[1] "Having a Sister Makes You Happier" was the headline on a recent article about a study finding that
adolescents who have a sister are less likely to have such feelings as "I am unhappy, sad or depressed". But
why?
      [2] The usual answer that girls and women are more likely than men to talk about emotions is somehow
unsatisfying, especially to a researcher like me. Much of my work over the years shows that women's styles
of friendship and conversation aren't better than men's by nature, simply different.
     [3] My own recent research about sisters suggests a more subtle dynamic. Together with my students I
interviewed more than 100 women about their sisters, but if they also had brothers, I asked them to make a
comparison. Most said they talked to their sisters more often, at greater length and, yes, about more personal
topics. This often meant that they felt closer to their sisters, but not always. One woman, for example, says
she talks for hours by phone to her two brothers as well as her two sisters. But the topics differ. She talks to
her sisters about their personal lives; with her brothers she discusses history, geography and books. And talking for hours creates and reinforces connections with both brothers and sisters, regardless of what they talk about.
     [4] So the key to why having sisters makes people happier-men as well as women - may lie not in the kind of talk they exchange but in the fact of talk.
     [5] So maybe it's true that talk is the reason why having a sister makes you happier, but it needn't be talk
about emotions. When women told me more often, at greater length and about more personal topics, I suspect
it's that first element - more often - that is crucial rather than the last.

1. What is the main idea of this passage? (no more than 8 words)
______________________________________________________________________________________
2. Complete the following statement with proper words. (no more than 8 words)
The answer to why having sisters makes people happier may be , not the ways or the content of talking.
_______________________________________________________________________________________
3. Fill in the blank in Paragraph 5 with proper words. (no more then 5 words)
________________________________________________________________________________________
4. What's the advantage of women's talking long and often with both their brothers and sisters?
(no more than 15 words)
________________________________________________________________________________________
5. What does the word"them" (line 4, paragraph 3) probably refer to? (no more than 5 words)
________________________________________________________________________________________

     Luo Gaoqi hopes to join the increasing number of Chinese students in the United States because he wants
the experience of studying in a foreign land as it will help his future job at home."I want to try Western
education because people there think differently," said the 21-year-old who is in his final year of undergraduate
studies. "I also hope to meet friends from different cultures. The social connections may help in the future."
     The latest report from the US-based institute of International Education said China, for the first time, has
become the top country of origin for international students in the United States. For Yang Fan, a journalism
(新闻专业) student, said studying in the United States is a way to escape the competition for places in China's
top universities.
     "Due to limited education resources, only about 60 percent of high school graduates in China enter college,
and a much lower rate enters the top-level ones. "A foreign degree will definitely help when I seek a job in
China," Yang said.
     Both Yang's and Luo's parents are supportive of them studying abroad. Neither of them is thinking of
settling down in the United States after graduation.
     "It is not realistic to do so. As a journalism student, there would be no advantage for me to work in the
United States," Yang said. "But in China, with a US degree and good English, I may stand out against other
students who have only studied in China."
     China still needs to improve its environment for scientists and high-level talents, said Xiao Mingzheng,
director of the Center for Human Resource Development and Management Research of Peking University,
adding that, in particular, the country needs to improve its policies relating to research environments.
      In June, the Chinese government published a plan concerning talent development for the next 10 years. In
it, it has improved policies and increased budgets to attract talented students back home.

1. Why does Luo Gaoqi wants to study in a foreign land according to his words?

A. Because the people there are more intelligent.
B. Because the foreign countries are more developed.
C. Because he can make more friends there.
D. Because the culture there is different from that in China.

2. What do Guo Gaoqi and Yang Fan have in common?

A. Their major is the same, which is journalism.
B. Both of them want to go back to China after graduation.
C. Their parents are against their decision.
D. They are forced to study in a foreign land by their parents.

3. From the passage, we can infer that _______.

A. scientists and high-level talents need a better environment in China
B. the students abroad are unwilling to go back to China
C. China doesn't need those people to come back to our country at all
D. we all need to go abroad to study and then serve our own country

     Howling is a behavior commonly observed among a wolf pack. As pack animals, wolves work together
to hunt and rely on howling as an important means of communication among each other. There are different
explanations of a wolf's howl and it appears that there may be more to discover.
     One theory is that wolves howl to bond better together. It's almost as if howling together helps the pack
stay together. Perhaps something is similar to people feeling a sense of involvement with each other when
singing a song together. But this theory may be wrong, explains Fred H. Harington, a professor who studies
wolf behavior.
     Indeed, there have been times when wolves have been seen one moment howling in a chorus, and the
next, quarreling among each other. It appears that usually the lowest-ranking members of the pack may
actually be "punished" for joining in the chorus at times. So is howling a way to strengthen a social bond or
just a way to reconfirm status among its members? - Why do wolves howl for sure?
     What is clear, however, is that howling is often used among packmates to locate each other. Hunting
grounds are distant and it happens that wolves may separate from one another at times. When this happens,
howling appears to be an excellent means of gathering.
     Howling, interestingly, is a contagious behavior. When one wolf starts to howl, very likely others will
follow. This is often seen to occur in the morning, as if wolves were doing some sort of "roll call" where
wolves all howl together to report their presence.

1. What the possible similarity between wolves' howling together and human's singing in chorus?

A. The act of calling each other.
B. the sense of accomplishment.
C. The act of hunting for something.
D. The sense of belonging to a group.

2. Why does Harrington think the "social bond" theory may be wrong?

A. Wolves separate from each other after howling.
B. Wolves tend to protect their hunting grounds.
C. Wolves sometimes have quarrels after howling together.
D. Wolves of low rank are encouraged to join in the chorus.

3. Researchers are sure that wolves often howl to _____.

A. show their ranks
B. find their companions
C. report the missing ones
D. express their loneliness

4. "Howling… is a contagious behavior" (in the last paragraph) means _____.

A. howling is a signal for hunting
B. howling is a way of communication
C. howling often occurs in the morning
D. howling spreads from one to another

     For many businessmen online education has been a dream. Now it has come true. The investment (投资) in
higher education, whether financial or in terms of time, has long been impossible for many of them. But
well-known educational institutions have chosen to deliver an internet-based program, and these barriers have
been lifted.
     That is good news for people eager to improve themselves and is more attractive to employers. It is also a
benefit to industry with better qualified candidates applying for jobs at every level.
     Having the benefits of a higher qualification without going to the university campus is attractive to many
students. Campus study means greater cost, while online programs are flexible and save time, whether at home
or at work. Students can achieve their degrees without causing too much disruption to their career or home life.
     In addition to affordable, flexible classes and greater convenience, students also have access to the online
learning resources of many of the world's top educational institutions. They can also communicate with their
tutors no matter what time it is or whether either party is away for any reason.
     This has opened up the possibility of getting a qualification from a university or college that many students
could only have dreamed of in the past. It also allows specialists to get the precise qualifications and focus on
their studies. As well as seeing the increase of applicants from lower-incomes and housewives, studying online
in the US is even becoming popular with younger people of college age.
     Employers have become increasingly welcome and positive to online qualifications as more candidates earn
them, especially if they're properly approved by the US Department of Education.
     US institutions have led the way in online education provision. Many top US colleges and universities offer
a range of online programs that are highly respected and in every way perfectly fit for adults who need to
combine their studies with a working life.

1. According to Paragraph 1, many US colleges and universities .

A. have begun to lift the barriers to financial investment
B. have begun to run all internet-based program
C. have had a dream of offering online education
D. have gained financial investment

2. Why do people choose online education?

A. They can find jobs more easily than on-campus graduates.
B. They can get qualifications from US Department of Education.
C. They can save money and arrange their time and courses freely.
D. They can invest money in different courses provided online.

3. The underlined word "disruption'' in the third paragraph probably mean .

A. dissatisfaction
B. attention
C. attraction
D. Interruption

4. Which would be a good title for the passage? 　　

A. Adult Education in America 　　
B. The Best of USA's Online Education 　　
C. Top Universities in America 　　
D. Online Education Taking the Place of Campus Education

     A good hearing memory will help your child do better in school. Your child' s hearing ability is normal.
Yet, he may seem to be very poor at remembering and understanding what he' s heard at school.
     Why should this be? It' s because he' s not using his heating ability to help him to remember and
understand what he' sheen taught. Some children get into the habit of learning and remembering things by
what they hear. They' ve got good hearing memories. Other children find it easier to learn and remember
things by what they see, They' ve got good seeing memories.
     Some children have equally good ability of both seeing and hearing in learning things. Others, less
fortunate, seem to have poor hearing ~d seeing memories. Most children, I' d say, unwillingly prefer one
method over the other for learning and remembering. But this favoring of one sense over the other is a bad
habit and deprives (剥夺) the child of the full use of his natural senses.
     Mrs Allen was clearly incredulous when I told her there was nothing wrong with her son' s hearing. "But
he never seems to really understand what he hears. That' s what his teachers tell me," she said.
     "My psychological examination of William shows he' s weak in his heating memory ~" I said,"but he has
perfectly normal intelligence and can learn in school."
     "Our family doctor examined William and he said the boy' s hearing was all right. So, that proves you' re
right on that point." Admitted Mrs Allen."So how can we help him? My husband and I will do anything you
say, Dr. Dursteln."
     "You can do a lot to improve William' s hearing memory, but it' 11 take time. You must be patient and
not expect results immediately." I cautioned (告戒).
      I suggested a detailed program for the parents to use at home. I told Mrs Allen to come back and see
me every two weeks so that I could guide her in any problem she had in using my program.

1. Those who have poor hearing memories _______.

A. can not hear sounds clearly
B. are poor at remembering and understanding what they have learned
C. are poor at learning things by what they have heard
D. have the habit of learning things by what they have heard.

2. The author suggested that Mrs Allen try some ways _______.

A. to train her son' s hearing memory
B. to make use of her son' s natural senses
C. to make good use of what her son heard
D. to understand the trouble in which her son was involved

3. In Paragraph 4, the underlined word "incredulous" means ______.

A. unbelieving
B. unbelievable
C. satisfying
D. satisfied

4. Which of the following is true?

A. Good hearing memory will not help your child do better in school.
B. Some children get into the habit of learning and remembering things by what they hear.
C. The favoring of one sense over the other is not a bad habit.
D. The author didn' t suggest a detailed program for the parents to use at home with William.

     Each term. Andrew Tom receives a term bill, tuition (学费), student center recreation fee, resident activity
fee, health insurance. If only the rest of his expenses were as easy to quantify (确定数量).
     "It' s like you start out the term With plenty of money and then $ 20 for dinner out here and $100 at the
department store there, it' s gone," said Tom, a third-year student."And there are so many daily necessary
things that you don' t think about until you get there and need it."
     From the books to the fashionable clothes, college students say~ the expenses of a college education go
well beyond tuition and a dining hail meal plan. Many say they arrive on campus only to be frightened by
unexpected costs from sports fees to the actual price of a slice of pizza.
     Balancing a job with schoolwork, especially at colleges known for their heavy workloads like Harvard and
MIT, can be tough. So can the pressure that students of- ten feel in order to financially go along with their
friends.
     "When you get dragged along shopping, you're going to spend money; if you, get dragged to a party and
everyone wants to take a taxi but you are cheap and wantto take a bus, chances are you' 11 end up sharing
the fee for the taxi," said Tom."Iguess you could say no, but no one wants to be the only one eating in the
snack bar while our friends are out to dinner."
      Max Cohen, a biology major at MIT, said he is used to watching fellow students spend $ 40 a night to
have dinner delivered or $ 50 during a night out at a bar. During the school' s recent spring break, friends on
trips for the week posted away messages that read like a world map-Paris, Rome, Tokyo."Meanwhile I
stay at home and work," said Cohen."I didn't realize when I came here how much money I would spend or
how hard I would have to work to get by."
     It is a lesson some younger students learn quickly. Others, surrounded by credit card offers, go into debt,
or worse, are forced to leave school. 
     "A lot of people don' t think twice about how much they spend," said a first year student at M1T,"and you
feel the pressure sometimes to go along with them."

1. What do we learn from the first two paragraphs?

A. The tuition in the college is very high.
B. Andrew Tom should reduce the budget (预算).
C. It' s easy to quantify how much will be spent each term.
D. The cost of college education is much higher than expected.

2. The underlined word "cheap" in Paragraph 5 means _______.

A. inexpensive
B. unwilling to spend money
C. valueless
D. low in price and quality

3. What can be inferred from the passage?

A. Students have to work hard to pay their tuition.
B. Most students have heavy loads in their studies.
C. Many students are under great financial pressure.
D. Students depend on their families for all the expenses.

4. According to the writer, what causes the high costs for college students?

A. Lack of budget.
B. The school' s overcharging.
C. The high prices of daily necessary things.
D. Financially going along with each other.

     As a Fulbright (富布莱特法案基金) scholar at Yale, I wanted very much to get some individual help from
some famous professors, but their office-hours were only once a week and there were always students waiting outside. At first, I was too polite to get their help. Then I realized that Chinese politeness does not work in this
society. I needed to be aggressive (好胜的) to get what I wanted. I also noticed that Chinese students or Asian
students were very polite in class while American students often interrupted the professor, asking questions and dominating the discussion. The Chinese students were not as aggressive as American students.
     I was impressed by the role of the professor in the class. The professor didn't act as an authority (权威),
giving final conclusions, but as a researcher looking for answers to questions together with the students. One
linguistic feature of his interacting with his students was that he used many modal (情态) verbs-far more than
I did in Beiwai. When answering questions, he usually said:"this is my personal opinion and it could be wrong.
It would be a good idea if you could read the book I mentioned the other day." Or," You may find the book I
recommended helpful." Or,"You could be right, but you might find this point of view also interesting." When
making comments in students'performances, the professor usually said:" It might have been much clearer if
you had taken in some of the ideas we discussed earlier this semester."
     In China, authorities are always supposed to give wise decisions and correct directions. Therefore students
always expect the professor to give an answer to the question. I still remember how annoyed they were when
foreign teachers did not provide such an answer. Their expectations from authorities are much higher than
those of American students. Once the Chinese students got the answer, they were sure about it. That is why
they make far more certain statement than American students. That is why Chinese students find it difficult to
use modal verbs because the function of modal verbs is to provide room for negotiation and different ideas.

1. According to the author, American students ______.

A. tend to offend others in class
B. show no respect for their teachers in class
C. are more active than Asian students in class
D. are more polite than Asian students in class

2. The American professors use many modal verbs because they want to______.

A. argue with their students
B. be more sure about their answers
C. express their ideas more clearly
D. develop their students' own way of thinking

3. Which of the following statements best expresses the author's idea?

A. Chinese professors can always give correct answer to the question.
B. American professors are not responsible since they don't give students answers.
C. American education produces aggressive students.
D. Education in China is not helpful in developing students' creativity.

4. Which of the following methods did the author mainly employ in developing the article?

A. Comparison and contrast.
B. Cause and effect.
C. Giving examples.
D. Description.

5. What is the author's attitude towards education in U.S.?

A. Positive
B. Negative (否定的)
C. Neutral (中立的)
D. Unsure

     So long as teachers fail to distinguish between teaching and learning, they will continue to undertake to do
for which only children can do for themselves. Teaching children to read is not passing reading on to them. It
is certainly not endless hours spent in activities about reading. Douglas insists that "reading cannot be taught
directly and schools should stop trying to do the impossible."
     Teaching and learning are two entirely different processes. They differ in kind and function. The function
of teaching is to create the conditions and the climate that will make it possible for children to devise the most
efficient system for teaching themselves to read. Teaching is also public activity: It can be seen and observed.
     Learning to read involves all that each individual does not make sense of the world of printed language.
Almost all of it is private, for learning is an occupation of the mind, and that process is not open to public
scrutiny. If teacher and learner roles are not interchangeable, what then can be done through teaching that will
aid the child in knowledge. Smith has one principal rule for all teaching instructions."Make learning to read
easily, which means making reading a meaningful, enjoyable and frequent experience for children."
     When the roles of teacher and learner are seen for what they are, and when both teacher and learner fulfill
them appropriately, then much of the pressure and feeling of failure for both is eliminated. Learning to read is
made easier when teachers create an environment where children are given the opportunity to solve the problem of learning to read by reading.

1. The problem with the reading course as mentioned in the first paragraph is that____.

A. it is one of the most difficult school courses 
B. students spend endless hours in reading
C. reading tasks are assigned with little guidance
D. too much time is spent in teaching of reading

2. The teaching of reading will be successful if ____.

A. teachers can improve conditions at school for the students
B. teachers can enable students to develop their own way of reading
C. teachers can devise the most efficient system for reading
D. teachers can make their teaching activities observably

3. The word "scrutiny"(Para.3) most probably means____.

A. inquiry
B. observation
C. control
D. suspect

4. According to the passage, learning to read will no longer be a difficult task when ____.

A. children become highly motivated
B. teacher and learner roles are interchangeable
C. teaching helps children in the search for knowledge
D. reading enriches children's experience

5. The main idea of the passage is that ____.

A. teachers should do as little as possible in helping students learn to read
B. teachers should encourage students to read as widely as possible
C. reading ability is something acquired rather than taught
D. reading is more complicated than generally believed

     You never see him, but they're with you every time you fly. They record where you are going, how fast
you're traveling and whether everything on your airplane is functioning normally. Their ability to withstand
(承受) almost any disaster makes them seem like something out of a magic book. They're known as the black
box. 　　
     When planes fall from the sky, as a Yemeni airliner did on its way to Comoros Islands in the India ocean
June 30, 2009, the black box is the best bet for identifying what went wrong. So when a French submarine
(潜水艇) detected the device's (设备) signal five days later, the discovery marked a huge step toward
determining the cause of a tragedy in which 152 passengers were killed. 　　
     In 1958, Australian scientist David Warren developed a flight-memory recorder that would track basic
information like altitude and direction. That was the first mode for a black box, which became a requirement
on all U.S. commercial flights by 1960. Early models often failed to withstand crashes, however, so in 1965
the box was completely redesigned and moved to the back of the plane - the area least affected by impact-from
its original position in the landing wells (起落架舱). The same year, the Federal Aviation Authority required that
the boxes, which were never actually black, be painted orange or yellow to be discovered more easily. 　　
     Modern airplanes have two black boxes: a voice recorder, which tracks pilots' conversations, and a
flight-data recorder, which monitors fuel levels, engine noises and other operating functions that help
investigators reconstruct the aircraft's final moments. Placed in an insulated (隔绝的) case and surrounded by
a quarter-inch-thick panels of stainless steel, the boxes can withstand huge force and temperatures up to
2,000℉. When in deep water, they're also able to send signals from depths of 20,000 ft. Experts believe the
boxes from Air France Flight 447, which crashed near Brazil on June 1,2009, are in water nearly that deep,
but statistics say they're still likely to turn up. In the approximately 20 deep-sea crashes over the past 30 years,
only one plane's black boxes were never recovered.

1. What does the author say about the black box? 　　

A. It ensures the normal functioning of an airplane. 　　
B. The idea for its design comes from a magic book. 　　
C. Its ability to avoid disasters is unbelievable. 　　
D. It is an inseparable device on an airplane.

2. What information could be found from the black box on the Yemeni airliner? 　　

A. Data for analyzing the cause of the crash. 　　
B. The total number of passengers on board. 　　
C. The scene of the crash and extent of the damage. 　　
D. Signals sent by the pilot before the crash.

3. Why was the black box redesigned in 1965? 　　

A. New materials became available by that time. 　　
B. Too much space was needed for the device. 　　
C. The early models often got damaged in the crash. 　　
D. The early models didn't provide the needed data.

4. Why did the Federal Aviation Authority require the black boxes be painted orange or yellow? 　　

A. To distinguish them from the colour of the plane. 　　
B. To caution people to handle them with care. 　　
C. To make them easily discovered. 　　
D. To meet with international standards.

5. What do we know about the black boxes from Air France Flight 447? 　　

A. There is still a good chance of their being recovered. 　　
B. There is an urgent need for them to be reconstructed. 　　
C. They have stopped sending signals back. 　　
D. They were destroyed somewhere near Brazil.

     Our particular parenting style reflects our own way o f"looking". Here's a great piece of writing reflecting
parent's particular ways on the parenting style that have become known humorously as helicopter parenting
and submarine (潜水艇) parenting. Helicopter parents hover over their children, managing every aspect of their
child's life. On the contrary, submarine parents remain"hidden" coming to the surface when guidance is needed.
     While helicopter parents may have the best intentions, in reality, they are raising children with few problem
solving skills. Children with hovering parents never get the chance to face disappointment and build up their
ability to recover from misfortune.
     Think about your typical submarine. Submarines usually remain underwater. In case of a need for
emergency surfacing, submarines can rise so quickly they are driven partially out of the water. Submarine
parents also remain out of sight, yet able to pop up in the case of an emergency.
      I admit I'm a submarine mom. My job as a parent is to have fun with my daughters while letting them
explore and learn natural consequences.
     My older daughter found herself acting in commercials and making more than minimum wage as a teen.
To give her a sense of the real world, I insisted she spend three weeks every summer, picking strawberries
and earning $3.50 on a good day.
     When my youngest daughter Sondra was six, she wanted a very expensive American Girl Doll. I cut the
full color 18" picture out of the American Girl catalogue and had it laminated (压膜)."Here's your American
Girl Doll." I said"When you turn nine, I'll buy you the 3D doll on your birthday." Sondra played with her flat
doll for months, making clothes and furniture for her. She learned creativity. I saved $88.00.

1. What is the text mainly about?

A. Various means of transportation.
B. Funny experiences of a mom.
C. Humorous stories about parents.
D. Different styles of parenting.

2. The underlined phrase "hover over" in Paragraph 2 is closest in meaning to"______".

A. leave behind
B. fly around
C. watch over
D. set aside

3. Which of the following is true of helicopter parents?

A. They give their children proper guidance.
B. They try to do everything for their children.
C. They teach their children how to face failures.
D. They help their children explore by themselves.

4. It can be inferred from the last two paragraphs that Mom _______.

A. has good parenting skills
B. is always making promises
C. is strict with her daughter
D. tries her best to save money

5. The author supports her point of view mainly by________.

A. stating facts and offering advice
B. using figures and giving evidence
C. analyzing data and drawing conclusions
D. making comparisons and giving examples