Old-Fashioned Play-For Pay
Kids! Come to have a ball! Or 60,000 of them! There’s a new type of business franchise（特许经销权）that is appearing in shopping malls and neighborhood across America offering pay-per-use indoor playgrounds, which feature toys, games, guided fun and a workout that doesn’t break the family bank.
As public playgrounds grow increasingly worn and dirty, the for-profit centers offer clean, safe guided activity as well as a variety of challenging exercises to develop kids’ physical fitness, usually for a fee of around $ 5 an hour. “Playgrounds are dirty, not guided,” says Dick Guggenheimer, owner of the two-month-old Discovery Zone in Yonkers, N. Y., part of Kansas City-based chain, “We are indoors; we are padded; parents can feel their child is safe”.
In order to satisfy the need of two-earner families, the new franchise stays open in the evenings, long after traditional public playgrounds have grown dark and unusable. However, these new playgrounds are not meant to be day-care centers. Parents are expected to go stay and play with their kids rather than drop them off. But several also provide high-tech baby-sitting services. At some of the Discovery Zones, parents can register their children in special guided programs, then leave them and slip away for a couple of hours to enjoy a movie or dinner. If there is a problem, Mom and Dad are called.
The most fun of all, though, is getting to do what parents used to do in the days before two-earner families and two-hour commutes（两小时上下班往返）, play with their kids. That, at least, is old-fashioned, even at per-hour rates.What is this article mainly talking about?
| A．Children can play without parent’s care. |
| B．The fast development of Discovery Zone. |
| C．A new type of business franchise of kids. |
| D．The disadvantages of outdoor playgrounds. |
According to the article, which of the following is TRUE to the new playground?
| A．The cost is high for a family. |
| B．It doesn't allow parents to leave their kids. |
| C．It stays open in the evening just as traditional playgrounds. |
| D．It's a place where parents can play together with their kids. |
What does the writer mean by saying "old-fashioned"?
| A．The so-called new playground is out of date. |
| B．The new playground is actually enjoyed by parents. |
| C．The new playground is also enjoyed by old people. |
| D．The new playground offers a fashion which is popular in the past. |
The writer’s attitude toward the new playground is_______________.
| A．agreeable | B．negative |
| C．doubtful | D．unknown |
She had been shopping with her Mom in Wal-Mart. She must have been 6 years old, this beautiful brown haired, freckle-faced image of innocence. Outside, it was pouring so heavily.
We all stood there just inside the door of the Wal-Mart. We waited, some patiently, others annoyed because nature messed up their hurried day. I got lost in the sound and sight of the heavens washing away the dirt and dust of the world.
Her voice was so sweet as it broke the hypnotic trance (昏昏欲睡) we were all caught in. “Mom, let’s run through the rain,” she said.
“ No, honey. We’ll wait until it slows down a bit.” Mom replied.
This young child waited about another minute and repeated, “Mom, let’s run through the rain. ”
“We’ll get soaked if we do,” Mom said.
“ No, we won’t, Mom. That’s not what you said this morning,” the young girl said as she tore at her Mom’s arm.
“This morning? When did I say we could run through the rain and not get wet?”
“Don’t you remember? When you were talking to Daddy about his cancer, you said, If God can get us through this, he can get us through anything!”
The entire crowd stopped dead silent. I dare say you couldn’t hear anything but the rain. We all stood silently. No one came or left in the next few minutes. Mom paused and thought for a moment about what she would say.
Now some would laugh it off and scold her for being silly. Some might even ignore what was said. But this was a moment of affirmation in a young child’s lifetime when innocent trust can be developed so that it will bloom into faith. “Honey , you are absolutely right. Let’s run through the rain. If get wet, well maybe we just need washing.” Mom said. Then off they ran.
We all stood watching, smiling and laughing as they rushed past the cars and they held their shopping bags over their heads just in case. They got soaked. But they were followed by a few who screamed and laughed like children all the way to their cars. And yes, l did. I ran. I got wet. I needed washing.
You may lose your material possessions, your money and even your health, but no one can ever take away your precious memories. So don’t forget to make time and take the opportunities to make memories. Which of the following is the closest in meaning to the underlined word “affirmation”?
| A．happiness | B．love | C．disagreement | D．approval |
What do we know about the mother in the story?
| A．Her husband was cured of his cancer. |
| B．She was strong-willed and considerate. |
| C．She was in despair and pretended to forget what she said. |
| D．Her daughter completely understood the situation her family was in. |
Which of the following may the author agree with?
| A．The mother should not tell her child about the family misfortune. |
| B．Parents should act more bravely than their children. |
| C．Parents should grasp every opportunity to influence their children to grow well. |
| D．Children should learn to show gratitude and understanding to their parents. |
The best title for the passage might be _______.
| A．Be a Determined Mother | B．Wait in the Rain |
| C．Have a wonderful experience | D．Run Through the Rain |
Your smartphone can do a lot of things. It can call people. It connects to the Internet. It enables you to play fun games. But there is a dark side to this smart little equipment of yours----- it might also spread disease.
“People are just likely to get sick from their phones as from handles of the bathroom, ” Jeffrey Cain, the president of the American Academy of Family Physicians , told The Wall Street Journal.
This may be hard to believe, but scientists reached this conclusion after they tested eight cell phones from an office in Chicago. All the tested phones showed high numbers of coliforms (大肠菌), a kind of bacteria found in human waste , with about 2700 to 4200 units of the bacteria on each phone. The bacteria can cause flu, pinkeye and other diseases . That is right --- your phone is covered in our human waste.
Although computers, keys and pens carry germs (细菌) , our phones get far dirtier. They touch a lot of things, including our hands and the inside of our pocket or purse. We take them almost everywhere: the bus, the subway and who hasn’t played Angry Birds or Fruit Ninja while sitting on the toilet?
“Some things that we think are personal are actually more public than we imagine,” Cain said. What is even worse is that after the phone returns from its dirty trip, it then spends most of its time cozying up to our faces. You don’t think about how often you touch your phone to your face, do you? Our noses, mouths and ears are all warm and rich in grease (油脂) , an environment that germs really like.
So how do you keep your phone clean? Alcohol is effective when used to kill germs from the back and side of your phone. But it might harm the screen. There is one simple and reliable way you can reduce the germs on your phone’s surface: wash your hands regularly.The underlined word “dark” in the first paragraph means _______
| A．black | B．hopeless | C．unpleasant | D．unclear |
Which of the following best describe the tone of the third paragraph?
| A．Terrified | B．concerned | C．Satisfying | D．Threatening |
By saying “Some things we think are personal are actually more public than we imagine,” Cain means that ________.
| A．people love to share their phones more than they realize |
| B．our personal items could be as risky to our health as public items |
| C．phones are used in public places more than people realize |
| D．Most people don’t know how dirty their cell phones are |
What is the article mainly about?
| A．Tips on the use of phones |
| B．Health problems caused by the use of phones |
| C．The danger of coliforms infection |
| D．The influence that phone have on our life |
A popular saying goes, “Sticks and stones may break my bones, but words will never hurt me.” However, that’ s not really true. Words have the power to build us up or tear us down. It doesn’t matter if the words come from someone’s else or ourselves --- the positive and negative effects are just as lasting.
We all talk to ourselves sometimes. We’re usually too embarrassed to admit it, though. In fact, we really shouldn’t be because more and more experts believe talking to ourselves out loud is a healthy habit.
This “self-talk” helps us motivate ourselves, remember things, solve problems, and calm ourselves down. Be aware, though, that as much as 77% of self-talk tends to be negative. So in order to stay positive, we should only speak words of encouragement to ourselves. We should also be quick to give ourselves a pat on the back. The next time you finish a project, do well in a test, or finally clean your room, join me in saying “Good job!”
Often, words come out of our mouths without thinking about the effect they will have. But we should be aware that our words cause certain responses in others. For example, when returning an item to a store, we might use warm, friendly language during the exchange. And the clerk will probably respond in a similar manner. Or harsh（刻薄的）and critical language will most likely cause the clerk to be defensive.
Words possess power because of their lasting effect. Many of us regret something we once said. And we remember unkind words said to us! Before speaking, we should always ask ourselves: Is it loving? Is it needed? If what we want to say doesn’t pass this test, then it’s better left unsaid.
Words possess power: both positive and negative. Those around us receive encouragement when we speak positively. We can offer hope, build self-esteem（自尊）and motivate others to do their best. Negative words destroy all those things. Will we use our words to hurt or to heal? The choice is ours. The main idea of the first paragraph is that ________.
| A．not sticks and stones but words will hurt us |
| B．inspiring words give us confidence |
| C．negative words may let us down |
| D．words have a lasting effect on us |
There is no sense for us to feel embarrassed when we talk to ourselves because _______
| A．almost everybody has the habit of talking to themselves |
| B．we can benefit from talking to ourselves |
| C．talking to ourselves always gives us courage |
| D．it does no harm to have “self-talk” when we are alone |
The underlined part in the third paragraph means that we should also timely _______
| A．praise ourselves | B．remind ourselves |
| C．make ourselves relaxed | D．give ourselves amusement |
The author would probably hold the view that ___________
| A．encouraging words are sure to lead to kind offers |
| B．negative words may stimulate（刺激） us to make more progress |
| C．people tend to remember friendly words |
| D．it is better to think twice before talking to others |
You and your friends will have lots of fun with Rabbit
Ears Walkie -Talkies. You can talk to someone who is in another
room at your house or someone who is up to 180
feet away from you. You can take your walkie
-talkie with you when you go camping or walking.
Rabbit Ears Walkie -Talkies are easy to use. This is what you do:
1. Push the ON button.
2. Hold the TALK button in and say something. If your friend has his/her walkie - talkie on, he/she will hear you.
If you want to talk for a long time, you can lock the TALK button. Just push the button in and up. When you finish talking, push the TALK button down.
3. When you finish talking, let go of the TALK button and listen. When your friend pushes the TALK button and says something, you will hear what your friend says through your walkie -talkie.
4. When you finish talking with your friend, push the ON button again to turn your walkie-talkie off.
| REMEMBER ◆If you cannot hear , push L (loud) to make it louder. ◆If it is too loud, push S (soft) to make it quieter. |
What are Rabbit Ears Walkie -Talkies used for?
| A．Locating places. | B．Listening to music. |
| C．Giving directions. | D．Talking with others. |
How can you lock the TALK button?
| A．Keep the button on. | B．Hold the button back. |
| C．Push the button in and up. | D．Turn the button off and down. |
Which button will you push when you can't hear clearly?
| A．L | B．S | C．TALK | D．ON |
The author writes this passage to _____.
| A．show how to use Rabbit Ears Walkie -Talkies |
| B．explain to the readers his camping experience |
| C．introduce some special ways to make friends. |
| D．tell how to make Rabbit Ears Walkie –Talkies |
Every culture has a recognized point when a child becomes an adult, when rules must be followed and tests passed.
In China, although teenagers can get their ID cards at 16, many only see themselves as an adult when they are 18. In the US, where everyone drives, the main step to the freedom of adult life is learning to drive. At 16, American teens take their driving test. When they have their license, they drive into the grown-up world.
“Nobody wants to ride the cheese bus to school,” said Eleanor Fulham, 17. She brought the pressure back to memory, especially from kids from wealthier families. “It’s like you’re not cool if you don’t have a car,” she said.
According to recent research, 41% of 16 to 19-year-olds in the US own cars, up from 23% in 1985. Although, most of these cars are bought by parents, some teens get part-time jobs to help pay.
Not all families can afford cars for their children. In cities with subways and limited parking, some teenagers don’t want them. But in rich suburban areas without subways, and where bicycles are more for fun than transportation, it is strange for a teenager not to have a car.
But police say 16-year-olds have almost three times more accidents than 18 and 19-year-olds. This has made many parents pause before letting their kids drive.
Julie Sussman, of Virginia, decided that her son Chad, 15, will wait until he is 17 to apply for his learner’s permit.
Chad said he has accepted his parents’ decision, although it has caused some teasing from his friends. “They say that I am unlucky,” he said, “But I’d rather be alive than driving, and I don’t really trust my friends on the road, either.”
In China, as more families get cars, more 18-year-olds learn to drive. Will this become a big step to becoming an adult?Which may serve as the BEST title of the article?
| A．Cars Helping You to Grow-Up | B．Driving into the Grown-Up World |
| C．Teenagers’ Driving in America | D．Recognized Point of Becoming an Adult |
16-year-old drivers have more accidents possibly because .
| A．they want to show themselves off | B．they are never experienced drivers |
| C．older people always drive better | D．they never drive carefully on the road |
Which may NOT be taken into consideration when deciding whether to buy a car?
| A．How well off the family is. |
| B．Whether the kid is old enough. |
| C．What traffic condition there is around. |
| D．Whether it’s practically needed. |
When Chad said “I don’t really trust my friends ...”, he meant that .
| A．he might run into his friends if he drove |
| B．he didn’t agree with his friends |
| C．he might not be safe if his friends drove |
| D．he was afraid that his friends might well lie to him |
The passage mainly gives information about .
| A．an American culture |
| B．a cultural difference between America and China |
| C．a change in the Chinese culture |
| D．the relationship between driving and a person’s development |
粤公网安备 44130202000953号