Hundreds of secondary schools are using a controversial reward scheme which “bribes” (贿赂)pupils with iPods and DVD players to turn up in classes and do homework.
Almost one million schoolchildren have been issued with supermarket-style reward cards which allow them to collect good-behavior “points” and cash them in for prizes.
Schools taking part in the “Vivo Miles” scheme are spending several thousand pounds a year in an attempt to cut truancy (逃学) and promote achievements. The prizes are ultimately funded by the taxpayer, through school budgets. Nearly 500 secondary schools, one in six, have decided to take part in the scheme, which is intended to replace old-style rewards such as stickers and golden stars.
But the extent of rewards being offered in schools brought a warning that a generation of children is growing up expecting to be rewarded at every stage. Many youngsters are collecting points for ordinary achievements such as remembering to bring their PE kit and wearing the correct uniform.
Under the scheme, teachers award Vivo points—worth 1 penny each—according to the school’s policy. Schools typically spend￡4 to￡6 on prizes per pupil each year, although some commit considerably more. Most pupils accumulate between 400 and 600 Vivos a year. Vivo Miles insists it is “pretty rare” for a pupil to accumulate enough points to buy an iPod, which requires 3,100 Vivos.
But Chris McGovern, chairman of the Campaign for Real Education, said the scheme amounted to “bribery”. “It misleads children into thinking anything which requires effort has to have a special reward,” he said. “This ‘all must have prizes’ view is damaging to children in the long-term.” The scheme amounted to an “admission of failure” by schools. He said. “It shows a school has failed to convince children education is important.”The “Vivo Miles” scheme is aimed at ______________.
| A．increasing the income of the school |
| B．encouraging students to perform well at school |
| C．inviting more students to attend the school nearby |
| D．encouraging parents to donate to the school |
Those who oppose the “Vivo Miles” scheme think ______________.
| A．it helps control the problem of truancy |
| B．it teaches children the importance of saving |
| C．it will mislead children about efforts and rewards |
| D．it’s not easy to get more than 600 Vivos a year |
What’s the writer’s attitude towards the scheme?
| A．Supportive. | B．Opposed. | C．Unconcerned. | D．Objective. |
You can be proud of yourselves, even if you can only make one or two of these green changes. The goal here is to limit carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases, which are closely associated to the big problem of global-warming.
| Strategy 1: Bring your own cup to Starbucks |
|
| You'll get a 10-cent discount, and it's one less paper cup to end up in a dustbin. |
The store won't create more waste when they throw away a cup. |
| Strategy 2: Turn off your computer |
|
| When in standby mode, your PC is still using energy. |
Turning off a monitor for 40 hours a week may only save $ 5 a month, but it reduces CO2 by 750 pounds. |
| Strategy 3: Reuse plastic bags |
|
| Instead of throwing away 100 billion plastic bags a year, try and get a second, third, or tenth use out of them. Better yet, next time you shop, try a reusable bag. |
You're reducing pollution. The amount of oil it would take to make just 14 plastic bags would run your car for one mile. |
| Strategy 4: Use recycled paper in the bathroom |
|
| Most of the toilet paper we use is made from trees found in forests previously untouched by humans. |
If every household replaced one roll of toilet paper with a recycled one,424,000trees would still be standing. Look for eco paper towels too. |
| Strategy 5: Buy energy-efficient appliances(电器) |
|
| Replace the old fridge with an Energy Star appliance and you'll use 15 percent less energy. It might be a little expensive to buy, but you'll save money on your electricity bills and help the environment. |
If we all used one Energy Star appliance at home, it would be like planting 1.7 million acres of new trees. |
| Strategy 6: Plant a tree |
|
| Adding green to your garden is beautiful and earth-pleasing. |
Just one tree will help make cleaner air and save the environment from 5, 000 pounds of hot carbon dioxide each year. |
What is the best title for the passage?
| A．Strategies to Save Money |
| B．Ways to be Earth-Friendly |
| C．Strategies to End Global-Warming |
| D．Ways to Limit Carbon Dioxide |
According to the writer, what will happen if our PC is switched off when not in use?
| A．It will help to save a large amount of money. |
| B．It will help to reduce a great deal of CO2. |
| C．It will save the amount of oil that runs your car for a mile. |
| D．It will be like planting 1.7 million acres of new trees. |
Which strategies suggest recycling or reuse of things?
| A．Strategies 1 & 3. | B．Strategies 2 & 5. |
| C．Strategies 3 & 6. | D．Strategies 4 & 5. |
What benefits do these strategies have in common?
| A．They all help reduce the use of energy like electricity. |
| B．They all cut down the amount of the use of paper. |
| C．They all result in producing less greenhouse gases. |
| D．They all aid to preserve our trees and forest. |
Trying to leave work at the office is proving to be a challenge for many British workers，with research showing that heavy workloads，conflicts and bosses all make an appearance in dreams．
Work-related issues are the number one topic featuring in dreams，with colleagues invading shut．eye time more than celebrities．More than 20 per cent surveyed admitted that they regularly dream about their boss．One in three dreams about work when they are stressed in their job and a quarter stated that they dream about a colleague if there was a conflict with them earlier that day．
Of the 2,000 people surveyed，20 per cent dreamed more if they were under pressure or stressed．The research found that the average person dreams most nights，with only 12 per cent saying they never dream．However, dreams often leave people confused，with 52 per cent saying they do not make sense and 60 per cent wishing they could know what they mean．
Commenting on the survey carried out by One Poll for Premier Inn hotels，dreams expert Davina MacKail said：“Whether we are asleep or awake．a problem with a colleague or stress at work can really affect us．More than half of the nation stated that their dreams don’t make sense so I have worked with Premier Inn to make a Dream Dictionary to help dreamers to understand why they dream what they do and what those dreams mean．”
A spokesman for Premier Inn said：“It is really important to try to unwind after a hard day at work but that is easier said than done if something is playing on your mind．”What Can we infer about the British workers?
| A．Most of their dreams are work-related． |
| B．Some of them dream about work every night． |
| C．They dream of their colleagues more than their boss． |
| D．Their dreams involve work more than anything else． |
The survey shows that most people ．
| A．dream more under pressure |
| B．never dream at all |
| C．don’t understand their dreams |
| D．interpret their dreams well |
Davina MacKail expects people to use his Dream Dictionary when they ．
| A．have had a dream |
| B．want to prevent dreams |
| C．feel stressed and need relaxation |
| D．do research about dreams |
According to the spokesman for Premier Inn，it’s hard to relax if we ．
| A．dream about work while asleep |
| B．keep thinking hard |
| C．have sounds ringing in the mind |
| D．sleep in a noisy environment |
You've heard of the fat suit and the pregnancy suit；now meet AGNES—the old person suit．
AGNES stands for “Age Gain Now Empathy(换位体验) System” and was designed by researchers at MIT's AgeLab to let you know what it feels like—physically—to be 75 years old．“The business of old age demands new tools，”said Joseph Coughlin，director of the AgeLab．“While focus groups and observations and surveys can help you understand what the older consumer needs and wants，young marketers never get that‘Ah ha!’moment of having difficulty opening a jar, or getting in and out of a car．That’s what AGNES provides．”
Coughlin and his team carefully adjusted the suit to make the wearer just as uncomfortable as an old person who has spent a lifetime eating poorly and not doing much exercise．Special shoes provide a feeling of imbalance，while braces on the knees and elbows limit joint mobility．Gloves give the feeling of decreased strength and mobility in the hands and wrists，and earplugs make it difficult to hear high—pitched sounds and soft tones．A helmet with straps(带)attached to it presses the spine(脊柱)，and more straps attached to the shoes decrease hamstring flexibility, and shortens the wearer's step．
AGNES has been used most recently by a group of students working on a design of an updated walker．By wearing the suit they could see for themselves what design and materials would make the most sense for a physically limited older person．Coughlin said the suit has also been used by clothing companies，car companies and retail goods companies to help them understand the limitations of an older consumer．
“AGNES is not the destiny of everybody,” he said．“She is a badly behaved lady who didn't eat and exercise very well．A secondary benefit we’ve found with AGNES is that it has become a powerful tool to get younger people to invest in their long-term health．”AGNES has been developed to ．
| A．make the users more comfortable |
| B．1et us understand old people better |
| C．help old people move more quickly |
| D．produce new tools for the old-age business |
“An updated walker”(underlined)most likely refers to ．
| A．someone who travels a lot |
| B．a physically limited old person |
| C．some equipment that helps old people walk |
| D．a company whose service involves old people |
Which may be a fact resulting from the “secondary benefit” of AGNES?
| A．Young people respect old people． |
| B．Old-age business improves their service |
| C．Old people eat and exercise well． |
| D．Young people eat and exercise well． |
Sports Tickets
| Mon., Nov. 1st, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
New York Giants vs. Philadelphia Eagles |
$20~$850 |
| Mon., Nov. 1st, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
Miami Dolphins vs. New York Jets |
$35~$1000 |
| Mon., Nov. 8th, 2011 4:15 P.M. |
Sam Diego Chargers vs. New York Giants |
$40~$1500 |
| Mon., Nov. 15th, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
Jacksonville Kaguars vs. New York Jets |
$21~$6100 |
| Mon., Nov. 22nd, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
Atlanta Falcons vs. New York Giants |
$40~$19500 |
| Mon., Nov. 29th, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
Carolina Panthers vs. New York Jets |
$10~$12000 |
| Mon., Dec. 3rd, 2011 8:20 P.M. |
New York Jets vs. Buffalo Bills |
$97~$800 |
Volunteers Wanted!
We conduct studies to evaluate new medications for sleep disorder．Both healthy adults and patients suffering from insomnia are sought to participate in these studies．
You may be qualified to take part as a healthy adult volunteer if you are aged 18 or over and are willing to have your sleep patterns recorded．Further, if you meet these standards and also suffer from a little sleep disorder you may be able to sign our register of patients．
Warnings:
☆ Always control your child when he is first learning to skateboard．To best assist a beginner, hold one of the child’s hands and guide him along a smooth and level surface．
☆ A safety helmet and elbow, wrist and knee pads must always be worn while your child is skateboarding．
☆ Sneakers must always be worn while your child is skateboarding．Don’t let your child skate in bare feet, sandals or any other open-toed shoes．
☆ Never let your child skateboard in the street．
☆ Never tow skateboarders with a bicycle or a car．
☆ Skateboard only in daylight．
Parents, there is a Tropical Paradise for kids too!
The Pacific Islands Club knows something others don’t．Kids are on holiday and they want to be pampered （纵容）, too．Our kids’ Club of PIC Guam is free of charge and has both indoor and outdoor activities ensuring a really great time to children aged 4 to 12．Open daily from 09: 00 a．m．．Clubmates will accompany children to all of the exciting play areas．They will also love to join the other children for the special meals we have prepared just for them．If you want to watch a play by New York Jets but pay the least money, you should go _____．
| A．Mon., Nov.15th, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
| B．Mon., Nov.1st, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
| C．Mon., Nov.29th, 2011 1:00 P.M. |
| D．Fri., Dec.3rd, 2011 8:20 P.M. |
While your child is skateboarding, you should_____．
| A．lead him by the hand all the time． |
| B．let him put on open-toed shoes |
| C．require him to skateboard at night |
| D．forbid him to skateboard at night． |
We know from the text that PIC Guam______．
| A．charges children the least money． |
| B．offers meals especially to children． |
| C．only has indoor activities． |
| D．gets children alone to go to all the play areas． |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the text?
| A．New York Giants participates in four matches in November, 2011． |
| B．You can be a volunteer if you suffer diet disorder． |
| C．Skateboarding without helmet and knee pads is unwise． |
| D．There are no meals provided in Pacific Islands Club． |
After spending a year in Brazil on a student exchange program, her mother recalled, Marie Colvin returned home to find that her classmates had narrowed down their college choices. “Everyone else was already admitted to college,” her mother, Rosemarie Colvin, said from the family home. “So she took our car and drove up to Yale and said, ‘You have to let me in.’”
Impressed—she was a National Merit(全国英才) finalist who had picked up Portuguese in Brazil—Yaledid, admitting her to the class of 1978, where she started writing for The Yale Daily News “and decided to be a journalist,” her mother said.
On Wednesday, Marie Colvin, 56, an experienced journalist for The Sunday Times of London, was killed as Syrian forces shelled the city of Homs. She was working in a temporary media center that was destroyed in the attack.
“She was supposed to leave Syria on Wednesday”, Ms. Colvin said. “Her editor told me he called her yesterday and said it was getting too dangerous and they wanted to take her out. She said she was doing a story and she wanted to finish it. ”
Ms. Colvin said it was pointless to try to prevent her daughter from going to conflict zones. “If you knew my daughter,” she said, “it would have been such a waste of words. She was determined, she was enthusiastic about what she did, it was her life. There was no saying ‘Don’t do this.’ This is who she was, absolutely who she was and what she believed in: cover the story, not just have pictures of it, but bring it to life in the deepest way you could.” So it was not a surprise when she took an interest in journalism, her mother said. From the underlined sentence in Paragraph 1 we can infer that .
| A．Yale University was her last choice |
| B．Yale must keep its promise to Marie |
| C．Marie Colvin was confident of herself |
| D．Marie Colvin was good at persuading |
Marie Colvin’s story suggests some of the best qualities of being a journalist are .
| A．patience and confidence |
| B．honesty and curiosity |
| C．flexibility and creativity |
| D．determination and courage |
Which of the following is the correct order to describe Marie Colvin’s life?
a. She was doing a story in Syria and got killed.
b. She was admitted to Yale University.
c. She studied in Brazil as an exchange student.
d. She was hired by The Sunday Times of London.
e. She began to take an interest in journalism.
| A．d→e→c→a→b | B．c→b→e→d→a |
| C．e→d→c→b→a | D．b→c→d→e→a |
What can be the best title of the text?
| A．Covering Stories in a Dangerous Conflict Area |
| B．Applying for Top Universities, a Successful Case |
| C．Recalling Her Daughter, a Journalist Killed in Syria |
| D．Choosing Lifelong Careers Based on Your Own Interest |
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