The Chinese are very generous when it comes to educating their children.Some parents
send their children to the best schools or even abroad to England,the US or Australia,regardless
of how much this costs.Many also want their children to take extra curriculum activities where
they either learn a musical instrument or ballet,or other classes that will give them a head start
in life.The Chinese believe that the more expensive an education is,the better it is,so parents
often spend unreasonable amount of money on education.Even poor couples buy a computer
for their son or daughter.
However,what most parents fail to see is that the best education they can give their children is
usually very cheap.Parents can see that their children's skills vary;they will usually be skilled in
some areas while poor in others.What most parents fail to realize though,is that today's children
lack self respect and selfconfidence.
     The problem is that parents are only educating their children on how to take multiple choice
tests and how to study effectively.They are not teaching them the most important skills they need
to be confident,happy and clever.
     Parents can help achieve this by teaching their children practical skills like cooking,sewing and
other housework.
     Teaching a child to cook will improve many of the skills that he will need later in life.Cooking
demands patience and time.It is an enjoyable but difficult experience.A good cook always tries
to improve his cooking,so he will learn to work hard and gradually finish his job successfully.The
result,a well cooked dinner,will give a child a lot of satisfaction and confidence.
     An old machine such as a broken radio or TV set that you give your child as a toy may make
him curious and arouse his interest.If he will spend hours looking at it,and try to mend it;your child
might become an engineer when he grows up.Such activities do more than teach a child to read a
book;but rather they teach them to think,and to use their minds.This is much more important than
learning by reading a book.

          

     Here's How to Get Your 6 Movies for 1￠Each Just Write in the Numbers of the 6 movies you want for
1￠each, plus shipping. In exchange (交换), you agree to buy just six more movies in the next three years,
at our regular Club prices (which currently start as low as $19.95 plus shipping)-and you may cancel (取消)
membership at any time after doing so. What's more, you can get two more movies for the low price of $6.95
each and you will, after that, spend much less on the movies you want.
     Free Video Magazine sent every four weeks (up to 13 times a year), with our Director's Selection -plus
many lower-priced cassettes, down to $14.95. And you may receive Special Selection mailings up to four
times a year (a total of up to 17 buying opportunities per year).
     Buy Only What You Want! If you want the Director's Selection, do nothing - it will be sent automatically
(自动的). If you prefer some other selection, or none at all, just mail the answer card always provided by the
date specified. And you'll always have 14 days to decide.
     Instant Bonus Plan. As soon as you become a member, you'll immediately have the right to our
money-saving plan! It enables you to enjoy more great savings on the movies you want-right from the start of
your membership!
     10-Day Risk-Free Trial. If not satisfied, return everything within 10 days, and then you'll get your money
back and there will be no further obligation.

1. How can you get 6 movies for 1 ￠ each?

A. Buy six more movies at the Club prices in the next 3 years.
B. Buy two more movies at the low price of $6.95 later.
C. Buy six more movies at the price of $19.95 all the time.
D. Buy many more movies at lower prices anytime.

2. You may receive a free Video Magazine ______ a year.

A. 13 times
B. 12 times
C. 4 times
D. 17 times

3. You can have _______ besides a free Video Magazine every four weeks.

A. Special Selection and Director's Selection
B. lower-priced cassettes and movies
C. lower-priced cassettes and Special Selection
D. Director's Selection and a number of lower-priced cassettes

4. We can learn from the passage that the members of the Club ______.

A. cannot cancel their membership anytime
B. can return everything 10 days later, if not satisfied
C. can always buy what they want at the lowest price.
D. can enjoy more savings from the very beginning

     You've probably heard a lot about the Internet, but what is it?
     The Internet is a computer network that uses the telephone system to connect together millions of
computers around the world.
     Maybe that isn't very exciting but once you're connected to the Internet, there are lots and lots of
different things you can do. You can send electronic messages or "e-mails" to your friends (as long as
they're on the Internet, too), or you can sort through all kinds of information on something called the
World Wide Web.
     You don't need to know how the Internet works in order to use it, but if you understand the basics,
it may help you work out any technical problems you have - and of course you can help your friends
with your knowledge!
     You may think that your telephone is just for talking. But as long as you have the equipment (设备),
you can use a telephone line to send computer data (数据) as well as sounds. If you connect your
computer with the telephone system, it can receive information from and to other computers (as long as
they are connected with the telephone system, too).
     Because there is not an organization which operates the Internet, no one exactly knows how many
people are connected to it. It's thought that there could be 60 million people on the Net, connected up to
over 15 million computers! et

1. If you want to link your PC with the Internet, you need, first of all, to ______.

A. learn how to operate a computer
B. know how to make a telephone call
C. have a telephone
D. learn how to type on a computer

2. You can keep in touch with your friends by e-mail. The condition is that _______.

A. they also have their own telephones
B. they also have their own computers
C. you have already known their telephone numbers
D. they are also connected to the Internet

3. According to the writer, it's better to _______.

A. know how to work out technical problems besides using the Internet
B. use the Internet besides working out technical problems
C. sort through all kinds of information on the World Wide Web
D. help your friends connect their PCs with the Intern

     My bookshelves are full of dust-and with good reason. When it comes to cleaning that part of my home,
I suffer from the most serious case of avoidance (回避反应症).
     The thing is this: when I do set out to clean and re-organize my books, which seldom happens, I place
myself into a really bad situation. No sooner do I take a title from the shelf, blow off the dust, and wipe down
the cover than I find myself sitting on the floor with legs crossed and my back against the wall. Pretty soon
books get piled up on my legs as I am reunited with old friends.
     It is as if these books have voices, and each wants to say its piece. "Remember me? I was given to you
when you went into the Navy, so that you would never lack for companionship," one whispers. Another says,
"I was your first book of poems, given to you before you learned to love poetry." And a third, "I was the book
that made history so attractive to you."
     Perhaps the greatest pleasure of re-organizing my books are the surprises-or better said, reunions-that
occur. During my latest book-cleaning adventure, I found one that had fallen behind the shelf:"Tales of Edgar
Allan Poe." Not an unusual title, but the words written on the first page made it very special:"With Love from
Mom and Dad, Christmas 1965." What's this? A book on the physics of lasers (激光). It is filled with
mathematical statements, and I had bought it at a library sale when I was 12, not long after the laser had been
invented. I couldn't understand a bit of it, but I did learn what "laser" meant.
     What I end up with when I empty my bookshelves is a cross-section (横剖面) of my personal history. It's
like a road cut where one sees all the layers of rock going back through time to the beginning of the simplest
life forms. The books I've read-and kept-are not just old friends. They are my résumé.

1. What could be said about the author?

A. He is too busy to tidy up his bookshelves.
B. He considers his books treasured possessions.
C. He has made a lot of notes in his books.
D. He is a lover of science books.

2. By saying that his books have voices, the author means _____.

A. they bring back happy memories
B. they are recorded in human voice
C. they say a lot about human history
D. they offer good topics for discussion

3. What does the author enjoy most from re-organizing his books?

A. Finding some missing books.
B. Putting books in good order.
C. Learning something new from the books.
D. Rediscovering interesting stories behind some books.

4. The underlined word "résumé" in the last paragraph probably means _____.

A. personal history
B. precious notes
C. good companion
D. simple life forms

    Americans can travel almost anywhere they choose. But to protect its people, the government lists a few
dangerous places where Americans cannot go. These places are unfriendly countries or countries at war.
There, the traveler might not be safe. These countries are listed in a small book called a passport.
    This passport is a government request for the safety of its travelling people. It is also a government's
pledge (保证) that the people will obey the rules of the host country.
    To receive a passport from the government, a traveler must prove that he is an American citizen (公民).
An American cannot go abroad without a passport. Only certain close countries such as Canada and Mexico
do not ask for passports. 
    Stuck (贴) inside the passport is the traveler's picture. Children travelling with their parents are included in
one parent's book.
    Thousands of people from the United States visit other countries every year. An American traveler might
carry plane tickets, money, clothing and many other things. But the most important thing that he carries in
another country is his passport.

1. A passport is not needed when an American goes to _____.

A. European countries
B. dangerous areas
C. Canada or Mexico
D. Russia and China

2. It can be inferred from the text that _____.

A. Americans abroad need nothing except a passport
B. children can't travel to foreign countries
C. a traveler is not safe in most countries
D. Americans travel abroad a lot

3. Which statement does the text lead you to believe?

A. Some countries don't ask for foreign visitors for passports.
B. People should take good care of their passports.
C. Money is more important than a passport.
D. Children are never included in a passport.

4. Which is best supported by the text?

A. A passport is needed whenever an American travelling.
B. Everyone in America can get a passport from the American government.
C. The American travelers abroad must obey the rules of foreign countries.
D. The Americans government allows its people to work in dangerous countries.

1.Which of the following items is unnecessary to prepare before an earthquake?

A. batteries  
B. Cash   
C. Medicine    
D. Credit card

2.When an earthquake comes,you should ______.

A. hide yourself in the kitchen        
B. rush for the exit immediately
C. stay away from heavy objects        
D. call the police right away

3.When an earthquake is over,you should______.

A. drive a car to take your family to the safe place
B. check the security of your home
C. call your relatives to tell them you are safe
D. clear up the mess as soon as possible.

4. Which of the following sentences is true according to the passage?

A. You'd better make it clear how and where your family will reunite if separated during a
     quake after the quake happens.
B. If you are indoors, get into the open.
C. If you are in a crowded public place, avoid panicking and do rush for the exit.
D. If the phone still works, only use it when necessary.

5. What does the underlined word "aftershock " mean?

A. A less serious quake following a large earthquake in the same area.
B. A further reaction following the shock of a deeply disturbing thing.
C. A mess one has to deal with after a terrible thing.
D. An instruction the government gives to solve problems.

     Forget Twitter and Facebook, Google and the Kindle. Television is still the most influential medium
around. Indeed, for many of the poorest regions(地区)of the world, it remains the next big thing-finally
becomes globally available. And that is a good thing, because the TV revolution is changing lives for the
better.  
     Across the developing world, around 45% of families had a TV in 1995; by 2005 the number had
climbed above 60%. That is some way behind the U. S., where there are more TVs than people, and
where people now easily get access to the Internet.  Five million more families in sub Saharan Africa will
get a TV over the next five years.  In 2005, after the fall of the Taliban(塔利班), which had outlawed TV, 1 in 5 Afghans had one. The global total is another 150 million by 2013-pushing the numbers to well
beyond two thirds of families.  
     Television's most powerful effect will be on the lives of women. In India, researchers Robert Jensen
and Emily Oster found that when TVs reached villages, women were more likely to go to the market
without their husbands' approval and less likely to want aboy rather than a girl. They were more likely
to make decisions over child health care. TV is also a powerful medium for adult education.  In the
Indian state of Gujarat, Chitrageet is a popular show that plays Bollywood songs with words in Gujarati
on the screen.  Within six months, viewers had made a small but significant(有意义的)improvement in
their reading skills. Too much TV has been associated with violence, overweight and loneliness.  
However, TV is having a positive influence on the lives of billions worldwide.  

1. The underlined word "outlawed" in Paragraph 2 probably means "       ".  

A. allowed
B. banned
C. offered
D. refused

2. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?  

A. Americans used to get access to the Internet easily.  
B. The world's TV sets will total 150 million by 2013.  
C. 45% of families in the developing countries had a TV in 2005.  
D. Over two thirds of families in the world will have a TV by 2013. 

3. The author intends to      .  

A. stress the advantages of TV to people's lives
B. persuade women to become more independent
C. encourage people to improve their reading skills
D. introduce the readers some websites such as Google

4. What would be the best title for the passage?

A. TV Will Rule the World
B. TV Will Disturb the World
C. TV Will Better the World
D. TV Will Remain in the World

     If you are lost in the mountains,stay calm in the face of darkness,loneliness,and the unknown.
It will greatly increase your chances of survival.Many people think that preparing necessary
equipment and knowing how to use it are very important,but actually eighty percent of
mountain survival is your reaction to fear.
     FIND A HIDING PLACE
     Unnecessary labor will make you sweat and make you cold.Find a hiding place around you
before trying to start your own construction.If you are in a snowcovered area,you may be able
to dig a cave in deep snow for protection from the wind.You should try to hide yourself in the
middle of the mountain if possible.Stay out of the valleys-cold air falls,and the valley floor can
be the coldest area on the mountain.
     SIGNAL RESCUERS FOR HELP
     The best time to signal rescuers is during the day.Signal for help from the highest point
possible-it will be easier for rescuers to see you,and any sound you make will travel farther.
If you take a box of matches and a space blanket(a special blanketfor travelling),build three
smoky fires and put your blanket-gold side facing out-on the ground.
     DO NOT WALK AWAY
     It will make finding you more difficult if you have gone off in a different direction,as search
teams will be trying to follow your path.Searchers often end up finding a car with no one in it.
If you get frostbite,do not rewarm the affected area until you’re out of danger.You can walk on
frostbitten feet,but once you warm the area and can feel the pain,you will not want to walk
anywhere.Try to protect the frostbitten area and keep it dry untilyou are rescued.

      Everyone wants to travel. But those who cannot do so themselves might find it interesting
to work in a travel agency,arranging journeys for other people. Brian Lawtey does this,working
in a small travel agency in a big city. Most of his work is concerned with holidays,both at home
and abroad. Every autumn,the agency sends out hundreds of booklets (小册子) full of attractive,
colored photographs,describing the holidays that their customers will be able to have the next year.
Soon,people begin to come into the office to book their holidays:perhaps a week's skiing in
Austria in January,perhaps a cruise (巡游) to the Caribbean in February,perhaps a seaside holiday
in Spain in May,or a tour of Africa. Brian often has to advise people on what holidays will be
suitable for them,and they always have a lot of questions. Last year,for example,a lady of eighty-two
wanted to book for a mountaineering (爬山) holiday in the Alps,and Brian had great difficulty in
persuading her that it would not be suitable. In the end, she decided to go for a Mediterranean
cruise instead.
     Arranging journeys for people who have to travel abroad on business is often very complicated,
but Brian enjoys this work. For example,last spring Mr. Perry,a director of a chemical firm,went
on a business trip,and Brian arranged it all for him. First,Mr. Perry traveled to London by train,
and stayed overnight in a hotel near the airport,because his plane left early the next morning. He
flew to Frankfurt in Germany,where he spent the morning discussing business. Then he went on
by train to Zurich,where he stayed the night. After a meeting the next morning,he caught a plane
for Tokyo,and spent three days there before going to America. He had business in Seattle,Chicago
and New York,and stayed some time in each of those places. From New York,he flew back to
London,and then got home by train. The next day he telephoned the agency to thank Brian for
arranging everything so well for him.

1. Who would like to work in a travel agency?

A. People who go on holidays abroad.
B. People who would like to travel but cannot.
C. people who enjoy traveling.
D. People who live in a big city.

2. When do the customers come into the office to book their holidays?

A. Early in the morning.
B. Every year.
C. In January.
D. Shortly after receiving the booklet.

3. Those who cannot travel themselves might find it interesting to work in a travel agency_________.

A. describing the holidays for other people
B. arranging trips for themselves
C. booking trips for other people
D. arranging trips for other people

4. Mr. Perry telephoned the agency to thank Brian because ___________.

A. Mr. Perry arranged everything so well for Brian
B. Brian arranged everything so well for Mr. Perry
C. the agency sent Mr. Perry abroad on business
D. Brain helped him in the travel agency

      It doesn't come as a surprise to you to realize that it makes no difference what you read
or study if you can't remember it. You just waste your valuable time. 1  One dependable
aid that does help you remember what you study is to have a specific purpose or reason for
reading.
     Why does a clerk in a store go away when your reply to her offer to help is, "No, thank
you.I'm just looking."? Both you and she know that if you aren't sure what you want, you are
not likely to find it.But suppose you say instead, "Yes, thank you.I want a pair of sun glasses."
She says, "Right this way, please".
      2  If you choose a book, "just looking" for nothing in particular, you are likely to get just
that-nothing.But if you do know what you want, you are almost sure to get it.Your reasons will
vary; they will include reading or studying "to find out more about", "to understand the reasons
for" and "to find out how". 3 Before you start to study, you say to yourself something like
this, "I want to know why Stephen Vincent Benet happened to write about America".Because
you know why you are reading or studying, you relate the information to your purpose and
remember it better.
     4 At least two important processes go on at the same time.As you read, you take in ideas
rapidly and accurately.But at the same time you express your own ideas to yourself as you react
to what you read. You have a kind of mental conversation with the author.
     This additional process of thinking about what you read includes evaluating it, relating it to
what you already know, and using it for your own purposes.  5  One part of critical reading,
as you have discovered, is distinguishing between facts and opinions.Facts can be checked
by evidence. Opinions are one's own personal reactions.Another part of critical reading is
judging sources.Still another part is drawing accurate inferences.

     A. Maybe you have already discovered some clever ways to keep yourself from forgetting.
     B. It is important for students to have a positive attitude to their study.
     C. You remember better when you know what you' re reading.
     D. In other words, a good reader is a critical reader.
     E. It's quite the same with your studying.
     F. Reading is not one single activity.
     G. This is the way it works.