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YOU’VE GOT QUESTIONS. SHE'S GOT ANSWERS

My children go to a primary school where they are not allowed to play football in the playground for fear that a child might be hurt. Besides, now the school says there must be no homework because the local secondary school can't keep up with the amount of homework given in the primary school. Can the school do this?  Puzzled Dad

It can't if enough parents do something about it. It is not just schools. We live in a society which wishes to get rid of risk. However, schools should have a little common sense and courage. Children need risk if they arc to grow up self-sufficient and confident. They need homework, too, if they are to fulfill their academic potential. Complain, loudly.

I have a beautiful teenage daughter who spends an hour making up her face in front of the mirror every day. I tell her to go easy. She just gets mad or bursts into tears. How can I make her understand she's beautiful the way she is.   Plain Mom

You can't. Your daughter is at the age when she's trying to look beautiful, trying on new masks. And if her friends all dress up as she docs, you're in for an extra hard time. Support her and tell her she's beautiful — even if she looks ridiculous for now. Then invite her to join you for a day at a spa (健康美容中心). Let her try various looks until she's comfortable in her own skin.

1. Why are the children not allowed to play football in the playground?

   A. The school is afraid that children might be injured.

   B. The school is not sensible and confident.

   C. The children don't have enough time to do homework.

   D. The children may fail to fulfill their academic potential.

2. What disturbs Plain Mom is that her daughter______.

   A. becomes mad                                                      B. cries a lot

   C. spends much rime before the mirror                       D. is not beautiful enough

3. The solution to Plain Mom's problem is to______.

   A. make her daughter look less ridiculous      B. let her daughter dress up like her friends

   C. make her daughter go to a spa every week         D. let her daughter feel herself what beauty is

1.

The causes of eating disorders are not clear. There may be genetic or biochemical factors in some cases. There may be psychological problems from early childhood or the present (such as school or family conflicts) that trigger the problem. Often, there is the double pressure to enjoy life through food and yet remain ultra-slim. Society all around us encourages eating and drinking as main ways to enjoy life- To be popular, you are supposed to eat. eat, eat.

2.

But in real life most people, if they keep consuming like that, just keep pulling on more and more weight They then find themselves in conflict with another dominant pressure in society — to stay slim and trim. Models in ads, even those shown eating fairy foods, are usually physically lit and quite thin. All of these pressures put teens in a terrible situation. The ".solution" that some teens choose is to deny themselves all the time so as to keep temptation away. Bui soon, hunger and food boredom lead to overeating. Over time they develop anorexia or bulimia.

3.

Once an eating disorder has become firmly established, there is no easy cure. Someone who's never suffered anorexia and never known an anorexic might be tempted to think. "It's simple — just tell them to eat more!" Unfortunately, it's not that simple. Even when anorexics have been brought into the hospital and arc receiving physical care, nutritional therapy, and psychiatric care, many don't improve much.

4.

Our society's obsession with thinness, together with a constant emphasis on the theme that rich food means pleasure, puts many teens in a difficult situation. Being drawn to overeating on the one hand and self-denial on the other can bring about anorexia or bulimia — or both. Anorexics seem to feel that no matter how much weight they lose, they are still too fat Therefore, it is important for each person in our society to try to maintain a healthy and realistic self-image. Don't compare yourself with the models and actors in the media Set your sights more realistically by comparing yourself with family and friends, if anyone.

5.

Self-denial is the typical first step toward an caring disorder. Eventually, desires for what you've denied yourself become unbearable, and you react with either a binge or overly fierce self-control. The answer is not of course to eat all the snacks and treat you fancy. But 10 avoid that first step that leads to overeating, strive for a good and healthy diet Such a diet is based primarily on grain products, fruits, and vegetables, with moderate amounts of meat and dairy products and with small amounts of snacks and desserts. Research demonstrates that this kind of diet leaves you more alert and energetic.

你校学生会准备办一期英语墙报，主题为：保护环境从我做起。请你根据下图所示写一篇英语短文。

注意：

1．  词数100左右，开头语已为你写好；

2．  可适当增加细节，以使行文连贯。

                         What Can I Do for Our Environment?

Everyone can do something for our environment.                                       

   假设2008年2月12日是你父亲的生日，下面三幅图描绘的是你给父亲买完礼物后乘坐地铁回家时经历的一件事。请根据图示，用英语写一篇日记记叙这件事，并谈谈自己的感受。

注意：1.词数不少于100；2.可适当加入细节，以使行文连贯。

参考词汇：

地铁（列车）－subway train

February 12^th, 2008

Molly信箱是一个报刊栏目，主持人Molly回答读者提出的各种问题。第1至5题是五位读者的来信。请从A、B、C、D、E和F中为每封来信选出最合适的回复。选项中一项是多余选项。

1. Dear Molly,

      I have a problem. My parents are always talking to me about studying. They want me to study harder so I can go to a good school. I know studying is very important, but my parents put too much pressure on me. How can I explain to my parents that I need some free time?

                                                             ------ Overworked

2. Dear Molly,

       My best friend Tony is a nice young man, but he has a bad habit. He is always late. No matter where he is going to what he is doing, he is never on time. Once he turned up thirty minutes late for a meeting! What can I do to break him of this bad habit?

                                                         ------ Worried

3. Dear Molly,

       I have a new roommate named Louis. He is a good friend of mine, but he is driving me crazy because he is very untidy. He leaves his dirty clothes everywhere, and he never makes his bed. I am extremely neat. What can I do?

                                                                  ----Unhappy

4. Dear Molly,

      My cousin plays computer games a lot and he keeps on talking to me about various games. I don’t have any interest at all, but I find it difficult to stop him without hurting his feelings. Would you kindly give me some advice?

                                                                 --- Shy

5. Dear Molly,

      I’m feeling upset these days because the result of my last English exam was not as good as I had expected. My teacher comforted me, saying “Don’t worry. You can do better next time.” But I’m still feeling bad. I need your help.  

                                                         ----Disappointed

A.

B.

C.

D.

E.

F.

A flock of wild parrots living in San Francisco -- in winter? In the charming memoir The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill, Mark Bittner tells how he cared for some beautifully pesky parrots, became an expert on their behavior, and eventually turned into the star of a documentary film. For devoted birders everywhere.

As a communications advisor to President George W. Bush, Karen Hughes had the job of her dreams. But she felt torn about what her work was doing to her family, especially her teenage son, Robert. During the campaign, Hughes found a way to balance career and motherhood; with her boss's blessing, for six months she homeschooled Robert aboard the Bush campaign plane. But once her job in the White House began, there were days when she hardly saw her son at all. In Ten Minutes From Normal she tells the story behind the toughest decision of her career.

The pocket-sized Schott's Original Miscellany by Ben Schott is jammed with fun, handy lists and snatches of information -- famous horses, Nobel Prize-winners, cloud types, Yiddishisms, terrors, chess terms and tips on how to read a palm. Our favorite: Learn to say "I love you" in 43 languages.

Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America

During a visit to Mississippi in 1955, Emmett Till, a 14-year-old African American boy, was murdered for supposedly whistling at a white woman. In Death of Innocence, co-written with Christopher Benson, Emmett's mother, Mamie Till-Mobley, courageously tells how his killing changed her life and our country's history.

1．The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill tells a love story of __________.

A．the writer and a film star                B．the writer and birds

C．male and female parrots               D．parrots and other birds

2．From Ten Minutes from Normal, we can see that ______________.

A．Hughes taught her son herself at home                                 

B．Hughes had a rather unhappy marriage

C．Hughes was always ready to help others                                  

D．Hughes put her job above her own family

3．Which book provides readers with different kinds of things?

A．Ten Minutes from Normal.

B．Schott's Original Miscellany.

C．The Wild Parrots of Telegraph Hill: A Love Story...with Wings.

       D．Death of Innocence: The Story of the Hate Crime That Changed America.

China’s cartoon industry produced more than 81,000 minutes of animation(卡通片) in 2006, almost double the previous year’s 42,700 minutes, said an official with the State Administration of Radio, Film and Television(SARFT) at a meeting to mark the 80^th anniversary of China’s cartoon production.

The country produced more than 50,000 minutes of cartoons from January to August in 2006, topping the previous year’s total output, not to mention the country’s aggregate(总计的) output of cartoons from 1993 to 2003. China has exported 65,100 minutes of cartoons to 17 countries and regions in recent years, said Zhao Shi, deputy director of SARFT.

He said that a series of measures have been taken to increase the output of domestic(国产的) cartoons. With private capital able to play a role in the animation industry since 2005, 15 national animation bases have been set up, including the Shanghai Animation Film Studio, the Sunchime Cartoon Group and China Film Group Corporation. About 5,473 animation studios had been founded in China by Oct. 2006, said the official. The SARFT has approved cartoon channels on Beijing, Shanghai and Hunan TV stations since 2004, and more than 30 kids’ channels.

Animation departments have been established in 447 universities and 1,230 universities offer professional training for cartoonists, Zhao said. “Some 64,000 students majoring in animation have graduated from universities and 466,000 were studying in colleges at the end of 2005,” he said.

In August, the SARFT banned foreign cartoons from prime time(黄金时段)(5:00 pm to 8:00 pm) television programs from Sept 1.

The campaign of promoting domestic cartoons began in 2004, when the government told broadcasters that Chinese cartoons had to account for at least 60 percent of cartoons shown. Foreign cartoons, especially from Japan, are popular with China’s 250 million children, and domestic animation studios are struggling to compete with a flood of imports.

Analysts say that Chinese cartoons need to be more original with better story lines. China made its first ever 12-minute cartoon in 1926.

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

      A. China’s Cartoon Has a Long History  

    B. Foreign Cartoons Lose Its Audience in China

     C. China’s Cartoons Marks Its 80th Anniversary

      D. China Produces More Cartoons in 2006

2. Chinese cartoons are advised to improve by ________.

      A. broadcasting in prime time                     B. strengthening its creativeness

      C. learning from foreign cartoons                D. going with children’s interest

3. Which of the following is TRUE of foreign cartoons?

      A. They are shown less than domestic ones.

      B. They are hardly available on TV in China.

      C. They are not popular with Chinese children.

     D. They are mainly made in Japan.

4. It can be inferred from the passage that ________.

      A. China’s cartoons are sold abroad

      B. SARFT is the main national animation base

      C. China’s cartoon industry has a good development environment

       D. foreign cartoons will disappear in China one day

根据教育部通知，从2007年9月1日起，中小学生每天要跳校园集体舞。通知发出后，在社会上引起了热烈的讨论。假如你是李华，请根据下表提供的内容给 “China Daily” 编辑写一封信反映讨论情况, 并提出自己的看法和理由。

注意：（1）字数：150

(2) 开头已写好,不计入总词数。

(3) 参考词汇： 集体舞 group dancing  

                                        社交能力  sociability  

Dear Editor,

   The Department of Education announced in June, 2007 that from Sept 1 2007 primary and secondary school students will dance into the new semester(学期). This has led to a warmly debate. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

                                                          Yours,

                                                          Li Hua

Among the crowd of Olympian gods the most famous one was Apollo. He was the son of Zeus and Letto. According to Greek mythology, Letto was driven by Hera, Zeus' wife, from land to land and at last Poseidon took pity on her and brought the island of Delos out of water for her to live on. There she gave birth to the twins, Apollo and Artemis.

Wearing a purple robe, Apollo usually sat in his bright eastern palace early in the morning and made ready to start his daily journey across the sky. During the day he drove his carriage of gold and ivory（象牙）, and brought light, life and love m the great world below. In the afternoon he came to the end of his journey in the far western sea and got on his golden boat to return to his eastern home.

Apollo was the god of music and poetry. He could bring about all feelings, which are expressed in his noble songs. With his gold musical instrument and the sweet accents of his godlike voice he led the choir of the muses（音乐女神们） at Olympus. The pleasant music was so exciting that stones marched into their places of their own will in musical time when he helped Poseidon build up the walls of Troy（特洛伊城）. On one occasion, invited to a contest by the human musician Marsyas, he won and then flayed（剥……的皮） him to death for his pride. On another occasion, he lost at a musical contest and turned the ears of the judge, King Midas, into those of an ass（驴子）.

Apollo stood for youthful and manly beauty. His golden hair, stately manner and air all combined to make him the admiration of the world. A beautiful girl, by the name of Clytle, was so fond of his beauty and glory that from dawn to dusk she knelt on the ground, her hands outstretched towards the sun god, and her eyes looked at his golden wheeled carriage racing across the blue sky. Though her love was not returned, she had never changed her mind about

Apollo, The gods were moved at the sad sight, and Changed her into a sunflower.

1．What does Apollo's carriage most probably look like?

2．What is the author's attitude towards Apollo?

A．He speaks highly of Apollo.                  

B．He looks down upon Apollo.

C．He doesn't show his attitude towards Apollo.                         

D．He admires Apollo very much.

3．We can infer from the passage that _________.

     A．Apollo loved Clytle so much that he turned her into a sunflower

     B．Apollo was a god of both virtues and shortcomings

     C．But for Apollo's help, Troy couldn't have been built up

     D．Apollo was not good at singing but loved singing very much

4．The purpose of this passage is ____________.

     A．to explain how Apollo's manly beauty impressed file world

     B．to introduce a well-known Olympian god

     C．to tell how Apollo came into being

     D．to show the importance of doing good deeds for others

Can you do the math：What is one hundred times four，divided by the square root of a hundred? How can you work it out quickly?

The answer is forty．Years ago，three scientists at Texas Instruments，Jerry Merryman，James Van Tassel and Jack Kilby，invented the handheld electronic calculator．Their first device could add，subtract，multiply and divide and it was small and easy to take．

Yet after forty years，calculators in the classroom still add up to the same old debate Generally calculators are considered to be useful——especially with more complex math．Some math teachers at every level support the use of calculators and students are even permitted to use them when they take college entrance tests．But it is also thought that young students should know basic calculation before they begin using them．

Some education experts think calculators are used too much. Children，they say，learn to depend on these electronic brains instead of their own．Calculators may not only give students answers to questions they do not really understand，they may also keep them from discovering ideas for themselves．

Other experts，though，say calculators have helped make mathematics more understandable to more students．They say calculators give students more time to understand and solve problems，and to develop a better sense of what numbers mean．That way，the reasoning goes，they can feel better about their abilities．

1．Which of the following calculation agrees with the question raised in the 1st paragraph?

A．             B．             C．           D．

2．Three scientists at Texas Instruments invented                 

A．the first electronic calculator              B．the calculator handle

C．the portable electronic calculator        D．the first calculator

3．We can infer from the passage that         in the past．

A．math teachers supported using calculators everywhere．

B．students were not allowed to use calculator in tests．

C．using calculators in classrooms was under argument．

D．young students had to know how to use calculators．

4．According to experts，calculators benefit students in many ways EXCEPT             

A．providing them with answers to the questions

B．stopping them discovering ideas for themselves

C．making mathematics more understandable

       D．developing a better feeling of their abilities