In this age of Internet chat, videogames and reality television, there is no shortage of mindless activities to keep a child occupied．Yet, despite the competition, my 8-year-old daughter Rebecca wants to spend her leisure time writing short stories．She wants to enter one of her stories into a writing contest, a competition she won la
st year．
As a writer I know about winning contests, and about losing them．I know what it is like to work hard on a story only to receive a rejection slip form the publishers. I also know the pressures of trying to live up to a reputation created by previous victories．What if she doesn't 
win the contest again? That's the strange thing about being a parent．So many of our own past scars and dashed hopes can surface．
A revelation （启示） came last week when I asked her, "Don't you want to win again?" "No," she replied, "I just want to tell the story of an angel （天使） going to first grade.”
I had just spent weeks correcting her stories as she naturally told them．Telling myself that I was merely an experienced writer guiding the young writer across the hall, I offered suggestions for characters, conflicts （冲突） and endings for her tales．The story about a fearful angel starting first grade was quickly "guided” by me into the tale of a little girl with a wild imagination taking her first music lesson．I had turned her contest into my contest without even realizing it．
Staying back and giving kids space to grow is not as easy as it looks．Because I know very little about farm animals who use tools or angels who go to first grade, I had to accept the fact that I was co-opting （借用） my daughter's experience．
While stepping back was difficult for me, it was certainly a good first step that I will quickly follow with more steps, putting myself far enough away to give her room but close enough to help when asked．All the while I will be reminding myself that children need room to experiment, grow and find their own voices．.
What do we learn from the first paragraph?
| A．Children do find lots of fun in many mindless activities． |
| B．Rebecca is much too busy to enjoy her leisure time． |
| C．Rebecca draws on a lot of online materials for her writing． |
| D．A lot of recreations compete for children's time nowadays． |
.
What did the author say about her own writing experience?
| A．She didn't quite live up to her reputation as a writer． |
| B．Her way to success was full of pains and frustrations． |
| C．She was constantly under the pressures of writing more． |
| D．Most her stories had been rejected by publishers． |
.
．The author took great efforts to correct her daughter's stories because ________．
| A．She believed she had the knowledge and experience to offer guidance |
| B．she didn't want to disappoint her daughter who needed her help so much |
| C．she wanted to help her daughter realize her dream of becoming a writer |
| D．she was afraid her daughter's imagination might run wild while writing |
.
What's the author's advice for parents?
A．A writing career, though attractive, is not for every child to pursue． |
| B．Children should be allowed freedom to grow through experience． |
| C．Parents should keep an eye on the activities their kids engage in． |
| D．Children should be given every chance to voice their opinions |
April 27 is Take Our Daughters to Work Day in Britain. Started at first in the United States and brought to Britain in 1994, Take Our Daughters to Work Day has become a special day for girls between 11 and 15. On that day thousands of girls take a day off school and go together with one of their parents to their work places. The purpose of this day is to broaden girls' horizons（视野）and raise their self-confidence.
For many years people have thought that boys can do better than girls in society. But actually, “girls can be whatever they want to be just like boys, whether it is a pilot, a nurse or a chief executive(主管).”says the chairman of the Our Sons and Daughters Charitable Trust, an organization which supported the activity of the Day. “Now the girls have a close look at what their parents are doing and this may help them to be more self-confident when they are faced with a choice of work."
Schools and many companies support the activity too. Palmers Green High School for girls in north of London, has made the day a necessary part of careers education.
Zarina Bart, 15, from Palmers Green, went with her mother Gwen to her Lawyer's office this year's Take Our Daughters to Work Day. "I learned how to fill in a legal aid form and I read details of a case. Then I went to see the actual trial." she said.
Zarina found it interesting to see her mother at work. “It's really strange seeing Mum at work--running around, getting serious and telling people what to do.” She has always liked this idea of going into law and thinks it likely that she will follow in her mother’s footsteps. Having a chance to see how her mother works has given her more self-confidence.
Experts believe that girls with higher self-confidence aim higher and are more likely to be successful in life. Parents have important effect on the confidence of teenage girls. If parents believe in their daughters and show examples both at work as well as at home for them, this will give a lot of help to girls. Take Our Daughters to Work Day is surely a step in the right direction.The writer’s purpose in writing this text is to ______.
| A．tell how the special day for girls came into be. |
| B．show us the girls can do as well as boys. |
| C．introduce a special day for girls to us. |
| D．broaden girls’ view and raise their confidence. |
According to the chairman of the Our Sons and Daughters Charitable Trust, ______.
| A．girls can do as well as boys in any field. |
| B．girls need more opportunities in society compared to boys. |
| C．girls will follow their parents’ jobs after watching them work. |
| D．girls will be more confident than boys due to the special day. |
A particular mention of Zarina’s story ______.
| A．tells what a woman lawyer’s daily work is like |
| B．serves as an example of how the Day works. |
| C．shows a successful mother’s effect on the daughter. |
| D．explains why a girl should go to see mum's office rather than dad. |
In the text the writer especially suggests the importance of ______.
| A．parents’ job. |
| B．support from society. |
| C．understanding of the parents. |
| D．girls’ self-confidence. |
Technology has totally transformed our ability to communicate with each other. Linking to each other both literally and figuratively, many of us connect through cell phones, email, instant messaging, blogs, and networking web sites, yet we may be less connected to each other than we think.
According to a study, Americans are becoming increasingly socially isolated(孤立的). The study suggests, for example, that one quarter of Americans say that they have no one to discuss important personal issues with, and that the number of close friends that Americans have has dropped from three to two. Meanwhile, the Boston Globe reports that this spreading isolation is experienced more sharply among those with less education, people of color, and older Americans. Unsurprisingly, those who are young, white, and well educated tend to have stronger social networks.
From my own experience I have to say that I’ve never felt more connected, thanks to a web of friends, family, and colleagues. One of my closest friends is someone I met through an online discussion group who lives hundreds of miles away from me. We have met face-to-face only twice, yet our regular electronic correspondence and cell phone calls maintain our close friendship. And, speaking of blogging, my blog has introduced me to people I would never have met otherwise and has led to enduring and important friendships.
On the other hand, I recently saw a scene unfold that proved to me how deeply disconnected we as Americans have become. I had just wrapped up a presentation on mediation at a family therapy (治疗) center.
As I was leaving, I noticed a mother and her teenage son who had just completed their session with their family therapist. After making their next appointment, they both took out their cell phones, placed calls, and began loud conversations with whoever was on the other end. I walked out behind them to the parking lot to my car. They both jumped into their cars, and, as I saw them drive off, they were still talking on their cell phones but not to each other.What does the passage lead you to believe?
| A．Americans are more socially isolated today. |
| B．Americans are more socially connected today. |
| C．Americans don’t make good use of technology. |
| D．Technology plays a bigger role in American society. |
Which of the following has nothing to do with the isolation among Americans?
| A．Sex. | B．Education. | C．Skin color. | D．Age. |
What is true about the mother and son in the passage?
| A．They came for therapy in the same car. |
| B．They were quite close to each other. |
| C．There was not much communication between them. |
| D．They preferred talking to each other on cell phones. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．The writer is totally against the modern technology. |
| B．The mother and the son have finished their family therapist and get a better relationship. |
| C．As far as the writer is concerned, he has benefited a lot from the modern technology. |
| D．Those black and well-educated people have stronger social network than aged white people. |
Winners Club---You choose to be a winner!
The Winners Club is a bank account specially designed for teenagers. It has been made to help you better manage your money. The Winners Club is a transaction account(交易账户)where you receive a key-card so you can get to your money 24/7 – that’s 24 hours a day, 7 days a week!
It’s a club with impressive features for teenagers:
No account keeping fees!
You’re no millionaire so we don’t expect you to pay large fees. In fact, there are no account keeping or transaction fees!
Convenient!
Teenagers are busy – we get that. You may never need to come to a bank at all. You can have money directly deposited into your Winners Club account.
Mega magazine included!
Along with your regular report, you will receive a FREE magazine full of good ideas to make even more of your money. There are also fantastic offers and competitions only for Winners Club members.
The Winners Club is a great choice for teenagers. And it is so easy to join. Simply fill in an application form. You will have to get permission from your parent or guardian (监护人)(so we can organize that cool key-card) but it is easy. We can’t wait to hear from you. It’s the best way to choose to be a winner!The Winners Club is a bank account intended for ________.
| A．parents | B．winners | C．teenagers | D．adults |
Which of the following is TRUE about the Winners Club?
| A．Special gifts are ready for parents. |
| B．The bank opens only on work days. |
| C．Services are convenient for its members. |
| D．Fees are necessary for the account keeping. |
The Winners Club provides magazines which ________.
| A．encourage spending |
| B．are free to all teenagers |
| C．help to make more of your money |
| D．are full of adventure stories |
If you want to be a member of the Club, you must ________.
| A．be an Internet user |
| B．be in your twenties |
| C．have a big sum of money |
| D．be permitted by your parent or guardian. |
Have you ever wondered about people’s names? Where do they come from? What do they mean?
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 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(祖先) 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 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 do the surnames in the passage NOT cover?
| A．Places where people lived. |
| B．People’s occupations. |
| C．Talents that people possessed. |
| D．People’s characters. |
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 contains |
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．Donald Greenwood | B．Leonard Carter |
| C．George Longstreet | D．Beatrice Smith |
The underlined word “descendants” in the last paragraph means a person’s _______.
| A．later sponsors | B．later generations |
| C．friends and relatives | D．colleagues and partners |
Louis Armstrong had two famous nicknames (绰号). Some people called him Bagamo. They said his mouth looked like a large bag. Musicians often called him Pops, as a sign of respect for his influence (影响) on the world of music .
Born in 1901 in New Orleans, he grew up poor, but lived among great musicians. Jazz was invented in the city a few years before his birth. Armstrong often said,” Jazz and I grew up together.”
Armstrong showed a great talent (天赋) for music when he was taught to play the cornet (短号) at a boy’s home. In his late teens, Armstrong began to live the life of a musician. He played in parades, clubs, and on the steamboats that traveled on the Mississippi River. At that time, New Orleans was famous for the new music of jazz and was home to many great musicians. Armstrong learned from the older musicians and soon became respected as their equal.
In 1922 he went to Chicago. There, the tale of Louis Armstrong began. From then until the end of his life, Armstrong was celebrated and loved wherever he went. Armstrong had no equal when it came to playing the American popular song.
His cornet playing had a deep humanity (仁爱) and warmth that caused many listeners to say, “Listening to Pops just makes you feel good all over.” He was the father of the jazz style (风格) and also one of the best-known and most admired people in the world. His death, on July 6, 1971, was headline news around the world.Armstrong was called Pops because he _______________.
| A．looked like a musician | B．traveled to play modern music |
| C．showed an interest in music | D．was a musician of much influence |
The third paragraph is developed ________________.
| A．by time | B．by examples | C．by space | D．by comparison |
Which statement about Armstrong is true?
| A．His tale began in New Orleans. |
| B．His music was popular with his listeners. |
| C．He was born before jazz was invented. |
| D．He learned popular music at a boy’s home. |
Which would be the best title for the text?
| A．The Father of the Jazz Style | B．The Making of a Musician |
| C．The Spread of Popular Music | D．The Invention of the Jazz Music |
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