One spring, when I was 10, during one of my father’s layoffs, I could tell my mother was unhappy. I decided to cheer her up by buying her a special Mother’s Day gift.
One day after school I rode my bike to the Agins, which, I learned years later, was known for its high-end fashions and style. I introduced myself to Sylvia Agins, telling her I was looking for a Mother’s Day present.
“Do you think she’d like a purse?” she asked. “I think she might.” I told her.
She took out an Italian handbag made of leather. She asked me what I thought, and I told her that my mom would like it.
“How much money do you have?” she asked.
“Twelve dollars,” I said.
“You’re in luck,” she told me. “It’s only $11. You have a dollar left over for the card.” She wrapped the purse and thanked me for my business, and I rode off home with the package under my arm.
When my mother opened the gift the next Sunday morning, she asked in an accusing tone, “Where did you get this?”
“I bought it at the Agins. It cost me $11.” I said.
My mother was shocked into silence.
It wasn’t until many years later, when I learned that the purse was worth several hundred dollars, that I appreciated just how wonderful Sylvia Agins had been to me. I always felt regretful that I never had a chance to properly thank her.
“You know, my son, what really amazes me to this day,” my mother said. “Letting you have the purse for just a few dollars was unbelievable enough. But the fact that she let you leave the store with a dollar for the card was a touch of kindness that I’ll never forget.”The author bought his mother a purse to_________.
| A．surprise his mother | B．make his mother happy |
| C．show his ability of making money | D．thank his mother for buying him a bike |
Why was the author’s mother shocked into silence?
| A．The purse was bought from the Agins. |
| B．She wasn’t expecting a gift from her son. |
| C．The author bought a card to go with the purse. |
| D．The Agins charged so little money for the purse. |
Sylvia Agins’ behavior shows that_________.
| A．she is critical and mean | B．she is kind and thoughtful |
| C．she is good at making money | D．she knows how to choose presents |
What amazed the mother most was that_________.
| A．the shop owner left one dollar for her son to buy a card |
| B．her son bought her a beautiful purse on Mother’s day |
| C．her son rode his bike to buy things by himself |
| D．the purse was worth several hundred dollars |
Which can be the best title for the text?
| A．An Unforgettable Event | B．A Considerate Mother |
| C．A Priceless Mother’s Day Gift | D．A Clever Shop Owner |
About 21,000 young people in 17 American states do not attend classes in school buildings.
Instead, they receive their elementary(初等)and high school education by working at home on computers.The Center for Education Reform says the United States has 67 public "cyberschools."and that is about twice as many as two years ago.
The money for students to attend a cyberschool comes from the governments of the states where they live. Some educators say cyberschools receive money that should support traditional public schools. They also say it is difficult to know if students are learning well.
Other educators praise this new form of education for letting students work at their own speed. These people say cyberschools help students who were unhappy or unsuccessful in traditional schools. They say learning at home by computer ends long bus rides for children who live far from school.
Whatever the judgement of cyberschools,they are getting more and more popular. For example, a new cyberschool called Commonwealth Connections Academy will take in students this fall. It will serve children in the state of Pennsylvania from ages five through thirteen.
Children get free equipment for their online education. This includes a computer,a printer,books and technical services. Parents and students talk with teachers by telephone or by sending emails through their computers when necessary.
Students at cyberschools usually do not know one another. But 56 such students who finished studies at Western Pennsylvania Cyber Charter School recently met for the first time. They were guests of honor at their graduation.
| 1． |
What do we know from the text about students of a cyberschool?
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| 2． |
What is a problem with cyberschools?
|
| 3． |
Cyberschools are getting popular became
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| 4． |
We can infer that the author of the text is.
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I got my first driver’s license(执照)in 1953 by taking driver education in my first year at Central High School in Charlotte,North Carolina. Four years later when it was time to renew my license I was a married woman. Henry and I were living in Baltimore, Maryland. Two weeks before my 20th birthday, Henry drove me to the motor vehicle office on a hot July afternoon. When I got to the office and showed to the man behind the counter my North Catrolina driver’s license,ready to renew, the man told me that I was under age by Maryland law since I was not yet 21. “Mr. Henry Smith, your husband, will have to sign for you,” he said.
I argued,pointing to a very lage belly(肚子)of mine,”I am married. I am having a baby. Why should I have to have someone sign for me to drive?” He answered coldly, “It’s the law, madam?”
Henry encouraged me to calm down,just go ahead and get the license and be done with it “No.” I said. I refused to have him sign for me. So I left without a Maryland license.
I called the North Carolina Motor Vehicle Office and renewed my NC license by mail-using my name Susan Brown. And thus it was for the next twelve years. Since Henry was in the army I could drive under my home state license. By the time Henry left the army we were once again living in Maryland, and I had to take the Maryland driver’s exam. Since then I just go in and renew every four years-sign the name Susan Brown,have my new picture taken, and walk out with a license to drive.
Susan got her first driver's license .
| A．before she got married to Henry | B．when she was twenty years old |
| C．after she finished high school | D．when she just moved to Maryland |
Susan failed to renew her license the first time in Maryland because .
| A．she was forbidden to drive by Maryland law |
| B．she lacked driving experience in Maryland |
| C．she was to give birth to a baby soon |
| D．she insisted on signing for herself |
We can infer from the text that in the U.S. .
| A．American males should serve in the army |
| B．different states my have different laws |
| C．people have to renew their licenses in their home states |
| D．women should adopt their husbands' family names after marriage |
As the railroads and the highways shaped the American West in the past centuries, a new electhical generating（发电）and transmission（输送）systen for the 21th century will leave a lasting mark on the West, for better or worse. Much of the real significance of railroads and highways is not in their direct physical effect on the scenery, but in the ways that they affect the suurouding community. The same is true of big solar ppants and the power lines that will be laid dowm to move electricity around.
The 19th century saw land grants（政府拨地）offered to railroad companies to build the transcontinental railroads ,leaving public land in between privately owned land . In much of the west ,some of the railroad sections were developed while others remained undeveloped ,and in both cases the landownership has presented unique challenges to land management ,with the completion or the interstate highway system ,many of the small towns which sprang up as railway stops and developed well ,have lost their lifeblood and died .
Big solar plants and their power lines will also have effects far beyond their direct footprint in the west .this is not an argument against building then ,we need alternative energy badly .and to really take advantage of it we need to be able to move electricity around far more readily than we can now .
So trade-offs will have to be made .some scenic sport will be sacrificed .some species (物种)will be forced to move ,or will be carefully moved to special accommodations ,deals will be struck to reduce the immediate effects .
The lasting effects of these trade-offs are another matter .the 21st century development of the American west as an ideal place for alternative energy is going to throw off a lot of power and money to do a lot of good .but it is just as likely that they will be spent wastefully and will leave new problems behind ,just like the railroad and the highway .
The money set aside in negotiated trade –offs and the institution that control will shape the west far beyond the immediate footprint of power plants and transmission lines .so let’s remember the effects of the railroad and the highways as we construct these new power plants in the west .
what was the problem caused by the construction of the railways ?
| A．small towns along the railways became abandoned . |
| B．some railroad stops remained . |
| C．land in the west was hard to manage . |
| D．land grants went into private hands. |
what is the major concern in the development of alternative energy according to the last two paragraphs ?
| A．the transmission of power | B．the use of money and power |
| C．the conservation of solar energy | D．the selection of an ideal place |
what is the author ‘s attitude towards building solar plants ?
| A．cautious | B．approving | C．doubtful | D．disapproving |
which is the best title for the passage ?
| A．how the railways have affected the west |
| B．how solar energy could reshape the west |
| C．how the effects of power plants can be reduced |
| D．how the problems of the highways have been settled |
Students and Technology in the Classroom
I love my blackberry—it’s my little connection to the larger world that can go anywhere with me . I also love my laptop computer ，as it holds all of my writing and thought .Despite this love of technology ,I know that there are times when I need to move away from these device and truly communication with others.On occasion ,I teach a course called History Matters for a group of higher education managers. My goals for the class include a full discussion of historical themes and ideas .Because I want students to thoroughly study the material and exchange their ideas with each other in the classroom ,I have a rule —no laptop ,ipads ,phones ,etc .When students were told my rule in advance of the class, some of them were not happy .
Most students assume that year reasons for this rule include unpleasant experiences in the past with students misusing technology . There’s a bit of truth to that.Some students assume that I am anti-technology . There’s no truth in that at all . I love technology and try to keep up with it so I relate to my students.
The real reason why I ask students to leave technology at the door is that I think there are very few places in which we can have deep conversions and truly engage complex ideas. Interruptions by technology often break concentration and allow for too much dependence on outside information for ideas . I want students to think differently and make connections between the course the material and the class discussion .
I’ve been teaching my history class in this way for many years and the educations reflect student satisfaction with the environment that I create .Students realize that with deep conversation and challenge , they learn at a level that helps them keep the course material beyond the classroom .
I’m not saying that I won’t ever change my mind about technology use in my history class, but until I hear a really good reason for the change ,I’m sticking to my plan. a few hours of technology-free dialogue is just too give up.
some of the students in the history class were unhappy with____
| A．the course material | B．others’ misuse of technology |
| C．discussion topics | D．the author’s class regulator |
the underlined word “engage ”in para.4 probably means ____
| A．explore | B．accept | C．change | D．reject |
according to the author ,the use of technology in the classroom may ____
| A．keep students from doing independent thinking |
| B．encourage students to have in-depth conversations |
| C．help students to better understand complex themes |
| D．affect students’ concentration on course evaluation |
it can be inferred from the last paragraph that the author ____
| A．is quite stubborn |
| B．will give up teaching history |
| C．will change his teaching plan soon |
| D．values technology-free dialogues in his class |
Submission Guidelines
Before sending us a manuscript（稿件）, look through recent issues（刊物）of the Post to get an idea of the range and style of articles we publish. You will discover that our focus has broadened to include well-researched, timely and informative articles on finance, home improvement, travel, humor, and many other fields.
The Post’s goal is to remain unique, with content that provides additional understandings on the ever-evolving American scene.
In addition to feature-length（专题长度的）articles, the Post buys anecdotes, cartoons, and photos. Payment ranges from $25 to $400.
Our nonfiction needs include how-to, useful articles on gardening, pet care and training, financial planning, and subjects of interest to a 45-plus, home-loving readership. For nonfiction articles, indicate any special qualifications you have for writing about the subject, especially scientific material. Include one or two published pieces with your article. We prefer typed articles between 1000 and 2000 words in length. We encourage you to send both printed and online versions.
We also welcome new fiction. A light, humorous touch is appreciated. We are always in need of straight humor articles. Make us laugh , and we’ll buy it.
Feature articles average about 1000 to 2000 words. We like positive, fresh angles to Post articles, and we ask that they be thoroughly researched.
We normally respond to article submissions within six weeks. You are free to submit the article elsewhere at the same time.
Please submit all articles to Features Editor, The Saturday Evening Post, 1100 Waterway Boulevard, Indianapolis, IN 46202, (317)634-1100.
Before sending a manuscript to the Post, a contributor is advised to .
| A．get a better understanding of American issues |
| B．find out the range of the articles in the post |
| C．increase his knowledge in many fields |
| D．broaden his research focus |
to submit nonfiction articles，a contributor must_____.
| A．provide his special qualification |
| B．be a regular reader of the post |
| C．produce printed version |
| D．be over 45 year old |
from the passage we can learn that the post
| A．allows article submission within six weeks |
| B．favor science articles within 2，000 words |
| C．have a huge demand for humorous works |
| D．prefers nonfiction to fiction article |
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