Chinese are very generous when it comes to educating their children. Not caring about the money, parents often send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England, the USA or Australia. They also want their children to take extra courses or activities where they will either learn a musical instrument or ballet, or other classes that will give them a head start in life. So parents will spend unreasonable amount of money on education.
However, what most parents fail to see is that the best education they can give their children is usually very cheap.
Parents can see that their children’s skills vary. Some children are skilled in some areas while poor in others.
The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but not teaching them the most important skills: they need to be confident, happy and clever.
Parents can achieve this by teaching practical skills like cooking, sewing and doing other housework.
Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need 
later in life. It is an enjoyable but difficult experience. A good cook always tries to improve his cooking, so he will learn to work hard and gradually finish his job successfully. The result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and a lot of confidence.
Some old machines, such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your child to play with will make him curious and arouse his interest. he will spend hours looking at them, trying to fix them; your child might become an engineer when he grows up. And that is more important.
| A．The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is. |
| B．These activities are teaching a child not only to read a book, but also to think , to use his mind. |
| C．What most parents fail to realize ，though ,is that today’s children lack self-respect and self-confidence. |
| D．Even poor couples will buy a computer for their son or daughter. |
E. The more cost in education, the better the result will be.
F. Cooking demands patience and time.
On the morning of November 18, 1755, an earthquake shock Boston. John Winthrop, a professor at Harvard College, felt the quake and awoke. “I rose”, Winthrop wrote, “and lighted a candle, looked at my watch, and found it to be 15minutes after four.” John Winthrop hurried downstairs to the grandfather clock. It had stopped three minutes before, at 4:12. Except for stopping the clock, the quake had only thrown a key from the mantel(壁炉台) to the floor.
The clock had stopped because Winthrop had put some long glass tubes he was using for an experiment into the case for safekeeping. The quake had knocked the tubes over and blocked the pendulum(钟摆).Winthrop, therefore, had the key on the floor. The quake had thrown it forward in the direction of the quake’ s motion by a shock coming from the northwest, perhaps in Canada.What does “it” in the second paragraph refer to?
| A．the floor | B．the key | C．the clock | D．the case |
The selection suggests that .
| A．earthquakes are common in Boston |
| B．John Winthrop was a scientist |
| C．John Winthrop often had difficulty in sleeping |
| D．Harvard College was a center for earthquake researching |
Professor Winthrop ran downstairs because he wanted to know what had happened to .
| A．the clock | B．his grandfather | C．the key | D．the glass tubes |
John Winthrop put some tubes into this clock case because .
| A．he wanted to do an experiment |
| B．he thought an earthquake was probably to happen soon |
| C．he thought it safe for them to be put there |
| D．he wanted to record the exam time of the earthquake |
The aims of the Illustrators’(插图画家的)Exhibition, staged as part of the Bologna Children’s Book Fair, organized by BolognaFiere and held from 23to 26 December 2011,are to bring illustrators and publishers together and to promote illustrators and their works among publishers.
QUALIFICATIONS
·Individual illustrators or groups of illustrators of any nationality, if they were born before 31st December 1992, whose artwork is intended foe use in children’s books, are qualified to enter the Exhibition, either directly or through publishing houses or schools.
·Please state in the application form whether you are entering work for the Fiction or Nonfiction Category. Illustrators may only enter one category.
·Artwork previously presented to the Exhibition may not be re-entered.
·The confirmation(确认) form must be filled in and a photograph attached, then presented together with illustrations no later than 15 October 2011.
SHIPMENT
Entries may be delivered by post, express delivery service or by hand. From abroad, please use the following forms: Form “A” for registered mail or post by air; Form “B” if using an international forwarding agent or airline.
To avoid delays, material should not be sent by normal post. Material should be sent “carriage (运费) paid”, including any customs and delivery costs.
BolognaFiere may not be held responsible for the non-arrival or late arrival of artwork. all published works must be accompanied by a declaration bearing the ISBN number, publisher’s name and address.
REQUIREMENTS
The illustrations(i.e. the size of the sheet)must not exceed(超过) the following dimensions:
Fiction:
32×42 cm( or 42 × 32 cm)
Non-fiction:
50 ×70 cm ( 70 × 50cm)
Illustrations in larger formats will not be considered, nor will they be returned by BolognaFiere. The illustrations must be on paper or flexible board, maximum thickness 2mm( for scanner separation purposes).
SELECTION PROCESS
All artwork received by the stated deadline and meeting the specified requirements will be examined and selected by an international group ( whose decision is final ), including five members ( from publishing house and art schools ) appointed each year by BolognaFiere.
EXHIBITIONS ABROAD
After the Bologna event, the Illustrators Exhibition will travel to Japan under the supervision of JBBY. The Illustrators Exhibition may afterwards be transferred to other venues in other countries. The exhibitions of illustrations held abroad follow the same rules and regulations as the Illustrators Exhibition, and the provisions (条款) of the regulations are extended to the organizers 
of the exhibitions held abroad.
RETURN OF ARTWORK
All the works will be returned to their owners by BolognaFiere or directly by the organizers of the exhibitions and held abroad by the end of July 2012.Which of the following of the Illustrators’ Exhibition is true?
| A．It will last five days in all in July every other year. |
| B．is intended for college students who are good at painting. |
| C．is held by the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in BolognaFiere. |
D． can strengthen the relationship between illustrators and publishers. |
The illustrators of the Illustrators Exhibition __________.
| A．should be at least 16 and no more than 25 |
| B．may re-enter their artwork after it is returned |
| C．should state the category of their artwork clearly |
| D．may choose to attach a photo to the application form |
Which of the following is unacceptable for delivering entries?
| A．Normal post | B．Airline post | C．Registered mail | D．Express delivery |
What is BolognaFiere responsible for?
| A．Paying for the delivery costs | B．Late arrival of artwork |
| C．Confirmation of ISBN number | D．Returning the illustrators’works. |
The illustrators’works will not be considered if they ________.
| A．are received after the day of 15 October 2011 |
| B．are smaller than the required size |
| C．have already been published abroad before. |
| D．don’t meet the demands of the internationals experts. |
“What is the most important thing you’ve done in your life?”The question was put to me during a presentation I gave to a group of lawyers.
The answer came to me in an instant. It’s not the one I gave, because the situation was not right. As a lawyer in the entertainment industry, I knew the audience wanted to hear some amusing stories about my work with well-known people. but here’s the true answer:
The most important thing I’ve ever done occurred on October 8,1990. I began the day playing tennis with an old friend I hadn’t seen for a while. Between points we talked about what had been happening in each other’s lives. He and his wife had just had a baby boy, who was keeping them up at night.
While we were playing, a car came screaming up the road toward the courts. It was my friend’s father, who shouted to my friend that his baby had stopped breathing and was being rushed to the hospital. In a flash my friend was
in the car and gone, disappearing in a cloud of dust.
For a moment I just stood there, paralyzed(呆若木鸡). Then I tried to figure out what I should do. Follow my friend to the hospital? There was nothing I could accomplish there, I convinced myself. My friend’s son was in the care of doctors and nurses, and nothing I could do or say would affect the outcome. Be there for moral support? Well, maybe. But my friend and his wife both had large families, and I knew they’d be surrounded by relatives who would provide more than enough comfort and support, whatever happened. All I could do at the hospital, I decided, was to get in the way. Also, I had planned a full day with my family, who were waiting for me to get home. So I decided to head back to my house and check in my friend later.
As I started my car, I realized that my friend had left his truck and keys at the courts. I now faced another problem. I couldn’t leave the keys in the truck. So I decided to go to the hospital and give him the keys.
When I arrived, I was directed to a room where my friend and his wife were waiting. As I had thought, the room was filled with family members silently watching my friend comfort his wife. I went in and stood by the door, trying to decide what to do next. Soon a doctor appeared. He approached my friend and his wife, and in a quiet voice told them that their son had died.
For a long time the two held each other and cried, unaware of the rest of us standing around in pained silence. After they had calmed themselves, the doctor suggested they spend a few moments with their son.
My friend and his wife stood up and walked past their families. When they reached the door, my friend saw me standing in the corner. He came over and hugged me and started to cry. My friend’s wife hugged me, too, and said , “Thanks for being here.”
For the rest of that morning, I sat in the emergency room of that hospital and watched my friend and his wife hold the body of their infant son, and say goodbye.
It’s the most important thing I have ever done.
The experience taught me two lessons.
First: The most important thing I’ve ever done happened when I was completely helpless. None of the things I had learned in university, in three years of law school or in six years of legal practice were of any use in that situation. Something terrible was happening to people I cared about, and I was powerless to change the outcome. All I could do was standing by and watching it happen. And yet it was critical that I do just that--- just be there when someone needed me.
Second: The most important thing I’ve done almost didn’t happen because of things I had learned in classroom and professional life. Law school taught me how to take a set of facts, break them down and organized them. These skills are critical for lawyers. When people come to us for help, they’re often stressed out and depend on a lawyer to think logically. But while learning to think, I almost forget how to feel. Today I have no doubt that I should have leapt into my car without hesitation and followed my friend to the hospital.
From that one experience I learned that the most important thing in life isn’t the money you make, the status you attain or the honors you achieve. The most important thing in life is the kids’ team you coach or the poem you write----or the time when you’re just somebody’s friend. When he was asked about the most important thing he had done in life at a presentation, the author __________.
A felt it was not an interesting question
B. thought for a while and spoke his mind
C. gave an answer from a lawyer’s point of view
D. didn’t give the real answerWhen he saw his friend rush to the hospital, the author could not decide whether to follow mainly because he thought _________.
| A．He had to stay with his family | B．His friend did not need his help. |
| C．He would not be of much help | D．the baby would be in the doctor’s care |
What can we infer from the author’s description of the scene at the hospital?
| A．He found out that he was in the way. |
| B．He would have felt guilty if he had not been there. |
| C．He regretted that he went too later. |
| D．His friend would have felt better if he had not been there. |
Which of the following is conveyed in this story?
| A．Family and relatives can not take the place of friends. |
| B．More people are a great comfort when one is in trouble. |
| C．It is best to be here when someone needs you. |
| D．You can certainly help a friend if you want to. |
The author learned from his own experience that_______.
| A．what is taught in school is usually of no use. |
| B．a lawyer cannot learn much in classrooms |
| C．a lawyer should know people’s feeling first |
| D．he needs to be able to feel as well as think logically |
The underlined sentence in the last paragraph suggests that the author_______.
| A．is fond of writing poems |
| B．is going to coach the kid’s team |
| C．is determined to make friends with everybody |
| D．is fully aware of the importance of being helpful to those in need |
The first time I saw Carlos I would never have believed he was going to change my life. I had my arms full of books and I was tearing into the classroom when 1 ran into something solid. It was Carlos.
“My God, you’re tall,” he said.
Of course, the class began to laugh. Angry, I walked to my seat without a word.
I glanced back to see if Reed Harrington was laughing with the rest. That would be the last straw. But Reed was studying chemistry and did not seem to be aware of anything else. I didn’t know why I considered Reed my friend. Maybe just because he was a good two inches taller than I. Anyway, every time I blew out my birthday candles and made a wish, it was for a date with Reed Harrington.
“Take that seat，” Mr. McCarthy told the cocky newcomer Carlos，pointing to the only empty one，in the back of the room.
Carlos laughed widely. “But I need a couple of dictionaries.” Again the class laughed, but now they were laughing with Carlos，not at him. He had been here only 10 minutes and already he had them on his side.
The bell rang for classes. As I stood up to go, I saw Carlos coming toward me. “ I’ sorry I embarrassed you,” he said. I looked straight head over the top of his black hair. “That’s all right.”
“ I ought to know better.” He was still blocking my way.” What’s your name?”“Karen Forbes.”“ You probably heard me say I’m Carlos Herrera.” He held out his hand. Unwillingly, I shook hands with him. He looked up at me seriously with his brown eyes.”“ I don’t see why you’re so touchy.”
I brushed by him and said sharply, “You wouldn’t understand.”
He followed me a few steps. “I’m just the one who should, Karen,” he said. “ You and I have a lot in common.”
It was the school elections that made me think of Carlos again. Reed Harrington was voted president and Carlos vice-president. “How come?” I kept asking myself,” How come this shrimp who’s only been in town for a little over a month gets to be so popular?”
So that morning，I stopped Carlos and said，“It doesn’t seem to bother you — being short.” He looked up at me, “Of course I mind being short. But there isn’t anything I can do about it. When I realized I was going to have to spend my life in this undersized skin，I just decided to make the best of it and concentrate on being myself.”“You seem to get along great,” I admitted, “But what about me? Nobody wants to date a girl taller than he is.”“The trouble with you is that you’re afraid to be yourself. You’re smart. And you could be pretty. In fact, you might be more than pretty.” I felt myself turning red…The author was angry because ________.
| A．the class made fun of her | B．Carlos was too rude to her |
| C．she had to carry many books | D．Reed Harrington didn’t date her |
Which of the following about Carlos is NOT TRUE?
A．He was popular. |
B．He was new in the school. |
| C．He was shorter than the author. | D．He was chosen president in the school elections. |
The underlined word “ touchy” in paragraph 8 probably means________
| A．moved | B．cheerful | C．curious | D．annoyed |
We can infer from Paragraph 4 that the author ________.
| A．cared much about Reed’s attitude | B．hoped Reed was laughing with others |
| C．thought Reed was the same as others | D．couldn’t stand Carlos playing tricks on her |
According to the text, which is the most likely ending?
| A．Carlos and Reed became very good friends |
| B．Carlos and the author argued with each other. |
| C．The author changed her attitude towards Carlos. |
| D．Carlos was elected president of the student committee. |
LONDON----Here’s a new warning from health experts: Sitting is deadly.
Scientists are increasingly warning that sitting for prolonged periods — even if you also exercise regularly — could be bad for your health. And it doesn’t matter where the sitting takes place — at the office, at school, in the car or before a computer or TV — just the overall number of hours it occurs. Several studies suggest people who spend most of their days sitting are more likely to be fat, have a heart attack or even die.
In an editorial published this week in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, Elin EkblomBak of the Swedish School of Sport and Health Sciences suggested that authorities rethink how they define physical activity to highlight the dangers of sitting.
While health officials have issued guidelines recommending minimum amounts of physical activity, they haven’t suggested people try to limit how much time they spend in a seated position.
"After four hours of sitting, the body starts to send harmful signals," Ekblom-Bak said. She explained that genes regulating(调节) the amount of glucose（葡萄糖） and fat in the body start to shut down.
Even for people who exercise, spending long periods of time sitting at a desk is still harmful. Tim Armstrong, a physical activity expert at the World Health Organization, said people who exercise every day — but still spend a lot of time sitting — might get more benefit if that exercise were spread across the day, rather than in a single bout.（一回）
Still, in a study published last year that tracked more than 17,000 Canadians for about a dozen years, researchers found people who sat more had a higher death risk, independently of whether or not they exercised.
"We don’t have enough evidence yet to say how much sitting is bad," said Peter Katzmarzyk of the Pennington Biomedical Research Center in Baton Rouge, who led the Canadian study. "But it seems the more you can get up and interrupt this sedentary behavior, the better."
Figures from a U.S. survey in 2003-2004 found Americans spend more than half their time sitting, from working at their desks to sitting in cars.
Experts said more research is needed to figure out just how much sitting is dangerous, and what might be possible tooffset those effects.
"People should keep exercising because that has a lot of benefits," Ekblom-Bak said. "But when they’re in the office, they should try to interrupt sitting as often as possible," she said. What is the best title for the text?
| A．Not Sitting Too Much While Working | B．How To Avoid Sitting Too Much |
| C．Sitting Too Much Could Be Deadly | D．More And More People Sit Too Much |
According to the research,______________.
| A．the more time you spend in exercising in a single bout, the healthier you will be. |
| B．those who often sit too much are sure to grow fat or suffer from a heart attack. |
| C．regular exercise is effective to get rid of the side effect of sitting too much. |
| D．you had better not sit for more than four hours in a single bout. |
How does the danger of sitting too much affect the human body?
| A．It results in a higher death risk. |
| B．It increases glucose and fat in the body. |
| C．It makes a person unable to exercise long enough in a day. |
| D．It causes the gene to fail to balance the glucose and fat in the body. |
In the opinion of Ekblom-Bak, you’d better have a rest in the office by________.
| A．sending your friends e-mails |
| B．having a walk around your office |
| C．chatting online or playing computer games |
| D．listening to music with your head on the desk. |
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