I wondered if anyone had experienced such an unexpected trip as I had.
The day of my holiday arrived, but I wasn’t looking forward to it. I had little money and had only been able to afford to stay with my Aunt Rosa in Spain. So, I wasn’t really excited as I knew exactly what it was going to be like: lots of noisy cousins, and Aunt Rosa begging me to take her for a ride.
After I had checked in, I made my way slowly to the departure gate. As I was waiting to board the plane, I kept thinking about my ideal holiday destination: Jamaica, with its long, sandy beaches and crystal clear water.
As soon as the plane took off, I fell fast asleep and only woke to the sound of the announcement: “Ladies and gentlemen, please fasten your seat belts, as we will shortly be landing in Kingston.” I froze in my seat. Was I dreaming? Kingston? Jamaica? I had boarded the wrong plane!
Immediately after the plane landed, I explained the situation to the authorities. It seems there were also three other passengers heading for Spain. Apparently it had been the airline’s fault, since the flight numbers for Spain and Jamaica were exactly the same! Therefore, with no flight back to London for a week, the airline had no choice but to pay for our stay.
So there I was, lying on the beach, enjoying the music and the marvelous food of Jamaica! As for Aunt Rosa, I suppose she just had to live without me!Why did the writer choose to spend her holiday with her aunt in Spain?
| A．She missed her cousins very much. |
| B．She could hardly afford any better trip. |
| C．Her aunt begged her to go there. |
| D．Spain was her ideal destination. |
In the text, the writer ended up _________.
| A．flying to London immediately |
| B．heading for Spain from Jamaica |
| C．enjoying a free beach holiday |
| D．complaining to the authorities |
Which of the following might be the best title of the text?
| A．A Well-Planned Trip | B．A Terrible Adventure |
| C．A Nice Dream | D．A Lucky Mistake |
Technology and the present generation of kids go hand in hand. Taking advantage of this factor, Lim Hojoon, the designer from South Korea, has come up with an educational gadget (小装置) especially for children.
Kidget, as the name suggests, is a combination of two words – kid and gadget. This kid-friendly gadget has various uses. When your child is in a mood to read, it takes the form of a storybook. When the mood is to draw and color this wonder gadget turns into a perfect canvas (画布). Your child can freely give color to all his/her imaginations. Should he or she wish to have some fun, see this device change into a musical instrument. You too would enjoy doing activities with your loved one using this gadget. This touch screen device will definitely prove to be an ideal friend.
As many parents agree, in this age of technological advancements it is much easier to introduce children to new gadgets than adults. While many adults refrain (克制) from trying out something new, kids are more than prepared to take the leap. Keeping this fact in mind, Kidget is the perfect gift for the child of the 21st century. You will be surprised to see how fast your little one gets acquainted with the device. You might even find yourself lagging (落后) behind at times.
Kidget has another hidden advantage. It helps take the load off young shoulders. With three things rolled into one, a child has much less books, stationary items and related goods to carry. It comes with a promise to make life simpler for kids. Not only is it simple to use but also easy to carry along. The stylish protective case comes with a belt attached to it. Children up to 14 years of age, the targeted audience, enjoy the freedom that comes with it.The Kidget probably can’t serve as a ______.
| A．storybook | B．perfect canvas |
| C．musical instrument | D．television |
We learn from the second paragraph that Kidget ______.
| A．has many functions |
| B．is only suitable for kids |
| C．can make kids addicted if not properly used |
| D．can change its shape and color |
A hidden advantage of Kidget is that ______.
| A．it can be put into a schoolbag |
| B．children can carry much less with it |
| C．it has a stylish protective case |
| D．it contains all the textbooks |
We can infer from the text that Kidget ______.
| A．has both advantages and disadvantages |
| B．hasn’t been put into use |
| C．needs to be further improved |
| D．is a perfect gift for kids |
Visit any junior high or high school and you will experience the power of influence. Clothing, hairstyles, attitudes and even the language are all gained by some amount of influence, whether it is from commercials, fashion, trends, celebrities or music. Teens and preteen children are influenced by these various factors. However, a child’s friends are the No. 1 influence.
Before you think your children’s friends could never lead one another astray (误入歧途的), think again. A child may experience an event that has caused overwhelming stress or may have problems at home or school, which causes negative behavior. Negative influences of a child’s friends can come without warning.
“Parents who ask their children where they are going, who they are going with and request a meeting with their children’s friends and the friends’ parents have already taken the first step,” says Mara Berkley, family therapist and professor at Bristol University in Rhode Island.
Lynn Rexroat of Chillicothe, Illinois, uses this method to keep tabs on her children. “My oldest son knows that in order for him to go anywhere with a friend, especially one I haven’t met before, I have to speak with that friend’s parent to make sure the arrangements are agreeable with us both,” she says. “I don’t interrogate (质问) them by asking about their private life. I just want to know that the parents of the other child know what the boys are planning to do. I feel that by my wanting to know I am protecting my son.”
When a parent suspects that their child is hanging out with “the wrong crowd”, the last thing on their mind should be discipline. Instead, Berkley says a parent should be more interested in finding out the reasons behind the behaviors and the child’s choice to keep company with these types of friends.We can infer from the second paragraph that .
| A．two children usually go astray together |
| B．a child can be negatively influenced only when he meets problems |
| C．a child can easily go astray under the influence of a friend |
| D．parents know exactly when a child is negatively influenced |
Mara Berkley probably agrees that you when your child is going out with his friends.
| A．should track him secretly | B．should not ask him |
| C．can stop him going out | D．do something to interfere |
How does Lynn Rexroat protect her son according to the text?
| A．She questions his son directly. |
| B．She meets his son’s friends herself. |
| C．She makes arrangements with the parents of his son’s friends. |
| D．She communicates with the parents of his son’s friends. |
The underlined part “keep tabs on” in the fourth paragraph probably means “ ”.
| A．watch over | B．win over | C．bring back | D．take control of |
Smart home applications can share all kinds of helpful information with homeowners. There appears a new housing platform which can detect the stress on electricity — and the stress on the heart.
“There is a growing population of elderly people, and there are statistics to show that more and more of them are going to live alone in the home,” said Johann Siau, a senior lecturer at the University of Hertfordshire in the U.K., who was leading the InterHome project.
The system was originally designed to provide remote access (远程访问) to a house so owners could be more energy-efficient. In a small type of the system, set-in controller devices connect securely to the Internet. The owner can then monitor them with a cell phone or computer. User feedback helps the system adapt to routines, saving on electricity.
While thinking about responding to user behavior and an increasingly elderly population, the researchers decided to add wristband (手腕带) technology that senses important organs of the body such as body temperature and pulse, Siau said. “If someone were to fall, it would detect the fall and it would immediately start the monitor of the pulse to see if the person has gone into shock (休克),” he said.
The wristband communicates with the home system wirelessly. Data from the band can be securely transmitted to the home network and accessed by authorized users. “We’re working on trying to reduce it to a level where it could potentially be a wrist-sized product,” Siau said.
But he warned that the technology presented new challenges. “When you start using that on a larger scale, you have issues of privacy or security,” he said. Siau said the InterHome home system isn’t intended to invade privacy. “We’re thinking about the elderly people who are living alone with no one looking after them,” he said. “Hopefully this will be able to decrease some concerns and possibly save a few lives.”The system was first designed for a house owner to .
| A．keep watch on his house |
| B．keep his house safe |
| C．monitor the elderly people inside |
| D．save electricity |
The wristband technology is used in the system to .
| A．sense important organs of a person |
| B．keep an old man from falling |
| C．get the medical information of a sick person |
| D．record a person’s daily activities |
The researchers are now trying to make the wristband .
| A．more sensitive |
| B．be connected with the Internet |
| C．available for common people |
| D．suitable to wear on the wrist |
What challenges will the new technology bring according to Siau?
| A．The wristband can be large and expensive. |
| B．The wristband will get false information of a person. |
| C．It will not be used in the proper way. |
| D．It will bring inconvenience to the old people. |
There are many things that go into making a successful school, and success can be measured in many ways. Often, the teachers are praised for a school’s success and blamed for its failure. Yet, in order for a school to be effective, it must be a place where teaching and learning can easily take place, and that requires the hard work of more than just educators. Students must take learning into their own hands and feel as if what they are doing is as important as it actually is. This can only be done with the cooperation of every adult that is involved in the students’ life. Some of these individuals often go unnoticed, yet the role they play in the students’ lives is immeasurable.
Administrative assistants welcome students at the beginning of the day and answer a large number of questions. When an assistant remembers a student’s name or even something special about that student, it communicates to him that he is cared for. The assistant can also give that extra encouragement for a student to make better choices, especially when they are visiting the principal’s office.
Cafeteria workers have a short period of time to interact with students, but can make a big difference as well. Beyond meeting nutritional needs, cafeteria workers may also on occasion meet the emotional needs of the students they serve. Students benefit from positive interaction with adults, and cafeteria workers may give that extra bit of encouragement that a child needs.
Custodians (管理人员) are often underappreciated for all that they give to schools. They have to be knowledgeable about everything from cleaning to fixing the most intricate (复杂的) tools. They get to school early in the morning before teachers arrive and lock up late at night after the last student has left from the after-school event. They also make sure teachers are equipped with the necessary items and prepare the rooms so that they are ready for learning. A great custodian also gives that kind word or extra smile to that student who needs it most.If an assistant remembers a student’s name, the student will feel that .
| A．he is cared for |
| B．he is special |
| C．he has done something wrong |
| D．he has made progress in study |
Which of the following is TRUE about cafeteria workers?
| A．It’s enough for them to cook for the students. |
| B．It’s hard for them to interact with the students. |
| C．They can also meet the emotional needs of the students. |
| D．They have the most interaction with students at school. |
We learn from the fourth paragraph that .
| A．custodians play the least important role in a school |
| B．the work of custodians often goes unnoticed |
| C．custodians should be more serious with students |
| D．custodians’ work is always appreciated at school |
How does the author feel about the staff mentioned in the text?
| A．Disappointed. | B．Appreciative. |
| C．Dissatisfied. | D．Doubtful. |
Harvard student Julie Zauzmer turned 20 on January 22, and her birthday couldn’t have been better: She got to working the overnight shift at the Harvard Square Homeless Shelter.
That might seem an extraordinary act of selflessness for someone turning 20. But there’s increasing evidence that commitment to community service is becoming much more ordinary to today’s young adults.
“Young adults are doing more volunteer service than in any point in history,’’ said Scott Seider, an assistant professor of education at Boston University who studies the civic development of young adults.
At Harvard, the Winthrop Street Homeless Shelter is one of 86 social service programs associated with the Phillips Brooks House Association, which is a student-run nonprofit organization. Students can work with deaf children, bring pets to nursing homes, and prepare Chinese students to become US citizens, and so on.
Volunteerism develops well outside of colleges, too. Applications to AmeriCorps have risen to a very high level, jumping from 91,399 in 2008 to 258,829 in 2010. City Year, which puts young people in high-poverty schools as tutors and mentors for at-risk students, has had a 140 percent increase in applications since its 2007-2008 service year. Citizen Schools, which uses volunteers to work with students in middle schools, has had a 28 percent jump in applicants between 2008 and 2009.
“Most of my friends know it’s their duty to give back before they settle down,’’ said Samantha Wolf, a 23-year-old Boston University graduate serving with City Year in a Mattapan school.
City Year corps member Antonio Gutierrez, 22, graduated last year from Union College in Schenectady, N.Y., and is applying for admission to law schools, but this year he is tutoring and mentoring students at the Blackstone Elementary School in the South End.
“I grew up in similar circumstances,’’ said Gutierrez, who said he was a weak student until enrichment programs changed his academic trajectory (轨迹). Raised by a single mother in low-income housing across the street from City Year’s South End Headquarters, he used to watch the red-jacketed corps members come and go, and decided to become one someday.We learn from what Scott Seider says in Paragraph 3 that young people today .
| A．study harder than before |
| B．do more volunteering than ever before |
| C．don’t care much about others |
| D．like to find jobs in their communities |
What’s the goal of the program of City Year?
| A．It helps to find jobs for college students. |
| B．It offers shelters to the homeless people. |
| C．It helps to build schools for poor students. |
| D．It engages young people to teach at high-poverty schools. |
What do we know about Antonio Gutierrez?
| A．He wants to give back as a volunteer. |
| B．He has always been an excellent student. |
| C．He never expected to become a volunteer. |
| D．He now works as a teacher. |
What would be the best title for the text?
| A．Volunteering spirit has disappeared |
| B．How to become a college student |
| C．College students learn to give back |
| D．The real life of young adults today |
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