People say teenagers are no good. They make too much noise in shopping malls; they drive recklessly up and down America’s main streets; they carry chips on their shoulders as big as the Sears Tower. And at least some of the time those things are true. But we shouldn’t forget that there are hard moments in the life of a teenager too.
I watched such a moment not long ago at a woman’s funeral. I didn’t expect the event to affect me. Through much of the ceremony, in fact, I remained unmoved.
The teenage grandson stepped forward. With his very first deep breath, every heart in that church was achingly reminded of something we had all forgotten. Softly he began: “I want to share a few values that Nana taught me. She never failed to see light in any situation. When our family dog would truly attack her, what would Nana say? ‘oh, what beautiful barking that dog has!’ That was Nana. ”
“She was a strong woman who often lived in the shadow of my grandpa, who was a successful businessman in this city. But she was the one behind the scenes who provided the strength and support for my grandpa’s career,” he said, with a voice now trembling, “That was Nana’s way.”
Through a low sob, he continued, “Whenever she did anything worth recognition, you’d have to hear about it from a different source, because she was never one to show off.”
Finally, in a voice breaking free of sorrow, he looked up and said, “Nana taught me courage. She put up an incredible fight to the end, when she died peacefully, which is how she lived her life. That was Nana’s way, and I hope I can carry on in the same manner.”
There are no hearts as sensitive as those of teenagers, because everything is happening to them for the first time. The trouble with teenagers is that they haven’t learned to be controlled.
When that boy rose to speak about the woman who surely had been his truest and closest friend, his honest voice dragged each of us out into the open where we could no longer hide in the calm ceremony. He exposed us to the truth about this very real woman who believed in a boy who probably tried the patience of many adults. He reminded us that his grandmother was more than another dot on the chart of life and death.
All over again we felt those powerful losses crossing our own hearts, and we knew that when you say good-bye to something happy, something young in yourself. And that something never really returns, and the pain never really goes away.
【小题1】In the first paragraph, the writer gave some examples to________ .

A．support his idea that young people are no good

B．introduce his point of view about young people

C．tell people every coin has its two sides

D．show young people often make mistakes

【小题2】From the boy’s speech, we know _______ .

A．his grandmother had great influence on him

B．they had a dog which often attacked people

C．people had forgotten her until the boy appeared

D．his grandmother was so weak that she is always living in the shadow of his grandpa

【小题3】Which of the following statements is true?

A．The boy ’s speech moved no one present at the funeral except the writer

B．The boy’s being good at expressing himself enabled him to draw everyone’s attention

C．The boy was too grieved to accept the fact that his grandmother had passed away

D．The writer didn’t expect the event would affect him

【小题4】What words can best describe grandmother’s quality?

A．Weak, mild and modest

B．Easygoing, cautious and considerate

C．Sensitive and hard on others

D．Patient, optimistic, strong and helpful.

【小题5】The passage tells the readers_______ .

A．facing certain bitter facts help young people to grow

B．young people have to control themselves

C．the adults should learn from the young

D．the adults should teach the young how to be brave

British paychologists have found evidence of a link between excessive(过度的) Internet use and depression, a research has shown.
Leeds University researchers, writing in the Psychopathology journal, said a small part of Internet users were classed as Internet addicts and that people in this group were more likely to be depressed than non-addicted users.
The article on the relationship between excessive Internet use and depression is from a questionnaire-based study of 1,319 young people and adults.
The respondents answered questions about how much time they spent on the Internet and what they used it for; they also complete the Beck Depression Inventory---a series of questions designed to measure the seriousness of depression.
The six—page report, by the university’s Institute of Psychological Science, said 18 of the people who complete the questionnaire were Internet addict.“Our research indicates that excessive Internet use is associated with depression, but what we don’t know is which comes first—are depressed people drawn to the Internet or does the Internet cause depression?” the article’s lead author Dr Catriona Morrison said.”What is clear is that, for a small part of people, excessive use of the Internet could be warning signal for depressive tendencies.”
The age range of all respondents was between 16 and 51 years, with an average age of 21.24. The average age of the 18 Internet addicts was 18.3 years. By comparing the levels of depression within this group to that within a group of 18 non—addicted Internet users, researchers found the Internet addicts had a higher chance of developing depression than non-addicts. They also discovered that addicts spent more time visiting sexually pleasing website, online gaming sites and online communities.
“The public speculation（推测）was further proved by this study. That’s to say, over-engaging in websites which serve to replace normal social function might be linked to psychological disorders like depression and addiction,” Morrison said.”We now need to consider the wider social influence of this relationship and clearly prove the effects of excessive Internet use on mental health.”
【小题1】Internet addicts are people who ______ according to the passage.

A．use the Internet more than enough

B．feel depressed when using the Internet

C．seldom connect to the Internet

D．feel depressed without the Internet

【小题2】What is confirmed by the study according to the passage?

A．Depression leads to excessive use of Internet

B．Depression results from excessive use of Internet

C．Excessive use of internet usually accompanies depression

D．Excessive use of internet is usually earlier to depression

【小题3】It is thought by the public that online communities______.

A．can never replace normal social function

B．are intended to replace normal social function

C．are associated with psychological disorders

D．shouldn’t take the blame for psychological disorders

【小题4】According to Dr Catriona Morrison, the public speculation________.

A．lacks scientific evidence	B．helps clarify their study
C．finds a theoretical basis	D．has little scientific value

Have you ever walked outside thinking it was one temperature but quickly discovered it felt colder? That is because of the “wind chill” effect.
Wind chill is how cold people and animals feel when they are outside, not the actual temperature on the thermometer(温度计). It is based on how quickly your body loses heat when it is exposed to wind and cold. When the wind is strong, your body quickly loses heat, making the temperature of your skin drop.
When scientists first started calculating wind chill, they used research conducted in 1945 by explorers to Antarctica who measured how quickly water froze outside.
But water freezes faster than exposed skin, so the wind chill index based on that data wasn’t accurate.
In 2001, the US government began to measure wind chill more precisely by testing how quickly people’s skin froze.
Twelve volunteers were placed in a chilled wind tunnel. Equipment was stuck to their faces to measure the heat flow from their cheeks, forehead, nose and chin while they walked three miles per hour on a treadmill(跑步机).
The experiment revealed how quickly exposed skin can be damaged, particularly unprotected areas like your fingers, toes, the tip of your nose and your ear lobes. In fact, 40 percent of your body heat can be lost through your head! Signs you might have frostbite(冻疮) are when the skin turns white or pale and you lose feeling in that area.
The information collected from the volunteers helped scientists work out the math to compute wind chill. It involves wind speed and air temperature.
If, for example, the temperature outside is zero degrees Fahrenheit and the wind is blowing at 15 miles per hour, the wind chill is calculated at 19 degrees below zero. At that wind chill temperature, exposed skin can freeze in 30 minutes.
You can find a calculation table at www.nws.noaa.gov/om/windchill/index.shtml.
Experts advise in cold weather that you wear loose-fitting, lightweight, warm clothing, worn on top of each other. Air caught between the clothes will keep you warm. The best cold-weather coats have head coverings made of woven material that keep out water. So next time the temperature drops and you want to play outside, listen to your parents when they tell you to wrap up warm!
【小题1】 According to the text, wind chill _______.

A．means how fast exposed skin freezes

B．doesn’t affect your head as much as other body parts

C．changes according to the temperature on the thermometer

D．changes from person to person depending on their health

【小题2】 When might a person have frostbite according to the passage?

A．When his skin turns red and he loses feeling in that area.

B．When he is running faster and he is losing strength quickly.

C．When his face is exposed and quickly loses heat even indoors.

D．When his skin turns pale and he has no feeling in that area.

【小题3】 What factors influence wind chill?

A．A person’s body temperature and will speed.

B．Wind speed and a person’s strength.

C．Air temperature and wind speed.

D．The location and air temperature.

【小题4】 What can we conclude from the passage?

A．It was in 1945 that scientists first began to calculate wind chill.

B．Compared with water, people’s exposed skin freezes more slowly.

C．The wind chill index based on Antarctica data is considered a standard.

D．With the development of technology, many previous researches have been proven wrong.

In America , driver’s education is part of the regular high school curriculum. Every student in his or her second year of high school is required to take a class in driver’s education. However, unlike other courses, it is not given during the regular school year. Instead it is a summer course.
The course is divided up into two parts: class time for learning laws and regulations and driving time to practice driving. Class time is not unlike any other class. The students have a text from which they study the basic laws they must know to pass the written driving test that is given to anyone wanting to get a driver’s license.
Driving time is a chance for the students to get behind the wheel(steering wheel) and practice starting steering, backing up, parking, switching lanes, turning corners, and all the other maneuvers （操作） required to drive a car. Each student is required to drive a total of six hours. The students are divided up into groups of four. The students and the instructor go out driving for two hour blocks of time. Thus, each student gets half an hour driving time per outing. The instructor and “driver” sit in the front seats and the other three students sit in the back.
Drivers ED cars are unlike other cars in which they have two sets of brakes, one on the driver’s side and one on the other side where the instructor sits. Thus , if the student driver should run into difficulties the instructor can take over. The car also has another special feature. On the top of the car is a sign that reads: STUDENT DRIVER. That lets nearby drivers know that they should use extra caution because the student driver is a beginning driver, not very experienced and prone to driving slowly.
After the student has passed the driver’s education course and reached the appropriate age to drive(this age differs in every state but in most cases the person must be 16 years old),they can go to a designated state office to take their driver’s test, which is made up of an eye examination, a written test, and a road test. The person must pass all three tests in order to be given a driver’s license. If the person did well in his or her driver’s education class, he or she will pass the test with flying colors and get a driver’s license.
【小题1】Which of the following is the best title for this passage?_______.

A．Driving classes

B．Driving Learning

C．Driving Course

D．Driving Experience

【小题2】In America, the driver’s course mentioned above_____.

A．is considered as part of the advanced education.

B．is given to any student wanting to get a driver’s license.

C．is carried on at the same time as other courses

D．is offered to all the students of Grade 2 in high schools

【小题3】To prevent accidents, a drivers Ed car_____.

A．has a sign inside it	B．has two sets of brakes
C．is big enough to hold five persons	D．can’t run very fast.

【小题4】In the last sentence, with “ flying colors” means_____

A．happily

B．successfully

C．colorfully

D．quickly

Some years ago on a hot summer day in south Florida a little boy decided to go for a swim in the old swimming hole behind his house．In a hurry to dive into the cool water, he ran out of the back door, leaving behind shoes, socks, and shirt as he went．
He flew into the water, not realizing that as he swam toward the middle of the lake, a crocodile was swimming toward him．His mother in the house was looking out of the window and saw the two．In great fear, she ran toward the water, shouting to her son as loudly as she could．Hearing her voice, the little boy became alarmed and made a U-turn to swim to his mother．It was too late．Just as he reached her, the crocodile reached him．From the shore, the mother grabbed her little boy by the arms just as the crocodile snatched his legs．That began an incredible tug-of-war between the two．The crocodile was much stronger than the mother, but the mother was much too passionate to let go．A farmer happened to drive by, heard their screams, raced from his truck, took aim and shot the crocodile．
Remarkably, after weeks and weeks in the hospital, the little boy survived．His legs were extremely scarred by the attack of the animal．And, on his arms, were deep scratches where his mother’s fingernails dug into his flesh in her effort to hang on to the son she loved．
The newspaper reporter, who interviewed the boy, asked if he would show him his scars．The boy lifted his legs．And then, with obvious pride, he said to the reporter, “But look at my arms．I have great scars on my arms, too．I have them because my Mom wouldn’t let go．”
Never judge another person’s scars, because you don’t know how they were made．
【小题1】By saying “But look at my arms．I have great scars on my arms, too” in paragraph 4,the boy really wants to show__________．

A．how deep the scars made by the crocodile were

B．what a brave and courageous boy he was

C．how many scars and scratches he had

D．how great and beloved his mother was

【小题2】Hearing Mother’s shouts, the boy______．

A．remained in the middle at a loss

B．didn’t stop swimming forwards

C．swam back towards the shore

D．was ready to fight the crocodile

【小题3】Which of the following statements is true according to the text?

A．A crocodile attacked him when the boy and his mother were swimming．

B．The crocodile bit the arms of the boy when it reached him．

C．There is always an interesting story behind every scar．

D．It was the farmer who shot the crocodile．

【小题4】Which of the following will be the best title for the text?

A．Scars of Love	B．Women Hold up Half the Sky
C．A Terrible Experience	D．Don’t Judge by Appearances

One of the most difficult problems a young person faces is deciding what to do. Some people, however, from the time they are six years old “know” that they want to be doctors or teachers or firefighters, but most of us do not get around to making a decision about a job until someone or something forces us to face the problem.
Choosing a job takes time, and there are a lot of things you have to think about as you try to decide what you would like to do. You may find that you will have to take special courses for a particular kind of work, or you may find out that you will need to get enough knowledge for a particular job.
Fortunately, there are a lot of people you can turn to for advice and help in making your decision. At most schools, there are teachers to give you information about jobs. And you can talk over your ideas with family members and friends who are always ready to listen and to offer suggestions.
【小题1】In the third paragraph “turn to” means ______.

A．turn your face around

B．change into

C．go to someone for help

D．give advice

【小题2】The best title of this passage is ______.

A．Getting a Job

B．Kind People to Help You

C．Choosing a job

D．Difficulties Facing Young People

【小题3】The passage tells you that ______ for a particular job.

A．you should have ideas when you are a child

B．it’s impossible for you to get enough knowledge

C．you have to face the problem

D．you may enter a class to study

【小题4】Making a decision about choosing your job ______.

A．needs friends

B．needs time

C．cost money

D．cost your ability

Long ago in a small town, there was a place known as the House of 1,000 Mirrors. A small, happy little dog learned of this place and decided to visit.
When he arrived, he bounced (跳) happily up the stairs to the doorway of the house. He looked through the doorway with his ears lifted high and his tail wagging as fast as it could. To his great surprise, he found himself staring at 1,000 other happy little dogs with their tails wagging just as his. He smiled a great smile, and was answered with 1,000 great smiles just as warm and friendly. As he left the house, he thought to himself, “This is a wonderful place. I will come back and visit often.”
In this same village, another little dog, who was not quite as happy as the first one, decided to visit the house. He slowly climbed the stairs and hung his head low as he looked into the door. When he saw the 1,000 unfriendly looking dogs staring back at him, he growled at them and was horrified to see 1,000 little dogs growling back at him. As he left, he thought to himself, “This is a horrible place, and I will never go back there again.”
All the faces in the world are mirrors. What kind of reflections do you see on the faces of the people you meet? 
【小题1】Why was the first dog surprised when he entered the house?

A．Because he didn’t expect to see so many happy dogs.

B．Because he didn’t know there were 1,000 mirrors in the house.

C．Because he was always in a mixed mood.

D．Because he saw so many dogs smiling at him.

【小题2】Why did the first dog like the house?

A．Because there were 1,000 mirrors in the house.

B．Because he thought he could keep himself warm in the house.

C．Because he liked everything presented to him.

D．Because he felt he was welcome here.

【小题3】The underlined word “growl” probably means ______.

A．make an unfriendly noise	B．smile
C．say hello	D．stare

【小题4】Which of the following is the most suitable title for the passage?

A．A Small happy Little Dog

B．The House of 1,000 Mirrors

C．The Wonderful Place and the Horrible Place.

D．Two Little Dogs

Sometimes doing something for yourself - even shopping--can give others a lift. That's the case at charity shops and non-profit stores such as Ten Thousand Villages which helps provide skilled workmen with money in developing countries.
Their handicrafts(手工艺品) are sold throughout North America in 180 stores, 95 of them operated by Ten Thousand Villages.
"People come into the store because we have a lot of interesting things, but then they're drawn to us by the mission(慈善的行动) ," says organization spokeswoman Juanita Fox.
"It just feels good to be making a difference when you're buying something."
In the Alexandria, Virginia shop, generals display windows draw you in. They are filled with practical, attractive home furnishings in blue and white, all international in mood.
Once inside though, it's clear that this isn't just another import store. On the wall behind the cash register is the following note:
"Ten Thousand Villagers provides necessary, fair income to Third World people by marketing their handicrafts and telling their stories in North America. Your Buying Makes a Difference. "
The store was opened in 1994 as part of a network of shops across the USA run by the Mennonite Church, which is based in Akron, Pennsylvania.
Currently, 60,000 skilled workmen from 32 countries provide goods to the stores, with all proceeds (收益) re-invested in the organization.
Management of the Alexandria shop is overseen by an all-volunteer board of directors. More than 40 additional volunteers help doing everything from working the register to unpacking stock.
Maria Yannopoulos got involved after visiting a store and getting to know another volunteer. "Since we are non-profit, we are really looking for value because the more we sell, the more jobs we can create. Giving someone job rather than charity helps in so many ways. "
【小题1】The underlined part "give others a lift" in the first paragraph means ______.

A．offer other a ride in a car

B．take others up and down in another floor

C．make others think of plans

D．make others more pleased

【小题2】A large number of people visit Ten Thousand Villagers because _______.

A．they are fond of traveling around

B．they can find something interesting

C．they can enjoy the wonderful foods

D．they want to learn how to farm in the fields

【小题3】What can we learn from the note mentioned in this passage?
A. Goods sold at Ten Thousand Villages are expensive.
B. Stories about Ten Thousand Villages are interesting.
C. What the purpose of the shop is.
D. Goods from the Third World are better than those from the USA.
【小题4】From the last paragraph we can learn that ________.

A．American volunteers like to run shops

B．American shops are mostly operated by volunteers

C．Volunteers often offer goods to their friends as presents

D．Shopping can also be a kind of charity

The way people hold to the belief that a fun-filled，pain-free life equals happiness actually reduces their chances of ever attaining real happiness．If fun and pleasure are equal to happiness then pain must be equal to unhappiness．But in fact，the opposite is true：more often than not things that lead to happiness involve some pain．
As a result，many people avoid the very attempts that are the source of true happiness．They fear the pain inevitably brought by such things as marriage， raising children， professional achievement，religious commitment，self improvement．
Ask a bachelor （单身汉）why he resists marriage even though he finds dating to be less and less satisfying．If he is honest he will tell you that he is afraid of making a commitment．For commitment is in fact quite painful．The single life is filled with fun，adventure，excitement．Marriage has such moments，but they are not its most distinguishing features．
Couples with infant children are lucky to get a whole night’s sleep or a three-day vacation．I don’t know any parent who would choose the word fun to describe raising children．But couples who decide not to have children never know the joys of watching a child grow up or of playing with a grandchild．
Understanding and accepting that true happiness has nothing to do with fun is one of the most liberating realizations．It liberates time：now we can devote more hours to activities that can genuinely increase our happiness．It liberates money：buying that new car or those fancy clothes that will do nothing to increase our happiness now seems pointless．And it liberates us from envy：we now understand that all those who are always having so much fun actually may not be happy at all．
【小题1】According to the author，a bachelor resists marriage chiefly because          ．

A．he finds more fun in dating than in marriage

B．he believes that life will be more cheerful if he remains single

C．he is reluctant to take on family responsibilities

D．he fears it will put an end to all his fun adventure and excitement

【小题2】Raising children，in the author’s opinion，is           ．

A．a moral duty	B．a thankless job
C．a source of inevitable pain	D．a rewarding task

【小题3】From the last paragraph，we learn that envy sometimes stems from       ．

A．hatred

B．misunderstanding

C．prejudice

D．ignorance

【小题4】To understand what true happiness is one must        ．

A．be able to distinguish happiness from fun

B．make every effort to liberate oneself from pain

C．put up with pain under all circumstances

D．have as much run as possible during one’s lifetime

【小题5】What is the author trying to tell us?

A．It is important to make commitments．

B．One must know how to attain happiness．

C．Happiness often goes hand in hand with pain

D．It is pain that leads to happiness．

Hidden in a small street in the south end of Springfield, not far from buildings torn apart by the tornado（龙卷风） earlier this year, Frigo’s is an Italian restaurant right in our own backyard.
Frigo’s is not a tiny place. It provides different kinds of Italian food. There are refrigerator cases full of prepared foods and desserts, and shelves filled with olives and various pasta.
There’s some traditional Italian music and the smell is of olive oil and garlic（大蒜）. Above the largest refrigerator case, there’s a chalk board covered with desriptions of more Italian sandwiches than I could remember.
I stepped into Frigo’s almost by accident when I had to stay in Springfield into the evening for an open house at the school where I work. Frigo’s is the perfect place to find something quick to go. There are no tables, so all food is taken out. I also thought it would be a great place to pick up some already-prepared food to bring home for dinner.
I ordered the easiest meal possible: a chicken sandwich and a salad. It cost＄4.75 for the sandwich. The salad was＄4.99 and didn’t have salad dressing on it. I must have missed the choice of salad dressing on the way out. The sandwich was great—great chicken, excellent tomato sauce and not too much cheese.
I wish I had tried one of the many other sandwiches which include Joe’s Favorite (＄5.25-＄6.75) and the Dante (King) which is made of turkey breast, roasted red peppers, asiago cheese and choice of dressing.
I have a feeling that I’ll be picking up dinner for me and the kids at Frigo’s soon.
【小题1】 Who would be most likely to go to eat at Frigo’s?

A．People who want to eat quietly in a nice restaurant.

B．People who want to enjoy home-made food

C．People who like traditional American food

D．People who are fond of Italian food

【小题2】 Which of the following cannot be seen at Frigo’s?

A．A chalk board covered with descriptions of sandwiches

B．Refrigerator cases full of prepared foods and desserts

C．Shelves filled with olives and different kinds of pasta

D．Customers eating happily around tables

【小题3】How much did the writer pay for his first meal at Frigo’s?

A．＄4.75

B．＄5.25

C．＄9.74

D．＄4.99

【小题4】We can infer that “Joe’s Favorite” and “Dante” are the names of        .

A．sandwiches

B．salads

C．cheese

D．peppers

【小题5】We can infer from the passage that the writer         .

A．seldom eats out in a restaurant with his family

B．feels very happy that be has found Frigo’s

C．dislikes eating sandwiches

D．lives a very relaxing life