It’s the place where smart people make smart machines work even smarter. It’s also in the heart of sunny California, a great place to start a family and raise kids. What could be better?
But something is happening to their children. Up until the age of two they develop normally. But then everything seems to go backwards. The children become locked into their own small world, unable to communicate at all.
They call it the “curse(诅咒)of Silicon Valley,” but the medical name for the condition is autism(自闭症). It used to be thought that autism was a kind of mental illness. Now doctors are sure that it is a neurological disease transmitted genetically. It seems that the people leading the communications revolution are having children who cannot communicate at all.
But even the parents have trouble communicating. Asperger’s Syndrome is a mild version of autism. People who have it are highly intelligent and often brilliant with numbers or system but have no social skill. This very combination of symptoms makes Asperger’s sufferers into ideal computer professionals.
The Asperger’s sufferer has always been a well-known figure in popular culture. He or she was the eccentric but dedicated scholar or the strange uncle or auntie who never married. But the high numbers of such people in Silicon Valley mean that they can meet others who understand them and share their interests. And while they might not be personally attractive, they can earn truly attractive amounts of money. They can get married and have kids. Unfortunately, many of the children of two Asperger’s parents seem to be developing serious autism.
There is little anyone can do. It takes hours of work just to make autistic child realize that anyone else exists. And there is no cure in sight. Some argue that no cure should be found. “It may be that autistics are essentially different from normal people, but that these differences make them invaluable for the evolution of the human race,” says Dr. Kirk Whilhelmsen of the University of California. “To eliminate the genes for autism could be disastrous. ”
It seems that the children of Silicon Valley are paying the price of genius.What is the best title of the passage?
| A．The Price of Genius |
| B．Asperger’s Syndrome, a Mild Version of Autism |
| C．No Cure Should Be Found |
| D．Ideal Computer Professionals |
What does Dr Kirk Whilhelmsen think of autism?
| A．It is disastrous to society. |
| B．It is not completely a bad thing. |
| C．It is a punishment to those working in Silicon Valley. |
| D．People with autism should never marry. |
What can we learn about autism according to the passage?
| A．It is believed to be a kind of mental illness that can be cured. |
| B．People with autism can’t find people sharing their interests. |
| C．They do not care about the presence of others. |
| D．They are a burden for the society. |
Why do people call autism “curse of Silicon Valley”？
| A．Because autistic people live in Silicon Valley. |
| B．Because many people working in Silicon Valley have autism children. |
| C．Because people with autism will be driven out of Silicon Valley. |
| D．Because people with autism are not personally attractive and not liked by others. |
What can we know about Asperger’s Syndrome according to the passage?
| A．Asperger’s sufferers are ideal computer professionals. |
| B．Asperger’s sufferers never get married and have children. |
| C．Asperger’s sufferers are ashamed of themselves and locked into their own world. |
| D．Asperger’s sufferers can be beneficial to society if they are cured. |
Summer Holiday Fun 2010 !
The summer holidays are upon us again. Here is our guide to summer holiday fun in Peterborough!
Peterborough Museum
The Age of the Dinosaurs’ is the museum’s main attraction this summer．Get up close to prehistoric creatures via some great hands—on exhibits! Watch out for monsters lurking (潜伏) around every ember! The museum is open from 10：00am to 5：00pm Monday to Saturday，and from 12:00pm to 4:00 pm on Sundays in August．
Call 01733 864663 for details
Saxon Youth Club
School holiday fun：Young people aged 
13－19 will be able to produce their own music, compete in spots activities, or try their hand at cooking at Saxon Youth Club, Saxon Community Centre, Norman Road, Peterborough every Monday and Wednesday from 3:
00pm. PLUS an aero ball tournament will take place on Thursday 12th August between 3:30pm and 6:30pm.
Call 01353 720274 for details
Houghton Mill
Alice through the Looking Class—a new production of the family favorite on Monday 30th. August. Bring rugs or chairs to sit on and a picnic if you wish to eat during the play. Gates open 5 : 30 pro performance 6:30pm—8:30pm. Tea room will be open until end of the interval. Adult ￡10. Child￡7. Family ￡20.
Booking advisable on 0845 4505157.
Farmland Museum and Denny Abbey
Farmland Gaines：From Wellie 
Wanging to Pretend Ploughing matches，come and join the Farmland Team．Collect your sporting stickers and create a colorful rosette (玫瑰形饰物) that is fit for a winner！No need to book, just turn up between 12: 00pm 
and 4:00pm on Thursday 19th August Suitable for children aged four and above，each child should be accompanied by an adult and all activities are included in the normal admission price Tickets Cost￡7 per child.
For further information, call 01223 810080. If
you are interested in cooking, you can go to .
| A．Peterborough Museum | B．Houghton Mill |
| C．Saxon Youth Club | D．Farmland Museum |
You want to watch the new play with your parents，so it will cost you ．
| A．￡21 | B．￡17 | C．￡27 | D．￡20 |
Which of the following activities needs parents’ company?
| A．Playing farmland games. | B．Watching a new play. |
C．Competing in spots activi ties. |
D．Visiting the dinosaur exhibition. |
If Tom comes to Peterborough for amusement on August 19, he will have activities
to choose from for himself.
| A．one activity | B．two activities |
| C．three activities | D．four activities |
A gentle breeze blew through Jennifer's hair. The golden red sun was setting. She was on the beach, looking up at the fiery (火红的) ball. She was amazed by its color, deep red in the middle, softly fading into yellow. She could hear nothing but the waves and the seagulls flying up above in the sky.
The atmosphere relaxed her. After all she had been through, this was what she needed. "It's getting late," she thought, "I must go home. My parents will be wondering where I am."
She wondered how her parents would react, when she got home after the three days she was missing. She kept on walking, directing herself where she spent every summer holiday. The road was deserted. She walked slowly and silently. Just in a few hundred meters she would have been safe in her house.
It was really getting 
dark now. The sun had set a few minutes before and it was getting cold too. She wished she had her favorite sweater on: it kept her really warm. She imagined having it with her. This thought disappeared when she finally saw her front door. It seemed different. Nobody had taken care of the outside garden for a few days. She was shocked: her father was usually so strict about keeping everything clean and tidy, and now... It all seemed deserted. She couldn't understand what was going on.
She entered the house. First, she went into the kitchen where she saw a note written by her father. It said: "Dear Ellen, there is some coffee ready. I went looking." Ellen was her mother but－where was she? On the right side of the hallway was her parents' room. She went in. Then she saw her. Her mother, lying on the bed, was sleeping. Her face looked so tired, as if she hadn't slept for days. She was really pale. Jennifer would have wanted to wake her up but she looked too tired. So Jennifer just fell asleep beside her. When Jennifer woke up, something was different－she wasn't in her mother's room and she wasn't wearing the old clothes she ran away in. She was in her cozy bed in her pajamas.
It felt so good being back home. Suddenly she heard a voice, "Are you feeling better now, dear? You know you got us very, very scared."Three days later Jennifer came back home .
| A．at sunrise | B．at sunset | C．at night | D．at midday |
What does the underlined phrase "This thought" most probably m
ean?
| A．The idea of going back home. |
| B．Her anxiety about her parents. |
| C．The feeling of being warm in her favorite sweater. |
| D．The feeling of getting back home safely. |
Her father didn't take care of the garden because .
| A．he was busy looking for her |
| B．he had to look after his wife |
| C．he was not strict with his job |
| D．he no longer enjoyed working in the garden |
Do you blank out, freeze up or feel so nervous in exams that you have trouble writing answers to questions that you knew just last night? If so, you likely have a case of test anxiety.
But, don’t panic. By recognizing the problem, you are taking the first step towards overcoming it.
Believe it or not, a touch of nervousness can sharpen your mind, allowing you to perform more quickly. This is because under stress, the body releases the hormone adrenaline (肾上腺素), which prepares it for something important that will happen. However, too much anxiety can result in sleeplessness, loss of appetite（食欲） before tests, and poor performances. Some people might feel shaky, hot, or even sick.
If you worry a lot or are a perfectionist, you are more likely to have trouble with test anxiety. Those who have prepared poorly for a test or have had negative experiences taking tests may also experience test anxiety.
When you feel a storm of anxiety coming on, stop what you are doing and make your mind a blank. If possible, actually tell yourself to “STOP”. This will get your mind off the stress.
Then think of being at a place of comfort and let your body relax. As you continue the test, find questions you know the answers to and answer them first. This will help restore your confidence.
Talk to yourself using positive language. Make it a habit to replace each negative thought with a logical reason. For example：“ I’ve studied hard and I know the material, so I’m ready to do the best I can.”
Another thing you can do is to learn to accept mistakes. In fact, they can be valuable learning opportunities.
Last but not least, start test preparation early---three to five days ahead of the quiz or test. After all, good study habits and skills ---for example, time management and note-taking – will give you the feeling that your are in control. The first step to overcome nervousness is___ .
| A．stopping what you are doing, and make your mind a blank. | |
B．getting aware of your problem that y ou are always nervous |
|
| C．releasing a kind of body liquid. | D．making full preparations |
___ are more likely to feel very nervous in tests.
| A．People who feel a touch of nervousness in tests. |
| B．People who haven’t prepared very well. |
| C．People who require that everything must be perfect. |
| D．People who have recognized their problems. |
According to the passage, which statement is TRUE?
| A．Those who have ever failed in tests must feel anxious. |
| B．A touch of nervousness is a good thing. |
C．You should answer the questions on the paper one by one . |
| D．Full preparation is not as important as nervousness controlling. |
The other day at a supermarket, I saw a naughty child of about six crying loudly, falling to the floor and refusing to move. All the while the troubled mother was trying to persuade him to behave well but failed. A little smack(打)on his bottom would have worked ,I thought.
Teenagers also cause discipline(纪律)problems. As a teacher I had a 16-year-old student who had fallen in love with a waiter at a fast-food restaurant. In fact, she had left home to stay with him. So we decided to put her in the school hostel .She refused. When she heard her mother begging her to stay in the school hostel, she turned around and said: “Why don’t you stay in the school hostel if you like it so much?”
My hands were going to slap her for being so rude but the poor mother continued to cajole her , hoping the gentle persuasion would work wonders. It did not. Later I heard that she had run away from home again.
The list goes on and on. Could it be that today’s parents are so softer and believe that they must not rod(棍棒惩罚)their children for fear of the bad results? Or do they really believe that the children will get rid of the bad habits and behave well as they grow older? I beg to disagree. I believe it is the parents’ duty to disc
ipline the children even at a young age.
My children who are now adults will prove the fact that I used the rod when I thought it necessary. Later when they went abroad, they told their university friends how they were disciplined. Their friends were shocked and said that I could be charged with child abuse. However ,my daughter showed great respect for me when she told them that she would not be where she was today if not for my strict discipline.According to the passage, the author would probably________.
| A．beat the children every day | B．treat the children in a soft way |
| C．leave the children as they are | D．punish the children when necessary |
The underlined word cajole” (in para.3)means_______.
| A．persuade | B．scold | C．forgive | D．punish |
In the author’s opinion, how should parents make their children grow up well?
| A．rod their children | B．punish their children |
| C．discipline their children | D．discipline and punish their children if necessary |
Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?
| A．The naughty boy’s mother hit him |
| B．The teacher’s daughter lived with her mother |
| C．The daughter was thankful for her mother’ strict discipline |
| D．The author was charged with child abuse by the daughter’s friends |
Blair: Blair was the first to appear in movies in history. In 1905, Blair appeared in the movie Rescued by Rover (义犬救主). It is a British film that a baby is kidnapped by an old woman, but the faithful family dog Rover saves the baby at last.
Though Rover is a common name, it became popular because of the dog hero in the movie.
Lassie: lassie used to be the most famous dog in the world. She is a character who has starred (扮演) in many movies, TV shows and books over the years.
Lassie was created by Eric Knight and made her way into a short story in a newspaper in 1913 and into a novel in 1940.
Laika: Laika is the first animal that has orbited the earth. On November 3, 1957, Laika was sent to space in the Soviet Union’s Sputnik 2.(苏联人造地球卫星2号). The Soviets admitted soon after the launch that the spacecraft would not return. It meant that the poor animal would die. People argued a lot about Laika’s death. Several countries issued stamps in memory of Laika. She became the first animal to give her life for the exploration of space.
Rin Tin Tin: Rin Tin Tin is the first American dog movie star. He first appeared in WhereThe North Begins in 1925. Rin Tin Tin went on to make 25 movies, he even signed his own contracts with paw prints(爪印). During his best time, he earned about 5 million dollars for those people who worked for him.
Snoopy: snoopy may be the most famous cartoon dog in the world. As a hunting beagle (猎犬) from Charles Schultz’ popular newspaper comic strip (连环漫画)， Peanuts, snoopy first appeared in 1950. Though snoopy was at first a minor figure, he grew to become the strip’s best-known character. He is famous for always sleeping on top of his doghouse and sometimes dressing up and pretending himself as a World War I airplane pilot. Snoopy appeared in the Peanuts comic strips until Schultz’s retirement ( and death ) in February of 2000. According to the passage how many dogs starred in movies?
| A．2 | B．3 | C．4 | D．5 |
Two dogs created by artists are_.
| A．Rin Tin Tin and Snoopy | B．Blair and Lassie | C．Rin Tin Tin and Lassie |
| D．Snoopy and Lassie |
Which dog is most worth respecting?
| A．Laika. | B．Snoopy | C．Lassie. | D．Rin Tin Tin. |
Which of the following is the most reasonable?
| A．Blair- the first dog movie star; Laika-the greatest dog; Snoopy-No.1 cartoon dog star. |
| B．Rin Tin Tin- the first dog movie star; Laika-the most disappointing dog; Snoopy-No.1 cartoon dog star. |
| C．Rin Tin Tin- a dog millionaire; Blair- the first dog movie star; Laika-the most well-known cartoon dog. |
| D．Laika-the greatest dog; Rin Tin Tin- the first dog movie star; Laika-the most well-known cartoon dog. |
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