On October 19, 1959, the first Special English program was broadcast on the Voice of America. It was
an experiment. The goal was to communicate by radio in clear and simple English with people whose native
language was not English. Experts said the goal was admirable (令人敬畏的),but the method would not work.
They were proved wrong. The Special English programs quickly became some of the most popular on VOA.
And they still are.
     Forty years later, Special English continues to communicate with people who are not fluent in English. But
during the years its role has expanded. It also helps people learn American English. And it provides listeners,
even those who are native English speakers, with information they cannot find elsewhere.
     Today, Special English broadcasts around the world seven days a week, five times a day. Each half-hour
broadcast begins with 10 minutes of the latest news followed by 20 minutes of feature programming. There is
a different short feature every weekday about science, development, agriculture and environment, and on the
weekend, about news events and American idioms.
     Three elements make Special English unique. It has a limited vocabulary of 1,500 words. Most are simple
words that describe objects, actions or emotions. Special English is written in short, simple sentences that
contain only one idea. And Special English is spoken at a slower pace, about two-thirds the speed of Standard
English. This helps people learning English hear each word clearly. It also helps people who are English
speakers understand complex subjects.
     Through the years, Special English has become a very popular tool for teaching English, even though it
was not designed as a teaching program. It succeeds in helping people learn English in a non-traditional way.
In countries around the world, English teachers assign Special English to their students. They praise it for
improving their students' ability to understand American English and for the content of the programs.
Universities and private companies in many countries produce packages of Special English materials for
students' use.

1. At the beginning, Special English program was _____.

A. well received
B. rejected by native people
C. doubted by some professionals
D. intended for teaching English

2. What kind of English is spoken on Special English?

A. British English
B. American English
C. Both British and American English
D. Not certain

3. Which of the following are the elements that make Special English unique?
    a. limited vocabulary
    b. short simple sentences
    c. good communication method
    d. slow speed
    e. interesting feature programming

A. a, b, e
B. a, c, d
C. a, b, d
D. b, d, e

4. Which of the following statements is TRUE?

A. Special English has been founded for less than 50 years.
B. Native English speakers don't go in for Special English much.
C. Special English usually starts with 20 minutes of the latest news.
D. People can learn some idioms from Special English.

5. From the last paragraph we can infer that _____.

A. Listening to Special English can be a student's homework
B. Listening to Special English can improve the content of the program
C. Some students record the Special English material for sale
D. Learning English from VOA is a traditional way for English learners

     In the United States, federal law requires public schools to provide special education services for children
with any disability (障碍). But today we look at three private schools that serve only students with learning
disabilities.
     The Hillside School in Pennsylvania accepts up to one hundred and twenty-eight children. The students
aged five to thirteen have disorders with language, writing or working with numbers. They may also have
attention disorders. Hillside administrators say the main goal is to prepare students to learn effectively in a
regular school. Teachers and specialists develop individual learning plans for the students, which is something
a public school may not do. Development director Kathy Greene says most students remain at Hillside for
about three years before leaving for a regular classroom setting.
     "Serving intelligent students with learning differences" is the slogan of the Shelton School in Texas. Its
website says the school has about eight hundred forty students in all twelve grades, and one teacher for every
six students. The Shelton School also says its goal is to prepare students to return to regular classes, although
some do finish high school there. The website says forty-four students graduated from Shelton in 2006. And
it says they received acceptances from a total of seventy-seven colleges and universities.
     Landmark College in Vermont is a college for students with learning difficulties. It offers a two-year
program that prepares students to continue their studies at a four-year school. Each student has an adviser
and an individual learning program. Landmark has international students this year from South America,
Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa.
     All three schools offer financial aid. Hillside costs about seventeen thousand dollars a year to study in
Hillside,while it costs between ten and twenty-one thousand to study in Shelton, depending on the grade level.
Shelton and Hillside students live at home. It costs about fifty thousand dollars a year to study in Landmark
College, which includes housing.

1. How many classes are there at the Hillside School in Pennsylvania at least?

A. 3.
B. 8.
C. 16.
D. 128.

2. In _____ students can study at school at night.

A. Landmark College
B. the Shelton School
C. the Hillside School
D. Hillside and Shelton

3. Which of the following statements is TRUE according to the passage?

A. Teachers in public schools don't make individual learning plans for the studnets.
B. There are about 140 teachers working in the Shelton School.
C. The Shelton School has the largest number of students of the three.
D. Students can have a 6-year study at Landmark College.

4. After reading the passage we can infer that _____.

A. few students of the Shelton School were admitted to colleges and universites in 2006
B. Hillside,Shelton and Landmark are not normal schools in the United States
C. students with learning disabilities can't go to public school in America
D. Landmark College offers financial aid only to the native students

5. Which would be the best title for this passage?

A. Public Schools and Private Schools
B. Students With Learning Disabilities
C. The Regular Processes to Success
D. Schools for the Learning Disabled

     Scientists have always wanted to know more about the universe.
     Years ago they knew many things about the moon. They knew how big it was and how far away it was
from the earth. But they wanted to know more about it. They thought the best way was to send men to the
moon.
     The moon is about 384,000 kilometers away from the earth. A plane cannot fly to the moon because the
air reaches only 240 kilometers'away from the earth. But something can fly even where there is no air. That
is a rocket.
     How does a rocket fly? There is gas in the rocket. When the gas is made very hot inside the rocket, it will
rush out of the rocket, pushing the rocket up into the sky. Rockets can fly far out into space. Rockets with
men in them have been to the moon. Several rockets without men in them have flown to another planet much
farther away than the moon. One day rockets may be able to go to any place in space. 

1. What did scientists know about the moon years ago?

A. The size of the moon.
B. The distance between the earth and the moon.
C. Life on the moon.
D. Both A and B.

2. A plane cannot fly to the moon because _____.

A. its engine is not powerful enough
B. it cannot fly so high
C. there is no air on the moon
D. the moon is too far away from the earth

3. A rocket is driven by _____.

A. electricity
B. hot gas inside it
C. atomic energy
D. energy from sunlight

4. Which of the following is NOT true?

A. Rockets can fly into outer space.
B. Rockets have flown to most of the planets so far.
C. Rockets with men cost more than rockets without men.
D. Rockets without men appeared earlier than rockets with men.

5. Choose the best title for this passage?

A. The Moon and Planets.
B. Flying to the Moon.
C. How Does a Rocket Fly?
D. Rockets in the Universe.

     Taking good notes is a time-saving skill that will help you to become a better student in several ways. 
1_____ Second, your notes are excellent materials to refer to when you are studying for a test. Third,
note-taking offers variety to your study time and helps you to hold your interest.
     You will want to take notes during classroom discussions and while reading a textbook or doing research
for a report. 2_____ whenever or however you take notes, keep in mind that note-taking is a selective process.
3_____ 
     The following methods may work best for you.
     ● Read the text quickly to find the main facts and ideas in it.
     ● Carefully read the text and watch for words that can show main points and supporting facts.
     ● 4_____ 
     ● Note any questions or ideas you may have about what said or written.
     As you take notes, you may want to use your own shorthand (速记). When you do, be sure that you
understand your symbols and that you use them all the time 5_____.

A. Use words, not complete sentences.
B. There are three practical note-taking methods.
C. You must write you notes on separate paper.
D. Otherwise, you may not be able to read your notes later.
E. You will also want to develop you own method for taking notes.
F. That means you must first decide what is important enought to include in your notes.
G. First, the simple act of writing something down makes it easier for you to understand and remember it.