Dear Aunty,
After years of her crying, I finally gave in and allowed my daughter to have a cat. I now regret my decision. As someone needs to have a clean, tidy house, I no longer feel relaxed in my own home. If I tell her, “sorry, the cat has to go.” She will be heartbroken. What can I do?
-Feline Phobic
Dear Phobic,
I’m an animal lover and on your kid’s and cat’s side. Tell your daughter your problem. Ask her to help you come up with a plan. Perhaps you can agree to allow the cat only in certain areas of the house. This is a chance for your daughter to develop the sense of responsibility owning a pet requires.
Dear Aunty,
I got the highest grade on a biology test. Now the popular kids think I’m brainy, and want me in their lab group. I knew I was being used. Now, they want my homework. What should I do?
-Lily
Dear Lily,
Popularity can come at a price, but it’s no excuse to cheat. Offer to help new friends with their homework, but don’t give them yours.
Dear Aunty,
I’m one of six assistants in a dental (牙科的)office. But I’m new there just four months. I’ve tried to join conversations, but they just ignore me. They go shopping together. No one invites me. How can I break into the circle?
-Crystal
Dear Crystal,
Humans run in packs like dogs. When a new dog enters the pack, a lot of discovery goes on. So bring cookies for everyone! Then try making friends with one co-worker. Invite her to lunch. When you get familiar with each other, tell her how hard you’re finding the situation at work. Chances are, she’ll take you under her wing.
【小题1】Aunty thinks that Phobic should _____.

A．try to persuade her daughter to give in

B．spend more time cleaning the house

C．ask her daughter to help tidy up

D．find a better way to keep the cat

【小题2】The underlined word “brainy” in the passage means _____.

A．excited

B．friendly

C．intelligent

D．hard-working

【小题3】According to the passage, _____.

A．Phobic can’t get along well with her daughter

B．Aunty is fond of animals like cats

C．Crystal’s coworkers are cheating her

D．Lily has no interest in lab experiments

How to Be a Winner
Sir Steven Redgrave
Winner of 5 Olympic Gold Medals
“In 1997 I was found to have developed diabetes（糖尿病）. Believing my career was over, I felt extremely low. Then one of the specialists said there was no reason why I should stop training and competing. That was it — the encouragement I needed. I could still be a winner if I believed in myself. I am not saying that it isn’t difficult sometimes. But I wanted to prove to myself that I wasn't finished yet. Nothing is to stand in my way.”
Karen Pickering
Swimming World Champion
“I swim 4 hours a day, 6 days a week. I manage that sort of workload by putting it on top of my diary. This is the key to success — you can’t follow a career in any field without being well-organized. List what you believe you can achieve. Trust yourself, write down your goals for the day, however small they are, and you’ll be a step closer to achieving them.”
Kirsten Best
Poet & Writer
“When things are getting hard, a voice inside my head tells me that I can’t achieve something. Then, there are other distractions, such as family or hobbies. The key is to concentrate. When I feel tense, it helps a lot to repeat words such as ‘calm’, ‘peace’ or ‘focus’, either out loud or silently in my mind. It makes me feel more in control and increases my confidence. This is a habit that can become second nature quite easily and is a powerful psychological tool．”
【小题1】What does Sir Steven Redgrave mainly talk about?

A．Difficulties influenced his career．

B．Specialists offered him medical advice．

C．Training helped him defeat his disease．

D．He overcame the shadow of illness to win．

【小题2】What does Karen Pickering put on top of her diary?

A．Her sports career．

B．Her achievements．

C．Her daily happenings．

D．Her training schedule．

【小题3】What does the underlined word “distractions” probably refer to？

A．Ways that help one to focus．

B．Words that help one to feel less tense．

C．Activities that turn one's attention away．

D．Habits that make it hard for one to relax．

【小题4】According to the passage, what do the three people have in common?

A．Self-confidence．	B．Hard work．
C．Devotion．	D．Courage．

It's great fun to explore (探索) new places—it feels like an adventure, even when you know you're not the first to have been there. But make sure not to get lost or waste time going round in circles.
● Do the map reading if you're being driven somewhere. It'll be easier if you keep turning the map so it follows the direction you' re traveling in. Keep looking ahead so that you can give the driver lots of warning before having to make a turn, or you'll have to move to the back seat.
● Get a group of friends together and go exploring. You'll need a good map, a compass (指南针), a raincoat, a cell phone to call for help in case you get lost, and a bit of spare cash for emergencies (应急现金). Tell someone where you're going before you set out and let them know what time you expect to be back. The test is in not getting lost, not in seeing how fast you can go, so always stick together, waiting for slower friends to catch up.
● See if your school or a club organizes orienteering activities, in which you need a map and a compass to find your way. This can be done as a sport, with teams trying to find the way from A to B (and B to C, etc. ) in the fastest time, or simply as a spare-time activity. Either way, it's not only good fun, but a great way to keep fit.
【小题1】Sitting beside the driver, you should ________.

A．direct the driver when necessary

B．look ahead to see where there's a turn

C．move to the back seat if feeling uncomfortable

D．keep looking at the map to find a place to go to

【小题2】Why do you need to tell someone your exploration plan before setting out?

A．To get information when in danger.

B．To be saved in case of an accident.

C．To share the fun with him/her in exploration.

D．To tell him/her what's going on with the group members.

【小题3】Orienteering activities can ________.

A．make people work fast

B．help people stay healthy

C．help people organize other activities

D．make people get prepared for sports

Maybelle said she wouldn't be coming with me to the library. I asked why, and she said she could get all the short stories she wanted off the Internet. Saved walking all the way to the library, and putting up with my long chat on the way there, and on the way back. Maybelle is very direct like that, always has been.
"But, Maybelle, we've been walking to the library every Monday for the last fifty years!"
She said," Why don't you get Internet'? We can send each other emails."
So I had to get Internet. I called the local high school. They said they'd send me a good student to tell me all about computers and such.
Evil thing, this Internet. Makes you lose old friends, forces you to learn new complex ideas, even if you're too old. But Maybelle said you have to be modern; otherwise, you're dead.
The kid came the next day. Tall skinny black kid, by the name of Arsenius, said his work would cost more.
I said, "All right. As long as I get Internet."
"You need a computer, then you need to get hooked up," he said.
"Let's buy a computer and get hooked up, then."
"How much you want to spend?"
"Whatever it takes."
"How many rams you want?"
I wasn't going to show him my ignorance, so I said, "Whatever it takes."
"Let's go to the mall. You got a car?"
"In the garage."
When I opened the garage door, he gasped. Daddy's car is still there, a'57 Chevy. I never drive it. Walk everywhere.
I said," Let's walk. It's only a mile or so."
He said," Let's drive, or you will faint on me in this heat."
"Young man, I don't faint, never have. We're walking."
"I get paid by the hour," he said. "Walking will cost you a lot more. Also, you feel like carrying a computer a mile or so?"
【小题1】What kind of person is Maybelle?

A．She always says what she means in an honest way.

B．She no longer likes reading in her old age.

C．She doesn't want to be friends with the writer any more.

D．She doesn't want to keep up with the time.

【小题2】Why does the writer want to have Internet at his place?

A．Because the writer believes that one is never too old to learn.

B．Because the writer thinks that it is better late than never.

C．Because of the pressure from people of his age.

D．Because of the convenience the Internet will bring.

【小题3】Arsenius gives _________ reasons for driving to the mall.

A．two

B．three

C．four

D．five

TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010
Frequently Asked Questions
What is TEENSGIVING?
TEENSGIVING is an exciting yearly event where hundreds of New York City teens gather together annually for a remarkable day of community service. This year, TEENSGIVING in SRING 2010 participants will once again better New York City and impact thousands of lives!
When is TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010?
SUNDAY, APRIL 25, 2010
Where is TEENSGIVING?                
All over New York City. Everyone will meet at the 92nd Street Y (92nd and Lexington) at 9:00 AM for the event kick-off. Then, all TEENSGIVING volunteers will disperse across the city to work with our partnering agencies where they will make a HUGE difference and have fun!
Who participates in TEENSGIVING?
Hundreds of teenagers from around the city. Teens come from the 92nd Street Y, various city schools, youth groups, and organizations in the area. In addition, many adult volunteers (aged 21 and older) will donate their time to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.
What projects do participants do at the agencies?
Sample projects include painting park benches, planting gardens, visiting and playing with underprivileged children, assembling craft kits for children in hospitals, assisting at animal shelters, working at soup kitchens, delivering meals and celebrating with families at homeless shelters.  
Do I get anything for participating in TEENSGIVING?
Yes! Everybody benefits! Teen volunteers will receive *6 hours* of community service credit, good towards honor society, high school graduation and college application requirements. Adult volunteers will be “thanked” with a light breakfast, a gift certificate for their troubles, and the satisfaction of helping our city’s youth contribute to their community. In addition, all teen and adult volunteers will receive a cool TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010 T-shirt.
This sounds awesome! How do I register for TEENSGIVING in SPRING2010? Interested teens and/or adults should e-mail the TEENSGIVING Coordinator Josh Hyman at jhyman@92Y.org(subjet:TEENSGIVING) to receive more information and to register for this fantastic event!
**Teens can also contact their school’s Community Service Advisor**
TEENSGIVING is sponsored by the 92nd Street Y.
【小题1】TEENSGIVING is an event which is held ______.

A．fromtimetotime	B．onceeveryyear
C．everytwoyears	D．twiceayear

【小题2】Teenagers may do all the following in the event EXCEPT ____

A．wateringflowers

B．cooking

C．cleaningstreets

D．takingcareofanimals

【小题3】An adult volunteer may get ____ for his time devoted to TEENSGIVING in SPRING 2010.

A．communityservicecreditandaT-shirt

B．ahighschoolcertificateandalightbreakfast

C．aT-shirtandagiftcertificate

D．agiftcertificateandcommunityservicecredit

【小题4】The writer’s purpose in writing this passage is to _______.

A．informreadersofsomefrequentlyaskedquestions

B．introduceTEENSGIVINGinSPRING2010toreaders

C．encouragereaderstoaskmorequestionsaboutTEENSGIVING

D．callonreaderstoparticipateinTEENSGIVINGinSPRING2010

Inside the pleasingly fragrant cafe, So All May Eat(SAME) in downtown Denver ,the spirit ofgenerosityis instantly noticeable :donation box stands in place of a cash register. Customers here pay only what they can afford, no questions asked.A risky business plan, perhaps, but SAME Café has done one unchangeable thing in the Mile High City for six years: Open only at midday, the restaurant allows poor local customers who cannot pay to work as volunteers instead. They can act as waiters and waitresses, and dishwashers, or look after the buildings and equipment for the cafe.   
It’s based on trust, and it’s working all right”, says co-owner Brad Birky, who started the café in 2006.  Previously volunteering at soup kitchens, the Birkys were dissatisfied with the often unhealthy meals they served there. “We wanted to offer quality food in a restaurant where everyone felt comfortable, regardless of their circumstances,” Birky says. SAME’s special lunch menu changes
daily and most food materials are natural and grown by local farmers. The café now averages 65 to 70 customers (and eight volunteers) a day. And the spirit of generosity behind the project appears to be spreading. In early 2007,one volunteer who had cleared snow for his meals during t he long
winter said goodbye to the Birkys, He said he was going to New Orleans to help with the hurricane clearing up,” says Birky.
【小题1】What can we learn about the soup kitchens the Birkys previously worked for?

A．They refused to have volunteers.

B．They offered low quality food.

C．They provided customers with a good environment.

D．They closed down because of poor management.

【小题2】According to the passage, which of the following is TRUE?

A．The customers who cannot pay can work as volunteers instead.

B．More volunteers will go to new Orleans for the hurricane cleanup.

C．Many new cafes will be opened to offer free lunches in the town.

D．The lunch menu has remained the same since the café was started.

【小题3】The author’s attitude towards running such a café is_______

A．unfavorable

B．doubtful

C．cautious

D．approving

Make the most of college
Dear Daughter,
As we drove off from Columbia, I wanted to write a letter to you to tell you all that is on my mind.
First, I want to tell you how proud we are. Getting into Columbia is a real testament（ 证明）of what a great well-rounded student you are. You should be as proud of yourself as we are.
Your college years will be the most important of your life. It is in college that you will discover what learning is about. This will be the period when you go from teacher-taught to master-inspired, after which you must become self-learner. So do take each subject seriously, and even if what you learn isn’t extremely impotant for your life, the learning skills you gain will be something you will cherish（怀念） forever.
Follow your passion in college. Take courses you think you will enjoy. Don’t be trapped by what others think or say, but make up your own mind.
Most importantly, make friends and be happy. College friends are often the best in life. Pick a few friends and become really close to them – pick the ones who are sincere and honest to you.  Don’t worry about their hobbies, grades, looks or even personalities.
Start planning early – what would you like to do? Where would you like to live? What would you like to learn? I think your plan to study fashion is good,  and you should decide where you want to be, and get onto the right courses.
Whether it is summer-planning, or coursework planning, or picking a major,  or managing your time, you should take control of your life. I will always be there for you, but the time has come for you to be in the driver’s seat – this is your life, and you need to be in control. Being in control feels great. Try it, and you’ll love it!
College is the four years where you have:
l The greatest amount of free time
l the first chance to be independent
l the most flexibility（灵活性）to change
l the lowest risk for making mistakes
So please treasure your college years – make the best of your free time, become an independent thinker in control of your destiny（命运）, be bold（敢于冒险的） to experiment, learn and grow through your successes and challenges.
May your years at Columbia be the happiest of your life, and may you become just what you dream to be.
Love,
Dad (&Mom)
【小题1】What does the author think college life holds in store for his daughter? ______

A．Uncertainty

B．Pure enjoyment.

C．Successes and challenges.

D．Experimentation with life.

【小题2】What does the author advise his daughter to do in college?______

A．Plan everything.

B．Party with friends in her free time.

C．Ignore what others think or say.

D．Treasure and make the best of her college years.

【小题3】Which of these pieces of advice is given in the article?_____
a. think and live independently
b. learn how to learn
c. choose friends with similar personalities
d. be genuine and sincere
e. try new things

A．abc

B．bce

C．cde

D．abe

【小题4】From the text, we can conclude the father ______.

A．is worried about his daughter

B．is optimistic about his daughter’s future

C．is strict with his daughter

D．is sad that his daughter is leaving home

They may be small and not able to speak, but babies are proving their amazing cleverness. Scientists began finding infants’ skills are more than they are supposed to be.
_________
Speaking of music, babies can’t seem to resist it. Not only are their ears turned to the beats, babies can actually dance to the music.
To test babies’ dancing ability, the researchers played recordings of classical music, rhythmic beats and speech to infants, and recorded the results. They also invited professional dancers to analyze how well the babies matched their movements to the music. The babies moved their arms, hands, legs feet and heads in response to the music, much more than to the speech. The finding suggests this dancing ability is innate(与生俱来的) in humans, though the researchers aren’t sure why it becomes weaker later in their life.
Learning Quickly while Sleeping
Babies can learn even while asleep, according to a 2011 study. In experiments with 26 sleeping infants, each just 1 to 2 days old, scientists played a musical tone followed by a puff of air to their eyes 200 times over the course of a half-hour. 124 electrodes(电极) stuck on the head and face of each baby recorded brain activity during the experiments. The babies rapidly learned to foretell a puff of air upon hearing the tone, showing a four-time increase on average in the chances of tightening their eyelids in response to the sound by the end of the experiments.
As newborns spend most of their time asleep, this newfound ability might be crucial to rapidly adapting to the world around them and help to ensure their survival, researchers said.
Judging Characters Well
Judging another person helpful or harmful is crucial when choosing friends. And that ability starts early. Kiley Hamlin of Yale University showed both 6-and 10-month-olds a puppet(木偶) show, in which one character helped another climb a hill. In another scene a third character pushed the climber down. The little ones then got to choose which character they preferred. For both age groups, most babies chose the helper character. This character-judging ability could be baby’s first step in the formation of morals, Hamlin thought.
【小题1】Which of the following subtitles can fill in the underlined blank?

A．Dancing to Music

B．Babies’ Amazing Abilities

C．Learning to Dance Quickly

D．Born to Dance

【小题2】The underlined word “it” in the third paragraph refers to______.

A．the finding

B．the dancing ability

C．the response

D．the baby

【小题3】The experiment with 26 sleeping infants prove that_______.

A．babies can learn even while asleep

B．babies can respond to the world around them

C．babies can tighten their eyelids in response to the sound

D．babies can communicate with others while asleep

【小题4】In the last experiment, most babies chose the helper character, showing that________.

A．babies can judge a person helpful or harmful

B．babies love to see a puppet show

C．babies were born to help others

D．babes have learned to help others

For many years, Hawaii has been a magic name to people who like to travel. People on both sides of the Pacific Ocean, in Japan and in America, dream of seeing these beautiful islands in the middle of the ocean. Their dreams always include at least one scene of a sunset over the ocean. In the tropical(热带的) lands, the sun drops, like a ball of golden fire, into the sea, and it droops so quickly that you can almost see it move. The sun leaves behind a glow that lights the skies and shines in the quiet water.
People often have a quiet, peaceful time ---perfect for a leisurely(悠闲的) walk along the water. This scene is not too different from the dramatic(令人神往的) beauty that greeted the first strangers to these islands centuries ago. They were Polynesian people who came from Tahiti in canoes not much bigger than small boats.
They found the beautiful white sand beaches and the waving palm trees, but there were no giant hotels like the ones we see nowadays. The first people came to Hawaii nearly two thousand years ago, but skyscraper hotels were only built in the last 25 years. Now jet planes make it possible to fly to for a weekend from Tokyo. Wherever the people come from, they really want to see the original beauty of Hawaii. They want to see the lovely beaches and the mountain called Diamond Head which is almost hidden by the tall hotels.
【小题1】Hawaii is a name _____.

A．given by people who like to travel

B．attracting a lot of travelers

C．with a magic story behind it

D．liked by both the Japanese and Americans

【小题2】On these beautiful islands, one thing that every traveler won't miss is_____.

A．to swim in the quiet water

B．to see the tropical plants

C．to see the sunset

D．a leisurely walk along the beach

【小题3】Which of the following does not belong to "the original beauty of Hawaii"?

A．White sand beaches.

B．Waving palm trees.

C．Tall hotels.

D．The Diamond Head Mountain.

【小题4】The last paragraph suggests_______

A．the scenery nowadays is not too different from the original beauty.

B．it's not quite easy to see the original beauty, because some of the scenery is almost hidden by tall hotels.

C．it is easy to see the original beauty, but only by taking jet airplanes.

D．it is not easy to see the original beauty because things have completely changed in the last 25 years.

【小题5】The best title of the passage is _______

A．Islands Scenery.

B．Hawaii A Magic Name.

C．Traveling In Hawaii.

D．The Dramatic Beauty.

Paparazzi, or "paps", are photographers who take pictures of famous people when they are not at the center of public attention. Paps are different from professional photographers or journalists because they never take ordinary photos.
The goal for paparazzi is to get pictures that no one else will get and then sell the pictures to the buyer who offers the most money —normally a small newspaper, magazine or website.
There is no law against paparazzi taking pictures in public places. However, there are laws that protect certain individuals. For example, child protection laws stop improper (不合适的) pictures of anyone under 16 from being published.
There is also no law that stops paparazzi from following celebrities (名人) and taking their pictures either. However, if paps are secretly following them and taking pictures of their faces, they could get into trouble.
Most paparazzi hang out on streets and hot spots for celebrities, waiting for the opportunity to take a picture of a star. Many stay on the streets until the early hours of the morning when celebrities are leaving nightclubs and looking a little worse for wear. However, some have other ways to make sure they get pictures. Many paps are in contact with "informers" who know the locations of celebrities at any given time. They then pass the information on to paparazzi. An informer could be anyone —from a restaurant waiter to a salesman.
Most of the time, paparazzi get a bad reputation for following celebrities. But sometimes stars or their managers will contact paps themselves and tell them exactly where and when they will go.
What a love-hate relationship between paparazzi and celebrities!
【小题1】Which of the following things paparazzi might do would be against the law?

A．Taking pictures of famous people in public places.

B．Getting unsuitable pictures of a 10-year-old actress published.

C．Following a famous woman singer secretly and taking her pictures.

D．Hanging out at the places where celebrities often appear.

【小题2】In order to earn big money a pap has to ________.

A．get the only first-hand pictures

B．sell the pictures to a big newspaper

C．make friends with famous people

D．know the locations of celebrities

【小题3】The fifth paragraph mainly tells us ________.

A．how paparazzi get the pictures

B．how dangerous paparazzi’s job is

C．how much paparazzi pay for the pictures

D．how paparazzi contact informers

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

A．Paparazzi always take pictures when famous people are tired.

B．Stars hate paparazzi and don’t want to be followed.

C．Paparazzi and famous people rely on each other sometimes.

D．Informers might get paparazzi into trouble.