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 United States or Australia. They also want their children to take extra-course activities where they will either learn a musical instrument or ballet, or other classes that will give them a head start in life. The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is, the better it is. So parents will spend an unreasonable amount of money on education. Even poor couples will buy a computer for their son or daughter.
However, what most parents fail to see is that the best early education they can give their children is usually very cheap.
Parents can see that their children’s skills vary, skilled in some areas while poor in others. What most parents fail to realize though, is that today’s children lack self-respect and self-confidence.
The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple-choice tests and how to study well, but parents are 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. Cooking demands patience and time. 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. His result, a well-cooked dinner, will give him much satisfaction and a lot of self-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. These activities are not only teaching a child to read a book, but rather to think, to use his mind. And that is more important. Parents in China, according to this passage, _______.
| A．are too strict with their children |
| B．are too rich to educate their children |
| C．have some problems in educating their children correctly |
| D．are too poor to educate their children |
The writer of the passage does not seem to be satisfied with ______.
| A．the parents’ ideas of educating their children |
| B．the education system |
| C．children’s skills |
| D．children’s hobbies |
Doing some cooking at home helps children ______.
| A．learn how to serve their parents |
| B．learn how to become strong and fat |
| C．benefit from it and prepare themselves for the future |
| D．make their parents believe that they are clever |
According to the last paragraph we can conclude that ______.
| A．broken radios and television sets are useful |
| B．one’s curiosity may be useful for his later life |
| C．an engineer must fix many broken radios |
| D．a good student should spend much time repairing radios |
Sightseeing Tours in Germany
Germany has a variety of cities each with its own characteristics, from the busy city of Berlin, to the ancient city of Cologne, to the Bavarian capital of Munich. Thankfully, these major German cities offer sightseeing tours that offer the opportunity to better explore the surrounding regions and the country’s most historic sites.
Berlin on Bike
Berlin on Bike takes visitors through the German capital via five bicycle tours, all with guides. Regular tours include the Wall Tour and Berlin’s Best, with stops at some of the city’s most famous landmarks, such as the Reichstag explores what life was like in East Berlin under Communist Rule. The cost of the tour includes the bike and helmet rental, and tourists may choose to continue renting their bikes once the tour has ended.
Berlinonbike.de/English/index.php
Munich City Sightseeing Tour
The Munich City Sightseeing Tour transports travelers throughout the city via an open-air, double-decker bus. Passengers can hop on and off at various stops throughout the day. This tour includes stops at such sites as the Munich central train station, the 1972 Olympic Stadium Park, Munich’s opera house and Karlsplatz, the gate to the historic city. The bus features a narrated tour guide and offers an English-language option.
Raileurope.com/activities/munich-city-sightseeing-tour/index.html
Nice City Tours- Cologne
Nice City Tours offers three tours of Cologne, available to private or business groups in a variety of languages. The old Town Tour runs for two hours and includes a guided tour of the Cologne Cathedral and some of the city’s old squares. The Brewery Pub Tour explores some of the city’s most beloved breweries and pubs, and details the history behind Kolsch, Cologne’s resident beer. Finally, the Old Town and Rhine Tour begins by visiting some of old town’s most historic sites and ends with a ride down the Rhine River.
Nicecitytours.con/tours.htmThe similarity of the three tours lies in that they all include_____.
| A．bus tours | B．English service | C．three routes | D．guide’s service |
If you take a great interest in beer, which tour might be suitable for you?
| A．The Wall Tour | B．The Brewery Pub Tour |
| C．The Old Town Tour | D．The Munich City Sightseeing Tour |
Where can you probably see this passage?
| A．In a textbook. | B．On a website. |
| C．In an encyclopedia. | D．In a journal. |
When you are far away from home for the first time and have a lot to adjust to，you can't do it alone. However independent you are，it is good to have a roommate during your first year.
Living with someone helps ease your loneliness. Sure it may seem appealing to be able to play your music and turn up your TV as loud as you want, but coming home to an empty room every day can be depressing. If you have a bad day, you may want to talk to someone.
Friends are great sources of venting (宣泄), but friends can't always be there. Even worse, they may be selfcentered and show no interest in your problem. It's not that roommates aren't like this, but even just small talk can help you feel better.
Having a roommate teaches you how to get along with people and settle conflict. You two should set up rules immediately and discuss what to do when there is conflict. If you two don't like each other，you still study，relax，and sleep in the same room. You must find a way to get along.
Finally，having a roommate exposes (使接触) you to different ways of living. Your roommate may come from a different city，and have different living habits. He or she also has different interests and personalities. You don't have to end up liking the same things your roommate does，but try to learn something different. You will be surrounded by many different people in college and have the chance to try things you never have before. Why not start learning from your roommate？
Having a roommate gives you the skills and personal background you will need to utilize (利用) when you are out on your own. Make the most of living with a stranger and besides，there will be plenty of opportunities for you to have your own room later in your college years.Who are probably the intended readers of the passage？
| A．University teachers. |
| B．Students who are not independent. |
| C．Students in the first year of college. |
| D．Students who will graduate from college soon. |
From the passage，we can learn that .
| A．roommates will become good friends in the end |
| B．there may be disagreements between roommates |
| C．students can choose those they like as their roommates |
| D．those with similar interests can become roommates |
How is the passage organized？
The purpose of the passage is to .
| A．tell the importance of friends |
| B．compare friends with roommates |
| C．encourage students to find a roommate |
| D．state the different ways of living |
Negative （消极的）self talk and negative energy can affect you in many ways and cause you additional stress. Because of this，developing more Positive self talk is an important way to reduce stress in your life. You can help yourself keep a positive frame of mind 一which will help with positive self talk一by surrounding yourself with positive energy in your life. You can get that by adding some elements to your life.
Listening to music that not only has a soothing melody，but an uplifting(令人振奋的) message，can be great for developing positive self talk. Have you ever had a song “stuck in your head” for a few hours or days，the lyrics(歌词) repeating themselves in your mind?’’ If those lyrics were positive and inspirational，that would be a good thing. It’s a much better mental soundtrack to have than a running stream of complaints，criticisms of self-limiting thoughts，or even songs that had more depressing or sad lyrics.
Books on strength, personal power, enlightenment, or self help can be good resources to help you change your outlook and the things you say to yourself. Rather than bringing habitual self-defeating thoughts，you can find yourself thinking of new can-do concepts when times get tough.
One of the most important ways you can get and keep positive energy in your life is with the company you keep. Do your friends uplift you，or bring you down? Are they critical，or complementary? Ideal friendships provide support when you’re down, fun when you’re up，wisdom when you’re lost，and positive regard. Good friends can inspire you to reach greater heights，and see your strengths even when you don’t always. Pay attention to how your friends make you feel，and if they’re less than supportive，start putting your energy and time toward people who are better suited to be your friend.
In addition，positive affirmations （肯定） can certainly change your self talk from negative to positive. Now，why not begin working positive affirmations into your life in some creative ways? What does the passage mainly talk about?
| A．Reducing stress by surrounding yourself with positive energy. |
| B．Adding some elements to your life. |
| C．Getting positive energy from the company you keep. |
| D．Changing your self talk with positive affirmation. |
How many ways does the author suggest to keep a positive frame of mind?
| A．3. | B．4. | C．5. | D．6. |
According to the passage，your best company should be those who __________.
| A．uplift you or bring you down | B．provide fun when you’re down |
| C．encourage you to do things even better | D．are less than supportive |
What will probably be talked about in the following paragraph?
| A．How negative self talk influences a person. |
| B．How positive self talk reduces stress in one’s life. |
| C．Some great ways of making great friends. |
| D．Some creative ways of practicing affirmation. |
China news, Beijing, July 29 --- Housing price in China has always aroused heated discussions among property developers and ordinary Chinese. To many property developers and local government officials, housing price in China is still low compared with many developed countries. However, the average housing price in the United States is only 8,000 yuan per square meter, while in China, it is even higher than in the United States. This shows that there are some bubbles(泡沫) in Chinese real estate market, the International Finance News reported.
Although the average price of residential houses in the United States, after converted to Renminbi, is about 8,000 yuan per square meter, the houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. If US property developers sell their houses according to the building area, then the housing price will be even lower than 8,000 yuan per square meter. In most big Chinese cities, such as Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen, houses are sold at a price even higher than those in the US.
The high housing sales price in large cities in China proves that Chinese real estate market does have some bubbles. Moreover, Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. Furthermore, it should be noted that American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. How can the Chinese afford to buy a house which is even more expensive than that sold in US?
At the beginning of 2007, Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. Now in order to reduce the high housing prices, the government can regulate(控制) the real estate market by raising tax on property industry. At the same time, the government should allow people to build more houses through various fund-raising channels, such as funds collected from buyers or raised by working units. By applying these multiple means, it is expected that the high housing prices can be lowered. What is the average housing price per square meter in China?
| A．8000 yuan. | B．10000 yuan. | C．7000 yuan. | D．Not mentioned. |
Which of the following does NOT support the idea that the average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States?
| A．Chinese houses can not be compared with houses in US in terms of building quality, environment and supporting facilities. |
| B．American people’s average income is several dozen times higher than that of Chinese people. |
| C．The population who need houses in China is larger than in the United States. |
| D．The houses in US are not sold in terms of building area, as most Chinese property developers do when they sell their houses. |
How many measures are mentioned in the last paragraph in order to reduce the high housing prices?
| A．One. | B．Two. | C．Three. | D．Four. |
What is the main idea of this passage?
| A．The housing price in China is so high that the government should do something useful to prevent it. |
| B．There are some bubbles in Chinese real estate market. |
| C．The average housing price in China is even higher than in the United States. |
| D．Chinese government issued a set of policies that aimed to benefit the public. |
You may know your mother, but how well do you really know Mother’s Day? Cards, flowers, sales, TV specials, and a day off for someone who really deserves it ---- those are what probably come to mind for many people when they think of Mother’s Day. But there’s more to the story.
The earliest Mother’s Day celebrations were held during spring in ancient Greece. The celebrations honored Rhea, the Mother of the gods. During the 1600’s, England celebrated a day called Mothering Sunday. On this day even servants were given the day off to spend with their families. A mothering cake was even served with the family meal.
In the US, Mother’s Day began in 1872 when Julia Ward Howe, who wrote the words to the famous song The Battle Hymn of the Republic, suggested it as a day devoted to peace. But it didn’t really become popular until 1907 when Anna Jarvis stared a campaign to honor mothers. She believed that mothers could help people get over the pain they experienced during the Civil
War. The US isn’t alone in devoting a day to mothers. Many other countries including Denmark, Finland, Italy, Turkey, Australia, Japan, and Belgium also honor their mothers in May. Other countries honor their mothers at different times of the year.
Learning more about Mother’s Day and celebrating Mother’s Day are important, but probably not as important as understanding what your own mother, or grandmother, or aunt has really done for you. And that will certainly be appreciated more than one day in a year.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．The reason why people celebrate Mother’s Day. | B．The ways people honor mothers. |
| C．The history of Mother’s Day. | D．The great contribution of mothers. |
Where was the earliest Mother’s Day celebrated?
| A．In ancient Greece. | B．In the US. | C．In England. | D．In Italy. |
We can learn from the passage that _____.
| A．Rhea is the mother of a king in ancient Greece |
| B．not all the countries celebrate Mother’s Day in May |
| C．only mothers were given a day off on Mothering Sunday |
| D．it was in 1872 that Mother’s Day really came into being |
The last paragraph tells us that _____.
| A．all the people should celebrate Mother’s Day |
| B．only mothers are honored on Mother’s Day |
| C．understanding mothers’ work is more important than just celebrating Mother’s Day |
| D．people should celebrate Mother’s Day every day |
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