One windy spring day, I observed young people having fun using the wind to fly their kites. Multicolored creations of varying shapes and sizes filled the skies like beautiful birds dashing and dancing in the exciting atmosphere above the earth. As the strong winds gusted against the kites, a string kept them in check.
Instead of blowing away with the wind, they arose against it to achieve great heights. They shook and pulled, but the controlling string and the clumsy tail kept them in tow(牵引), facing upward and against the wind. As the kites struggled and trembled against the string, they seemed to say, “Let me go! Let me go! I want to be free!” They flew beautifully even as they fought the forced restriction of the string. Finally, one of the kites succeeded in breaking loose. “Free at last,” it seemed to say. “Free to fly with the wind.”
Yet freedom from control simply put it at the mercy of an unsympathetic gentle wind. It flew ungracefully to the ground and landed in a twisted mass of weeds and string against a dead bush. “Free at last”. Free to lie powerless in the dirt, to be blown helplessly along the ground, and to settle down lifeless against the first roadblock.
How much like kites we sometimes are. There always exist misfortunes and restrictions, rules to follow from which we can grow and gain strength. Prohibition is a necessary counterpart to the winds of opposition. Some of us pulled at the rules so hard that we never fly fast to reach the heights we might have obtained. If we keep all the commandment(戒律), we will never rise high enough to get our tails off the ground.
Let us each rise to the great heights, recognizing that some of the prohibitions are actually the steady force that helps us climb and achieve.In the passage the writer watched _______.
| A．many young people enjoying the sunny day |
| B．many birds dashing and dancing in the sky |
| C．many young people flying multicolored kites |
| D．the strong winds blowing against the sky |
What enables a kite fly gracefully in the sky according to the story?
| A．The kite itself and strange shapes. |
| B．A long string and blowing wind. |
| C．A windy spring day and blue sky. |
| D．The size and a long string. |
What didn’t happen to the freed kite?
| A．It kept flying freely in the air. |
| B．It lay powerless in the dirt. |
| C．It was trapped in a dead bush. |
| D．It was blown helplessly around. |
What is the purpose of the author in writing this passage?
| A．To give up tips on how to fly kites effectively. |
| B．To warn us that freedom is actually powerless. |
| C．To explain that restrictions are really unnecessary. |
| D．To teach us a lesson that rules are important in life. |
Which of the following is the best title of the passage?
| A．Fly with Restrictions |
| B．Where to Fly |
| C．Why to Fly Kites |
| D．Fly to Freedom |
The practice of students endlessly copying letters and sentences from a blackboard is a thing of the past. With the coming of new technologies like computers and smart phone, writing by hand has become something of nostalgic(怀旧的) skill. However, while today’s educators are using more and more technologies in their teaching, many believe basic handwriting skills are still necessary for students to be successful ---both in school and in life. Virginia Berninger, professor of educational psychology at the University of Washington, says it’s important to continue teaching handwriting and help children acquire the skill of writing by hand.
Berninger and her colleagues conducted a study that looked at the ability of students to complete various writing tasks---both on a computer and by hand. The study, published in 2009, found that when writing with a pen and paper, participants wrote longer essays and more complete senten3ces and had a faster word production rate.
In a more recent study, Berninger looked at what role spelling plays in a student’s writing skills and found that how well children spell is tied to how well they can write. “Spelling makes some of the thinking parts of the brain active, which helps us access our vocabulary, word meanings and concepts. It is allowing our written language to connect with ideas. Berninger said.
Spelling helps students translate ideas into words in their mind first and then to transcribe (转换) “those words in the mind written symbols on paper or keyboard and screen,” the study said. Seeing the words in the “mind’s eye” helps children not only to turn their ideas into words, says Berninger, but also to spot spelling mistakes when they write the words down and to correct them over time.
“In our computer age, some people believe that we don’t have to teach spelling because we have spell checks,” she said. “But until a child has a functional spelling ability of about a fifth grade level, they won’t have the knowledge to choose the correct spelling among the options given by the computer.”What makes writing by hand a thing of the past?
| A．The absence of blackboard in classroom. |
| B．The use of new technologies in teaching. |
| C．The lack of practice in handwriting. |
| D．The popular use of smart phones. |
Which of the following best shows the role of spelling?
| A．Spelling improves ones memory of words. |
| B．Spelling ability is closely related to writing ability. |
| C．Spelling benefits the translation from words into ideas. |
| D．Spelling slows down finding exact words to express ideas. |
What does minds eye in paragraph 4 mean?
| A．Window | B．Soul | C．Picture | D．Imagination |
What conclusion could be drawn from the passage?
| A．Computers can help people with their choice of words. |
| B．Spell checks can take the place of spelling teaching. |
| C．Handwriting still has a place in todays classrooms. |
| D．Functional spelling ability develops fast in the fifth grade. |
Nowadays, studying abroad gains popularity in China. Many parents would rather send their children abroad to receive education than let them be educated in China.
Every coin has two sides and studying abroad is no exception(例外). There are advantages for people to attend school abroad. In the first place, he can use the foreign language in his daily life so that his ability in the second language may be greatly improved, as it is obvious that there is no better opportunity to improve second language skills than living in the country where it is spoken. While studying in a foreign country, he will mostly meet many others from overseas and it is possible to make friends with people from all over the world. This is not only exciting on the social level, but could lead to important overseas contacts in his career as well. He can learn the latest knowledge in science and make use of the first-rate facilities(设备) available. In this way, there are many chances for him to widen his horizons and broaden his mind.
Of course, attending school abroad may bring about a series of problems as well. The most serious problem is language barrier(障碍). Not all of the students who plan to go abroad are good at the language spoken there. As a result, on arriving there, they will find it difficult to understand what the teachers say. Besides, for lack of knowledge of the customs of the local people, they may constantly(不断地) run into trouble in dealing with various situations. Furthermore, the tuition and the cost of living are much higher than those in our country, which may add more burdens to their family.
Therefore, given an opportunity to attend a school abroad, one must consider both its advantages and its disadvantages carefully before making up his mind.What is the passage mainly about?
| A．Students life in the foreign countries. |
| B．The advantages and disadvantages of studying abroad. |
| C．Problems that will be met when we study abroad. |
| D．The reasons why many parents sent their children abroad. |
All the following are the advantages of studying abroad EXCEPT______
| A．the ability in the second language may be greatly improved |
| B．you may make friends from all over the world |
| C．you can learn to live an independent life |
| D．you can get to know the latest knowledge in science. |
The writers attitude towards studying abroad is ________
| A．Positive(肯定的) | B．Negative（否定的） |
| C．Neutral（中立的） | D．Not clear |
Advice to "sleep on it" could be well founded, scientists say. After a good night's sleep a problem that couldn't be solved the night before can often appear more manageable. Researchers at the University of Luebek in Germany have designed an experiment that shows a good night's sleep can improve insight（顿悟）and problem-solving ability.
“If you have some newly-got memories in your brain, sleep acts on these memories and restructures them, so that after sleep the insight increases," said Dr Jan Born, a neuroscientist, at the University. To test the discovery, they taught volunteers two simple rules to help them turn a string of numbers into a new order. There was also a third, hidden rule, which could help them increase their speed in solving the problem. The researchers divided the volunteers into two groups: half were allowed to sleep after the training while the rest were forced to stay awake. Dr Jan Born and his team noticed that the group that had slept after the training were twice as likely to figure out the third rule as the other group. "Sleep helped," Born said in a telephone interview .¨The important thing is that you have to have a memory description of the problem you want to solve in your brain and then you sleep, so it can act on the problem."
But Born admitted that he and his team don't know how restructuring of memories occurs or what controls it. Pierre Maquet and Perrine Ruby of the University of Liege in Belgium said the experimental evidence supports the suggestion that sleep can help develop creative thinking. Although the role of sleep in human creativity will still be a mystery, the research gives people good reasons to fully respect their periods of sleep, they added.What is the purpose of the experiment?
| A．To test problem-solving ability in sleep. |
| B．To discover people's insight during sleep. |
| C．To prove a good sleep helps solve problems. |
| D．To discuss how to improve sleeping quality. |
How did Jan Born and his team carry out the experiement ?
| A．Through comparison. | B．Through interview. |
| C．Trough talking | D．Through imagination. |
What can be inferred from Paragraph 2 ?
| A．Sleep can help solve problems. |
| B．People should sleep as long as they want. |
| C．Different people have various periods of sleep. |
| D．Scientists know how sleep restructures memories from now. |
Which of the following is TRUE about the experiments evidence?
| A．It helps scientists control memories. |
| B．It explains the role of sleep in human. |
| C．It shows people's sleeping well helps a lot. |
| D．It shows how to develop creative thinking. |
Three years ago when I was still in the University, I also worked at a restaurant.
An old man named Mr. Candido Filio was one of our regular customer at the restaurant. He was one of the most intelligent people I've ever known.
Every Sunday the Philippine Star Newspaper had a special page for word puzzles and among his peers (同龄人), Mr.Filio held the record for solving all the puzzles in less than five minutes. He encouraged me to solve them too, and for months and months, I did my best to beat him but failed.
Then one Sunday, I did it! I was able to complete them before anyone else. Everyone cheered for me. He came up to me with a smile and said, " No one has ever beaten me before. You are the first. I'll have a prize for you tomorrow."
The next day, he gave me a special Scrabble（拼字游戏）set. I would have never been able to afford one like that by myself. Then he said to me, " Kate, what do you think is man's final goal in life? Happiness, isn't it? You are happy and that should be considered as a success. Many people spend a lifetime searching for that. Be thankful that you have found it." I looked at him and knew that my life had changed, probably forever. He must have known that I always felt sad about not having much money.
He encouraged me to learn the game and love words. And true to his words, I was never able to beat him again.
We can learn from the text that Mr.Filio _
| A．was generous to young people |
| B．was good at word puzzles |
| C．lived quite near the restaurant |
| D．won a prize from the Philippine Star Newspaper |
The author was given a gift because________.
| A．Mr.Filio was thankful for her help. |
| B．Mr. Filio was satisfied with her service |
| C．she was the first person to beat Mr.Filio |
| D．she was the new record keeper in the restaurant |
After she heard what Mr. Filio said, the author probably felt ．
| A．amazed | B．excited |
| C．touched | D．inspired |
Juac has made the leap from being an African refugee (难民) to a chess champion in the United States. His job is to share his expertise(专长) with students in schools, chess camps and other events.
During Sudan's civil war in the mid-1980s, Juac was forced out of the country with 20,000 0ther so -called Lost Boys. He fled to Ethiopia, then to Kenya staying in a refugee camp for eight years, where he learned to play chess.
Juac described a dangerous journey in which half the boys didn't survive. To eat, they had to kill wild animals.
"There were animals on the way. It was about a thousand miles and sometimes there was no water. When we were in Ethiopia, we had to cross the river and there a lot drowned."
Juac arrived in the United States in 2004 and began working as a security guard. Winning a chess tournament gave him this teaching opportunity. Juac believes chess helps prepare young people for life.
"Some kids are not interested, so it's your job to make them like the game, to explain them what chess is going to help them with." He said. "Like, I can tell, this game will give you patience, and help with your math skills."
Julie Cathone, a second grade teacher in Jackson Public School, agrees. The School's principal, Meghan Kelley, said Juac and chess have made a big difference.
"What a role model. I mean when you think about just overcoming, and finding what you love and turning that into your life's work."
Juac said he enjoys the freedom he has in the United States. But his passion is playing and teaching chess to youngsters. His boss, Michael Propper , said Juac has one great advantage.
"I think he's believable. I think they look at him and he's so unassuming that they feel like they can do what he's doing and be a person as he is too."
Ju ac still has a big goal ahead of him-becoming an international chess master. With his skill and patience, Propper and his peers have no doubt that will happen.How long did Juac most probably stay in Ethiopia?
| A．About six years. | B．About eight years. |
| C．About twelve years. | D．About sixteen years. |
We can learn from the passage that Juac _
| A．must be teaching kids chess for free |
| B．is patient and good at math problems |
| C．surely has his own chess school in American |
| D．hasn't taken part in international chess contests |
The underlined word "unassuming" probably means __
| A．not appear important | B．seem to be very great |
| C．appear very charming | D．be not strict or serious |
Which is the best title for this passage?
A. "Lost Boys" Experienced Difficult Times.
B. Former Sudan "Lost Boy" Appears in NYC.
C. Former Sudan “Lost Boy" Becomes Chess Master.
D. African Boy Is Teaching Chess in the United States.
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