Play is the basic business of childhood, and in recent years research has shown the great importance of play in the development of a human being. From earliest infancy (婴儿), every child needs opportunity and the right materials for play, and the main tools of play are toys. The main function of toys is to suggest, encourage and play. To succeed in this, they must be good toys, which children will play with often, and will come back to again, and again. Therefore it is important to choose suitable toys for different stages of a child’s development.
In recent years research on infant development has shown that the standard a child is likely to reach, within the range of his inherited (遗传的) abilities, is largely determined in the first three years of his life. So a baby’s ability to benefit from the right play materials should not be underestimated. A baby who is encouraged, talked to and shown things and played with, has the best chance of growing up successfully.
In the next stage, from three to five years old, curiosity knows no bounds. Every type of suitable toys should be made available to the child, for trying out, experimenting and learning, for discovering his own particular ability: Bricks and jigsaws (七巧板) and construction toys; painting, scribbling (涂鸦) and making things; sand and water play;toys for imaginative and pretending play — the first social games for learning to play and get on with others.
But at the third stage of play development — from five to seven or eight years old — the child is at school. But for a few more years play is still the best way of learning, at home or at school. It is easier to see which type of toys the child most enjoys.
Until the age of seven or eight, play and work mean much the same to a child. But once reading has been mastered, then books become the main source of learning. Toys are still interesting and valuable, which lead up to new hobbies, but their significance has changed — to a child of nine or ten years old, toys and games mean, as to adults, relaxation and fun.
according to the first passage we know that as a child grows up________.
A.he should be allowed to choose his own toys |
B.he should be given the same toys |
C.he should be given different toys |
D.he should be given fewer and fewer toys |
according to the passage, the abilities a child has inherited from his parents________.
A.determine his character |
B.will not change after the age of three |
C.partly determine the standard he is likely to reach |
D.to a large extent determine the choice of toys |
We learn from the passage that a child has boundless curiosity________.
A.when he is two | B.when he is around four |
C.when he is six | D.when he is eight |
The passage is mainly about________.
A.the importance of pre-school education | B.the importance of schooling |
C.the role of play in a child’s development | D.the choice of toys for youngster |
People living on parts of the south coast of England face a serious problem. In 1933, the owners of a large hotel and of several houses discovered, to their surprise that their gardens had disappeared overnight. The sea had eaten into the soft limestone cliff (悬崖) on which they had been built. While experts were studying the problem, the hotel and several houses disappeared altogether, sliding down the cliff and into the sea.
Erosion (侵蚀) of the white cliffs along the south coast of England has always been a problem but it has become more serious in recent years. Dozens of homes have had to be abandoned as the sea has crept farther and farther inland. Experts have studied the areas most affected and have drawn up a map for local people, forecasting the year in which their homes will be eaten up by the hungry sea.
Angry owners have called on the Government to erect sea defenses to protect their homes. Government surveyors have pointed out that in most cases, this is impossible. New sea walls would cost hundreds of millions of pounds and would merely make the waves and currents further along the coast, shifting the problem from one area to another. The danger is likely to continue, they say, until the waves reach an inland area of hard rock, which will not be eaten as limestone is. Meanwhile, if you want to buy a cheap house with an uncertain future, apply to a house agent in one of the threatened areas on the south coast of England. You can get a house for a knockdown price but it may turn out to be a knockdown home.
What is the cause of the problem that people living on parts of the south coast of England face?
A.The rising of the sea level. |
B.The experts’ short of knowledge. |
C.The washing-away of limestone cliff. |
D.The disappearance of hotels, houses and gardens. |
The erosion of the white cliffs in the south of England ________.
A.will soon become a problem for people living in central England |
B.has now become a threat to the local residents |
C.can be stopped if proper measures are taken |
D.is quickly changing the map of England |
The experts’ study on the problem of erosion can ________.
A.warn people whose homes are in danger |
B.provide an effective way to slow it down |
C.help to its eventual solution |
D.lead to its eventual solution(www.nmet168.com) |
It is not feasible to build sea defenses to protect against erosion because ________.
A.house agents along the coast do not support the idea |
B.it is too costly and will endanger neighboring areas |
C.the government is too slow in taking action |
D.they will be easily knocked down by waves and currents |
Most of us are used to seasons. Each year, spring follows winter, which follows autumn, which follows summer, which follows spring. And winter is colder than summer. But the earth goes through temperature cycles over much longer periods than those that we experience. Between 65,000 and 35,000 years ago, the planet was much colder than it is now. During that time the temperature also changed a lot, with periods of warming and cooling. Ice melted during the warm periods, which made sea levels rise. Water froze again during the cold periods.
A new study from Switzerland, sheds light on where ice sheets melted during the ice age. It now seems that the ice melted at both ends of the earth, rather than just in either northern or southern regions.
This surprised the researchers from the University of Bern. Scientists have long assumed that most of the ice that melted was in the Northern hemisphere(半球) during the 30,000-year long ice age. That belief was held because the North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. It is easier for ice sheets to grow on land. If surrounded by sea the ice can easily just slip into the ocean instead of building up.
The researchers used a computer model to look at ways the ice could melt and how it might affect sea levels. They compared these results to evidence of how temperatures and currents actually changed during that time. The model showed that if it was only in the Northern hemisphere that ice melted, there would have been a bigger impact(影响) on ocean currents(洋流) and sea temperatures than what actually happened. Studies suggest that melting just in the Southern hemisphere would have been impossible, too. The only reasonable conclusion, the scientists could make, was that ice melted equally in the North and the South.
It is still a mystery as to what caused the temperature changes that caused the ice to melt.
The North Pole is surrounded by land, while the South Pole is surrounded by the Antarctic Ocean. So scientists thought that ________.
A.most of the ice melted in the Northern hemisphere |
B.most of the ice melted in the Southern hemisphere |
C.The North Pole is colder than South Pole |
D.The South Pole is colder than North Pole |
We can infer from the passage ________.
A.the ice can easily just slip into the ocean |
B.volcanoes caused the ice to melt |
C.melting just in the Northern hemisphere would have been impossible |
D.researchers often use the computer models help their research work. |
The scientists are not sure ________.
A.how long the ice age lasted |
B.where ice sheets melted during the ice age |
C.what caused the temperature changes |
D.what the earth is made up of |
Which of the following is the best title for the passage?
A.A computer model |
B.Studies show ice melted equally in the North and the South during the ice age |
C.Most of the ice melted in the Northern hemisphere during the 30,000-year long ice age. |
D.A survey result |
A is for always getting to work on time.
B is for being extremely busy.
C is for the conscientious(勤勤恳恳的) way you do your job.
You may be all these things at the office, and more. But when it comes to getting ahead, experts say, the ABCs of business should include a P, for politics, as in office politics.
Dale Carnegie suggested as much more than 50 years ago: Hard work alone doesn’t ensure career advancement. You have to be able to sell yourself and your ideas, both publicly and behind the scenes. Yet, despite the obvious rewards of engaging in office politics—a better job, a raise, praise—many people are still unable or unwilling—to “play the game”.
“People assume that office politics involves some manipulative(工于心计的) behavior,” says Deborah Comer, an assistant professor of management at Hofstra University. “But politics derives from the word ‘polite’. It can mean lobbying(游说) and forming associations. It can mean being kind and helpful, or even trying, to please your superior, and then expecting something in return.”
In fact, today, experts define office politics as proper behavior used to pursue one’s own self-interest in the workplace. In many cases, this involves some form of socializing within the office environment—not just in large companies, but in small workplaces as well.
“The first thing people are usually judged on is their ability to perform well on a consistent basis,” says Neil P. Lewis, a management psychologist. “But if two or three candidates are up for a promotion, each of whom has reasonably similar ability, a manager is going to promote the person he or she likes best. It’s simple human nature.”
Yet, psychologists say, many employees and employers have trouble with the concept of politics in the office. Some people, they say, have an idealistic vision of work and what it takes to succeed. Still others associate politics with flattery(奉承), fearful that, if they speak up for themselves, they may appear to be flattering their boss for favors.
Experts suggest altering this negative picture by recognizing the need for some self-promotion.
“Office politics” is used in the passage to refer to________.
A.the political views and beliefs of office workers |
B.the interpersonal relationships within a company |
C.the various qualities required for a successful career |
D. the code of behavior for company staff |
To get promoted, one must not only be competent but________.
A.avoid being too outstanding |
B.get along well with his colleagues |
C.honest and loyal to his company |
D.give his boss a good impression |
The author considers office politics to be________.
A.unwelcome at the workplace |
B.bad for interpersonal relationships |
C.an important factor for personal advancement |
D.indispensable to the development of company culture |
It is the author’s view that________.
A.self-promotion does not necessarily mean flattery |
B.hard work contributes very little to one’s promotion |
C.many employees fail to recognize the need of flattery |
D.speaking up for oneself is part of human nature |
A teddy bear from Cumbria is launching into space to raise cash for charity(慈善).
Terence, an experienced traveller who has been to Iraq, will be the guest of honour on aviation(航行) legend Burt Rutan’s Spaceship One when it flies above Earth. The mission takes off from California on September 29, and on his return the cuddly toy will be auctioned off(拍卖) in aid of the North Air Ambulance Appeal(北部空中救护服务中心).
Spaceship One is the world’s first private spacecraft, and is competing for a prestigious space travel prize. Chief executive of the Great North Air Ambulance Service (GNAAS), Graham Pickering, said “flying officer” Terence had been handed over to the RAF six months ago and staff had been receiving postcards from him ever since.
He said, “Terence was a fundraising idea that really took off. We have received pictures of him in a U2 craft, trying parachuting and even looking drunk and disorderly. When the RAF finally discharge him he will be a very rare bear indeed—we just hope he does not burn up on re-entry to Earth.”
GNAAS, which needs charitable donations of more than £2m a year, has three air ambulances(空中救护机).
Peter Bond, spokesman for the Royal Astronomical Society, said Terence’s safety was not guaranteed. He said, “This is a new and experimental craft and this will only be the second time it has flown. During its first voyage it developed technical problems but hopefully they have now been resolved.”
Since May, Terence has spent time with members of 100 Squadron(空军中队) based at RAF Leeming in Basra, Iraq, and at air shows with performing fighter planes.
Spaceship One will fly 100km (62 miles) above the Earth’s surface, just breaking through the planet’s atmosphere.
If it repeats the feat(技艺) inside two weeks, it will claim the $10m Ansari X-Prize set up to encourage the private space flight business.
Terence is ________.
A.a real bear living in England | B.an experienced astronaut |
C.an air force officer | D.a toy bear |
We can infer that________.
A.after this space flight, Spaceship One will get the $10m Ansari X-Prize |
B.it is dangerous for a spaceship to re-enter the earth atmosphere |
C.Terence will be very safe on the flight |
D.Spaceship One is just an ordinary plane |
Which of the following is true of Spaceship One?
A.Spaceship One is the world’s first spacecraft. |
B.The purpose of its flight is to collect money for the charity. |
C.The purpose of its flight is to compete for a prestigious space travel prize. |
D.Spaceship One has never flown. |
Which of the following is the best title?
A.Teddy bear astronaut to lift off | B.Spaceship One to lift off |
C.Space flight | D.The toy bear will be auctioned off |
Several days ago, a Beijing-based IT company fired about 400 people overnight. No one had expected the job cuts, which broke with traditional ways of letting go of workers in China. Moreover, what was special about this case was that the day before the 400 were fired, they all received from their boss a gift—the book “Who Moved My Cheese?”
The book—a bestseller in the US—is being used by men and women to deal with changes in their lives and work. Some large organizations, including Coca-Cola, Kodak and General Motors, ask their employees to read it in order to encourage them to be active towards changes.
Cheese is something related to everyone’s livelihood—our jobs, the Industries we work in, relationships and love as well.
With China’s official entry into the WTO, the whole nation will face more changes and challenges. So what should we do once this “cheese” on which we are so dependent is moved?
whatever challenges and changes we meet, we should face up to them bravely, Jiang Hengwei, a civil servant said after reading the book.
Professor Zhang Yang in Renmin University of China agrees. “We should change our way of thinking. The coming competitive foreign companies and products provide us with great chances to learn from them and improve our own products to meet international standards and be more competitive.”
“With hard work and wisdom, we will create a much larger and better piece of cheese.” Zhang smiled confidently.
The whole passage is about _______.
A.people’s opinions about a bestseller of the US |
B.what people think about China’s entry into the WTO |
C.the change in people’s attitude towards changes and challenges |
D.how a book influences the Chinese |
The company in Beijing gave each of the 400 fired workers a copy of “Who Moved My Cheese” in order to _______.
A.be more competitive with foreign firms |
B.find an excuse for their job cuts |
C.let the workers make a living on their own |
D.encourage the fired workers |
The word “cheese” in the passage can refer to _______.
A.something we depend on for a living |
B.a most important kind of food |
C.change or challenge |
D.way of life |
From what Hengwei and Professor Zhang Yang said, we can know that _______.
A.they have different opinions on changes and challenges |
B.people are not afraid of competition from foreign companies |
C.the Chinese people are ready to face any changes and challenges |
D.they are both greatly encouraged by the book |
How often one hears children wishing they were grown up, and old people wishing they were young again. Each age has its pleasures and its pains, and the happiest person is the one who enjoys what each age gives him without wasting his time in useless regrets.
Childhood is a time when there are few responsibilities to make life difficult. If a child has good parents, he is fed, looked after and loved, whatever he may do. It is impossible that he will ever again in his life be given so much without having to do anything in return. In addition, life is always presenting new things to the child-things that have lost their interest for older people because they are too well-known. But a child has his parents, he is not so free to do what he wishes to do. He is continually being told not to do things or being punished for what he has done wrong. When the young man starts to earn his own living, he can no longer expect others to pay for his food, his clothes, and his room, but has to work if he wants to live comfortably. If he spends most of his time playing about in the way that he used to as a child, he will go hungry. And if he breaks the laws of society as he used to break the laws of his parents, he may go to prison. If, however, he works hard, keeps out of trouble and has good health, he can have the great happiness of building up for himself his own position in society.
according to the second paragraph, the writer thinks that _______.
A.life for a child is comparatively easy |
B.a child is always loved whatever he does |
C.if much is given to a child, he must do something in return |
D.only children are interested in life |
After a child grows up, he ________.
A.will have little time playing |
B.has to be successful in finding a job |
C.can still ask for help in time of trouble |
D.should be able to take care of himself |
Which of the following statements is NOT true according to the passage?
A.People are often satisfied with their life. |
B.Life is less interesting for old people. |
C.Adults are freer to do what they want to do. |
D.Adults should no longer rely on others. |
The main idea of the passage is ________.
A.life is not enjoyable since each age has some pains |
B.young men can have the greatest happiness if they work hard |
C.childhood is the most enjoyable time in one’s life |
D.one is the happiest if he can make good use of each age in his life |
The paragraph following this passage will most probably discuss _______.
A.examples of successful young men |
B.how to build up one’s position in society |
C.joys and pains of old people |
D.what to do when one has problems in life |
I feel very excited at the thought that in another week I shall be with you again on holiday. I have enjoyed my stay in England very much indeed. Mr Brown and classmates are nice to me, but, as they say in England, “There’s no place like home.” and I think you feel this above all at Christmas time.
I am leaving here early on Thursday, the 23rd, and I shall arrive in Basle on Friday morning, so I shall be home somewhere about lunchtime. Can you meet me at the station, as I shall have a lot of luggage?
In some of my earlier letters I have told you all about the other students here. Well, I want to ask my Polish friend Jan to come and spend Christmas with us. Will that be all right? His father and mother died last year, he can go home for Christmas, and he has no friend in England except the Browns. He is a nice boy. I know you all like him, and I feel sure he will enjoy Christmas with us. It is very short notice, but you are always pleased, I know, if we bring our friends home. however, I have not yet invited him, as I thought it was better to ask you first. Please let me know as soon as possible if it will be all right.
The writer was very excited at the thought that ________.
A.she would be back home with her new friend |
B.she would be with her parents in another week |
C.her parents wanted to see her very much |
D.she would go on staying in England |
She wanted some one to meet her because ________.
A.she was told to do so | B.she would be tired out after the trip |
C.she would carry a pile of things | D.she didn’t know where the station was |
The underlined sentence “There’s no place like home” means ________.
A.There is not a place that the writer likes |
B.There is no place that the writer can live in |
C.The writer’s home is not in London in fact |
D.East and west, home is best |
These paragraphs are taken out of a ________.
A.magazine | B.letter | C.book | D.newspaper |
What happens to mother-daughter relationships when girls become teenagers. It seems that girls go from playing “dress up”, to arguing with their mothers about how they should dress.
When a girl is 3-4 years old they love to “dress up” in their mothers’ clothes, put on their mothers’ makeup, cook, and do whatever else their mother does. This is the time when she can be classified as being a mama’s girl.
How come girls change so much from childhood to the teenage years? Many parents seek the answer when their daughter becomes a teen. Often when a girl enters high school her behavior changes as well as her physical appearance.
When I was young I always liked playing “dress up”. It made me feel older and more like my mother. Even when I entered middle school, I still depended a lot on my mother to choose and buy my clothes. Once I entered high school there was a big change. To me, my mother’s clothes were no longer “in fashion”, and neither was her opinion. I started becoming interested in boys and tried to improve the way I looked. It was not that I wanted to look cool, I just wanted to look my age.
This is the time that the mother-daughter relationship can take a turn. It’s difficult for a mother to know that her daughter is no longer totally dependent on her.
When the daughter starts wearing revealing clothing, dating, and just wanting to be more independent, a mother starts to feel left out, or not needed. The number of arguments increases, and the number of times when the mother and daughter get along happily decreases.
When these things start to happen, it is a sign that the daughter wants her independence and the freedom to grow up.
When you notice how much your relationship had changed, try to believe positive things come out of the change. Put all the negatives aside and concentrate on what your mother is feeling instead of just on what you’re feeling.
When it seems too hard to handle, take some quiet time and write out your feelings. Maybe at another time, you can share them with your mother and try to find a way to better your relationship as mother and daughter. If you don’t feel comfortable sharing your feelings, at least write them down so you can get them out. It’s better than keeping them bottled up inside.
The girls would argue with their mothers because ________.
A.they need more independence |
B.mothers want daughters to be mama’s girls again |
C.they think their mothers’ clothes are no longer in fashion |
D.all of the above |
From the passage, we know that ________.
A.the teenage period is a sensitive part in human life |
B.the parents can’t get the answer why their daughters change a lot |
C.they can get on well only in talking, no matter what mothers or daughters do |
D.mothers should concentrate on their own feelings |
A “mama’s girl” will Not________.
A.dress up in her mother’s clothes |
B.depend a lot on her mother to choose and buy her clothes |
C.like wearing revealing clothing |
D.think her mother’s clothes are in fashion |
When the daughter starts wanting to be more independent, ________.
A.a mother starts to feel left out |
B.it is the time when mother and daughter get on joyfully increases |
C.she wants to look cool |
D.All of the above |
Between ten and midnight the United States is politically leaderless—there is no center of information anywhere in the nation except in the New York headquarters of the great broadcasting companies and two wire services. No candidate and no party can afford the investment on election night to match the news-gathering resources of the mass media; and so as every citizen sits in his home watching his TV set or listening to his radio, he is the equal of any other in knowledge. There is nothing that can be done in these hours, for no one can longer direct the great strike for America’s power; the polls have closed. Good or bad, whatever the decision, America will accept the decision—and cut down any man who goes against it, even though for millions the decision runs contrary to their own votes. The general vote is an expression of national will, the only substitute for violence and blood. Its decision is to be defended as one defends civilization itself.
There is nothing like this American expression of will in England or France, India or Russia. Only one other major nation in modern history has tried to elect its leader directly by mass, free, popular vote. This was the Weiman Republic of Germany, which modeled its unitary vote for national leaders on the American practice. Out of its experiment with the system it got Hitler. Americans have had Lincoln, Wilson and two Roosevelts. Nothing can be done when the voting returns are flooding in; the White House and its power will move to one or another of the two candidates, and all will know about it in the morning. But for these hours history stops.
Between ten P.M. and midnight the United States is politically leaderless because ________.
A.the president has been murdered |
B.the general strike for power has ended |
C.the government has resigned |
D.the general vote is being held |
“The great strike for America’s power” in Paragraph 1 refers to ________.
A.the strike of the government members |
B.the great vote |
C.the election campaign |
D.the strike of the government employees |
The author believes that the decision at the polls will ________.
A.lead to a civil war | B.result in a general strike |
C.cause violence and blood | D.be defended by all Americans |
Without the general vote, the author implies ________.
A.there would be a civil war | B.there would be a general strike |
C.there would be an election campaign | D.there would be a fierce debate |
After a fortnight of extraordinary type, the much-feared computer virus that was supposed to strike the globe’s hard drives last Friday simply fizzled. So many warnings were sounded that most computer owners either fed anti-virus programs into their systems or refused to turn the power on during the dreaded M-day. They dodged one disease, but more strains are on the way. The eponymous Friday-the-13th virus is due to strike this week, and the Maltese Amoeba may detonate on March 15.
Who creates these things? A disproportionate number seems to originate in Bulgaria or Russia, where writing the smallest, most elegant virus programs has become a matter of quirky pride. Viruses are transmitted either by shared disks (as was Michelangelo) or over telephone lines. The virus program hides in a computer until, activated by a date, time, or some other trigger, it springs to life. The most common virus, Stoned, makes your screen announce: “Your computer is now stoned. Legalize marijuana. ” (Regardless of your politics, you don’t want this one around; it can damage your files inadvertently.) Solution: either keep your computer isolated—no trading disks, no on-line communication—or else install one of a dozen or so commercially available anti-virus programs that detect and delete the little time bombs. If they can come up with a virus that is hidden, will they next try to extort a business?—as in, pay me $1 million or my virus will destroy your system.
In the meantime, money is being made by firms selling anti-virus programs. Egghead software stores logged a 3,000 percent jump in anti-virus sales. Was the threat overblown by the companies that make millions selling anti-virus software? Thanks to the media blitz, no one will ever know what might have happened—an unallied number of computer owners discovered and deleted Michelangelo before it was supposed to strike—on the artist’s birthday.
The much-feared M-day was ________.
A.Friday-the-13th when the eponymous virus was due to strike |
B.Friday-the-15th when the Maltese Amoeba would be activated |
C.the previous Friday when Michelangelo virus was due to strike |
D.the previous Friday which coincided with the artist's birthday |
Computer viruses are ________.
A.diseases spread from one computer to another by shared disks |
B.viruses hidden in a computer’s instructions by the designers |
C.little time bombs hidden in a computer waiting to be triggered |
D.just those computer programs created by malevolent designers |
Which of the following sayings fits the Michelangelo virus?
A.A burnt child dreads the fire. | B.The bug’s bark was worse than its bite. |
C.A barking dog seldom bites. | D.Once bitten, twice shy. |
The author implies that in days to come the viruses might be used ________.
A.to destroy data | B.to commit crimes |
C.to commit mischief | D.to create confusion |
The public commonly associates steroid use with big-time athletics. But the drugs may be even more of a menace to teenagers. The synthetic hormones can stunt a young person’s growth by prematurely closing the ends of the long bones in the skeleton. That means a 1.7 metre, 15-year-old high school student who uses steroids “might get bigger but won’t get any taller”, according to a US doctor.
Nearly seven percent of boys in the US try steroids before the end of high school, according to a 1988 study by professors Charles Yesalis and William Buckley, of Penn State University. The estimate comes from a poll of 3,400 seniors in 46 public and private schools across the US.
“Abusers of Steroids did it to improve their appearance and to excel at sports,” Professor Yesalis said. “Parents, teachers and coaches make boys believe that to be an ideal male you need to have these. Then they say: ‘you can’t play games to have fun; you play games to win.’”
“Such attitudes put many high school athletes at high risk of becoming abusers of steroids,” said Mike Gimbel, director of Baltimore County Office of substance Abuse. “For these athletes, the pressure to perform is incredible,” he said. “It was inevitable that it would seep down to high school level.”
The word “big-time” in Paragraph 1 most nearly means “________”.
A.long time | B.good time | C.top rank | D.modern |
Why are steroids even more of a threat to teenagers?
A.Because they make teenagers grow too tall. |
B.Because they make teenagers get too big. |
C.Because they prevent teenagers from getting taller and taller. |
D.Because they give teenagers too much pressure. |
Which of the following statements is implied but not mentioned?
A.School athletes have too much pressure. |
B.Steroids can help people have lots of muscles. |
C.The pressure chiefly comes from parents, teachers and coaches. |
D.Girls are not interested in steroids. |
Which of the following is a good title for this passage?
A.Drugs and Sports |
B.The Pressure to School Boys are Too Much |
C.School Boys are Interested in Drugs |
D.School Athletes Risk Damage from Drugs |
The impression you make at the beginning of an interview is very important. Employers often decide to hire someone in the first three minutes of the interview. They judge you by your appearance, attitude (态度) and manners.
A friendly smile when you walk into the room is important. A smile shows a confident (自信的) and positive attitude.
When you introduce yourself, make eyes contact with the interviewer. Some interviewers offer a handshake. Others don’t.
Try to be as natural as possible. But pay attention to your body language. The way you sit, walk, gesture, use your voice and show feeling on your face are all parts of your body language. It makes the interviewer know how you feel about yourself and the situation you are in. Are you feeling positive about yourself? Your abilities? Your interest in the job?
Speak clearly and loudly enough. Show interest and enthusiasm in your voice. When you speak, look at the interviewer. Also don’t say negative things about yourself, or former employers.
Listen to questions carefully. If you don’t understand a question, ask the interviewer to repeat or explain.
"I’m sorry, but I didn’t catch that."
"I’m not sure exactly what you mean."
Almost everyone is nervous in a job interview. Interviewers know that. They don’t expect you to be totally calm and relaxed. But they expect you to try to control your nervousness. They expect you to show confidence in your ability to do the job.
At the end of the interview, thank the interviewer for her or him. It’s a good idea to send a short thank-you letter right after the interview, or deliver it by hand.
Phone the company if you have not heard anything after one week. Ask if they have make a decision about the job.
It can be inferred from the passage that ________.
A.you should always put on a smile when meeting the employer |
B.you should stand still with respect before the employer |
C.the first impression is very important in an interview |
D.employers understand and like employees’ nervousness |
Why should we pay attention to our body language?
A.Because it can help us win the employer’s positive impression. |
B.Because it can help us feel about the employer. |
C.Because it is needed by our employer. |
D.Because we need it to improve our feeling. |
The main purpose of the passage is ________.
A.to give you some advice on the art of finding a job |
B.to tell from wrong about job interviews |
C.to explain why we should do something about an interview |
D.to suggest not being shy in an interview |
Which of the following can be the best title for the passage?
A.A Friendly Smile | B.Making a Good Impression |
C.Don’t Be Nervous | D.Sending a Thank-You Letter |
In a time of low academic (学术的) achievement by children in the United States, many Americans are turning to Japan, a country of high academic achievement and economic success, for possible answers. however, the answers provided by Japanese preschools are not the ones Americans expected to find. In most Japanese preschools, surprisingly little emphasis is put on academic instruction. In one investigation, 300 Japanese and 210 American preschool teachers, child development specialists, and parents were asked about various aspects of early childhood education. Only 2 percent of the Japanese respondents (答问卷者) listed "to give children a good start academically" as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. In contrast, over half the American respondents chose this as one of their top three choices. To prepare children for successful careers in first grade and beyond, Japanese schools do not teach reading, writing, and mathematics, but rather skills such as persistence, concentration, and the ability to function as a member of a group. The majority of young Japanese children are taught to read at home by their parents.
In the recent comparison of Japanese and American preschool education, 91 percent of Japanese respondents chose providing children with a group experience as one of their top three reasons for a society to have preschools. 62 percent of the more individually oriented (强调个性发展的) Americans listed group experience as one of their top three choices. An emphasis on the importance of the group seen in Japanese early childhood education continues into elementary school education.
Like in America, there is diversity (多样性) in Japanese early childhood education. Some Japanese kindergartens have specific aims, such as early musical training or potential (潜力) development. In large cities, some kindergartens are attached to universities that have elementary and secondary schools.
Some Japanese parents believe that if their young children attend a university-based program, it will increase the children’s chances of eventually being admitted to top-rated schools and universities. Several more progressive programs have introduced free play as a way out for the heavy intellectualizing in some Japanese kindergartens.
We learn from the first paragraph that many Americans believe ________.
A.Japanese parents pay more attention to preschool education than American parents |
B.Japan’s economic success is a result of its scientific achievements |
C.Japanese preschool education emphasizes academic instruction |
D.Japan’s higher education is better than theirs |
Most American respondents believe that preschools should also attach
importance to ________.
A.problem solving | B.group experience |
C.parental guidance | D.individually oriented development |
In Japan’s preschool education, the focus is on ________.
A.preparing children academically | B.developing children’s artistic interests |
C.tapping children’s potential | D.shaping children’s character |
Why do some Japanese parents send their children to university-based kindergartens?
A.They can do better in their future studies. |
B.They can gain more group experience there. |
C.They can be individually oriented when they grow up. |
D.They can have better chances of getting a first-rate education. |
Brazil has become one. of the developing world’s great successes at reducing population growth but more by accident than design. While countries such as India have made joint efforts to reduce birth rates, Brazil had better results without really trying, says George Martine at Harvard.
Brazil’s population growth rate dropped from 2. 99% a year between 1951 and 1960 to 1. 93% a year between 198 land 1990, and Brazilian women now have only 2. 7 children on average. Martine says this figure may have fallen still further since 1990, an achievement that makes it the envy of many other Third World countries.
Martine puts it down to, among other things, soap operas (肥皂剧) and installment (分期付款) plans introduced in the 1970s. Both played an important, although indirect, role in lowering the birth rate. Brazil is one of the world’s biggest producers of soap operas. Globo, Brazil’s most popular television network, shows three hours of soaps six nights a week, while three others show at least one hour a night. Most soaps are based on wealthy characters living the high life in big cities.
Although they have never really tried to work in a message towards the problems of reproduction, they describe middle and upper class values: not many children, women working, says Martine. They sent this image to all parts of Brazil and made people conscious (有意识的) of other patterns of behaviour and other values, which were put into a very attractive package.
Meanwhile, the installment plans tried to encourage the poor to become consumers. " This led to an enormous change in consumption (消费) patterns and consumption was incompatible (不相容的) with unlimited reproduction," says Martine.
according to the passage, Brazil has lowered its population growth ________.
A.by educating its citizens | B.by careful family planning |
C.by developing TV programmes | D.by chance |
according to the passage, many Third World countries
A.haven’t given much attention to birth control |
B.would soon join Brazil in controlling their birth rate |
C.haven’t yet found an effective measure to control their population |
D.haven’t realized the importance of TV plays in family planning |
Soap operas have helped in lowering Brazil’s birth rate because ________.
A.they keep people sitting long hours watching TV |
B.they have gradually changed people’s way of life |
C.people are drawn to their attractive package |
D.they popularize birth control measures |
What is Martine’s conclusion about Brazil’s population growth?
A.The increase in birth rate will increase consumption. |
B.The desire for consumption helps to reduce birth rate. |
C.Consumption goes with reproduction. |
D.A country ‘s production is limited by its population growth. |