6 did better than children aged 4. |
| C．One crow passed the test while the younger children didn’t. |
| D．Some crows proved to be more clever than children aged 10. |
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