Hanukkah is an eight-day winter holiday, which celebrates the successful struggle of the Jews against King Antiochus IV Epiphanes of Syria. There are many traditions to celebrate the day, such as lighting the menorah (多连灯烛台),frying potato pancakes and spinning the dreidel (四面陀螺).
One night in the 1990s, we tidied up wrapping paper and toys while the lighted menorah stood on the kitchen table. When we were not there, as the many-colored candles broke, our long-haired black-and-white cat, Ladybug, jumped onto the kitchen table and brushed past them.
"Do you smell something?" asked my husband, Donny. "Is something burning?" asked Molly, our oldest, age ten.
It was Ladybug! The fur on her left side had been burnt. She wasn't hurt, but she wore an upset expression all evening, and for the rest of the week she hid whenever we began chanting the Hebrew(希伯来语)blessings over the candles. "Though her fur grew out as thick as ever, Ladybug took a dim view of Hanukkah after that, clearly preferring less flammable holidays, like Labor Day.
The following year, for fifth-grade homework about family traditions, Molly wrote about Ladybug's story with the Hanukkah candles. The teacher, Lynn Fink, a sporty and funny woman, enjoyed Molly's story and gave it an A.
Three years later, Seth got Ms. Fink for fifth grade. He also worked the burnt cat fur into a writing assignment, and he, too, got an A.
Our son Lee, three years later: the same teacher, the same story, the same A. We had no idea these retellings were piling up.
The year Lily got Ms. Fink for fifth grade, she also felt inspired to write down what happened that night. By now, we were very fond of Ms. Fink. We invited her to join us for a night of Hanukkah. It was her first time to experience the Jewish holiday. Happily, she ate her potato pancakes. Gamely, she spun the dreidel. Delightedly, she opened the small gift of home-made cookies the children had prepared for her. As the evening seemed to be winding down, she clapped her hands, rubbed them together as if before a big dinner, and said excitedly," So! When do we torch the cat?"What happened to Ladybug when the family celebrated Hanukkah that year?
| A．She was seriously hurt that night. |
| B．She broke the candles on the menorah. |
| C．She had some of her fur burnt. |
| D．She got a surprising present from the family. |
What can we learn from the passage?
| A．Hanukkah lasts for only one night. |
| B．The writer has at least four children. |
| C．The family saw Ladybug jump onto the kitchen table that night. |
| D．Frying potato pancakes is not a tradition to celebrate Hanukkah. |
Which proverb can best describe the meaning of the underlined sentence in Paragraph 4?
| A．It's easy to be wise after the event. |
| B．Where there is a will, there is a way. |
| C．He that falls today may be up again tomorrow. |
| D．Once bitten, twice shy. |
We can infer from the last paragraph that Ms.Fink _____.
| A．forgot the story of Ladybug |
| B．came to the writer's home unexpectedly |
| C．knew all the traditions of Hanukkah well |
| D． thought people would torch the cat to celebrate Hanukkah |
Boys' schools are the perfect place to teach young men to express their emotions and involve them in activities such as art, dance and music.
Far from the traditional image of a culture of aggressive masculinity (阳刚), the absence of girls gives boys the chance to develop without pressure to conform to a stereotype, a US study says.
Boys at single-sex schools were said to be more likely to get involved in cultural and artistic activities that helped develop their emotional expressiveness, rather than feeling they had to conform to the "boy code" of hiding their emotions to be a "real man".
The findings of the study go against received wisdom that boys do better when taught alongside girls.
Tony Little, headmaster of the British boys-only school, Eton, warned that boys were being failed by the British education system because it had become too focused on girls. He criticized teachers for failing to recognize that boys are actually more emotional than girls.
The research argued that boys often perform badly in mixed schools because they become discouraged when their female peers do better earlier in speaking and reading skills.
But in single-sex schools teachers can tailor lessons to boys' learning style, letting them move around the classroom and getting them to compete in teams to prevent boredom, wrote the study's author, Abigail James, of the University of Virginia.
Teachers could encourage boys to enjoy reading and writing with "boy-focused" approaches such as themes and characters that appeal to them. Because boys generally have more acute vision learn best through touch, and are physically more active, they need to be given "hands-on" lessons where they are allowed to walk around, James found.
Single-sex education also made it less likely that boys would feel they had to conform to a stereotype that men should be "masterful and in charge" in relationships. "In mixed schools boys feel compelled to act like men before they understand themselves well enough to know what that means, " the study reported.The author believes that a single-sex school __________.
| A．forces boys to hide their emotions to be "real men” |
| B．helps to cultivate masculine aggressiveness in boys |
| C．encourages boys to express their emotions more freely |
| D．naturally reinforces in boys the traditional image of a man |
It is commonly believed that in a mixed school boys __________.
| A．perform relatively better |
| B．behave more responsibly |
| C．grow up more healthily |
| D．receive a better education |
What does Tony Little say about the British education system?
| A．It fails more boys than girls academically. |
| B．it focuses more on mixed school education. |
| C．It fails to give boys the attention they need. |
| D．It places more pressure on boys than on girls. |
According to Abigail James, one of the advantages of single-sex schools is __________.
| A．teaching can be tailored to suit the characteristics of boys |
| B．boys can focus on their lessons without being distracted |
| C．boys can choose to learn whatever they are interested in |
| D．teaching can be designed to promote boys' team spirit |
Which of the following is characteristic of boys according to Abigail James' report?
| A．They enjoy being in charge. |
| B．They have sharper vision. |
| C．They conform to stereotypes. |
| D．They are violent and sexist. |
Joanne Rowling, born on 31 July 1965, is an English fiction writer who writes under the pen name J. K. Rowling. Rowling is the author of the Harry Potter fantasy series, which has gained international attention, won multiple awards, and sold over 375 million copies worldwide.
JK Rowling's new novel arrives with the high drama and state secrecy of a royal birth. Its due date is announced in February, and in April the disclosure of its title, The Casual Vacancy, makes international news. The release of the cover image in July commands headlines again, and Fleet Street (英国媒体) commissions (委托) a "design guru" to analyze its mysterious artistic beauty, in search of clues as to what might lie within. Waterstones (英国连锁书店) predicts the novel will be " the bestselling fiction title this year". Literary critics begin to publish preliminary (初步的) reviews, revealing what they think they will think about a book they have not yet even read.
I am required to sign more legal documents than would typically be involved in buying a house before I am allowed to read The Casual Vacancy, under tight security in the London offices of Little, Brown. Even the publishers have been forbidden to read it, and they give me the manuscript carefully, religiously, as though handling a priceless Ming vase. Afterwards, I am instructed never to disclose the address of Rowling's Edinburgh office where the interview will take place.
In the 15 years since she published her first Harry Potter, Rowling has become both universally known and almost unrecognizable. The untidy redhair who used to write in the cafes of Leith has slowly transformed into a shiny fashionable lady, one who is beyond recognition behind wealth and control. Once a penniless single mother, she became the first person on earth to make $ 1 billion by writing books, but her rare public appearances suggested a faint ice maiden quality.
Rowling is completely relaxed about this arrangement. Warm and energetic, quick to laugh, she chatters so freely that her publicist gets nervous and tells her to lower her voice. " Am I speaking too loud?" She doesn't look a bit concerned. "Well, I can't get passionate and whisper!" When I tell her I loved the book, her arms shoot up in celebration. "Oh my God! I'm so happy! That's so amazing to hear. Thank you so much! You've made me incredibly happy. Oh my God!" Anyone listening would take her for a debut author, meeting her first ever fan.
In a way, that's what she is. Rowling has written seven Harry Potter books, and sold more than 450m copies, but her first novel for adults is unlike them in every respect.
"Obviously I need to be in some form of vehicle to have a decent idea, " she laughs. Having dreamed up Potter on a train, "This time I was on a plane. And I thought: local election! And I just knew. I had that totally physical response you get to an idea that you know will work. It's a rush of adrenaline (肾上腺素), it's chemical. I had it with Harry Potter and I had it with this. So that's how I know. "The "design guru" in Paragraph 2 is probably __________.
| A．a publisher | B．a reader | C．a writer | D．an expert |
Why was the author required to sign so many legal documents before reading the book?
| A．Because it's a commercial secret before the book is published. |
| B．Because publishers are afraid the author is a commercial spy. |
| C．Because the author is so dishonest that publishers can't trust him. |
| D．Because the author is involved in buying a house. |
From the passage, we can learn the following facts about Rowling EXCEPT that __________.
| A．she used to write stories in the cafes. |
| B．she often makes public appearance after she is famous. |
| C．she was very poor before she became well-known. |
| D．she has become a wealthy lady with good quality. |
According to the interview with Rowling, we can infer that she is __________.
| A．aggressive and energetic | B．quiet and easygoing |
| C．enthusiastic and lovely | D．modest and shy |
The author writes the passage mainly to __________.
| A．introduce JK Rowling and her new book |
| B．describe great changes in JK Rowling |
| C．advocate readers to buy Harry Potter |
| D．tell readers the contents of the new book |
Parents need to be good role models to help their children make sensible financial decisions, according to Adam Hancock and his team, from East Caronlina University in the US. Their work highlights that parents who argue about finances contribute to increasing credit card debt among their children during their students years. Their work is published online in Springer's Journal of Family and Economic Issues.
Credit card debt among college students has been a growing concern for researchers and policymakers over the last decade. In addition, there is growing concern among educators that more students are dropping out of school, not because of academic failure, but because of financial reasons, and credit card especially.
Hancock and colleagues' study is the first to examine how parental interactions, and financial knowledge and attitudes may have a cumulative effect (累积效应) on the number of credit cards students own and their level of credit card debt.
The researchers analyzed data for 420 undergraduate students from seven different American universities, who took part in the College Student Financial Literacy Survey. According to the online survey, nearly two-thirds of students had a credit card, and nearly a third had more than one. Those students who reported that their parents argued about finances were more likely to have more than two cards than the students whose parents who did not argue about finances.
In terms of debt, those students who had two or more credit cards were nearly three times more likely to report having credit card debt over $500.
The researchers conclude, "It is clear that the influence of parents cannot be neglected. Researchers, educators and policymakers should work in finding effective ways to increase the positive financial behaviors for college students. We need to help students learn financial skills and establish healthy financial attitudes at earlier ages to prevent poor financial habits from taking root. "In Adam Hancock's research, student's credit card debt is related to their __________.
| A．knowledge | B．concerns | C．school | D．parents |
When college students have credit card debt, they may __________.
| A．quit school | B．fail in their exams |
| C．study financial knowledge | D．have more credit cards |
What can we infer from Paragraph 3?
| A．More than 400 students in a university took the survey. |
| B．The survey was conducted with the paper questionnaire. |
| C．Nearly all the students in this survey have credit cards. |
| D．Students have fewer cards if their parents argue more. |
If you have two or more credit cards, you are more likely to __________.
| A．get wealthy | B．have argument |
| C．buy more things | D．become in debt |
As a student, what can you learn from the passage?
| A．We need to turn to our parents when we have credit card debt. |
| B．We should build correct financial attitudes when we are young. |
| C．We shouldn't have credit cards so that we can avoid argument. |
| D．We can have more credit cards to make life more comfortable. |
When you're surfing the Internet on your laptop from your dorm or home, do you know your personal details are being gathered secretly? And would you be surprised to know the information may be sold cheaply to advertisers and marketers?
According to an investigation by The Wall Street Journal, all it takes is a tiny file in a computer-a single code consisting of a long series of numbers and letters to record the computer user's age, gender, location, favorite movies and hobbies.
The newspaper reports that Lotame Solutions Inc., a New York company, uses sophisticated (高科技) software called a “ beacon" to capture what people are typing on a website.
Lotame packages that data into profiles (个人资料) about individuals, only without their names, and sells the profiles to companies seeking customers. Batches of such data may be sold for a few dollars.
The Wall Street Journal survey discovered that spying on Internet users is one of the fastest-growing businesses on the World Wide Web.
The "cookie" a tiny text file put on your PC by websites or marketing firms which might be used to remember your. preferences for one site, or to track you across many sites is already old news. There are new and more complex tools such as “beacons ” which scan in real time what people are doing on a webpage. These beacons instantly assess the Internet user's location, income, shopping interests and even medical conditions.
Millions of Internet users around the world also face unprecedented (空前的) threats. Private, sensitive, personal and business information is being gathered and sold without their knowledge.
Companies insist the information they gather is anonymous and the data is used harmlessly. But the technology has grown so powerful that even some of the biggest websites in the US don't know that they were installing intrusive files on visitors' computers. These include MSN. com and Yahoo. com.
Next time you visit a webpage and find an ad banner advertising something you've been planning to buy, don't be amazed that your computer can read your mind.The purpose of the passage is to __________.
| A．introduce a tiny file in a computer-a single code |
| B．show how your individual information was let out when you surf the Internet |
| C．show how to protect your privacy |
| D．introduce a sophisticated software called a “ beacon" |
All of the following statements are False except __________.
| A．Lotame sells the profiles about individuals to companies seeking customers with their age, gender, location, hobbies and names |
| B．spying on Internet users is the fastest-growing businesses on the World Wide Web |
| C．some of the biggest websites in the US know they were installing intrusive files on visitors' computers |
| D．a tiny file in a computer-a single code consisting of a long series of numbers and letters can record users' information |
It can be inferred that __________.
| A．because the data is used harmlessly the Internet users around the world will not face threats |
| B．when a person surf the Internet, his personal details may be let out without his knowledge |
| C．your __________ computer can really read your mind |
| D．MSN. com and Yahoo. com. use software to capture what people are typing on a website |
According to the passage, "beacon" __________.
| A．is a tiny text file put on your PC by websites |
| B．is a soft ware that can package that data into profiles about individuals |
| C．can assess the Internet user's location, income, shopping interests and even medical conditions |
| D．is not more complex than the "cookie" |
What's the writer's attitude to this problem?
| A．Neutral | B．Worried | C．Optimistic | D．Indifferent |
Personal computers and the Internet give people new choices about how to spend their time.
Some may use this freedom to share less time with certain friends or family members, but new technology will also let them stay in closer touch with those they care most about. I know this from personal experience.
E-mail makes it easy to work at home, which is where I now spend most weekends and evenings. My working hours aren't necessarily much shorter than they once were, but I spend fewer of them at the office. This lets me share more time with my young daughter than I might have if she'd been born before electronic mail became such a practical tool.
The Internet also makes it easy to share thoughts with a group of friends. Say you do something fun—see a great movie perhaps and there are four or five friends who might want to hear about it. If you call each one, you may be tired of telling the story.
With E-mail, you just write one note about your experience, at your convenience, and address it to all the friends you think might be interested. They can read your message when they have time, and read only as much as they want to. They can reply at their convenience, and you can read what they have to say at your convenience.
E-mail is also an inexpensive way to stay in close touch with people who live far away. More than a few parents use E-mail to keep in touch, even daily touch, with their children off at college.
We just have to keep in mind that computers and the Internet offer another way of staying in touch. They don't take the place of any of the old ways.The purpose of this passage is to __________.
| A．explain how to use the Internet |
| B．describe the writer's joy of keeping up with the latest technology |
| C．tell the merits (价值) and usefulness of the Internet |
| D．introduce the reader to basic knowledge about personal computers and the Internet |
The use of E-mail has made it possible for the writer to __________.
| A．spend less time working |
| B．have more time with his child |
| C．work at home on weekends |
| D．work at a speed comfortable to him |
The best title for this passage is __________.
| A．Computer: New Technological Advances |
| B．Internet: New Tool to Maintain Good Friendship |
| C．Computers Have Made Life Easier |
| D．Internet: a Convenient Tool for Communication |
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